Don Lemon’s Arrest and ‘Melania’ a Box Office Hit? Plus, Howard Bryant on the Erasure of Paul Robeson

Higher Learning with Van Lathan and Rachel Lindsay

The Ringer

Society & Culture

4.7 • 11.5K Ratings

🗓️ 3 February 2026

⏱️ 125 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Van and Rachel react to the Grammys before discussing the arrests of journalists who were covering the protests in Minnesota and former Trump supporters Harvey Levin and Andrew Schulz speaking against the president. Then, the host of The Town, Matt Belloni, sheds light on the box office performance of ‘Melania’ before author Howard Bryant joins to discuss his latest book, 'Kings and Pawns: Jackie Robinson and Paul Robeson in America.' (0:00) Intro (3:49) 2026 Grammys (16:14) Journalists arrested (37:56) Harvey Levin and Andrew Schulz on Trump (59:26) Matthew Belloni joins to talk ‘Melania’ (1:29:23) Howard Bryant joins to talk Jackie Robinson and Paul Robeson (1:59:42) Sha’Carri Richardson jailed for speeding Hosts: Van Lathan and Rachel Lindsay Guests: Matthew Belloni and Howard Bryant Producers: Donnie Beacham Jr. and Jade Whaley Social Producer: Bernard Moore Video Supervision: Chris Thomas Vote here for the NAACP Image Awards: vote.naacpimageawards.net Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	Yo, yo, yo, thought warriors.
0:09.0	What is up?
0:10.2	Howie Learning is on.
0:11.2	Is I Van Lathen Jr.
0:12.4	And it's me, Rachel and Lindsay.
0:15.2	Look at this.
0:17.1	Look at what you got going on.
0:18.0	Oh, yeah.
0:18.8	You know, I switch it up every now and then.
0:20.4	Switch it up? I miss the braids, though. I miss the. You know, I switch it up every now and then. Switch it up?
0:21.4	I miss the braids, though.
0:22.7	I miss the braids, but I have to have to take a break. I feel like it's my look. Oh, the braids are your look. Like, if I had to pick my favorite hairstyle or what I think I rock the best, it's the braids. I think they're a vibe. I think people are going to like this.
0:36.2	Yeah.
0:36.9	Why?
0:37.7	Principal Rage.
0:39.0	Is that what it's giving?
0:40.5	It's giving.
0:41.1	Principal Rache. Is that, is how what it's giving? It's giving business.
0:42.5	Like, Rach, you sit down. Okay. I'll tell you got something. All right. I think we can make this
0:48.8	loan work. But I'm telling you right now, this next six months is going to be really important for you guys to keep up on your financials, get a couple of these things going on.
1:00.3	The husband's looking like, I like this.
1:02.1	The wife is like, we need to find another loan officer.
	...

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