It's Been a Minute

Rejecting assimilation in 'You Sound Like a White Girl'

22 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

A school crush once told Julissa Arce that she sounded "like a white girl." At the time, Arce believed that was exactly what she wanted. But over the ...

One year later, the Atlanta spa shootings; plus, tech on TV

18 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

It's been one year since the Atlanta-area spa shootings that claimed eight lives, six of whom were Asian women. Guest host Elise Hu reflects on the ev...

Presenting 'Wait Wait ... Don't Tell Me!': Everyone & Their Mom

15 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Our friends at Wait Wait ... Don't Tell Me! have a new show out with host Emma Choi. It's called Everyone & Their Mom. For her first episode, Emma is ...

Sam says goodbye

11 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

It's Been A Minute is sticking around, but before our beloved Sam Sanders takes flight we've got news to cover! In Sam's last episode as host, he's jo...

The trouble with defining antisemitism

08 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

With more extreme antisemitic attacks on the rise and more antisemitic rhetoric in the mainstream, antisemitism has become an increasingly pressing is...

Sanctions 101

04 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In the wake of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, global powers have put the pressure on with sanctions upon sanctions. But what does that even mean? Class...

'Jackass' star Johnny Knoxville has nothing left to prove

01 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

It's our 500th episode and what better way to celebrate than with Johnny Knoxville's first appearance on NPR? We couldn't think of a better milestone....

Trayvon, ten years later

25 Feb 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Before George Floyd and Michael Brown, there was Trayvon Martin. And this weekend marks ten years since the watershed moment that planted the seed for...

Presenting 'The Limits': Gabrielle Union stands up for herself

22 Feb 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode from our friends at NPR's newest podcast The Limits, host Jay Williams chats with Gabrielle Union — actress, activist, producer, ent...

Ok. I guess we'll talk about the metaverse.

18 Feb 2022

Contributed by Lukas

What is the metaverse? How do you get to it? Why does it seem to dominate headlines every week? Is it possibly a sign of our dystopian future? Sam lea...

How to make and sustain Latinx TV

15 Feb 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Streaming has totally changed the face of TV, but in all its abundance, who gets to make a show, and which shows live to see another season? Sam chats...

The demand for salary transparency, plus a new fresh prince of 'Bel-Air'

11 Feb 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Victoria Walker, former The Points Guy senior travel reporter, didn't think much about tweeting her salary when she quit her job and offering advice f...

China's Influence Over Hollywood

08 Feb 2022

Contributed by Lukas

China has held a soft power over Hollywood for the last few decades. Examples range from the cosmetic, like the way Chinese police heroically restore ...

It's all politics at the Winter Olympics, plus 'This Is Dating'

04 Feb 2022

Contributed by Lukas

It's hard to believe the Winter Olympics have begun in Beijing, our second COVID Games. Sam talks to NPR correspondent Emily Feng about the political ...

Questlove's 'Summer of Soul' brings lost music back to life

01 Feb 2022

Contributed by Lukas

There were two big music festivals happening in the summer of 1969. While one defined an entire generation of culture and music... the other remained ...

Whodunit at 'The Afterparty' plus the lie of 'Laziness'

28 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Sam sits down to chat, sing, improv and of course play Who Said That with actors Ben Schwartz and Sam Richardson, stars of the new murder mystery The ...

'Go Back to Where You Came From: And Other Helpful Recommendations' from Wajahat Ali

25 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Sam chats with author Wajahat Ali about his new book, Go Back To Where You Came From: And Other Helpful Recommendations on Becoming American. The book...

Remembering André Leon Talley

21 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

André Leon Talley became a major part of the global fashion zeitgeist while navigating being one of the few, if not the only, Black, queer man at his...

The legacy of ACT UP and its fight to end AIDS

18 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Sam revisits his 2021 conversation with Sarah Schulman about ACT UP. The organization united a diverse, non-partisan group of individuals committed to...

The financial aid conspiracy; plus, 'For Colored Nerds'

14 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

A group of elite colleges and universities this week found themselves at the center of a lawsuit alleging that they conspired to limit financial aid t...

It's still Trump's GOP

11 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Former President Donald Trump is still one of the most influential members of the Republican party even after leaving office nearly a year ago. Sam ch...

Revisiting the January 6 insurrection, one year later

07 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

It's been a full year since the January 6, 2021 insurrection on the U.S. Capitol, perhaps the most shocking political event of the past year — or ev...

Presenting 'Throughline': Nikole Hannah-Jones and the war over history

04 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In this special episode from our friends at Throughline, co-hosts Rund Abdelfatah and Ramtin Arablouei explore the war over history with Nikole Hannah...

Looking back at Whitney Houston's 1991 national anthem

31 Dec 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Happy New Year's Eve, y'all! Before we officially end 2021, we're revisiting on one of our favorite episodes of the year — our deep dive into Whitne...

2021 in music with 'Switched on Pop'

28 Dec 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Sam chats with Charlie Harding and Nate Sloan, the two co-hosts of the podcast Switched on Pop, about the year in music. They discuss how TikTok and s...

The holiday movie machine

24 Dec 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Do holiday movies actually make money for networks like Hallmark and Netflix? How many Vanessa Hudgens characters is too many Vanessa Hudgens characte...

'The View' is cultural (and political) canon

21 Dec 2021

Contributed by Lukas

In an era when social media and streaming reign supreme, how has a daytime talk show on network television managed to stay relevant? With help from Ra...

Did That Really Happen This Year?

17 Dec 2021

Contributed by Lukas

We take a look back on the year in news and pop culture... in quotes. For this special episode of It's Been a Minute, Sam is joined by NPR All Things ...

Presenting 'Alt.Latino': Elvis Costello, reimagined en español

14 Dec 2021

Contributed by Lukas

In this special episode from our friends at Alt. Latino, host Felix Contreras talks to Elvis Costello and Grammy-winning producer Sebastian Krys about...

What has Biden accomplished (or not) in 2021?

10 Dec 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Now that we're nearly a year into Joe Biden's presidency (and out of Donald Trump's)... what has Biden actually achieved? What promises has he kept or...

How to make working from home better

07 Dec 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Has working from home during the pandemic been frustrating for you? You're not alone. Charlie Warzel and Anne Helen Petersen's new book Out of Office:...

Was 2021 labor's year? Plus, 'Like a Virgin'

03 Dec 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Was 2021 the labor movement's year? It certainly felt like it — thousands of workers went on strike this year, at numbers considerably higher than ...

Presenting 'Pop Culture Happy Hour': is 'Ghostbusters: Afterlife' stuck in nostalgia?

30 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

In this special episode from our friends at Pop Culture Happy Hour, guest host Ayesha Rascoe joins co-hosts Glen Weldon and Stephen Thompson as well a...

What people miss when talking about banned books

24 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Guest host Ayesha Rascoe is joined by NPR senior editor Barrie Hardymon and Traci Thomas, host of The Stacks podcast, to talk about banned books. They...

From Taylor Swift to Thanksgiving, Dear Prudence gives the gift of advice

23 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

What better gift to give this holiday season than the gift of... advice? And solicited advice at that! For this episode, Sam is joined by Jenée Desmo...

The hidden costs of holiday consumerism

19 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

A lot of consumers are worried about supply chain delays this holiday season — but there are also other issues to watch out for when shopping. Guest...

Permission to feel joy with Rax King's 'Tacky'

16 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Why do we feel shame for sincerely enjoying something that others don't like? That's one of the big questions tackled in Rax King's new essay collecti...

Why flying feels so hard; Plus, 'Queer Love in Color'

12 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Now that more people are getting comfortable flying again, it's about time to remind ourselves that, oh yes, flying was sometimes terrible in the Befo...

Presenting 'Throughline': The Nostalgia Bone

09 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

The global pandemic has spawned a different type of epidemic, one of an entirely different nature: a nostalgia outbreak. Longing for 'simpler times' a...

New threats to Roe v. Wade; Plus, Jo Firestone's 'Good Timing'

05 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Sam talks to Slate staff writer Mark Joseph Stern about the Supreme Court hearing challenges to the Texas abortion law and what it all means for Roe v...

Presenting 'Code Switch': Kat Chow's 'Seeing Ghosts'

02 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode from our friends at NPR's Code Switch podcast, Kat Chow chats with former host Shereen Marisol Meraji about her memoir, Seeing Ghosts....

Should I have kids? Move? Recycle? Your climate questions answered

29 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Ahead of the U.N. climate talks in Glasgow this weekend, Sam chats with climate experts Ayana Elizabeth Johnson, marine biologist and writer, and Kend...

Presenting 'Switched On Pop': the Cyndi Lauper conspiracy

28 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

In this special bonus episode, Sam joins Switched On Pop co-host Charlie Harding to talk Cyndi Lauper. Many fall for "Girls Just Want To Have Fun," bu...

Shea Serrano answers existential questions about rap in 'Hip Hop (And Other Things)'

26 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Author and host of the No Skips podcast Shea Serrano gets obsessive about things — movies, basketball, and now, rap. In Hip Hop (And Other Things), ...

Why can't Democrats pass legislation? Plus, 'Succession'

22 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Sam chats with NPR national political correspondent Mara Liasson about why dysfunction in the Democratic Party is putting the big "Build Back Better" ...

Why aren't Black and Indigenous missing persons cases covered enough?

19 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Jermain Charlo was an Indigenous mother who went missing in Montana in the summer of 2018. Relisha Rudd, an 8-year-old Black girl, went missing in Was...

Nicole Byer's '#VeryFat #VeryBrave' guide to bikini confidence

15 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Sam revisits his 2020 conversation with comedian and Nailed It! host Nicole Byer on her coffee table book: #VeryFat #VeryBrave: The Fat Girl's Guide t...

Pop music's 'Latin Explosion' of 1999

12 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

In the late 1990s and early 2000s, Latino artists like Ricky Martin, Marc Anthony, Jennifer Lopez and Shakira ruled the pop charts. But who was that s...

'LuLaRich' reveals how MLMs mirror the American economy

08 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Sam interviews women's work and economic justice writer Meg Conley about the documentary series LuLaRich and how vulnerable people still get sucked in...

Janet Jackson's Legacy After 'Control'

05 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

On the 35th anniversary of Janet Jackson's first No. 1 Billboard Hot 100 hit, we look back at Control, her career-defining album that changed the traj...

Has immigration changed much under Biden?

01 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

How much has really changed in U.S. immigration policy since President Biden came into office? After seeing graphic images of Haitian migrants being c...

The Lasting Legacy Of 'Soul Train'

28 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

When Soul Train was first nationally syndicated in October 1971, there was nothing else like it on TV. It became an iconic Black music and dance show ...

COVID Forever? Plus, Broadway's Back

24 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Ever since the pandemic hit, life has been split into two timelines: before the pandemic and after the pandemic. But when will the "after" truly be af...

Brandon Taylor Wrote 'Real Life' And 'Filthy Animals' For His Queer, Black Friends

21 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Author Brandon Taylor used to spend most of his hours studying nematodes under a microscope as a grad student. He wrote his first novel over a period ...

'Machiavelli for Women'; Plus, 'What We Do in the Shadows'

17 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Sam is joined by NPR's The Indicator host Stacey Vanek Smith to talk about her new book, Machiavelli for Women and how women in the workplace are stil...

Yebba Sheds Old Beliefs With A New Album

14 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

It was 2016, and Yebba's career was beginning to take off. But 2016 was also the year that something awful happened: Yebba's mother committed suicide...

20 Years Of The War On Terror; Plus, Redemption For Mariah Carey's 'Glitter'

10 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Sam talks to Washington Post security and terrorism reporter Souad Mekhennet about what the war on terror has—and hasn't—achieved in the two decad...

Michaela Coel On 'Misfits' And 'I May Destroy You'

07 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Writer and actor Michaela Coel wrote, created and starred in HBO series I May Destroy You, which is up for nine Emmy nominations. Her new book, Misfit...

Songs Of The Summer With 'Morning Becomes Eclectic'

03 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Sam talks to Novena Carmél and Anthony Valadez, hosts of KCRW's Morning Becomes Eclectic, about their end of summer song picks and the best albums of...

Presenting 'Code Switch': To Love And Not Forgive With Ashley C. Ford

31 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

In this special episode from our friends at the Code Switch podcast, we feature author Ashley C. Ford. For much of her childhood, Ford's father was in...

How Do We Make Sense Of Afghanistan? Plus, 'Reservation Dogs'

27 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

For the last 20 years, the U.S. has been wrapped up in a costly war in Afghanistan, initially in response to the attacks on September 11. But America'...

Jonathan Van Ness On 'Queer Eye,' Cats, And Overcoming Trauma

24 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Jonathan Van Ness stepped into the spotlight in 2018 as a walking, talking bundle of energy, optimism and positivity as the grooming expert on Queer E...

Maya Rudolph On SNL, Self-Acceptance, And Seeing Yourself On Screen

20 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Maya Rudolph has had a successful career, spanning decades as a Saturday Night Live cast member and well-loved actor and entertainer. She chats with S...

Kathryn Hahn On Birth, Politics And 'Private Life'

16 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Kathryn Hahn dazzled audiences in one of the biggest streaming hits of the year, WandaVision— and she just earned an Emmy nom for her performance. I...

Hygiene Debates, Skipping Showers, And Climate Change, Oh My!

13 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

#ShowerGate. Sam talks to Carl Zimring, professor of sustainability studies at Pratt Institute and author of Clean and White, about the online debate ...

Tracee Ellis Ross On Playing A 'Thriving, Not Surviving' Character On 'Black-ish'

10 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Tracee Ellis Ross won a Golden Globe in 2017 for her role on ABC's Black-ish. She's also been nominated five times for that role at the Emmys. In this...

What's Your Monoculture Moment: The Olympics Or Bennifer 2.0?

06 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Sam is joined by LA Times television editor Matt Brennan to understand why ratings for this year's Olympics are not just dismal, but symbolic of chang...

Prince's Intimate Moments

03 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Prince's posthumous album, Welcome 2 America, came out last weekend. In honor of the release, Sam revisits his 2020 conversation with Prince's photogr...

Vaccine Disinformation For Hire; Plus, Hannah Waddingham Of 'Ted Lasso'

30 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Disinformation about COVID-19 vaccines abounds on social media, but there's more to it than meets the eye. Sam talks to Max Fisher, international repo...

Emilia Clarke On Mothers Of Madness And Dragons

27 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

The "Mother of Dragons" is out with a new comic book, Mother of Madness. Actress Emilia Clarke talks with guest host Ayesha Rascoe about superpowers i...

The Joy Of Black Hair; Plus, What's In The Biden Spending Plans?

23 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

The Black Hair Experience is a pop-up visual exhibit dedicated to the beauty, history and nostalgia of Black hair. Guest host Ayesha Rascoe takes a tr...

'Space Jam 2' Star Sonequa Martin-Green

20 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Actress Sonequa Martin-Green has made a career of otherworldly roles. She survived a zombie apocalypse in The Walking Dead, she explores space — the...

Why Workers Are Quitting; Plus The Comfort Of Horror Movies

16 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Americans are quitting their jobs in record numbers. Guest host Ayesha Rascoe brings on CBS MoneyWatch editor Irina Ivanova to break down some of the ...

Trump's America And Why 'The Cruelty Is The Point'

13 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

The Cruelty Is The Point: The Past, Present, and Future of Trump's America, is journalist Adam Serwer's new book, based on a popular essay he wrote fo...

The Weight On Black Women In Sports; Plus, 'We Are Lady Parts'

09 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

With Sha'Carri Richardson's recent disqualification, and the controversy surrounding the banning of natural hair swimming caps, there's a lot to talk ...

Tiffany Haddish Stays Busy: 'I Want to See Our Stories'

06 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Tiffany Haddish has had a busy year. From starring in prank film Bad Trip, to hosting Kids Say the Darndest Things, to voicing a self-confident toucan...

Pop Culture Happy Hour: F9 Is Somehow Faster And Furious-er

04 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Sam sits in the guest seat at Pop Culture Happy Hour to discuss the glue that holds this nation together — The Fast and the Furious franchise. Along...

Trump's Bad Business Comes Back To Bite

02 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

This week, the Trump Organization and its Chief Financial Officer were charged with fraud and tax related crimes by the Manhattan District Attorney as...

Riley Keough On 'Zola' And Finding Empathy For Anti-Heroes

29 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Sam interviews Riley Keough, one of the stars of Zola— a new movie adapted from a viral 148-tweet thread story full of sex work, guns and plot twist...

Culture Wars Then and Now; Plus, The Creators of 'Hacks'

25 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

The furor over critical race theory fits into a longer history of culture wars in schools. Sam talks to Adam Laats, a professor of history and educati...

'Where We Come From': Priya And Ritu Krishna On Indian Cooking And Assimilation

22 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Where do you come from? It's a question that immigrant communities of color get asked constantly. But the answer is often not simply about a place on ...

ACT UP: A History Of AIDS/HIV Activism

18 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Forty years ago this month, the CDC reported on patients with HIV/AIDS in the United States for the very first time. The disease was understudied, und...

Presenting 'Fresh Air': Actor John Boyega On Hollywood, Police And 'Star Wars'

15 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Sam sits in the Fresh Air host chair to talk to actor John Boyega. Since finishing his star-making role in the Star Wars franchise in 2019 and after t...

What's This Arizona Recount About? Plus, Summer Movie Picks

11 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

We've witnessed plenty of historic moments with Joe Biden as president: widespread COVID-19 vaccinations, the reunion of Jennifer Lopez and Ben Afflec...

Zakiya Dalila Harris And 'The Other Black Girl'

08 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Zakiya Dalila Harris was working as an editorial assistant at a New York publisher when she ran into another Black woman for the first time on her off...

Kink, Cops And Corporations At Pride? Plus, Natalie Morales On 'Plan B'

04 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

When Pride comes around every June, the same arguments start up again— should there be kink, cops and corporations at Pride? And who is Pride for? S...

Malcolm Gladwell And 'Talking To Strangers'

01 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Sam revisits his chat with best-selling author Malcolm Gladwell about his book, Talking to Strangers: What We Should Know About the People We Don't Kn...

Hot Book Summer

28 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

It's almost summer, and whether you're at a beach, at a park, or at home, it's a great time to get lost in a book. Sam is joined by Barrie Hardymon, s...

The Real Justices Of SCOTUS

25 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Sam previews this summer's Supreme Court rulings with Slate's Mark Joseph Stern and why some of those cases could potentially have big repercussions o...

Labor Market Mysteries; Plus, Signs Of Life

21 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

The U.S. unemployment rate is still high... so why are we in a labor shortage? Sam chats with Stacey Vanek Smith, host of NPR's The Indicator, and Car...

'Let's Talk About Hard Things' With Help From Anna Sale

18 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

How do you bring up something that might be easier left unsaid? Anna Sale, host and creator of WNYC's Death, Sex & Money podcast, has answers in her n...

After Defunding The Police; Plus, Michelle Buteau On 'The Circle'

14 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

What does defunding the police really look like? Sam talks to Austin City Council Member Greg Casar about how decreasing the city's police budget has ...

Is Biden The Next FDR? or LBJ?

11 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

How transformative are President Biden's economic and infrastructure proposals? Depends on what gets passed. The comparisons to FDR and LBJ miss the v...

Housing Boom For Whom? Plus, 'Ziwe' Premieres

07 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

The housing market is booming— but who actually benefits? Sam talks to Jerusalem Demsas, politics and policy fellow for Vox, about what so many are...

Mj Rodriguez On 'Pose' And Perseverance

04 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

As the groundbreaking series Pose comes to a close in its third and final season, Sam talks to Mj Rodriguez about the end of her role as Blanca, the l...

India And The Unequal Distribution Of Vaccines; Plus, 'Invisibilia' Returns

30 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Even as vaccine access expands in the the US, the pandemic is far from over globally. Sam talks to Aarti Singh, a resident of New Delhi, about what it...

Patti Harrison Takes The Lead In 'Together Together'

27 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Patti Harrison is known for bringing her absurd, caustic, yet charming comedy to supporting roles on shows like Search Party, Broad City and Shrill. B...

The "Must-See TV" Of Black Trauma, Plus Ashley Nicole Black On Making Black Joy

23 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Sam chats with NPR's TV critic Eric Deggans about constant images of Black pain in news and in entertainment. Then, he turns to comedian Ashley Nicole...

The Warped Reality of Eric André's 'Bad Trip'

20 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Sam talks to actor and comedian Eric André about the evolution of the prank genre with his Netflix hidden-camera comedy Bad Trip. They chat about the...

The 'Thin Blue Line' In Minnesota, Plus 'Tell Them, I Am'

16 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

What's it like to cover the Derek Chauvin trial against the backdrop of continued police violence? Guest host Ari Shapiro talks to Minnesota activist ...