The Sam Sanders Show
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 for Sam’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 Ambies and the iHeart Podcast Awards. He was one of the founding hosts of The NPR Politics Podcast and the host who launched both It’s Been A Minute from NPR and Into It from Vulture. He currently co-hosts Vibe Check.
Most Recent Episode
Is Jaws Really a Horror Movie?
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 duke it out and find out once and for all what actually makes a horror movie a horror movie.
The Sam Sanders Show is a production of KCRW and Sam Sanders Productions.
More Episodes
Shoulda Been a Sugar Baby? w/ Phoebe Robinson
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 podcast 2 Dope Queens, which she hosted with friend and fellow comedian Jessica Williams. Plus, Phoebe shares why it’s just too late for her to become a sugar baby.
Sign up for Sam’s Newsletter to get behind the scenes stuff from every interview each week.
The Sam Sanders Show is a production of KCRW and Sam Sanders Productions.
Horror Movie Faves & Should Taylor Swift Retire?
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 Christian. Plus, pop culture hot takes! Swifties, you’ve been warned.
Sign up for Sam’s Newsletter to get behind the scenes stuff from every interview each week.
The Sam Sanders Show is a production of KCRW and Sam Sanders Productions.
Can KPop Heal Us All? w/ Songwriter Mark Sonnenblick
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.
Songwriter Mark 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 hot take, all about another flashy musical…
Sign up for Sam’s Newsletter to get behind the scenes stuff from every interview each week.
The Sam Sanders Show is a production of KCRW and Sam Sanders Productions.
Can Satire Save Democracy? w/ The Onion CEO Ben Collins
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 interview each week.
The Sam Sanders Show is a production of KCRW and Sam Sanders Productions.
Is It Ever OK to Lie? w/ June Squibb
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 for Sam’s Newsletter to get behind the scenes stuff from every interview each week.
The Sam Sanders Show is a production of KCRW and Sam Sanders Productions.
Are Nepo Babies Cool Now? with Zosia Mamet
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 Sam’s Newsletter to get behind the scenes stuff from every interview each week.
The Sam Sanders Show is a production of KCRW and Sam Sanders Productions.
Can Pop Culture Cure a Broken Heart? w/ Anna Sale
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 summer.
Want more of Anna Sale’s musings? Check out her Substack From Somewhere.
Sign up for Sam’s Newsletter to get behind the scenes stuff from every interview each week!
The Sam Sanders Show is a production of KCRW and Sam Sanders Productions.
Should We Still Care About Fashion? w/ Robin Givhan
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 Vuitton—and how he blurred the line between streetwear and high fashion.
She also breaks down the biggest challenges in fashion today, from TikTok microtrends to whether “high fashion” still matters.
Sign up for Sam’s Newsletter to get behind the scenes stuff from every interview each week.
The Sam Sanders Show is a production of KCRW and Sam Sanders Productions.
A Brief History of Terrible Lyrics (from Switched On Pop)
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, historicize, and, perhaps, celebrate the art of the lyrical faux pas. Check out more episodes of Switched on Pop anywhere you get podcasts.
Sign up for Sam’s Newsletter to get behind the scenes stuff from every interview each week.
The Sam Sanders Show is a production of KCRW and Sam Sanders Productions.
Does Pop Culture Give a F*#% about Friendship?
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 Sam’s Newsletter to get behind the scenes stuff from every interview each week.
The Sam Sanders Show is a production of KCRW and Sam Sanders Productions.
Bob the Drag Queen: What is Freedom?
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 for Sam’s Newsletter to get behind the scenes stuff from every interview each week.
The Sam Sanders Show is a production of KCRW and Sam Sanders Productions.
Big Freedia: Is Twerking Next to Godliness?
Big Freedia is best known as the Queen of Bounce, but her new gospel album Pressing 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 stuff from every interview each week.
The Sam Sanders Show is a production of KCRW and Sam Sanders Productions.
Did Beyoncé Change Country Music Forever?
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 artists. Plus, Tressie argues there actually is a song of the summer… if you’re paying attention.
Feeling a bit of déjà vu? You’re not imagining things, country music is a cherished topic for Sam and Tressie.
Sign up for Sam’s Newsletter to get behind the scenes stuff from every interview each week.
The Sam Sanders Show is a production of KCRW and Sam Sanders Productions.
Are We Living in a Feminist Dystopia?
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 can redefine what feminism means.
Sign up for Sam’s Newsletter to get behind the scenes stuff from every interview each week.
The Sam Sanders Show is a production of KCRW and Sam Sanders Productions.
What’s Worth Watching (and Skipping) in 2025 So Far?
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 Newsletter to get behind the scenes stuff from every interview each week.
The Sam Sanders Show is a production of KCRW and Sam Sanders Productions.
Can Atsuko Okatsuka Turn Family Trauma Into Comedy Gold?
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 her relationship, how she tried to hire a sex worker for her mom, and what happened when she attempted to give her 91-year-old grandma a bath.
Sign up for Sam’s Newsletter to get behind the scenes stuff from every interview each week.
The Sam Sanders Show is a production of KCRW and Sam Sanders Productions.
Woodstock '99: Mosh Pit at the Apocalypse with Sam Sanders and Lindy West (From The Big Flop)
Today we’re sharing an episode from our friends at The Big Flop!
Every week, the show unpacks pop culture’s most fascinating flops, frauds, and fiascos. In this episode, host Misha Brown throws back to Woodstock '99 with Sam and Lindy West (Text Me Back!). The music fest was meant to commemorate the original 1969 festival with “three days of peace and music” but instead became "three days of rage and chaos." If you thought Fyre Fest was bad… At least it wasn’t actually on fire!
Listen to The Big Flop on the Wondery App or wherever you get your podcasts.
Sign up for Sam’s Newsletter to get behind the scenes stuff from every interview each week.
Is Allison Williams Afraid of Her Own Movies?
Allison Williams became a millennial icon as Marnie on HBO’s Girls — but her second act is even more thrilling. From Get Out to M3GAN, she’s carved out a new space as a horror star and unexpected scream queen. In this episode, Allison joins Sam to unpack what draws her to morally messy characters, and why she keeps playing women we love to hate. They dive into her newest film, M3GAN 2.0, and what it says about AI, parenting, and the eerie ways tech is shaping our lives. Plus, a look back at Girls and why Gen Z has rediscovered it with fresh eyes. Is Allison in on the joke? Absolutely. And she’s got stories.
Sign up for Sam’s Newsletter to get behind the scenes stuff from every interview each week.
A United Nations of Red Flags (From Normal Gossip)
We’re taking a little break from the show week, but very excited to share an episode from the Normal Gossip podcast. It’s a hilarious show with a simple premise: listeners send in the strangest, juiciest gossip they’ve heard, then host Rachelle Hampton dishes it all out. In this episode, Sam and Rachelle break down a case of “accidental” love-bombing at a Colombian hostel.
Enjoy!
Sign up for Sam’s Newsletter to get behind the scenes stuff from every interview each week.
Jeff Hiller: Can Faith And Queerness Coexist?
Actor Jeff Hiller opens up about his journey from church kid in Texas to queer fame in Hollywood. Jeff and Sam swap stories of growing up gay in conservative Christian spaces, where church was both a sanctuary and a source of shame. They unpack the complicated ways faith and queerness collide. They also break down how Hollywood struggles to tell stories about people who are queer, religious, working class — and simply human.
Jeff Hiller’s new memoir is called Actress of a Certain Age: My Twenty-Year Trail to Overnight Success. It details his breakout role on HBO’s Somebody Somewhere and why success approaching 50 feels better than he ever imagined.
Sign up for Sam’s Newsletter to get behind the scenes stuff from every interview each week.
The Sam Sanders Show is a production of KCRW and Sam Sanders Productions.
Who’s On Your Queer Hollywood Mount Rushmore?
This week, we’re building the ultimate Queer Hollywood Mount Rushmore. Who belongs on the mountain of the most iconic LGBTQ+ entertainers in history?
Sam is joined by comedians Cameron Esposito and Jay Jurden for a fast, funny, and heartfelt debate covering everyone from RuPaul to Little Richard, Janelle Monáe to George Michael, and Abraham Lincoln. Yes, we put Lincoln on the list. No, we’re not taking it back. Along the way, they unpack what it really means to be a queer icon, reflect on Pride anthems, and make the case for queer space travel.
Sign up for Sam’s Newsletter to get behind the scenes stuff from every interview each week.
The Sam Sanders Show is a production of KCRW and Sam Sanders Productions.
What happened to Britney Spears and the Millennial Dream?
We all know the saga of Britney Spears. Her meteoric rise, followed by a grim downfall and a troubling conservatorship. Her story captured a generation. But what does it say about America and ourselves?
Sam reflects on it all with journalists Andrea Domanick and Jeff Weiss. They break down Britney’s impact on music, the tabloids that encroached on her private life and how she became a symbol for America’s downfall.
Jeff is the author of the new book Waiting For Britney Spears: A True Story, Allegedly. Andrea is a reporter and editor for KCRW and co-host of The Culture Journalist podcast.
Sign up for Sam’s Newsletter to get behind the scenes stuff from every interview each week.
The Sam Sanders Show is a production of KCRW and Sam Sanders Productions.
Zainab Johnson: Is It Still Radical Just to Exist?
Comedian Zainab Johnson joins Sam for a smart, funny, and unfiltered conversation about identity, comedy, and power.
They dive into her standup special Hijabs Off (now on Prime Video), where Zainab explores what it means to be Black, Muslim, and a woman in America — and why that trifecta still feels radical. She opens up about performing in a post-DEI Hollywood, navigating Islamophobia, and finding freedom in standup. They also unpack the rise of crowd work, the hustle of comedy today, and what it really takes to be heard.
Plus: Zainab shares the surprising story of how the Wayans family helped kick start her career.
Sign up for Sam’s Newsletter to get behind the scenes stuff from every interview each week.