W. Kamau Bell facts for kids

Quick facts for kids W. Kamau Bell
Bell in 2018
Birth name	Walter Kamau Bell
Born	(1973-01-26) January 26, 1973 (age 52) Palo Alto, California, U.S.
Medium	Stand-up, television, radio
Education	University of Chicago Laboratory Schools
Alma mater	University of Pennsylvania
Years active	2005–present
Genres	Observational comedy, black comedy, deadpan, satire
Subject(s)	Racism, social identity, inequality, American politics
Spouse	Melissa Hudson Bell ​ (m. 2009)​
Children	3
Parent(s)	Walter Bell Janet Cheatham Bell

Walter Kamau Bell (born January 26, 1973) is an American stand-up comic and television host. He is known for hosting the CNN series United Shades of America. This show explores different communities across the United States. He also hosted the FXX TV series Totally Biased with W. Kamau Bell. Bell is also a host for radio shows and podcasts. In 2022, he directed a documentary miniseries called We Need to Talk About Cosby.

Early Life and Education

Kamau Bell was born in Palo Alto, California. He grew up in several places, including Alabama, Boston, and Chicago. His father, Walter Bell, was an Insurance Commissioner. His mother, Janet Cheatham Bell, is an author.

Bell lived in Boston, Massachusetts, from age five to 12. He went to the University of Chicago Laboratory Schools. Later, he attended the University of Pennsylvania but left to pursue comedy. He also took filmmaking classes at Columbia College Chicago.

Comedy Career

Bell became known as a comedian who talks about social and political topics. He was a founding member of a comedy group called Laughter Against the Machine. He has appeared on many popular podcasts and TV shows.

His first comedy album, One Night Only, came out in 2007. That same year, he created a one-man show. It was called The W. Kamau Bell Curve: Ending Racism in About An Hour. This show used comedy to discuss racism in America. He still performs updated versions of it.

His next album, Face Full of Flour, was released in 2010. iTunes and Punchline Magazine named it one of the best comedy albums that year. From 2011 to 2012, he wrote a blog for the San Francisco Weekly. In 2012, he was voted San Francisco's best comedian.

His first stand-up comedy TV special was Semi-Prominent Negro. It premiered on Showtime in April 2016. His third full-length album with the same title was released in September 2016.

Television Shows

From 2012 to 2013, Bell hosted Totally Biased with W. Kamau Bell. This weekly stand-up comedy show was produced by Chris Rock. It offered funny comments on social and political issues. The show also featured interviews with celebrities. After the show ended in 2013, Bell moved back to California.

He also hosted the award-winning CNN documentary series United Shades of America. This show started in April 2016. It has been nominated for several Emmy Awards. Bell himself was nominated as an Outstanding Host. He is also an Executive Producer for the show. The show won Creative Arts Emmy awards in 2017, 2018, and 2019.

United Shades of America was renewed for its third season in 2018. The show's first episode aired in April 2018. This season had eight episodes. The final episode, "Native Hawaii", aired in July 2018. The show finished after its seventh season in August 2022.

In 2022, Bell directed and produced We Need to Talk About Cosby. This documentary miniseries explores the life and career of Bill Cosby. It premiered in January 2022 on Showtime. The series later won a Peabody Award.

In 2025, Bell competed in the third season of Celebrity Jeopardy!. He won the tournament. He earned $1,000,000 for his chosen charity, DonorsChoose. He also received an honorary Jeopardy! trophy.

Podcast Hosting

From 2010 to 2014, Bell co-hosted The Field Negro Guide to Arts & Culture. He hosted it with Living Colour guitarist Vernon Reid.

Since November 2014, Bell has co-hosted Denzel Washington Is the Greatest Actor of All Time Period. He hosts this podcast with comedian Kevin Avery. They review the films of Denzel Washington. They also interview famous actors, filmmakers, and musicians. Guests have included Spike Lee and Ava DuVernay.

Since January 2016, he has hosted Kamau Right Now. This is a live radio show and podcast produced by KALW.

Since June 2016, he has also co-hosted Politically Re-Active. He hosts this podcast with comedian Hari Kondabolu. The podcast looks at American politics and elections in a funny way. It includes interviews with activists and journalists.

Author

Bell has written many essays and blog posts. These often discuss race and racism in American politics and media. In May 2017, he published his first book. It is called The Awkward Thoughts of W. Kamau Bell. The book is a funny story about his life. It also includes essays about politics and popular culture.

Activism and Community Work

Bell is part of the advisory boards for two organizations. One is Race Forward, which works for racial justice. The other is Hollaback!, an organization against harassment. In October 2013, he became a celebrity ambassador for racial justice for the American Civil Liberties Union.

Public Incident in 2015

In January 2015, Bell and his wife, Melissa, had an incident at a cafe in Berkeley, California. Bell said it was related to race. He reported that a cafe employee told him to leave. This happened while he was talking to his white wife and her friends. Bell felt the employee thought he was "selling something" because of how he looked.

The cafe owner fired the waitress. The owner and Bell then held a community meeting. They discussed how to improve understanding and avoid such situations. Bell's story was later shared on the radio show This American Life.

Personal Life

Bell started dating Melissa Hudson Bell in 2003. They got married in 2009. They have three daughters together.

Filmography

Television

Discography

• 2007: One Night Only
• 2010: Face Full of Flour
• 2016: Semi-Prominent Negro