The Sam Sanders Show

Latest Episodes:

Can Pop Culture Cure a Broken Heart? w/ Anna Sale Sep 12, 2025

Show notes

Anna Sale hosts one of our favorite podcasts (and probably yours too) Death, Sex & Money.

In honor of her show, Sam and Anna roundup their picks for the best movies, tv shows, music and books all about (you guessed it!) death, sex and money. Together they get into the timeless lessons on grief in The Lion King, why Bonnie Raitt’s catalog is the ultimate remedy for heartbreak, and some surprisingly racy Aretha Franklin lyrics. Plus, Anna shares where she found joy this summer.

Want more of Anna Sale’s musings? Check out her Substack From Somewhere.

The Sam Sanders Show is a production of KCRW and Sam Sanders Productions.

Should We Still Care About Fashion? w/ Robin Givhan Sep 05, 2025

Show notes

Pulitzer Prize–winning fashion critic Robin Givhan joins Sam to talk style, luxury, and legacy. Sam also asks the eternal question: which jeans should he wear—skinny, baggy, barrel, or wide leg?

Robin offers sharp fashion advice and dives into her new book, Make It Ours: Crashing the Gates of Culture with Virgil Abloh. They unpack the rebellious influence of Virgil Abloh—the late visionary behind Off-White and the first Black designer to lead Louis Vuitton—and how he blurred the line between streetwear and high fashion.

She also breaks down the biggest challenges in fashion today, from TikTok microtrends to whether “high fashion” still matters.

The Sam Sanders Show is a production of KCRW and Sam Sanders Productions.

A Brief History of Terrible Lyrics (from Switched On Pop) Aug 29, 2025

Show notes

Why do bad lyrics happen to good people?

From ‘suckin' on a chili dog’ to ‘making love to his tonic and gin,’ even the biggest hits from our favorite artists can feature lyrical turns that make us feel quizzical, offended, or even downright nauseated.

Sam joins Nate and Charlie, hosts of the Vulture music podcast Switched on Pop, to plumb the depths of the worst pop lyrics of all time—culled from hundreds of listener submissions—to categorize, historicize, and, perhaps, celebrate the art of the lyrical faux pas. Check out more episodes of Switched on Pop anywhere you get podcasts.

The Sam Sanders Show is a production of KCRW and Sam Sanders Productions.

Does Pop Culture Give a F*#% about Friendship? Aug 22, 2025

Show notes

BFF’s Lindy West and Meagan Hatcher-Mays (Text Me Back! Podcast) dive into what pop culture gets right (and wrong) about friendships.

The duo share their hot takes with Sam, make a case for renaming Love Island to Friendship Island, and ask if MTV’s The Real World ruined the country. Plus, should some problematic celebrities (cough *Cardi B* cough) get a pass for being too real?

Want more Lindy and Meagan? Check out their Substack for Text Me Back!

The Sam Sanders Show is a production of KCRW and Sam Sanders Productions.

Bob the Drag Queen: What is Freedom? Aug 15, 2025

Show notes

Harriet Tubman… as a rap icon?

Bob the Drag Queen’s new book Harriet Tubman: Live in Concert reimagines the historical icon as an abolitionist rapper in present-day America. Bob tells Sam about Tubman’s radical impact on history and why he’s obsessed with her legacy. They dive into what freedom means in 2025. Plus, Bob shares hilarious impressions (Thanks, Obama) and his thoughts on today’s protest music.

The Sam Sanders Show is a production of KCRW and Sam Sanders Productions.

Big Freedia: Is Twerking Next to Godliness? Aug 08, 2025

Show notes

Big Freedia is best known as the Queen of Bounce, but her new gospel album Pressing Onward showcases her holy roots.

She tells Sam about growing up as a young gay church kid in New Orleans, what moved her to make a gospel album, and how twerking and praising God go hand in hand. Plus, Big Freedia breaks down her iconic feature on Beyoncé’s 2016 hit single “Formation.”

Pressing Onward is out now.

The Sam Sanders Show is a production of KCRW and Sam Sanders Productions.

Did Beyoncé Change Country Music Forever? Aug 01, 2025

Show notes

Beyoncé just wrapped her Cowboy Carter era, which saw an acclaimed world tour, historic Grammys wins, and a lot of backlash. So what does her massive crossover really mean for country music and its politics?

Writer and cultural critic Tressie McMillan Cottom joins Sam to unpack whether or not country music still has a race problem (spoiler alert: it does), the reaction to Beyoncé’s success in the genre, and if Cowboy Carter truly opened doors for Black artists. Plus, Tressie argues there actually is a song of the summer… if you’re paying attention.

Feeling a bit of déjà vu? You’re not imagining things, country music is a cherished topic for Sam and Tressie.

The Sam Sanders Show is a production of KCRW and Sam Sanders Productions.

Are We Living in a Feminist Dystopia? Jul 25, 2025

Show notes

This week, writer Anne Helen Petersen unpacks the idea of Feminist Exhaustion — a term she coined to describe the burnout, backlash, and disillusionment many women feel toward the hollow promises of modern feminism. Sam and Anne explore how pop culture shaped (and warped) our ideas of empowerment through shows like Scandal, Girls and basically every recent Nicole Kidman project. Plus, they dive into the evolution from girlboss to tradwife, and ask how future generations can redefine what feminism means.

The Sam Sanders Show is a production of KCRW and Sam Sanders Productions.

Checking in from the public media dumpster fire Jul 24, 2025

Show notes

Anyone else exhausted?

What’s Worth Watching (and Skipping) in 2025 So Far? Jul 18, 2025

Show notes

We’re halfway through the year, so it’s time for a pop culture check-in!

Sam is joined by two of your faves — Linda Holmes (Pop Culture Happy Hour) and Ronald Young Jr. (Leaving the Theater, Weight For It) — to break down the best and worst of the year so far. From Sinners to The Studio to Love Island and the online discourse that kept us all talking. Plus, an epic fix for The White Lotus season four (you’re welcome).

The Sam Sanders Show is a production of KCRW and Sam Sanders Productions.