The Sam Sanders Show
KCRW & Sam Sanders
The Sam Sanders Show from KCRW is your guide to entertainment. Find out what makes your favorite artists tick, dissect the trends that shape our culture, or just make sense of that random meme you can’t stop thinking about. Join us every week to unpack the pop culture we love.
Sign up for Sam’s Newsletter to get behind the scenes stuff from every interview each week.
Sam Sanders is an award-winning podcast and radio host. He’s been named best podcast host by both The Ambies and the iHeart Podcast Awards. He was one of the founding hosts of The NPR Politics Podcast and the host who launched both It’s Been A Minute from NPR and Into It from Vulture.
Sign up for Sam’s Newsletter to get behind the scenes stuff from every interview each week.
Sam Sanders is an award-winning podcast and radio host. He’s been named best podcast host by both The Ambies and the iHeart Podcast Awards. He was one of the founding hosts of The NPR Politics Podcast and the host who launched both It’s Been A Minute from NPR and Into It from Vulture.
Episodes
Mentioned books
Feb 7, 2025 • 56min
Should the Oscars Even Exist? with The Big Picture Hosts Sean Fennessey and Amanda Dobbins
Sean Fennessey and Amanda Dobbins, hosts of The Big Picture podcast from The Ringer, dive into a fiery debate over the relevance of the Oscars. They argue that the Academy often rewards marketing over creativity and struggles to connect with today's audiences. Exploring innovative changes, they suggest a live elimination format for nominees and even reality TV-style engagement to spice things up. The conversation also touches on representation in Hollywood and why the Oscars need to evolve to remain significant in the ever-changing landscape of film.
Jan 31, 2025 • 51min
Sam Sings! with Celebrity Vocal Coach Doug Peck
Doug Peck, a celebrity vocal coach known for working with stars like Billie Eilish and Patti LuPone, shares his insights on the art of singing. He explains the role of vocal coaching in shaping artists' performances and the importance of emotional depth in music. The conversation dives into the balance of authenticity versus perfection, exploring the impact of auto-tune on modern sound. Sam surprises listeners with a musical moment, showcasing the playful connection between self-expression and coaching techniques.
Jan 24, 2025 • 46min
TikTok's Rise, Fall & Messy Future
The internet was in a frenzy over the short-lived TikTok ban. The app went down, then came back, and could still disappear again? Here to unpack what it all means for pop culture are two viral sensations, Franchesca Ramsey and Brandon Kyle Goodman. They’re both creators, podcasters, actors, and TV writers who had a lot to say about the internet and why Americans should party more.
Sign up for Sam’s Newsletter to get behind the scenes stuff from every interview each week.
The Sam Sanders Show is a production of KCRW and Sam Sanders Productions.
Jan 17, 2025 • 51min
2025’s Pop Culture Forecast
It’s been a rough start to the year for everyone in Los Angeles so we invited some friends to help us get through it with laughter. Chelsea Devantez, host of the Glamorous Trash podcast, and comedian Erin Dewey Lennox. Together, we break down the pop culture we’re excited for in 2025 and what we’re leaving behind in 2024.
If you need resources or you’re looking for ways to help those affected by the LA fires, visit kcrw.com/firehelp
Other resources mentioned in this episode:
Best Friends Animal Society
Letters from Altadena: Wildfire Relief
Sign up for Sam’s Newsletter to get behind the scenes stuff from every interview each week.
Jan 10, 2025 • 3min
Checking in from Los Angeles
Due to the recent fires in Los Angeles, we’re postponing our episode this week. Sam and the KCRW team are safe. Our hearts go out to everyone affected by these devastating events. We’ll be back in your feed soon.
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Jan 3, 2025 • 49min
Rachel Bloom Confronts Grief with a Heckler Named Death
In early 2020, comedian and actor Rachel Bloom faced life-changing extremes: the birth of her first child and the loss of collaborator Adam Schlesinger to COVID in the same week. In her Netflix special Death, Let Me Do My Special, Bloom processes these losses in a way that caught Sam’s attention, making his favorite comedy special of the last year. Rachel chats with Sam about her process and gives him advice on whether he should become a parent.
Sign up for Sam’s Newsletter to get behind the scenes stuff from every interview each week.
The Sam Sanders Show is a production of KCRW and Sam Sanders Productions.
5 snips
Dec 27, 2024 • 1h 8min
How To Talk To Yourself When Things Suck (from 10% Happier with Dan Harris)
In this insightful discussion, award-winning reporter Sam Sanders shares his personal journey with grief and the lessons it imparts. He reflects on maintaining connections with loved ones even after their passing, highlighting how grief coexists with joy. Sam emphasizes the transformative power of sorrow, echoing the complexities of human emotion in journalism. He also discusses the importance of self-talk and emotional processing as tools for healing, illustrating how memories can deepen over time and encourage personal growth.
Dec 20, 2024 • 59min
Jessica Williams Talks Therapy and Life Lessons
Jessica Williams plays a shrink on TV, but we’d pay money to have her be our therapist IRL. From her time on The Daily Show, to playing a therapist on Apple TV+’s Shrinking, and what it was like to freeze her eggs, the comedian and actor shares life lessons with us. And does a cold plunge count as self-care? We play a game to find out.
Sign up for Sam’s Newsletter to get behind the scenes stuff from every interview each week.
The Sam Sanders Show is a production of KCRW and Sam Sanders Productions.
Dec 13, 2024 • 58min
The Evolution of Pop Music with Diallo and LUXXURY
Diallo and LUXXURY, hosts of the One Song podcast, help us recap the year in pop music. We talk about Drake’s beef with Universal, the evolution of sampling in the music industry, and the most slept-on artists of 2024. Plus, we discuss why the Grammys rarely get things right and launch The Sammies™ to set the record straight.
Sign up for Sam’s Newsletter to get behind the scenes stuff every week.
The Sam Sanders Show is a production of KCRW and Sam Sanders Productions.
Dec 6, 2024 • 56min
Kendrick vs. Drake to Wicked: 2024 Unpacked
2024 delivered endless pop culture phenomena from Brat Summer to Wicked’s box office domination. Traci Thomas, host of The Stacks podcast, and Franklin Leonard, founder of The Black List, help us reflect on the year's defining moments.
We rehash Kendrick and Drake’s beef, discuss Wicked’s cultural impact, and debate if monoculture still exists.
Sign up for Sam’s Newsletter to get behind the scenes stuff from every interview each week.
The Sam Sanders Show is a production of KCRW and Sam Sanders Productions.
