• Celebrity
    • Daniel Kaluuya Digital Cover
    • Digital Cover Method Man
    • Digital Cover Zazie
    • Celebrity News
    • ‘Yes, Girl!’ Podcast
    • Entertainment
    • Black Celeb Couples
    • Celebrity Moms
    • Red Carpet
    • If Not For My Girls
  • Fashion
    • ESSENCE Fashion House 2022
    • Fashion News
    • Street Style
    • Accessories
    • Fashion Week
  • Beauty
    • Black Beauty Awards 2022
    • ESSENCE Hair Awards 2022
    • AVEENO Skin Health Startup Accelerator
    • Beauty News
    • Skin
    • Makeup
    • Nails
    • Girls United: Beautiful Possibilities
  • Hair
    • Hair News
    • Natural
    • Relaxed
    • Transitioning
    • Weave
    • 4C
  • Love
    • Love & Sex News
    • The Solve Podcast
    • Weddings
    • Parenting
    • Relationships
  • Lifestyle
    • Black History Month
    • ESSENCE Gift Guide 2022
    • ESSENCE + smartwater Live Well Challenge
    • Build Your Legacy 2022
    • Dream & Plan with Confidence Prudential
    • AMEX Platinum Travel
    • Homecoming Season 2022
    • Lifestyle News
    • Health & Wellness
    • ESSENCE Eats
    • Money & Career
    • Entrepreneurship
    • Travel
    • Food & Drink
    • Black Travel Guide
  • News
    • Paint The Polls Black
    • Sponsors Recognition Page 2022
    • Latest News
    • Raise Your Voice
    • Culture
    • Politics
  • Video
  • Festival
    • 2023 ESSENCE Festival Of Culture
    • 2023 ESSENCE Film Festival
    • 2022 Fest Videos
  • Events
    • 2023 ESSENCE Film Festival
    • 2022 Girls United Summit
    • 2022 ESSENCE Fashion House
    • 2022 Black Women In Hollywood
    • 2022 HOLLYWOOD HOUSE
    • 2022 Homecoming Season
    • Wellness House
    • She Got Now
    • Dear Black Men
    • I Am Speaking
    • Power Tools
  • Studios
  • Girls United

WHERE BLACK WOMEN COME FIRST

Every day we're serving Black women deeply. Come get a plate of goodness! Sign up for daily content and exclusive offers you'll love!

Your email is required.
Your email is in invalid format.
Confirm email is required.
Email did not match.
By clicking Sign Up, you agree to our Terms of Use and that you have read our Privacy Policy
Skip to content
SUBSCRIBE
  • MAGAZINE
  • NEWSLETTER
  • Celebrity
    • Daniel Kaluuya Digital Cover
    • Digital Cover Method Man
    • Digital Cover Zazie
    • Celebrity News
    • ‘Yes, Girl!’ Podcast
    • Entertainment
      • Paint The Polls Black
    • Black Celeb Couples
    • Celebrity Moms
    • Red Carpet
    • If Not For My Girls
  • Fashion
    • ESSENCE Fashion House 2022
    • Fashion News
    • Street Style
    • Accessories
    • Fashion Week
  • Beauty
    • Black Beauty Awards 2022
    • ESSENCE Hair Awards 2022
    • AVEENO Skin Health Startup Accelerator
    • Beauty News
    • Skin
    • Makeup
    • Nails
    • Girls United: Beautiful Possibilities
  • Hair
    • Hair News
    • Natural
    • Relaxed
    • Transitioning
    • Weave
    • 4C
  • Love
    • Love & Sex News
    • The Solve Podcast
    • Weddings
    • Parenting
    • Relationships
  • Lifestyle
    • Black History Month
    • ESSENCE Gift Guide 2022
    • ESSENCE + smartwater Live Well Challenge
    • Build Your Legacy 2022
    • Dream & Plan with Confidence Prudential
    • AMEX Platinum Travel
    • Homecoming Season 2022
    • Lifestyle News
    • Health & Wellness
    • ESSENCE Eats
    • Money & Career
    • Entrepreneurship
    • Travel
    • Food & Drink
    • Black Travel Guide
  • News
    • Paint The Polls Black
    • Sponsors Recognition Page 2022
    • Latest News
    • Raise Your Voice
    • Culture
    • Politics
  • Video
  • Festival
    • 2023 ESSENCE Festival Of Culture
    • 2023 ESSENCE Film Festival
    • 2022 Fest Videos
  • Events
    • 2023 ESSENCE Film Festival
    • 2022 Girls United Summit
    • 2022 ESSENCE Fashion House
    • 2022 Black Women In Hollywood
    • 2022 HOLLYWOOD HOUSE
    • 2022 Homecoming Season
    • Wellness House
    • She Got Now
    • Dear Black Men
    • I Am Speaking
    • Power Tools
  • Studios
  • Girls United
Home · News

Why Is Tavis Leaving?

Dr. Cornel West explains Tavis Smiley's sudden decision to leave the Tom Joyner Morning Show
By · Updated October 29, 2020

Listeners tuning in to the Tom Joyner Morning Show on Friday were dismayed when the host announced that commentator Tavis Smiley, after 12 years on the radio program, will be leaving the show. Since then, speculation has buzzed that Smiley is leaving because of harsh disapproval from fans of the show over his critical remarks about presidential candidate Barack Obama. Essence.com talked to Smiley’s good friend, scholar and author Dr. Cornel West, about the real reason he’s decided to move on.

Essence.com: When did you talk to Tavis about his decision to leave?

Cornel West: I talked to him this morning. He’s my dear brother. We talk every day.

Essence.com: How’s he doing?

C.W.: He’s in good shape; he’s strong. He’s not quitting, he has a contract that goes up until the end of June, so he will be on until June. He was just giving prior notice that, after 12 years of high-quality service, he had other very important projects. He has a major exhibition of African-American art and artifacts that he’s putting out in early fall. He’s got a big documentary he’s doing this summer. At the same time, he’s got two presidential conventions to cover, and he’s got SmileyBooks, which he’ll be hitting the road to promote. So he’s got a number of very exciting projects that he’s got to do, and he’s decided he’s got to move on. But the important thing to keep in mind is, he’s got a deep love for Tom, and Tom’s got a deep love for him.

Essence.com: An article by Tom Joyner on BlackAmericaWeb.com says that Tavis is leaving because he ‘can’t take the hate he’s been getting regarding the Barack issue.’ Any truth to that?

C.W.: That is just simply wrong. That’s absolutely salacious. That was a speculative hypothesis that Brother Tom put out there. But Brother Tavis never said anything like that; never mentioned that to me. That’s not true.

Essence.com: Well, is the criticism Tavis received for his opinions about Senator Obama something that bothered him?

C.W.: Well, it had nothing to do with his transition. I just think that Tavis is part of the legacy of Martin Luther King, Jr., and he is committed to the accountability of the candidates. Every time you ask for accountability you receive a certain kind of criticism, and he’s been able to move right through it with dignity and grace.

Essence.com: The announcement feels so abrupt. Did he just recently come to this decision to leave?

C.W.: It’s true that he talked to Tom for the first time last night to convey the decision, but he’s been talking about this for a long time. He tried to leave two years ago, after ten years on the show, because of his other projects. You’ve got to keep in mind that he’s getting up at three in the morning twice a week, and he’s got a radio show and a TV show and State of the Black Union. It’s a heavy schedule. He tried to leave after his tenth anniversary, but Brother Tom persuaded him to stay. He has a deep appreciation for him. So now he’s leaving after 12 years. I think it was a surprise to Tom for him to come out of the block so quickly on this. When Tavis and Tom talked, I think the agreement was that he’d be able to reflect on this on Tuesday’s show.

Essence.com: Is moving on bittersweet for him?

C.W.: The past 12 years with Brother Tom Joyner were wonderful. Any time you pass through a very crucial stage in your life it’s a moment of transition, but he’s excited he’s able to move on to these other projects that offer so much. Tavis is such a historical figure that even when he decides just to move on, it becomes news. That’s the kind of gravity the brother has at this moment. I think, in some ways, Tavis is stunned by this kind of media attention. But I’m not stunned at all. I’m quite aware of his historical gravity.

 

Credit: Corbis Photos

COMPANY INFORMATION
  • Our Company
  • Customer Service
  • Essence Ventures
  • Change Your Address
  • Contact Us
  • Job Opportunities
  • Internships
  • Media Kit
  • tag
SUBSCRIBE
  • Newsletters
  • Give a Gift of ESSENCE
  • Magazine Tablet Edition
FOLLOW US
MORE ON ESSENCE
  • Home
  • Love
  • Celebrity
  • Beauty
  • Hair
  • Fashion
  • ESSENCE festival

ESSENCE.com is part of ESSENCE Communications, Inc.

Essence may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.

©2023 ESSENCE Communications Inc. All Rights Reserved. | Privacy Policy | Terms of Use | Essence.com Advertising Terms

Get The ESSENCE Newsletter and
Special Offers delivered to your inbox

By clicking Sign Up, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.

Get The ESSENCE Magazine
by subscribing below
subscribe now