
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.
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Sam Sanders is an award-winn... more
| Publishes | Twice weekly | Episodes | 151 | Founded | 2 years ago |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number of Listeners | Categories | Society & CultureTV & Film | |||

We will always love Dolly Parton. Sam unpacks Dolly’s immense legacy with Ann Powers, critic and correspondent for NPR Music. Together they spend time reflecting on her many hit songs, her brilliant roles in Hollywood and her everlasting philanthropi... more
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 o... more
Comedian Janelle James became a star after playing the selfish, scamming, yet hilarious principal Ava Coleman in 'Abbott Elementary.' She’s since been nominated for five Emmy awards for the role. But Janelle spent years grinding through the standup s... more
Sam recently experienced one of the best stage musicals he’s seen in years. Cats: The Jellicle Ball reimagines the classic Andrew Lloyd Webber story with a ballroom twist. The show is filled with voguing, runway and Black, queer joy. It also won mul... more
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Enjoyed this episode. What you call an “accordion” sound on that acoustic demo of “All Through The Night” may be an instrument called the Melodica made by Hohner, which local Philly hometown heroes The Hooters used extensively in their own band and recordings. Eric Bazilian and Rob Hyman, both members of the Hooters, played on all songs on that album. I wish she recorded more albums with them.
I expect more from the great Sam Sanders than an interview with an author who clearly at some level idolises and normalises the corrupt and boring Kardashians, even emulating their laughable vocal fries and lethargic tones (perhaps unconsciously) while also working to pass herself off as a morally neutral academic; it’s difficult to engage with such a boring and disingenuous approach. Her arguments are half-cooked, muddy, and frankly lazy. This “academic” also praises Alfred Adler’s outdated, de... more
I had to watch this one on YouTube. So funny. Sadly, agreed with the panel and the audience on the winner.
Sam Sanders’ excellent, insightful and genuine interviews make for great episodes! Recommended. Kudos to Sam and all involved in making this podcast!
I love the conversations. I just feel like when people who don’t fit the dominant power dynamic are on, they are held to a different standard. Then when you have rich folks like yourself on, especially when discussing concert prices, you let these people who make better than $200k chat and act like they’re middle class. Cake eaters make everything terrible and unrelateable.
Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.
How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.
Apple Podcasts | #249 |
Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.
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The show centers on pop culture, entertainment, and media trends, with a host who guides conversations through interviews, cultural commentary, and thoughtful questions. Recurring subject matter includes music, film, fashion, celebrity culture, and the evolving media landscape, often tying insights to broader political and social contexts. A standout has been the host's ability to mix sharp analysis with warmth and humor, plus a track record of deep-dive interviews with high-profile guests and creators across entertainment and journalism. Listeners likely value intelligent, cosmopolitan dialogue that stays relevant to current culture and media dynamics, with occasional forays into personal storytelling and design of new projects in the arts... more
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The Sam Sanders Show launched 2 years ago and published 151 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.
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Recent guests on The Sam Sanders Show include:
1. Janelle James
2. Naveen Kumar
3. Willa Paskin
4. Hannah Einbinder
5. Charlie Harding
6. Megan Levengood
7. Dave Smith
8. William Whitman
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