Kamau opens the episode recalling Misty Copeland’s surprise appearance at the Oscars shortly after her hip replacement, marveling at her return to elite performance so soon after surgery and the physical demands of ballet.

Copeland explains she had her farewell performance at American Ballet Theatre (ABT) after a 25‑year career, then learned she needed a hip replacement, which she welcomed as a solution to debilitating pain.

Misty and Kamau discuss the importance of accessibility to ballet and how her foundation brings free, culturally responsive ballet classes with live musicians into Black and brown communities.

They talk about Misty’s work with the legendary Prince, who pushed her to improvise on tour, boosting her confidence and drawing new audiences to ballet.

The conversation closes with advice to young Black and brown girls to stay rooted in joy, seek mentors, and remain open to support, and with a call for audiences to invest in the arts by attending performances and supporting organizations like the Misty Copeland Foundation.

You can support the Misty Copeland Foundation at mistycopelandfoundation.org

Who's With Me is produced by Rabbit Grin Productions. Music by Chris Dowd. Part of the Pushkin Network.

Kamau opens the episode recalling Misty Copeland&rsquo;s surprise appearance at the Oscars shortly after her hip replacement, marveling at her return to elite performance so soon after surgery and the physical demands of ballet.
Copeland explains she had her farewell performance at American Ballet Theatre (ABT) after a 25‑year career, then learned she needed a hip replacement, which she welcomed as a solution to debilitating pain.
Misty and Kamau discuss the importance of accessibility to ballet and how her foundation brings free, culturally responsive ballet classes with live musicians into Black and brown communities.
They talk about Misty&rsquo;s work with the legendary Prince, who pushed her to improvise on tour, boosting her confidence and drawing new audiences to ballet.
The conversation closes with advice to young Black and brown girls to stay rooted in joy, seek mentors, and remain open to support, and with a call for audiences to invest in the arts by attending performances and supporting organizations like the Misty Copeland Foundation.
You can support the Misty Copeland Foundation at <a href="http://mistycopelandfoundation.org">mistycopelandfoundation.org</a>
Who's With Me is produced by Rabbit Grin Productions. Music by Chris Dowd. Part of the Pushkin Network.

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.

Misty Copeland on Reinventing Ballet and Herself

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/1070395f-d4aa-4b4d-94d7-b481001d0515/transcript