Jemele Hill Launches New Podcast, ‘Spolitics’ At iHeart

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Radio and TV personality – and frequent Twitter/X commenter Jemele Hill is getting back into the podcast game . She recently announced a new weekly podcast, Spolitics launching on Oct. 17 on iHeart platforms and wherever podcasts are found.

“My fellow Americans, I come to you today with a very important message,” she said in a promo on her social media platforms. “Starting on October 17, I’m returning to the podcast world with a new weekly podcast that examines the relationship between sports and politics. It’s called Spolitics. Catchy isn’t it?”

She added, “Now on Spolitics I’ll be examining and discussing the most important political and social issues of our time, all through the lens of sports, and with some of the biggest names and smartest people. The loud and wrong crowd would have you believe there’s no place for sports in politics.

But they’re more intertwined than they’ve ever been. Our most beloved athletes have consistently used their platforms to make important political statements. And let’s not forget politicians who use sports to get in good with voters. Now in an election year, it’s no better time to discuss the role sports plays in this turbulent political time.”

A new episode of Spolitics will air every Thursday. Hill’s first guests will be longtime sports host Dan LeBatard, who will discuss his Cuban upbringing and how it relates to his sports career and sports journalist and author Bill Rhoden, who wrote the book, Forty Million Dollar Slaves: The Rise, Fall, and Redemption of the Black Athlete.

Other upcoming guests are NFL player turned TV personality LeSean McCoy, Michigan Lt. Gov Garlin Gilchrist, Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian, who recently pulled off the Althos all-female track competition, independent journalist Roland Martin, political journalist Errin Haines of The 19th, and boxer Claressa Shields.

Hill continues to expand on the brand she built after joining ESPN in 2006. After appearing on several shows the University of Michigan graduate ultimately joined co-host Michael Smith on His & Hers. Their joint effort to co-host Sportscenter failed in the wake of the “anti-woke” backlash. Hill left the network in 2018, after being suspended for tweets about Jerry Jones and Donald Trump.

She landed on her feet, signing deals with Spotify and Vice TV where she hosted a podcast, Cari and Jemele: Won’t Stick to Sports with former ESPN host Cari Champion. She’s now developing a comedy sitcom with Gabrielle Union and is executive producing a Colin Kaepernick documentary, Da Saga of Colin Kaepernick, directed by Spike Lee, set to air on ESPN. Hill also recently signed with industry heavy hitter WME for all representation.

“I’m very excited to join the iHeartPodcasts family during this critical time in American politics,” Hill said in a statement. “Sports and politics always have been connected, and on this podcast, I’ll be exploring that deep connection with important newsmakers and smart people. The goal is to use the unifying element of sports as a lens to make people better understand that politics touches every corner of our lives.”