It's Been a Minute

The Oscars are Sunday and once again this year's nominees reflect an Academy that's still older, whiter, and more male. All five directing nominees are men, and 19 of 20 nominees for acting are white. Adam B. Vary , Senior Entertainment Writer for Variety , tells Sam the best-reviewed film of the year is "Parasite," from South Korea, which is up for Best Picture. But none of its cast were singled...

Roy Wood Jr. has been a comedian since he was 19. He's a correspondent for ' The Daily Show with Trevor Noah' and has two Comedy Central specials under his belt. Wood talks to Sam about his career, how to be funny in a changing political climate, and a project he's working on that was inspired by a run-in with the law. Email the show at samsanders@npr.org . See pcm.adswizz.com for information abou...

It's been a busy week in news. Australia's capital Canberra is menaced by wildfires and has declared a state of emergency. And the fast spread of the coronavirus has also led to racist comments and press coverage about Asian food and Asian-American eating habits. Sam talks about these stories with panelists Julie Cart, a reporter for CalMatters and Andrew Ti , host of the podcast Yo, Is This Racis...

Randee St. Nicholas met Prince for the first time in 1991, when she was hired to do their first shoot together. From there she captured some of his highest moments doing sold out shows across the world, to his most vulnerable, in hotel rooms late at night. Randee recalls her memorable relationship with Prince that spanned years and led to countless memories. She's published her photos of the iconi...

As President Trump's impeachment trial starts in the Senate, we look to some ongoing stories to recap the week in news. An NPR investigation finds a government agency reported deeply disturbing housing and health conditions in ICE facilities holding people seeking asylum. And the Supreme Court opens up a pathway for civil lawsuits over lead-poisoned water in Flint, Michigan. Plus, a conversation a...

NPR Code Switch correspondent Karen Grigsby Bates steps in for Sam. She is joined by best-selling author Jennifer Weiner, who has written popular books like Good In Bed, In Her Shoes , and Little Earthquakes over the past two decades. Weiner talks about her latest novel, Mrs. Everything, the importance of having plus-size characters in books and speaking out against sexism. See pcm.adswizz.com for...

Guest host Elise Hu steps in again for Sam this week, this time from member station KQED in San Francisco. She's joined by Nitasha Tiku, tech culture reporter at the Washington Post, and Farhad Manjoo, an opinion columnist at The New York Times who focuses on technology and culture. They talk about news from Google and Apple, surveillance, and the role big tech's products play in geopolitics. Plus...

One of Broadway's hottest tickets last year was a play with no big-name actors by a 30-year-old black queer writer. Jeremy O. Harris talks to Sam about poking the bear that is Broadway, and whether he thinks he'll be embraced there long-term. Email the show at samsanders@npr.org . See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your p...

Elise Hu steps in for Sam this week, from member station WBEZ in Chicago. She's joined by NPR's Peter Sagal, host of ' Wait Wait...Don't Tell Me! ', and Greta Johnsen of WBEZ's ' Nerdette ' podcast. They discuss Harvey Weinstein, the Hollywood producer now on trial in New York for sex crimes. Plus, an Iranian-American writer shares her perspective on decades of disputes between Iran and the U.S. A...

You may know Jad Abumrad as the host of WNYC's 'Radiolab.' He tells Sam why he created another podcast, Dolly Parton's America , examining the life and work of music legend Dolly Parton. Jad himself grew up in Nashville, where his physician father, a Lebanese immigrant, struck up an unlikely friendship with the singer. Jad uses this podcast to ask what divides us, and how we can transcend those di...

Wondering how to get a solid start on your New Year's resolution? Whether you're hoping to get your finances in better shape or change your diet, the experts at NPR's 'Life Kit' have some advice that can help. NPR correspondent Chris Arnold and NPR senior editor and correspondent Maria Godoy join Sam Sanders as they dig into how to make those New Year's resolutions stick and how to have a relaxing...

'Silicon Valley ' and 'Crazy Rich Asians ' star Jimmy O. Yang spoke to Sam in 2018 about his book 'How To American: An Immigrant's Guide To Disappointing Your Parents.' Email the show at samsanders@npr.org. 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

On this special episode, Sam Sanders revisits his 2019 conversations with two writers whose books he loved: Candice Carty-Williams, author of 'Queenie,' and Angie Thomas, author of the books, 'On The Come Up' and 'The Hate U Give.' Candice Carty-Williams' 'Queenie' has been called "the black 'Bridget Jones' Diary" and centers around a 25-year-old woman going through the awkwardness of breakups, lo...

Last Christmas PJ Morton released 'Christmas With PJ.' He and Sam spoke about putting new twists on holiday classics, and what his father — a legendary gospel singer and preacher — taught him about music. Email the show at samsanders@npr.org. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Pri...

There were large-scale protests in countries across the globe the year. What do they signify about our current cultural moment? Plus a look back at the state of democracy in the United States and a dive into China's increasing influence in the U.S. entertainment industry. Sam is joined by NPR political editor Ron Elving and host of NPR's "Weekend Edition Sunday" Lulu Garcia-Navarro. See pcm.adswiz...

The NBC sitcom 'Friends' has been around for 25 years, and its popularity endures. Netflix says 'Friends' was the second most popular show on its streaming platform this year, based on minutes watched, and the show has also struck a chord with a younger generation. What is it about 'Friends' that resonates with viewers, and what does it say about us? Sam Sanders spoke to listeners, reporters and a...

Cities across the United States are struggling to figure out how to best respond to rising populations of people experiencing homelessness, especially in light of shortages of affordable housing and recent court rulings. Plus everything you should know about this year's flu season. Sam is joined this week by NPR national desk correspondents Kirk Siegler and Leila Fadel. See pcm.adswizz.com for inf...

In the aftermath of the 2016 presidential election, writer Lyz Lenz watched a discussion unfold about Midwestern voters, their political views and their religious beliefs. Then, her politically divided marriage ended when she learned she and her husband had voted for different presidential candidates. She found herself questioning the impact of faith on politics in middle America. Lenz's book, ' G...

International climate talks began this week in Madrid. The U.S. sent representatives even though President Trump has claimed the U.S. is officially out of the international climate accord. The Trump Administration also said this week it has a plan to distribute HIV-prevention medication for free to individuals without prescription drug insurance coverage. Does the plan go far enough? Plus, Jennife...

Writer Liz Plank is worried about men. She's not just concerned about toxic masculinity — though she hates that phrase. She's worried our politics and cultural conversation about men is actually leaving them behind. Plank spoke to Sam about her new book, 'For The Love Of Men: A New Vision For Mindful Masculinity,' which offers a blueprint for men to examine themselves and how they think about gend...

In this special episode, Sam Sanders and Dan Pashman of 'The Sporkful' question food media's never-ending effort to make Thanksgiving new each year, and discuss how to make the holiday less stressful and more enjoyable. Then, an encore presentation of Sam's interview with 'Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat' writer and cook Samin Nosrat. She talks about her philosophy as a chef, how she's handling fame and how...

We're sharing 'All Things Considered' host Audie Cornish's conversation with comedian Nicole Byer, whom she calls a "star on the rise." Byer has helmed a comedy series, two hit podcasts, a Netflix comedy special and the Emmy-nominated Netflix cooking series, 'Nailed It!' The pair sat down in front of a live audience in Los Angeles earlier this year to talk about her successes, auditioning as a bla...

Guest host Elise Hu steps in for Sam this week. She is joined by panelists Jacob Margolis, science reporter for Southern California Public Radio, and Peter Hamby, host of Snapchat's Good Luck America, and contributing writer for Vanity Fair. They discuss the aftermath of a California school shooting, the fall of WeWork, and the lawmaker who may have farted on air. Plus, why Mister Rogers is still...

Journalist Alicia Menendez has noticed a problem: in the workplace, and in many aspects of their lives, women are forced into becoming inauthentic versions of themselves in order to be likeable. Her new book, 'The Likeability Trap: How To Break Free And Succeed As You Are,' examines how to avoid these traps. Menendez and guest host Elise Hu talked about creating more fulfilling personal relationsh...

Disney launched its highly anticipated streaming service, Disney+, this week and added a message to viewers that some of its older material may include outdated or offensive content or cultural images. A trial of a four-day workweek in Japan showed signs of increasing productivity — could something similar succeed in a country like the United States? And as the nation turns its focus to the now-pu...