In the ring, if you’re not prepared, you won’t survive. Today’s guest, Michael Che, prepared himself on the streets of New York—selling t-shirts out of a duffle bag, grinding at open mics, and hustling his way into network television. What started as hustling t-shirts on Prince Street—where one day he’d make $40 and the next, $1,000—turned into a relentless pursuit of comedy. A chance encounter led him to SNL, where he quickly realized, “This is literally Harvard for comedy production.” Now, as the co-anchor of Weekend Update, Che is still in the fight, delivering knockout jokes every Saturday night.
CREDITS
Executive Producers: Dave Chappelle, Radio Rahim, Noah Gersh, Jamie Schefman, Nick Panama, Kenzi Wilbur, Elliot O’Dea
Music & Sound Design: SALT Audio
Creative Producer: Alex Casnoff
Head of Production: Liz LeMay
Head of Engineering: Jordan Galvan
Production Manager: Allie Strobel
Post Coordinator: Alice Bearn
Edited by: Geoffrey Mutchnik
Mixed by: SALT Audio
Additional Editing & Sound Design: Jasper van Dijk & Noah Kowalski
Til This Day is a Luminary Original Podcast in partnership with Pilot Boy Productions and SALT Audio.
[REPLAY] From hip-hop to Hollywood, Common has built a career defined by passion, purpose, and perseverance. In this episode, the Grammy- and Oscar-winning artist opens up about his journey—from being inspired by Muhammad Ali’s confidence and activism to navigating the challenges of breaking into both music and acting. He reflects on the power of communication, instilled in him by his mother, and the struggles that tested his commitment to his craft. Through it all, love remains at the heart of his message—whether in relationships, artistry, or the fight for something greater than himself.
CREDITS
Executive Producers: Dave Chappelle, Radio Rahim, Noah Gersh, Jamie Schefman, Nick Panama, Kenzi Wilbur, Elliot O’Dea
Music & Sound Design: Eric Raichelson
Creative Producer: Alex Casnoff
Head of Production: Liz LeMay
Head of Engineering: Jordan Galvan
Production Manager: Allie Strobel
Post Coordinator: Alice Bearn
Edited by: Geoffrey Mutchnik
Mixed by: Zack Djurich
Additional Editing & Sound Design: Jasper van Dijk & Noah Kowalski
Til This Day is a Luminary Original Podcast in partnership with Pilot Boy Productions and SALT Audio.
A hidden hand who has shaped Black culture on television for half a century (think: Def Comedy Jam, Martin, and multiple Dave Chappelle stand up specials and other tv series) he is the man who defined the term “just keep going." Meet prolific film and television producer and director Stan Lathan.
"I didn't even realize I was in the fight. And I was losing it, because it affected everything else in my life." "I didn't even realize I was in the fight. And I was losing it, because it affected everything else in my life." How Stan Lathan's perseverance in a personal battle is now felt by all whose work he continues to elevate with his eye, skill, and directorial finesse.
It's the scars of battle that shape the generals. And we follow in their footsteps because they've walked through fire.
CREDITS
Executive Producers: Dave Chappelle, Radio Rahim, Noah Gersh, Jamie Schefman, Nick Panama, Kenzi Wilbur, Elliot O’Dea
Music & Sound Design: Eric Raichelson
Creative Producer: Alex Casnoff
Head of Production: Liz LeMay
Head of Engineering: Jordan Galvan
Production Manager: Allie Strobel
Post Coordinator: Alice Bearn
Edited by: Geoffrey Mutchnik
Mixed by: Zack Djurich
Additional Editing & Sound Design: Jasper van Dijk & Noah Kowalski
Til This Day is a Luminary Original Podcast in partnership with Pilot Boy Productions and SALT Audio.
From a punk club in Trenton to the national stage, this is the story of a comedian who became a cultural cornerstone, often called the most trusted news voice since Walter Cronkite. How did a kid from Central New Jersey, armed with curiosity and a sharp wit, rise to redefine satire, news, and comedy itself? In this conversation, originally released in 2023, Radio explores the formative years of someone who turned late-night gigs for hummus into a mastery of reading rooms, connecting with people, and bringing the world into focus through his lens.
CREDITS
Executive Producers: Dave Chappelle, Radio Rahim, Noah Gersh, Jamie Schefman, Nick Panama, Kenzi Wilbur, Elliot O’Dea
Music & Sound Design: SALT Audio
Creative Producer: Alex Casnoff
Head of Production: Liz LeMay
Head of Engineering: Jordan Galvan
Production Manager: Allie Strobel
Post Coordinator: Alice Bearn
Edited by: Geoffrey Mutchnik
Mixed by: Zack Djurich
Additional Editing & Sound Design: Jasper van Dijk & Noah Kowalski
Til This Day is a Luminary Original Podcast in partnership with Pilot Boy Productions and SALT Audio.
[Encore episode!] “Don’t work so hard,” is advice that makes no sense to her. From running track to moonlighting at multiple open mics per night, and even working hard to get fired from her 9 to 5, this comedian took an unconventional path to comedy and has been crushing it ever since.
Mike Tyson famously said “everybody has a plan until they get punched in the face.” Your big brother famously said “Stop punching yourself.” But can you?
This conversation was originally published in 2022.
CREDITS
Executive Producers: Dave Chappelle, Radio Rahim, Noah Gersh, Jamie Schefman, Nick Panama, Kenzi Wilbur, Elliot O’Dea
Music & Sound Design: SALT Audio
Creative Producer: Alex Casnoff
Head of Production: Liz LeMay
Head of Engineering: Jordan Galvan
Production Manager: Allie Strobel
Post Coordinator: Alice Bearn
Edited by: Geoffrey Mutchnik
Mixed by: Zack Djurich
Additional Editing & Sound Design: Jasper van Dijk & Noah Kowalski
Til This Day is a Luminary Original Podcast in partnership with Pilot Boy Productions and SALT Audio.
REPRISE EPISODE, to mark the release of The Fire Inside. The first female boxer to win a gold medal in the Olympics, and the only one to do it twice, Claressa Shields clearly has grounds to proclaim herself the greatest woman of all time, or GWOAT. And from what she saw and survived during her early years, the moniker doesn’t need to be disputed.
More:
The Fire Inside: https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/the_fire_inside
CREDITS
Executive Producers: Dave Chappelle, Radio Rahim, Noah Gersh, Jamie Schefman, Nick Panama, Kenzi Wilbur, Elliot O’Dea
Music & Sound Design: SALT Audio
Creative Producer: Alex Casnoff
Head of Production: Liz LeMay
Head of Engineering: Jordan Galvan
Production Manager: Allie Strobel
Post Coordinator: Alice Bearn
Edited by: Geoffrey Mutchnik
She’s more than her identity—she’s a fighter, a storyteller, and a sharp observer of the world around her. Sam Jay has written her name on the wall at SNL, penned her own hit show (Pause with Sam Jay), and created unforgettable specials like Salute Me or Shoot Me. But beyond her accolades, Sam’s signature is her ability to fight not just for herself, but for those in her corner.
In this episode, Sam shares the life lessons that shaped her—from discovering the layers of her identity, to finding her comedic voice at the family dinner table, where laughter and wit were survival skills. "My grandmother was a verbal assassin," Sam says. And it was likely her quick wit that inspired Sam's storytelling, as did the moments of family loss. Her resilience and authenticity continues to fuel Sam's dreams. As she sums up her navigational method in this 2020 conversation, “I just kept leaning into me."
More info:
"Pause with Sam Jay" on Max: https://www.hbo.com/pause-with-sam-jay
"Salute Me or Shoot Me" on Max: https://www.max.com/movies/sam-jay-salute-me-or-shoot-me/1f4202b7-4d01-45cc-b4d2-11752f2e1009
Anna Wintour asked him to be in charge of food at the Met Gala in 2025, he just opened a new restaurant in Washington, and his 2-year-old establishment, Tatiana, is one of the hottest reservations in New York City. There's no better time to listen back to learn where this food-fashion-brand-savvy creative powerhouse came from and how his roots inform his work. Get to know Chef Kwame Onwuachi. Before he competed, and then judged, Top Chef; before he won accolades from James Beard and Food & Wine, and before publishing his first cookbook, Kwame Onwuachi was an aspiring kid from the Bronx, trying to figure out the unspoken rules of class and access. All this while integrating what he learned during a couple of pre-teen years in Nigeria. We begin with "Chapter 1: Made to Order," and continue the journey from there.
CREDITS
Executive Producers: Dave Chappelle, Radio Rahim, Noah Gersh, Jamie Schefman, Nick Panama, Kenzi Wilbur, Elliot O’Dea
Music & Sound Design: Eric Raichelson
Creative Producer: Alex Casnoff
Head of Production: Liz LeMay
Head of Engineering: Jordan Galvan
Production Manager: Allie Strobel
Post Coordinator: Alice Bearn
Edited by: Geoffrey Mutchnik
Mixed by: Zack Djurich
Additional Editing & Sound Design: Jasper van Dijk & Noah Kowalski
Til This Day is a Luminary Original Podcast in partnership with Pilot Boy Productions and SALT Audio.
In honor of her role in calling the Tyson/Paul fight in Vegas recently (and her birthday this week), listen back to this intimate and powerful conversation with a singular star. She is a voice who needs no introduction, a dancer who needs no music, an actor who needs no script, and an academy award-winner we need to hear from regularly: Rosie Perez.
CREDITS
Executive Producers: Dave Chappelle, Radio Rahim, Noah Gersh, Jamie Schefman, Nick Panama, Kenzi Wilbur, Elliot O’Dea
Music & Sound Design: SALT Audio
Creative Producer: Alex Casnoff
Head of Production: Liz LeMay
Head of Engineering: Jordan Galvan
Production Manager: Allie Strobel
Post Coordinator: Alice Bearn
Edited by: Geoffrey Mutchnik
Mixed by: Zack Djurich
Additional Editing & Sound Design: Jasper van Dijk & Noah Kowalski
Til This Day is a Luminary Original Podcast in partnership with Pilot Boy Productions and SALT Audio.
[REPLAY] Son of doo-wop singer Lee Andrews, and the greatest hip-hop drummer of all time: this is the story of the Roots co-founder, Ahmir Khalib Thompson, aka Questlove. (This conversation was recorded in 2020).
Before he was 10 years old, Ahmir was on wardrobe duty, knew how to run the tech for his parent's performances, and just two years later, filled in for his dad's drummer who'd broken an arm. When he transferred into a creative and performing arts school, a high stakes moment trying to impress a girl led him to spin a tale of being in a band with his classmate Tariq Trotter (a lie that became the truth eventually). After busking on bucket drums and then starting to find a trail into music careers, Tariq and Ahmir missed the train, but that wasn’t their train. Their train was bound for glory. Left in no man’s land, Questlove and Black Thought must find their roots. At the point in Ahmir's fight journey--when the jabs starts working, and you find the right hand--he.begins to define the pace. Questlove is about to find both hands working–and his footwork’s not bad either. There are new match ups, and new media, to conquer.
CREDITS
Executive Producers: Dave Chappelle, Radio Rahim, Noah Gersh, Jamie Schefman, Nick Panama, Kenzi Wilbur, Elliot O’Dea
Music & Sound Design: SALT Audio
Creative Producer: Alex Casnoff
Head of Production: Liz LeMay
Head of Engineering: Jordan Galvan
Production Manager: Allie Strobel
Post Coordinator: Alice Bearn
Edited by: Geoffrey Mutchnik
Mixed by: SALT Audio
Additional Editing & Sound Design: Jasper van Dijk & Noah Kowalski
Til This Day is a Luminary Original Podcast in partnership with Pilot Boy Productions and SALT Audio.
[REPLAY} Beckham bends, Jordan does hangtime. Those verbs define men, but this man’s words define a sport. It's time to meet the rumble-readier: Let's get ready to Michael Buffer! In this episode: After a brief time as a car salesman who possessed an admirable glitch, then jobs as a model asked to put his great speaking voice to use, Buffer finds himself on the road to a career he couldn't have ever imagined. Becoming a household name is almost impossible, unless you're in your own house. When everyone has the same name no one’s looking. The only thing that matters is who you are. The final chapter of this episode: Championship Round.
CREDITS
Executive Producers: Dave Chappelle, Radio Rahim, Noah Gersh, Jamie Schefman, Nick Panama, Kenzi Wilbur, Elliot O’Dea
Music & Sound Design: Eric Raichelson
Creative Producer: Alex Casnoff
Head of Production: Liz LeMay
Head of Engineering: Jordan Galvan
Production Manager: Allie Strobel
Post Coordinator: Alice Bearn
Edited by: Geoffrey Mutchnik
Mixed by: Zack Djurich
Additional Editing & Sound Design: Jasper van Dijk & Noah Kowalski
Til This Day is a Luminary Original Podcast in partnership with Pilot Boy Productions and SALT Audio.
Right Here, Right Now. “Bob could throw everything you intended to do out the window simply by reminding you to stay in the moment. So, out of respect for our friend, that’s what we're going to do… If we’re here with him, he’s still here with us.” –Radio Rahim
CREDITS
Executive Producers: Dave Chappelle, Radio Rahim, Noah Gersh, Jamie Schefman, Nick Panama, Kenzi Wilbur, Elliot O’Dea
Music & Sound Design: Eric Raichelson
Creative Producer: Alex Casnoff
Head of Production: Liz LeMay
Head of Engineering: Jordan Galvan
Production Manager: Allie Strobel
Post Coordinator: Alice Bearn
Edited by: Geoffrey Mutchnik
Mixed by: Zack Djurich
Additional Editing & Sound Design: Jasper van Dijk & Noah Kowalski
Til This Day is a Luminary Original Podcast in partnership with Pilot Boy Productions and SALT Audio.
In the ring if you’re not prepared, you won’t survive. Today's guest prepared himself on the streets of New York, from selling t-shirts, to open mics, to hustling into network television. Like the best fighters in the world, the bell rings for him on Saturday night.
CREDITS
Executive Producers: Dave Chappelle, Radio Rahim, Noah Gersh, Jamie Schefman, Nick Panama, Kenzi Wilbur, Elliot O’Dea
Music & Sound Design: SALT Audio
Creative Producer: Alex Casnoff
Head of Production: Liz LeMay
Head of Engineering: Jordan Galvan
Production Manager: Allie Strobel
Post Coordinator: Alice Bearn
Edited by: Geoffrey Mutchnik
Mixed by: SALT Audio
Additional Editing & Sound Design: Jasper van Dijk & Noah Kowalski
Til This Day is a Luminary Original Podcast in partnership with Pilot Boy Productions and SALT Audio.
A hidden hand who has shaped Black culture on television for half a century (think: Def Comedy Jam, Martin, and multiple Dave Chappelle stand up specials and other tv series) he is the man who defined the term “just keep going." Meet prolific film and television producer and director Stan Lathan.
You can fool some of the people some of the time. You can’t fool all the people all the time. The problem is, you can fool yourself any time. But eventually, the clock runs out on everybody.
"I didn't even realize I was in the fight. And I was losing it, because it affected everything else in my life." "I didn't even realize I was in the fight. And I was losing it, because it affected everything else in my life." How Stan Lathan's perseverance in a personal battle is now felt by all whose work he continues to elevate with his eye, skill, and directorial finesse.
It's the scars of battle that shape the generals. And we follow in their footsteps because they've walked through fire.
CREDITS
Executive Producers: Dave Chappelle, Radio Rahim, Noah Gersh, Jamie Schefman, Nick Panama, Kenzi Wilbur, Elliot O’Dea
Music & Sound Design: Eric Raichelson
Creative Producer: Alex Casnoff
Head of Production: Liz LeMay
Head of Engineering: Jordan Galvan
Production Manager: Allie Strobel
Post Coordinator: Alice Bearn
Edited by: Geoffrey Mutchnik
Mixed by: Zack Djurich
Additional Editing & Sound Design: Jasper van Dijk & Noah Kowalski
Til This Day is a Luminary Original Podcast in partnership with Pilot Boy Productions and SALT Audio.
A voice who needs no introduction, a dancer who needs no music, an actor who needs no script, an academy award-winner we need to hear from regularly: Rosie Perez.
CREDITS
Executive Producers: Dave Chappelle, Radio Rahim, Noah Gersh, Jamie Schefman, Nick Panama, Kenzi Wilbur, Elliot O’Dea
Music & Sound Design: SALT Audio
Creative Producer: Alex Casnoff
Head of Production: Liz LeMay
Head of Engineering: Jordan Galvan
Production Manager: Allie Strobel
Post Coordinator: Alice Bearn
Edited by: Geoffrey Mutchnik
Mixed by: Zack Djurich
Additional Editing & Sound Design: Jasper van Dijk & Noah Kowalski
Til This Day is a Luminary Original Podcast in partnership with Pilot Boy Productions and SALT Audio.
He’s a comedian who somehow became the most trusted news source since Walter Cronkite. He is the kid from Central New Jersey who found his lens and showed us the world through his eyes.
CREDITS
Executive Producers: Dave Chappelle, Radio Rahim, Noah Gersh, Jamie Schefman, Nick Panama, Kenzi Wilbur, Elliot O’Dea
Music & Sound Design: SALT Audio
Creative Producer: Alex Casnoff
Head of Production: Liz LeMay
Head of Engineering: Jordan Galvan
Production Manager: Allie Strobel
Post Coordinator: Alice Bearn
Edited by: Geoffrey Mutchnik
Mixed by: Zack Djurich
Additional Editing & Sound Design: Jasper van Dijk & Noah Kowalski
Til This Day is a Luminary Original Podcast in partnership with Pilot Boy Productions and SALT Audio.
An iconoclastic leader, carving his path to a pulpit. He may not be the leader of the free world, but he is the leader of a gang. Yang Gang boss Andrew Yang. Even if you believed you could solve all the world’s problems, could you do it with the whole world watching?
CREDITS
Executive Producers: Dave Chappelle, Radio Rahim, Noah Gersh, Jamie Schefman, Nick Panama, Kenzi Wilbur, Elliot O’Dea
Music & Sound Design: SALT Audio
Creative Producer: Alex Casnoff
Head of Production: Liz LeMay
Head of Engineering: Jordan Galvan
Production Manager: Allie Strobel
Post Coordinator: Alice Bearn
Edited by: Geoffrey Mutchnik
Mixed by: Zack Djurich
Additional Editing & Sound Design: Jasper van Dijk & Noah Kowalski
Til This Day is a Luminary Original Podcast in partnership with Pilot Boy Productions and SALT Audio.
The book of love’s ambassador and a true renaissance man: For all his talents, he’s most commonly known for bringing the light. Get to know Ronnie Rashid Lynn, otherwise known as the exceptional Common.
CREDITS
Executive Producers: Dave Chappelle, Radio Rahim, Noah Gersh, Jamie Schefman, Nick Panama, Kenzi Wilbur, Elliot O’Dea
Music & Sound Design: Eric Raichelson
Creative Producer: Alex Casnoff
Head of Production: Liz LeMay
Head of Engineering: Jordan Galvan
Production Manager: Allie Strobel
Post Coordinator: Alice Bearn
Edited by: Geoffrey Mutchnik
Mixed by: Zack Djurich
Additional Editing & Sound Design: Jasper van Dijk & Noah Kowalski
Til This Day is a Luminary Original Podcast in partnership with Pilot Boy Productions and SALT Audio.
