Naked Sports with Cari Champion

In this emotionally rich episode of Naked Sports , Cari opens up about loss: the recent passing of your grandmother and how that grief became both a wound and a window.  Grief, being the ultimate proof of love, was evident in and how the community has shown up with support, reminding Cari of what really matters. Cari reflects briefly on how that moment shifted her perspective, re-centere...

Cari sits with sociologist and two-time New York Times bestselling author Dr. Ana Malaika Tubbs to talk about her books The Three Mothers and Erased, and why the stories of Black women, and especially Black mothers, keep getting left out on purpose. Tubbs shares how Alberta King, Bertice Baldwin, and Louise Little weren’t just “moms of” famous men; they were leaders themselves, a...

Cari sits down with Bakari Sellers to talk through the case of 14-year-old Cyrus Carmack-Belton, who was shot in the back after an argument over four bottles of water at a South Carolina gas station, and why the owner, Rick Chow, was acquitted. Bakari lays out how messy the legal reality can be: “there was no shoplifting,” the shooting happened “130 yards away from the store,&rdq...

This episode feels like listening in on two big basketball fans trying to make sense of a Finals swing: the Knicks looked ready to run away with it, then Victor Wembanyama and the Spurs stole Game 3 and changed the mood heading into Game 4. CNN’s Omar Jimenez shares what he learned from an extended sit-down with Spike Lee, who’s lived every era of Knicks hope and heartbreak, and why th...

On this bonus episode, days before the California primaries, Cari sits down with billionaire climate activist and California gubernatorial candidate Tom Steyer to talk about what it costs to be “early,” and why he’s fine taking heat if he thinks he’s right. He says he was ahead of the curve on Trump—“He’s a criminal. Like, this is what impeachment is for&r...

Cari sits down with UCLA sociology professor Dr. Marcus Hunter after a random first-class chance encounter on a train to Philadelphia, and their bond was an instant connection. Despite the candor of their initial union, the conversation is basically a wake-up call about reparations being real, not just “40 acres and a mule” talk. Hunter breaks down how the Freedman’s Bank (starte...

This episode starts with the host recapping a Liberty vs. Connecticut Sun game and raving about the in-arena experience, especially Ellie the mascot, before sharing thoughts on the WNBA’s 30th season and how the Caitlin Clark “Cinderella shoe…is now off,” as fans see more of her on-court personality and the league’s competitiveness rises with limited roster spots.&nb...

This Naked Sports episode with Godfrey swings from hilarious to heavy in the best way. He shares his family’s story, born in Lincoln, Nebraska, because his parents fled the Biafran War, and how that immigrant grind shaped him.  From there, he gets into why he’s a purist about craft, whether it’s comedy, boxing, or music, saying the common thread is “the love of the cra...

This episode starts with the mystery of why WNBA vet and fan favorite Natasha “T Cloud” Cloud is still unsigned after the new CBA, free agency, and the draft—whether it’s money, age, locker-room narratives, or even whispers of being “quietly… blackballed” for her outspoken politics, including Palestine. The host reads Cloud’s posts that show faith a...

Today, Cari talks with PBS NewsHour co-anchor Geoff Bennett about his book “Black Out Loud” and why the ’90s felt like a once-in-a-lifetime run of Black TV—“how did all of these shows exist on the air at the same time?” He traces the history from minstrelsy and vaudeville to comics like Moms Mabley, Dick Gregory, Richard Pryor, and the Fox era that helped power...

This episode feels like a real check-in on what it takes to show up every day with purpose. Laura Coates walks Cari through her nonstop routine—up at 6 after getting home around 1:30 a.m., researching, doing CNN hits, writing fiction, parenting, then hosting her live 11 p.m. show. She explains why she left government work for TV: she felt “a muzzle” during officer-involved shooti...

Cari introduces an interview with surfer Caroline Marks, a 2024 Paris Olympics gold medalist, world champion, and one of six featured athletes in Red Bull’s film “Now Days,” premiering May 1 on Red Bull’s YouTube. Marks explains how women’s surfing has rapidly progressed, including the WSL’s equal pay shift in 2019, and describes how the film—two and a hal...

Cari has been bouncing between LA and New York and is close to recording from home full-time. She shouts out Kayla Nicole after appearing on her structured, story-driven “Pregame” podcast, saying it changed her perspective and reminded her not to judge people by social media. Now back in NYC, she vents about neighbors leaving shoes and a kid’s bike in the hallway, admits she left...

Today features Wheezy—co-host of Decisions, Decisions (formerly Whoreible Decisions) and an entrepreneur behind Trap Haus Fitness and WTF Media —about sex positivity, public judgment, and the business realities of building a brand. Wheezy explains the name change was driven by missed opportunities and lost ad revenue tied to “Whoreible,” even though the original title fit t...

Larry Miller, chairman of the advisory board for Nike’s Jordan Brand, shares how he went from being a smart kid in West Philly to joining a gang, killing a teen at 16, and serving time for murder and later armed robberies. In prison, he earned his GED, entered a college program, got an associate’s degree, then finished a Temple University accounting degree and built a decades-long care...

Cari welcomes trailblazer Jane Kennedy, praising her as the first Black woman she saw on TV doing sports and urging listeners to read her memoir, Plain Jayne:  A Memoir  by trailblazing actress and sports broadcaster  Jayne Kennedy . Kennedy explains the title as identifying as “the girl next door”, tracing her early pageant and tomboy roots, and describes how limited ro...

Cari reflects on Reverend Jesse Jackson’s death (Tuesday, February 17) and what he represented to her growing up; watching family gather around the TV during his 1984 and 1988 presidential runs, hearing “Keep Hope Alive” and “I am somebody,” and learning how much those messages of dignity and possibility mattered to Black communities. Cari speaks on Jackson’s le...

In this special edition of Naked Sports, host CarI and her friend/co-host Jemele Hill introduce their new podcast, 'Flagrant and Funny.' Recorded live from the Super Bowl, they discuss the podcast's focus on lively conversations about women's sports, culture, and race, emphasizing the need for honest critiques and praise. They share their hesitations and experiences critiquing athletes, drawing pa...

Cari kicks off the 'Naked Sports' podcast by taking listeners back to 1977, when New York was a mix of World Series excitement and urban crises. The spotlight shines on Elliot Williams, a former federal prosecutor, as he discusses his book 'Five Bullets,' which tells the story of Bernard Goetz, the so-called subway vigilante. Williams recounts Goetz's controversial 1984 shooting of four black teen...

Today, Cari welcomes Selema Masekela, an influential figure in action sports, music, and storytelling. Selema shares his journey of embracing his unique identity, recounting his transformation from being known as 'Sal' to reclaiming his full name, 'Selema.' They discuss the challenges he faced in predominantly white spaces and the significance of maintaining cultural authenticity. Selema talks abo...

Cari shares her experiences at the iHeart LA studios and expresses gratitude to her team. The main discussion features various hot topics, including the controversy surrounding reporter Lynn Jones's compliment to a Jaguars head coach and the blowback it received in the media. Then transitions to the Golden Globes, highlighting celebrities using their platform to advocate for social issues, and pra...

Cari opens with gratitude, welcoming our new viewers, and celebrates a recent spike in YouTube subscribers. Despite battling a cold, the host reflects on a hectic holiday season and an exciting trip to Dubai, where she interviewed tennis legend Novak Djokovic. The conversation then shifts to the recent capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro by U.S. forces, sparking debate over the implicat...

Isabelle 'Izzy' Harrison Talks Career, WNBA Challenges, and Powerful Journeys  On this episode of Naked Sports , Cari sits down with one of the real ones — Isabelle Harrison  of the New York Liberty. Izzy opens up about the journey that shaped her; from playing under the legendary Pat Summitt at Tennessee, to making waves in the W with talent, heart, and a whole lot of voice. She g...

Summary: In this final episode for the year, Cari is joined by fellow journalist Ayman Mohyeldin , and they share stories of friendship, mutual passions, and deep dives into how current events and policies shape people's lives. Ayman, originally from Egypt with Palestinian roots, immigrated to Detroit at age five. He expresses his family's journey for a better life and how his background influence...

In part two of the interview on Naked Sports, Joy Reid talks about the intersection of politics, media, and social issues. She expresses her views on the current political landscape, grappling with harassment from conservative figures and the challenges of being a public figure. Reid candidly discusses the impact of legacy media versus independent platforms, her stance on political issues like the...