Loading...

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

30:35

Hollywood’s Biggest Movie Star Flopped. What Now?

The Sam Sanders Show ·

2026/10/06

In this episode, Sam asks: What even is a flop? And if a flop happens to the biggest movie star alive, is it actually something else altogether?We’re talking about Tom Cruise and his newest movie ‘Digger.’ Directed by Alejandro G. Iñárritu, this was supposed to be Tom’s ticket to finally win an Oscar…He has long been Hollywood’s biggest brand ambassador after all. But then, the movie flopped. Hard. Critically and commercially

en-us

45:07

Barry Jenkins: The Legacy Of 'Moonlight'

The Sam Sanders Show ·

2026/10/02

Ten years ago, 'Moonlight' premiered in theaters with an entirely Black cast and a haunting queer story that captivated audiences. It quickly earned critical acclaim and won three Oscars, including Best Picture, Best Supporting Actor and Best Adapted Screenplay.Director Barry Jenkins joins Sam to celebrate the film’s enduring legacy. He also breaks down how the project reflects his own relationship with his mother, and shares a very touching story involving a bootleg

en-us

47:42

Kerry Washington Has a Podcast?!

The Sam Sanders Show ·

2026/09/29

Sam is feeling sooo nostalgic this episode.Flashback to 2012. Monoculture is omnipresent. ‘Scandal’ is on every Thursday night. Twitter is ablaze with reactions to the iconic Olivia Pope, played by Kerry Washington. Sam never misses an episode. Flash forward to today, and Kerry now has a lot in common with Sam. She just launched a new podcast called Street You Grew Up On. The show revolves around one simple question — Can you tell me about the street you grew

en-us

37:24

John Cho Just Wants To Connect

The Sam Sanders Show ·

2026/09/25

John Cho has portrayed plenty of lovable characters in Hollywood, but never a villain.In the new action thriller ‘Your Mother Your Mother Your Mother,’ John finally steps into that role as a violent evangelical pastor. His character is equipped with a cowboy hat, gold grills and huge guns. John spoke with Sam about preparing for the role, the importance of connection and how becoming a father changed the way he approaches his craft. Plus, a decade after the viral

en-us

41:00

Introducing: Reaching Out

The Sam Sanders Show ·

2026/09/23

Today we’re excited to share a special episode of Reaching Out, a new podcast from Futuro and KCRW. Hailed by Ira Glass as the “best new show I’ve heard in years,” Reaching Out is a story about fathers, sons, and the distance between. The story begins on the eve of twin brothers’ Sayre and Connor’s 30th birthday, when they set out to find the biological father who abandoned them before they were born. Their search pulls them through desert

en-us

25:50

It’s Time To Have Better Fights w/ Priya Parker

The Sam Sanders Show ·

2026/09/22

From The Real Housewives to The Jerry Springer Show, today’s episode is all about conflict through the lens of pop culture. Author and conflict facilitator Priya Parker joins Sam to explain why conflict is so vital to building healthy communities and relationships. She also breaks down the tactics we often see in the media, and how they can teach us to fight in healthier ways. Priya even encourages something we do on this show a lot…Sharing and defending Hot

en-us

48:53

Orville Peck: How Do You Hide Rock Bottom in Plain...

The Sam Sanders Show ·

2026/09/18

Orville Peck bares his soul in his music, but chances are you wouldn’t be able to pick him out of a crowd.For the entirety of his country music career he has been wearing a literal mask, on and off the stage. For Orville, the mask gives him the strength to be vulnerable. In his new album,Mule, he opens up even more while singing songs about his darkest moments with addiction, his time in rehab, and his path to sobriety. Orville tells Sam about hitting rock bottom, how he

en-us

36:54

Is 2026 The Year of Book Monoculture?

The Sam Sanders Show ·

2026/09/15

Books are bringing people together this year in ways Sam has never seen before. There have been a handful of times in the last few months alone when it felt like he was in one giant book club with his friends, reading the same books, and having deep conversations. It made Sam ask himself … are books actually hot this year? Or should we believe the headlines that Western society is moving toward apost literate society? To figure it out, Sam turns to his favorite book

en-us

45:46

David Archuleta Powered Through Mormon Shame

The Sam Sanders Show ·

2026/09/11

David Archuleta shot to fame while competing on American Idol when he was just 17 years old.During his time on the show he was a poster boy for his Mormon faith, but behind the scenes he was forced to hide his sexuality and queerness. He describes all of this in his memoir Devout: Losing My Faith to Find Myself. David talks to Sam about learning to accept himself, why his time on American Idol was terrifying, and the surprising ways he’s found community after leaving his

en-us

29:48

Not The Odyssey: Small Movies Had A Big Blockbuster...

The Sam Sanders Show ·

2026/09/08

We gotta admit, this summer felt great for movies! From all the monoculture surrounding The Odyssey, to the successful sleeper hits like Backrooms and Obsession, the past few months felt like a magical comeback for the industry. Joining Sam to break it all down is Jacqueline Coley, awards editor at Rotten Tomatoes and host of theSeen On The Screen podcast. Together, they unpack the biggest lessons for Hollywood and also give some movie recommendations for your watchlist. Sign up

en-us

54:29

Wyclef Jean: How To Write A Hit Song

The Sam Sanders Show ·

2026/09/04

Musician and rapper Wyclef Jean shot to fame in the ‘90s after founding the seminal hip-hop group Fugees. Since then, he’s had an impressive solo career with plenty of acclaimed projects. He’s also become an undeniable hitmaker, creating massive records for artists like Shakira, Santana, Whitney Houston and many more.Wyclef joined Sam in the studio with his guitar, to play some songs that tell his life story. From his campaign to be president of Haiti, to his

en-us

25:44

Fred Armisen Revisits Portlandia

The Sam Sanders Show ·

2026/09/01

This episode, we’re going back in time for one of Sam’s favorite shows…‘Portlandia!’For eight seasons, the sketch comedy show famously poked fun at the hipster culture, all while set in a fictionalized version of Portland. Creators and co-stars Fred Armisen and Carrie Brownstein played many of the show’s central characters. Now, they’re revisiting the episodes with a weekly rewatch podcast called ‘Podlandia: A-O Rewatch with Fred

en-us

39:55

What Made Dolly Parton So Beloved?

The Sam Sanders Show ·

2026/08/27

We will always love Dolly Parton.Sam unpacks Dolly’s immense legacy withAnn Powers, critic and correspondent for NPR Music. Together they spend time reflecting on her many hit songs, her brilliant roles in Hollywood and her everlasting philanthropic efforts. They also break down the secrets to Dolly’s impeccable stardom, diving into what exactly made her so ubiquitous and beloved. Plus, they share some overlooked music from her catalog. Also, make sure to check out

en-us

34:12

Did Summer 2026 Bring Back Monoculture?

The Sam Sanders Show ·

2026/08/25

Whether it was big sporting events, or big blockbusters, or even celebrity weddings, Summer 2026 had a ton of pop culture that we all consumed together. For the first time in years, we even talked about it all together.But was it actually a return of monoculture? Sam looks at how this happened (and if it will ever happen again) with Esther Zuckerman, culture reporter for The Wall Street Journal who recently wrote all about themonoculture phenomenon. Sign up for Sam’s

en-us

44:57

Janelle James: What’s It Like To Embody A Diva?

The Sam Sanders Show ·

2026/08/21

Comedian Janelle James became a star after playing the selfish, scamming, yet hilarious principal Ava Coleman in 'Abbott Elementary.'She’s since been nominated for five Emmy awards for the role. But Janelle spent years grinding through the standup scene before finding television success. She told Sam about what inspired her to try comedy years ago, and what she’s learned about herself from playing a larger than life character in a sitcom. Plus, Janelle breaks down

en-us

28:59

Can Mamdani Save Broadway?

The Sam Sanders Show ·

2026/08/18

Sam recently experienced one of the best stage musicals he’s seen in years.Cats: The Jellicle Ball reimagines the classic Andrew Lloyd Webber story with a ballroom twist. The show is filled with voguing, runway and Black, queer joy. It also won multiple Tony awards this year, which packed the theater night after night. The whole show seemed like it was on the path to success, until it closed suddenly on August 8th. Theater critic Naveen Kumar wrote about the fate of the

en-us

33:10

Eliot Glazer: Spiritually Lesbian, Sexually Gay

The Sam Sanders Show ·

2026/08/14

Comedian Eliot Glazer feels like he “missed the first day of Gay 101.”Even though he came out in college, he has always struggled to fit into gay culture. He doesn’t like the parties. He doesn’t wear the right clothes. Never listens to the right music. Can’t give off the right vibes. He writes about all these feelings in his hilarious new book of essays‘The Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Gay.’ Eliot tells Sam about feeling like

en-us

55:29

Is Culture Stuck? (From Decoder Ring)

The Sam Sanders Show ·

2026/08/11

Today we’re sharing an episode from our friends at Decoder Ring, a podcast that explores cultural mysteries.In this episode, host Willa Paskin digs into one of Sam’s biggest critiques about culture right now. There is more of it than ever before, it’s more accessible than ever, but so little of it feels original. New movies are based on old stories, new songs are recycling old hooks, and fashion trends are cycling so fast that everything’s in. Has our

en-us

48:31

Hannah Einbinder on Comedy, Connection & Queer Art

The Sam Sanders Show ·

2026/08/07

Actor and comedian Hannah Einbinder has had an eventful past few years. She burst onto the scene with the acclaimed HBO comedy ‘Hacks’ in 2021. She won an Emmy for her role last season, and is nominated again this year. Now, she’s starring in the new horror film, ‘Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma.’ Hannah tells Sam about the craft of transitioning from comedy to drama, television to film, and why her true love will always be standup. She also

en-us

37:21

The Cyndi Lauper Conspiracy (From Switched on Pop)

The Sam Sanders Show ·

2026/08/04

Today we’re sharing Sam’s episode of Switched on Pop!Sam believes in his heart that every song Cyndi Lauper has ever written is pop perfection. Many fall for “Girls Just Want To Have Fun,” but his favorite song is the slow burner “All Through The Night,” save for one moment: the synthesizer solo. For Sam, this solo never fit in. In this episode of Switched on Pop, co-host Charlie Harding helps Sam investigate the source of his musical malady

en-us

163 results

Similar Podcasts

وجوه من الـظل

Medi1 Podcast

The Sam Sanders Show

KCRW & Sam Sanders

Philosophy Book Collection

The Podcast Network

Avec philosophie

France Culture

Pop Culture Junkie®

Pop Culture Junkie