It's Been a Minute
NPR
Want in on a secret? Your likes and dislikes didn't develop by accident. There are subtle and not-so-subtle forces around you, shaping what you think, how you act, and even who you think you are. Brittany Luse is here to break the spell and help you feel wiser in a society that makes things blurry.THE BEST POP CULTURE PODCAST AWARD WINNER AT THE 2025 SIGNAL AWARDSIt’s Been A Minute with Brittany Luse is the best podcast for understanding what’s going on in culture right now, and helps you consume it smarter. From how politics influences pop culture to how identity influences tech or health, Brittany makes the picture clearer for you every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.It’s Been A Minute reaches millions of people every week. Join the community and conversation today.If you can't get enough, try It's Been a Minute Plus. Your subscription supports the show and unlocks a sponsor-free feed. Learn more at plus.npr.org/itsbeenaminute
Episodes
Mentioned books
May 21, 2021 • 38min
Labor Market Mysteries; Plus, Signs Of Life
The U.S. unemployment rate is still high... so why are we in a labor shortage? Sam chats with Stacey Vanek Smith, host of NPR's The Indicator, and Cardiff Garcia, former co-host of The Indicator, about the American job market and why businesses are having such a hard time hiring. Then, as vaccines have become more widely available and pandemic restrictions lift across the country, people are wandering back out into the world, having experiences they haven't had in over a year. We drop in on a few of these: a dance party, a first date, a game with friends — the small pleasures folks have missed that now feel monumental.You can follow us on Twitter @NPRItsBeenAMin and email us at samsanders@npr.org.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy
May 18, 2021 • 24min
'Let's Talk About Hard Things' With Help From Anna Sale
How do you bring up something that might be easier left unsaid? Anna Sale, host and creator of WNYC's Death, Sex & Money podcast, has answers in her new book, Let's Talk About Hard Things. She chats with Sam about how to talk to family, why we need to start having different conversations about money, and what it means to actually listen. You can follow us on Twitter @NPRItsBeenAMin and email us at samsanders@npr.org.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy
May 14, 2021 • 38min
After Defunding The Police; Plus, Michelle Buteau On 'The Circle'
What does defunding the police really look like? Sam talks to Austin City Council Member Greg Casar about how decreasing the city's police budget has worked— and what they aren't getting quite right yet. Then, Sam talks to KUT reporter Audrey McGlinchy about how Texas, a Republican-led state, has responded and what that could mean for other cities trying to follow in the footsteps of Austin. Plus, Sam talks to actress and comedian Michelle Buteau about hosting the Netflix reality competition show The Circle and how she feels about being cast as the sassy best friend. You can follow us on Twitter @NPRItsBeenAMin and email us at samsanders@npr.org.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy
May 11, 2021 • 30min
Is Biden The Next FDR? or LBJ?
How transformative are President Biden's economic and infrastructure proposals? Depends on what gets passed. The comparisons to FDR and LBJ miss the vastly different political landscapes those presidents faced. Sam talks with presidential historian Doris Kearns Goodwin about how this moment compares to those past presidents' efforts at once in a generation legislation. You can follow us on Twitter @NPRItsBeenAMin and email us at samsanders@npr.org.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy
May 7, 2021 • 38min
Housing Boom For Whom? Plus, 'Ziwe' Premieres
The housing market is booming— but who actually benefits? Sam talks to Jerusalem Demsas, politics and policy fellow for Vox, about what so many are getting wrong about housing. Plus, Sam revisits his 2020 conversation with Ziwe Fumudoh, whose comedy variety show Ziwe premieres on Showtime on May 9. Then, in honor of NPR's 50th anniversary, Sam plays "Who Said That?" with All Things Considered hosts Audie Cornish and Ari Shapiro.You can follow us on Twitter @NPRItsBeenAMin and email us at samsanders@npr.org.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy
May 4, 2021 • 19min
Mj Rodriguez On 'Pose' And Perseverance
As the groundbreaking series Pose comes to a close in its third and final season, Sam talks to Mj Rodriguez about the end of her role as Blanca, the loving and lovable house mother at the center of the show. They also chat about the start of her career as Angel in Rent, channeling grief into her character, and LGBTQIA+ perseverance. You can follow us on Twitter @NPRItsBeenAMin and email us at samsanders@npr.org.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy
Apr 30, 2021 • 39min
India And The Unequal Distribution Of Vaccines; Plus, 'Invisibilia' Returns
Even as vaccine access expands in the the US, the pandemic is far from over globally. Sam talks to Aarti Singh, a resident of New Delhi, about what it's been like living there as India's COVID-19 cases skyrocket. Then, Sam talks to public health activist Achal Prabhala about why rich and poor countries have unequal access to vaccines. Plus, Sam chats with Invisibilia host Kia Miakka Natisse about the new season of the show and her episode on how a reparations effort in Vermont shed light on how people talk about money and racial justice.You can follow us on Twitter @NPRItsBeenAMin and email us at samsanders@npr.org.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy
Apr 27, 2021 • 29min
Patti Harrison Takes The Lead In 'Together Together'
Patti Harrison is known for bringing her absurd, caustic, yet charming comedy to supporting roles on shows like Search Party, Broad City and Shrill. But now she's in a starring role in the romantic comedy Together Together. In it, Harrison plays a young single woman who agrees to be a gestational surrogate for a single man in his 40s, played by Ed Helms. Sam talks to Patti about what it was like to play a role different from everything she's done before, why Together Together is even billed as a rom-com, and the quandary of representation as a trans woman.— Watch Sam's extended interview with Patti Harrison: https://youtube.com/nprYou can follow us on Twitter @NPRItsBeenAMin and email us at samsanders@npr.org.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy
Apr 23, 2021 • 37min
The "Must-See TV" Of Black Trauma, Plus Ashley Nicole Black On Making Black Joy
Sam chats with NPR's TV critic Eric Deggans about constant images of Black pain in news and in entertainment. Then, he turns to comedian Ashley Nicole Black to talk about the new season of "A Black Lady Sketch Show" and Black joy.You can follow us on Twitter @NPRItsBeenAMin and email us at samsanders@npr.org.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy
Apr 20, 2021 • 26min
The Warped Reality of Eric André's 'Bad Trip'
Sam talks to actor and comedian Eric André about the evolution of the prank genre with his Netflix hidden-camera comedy Bad Trip. They chat about the complications of making a prank show while Black, who André would never prank, and why everyone could use a little absurdism to warp their realities. — Watch the full extended version of this interview on YouTube: youtu.be/n8KamK-9hxY You can follow us on Twitter @NPRItsBeenAMin and email us at samsanders@npr.org.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy
