Choice Words with Samantha Bee
Episodes
Choices We Made: Magazine Makeup Artist or Cosmetics CEO? (with Bobbi Brown)
25 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Bobbi Brown, Founder of Jones Road Beauty, joins Sam fresh off the plane from Paris to discuss her new book, Still Bobbi, and to explore her career tr...
Choices We Made: Bread Baskets or Bougie Butter? (with Tony Shalhoub)
18 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Actor Tony Shalhoub joins Sam to discuss living out both their dreams while traveling the world eating bread for his new CNN show Breaking Bread. He t...
Choices We Made: Wealthy or Wise? (with Michael Lewis)
13 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Author Michael Lewis joins Sam to celebrate the 15th anniversary of The Big Short and talk about if we’ve learned any lessons since its publicat...
Act or Direct? (with Michael Showalter)
11 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Comedy legend turned director extraordinaire Michael Showalter joins Sam to talk about how he made this career shift and how he now realizes he hates ...
Outraged or Engaged? (with Patton Oswalt)
04 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Actor and comedian Patton Oswalt joins Sam to catch up where they left off during the first Trump administration and how they simply can’t belie...
Choices We Made: Mother or Father? (with Atsuko Okatsuka)
02 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Comedian Atsuko Okatsuka joins Sam to talk about her new special “Father” and why in her relationship she is “father” and her ...
City or Country? (with Leslie Bibb)
20 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Actress Leslie Bibb joins Sam while Mercury is fully in retrograde and they quickly agree that their shoulders only fully relax when they’re in ...
Choices We Made: Caretaker or Comedian? (with Cristela Alonzo)
15 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Comedian Cristela Alonzo joins Sam to talk about her new Netflix special Upper Classy, and how before her career took off she made the life-changing d...
Earth or Space? (with Kal Penn)
13 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Actor and former Obama White House staffer Kal Penn joins Sam to talk about how he doesn’t make calculated decisions and hates when people sugge...
Bread Baskets or Bougie Butter? (with Tony Shalhoub)
06 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Actor Tony Shalhoub joins Sam to discuss living out both their dreams while traveling the world eating bread for his new CNN show Breaking Bread. He t...
Magazine Makeup Artist or Cosmetics CEO? (with Bobbi Brown)
30 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Bobbi Brown, Founder of Jones Road Beauty, joins Sam fresh off the plane from Paris to discuss her new book, Still Bobbi, and to explore her career tr...
HHS or DOJ? (with Alex Wagner)
23 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Journalist Alex Wagner, host of Runaway Country: a new podcast from Crooked Media, joins Sam to talk about how she can’t decide which department...
Choices We Made: Sourdo or Sourdoughn’t? (with Nancy Silverton)
18 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Chef and restaurateur Nancy Silverton joins Sam to talk about being one of the first American chefs to bring sourdough to the masses. They talk about ...
Introducing: Don’t Listen To Us with Mandy Patinkin and Kathryn Grody
16 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
We’re so excited to share a new show from Lemonada Media, Don’t Listen To Us, an advice show for advice-skeptics and wisdom-lovers, hosted...
Wealthy or Wise? (with Michael Lewis)
09 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Author Michael Lewis joins Sam to celebrate the 15th anniversary of The Big Short and talk about if we’ve learned any lessons since its publicat...
Cash or Card? (with Stephanie Ruhle)
02 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Host of The 11th Hour with Stephanie Ruhle and former Wall Streeter Stephanie Ruhle, joins Sam to talk about why it’s important to teach your ki...
Caretaker or Comedian? (with Cristela Alonzo)
25 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Comedian Cristela Alonzo joins Sam to talk about her new Netflix special Upper Classy, and how before her career took off she made the life-changing d...
Weightlifter or Runner? (with Casey Johnston)
18 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Casey Johnston, the author of Sam’s favorite new book A Physical Education, joins Sam to talk lifting and leaving diet culture. Casey explains w...
Bystander or Upstander? (with Governor JB Pritzker)
11 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Governor JB Pritzker of Illinois joins Sam to talk about what to do when the president declares war on one of your cities—totally normal stuff! ...
Actress or Animal Tracker? (with Martha Plimpton)
04 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Actress Martha Plimpton joins Sam to talk about how she became a trained animal tracker in Africa, how she ended up living in the same apartment for 4...
A Bob or A Buzz? (with E. Jean Carroll)
28 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Advice columnist extraordinaire and author of the new book Not My Type: One Woman vs a President, E. Jean Carroll joins Sam to talk about why she deci...
Hopeful Pessimist or Doom and Gloom? (with Jen Statsky)
21 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Writer, executive-producer, and co-creator of Hacks Jen Statsky joins Sam to discuss her particular brand of hopeful pessimism, and their shared obses...
Listen or Speak? (with Piper Perabo)
14 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Actress and activist Piper Perabo joins Sam to talk about the importance of listening to those who need help before speaking out on their behalf. Pipe...
Edinbra or Edinburgh? (with Jena Friedman)
07 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Comedian Jena Friedman welcomes Sam back from her summer hiatus and talks about what it was like to work together at The Daily Show. Jena talks about ...
Introducing: Ask Iliza Anything
31 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This week, we’re introducing you to Ask Iliza Anything. Comedian Iliza Shlesinger delivers brutally honest, hilarious advice you didn’t kn...
Choices We Made: Comedy or Fascism? (with Josh Gad)
24 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Actor and fellow Daily Show alum Josh Gad joins Sam to talk about why it’s harder to do political satire now than in the early aughts (hint: it&...
Choices We Made: Attention Seeker or Attention Giver? (With Chris Hayes)
17 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
MSNBC’s Chris Hayes joins Sam and drops the most intimate choice yet—the decision to kiss his now-wife for the first time! Chris talks abo...
Listen Now: Good Things - How to Fight Back Through Giving
10 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Good Things from Lemonada Media is a podcast about the good people in the world who are rolling up their sleeves and working hard to make things bette...
Choices We Made: Scam or Sam? (with Weird Al Yankovic)
03 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Weird Al Yankovic joins Samantha Bee to discuss their unique meet-cute, and how their interview came to be due to a scam gone right. Al tells Sam abou...
Retain or Repeal? (with Elie Mystal)
26 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Elie Mystal, author of Bad Law: Ten Popular Laws That Are Ruining America, joins Sam to unpack how America could choose just ten laws to get rid of, a...
Sourdo or Sourdoughn’t? (with Nancy Silverton)
19 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Chef and restaurateur Nancy Silverton joins Sam to talk about being one of the first American chefs to bring sourdough to the masses. They talk about ...
Mother or Father? (with Atsuko Okatsuka)
12 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Comedian Atsuko Okatsuka joins Sam to talk about her new special “Father” and why in her relationship she is “father” and her ...
Fight or Flight? (with Senator Elizabeth Warren)
05 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Senator Elizabeth Warren joins Sam to explain that the most important thing individuals can do right now to fight back is to pick their path of resist...
More Happier: Parenting Roundtable with Samantha Bee and Dr. Becky
02 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
As a bonus, we’re thrilled to share an episode of Happier with Gretchen Rubin, another standout podcast from Lemonada Media — and one that...
Run or Retire? (with Amanda Litman)
29 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Cofounder of Run For Something and Author of When We’re In Charge Amanda Litman joins Sam to talk about the gerontocracy running our country and...
Real Chef and/or Reality Chef? (with Tom Colicchio)
22 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Chef, author, activist and restaurateur Tom Colicchio joins Sam to talk about big life decisions like joining Top Chef almost 20 years ago and how it&...
Listen Now: The Deep Dive with Jessica St. Clair and June Diane Raphael
15 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Each week, comedians and best friends Jessica St. Clair and June Diane Raphael take a ‘deep dive’ into their real lives and discuss a wide...
Community or Chaos? (with Connie Britton)
08 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Connie Britton, creator and host of Hallmark’s new series The Motherhood, joins Sam to unpack parenting and talk about the importance of choosin...
Scam or Sam? (with Weird Al Yankovic)
01 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Weird Al Yankovic joins Samantha Bee to discuss their unique meet-cute, and how their interview came to be due to a scam gone right. Al tells Sam abou...
Choices We Made: Gourmet or Go Home? (with Ruth Reichl)
24 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Renowned restaurant critic, food writer, and magazine editor Ruth Reichl joins Sam to talk about why taking a job as the editor-in-chief of Gourmet Ma...
Go On With The Show or Go On Home? (with Isaac Mizrahi)
17 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Iconic American fashion designer Isaac Mizrahi joins Sam and talks about choosing to honor a commitment to do costumes at the Kennedy Center despite i...
Doom or Democracy? (with Senator Brian Schatz)
10 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Senator Brian Schatz of Hawaii joins Sam to talk about what it’s like to show up to work amidst all the chaos in DC and why the best preparation...
Italian or French or Spanish or English? (with Matteo Lane)
03 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Comedian Matteo Lane joins Sam and reveals that there may not be a single language he doesn’t speak? They talk about his new comedy cookbook &ld...
Introducing: Pantsuit Politics
27 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This week we're excited to share an episode of Pantsuit Politics. In today's episode, hosts Sarah Steward Holland and Beth Silvers are discussing the ...
Life or Death? (With Yvette Nicole Brown)
20 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Actress and host of the podcast Squeezed, Yvette Nicole Brown, joins Sam and admits she’s better at making decisions for other people than for h...
Dark Place/Good People or Bright Place/Bad People? (with Tarana Burke)
13 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Tarana Burke, founder of the Me Too movement joins Sam to celebrate Women’s History Month and talks about how she’d rather be with good pe...
Moms or Bros? (with Sophia Bush)
06 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Actress and activist Sophia Bush joins Sam and they quickly crank it all the way up to a 15 on the rage chart and talk about how much better it would ...
Minority Party or Opposition Party? (with Representative Maxwell Frost)
27 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Congressman Maxwell Frost joins Sam to talk about what it’s like to be the first member of Gen Z in Congress, and why it’s so important fo...
Comedy or Fascism? (with Josh Gad)
20 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Actor and fellow Daily Show alum Josh Gad joins Sam to talk about why it’s harder to do political satire now than in the early aughts (hint: it&...
Choices We Made: She Shed or Man Cave? (with Kathryn Hahn)
13 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Actor Kathryn Hahn joins Sam from her “she shed” to talk about how important it is to try a decision on for size before you make it and ho...
Choices We Made: Make New Friends or Keep The Old? (with Brooke Shields)
06 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Brooke Shields joins Sam to talk about her new book “Brooke Shields is Not Allowed to Get Old” and why it was so important to her to go to...
Attention Seeker or Attention Giver? (With Chris Hayes)
30 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
MSNBC’s Chris Hayes joins Sam and drops the most intimate choice yet—the decision to kiss his now-wife for the first time! Chris talks abo...
Choice Words is Pro-Choice (with Amanda Skinner)
23 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Amanda Skinner, President and CEO of Planned Parenthood of Southern New England joins Sam to talk about how running a Planned Parenthood is like landi...
Make New Friends or Keep The Old? (with Brooke Shields)
16 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Brooke Shields joins Sam to talk about her new book “Brooke Shields is Not Allowed to Get Old” and why it was so important to her to go to...
Save The ACA or Stay Away? (with Andy Slavitt)
09 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Andy Slavitt, President Biden’s White House Senior Advisor for the Covid response and President Obama’s head of Medicare and Medicaid, joi...
Listen Now: Samantha Bee on Longer Tables with José Andrés
02 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Samantha Bee joins fellow immigrant and world-renowned chef José Andrés on his podcast Longer Tables for a conversation about food,...
Stay Home or Hit The Road? (with Pete Holmes)
12 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Comedian and host of You Made It Weird Pete Holmes joins Sam for an impromptu relationship podcast. Pete talks about the importance of choice of partn...
Sing Along or Sit in Silence? (with Taran Killam)
05 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Actor Taran Killam joins Sam to talk about childhood decisions that changed his life—like deciding to go to the Los Angeles County High School for t...
Introducing: The Daily Beast Podcast with Samantha Bee and Joanna Coles
28 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
This week we're introducing you to Samantha Bee's other podcast, The Daily Beast Podcast. Each week, Samantha and co-host Joanna Coles navigate the la...
She Shed or Man Cave? (with Kathryn Hahn)
21 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Actor Kathryn Hahn joins Sam from her “she shed” to talk about how important it is to try a decision on for size before you make it and how she’...
Red States or Red Carpets? (with Heather McMahan)
14 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Comedian Heather McMahan joins Sam to talk about how she’s what you would get if Joan Rivers and Conan O’Brien had a baby, why she chose to self-p...
Gourmet or Go Home? (with Ruth Reichl)
07 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Renowned restaurant critic, food writer, and magazine editor Ruth Reichl joins Sam to talk about why taking a job as the editor-in-chief of Gourmet Ma...
Red, White, and Blue or Green…Card? (with Lauren Ash)
31 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Fellow Canadian and actor Lauren Ash joins Sam to talk about why she continues to live on a Green Card rather than apply for US citizenship, and why o...
Shy Voter or Vocal Voter? (with Errin Haines)
24 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
With less than two weeks until Election Day, editor-at-large of The 19th* Errin Haines joins Sam to talk about news coverage leading up to the most si...
Dishwasher or Daredevil? (with Jenny Slate)
17 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Jenny Slate sits down with Sam to talk about the difference between FOMO and regret and how sometimes you need to bust through a wall to take a big sw...
Monthly Magazines or Nonstop News? (with Joanna Coles)
10 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Joanna Coles, the Chief Content Officer of The Daily Beast sits down with Sam to talk about deciding to leave the never-ending cycle of daily news for...
Basketball Star or Bipartisan Leader? (with Governor Maura Healey)
03 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey joins Sam to talk about trading her career as a (yes) professional basketball player in Austria for law school and...
Seat-Filler or Superdelegate? (with Jon Cryer)
26 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Jon Cryer joins Sam to talk about how he chooses his acting roles when he knows saying yes to one job means having to turn down another, and tells Sam...
List Maker or List Keeper? (with Mackenzie Davis)
19 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Actor Mackenzie Davis joins Sam to talk about how she took a semester off from college to model–hated it–and ultimately decided to go back to scho...
Camper or Cosmopolitan? (with Shailene Woodley)
12 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Actor Shailene Woodley joins Sam to talk about a pivotal decision she made to move to Europe and live out of a carry-on suitcase for ten years amid a ...
Actor or Annapolis? (with Carrie Coon)
05 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Carrie Coon joins Samantha Bee to discuss being a classic midwestern middle child, almost attending a naval academy, how the first decision she ever m...
Democracy or Else (with Jon Lovett)
29 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Crooked Media’s Jon Lovett joins Sam to debrief the DNC and why Chicago is the perfect combination of sweatpants and sandwich town. They discuss his...
Make History or Repeat History? (with Symone Sanders Townsend)
22 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Co-host of MSNBC’s The Weekend and former senior advisor to Vice President Harris Symone Sanders Townsend joins Sam for DNC week! Sam and Symone tal...
Hot or Not? (with Tony Goldwyn)
15 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Actor and activist Tony Goldwyn joins Sam and talks about how he rides the waves of success—sometimes people want you and sometimes they don’t—a...
Understand or Ignore: America’s Gun Problem (with Roxane Gay)
08 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In her new essay, “Stand Your Ground: A Black Feminist Reckoning with America’s Gun Problem,” Roxane Gay details her decision to become a gun ow...
Choices We Made: Make Comedy or Watch Comedy? (with Nick Kroll)
01 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
When comedian Nick Kroll decided to end his hit show “Kroll Show” he wasn’t totally sure what he would do next. But it was important to him to d...
Theater or Therapist? (with Rachel Dratch)
25 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
When Rachel Dratch was growing up, she figured she’d have some sort of “normal” career like therapist. Then she saw a performance of Annie and t...
NYU or Nowhere? (with Paul Scheer)
18 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
When Paul Scheer was a senior in high school he decided that he would only apply to NYU because if it was good enough for Theo Huxtable, it was good e...
International Relations or International Popstar? (with Rachel Platten)
11 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
While in college, Rachel Platten was on the path to a career in international relations. But then she decided to switch course and swap a semester abr...
Doctor or Doc…umentary Filmmaker? (with Joy-Ann Reid)
04 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
When MSNBC host Joy-Ann Reid was growing up she was expected to be a doctor, lawyer, or architect. Then she decided to drop out of Harvard, ditch her ...
College or Kitchen? (with Alison Roman)
27 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
While a student, Alison Roman made a life-changing decision to leave college to start working in a restaurant kitchen and has never looked back. Sam t...
Woman in Late Night or Woman on Tour? (with Taylor Tomlinson)
20 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
When Taylor Tomlinson was interviewing to be the host of After Midnight, she wasn’t even sure she wanted the job. She loved making her own schedule ...
Make Comedy or Watch Comedy? (with Nick Kroll)
13 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
When comedian Nick Kroll decided to end his hit show “Kroll Show” he wasn’t totally sure what he would do next. But it was important to him to d...
Presenting Wild Card with Rachel Martin
06 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Here’s some good news! Choice Words is coming back for season two on June 13th! Get ready for more amazing (and questionable) choices from great gue...
Choices We Made: Logic or Emotion? (with Stephen Dubner)
23 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
As the author and podcast host of “Freakonomics,” Stephen Dubner spends a lot of time thinking about and studying what goes into good decision-mak...
Choices We Made: Honest Conversations or Family Secrets? (with Laura Dern and Diane Ladd)
20 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
When Laura Dern found out that her mother, Diane Ladd, had scarring on her lungs, the doctor told her to be gentle with her mom because she’d be dea...
From A Slight Change of Plans: “The Science of Making (and Keeping) Friends”
16 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
We’re bringing you an episode of A Slight Change of Plans from our friends at Pushkin. Named by Apple as the Best Show of the Year 2021, host Dr. Ma...
Kierkegaard or Californication? (with David Duchovny)
09 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
When actor David Duchovny was teaching his daughter to ride a bike, he made the questionable choice of taking her to the top of a grassy hill at Peppe...
Choices We Made: Family Secrets or Big Reveal? (with Kerry Washington)
02 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
When actor Kerry Washington’s parents told her a massive family secret five years ago, it shook her entire world. And despite being an extremely pri...
Choices We Made: Express Your Grief or Keep It In? (with Rob Delaney)
29 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
When actor Rob Delaney’s two-and-a-half-year-old son Henry died, Rob decided to share his family’s experience with Henry’s illness and death wit...
Choices We Made: Baby or Facelift? (with Rosie O'Donnell)
25 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
When Rosie O’Donnell chose to step away from her talk show after six successful seasons, her actor friends thought she was out of her mind. In one o...
Listen Now: Last Day (with Christine Blasey Ford)
18 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Sam wants to introduce you to another great show from Lemonada Media. Last Day is about the moments that change us fundamentally and forever. Each wee...
Purpose or Pooltime? (with Nick Offerman)
11 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
When actor Nick Offerman first got together with actress Megan Mullally, she had just won her first Emmy for Will and Grace and he was living in a dir...
Listen Now: Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
04 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
We’re dropping in your feed to let you know that Julia Louis-Dreyfus has returned for Season 2 of her award-winning podcast, Wiser Than Me™! Each ...
Wedding Registry or Divorce Sale? (with Busy Philipps)
28 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
At the beginning of the pandemic, when wildfire ash was falling on actor Busy Philipps’ face, she and her family made the unlikely decision to move ...
Babes or Babies? (Live from SXSW with Ilana Glazer, Pamela Adlon, and Michelle Buteau)
21 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In celebration of Women’s History Month, Sam joins Ilana Glazer, Pamela Adlon, and Michelle Buteau live from SXSW to talk about their new film, ‘B...
Jump Out or Get Pushed? (with Roy Wood Jr.)
14 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
When Roy Wood Jr. was arrested for stealing a credit card at 19 years old, he thought his life was over. While awaiting his sentencing and with nothin...
From Dear Prudence: "Is It Okay to Ghost A Friend? Help!" (with Roxane Gay)
07 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
We’re bringing you an episode of Dear Prudence from our friends at Slate. In this episode, Roxane Gay (best-selling author of Bad Feminist and Opini...
Tech Bros or Tech Scoops? (with Kara Swisher)
29 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Tech journalist Kara Swisher was five years old when her father died, teaching her from a young age that time is precious and she didn’t want to was...
Have It All or Have Enough? (with Chris Gethard)
22 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
At the height of comedian Chris Gethard’s career, he was hosting his own show and making more money than ever. Yet, his teeth were falling out from ...