The Sam Sanders Show

KCRW & Sam Sanders
  • 4.9 (380)
  • SOCIETY & CULTURE
  • UPDATED WEEKLY
The Sam Sanders Show

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. He currently co-hosts Vibe Check.  

  1. 2D AGO

    Bruce Vilanch on Writing the Worst TV Shows Ever

    The Star Wars Holiday Special, The Brady Bunch Variety Hour, and Rob Lowe singing with Snow White at the Oscars have gone down in history as some of the worst TV ever made. Bruce Vilanch is the man behind them all. He recounts his biggest TV flops in his new book It Seemed Like a Bad Idea at the Time. Sam chats with Bruce about how those infamous TV moments were made, how writing TV comedy has changed, and what it’s like to write for awards shows. Plus, Bruce shares advice for aspiring writers. It Seemed Like a Bad Idea at the Time is out now.  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.

    57 min

  2. MAR 21

    Beyond Gender: Transition Is a Part of Life (ft. Torrey Peters)

    With her debut novel Detransition, Baby, Torrey Peters made history as the first openly trans writer to be published by a major publishing house. Now, she’s back with a new book that makes the case that we’re all living the trans experience. It’s called Stag Dance, and it challenges how we think about gender and explores transness not as an identity, but an invitation. Torrey and Sam dive into trans representation, the power of writing things that make people uncomfortable and how trans art can flourish, even in today’s political climate. 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.

    54 min

  3. MAR 14

    Did Streaming Destroy the Movie Star? Paul Scheer & Amy Nicholson on Hollywood’s Big Shift

    Are movie stars a thing of the past? Paul Scheer (actor, comedian) and Amy Nicholson (LA Times film critic) – co-hosts of the Unspooled podcast – join Sam to break down why Hollywood stopped making true stars. Gone are the days of Denzel, Julia, and Tom – now it’s all about franchises, streaming, and social media clout. So who’s to blame? Studio execs afraid to take risks? IP-obsessed filmmakers? Too many TikTok dance challenges? Sam, Amy, and Paul get into it all – and then put on their Hollywood exec hats to pitch their own foolproof plan to revive the capital-M Movie Star.  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.

    57 min

  4. MAR 7

    Reality TV’s Biggest Issues with Bachelorette Rachel Lindsay & Super Fan Ryan Bailey

    Is reality TV in trouble? Seasons are shorter, fresh stars are hard to find, and production is down. Sam digs into the drama with Rachel Lindsay (former Bachelorette, host of Morally Corrupt and Higher Learning) and Ryan Bailey (host of So Bad It’s Good). They break down whether the reality TV bubble is bursting, how social media changed the game, and why execs keep making the same mistakes. Plus, they dish on contestant horror stories and debate whether unionizing could save the industry.  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.

    54 min

  5. MAR 1

    Oscars Bonus: Why Are Hollywood Wigs So Bad?

    This Oscars weekend we have a bonus episode on a topic that really irks Sam – bad wigs on the big screen. Here to break down what’s going on is Hollywood hairstylist and wigmaker Dawn Dudley. Her work has been seen in A Star is Born, Rob Zombie’s The Munsters, HBO’s Westworld and tons more. She breaks down what’s really happening on Hollywood sets and says it’s often not the hairstylist’s fault.  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.

    15 min

  6. FEB 28

    The Hipster Grifter Speaks: Kari Ferrell on Scamming & Redemption

    Kari Ferrell became a viral sensation in 2009 after her small time cons gained international attention. She was living in Brooklyn, working at Vice News when she was exposed and dubbed “The Hipster Grifter.” Sam chats with Kari about what led her to become a scammer, why the media became so obsessed and her road to redemption. Kari Ferrell’s new memoir You'll Never Believe Me: A Life of Lies, Second Tries, and Things I Should Only Tell My Therapist is out now.  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.

    49 min

  7. FEB 21

    Escaping Heartbreak with Musician Caroline Rose

    Caroline Rose makes music that cuts deep, and their latest album, year of the slug, is no exception. Sam talks with the indie singer-songwriter about why this album isn’t on Spotify, the struggle of working-class musicians in today’s industry, and how rejecting major platforms is an act of artistic defiance. Plus, Caroline opens up about their past breakup album The Art of Forgetting, how it helped Sam process his own grief, and what it means to truly move on. They also share exclusive acoustic performances of “conversations with shiv (liquid k song)” and “Tell Me What You Want.”  Check out year of the slug on Bandcamp.  Listen to 10% Happier with Dan Harris to hear more about Sam’s journey with grief.  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.

    1 hr

  8. FEB 14

    Who Belongs on Black Hollywood’s Mount Rushmore?

    It’s Black History Month, and Sam is doing something a little different: building a Black Hollywood Mount Rushmore! Comedians and writers Yassir Lester and Garrick Bernard join Sam to debate which Black entertainers have left the biggest mark on the industry. Plus, the trio unpacks how the entertainment industry has evolved for Black creatives, the impact of strikes and streaming, and what it takes for rising stars — like Yassir and Garrick — to carve out a lasting legacy in Hollywood. 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.

    52 min
See All (29)

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4.9
out of 5
380 Ratings

About

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. He currently co-hosts Vibe Check.  

Information

  • Creator
    KCRW & Sam Sanders
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2025
  • Episodes
    29
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Show Website
    The Sam Sanders Show

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