Today, Larry reaches deep into the ‘Black on the Air’ Facebook, Twitter/X, and Instagram mailbags to answer some questions from some of you! Throughout the Q&A he weighs in on a myriad of burning topics including Donald Trump (11:30), the JFK assassination (24:18), ‘Cowboy Carter' (41:31), Louis Gossett Jr.(52:56), much, much more.

Host: Larry Wilmore

Producers: Brandy LaPlante and Chris Sutton

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Larry is joined by journalist Taylor Lorenz to discuss the latest technology buzz, the state of internet culture, and her new podcast on Vox Media focusing on these subjects called 'Power User’. They begin their conversation by breaking down the recent congressional moves to ban TikTok and analyzing whether or not our representatives are correct to be concerned about its effect on young users. Next, they dive into the world of Elon Musk and X/Twitter, and shine a light on the platform’s influence on the lucrative right wing digital movement (20:11). After the break, Taylor talks about her personal ties to social media before sharing her takes on independent citizen journalism and online disinformation (36:10). Larry and Taylor end the pod with deep thoughts on the future of AI and Neuralink (51:56).

Host: Larry Wilmore

Guest: Taylor Lorenz

Producers: Chris Sutton and Brandy LaPlante

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Larry is joined by Emmy and Peabody Award-winning journalist Antonia Hylton to talk about her latest book ‘Madness: Race and Insanity in a Jim Crow Asylum’. They begin their conversation by talking about what inspired Antonia to write about the Crownsville mental health facility and the tribulations surrounding black mental health in the early part of the 20th century. Next, Antonia details her personal connection to the book's subject via the tragic story of her dad’s cousin Maynard, who struggled with schizophrenia. Larry then reads a powerful passage from ‘Madness’ that leads to a discussion about residual effects of terror tactics used by racists during the Jim Crow era (22:08). After the break, they shine a light on how Crownsville evolved over time to become an integrated and valuable resource for the local Black community until its closure in the early 2000s (40:52). Antonia ends the pod by offering accessible ways to propagate positive mental health accessibility and acceptability in working class societies going forward (56:57).

Host: Larry Wilmore

Guest: Antonia Hylton

Producers: Chris Sutton and Brandy LaPlante

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Larry is joined by Emmy Award-winning and Oscar-nominated VFX supervisor Andrew Roberts to discuss his work on the movie ‘The Creator’ currently streaming on Hulu. They begin their conversation by breaking down the movie’s plot, examining Andrew’s creative approach to VFX, and detailing his collaboration process with director Gareth Edwards and production designer James Clyne. Next, Andrew talks about the biggest challenges he faced during the making of ‘The Creator’ and his favorite moments from the film (22:57). After the break, Larry asks Andrew about how he got started in digital effects as a career and what legendary movies inspired him to dive into the realm (39:19). They end the pod by debating the effects of AI on the futures of both filmmaking and humanity (52:05).

Host: Larry Wilmore

Guest: Andrew Roberts

Producers: Chris Sutton and Brandy LaPlante

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Larry is joined by Emmy Award-winning and Academy Award-nominated writer and director Cord Jefferson to discuss his newest film ‘American Fiction’. They begin their conversation by reminiscing about their time together on ‘The Nightly Show’ and marvel at the amazing journey that Cord's career has taken up to this moment. They then shift to ‘American Fiction’ and discuss the myriads of genres the movie attempts to encompass and how its main character Monk, played by Jeffrey Wright, reflects the real limitations put on Black writers in Hollywood (5:10). This leads to a discussion on the process of adapting a screenplay from an original book, in this case ‘Erasure’ by Percival Everett, and how Cord used his journalism "superpower" to navigate his transition from TV to cinema storytelling (13:38). After the break, Cord talks about the diverse reactions he’s received from people who have seen ‘American Fiction’ and shares an educational showbiz story passed along by legendary actress and member of the film's cast, Leslie Uggams (41:22).

Host: Larry Wilmore

Guest: Cord Jefferson

Producers: Chris Sutton and Brandy LaPlante

Additional Production: Kyle Williams

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Larry is joined by Academy Award-nominated writer and producer David Hemingson to discuss his latest film ‘The Holdovers’. They begin the conversation by discussing the creative layers within the movie’s story structure and David’s working process with director Alexander Payne. They then dive into the deeply personal inspirations for each of the film’s main characters and how the talents of stars Paul Giamatti, Dominic Sessa, and D’aVine Joy Randolph were essential their development (22:13). After the break, Larry and David shine a light on the technical aspects of ‘The Holdovers’ and speak on its myriad of '70s cinematic influences (44:59). David ends the pod by sharing some advice for aspiring storytellers and examining the role of comedy in all of his projects (55:26).

Host: Larry Wilmore

Guest: David Hemingson

Producers: Chris Sutton and Brandy LaPlante

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Larry is joined by legendary filmmaker and actor Rob Reiner to discuss his 10-part podcast series titled ‘Who Killed JFK?’ currently available at iHeart and co-hosted by Soledad O’Brien. Rob begins by recalling when he first heard about the assassination of President John F. Kennedy and talking about how the ultra-famous murder mystery has continued to pique his interest throughout his lifetime. They then break down all of major suspects and motives within the conspiracy before debating Lee Harvey Oswald’s level of involvement (9:17). After the break, Rob and Larry dive into how the crime was covered up, share their individual theories on the matter, and ponder if the truth about JFK’s assassination will ever be revealed to the public (41:02). Larry ends the pod by giving big flowers to Rob’s father, comedy great Carl Reiner (56:30).

Host: Larry Wilmore

Guest: Rob Reiner

Producers: Brandy LaPlante and Chris Sutton

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Larry is joined by writer Tina Nguyen and they begin their conversation by discussing Tina’s journalistic journey and what it was like working for Tucker Carlson. From Tucker’s disdain for her high school principal to firing her, Tina gives an insight on what Tucker the person is like (2:34). They then discuss why MAGA hasn’t embraced Ron DeSantis, differences between MAGA and conservatism, and how MAGA can be so brilliant, yet so weak-minded. They also discuss what the Convention of States is (34:03). Finally, they end the pod by predicting whether Donald Trump will win the 2024 nomination, and talking about who the intellectuals involved in the movement are (40:43).

Host: Larry Wilmore

Guest: Tina Nguyen

Producers: Chris Sutton, Brandy LaPlante, and Kyle Williams

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Larry starts the pod with a replay of a lovely conversation with his daughter, Lauren Wilmore, on the history and impact of the classic song "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas." He’s then joined by legendary director and producer Reginald Hudlin to discuss his new holiday film ‘Candy Cane Lane’, streaming on Amazon Prime, and give flowers to its star, Eddie Murphy (17:23). They then examine the process of casting a great movie, societies post-pandemic movie-going habits, and the state of the cinema industry (43:16). Finally, Larry and Reggie end the pod by talking about the challenges within storytelling for adults and the art of being a creative executive before sharing their lists of favorite Christmas specials (56:02).

Host: Larry Wilmore

Guest: Reginald Hudlin

Producers: Chris Sutton and Brandy LaPlante

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Larry is joined by journalist Donie O’Sullivan to discuss his new CNN documentary—‘Waiting for JFK: Reporting From the Fringe’—that aired on ‘The Whole Story With Anderson Cooper.’ They begin their conversation talking about how Donie was inspired to create a one-hour special on the fringe conspiracy group that formed in Texas who believe JFK and JFK Jr. are alive and descend from Jesus Christ, and, additionally, that JFK Jr. is Donald Trump (4:50). They discuss similar conspiracy theories that have formed, such as QAnon and its connection to disenchantment and the exploitation of peoples’ losses (22:38). Finally, they end the pod by returning to the JFK conspiracy, discussing how Donie got kicked off of X, and breaking down Donie’s experiences at Trump rallies and with conspiracists in the field (60:57).

Host: Larry Wilmore

Guest: Donie O’Sullivan

Producers: Chris Sutton, Brandy LaPlante, and Olivia Crerie

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