It's Been a Minute

Al Gore is still leading the fight against climate change, but the topic is now also becoming an issue of racial justice. How will it play out in 2020? The fallout of the opioid crisis continues as lawsuits against opioid manufacturers pile up. Plus, how streaming services are reshaping the art form of the pop song. Sam is joined by Dan Zak of The Washington Post and Sarah Halzack of Bloomberg Opi...

Fab Fiver Karamo Brown takes Sam to church, so to speak, in this episode recorded in front of a live audience at Sixth & I in Washington, D.C. Sam and Karamo spoke about his new memoir, 'Karamo Brown: My Story of Embracing Purpose, Healing, and Hope.' See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences...

Apple's announcement that it would enter the competitive world of video streaming services has Sam wondering what the future of TV looks like. He's joined by 'Invisibilia ' hosts Alix Spiegel and Hanna Rosin, who are digging into how our minds fill in gaps when something is unknown. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your...

Mo Amer joins Sam to talk about his experience emigrating from Kuwait to Houston and the almost-constant code-switching he did growing up. He also shares his thoughts about #MeToo in the comedy world. This episode contains explicit discussion about sexual issues pertaining to the #MeToo movement. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and...

With March Madness in full swing, the debate over whether the NCAA should compensate athletes resurfaces once again. 2020 Democratic presidential candidates continue to unveil progressive policy positions. Plus, how Outdoor Voices' #DoingThings slogan fits into a moment where lines between advertising and everyday life are increasingly blurry. Julia Furlan fills in for Sam, and she's flanked by Ge...

"Sweet birthday baby!" Greta Lee talks about her role in the critically acclaimed Netflix show 'Russian Doll,' starring Natasha Lyonne as a woman who can't stop dying and reliving the same night. Greta tells guest-host Julia Furlan how the show was reincarnated from a failed NBC pilot, why she still struggles to avoid Asian-American stereotypes in television and what to expect from the HBO show sh...

After a second fatal crash involving the Boeing 737 MAX airplane, countries around the world grounded the jet this week. Facebook and its suite of apps went offline for some time this week, leaving some social media users feeling disconnected. Plus, what one Ivy League-school graduate of color has to say about the college admissions scandal unveiled by the FBI. Julia Furlan is filling in for Sam t...

Andrew Rannells has come a long way from Omaha, which he left in the late '90s to follow his dream of becoming a Broadway star in New York City. His new book, "Too Much Is Not Enough: A Memoir of Fumbling Toward Adulthood" tells the story of his early years there. He tells Sam about learning his dad died on a half-hearted date, getting drunk in piano bars with his best friend, Zuzanna, and how a f...

This week an HIV-positive person was declared in remission. That increased hopes for a cure, but what does it mean for infection rates overall? Ride-hailing services may be worsening traffic, and Los Angeles is considering a new tax to ease the congestion. Plus, what's going on in the India-Pakistan conflict over Kashmir. Sam's guests are entertainment and sports journalist Audrey Cleo Yap and LA...

It's Tuesday. Phoebe Robinson is doing a lot. There's her acting and her second book, ' Everything's Trash, But It's Okay .' And on top of that, there's '2 Dope Queens,' the podcast turned HBO live show that she hosted with Jessica Williams. Sam catches up with Robinson on the comedy landscape in the #MeToo era, getting out of debt, and abreevs. You'll find out what that means. Tweet @NPRItsBeenAM...

It's Friday. Sam's "got money in the bank" with NPR correspondents Elise Hu and Eyder Peralta. President Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un walked away from the negotiating table without a deal this week. Does the "no deal" option have the broadest support? Tensions remain high in Venezuela as President Nicolas Maduro tries to retain office amid a push for a change of government in the coun...

It's Tuesday. Michaela Coel first got the idea for her hit British sitcom 'Chewing Gum' while at drama school. Her later work as the creator, writer, and lead actress on the show earned her a BAFTA. She tells Sam about the transparency that comes from shaving her head and once embracing the Pentecostal faith. Tweet feels @NPRItsBeenAMin or email samsanders@npr.org. See pcm.adswizz.com for informat...

It's Friday. Sam is losing himself with HuffPost news editor Saba Hamedy and editor-in-chief of The Advocate Zach Stafford. 'Empire' actor Jussie Smollett was charged with filing a false police report in an alleged hate crime incident in Chicago last month. What does this development mean for other victims of hate crimes? Meanwhile, Bernie Sanders announced another bid for the presidency. Plus, Sa...

It's Tuesday. Sam talks to musician Emily King about her new album, 'Scenery ,' hailed by our NPR Music colleagues as "a precise-yet-fluid blend of '80s pop and rock, contemporary R&B and light jazz touches that, together, reveal a starry-eyed earnestness." They discuss the album, her slot at Coachella, and her journey away from the big city. Email samsanders@npr.org or tweet @NPRItsBeenAMin with...

It's Friday. Sam will be seeing NPR's Susan Davis and Lulu Garcia-Navarro in the studio as they bid farewell to NASA's Opportunity Mars Rover. They're breaking down the issues raised as President Trump declares a national emergency in order to build the border wall. Also, what led more teachers — this time in Denver — to strike this week? Plus, Sue explains why she's over the TV show 'This Is Us'...

It's Tuesday. Sam talks with three Oakland teenagers about the gun violence they regularly encounter. They have been held up at gunpoint and known friends and mentors who have been shot. These Castlemont High School students are involved with a violence intervention program called Youth ALIVE! Through the program, they mentor middle school students on the dangers of guns. See pcm.adswizz.com for i...

It's Friday. Sam is putting on his best falsetto to sing along with NPR reporters Sarah Gonzalez and Julia Furlan. They're digging into peculiar details of the 'El Chapo' trial, as well as how changes to federal law could be the cause of a rise in sex trafficking. Plus, Sam chats with a listener who grew up in Virginia about racism in the state. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collec...

It's Tuesday. Sam chats with Angie Thomas, author of the best-selling young adult novel 'The Hate U Give' about her new book, 'On The Come Up.' They talk about both her books, about proving there's a huge audience for the black experience in young adult literature, and about moving on up — and why it's complicated. Email samsanders@npr.org or tweet @NPRItsBeenAMin with feels. See pcm.adswizz.com f...

It's Friday. Sam's got one hand in his pocket, and the other one is welcoming LA Times reporter Amy Kaufman and NPR's Karen Grigsby Bates to the studio. They dive into Howard Schultz's possible 2020 presidential run, the latest in controversial technology and the reaction to a Michael Jackson-focused documentary that premiered at Sundance. Plus, what's with the NFL's recent ratings increase? Clint...

It's Tuesday. Burgess is one of the stars of the hit Netflix show 'Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt.' He gets real on playing an extrovert (as an introvert), going from rural Georgia to Broadway, and his love for 99-cent stores. Tweet @NPRItsBeenAMin with feels. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship prefere...

It's Friday. Uh-oh, another episode with Sam, this time with NPR Reporter Vanessa Romo (@vanromo) and KPCC science reporter Jacob Margolis (@JacobMargolis), host of 'The Big One.' They cover the latest on the military transgender ban and a new climate change survey, while Sam digs deep on the social media app TikTok with help from Atlantic staff writer Taylor Lorenz (@TaylorLorenz). Email samsande...

It's Tuesday. Sam talks to 'Hamilton' star Brandon Victor Dixon and Broadway director Michael Greif about bringing the groundbreaking 1996 Broadway musical 'Rent' to live television — January 27 at 8 PM EST on FOX. They discuss the difference between stage and television performance, what made 'Rent' such an influential musical, and that time Brandon Victor Dixon spoke to Vice President-elect Mike...

It's Friday. Sam ooga-chakas this week with NPR National Desk correspondent Leila Fadel (@LeilaFadel) and 'The Nevada Independent' editor Jon Ralston (@RalstonReports). They talk the latest on Syria, Brexit, and a family's choice not to return to Paradise, Calif., following the wildfires there. Plus, is Marie Kondo really telling you to throw away your books? See pcm.adswizz.com for information ab...

It's Tuesday. Sam talks to Dan Levy about the comedy series he co-created with his father, actor Eugene Levy. They discuss why Dan has always had to pay his own way, choosing to make his character on "Schitt's Creek" pansexual, and what he doesn't miss about working as a host for MTV. And, uh, Beyonce may have come up, too. Email the show at samsanders@npr.org or tweet @NPRItsBeenAMin with your fe...

It's Friday. Sam is swimming through the latest in shutdown and border wall news with help from NBC White House correspondent Geoff Bennett and CNN senior political reporter Nia-Malika Henderson. Race is seemingly absent from that debate, even though it's a big predictor of voter attitudes on immigration. Plus, why BuzzFeed writer Anne Helen Petersen dubbed millennials the "burnout generation." Se...