
The Sam Sanders Show
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. He currently co-hosts Vibe Check.
Latest episodes

Oct 25, 2024 • 57min
Roy Wood Jr Says Comedy is Journalism
Comedian Roy Wood Jr. believes comedy is a form of journalism. We talk about his new CNN show Have I Got News For You, his time at The Daily Show, and the challenge of finding laughter amidst absurdity. Plus, we play a game inspired by Roy’s new show.
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.

Oct 18, 2024 • 54min
Climate Change Needs Hollywood and Hope
What if Regina George cared about climate change? That’s the question from author and marine biologist Dr. Ayana Elizabeth Johnson. Her new book, What If We Get It Right?, offers a refreshing take on the climate crisis imagining a future shaped by Hollywood, pop culture, poetry, and joy. We talk about how creativity and optimism can help us reframe environmental challenges and inspire collective action.
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.

Oct 11, 2024 • 54min
Monét X Change: Drag, Politics, and Opera
Monét X Change, co-host of Sibling Rivalry, RuPaul’s Drag Race alum, and opera singer dives into her journey from church kid to drag queen and how it still influences her work. We also talk DRAG PAC, her political action committee fighting for drag and trans rights, and her new foray into performing R&B. Plus, we rate pop culture hot topics in a game of I-CON or I-CAN’T.
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.

Oct 4, 2024 • 52min
Sasheer Zamata on Disney Parks to Disney+
We launched two episodes today! Don’t miss our episode with Joel Kim Booster, also in your feed.
Sasheer Zamata stops by to chat about her role in the hit Disney+ series "Agatha All Along," queerness in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and how her time working at Disney parks shaped her career. Plus, artificial intelligence, the band Oasis, and... WHIPPETS!
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.

Oct 4, 2024 • 52min
Joel Kim Booster: Sex, Wealth, and Comedy
Joel Kim Booster dishes on the wardrobe choices on "Loot," his on-screen chemistry with Maya Rudolph, and how the show tackles real-world issues like the unhoused crisis. We also talk about the portrayal of wealth on television and his discomfort with glamorizing billionaires.
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.

Sep 27, 2024 • 2min
The Sam Sanders Show is out now
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.