It's Been a Minute
Episodes
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 the show to address the uptick of Asian American v...
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 talks to Slate writer Dahlia Lithwick about wheth...
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's zero-tolerance policy that separated parents an...
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 how the diversity, equity and inclusion industry ...
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. In it, Abdurraqib researches the impact of Black pe...
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 deadliest years for gun violence in decades. Sam talks ...
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. Guest host Ayesha Rascoe talks with Brittany K. Ba...
A History Of Anti-Asian Racism, Plus 'Married At First Sight'
19 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
In the wake of Tuesday's mass shooting in Atlanta, guest host Ayesha Rascoe talks to critical race theorist and professor Jennifer Ho about the histor...
Can't Let It Go
16 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
A special episode from our friends at NPR's Planet Money: A show all about the things we're obsessed with. Sam joins Planet Money co-host Karen Duffin...
Our Pandemic Year
12 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
We take stock of a year that challenged us emotionally, culturally and politically. Sam talks to Hira Deol, a former contestant on Big Brother Canada,...
Sohla El-Waylly on Race, Food and 'Bon Appétit'
09 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Sohla El-Waylly called out her previous employer, Bon Appétit, during the magazine's racial reckoning last summer and resigned. The chef and food sta...
Pop Culture Happy Hour: L'Amour For 'Lupin'
08 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Sam joins the Pop Culture Happy Hour team to talk about the French Netflix series Lupin with culture writer Bedatri D. Choudhury and co-hosts Aisha Ha...
Voting Rights Under Threat, Plus Do We Still Need Sports?
05 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
A new case before the U.S. Supreme Court could jeopardize the power of the Voting Rights Act. Sam talks to Mark Joseph Stern, staff writer for Slate, ...
Author Torrey Peters On Seeing Through A Trans Lens
02 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Torrey Peters' new book Detransition, Baby, is about navigating identity, commitment, parenthood and divorce. The three main characters, a pregnant ci...
A Weird Awards Season, Plus "Anything for Selena"
26 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
What's an awards season when many theaters are still closed and it's harder to track which movies and shows deserve buzz? Louis Virtel and Ira Madison...
Octavia Butler: Visionary Fiction
23 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
A special episode from our friends at NPR's history podcast Throughline: Octavia Butler's alternate realities and 'speculative fiction' reveal strikin...
Your Vaccine Questions, Answered
19 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Will the vaccine make me feel sick? Is it OK if I see grandma if she's vaccinated but I'm not? And what's the deal with double masking? Listeners had ...
The (Not So?) Wonderful World of Disney
16 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Sam talks to filmmaker and activist Abigail Disney, daughter of Roy E. Disney, about her views on inequality in the U.S., corporate greed and why, des...
The Union Fight At Amazon, Plus 'Your Korean Dad'
12 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
An Amazon fulfillment center in Bessemer, Alabama, has become ground zero in a battle that could change Amazon as we know it. Sam chats with a worker ...
Desus And Mero On Politics, Fame And Life In The Pandemic
09 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Desus Nice and The Kid Mero went from calling up "anyone in their phone book" in the early days of their podcast Bodega Boys, to booking big names in ...
Presenting 'Snap Judgment': Money Truck
08 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
What would you do if a truck full of money flung its doors open right in front of you? Our friends at the Snap Judgment podcast tell six stories that ...
The Lasting Power Of Whitney Houston's National Anthem
05 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Why does Whitney Houston's 1991 Super Bowl national anthem still resonate 30 years later? Sam chats with author and Black Girl Songbook host Danyel Sm...
Presenting 'Fresh Air': Angela Bassett On Drama, Music And 'Soul'
02 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Sam sits in the Fresh Air host chair to chat with actor Angela Bassett. She talks about her most recent film, Disney and Pixar's Soul, what drew her t...
Immigration Under Biden, Plus Preet Bharara 'Doing Justice'
29 Jan 2021
Contributed by Lukas
What does immigration look like under President Biden? Sam talks to Caitlin Dickerson, staff writer at The Atlantic, about the likelihood Biden can pu...
The Future Of Fashion
26 Jan 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Hello, sweatpants. With scaled-down Fashion Weeks, department stores hurting, and more and more people opting for loungewear rather than workplace att...
Lessons from 9/11 for Today's Extremism; Plus 'Crazy Stories About Racism'
22 Jan 2021
Contributed by Lukas
How will the response to far-right extremism compare to the response after 9/11? Sam talks to Hannah Allam, NPR national security correspondent, about...
After Trump, What's Next For Fox News?
19 Jan 2021
Contributed by Lukas
What will happen to Fox News after President Trump leaves office? Fox News is facing Trump's anger for not being sufficiently "loyal," and it's seeing...
What's Next For Social Media After Trump? Plus The Lie Of 'Laziness'
15 Jan 2021
Contributed by Lukas
A lot of the pro-Trump extremism behind the attack on the Capitol flourished online. Sam talks to Bobby Allyn and Shannon Bond, who both cover tech fo...
We've Had Insurrections Before
12 Jan 2021
Contributed by Lukas
History has a way of repeating itself. Last week's storming of the U.S. Capitol has parallels to an incident dating back to 1874, when a paramilitary ...
The Capitol, Mobbed
08 Jan 2021
Contributed by Lukas
With the pro-Trump insurrection at the U.S. Capitol this week, at the same time that Congress was set to certify the presidential election results, 20...
Why 'Better Things' Pamela Adlon Is Everyone's Mother
05 Jan 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Sam revisits his conversation from 2020 with actress Pamela Adlon. Adlon is the writer, star, director and co-creator of the acclaimed comedy-drama Be...
Claudia Rankine On The Uneasy Conversations Between 'Just Us'
01 Jan 2021
Contributed by Lukas
After a year that offered many moments of reflection—from the coronavirus pandemic, to protests for racial justice, to the long election season—ac...
Presenting 'Fresh Air': Aaron Sorkin on 'The Trial of the Chicago 7'
29 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Sam sits in the Fresh Air host chair to talk with writer and director Aaron Sorkin. His latest film The Trial of the Chicago 7 covers the events at th...
The Best — And Worst — Of Christmas Culture
25 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Sam shares holiday recommendations with Audie Cornish, co-host of All Things Considered and Consider This, and Bob Mondello, NPR's film critic. They d...
The Best Things That Happened to You
22 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
This year has been hard for pretty much everyone, but that still hasn't stopped people from getting married, having babies, starting new jobs, and tel...
The Year in Celebrity Culture with 'Who? Weekly'
18 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Without movies or TV shows to shoot or music to record, celebrities were restless in 2020 and eager to connect with a public that, at least for a whil...
'I Can't Wait To Hate Tour Again': Phoebe Bridgers On Her Breakout Year
15 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Songwriter Phoebe Bridgers has had a big year, but it's also been bittersweet. With four Grammy nominations for work on her acclaimed 2020 album Punis...
The Internet Culture Of Quarantine, Plus Selena's Legacy
11 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Coronavirus has transformed pop culture and placed its creation in the hands of anyone who has social media. Sam chats with E. Alex Jung, a writer at ...
Pod Fatigue: How Coronavirus Lockdown Has Tested Friendships
08 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Are you sick of the friends and family you've been stuck with? Sam teams up with Anna Sale, host of the WNYC podcast Death, Sex & Money, to explore ho...
Life in the Time of Coronavirus
04 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
"What has this pandemic been like for you?"When we put that question to people, the answers we got depended a lot on where they were in life — if th...
Cathy Park Hong's Asian American Reckoning
01 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Cathy Park Hong talks with Sam about her book Minor Feelings: An Asian American Reckoning. She discusses how watching comedian Richard Pryor influence...
James McBride On Hope, Community And 'A Place Of Miracles'
27 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
For the holiday, Sam revisits his conversation with award-winning author James McBride. McBride's latest book Deacon King Kong tells the story of how ...
Presenting Life Kit: How To Have Better Conversations
24 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
With the holidays coming, we're all trying to figure out how to celebrate with loved ones from a distance. When all we have to connect this year are p...
Georgia's Senate Runoffs, Plus W. Kamau Bell and Hari Kondabolu Talk Politics
20 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Georgia's Senate runoffs have become national races as control of the Senate depends on who wins. Sam asks Tia Mitchell, Washington correspondent for ...
Why Donald Trump Is The Houdini Of Bad Business
17 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
What's next for President Trump once he leaves the White House? And what's next for his business? And what's he being investigated for again? And by w...
Louder Than A Riot: 'The Badder, The Better: Bobby Shmurda (Pt 1)'
16 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
The rapper Bobby Shmurda had a big viral hit in 2014, and it looked like he was going to be a star. But just months later, Bobby and his friends were...
Biden's Coronavirus Response, Plus Comedian Matt Rogers
13 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
What could a new president mean for the coronavirus pandemic? Sam talks to Ed Yong, staff writer at The Atlantic, about President-elect Joe Biden's co...
White Supremacy And Its Online Reach
10 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Talia Lavin went undercover in white supremacist online communities, creating fake personas that would gain her access to the dark reaches of the inte...
What's Next For Biden And Democrats?
06 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Joe Biden appears to be inching closer to a victory, but there wasn't a blowout for Democrats this election. Sam talks to New York Times national poli...
What's Next For Trump And Republicans?
04 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
With the election still too close to call, The Atlantic reporter McKay Coppins joins Sam with the latest on what we know about the results, what they ...
How To Take Care Of Yourself This Election Season
03 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
It's Election Day, but instead of the latest politics news, we're giving you some therapy. Sam shares listener questions around mental health issues w...
"Everything's Fine" With Sarah Cooper
30 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
With 2020 progressing the way it has, comedian Sarah Cooper wants you to know that Everything's Fine in her new comedy special. Sam talks to Sarah Coo...
Election Night(mare): Bush v. Gore and Why It Matters in 2020
27 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Election Night 2020 is a week away. It's hard to know whether we'll have results that night, in a week or maybe even a month. But that's exactly what ...
Presenting 'Rough Translation': Dream Boy And The Poison Fans
26 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
On this bonus drop, we feature an episode from the NPR podcast Rough Translation. A Chinese idol had millions of fans who adored him for his kindness ...
Getting Gamers To The Polls, Plus The Pandemic Economy
23 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Voter outreach took on an unconventional form Tuesday night when Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez streamed her gameplay of the hit game "Among Us" on Twi...
'They've Dismissed Us': How Latino Voter Outreach Still Falls Short
20 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Latinos are the second largest group of eligible voters by race or ethnicity in the United States, but they continue to be misunderstood and underappr...
Voting In Texas, Plus John Paul Brammer Gives Advice
16 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
From fights over early voting applications to ballot drop-off sites, voting in Texas has drawn national attention. Sam talks to Texas reporters Ashley...
Presenting Throughline: 'James Baldwin's Fire'
13 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Writer and thinker James Baldwin used the power of his words to confront in order to connect, something that feels especially relatable in a year when...
Joel Kim Booster On Religion, Identity, and Coming Out
09 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
In honor of Coming Out Day this weekend, Sam talks to comedian and actor Joel Kim Booster about his experience coming out to his evangelical Christian...
'Radio Ambulante' Host Daniel Alarcón On The Immigrant Experience
06 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Sam revisits his 2017 chat with author and Radio Ambulante host, Daniel Alarcón. They discuss Alarcón's book of short stories, The King Is Always Ab...
The Dangers of White Supremacy, Plus Demi Adejuyigbe Brings Joy
02 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
When President Trump told white supremacists to "stand back and stand by," the country responded with heavy criticism. Sam talks with Kathleen Belew, ...
Bowen Yang on 'SNL,' Diversity, and Culture
29 Sep 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Sam chats with comedian Bowen Yang about becoming the first Chinese American cast member on Saturday Night Live, what it was like to do the show durin...
Supreme Court Misconceptions
25 Sep 2020
Contributed by Lukas
When the biggest news stories happen all at once, it's easy to miss what each of them really means. Since Supreme Court justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg's ...
The Life And Legacy Of Ruth Bader Ginsburg
24 Sep 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg passed away last week at the age of 87. The conversation has quickly moved to the politics around her replac...
Coronavirus And Teachers
22 Sep 2020
Contributed by Lukas
This school year is proving to be unlike any other. Teaching might be a nightmare in schools doing hybrid learning, a success for those doing virtual ...
Movie Industry Adapts, Plus LeVar Burton Reads
18 Sep 2020
Contributed by Lukas
The movie industry is hurting. Most theaters in the U.S. are still shut down, and who knows when—or if—audiences will pack into theaters again. Ad...
Larry Wilmore's Return to Late Night
15 Sep 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Larry Wilmore has a resume that could rival pretty much anyone's in Hollywood. Name a show and he probably had his hands in it. He created The Bernie ...
West Coast On Fire, Plus Comedian Sam Jay
11 Sep 2020
Contributed by Lukas
The smoke, the flames, the creepy orange and red skies. It's fire season out west and it's already one for the books. Sam talks a resident of Napa Cou...
Poet Claudia Rankine And 'Just Us'
08 Sep 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Poet Claudia Rankine is back with a new book called Just Us: An American Conversation. Much like her acclaimed 2014 book of poetry, Citizen: An Americ...
Pandemic Childcare; Plus Mukbang Meets True Crime
04 Sep 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Guest host Elise Hu looks at how the pandemic has exacerbated existing problems when it comes to the care of small children. A Massachusetts childcare...
How Bill Nye Became the 'Science Guy'
01 Sep 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Sam revisits his 2017 chat with Bill Nye the Science Guy. They discuss climate change (and climate change deniers), how Nye got his start in TV, and w...
Bonus Episode: 'Truth Be Told'
31 Aug 2020
Contributed by Lukas
A special bonus feed drop from the KQED podcast Truth Be Told, hosted by Tonya Mosley. A conversation about parenting during the pandemic — there's...
Protests, Yesterday And Today
28 Aug 2020
Contributed by Lukas
This week we're talking protests, both old and new. On Wednesday, Milwaukee Bucks players refused to play their NBA playoff game in protest of racial ...
'Pose' Star Billy Porter: 'Love Always Wins'
25 Aug 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Billy Porter is a force to be reckoned with. A Tony Award-winning Broadway performer. A fashion icon with unforgettable red carpet looks. An Emmy Awar...
Another Wrench In The (Voting) Works, Plus Robin Thede On 'A Black Lady Sketch Show'
21 Aug 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Everyone's talking about obstacles to voting this year, from the post office to the pandemic. Sam talks with NPR's Miles Parks about how everything's ...
All About That Base: Trump And Biden Voters In 2020
18 Aug 2020
Contributed by Lukas
We're in the homestretch of the 2020 presidential election campaign. Joe Biden announced Sen. Kamala Harris as his running mate, Democrats have their ...
The Good, Bad And Ugly Of The Pandemic Housing Market, Plus TikTok Under Fire
14 Aug 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Home sales are up, but the number of people facing evictions is also up. Sam talks to The Indicator's Stacey Vanek Smith and Cardiff Garcia about the ...
The Rise of Netflix
11 Aug 2020
Contributed by Lukas
One of the few companies doing well during this pandemic is Netflix. In the last few months, the streaming service has seen a huge uptick in new subsc...
Regina King on Race, Policing and HBO's 'Watchmen'
07 Aug 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Sam revisits his chat with Regina King from 2019 after the actress' recent Emmy nomination for her performance on the HBO series Watchmen. In this enc...
Code Switch: What's In A 'Karen'?
04 Aug 2020
Contributed by Lukas
"Karen" is not just a name. It's also a persona, an attitude, a label for a certain type of white woman determined to get what she wants—especially ...
Bonus Episode: Padma Lakshmi on 'Asian Enough'
03 Aug 2020
Contributed by Lukas
A special bonus feed drop from The Los Angeles Times podcast Asian Enough: A conversation with Top Chef host, model and writer Padma Lakshmi about gro...
Coronavirus Questions Answered, Plus A Chat About 'Indian Matchmaking'
31 Jul 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Should I wear a mask while running? How often should I wipe down my phone? Can I say hello to other people's dogs? Our listeners had questions about c...
Aminatou Sow, Ann Friedman And Their 'Big Friendship'
28 Jul 2020
Contributed by Lukas
All relationships have a backstory, even friendships. Best friends Aminatou Sow and Ann Friedman, hosts of the podcast Call Your Girlfriend, are out w...
It's A Women's Recession
24 Jul 2020
Contributed by Lukas
We're in a recession, and it's hitting women especially hard. So how does it compare to the last recession, and how much of it has to do with childcar...
'I May Destroy You' Star Michaela Coel
21 Jul 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Sam revisits his 2019 conversation with actress and writer Michaela Coel, who is the star and creator of the new critically acclaimed show, I May Dest...
What's College Without A Campus? Plus Ziwe Makes Things Awkward
17 Jul 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Colleges and universities are getting ready for a new year, but like everything else, coronavirus is complicating everything. Some are closing campus...
Reckoning With Race in Journalism
14 Jul 2020
Contributed by Lukas
The newsrooms that covered the protests for racial justice are now being forced to confront racism and inequity within their own organizations. Black ...
Paying The Price Of Coronavirus
10 Jul 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Four months into the pandemic, it seems like we're no better off in dealing with the coronavirus. There are still so many questions and few definitive...
Chelsea Handler On White Privilege
07 Jul 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Last year, comedian Chelsea Handler made a documentary on Netflix called, Hello Privilege. It's Me, Chelsea, where she explored the idea of white priv...
Summer Pop Culture Recs, Plus A Visit With Kirk Franklin
03 Jul 2020
Contributed by Lukas
It's summer without a lot of the usual summer fun because, you know, pandemic. But we've got music and TV recommendations to keep you company. Joining...
Nicole Byer On How To Love Yourself
30 Jun 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Ever wonder what it would be like to take hundreds of photos of yourself for a giant coffee table book ... wearing only a bikini? Comedian Nicole Byer...
How Much Have Facebook And Twitter Changed Since 2016?
26 Jun 2020
Contributed by Lukas
How much has Big Tech changed since the 2016 election? Sam is joined by Washington Post tech reporters Elizabeth Dwoskin and Tony Romm. They chat abou...
Tracee Ellis Ross Is Thriving, Not Surviving
23 Jun 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Actress Tracee Ellis Ross has been acting for years — from the early 2000s sitcom 'Girlfriends' to her Golden Globe winning role on ABC's 'Black-i...
Supreme Court Protects Rights For DACA And LGBTQ Workers
19 Jun 2020
Contributed by Lukas
What does it all mean when so much change happens at the same time? This week, the Supreme Court protected the rights of two marginalized groups — D...
James McBride on Race, Religion and Why He's Hopeful
16 Jun 2020
Contributed by Lukas
James McBride is the National Award-winning author of The Good Lord Bird and the best-selling memoir, The Color of Water. His latest book is Deacon Ki...
Lessons About Racism from 'Cops' and 'Gone With The Wind'
12 Jun 2020
Contributed by Lukas
The killing of George Floyd has inspired global protests against police brutality, and it seems like everyone has something to say, including the ente...
Trump v Nixon on Race: Why 2020 Isn't Quite 1968
09 Jun 2020
Contributed by Lukas
2020 is '68 all over again. But not the '68 you think. Yes, 1968 also saw protests, racial divisions and political polarization. Adam Serwer covers po...
Not Just Another Protest
05 Jun 2020
Contributed by Lukas
There is so much to unpack in this current moment. Sam has a candid conversation with Aunt Betty about how history has shaped her view of the current ...
Hasan Minhaj On Faith And Seeking Answers
02 Jun 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Comedian Hasan Minhaj is not afraid of talking about his faith, even when it gets him in trouble. He's a two-time Peabody Award winner and host of the...
Money and Coronavirus; Samantha Irby On Judge Mathis
29 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
The coronavirus pandemic has us worrying not only about our health, but also about money. Sam talks to CBS News business analyst Jill Schlesinger, abo...