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PODCAST

The Sam Sanders Show

KCRW & Sam Sanders

The Sam Sanders Show from KCRW is your guide to entertainment. Find out what makes your favorite artists tick, dissect the trends that shape our culture, or just make sense of that random meme you can’t stop thinking about. Join us every week to unpack the pop culture we love. Sign up forSam’s Newsletter to get behind the scenes stuff from every interview each week. Sam Sanders is an award-winning podcast and radio host. He’s been named best podcast host by both The

society & culture

All Episodes

27:23

Is Rap Music Dead? with Broken Record’s Justin Richmond

The Sam Sanders Show ·

2025/11/05

For the first time in 35 years, there are no rap songs in Billboard’s Top 40.Is hip-hop in trouble?Sam breaks down what it all means with Justin Richmond, music journalist and host of Pushkin’sBroken Record podcast. The two chat about the warning signs that might have led to this moment, how hip hop has evolved, and how Black music continues to influence artists across genres today. Sign up for Sam’s Newsletter to get behind the scenes stuff from every

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32:30

Is the Grind of a Comedian Never-Ending?

The Sam Sanders Show ·

2025/10/31

Comedian Jazmyn W. pokes fun at everything from being a single mom to dating post-divorce. It’s part therapy, part life advice, and 100% real.She chats with Sam about why she isn’t afraid to be honest in her stand up, the realities of working as a comedian and content creator, and why even though she has over a million followers on TikTok, she couldn't care less if the app shuts down. Plus, Jazmyn’s hot take on reality dating shows. Sign up forSam’s

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27:46

Is Jaws Really a Horror Movie?

The Sam Sanders Show ·

2025/10/29

It’s a bonus episode! From now on you’ll get Sam in your feed two times a week with a new segment we’re calling Not Safe for Radio.Sam will chat with friends, writers, podcasters (and sometimes the team behind this show) about what we’re obsessed with to what we’re reading to pop culture hot topics and more. This week… When Sam placed Jaws on our Horror Movie Mt. Rushmore our videographer, Luis Peña, had A LOT to say. Sam and Luis

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50:55

Shoulda Been a Sugar Baby? w/ Phoebe Robinson

The Sam Sanders Show ·

2025/10/24

We were all burned by the #GIRLBOSS era… just ask comedian Phoebe Robinson. Her latest standup special I Don’t Wanna Work Anymore gets into all the ways hustle culture made us all tired.Phoebe and Sam break down the realities of the girlboss, trad wives and tired baddies everywhere. They also reflect on the legacy of her comedy podcast2 Dope Queens, which she hosted with friend and fellow comedian Jessica Williams. Plus, Phoebe shares why it’s just too late

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50:12

Horror Movie Faves & Should Taylor Swift Retire?

The Sam Sanders Show ·

2025/10/17

Hallelujah! It's finally spooky season! Time to break down the very best of Hollywood horror. Joining the show are culture journalists Brittany Luse (host of NPR’s It’s Been a Minute) and Tre’vell Anderson (host of the film podcast SEATED).They rank their favorite scary movies of all time and build the definitive Horror Movie Mount Rushmore. Can anything top Jordan Peele's Get Out? They also dive into the drama of celebrating Halloween while growing up

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51:34

Can KPop Heal Us All? w/ Songwriter Mark Sonnenblick

The Sam Sanders Show ·

2025/10/10

Maybe there actually was a song of the summer? At least if you’ve seen the hit movie KPop Demon Hunters. The film’s hottest song, Golden, has been dominating the Billboard Hot 100 charts since August. And it’s the most popular film to ever hit Netflix.SongwriterMark Sonnenblick helped create the soundtrack’s major pop anthems. He talks about bringing them to life, his songwriting process, and why music is vital to great storytelling. Plus, he shares his

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51:57

Can Satire Save Democracy? w/ The Onion CEO Ben Collins

The Sam Sanders Show ·

2025/10/03

Ben Collins became CEO of The Onion after a long career working in traditional news, so he's got major thoughts about speaking truth to power. He breaks down the role of satire in our current politics and what journalism is getting wrong about free speech.Ben also talks about relaunching The Onion’s print newspaper and why AI will never write a good joke. Plus, he shares his pop culture hot take. Sign up for Sam’s Newsletter to get behind the scenes stuff from every

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51:25

Is It Ever OK to Lie? w/ June Squibb

The Sam Sanders Show ·

2025/09/26

Actor June Squibb became a Hollywood leading lady in her 90s, decades after she first began acting. She tells Sam about finding stardom in older age, her Broadway debut in Gypsy in 1959, and why it’s alright to bend the truth every now and then.They also discuss her latest starring role in Scarlett Johansson’s directorial debut Eleanor the Great. The film follows June’s character, Eleanor, who gets swept up in a big lie... Sign up forSam’s Newsletter to

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50:05

Are Nepo Babies Cool Now? with Zosia Mamet

The Sam Sanders Show ·

2025/09/19

Zosia Mamet is known for her breakout role as Shoshanna in the millennial core HBO series Girls.She breaks down the show's lasting legacy, what her character would be up to today, and why younger generations are still connecting with the show.Plus, Zosia’s new book of essays, Does This Make Me Funny?, gets candid about being a self-described “B-minus nepo baby” and what it's like to work with badly behaved bosses in Hollywood (it sucks). Sign up for

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50:28

Can Pop Culture Cure a Broken Heart? w/ Anna Sale

The Sam Sanders Show ·

2025/09/12

Anna Sale hosts one of our favorite podcasts (and probably yours too) Death, Sex & Money.In honor of her show, Sam and Anna roundup their picks for the best movies, tv shows, music and books all about (you guessed it!) death, sex and money. Together they get into the timeless lessons on grief in The Lion King, why Bonnie Raitt’s catalog is the ultimate remedy for heartbreak, and some surprisingly racy Aretha Franklin lyrics. Plus, Anna shares where she found joy this

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50:55

Should We Still Care About Fashion? w/ Robin Givhan

The Sam Sanders Show ·

2025/09/05

Pulitzer Prize–winning fashion critic Robin Givhan joins Sam to talk style, luxury, and legacy. Sam also asks the eternal question: which jeans should he wear—skinny, baggy, barrel, or wide leg?Robin offers sharp fashion advice and dives into her new book, Make It Ours: Crashing the Gates of Culture with Virgil Abloh. They unpack the rebellious influence of Virgil Abloh—the late visionary behind Off-White and the first Black designer to lead Louis

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42:54

A Brief History of Terrible Lyrics (from Switched On...

The Sam Sanders Show ·

2025/08/29

Why do bad lyrics happen to good people?From ‘suckin' on a chili dog’ to ‘making love to his tonic and gin,’ even the biggest hits from our favorite artists can feature lyrical turns that make us feel quizzical, offended, or even downright nauseated. Sam joins Nate and Charlie, hosts of the Vulture music podcast Switched on Pop, to plumb the depths of the worst pop lyrics of all time—culled from hundreds of listener submissions—to categorize,

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40:58

Does Pop Culture Give a F*#% about Friendship?

The Sam Sanders Show ·

2025/08/22

BFF’s Lindy West and Meagan Hatcher-Mays (Text Me Back! Podcast) dive into what pop culture gets right (and wrong) about friendships.The duo share their hot takes with Sam, make a case for renaming Love Island to Friendship Island, and ask if MTV’s The Real World ruined the country. Plus, should some problematic celebrities (cough *Cardi B* cough) get a pass for being too real? Want more Lindy and Meagan? Check out their Substack for Text Me Back! Sign up for

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49:07

Bob the Drag Queen: What is Freedom?

The Sam Sanders Show ·

2025/08/15

Harriet Tubman… as a rap icon?Bob the Drag Queen’s new book Harriet Tubman: Live in Concert reimagines the historical icon as an abolitionist rapper in present-day America. Bob tells Sam about Tubman’s radical impact on history and why he’s obsessed with her legacy. They dive into what freedom means in 2025. Plus, Bob shares hilarious impressions (Thanks, Obama) and his thoughts on today’s protest music. Sign up forSam’s Newsletter to get

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46:58

Big Freedia: Is Twerking Next to Godliness?

The Sam Sanders Show ·

2025/08/08

Big Freedia is best known as the Queen of Bounce, but her new gospel albumPressing Onward showcases her holy roots.She tells Sam about growing up as a young gay church kid in New Orleans, what moved her to make a gospel album, and how twerking and praising God go hand in hand. Plus, Big Freedia breaks down her iconic feature on Beyoncé’s 2016 hit single “Formation.” Pressing Onward is out now. Sign up for Sam’s Newsletter to get behind the scenes

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59:13

Did Beyoncé Change Country Music Forever?

The Sam Sanders Show ·

2025/08/01

Beyoncé just wrapped her Cowboy Carter era, which saw an acclaimed world tour, historic Grammys wins, and a lot of backlash. So what does her massive crossover really mean for country music and its politics?Writer and cultural critic Tressie McMillan Cottom joins Sam to unpack whether or not country music still has a race problem (spoiler alert: it does), the reaction to Beyoncé’s success in the genre, and if Cowboy Carter truly opened doors for Black

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49:43

Are We Living in a Feminist Dystopia?

The Sam Sanders Show ·

2025/07/25

This week, writer Anne Helen Petersen unpacks the idea of Feminist Exhaustion — a term she coined to describe the burnout, backlash, and disillusionment many women feel toward the hollow promises of modern feminism. Sam and Anne explore how pop culture shaped (and warped) our ideas of empowerment through shows like Scandal, Girls and basically every recent Nicole Kidman project. Plus, they dive into the evolution from girlboss to tradwife, and ask how future generations

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4:07

Checking in from the public media dumpster fire

The Sam Sanders Show ·

2025/07/24

Anyone else exhausted?

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53:43

What’s Worth Watching (and Skipping) in 2025 So Far?

The Sam Sanders Show ·

2025/07/18

We’re halfway through the year, so it’s time for a pop culture check-in!Sam is joined by two of your faves — Linda Holmes (Pop Culture Happy Hour) and Ronald Young Jr. (Leaving the Theater, Weight For It) — to break down the best and worst of the year so far. From Sinners to The Studio to Love Island and the online discourse that kept us all talking. Plus, an epic fix for The White Lotus season four (you’re welcome). Sign up for Sam’s

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54:26

Can Atsuko Okatsuka Turn Family Trauma Into Comedy Gold?

The Sam Sanders Show ·

2025/07/11

Atsuko Okatsuka’s comedy is bright and joyful, yet rooted in trauma. In this episode, she joins Sam to talk about her wild childhood, including being kidnapped by her grandmother, growing up undocumented in LA, and navigating her mother’s schizophrenia. They also talk about Atsuko’s new Hulu special Father, and what it reveals about marriage, mental illness, and emotional survival. Along the way, she explains why she calls herself the “father” in

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