The Sam Sanders Show
by KCRW & Sam Sanders
Latest episode
Can A Drag Queen Finally Win 'The Traitors?’ w/ Bianca Del Rio
Can A Drag Queen Finally Win 'The Traitors?’ w/ Bianca Del Rio
About this podcast
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.
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.
Episodes
The newest 20 of 170 episodes
- Can A Drag Queen Finally Win 'The Traitors?’ w/ Bianca Del Rio · 47 min · Episode 160Drag icon Bianca Del Rio has us in a fit of laughter this episode. Known for her blistering comedy, she rose to fame after winning the sixth season of 'RuPaul's Drag Race.'…
- Are We In An Elizabeth Holmes Fever Dream? · 25 min‘You Can See Everything’ has totally taken over our corner of the internet. The new documentary about disgraced Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes has garnered plenty of critical…
- Heather McMahan Is Hanging On ‘By A Thread’ · 39 minFrom plastic surgeries to public backlash, comedian Heather McMahan has laughed through it all. In her new standup special, Heather reflects on the unique experience of getting…
- Is Fashion Over? · 36 min · Episode 157Even the fashion industry can’t escape AI slop. Fast fashion brands are using AI to pump out new looks and trends, and speed up production at unsustainable rates. It’s a…
- Why Is Everything Gambling Now? · 28 minBetting has infiltrated nearly every part of our culture. Attending a sporting event? You’re surrounded by ads for DraftKings and FanDuel. Watching the Oscars? You can bet on…
- Why Is Hollywood Obsessed with Tech Villains? · 42 min · Episode 155Recently, Sam watched 'The Social Reckoning,' the long awaited sequel to 2010’s 'The Social Network.' It’s part of a long roster of tech villain films and documentaries coming…
- When Everybody And Nobody Is A Celebrity w/ Who? Weekly · 44 min · Episode 154Everyone is way past their ‘15 minutes of fame.’ In today's episode, Sam is joined by culture journalists Lindsey Weber and Bobby Finger, hosts of the ’Who? Weekly’ podcast to…
- Hollywood’s Biggest Movie Star Flopped. What Now? · 31 min · Episode 153In 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…
- Barry Jenkins: The Legacy Of 'Moonlight' · 45 min · Season 152Ten 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…
- Kerry Washington Has a Podcast?! · 48 min · Episode 151Sam 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…
- John Cho Just Wants To Connect · 37 min · Episode 150John 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…
- Introducing: Reaching Out · 41 minToday 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…
- It’s Time To Have Better Fights w/ Priya Parker · 26 min · Episode 149From 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…
- Orville Peck: How Do You Hide Rock Bottom in Plain Sight? · 49 minOrville 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…
- Is 2026 The Year of Book Monoculture? · 37 minBooks 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…
- David Archuleta Powered Through Mormon Shame · 46 min · Episode 146David 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…
- Not The Odyssey: Small Movies Had A Big Blockbuster Summer · 30 min · Episode 145We 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…
- Wyclef Jean: How To Write A Hit Song · 54 min · Episode 144Musician 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…
- Fred Armisen Revisits Portlandia · 26 min · Episode 143This 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…
- What Made Dolly Parton So Beloved? · 40 minWe will always love Dolly Parton. Sam unpacks Dolly’s immense legacy with Ann Powers, critic and correspondent for NPR Music. Together they spend time reflecting on her many hit…
