W. Kamau Bell

Acting

W. Kamau Bell

Born

1973-01-26 (53)

Place of birth

Palo Alto, California, USA

Known for

Acting

Credits

42 titles

Known for

Film credits

2020s · 4 titles

The One and Only Dick Gregory poster
7.9

This revealing portrait of comedian, activist, pop-culture icon and thought leader Dick Gregory documents his many personal reinventions throughout the decades, from celebrity to civil rights hero and beyond, while hearing from the incredible entertainers who have been inspired by his blueprint.

The One and Only Dick Gregory

2021

Are We Good? poster
4.5

This raw, intimate portrait of comedian and podcast pioneer Marc Maron follows the sudden loss of his partner and filmmaker Lynn Shelton. Maron struggles with grief, disillusionment, and a shifting comedy landscape, processing it all through his life, both on-stage and off.

Are We Good?

2025

Sesame Street: 50 Years of Sunny Days poster
6.5

For more than a half-century, Sesame Street has addressed and explained diversity, equity, and inclusion around the globe by using the universal tools of music, empathy and celebrity. Sesame Street: 50 Years of Sunny Days reflects upon the efforts that have earned the show respect and qualification around the globe. The special also chronicles the creation and introduction of a Black family of Sesame Street Muppets, Wes and Elijah Walker, a father-and-son duo who are at the heart of Sesame Workshop’s new racial justice initiative Coming Together.

Sesame Street: 50 Years of Sunny Days

2021

Kerouac's Road: The Beat of a Nation poster
5.7

Jack Kerouac's "On the Road" finds new relevance as modern travelers and cultural figures like Josh Brolin, W. Kamau Bell and Natalie Merchant reveal how his quest for authentic experience resonates powerfully in our screen-saturated era — offering a lyrical meditation on what it means to truly experience the journey.

Kerouac's Road: The Beat of a Nation

2025

2010s · 8 titles

Sorry to Bother You poster
6.8

In an alternate present-day version of Oakland, black telemarketer Cassius Green discovers a magical key to professional success – which propels him into a macabre universe.

Sorry to Bother You

2018

I Am Road Comic poster
5.8

Interviews with T.J. Miller, Pete Holmes, Marc Maron, Doug Benson, Jim Norton, Judah Friedlander, Alonzo Bodden, Maria Bamford, Jen Kirkman, Auggie Smith, W. Kamau Bell, Nikki Glaser, Wayne Federman, Seth Milstein, Oni Perez, Alysia Wood, Kris Tinkle, Traci Skene, Brian McKim, Tim O’Rourke, Tom Rhodes, Kyle Kinane and yours truly.

I Am Road Comic

2014

The Problem with Apu poster
4.8

In the history of “The Simpsons,” few characters outside the title family have had as much cultural impact as Apu Nahasapeemapetilon, the Springfield convenience store owner. Comedian Hari Kondabolu is out to show why that might be a problem.

The Problem with Apu

2017

W. Kamau Bell: Private School Negro poster
6.1

Comedian W. Kamau Bell muses on parenting in the Trump era, "free speech" dustups, woke children's TV and his fear of going off the grid.

W. Kamau Bell: Private School Negro

2018

SXSW Comedy With W. Kamau Bell poster
5.0

The first ever comedy special filmed at and in partnership with South By Southwest (SXSW). Kamau Bell (CNN'sUnited Shades of America) hosts the show. Featuring sets from Beth Stelling (Jimmy Kimmel Live, @midnight), Nate Bargatze (Maron, @midnight), Iliza Shlesinger (The Tonight Show, Last Comic Standing), Mark Normand (Inside Amy Schumer, Trainwreck), and Matt Braunger (Maron, Garfunkel & Oates), the two-part special also includes comics Todd Glass and Beth Stelling exploring the streets of Austin and bumping into the likes of Jeff Ross, Ron Funches and a number of festival-goers.

SXSW Comedy With W. Kamau Bell

2015

The Comedy Club poster
NR

When a fire destroys Cobb's Comedy Club in San Francisco, defiant owner Tom Sawyer and his crew of comedians rebuild it, hoping to revive the struggling indie comedy scene.

The Comedy Club

2016

W. Kamau Bell: Semi-Prominent Negro poster
5.5

Comedy special featuring socio-political comedian W. Kamau Bell, who brings his characteristically biting and hilarious take on the real issues of contemporary America from gentrification to raising his family in a post-Obama nation.

W. Kamau Bell: Semi-Prominent Negro

2016

SXSW Comedy Night Two with W. Kamau Bell poster
0.5

Stand-up W. Kamua Bell hosts the hottest comics at the SXSW festival in the second of this two-part showcase featuring today's heavyweights and tomorrow's stars, including Todd Glass, Wyatt Cenac, Iliza Shlesinger, Rachel Feinstein, Nate Bargatze, Matt Braunger, Mark Normand, Beth Stelling, Joe DeRosa and Jon Huck.

SXSW Comedy Night Two with W. Kamau Bell

2015

Series credits

Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen poster
4.9

Bravo network executive Andy Cohen discusses pop culture topics with celebrities and reality show personalities.

Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen

2009

The Late Show with Stephen Colbert poster
6.1

Stephen Colbert brings his signature satire and comedy to The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, the #1 show in late night, where he talks with an eclectic mix of guests about what is new and relevant in the worlds of politics, entertainment, business, music, technology, and more. Featuring bandleader Jon Batiste with his band Stay Human, the Emmy Award-nominated show is broadcast from the historic Ed Sullivan Theater.

The Late Show with Stephen Colbert

2015

The Daily Show poster
6.4

The World's Fakest News Team tackle the biggest stories in news, politics and pop culture.

The Daily Show

1996

Conan poster
7.2

A late night television talk show hosted by Conan O'Brien.

Conan

2010

Real Time with Bill Maher poster
6.0

Each week Bill Maher surrounds himself with a panel of guests which include politicians, actors, comedians, musicians and the like to discuss what's going on in the world.

Real Time with Bill Maher

2003

Jeopardy! poster
6.9

America's favorite quiz show where contestants are presented with general knowledge clues in the form of answers, and must phrase their responses in question form.

Jeopardy!

1984

Sherri poster
2.6

Sherri Shepherd, actress, comic, and Emmy Award-winning longtime co-host of "The View", appears before a live audience with a daily dose of pop culture, comedy, conversations, and daytime talk staples, including celebrity and human interest interviews.

Sherri

2022

@midnight with Chris Hardwick poster
5.3

Chris Hardwick will lead three celebrity contestants down the ultimate internet wormhole. Culling from the darkest recesses of social media, they will compete to determine who has the funniest take on the day's pop culture.

@midnight with Chris Hardwick

2013

Top Chef poster
6.9

An American reality competition show in which chefs compete against each other in culinary challenges and are judged by a panel of professional chefs and other notables from the food and wine industry with one or more contestants eliminated in each episode.

Top Chef

2006

After Midnight poster
5.5

Celebrated comedian Taylor Tomlinson hosts the smartest show on television about the dumbest things on the internet alongside a panel of guests from the worlds of entertainment, comedy, music, and beyond.

After Midnight

2024

Close Up with The Hollywood Reporter poster
6.2

Some of this year's most talked about talent open up about the challenges and triumphs of creating critically acclaimed series and performances.

Close Up with The Hollywood Reporter

2015

Full Frontal with Samantha Bee poster
6.0

Samantha Bee breaks up late-night's all-male sausage fest with her nuanced view of political and cultural issues, her sharp interview skills, her repartee with world leaders and, of course, her 10-pound lady balls.

Full Frontal with Samantha Bee

2016

Celebrity Jeopardy! poster
6.3

Celebrity contestants compete for a chance to win money for a charity of their choice.

Celebrity Jeopardy!

2022

The Jim Jefferies Show poster
6.6

Each week, Jefferies tackles the week’s top stories from behind his desk and travels the globe to far-off locations to provide an eye opening look at hypocrisy around the world. Featuring interviews, international field pieces, and man on the ground investigations, Jim tackles the news of the day with no-bulls**t candor, piercing insight and a uniquely Aussie viewpoint.

The Jim Jefferies Show

2017

The History of Comedy poster
6.6

Explore what makes us laugh, why, and how that's influenced our social and political landscape throughout history.

The History of Comedy

2017

Hollywood Black poster
3.0

The epic story of the actors, writers, directors, and producers who fought for their place on the page, behind the camera and on the screen. From blackface to Black Panther, this series is a definitive chronicle of more than a century of the black experience in Hollywood and a powerful reexamination of a quintessentially American story – in brilliant color.

Hollywood Black

2024

What Would You Do? poster
7.8

An American television news magazine and hidden camera show. Actors act out scenes of conflict or illegal activity in public settings while hidden cameras videotape the scene, and the focus is on whether or not bystanders intervene, and how. Variations are also usually included, such as changing the genders, the races or the clothing of the actors performing the scene, to see if bystanders react differently. Quiñones appears at the end to interview the bystanders about their reactions. As the experiment goes on, psychology professors, teachers, or club members watch and discuss the video with Quiñones, explaining and making inferences on the bystanders' reactions.

What Would You Do?

2008

The Story of Late Night poster
5.7

A six-part docuseries that takes viewers on a journey through late-night television’s most memorable moments. Spanning a more than 60-year history of engaging with, adapting to and influencing our rapidly changing society, late-night television has grown into a thriving entertainment phenomenon and vitally important cultural institution.

The Story of Late Night

2021

About Last Night poster
3.0

Three celebrity couples join Ayesha and Stephen on an exclusive date night to go head-to-head on uncensored relationship trivia and games, competing to see who knows their partner best.

About Last Night

2022

We Need to Talk About Cosby poster
6.9

During his nearly 50 years in show business, Bill Cosby became one of America's most recognizable black celebrities: his career was a model of excellence for millions of Americans, until the painful testimonies of dozens of women uncovered the sinister grimace behind the smile of the so-called America's dad.

We Need to Talk About Cosby

2022

Inside Pixar poster
6.7

This documentary series of personal and cinematic stories that provide an inside look into the people, artistry, and culture of Pixar Animation Studios.

Inside Pixar

2020

United Shades of America poster
6.2

Follow comedian and political gadfly W. Kamau Bell as he explores the far corners of our country and its various groups and subcultures.

United Shades of America

2016

Surviving R. Kelly poster
7.2

Celebrated as one of the greatest R&B singers of all time, R. Kelly’s genre defining career and playboy lifestyle has been riddled with rumors of abuse, predatory behavior, and pedophilia. Despite damning evidence and multiple witnesses, to date, none of these accusations have seemingly affected him. For the first time ever, survivors and people from R. Kelly’s inner circle, are coming forward with new allegations about his sexual, mental, and physical abuse. They are now finally ready to share their full story and shed light on the secret life the public has never seen.

Surviving R. Kelly

2019

Black Twitter: A People's History poster
7.0

The rise, movements, voices and memes that made Black Twitter an influential and dominant force in nearly every aspect of American political and cultural life.

Black Twitter: A People's History

2024

Hell of a Week with Charlamagne Tha God poster
6.0

Whether it's political or cultural debates, Lenard "Charlamagne" McKelvey won't shy away from hard-hitting topics or unlikely guests on this refreshingly unfiltered late-night talk show.

Hell of a Week with Charlamagne Tha God

2022

Right to Offend: The Black Comedy Revolution poster
6.0

The two-part documentary event “Right to Offend: The Black Comedy Revolution” explores the progression of Black comedy and the comedians who have used pointed humor to expose, challenge and ridicule society’s injustices and to articulate the Black experience in America. The series examines Black comedy through a unique lens, tracing the evolution and social awakening of the courageous comedians who dared to push against the constraints of their time and spoke truth to power.

Right to Offend: The Black Comedy Revolution

2022

Behind the camera