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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

47:26

What If You Could Change Your Race? w/ Amy Wang

The Sam Sanders Show ·

2026/03/13

A twisted new horror film is being described as a mix between 'The Substance' and 'Mean Girls.' Sam can’t stop thinking about it.'Slanted' follows an insecure Chinese American teenager who desperately wants to fit in, but faces constant bullying and discrimination. Then she finds a drastic solution — ethnic modification — surgery that makes her appear white. Pale skin, blue eyes and blonde hair included. Amy Wang wrote and directed the wildly brutal movie. She

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23:39

Bruce Vilanch: What Makes an Oscars Host Funny?

The Sam Sanders Show ·

2026/03/10

It’s almost Oscars weekend, so we’re hanging out with the man behind some of the wildest moments in the ceremony’s history. Comedian Bruce Vilanch spent 25 years writing for the Oscars. He crafted jokes for legendary hosts like Whoopi Goldberg, Steve Martin, Billy Crystal and more. He spoke with Sam last year about his experiences in the job and his advice for aspiring comedy writers. Bruce Vilanch’s book is called:It Seemed Like a Bad Idea at the Time:

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54:03

Can The Oscars Be Fixed?

The Sam Sanders Show ·

2026/03/06

Awards season in Hollywood is in its final stretch. The suspense is rising. The Oscars are imminent. The ceremony is always full of glitz and glamour, but for years it’s been plagued by disappointments. Long and boring broadcasts. Unjustified snubs. Clunky skits and speeches. Despite it all, Sam loves to watch, but he has some ideas to fix Hollywood’s biggest night. Joining the show are two entertainment journalism heavyweights: Jacqueline Coley is awards editor at

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24:48

WTF is a Clavicular?

The Sam Sanders Show ·

2026/03/03

Looksmaxxing. Mogging. Clavicular.There’s an alarming new figure (and vocabulary) taking over influencer culture. What does it all mean for the current internet? Here to explain is author and artistJohn Paul Brammer, who recently wrote about this forPlayboy Magazine. Sign up forSam’s Newsletter to get behind the scenes stuff from every interview each week. And remember to take oursurvey! We want to know more about you and what you love about the show. The Sam

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45:03

Kate Hudson: Who Gets to Be Taken Seriously?

The Sam Sanders Show ·

2026/02/27

Kate Hudson has always loved acting, but she feels the most like herself when she’s singing. It’s how she landed her role in the musical drama ‘Song Sung Blue.’ She stars alongside Hugh Jackman as performers in a Neil Diamond tribute band. She’s now nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actress for her performance. Kate tells Sam about how Quincy Jones encouraged her to sing as a kid and how she finally found the courage to share her voice. Kate

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30:59

Would K-Pop Exist Without Black Culture?

The Sam Sanders Show ·

2026/02/24

From the Billboard charts to the Oscars, K-Pop is bigger than ever in Hollywood. Along with its global domination, there’s a dark side to the genre. Blatant appropriation of Black American culture. K-Pop stars caught using racial slurs. Fandoms torn apart over anti-Black racism.So, how should we all be thinking about K-Pop in 2026? Sam poses that question to Dr. Sarah Olutola,novelist and professor at Lakehead University. Her research centers on pop culture, Black culture

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33:14

Help! My dad is dating a scammer! (From This Is...

The Sam Sanders Show ·

2026/02/22

Today we’re sharing Sam’s episode from This Is Uncomfortable.The show is all about life and how money messes with it. Sam joins host Reema Khrais to answer listener questions about finances and dating. They tackle issues with scammers, secret investments, and polyamorous partners. Remember to take oursurvey! We want to know more about you and what you love about the show. Sign up forSam’s Newsletter to get behind the scenes stuff from every interview each

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39:16

Ms. Pat: Can Laughter Save Democracy?

The Sam Sanders Show ·

2026/02/20

Comedian and actor Ms. Pat kinda does it all. She performs standup, hosts her own podcast and created the acclaimed sitcom The Ms. Pat Show on BET+. The series is known for mixing a laugh track with real issues like racism, sexual assault and immigration. A recent episode follows Ms. Pat’s family as they help a young kid hide from ICE agents, while the show’s fictional President comes to town. Chaos ensues, but the story demonstrates Ms. Pat’s sharp ability to

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28:27

How Did Mormon Moms Take Over Pop Culture?

The Sam Sanders Show ·

2026/02/17

The moment is Mormon. From The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City, to The Bachelorette, to popular TikTok accounts like Ballerina Farm, women of the LDS faith are dominating pop culture right now.Sam breaks it all down with author and journalist Bridget Read. Her latest piece for New York Magazine is titled:Under The Mormon Influence. Bridget unveils the ‘receipts, proof, timeline…everything’ behind this phenomenon. Plus, could all this new attention radically

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49:44

Nia DaCosta: Why is Real Life Scarier Than Horror Films?

The Sam Sanders Show ·

2026/02/13

Director Nia DaCosta has done it all. Horror, period drama, and even a Marvel blockbuster. Through it all, Nia is always asking: What does it mean to be human? Her latest films Hedda and 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple are no different.She tells Sam about how horror themes mirror the real world, how she found her voice as one of the few Black women directors in the business, and why she’s not interested in teaching white people about race through her films. Sign up

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16:45

Why Are Movie Wigs Still So Bad?!

The Sam Sanders Show ·

2026/02/10

As awards season grinds on, we're revisiting a topic that really irks Sam – bad wigs on the big screen. Why do sooo many wigs look so wrong? Here to break down what’s going on is Hollywood hairstylist and wigmaker Dawn Dudley. Her work has been seen inA Star is Born, Rob Zombie’sThe Munsters, HBO’sWestworldand tons more. She breaks down what’s really happening on Hollywood sets and says it’s often not the hairstylist’s fault.Sign up

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46:14

How Did Therapy Change Sherry Cola’s Comedy?

The Sam Sanders Show ·

2026/02/06

Actor and comedian Sherry Cola often finds wild parallels between the characters she plays on screen and her personal life, including her new role in the hit dramedy Shrinking.She breaks down how the show normalizes therapy with humor, what she’s learned from years of therapy, and why she picks roles that break the stereotype of the model minority. She also shares how playing a queer character in Freeform’s Good Trouble helped her finally come out to her

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28:38

Can Bad Bunny Save America?

The Sam Sanders Show ·

2026/02/03

From the Grammys to the Super Bowl, this is Bad Bunny’s world… We’re just lucky to live in it. But his presence goes far beyond music.Dr. Nate Rodriguez, professor of journalism and media studies at San Diego State University, teaches a course all about Bad Bunny’s influence on media, identity and global culture. Sam and Dr. Nate dive into the contrast of Bad Bunny’s success, while ICE is flooding American cities. They also discuss what the NFL

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27:46

The Millennial Internet, from Buzzfeed Quizzes to...

The Sam Sanders Show ·

2026/02/01

Today we’re sharing Sam’s episode from The Assignment with Audie Cornish.This year marks a milestone for Millennials: the youngest of the cohort finally turns 30. So what comes next for the first generation of true digital natives now that they have achieved “unc” status? Audie talks with Sam Sanders about the generation that watched media transform from Buzzfeed quizzes into AI slop. They also discuss Millennial activism taking over the

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38:29

George Civeris: Is this Gay Millennial Middle Age?

The Sam Sanders Show ·

2026/01/30

Should I have kids? Is there still enough time? Does time even matter? Comedian George Civeris is grappling with a lot of life’s big questions lately. He explores all of this in his latest standup specialA Sense Of Urgency. He also chats with Sam about making jokes when the world is on fire and his own (sort of) immigrant experience as a gay millennial. Plus, they dive into his hottest takes on The Real Housewives, lost monoculture and gay vacation destinations. Check out

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25:27

How 'Heated Rivalry' Even Seduced Russia

The Sam Sanders Show ·

2026/01/27

Everyone is well aware of Heated Rivalry’s immense popularity. The gay hockey romance seduced the masses in ways we haven’t seen in years… Maybe decades? The show even has a following in Russia, where queer media is outlawed.Russian journalist Mikhail Zygar is familiar with that climate. He was exiled in 2022 when he came out as a gay and married his now husband. Mikhail recently wrote about the parallels between the show and his own life forVanity Fair. He

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39:21

TikTok Stars on the Politicians Begging Them for...

The Sam Sanders Show ·

2026/01/25

Today we’re sharing an episode from KCRW’s Question Everything. What happens when TikTokers replace TV hosts and interviewers, and presidential candidates start begging to be on their shows? Question Everything host Brian Reed sits down in a Brooklyn wine shop with four of the internet’s biggest creators: Caleb Simpson, who gets people on the street to take him up to their apartments; Julian Shapiro-Barnum who interviews kids on Recess Therapy; Anania Williams

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48:36

What’s Raphael Saadiq’s Golden Rule for Making Music?

The Sam Sanders Show ·

2026/01/23

Raphael Saadiq has been influential to the music industry since he burst onto the scene with his group Tony! Toni! Toné! — since then he’s produced hits with artists like Beyoncé and scored countless film and TV projects. He’s now nominated for an Academy Award for Best Original Song for his blues anthem “I Lied To You” from the blockbuster film Sinners. He breaks down what went into creating the song, his connection to director Ryan

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27:52

WTF is up with Spotify?

The Sam Sanders Show ·

2026/01/20

There’s a little trend that’s gaining a lot of traction… Many people are leaving Spotify – and making a fuss on their way out.They’re angry at the platform and the algorithm. They’re angry with how it pays artists. Some users are very angry about the ads Spotify runs. It’s quite the vibe shift for the world’s largest music streaming service. Sam breaks it all down withBloomberg’s Ashley Carman who recently reported from

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63:55

The State of Movies in 2026 (ft. The Big Picture)

The Sam Sanders Show ·

2026/01/16

It’s officially awards season in Hollywood – with endless red carpets, secret ballots, snubs, scandals… and vibes that feel increasingly weird.Joining Sam to check-in on the health of the movie industry are two of the sharpest cinephiles in the game. Amanda Dobbins and Sean Fennessey, hosts ofThe Big Picture podcast. They unpack the drama shaping this year’s hottest races and break down this era of dramatic mergers, shrinking monoculture, and box office

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163 results

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