The Sam Sanders Show

Sam hasn’t been too impressed with the movies lately. But then he saw 'La Bola Negra.' The Spanish drama, directed by Javier Calvo and Javier Ambrossi (AKA Los Javis) is a queer epic that weaves together the story of three gay men across different eras. There’s romance, yearning, heartbreak… It's the whole package.  Journalist Kyle Buchanan joins Sam to talk about the film&...

Drag icon Bianca Del Rio has us in a fit of laughter this episode. Known for her blistering comedy, she rose to fame after winning the sixth season of 'RuPaul's Drag Race.' Since then, she's toured the world with her sharp tongue and fierce take downs.  She joins Sam to share her favorite pop culture scriptures and reveal some life lessons she’s learned after a 30-year career in drag. S...

‘You Can See Everything’ has totally taken over our corner of the internet. The new documentary about disgraced Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes has garnered plenty of critical acclaim and awards buzz. But it also ignited many questions about grift and glorifying bad behavior. Did directors Lance Oppenheim and Nathan Fielder exploit or absolve Holmes? Can you call the film a documenta...

From plastic surgeries to public backlash, comedian Heather McMahan has laughed through it all.  In her new standup special, Heather reflects on the unique experience of getting ‘cancelled’ online—something she went through last year after a golf tournament went awry. She tells Sam about finding humor in that moment and how it taught her to take better care of herself. ...

Even the fashion industry can’t escape AI slop. Fast fashion brands are using AI to pump out new looks and trends, and speed up production at unsustainable rates. It’s a business model that relies much more on algorithmic data than human design. Chances are you’ve even seen plenty of these products in your social media feeds. Sam chats with fashion journalist Amy Odell, host of t...

Betting has infiltrated nearly every part of our culture.  Attending a sporting event? You’re surrounded by ads for DraftKings and FanDuel. Watching the Oscars? You can bet on that too. There’s even a market for betting on the upcoming midterm elections. No matter where you look, betting is everywhere.  Sam is joined by tech journalist  Max Read to unpack how gambling be...

Recently, Sam watched 'The Social Reckoning,' the long awaited sequel to 2010’s 'The Social Network.' It’s part of a long roster of tech villain films and documentaries coming out this fall that Sam finds annoying. The movies are long, the characters are underbaked, and by the end of the film he’s often left wondering … what did audiences get out of it?  'Vulture' cri...

Everyone is way past their ‘15 minutes of fame.’ In today's episode, Sam is joined by culture journalists Lindsey Weber and Bobby Finger, hosts of the ’ Who? Weekly ’ podcast to break down modern stardom. From influencers, to actors, to pop stars — becoming famous has never been easier. But becoming a household name is nearly impossible. Together they unpack how the d...

In this episode, Sam asks: What even is a flop? And if a flop happens to the biggest movie star alive, is it actually something else altogether?  We’re talking about Tom Cruise and his newest movie ‘ Digger. ’ Directed by Alejandro G. Iñárritu, this was supposed to be Tom’s ticket to finally win an Oscar…He has long been Hollywood’s biggest b...

Ten years ago, ' Moonlight ' premiered in theaters with an entirely Black cast and a haunting queer story that captivated audiences. It quickly earned critical acclaim and won three Oscars, including Best Picture, Best Supporting Actor and Best Adapted Screenplay.  Director Barry Jenkins joins Sam to celebrate the film’s enduring legacy. He also breaks down how the project reflects his...

Sam is feeling sooo nostalgic this episode. Flashback to 2012. Monoculture is omnipresent. ‘Scandal’ is on every Thursday night. Twitter is ablaze with reactions to the iconic Olivia Pope, played by Kerry Washington. Sam never misses an episode. Flash forward to today, and Kerry now has a lot in common with Sam. She just launched a new podcast called Street You Grew Up On . The show re...

John Cho has portrayed plenty of lovable characters in Hollywood, but never a villain.  In the new action thriller ‘ Your Mother Your Mother Your Mother , ’ John finally steps into that role as a violent evangelical pastor. His character is equipped with a cowboy hat, gold grills and huge guns. John spoke with Sam about preparing for the role, the importance of connection and how...

Today we’re excited to share a special episode of Reaching Out , a new podcast from Futuro and KCRW.   Hailed by Ira Glass as the “best new show I’ve heard in years,” Reaching Out is a story about fathers, sons, and the distance between. The story begins on the eve of twin brothers’ Sayre and Connor’s 30th birthday, when they set out to find the biolog...

From The Real Housewives to The Jerry Springer Show , today’s episode is all about conflict through the lens of pop culture. Author and conflict facilitator Priya Parker joins Sam to explain why conflict is so vital to building healthy communities and relationships. She also breaks down the tactics we often see in the media, and how they can teach us to fight in healthier ways. Priya even en...

Orville Peck bares his soul in his music, but chances are you wouldn’t be able to pick him out of a crowd.  For the entirety of his country music career he has been wearing a literal mask, on and off the stage. For Orville, the mask gives him the strength to be vulnerable. In his new album,  Mule , he opens up even more while singing songs about his darkest moments with addiction,...

Books are bringing people together this year in ways Sam has never seen before. There have been a handful of times in the last few months alone when it felt like he was in one giant book club with his friends, reading the same books, and having deep conversations. It made Sam ask himself … are books actually hot this year? Or should we believe the headlines that Western society is moving to...

David Archuleta shot to fame while competing on American Idol when he was just 17 years old.  During his time on the show he was a poster boy for his Mormon faith, but behind the scenes he was forced to hide his sexuality and queerness. He describes all of this in his memoir Devout: Losing My Faith to Find Myself. David talks to Sam about learning to accept himself, why his time on American I...

We gotta admit, this summer felt great for movies! From all the monoculture surrounding The Odyssey, to the successful sleeper hits like Backrooms and Obsession , the past few months felt like a magical comeback for the industry. Joining Sam to break it all down is Jacqueline Coley, awards editor at Rotten Tomatoes and host of the  Seen On The Screen podcast. Together, they unpack the biggest...

Musician and rapper Wyclef Jean shot to fame in the ‘90s after founding the seminal hip-hop group Fugees. Since then, he’s had an impressive solo career with plenty of acclaimed projects. He’s also become an undeniable hitmaker, creating massive records for artists like Shakira, Santana, Whitney Houston and many more. Wyclef joined Sam in the studio with his guitar, to play some...

This episode, we’re going back in time for one of Sam’s favorite shows… ‘Portlandia!’ For eight seasons, the sketch comedy show famously poked fun at the hipster culture, all while set in a fictionalized version of Portland. Creators and co-stars Fred Armisen and Carrie Brownstein played many of the show’s central characters. Now, they’re revisiting the e...

We will always love Dolly Parton. Sam unpacks Dolly’s immense legacy with  Ann Powers , critic and correspondent for NPR Music. Together they spend time reflecting on her many hit songs, her brilliant roles in Hollywood and her everlasting philanthropic efforts.  They also break down the secrets to Dolly’s impeccable stardom, diving into what exactly made her so ubiquitous an...

Whether it was big sporting events, or big blockbusters, or even celebrity weddings, Summer 2026 had a ton of pop culture that we all consumed together. For the first time in years, we even talked about it all together. But was it actually a return of monoculture? Sam looks at how this happened (and if it will ever happen again) with Esther Zuckerman, culture reporter for The Wall Street Journal w...

Comedian Janelle James became a star after playing the selfish, scamming, yet hilarious principal Ava Coleman in 'Abbott Elementary.' She’s since been nominated for five Emmy awards for the role. But Janelle spent years grinding through the standup scene before finding television success. She told Sam about what inspired her to try comedy years ago, and what she’s learned about herself...

Sam recently experienced one of the best stage musicals he’s seen in years.  Cats: The Jellicle Ball reimagines the classic Andrew Lloyd Webber story with a ballroom twist. The show is filled with voguing, runway and Black, queer joy. It also won multiple Tony awards this year, which packed the theater night after night.  The whole show seemed like it was on the path to success, un...

Comedian Eliot Glazer feels like he “missed the first day of Gay 101. ”  Even though he came out in college, he has always struggled to fit into gay culture. He doesn’t like the parties. He doesn’t wear the right clothes. Never listens to the right music. Can’t give off the right vibes. He writes about all these feelings in his hilarious new book of essays ...