Today, Cari talks with PBS NewsHour co-anchor Geoff Bennett about his book “Black Out Loud” and why the ’90s felt like a once-in-a-lifetime run of Black TV—“how did all of these shows exist on the air at the same time?” He traces the history from minstrelsy and vaudeville to comics like Moms Mabley, Dick Gregory, Richard Pryor, and the Fox era that helped power “In Living Color,” “Martin,” “Living Single,” and more. Jeff explains the shift wasn’t just culture, it was business: networks later “pivot[ed] to whiter audiences,” and that helped end the boom.

After listening to this episode, you’ll walk away understanding how comedy “lowers our defenses,” why representation changed real choices (like the “Maxine Shaw effect”), and why today we have “way more volume, but…less impact.”

Connect @CariChampion@GeoffRBenett

Read: Black Out Loud By Geoff Bennett

Subscribe Cari Champion's YOUTUBE Channel

Today, Cari talks with PBS NewsHour co-anchor Geoff Bennett about his book &ldquo;Black Out Loud&rdquo; and why the &rsquo;90s felt like a once-in-a-lifetime run of Black TV&mdash;&ldquo;how did all of these shows exist on the air at the same time?&rdquo; He traces the history from minstrelsy and vaudeville to comics like Moms Mabley, Dick Gregory, Richard Pryor, and the Fox era that helped power &ldquo;In Living Color,&rdquo; &ldquo;Martin,&rdquo; &ldquo;Living Single,&rdquo; and more. Jeff explains the shift wasn&rsquo;t just culture, it was business: networks later &ldquo;pivot[ed] to whiter audiences,&rdquo; and that helped end the boom.
After listening to this episode, you&rsquo;ll walk away understanding how comedy &ldquo;lowers our defenses,&rdquo; why representation changed real choices (like the &ldquo;Maxine Shaw effect&rdquo;), and why today we have &ldquo;way more volume, but&hellip;less impact.&rdquo;
Connect&nbsp;<a href="https://www.instagram.com/carichampion/reel/DDq_H9_x4Yh/" data-outlook-id="2c551c4f-a2d3-4bed-8660-63b815d663dd">@CariChampion</a> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/geoffrbennett/">@GeoffRBenett</a>
Read: <a href="https://www.harpercollins.com/products/black-out-loud-geoff-bennett?variant=43731336167458">Black Out Loud By Geoff Bennett</a>
Subscribe&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/@ItsCariChampion" data-outlook-id="9338f3cc-c159-458e-8d53-931405b1390d">Cari Champion's YOUTUBE Channel</a>

NAKED SPORTS lives at the intersection of sports, politics, and culture. It is a niche groundbreaking interview-based show that dives deep into the lives of the game-changers who have helped shape our world. We explore how sports are interwoven not only into their personal lives; but the role they play in the global experience.  NAKED SPORTS is hosted by Cari Champion, a trailblazing broadcast journalist and television personality renowned for her pioneering contributions to sports media for women.

In each episode, this distinguished host sits down with, a diverse array of athletes, politicians, and cultural innovators who have left an indelible mark on their fields. Through intimate, unfiltered conversations, the show reveals the raw and vulnerable sides of their journeys—peeling back the layers to explore the defining moments, personal struggles, and transformative experiences that live at the intersection of sports, culture, and politics.

These conversations are thematically linked to live at the intersection and on this new season of NAKED SPORTS, we begin with a six-part docu-series, The Making of a Rivalry: Caitlin Clark vs. Angel Reese, in which Cari questions how this “rivalry” started. Does the necessity for success depend on a foil? In a time of divisiveness, are sports—more specifically the WNBA—a reflection of our country? Or will the greatness of two supernovas unite this country and heal race relations?

NAKED SPORTS guests will span varied backgrounds, providing diverse perspectives as we examine how sports play a crucial role in nearly every aspect of life.

Connect: @CARICHAMPION 

NAKED SPORTS lives at the intersection of sports, politics, and culture. It is a niche groundbreaking interview-based show that dives deep into the lives of the game-changers who have helped shape our world. We explore how sports are interwoven not only into their personal lives; but the role they play in the global experience.&nbsp; NAKED SPORTS is hosted by Cari Champion, a trailblazing broadcast journalist and television personality renowned for her pioneering contributions to sports media for women.
In each episode, this distinguished host sits down with, a diverse array of athletes, politicians, and cultural innovators who have left an indelible mark on their fields. Through intimate, unfiltered conversations, the show reveals the raw and vulnerable sides of their journeys&mdash;peeling back the layers to explore the defining moments, personal struggles, and transformative experiences that live at the intersection of sports, culture, and politics.
These conversations are thematically linked to live at the intersection and on this new season of NAKED SPORTS, we begin with a six-part docu-series, The Making of a Rivalry: Caitlin Clark vs. Angel Reese, in which Cari questions how this &ldquo;rivalry&rdquo; started. Does the necessity for success depend on a foil? In a time of divisiveness, are sports&mdash;more specifically the WNBA&mdash;a reflection of our country? Or will the greatness of two supernovas unite this country and heal race relations?
NAKED SPORTS guests will span varied backgrounds, providing diverse perspectives as we examine how sports play a crucial role in nearly every aspect of life.
Connect: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/carichampion/?hl=en">@CARICHAMPION&nbsp;</a>

Naked Sports with Cari Champion

NAKED SPORTS lives at the intersection of sports, politics, and culture. It is a niche groundbreaking interview-based show that dives deep into the lives of the game-changers who have helped shape our world. We explore how sports are interwoven not only into their personal lives; but the role they play in the global experience.  NAKED SPORTS is hosted by Cari Champion, a trailblazing broadcast journalist and television personality renowned for her pioneering contributions to sports media for women.
In each episode, this distinguished host sits down with, a diverse array of athletes, politicians, and cultural innovators who have left an indelible mark on their fields. Through intimate, unfiltered conversations, the show reveals the raw and vulnerable sides of their journeys—peeling back the layers to explore the defining moments, personal struggles, and transformative experiences that live at the intersection of sports, culture, and politics.
These conversations are thematically linked to live at the intersection and on this new season of NAKED SPORTS, we begin with a six-part docu-series, The Making of a Rivalry: Caitlin Clark vs. Angel Reese, in which Cari questions how this “rivalry” started. Does the necessity for success depend on a foil? In a time of divisiveness, are sports—more specifically the WNBA—a reflection of our country? Or will the greatness of two supernovas unite this country and heal race relations?
NAKED SPORTS guests will span varied backgrounds, providing diverse perspectives as we examine how sports play a crucial role in nearly every aspect of life.
Connect: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/carichampion/?hl=en">@CARICHAMPION </a>

Black Out Loud with Geoff Bennett

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/2f37b8cd-62db-4fb2-97f6-b42d00cd0c5d/transcript