About this season
Tavis Smiley features a unique mix of news and pop culture to combine for one thought-provoking and entertaining program. A hybrid of news, issues and entertainment, it features interviews with artists, activists, newsmakers, politicians and everyday people. Since its first season, the show has won four NAACP Image Awards for "Outstanding Television, News, Talk, or Information (Series or Special)." Taped at KCET studios, Tavis Smiley is the first West Coast talk show for PBS and is produced by The Smiley Group Inc./TS Media Inc. in association with KCET/Hollywood.
Episodes (129)
1. Episode 1
Aired 23 December 2013 • 30 min
Kenny Loggins.
2. Episode 2
Aired 24 December 2013 • 30 min
Joshua Bell.
3. Episode 3
Aired 9 January 2014 • 30 min
Dr. Benjamin Barber; Mary McDonnell.
4. Episode 4
Aired 13 January 2014 • 30 min
Sociologist Michael Kimmel ("Angry White Men").
5. Episode 5
Aired 14 January 2014 • 30 min
Barkhad Abdi; Lupita Nyong'o.
6. Episode 6
Aired 15 January 2014 • 30 min
Bruce Dern.
7. Episode 7
Aired 16 January 2014 • 30 min
Don Cheadle.
8. Episode 8
Aired 17 January 2014 • 30 min
Kenneth Branagh.
9. Episode 9
Aired 20 January 2014 • 30 min
Part 1 of 2. "MLK: A Call to Conscience."
10. Episode 10
Aired 21 January 2014 • 30 min
Conclusion. "MLK: A Call to Conscience."
11. Episode 11
Aired 22 January 2014 • 30 min
Julie Delpy; Robert Hilburn.
12. Episode 12
Aired 23 January 2014 • 30 min
Joseph Gordon-Levitt; Gloria Gaynor.
13. Episode 13
Aired 24 January 2014 • 30 min
Itzhak Perlman.
14. Episode 14
Aired 27 January 2014 • 30 min
L.A. mayor Eric Garcetti; Chideo founder Todd Wagner.
15. Episode 15
Aired 28 January 2014 • 30 min
Chita Rivera.
16. Episode 16
Aired 29 January 2014 • 30 min
Teller; violinist Hilary Hahn.
17. Episode 17
Aired 30 January 2014 • 30 min
Writer Samuel G. Freedman and former NFL quarterback James "Shack" Harris.
18. Episode 18
Aired 31 January 2014 • 30 min
Tavis talks with Grammy Award–winning Beninoise singer-songwriter and activist Angélique Kidjo.
19. Episode 19
Aired 3 February 2014 • 30 min
Philip Seymour Hoffman (1967-2014) is remembered.
20. Episode 20
Aired 4 February 2014 • 30 min
International law expert Edwin Smith (USC); Béla Fleck.
21. Episode 21
Aired 5 February 2014 • 30 min
Dr. Alvaro Huerta; Shelby Lynne.
22. Episode 22
Aired 6 February 2014 • 30 min
Part 1 of 2 with Darlene Love and Merry Clayton.
23. Episode 23
Aired 7 February 2014 • 30 min
Conclusion. Darlene Love and Merry Clayton.
24. Episode 24
Aired 10 February 2014 • 30 min
Jamie Lee Curtis.
25. Episode 25
Aired 11 February 2014 • 30 min
Disney animator Floyd Norman.
26. Episode 26
Aired 12 February 2014 • 30 min
David Hyde Pierce.
27. Episode 27
Aired 13 February 2014 • 30 min
Chiwetel Ejiofor.
28. Episode 28
Aired 14 February 2014 • 30 min
Tavis talks with Joel Kinnaman and Joy Bryant.
29. Episode 29
Aired 17 February 2014 • 30 min
Tavis talks with P.J. O'Rourke and Amel Larrieux.
30. Episode 30
Aired 18 February 2014 • 30 min
Will Forte; Earl Klugh.
31. Episode 31
Aired 19 February 2014 • 30 min
Robert Greenwald; Dianne Reeves.
32. Episode 32
Aired 20 February 2014 • 30 min
Toni Braxton and Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds.
33. Episode 33
Aired 21 February 2014 • 30 min
Sam Polk (founder, Groceryships); Rhea Perlman.
34. Episode 34
Aired 24 February 2014 • 30 min
USC professor Robert English on the crisis in Ukraine. Also: actor and writer Steve Coogan.
35. Episode 35
Aired 25 February 2014 • 30 min
Harry Lennix.
36. Episode 36
Aired 26 February 2014 • 30 min
Physician David B. Agus; actress Julianne Nicholson.
37. Episode 37
Aired 27 February 2014 • 30 min
Forest Whitaker.
38. Episode 38
Aired 28 February 2014 • 30 min
A 2014 Academy Awards preview, featuring Oscar-nominated guests.
39. Episode 39
Aired 3 March 2014 • 30 min
Alicia Keys; Herb Alpert.
40. Episode 40
Aired 4 March 2014 • 30 min
Esa-Pekka Salonen; Wayne Shorter.
41. Episode 41
Aired 5 March 2014 • 30 min
Gregory Porter; Ben Harper and Charlie Musselwhite.
42. Episode 42
Aired 6 March 2014 • 30 min
Emeli Sandé; Robert Randolph.
43. Episode 43
Aired 7 March 2014 • 30 min
Tavis talks with Lawrence Brownlee and Shemekia Copeland.
44. Episode 44
Aired 10 March 2014 • 30 min
Scott Adams; Edwidge Danticat.
45. Episode 45
Aired 11 March 2014 • 30 min
Tavis talks with Eric Schlosser and Brian Jay Jones.
46. Episode 46
Aired 12 March 2014 • 30 min
Tavis talks with T.C. Boyle and Rick Najera.
47. Episode 47
Aired 13 March 2014 • 30 min
M. Night Shyamalan; Joseph Gordon-Levitt.
48. Episode 48
Aired 14 March 2014 • 30 min
Teller; Robert Hilburn.
49. Episode 49
Aired 17 March 2014 • 30 min
The allegation that the CIA searched Senate computers is discussed. Also: Marlee Matlin.
50. Episode 50
Aired 18 March 2014 • 30 min
Barry Manilow and Bruce Sussman ("Harmony").
51. Episode 51
Aired 19 March 2014 • 30 min
Journalist Elizabeth Kolbert ("The Sixth Extinction"); comedian Greg Edwards.
52. Episode 52
Aired 20 March 2014 • 30 min
Author Peniel E. Joseph ("Stokely: A Life"); Martina McBride.
53. Episode 53
Aired 21 March 2014 • 30 min
Tim Conway.
54. Episode 54
Aired 24 March 2014 • 30 min
Bruce Jones (Brookings Institution); Dulé Hill and James Roday ("Pysch").
55. Episode 55
Aired 25 March 2014 • 30 min
Robert Reich; Benmont Tench.
56. Episode 56
Aired 26 March 2014 • 30 min
Errol Morris; Ledisi.
57. Episode 57
Aired 27 March 2014 • 30 min
Author Shyima Hall ("Hidden Girl").
58. Episode 58
Aired 28 March 2014 • 30 min
Author Miriam Pawel ("The Crusades of Cesar Chavez"); Stanley Jordan.
59. Episode 59
Aired 31 March 2014 • 30 min
Immigration issues are discussed with undocumented activist Erika Andiola and Marielena Hincapié? (National Immigration Law Center). Also: Nathan East.
60. Episode 60
Aired 31 March 2014 • 30 min
Author Clay Risen ("The Bill of the Century").
61. Episode 61
Aired 1 April 2014 • 30 min
Author Saladin Ambar ("Malcolm X at Oxford Union"); Zucchero Fornaciari.
62. Episode 62
Aired 3 April 2014 • 30 min
The real-life hero of Hotel Rwanda, Paul Rusesabagina, reflects on his experience, 20 years ago, during one of the worst mass slaughters in modern history.
63. Episode 63
Aired 7 April 2014 • 30 min
Gayle Tzemach Lemmon (Council on Foreign Relations); hip-hop music artist Christylez Bacon.
64. Episode 64
Aired 8 April 2014 • 30 min
David Crosby.
65. Episode 65
Aired 9 April 2014 • 30 min
Frank Langella.
66. Episode 66
Aired 10 April 2014 • 30 min
Sociologist Katherine S. Newman ("The Accordion Family"); composer Hafez Nazeri.
67. Episode 67
Aired 11 April 2014 • 30 min
Stewart Copeland.
68. Episode 68
Aired 14 April 2014 • 30 min
Ken Burns.
69. Episode 69
Aired 15 April 2014 • 30 min
Rosanne Cash.
70. Episode 70
Aired 16 April 2014 • 30 min
Ed Catmull (Disney and Pixar Animation Studios); Tatiana Maslany.
71. Episode 71
Aired 17 April 2014 • 30 min
Jackie Collins.
72. Episode 72
Aired 18 April 2014 • 30 min
Environmental scientist Ken Caldeira (Stanford); author Philip Yancey ("The Jesus I Never Knew").
73. Episode 73
Aired 21 April 2014 • 30 min
The crisis in Ukraine is discussed with Robert English (USC School of International Relations). Also: Daniel Beaty.
74. Episode 74
Aired 22 April 2014 • 30 min
Tavis talks with Economist Joseph E. Stiglitz and Ian Somerhalder.
75. Episode 75
Aired 23 April 2014 • 30 min
Nas.
76. Episode 76
Aired 24 April 2014 • 30 min
Author Barbara Ehrenreich ("Living With a Wild God: A Nonbeliever's Search for the Truth About Everything"}.
77. Episode 77
Aired 25 April 2014 • 30 min
Economist William Easterly; L.A. Opera music director James Conlon.
78. Episode 78
Aired 28 April 2014 • 30 min
Mikhail Baryshnikov.
79. Episode 79
Aired 29 April 2014 • 30 min
Larry King.
80. Episode 80
Aired 30 April 2014 • 30 min
Robin Roberts.
81. Episode 81
Aired 1 May 2014 • 30 min
Author Sylvia Longmire ("Border Insecurity"); Harry Hamlin.
82. Episode 82
Aired 2 May 2014 • 30 min
Cheech Marin and Tommy Chong.
83. Episode 83
Aired 5 May 2014 • 30 min
Sen. Bernie Sanders (Ind.-Vt.); Carla Bruni.
85. Episode 85
Aired 7 May 2014 • 30 min
Vermont governor Peter Shumlin; Ken Cook (Environmental Working Group).
86. Episode 86
Aired 8 May 2014 • 30 min
Sen. Robert Menendez (D-N.J.); Hugh Dancy.
88. Episode 88
Aired 12 May 2014 • 30 min
Ralph Nader; John Slattery.
89. Episode 89
Aired 13 May 2014 • 30 min
Journalist Jonathan M. Katz ("The Big Truck That Went By"); Connie Britton.
90. Episode 90
Aired 14 May 2014 • 30 min
Barbara Walters; Maurice Hines.
91. Episode 91
Aired 15 May 2014 • 30 min
Part 1 of 2. Mel Brooks.
92. Episode 92
Aired 16 May 2014 • 30 min
Conclusion. Mel Brooks.
93. Episode 93
Aired 19 May 2014 • 30 min
The abducted girls in Nigeria are discussed with journalist Omoyele Sowore and Amber Khan (Women for Women International).
94. Episode 94
Aired 20 May 2014 • 30 min
Renée Fleming.
95. Episode 95
Aired 21 May 2014 • 30 min
Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.); Jim Parsons.
96. Episode 96
Aired 22 May 2014 • 30 min
Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.); Jon Favreau.
97. Episode 97
Aired 23 May 2014 • 30 min
"Mad Men" creator Matthew Weiner.
98. Episode 98
Aired 26 May 2014 • 30 min
David Goodman (Andrew Goodman Foundation).
99. Episode 99
Aired 27 May 2014 • 30 min
Author Nell Bernstein ("Burning Down the House: The End of Juvenile Prison"); Ed O'Neill.
100. Episode 100
Aired 28 May 2014 • 30 min
A tribute to Maya Angelou (1928-2014). Also: Ziggy Marley.
101. Episode 101
Aired 29 May 2014 • 30 min
A tribute to Maya Angelou (1928-2014).
102. Episode 102
Aired 30 May 2014 • 30 min
Arianna Huffington; Brian Culbertson.
103. Episode 103
Aired 2 June 2014 • 30 min
Elizabeth Kolbert ("The Sixth Extinction"); Daniel Beaty.
104. Episode 104
Aired 3 June 2014 • 30 min
Ed Catmull (Pixar Animation Studios); Marlee Matlin.
105. Episode 105
Aired 4 June 2014 • 30 min
Ken Cook (Environmental Working Group); Earl Klugh.
106. Episode 106
Aired 5 June 2014 • 30 min
Peniel E. Joseph ("Stokely: A Life"); Tatiana Maslany.
107. Episode 107
Aired 6 June 2014 • 30 min
James Conlon; Ledisi.
108. Episode 108
Aired 9 June 2014 • 30 min
Immigration reform is discussed with Rep. Xavier Becerra (D-Cal.) and Jersey Vargas, a 10-year-old California girl whose father faces deportation.
109. Episode 109
Aired 10 June 2014 • 30 min
Allison Janney.
110. Episode 110
Aired 11 June 2014 • 30 min
Dr. David B. Agus; Clark Gregg.
111. Episode 111
Aired 12 June 2014 • 30 min
A tribute to Ruby Dee (1922-2014).
112. Episode 112
Aired 13 June 2014 • 30 min
Rob and Carl Reiner.
113. Episode 113
Aired 16 June 2014 • 30 min
Former senator Joseph Lieberman; Toni Braxton.
114. Episode 114
Aired 17 June 2014 • 30 min
Tavis talks with Sebastian Junger and Carol Leifer.
115. Episode 115
Aired 18 June 2014 • 30 min
Author Nomi Prins ("All the Presidents' Bankers"); Noah Wyle.
116. Episode 116
Aired 19 June 2014 • 30 min
Educator-civil rights activist Bob Moses; documentarian Stanley Nelson ("Freedom Summer").
117. Episode 117
Aired 20 June 2014 • 30 min
One of the most famous chefs in the world, whose innovations have come to define modern American cooking, offers tips for losing weight and feeling energetic.
118. Episode 118
Aired 23 June 2014 • 30 min
Sociologist Jennifer Lee (UC Irvine); John Lloyd Young.
119. Episode 119
Aired 24 June 2014 • 30 min
Bill Medley of the Righteous Brothers.
120. Episode 120
Aired 25 June 2014 • 30 min
C-SPAN founder Brian Lamb.
121. Episode 121
Aired 26 June 2014 • 30 min
Paul Rieckhoff (Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America); bluesman Robert Cray.
122. Episode 122
Aired 27 June 2014 • 30 min
Dancer Charles "Lil Buck" Riley.
123. Episode 123
Aired 30 June 2014 • 30 min
Tavis talks with Ron Capps, founder of the Veterans Writing Project, and with 10-time Grammy-winning trumpet legend Arturo Sandoval.
124. Episode 124
Aired 1 July 2014 • 30 min
Tavis talks with six-time Emmy-nominated British actor and musician Hugh Laurie.
125. Episode 125
Aired 2 July 2014 • 30 min
Tavis talks with best-selling authors Steven Levitt and Stephen Dubner and with an original Dreamgirl, Jennifer Holliday.
126. Episode 126
Aired 3 July 2014 • 30 min
Tavis talks with former astronaut Buzz Aldrin and with Chaz Ebert about the documentary on her late husband, entitled Life Itself.
127. Episode 127
Aired 4 July 2014 • 30 min
Tavis talks with Michael Levi and Elizabeth Economy about their text on China and with award-winning singer-songwriter Yuna.
128. Episode 128
Aired 7 July 2014 • 30 min
Law professor Melissa Murray; Jason Biggs.
129. Episode 129
Aired 8 July 2014 • 30 min
Beau Bridges.
131. Episode 131
Aired 10 July 2014 • 30 min
Journalist Alex Tizon ("Big Little Man: In Search of My Asian Self"); Sister Simone Campbell, the executive director of NETWORK.
132. Episode 132
Aired 11 July 2014 • 30 min
Neurologist Stanley B. Prusiner ("Madness and Memory"); Demián Bichir.