Why didn’t someone tell me about this program? It’s well into its second season and I’ve just started watching it. I’m glad I have On Demand to look back at old episodes.
I’m talking about “United Shades of America.” The host, W. Kamau Bell, travels all over to look at how various issues affect real people. It’s not a dry documentary, thanks to the host’s humor (he’s a comic) and his conversations with people he agrees with, disagrees with, and others in between. A person who isn’t keen on guns, he bought one and talked to people about why they’re important. He visited a KKK meeting and talked to Klansmen as they burned a cross (note: Bell is Black). He went to a hard-core prison and mixed with the inmates.
I enjoy the show because he, like me, takes a slightly sideways look at life and situations, delving into the oddities and people experiencing them–all in a straightforward, human way.
The show is on CNN on Sundays at 7 P.M. in my area. Look it up and give it a try.
