LeBron James, now of the Los Angeles Lakers, is taking advantage of his hometown barber shop now being in Hollywood. In HBO’s new fly-on-the-wall docu-series The Shop, Lebron James serves as the center of gravity for many types of stars and out of this world personalities to voice their opinions and perspectives.

The Shop is just the newest avenue into the lives of athletically gifted and socially active stars. LeBron serves as the conduit of conversation. The Shop has proved HBO’s distribution and programming is the perfect avenue for what has so far mostly lived up to HBO’s pitch of an “unfiltered conversation and debate with some of the biggest names in sport and entertainment.”

Two episodes have been aired, with a remaining six to be spread out through the rest of the NBA season if the schedule remains the same. With the first episode aired in late August, and the second going public in early mid October, there is likely to be a holiday episode in the coming month.

HBO’s The Shop will feature Lebron in every episode while cycling though various guest and barber shops across the country. Of course, there will be editing as this is not a live conversation, so one cannot expect a fully candid and explicit conversation. Lebron’s company, Uninterrupted, will protect the brand while also trying to further social conversations and lead civil debates.

The series features a lineup starring four-time NBA MVP LeBron James and Maverick Carter, Snoop Dogg, Odell Beckham Jr., Alvin Kamara, Draymond Green, Candace Parker and Jon Stewart, who is definitely invited to the barbecue, judging by his reception.

Stewart’s past as a comedic yet politically astute commentator allowed him some graceful moments to provide honest perspectives. Even if it was to point out that white places of hair refinement revolve around magazines, where black barbershops revolve around playful banter.

Where the old white Jewish lady with a magazine might reign down judgement on those fancy people in the magazine, the old black man in the barbershop was keeping young-bloods on their toes regarding shoes and movie choices. Or so I am led to believe in episode 1 of The Shop.

With a third episode likely airing in the next few weeks, the first two episodes have been quite candid. The perceptions have been well beyond just playing ball, and has been a shining example of why “Shut Up and Play Ball” is never the solution. The solution is never as simple as a few words, because the problems and perspectives have too many layers.

Odell Beckham Jr. explains how people will yell at him when he is in a rush at the store, and then get mad when he is just a guy, in a rush, trying to get away from the store.

No one on The Shop is a born athlete. They choose to become athletes, and to pursue athletic careers. We are all humans first. We are humans before we are even citizens. Sports is a way to cross boundaries, and provide one strand in the strands of understanding between cultures.

No matter the language, or the sport, Ball Don’t Lie is universal. From there, from that understanding, friendships and lasting bonds can sprout.

There are levels to it. LeBron did not want to have anything to do with white people in high school. He admits he just wanted to ball with his friends, this school happened to be nicer than most. Like, discovery of a what a pantry is nice. And soon everyone was balling together.

As Jon Stewart points out, Lebron jumped into private Catholic school white America. There are levels to black America just as there are levels to white America. The Confederate flag waving supporters of Donald Trump are a wholly different America. And as Micheal Bennett pointed out, Lebron is speaking out where Micheal Jordan did not.

Athletes are refusing to just play ball and toe the company line. Arenas are filled because of their athletic feats, and for civic pride misguided as that may be. Jordan showed athletes could be the face of their own brand. Lebron is leading the way in showing that athletes can be their own voice and image as well. That is the new model, the new answer to Jon Stewart’s hanging question regarding celebrity athletes and entertainers, ‘How can their excellence be their own?’

The Shop is just one more avenue for athletes of all backgrounds and genders to give some insight into what is sacrificed and what is gained by striving for excellence, but also life balance. Draymond Green was quick to point out, those in the room and the industry have only one responsibility, and that is to true to what you believe in.

There is every reason to believe that the next six episodes of The Shop will be just as educational as they have been entertaining. The Shop can be streamed on the HBOGO app.