It's Been a Minute

Veteran journalist Dan Rather thinks the U.S. is facing an 'existential crisis,' but one the country can survive. His new book is called What Unites Us: Reflections on Patriotism. Sam and Dan talked in front of an audience at the Brooklyn Academy of Music last month. Email the show at samsanders@npr.org or tweet @NPRItsBeenAMin with your feedback. Follow Sam on Twitter @samsanders and producers Brent Baughman @brentbaughman and Anjuli Sastry @AnjuliSastry.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

Sam is joined by Jody Avirgan (@jodyavirgan) from 538 Politics and ESPN's '30 for 30' podcast series, along with Brittany Luse (@bmluse), co-host of Gimlet Media's 'The Nod,' to talk about the week that was: Michael Flynn, Republican progress on taxes, net neutrality, even more sexual assault firings, along with a call to a listener currently in Puerto Rico. It's all capped off with the best things that happened to listeners all week. Email the show at samsanders@npr.org or tweet @NPRItsBeenAMin with your feedback. Follow Sam on Twitter @samsanders and producers Brent Baughman @brentbaughman and Anjuli Sastry @AnjuliSastry.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

In her new memoir, "The Mother of Black Hollywood," Jenifer Lewis chronicles a career that has spanned decades, from Broadway to the hit ABC show Black-ish. Along the way, she played fictional moms to Tupac Shakur, Taraji P. Henson, and Whitney Houston. Jenifer talks to Sam about her long career, struggling with addiction and bipolar disorder, growing up in Missouri, and lying her way into the DNC in 2008. Email the show at samsanders@npr.org or tweet @NPRItsBeenAMin with your feedback. Follow Sam on Twitter @samsanders and producers Brent Baughman @brentbaughman and Anjuli Sastry @AnjuliSastry.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

Dan Pashman, host of the Sporkful (@TheSporkful), and a surprise special guest join the show — and three listeners share Thanksgiving horror stories. Then, as always, the best things that happened to our listeners all week. We're back with a deep dive on Tuesday, and our regular wrap on the week next Friday. As always, you can reach the show at samsanders@npr.org or @NPRItsBeenAMin. Tweet at Sam @samsanders and producers Brent Baughman @brentbaughman and Anjuli Sastry @AnjuliSastry.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 one and only Bill Nye the Science Guy (@BillNye) is the subject of a new documentary all about his life. He talks to Sam about the film, how he thinks fame has changed his brain, a troubling degenerative disease that afflicts his family, and his advocacy of climate science. Email the show at samsanders@npr.org or tweet @NPRItsBeenAMin with your feedback. Follow Sam on Twitter @samsanders and producers Brent Baughman @brentbaughman and Anjuli Sastry @AnjuliSastry.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

Guest host Sarah McCammon (@sarahmccammon) talks with NPR newscaster Korva Coleman (@KorvaColemanNPR) and NPR Weekend Edition Sunday host Lulu Garcia-Navarro (@lourdesgnavarro) about the week that was: the status of the tax plan turned healthcare bill in Congress, sexual assault accusations against U.S. Senate candidate Roy Moore and Senator Al Franken, a shooting in California, and the butterball turkey hotline. They also call a listener in Australia, and it's all capped off by the best things that happened to listeners all week. Sam will be back next week for a special Thanksgiving edition of the show, which we'll release on Thursday morning. As always, you can reach the show at samsanders@npr.org or @NPRItsBeenAMin. Tweet at Sam @samsanders and producers Brent Baughman @brentbaughman and Anjuli Sastry @AnjuliSastry.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

Iliza Shlesinger's (@iliza) new book, "Girl Logic: The Genius and the Absurdity," is her take on how women think. She and Sam talk about the book, her dog, Blanche; the party goblin in us all, growing up in Texas, getting her start in comedy, and publishing her book with what was formerly Weinstein Press. Email the show at samsanders@npr.org or tweet @NPRItsBeenAMin with your feedback. Follow Sam on Twitter @samsanders and producers Brent Baughman @brentbaughman and Anjuli Sastry @AnjuliSastry.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

Public radio reporter and Marketplace contributor Sally Herships (@sherships) and WNYC Reporter Sean Rameswaram (@rameswaram) join Sam to talk about the week that was: Election Day, an update on the Paradise Papers, and the Texas shooting, along with a call to a listener in Los Angeles. It's all capped off with the best things that happened to listeners all week. Email the show at samsanders@npr.org or tweet @NPRItsBeenAMin with your feedback. Follow Sam on Twitter @samsanders and producers Brent Baughman @brentbaughman and Anjuli Sastry @AnjuliSastry.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

Washington Post reporter Jenna Johnson (@wpjenna) and Michael D'Antonio, author of the biography "The Truth About Trump," join Sam to talk about the President one the year since he was elected. Email the show at samsanders@npr.org or tweet @NPRItsBeenAMin with your feedback. Follow Sam on Twitter @samsanders and producers Brent Baughman @brentbaughman and Anjuli Sastry @AnjuliSastry.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

NPR Asia Correspondent Elise Hu (@elisewho) and Weekend Edition Editor Barrie Hardymon (@bhardymon) join Sam to talk through the week that was: Facebook and Twitter executives testifying in front of Congress, President Trump's Asia trip, the resignation of NPR Senior Vice President of News Michael Oreskes — plus a check-in with a listener who just moved to Antarctica. It's all capped off with the best things that happened to listeners all week. Email the show at samsanders@npr.org or tweet @NPRItsBeenAMin with your feedback. Follow Sam on Twitter @samsanders and producers Brent Baughman @brentbaughman and Anjuli Sastry @AnjuliSastry.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