Fighting Words with George M. Johnson
George M. Johnson knows how to counterpunch the culture wars. ALL BOYS AREN’T BLUE, their memoir of growing up Black and Queer in America, is currently the second-most banned book in America. And that distinction has pushed George to the frontlines of the fight for freedom of expression. “Fighting Words” is George’s chance to bring listeners into the ring with some of today’s most talented, outspoken and courageous creative people, people ready, willing and able to use their words to fight back against intolerance, fear, censorship and marginalization. Each week George talks to someone about their work making culture that takes on the topics some people seem afraid to talk about. It’s a conversation that goes deep but stays light – fleet, fast and fearless. And each episode gives George a chance to shine a light on new music, timeless wisdom and some of today’s rising stars.
Episodes
For the show's last episode, George looks back at some of their favorite conversations, with a special focus on global solidarity. This episode features Gabrielle Union, Imani Bashir, Elias Jahshan and Bishop Joseph W. Tolton.
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George is joined by Mariah Moore from the Transgender Law Center. She tells George about becoming an activist after the murder of her trans sisters in New Orleans, how to fight for trans rights today and the lessons she learned when running for office.
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Today, we're revisiting George's conversation with Leah Johnson, co-author of their new book "There's Always Next Year", a holiday romcom about second chances, new beginnings and the power of community.
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Today, George looks back on one year of Fighting Words and puts together moments from some of their favorite conversations, with Darnell Moore, Sapphire, Emil Wilbekin, Erika Alexander and Dana A. Williams.
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We bring back George's conversation with Jason King, Dean of the USC Thornton School of Music, a musician, music historian and much, much more. Jason talks about how to live the summoned life, how to be a citizen of the world, the lost art of artist development and how artists like SZA and Beyoncé curates their influences and makes them new. For more Jason, check out his podcast eight-episode podcast documentary Sound Barrie...
George is joined by Ian L. Haddock, the founder and executive director of the Normal Anomaly Initiative, a nonprofit that provides direct services to the LGBTQ+ community in Houston. Ian tells George about getting kicked out of his house as a teenager; finding a new home with the LGBTQ+ community in Houston, and starting his own organization.
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Today, we revisit one of our first conversations on the show, with the iconic Angelica Ross, actress, musician, businesswoman and activist known for her iconic roles on Pose and American Horror Story. Angelica talks about holding her head high and keeping her integrity in Hollywood, or as Angelica calls it, "the industry of pick-mes." This episode’s Queer Artist Spotlight is on Angelica’s song “Grand Theft Lover.&...
George is joined by Emmy-nominated singer-songwriter Julian King. Julian tells George about his approach to making music, how living in China transformed him and opening for Mary J Blige.
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George is joined by award-winning journalist Shar Jossell. Shar talks about how Oprah and Wendy Williams influenced her career, about approaching pop culture with a critical lens and how to make sense of the current media environment.
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George is joined by Leah Johnson, award-winning YA author and owner of Loudmouth Books, an independent bookstore in Indianapolis uplifting banned books and marginalized authors. Leah tells George about publishing her first novel in the midst of the George Floyd protests and why she thinks bookstores are more important than ever. The two of them also talk about working together on their new book, There's Always Next Year.
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Today, we bring back George's conversation with the legendary author Sapphire. Her 1996 novel Push was adapted into the 2009 movie Precious, which won Oscars for Best Supporting Actress and Best Adapted Screenplay. Sapphire talks about what it's like to have her book banned, the authors who inspired her, and how art can heal trauma.
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Sean Coleman joins George on the podcast to talk about how ballroom and incarceration shaped his life, why he wanted to change the non-profit sector and start Destination Tomorrow, and opening the first city-funded shelter for transgender homeless people.
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George is joined by Bishop Joseph William Tolton, who discusses the history of white Christian Nationalism in America, how this anti-democratic and anti-Black movement has spread around the world, and how to fight against it.
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George is joined by storyteller and community organizer Charlene A. Carruthers. Charlene talks about how growing up in Chicago shaped her organizing, about occupying the Chicago police headquarters in 2020, doing her work through a Black queer feminist lens, and why telling stories is central to being an activist.
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George is joined by actor Greg Mathis Jr., who shares what it was like to work in DC for 10 years, trying to pass the Affordable Care Act, before switching careers to entertainment. Greg tells George about his latest role in the movie "Fighting to Be Me," which tells the story of transgender gang leader Dwen Curry.
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George is joined by Dana A. Williams, Dean of the Graduate School at Howard University and author of a new book "Toni at Random," about Nobel Prize-winning author Toni Morrison's overlooked career as the first Black woman editor at Penguin Random House. Dana tells George about Toni's vision for editing and publishing Black authors, and how African-American literature helps make sense of the American experience as a whole.
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George is joined by the hosts of the HIGHKEY podcast, RuPaul’s Drag Race winner Yvie Oddly and culture critic Ryan Mitchell. Together, they discuss reactions to the Charlie Kirk shooting, the difference between empathy and apathy, the NFL's LGBTQ+ 'branding', why local politics matters, and whether we should bring back cursive writing?!
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George is joined by Emmy-nominated director, writer and producer Nathan Hale Williams. Nathan tells George about growing up in Chicago, becoming a producer and director, what he thinks the role of the artist is today and how his upcoming film will talk about HIV in a totally new way. And him and George reflect on the experience of working together on the dramatic reading of All Boys Aren't Blue.
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Today, we return to one of our favorite conversations, with iconic comedian, drag queen and author, Bob the Drag Queen.
Bob tells George to discuss his new novel Harriet Tubman: Live in Concert, losing his mother right before filming the Emmy award-winning reality show Traitors, and why we need more class solidarity. This episode's Queer Artist Spotlight is on "Queen of the Underground", one of Bob's ...
George is joined by Shahem Mclaurin, licensed therapist and social worker, with over 800K followers online. Shahem tells George about his story: how he never wanted to become a therapist until he learned how broken our mental care system is, and what white supremacy does to our mental health.
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