Larry Wilmore: Black on the Air The Ringer

Larry is joined by journalist Kara Swisher to discuss her podcasts ‘Pivot’ and ‘On With Kara Swisher’. They begin their conversation by talking about the importance of betting on yourself when making career choices. Next, they examine the relationship between Elon Musk’s mental health and his tech empire while also shining light on the current state of tech giants Meta and Google (10:24). After the break, Larry and Kara dive into how the iPhone has changed society and debate the effects of AI on public transportation and the entertainment industry (31:12). Kara ends the pod by sharing what types of tech she thinks will still be around in a decade (55:40).
Host: Larry Wilmore
Guest: Kara Swisher
Associate Producer: Chris Sutton
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Larry is joined by journalist and author Brian Raftery to discuss his new podcast at The Ringer called ‘Do We Get to Win This Time?’ which focuses on Hollywood’s depiction of the Vietnam War during the ’70s and ’80s. They begin by talking about the importance of a great trailer, the excitement of seeing a classic movie on opening night, and how the podcast came together. Next, Brian and Larry share their personal connections to the war in Vietnam before diving into some of the pioneering movies that exposed society to its visceral realities, notably ‘The Deer Hunter’, ‘Apocalypse Now’, ‘Rambo’, and ‘Platoon’ (9:51). After the break, they dissect the mastery of Stanley Kubrick’s ‘Full Metal Jacket’, ponder if there are any stories left to tell from the Vietnam conflict, and shine a light on John Wayne’s influence on cinematic depictions of the war (32:27). They end the pod by shining a light on their favorite war movies and the way different generations influence each other (1:05:22).
Host: Larry Wilmore
Guest: Brian Raftery
Associate Producer: Chris Sutton
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Larry is joined by journalist, author, and CNN anchor Jake Tapper to discuss his new novel ‘All the Demons Are Here: A Thriller’’. They begin their conversation discussing how the book combines fiction with contemporaneous real-life historical moments, particularly the rise of Rupert Murdoch's media empire and tabloid culture in the late 1970s. They then dive into the current indictments facing former president Donald Trump, beginning with the most recent one that focuses on the events of January 6th, and take a look at how close Trump came to pulling off the fake elector scheme he’s being charged for (13:59). This leads to a robust conversation about the prevalence of conspiracy theories and modern society’s reverence for them (23:05). After the break, Jake and Larry dissect the classified documents and Stormy Daniels's indictments while shining a light on Trump's mindset when he was committing the alleged infractions (35:37). They end the pod by talking about the likelihood of Trump serving time in prison, his political charisma, and his chances of winning re-election (45:37).
Host: Larry Wilmore
Guest: Jake Tapper
Associate Producer: Chris Sutton
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Larry is joined by environmental strategist, educator, and author Kylie Flanagan to discuss her book ‘Climate Resilience: How We Keep Each Other Safe, Care for Our Communities, and Fight Back Against Climate Change’ publishing on August 1. They begin their conversation by talking about the uniquely personal method Kylie utilized to convey the impact of the global climate crisis in her book and breaking down the definition of “climate resilience”. Next, they dive deep into the obstacles surrounding the global warming dialog, the tangible metrics that can be referenced by folks to tamper their existential anxieties about the planet, and the ways to connect to the burgeoning youth activist movement (14:11). After the break, Larry asks Kylie if the negative effects of climate change can be reversed, how she got involved in environmental justice, and what type of responses she’s already received from the book (24:41). They end the pod by shining a light on how simple action items and powerful storytelling can inspire everyday people to consider climate activism (31:07).
Host: Larry Wilmore
Guest: Kylie Flanagan
Associate Producer: Chris Sutton
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Larry is joined by astronomer and actress Aomawa Shields to discuss her new book ‘Life on Other Planets: A Memoir of Finding My Place in the Universe.' They begin their conversation by examining the myriad of intersecting issues and topics presented within the book and the personal journey Aomawa went through that led to its creation. Dr. Shields then details the mental obstacles she overcame to reach her professional goals and talks about the importance of being your own role model (9:14). Next, she shares the important lessons that were learned during her acting class at MIT and the support network she discovered while pursuing her Astronomy and Astrobiology PhD that fostered the discovery of her inner superpower (25:42). After the break Larry and Aomawa tackle the big questions about life on other planets and the vastness of the universe (45:24).
Host: Larry Wilmore
Guest: Dr. Aomawa Shields
Associate Producer: Chris Sutton
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Larry is joined by award-winning sportswriter and author Sally Jenkins to discuss her new book ‘The Right Call: What Sports Teach Us About Work and Life’. They begin by talking about some of the world-class athletes that inspired her to write the book, how talent was such a small part of each of their successes, and the lessons non-athletes can garner from their stories. This leads to conversation about the importance of practice and honest self evaluation when working to achieve personal goals, using the preparation exercises of icons like Steph Curry, Peyton Manning, and Pat Summit as examples (26:25). After the break, Larry and Sally examine the importance of team culture, the obstacles within coaching or directing exceptional talent, and how to utilize failure in a positive way (35:31). They end the pod by shining a light on the individual perseverance and friendship between Martina Navratilova and Chris Evert, giving flowers to Sally’s legendary sportswriter dad Dan Jenkins, and discussing some of their favorite athletes (50:39).
Host: Larry Wilmore
Guest: Sally Jenkins
Associate Producer: Chris Sutton
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