W. Kamau Bell

And so I'm aware that the things that I like like associate with,

whiteness even when they're not white yeah like fishbone is like from compton you know right so like it's not so but and the things that black people like and there's and this was before the internet so like there's no way to even find my own people now i think well that's what's funny is because it it ended up there are you weren't alone no but you were isolated yeah and i didn't there was no way to sort of like go on a thing and go hey who else what other black yeah there was no there were no chat boards or no uh

whiteness even when they're not white yeah like fishbone is like from compton you know right so like it's not so but and the things that black people like and there's and this was before the internet so like there's no way to even find my own people now i think well that's what's funny is because it it ended up there are you weren't alone no but you were isolated yeah and i didn't there was no way to sort of like go on a thing and go hey who else what other black yeah there was no there were no chat boards or no uh

At the time I was there, I mean, I don't want to describe Hyde Park Town, but it's very much like it's on the south side of Chicago, but it's the University of Chicago's campus. So it is not the south side of Chicago the way that people say. It's where the Obamas live. It's where the Obamas live very comfortably. Yeah, like the library is going to be, et cetera, et cetera.

At the time I was there, I mean, I don't want to describe Hyde Park Town, but it's very much like it's on the south side of Chicago, but it's the University of Chicago's campus. So it is not the south side of Chicago the way that people say. It's where the Obamas live. It's where the Obamas live very comfortably. Yeah, like the library is going to be, et cetera, et cetera.

And the University of Chicago, like all big campuses, has taken over more and more of the neighborhood. So it's basically a police state. So you can't, yeah.

And the University of Chicago, like all big campuses, has taken over more and more of the neighborhood. So it's basically a police state. So you can't, yeah.

so and michelle worked with the university or she worked with the hospital i don't know i don't know it was like community outreach but yeah there was definitely like and there's you know there are rappers from there i'm not trying to say it's like yeah but like vic mints is from high park so it's not like you know which so but like it's just i was sort of like aware that like even in this even on the south side of chicago i'm not in like the black so you but then as a black teenager who's on the bus going places oh so if you say you're from a high park

so and michelle worked with the university or she worked with the hospital i don't know i don't know it was like community outreach but yeah there was definitely like and there's you know there are rappers from there i'm not trying to say it's like yeah but like vic mints is from high park so it's not like you know which so but like it's just i was sort of like aware that like even in this even on the south side of chicago i'm not in like the black so you but then as a black teenager who's on the bus going places oh so if you say you're from a high park

real black people be like oh yeah kind of like roll their eyes i can't say that for now for sure but when i was there definitely okay definitely like it's probably worse now yeah it probably is but i just don't want you know you don't get caught up like talking about a place you know sure so this is another black thing don't talk about a place unless you know it yeah don't don't be like yeah so uh

real black people be like oh yeah kind of like roll their eyes i can't say that for now for sure but when i was there definitely okay definitely like it's probably worse now yeah it probably is but i just don't want you know you don't get caught up like talking about a place you know sure so this is another black thing don't talk about a place unless you know it yeah don't don't be like yeah so uh

So, yeah, so I was aware that, like, even, like, I'm, but then sometimes you're just in a group of people or you find some people and conversations emerge. I remember one of my favorite stories of that, I was at an airport, listened to my yellow sports Sony Walkman. I travel a lot because I go to see my dad. And a black dude comes and sits next to me.

So, yeah, so I was aware that, like, even, like, I'm, but then sometimes you're just in a group of people or you find some people and conversations emerge. I remember one of my favorite stories of that, I was at an airport, listened to my yellow sports Sony Walkman. I travel a lot because I go to see my dad. And a black dude comes and sits next to me.

And he has that look like, I'm not in airports a lot, so I'm happy to see a black dude. And so he's like, hey, man. And I fly all the time. I'm like, hey, he's like, what are you listening to? And I remember being like, Pearl Jam.

And he has that look like, I'm not in airports a lot, so I'm happy to see a black dude. And so he's like, hey, man. And I fly all the time. I'm like, hey, he's like, what are you listening to? And I remember being like, Pearl Jam.

And he was like, and I could see the look on his face like, I don't know if he even knew what it was, but it was not what he needed to be, and I don't think we could continue to talk. I have lots of moments like that.

And he was like, and I could see the look on his face like, I don't know if he even knew what it was, but it was not what he needed to be, and I don't think we could continue to talk. I have lots of moments like that.

Like a weed. Yeah. But the thing is, but at some point you hit a point of, like, but what does this look like as I get older? Like, I used to have a lot of fear about, like, am I just going to be alone the rest of my life? Not lonely, but alone. Like, you know those people who are like, that guy never dates anybody. Yeah. He goes, he buys, every day he goes to the grocery store, he buys one meal.

Like a weed. Yeah. But the thing is, but at some point you hit a point of, like, but what does this look like as I get older? Like, I used to have a lot of fear about, like, am I just going to be alone the rest of my life? Not lonely, but alone. Like, you know those people who are like, that guy never dates anybody. Yeah. He goes, he buys, every day he goes to the grocery store, he buys one meal.

He goes home, he makes that meal. Yes. He watches the evening news. Uh-huh. You know, and he's nice. Single serving everything. Single serving everything. He's nice, very nice guy. Yeah. Just never seen with anybody. So I had friends, my best friends.