Bomani Jones

When we were in North Carolina... Can you describe that feeling, though? It just felt what? It felt like... It just felt big? It felt... It felt like an accomplishment of sorts.

When we were in North Carolina... Can you describe that feeling, though? It just felt what? It felt like... It just felt big? It felt... It felt like an accomplishment of sorts.

Like, I remember the first episode we shot, we shot without a studio audience. Okay. So the only people there are, like, people who work on the show. My brother came. My agent came. Like, a couple of those people. And, you know, they do it... They do it big. One thing about working at ESPN that I realize is ESPN really treats being on television like a job. You clock in, you clock out.

Like, I remember the first episode we shot, we shot without a studio audience. Okay. So the only people there are, like, people who work on the show. My brother came. My agent came. Like, a couple of those people. And, you know, they do it... They do it big. One thing about working at ESPN that I realize is ESPN really treats being on television like a job. You clock in, you clock out.

There isn't that much of a feeling of grandeur around what you do typically. Yes. And so your first show. Kind of lonely, you're right. Yeah, like your first show on like a TV show, for lack of a better term. And like the last episode of the season, they do the same thing. So you come out, and it's a cake, and it's champagne, and everybody's toasting it up.

There isn't that much of a feeling of grandeur around what you do typically. Yes. And so your first show. Kind of lonely, you're right. Yeah, like your first show on like a TV show, for lack of a better term. And like the last episode of the season, they do the same thing. So you come out, and it's a cake, and it's champagne, and everybody's toasting it up.

And I remember I stood there with my agent, and so this is 2022. So we've been working together now.

And I remember I stood there with my agent, and so this is 2022. So we've been working together now.

We've been doing this for 11 or 12 years, and we just stood there. Right. And we were just next to each other. I just remember I just had my hand on his shoulder, and we were just looking at it like. It happened, you know, like remembering what it was like to sit in the HBO offices 10 years before that. And the guy's like, hey, man, I'm looking for a sports bill.

We've been doing this for 11 or 12 years, and we just stood there. Right. And we were just next to each other. I just remember I just had my hand on his shoulder, and we were just looking at it like. It happened, you know, like remembering what it was like to sit in the HBO offices 10 years before that. And the guy's like, hey, man, I'm looking for a sports bill.

And I'm like, baby, I'm right here. I know you're not going to believe it because I'm the one that's telling you. And it actually happened, you know, and then it was fun. And then it was, okay, well, now we're going to find a different thing to do. And now we find within it, like they had me working with a coach to help with my presentation and all of this stuff.

And I'm like, baby, I'm right here. I know you're not going to believe it because I'm the one that's telling you. And it actually happened, you know, and then it was fun. And then it was, okay, well, now we're going to find a different thing to do. And now we find within it, like they had me working with a coach to help with my presentation and all of this stuff.

So, you know, we just had all these things go. And so I felt like I got it done. And when it ended, I didn't feel bad at all. It was like, what are you talking about? Why would I look at this through the standpoint of an ending as opposed to what it really was, was I got two years of this. I don't own this. Nobody took anything from me.

So, you know, we just had all these things go. And so I felt like I got it done. And when it ended, I didn't feel bad at all. It was like, what are you talking about? Why would I look at this through the standpoint of an ending as opposed to what it really was, was I got two years of this. I don't own this. Nobody took anything from me.

And so for me, it was great. But then it becomes like, all right, man, I got to get something that comes close to that again.

And so for me, it was great. But then it becomes like, all right, man, I got to get something that comes close to that again.

Right.

Right.

Like I got cool with Ta-Nehisi Coates over the years. And what I admire about him is. He's done comic books. He's done novels. He has done things, by his own admission, that could have gone wrong, but he needs that. He needs that feeling that this might not go, because otherwise you're not pushing yourself to the place that you want to be.

Like I got cool with Ta-Nehisi Coates over the years. And what I admire about him is. He's done comic books. He's done novels. He has done things, by his own admission, that could have gone wrong, but he needs that. He needs that feeling that this might not go, because otherwise you're not pushing yourself to the place that you want to be.