The interview opens, as always, with Kamau giving Open Mike Eagle his flowers. Open Mike Eagle is someone Kamau feels a lot of kinship with, both men being somewhat outsiders in their given crafts.

After, they shift to recalling how they met during the production of Kamau’s TV show Totally Biased, and the chaotic period when the show expanded to five nights a week.

Both describe their shared “over there” feeling, being spiritually outside mainstream entertainment spaces even when physically in LA or New York, and how that shapes their careers.

Mike recounts growing up on Chicago’s South Side, raised largely by grandparents, kept indoors because of neighborhood violence, and absorbing hours of MTV and The Comedy Channel, which helped form his alt-Black sensibility.

He explains discovering Chicago’s underground hip hop scene, breakdancing, graffiti, DJing, freestyling, and building a sense of self through that meritocratic culture. Initially scared of rap as a child, hearing Eazy-E with his mom, he later finds his lane in “art rap,” naming his first album Unapologetic Art Rap.

They discuss capitalism’s role in killing alternative rap once fans stopped buying records, and both agree American capitalism is the “ultimate villain” behind many social issues.

Mike describes his TV peak with The New Negroes alongside Method Man, Lizzo, and MF DOOM, then the emotional toll of Comedy Central’s handling and the network “shitting in his heart,” leading to no second season.

He describes his recent YouTube work—clips from Twitch, commentary on the Kendrick vs. Drake battle and Diddy’s arrest—and the tension between chasing algorithmic topics and only speaking on issues he genuinely cares about, like Jack Harlow and misogyny in hip hop.

They close with parenting and the manosphere: Mike’s 17-year-old son at a mostly white school, his constant effort to warn him that many online figures and artists “hate women,” and the need to fight those influences.

Mike offers a five-song “starter kit” for his catalog and shares a core life lesson: maintaining deep gratitude for improbable achievements—from underground success to seeing a billboard of his own TV show outside his bedroom window—even in lean years.

Check out Inglewood Mutual Aid at https://www.instagram.com/mutual_aid_inglewood/ and Los Angeles Mutual Aid at https://www.instagram.com/mutualaidactionlosangeles/ 

Who's With Me is produced by Rabbit Grin Productions. Music by Chris Dowd. Distributed by Pushkin Industries.

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Kamau chats with alternative comedy legend Maria Bamford, praising her artistry and creative fearlessness, recounting how fellow comedians have long considered her a genius. 

They bond over difficult, irritable fathers teaching practical skills like changing tires, and how the “vibe” made learning impossible.

Maria and Kamau discuss their sometimes complicated love of standup: both cherish the craft but often prefer being home, joking that the best part of a show is when it’s canceled. Maria talks about wanting comedy to bring bliss while recognizing it rarely changes the world, and Kamau says comics must write as if jokes will change the world but not actually believe that they will.

Kamau describes reshaping his touring life, early shows for older and parent audiences, bringing his daughters on the road, and credits Maria’s DIY coffee-shop and 9 a.m. shows as inspiration to make standup work on his own terms. Maria explains her pay-what-you-can neighborhood theater shows, and intimate Zoom sets for tiny audiences, which she prefers over “great crowds.”

They move into mentorship and money: Kamau leans on Dwayne Kennedy and others for artistic and ethical guidance, while Maria uses 12-step programs like Debtors Anonymous to manage work and finances, and openly discusses low opener pay and her efforts to profit-share with her openers, like Jackie Kashian.  Maria insists on paying friends well for show-business advice and stresses the importance of financial transparency.

They discuss her Judd Apatow-produced documentary, Maria’s ambivalence about being its subject, and its value in normalizing mental health within a sexist, racist, ableist comedy world.

Later, Maria critiques benefit shows and nonprofit “hustles,” recounting her disastrous schizophrenia benefit set and Howie Mandel’s success, and Kamau’s reliance on Pastor Mike McBride to vet which causes to support.

Support women living on Los Angeles’s Skid Row by donating to The Downtown Women’s Center at downtownwomenscenter.org

Who's With Me is produced by Rabbit Grin Productions. Music by Chris Dowd. Part of the Pushkin Network.

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Kamau sits down with Leslie Jones for a raw, funny, and fiercely honest journey through becoming one of Saturday Night Live’s most unforgettable forces, and why she ultimately had to walk away. She explains the emotional grind of SNL, and the insane internet reaction to the announcement of an all-female Ghostbusters.

Jones traces how Chris Rock helped propel her toward Saturday Night Live, including the controversy over SNL’s lack of Black women and her long?gestating “slave joke,” written from a bad date in 1999 and eventually used in her audition for SNL and on Weekend Update. 

She describes arriving at SNL as a writer, the brutal table reads, and the psychological grind of the show’s 200?hour weeks, breaking down the Monday-Saturday schedule in detail.

Jones explains how profound family losses—her parents dying within a year and her brother a decade later—pushed her into fearless living and fueled her pursuit of comedy.

She shares behind?the?scenes SNL stories; from Black Trump and Weekend Update chemistry to how sketches live or die, and why “the good ones always want to leave.”

Later, Jones recounts the racist abuse and hacking she endured after Ghostbusters, including leaked nudes, and uses it to talk about social media toxicity and the fragility of fandom.

To support Brown Bag Lady’s mission to feed LA’s homeless community, visit brownbaglady.org, and donate to Planned Parenthood at plannedparenthood.org .

Who's With Me is produced by Rabbit Grin Productions. Music by Chris Dowd. Part of the Pushkin Network.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kamau sits down with the outspoken multihyphenate Eddie Huang to discuss his evolution as a chef and writer.

Kamau gives Huang flowers for his moral clarity and refusal to let Hollywood reshape his identity. Eddie describes himself as blunt, and is guided by a strong internal compass that his wife and close collaborators help refine.

They discuss code-switching and how Huang leverages being perceived as nonthreatening, while his “pen game” and willingness to speak truth can feel threatening in a different way.

The conversation shifts to Huang’s debut novel, Come Undone, an autofictional work about Hubie, a rough-edged TV chef and traveler clearly modeled on himself. The final draft was written in five intense days while juggling childcare and marriage, with a disciplined daily routine and tight domestic deadlines that he believes improve his work.

Huang embraces polarized reactions to his work. He prefers “five stars or zero stars” because, to him, that’s evidence that he has told a specific, truthful story.

Kamau and Huang discuss his fraught history with ABC’s Fresh Off the Boat, the sitcom based on his book of the same name.

They connect this to broader frustrations with Hollywood’s risk-averse, IP-driven system and contrast it with the relative artistic sanctity of publishing, where Huang works closely with publisher Chris Jackson, whom he calls the premier progressive editor championing writers like Ta-Nehisi Coates and others who push boundaries and speak truth to power.

They also touch on Eddie’s relationship with Anthony Bourdain, who he describes as a generous mentor who shared their disillusionment with travel TV’s demand for “happy endings” in a world where most people don’t get them.

The National Domestic Violence Hotline can be reached at 800-799-7233 or text BEGIN to 88788. Find the Anti Police-Terror Project at antipoliceterrorproject.org and Live Free at livefreeusa.org .

Who's With Me is produced by Rabbit Grin Productions. Music by Chris Dowd. Part of the Pushkin Network.

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Kamau opens the episode recalling Misty Copeland’s surprise appearance at the Oscars shortly after her hip replacement, marveling at her return to elite performance so soon after surgery and the physical demands of ballet.

Copeland explains she had her farewell performance at American Ballet Theatre (ABT) after a 25?year career, then learned she needed a hip replacement, which she welcomed as a solution to debilitating pain.

Misty and Kamau discuss the importance of accessibility to ballet and how her foundation brings free, culturally responsive ballet classes with live musicians into Black and brown communities.

They talk about Misty’s work with the legendary Prince, who pushed her to improvise on tour, boosting her confidence and drawing new audiences to ballet.

The conversation closes with advice to young Black and brown girls to stay rooted in joy, seek mentors, and remain open to support, and with a call for audiences to invest in the arts by attending performances and supporting organizations like the Misty Copeland Foundation.

You can support the Misty Copeland Foundation at mistycopelandfoundation.org

Who's With Me is produced by Rabbit Grin Productions. Music by Chris Dowd. Part of the Pushkin Network.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

W. Kamau Bell talks with economist, author, and former U.S. Labor Secretary Robert Reich about his lifelong fight against inequality, his journey through four presidential administrations, the capture of American democracy by big money, and why he refuses to give up on social justice.

Kamau opens the show by “giving Robert his flowers” for being one of the few public figures who have remained focused on social justice and inequality throughout their lives without wavering.

Reich reflects on how widening inequality, corporate money in politics, and a Democratic “Faustian bargain” with the wealthy long predated Donald Trump.

Reich traces his politics back to being bullied as a very short child and protected by an older boy, Mickey Schwerner, who was later murdered by the Ku Klux Klan as a civil rights worker.

Reich recounts how this commitment led him into the anti-Vietnam War movement, organizing students for Eugene McCarthy’s 1968 presidential campaign, then into a Rhodes Scholarship, where he met Bill Clinton, and later to serving in the Carter-era Federal Trade Commission and eventually to becoming Clinton’s Secretary of Labor.

Kamau and Reich also discuss Reich’s evolution into a pop culture figure, generational identity, and staying connected with younger people.

Turning to the present, Reich warns against despair in the face of authoritarianism, neo-fascism, and bigotry, arguing that hopelessness is exactly what those forces want so people will give up and cede everything.

The conversation also turns to war and foreign policy: Reich strongly supports Ukraine’s defense, condemns the war in Iran as “really, really stupid,” and calls Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu a dangerous war criminal whose actions have turned Israel into a pariah, while stressing that opposing Netanyahu is not antisemitic.

Donate to the ACLU at action.aclu.org and support Common Cause at commoncause.org.

Who's With Me is produced by Rabbit Grin Productions. Music by Chris Dowd. Distributed by Pushkin Industries.

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W. Kamau Bell talks with actress and filmmaker Nava Mau about Baby Reindeer, her short films, being a trans woman in Hollywood, and the pull of Oakland.

Kamau opens up the show by giving Nava her flowers, praising her performance in Baby Reindeer, her advocacy, and her public presence.

He warmly reviews All The Words But The One, a short film she wrote, directed, and acted in, which hit the festival circuit right when she broke out in Baby Reindeer. It's a work that delves deep into past traumas and relationships.

Nava discusses growing up in Mexico City and San Antonio, her struggle with body image, and the importance of seeing trans actors of all shapes and sizes on screen. She also reveals her childhood alter ego, the fabulous "Christina Escalante".

Kamau and Nava talk about the current state of the entertainment industry and the brief period of time when Hollywood seemed open to trans, queer, and brown representation. They vent about the confusion and cost of streaming consolidations, including convoluted app structures, free?trial cancellations, and sports fans needing multiple services. They also touch on Dave Chappelle's insistence on writing jokes about trans people.

The topic turns to Oakland, a place where Nava feels at home and has experienced some of the best years of her life.

Support Level Ground, an artist incubator supporting black, brown, queer, and trans voices at levelground.co, and support the TransLatin@ Coalition at translatinacoalition.org 

Chapters:

(00:00) Flowers for Nava

(09:44) All the Words But the One

(21:23) Representation, Identity, and Visibility

(30:18) Post-Baby Reindeer Entertainment Industry

(45:42) Dave Chappelle and Accountability

(01:00:31) Oakland and Finding Home

(01:05:55) Charity Shout Outs

Who's With Me is produced by Rabbit Grin Productions. Music by Chris Dowd. Part of the Pushkin Network.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

W. Kamau Bell and Daveed Diggs sit down to discuss Daveed's hip-hop career, parenthood, Hamilton, acting, and pursuing creative projects with friends.

Kamau gives Daveed his flowers for being intentional with the work he selects. From his rap group 'clipping.' to his role in the final season of The Boys, to his new film Magic Hour, Daveed busts his ass with projects he believes in.

They discuss how the Bay Area fosters the arts and his need and love of the creative process and collaboration.

The conversation turns to Daveed’s mainstream breakout in the smash hit musical Hamilton, how he got the opportunity that changed his life, and the epic jump Daveed executed during a performance at the Tonys, which prompted many friends to check on his physical well-being.

They discuss Daveed’s relationship with his best friend and collaborator, Rafael Casal, and how fame has changed things over the years.

Daveed loves being the father of a young son and laments the things that pull him away from spending time with his child, as well as the anxiety that comes with being a new father.

Donate to Cool Hand Series at coolhandseries.org to support bringing the arts into the prison systems.

Chapters:

00:00:00 Daveed Gets His Flowers

00:05:16:00 The Bay Area and The Creative Pursuit

00:11:32 Hamilton and Its Impact

00:23:04 Daveed’s Friendship with Rafa

00:33:03 Being a Dad

00:44:01 Oakland and the Bay Area

01:00:11 Shouting Out Causes

Who's With Me is produced by Rabbit Grin Productions. Music by Chris Dowd. Part of the Pushkin Network.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kamau sits down with chef-turned-host Kristen Kish to talk about her stepping up as host of Top Chef after the departure of Padma Lakshmi, being kind, outrage over Netflix's Roast of Kevin Hart, and being a transracial adoptee.

Kamau starts by giving Kristen her flowers for being a true natural on camera and the shoes she had to fill as a relative newcomer to television.

They talk about the surprisingly big cultural gap between Generation X and Elder Millennials.

Kamau recounts his time as a guest judge on Top Chef during a particularly sauce-heavy episode.

The conversation turns to comedy vs. cooking, leading to a discussion of the broader cultural impact of the racist jokes at the Roast of Kevin Hart.

Finally, Kristen discusses her experience of having white adoptive parents who supported her cultural background and made her feel seen and accepted.

Donate to the Emeril Lagasse Foundation at emeril.org and City Harvest at cityharvest.org 

Chapters:

00:00:00 Kristen Gets Coffee and Her Flowers

00:10:14 The Generational Divide

00:18:00 Why are you so Good on TV?

00:27:07 Kamau on Top Chef

00:36:00 Cooking Is Science, Comedy Is Math, The Kevin Hart Roast

00:55:30 Comedians Doing Damage to Society

01:00:48 Shouting Out Causes

01:03:47 Being a Transracial Adoptee

Who's With Me is produced by Rabbit Grin Productions. Music by Chris Dowd. Part of the Pushkin Network.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kamau Bell and Ted Danson discuss Ted’s long, storied career, starting with his breakout role as Sam Malone in the legendary sitcom Cheers. They discuss activism, Jane Fonda, Ted’s podcast Where Everybody Knows Your Name, and dive deep on the 1993 Friars Club Roast of Whoopi Goldberg. 

Kamau opens by praising Cheers, a show that was a huge comedic influence on him. They talk about how Ted’s innate goodness counterbalanced Sam’s sleazy ways, making the character palatable to mass audiences. 

They talk about Ted’s remarkably long career, which he attributes to good writers, and his recent work with showrunner Mike Schur. 

Ted and Kamau talk about activism and questioning if you’re doing enough to make a change in the world. Ted has been an advocate for saving our oceans for over 35 years and an outspoken advocate of progressive politics, but he still compares himself to his activist peers like Jane Fonda and wonders if he is doing enough.

Kamau gives Ted his flowers for demonstrating how a White person can apologize, and the conversation takes a serious turn as they discuss his infamous Friars Club Roast of Whoopi Goldberg, in which he appeared on stage in blackface. Ted is and always has been deeply regretful and embarrassed by the incident, and is grateful for the opportunity to clear the air. He discusses his thinking leading up to that night, the immediate aftermath, and his work to right the wrong.

They wrap up the conversation by talking about Ted’s favorite roles that he thinks haven't gotten enough attention.

Donate to support formerly incarcerated individuals as they reintegrate into society at PathwaytoKinship.org, and help fight for our oceans at Oceana.org

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W. Kamau Bell sits down with Congresswoman Lateefah Simon, a lifelong organizer and public servant representing California’s 12th District, which includes Oakland, Berkeley, and several neighboring cities.

Lateefah traces her journey from growing up in the Bay Area and organizing as a teenager working with young women on the streets, and eventually winning a seat in Congress without ever abandoning the politics and “fire” she started with.

She talks about being a Muslim and how her faith grounds her commitment to welcoming neighbors, feeding hungry children, and fighting for single-payer healthcare and LGBTQ+ rights.

The conversation dives into what it means to represent a district that spans deep poverty and intense wealth, from West Oakland to Piedmont, and why she believes every kid in West Oakland deserves the same schools, childcare, and opportunities that affluent cities provide.

Lateefah explains why she calls Trump-era small business policies “racist” rather than just “unfair,” connects today’s attacks on immigrants and voting rights to a long history of excluding Black, Latino, and Asian communities from GI Bill benefits and SBA loans, and lays out why she refuses to let polling dictate her moral compass.

They confront the “Trump Court” head-on, unpacking the gutting of the Voting Rights Act, the rollback of abortion rights, and why Lateefah believes the Supreme Court needs structural reform, including expansion and real accountability rather than lifetime, consequence-free appointments.

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Kamau Bell and Delroy Lindo discuss themes of clarity, grace, Black artistic lineage, community, parenting, and place (especially Oakland), framed by Lindo’s long career and his recent awards campaign for the film Sinners.

Kamau opens by “giving flowers,” describing Lindo’s career through the words “clarity” and “grace.” Lindo accepts these as fitting, explaining that he strives for clarity in his choices and communication, and sees grace, both extending and receiving it, as critical, especially in contemporary America.

Kamau traces his first impression of Lindo back to Malcolm X, where Lindo’s performance as West Indian Archie convinced him that the actor’s clarity and grace were not just acting but an expression of who he is. Lindo responds by correcting a common misconception about a supposed “gap” in his career, clarifying that he spent roughly a decade as a New York theater actor before Malcolm X became the springboard for his film career.

They discuss the great Denzel Washington; Lindo expresses his appreciation for Denzel, both with regard to his breadth of work and their personal relationship.

Kamau, speaking as a fan, describes how Black audiences came to Malcolm X for Denzel but quickly recognized Lindo as a force: first as the cool, dangerous Harlem figure and later as the frail, broken Archie, concluding that Lindo’s range made him “capable of anything” and cemented him as “our guy.”

They discuss Lindo’s range through the character Rodney Little in Clockers. Lindo explains that Rodney is nothing like him on the surface, and he had to stretch and challenge himself to make the character believable, which he’s proud of.

Kamau and Lindo discuss why they chose Oakland over New York or Los Angeles, and they wrap up the conversation by getting into the recent controversy at the BAFTA awards.

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Male comedian-led podcasts need a savior, and W. Kamau Bell is the man for the job. Instead of hosting a podcast that turns young boys into assholes, fans the flames of fascism, plays footsie with war criminals, and lies more often than it tells the truth, Kamau is going to do something different with his new podcast Who’s With Me? 

Over his multifaceted career, W. Kamau Bell is known for having conversations about the issues that divide, enrage, and confuse us. Filling these conversations with humor, heart, and intellect, Kamau has shown us that a simple conversation can spark change, not only for the participants but also for the audience. Kamau is bringing all that and more to his new weekly podcast, Who’s With Me? 

Inspired by Kamau’s popular Substack newsletter of the same name, Who’s With Me? is more than just a simple question. It is an invitation to connect, a call to action, and a reassuring pat on the shoulder in these increasingly hectic times. Every episode, Kamau will sit down with someone he admires deeply to give them their flowers, ask his most burning questions, and invite his guest to give him and his audience homework on how to make the world a better place. 

So… who’s with Kamau?

New episodes every Wednesday, starting May 27th. Subscribe now on Youtube, Apple, Spotify, or wherever you get podcasts.

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