Tavis Smiley

Democratic Mayor Michael Butler of Orangeburg, South Carolina, shares his thoughts on the results from the special election for the late Senator Lindsey Graham’s seat, former U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg’s visit to his city and how Orangeburg is preparing for the upcoming elections this year and next year. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/tavi...

Michael Hiltzik, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and author of Golden State: The Making of California History, talks about his latest commentary questioning whether LAX will be ready for the 2028 Olympics if it wasn't ready for the 2026 World Cup. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/tavis-smiley--6286410/support .

Dr. Gerald Horne, prolific historian, scholar and author of 40 books, discusses Black August, the month that commemorates and recommits Black communities to radical resistance, and more. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/tavis-smiley--6286410/support .

Former Gwinnett County School Board Chairman, talks about his special election win in Georgia’s 13th Congressional District yesterday to serve the remainder of U.S. Representative David Scott’s term after his death in April. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/tavis-smiley--6286410/support .

Eric Deggans, NPR critic-at-large, journalist and author, talks about what Karen Attiah’s reinstatement victory at The Washington Post means for Black journalists and how today’s toxic argument culture ruins everything. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/tavis-smiley--6286410/support .

Marianna Sotomayor, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and congressional correspondent for Puck News, gives her analysis about trending political stories. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/tavis-smiley--6286410/support .

Wilbert L. Cooper, journalist and author of The Black Shield: An American Memoir of Family and Power, The New York Times and TIME Magazine’s most anticipated book of summer 2026, discusses the astonishing story of his family, race, and the complex duality of the Black cop. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/tavis-smiley--6286410/support .

Nick Keppler, journalist and editor, delves into his latest piece for Slate magazine about America’s loneliness trap and how one group of people is more isolated than anyone else—and it’s not men. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/tavis-smiley--6286410/support .

Skye Perryman, President and CEO of Democracy Forward and TIME 100 Honoree, talks about her new book, Ordinary People, Extraordinary Times: How to Reclaim Your Power, Fight for Freedom & Reimagine Democracy, as she argues that the defense of democracy cannot be left to politicians, courts, or institutions alone. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/tavis-smiley-...

Philosopher, professor of critical race theory, and legal analyst Tim Golden gives his analysis on trending political topics. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/tavis-smiley--6286410/support .

Emmy-nominee and veteran actor Ernest Harden Jr. talks about earning his first-ever Primetime Emmy nomination for his acclaimed performance as Louie Cloverfield on HBO Max’s medical drama hit The Pitt and his distinguished career.  Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/tavis-smiley--6286410/support .

Galen Druke, host of the nonpartisan podcast “GD Politics,” takes the prediction market to task as he shares his insight about how the polls got it wrong about Francesca Hong in Wisconsin and Angie Nixon in Florida and what our expectations should be about the midterms, given unreliable data. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/tavis-smiley--6286410/support .

Scholar, distinguished professor, author, leading public intellectual, and special contributor, Dr. Cornel West, shares his thoughts about the unfortunate and controversial death of college professor Jason Arday and more. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/tavis-smiley--6286410/support .

Eli Attie, Emmy Award-winning TV writer and former speechwriter for Vice President Al Gore, gives his analysis on trending political topics. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/tavis-smiley--6286410/support .

Vocalist, composer, educator, and visual artist Carmen Lundy joins Tavis in studio to discuss being named a 2026 National Endowment for the Arts Jazz Master, her new album, Notes From The Wine Cellar, and her illustrious career. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/tavis-smiley--6286410/support .

Jacob Grumbach, an associate professor at the Goldman School of Public Policy at the University of California, Berkeley, shares insights from his latest study finding that DEI policies brought no financial penalty for companies that kept them. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/tavis-smiley--6286410/support .

Scholar, distinguished professor, author, leading public intellectual, and special contributor, Dr. Cornel West, shares his thoughts about the ballooning national debt and more. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/tavis-smiley--6286410/support .

Justin Baragona, Zeteo’s media columnist, gives his diagnosis of the growing epidemic of Mamdani Derangement Syndrome, including criticism from the former spokesperson for First Lady Jill Biden, and other trending political stories. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/tavis-smiley--6286410/support .

Lynn Sweet, former Washington, D.C. bureau chief and now Special Correspondent for the Chicago Sun-Times, explains how her light-hearted search for President Obama's tan suit has reopened the serious debate about the consequential effect of the 2014 press conference on his foreign policy legacy.  Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/tavis-smiley--6286410/support .

Actor and musician Michael V. Epps, aka Mikey, shares his thoughts about the end of the highly acclaimed series The Chi, where he played Jake  Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/tavis-smiley--6286410/support .

Blavatnik Professor of Government and Public Policy and a professorial fellow at Nuffield College at the University of Oxford, takes us inside of his new book, "Billionaire Backlash: The Age of Corporate Scandal And How It Could Save Democracy," co-written with Taeku Lee, as they reveal how shared anger of citizens can be channeled to reinvigorate fallen democracies.  Become a supporter of this po...

Democratic Mayor Cavalier Johnson of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, talks about how the city has become a pipeline for the next generation of Black male political leadership, given the rise of gubernatorial candidate David Crowley, and how Democrats can win men in the Midwest for the midterms. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/tavis-smiley--6286410/support .

Oliver Gilbert, winner of yesterday's seven-way Democratic primary to succeed U.S. Rep. Frederica Wilson, in Florida's 24th Congressional district, explains how he won last night and lays out his plans for Congress. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/tavis-smiley--6286410/support .

U.S. Representative, Florida gubernatorial candidate, and Trump ally Byron Donalds gives us a quick peek at his campaign for top executive of the Sunshine State. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/tavis-smiley--6286410/support .

Geographer, journalism professor and writer Joshua Jelly-Schapiro talks about his newest book, Daylight Come: Harry Belafonte and the World He Made, as he paints a vibrant, revealing portrait of the Harlem-born son of Caribbean immigrants who turned folk music of the islands into American pop. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/tavis-smiley--6286410/support .