SubwayTakes Becomes First Social Media Talk Show Nominated for an Emmy

Kareem Rahma, a former journalist and comedian, launched SubwayTakes in 2023 by filming unscripted celebrity interviews on New York subway cars, a concept he adopted after several earlier ventures failed. The series, which runs in short vertical-format episodes, asks guests to state a bold opinion and then forces Rahma to either fully agree or fully disagree, creating rapid, often humorous exchanges. Notable participants have ranged from Javier Bardem, who praised hard-rock music, to Matt Damon, who highlighted water’s importance.

With roughly 750 million cumulative views, 1.5 million TikTok followers, 1.1 million YouTube subscribers and 2.3 million Instagram followers, the show has become a cultural touchstone for online talk-show formats. Its recent Emmy nomination in the Outstanding Short Form Comedy, Drama or Variety Series category makes it the inaugural social-media program to receive such recognition, competing against Netflix’s Bad Thoughts and Colbert Before Air. Rahma sees the nod as a milestone for independent creators seeking parity with legacy television networks.