When we piloted Dishin’ It With Justin Carter at The Shade Room, host Justin Carter welcomed Don Lemon as his first guest. Don brought his mom’s succotash recipe, and the premiere went on to win Bronze in the online General News & News Feature category at the 47th Annual Telly Awards. It was one of two wins for The Shade Room.
Don and Justin talked about everything from Elon Musk to Don’s wedding guests while they cooked. I love that we got to launch a new show with a conversation that felt like it could happen in somebody’s kitchen. To see the very first episode recognized was a big moment for our team and for the long-form originals we’ve been building at TSR Studios.
See the official Telly Awards listing and credits.
What did The Shade Room win at the 2026 Telly Awards?
The Shade Room won two Bronze Telly Awards in 2026. The premiere of Dishin’ It With Justin Carter, featuring first guest Don Lemon, won in Online General News & News Feature. The Stepping Into The Shade Room interview with Lisa Phillips won in Online General Interview & Talk Show.
Watch the full episode with Don Lemon
Watch the full Dishin’ It With Justin Carter playlist
Watch the premiere on YouTube
A second Telly for our Lisa Phillips interview
We also won Bronze in the online General Interview & Talk Show category for our Stepping Into The Shade Room interview with Lisa Phillips. In conversation with Thembi Mawema, Lisa spoke about grooming, power, surviving Jeffrey Epstein’s abuse, and sharing her story on her own terms. The interview also earned both the Webby Award and the People’s Voice Award. I wrote separately about what it meant to hear from Lisa after those wins: What Lisa Phillips Said After Our Two Webby Wins.
See Lisa’s Telly listing · See both Webby wins
Congratulations to Justin Carter, Thembi Mawema, Michael Jones, Jonathan Simon, Hugh Carr, Taj Rani, and the entire TSR Studios team. Thank you to Angelica Nwandu for trusting us to try new formats, and to Don and Lisa for sharing their stories with us.
Read my announcement on LinkedIn.
