Stand-up comedian, best-selling author and acclaimed TV host W. Kamau Bell joins Mehdi as co-host of 'We're Not Kidding' this week. They discuss the student protestors, who join a long line of American anti-war demonstrators, as well as the police’s use of brute force against them. Mehdi and Kamau also examine the censorship of pro-Palestinian voices in the media and Hollywood, why Batman is politically problematic, and the cynical “defanging” of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. since his death.
“People celebrate [Dr. King] as a hero and forget the part where he was assassinated,” says Kamau. “He didn't die of old age… He was assassinated and many people were happy he was assassinated.”
‘We’re Not Kidding’ releases new episodes twice a month, with Mehdi, Bassem and a cast of rotating guest co-hosts from the worlds of comedy, entertainment, and the media. Funny people talking about serious topics. (And for paid subscribers, let us know what you think in the comments – and who we should try to bring on next.)
Don’t forget to subscribe and listen to ‘We’re Not Kidding’ wherever you listen to podcasts:
Spotify
Apple Podcasts
If you enjoyed this conversation with W. Kamau Bell, make sure to check out his Substack:
Friendly reminder: The vast majority of our content is currently available to all of our subscribers, free and paid. But we are slowly introducing paywalls across Zeteo because building and sustaining an independent media company requires funding. So, if you appreciate the work we are doing, and want to be a part of this effort, please consider supporting us by becoming a paid subscriber.
Refreshing conversation. Something deeply resonates with me and the defund police conversation. 1 month before I graduated summa cum laude from my university, I was stopped by 3 police officers and beaten to unconsciousness just 1 block from my home, in my neighborhood. In Court, the judge ruled in my favor and I was found not guilty for the trumped up charges of resisting arrest, etc but there was no restitution or reprimand for what happened to me. I'm a white middle class male and believe we should absolutely put our local funds into community programs that bring people together. The police don't need more funding; they need an overhaul of tactics, mission statements, and purpose.
This is why we must keep on fighting for police accountability. I look forward to young legislators like Jasmine Crockett, Maxwell Frost, Jamal Bowman, Cori Bush, et al to write and pass laws making cops personally responsible for their behavior when they're out of line.
Lovelies, Mehdi and W. Kamau Bell, you are wonderful and thank you for your voices ❤️❤️❤️
American foreign policy is a constant threat to those countries that prefer not to be beholden to America. America's Middle East policy, servile to the State of Israel, is an existential threat to the Palestinian people. American police brutality towards Black Americans, Muslims and now White folks (young and old) who protest against Israel's Genocidal action in Gaza is on the rise. Is this the death knell for unadulterated Democracy in America?
I don’t think we’ve ever had unadulterated democracy in the US but what we do have is slipping away quickly!
I can’t agree more on students being on the right side of history. A prominent political scientist, Robert Putnam, has said the same thing when presenting his book The Upswing that all those famous “old” figures who played key roles in positive political reforms in the US—during “the Progressive era” covered in the book—were in their 20s when they actually brought about the changes. Putnam believes in the power of young leaders who say “I don’t want to live in this system. I want something else.”
Brilliant show today & so glad to see Kamau Bell will be back. Keep up the great work!
Please, please also invite Michael Moore the film director/star who has also written many books including SiCKO.
Thank you Mehdi for starting Zeteo & platforming all these fantastic folks (yourself included)! 👊🇵🇸🖤
Not only the students/young people have a 100% batting average with being on the right side of history (The White Rose, The Greensboro Sit In, Tiananmen, The Velvet Revolution, The Tlatelolco Uprising, Soweto Protests, Protests against Iraq war, etc. etc...), the police, the military and political establishments have a 100% batting average of being on the wrong side in each of these situations.
Great show. Regarding the students, I don’t have any data, but perhaps because they are less bound by the shackles of family responsibilities, political careers, and because they are on a learning curve they focus more on what is just. I don’t know but I am impressed with their determination. I am also very impressed that the strongest supporters of Palestinian human rights are religious Jews. I thank those Jewish brothers and sisters for their humanity and not wanting Palestinians to face the kind of oppression they once faced.
Also secular Jews!
Is there any doubt left that there are two different factions of Zayo NOT-Z:
Those who are denying the existence of Palestinian and those who are insisting to make Palestinians nonexistence.
*Rest* *in* *Power* *Aaron* *Bushnell* I will never forget you and your last words of " *Free* *Palestine* "
Great episode and I’m so happy to see Kamau in the co-host rotation!
As a former police officer and tree hugging left winger, I have to say that I found this show to be absolutely right on with every aspect covered by Medhi and W Kamau Bell.
We do have a long way to go and your two voices are valuable, insightful and refreshing to hear. The militarization of police is a huge problem in our society and around the world and reform should be important to all of us.
Much of that money should be going to help communities not victimize them.
Wonderful conversation. As a Black Muslim woman, I have the fear of living while Black and silenced as a Muslim.
Love hearing these casual conversations with intellectuals, each guest has differing reference points and those then become kernels of knowledge for viewers. I'm now googling Dr. King's Riverside Church speech to read in entirety.
Among so many profound and excellent guests and Zeteo episodes, this one hit home in a really powerful way. All the stuff that has been going through my head about the long curve of American yuck, this conversation hit on a bunch of them. Kamau’s intellect and voice is like…wish I could focus and speak to all this horribleness of America like he does. The thing I see coming to the forefront is the US has been a bad actor since its inception and the American citizenry is gradually wising up. But not to the degree it should. We’ve all heard the disgusting phrase, “America, love it or leave it.” Well, unless you’re in the top tier of American wealth, you got nowhere to leave to. And who would want an ugly American? We’re at a crossroads here were the choices for Republican and Democratic presidential candidates and many other federal and state representation is calling out for something very different than where we are now. The status quo is the road to the end.
Love the energy here. Great conversation between two intelligent, compassionate men.
Guest request: Noam Chomsky!
Is he also a comedian?
That would be amazing.
Great conversation with a great guest. I didn`t know who he was and really enjoyed listen to them and i agree.. The kids are doing great, Let`s listen to them!
Great conversation between two smart, insightful —and FUNNY guys! @Mehdi, that’s the intersectionality we need😹 I love Batman movies too and I love your anti-Batman observation — he is indeed a right wing vigilante who can use his inherited wealth (probably tainted) in much better ways to protect Gotham!
This is the only way I want to ingest any news
Yes, if someone opposes the youth while siding with the ruling class, they are wrong. Every time, all the time.
The clause: ruling class makes it so we don't have to mention the tiki torches.
Great conversation. Serious topic dealt so gently and beautifully.
An excellent conversation between two very intelligent, outspoken, interesting people. I particularly liked the conversation about police, and as a British-born, now Naturalized American, I agree that British police are quite different. The history of policing in the UK is not the same as the history of our police here. Mehdi is correct, that they do not carry guns, and are only allowed to do so in extreme conditions- such as during a hostage situation. I was taught as a little girl to “go find a policeman if you ever get lost” and it was true. During a visit there a few years ago to see my mom ( since deceased), the community police were visiting her apartment building where she lived with other seniors. They were friendly, helpful, gave out advice, and even let me have my photo taken with them. I would not dare to do that here. Mr. Bell is correct in that policing here was begun to go catch escaped slaves, and that is responsible for the mindset now entrenched into police behavior. They are out to “catch you”, not help you. I love watching British detective series on streaming sites because they act like real British cops, they solve murders, and assist the citizens, and one rarely sees any violence by them. I am saddened to say that police brutality is now a fixture of our American society, and unless we defund them and start from scratch, I do not see how we can end their violence.
Guys, I needed this. Things are getting so intense I sometimes I scare myself.
Great show. Pls bring Hasan Minhaj to this show.
Insightful and well done commentary. I do appreciate a good intellectual discussion.
Business titans privately urged NYC mayor to use police on Columbia protesters, chats show
Eric Adams was working for donations to go after pro Palestinian protesters. https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2024/05/16/business-leaders-chat-group-eric-adams-columbia-protesters/