KCRW

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Channel • 14 Shows

Society & Culture

Society & Culture

Updated weekly
Society & Culture

Society & Culture

Updated weekly
News

News

Updated weekly
Books

Books

Updated weekly
Music History

Music History

Series
Society & Culture

Society & Culture

Updated weekly
News

News

Updated daily

4 Aug

The Cyndi Lauper Conspiracy (From Switched on Pop)

Today we’re sharing Sam’s episode of Switched on Pop! Sam believes in his heart that every song Cyndi Lauper has ever written is pop perfection. Many fall for “Girls Just Want To Have Fun,” but his favorite song is the slow burner “All Through The Night,” save for one moment: the synthesizer solo. For Sam, this solo never fit in. In this episode of Switched on Pop, co-host Charlie Harding helps Sam investigate the source of his musical malady and uncovers how the ‘80s got its groove. You can find Switched on Pop on your favorite podcast app and now on Netflix! 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.
24 Jul

Harvey Guillén Is Not An Overnight Success

You probably know Harvey Guillén from his breakout role as Guillermo in the FX vampire comedy 'What We Do In The Shadows.' Working on the show was a masterclass in acting for Harvey, but he never lost sight of his childhood dream to perform on stage. That dream came true earlier this year when Harvey made his Broadway debut in the revival of 'The Rocky Horror Show.' He tells Sam about his road to the stage, which included collecting cans as a kid to pay for acting classes. Plus, he shares how his family always keeps him grounded, and his favorite pop culture scripture. You can see Harvey Guillén in The Rocky Horror Show at Studio 54 in New York City. 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.
16 May

What ski mountaineering teaches you about life, beauty, risk and happiness

Get full access to Life Examined at lifeexamined.substack.com/subscribe
25 Aug

Did Summer 2026 Bring Back Monoculture?

Whether it was big sporting events, or big blockbusters, or even celebrity weddings, Summer 2026 had a ton of pop culture that we all consumed together. For the first time in years, we even talked about it all together. But was it actually a return of monoculture? Sam looks at how this happened (and if it will ever happen again) with Esther Zuckerman, culture reporter for The Wall Street Journal who recently wrote all about the monoculture phenomenon. 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.
15/09/2016

Is Putin a presidential role model for Trump?

Unlike Republicans before him — or Democrats, for that matter — White House candidate Donald Trump has been full of praise for the President of Russia, Vladimir Putin. What's the attraction? And how is it resonating in this year's presidential campaign?
26/08/2014

Can the US Hit the Islamic State Where It Really Hurts?

President Obama’s looking at airstrikes in Syria to slow the advance of the ultra-extremist Islamic State—a growing threat to America and its interests. But that could help Syria’s brutal dictator, Bashar al-Assad, stay in power, by helping him against his most effective enemy.
$Trump, the Mormons and a fractured GOP$

15/08/2016

Trump, the Mormons and a fractured GOP

Utah has gone almost unnoticed in presidential campaigns, because it's been so reliably Republican Red. Now Donald Trump is turning it into a battleground state. We hear what that has to do with the Mormon Church and how it reveals the depths of divisions within the GOP.
06/12/2021

Buying a Christmas tree? Expect price hikes and slimmer pickings

Christmas tree shoppers have to dig a little deeper in their pockets this year for the perfect tree, or settle for one that doesn’t quite reach the ceiling. That’s due to supply chain problems and drought. Meanwhile, a local tree farmer and a home decor business are having to adapt. On the second season of the “Lost Hills” podcast, a mother and son from Malibu drowned off the coast of Santa Cruz Island in 1981. The husband has been in prison for their murder. Did he do it? And at Mater Dei High School, a football player suffered a traumatic brain injury and a broken nose in a hazing incident. The family says the school tried to minimize the situation and didn’t cooperate with a police investigation.
26/06/2023

More of Southeast LA adopts rent control thanks to women activists

A movement to bring tenant protections Southeast LA started with conversations about a very different topic: family planning. James Kim’s new fiction podcast “You Feeling This?” focuses on love and connections in LA. The stories are about real Angelenos who live in Montebello, Long Beach, and more. Many motels along Beach Blvd. are now known for prostitution and drug dealing. Anaheim, Buena Park, and Stanton are looking to revitalize the strip.
14/04/2016

News from CinemaCon: That's A Lot of 'Avatars'

The CinemaCon gathering for movie theater owners used to be a small event. But now that it has a much larger platform via the media and Internet, studios use it as an opportunity to show off their upcoming slates.

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