SubwayTakes
| SubwayTakes | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Presentation | |||||||
| Hosted by | Kareem Rahma | ||||||
| Genre | Talk, comedy, current events | ||||||
| Format |
| ||||||
| Language | English | ||||||
| Length | varied | ||||||
| Country of origin | United States | ||||||
| Publication | |||||||
| Original release | July 31, 2023 | ||||||
| Provider | YouTube (2023–present) | ||||||
| Related | |||||||
| Website | www | ||||||
YouTube information | |||||||
| Channel | |||||||
| Years active | 2023–present | ||||||
| Subscribers | 0.58 million[1] | ||||||
| Views | 264.6 million[1] | ||||||
| |||||||
Last updated: July 18, 2025 | |||||||
SubwayTakes, also Subway Takes,[2] is an internet talk show hosted by comedian and media personality Kareem Rahma. Similar to the "man on the street" style of video,[2] the show features interviews by Rahma of civilians and celebrities[3] in the New York City Subway, using a microphone clipped to a MetroCard.
Background
SubwayTakes is an internet talk show co-founded by Kareem Rahma and Andrew Kuo. The show is hosted by Rahma, who uses a MetroCard with a microphone clipped to it to interview people on a subway.[2][4] Rahma prompts the interviewee with "So what's your take?", after which they must "defend" their take in the face of Rahma's agreement or disagreement.[2][5][6]
Rahma and his guests have had brands including H&M, Urban Outfitters, KOTN, and J. Crew sponsor their outfits and has had Microsoft sponsor an interview.[2][5]
SubwayTakes has expanded to Chicago with their series, L Takes.[6]
History
SubwayTakes began in 2023. According to The New York Times, Rahma and Kuo created the show "almost as a whim", but it also served as a gamble to "need to turn this into something that might actually [financially] benefit [them]".[2]
SubwayTakes doubled the number of episodes that they produced from 2 to 4 in early 2024.[2]
In August 2024, SubwayTakes was invited to interview Kamala Harris and Tim Walz. During Rahma's interview of Harris, Harris surprised Rahma when she diverted from the pre-approved take against removing shoes on airplanes to a "Bacon is a spice" take. This take offended Rahma's Muslim beliefs, causing Rahma to ask to do the pre-approved take. But, after being advised by a staffer, Harris moved to a pro-anchovies-on-pizza take. This caused Rahma to quickly end the video. After Walz's interview was published, Harris's campaign apologized for the bacon take and offered to do a reshoot, which Rahma denied.[2]
SubwayTakes partnered with Talkhouse Network to release a long-form version of SubwayTakes in February 2025. The podcast was named SubwayTakes Uncut.[6][7]
References
- ^ a b "About SubwayTakes with Kareem Rahma". YouTube.
- ^ a b c d e f g h Ugwu, Reggie (November 4, 2024). "Kareem Rahma's American Dream". The New York Times.
- ^ "Agree or Disagree: The Hottest Celebrity Subway Takes, from Cate Blanchett on Leaf Blowers to Lil Nas X on Sleeping Arrangements and More". People.com. Retrieved July 4, 2025.
- ^ Watamanuk, Tyler (September 20, 2023). "How a Subway Talk Show Won Over the Internet (and Olivia Wilde)". GQ. Retrieved June 29, 2025.
- ^ a b Pandya, Hershal (May 28, 2025). "SubwayTakes Is Trying to Squeeze All the Juice". Vulture.
- ^ a b c Jones, C. T. (March 26, 2025). "'Subway Takes' Is a TikTok Hit. Kareem Rahma Planned It That Way". Rolling Stone.
- ^ Horowitz, Steven J. (February 20, 2025). "Kareem Rahma's 'SubwayTakes' Announces Podcast Launch in Partnership With Talkhouse Network (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Retrieved July 2, 2025.