Random Things and Random Thoughts by Lindsie Rodgers · Lindsie Rodgers

Random Things and Random Thoughts episode 119: Former AGT contestant is going after this Philadelphia native.

January 2, 2026·59 min·4 clips

Former AGT violinist Brian King Joseph is suing Will Smith over alleged hazing and wrongful termination on tour.

1. Random Things and Random Thoughts host Lindsie Rodgers reacts to a People magazine article about violinist Brian King Joseph's lawsuit against Will Smith, connecting it to controversies involving other former America's Got Talent contestants. 2. Lindsie Rodgers is the sole host, self-described as a Philadelphia sports fan who follows multiple AGT alumni on Instagram. 3. The episode's core question is whether Brian King Joseph's allegations against Will Smith are credible, and what consequences Smith should face given his role as a Philadelphia 76ers minority owner. 4. Brian King Joseph, described as an electronic violinist whose style resembles Lindsey Stirling, placed in the top three of America's Got Talent season 13 in 2018 and was hired to perform on Will Smith's Based on a True Story 2025 tour in November 2024. 5. Joseph filed a complaint at the Superior Court of California, County of Los Angeles on December 30th against Will Smith and Traid Ball Studios Management Incorporated. 6. The complaint alleges Joseph discovered a handwritten note reading 'Brian I'll be back just us' with a drawn heart, signed 'Stone F,' in his Las Vegas hotel room, along with wipes, a beer bottle, a red backpack, HIV medication with another person's name, an earring, and hospital discharge paperwork. 7. Joseph feared an unknown individual would return to engage in SA, and reported the incident to hotel staff, a local non-emergency police line, and Smith's management team. 8. After reporting, a tour management member 'shamed' Joseph and informed him he was terminated; another violinist was hired to replace him on the tour per the complaint. 9. Smith's attorney Alan B. Grodsky called the allegations 'false, baseless and reckless' and stated they would 'use all legal means available to address these claims and ensure that truth is brought to light.' 10. A separate $3 million lawsuit was filed December 1st by former associate Bilal Salaman, also known as Brother Bilal, against Jada Pinkett-Smith; an entertainment source told People he was 'an opportunistic person out to exploit them.' 11. Lindsie speculates that someone on Will Smith's tour staff with HIV may have planned the hotel room items as a hazing ritual, and is careful to distinguish her speculation from direct accusation of Smith. 12. Noting that Will Smith and Jada Pinkett-Smith are listed as minority owners of the Philadelphia 76ers on the team's official website, Lindsie calls on majority owner Josh Harris to consider removing them. 13. Lindsie draws a comparison to Bill Cosby, who was convicted of assault and also lived in Philadelphia, warning of potential similar chaos if the Smith allegations prove true. 14. The episode transitions to Kai Sanat's Mafia-thon 2 Twitch stream of November 26th, where magician Max Major — a former AGT season 15 semi-finalist — performed an undisclosed stunt using a Jeopardy-style button mechanism. 15. According to Wikipedia, Sanat said Major lied to his production team about the stunt details, Major refused to return to apologize, and Sanat banned all magician acts from his streams; Major later claimed Twitch had approved the stunt. 16. Twitch CEO Dan Clancy is criticized by Lindsie for allegedly approving the stunt, and she argues Kai should pursue legal action against both Major and Clancy given Twitch's failure to inform Sanat directly. 17. Lindsie closes by mentioning mentalist Oz Perlman, another AGT contestant, who she says figured out a View co-host's bank card PIN number during an appearance, raising concerns about whether a sensitive security breach was suppressed from airing. 18. The episode is delivered as an unscripted solo monologue with Lindsie frequently correcting herself, losing track of sentences, and acknowledging her own confusion in real time. 19. Fans of celebrity gossip, Twitch streaming culture, and America's Got Talent alumni controversies will find the most value in this episode. 20. Listeners seeking coherent analysis or a structured argument will likely find the format difficult to follow.

As heard by us

A messy celebrity-claims episode that feels most alive while Lindsay sorts it out live.

The episode stays centered on a celebrity-claims story, with Lindsay walking through Brian King Joseph, the former America's Got Talent contestant and violinist, and the reported dispute involving Will Smith.

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Why you'd press play

For when you want a raw, reactive take on a Will Smith-related headline.

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