Choice Words with Samantha Bee

Crooked Media’s Jon Lovett joins Sam to debrief the DNC and why Chicago is the perfect combination of sweatpants and sandwich town. They discuss his decision to go on Survivor and why it’s the best way to see how democracy works up close. Plus, Sam and Jon get into why movies are too long, the best way to moderate debates, and the power of young people persuading other young people to vote.  Go to votesaveamerica.com to see how you can help.  Keep up with Samantha Bee @realsambee on Instagram and X. And stay up to date with us @LemonadaMedia on X, Facebook, and Instagram. For a list of current sponsors and discount codes for this and every other Lemonada show, go to lemonadamedia.com/sponsors.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Co-host of MSNBC’s The Weekend and former senior advisor to Vice President Harris Symone Sanders Townsend joins Sam for DNC week! Sam and Symone talk about how as kids they both hosted fake news shows, where she was when she heard President Biden was ending his campaign, why Symone had to make a pro/con list when deciding to leave the White House, being a risk-taker, and why voters like making history—and hopefully will again soon.  MSNBC will host MSNBC Live: Democracy 2024 on September 7, at the Brooklyn Academy of Music. It’s MSNBC’s inaugural audience-focused, live event featuring more than a dozen of your favorite hosts, including Rachel Maddow, Jen Psaki, Joy Reid, Symone and more. Tickets are available at https://www.msnbc.com/democracy2024. Keep up with Samantha Bee @realsambee on Instagram and X. And stay up to date with us @LemonadaMedia on X, Facebook, and Instagram. For a list of current sponsors and discount codes for this and every other Lemonada show, go to lemonadamedia.com/sponsors.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Actor and activist Tony Goldwyn joins Sam and talks about how he rides the waves of success—sometimes people want you and sometimes they don’t—and how he’s learned to be ok not chasing roles that weren’t right for him. They also talk about how at a pivotal moment in his career Tony decided to stay in New York and do a small Off-Broadway play rather than chase the LA scene. He tells Sam that since playing a president on Scandal people have come to him for presidential advice, how he actually has spent time lobbying Congress, and what his rewatch policy is. Keep up with Samantha Bee @realsambee on Instagram and X. And stay up to date with us @LemonadaMedia on X, Facebook, and Instagram. For a list of current sponsors and discount codes for this and every other Lemonada show, go to lemonadamedia.com/sponsors.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In her new essay, “Stand Your Ground: A Black Feminist Reckoning with America’s Gun Problem,” Roxane Gay details her decision to become a gun owner and why she doesn’t think the US has missed its window on meaningful gun control. Sam and Roxane also discuss why you never want to peak in high school, the shift to writing for TV, and how the worst four words in the English language are “hop on a call.” “Stand Your Ground: A Black Feminist Reckoning with America’s Gun Problem” is available now. It’s the capstone to “Roxane Gay &,” a curated series of ebooks and audiobooks, available exclusively on subscription hub Everand. Keep up with Samantha Bee @realsambee on Instagram and X. And stay up to date with us @LemonadaMedia on X, Facebook, and Instagram. For a list of current sponsors and discount codes for this and every other Lemonada show, go to lemonadamedia.com/sponsors.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When comedian Nick Kroll decided to end his hit show “Kroll Show” he wasn’t totally sure what he would do next. But it was important to him to decide something was done rather than drag it out. Sam asks Nick about how he’s so good at zeroing in on what he genuinely wants, finding the funniest people in the room to make Big Mouth, and how to decide if he should keep his family out of his standup material. Keep up with Samantha Bee @realsambee on Instagram and X. And stay up to date with us @LemonadaMedia on X, Facebook, and Instagram. For a list of current sponsors and discount codes for this and every other Lemonada show, go to lemonadamedia.com/sponsors.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When Rachel Dratch was growing up, she figured she’d have some sort of “normal” career like therapist. Then she saw a performance of Annie and thought she could be one of the people on stage too. Sam talks to Rachel about how important it is to ask for the parts you want (and then winning a Tony for it), how the biggest thing that ever happened to her wasn’t even a choice, how improv can even make a “lazy pisces” live in the moment, ordering the worst thing on the menu, and accidentally going viral on Tik Tok. Keep up with Samantha Bee @realsambee on Instagram and X. And stay up to date with us @LemonadaMedia on X, Facebook, and Instagram. For a list of current sponsors and discount codes for this and every other Lemonada show, go to lemonadamedia.com/sponsors.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When Paul Scheer was a senior in high school he decided that he would only apply to NYU because if it was good enough for Theo Huxtable, it was good enough for him. Sam talks to Paul about decisions he’s made since then (not based on Theo Huxtable), like having kids and deciding what kind of parent to be. They bond over being “latchkey kids,” the crazy stories their grandmothers used to tell them, seeing movies in theaters, and what their ideal sex-ed class looks like. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

While in college, Rachel Platten was on the path to a career in international relations. But then she decided to switch course and swap a semester abroad in Spain for a semester abroad in Trinidad where she fell in love with music. She now has a song that has been streamed more than a billion times (Fight Song) and a new album “I Am Rachel Platten” out at the end of the summer. Rachel talks to Sam about the impact postpartum depression has had on her music, how she loves having bossy friends, and how sometimes music can save you when nothing else can. Keep up with Samantha Bee @realsambee on Instagram and X. And stay up to date with us @LemonadaMedia on X, Facebook, and Instagram. For a list of current sponsors and discount codes for this and every other Lemonada show, go to lemonadamedia.com/sponsors.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When MSNBC host Joy-Ann Reid was growing up she was expected to be a doctor, lawyer, or architect. Then she decided to drop out of Harvard, ditch her doctor aspirations, and re-enroll as a documentary film major. These days the biggest decision Joy makes every day is deciding what news stories to include in her show The ReidOut. Sam talks to Joy about what qualifies as “breaking news,” why she doesn’t believe undecided voters, and her new book “Medgar and Myrlie” and why it’s so important for Civil Rights love stories to be written.  Keep up with Samantha Bee @realsambee on Instagram and X. And stay up to date with us @LemonadaMedia on X, Facebook, and Instagram. For a list of current sponsors and discount codes for this and every other Lemonada show, go to lemonadamedia.com/sponsors.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

While a student, Alison Roman made a life-changing decision to leave college to start working in a restaurant kitchen and has never looked back. Sam talks to Alison about being such a decisive person, creating viral recipes, the magic of pasta water, weighing information and intuition and making the content for yourself that you wish to see in the world when no one else will make it for you. Keep up with Samantha Bee @realsambee on Instagram and X. And stay up to date with us @LemonadaMedia on X, Facebook, and Instagram. For a list of current sponsors and discount codes for this and every other Lemonada show, go to lemonadamedia.com/sponsors.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.