Totally Biased with W. Kamau Bell

{{Infobox television

| image = Totally Biased Poster.jpg

| caption =

| creator =

| developer =

| writer = W. Kamau Bell
Ethan T. Berlin
Chuck Sklar
Frank Conniff
Janine Brito
Hari Kondabolu
Danny Vermont
Kevin Avery
Kevin Kataoka
Louis Katz
Dwayne Kennedy
Aparna Nancherla
Eliza Skinner
Guy Branum
Brian McCann

| director =

| creative_director =

| presenter =

| starring = W. Kamau Bell

| judges =

| voices =

| narrated =

| theme_music_composer =

| opentheme =

| endtheme =

| composer =

| country = United States

| language = English

| num_seasons = 2

| num_episodes = 64

| executive_producer = Chris Rock
Ethan T. Berlin
Chuck Sklar
Keri Smith Esgula

| producer =

| editor =

| location =

| cinematography =

| camera =

| runtime = 22 minutes

| company = CR Enterprises
FX Productions

| channel = FX {{small|(2012–13)}}
FXX {{small|(2013)}}

| first_aired = {{Start date|2012|8|9}}

| last_aired = {{End date|2013|11|14}}

| related =

| image_alt =

| network =

| released =

}}

Totally Biased with W. Kamau Bell is an American stand-up comedy television series that premiered on FX on August 9, 2012, starring comedian W. Kamau Bell. On stage, Bell did mostly observational comedy on recent news stories and current events. After an opening PowerPoint monologue, the program usually cut to a segment filmed outside of the studio. Additionally, since all of the show's writers were stand-up comedians, many often appeared as correspondents who performed monologues. As the last segment of the program, Bell interviewed a celebrity guest. In order to ensure the show's topicality, most of the show was taped on the day that it was broadcast. In the first episode, Bell interviewed Chris Rock, who was also an executive producer of the show.

It was announced on November 13, 2013, that Totally Biased with W. Kamau Bell had been canceled,{{cite web|author=Sara Bibel|title='Totally Biased With W. Kamau Bell' Canceled by FXX|url=http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2013/11/13/totally-biased-with-w-kamau-bell-canceled-by-fxx/215543/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131113222312/http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2013/11/13/totally-biased-with-w-kamau-bell-canceled-by-fxx/215543/|url-status=dead|archive-date=2013-11-13|publisher=TV by the Numbers|date=2013-11-13}} and that the final episode would be broadcast the next day.Nellie Andreeva, (2013-11-13). [https://deadline.com/2013/11/fxxs-totally-biased-cancelled-last-show-to-air-tomorrow-634521/ "FXX’s ‘Totally Biased’ Cancelled, Last Show To Air Tomorrow"]. Deadline.com.

Episodes

=Series overview=

{{Series overview

| color1 = #c90016

| link1 = #Season 1 (2012–13)

| episodes1 = 26

| start1 = {{Start date|2012|8|9}}

| end1 = {{End date|2013|6|20}}

| network1 = FX

| color2 = #00AC6D

| link2 = #Season 2 (2013)

| episodes2 = 38

| start2 = {{Start date|2013|9|4}}

| end2 = {{End date|2013|11|14}}

| network2 = FXX

}}

=Season 1 (2012–13)=

class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="width:100%;"

|+ Totally Biased with W. Kamau Bell season 1 episodes

style="color:white"

! style="background:#B60000; width:10%;"| No.
overall

! style="background:#B60000; width:10%;"| No. in
season

! style="background:#B60000; width:50%;"| Guest(s)

! style="background:#B60000; width:30%;"| Original air date

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber=1

|EpisodeNumber2=1

|RTitle= Chris Rock

|OriginalAirDate= {{Start date|2012|8|9}}

|ShortSummary=

|LineColor=B60000

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber=2

|EpisodeNumber2=2

|RTitle= Rachel Maddow

|OriginalAirDate= {{Start date|2012|8|16}}

|ShortSummary=

|LineColor=B60000

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber=3

|EpisodeNumber2=3

|RTitle= Alex Wagner

|OriginalAirDate= {{Start date|2012|8|23}}

|ShortSummary=

|LineColor=B60000

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber=4

|EpisodeNumber2=4

|RTitle= Kevin Powell

|OriginalAirDate= {{Start date|2012|8|30}}

|ShortSummary=

|LineColor=B60000

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber=5

|EpisodeNumber2=5

|RTitle= Issa Rae

|OriginalAirDate= {{Start date|2012|9|13}}

|ShortSummary=

|LineColor=B60000

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber=6

|EpisodeNumber2=6

|RTitle= Janeane Garofalo

|OriginalAirDate= {{Start date|2012|9|20}}

|ShortSummary=

|LineColor=B60000

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber=7

|EpisodeNumber2=7

|RTitle= Tom Morello

|OriginalAirDate= {{Start date|2012|10|11}}

|ShortSummary=

|LineColor=B60000

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber=8

|EpisodeNumber2=8

|RTitle= David Webb

|OriginalAirDate= {{Start date|2012|10|18}}

|ShortSummary=

|LineColor=B60000

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber=9

|EpisodeNumber2=9

|RTitle= Neil deGrasse Tyson

|OriginalAirDate= {{Start date|2012|10|25}}

|ShortSummary=

|LineColor=B60000

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber=10

|EpisodeNumber2=10

|RTitle= Chris Hayes & Ted Alexandro

|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|2012|11|1}}

|ShortSummary=

|LineColor=B60000

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber=11

|EpisodeNumber2=11

|RTitle= Lewis Black

|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|2012|11|8}}

|ShortSummary=

|LineColor=B60000

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber=12

|EpisodeNumber2=12

|RTitle= Wanda Sykes & Hannibal Buress

|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|2012|11|16}}

|ShortSummary=

|LineColor=B60000

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber=13

|EpisodeNumber2=13

|RTitle= John Oliver

|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|2012|11|29}}

|ShortSummary=

|LineColor=B60000

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber=14

|EpisodeNumber2=14

|RTitle= Matt Taibbi

|OriginalAirDate= {{Start date|2013|1|17}}

|ShortSummary=

|LineColor=B60000

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber=15

|EpisodeNumber2=15

|RTitle= George Takei

|OriginalAirDate= {{Start date|2013|1|24}}

|ShortSummary=

|LineColor=B60000

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber=16

|EpisodeNumber2=16

|RTitle= Dave Zirin & Reggie Watts

|OriginalAirDate= {{Start date|2013|1|31}}

|ShortSummary=

|LineColor=B60000

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber=17

|EpisodeNumber2=17

|RTitle= David Alan Grier & Reggie Watts

|OriginalAirDate= {{Start date|2013|2|7}}

|ShortSummary=

|LineColor=B60000

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber=18

|EpisodeNumber2=18

|RTitle= Hannibal Buress, Rob Cantrell, Nikki Glaser, and Sara Schaefer

|OriginalAirDate= {{Start date|2013|2|14}}

|ShortSummary=

|LineColor=B60000

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber=19

|EpisodeNumber2=19

|RTitle= Don Cheadle

|OriginalAirDate= {{Start date|2013|2|21}}

|ShortSummary=

|LineColor=B60000

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber=20

|EpisodeNumber2=20

|RTitle= Melissa Harris-Perry

|OriginalAirDate= {{Start date|2013|5|9}}

|ShortSummary=

|LineColor=B60000

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber=21

|EpisodeNumber2=21

|RTitle= Aisha Tyler

|OriginalAirDate= {{Start date|2013|5|16}}

|ShortSummary=

|LineColor=B60000

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber=22

|EpisodeNumber2=22

|RTitle= Wyatt Cenac & George Takei

|OriginalAirDate= {{Start date|2013|5|23}}

|ShortSummary=

|LineColor=B60000

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber=23

|EpisodeNumber2=23

|RTitle= Jim Norton, Lindy West, Doug Benson, and Mike Lawrence

|OriginalAirDate= {{Start date|2013|5|30}}

|ShortSummary=

|LineColor=B60000

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber=24

|EpisodeNumber2=24

|RTitle= Doug Benson, Unlocking the Truth, and Vernon Reid

|OriginalAirDate= {{Start date|2013|6|6}}

|ShortSummary=

|LineColor=B60000

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber=25

|EpisodeNumber2=25

|RTitle= Trevor Noah and Eddie Pepitone

|OriginalAirDate= {{Start date|2013|6|13}}

|ShortSummary=

|LineColor=B60000

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber=26

|EpisodeNumber2=26

|RTitle= Billy Porter and Zach "MC Mr. Napkins" Sherwin

|OriginalAirDate= {{Start date|2013|6|20}}

|ShortSummary=

|LineColor=B60000

}}

=Season 2 (2013)=

class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="width:100%;"

|+ Totally Biased with W. Kamau Bell season 2 episodes

style="color:white"

! style="background:#00AC6D; width:10%;"| No.
overall

! style="background:#00AC6D; width:10%;"| No. in
season

! style="background:#00AC6D; width:50%;"| Guest(s)

! style="background:#00AC6D; width:30%;"| Original air date

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber=27

|EpisodeNumber2=1

|RTitle= Jim Gaffigan

|OriginalAirDate= {{Start date|2013|9|4}}

|ShortSummary=

|LineColor=00AC6D

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber=28

|EpisodeNumber2=2

|RTitle= Tracy Morgan

|OriginalAirDate= {{Start date|2013|9|5}}

|ShortSummary=

|LineColor=00AC6D

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber=29

|EpisodeNumber2=3

|RTitle= Chris Rock

|OriginalAirDate= {{Start date|2013|9|9}}

|ShortSummary=

|LineColor=00AC6D

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber=30

|EpisodeNumber2=4

|RTitle= Jamie Kilstein and John Fugelsang

|OriginalAirDate= {{Start date|2013|9|10}}

|ShortSummary=

|LineColor=00AC6D

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber=31

|EpisodeNumber2=5

|RTitle= Laverne Cox

|OriginalAirDate= {{Start date|2013|9|11}}

|ShortSummary=

|LineColor=00AC6D

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber=32

|EpisodeNumber2=6

|RTitle= Sarah Silverman

|OriginalAirDate= {{Start date|2013|9|12}}

|ShortSummary=

|LineColor=00AC6D

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber=33

|EpisodeNumber2=7

|RTitle= Kristina Wong

|OriginalAirDate= {{Start date|2013|9|16}}

|ShortSummary=

|LineColor=00AC6D

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber=34

|EpisodeNumber2=8

|RTitle= Gilbert Gottfried

|OriginalAirDate= {{Start date|2013|9|17}}

|ShortSummary=

|LineColor=00AC6D

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber=35

|EpisodeNumber2=9

|RTitle=Michelle Buteau

|OriginalAirDate= {{Start date|2013|9|18}}

|ShortSummary= In lieu of an Interview comedian Michelle Buteau performed stand up at the end of the show.

|LineColor=00AC6D

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber=36

|EpisodeNumber2=10

|RTitle= Dave Zirin

|OriginalAirDate= {{Start date|2013|9|19}}

|ShortSummary=

|LineColor=00AC6D

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber=37

|EpisodeNumber2=11

|RTitle= Jeffrey Wright

|OriginalAirDate= {{Start date|2013|9|24}}

|ShortSummary=

|LineColor=00AC6D

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber=38

|EpisodeNumber2=12

|RTitle= Tim Wise

|OriginalAirDate= {{Start date|2013|9|24}}

|ShortSummary=

|LineColor=00AC6D

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber=39

|EpisodeNumber2=13

|RTitle= Van Jones

|OriginalAirDate= {{Start date|2013|9|25}}

|ShortSummary=

|LineColor=00AC6D

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber=40

|EpisodeNumber2=14

|RTitle= Big Freedia

|OriginalAirDate= {{Start date|2013|9|26}}

|ShortSummary=

|LineColor=00AC6D

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber=41

|EpisodeNumber2=15

|RTitle= Edward Wyckoff Williams and Aton Edwards

|OriginalAirDate= {{Start date|2013|9|30}}

|ShortSummary=

|LineColor=00AC6D

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber=42

|EpisodeNumber2=16

|RTitle= Jesse Ventura

|OriginalAirDate= {{Start date|2013|10|1}}

|ShortSummary=

|LineColor=00AC6D

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber=43

|EpisodeNumber2=17

|RTitle= Hannibal Buress

|OriginalAirDate= {{Start date|2013|10|2}}

|ShortSummary=

|LineColor=00AC6D

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber=44

|EpisodeNumber2=18

|RTitle= Calise Hawkins

|OriginalAirDate= {{Start date|2013|10|3}}

|ShortSummary=

|LineColor=00AC6D

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber=45

|EpisodeNumber2=19

|RTitle= Stephen Rannazzisi

|OriginalAirDate= {{Start date|2013|10|14}}

|ShortSummary=

|LineColor=00AC6D

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber=46

|EpisodeNumber2=20

|RTitle= Alison Stewart

|OriginalAirDate= {{Start date|2013|10|15}}

|ShortSummary=

|LineColor=00AC6D

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber=47

|EpisodeNumber2=21

|RTitle= Colin Quinn

|OriginalAirDate= {{Start date|2013|10|16}}

|ShortSummary=

|LineColor=00AC6D

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber=48

|EpisodeNumber2=22

|RTitle= Death

|OriginalAirDate= {{Start date|2013|10|17}}

|ShortSummary=

|LineColor=00AC6D

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber=49

|EpisodeNumber2=23

|RTitle= Jay Smooth

|OriginalAirDate= {{Start date|2013|10|21}}

|ShortSummary=

|LineColor=00AC6D

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber=50

|EpisodeNumber2=24

|RTitle= Keith Knight

|OriginalAirDate= {{Start date|2013|10|22}}

|ShortSummary=

|LineColor=00AC6D

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber=51

|EpisodeNumber2=25

|RTitle= Henry Louis Gates

|OriginalAirDate= {{Start date|2013|10|23}}

|ShortSummary=

|LineColor=00AC6D

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber=52

|EpisodeNumber2=26

|RTitle= Josh Gondleman

|OriginalAirDate= {{Start date|2013|10|24}}

|ShortSummary=

|LineColor=00AC6D

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber=53

|EpisodeNumber2=27

|RTitle= Judy Gold

|OriginalAirDate= {{Start date|2013|10|28}}

|ShortSummary=

|LineColor=00AC6D

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber=54

|EpisodeNumber2=28

|RTitle= Alex Wagner

|OriginalAirDate= {{Start date|2013|10|29}}

|ShortSummary=

|LineColor=00AC6D

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber=55

|EpisodeNumber2=29

|RTitle= Penn Jillette

|OriginalAirDate= {{Start date|2013|10|30}}

|ShortSummary=

|LineColor=00AC6D

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber=56

|EpisodeNumber2=30

|RTitle= Touré

|OriginalAirDate= {{Start date|2013|10|31}}

|ShortSummary=

|LineColor=00AC6D

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber=57

|EpisodeNumber2=31

|RTitle= Soledad O'Brien

|OriginalAirDate= {{Start date|2013|11|4}}

|ShortSummary=

|LineColor=00AC6D

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber=58

|EpisodeNumber2=32

|RTitle= Gregg Deal and Andy Thundercloud

|OriginalAirDate= {{Start date|2013|11|5}}

|ShortSummary=

|LineColor=00AC6D

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber=59

|EpisodeNumber2=33

|RTitle= Bill Burr

|OriginalAirDate= {{Start date|2013|11|6}}

|ShortSummary=

|LineColor=00AC6D

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber=60

|EpisodeNumber2=34

|RTitle= Maria Bamford

|OriginalAirDate= {{Start date|2013|11|7}}

|ShortSummary=

|LineColor=00AC6D

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber=61

|EpisodeNumber2=35

|RTitle= Baratunde Thurston

|OriginalAirDate= {{Start date|2013|11|11}}

|ShortSummary=

|LineColor=00AC6D

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber=62

|EpisodeNumber2=36

|RTitle= Kathleen Hanna

|OriginalAirDate= {{Start date|2013|11|12}}

|ShortSummary=

|LineColor=00AC6D

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber=63

|EpisodeNumber2=37

|RTitle=Yaba Blay

|OriginalAirDate= {{Start date|2013|11|13}}

|ShortSummary=

|LineColor=00AC6D

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber=64

|EpisodeNumber2=38

|RTitle= Jim Norton

|OriginalAirDate= {{Start date|2013|11|14}}

|ShortSummary=

|LineColor=00AC6D

}}

Production

On September 18, 2012, FX ordered an additional seven episodes of Totally Biased that premiered on October 11, 2012, at 11:30 PM ET.{{cite web|author=Sean O'Neal|url=https://www.avclub.com/fx-orders-more-totally-biased-with-w-kamau-bell-1798233463 |title=FX orders more Totally Biased With W. Kamau Bell |publisher=The A.V. Club |date=2012-09-18 |access-date=2012-11-17}} Episode 12 ended up airing at 12:00 AM ET on November 16, 2012, because Brand X with Russell Brand had been extended to an hour. On November 27, FX announced the series would have an additional 13 episodes in the first season beginning on January 17, 2013.{{cite web|url=http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2012/11/27/brand-x-with-russsell-brand-and-totally-biased-with-w-kamau-bell-renewed-by-fx/159047/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121127195616/http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2012/11/27/brand-x-with-russsell-brand-and-totally-biased-with-w-kamau-bell-renewed-by-fx/159047/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=2012-11-27 |title='Brand X With Russell Brand' and 'Totally Biased With W. Kamau Bell' Renewed by FX |author=Sara Bibel |publisher=TV by the Numbers|date=2012-11-27|access-date=2013-11-27}} After a short break during the 2013 portion of season 1, episodes resumed on May 9, 2013, and continued until the season 1 finale on June 20, 2013. With the launch of FXX, the show would air daily at 11:00 PM ET and began its second season on September 4, 2013.{{cite web|url=http://www.fxnetworks.com/totallybiased/about|title=About the show|publisher=FX Networks|access-date=2013-04-09|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130423083942/http://www.fxnetworks.com/totallybiased/about|archive-date=2013-04-23}}

Reception

The premiere episode received mixed reviews. The A.V. Club gave it a B+ and called it "a much better version of Chocolate News, which drops the sketch comedy bent for more explicit social commentary that blends The Daily Show with what Russell Brand wishes he could get on Brand X".{{cite web|author=Kevin McFarland |url=https://www.avclub.com/totally-biased-with-w-kamau-bell-1798173789 |title=Totally Biased With W. Kamau Bell |publisher=The A.V. Club |date=2012-08-10 |access-date=2012-08-27}} The Los Angeles Times also compared Bell and the show favorably to Brand X, saying that "there is a voluble sweetness to his manner that should prove a tonally better companion"{{cite news |author=Robert Lloyd |url=https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/tv/showtracker/la-et-st-totally-biased-review-20120811,0,5235788.story |title=Review: W. Kamau Bell is a friendly late-night face |newspaper=Los Angeles Times |date=2012-08-11 |access-date=2012-08-27}} to preceding programs. The San Francisco Chronicle applauded the show's edginess, saying that "it makes The Daily Show look like something your dad watches."{{cite news |author=David Wiegand |url=http://www.sfgate.com/tv/article/Totally-Biased-With-W-Kamau-Bell-review-3779894.php |title='Totally Biased With W. Kamau Bell' review |newspaper=San Francisco Chronicle |date=2012-08-11 |access-date=2012-08-27}} Newsday gave the show a B− and was more critical, saying that "Rock may want to light a fire under this act sooner than later."{{cite news |author=Verne Gay|url=http://www.newsday.com/entertainment/tv/totally-biased-review-w-kamau-bell-does-late-night-1.3886992 |title='Totally Biased' review: W. Kamau Bell does late night |newspaper=Newsday |date=2012-08-06 |access-date=2012-08-27}} The A.V. Club reviewed the first cycle of season one, giving it a B and stating that it has "positive progress to build on going forward. I's certainly in better shape than Brand X, especially when it just lets Bell do his thing in the opening segment. But the longevity of the show will depend on the star finding a way to shape the out-of-studio segments into something more compelling and growing as an interviewer."{{cite web|author=Kevin McFarland|url=https://www.avclub.com/totally-biased-with-w-kamau-bell-season-one-1798174255 |title=Totally Biased With W. Kamau Bell - Season One |publisher=The A.V. Club |date=2012-09-21 |access-date=2012-11-17}}