A memoir and manifesto from the comedian, hit podcast host, and star of United Shades of America You may know W. Kamau Bell from his critically acclaimed hit show on CNN United Shades of America. Or maybe you've read about him in the New York Times, which called him the most promising new talent in political comedy in many years. Or maybe in the New Yorker, fawning over his brand of humor, writing, Bell's gimmick is intersectional progressivism: he treats racial, gay, and women's issues as inseparable. The Awkward Thoughts of W. Kamau Bell is a humorous, well-informed take on the world today, tackling a wide range of current and evergreen issues such as the 2016 election, race relations, fatherhood, the state of law enforcement today, comedians and superheroes, right-wing politics, failure, his interracial marriage, his upbringing by divorced and very strong-willed, race-conscious parents, his early days struggling to find his comedic voice, why he never felt at home in Black comedy circles, what it means to be a Black nerd, the balance between racism and feminism, and much, much more.