

Larry Wilmore: Black on the Air
The Ringer
Emmy Award—winning producer, actor, and comedian Larry Wilmore is back on the air, hosting a podcast where he weighs in on the issues of the week and interviews guests in the worlds of politics, entertainment, culture, sports, and beyond.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Nov 23, 2025 • 1h 24min
Werner Herzog on ‘The Future of Truth’
Live from Los Angeles, Larry sits down with legendary filmmaker and author Werner Herzog to discuss his new book, ‘The Future of Truth.’ Together, they explore philosophy, history, and politics and ask the ultimate question: What does truth really mean?
Host: Larry WilmoreGuest: Werner HerzogProducers: Devon Renaldo and Brandy LaPlante Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nov 16, 2025 • 1h 2min
Ken Burns and Sarah Botstein on ‘The American Revolution’
Ahead of his latest PBS documentary, Larry sits down with Ken Burns and Sarah Botstein to explore ‘The American Revolution.’ They discuss the making of the project, the surprises they encountered, and the deeper truths they discovered about the people, ideals, and contradictions that shaped the founding of our nation.
Host: Larry WilmoreGuest: Ken Burns and Sarah BotsteinProducers: Devon Renaldo and Brandy LaPlante Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nov 9, 2025 • 1h
Jake Tapper on ‘Race Against Terror’
Larry sits down with CNN anchor and bestselling author Jake Tapper to discuss his new book, 'Race Against Terror: Chasing an Al Qaeda Killer at the Dawn of the Forever War.' The two explore America’s evolving response to terrorism, the pursuit and prosecution of terrorists, and what today’s battles over Donald Trump reveal about truth, power, and accountability.
Host: Larry WilmoreGuest: Jake TapperProducers: Devon Renaldo and Brandy LaPlante Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Oct 18, 2025 • 1h 7min
Charlotte Kaufman and Andrew Jarecki on 'The Alabama Solution'
Larry is joined by filmakers Charlotte Kaufman and Andrew Jarecki to talk about their latest film 'The Alabama Solution' as it offers a harrowing look at the prison system and the abuses that take place within it.
Host: Larry Wilmore
Guests: Charlotte Kaufman and Andrew Jareck
Producers: Steve Ahlman and Brandy LaPlante Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Oct 4, 2025 • 1h 4min
Kenny Mayne on Sports Media
Larry is joined by former ESPN contributor Kenny Mayne to discuss his newest podcast We Need a Fourth! They also discuss the going's on of sports media, the fallout from poor fan behavior in golf, and much more.
Host: Larry WilmoreProducers: Steve Ahlman and Brandy LaPlante Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sep 27, 2025 • 1h 5min
Listener Mailbag
Larry weighs in on the latest with Jimmy Kimmel and Charlie Kirk, the future of the Democratic Party, the role of artists in culture, his love of magic, conspiracy theories, and much more on this week’s episode of ‘Black on the Air.’
Host: Larry WilmoreProducers: Devon Renaldo and Brandy LaPlante Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sep 6, 2025 • 53min
Tara Palmeri on Epstein and His Survivors
This week, Larry is joined by investigative journalist, author, and podcast host Tara Palmeri to sift through the complexities of the Epstein files and his survivors—just days after several of his accusers traveled to Capitol Hill to demand accountability (1:26). They explore the confusion surrounding the case, the role of money, and how Epstein seemed untouchable in a scandal rooted in power and class (8:05). They also consider what the files may actually contain (15:22) and the effect on survivors who must watch as their accused abusers are publicly celebrated.
Host: Larry WilmoreGuest: Tara PalmeriProducers: Devon Renaldo and Brandy LaPlante Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Aug 25, 2025 • 1h 9min
Christopher Jackson on the 10-Year Anniversary of 'Hamilton,' His Return to Broadway, and More
Larry is joined by Tony Award–nominated actor, Grammy- and Emmy-winning songwriter, and composer Christopher Jackson. Jackson reflects on the 10-year anniversary of ‘Hamilton,’ how the show came to life, and his experience originating the role of George Washington (2:20). He discusses his upcoming musical, 'The Crossover'; his process of writing for the show; and how raising a child with autism has shaped both his parenthood and his artistry (44:40). He also talks about his return to Broadway in Alicia Keys’s new musical, ‘Hell’s Kitchen’ (57:00), along with much more.
Host: Larry WimoreGuest: Christopher JacksonProducers: Devon Renaldo and Brandy LaPlante Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Aug 16, 2025 • 56min
Wendy Lobel on ‘Anxiety Club’
Larry is joined by Emmy Award-winning producer Wendy Lobel to discuss her directorial debut film ‘Anxiety Club’, currently streaming on Jolt.film. They begin their conversation by talking about why Wendy wanted to make the documentary and exploring the ways that the standup comedians featured in the film use their craft as built-in therapy. This leads to Wendy and Larry sharing personal and professional anecdotes about therapy and anxiety, while also shining a light on where medication intersects with the overall issue (9:05). Next, Wendy tells us about her process for directing ‘Anxiety Club’ and the biggest surprises that occurred to her when making the project (23:22). After the break, they talk about subject authenticity when making a documentary and the obstacles that present themselves when trying to capture the deep areas of people’s personal lives (33:23). They end the pod by highlighting Marc Maron’s significance in regards to the film and breaking down some of the important things that should be known about combating anxiety (41:20).
Host: Larry WilmoreGuest: Wendy LobelProducers: Brandy LaPlante and Chris Sutton Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Aug 9, 2025 • 55min
Jonathan Mahler on ‘The Gods of New York: Egotists, Idealists, Opportunists, and the Birth of the Modern City: 1986-1990’
Larry is joined by New York Times journalist and author Jonathan Mahler to discuss his newest book, ‘The Gods of New York: Egotists, Idealists, Opportunists, and the Birth of the Modern City: 1986-1990,’ publishing on August 12. They begin their conversation by detailing why Jonathan decided to write the book and shining a light on the rich history of New York City that precedes the period it covers. Here, they focus on the infamous Howard Beach attack and the police response that led to the rise of Al Sharpton and a new age of public protesting (18:46). After the break, Larry and Jonathan take a look at the Wall Street crash of 1987-88 and break down how the AIDS epidemic affected both the gay and art communities in New York at that time (31:52). They end the pod by talking about Rudy Giuliani’s war against the mob, how the tabloids created Donald Trump, and filmmaker Spike Lee’s love letter to the city, ‘Do the Right Thing’ (38:43).
Host: Larry WilmoreGuest: Jonathan MahlerProducers: Chris Sutton and Brandy LaPlante Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices


