Larry Wilmore: Black On The Air

Larry weighs in on his birthday, the Dave Chappelle controversy, and cancel culture. He then joins David Copperfield in Las Vegas to discuss his book "History Of Magic" and his early days before becoming one of the worlds most successful magicians.(13:39) David tells some of the stories behind his greatest illusions, like the Statue of Liberty vanishing (49:50), goes deep with Larry on the secrets of performing (1:03:15) and much, much more. Host: Larry Wilmore Guest: David Copperfield Producers: Kaya McMullen and Brandy LaPlante Production Assistant: Chris Sutton Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Today’s episode is taken from a live conversation between Larry Wilmore and representative Adam Schiff for ‘Live Talks Los Angeles.’ The two discuss Schiff’s new book ‘Midnight in Washington,’ being in the Capitol during the attacks in January, and much more. Host: Larry Wilmore Guest: Adam Schiff Producer: Kaya McMullen Production Assistant: Jonathan Kermah Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Larry weighs in on Kyrie Irving refusing to get vaccinated (1:00) before he is joined by ‘Insecure’ star Jay Ellis and New York Times writer Walter Thompson-Hernández to talk about their new podcast with Lemonada Media, ‘Written Off,’ which features work from young writers who developed their voice while incarcerated (18:29). Plus, Ellis gives some hints on what’s to come on the final season of ‘Insecure’ (57:42). Host: Larry Wilmore Guests: Jay Ellis and Walter Thompson-Hernández Producer: Kaya McMullen Production Assistant: Jonathan Kermah Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Larry weighs in on NBA players and their stances on COVID-19 vaccinations (01:00). Later, Larry is joined by magician and author Joshua Jay to discuss his latest book, ‘How Magicians Think,’ and how many magicians get into magic for the same reasons but stay for different ones (14:00). Later, they talk about the ethics of a magician and diversity in the world of magic, and Jay even performs some magic effects. Host: Larry Wilmore Guest: Joshua Jay Producer: Kaya McMullen Production Assistant: Jonathan Kermah Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Larry is joined by Washington Post journalist Craig Whitlock to talk about his new book ‘The Afghanistan Papers’ which details America’s long, un-winnable war in Afghanistan and how the public was deceived. Host: Larry Wilmore Guest: Craig Whitlock Producer: Kaya McMullen Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Larry weighs in on pandemic fatigue, his issue with voter ID laws being called racist, and the Texas abortion ban (01:00). Later, Ken Burns joins Larry to discuss his latest documentary, ‘Muhammad Ali’ (25:00). They talk about the making of the documentary, Ali’s relationship with the Nation of Islam, and much more. Host: Larry Wilmore Guest: Ken Burns Producer: Kaya McMulllen Production Assistant: Jonathan Kermah Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Larry weighs in on the twentieth anniversary of the 9/11 attacks and more to open the show (01:00). Later, he is joined by creator of the Me Too Movement Tarana Burke to discuss her new book ‘Unbound: My Story of Liberation and the Birth of the Me Too Movement,’ as well as the difference between self esteem and self worth, and much more (20:00). Host: Larry Wilmore Guest: Tarana Burke Producer: Kaya McMullen Production Assistant: Jonathan Kermah Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Larry is joined by the LA Times Sports and Culture columnist LZ Granderson to talk about becoming comfortable with his identity as a Black gay man (8:26), NFL player Carl Nassib coming out as gay and the other progress the sports world is making to be more inclusive (47:24), and how he feels about athlete activism (1:07:29). Host: Larry Wilmore Guest: LZ Granderson Producer: Kaya McMullen Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Larry weighs in on Richard Branson’s space trip and the return of mask mandates (01:00). Later, Larry is joined by writer Michael Pollan to discuss his latest book ‘This Is Your on Mind on Plants,’ the effects of Opiates on the body, and much more (10:00) Host: Larry Wilmore Guest: Michael Pollan Producer: Kaya McMullen Production Assistant: Jonathan Kermah Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Larry opens the show by weighing in on critical race theory (1:00). Later, he is joined by Dr. Ibram X. Kendi, New York Times bestselling author and host of the podcast ‘Be Antiracist,’ to discuss the mission of his relatively new podcast (17:00) as well as what it means to be antiracist. Later, Dr. Kendi briefly dives deeper into critical race theory with Larry (49:00). Host: Larry Wilmore Guest: Dr. Ibram X. Kendi Producer: Kaya McMullen Production Assistant: Jonathan Kermah Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Larry weighs in on Bill Cosby’s release from prison to open the show (01:00). Later, Larry is joined by comedian and author Wayne Federman to discuss his new book ‘The History of Stand-Up: From Mark Twain to Dave Chapelle’ (10:00). Later they look at the vaudeville era of comedy (29:00), how technological advancements such as the microphone changed comedy (34:00), and the impact of cancel culture on comedy today (1:20:00). Host: Larry Wilmore Guest: Wayne Federman Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Larry weighs in on Juneteenth becoming a holiday, the Catholic church’s potential communion ban on President Biden for his abortion stance, and the “heartbeat bill” (01:30). Later, Larry is joined by comedian and writer Sam Jay to discuss working on her show ‘PAUSE with Sam Jay,’ the difference between writing for ‘Saturday Night Live’ vs. her own show, and much more (24:00) Host: Larry Wilmore Guest: Sam Jay Producer: Kaya McMullen Production Assistant: Jonathan Kermah Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week, Larry weighs in on how the privilege of being from the United States has contributed to the country’s lack of interest in getting vaccinated (0:43). Larry is joined by Oscar-winning actress Helen Hunt to discuss her latest work in the series ‘Blindspotting' (13:00). They also discuss a rejected ‘Twister’ reboot, her acting career, and much more. Host: Larry Wilmore Guest: Helen Hunt Producers: Kaya McMullen and Bobby Wagner Production Assistant: Jonathan Kermah Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

To open the show, Larry again weighs in on alien conspiracies, as well as Tucker Carlson’s quote on COVID-19 vaccinations being the “medical Jim Crow" (1:00) Then, Larry is joined by Emmy Award-winning comedian Wanda Sykes to discuss working on her new Netflix show ‘The Upshaws’ during the pandemic (13:00). They also talk about Sykes transitioning from a NSA agent to stand-up comedian, and possible government cover ups (31:00). Later, they look back at their times performing at The White House Correspondents’ Dinner during the Obama years (44:00). Host: Larry Wilmore Guest: Wanda Sykes Producer: Kaya McMullen Production Assistant: Jonathan Kermah Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Larry briefly weighs in on the conservative attack on women’s reproductive right, as well as alien conspiracy theories to open the show (01:00). Later, he is joined by Oscar-winning director Barry Jenkins to discuss adapting Colson Whitehead’s novel into the television series ‘The Underground Railroad’ on Amazon Prime (13:00). Later, they discuss the art of directing (34:00), and avoiding the creation of Black trauma porn when telling stories that are intertwined with Black history (1:10:00). Host: Larry Wilmore Guest: Barry Jenkins Producer: Kaya McMullen Production Assistant: Jonathan Kermah Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Larry is joined by actor and director David Oyelowo to talk about getting into acting and why he decided to create his own production company (17:47), making his directorial debut with ‘The Water Man' and what it was like to direct himself as an actor (35:37), and why he's drawn to making movies with fantastical elements (51:53). Host: Larry Wilmore Guest: David Oyelowo Producer: Kaya McMullen Production Assistant: Jonathan Kermah Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Larry weighs in on ‘May the Fourth Be With You’ and the importance of gratitude to open the show. Later, he is joined by New York Times best selling author Malcolm Gladwell to discuss his new audio book ‘The Bomber Mafia,’ how advances in technology change warfare, and more (11:00). Host: Larry Wilmore Guest: Malcolm Gladwell Producer: Kaya McMullen Production Assistant: Jonathan Kermah Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Larry is joined by actor and comedian Robin Thede on this week’s weigh-in to discuss Season 2 of ‘A Black Lady Sketch Show’ (01:00). Later, Larry is joined by comedian W. Kamau Bell to discuss ‘United Shades of America,’ defunding the police, and much more (30:10). Host: Larry Wilmore Guests: Robin Thede and W. Kamau Bell Producer: Kaya McMullen Production Assistant: Jonathan Kermah (edited)  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Larry weighs in on a week filled with gun violence and police brutality, as well as the new Georgia voting law to open the show (02:00). Later, he is joined by Willie Geist, host of ‘Morning Joe’ and ‘Sunday Today with Willie Geist,’ to discuss what goes into the interview process, how President Biden is doing in office, and more (20:00). Host: Larry Wilmore Guest: Willie Geist Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Larry is joined by Oscar nominated director Travon Free to discuss filming ‘Two Distant Strangers’ amidst the pandemic, how he got his start in the entertainment industry, and more (01:00). Later, Larry is joined by Oscar nominee and singer Andra Day to discuss portraying Billie Holiday in her first ever acting role with ‘The United States vs. Billie Holiday’ and more (37:00) Host: Larry Wilmore Guests: Travon Free and Andra Day Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices