The Sam Sanders Show

Actor Jeff Hiller opens up about his journey from church kid in Texas to queer fame in Hollywood. Jeff and Sam swap stories of growing up gay in conservative Christian spaces, where church was both a sanctuary and a source of shame. They unpack the complicated ways faith and queerness collide. They also break down how Hollywood struggles to tell stories about people who are queer, religious, working class — and simply human.  Jeff Hiller’s new memoir is called Actress of a Certain Age: My Twenty-Year Trail to Overnight Success. It details his breakout role on HBO’s Somebody Somewhere and why success approaching 50 feels better than he ever imagined. 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.  

This week, we’re building the ultimate Queer Hollywood Mount Rushmore. Who belongs on the mountain of the most iconic LGBTQ+ entertainers in history?  Sam is joined by comedians Cameron Esposito and Jay Jurden for a fast, funny, and heartfelt debate covering everyone from RuPaul to Little Richard, Janelle Monáe to George Michael, and Abraham Lincoln. Yes, we put Lincoln on the list. No, we’re not taking it back. Along the way, they unpack what it really means to be a queer icon, reflect on Pride anthems, and make the case for queer space travel.  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.  

Join music journalist Jeff Weiss, author of 'Waiting For Britney Spears: A True Story, Allegedly,' and KCRW's Andrea Domanick as they dissect the tumultuous journey of Britney Spears. They reflect on her undeniable impact on pop culture, contrasting her rise with the relentless media scrutiny that shaped public perception. The duo also discusses the evolving nature of celebrity culture in the digital age, highlighting challenges faced by women in the spotlight and the urgent need for change in how we support artists.

Comedian Zainab Johnson joins Sam for a smart, funny, and unfiltered conversation about identity, comedy, and power.  They dive into her standup special Hijabs Off (now on Prime Video), where Zainab explores what it means to be Black, Muslim, and a woman in America — and why that trifecta still feels radical. She opens up about performing in a post-DEI Hollywood, navigating Islamophobia, and finding freedom in standup. They also unpack the rise of crowd work, the hustle of comedy today, and what it really takes to be heard.  Plus: Zainab shares the surprising story of how the Wayans family helped kick start her career. Sign up for Sam’s Newsletter to get behind the scenes stuff from every interview each week.  

Lizzie Bassett and Chris Winterbauer, co-hosts of the podcast What Went Wrong, dive into the chaotic world of Hollywood flops like Cats and Joker: Folie à Deux. They discuss the hubris that fuels these cinematic disasters and analyze the poor visual effects and rushed decisions that led to failure. The duo also highlights the accidental charm of Madam Web and the tumultuous production behind The Flash. Can the industry learn from its failures? Tune in to uncover the lessons hiding behind these infamous films.

The ice bucket challenge is back, Lady Gaga’s making dance-pop again, and everyone’s hoarding tinned fish. Could it all mean… a recession? Comedians Zach Zimmerman and Eliot Glazer join us to unpack the internet’s funniest (and eeriest) recession indicator memes — from “recession blonde” to layaway coachella tickets to the return of vampire movies. Then, the hot takes fly: Zach argues that daytime TV needs to be mean again (bring back the mess!), while Eliot questions the cult of Kylie Minogue and calls for Joy Behar to take over The View. 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.

After almost 20 years of box office dominance, is the Marvel Cinematic Universe starting to fall apart?  Sam dives deep into the highs and lows of Marvel with two sharp pop culture minds, Kyle Buchanan (NY Times) and Tracy Brown (LA Times), exploring what’s gone wrong in recent years — and whether Thunderbolts* marks a real reset or just more of the same. They dig into Marvel’s pivot to TV, the fatigue of endless interconnected stories, and what the MCU could learn from newer hits like Sinners. Plus, will video game adaptations become Hollywood’s next big hit? Sign up for Sam’s Newsletter to get behind the scenes stuff from every interview each week.  

This episode is nothing but hot takes! In a world drowning in opinions, Sam and friends serve up their spiciest ones — the kind that spark debate, start drama, or are just too real to admit out loud. TV writer and producer Kara Brown (Swarm, She-Hulk, Grown-ish) joins to argue that spoilers aren’t actually bad — and she means it. But not so fast: Sam’s own team member and resident contrarian Beau Delmore steps in with the rebuttal. It’s heated. It’s hilarious. It’s your safe space for bad opinions. 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.  

How is entertainment changing with our current political moment?  Hollywood networks are scrapping trans storylines, DEI pipelines set up after 2020 are shutting down, and the conservative universe is thriving online. Are big studios chasing Donald Trump voters like the last time he was elected? Or is the chokehold of social media influencing how everyone else does business? Sam unpacks it all with two journalistic all-stars, Taylor Lorenz of User Mag and Bloomberg's Lucas Shaw.  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.

Marsai Martin became a star at just 9 years old on Black-ish. Now 20, she’s holding her own opposite Viola Davis in the new action thriller G20. Sam talks with Marsai about growing up in Hollywood, why she avoids “Black pain” roles, and how her Texas upbringing keeps her grounded. Plus, her mom Carol joins the conversation to share the family values that helped Marsai thrive in the spotlight. 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.