Northampton Community College held its annual Humanities Keynote Lecture remotely on the evening of Feb. 9. This year’s edition, ‘A Conversation with W. Kamau Bell,’ featured the sociopolitical comedian and Emmy Award-winning CNN host/executive producer speaking on a range of topics.

The session’s moderator, Dr. Rebecca Martin (an Associate Professor of English at Northampton), kicked off the conversation by referring to what Bell has characterized as the “broken parts of our society,” and asked how and where he found strength in them.

“I think strength is pushing on when you don’t feel like you can,” Bell replied. “If it’s easy for you to get through (a situation), that’s just who you are.” He referred to an upcoming episode of his show, United Shades of America, which touches on the recent battle in public schools over teaching history.

Bell said he’s seen strength in education advocates in the face of contentious school board meetings and other forms of harassment. “There are people there who know they have to show up… and advocate, because (not teaching accurate history) is how America goes backwards,” he said. “It’s just really heartening to know that people are out there doing that work, especially when there is such an organized effort” to restrict it, he added.

Bell also spoke of the role comedy can play in such a tumultuous era and stressed the difference between “making fun of and making fun out of something,” he said, adding, “A sense of humor is an evolutionary thing. We had to develop (one) to get through life.

“The best (educational) television I watched as a kid was also entertaining,” he said. He mentioned Sesame Street and Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood, noting that among the better shows his kids watch are ones he also finds entertaining as an adult.

Humor can also be a tool to process trauma, Bell said. “It’s the reason why often in a society, the most oppressed group is also where the comedians come from,” he said. “I’ve never even thought of that,” Martin responded.

Bell talked about the “microphone” that comes with producing a series that has won multiple awards. “The reason why I’m here is to give other people a shot at that microphone,” he said.

Martin asked him about his ability to keep difficult conversations productive, even when he doesn’t necessarily agree. Bell said it was essential to “enter into the conversation to do more listening than talking.

“We get so caught up in… you think you score points in the battle,” he said. “But you’re not scoring points. Nobody’s keeping score, and you don’t get a check at the end of the day because you won that conversation.”