The interview starts with Kamau giving Don Lemon his flowers. The two reflect on their shared history at CNN, with Bell recalling that Lemon consistently welcomed and supported newer talent at the network. Lemon pushes back on claims made after his departure that he was difficult to work with.

The conversation shifts to Lemon's post-CNN career and his commitment to field reporting. Lemon explains that he has always been a reporter at heart and that getting out into the streets is essential to understanding public sentiment, citing his early read that Trump would win in both 2016 and 2024.

Discussion turns to Trump's potential interest in a third term, with both agreeing he should be taken seriously given his track record of delivering on policy promises, while noting his failure to lower the cost of living. They also raise concerns about Trump treating the White House as personal property and his apparent contempt for judicial authority.

The topic moves to CNN, Politico, and MSNBC being removed from the White House press pool. Lemon argues this is the result of corporate media bending to political pressure for financial gain, and calls for journalists to collectively refuse participation in briefings that compromise press freedom.

Lemon then discusses his arrest in Minneapolis, describing it as an ongoing legal case characterized by deliberate delays. He also highlights fellow journalist Georgia Fort, who was arrested at the same time, noting she deserves equal recognition.

The conversation broadens to the evolution of journalism, from a one-way broadcast model to the social media era, with Lemon stressing the importance of media literacy. Topics then covered include the Chris Brown and Jasmine Crockett controversy, the Israel-Gaza conflict and the debate over the word "genocide", and the role of independent journalism.

Lemon closes by endorsing the Committee to Protect Journalists as a cause worth supporting. You can do so at https://cpj.org

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

The interview starts with Kamau giving Don Lemon his flowers. The two reflect on their shared history at CNN, with Bell recalling that Lemon consistently welcomed and supported newer talent at the network. Lemon pushes back on claims made after his departure that he was difficult to work with.
The conversation shifts to Lemon's post-CNN career and his commitment to field reporting. Lemon explains that he has always been a reporter at heart and that getting out into the streets is essential to understanding public sentiment, citing his early read that Trump would win in both 2016 and 2024.
Discussion turns to Trump's potential interest in a third term, with both agreeing he should be taken seriously given his track record of delivering on policy promises, while noting his failure to lower the cost of living. They also raise concerns about Trump treating the White House as personal property and his apparent contempt for judicial authority.
The topic moves to CNN, Politico, and MSNBC being removed from the White House press pool. Lemon argues this is the result of corporate media bending to political pressure for financial gain, and calls for journalists to collectively refuse participation in briefings that compromise press freedom.
Lemon then discusses his arrest in Minneapolis, describing it as an ongoing legal case characterized by deliberate delays. He also highlights fellow journalist Georgia Fort, who was arrested at the same time, noting she deserves equal recognition.
The conversation broadens to the evolution of journalism, from a one-way broadcast model to the social media era, with Lemon stressing the importance of media literacy. Topics then covered include the Chris Brown and Jasmine Crockett controversy, the Israel-Gaza conflict and the debate over the word "genocide", and the role of independent journalism.
Lemon closes by endorsing the Committee to Protect Journalists as a cause worth supporting. You can do so at <a href="https://cpj.org">https://cpj.org</a>
Who's With Me is produced by Rabbit Grin Productions. Music by Chris Dowd. Distributed by Pushkin Industries.

Kamau Bell is known for embracing uncomfortable conversations that acknowledge differences, confront embarrassment, and change people’s perspectives. Throughout his career, Kamau has talked with everyone from KKK members to Oprah Winfrey to strangers on the streets. Each time, Kamau fills these conversations with humor, heart, and intellect, showing that a simple conversation can lead to surprising revelations and spark change, one person at a time.

Kamau brings 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. 

In every episode, Kamau addresses what has caught his attention in the current cultural or political landscape. He also sits down with someone he admires deeply—a time for Kamau 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. Kamau will talk to celebrities, his fellow comedians, his fellow Oaklanders, activists, and sometimes he will talk to someone like Daveed Diggs, who is all of that in one body. So… who’s with Kamau? New episodes every Wednesday. 

Kamau Bell is known for embracing uncomfortable conversations that acknowledge differences, confront embarrassment, and change people&rsquo;s perspectives. Throughout his career, Kamau has talked with everyone from KKK members to Oprah Winfrey to strangers on the streets. Each time, Kamau fills these conversations with humor, heart, and intellect, showing that a simple conversation can lead to surprising revelations and spark change, one person at a time.
Kamau brings all that and more to his new weekly podcast,&nbsp;Who&rsquo;s With Me? Inspired by Kamau&rsquo;s popular Substack newsletter of the same name, Who&rsquo;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.&nbsp;
In every episode, Kamau addresses what has caught his attention in the current cultural or political landscape. He also sits down with someone he admires deeply&mdash;a time for Kamau 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. Kamau will talk to celebrities, his fellow comedians, his fellow Oaklanders, activists, and sometimes he will talk to someone like Daveed Diggs, who is all of that in one body. So&hellip; who&rsquo;s with Kamau? New episodes every Wednesday.&nbsp;

Who's with Me? with W. Kamau Bell

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 Wednesday, stand-up comedian W. Kamau Bell sits 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.

W. Kamau Bell is a Peabody Award winner, 4X Emmy Award winner, documentary filmmaker, Celebrity Jeopardy! champion, Official Ambassador of the band Fishbone, self-proclaimed #1 Bruce Lee Expert (non-Asian division), part-time activist, and full-time family man. Kamau is also known for his CNN docuseries United Shades of America, his four-part docuseries We Need To Talk About Cosby, and for scrawling “HAHA!” over his enemies’ faces on his Instagram account.

Who&rsquo;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 Wednesday, stand-up comedian W. Kamau Bell sits 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.
W. Kamau Bell is a Peabody Award winner, 4X Emmy Award winner, documentary filmmaker, Celebrity Jeopardy! champion, Official Ambassador of the band Fishbone, self-proclaimed #1 Bruce Lee Expert (non-Asian division), part-time activist, and full-time family man. Kamau is also known for his CNN docuseries United Shades of America, his four-part docuseries We Need To Talk About Cosby, and for scrawling &ldquo;HAHA!&rdquo; over his enemies&rsquo; faces on his Instagram account.

Don Lemon on Holding Power Accountable

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/c2422e8b-3d26-429b-9728-b4d5004dd020/transcript