The Breakfast Club – INTERVIEW: Deon Cole, Derrick Johnson & Louis Carr Talk NAACP Awards, Accountability, Community + More

Date: January 13, 2026
Podcast: The Breakfast Club (iHeartPodcasts)
Hosts: DJ Envy, Jess Hilarious, Charlamagne Tha God
Guests: Deon Cole (Comedian, NAACP Awards Host), Derrick Johnson (NAACP President), Louis Carr (BET President)

Overview

This vibrant and wide-ranging episode celebrates the 57th NAACP Image Awards, offering an in-depth conversation about Black excellence, ownership, community empowerment, and current cultural challenges. The hosts are joined by three influential figures—Deon Cole (comedian and NAACP Awards host), Derrick Johnson (NAACP President), and Louis Carr (recently appointed BET President)—for an insightful discussion that touches on modernizing Black media, cultural accountability, intergenerational relationships, advocacy strategies, and navigating visibility in a changing media landscape.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. The NAACP Image Awards: Purpose and Evolution

• The guests discuss the upcoming 57th NAACP Image Awards and the importance of celebrating Black achievements across media, arts, and community activism.

• Continuity in Hosting
  Derrick Johnson credits Deon Cole for bringing energy and humor:

  "He's funny, he's good. It was a lively show, and it's important to have some continuity." (03:51)

• BET’s Role and Partnership
  Louis Carr explains the deep relationship between BET and the NAACP:

  "We were built on culture at the end of the day. So we're going to be one of the drivers of culture and holding it up and continuing. And that's why we are in partnership with the NAACP and my homeboy, Deon Cole." (04:36)

2. Modernizing BET and Reinforcing Cultural Ownership

• Carr outlines his first major initiative: to reestablish BET as a source of pride and relevance.

  “BET is something you can believe in. We really want people to sort of gravitate and understand that they do have some ownership in this. ... We serve our community.” (05:27)

• DJ Envy and Charlamagne question how BET will bridge technological disruption (e.g., streaming) and re-center authentic Black stories:

  “Now we've got to sort of change our ways and really become more focused on the consumer. And consumer is not just a cable brand.” (06:00)

• On advertiser relationships and maintaining authenticity:

  "We have to understand what advertisers are looking for and then understand where our audience is and how we partner to make it work for both places... The NAACP Image Awards is a great example. You'll see integrations in that show in a very, very special and unique way." (06:34)

3. Self-Investment and Accountability in the Black Community

• Derrick Johnson underscores that valuing and investing in Black institutions is essential:

  "We gotta invest in our own. And as an organization, we have invested and we continue to have the show year after year." (07:24)

• On the 2026 Awards theme, “We See You”:

  "This current political climate is one in which they're trying to erase who we are as a culture, as a people. And so we have to see ourselves ... speak from a surplus mindset and get away from caring about what white folks who don't care about us anyway..." (07:40)

• The ongoing efforts to maintain representation and impact despite industry shifts and political challenges.

4. Political Climate: Advocacy, Voting, and Collective Action

• The NAACP’s ongoing legal and grassroots battles are highlighted, especially regarding voter redistricting and civil rights:

  "Absolutely, we're fighting. But the election have consequences. ... We know who the enemy are. ... It's about all black folks need to get out and vote. Because if we don't, our citizenship, our human essence in this country is at risk." (09:43)

• On rethinking the advocacy playbook:

  "The medium age of our community is 30 years old. Things have already been rethought and rethought again. We are constantly evolving." (10:26)

5. Intergenerational Dialogue & Cultural Education

• Deon Cole addresses misunderstandings about his comments to younger influencers like Kai, emphasizing corrective criticism as care, not hate:

  "With this generation nowadays, corrective criticism is considered hate. It's not hate... My job was to go, hey little brother, check this out. Do that." (13:32)

• Derrick Johnson reframes supposed problems as opportunities for learning:

  "One of the things we must do as a community is learn from past mistakes. Cause we got new ones to make." (15:26)

6. Handling Public Controversies and Representation

• Dion Cole and Derrick Johnson discuss unequal public standards for Black celebrities apologizing or being held to account, compared to other communities:

  Dion: “When people talk bad about us, why isn't there's nobody to answer to? Why is that?” (27:48)
  Johnson: "Far too often we're reacting because the team around us don't look like us. ... If you have people surrounding you that look like us, ... the advice you're getting becomes even more crucial." (28:57)

• The need for Black professionals in legal, management, and advisory roles for Black talent is stressed.

7. BET, Ownership & Authenticity

• Addressing criticism that BET isn’t Black-owned:

  "It's not black owned, but it is black run. ... 90 some percent of the people who run BET look like us. ... There's a team of leadership there that ... our community needs to know..." (35:03)

8. The NAACP’s History – Myths vs. Reality

• Derrick Johnson educates on the racial context of the NAACP’s founding:

  "People who we think are white today, they were not considered white in 1909. ... Black folks created NAACP with the Niagara Movement, ... but [it] was started by a group of people who were 'other'." (36:20)

9. The Power of Joy and Laughter in Advocacy

• Derrick Johnson and Louis Carr express the necessity of joy and laughter as tools of resilience and empowerment:

  "Joy and laughter is also advocacy. You know, art is advocacy." (26:23)

• Deon Cole shares his philosophy on centering peace and authenticity for all guests, famous or not:

  “Everybody come to just ease their mind... My room at the Improv ... you can come in there, have a good time. Ain't nobody gonna record you... So people's know that. ... I'm not gonna waver the way that I am." (20:06)

10. Looking Forward: New Initiatives and Community Investment

• Derrick Johnson announces new NAACP platforms (including podcasting and a $200 million venture capital fund) to support Black-owned projects and voices:

  “We just launched NAACP is a platform for podcasts, short form media... We just launched a venture capital fund so we can reinvest in our communities. A $200 million raise.” (44:49)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Pop Culture and Identity:
  Johnson: “We have to see ourselves and speak from a surplus mindset and get away from caring about what white folks who don't care about us anyway...” (07:40)

• On Responsibility:
  Carr: “BET is something you can believe in. ... They do have some ownership in this. ... Because we serve the culture and we serve our community.” (05:27)

• On Apologizing/Public Redemption:
  Johnson: "Sometimes you do need to apologize because if I made an offensive comment towards black women, y'all would be upside my head... but you need to do it in a way in which you're not demeaning yourself, ... that you're not betraying the essence of who you are." (33:39)

• On Black Advisory Power:
  Johnson: "Far too often we're reacting because the team around us don't look like us... The agent ain't one of us. The manager is not us. The lawyer is not us." (28:57)

• Deon Cole’s comedic signature:
  Cole: “Can you make sure everybody hairline ain't super crispy on the show?” (35:39)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• Introduction of Guests & NAACP Image Awards (03:05–04:14)
• BET’s New Era & Community Focus (04:14–06:34)
• The Disruption of Black Cultural Ownership (05:40–06:34)
• Invest in Our Own Institutions (07:08–08:51)
• NAACP’s Current Advocacy Battles (09:27–10:59)
• Intergenerational Learning, Kai & Corrective Criticism (13:08–15:51)
• BET and Black Ownership Discussion (35:03–36:13)
• NAACP's History Clarified (36:13–37:59)
• Nominee Categories & Selection Process (37:59–41:53)
• Community Exhaustion & Need for Political Engagement (43:02–44:49)
• NAACP's New Initiatives (44:49–45:13)

Additional Highlights

• Behind the Image Awards: The week-long suite of events includes everything from a golf tournament to honoring literary and visual artists.
• Podcast Culture: Deon Cole’s podcast and its role in contemporary Black cultural conversation.
• Celebrity Advocacy: The need for more publicized accountability when other communities are targeted/offended, not just the Black community.
• Art & Joy as Advocacy: Both humor and celebration are positioned as vital strategies for surviving and thriving amid sociopolitical adversity.
• Future Visions: Expansion into podcasts, digital content, and investment funds signal new directions for Black-led institutions.

Conclusion

This candid episode combines laughter, philosophy, and practical advice. It focuses on the ongoing struggle for representation and ownership, calls for greater intergenerational connection, and urges continued investment in Black-led platforms. Listeners are left with both a blueprint and an inspiration for reinforcing accountability, reclaiming narratives, and pushing for collective advancement in 2026 and beyond.

For listeners who missed the episode, this summary serves as both an engaging recap and a resource for understanding the ongoing evolution of Black excellence, advocacy, and media power.