Choice Words with Samantha Bee

When comedian Maria Bamford recently did some shows in LA and New York, she decided to perform her set early in the morning. Despite some “goofballs” who fell asleep, the time change from a traditional late night start was a solid choice for her. Sam asks Maria how her family feels about being such a big part of her comedy, why it’s important for her to talk openly about money, and her new memoir, “Sure, I’ll Join Your Cult.”     Apple Books has teamed up with Lemonada Media for an audiobook club. “Sure, I'll Join Your Cult” by actor and comedian Maria Bamford was a past pick. Get your copy today at http://apple.co/lemonadabooks.   Follow Maria Bamford @mariabamfordcomedy on Instagram and @mariabamfoo on Twitter.   Keep up with Samantha Bee @realsambee on Instagram and Twitter. And stay up to date with us @LemonadaMedia on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.   For a list of current sponsors and discount codes for this and every other Lemonada show, go to lemonadamedia.com/sponsors.   Joining Lemonada Premium is a great way to support our show and get bonus content. Subscribe today at bit.ly/lemonadapremium.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When actress Kerry Washington’s parents told her a massive family secret five years ago, it shook her entire world. And despite being an extremely private person, Kerry decided to reveal this shocking information in her new memoir, “Thicker Than Water.” Sam and Kerry discuss how learning this truth helped Kerry truly know herself for the first time in her life and what made her want to share her story with the world. Plus, how Kerry feels about people’s inability to differentiate her from Olivia Pope and why Kerry was known as “the condom lady” in high school.   Follow Kerry Washington @kerrywashington on Instagram and Twitter.   Keep up with Samantha Bee @realsambee on Instagram and Twitter. And stay up to date with us @LemonadaMedia on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.   Apple Books has teamed up with Lemonada Media for an audiobook club. The October pick is "Thicker Than Water" by actress Kerry Washington. To get your copy of Kerry Washington's memoir, visit: http://apple.co/lemonadabooks   For a list of current sponsors and discount codes for this and every other Lemonada show, go to lemonadamedia.com/sponsors.   Joining Lemonada Premium is a great way to support our show and get bonus content. Subscribe today at bit.ly/lemonadapremium.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When Tina Smith was lieutenant governor of Minnesota, she was asked to fill the U.S. Senate vacancy created when Al Franken resigned in 2018. She’s been a force to be reckoned with ever since, fighting for abortion rights, mental health care, the environment, and much more. In this conversation taped before a live audience for MinnPost Festival in Minneapolis, Sam asks Senator Smith how she decides which issues to advocate for, why she believes that reproductive freedom is indeed a winning political issue, and which fellow senator she gets mistaken for frequently.   Follow Senator Smith online @SenTinaSmith on Twitter and @SenatorTinaSmith on Instagram.   Keep up with Samantha Bee @realsambee on Instagram and Twitter. And stay up to date with us @LemonadaMedia on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.   For a list of current sponsors and discount codes for this and every other Lemonada show, go to lemonadamedia.com/sponsors.   Joining Lemonada Premium is a great way to support our show and get bonus content. Subscribe today at bit.ly/lemonadapremium.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When Karamo was 15 years old, he came out as gay to his best friend. That didn’t stop her from convincing him to lose their virginity together and ten years later, he found out he had a son. Sam asks Karamo about the choices he made to forgive his friend, take custody of his son, and stop living in fear. They talk about his experience as the first openly gay Black man on reality TV, how his social work background helped him land his iconic role on “Queer Eye,” and the best ways to break through to men.   Follow Karamo @karamo on Instagram, @karamoshow on TikTok, and @Karamo on Twitter.   Keep up with Samantha Bee @realsambee on Instagram and Twitter. And stay up to date with us @LemonadaMedia on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.   For a list of current sponsors and discount codes for this and every other Lemonada show, go to lemonadamedia.com/sponsors.   Joining Lemonada Premium is a great way to support our show and get bonus content. Subscribe today at bit.ly/lemonadapremium.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When comedian Eric André was boarding a flight in Atlanta, Georgia, he was “randomly” picked out of line by cops and searched for drugs. Instead of chalking the experience up to yet another racist day in America, he decided to sue the Clayton County Police Department for racial profiling. Sam asks Eric what went into making that choice, why he no longer works in coffee shops, and how one prank on his show led to his arrest. Follow Eric André @ericfuckingandre on Instagram and @ericandre on Twitter. Check out his podcast, Bombing with Eric Andre, from iHeartMedia and Will Ferrell’s Big Money Players Network. Keep up with Samantha Bee @realsambee on Instagram and Twitter. And stay up to date with us @LemonadaMedia on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. For a list of current sponsors and discount codes for this and every other Lemonada show, go to lemonadamedia.com/sponsors. Joining Lemonada Premium is a great way to support our show and get bonus content. Subscribe today at bit.ly/lemonadapremium.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When Ricki Lake hosted her eponymous talk show in the 1990s, she wore hairpieces and extensions to hide the fact that her hair was thinning. After decades of privately feeling shame about her hair, Ricki learned she had androgenetic alopecia, a common form of hair loss in both men and women. Sam asks Ricki about her decision to go public with her alopecia diagnosis, how she landed the gig hosting her talk show when she was only 23 years old, and the 35th anniversary of her star-making role as Tracy Turnblad in “Hairspray.”     Follow Ricki Lake @rickilake on Instagram and @RickiLake on Twitter. Keep up with Samantha Bee @realsambee on Instagram and Twitter. And stay up to date with us @LemonadaMedia on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. For a list of current sponsors and discount codes for this and every other Lemonada show, go to lemonadamedia.com/sponsors. Joining Lemonada Premium is a great way to support our show and get bonus content. Subscribe today at bit.ly/lemonadapremium.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Alyssa Mastromonaco discusses leaving the White House after sleep deprivation, binge-watching HGTV, and her newfound love for jam making. They also touch on the challenges of transitioning from a high-stakes environment to a more relaxed one and the importance of being politically active in grassroots elections.

When Bob the Drag Queen was broke and working at a Ruby Tuesday in Georgia, a theater friend offered to buy his ticket to New York City if he promised to leave right away. The decision to take that ticket changed the entire trajectory of his life. Sam asks Bob how he went from performing in children's theater to drag brunches, where he received the most heat while filming the HBO reality series “We’re Here,” and why our politics seem to be backsliding into a sinkhole. Follow Bob the Drag Queen @bobthedragqueen on Instagram and TikTok. Keep up with Samantha Bee @realsambee on Instagram and Twitter. And stay up to date with us @LemonadaMedia on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. For a list of current sponsors and discount codes for this and every other Lemonada show, go to lemonadamedia.com/sponsors. Joining Lemonada Premium is a great way to support our show and get bonus content. Subscribe today at bit.ly/lemonadapremium.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When Governor Gretchen Whitmer was at the start of her political career, she found herself caring for both her newborn daughter and her mother, who was dying from brain cancer. The choice to become her mother’s primary caregiver as a new legislator, mom, and wife taught her to stay focused on what matters and not get distracted by things that don’t. Sam asks Governor Whitmer how she handles haters, what’s front of mind as we enter the 2024 presidential election season, and why there needs to be more women sports broadcasters. Follow Gretchen Whitmer online @GovWhitmer on Twitter, @whitmermi on Instagram, and @biggretchwhitmer on TikTok. Keep up with Samantha Bee @realsambee on Instagram and Twitter. And stay up to date with us @LemonadaMedia on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. For a list of current sponsors and discount codes for this and every other Lemonada show, go to lemonadamedia.com/sponsors. Joining Lemonada Premium is a great way to support our show and get bonus content. Subscribe today at bit.ly/lemonadapremium.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today as a special treat, we’re sharing an episode of Hysteria from Crooked Media featuring our very own Samantha Bee!    Each week on Hysteria, political commentator and comedy writer Erin Ryan and former White House Deputy Chief of Staff Alyssa Mastromonaco are joined by a bicoastal squad of funny, opinionated women to talk through everything from reproductive rights to romcoms. They break down the political news of the week, plus the topics, trends, and cultural stories that affect women’s lives.   In the episode you’re about to hear, Samantha Bee joins Erin and Alyssa to discuss women in late night, stealing cars, and her podcast, Choice Words. Next, the hosts invite Dr. Chanda Prescod-Weinstein and Halle Kiefer to talk about possibly the best reality dating show: The Ultimatum: Queer Love. Finally, a range of emotions in Sani-Petty (AI finishes bodies, college reunions are happening, body hair is growing, and a Manson girl might leave prison).See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.