I feel great for Tavis that he no longer has a show on the horrible BET and can be found now on PBS instead. Not only does that mean he gets to, in my area, follow the fantastic Charlie Rose Show, it also means he gets to have a more diverse group of guests on his program. I just wish the show was an hour instead of a half hour.

I love Tavis' show also! But he comes on before Charlie Rose in my area, but I ain't mad. I love the diversity of his guests, but I hate the half hour format. He is a great interviewer but he hardly gets the time to ask probing questions before he has to throw his guest off the couch.

Personally I can't stand his shows...mainly because he never seems that intelligent and never asks interesting questions...plus he has the most ANNOYING voice on tv or radio that I've ever heard in my life.

Disagree. Tavis is a very smart guy who can connect with a diverse group of guests and make them feel at ease (while looking very comfortable himself while interviewing). He's not at the level of a Charlie Rose or Bryant Gumble or my man Tony Kornheiser when it comes to conducting an interview but he doesn't have to be. I'm not too familiar with his NPR show but on the PBS talk show he has a limited time to interview his guests and therefore asks questions that get to the point. He comes across as a good listener who allows his guests to speak and finish their answers without repeatedly interrupting them. Most importantly he looks as if he's actually paying attention to what they have to say. Even more impressively he doesn't display a hint of ego during his Qs and As unlike a bunch of hosts on FOX, CNN, MSNBC and Oprah. And his voice is just fine; it doesn't grate as all as far as I'm concerned.

In the past week some of Tavis' guests have included Maya Angelou, Nelly Furtado, and country singer Dierks Bentley(he is not a huge country star, just an up-and comer and I was blown away that he would be a guest because if Tavis were going to have a country singer, I would have thought that it would be someone bigger like Garth Brooks) and I was impressed with the ease that he has shown with each one of them. I like his television show better than his radio commentary because he is more relaxed and less shrill. Sometimes when I lisyen to him on the radio, I think that he is going to have a heart attack because he is so worked up.

I luh Tavis! And his voice!

Didn't know he was on PBS...I catch Charlie Rose most nights before heading into work. I'll try to figure out when he's on.

You can look up airdates and stations for Tavis' show in your area here.

I'm just so happy that Judge Mathis has another show!

I thought that his interview with Bill Cosby last night was great. Bill came off a little grumpy, which is usual for him these days, but I basically agreed with most of what he had to say. I missed the first part of the interview, but the gist of the interview was that he had said similar things four years ago at a commencement speech, but it became a big deal when someone at the Washington Post got ahold of the story this time and made a big deal about it.

As usual Cosby gets "wanders" as he's answering questions, but the answers he gave I, for the most part, agreed with. I thought Tavis asked the right questions and I knew of the Village Voice article he was referring to that criticized Cosby by attacking how the characters of "Fat Albert" spoke. Was happy to see Tavis get Cosby on the air so quickly after this recent incident took place.

If I remember correctly, Bill was Tavis' first guest. They seem to be very friendly, so I guess that Tavis used the friend card to get Cosby on so quickly. Cosby can be a little, okay a LOT old fashioned in his views regarding music, comedy, and morality but I think that most of his statements regaring the upbringing and behaviour of the present generation are right on. And I have heard complaints about Fat Albert before, but remember it was a breakthrough series when it premiered and was educational and I don't think thatyou can compare it with todays educational programs.

I just loved Cosby's straight from the garden look on Tavis. Baseball cap, mini Twister mat shirt with black background, white sweat pants, white socks and sandals. Tavis is a good interviewer because he's prepared and he listens.

It doesn't come on here. Interesting...and odd.

I think I get that. Funny.

It's good to know that Tavis has a show on PBS. I used to watch his BET show, and I think he is an interesting person.

I do, however think he has quite the ego on him. This is more a function of hearing him on that Tom Joyner radio show back in the day, when he and Tom just seemed so full of it. There is something to be said about people who say nothing negative about BET until they get fired from it (though, I guess, a brotha has to eat).

Now, of course, I'm curious what the Cos had to say about the Fat Albert gang - I remember Chris Rock saying that 12 years ago; I would bet it has been a constant criticism since the start of the show.

Tavis Smiley has been on local NPR (Yes, I know this is TWoP, not RWoP) for years, and I watched one episode of his show just to see what he looks like. I don't care for his show, though.

I love his NPR show but haven't seen the TV version. Now I have something else to TiVo.

Haven't posted in here in an eternity. Neither has anyone else it seems. :)

Anyway despite a couple of stinkers I'm loving and appreciating the show more and more. Is it being shown in more markets?

I get it on cable from both the Chicago and Indianapolis PBSs. My favorite guest so far was Aaron McGruder. Smart guy.

I adore Tavis. But a half-hour really is not enough time for him to get into decent in-depth discussions. What a shame. They should take the half-hour away from that bow-tied idiot Tucker Carlson and give it to Tavis.

Don't adore Tavis. Think his schtik is unoriginal. Enough with the "black folks, white folks" bit. Can't figure out what he's saying half the time cuz his lips move faster than his words, which seem to be caught in the moisture pit inside his mouth. Hated his uninformed monologues on TJMS. Wish he would take some diction classes, read a little more before his interviews and really capitalize on this unique opportunity.

Anybody who lives in Memphis and listens to The Tom Joyner show, has probably heard this. But here's a link. http://www.tomjoyner.com/site.aspx/tjms/missed/index
I actually agreed with alot of what he said. Just look under Tuesday's show and click on Tavis Smiley.

I love Tavis. NPR is not the same without him. While I know some people don't like the way he talks (not just on this site) it doesn't bother me. His voice is comforting. I find that no matter what he has on his show he finds a way to make it interesting and thought provoking.

Also, IMO he is very informed. I have never heard him give an interview on the radio where I felt he didn't know what he was talking about. Of course, I have not heard every single interview he has ever done.

And in general if a person does an "opinion" piece for a radio show, IMO, these tend to be more controversial. Those little editorial pieces are my least favorite moments of any tv/radio show. Tavis, when interviewing, doesn't really get too personal, he just asks probing questions and lets his guests do the talking.

I try to watch his show at night to get my daily Tavis fix. He also is fixture at ABC news. Hopefully people will be able to get beyond his voice and he can become something more of a regular on tv (and not just on PBS).

You're right about one thing. I'd rather listen to someone scrape their long, sharp, pointy nails on a chalkboard than listen to Tavis' voice.

Did anyone see Terry McMillian on the show last night?

Looking at it right now. She's pretty pissed and is letting off a lot of steam. I never cared for her and I think there is some poetic justice in that her relationship she crowed about turned out to be a lie. Still what that guy did to her was inexcusable and he should not get a dime.

They rerun the show twice here in Chicago. I'm not a Terry McMillan fan. There were holes in her story. How do we go from "I asked him where he was moving and he told me he was gay". Whaaaa? Quite a ski jump I'd say. Also, it's one thing to let off steam, it's another to come across as "street rough". Please. We have Whitney Houston and Bobby Brown for that and their professionals and damn good at it and let them do their thang and we don't need their replacements yet.

Does she owe him? Hell yeah! He was her muse for a product that brought her probably 5-10 million bucks. Interesting to note that he didn't receive any money for the use of his image and story. Also interesting that when she first brought him to America she said he was educated and had a executive position in Jamaica and now she says he was an urchin she rescued? She crowed so much about him ten years ago it's not easy to forget the PR she did behind his American debut.

Do I think she just now found out that he's gay? Yeah, because she's comes across as so self absorbed and self righteous that he was probably bonin' the guy on her living room sofa and she walked right past because it wasn't about her.

Heh. I've been following the divorce on the Wendy Williams radio show so I made sure to tune in. The interview didn't show Terry in the best light. Where the hell was her lawyer? She went off on "I could be sitting here HIV+" from him. Ok, yeah true- but she could also potentially get HIV or other STDs from her husband cheating with a woman or doing IV drugs. I know she's angry but it would have looked better to take the high road in public.

Please explain b/c that sounds kind of coldblooded to me. I think I know what you mean but I'm not sure.



After thinking about what I saw on GMA and WW's words, I better understood where WW was coming from. I think what was throwing me is the lack of "compassion" for TM. Regardless of what you may think of TM, that is a rough spot to be in and people that haven't been in it really do not have a place to judge or say some pretty nasty stuff. Maybe it's just me. I always try to see everybody's side and show some compassion and understanding when it comes to crazy situations like this. (Please don't take this to mean that I am coming down on anybody in this forum. That is not my intention.)



WORD! I hate it went people get all up and arms about married/involved men sleeping with other men b/c it's a given that those men have AIDS/will get AIDs and will bring it home. It's as if it's ok to cheat with a woman b/c women are all clean and can never give an STD to a man.

As far as what she owes him, unless his signing the prenup was due to duress, coercion or deception, he more than likely won't be able to void the agreement. And he shouldn't be able to. If he didn't understand it, he shouldn't have signed it. We are not talking signing off on a cell phone contract. He should have gotten an atty. Tough luck he didn't.

How did Tavis react?

I liked Terry McMillan's books until I met her in person at a book signing. She was very rude and I never read any of her stuff again. It was back when "Waiting To Exhale" had come out and was being made into a movie. She was just hitting it big. She would fit very well into the Bobby Brown/Whitney Houston/no class celebrity column. At least she had to good sense to get hubby to sign a pre-nup. Hubby was a fool to sign it, but I guess he wanted to come to America that badly. I don't have any sympathy for either one of them. They used each other, IMHO.

Terry McMillan has a right to her personality. She's obviously a little on the gruff side. But I don't think going on TV and "telling my side" really helps her cause. She has a following and a history and it's remembered that she practically painted the guy as an aristocrat a decade ago and now he's a no 'count gay hustler. Frankly she came off like a complete control freak. She used to complain that Maya Angelou and Toni Morrison ignored her and her success. I see why. Oh, and shit happens to all of us in relationships. She is not a victim. She has an arsenal of money, lawyers and a supportive fan base. In the end, she'll be OK.

I wonder if TM is one of these women who cries and begs for a man, but when they get one, they won't let him BE ONE. What did he do with his time except be Mr. McMillan? Did she encourage him from the moment he hit these shores to make the most out of his comfortable status (Oprah did that for Stedman and he made it happen for himself independent of her), or was it all about Terry and "I run this plantation"?

I still maintain that the guy was her "muse" and she wrote a book, screenplay and sold the movie rights to their story and made millions. So yep, karmically, he deserves to be paid because when you use someone's likeness creatively, you always have to financially compensate them. she should thank him for his "idea contribution", perhaps with a check, and move on.

Sounds to me like the old Teena Marie song, "The Ballad of Cradle Rob and Me" - "they said I was robbin' the cradle, but it wasn't that way...Cradle was robbin' me".

Hope her divorce judge and his attorney did not see her interview 'cause it's gonna bite her in the ass.

Terry's husband Jonathan Plummer is going to be on the Wendy Williams radio show today. He's at the studio right now waiting for his lawyer. Tune in!

Quoting an obscure (for some) Teena Marie song is a sure way to warm my heart. I love that song.

I have got to start TiFaux'ing Tavis. I like him, but I don't miss him on NPR, as I have now given my heart to Ed Gordon's News & Notes. However, I went online today and listened to TM. Agree with those who said she didn't come off in the best light, but I wasn't surprised. TM has, IMO, often come across as bitter and disenfranchised long before Mr. Luvah Luvah (of other Brotha Brotha's) stole her groove. It's unfortunate that all this came out and turned so ugly, and I wouldn't wish it on anyone. But after listening to TM on TS I'm hard pressed to feel really, really bad for her. Again, I don't think she deserved what happened, but...well, when a 43 year old gets with a 20 year old, problems are bound to crop up. No offense to any 20 something posters, but that's hardly the time to get involved in a marriage-bound relationship. If it hadn't been dude being gay it would've been something else, eventually.

Jackie, I don't get WW in my town. Please give a full report! Um, or email me with it! Please?

Don't get it here either, so I'd like an update as well.

ITA with aisela. I know this is cynical but I wondered if she married him to keep from having to pay him for using his story and likeness in "Stella". I've never heard of a prenup where the richer person refuses to pay the other side's legal bills with in reason. How else are you going to get rid of them if it ain't working out. I read the Good Morning America interview with JP online. And he does make a convincing arguement about the fact that he was 20, didn't know her from Adam's housecat and left his homeland to be with her. 43 is not the age you want to rehook up quickly, especially if you're raising a child to boot. Perhaps TM has some serious control (and anger management issues) she needs to deal with and soon. Calling fols, including the opposing attorney) a bastard on nationwide TV does not help your case and will be used against her because it will be presented to the judge as evidence against and asserts that she's pretty hostile and presented herself in this manner in the marriage.

One thing's for sure after seeing her on TS, she needs to take the edge off.

Listened to Ed Gordon a couple of times. Like him, but not bowled over yet.

Call me nuts, but I've been streaming Larry Elder of late. Dunno', just an excitable girl I guess.

Did anyone see Nick Cannon on last night? I don't remember 1/2 of what he said b/c Mr. Nice was talking to me.

Bumping this thread up from oblivion to say that awwww, I like Tavis. I think his interviews are interesting and he usually comes up with some relatively original questions. I also like that he has such an eclectic guest list -- the CEO of Panda Express and Laurence Goldstone come to mind.

Having said that, I only became familiar with him after he moved to PBS (because I'm the kind of person who needs a tote bag for my granola), so I'm really ignorant of whatever annoying qualities he might've displayed beforehand.

I love Tavis also. I have been a long-time fan since his BET days and I'm glad he is still on the air now with his show on PBS. My only wish is that the show didn't come on so late...it's on at midnight in my area. But I was pleasantly surprised to learn that it does air On-Demand so I can play catch up!

Naima, if you're interested, Tavis archives audio versions of his show online (you can do a search for various guests, too). The Paul Giamatti interview never fails to crack me up.

(And the link goes to his official website, so I don't think this is wonky from a copyright standpoint.)

Thanks for sharing the link...I have listened to some of the archived shows in the past. I just wish they were video instead of audio only. I must admit.....I have a slight crush on Tavis.....so I like to see him on tv whenever I can!! I had not seen or heard the Paul Giamatti interview, so I will go listen to that. Thanks again.

Naima, I have a crush on Tavis too! The show always is on late here, so I don't always get a chance to watch it as much as I would like. Michael Eric Dyson, who used to be a regular commentator on the PRI show, was on the Colbert Report the other night and seeing him reminded me of how much I love Tavis.

Gee, it looks as though no one watches this show -- or watches and wants to talk about it. Anyway, various listings indicated that Joni Mitchell was supposed to be on today, but Anne Heche was on instead. Don't suppose anyone knows what's up with that?

I've seen that happen before and I'm not always sure what the reason is. As for the Joni Mitchell episode, one of my local stations aired it a couple of hours ago at midnight. Did you check the listings at the site?

No one has poster here since 2007!

I like Tavis but I wish that he would ask a question that didn't take longer to ask than answer. I swear that if you took a drink every time he said 'Let me preface this by saying" your liver would be crying! Come on man, the show is less than 30 minutes long and you're taking up all the time with your epic questions.

Aw Jesus...that made me laugh! Because it is so damn true. I love the show. I like the man. But pleeeeeeeze shorten the questions Tavis. Pleeeeeze. Imagine if this show had commercials? Oy vey. Tavis would only get three questions out.

Nice to see you again Cali:)

I like Tavis because he is an engaged interviewer. He seems to be interested in all of his guests and what they have to say, if only he couls spit out a reasonable question. I loved his inrterview with Sean Penn the other night, but damn Tavis could you please ask more succinct questions and stop prefacing everything.

Hey bj. ; )

I loved his interview with Mickey Rourke. Man, I had missed his interview with Prince a few years ago but I found it online on Tavis' show's website. They have the archives of all his interviews there.

I saw his show where they celebrated his 1000th show I believe and they showed his past guests. I loved when they showed his interview with the late Mrs. King (Martin Luther King's wife). He asked her about never marrying after the murder of her husband. She stayed quiet for a moment and then told him, "Why haven't you ever married?" The audience that was there roared with laughter and applause. Tavis was embarrassed and he realized he was put in his place. ; )

I have to go check that out because that sounds great although I think that it was a valid question to ask her since I have wondered the same thing many times myself. I did see the Prince interview when it originally aired and I think that it should have been a two day interview because Prince is such an interesting man and he happens to have a brain as well as mucho talent. I saw the Mickey Rourke interview as well and I was shocked when hementioned that he and Tupac were friends. The things that you learn from PBS!

Oooh me too!!! My jaw dropped when Mickey said that. I did a double take. Seriously, only on Tavis' show or a PBS show would you hear that.

For those who want to watch VIDEOS instead of audio of previous Tavis episodes, here you go:

http://www.pbs.org/kcet/tavissmiley/archive/

Yesterday Tavis had Marvin Gaye's second wife on the show. Great interview. Hearing her describe having to tell her children their father died was sad. Tavis had her on the show to mark the 25th anniversary of his death. I missed the beginning of the show. From the information it said the last surviving member of the Temptations would be interviewed as well.