Feb. 23, 2026

Daughter's Against Alzheimer's Battle For The Brain Recap

Daughter's Against Alzheimer's Battle For The Brain Recap

In today's Season Finale, we recap our experience at Battle for the Brain 2026! We pulled up at the Coca-Cola Roxy for Battle for the Brain—Daughters Against Alzheimer's lip sync showdown, where corporate teams, cheerleaders, and neighbors channel pure joy into serious funding for Alzheimer’s research at Emory. We walk you through the night: teams that rehearse like Broadway hopefuls, a set list that jumps from the 50s to the 2000s, and a crowd that refuses to leave their seats. ...

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In today's Season Finale, we recap our experience at Battle for the Brain 2026! 

We pulled up at the Coca-Cola Roxy for Battle for the Brain—Daughters Against Alzheimer's lip sync showdown, where corporate teams, cheerleaders, and neighbors channel pure joy into serious funding for Alzheimer’s research at Emory. 

We walk you through the night: teams that rehearse like Broadway hopefuls, a set list that jumps from the 50s to the 2000s, and a crowd that refuses to leave their seats. You’ll hear from Atlanta Falcons cheerleaders Ava and Caitlin on why dancing for a cause hits different, a guest who came to support his wife’s team and stayed for the mission, and an auctioneer who can sell anything while honoring his grandmother’s memory. 

Underneath the glitter sits the engine: Daughters Against Alzheimer’s and Emory’s world-class research teams. We dig into why steady, annual funding matters—grants are planned years ahead, early bets need breathing room, and breakthroughs often come from calculated risks that don’t fit tidy boxes. 

Come for the music, stay for the mission, and leave with a clearer sense of how joy, science, and community can move mountains. If this episode moves you, subscribe, share it with a friend, and leave a review so more people find the fight. What song would your crew lip-sync to for a cure?

Visit BattlefortheBrain.org for more information and to attend next year. 

Executive Producer/Host: J Smiles

Producer: Mia Hall 

Editor: Annelise Udoye

Support the show

"Alzheimer's is heavy but we ain't gotta be!"
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00:00 - Setting The Scene At The Roxy

01:19 - What Battle For The Brain Is

04:20 - Why This Mission Matters

06:30 - The Venue, Energy, And Sponsors

09:50 - The Melting Pot Of Supporters

12:50 - Stories Behind The Teams

WEBVTT

00:00:00.320 --> 00:00:02.000
Battle for the brain.

00:00:02.560 --> 00:00:09.919
These teams that are doing the lip syncing, you can't tell them this isn't the Grammys or the Tony's or they're not on Broadway.

00:00:10.240 --> 00:00:10.800
Co-founder.

00:00:11.039 --> 00:00:13.919
I'm gonna let her go because a lot of people want to talk to her.

00:00:14.080 --> 00:00:17.519
But she is the reason why we're about to beat Alzheimer's.

00:00:17.920 --> 00:00:18.719
What's up, fam?

00:00:19.120 --> 00:00:23.440
It's the season six finale, and I am at the Battle of the Brain.

00:00:23.600 --> 00:00:32.960
It is a fanatical, fun, funny lip sync bout between 10 or 12 major teams.

00:00:33.119 --> 00:00:36.719
The Atlanta South is cheerleaders, Morgan Stanley.

00:00:36.960 --> 00:00:37.280
Ray.

00:00:37.439 --> 00:00:42.719
The bank people are about to do lip syncing to raise money for Alzheimer's.

00:00:42.960 --> 00:00:47.200
All of this was started by Daughters Against Alzheimer's.

00:00:47.520 --> 00:00:48.079
DAA.

00:00:48.719 --> 00:00:53.280
Anyway, I can't wait to see how they pull all this thing together.

00:00:53.439 --> 00:01:04.879
This thing is less than 10 years old, yet they raise millions of dollars per year, and they give it specifically to Alzheimer's Research at Emory in Atlanta.

00:01:05.200 --> 00:01:07.519
I got this fast advanced, it's gonna glink.

00:01:07.599 --> 00:01:10.000
The last time I had one of these, I was with Oprah.

00:01:11.519 --> 00:01:14.079
And there's a solid live auction.

00:01:14.959 --> 00:01:17.920
I can smell the fries, I can smell the beer.

00:01:18.000 --> 00:01:19.599
It's about to be a good time.

00:01:20.079 --> 00:01:29.840
Parenting up caregiving adventures with comedian Jay Smiles is the intense journey of unexpectedly being fully responsible for my mama.

00:01:30.079 --> 00:01:41.840
For over a decade, I've been chipping away at the unknown, advocating for her, and pushing Alzheimer's awareness on anyone in anything with a heartbeat.

00:01:45.599 --> 00:01:49.519
That's why don't be ready, don't go.

00:01:50.000 --> 00:01:57.280
Caregiver newbies, OGs, and village members just willing to prop up a caregiver.

00:01:57.840 --> 00:01:59.760
You are in the right place.

00:02:00.239 --> 00:02:02.719
Hi, this is ready.

00:02:03.359 --> 00:02:08.319
I hope you enjoy my daughter's podcast.

00:02:12.960 --> 00:02:18.159
Today's supporter shout out is from YouTube, Walter Miller215.

00:02:18.879 --> 00:02:21.919
I absolutely agree with your message 100%.

00:02:22.400 --> 00:02:36.879
As a former co-caregiver for both of my parents, they made sure that my siblings and I knew what their wishes were for them well in advance before any confusion or conflict within the family.

00:02:37.599 --> 00:02:38.080
Amen.

00:02:39.680 --> 00:02:44.240
What a blessing you guys won the parent sibling lottery.

00:02:44.560 --> 00:02:48.960
The fact that y'all had it squared away before the confusion started.

00:02:49.280 --> 00:02:50.639
Thank you for sharing that.

00:02:50.800 --> 00:03:01.039
Now, if you would like to receive a support, a shout out, please, please, please, write a review on YouTube or Apple Podcast.

00:03:02.400 --> 00:03:05.840
Today's episode, Battle for the Brain.

00:03:46.800 --> 00:03:50.000
However, they made a belief out of me.

00:03:50.319 --> 00:03:52.000
Battle for the brain.

00:03:52.400 --> 00:04:00.080
These teams that are doing the lip syncing, you can't tell them this isn't the Grammys or the Tony's or they're not on Broadway.

00:04:00.240 --> 00:04:01.840
It is so amazing.

00:04:02.000 --> 00:04:10.159
These are adults who have jobs that don't involve uh healthcare or brain activity or research.

00:04:10.400 --> 00:04:16.160
I don't know how long they practice, how they find all these costumes, but they have gone all in.

00:04:16.240 --> 00:04:20.399
Like American Idol don't have shit on battle for the brain.

00:04:20.639 --> 00:04:23.439
And these teams and how competitive they are.

00:04:23.680 --> 00:04:26.000
Last year they raised 1.8 billion.

00:04:26.160 --> 00:04:29.120
Tonight we're about to go over the$2 billion range.

00:04:29.279 --> 00:04:32.879
It is so phenomenal just to be a part of it.

00:04:32.959 --> 00:04:34.720
The energy is crazy.

00:04:34.959 --> 00:04:36.399
We're at the Roxy.

00:04:36.720 --> 00:04:41.279
So if anybody's been to Atlanta, Tourist Park is where the Braves play.

00:04:41.680 --> 00:04:48.480
It's a beautiful complex that has food and restaurants and bars and shops.

00:04:49.120 --> 00:04:52.560
And there's also a venue called the Coca-Cola Roxy.

00:04:52.639 --> 00:04:53.759
It is a phenomenal venue.

00:04:53.839 --> 00:04:55.920
I actually have seen Kevin Hart perform here.

00:04:56.000 --> 00:04:57.680
So this shit is serious.

00:04:57.920 --> 00:04:59.279
It's sold out.

00:05:00.079 --> 00:05:04.240
Shake Fillet gave away all the sandwiches you could eat.

00:05:05.040 --> 00:05:06.959
Shake Shack gave away burgers.

00:05:07.120 --> 00:05:09.279
There were these delicious wedge fries.

00:05:09.360 --> 00:05:14.079
I don't remember the wedge fries, people, but we're gonna find the name and put it up under the bottom.

00:05:14.639 --> 00:05:18.160
There were drinks, the bar was open.

00:05:18.399 --> 00:05:27.120
Now they did encourage us not to go too far with it, but to watch the founders come out.

00:05:27.360 --> 00:05:31.600
The researchers actually showed up from Emory University.

00:05:31.839 --> 00:05:34.560
So we got to see and hear from real scientists.

00:05:34.720 --> 00:05:42.000
A lot of this was the fun of cheering for a team that you may know, or just music you love.

00:05:42.160 --> 00:05:46.240
They did stuff from the 50s, from the 80s, from the 2000s.

00:05:46.399 --> 00:05:48.720
The music was all over the place.

00:05:49.120 --> 00:05:54.800
Blacks, whites, Asians, people that are 30 years old, people 75 years old.

00:05:55.120 --> 00:06:04.480
It was such a melting pot of cultures, of religions, of races, of genders, because Alzheimer's doesn't discriminate.

00:06:04.879 --> 00:06:08.800
There's a lot of shit that does, but Alzheimer's does not.

00:06:09.360 --> 00:06:14.399
Watching the people sick here in the middle of the week.

00:06:14.639 --> 00:06:16.160
It's a Thursday night, y'all.

00:06:16.240 --> 00:06:17.360
These people gotta go to work.

00:06:17.519 --> 00:06:25.680
They got kids, they got jobs, it's cold outside, but everyone is still 10 toes down.

00:06:25.920 --> 00:06:27.519
This place is still packed.

00:06:27.759 --> 00:06:29.199
Nobody has left.

00:06:29.519 --> 00:06:30.160
Do you hear me?

00:06:30.240 --> 00:06:32.399
Like nobody has left their seats.

00:06:33.360 --> 00:06:43.120
I got choked up more than one time because they even showed videos of people saying why they chose to compete with a team.

00:06:43.519 --> 00:06:54.879
Like uh Tootsies, I remember that one, which is a uh women's boutique in Atlanta, then Ryder, they had some very moving thoughts.

00:06:55.040 --> 00:07:00.959
Um and Julie's groove crew, they had some very moving thoughts.

00:07:01.680 --> 00:07:24.879
It feels um elevating to be in a room of people who are not just suffering because of this disease, but are actually doing something, actively doing something every day, every moment, every year to bring this disease to an end.

00:07:25.199 --> 00:07:30.879
And you might hear right now, maybe you can't hear, there's a live auction.

00:07:31.360 --> 00:07:43.279
They even auctioned off like a 15,000 square foot mansion on the coast in Costa Rica for a week with butlers and cooks.

00:07:43.600 --> 00:07:44.480
You know what I mean?

00:07:44.720 --> 00:07:50.720
They are also um a private jet for two hours anywhere you want to go.

00:07:50.879 --> 00:07:52.480
Now, listen, you gotta go.

00:07:52.639 --> 00:08:01.680
If you go the whole way to two hours, you're gonna have to get your ass back on somebody else's plane or a bus or a train or a bicycle, or you just go one hour and turn around and come back.

00:08:01.759 --> 00:08:03.519
Either way, NetJets did that.

00:08:03.680 --> 00:08:05.759
Coca-Cola is a major sponsor.

00:08:06.079 --> 00:08:14.319
That also really touched me to know which corporations decided to still go hard for Alzheimer's.

00:08:14.800 --> 00:08:29.839
Money is tight right now for everybody, for corporations, for individuals, but the fact that large groups like Borgan Stanley and Coca-Cola decided to connect with something so personal and so local, meet the world.

00:08:30.079 --> 00:08:41.039
Emery is based right here in Atlanta, and their Alzheimer's Research Center has been voted number one for multiple years in a row.

00:08:41.279 --> 00:08:42.399
So let's go.

00:08:42.639 --> 00:08:44.559
Let's go, bottom butter brain.

00:08:44.799 --> 00:08:45.679
Let's go.

00:08:46.799 --> 00:08:54.960
Hey y'all, we're still here at the battle of the brain, and we had two of the flyest, hottest participants, and I can say it because I saw everybody.

00:08:55.279 --> 00:08:58.639
Atlanta Falcons cheerleaders, Ava and Caitlin.

00:08:58.720 --> 00:09:00.320
Oh, this is Ava, and that's Caitlyn.

00:09:00.720 --> 00:09:02.000
What made you all say yes?

00:09:02.159 --> 00:09:03.840
Because I mean, it's a Thursday night.

00:09:03.919 --> 00:09:06.240
You could probably not be cheering and dancing.

00:09:06.399 --> 00:09:14.320
Yeah, I think the most important thing for us is that we're able to dance and do something that we love, but for a much bigger cause.

00:09:14.480 --> 00:09:18.639
I mean, usually we are how cheering on our football team and cheering on the city of Italy.

00:09:18.799 --> 00:09:23.039
And now we can do it in a much more meaningful way on waiting full night.

00:09:23.120 --> 00:09:28.879
So it's been super, super fun, and we just get to bond as a team as well and showcase our talent for everyone here, which is super boo.

00:09:30.879 --> 00:09:36.080
Which is like, and I just want to say, I they did way more than pop fall shaking.

00:09:36.159 --> 00:09:42.080
Like, I would like maybe for like maybe half of the third quarter, we just watched the cheerleaders, you know what I mean?

00:09:42.159 --> 00:09:45.039
And we can just hear in our earbuds if the team is winning or not.

00:09:45.279 --> 00:09:46.320
That's my vote.

00:09:46.720 --> 00:09:47.759
They were awesome.

00:09:47.919 --> 00:09:50.159
Thankfully, they don't want to get an idea.

00:09:50.559 --> 00:09:54.960
So we are here at the Battle of the Brain 2026.

00:09:56.159 --> 00:10:01.360
We just met sitting in the audience, cheering for a lot of the lip sync bands.

00:10:01.519 --> 00:10:01.679
Yes.

00:10:02.080 --> 00:10:03.200
Did you enjoy yourself tonight?

00:10:03.360 --> 00:10:03.840
Yes, I did.

00:10:03.919 --> 00:10:06.399
My name is James Johnson Solution Architect.

00:10:06.480 --> 00:10:09.600
And one thing that I noticed, that little cute camera you had just.

00:10:10.080 --> 00:10:13.840
And I kept she kept looking at it on my wife said, What is she asking?

00:10:14.000 --> 00:10:15.360
I don't know, but I'm gonna ask her.

00:10:15.519 --> 00:10:19.919
Yeah, and uh, it was very intriguing, but I'm glad I found out about your organization.

00:10:20.000 --> 00:10:24.000
I'm gonna take a look at your podcast because I think podcasts is interesting.

00:10:24.240 --> 00:10:29.039
It's a coming norm these days, and I think it's a way of the future, and it's so nice to meet you two ladies.

00:10:29.120 --> 00:10:29.600
Thank you so much.

00:10:30.000 --> 00:10:30.639
Thank you so much.

00:10:30.799 --> 00:10:32.799
What why are you here tonight?

00:10:33.440 --> 00:10:35.440
Do you know someone that's been impacted by a disease?

00:10:35.600 --> 00:10:38.639
No, I'm here because my wife performed with Ryder every year.

00:10:38.720 --> 00:10:39.440
We're coming now.

00:10:39.679 --> 00:10:40.320
Yeah, yeah.

00:10:40.480 --> 00:10:49.279
Plus, it's like me since uh that I have known a lot of people through my mother's a hair power, and it is truly a uh dressful disease.

00:10:49.360 --> 00:10:51.679
So I'm so glad to have some more people here.

00:10:51.840 --> 00:10:58.320
I wish we could uh make sure that uh our flags of African America is more in tune to it as well.

00:10:58.799 --> 00:11:00.320
Because it is truthful, yeah.

00:11:00.799 --> 00:11:01.840
But thank you, ladies and friends.

00:11:02.080 --> 00:11:02.960
Thank you, thank you so much.

00:11:03.200 --> 00:11:06.399
We're still here, battle for the brain, killing it.

00:11:06.480 --> 00:11:12.559
If you want to sell something that may or may not be worth the money that you are asking, get this guy.

00:11:12.879 --> 00:11:14.000
Tim's gonna kill.

00:11:14.159 --> 00:11:15.440
Yeah, Tom.

00:11:15.759 --> 00:11:17.279
But Tim! Not mad.

00:11:17.519 --> 00:11:19.919
Tim Tom, Tim Tom, just send me Tom?

00:11:20.080 --> 00:11:20.399
Yeah, Tom.

00:11:20.720 --> 00:11:21.919
Just send your stuff to my house.

00:11:22.159 --> 00:11:22.960
I'll give you my address.

00:11:23.200 --> 00:11:24.000
And a purple tie.

00:11:24.159 --> 00:11:26.799
Just mail the stuff to my house and I'll sell it.

00:11:26.960 --> 00:11:29.919
Alright, Tom, how did you get involved?

00:11:30.320 --> 00:11:34.399
Well, first of all, my my Graham, Nawny, as we called her.

00:11:34.639 --> 00:11:34.720
Okay.

00:11:35.120 --> 00:11:38.320
Often versus my mom's mom, and God bless her, and we love her.

00:11:38.480 --> 00:11:42.720
And you know, at the end she was telling me, you're both short and you're tall.

00:11:42.960 --> 00:11:45.120
You know, you know, and you gotta get the laughs out, right?

00:11:45.200 --> 00:11:46.480
You gotta enjoy, yeah.

00:11:46.639 --> 00:11:51.440
But she's the greatest, and then uh it's in our family, and yeah, it's in everyone's family, right?

00:11:51.519 --> 00:11:51.840
Yeah, yeah.

00:11:52.240 --> 00:11:55.519
That's why I'm honored to work here, because we're fine, we're gonna cure this day.

00:11:55.600 --> 00:11:56.159
That's what we're doing.

00:11:56.559 --> 00:11:57.440
That's what we're gonna do.

00:11:57.519 --> 00:11:59.440
Yeah, me, Tim, and Tom.

00:11:59.679 --> 00:12:00.080
Tim Tom.

00:12:00.320 --> 00:12:04.399
Alright, because Tim Tom gives twice the flavor here, bro.

00:12:04.639 --> 00:12:05.519
Can you get his shoes?

00:12:05.759 --> 00:12:08.240
Yeah, everyone can't do that.

00:12:08.399 --> 00:12:09.120
You know what I mean?

00:12:10.000 --> 00:12:13.759
Every auctioneer can give you business up top.

00:12:14.320 --> 00:12:15.440
Can I tell you something else?

00:12:15.600 --> 00:12:17.840
Not every podcast host can do this.

00:12:18.159 --> 00:12:20.159
Yeah, not everyone can do that.

00:12:21.200 --> 00:12:23.679
I know a lot of podcast hosts that can't do that.

00:12:23.919 --> 00:12:25.600
Jay and Tim Tom, we're going on the road.

00:12:25.759 --> 00:12:26.000
Yeah, all right.

00:12:27.360 --> 00:12:28.080
Thank you for supporting.

00:12:28.159 --> 00:12:28.399
All right.

00:12:28.559 --> 00:12:28.799
Absolutely.

00:12:29.120 --> 00:12:32.720
Co-founder, I'm gonna let her go because a lot of people want to talk to her.

00:12:32.960 --> 00:12:37.039
But she is the reason why we're about to beat Alzheimer's ass.

00:12:37.200 --> 00:12:37.519
Amen.

00:12:37.919 --> 00:12:39.519
Battle for the brain, baby.

00:12:39.840 --> 00:12:40.320
Yes.

00:12:40.559 --> 00:12:40.879
Okay.

00:12:44.080 --> 00:12:45.279
The snuggle of.

00:13:40.159 --> 00:13:45.679
Because remember, you've got to sign up for a grant two, three, four, five years in advance.

00:13:46.000 --> 00:13:56.240
But if we are raising money annually, that means every year we are giving them more and more chances to take calculated, passionate risks.

00:13:56.960 --> 00:13:59.120
Go give some money, y'all.

00:14:00.080 --> 00:14:01.600
Thank you for tuning in.

00:14:01.759 --> 00:14:06.080
I mean, really, really, really thank you so very much for tuning in.

00:14:06.240 --> 00:14:14.320
Whether you're watching this on YouTube or if you're listening on your favorite podcast audio platform.

00:14:14.480 --> 00:14:17.519
Either way, wherever you are, subscribe.

00:14:17.759 --> 00:14:18.559
Come back.

00:14:18.720 --> 00:14:21.759
That's the way you're gonna know when we do something next.

00:14:22.000 --> 00:14:22.879
Y'all know how it is.

00:14:22.960 --> 00:14:23.919
I'm Jay Smiles.

00:14:24.000 --> 00:14:27.200
I might just drop something hot in the middle of the night.