Beyond the Scenes from The Daily Show

We all have preferences when choosing who to date, but when do they cross the line into sexual racism? Daily Show correspondent Ronny Chieng, UMass Amherst sociology professor and associate dean, Jennifer Lundquist, and “Dates & Mates” podcast host, Damona Hoffman, join Roy Wood Jr. to discuss how dating apps amplify users’ racial biases and how this impacts those looking for love online.   Watch...

Working moms have left the workforce in disproportionate numbers over the last two years as reliable, affordable child care has gotten harder to find. In this episode, host Roy Wood Jr. sits down with correspondent Desi Lydic, segment director Sarah Hamblin, and Senator Patty Murray (D-Wash.) to discuss how child care impacts the economy, the challenges of being a working mother, and how parenting...

While America has made progress in removing confederate statues from public squares, many remain standing. Director of the PBS documentary The Neutral Ground, CJ Hunt, and founder of Project Say Something, Camille Goldston Bennett, join Roy Wood Jr. to discuss why these monuments were erected in the first place, how many are left, what’s being done on the ground to remove them, and where they shou...

Kim Kardashian and Kanye West’s divorce started as a celebrity scandal, but has evolved into a larger discussion surrounding the harassment many women face when trying to leave a relationship. In this episode, host Roy Wood Jr. sits down with Daily Show writer Christiana Mbakwe-Medina and journalist Rachel Louise Snyder to discuss how The Daily Show has covered this topic, the many types of violen...

Black folks seeking mental health treatment face a litany of obstacles: a scarcity of Black therapists, stigma within the Black community and discrimination. In this episode, Roy is joined by Daily Show writers X Mayo and Ashton Womack for a wide-ranging and deeply personal discussion about mental health, the Black church, the Black Lives Matter protests of 2020 and more.    Further mental health...

The well-intentioned “strong Black woman” stereotype limits Black women to only their strength, which can lead to harmful experiences in the workplace and in medical care situations. Daily Show producer Chelsea Williamson and creator and showrunner of Amazon’s "Harlem," Tracy Oliver, join Roy Wood Jr. to dissect and analyze what being a “strong Black woman” means and how Black men and onscreen rep...

The 2015 killing of Cecil the Lion ignited a global conversation around trophy hunting, the killing of wild animals for sport. Daily Show writer Joseph Opio and author of the book, Undercover Trophy Hunter, Eduardo Gonçalves, join Roy Wood Jr. to discuss the history and psychology of a practice widely seen as cruel and inhumane. Watch the original segment: https://youtu.be/5V0Nnfm8j5E See omnystud...

How can making pizza help rehabilitate people in jail? How is America dealing with its mass incarceration crisis? Is deep dish pizza even real pizza? In this episode, Daily Show correspondent Ronny Chieng, segment director Sebastian DiNatale, and Chef Bruno Abate join host Roy Wood Jr. to discuss Recipe for Change, a pizza-making program for people in Chicago’s Cook County Jail. Watch the original...

President Biden's Infrastructure bill aims to address racism in America's highway design. In this episode, host Roy Wood Jr. sits down with Daily Show writer Randall Otis and ACLU President Deborah Archer to discuss how the initial construction of U.S. highways displaced and destroyed thriving Black communities, the legacy of racist transportation policies, and how to repair and rebuild highways w...

From white women appropriating traditional Black hairstyles to society telling Black men to keep their hair short and neat, natural Black hair is a source of unsolicited opinion and controversy. Daily Show Correspondent Dulcé Sloan, Writer Josh Johnson and Deep Dive Producer Chelsea Williamson join Roy Wood Jr. to discuss the history and politics around how we treat Black hair in America using ane...

In this live edition of Beyond the Scenes from South By Southwest in Austin, Texas, Roy Wood Jr. sits down with moderator of Washington Week on PBS, Yamiche Alcindor, CBS News Correspondent Vladimir Duthiers, and MSNBC host Symone D. Sanders for a poignant discussion about what it’s like to be a Black journalist and commentator in America. They each share personal experiences with racism on the jo...

Earlier this week, Roy Wood Jr. sat down with WNBA star Sabrina Ionescu to discuss how college athletes are cashing in on the NCAA’s new Name Image and Likeness rules. In this bonus episode, former college and professional tennis player, and Daily Show correspondent Michael Kosta breaks down his experiences and how he thinks players could benefit from the NCAA’s profits.  Learn more about your ad-...

Last summer, the NCAA introduced Name Image and Likeness deals that allow college athletes to accept payment from sponsors and brands -- including anything from endorsement deals to TikTok sponsorships. In this episode, WNBA star Sabrina Ionescu sits down with Roy Wood Jr. to discuss what this means for college athletes, the future of compensating players, and how she is involved with navigating d...

The pink tax is a form of gender discrimination that can cost women  an average of $1,400 more a year. In this episode, host Roy Wood Jr. sits down with correspondent Desi Lydic, segment director Stacey Angeles, and Congresswoman Jackie Speier to discuss everyday examples of goods and services that cost women more, the economic impact of the pink tax, and the challenges of being a female consumer....

America’s First Ladies have historically been expected to champion social causes, be style icons, and serve as the nation’s matriarch. In this episode, host Roy Wood Jr. sits down with CNN Contributor Kate Andersen Brower, and Daily Show Senior Producer Jeff Gussow to discuss how the role of First Lady has evolved, how they have impacted policy, navigated gender expectations, and shaped history. W...

Correspondent Ronny Chieng talks to host Roy Wood Jr. about his viral response to a 2016 Fox News segment that was filled with negative Asian stereotypes, and the dramatic rise in anti-Asian violence in the years since. They’re joined by Norman Chen, CEO and co-founder of Asian-American advocacy group LAAUNCH.     Watch the original segment: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rX8jZTN0CdU More on LAAU...

What is the movie genre known as Black horror and how has the Black experience been portrayed over time in these movies? Daily Show writer Ashton Womack, filmmaker and executive producer of Shudder’s Horror Noire documentary Tananarive Due, author and screenwriter Steven Barnes, and author and educator Dr. Robin R. Means Coleman join Roy Wood Jr. to  discuss the history and evolution of Black repr...

The fight to change Washington’s NFL team name and its mascot has been around since the 1960s, but the shift from being called an anti-Native slur to the “Commanders” gained traction after the 2020 Black Lives Matter protests and movements for racial justice. Sports journalist Bomani Jones and Crystal Echo Hawk, executive director of IllumiNative and citizen of Pawnee, join Roy Wood Jr. to discuss...

Athletes have been making news over the past year because of the difficult conversations surrounding mental health, performance, and the role of sports media. In this episode, Roy Wood Jr. sits down with Olympian Ajee’ Wilson and exercise psychology professor, Dr. Leeja Carter to discuss the specific challenges athletes face, how fans can support athletes, and why female athletes of color like Sim...

Texas’s new abortion law, SB8 is the most restrictive in the country. Daily Show senior producer Allison MacDonald and OB-GYN and abortion provider Dr. Ghazaleh Moayedi join host Roy Wood Jr. to discuss  the current state of the Texas abortion ban, the common misconceptions surrounding abortion, why banning abortions isn’t an effective (or safe) way to lower the abortion rate, and the conversation...

Conservatives in America have a habit of citing Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. to score a variety of political points. Some have even used his words to undermine antiracist education and critical race theory. In this episode, Dr. Ibram X. Kendi and Daily Show writer Randall Otis join host Roy Wood, Jr. to discuss how conservatives pervert MLK’s words, why he’s so central to America’s civil rights educ...

Nurses have been on the front lines throughout the pandemic, often overworked, underpaid, and without resources to address the mental health challenges that have come from two years on the front lines. In this episode, host Roy Wood Jr. sits down with Daily Show associate producer Madeleine Kuhns and doctor of nursing, Dr. Christopher Friese to discuss why nurses are so burnt out, how hospital adm...

One year after the January 6 insurrection at the Capitol, Roy Wood Jr. sits down with Daily Show contributor Jordan Klepper and MSNBC host Chris Hayes to discuss the aftermath of the riot, how conservative media and the GOP rewrote the narrative, and whether American democracy will survive. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for priv...

Contributor Jordan Klepper and supervising producer Ian Berger have been reporting from Trump rallies since 2016. In this episode, Roy invites Jordan and Ian to discuss their harrowing experiences, how Trump supporters have changed over the years, and what it was like on the ground at the Capitol during the January 6 insurrection. Beyond the Scenes is back January 4 with new episodes. Next week, w...

In this episode, Roy Wood Jr. sits down with leading scholar Kimberlé Crenshaw and producer CJ Hunt to discuss Critical Race Theory, why it’s become Fox News’ favorite talking point, but how no one can seem to define it. The three also discuss why teaching CRT is necessary and how ignoring the blowback could endanger years of progress.  Watch the original segments: https://youtu.be/XQKRYJnqIdM htt...