The Sam Sanders Show

Where Are All The Great TV Shows?

This year brought us some stellar new shows… But watching them has never been more complicated. Which app is your show streaming on? Are you subscribed? If not, are you

Can the Brits Do ‘SNL’ Better Than Americans?

Live from London, it’s Saturday night! The British adaptation of ‘Saturday Night Live’ premiered earlier this year, but the show really found its voice in its latest epi

Did We Just See The Best Movie Of 2026?

Sam hasn’t been too impressed with the movies lately. But then he saw 'La Bola Negra.' The Spanish drama, directed by Javier Calvo and Javier Ambrossi (AKA Los Javis) is

Can A Drag Queen Finally Win 'The Traitors?’ w/ Bianca Del Rio

Drag icon Bianca Del Rio has us in a fit of laughter this episode. Known for her blistering comedy, she rose to fame after winning the sixth season of 'RuPaul's Drag Rac

Are We In An Elizabeth Holmes Fever Dream?

‘You Can See Everything’ has totally taken over our corner of the internet. The new documentary about disgraced Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes has garnered plenty of

Heather McMahan Is Hanging On ‘By A Thread’

From plastic surgeries to public backlash, comedian Heather McMahan has laughed through it all.  In her new standup special, Heather reflects on the unique experience of

Is Fashion Over?

Even the fashion industry can’t escape AI slop. Fast fashion brands are using AI to pump out new looks and trends, and speed up production at unsustainable rates. It’s a

Why Is Everything Gambling Now?

Betting has infiltrated nearly every part of our culture.  Attending a sporting event? You’re surrounded by ads for DraftKings and FanDuel. Watching the Oscars? You can

Why Is Hollywood Obsessed with Tech Villains?

Recently, Sam watched 'The Social Reckoning,' the long awaited sequel to 2010’s 'The Social Network.' It’s part of a long roster of tech villain films and documentaries

When Everybody And Nobody Is A Celebrity w/ Who? Weekly

Everyone is way past their ‘15 minutes of fame.’ In today's episode, Sam is joined by culture journalists Lindsey Weber and Bobby Finger, hosts of the ’Who? Weekly’ podc

Hollywood’s Biggest Movie Star Flopped. What Now?

In this episode, Sam asks: What even is a flop? And if a flop happens to the biggest movie star alive, is it actually something else altogether?  We’re talking about Tom

Barry Jenkins: The Legacy Of 'Moonlight'

Ten years ago, 'Moonlight' premiered in theaters with an entirely Black cast and a haunting queer story that captivated audiences. It quickly earned critical acclaim and

Kerry Washington Has a Podcast?!

Sam is feeling sooo nostalgic this episode. Flashback to 2012. Monoculture is omnipresent. ‘Scandal’ is on every Thursday night. Twitter is ablaze with reactions to the

John Cho Just Wants To Connect

John Cho has portrayed plenty of lovable characters in Hollywood, but never a villain.  In the new action thriller ‘Your Mother Your Mother Your Mother,’ John finally st

Introducing: Reaching Out

Today we’re excited to share a special episode of Reaching Out, a new podcast from Futuro and KCRW.   Hailed by Ira Glass as the “best new show I’ve heard in years,” Rea

It’s Time To Have Better Fights w/ Priya Parker

From The Real Housewives to The Jerry Springer Show, today’s episode is all about conflict through the lens of pop culture. Author and conflict facilitator Priya Parker

Orville Peck: How Do You Hide Rock Bottom in Plain Sight?

Orville Peck bares his soul in his music, but chances are you wouldn’t be able to pick him out of a crowd.  For the entirety of his country music career he has been wear

Is 2026 The Year of Book Monoculture?

Books are bringing people together this year in ways Sam has never seen before. There have been a handful of times in the last few months alone when it felt like he was

David Archuleta Powered Through Mormon Shame

David Archuleta shot to fame while competing on American Idol when he was just 17 years old.  During his time on the show he was a poster boy for his Mormon faith, but b

Not The Odyssey: Small Movies Had A Big Blockbuster Summer

We gotta admit, this summer felt great for movies! From all the monoculture surrounding The Odyssey, to the successful sleeper hits like Backrooms and Obsession, the pas