Can Satire Save Democracy? w/ The Onion CEO Ben Collins
Ben Collins became CEO of The Onion after a long career working in traditional news, so he's got major thoughts about speaking truth to power. He breaks down the role of satire in our current politics and what journalism is getting wrong about free speech.
Ben also talks about relaunching The Onion’s print newspaper and why AI will never write a good joke. Plus, he shares his pop culture hot take.
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The Sam Sanders Show is a production of KCRW and Sam Sanders Productions.
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Is It Ever OK to Lie? w/ June Squibb
Actor June Squibb became a Hollywood leading lady in her 90s, decades after she first began acting. She tells Sam about finding stardom in older age, her Broadway debut in Gypsy in 1959, and why it’s alright to bend the truth every now and then.
They also discuss her latest starring role in Scarlett Johansson’s directorial debut Eleanor the Great. The film follows June’s character, Eleanor, who gets swept up in a big lie...
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.
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Are Nepo Babies Cool Now? with Zosia Mamet
Zosia Mamet is known for her breakout role as Shoshanna in the millennial core HBO series Girls. She breaks down the show's lasting legacy, what her character would be up to today, and why younger generations are still connecting with the show.
Plus, Zosia’s new book of essays, Does This Make Me Funny?, gets candid about being a self-described “B-minus nepo baby” and what it's like to work with badly behaved bosses in Hollywood (it sucks).
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.
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Can Pop Culture Cure a Broken Heart? w/ Anna Sale
Anna Sale hosts one of our favorite podcasts (and probably yours too) Death, Sex & Money.
In honor of her show, Sam and Anna roundup their picks for the best movies, tv shows, music and books all about (you guessed it!) death, sex and money. Together they get into the timeless lessons on grief in The Lion King, why Bonnie Raitt’s catalog is the ultimate remedy for heartbreak, and some surprisingly racy Aretha Franklin lyrics. Plus, Anna shares where she found joy this summer.
Want more of Anna Sale’s musings? Check out her Substack From Somewhere.
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The Sam Sanders Show is a production of KCRW and Sam Sanders Productions.
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Should We Still Care About Fashion? w/ Robin Givhan
Pulitzer Prize–winning fashion critic Robin Givhan joins Sam to talk style, luxury, and legacy. Sam also asks the eternal question: which jeans should he wear—skinny, baggy, barrel, or wide leg?
Robin offers sharp fashion advice and dives into her new book, Make It Ours: Crashing the Gates of Culture with Virgil Abloh. They unpack the rebellious influence of Virgil Abloh—the late visionary behind Off-White and the first Black designer to lead Louis Vuitton—and how he blurred the line between streetwear and high fashion.
She also breaks down the biggest challenges in fashion today, from TikTok microtrends to whether “high fashion” still matters.
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.
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.
USA