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 si...
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 Ga...
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 i...
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...
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 ...
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 cosmeti...
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...
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 gene...
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 Sa...
'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 Help...
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 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 diver...
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 all...
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 e...
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 s...
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 Arablou...
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 ...
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, abou...
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 Hudge...
'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 tele...
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...
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 Costell...
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 Bid...
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...
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 stri...
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 c...
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 Th...
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 tha...
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 ...
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 ...
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,...
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...
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 ...
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 Shere...
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 Elizab...
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 Laupe...
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, basketb...
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 Democr...
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 R...
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...
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 an...
'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 LuLa...
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 Contro...
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...
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 T...
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 t...
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 gra...
'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...
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 somethin...
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 t...
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 ...
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 the...
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. For...
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 res...
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, optimis...
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 ...
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 ...
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 a...
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 nomina...
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 O...
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 re...
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 th...
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...
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 ...
'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 apocalyp...
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 MoneyWat...
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 Serwe...
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 ...
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 D...
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 toge...
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 re...
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 ...
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...
'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. Bu...
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 ...
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 r...
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 vaccinat...
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...
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 ...
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...
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 l...
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 thos...
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...
'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'...
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 ...
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...
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...
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 Ro...
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 A...
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...
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 enter...
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 ...
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? G...
Bowen Yang's Rules of Culture
13 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Bowen Yang often plays delightfully weird characters on SNL. But recently he appeared as himself on ...
What's The Strategy? Corporate Activism And Anti-Trans Bills
09 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Corporations have spoken out against the new restrictive voting law in Georgia, but to what end? Sam...
The Human Cost of Family Separation
06 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
It's been a few years now since President Trump adopted (and then later reversed) his administration...
Is 'Diversity And Inclusion' Far From Its Roots? And What's An NFT?
02 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Sam talks to Kim Tran, an anti-racist author and consultant, about her article in Harper's Bazaar on...
Hanif Abdurraqib's Rabbit Holes Into Great Black Performance
30 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Hanif Abdurraqib's latest book is A Little Devil in America: Notes in Praise of Black Performance. I...
Gun Violence Never Went Away, Plus The Overlooked Talent Of Asian Actors
26 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
It might have seemed like mass shootings were down last year, but 2020 was actually one of the deadl...
The Fight To Transform Criminal Justice
23 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
There are few paths to freedom for people serving life sentences in prison on federal drug charges. ...