Choice Words with Samantha Bee

We’re off this week but wanted to share a new Lemonada Media series with you that we know you'll love. It's called I Need To Ask You Something.We all have terrifying questions that we can’t stop thinking about. Did I make the right decision as a parent? Can I share a secret with my mother or father? Usually, these questions go unanswered because it’s too scary to imagine saying them out loud. This is the place where young people and caring adults in their lives can ask the hardest questions of each other.In this episode of I Need To Ask You Something, you'll hear from Seth. Seth didn’t get a lot of unconditional love as a child. He spent many difficult years in the foster care system before he was finally adopted by his moms Jeannie and Denise. Now, he sits down with Jeannie to ask: How can you still love me after all the hard times we’ve gone through?To hear more of I Need To Ask You Something, head to https://link.chtbl.com/INTAYSSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When author and activist Raquel Willis came out to her parents, they didn’t both react positively at first. While that was hard for her, she did not let it stop her from continuing to come out to others and live her truth as a proud trans woman. Sam asks Raquel how online forums helped her find community when she was a young queer person, why she wishes more members of the mainstream media would trade in their “objectivity” for empathy, and what she would like young people to learn in school about sex and gender.     Follow Raquel Willis @RaquelWillis on Twitter and @raquel_willis on Instagram.   Keep up with Samantha Bee @realsambee on Instagram and Twitter. And stay up to date with us @LemonadaMedia on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.   For a list of current sponsors and discount codes for this and every other Lemonada show, go to lemonadamedia.com/sponsors.   Joining Lemonada Premium is a great way to support our show and get bonus content. Subscribe today at bit.ly/lemonadapremium.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When actress and comedian Ellie Kemper was supposed to make her Broadway debut a few months ago, she was so nervous she kinda hoped she’d get sick and be unable to take the stage. Many negative COVID tests later, she made it through her show’s run, but did end up losing her voice at the end due to stress and anxiety. Sam asks Ellie if she’d consider upping the fear factor and doing a one-woman live stage show and if she’s good at setting boundaries for herself at work. Plus, a surprisingly in-depth discussion about rat eradication efforts in New York City.   Follow Ellie Kemper @elliekemper on Instagram.   Keep up with Samantha Bee @realsambee on Instagram and Twitter. And stay up to date with us @LemonadaMedia on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.   For a list of current sponsors and discount codes for this and every other Lemonada show, go to lemonadamedia.com/sponsors.   Joining Lemonada Premium is a great way to support our show and get bonus content. Subscribe today at bit.ly/lemonadapremium.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When Congressman Ro Khanna has a big decision to make, he wants to gather all relevant information and hear many differing opinions before he makes up his mind. When he’s at home, he defers to his wife. (Smart man.) Sam asks Rep. Khanna what it feels like to make decisions that affect millions of people, how he stays optimistic about progress when things feel so dire, and what the heck is going on with House Republicans. Plus, Rep. Khanna makes a choice in real time when the vote buzzer goes off during their conversation!   Follow Rep. Ro Khanna @RepRoKhanna on Twitter and Instagram.   Keep up with Samantha Bee @realsambee on Instagram and Twitter. And stay up to date with us @LemonadaMedia on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.   For a list of current sponsors and discount codes for this and every other Lemonada show, go to lemonadamedia.com/sponsors.   Joining Lemonada Premium is a great way to support our show and get bonus content. Subscribe today at bit.ly/lemonadapremium.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When Rachel Bloom was making a name for herself in comedy, she shared her life openly online. Then she became a mom and realized she wanted her daughter to decide for herself how online she would be. Sam asks Rachel how she balances her instinct to overshare with her desire to keep her child’s life out of the public eye, how she came to combine her love for sketch comedy with her background in musical theater, and what she means when she tells Sam she fears creative atrophy.    Follow Rachel Bloom @racheldoesstuff on Instagram.   Keep up with Samantha Bee @realsambee on Instagram and Twitter. And stay up to date with us @LemonadaMedia on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.   For a list of current sponsors and discount codes for this and every other Lemonada show, go to lemonadamedia.com/sponsors.   Joining Lemonada Premium is a great way to support our show and get bonus content. Subscribe today at bit.ly/lemonadapremium.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When Sam asked multihyphenate entertainer Phoebe Robinson what professional endeavor she’d pick if she could only choose one, Phoebe realized her answer was a recent shift in opinion for her. The writer-producer-podcaster-actor-comedian has recently rediscovered the joy of standup comedy. Sam and Phoebe get into why Phoebe used to dread every standup set, the freedom she gained when she realized it’s impossible to make everyone laugh, and how she’s learning to trust her gut more.    Follow Phoebe Robinson @dopequeenpheebs on Instagram and Twitter.   Keep up with Samantha Bee @realsambee on Instagram and Twitter. And stay up to date with us @LemonadaMedia on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.   For a list of current sponsors and discount codes for this and every other Lemonada show, go to lemonadamedia.com/sponsors.   Joining Lemonada Premium is a great way to support our show and get bonus content. Subscribe today at bit.ly/lemonadapremium.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When comedian Maria Bamford recently did some shows in LA and New York, she decided to perform her set early in the morning. Despite some “goofballs” who fell asleep, the time change from a traditional late night start was a solid choice for her. Sam asks Maria how her family feels about being such a big part of her comedy, why it’s important for her to talk openly about money, and her new memoir, “Sure, I’ll Join Your Cult.”     Apple Books has teamed up with Lemonada Media for an audiobook club. “Sure, I'll Join Your Cult” by actor and comedian Maria Bamford was a past pick. Get your copy today at http://apple.co/lemonadabooks.   Follow Maria Bamford @mariabamfordcomedy on Instagram and @mariabamfoo on Twitter.   Keep up with Samantha Bee @realsambee on Instagram and Twitter. And stay up to date with us @LemonadaMedia on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.   For a list of current sponsors and discount codes for this and every other Lemonada show, go to lemonadamedia.com/sponsors.   Joining Lemonada Premium is a great way to support our show and get bonus content. Subscribe today at bit.ly/lemonadapremium.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When actress Kerry Washington’s parents told her a massive family secret five years ago, it shook her entire world. And despite being an extremely private person, Kerry decided to reveal this shocking information in her new memoir, “Thicker Than Water.” Sam and Kerry discuss how learning this truth helped Kerry truly know herself for the first time in her life and what made her want to share her story with the world. Plus, how Kerry feels about people’s inability to differentiate her from Olivia Pope and why Kerry was known as “the condom lady” in high school.   Follow Kerry Washington @kerrywashington on Instagram and Twitter.   Keep up with Samantha Bee @realsambee on Instagram and Twitter. And stay up to date with us @LemonadaMedia on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.   Apple Books has teamed up with Lemonada Media for an audiobook club. The October pick is "Thicker Than Water" by actress Kerry Washington. To get your copy of Kerry Washington's memoir, visit: http://apple.co/lemonadabooks   For a list of current sponsors and discount codes for this and every other Lemonada show, go to lemonadamedia.com/sponsors.   Joining Lemonada Premium is a great way to support our show and get bonus content. Subscribe today at bit.ly/lemonadapremium.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When Tina Smith was lieutenant governor of Minnesota, she was asked to fill the U.S. Senate vacancy created when Al Franken resigned in 2018. She’s been a force to be reckoned with ever since, fighting for abortion rights, mental health care, the environment, and much more. In this conversation taped before a live audience for MinnPost Festival in Minneapolis, Sam asks Senator Smith how she decides which issues to advocate for, why she believes that reproductive freedom is indeed a winning political issue, and which fellow senator she gets mistaken for frequently.   Follow Senator Smith online @SenTinaSmith on Twitter and @SenatorTinaSmith on Instagram.   Keep up with Samantha Bee @realsambee on Instagram and Twitter. And stay up to date with us @LemonadaMedia on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.   For a list of current sponsors and discount codes for this and every other Lemonada show, go to lemonadamedia.com/sponsors.   Joining Lemonada Premium is a great way to support our show and get bonus content. Subscribe today at bit.ly/lemonadapremium.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When Karamo was 15 years old, he came out as gay to his best friend. That didn’t stop her from convincing him to lose their virginity together and ten years later, he found out he had a son. Sam asks Karamo about the choices he made to forgive his friend, take custody of his son, and stop living in fear. They talk about his experience as the first openly gay Black man on reality TV, how his social work background helped him land his iconic role on “Queer Eye,” and the best ways to break through to men.   Follow Karamo @karamo on Instagram, @karamoshow on TikTok, and @Karamo on Twitter.   Keep up with Samantha Bee @realsambee on Instagram and Twitter. And stay up to date with us @LemonadaMedia on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.   For a list of current sponsors and discount codes for this and every other Lemonada show, go to lemonadamedia.com/sponsors.   Joining Lemonada Premium is a great way to support our show and get bonus content. Subscribe today at bit.ly/lemonadapremium.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.