Hari Kondabolu and W. Kamau Bell Get Political In New Comedy Podcast
“The revolution will be podcasted and it will be hilarious,” says W. Kamau Bell, one half of the funny duo behind the new podcast “Politically Re-Active with W. Kamau Bell and Hari Kondabolu,” which premieres June 29 on Slate’s podcast network, Panoply. The comedians and friends will speak to special guest politicos and comedians in each 20-25 minute episode. Each episode will have a specific theme and will include signature comedy segments.
Bell calls himself a “socio-political comedian,” and was the host of the short-lived FX comedy series “Totally Biased with W. Kamau Bell,” for which Kondabolu served as a writer and correspondent. Boasting Chris Rock as executive producer, the show hired all stand-up comedians as writers, including up-and-comers Aparna Nancherla (recently named one of Variety’s Top Ten Comics to Watch) and Guy Branum (“Awkward,” “Chelsea Lately”). As a regular on the public radio circuit (Terry Gross has him on speed dial), Kondabolu is well-positioned to make a splash in the podcast space. His comedy album, “Waiting for 2042,” is named for the year when white people are predicted to become a statistical minority in the United States.
READ MORE: W. Kamau Bell on Doing Stand-Up on CNN for ‘United Shades of America’
Bell commented in a press release: “‘Politically Re-Active’ is the result of many hours and hours of phone conversations, innumerable green room hangouts, and millions of calories of desserts eaten far too late at night after comedy shows that didn’t start the revolution like me and Hari thought they would.”
The podcast is produced by First Look Media, “a new-model media company devoted to supporting independent voices across all platforms,” started by Ebay founder Pierre Omidyar. First Look produced “RISK,” the most recent film from Laura Poitras, and co-financed “Spotlight.”
The podcast premieres June 29, listen to the exclusive teaser below.
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