Jemele Hill is Unbothered

Accomplished actor Don Cheadle joins Jemele for the season 4 finale to discuss his multi-decade acting career, including his new series Secret Invasion, which also stars longtime friend Sam Jackson. Don also shares the humorous story of how he landed the career-changing role of James Rhodes, also known as War Machine, in the Marvel Comic Universe. Don also explains why married his wife Brigid Coulter after 28 years of dating, and why he feels compelled to use his platform to candidly discuss social issues. Plus, Jemele pays tribute to her mother-in-law, Tanya Bailey, who recently passed and gives her thought on Carlee Russell’s hoax.

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Two-time NBA champion J.R. Smith joins Jemele to discuss his 17-year NBA career, including the difficulties of transitioning from high school to the NBA, dealing with negative perceptions about him as a person and player, and how discovering a passion for golf fed his competitive spirit. J.R. also shares why he decided to start attending college at age 36, why he specifically picked a historically Black college, what it meant to join the school’s golf team, and what it was like to earn a 4.0. grade point average after struggling with a learning disability growing up. Plus, Jemele shares her thoughts on Wheel of Fortune star Vanna White being grossly underpaid.

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Actor Blair Underwood joins Jemele to discuss his versatile, multi-decade career, how he was inspired as a young actor by director Spike Lee, and how he landed his breakout role as the star of Krush Groove in the mid-1980s. Blair also discusses how starring in the popular television drama L.A Law changed his career, if the rumors are true that they plan to bring the series back, and he’s seen acting roles for Black men evolve as his career has progressed.

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Singer Kenny Lattimore joins Jemele to discuss his multi-decade career, including how he forged a relationship with Michael Jordan and the impact of fans finding out in Jordan’s documentary, The Last Dance, that the NBA superstar was a super fan. Kenny also shares his thoughts on the current landscape for R & B singers, and how he handled the music industry trying to change his image. Kenny also reveals why he passed on the song Love, which was written by Musiq Soulchild and became one of Musiq’s biggest hits.

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Therapist, author and podcast host Dr. Joy Harden Bradford joins Jemele to discuss her new book, Sisterhood Heals, which explains how integral Black sister circles are to healing and building community. Dr. Joy also shares how she built the Therapy for Black For Black Girls mental health community, the four critical pillars for healthy sisterhood, why she believes it’s a mistake to use romantic relationships as a replacement for real sisterhood, and how women developed ideas about Black women and sisterhood from their mothers.  

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Director Kasi Lemmons joins Jemele to discuss how she used her love of writing to make the transition from acting to directing. Kasi shares how directing Eves Bayou -- her first film — had an immense impact on her career, why the movie continues to be relevant, and whether or not she’s ever considered adapting Eve’s Bayou for television. Kasi also discusses what it was like directing the Whitney Houston biopic I Wanna Dance With Somebody, and the challenges associated with telling the story of one of the globe’s most beloved stars. She also shares her own experiences meeting Whitney Houston and how those experiences shaped the direction of the film. Plus, Jemele explains why she hates that she knows more about NBA star Zion Williamson than she ever planned to.

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Actor Dominique Fishback joins Jemele to discuss her incredible performance in the Amazon Prime television series Swarm, and her upcoming role in the summer blockbuster, Transformers: Rise of the Beasts. Dominique shares what it was like playing Dre, a murderous, but naive woman who is obsessed with a global pop star. Dominique gives her thoughts on the assumption that Swarm was a critique of Beyoncé’s loyal fan base, and what it was like working with Chloe Bailey and Paris Jackson, the daughter of Michael Jackson. Dominique also reveals how journaling has helped her character development and personal growth. Plus, Jemele gives her thoughts on Abbott Elementary star Will Tyler James recent Instagram post about being questioned about his sexuality.

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Model and philanthropist Sabrina Elba joins Jemele to discuss her marriage to actor Idris Elba, their decision to start a skin care line together, and what it means for her to be an United Nations global ambassador for the International Fund for Agricultural Development. Sabrina shares her and Idris’ heartwarming, love at first sight origin story, and what it was like growing up in Canada as a Somalian. Plus, Jemele finally confesses to being a fan of a certain Hollywood billionaire.

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Jason Wilson, the founder and operator of the Cave of Adullam Transformational Training Academy, joins Jemele to talk about his revolutionary martial arts training program that emphasizes the emotional growth and development of young Black boys. Jason also discusses the ESPN documentary made about his training program (Cave of Adullam), how Laurence Fishburne became involved as an executive producer and what the response has been. Jason also shares his own story, including how caring for his ailing mother changed his perspective on manhood. Plus, Jemele shared her thoughts on Brittney Griner’s official return to the WNBA.

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Entertainment Tonight host Nischelle Turner joins Jemele to discuss what it means for her to be the first Black woman to host the iconic entertainment show, and how she handled the ups and downs of her career before earning her dream job. Nischelle shares what it’s like covering and interviewing some of the biggest entertainers in the world, and how entertainment coverage has changed with the proliferation of bloggers covering entertainment news. Nischelle also discusses her country roots, including growing up on a pig farm. Plus, Jemele gives her thoughts on 50/50 relationships.

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