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Tavis Smiley

Tavis Smiley

By Tavis Smiley

"Tavis Smiley" is the flagship program for KBLA, America's newest progressive radio network and LA's first Black-owned talk station. Broadcast live across southern California on 1580AM and around the world on KBLA1580.com and TuneIn, this podcast presents the best of Tavis Smiley's conversations with activists, influencers, thought leaders, and cultural vanguards.
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Mai Vang on Tavis Smiley August 2 2021

Tavis SmileyAug 02, 2021

00:00
29:04
Janet Hubert on Tavis Smiley October 22, 2021

Janet Hubert on Tavis Smiley October 22, 2021

Janet Hubert expands on her recent conversation with Will Smith during the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air reunion about her tumultuous time as Aunt Viv and previews her projects including the HBO MAX series Love Life.

Oct 27, 202140:39
Isaiah Washington on Tavis Smiley October 21 2021

Isaiah Washington on Tavis Smiley October 21 2021

Isaiah Washington tells us what really happened behind the scenes of "Grey's Anatomy", in this exclusive conversation with Tavis Smiley.

Oct 21, 202140:02
Anita Hill on Dominique DiPrima KBLA October 19 2021
Oct 19, 202139:26
Gen. Colin Powell tribute on Tavis Smiley KBLA

Gen. Colin Powell tribute on Tavis Smiley KBLA

Tavis Smiley pays tribute to the life and legacy of Gen. Colin Powell with an extended clip from their 2008 conversation, just one day before the New Hampshire primary that catapulted Barack Obama to the White House. 

Oct 19, 202151:29
Martin Garbus on Tavis Smiley KBLA October 18 2021

Martin Garbus on Tavis Smiley KBLA October 18 2021

Martin Garbus tells us about the curious case of Steven Donziger, an attorney facing six months in jail for contempt as part of his battle with Chevron on behalf of farmers and indigenous folx in Ecuador.

Oct 18, 202123:50
Jeff Chang on Tavis Smiley October 8 2021

Jeff Chang on Tavis Smiley October 8 2021

Jeff Chang, author of the seminal hip hop text Can't Stop Won't Stop which is now out with a YA version, tells us about the intersectional work he's doing to combat racism.

Oct 08, 202140:00
Rep James Clyburn on Tavis Smiley October 5 2021

Rep James Clyburn on Tavis Smiley October 5 2021

U.S. Rep. James Clyburn, the highest ranking Black member of Congress, celebrates his John Robert Lewis Lifetime Legacy Award from the March On Washington Film Festival and updates us on the investigation into the January 6th attack on the Capitol.

Oct 05, 202117:27
Xavier Prather on Tavis Smiley October 5 2021

Xavier Prather on Tavis Smiley October 5 2021

Xavier Prather, the first Black winner of the long-running CBS series "Big Brother", takes us inside his history-making victory.

Oct 05, 202140:40
Touré Reed on Tavis Smiley October 1 2021
Oct 01, 202141:40
Camile Brown on Tavis Smiley September 29 2021

Camile Brown on Tavis Smiley September 29 2021

Director, choreographer, and dancer Camile A Brown talks about her historic work at the MET and on Broadway.

Sep 29, 202156:05
Al Oliver and Dave Cash on Tavis Smiley September 28 2021

Al Oliver and Dave Cash on Tavis Smiley September 28 2021

Baseball legends Al Oliver and Dave Cash reflect on the historic 1971 Pittsburgh Pirates, which fielded the MLB's first-ever All-Black and Latino team one month before they won the World Series.

Sep 28, 202156:56
Danielle Moné Truitt on Tavis Smiley September 27 2021

Danielle Moné Truitt on Tavis Smiley September 27 2021

Danielle Moné Truitt on Law & Order: Organized Crime

Sep 27, 202155:59
Frankie Faison on Tavis Smiley September 27 2021

Frankie Faison on Tavis Smiley September 27 2021

Frankie Faison on his new film The Killing of Kenneth Chamberlain.

Sep 27, 202153:00
Folake Olowofoyeku on Tavis Smiley September 23 2021

Folake Olowofoyeku on Tavis Smiley September 23 2021

Folake Olowofoyeku previews the wedding episode of the CBS hit Bob Hearts Abishola.

Sep 23, 202156:54
Charles Blow on Tavis Smiley September 23 2021

Charles Blow on Tavis Smiley September 23 2021

Charles Blow talks about his latest text The Devil You Know.

Sep 23, 202156:11
Robert Kool Bell on Tavis Smiley September 22 2021
Sep 22, 202156:17
Marsha Coleman-Adebayo and Rev Dr Segun Adebayo on Tavis Smiley September 22 2021

Marsha Coleman-Adebayo and Rev Dr Segun Adebayo on Tavis Smiley September 22 2021

Marsha Coleman-Adebayo and Rev Dr Segun Adebayo tell us about their legal efforts to protect a historic Black cemetery in Montgomery County, Maryland.

Sep 22, 202136:31
David Henry Hwang on Tavis Smiley September 21 2021

David Henry Hwang on Tavis Smiley September 21 2021

Playwright David Henry Hwang tells us how getting stabbed in the neck influenced him creatively.

Sep 21, 202140:57
Bernard Purdie on Tavis Smiley September 21 2021

Bernard Purdie on Tavis Smiley September 21 2021

From the Beatles to Aretha Franklin, legendary drummer Bernard "Pretty" Purdie has performed with the best and he's happy to share his stories about them.

Sep 21, 202137:39
Lashrecse Aird on Tavis Smiley September 20 2021

Lashrecse Aird on Tavis Smiley September 20 2021

Virginia Delegate Lashrecse Aird, the youngest ever woman elected to the Old Dominion's House, tells us what it's like to be a Black progressive at the epicenter of America's racial reckoning.

Sep 20, 202138:20
Krishna Kaur on Tavis Smiley September 20 2021

Krishna Kaur on Tavis Smiley September 20 2021

Yoga pioneer Krishna Kaur introduces Tavis to her physical, mental, and spiritual practice as he contemplates taking it up.

Sep 20, 202116:44
Dana Rosser on Tavis Smiley September 20 2021
Sep 20, 202122:46
Geraldo Rivera on Tavis Smiley September 20 2021

Geraldo Rivera on Tavis Smiley September 20 2021

Journalist and civil rights lawyer Geraldo Rivera catches up with his old friend Tavis about his registered party (Republicans), their sworn enemies (Democrats), and why he chose one over the other.

Sep 20, 202137:48
Mike Farrell on Tavis Smiley September 17 2021

Mike Farrell on Tavis Smiley September 17 2021

Mike Farrell is best known for his role on M*A*S*H, but he tells us why his work to end the death penalty is his real passion.

Sep 17, 202142:29
Alonzo Williams on Tavis Smiley September 17 2021

Alonzo Williams on Tavis Smiley September 17 2021

Alonzo "Lonzo" Williams, the Godfather of west coast hip-hop, tells us about the early days of KDAY 1580AM, Dr. Dre, and Ice Cube as well as his newest project, a prostate cancer awareness event. 

Sep 17, 202141:59
Savion Glover on Tavis Smiley September 17 2021

Savion Glover on Tavis Smiley September 17 2021

Savion Glover is helping to bring Broadway back with his world-famous tap dancing skills.

Sep 17, 202138:30
Dr Anna Lembke on Tavis Smiley September 16 2021

Dr Anna Lembke on Tavis Smiley September 16 2021

Dr. Anna Lembke tells us how America's growing search for pleasure and passion leads to pain and addiction, as laid in her new book Dopamine Nation.

Sep 16, 202137:54
Harriet Michel on Tavis Smiley September 16 2021

Harriet Michel on Tavis Smiley September 16 2021

Groundbreaking leader Harriet Michel tells us how her work helped thousands of Black businesses and entrepreneurs succeed. 

Sep 16, 202140:47
Lillie Head and Joyce Christian on Tavis Smiley September 16 2021

Lillie Head and Joyce Christian on Tavis Smiley September 16 2021

Lillie Head and Joyce Christian, daughters of Tuskegee Syphilis Study victim Freddie Lee Tyson, tell us about their family's struggle with this unethical experiment and why they trust Covid-19 vaccines. 

Sep 16, 202139:37
Russell Hornsby on Tavis Smiley September 15 2021

Russell Hornsby on Tavis Smiley September 15 2021

Russell Hornsby tells us about his starring role in the new Starz series Black Mafia Family and remembers the last time he was inside the building where KBLA now lives - to meet Minister Louis Farrakhan.

Sep 15, 202141:44
Margaret Kimberley on Tavis Smiley September 15 2021

Margaret Kimberley on Tavis Smiley September 15 2021

Margaret Kimberley, co-founder of the Black Agenda Report, remembers the fierce life of her colleague Glen Ford and delves into her text Prejudential: Black America and the Presidents.

Sep 15, 202141:10
Smokey Robinson on Tavis Smiley September 15 2021

Smokey Robinson on Tavis Smiley September 15 2021

Smokey Robinson tells us what it was like to survive Covid and previews his new show at the Greek Theatre.

Sep 15, 202138:47
Maryum Ali and Ilyasah Shabazz on Tavis Smiley September 14 2021

Maryum Ali and Ilyasah Shabazz on Tavis Smiley September 14 2021

Maryum Ali and Ilyasah Shabazz, daughters of Muhammad Ali and Malcolm X, reflect on Blood Brothers, the new Netflix documentary about their fathers' unique friendship.

Sep 14, 202143:23
Dr Oz on Tavis Smiley September 14 2021

Dr Oz on Tavis Smiley September 14 2021

Dr Oz previews his 13th season which premiered on Tavis' birthday and reflects on working with the Trump Administration.

Sep 14, 202115:14
Gray Davis on Tavis Smiley September 14 2021

Gray Davis on Tavis Smiley September 14 2021

Former California Governor Gray Davis weighs in on the potential recall of Gavin Newsom and whether the Golden State's unique system needs reform.

Sep 14, 202120:48
Clayborne Carson on Tavis Smiley September 13 2021

Clayborne Carson on Tavis Smiley September 13 2021

Clayborne Carson reflects on his decades-long mission as the sacred keeper of Martin Luther King's legacy.

Sep 13, 202128:21
Ruben Navarrette on Tavis Smiley September 13 2021

Ruben Navarrette on Tavis Smiley September 13 2021

Ruben Navarrette returns to discuss the recall election and his conversation with their former colleague and question two front runner Larry Elder.

Sep 13, 202139:55
Catherine Fisk and Veronica Barnes on Tavis Smiley September 13 2021

Catherine Fisk and Veronica Barnes on Tavis Smiley September 13 2021

UC Berkeley Law Professor Catherine Fisk and Gig Workers Rising activist Veronica Barnes take us behind the scenes of their successful efforts to have the controversial Prop 22 blocked as unconstitutional.

Sep 13, 202132:18
Terence Blanchard on Tavis Smiley September 10 2021

Terence Blanchard on Tavis Smiley September 10 2021

Composer and trumpeter Terence Blanchard tells us about his newest 9/11 project with Spike Lee and his historic Metropolitan Opera debut.

Sep 10, 202141:01
Michael Chertoff on Tavis Smiley September 10 2021

Michael Chertoff on Tavis Smiley September 10 2021

Former Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff shares his 9/11 experience and answers the question "Are We Safer Today?"

Sep 10, 202115:26
Anthony Whitaker on Tavis Smiley September 10 2021

Anthony Whitaker on Tavis Smiley September 10 2021

Anthony Whitaker tells us how he captured the iconic 9/11 photograph "Steel Standing".

Sep 10, 202123:29
Medea Benjamin and Nihad Awad on Tavis Smiley September 10 2021

Medea Benjamin and Nihad Awad on Tavis Smiley September 10 2021

Medea Benjamin and Nihad Awad honor the victims who died during the 9/11 attacks as well as those victimized by America's response.

Sep 10, 202135:52
Rukia Lumumba on Tavis Smiley September 9 2021

Rukia Lumumba on Tavis Smiley September 9 2021

Rukia Lumumba, founder of the People's Advocacy Institute, tells us why she moved back to Jackson, Mississippi after living in New York City.

Sep 09, 202139:56
Cory Wong on Tavis Smiley September 9 2021

Cory Wong on Tavis Smiley September 9 2021

Cory Wong tells us his cross-generational working relationship with Dave Koz and how he learned the Minneapolis sound.

Sep 09, 202139:48
Howard Dean on Tavis Smiley September 9 2021

Howard Dean on Tavis Smiley September 9 2021

Howard Dean, former Vermont governor and 2004 presidential candidate, gives us his diagnosis of the current political climate.

Sep 09, 202139:15
Nikki Giovanni on Tavis Smiley September 8 2021

Nikki Giovanni on Tavis Smiley September 8 2021

Nikki Giovanni joins Tavis for a conversation about her friend Jimmy aka James Baldwin and her remarkable life.

Sep 08, 202145:22
James Fugate on Tavis Smiley September 8 2021

James Fugate on Tavis Smiley September 8 2021

James Fugate, co-owner of Eso Won Books, delivers his fall reading list including the new Will Smith text and Nikole Hannah Jones' highly-anticipated book The 1619 Project.

Sep 08, 202141:09
Randall Kennedy on Tavis Smiley September 8 2021
Sep 08, 202137:54
Winona LaDuke on Tavis Smiley September 7 2021

Winona LaDuke on Tavis Smiley September 7 2021

Winona LaDuke reports on the struggle to stop Enbridge's Line 3 pipeline from poisoning the pristine waters of northern Minnesota and beyond.

Sep 07, 202116:02
Ben Crump on Tavis Smiley September 7 2021

Ben Crump on Tavis Smiley September 7 2021

Civil rights attorney Ben Crump tells us about a new case of racial discrimination on Rodeo Drive by members of the Beverly Hills police department.

Sep 07, 202125:02