W. Kamau Bell on the Ingenious Podcast
Kamau has learned a lot from Bruce Lee! I did too.
Kamau and I were early in our respective careers when we first met on a panel at the San Francisco JCC, he a standup comic, me a startup founder. Since I'd last seen him he'd hosted a TV show on CNN about race in America, United Shades of America, had directed a documentary, We need to talk about Cosby (nominated for four Emmys and a Peabody!), and another doc about me and everyone else: 1000% Me, about growing up mixed race, between cultures.
I hadn't seen Kamau for maybe 15 years, and there he was with his great hair and warm smile and nerdy glasses in the movie theatre at Sundance, at the screening for a documentary on Aum Shinrikyo, edging into the judge's area next to the amazing Filipina director Ramona Diaz. Hey! I said and smiled because he remembered me.
He agreed to meet me at the Chinese Historical Society where Bruce Lee, reproduced in 8 foot photos, stood for unity. From Bruce's own words, the name of the show: We Are Bruce Lee: Under The Sky, One Family. In a world that is fighting itself into fragments, we need Bruce's example, and Kamau's example, of how to have hard conversations, and fight instead for human dignity and mutual respect. Bruce was mixed race himself, and ahead of his time.
Kamau is one of those people that fills a room with a kind, thoughtful, good energy. He’s willing to lean into awkward conversations. He learned a lot from Bruce Lee! Please listen to the podcast episode for more Kamau!
And More:
A great place to continue Bruce's work to be one family is Kamau's book: Do the Work! And Antiracist activity book
How do we talk about and think about our heroes when our heroes turn out to be terrible people? Watch the amazing Cosby documentary. Another recommendation I have on this subject is the book Monsters: A Fan's Dilemma by Claire Dederer, which is fantastic.
Come to the Bay Area and see the Bruce Lee exhibit at the Chinese Historical Society.