Everybody Loves Kamau! (The Real Thing collection) (2024)

A great story to carry around with you when you want to read something fun and insightful, poignant and redemptive.

"Everybody Loves Kamau!"

Indeed.

I always believed this, ever since I first started watching/listening when he had his first TV show, and I felt like I was one of his friends because I watched it while no one else I knew was. Surely he knew I was loyal! And surely he knew that I was one of the people he could count on.

So this short piece by Mr. Bell intrigued me because--well, not everyone loves Kamau, not even those whom he'd reasonable expect would: his acquired family (through marriage). Not everyone thought he was good and kind and lovable. (Perhaps not even funny, the dastards!)

But he explains not the "why" of this, but the "who." Which is a sad story, even with a redemptive arc. Kamau himself does what he can to present to people who he is; his friends and family do likewise; and slowly those who are twisted like a chain around an axle learn to see Mr. Bell as a person, and perhaps even learn to see themselves, and they let their twisted Slinky of self-value uncoil itself.

I don't want anyone not to love Kamau. He's a good guy! But sometimes people are just formed to be afraid or judgmental or narrow or even wrong. It's hard to change how we're shaped, and even people of good will can be blind to their own brokenness.

This story gives hope that sometimes these people can snap out of it--with the help of loved ones and family--and simply love the people in their lives with no reservations.

There are no guarantees it will happen, of course. But when it does happen--it's beautiful.

W. Kamau Bell is a former stand up comic and current author and radio and television series host, who is probably best known as the star of the CNN documentary series United Shades of America, which is in its third season. This short story, which was published earlier this week as part of the Amazon Original Stories series on love in the 21st century, is centered on Bell, his wife Melissa, and her Sicilian grandfather, who originally did not accept or acknowledge Kamau when she introduced him to her large family once they began to date seriously. Bell briefly describes his past life, how he met Melissa at a comedy club in San Francisco, and her eagerness to introduce him to her family, since, as she said, "Everybody loves Kamau!" Everybody in Melissa's family did love, or at least like, Kamau, but once her grandfather turned his back on him it adversely affected his relationship with them. Thanks to Melissa the two men eventually established common ground, and became much closer after the birth of Melissa and Kamau's two grandchildren.

Everybody Loves Kamau! is a sweet and touching story about love and family, which will make you smile and appreciate the importance that family members can have on the budding relationships of young couples.

This was a really short read, but I needed something light and easy after the last book I picked up!

This isn't a novel or short story, but more of an essay regarding Kamau Bell's take on relationship with his white, feminist wife and her family. It's comedic, slightly touching, and fairly interesting. I highlighted a passage in the book that describes Kamau's first interaction with his wife's Fox news watching, Sicilian grandfather that's cringe-inducing, but perfectly encapsulates the experiences of black people living in Trump's America.

I can't say I've ever read any of his books or watched his TV shows or standup, but I will say that I now feel compelled to do so. I would recommend this if you're looking for a quick, interesting read.

This author was so funny and the story was both light and hard hitting. Definitely my favorite in the series!

Raw and Honest

I do love Kamau, but that is not the reason I so loved this book. He is a comedian, and here he uses his comedic talent and insights to delve into personal issues with surprisingly raw and difficult honesty, confronting awkward truths that in the end brought him closer not only to his wife’s grandfather, but her as well. As the white father of a bi-racial daughter who identifies as African-American (her, not me), I appreciate and take my teachable moments where I can get them, and Kamau’s ability to pass on these moments, to make one feel the emotional pain both he and his wife experienced, and making it somehow relatable at the same time, is the sign of a gifted writer. If you want a weekly jolt of this watch United Shades on CNN. One last thing Kamau, please come back to Harlow’s, we love you here in Cowtown!

Loved this little bb novel. Kamau’s voice and humor shine right through. Nice personal anecdote that gives perspective on his life as well as how we can all grow and change.

Made me cry. Don’t read the hype description and be patient through the beginning “knife” part. Good story.

This is short story is part of an Amazon Prime Reads collection. I have heard snippets of W. Kamau Bell’s stand up on Netflix radio and decided to read. Quick and interesting.

As someone who has been in the who is Guess Who's Coming to Dinner quite often, I can relate whole heartedly to this story. People don't reveal their biasness until put to the test. I liked how the story was told with comedy, to ease the brunt of what is a very serious problem in society. I think Kamau is witty, took the granddad's racism in stride (unfortunately having been accustomed to it), and I am glad Melissa took his side. It just sucks when you have to prove you deserve to be in someone's life for approval due to the color of your skin. I wonder if the granddad would have come around (in his version anyway) if Kamau had not become a celebrity. Anyway, good story. I will go have a glass of wine.

Everybody Love Kamau
The Real Thing, Book 3

I Picked Up This Book Because: The author.

Media Type: eBook/Audiobook
Source: Amazon Prime Reading
Dates Read: 4/1/24 - 4/1/24
Stars: 3.5 Stars
Narrator(s): W. Kamau Bell

The Story:
I like Kamau’s observations. This recounting of his time with his wife’s grandfather is quite interesting. This is another weird encounter when you have an interracial couple. I’m glad it all came together in the end.

Shout out to Amazon for messing up one of their giveaways.

So I had won a Dean Koontz novel but when I go to read it, this gem pops up and I couldn't be happier.

Now granted, I'm not a 6'4" black man (with dreadlocks non the less) but I no doubt have had my share of racism & families not accepting me for reasons with no ground. It's not easy for sure but being able to read about it and connecting with these few pages makes me remember why I fell in love with reading in the first place. If your other work hits like this for anyone else as it did for me then there's no arguing that Everybody Loves Kamau!

My favorite of The Real Thing Collection.

It made me laugh and also tear up at the recollection of my own long-long gone very old grandparent who didn't particularly like my mother's first husband based on skin color. He loved me though which is the memory that Kamau brought back to me this afternoon.

Well worth your time (also it's just a short story so it won't even take up much of your time).

This was a quick, sweet, little slice of life read. I really enjoy Kamau's voice, it it comes through in writing very well. It's a reminder of complex family relationships that we find ourselves in. I could definitely keep reading this, so I am looking forward to reading his other book!

3.5 ⭐️

Masterful.

Beautiful in its truthfulness!

For that hourly commute

For about an hour or less of reading time this short story by W. Kamau Bell offers a fun, insightful, and sometimes tumultuous journey of a grandson (Kamau) trying to be accepted into the family by the patriarch (grandfather-in-law). Similar to the contents of his other works i.e CNN series, stand-up, podcasts, etc., Kamau is confronted on the issues of race and identity in America only this it's happening right at home with his in-laws. However, the outcome is a happy ending of mutual understanding, acceptance, and reconciliation as it all comes together to remind of us of the need to challenge our notions. A worthy read.

The audio book accompaniment is also a good choice narrated by Kamau himself.

TL;DR: delightful short story chronicling the ups and downs of life (or family life in this case), while finding the understanding, acceptance, and challenging one's notions.

“Apparently he said that he was like many first-generation Americans he knew, who “like Black people” but just don’t especially like “Black people and white people dating.””

This quote captures the fraudulent mentality people develop when they are trying to convince themselves they’re not racist. This point in the story stood out so much for me. I have family exactly like this and I could NEVER UNDERSTAND this mentality. It just seems like it’s no body’s business who we fall in love with. Who we choose to build a life with. Just because we carve out a new path for ourselves doesn’t mean we don’t value where we came from.

This story was touching, enlightening, and as can be expected from Kamau Bell... so funny too!

If only all stories could be so overwhelming and truthful and happy. IF everyone could have sucha happy ending. And if everyone could overcome their dislike, hatred, proudness, ego, etc. that stop them from loving people for who they actually are, and see them apart from race, colour, gender, sexuality, religion, and God alone knows what else that divides the current times we live in, the world would be such a better place to live in. Thank you Kamau Bell, for such a beautiful piece, showing that there can be little gleams of light that help restore faith in humanity and love! So glad it worked out for you and Melissa!

I really hate comedy shows and comedians

I think they are mean and cruel.

Having said that, if I'd known it was supposed to be funny,I wouldn't have chosen this book and I would not have laughed myself silly or recommended it to my husband, who does like comedy.

It was funny, heartfelt, poignant, cruelty-free, an uplifting time in the midst of all else going on. If you lucky enough to hear the audio read by the author so much the better.

I can't believe I gave a 5 star rating to a comedian. Is the world coming to an end?

How this got into my library I dont know, but I laughed and laughed. "..We had 3 college degrees in the family and they were all hers..." duh duh duhhhhh. Too funny. If you need a humor break, want to hear a young mans inner thoughts well here you go.

Openly discussing race and laughing about it reminded me of the Old series "In Living Color" which I loved, boy do I miss humor.

"This was family business!, and I wasn't family"...hahahah

Enjoy!

Breaking Ba...rriers

Five stars to Kamau Bell for this wonderfully sensitive memoir. Interspersed with his well-honed wit is an insightful view into a painful life-situation, and the journey through it to deeper understanding of acceptance and forgiveness.

This essay was part of a collection on Kindle Unlimited. It came with audio and animations. Since I have enjoyed Bell's standup routine, it was nice to hear him read this account of his induction into his wife's family in his own voice.

Loved it!

Everybody Does Love Kamau

I really loved the way Kamau dealt with the intricacies that come about when dealing with racism in families. Amazing story.

NOTES:
The fact that Melissa was (and still is) a white woman and I was (and still am) a Black man meant that often we were teaching each other about our identities and struggles. We were helping to point out each other’s blind spots.

It reminded me of a time when I was in high school. When my mom asked me if I felt scared walking around the streets of Chicago at night, I responded, “No, Ma. I’m the one who people are afraid of.” Somehow over the years I had forgotten that my lens on the world was not everybody’s.

Racism is a weird thing. It’s like the famous phrase that came out of 9/11: “If you see something, say something.” I saw racism in that moment. I knew it. I felt it. I could smell it over the garlic and tomatoes. But I knew that saying anything right there in that moment was not going to help me. And I especially didn’t think it would help Melissa . . . or her grandfather. To make matters worse, I was sure that I was the only one who saw the racism. Melissa saw something, but she was so blindsided by his cool reaction that she couldn’t, at the time, even begin to imagine that it was racism.

In America, if you say that you see racism, more often than not, it is only going to make your individual situation worse. Much, much worse. And in that moment, standing across from her grandfather, I knew that calling out racism was really not going to help Melissa. I didn’t say anything.

Later, Melissa and I would talk about it, the way we have about everything else in our lives. She knew and trusted me that this was racism, but she also clung to a hope that it would pass, or that Papa would see the error of his ways. She hoped that maybe if I was just around her grandfather more and more, he would get to know “the real me” and not just “the Black me.” She wasn’t being naive. She was being hopeful.

When you are a person of color, sometimes you don’t want to think the color is affecting your life. Sometimes you want to hope that people are more focused on the person part of “person of color.” You want to believe, even though you know deep within your bones that you are without a doubt experiencing racism, that maybe you are just jumping to hysterical, historical conclusions.

Later, I’d find out that whenever her grandfather met any of Melissa’s siblings’ boyfriends or girlfriends over the years, he would always jokingly ask what part of Italy their family came from. Maybe he knew that joke would fall flat on its face in the face of my face. Too bad. I would have been ready with a response: “The South Side of Italy.” So when Melissa and I talked about what had happened, it was hard, and it was hardening. It was delicate and careful. There were no winners. I never talked to her family about it, though. Melissa was clear that it was her battle to fight.

She saw herself as being the force for change in her family.

Apparently he said that he was like many first-generation Americans he knew, who “like Black people” but just don’t especially like “Black people and white people dating.”

The couple of times that I did find myself around Melissa’s grandfather, we wouldn’t speak to each other at all, and usually one of us would leave the room if the other came into it. We often passed each other like two ghosts who were running late to haunt different houses. And once I found out that he was a constant Fox News viewer, I knew that I had made the right decision in avoiding him.

And no, being a Fox News watcher doesn’t automatically mean that you are a racist. But it can be a slippery slope, from wanting a smaller government to thinking that America’s first Black president was born in Kenya to not trusting any Black people whose names cause Tucker Carlson’s face to twist into the disgusted and confused rictus that has made him a millionaire.

And perhaps the biggest gift he gave me, since my next job put me on CNN, was the knowledge that he was mixing in some CNN with his Fox News. And that meant he was watching me talk about things like gang violence in Chicago, in a different way from what he heard on Fox News. He watched me speak to Muslims, refugees, transgender folk, and Puerto Ricans in ways he was absolutely never gonna see on Fox News (you know, like human beings rather than problems . . .).

One day he asked me where my travels were taking me next. He and Melissa’s grandmother loved hearing about my trips all over the country. When I told him I was going to New York City, he responded, “Again? I keep telling everybody, ‘I can’t keep up with my grandson. He’s in New York City one day. California the next day.’” I honestly can’t remember how that conversation ended. I had never heard him call me his grandson before.

Kamau Bell’s essay discussed an important topic in a light-hearted and humorous manner, which I very much enjoyed. You can just tell from this essay that Bell is an insightful, intellectual, and witty comedian/writer. I feel relieved to know that there are comedians out there that still discuss and poke fun at important topics. This comedian is a refreshing and much needed break from other comedians who rely on raunchy jokes to get a quick laugh.

I must applaud Bell’s patience and restraint. If I were to experience what he experienced with his girlfriend’s family, I’m not so sure I would’ve been as graceful and understanding as he was. While reading his essay, I felt so frustrated and angry for him. Given that I’m a mixed woman, the topic of interracial relationships really hit home for me. I definitely wouldn’t have been able to turn that experience into a comical yet poignant essay such as this. His insight and discussion of this topic intrigued me and, in the end, I couldn’t help but agree with him and his ideas.

I did not know much about the author prior to reading his essay but his essay has made me curious about him. I am now very interested in reading his memoir as well as watching his stand-up. I am so glad I read his essay. I look forward to reading other essays included in this collection.

Nobody does HUMAN better than Kamau

I fell in love with Kamau and his perspective when he had a nightly show on cable. He has such an honest and clear vision of the world around him combined with a genuine curiosity and love for his fellow man that it is sometimes overwhelming. If more people could value the world the way he does, we might actually be able to let go of our pettiness and appreciate our how rich and rewarding our differences could make our lives. I suspect this story is an archetype for interracial couples trying to make their way through the minefield of being the first to push the cultural boundaries that exist in any family. It certainly brought back memories of my experiences. Anything by Kamau or his mother Janet Cheatham Bell will enlarge your understanding of the world and make you happy to be a part of it. They describe life with a perspective that acknowledges racial issues honestly and makes it obvious that we have a lot more in common than not and if we would just do the work of being respectful to others we could go a long way toward eliminating the hostilities we see. Thank you both.

Here’s what this book is about:”When the black comedian first meets the beloved Sicilian grandfather of his Italian American girlfriend, Melissa, the wrong sparks fly. The most important member of her large family shuns Kamau. What follows is a bracing, true account of conflict and patience, in-laws and family heirlooms, as Melissa and Kamau deal with cold shoulders, rejection, and finally resolution.”

I borrowed this book from Prime Reading. This is the third story from a short story collection. I didn’t know anything about this author before I started listening to this book. I didn’t think this book was funny but it was a nice story to listen to. I’m glad that everything ended up working out really well for Kamau in the end.

I really thoroughly enjoyed this short story. It's very relatable and I really enjoy his writing style in telling this experience in his life and how he moved forward from it positively. Interracial dating is so common now-a-days that you have a tendency to forget that there are still older generations of people out there that were not brought up in a more tolerant world. And society still has a long way to go. This is definitely a positive read that I would recommend. This was a nice introduction to who he is and his writing style and now I am curious to check out his other writing.