Podcast
The Sam Sanders Show
Hosted by KCRW & Sam Sanders · EN
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.
50episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
Is Hollywood In The Middle Of An Age War?
2d ago00:28:03Tap to summarizeEVENT ALERT! Join us LIVE on June 28 at Dynasty Typewriter in LA. Get tickets here. Summer movie season is off to a good start. Two movies in particular are giving Hollywood a lot of hope. Both original horror films, Backrooms and Obsession, are new movies made by Gen Z creators that very quickly became massive hits at the box office. So, are young people going to the movies again? Maybe they’re finally taking over Hollywood? Despite these success stories, a recent piece from The Ankler’s Christopher Rosen argues that the larger film industry is still focused on the old guard. Sam spoke with Christopher about what’s going with the generational warfare happening in Hollywood right 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.
Transcribe →
Is 2026 the Year Everything Started to Look Too Perfect?
6d ago00:44:36Tap to summarizeEVENT ALERT! Join us LIVE on June 28 at Dynasty Typewriter in LA. Get tickets here. At the halfway point of 2026, Sam is joined by Traci Thomas (The Stacks) and Christiana Mbakwe Medina (Pop Syllabus) to ask what this year in pop culture is really becoming. Their answer moves from the rise of “The Sculpt” and the pressure to optimize everything about ourselves, to the bigger feeling that so much of culture now looks filtered, flattened, and strangely unreal. They also get into the dominance of big name celebrities, the absence of exciting new stars, AI anxiety, and why live sports and theater might be the thing we’re all craving most. Plus, predictions for the rest of 2026. 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.
Transcribe →
The Real Reason American Men are Struggling
1w ago00:30:33Tap to summarizeToday we’re sharing an episode of Apple News In Conversation, guest hosted by Sam. The headlines say that American men are in crisis. But what does that actually mean — and what does it look like up close? Journalist Jordan Ritter Conn spent five years inside the lives of four different men to find out. His new book, American Men, explores the gap between masculine ideals and the reality of men’s lived experience. Sam sat down with Ritter Conn to talk about what those four lives reveal about masculinity, inadequacy, and what the national conversation about men keeps getting wrong. 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.
Transcribe →
Leslie Jones Says Comedy Needs Gatekeepers Again
2w ago00:54:40Tap to summarizeEVENT ALERT! Join us LIVE on June 28 at Dynasty Typewriter in LA. Get tickets here. Leslie Jones thinks comedy has a problem. The comedian and former 'Saturday Night Live' cast member joins Sam to talk about how comedy has changed, why viral fame doesn’t equal success, and why too many young comics are skipping the hard part: Honing their craft. She also reflects on her years at SNL, what she’s learned from nearly 40 years in comedy, and why she wants gatekeepers back. Plus: menopause, comedy clubs, and the one thing every great comedian has in common. Catch Leslie Jones on her 'I’m Hot Tour' and on her HGTV show 'Roast My Rental,' premiering July 24. 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.
Transcribe →
Why So Many People Are Falling In Love With AI Chatbots
2w ago00:27:47Tap to summarizeToday we’re sharing an episode of 'Apple News In Conversation,' guest hosted by Sam! A medieval-monster slayer. A tiny alien named Roscoe. A talking plate of spaghetti. These are just a few of the customizable companions available through AI-chatbot apps like Kindroid, Tolan, and Character.AI. In her latest piece for The New Yorker, journalist Anna Wiener explores the rapidly expanding world of these products and the people who use them. Sam talked to her about the users she met who are in relationships with AI chatbots, the Silicon Valley creators building them, and the risks of forming emotional bonds with technology. Sign up for Sam’s Newsletter to get behind the scenes stuff from every interview each week. EVENT ALERT! Join us LIVE on June 28 at Dynasty Typewriter in LA. Get tickets here. The Sam Sanders Show is a production of KCRW and Sam Sanders Productions.
Transcribe →
Audie Cornish & Ari Shapiro On Ambition, Purpose, Poetry
3w ago00:54:00Tap to summarizeEVENT ALERT! Join us LIVE on June 28 at Dynasty Typewriter in LA. Get tickets here Let’s have a life-affirming party with Audie Cornish and Ari Shapiro! The longtime friends and journalists join Sam to explain the latest entry in the pop lexicon: Blue Dot Fever. It’s not a disease, but the terminology behind a recent wave of cancelled concert tours. From Post Malone to the Pussycat Dolls, tickets aren’t selling like they used to. They break down what the phenomenon says about our current economics and culture. Plus, they share their “Modern Scriptures,” the pieces of pop culture they can always count on to boost their spirits. Including a rapper’s inspiring message and a vintage poem that will bring all the feels. Audie Cornish and Ari Shapiro’s new podcast from CNN is called Engagement Party. 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.
Transcribe →
Are They a Star, Celebrity or Famous Person? (From Pop Syllabus)
3w ago01:12:40Tap to summarizeToday we’re sharing Sam’s episode of 'Pop Syllabus'! No matter where you find yourself on the internet, celebrities’ lives are constantly in front of us, but who’s actually a star and who’s just famous? Sam sits down with host Christiana Mbakwe Medina to play “star, celebrity, or famous person” and rates icons like Beyoncé to rising names like Sabrina Carpenter and Sydney Sweeney. Together, they break down what really makes someone last in pop culture. 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.
Transcribe →
Margaret Cho Is Still Hopeful About Comedy
4w ago00:54:07Tap to summarizeMargaret Cho is a trailblazer and ‘mother’ to your favorite comedians. She burst onto the scene in the 90s performing at night clubs and later starred in the ABC sitcom 'All-American Girl', the first network show to center an Asian American family. Margaret reflects on the impact of her groundbreaking show, how she sees her role as a mentor for younger comedians, and why she’s still optimistic about comedy even as it swings to the right. Plus, she shares how standup helped her get through a very intense rehab experience. Margaret Cho is also on tour! Her latest standup set is called Choligarchy. Note: This episode includes conversations about suicide and addiction. Please take care while listening. If you or someone you know needs support, call or text 988. 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.
Transcribe →
Jacob Collier Can Make Anyone Sing
May 2600:53:54Tap to summarizeToday we’re sharing Sam’s recent collaboration with 'Switched On Pop.' Jacob Collier is a rare musician. He’s been described as an ambassador of music, known for lushly orchestrated pieces with a myriad of collaborators. He’s also known for conducting the crowds of his live shows, turning the concert into a massive choir performance. He did just that recently at On-Air Fest, with Charlie Harding, host of ‘Switched On Pop.’ Sam joined them both on stage to discuss the power of music, why we shouldn’t be afraid to sing, and the communal joy of harmonizing with others. 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.
Transcribe →
The Kardashians Are American Icons (Whether You Like It or Not)
May 2200:38:39Tap to summarizeThe Kardashians are one of the most famous families of our modern era. Since their hit reality TV show first debuted in 2007, the family has become synonymous with American culture. Their celebrity has only grown with each new beauty and fashion enterprise. Author MJ Corey analyzes the family’s staying power in her new book Dekonstructing the Kardashians: A New Media Manifesto. She talks to Sam about how the family built their media empire, how Kim Kardashian normalized selling her own image and what it says about our digital age, and how the family mirrors our deepest fears. 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.
Transcribe →