It's Been a Minute

Sam hears listener stories and expert tips on virtual dating and maintaining relationships in the coronavirus era. He's joined by Lane Moore, comedian and host of Tinder Live , and Damona Hoffman, a dating and relationship coach and host of the podcast Dates & Mates with Damona Hoffman. Damona also shares questions from her podcast listeners. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collectio...

The coronavirus pandemic is affecting all parts of the entertainment industry. Sam talks to writer and comedian Jenny Yang and camera operator Jessica Hershatter, whose jobs are on hold due to shutdowns. Also, Sam and LA Times entertainment reporter Meredith Blake discuss television and streaming. And joining Sam for a special edition of Who Said That is Shea Serrano , staff writer for The Ringer...

The United States government has changed its definition of who counts as black throughout the years and the census is proof of that. During the very first census in 1790, it was simply "slaves." Now, in 2020, it's "Black or African American," with the option to write in a country of origin. This week, we share an episode from the Code Switch podcast about the ever-shifting boundaries of blackness...

Depending on where you live, your race, and your income, the coronavirus pandemic can look dramatically different. Sam's NPR colleagues, Leila Fadel, based in Los Angeles, California, and Kirk Siegler, based in Boise, Idaho, compare how differently rural and urban populations are dealing with the pandemic — and what they may have in common. Then, Sam speaks with a listener who had COVID-19 and thi...

Sopan Deb lived under the same roof with both of his parents for most of his childhood, but never knew their ages or where they grew up or if they had any siblings. He didn't know much about them at all. He lived in a house of strangers, each going about their own lives, only briefly bumping into one another. It wasn't until Sopan turned 30 that he realized he was missing something and set out to...

The coronavirus has completely reshaped the world of sports. Sam talks to ESPN senior writer and ESPN Daily host Mina Kimes and The Undefeated columnist Clinton Yates about how different professional leagues are dealing with the pandemic. Also, BuzzFeed senior culture writer Anne Helen Petersen chats with Sam about our obsession with productivity in quarantine times. See pcm.adswizz.com for inform...

Where is drag culture right now? It's certainly continuing to have a moment: from RuPaul's Drag Race, to DragCon, to drag queens appearing on the big screen. In this encore episode, Sam revisits the history of drag, chats with the co-executive producers of RuPaul's Drag Race, and talks to some drag performers about where drag is headed next. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection...

The census comes but once a decade, and this time it's in the midst of a pandemic. Code Switch co-hosts Gene Demby and Shereen Marisol Meraji talk it out with Sam. Also, hospitals have been dramatically changed by the coronavirus, but babies still need to be delivered. Sam talks to one mom-to-be whose birth plans have been upended by the crisis. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collec...

Jonathan Van Ness wears many hats: He's one of the Fab Five on the popular Netflix show Queer Eye , a podcast host, an aspiring figure skater and gymnast, a grooming and self-care expert, a comedian, and author of a best-selling memoir. And now... a children's book author. Sam talks to Van Ness about why he decided to write Peanut Goes for the Gold , about a gender nonbinary guinea pig who has the...

The coronavirus is taking a toll on jobs and the economy. Sam talks to NPR's Cardiff Garcia and Stacey Vanek Smith , co-hosts of The Indicator from Planet Money , about ways to get people paid while they're out of work and the necessity for businesses to pivot to stay afloat. Also, Sam and NPR music news editor Sidney Madden talk about new ways people are listening to music and partying online in...

Right now a lot of parents have taken on a new responsibility: homeschool teacher. Many feel like they have no idea what they're doing. Sam talks with parents in all different kinds of circumstances trying to make it work. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy

The last few weeks have meant adjusting to new ways of life. Sam talks to two NPR colleagues about how life in lockdown is affecting them personally. Morning Edition host David Greene tells Sam how his wife, a restaurateur, is coping with a struggling industry and whether a new congressional stimulus bill can offer relief. Then, Kelly McEvers , host of Embedded and the new Coronavirus Daily podcas...

Audie Cornish sits down with Sam Sanders to discuss her She's Funny series: conversations with female comedians Hannah Gadsby, Margaret Cho, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Jenny Slate and others. In a series of vignettes, Audie and Sam discuss how these women charged forward in their careers and what risks they've taken through the years. Plus, Audie's extended conversation with comedian Jenny Slate on what...

It's hard being isolated from jobs, friends and family. So Sam is changing up this week's show with guests who have ideas on how to cope with the quarantine. Superstar chef Samin Nosrat of Netflix's "Salt Fat Acid Heat" and Tucker Shaw of "America's Test Kitchen" talk about cooking for neighbors, helping laid-off restaurant workers, and making better meals out of the stuff you've got at hand. Come...

Twelve years ago this week, presidential candidate Barack Obama gave what became a historic speech about race. He spoke in response to video that surfaced of his former pastor, Rev. Jeremiah Wright, heatedly criticizing America's foreign policy and treatment of African-Americans. In his speech, Obama urged racial harmony and understanding. Sam is joined by political commentators, activists and aca...

The coronavirus may force you to stay at home for the next few weeks, but here's how to successfully wait out a pandemic. Bob Mondello , film critic for NPR, tells Sam what movies to catch up on while self-quarantined, with some tips for film-watching etiquette. And with more people working from home, Barrie Hardymon , senior editor at Weekend Edition , recommends shows, movies and games both pare...

Daniel Mallory Ortberg is the writer behind Slate's Dear Prudence advice column. But now in his new book, Something That May Shock and Discredit You , Ortberg writes about something closer to home: his journey of transition from Mallory to Daniel. He talks to Sam about his relationship with religion, the power of self-knowledge and being able to fully own who you are. Email the show at samsanders@...

It's an all-NPR show! Sam talks with two fellow correspondents about big stories in the news this week. Stacey Vanek Smith , co-host of NPR's The Indicator from Planet Money , tells Sam about the "coronabump" — consumer goods and services that are seeing a spike in business because of the virus outbreak. And NPR's Quil Lawrence talks about the negotiated withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan af...

Pamela Adlon is the writer, star, director and co-creator of Better Things on FX. The television comedy-drama follows Adlon's character, Sam, as a divorced actress, raising three kids in Los Angeles. In real life, Adlon is a divorced actress, raising three kids in Los Angeles. Sam talks to Adlon about her career, seeing your parents as real-life people, and the awful, crazy, beautiful experience o...

The fast-moving coronavirus has turned up in more than 40 countries, and now it's affecting the global economy. Sam talks to two reporters from Marketplace about the financial impact of the virus. Marielle Segarra details how consumers might feel its consequences, while Reema Khrais , host of the podcast This Is Uncomfortable , explains how the US government is trying to respond. Then, Sam talks t...

Nick Kroll is the co-creator of the raunchy animated Netflix hit Big Mouth. The show (and Kroll) are known for over the top, strange, yet totally relatable c omedy. Now, Kroll is out with a new film in which he plays a romantic lead for the first time. Olympic Dreams was filmed at the 2018 Olympics in South Korea. He tells Sam about making the movie and how it has a lot in common with Big Mouth ....

Billionaire Michael Bloomberg has been rising in the polls. He's spent more than $450 million on ads, but faced a big challenge Wednesday in his first presidential debate. This week, Sam talks to two journalists who have covered Bloomberg for years. Rosie Gray , a reporter for Buzzfeed News , says that his lackluster debate performance shows that there is a limit to the power of money on the campa...

R. Eric Thomas writes a column that is part news, part culture and part celebrity shade for Elle.com . But in his new book, "Here for It: Or, How to Save Your Soul in America," Thomas takes a look at his own life. He talks to Sam about his love of words, growing up as a gay black teenager and finding love in an unexpected place. Email the show at samsanders@npr.org . See pcm.adswizz.com for inform...

The nation's first caucus and primary are in the rear-view mirror, and states around the country are second-guessing their election systems after the app used in the Iowa Caucus failed. Miles Parks , a reporter on NPR's Washington Desk, talks about how the state of Nevada is learning lessons from Iowa, including keeping the process slow so that results are certain. Libby Denkmann , senior politics...

Listen up music composition nerds and music lovers! In this episode Sam is joined by Nate Sloan and Charlie Harding , co-hosts of the podcast Switched On Pop . They break down what makes a song: why certain pop songs become ear worms and what their form and structure mean for the future of music. Answers to those questions and more that will leave you singing along. Sloan and Harding's recent book...