Larry Wilmore: Black on the Air

Larry Wilmore: Black on the Air

Emmy Award—winning producer, actor, and comedian Larry Wilmore is back on the air, hosting a podcast where he weighs in on the issues of the week and interviews guests in the worlds of politics, entertainment, culture, sports, and beyond.

Episodes

August 9, 2025 54 mins
Larry is joined by New York Times journalist and author Jonathan Mahler to discuss his newest book ‘The Gods of New York: Egotists, Idealists, Opportunists, and the Birth of the Modern City: 1986-1990’, publishing on August 12th. They begin their conversation by detailing why Jonathan decided to write the book and shining a light on the rich history of New York city that precedes the period it covers. Here, they focus on the infamo...
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Larry is joined by journalist Maya Lau to discuss her latest podcast, Easy Money: The Charles Ponzi Story, currently streaming on Apple Podcasts. They begin their conversation by describing the story and subsequent legacy of Charles Ponzi, an Italian immigrant who, in 1920, defrauded his "investors" of the modern equivalent of a quarter of a billion dollars and unwittingly lent his name to one of the most infamous financial scams i...
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Larry is joined by comedian Nate Jackson to talk about his new Netflix special ‘Nate Jackson: Super Funny’. They begin their conversation by examining the different ways that comedians develop relationships with an audience and sharing how they each mentally process jokes while they're performing. Nate then details how he became a comedian and the journey he took to find his unique creative voice (22:41). This leads to a conversati...
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Larry is joined by reporter and journalist Elizabeth Wagmeister to talk about her experiences covering the Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs federal criminal case for CNN. They begin their conversation by shining a light on the atmosphere both inside and outside the courtroom, and detailing the individual charges being brought against Combs. They then examine the legal definition of sex trafficking and break down how the prosecution's underestima...
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Larry is joined by journalist Alex Thompson from Axios to discuss the new book he coauthored with CNN’s Jake Tapper, ‘Original Sin: President Biden’s Decline, It’s Cover-Up, and His Disastrous Choice to Run Again.’ They begin their conversation by analyzing the personal history between Joe Biden and Barack Obama and breaking down how the elements of the book came together. This leads to an examination of the mainstream media's cove...
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June 7, 2025 54 mins
Larry is joined by author, television host, and political commentator Joy Reid to discuss her new podcast, The Joy Reid Show. They begin their conversation by talking about why Joy left MSNBC and examining the state of cable news in modern culture. This leads to an analysis of the different ideological splits within the Republican Party and the current status of the U.S. on the global stage (10:09). After the break, Larry and Joy d...
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Larry is joined by writer and media executive Mark Whitaker to discuss his newest book ‘The Afterlife of Malcolm X: An Outcast Turned Icon’s Enduring Impact on America’. They begin their conversation by talking about what inspired Mark to write the book and detailing Malcolm X’s Shakespearean life journey from harrowing childhood to celebrated civil rights icon. This leads to a conversation about why both progressives and the moder...
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Larry starts off a special listener mailbag episode by sharing some of his biggest concerns with Donald Trump’s second term so far and his administration’s attack on government agencies and the Constitution. Next, he talks about the brand-new Pope Leo XIV and the role of religion in modern society (22:23). After the break, Larry discusses the future of his L.A. Lakers and breaks down the fundamental changes Hollywood filmmakers are...
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Larry is joined by professor of law at the University of Michigan Law School and co-host of the podcast ‘Strict Scrutiny’, Leah Litman, to discuss her forthcoming book ‘Lawless: How the Supreme Court Runs on Conservative Grievance, Fringe Theories, and Bad Vibes’, publishing on May 13th. They begin their conversation by talking about how the politicization of modern Supreme Court operations inspired her book, and shining a light on...
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Larry is joined by billionaire entrepreneur and ‘Shark Tank’ costar Daniel Lubetzky, and they begin their conversation by analyzing the importance of independent thought in today’s political climate. They then focus on the objectives of the Builders Movement and Daniel's efforts to curb political extremism and heal divisions within the business community (9:17). After the break, Daniel shares how the story of his father surviving t...
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Larry is joined by political journalist Tara Palmeri, writer of ‘The Red Letter’ Substack and host of The Ringer podcast ‘Somebody’s Gotta Win’, to discuss all of the latest buzz shaking up Washington D.C. They begin their conversation by analyzing the possible political repercussions of Trump’s new tariffs. This leads into a talk about the viability of a third Trump term and a detailing of the apparent unseriousness of the presid...
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Larry is joined by Axios Senior Political Reporter Alex Isenstadt to talk about his new book ‘Revenge: The Inside Story of Trump’s Return to Power’. They begin their conversation by discussing Alex’s approach to writing the book and the environment surrounding Trump when he decided to run for president a second time. They then analyze the personality differences between Trump’s first and second administration, particularly the bevy...
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March 22, 2025 71 mins
Larry is joined by actress Krys Marshall to talk about the Season 2 release of her Hulu show ‘Paradise’. They begin their conversation by examining Marshall’s upbringing and the many factors that inspired her to become an actor. This leads to a conversation about the mental, interpersonal, and familial hurdles Krys overcame to reach her personal goals within the industry (9:03). Next, Krys details the synopsis of ‘Paradise’ and des...
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Larry is joined by filmmakers George and Teddy Kunhardt to discuss their newest documentary ‘Becoming Katharine Graham’, currently streaming on Amazon Prime Video. They begin their conversation by talking about what inspired them to start the project and shining a light on the male-dominated world Katharine lived in when she was running the Washington Post. They then debate the accuracy of famous cinematic portrayals of Graham and ...
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Larry is joined by writer and cultural critic Thomas Chatterton Williams to discuss his latest essay for The Atlantic, "How the Woke Right Replaced the Woke Left". They begin by shining a light on the political left’s weak hold on the cultural landscape, and breaking down the definition, history, and downfall of "woke" ideology. Next, they take a look at the rise of right-wing counterculture and its strength within the government a...
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Larry is joined by actor and comedian Roy Wood Jr. and they begin their conversation by acknowledging Black History Month. Roy then breaks down his new CNN show ‘Have I Got News for You’ and opines on whether or not comedic "bubbles" will last under the new Trump administration (5:41). They then pivot to his recently released stand-up special on Hulu, ‘Lonely Flowers’, and examine the different ways some of their favorite comedians...
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Larry is joined by journalist and MSNBC political analyst Juanita Tolliver to discuss her new book, ‘A More Perfect Party: The Night Shirley Chisholm and Diahann Carroll Reshaped Politics’. They begin their conversation by talking about what inspired Tolliver to write about the legendary political fundraiser and shining a light on the many influential luminaries that were in attendance, including Huey Newton, Flip Wilson, and Berry...
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January 18, 2025 64 mins
Larry is joined by CNN Anchor and Chief Legal Analyst Laura Coates, and they begin their conversation by talking about Laura’s stylistic approach to the interviews she conducts on her show ‘Laura Coates Live’. They then break down the defamation case between ABC News and Donald Trump and discuss the reasons why there is currently a general mistrust in the mainstream media (11:30). This leads to a conversation about how to avoid bia...
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January 11, 2025 67 mins
Larry weighs in on the L.A. fires. He’s then joined by writer and Academy Award-winning filmmaker RaMell Ross to discuss his newest movie ‘Nickel Boys ’(8:33). They begin their conversation by talking about how the project came together, RaMell's experimental inspirations, and the screenwriting process with co-writer Joslyn Barnes. Next, they dive into RaMell’s personal connection with the Colson Whitehead novel that provides the m...
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Larry is joined by Emmy Award-winning writer and producer Alan Zweibel to discuss his experiences working on ‘Saturday Night Live’ during its first few years on the air. Alan begins the conversation by sharing his feelings about the 50th anniversary of ‘SNL’ and detailing the anatomy of a good joke. Larry and Alan then talk about Lorne Michaels’s original concepts for the show and detail the inspiration for some of Zweibel’s favori...
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