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 for The Atlantic . Serwer talks with guest host Ayesha Rascoe and lays out the ways in which Donald Trump came to power, the historical roots of his vision of law and order, and how he managed to build a loyal political following on the basis of cruelty. You can follow us on Twitter @NPRItsBeenAMin and email us at samsanders@npr.org . See pcm.adswiz...
Jul 13, 2021•25 min
With Sha'Carri Richardson's recent disqualification, and the controversy surrounding the banning of natural hair swimming caps, there's a lot to talk about the treatment of Black women in the Olympics and across the sports world. Guest host Ayesha Rascoe brings on ESPN producer and podcast host Terrika Foster-Brasby and The Athletic's Kavitha A. Davidson to discuss. Then, she talks to We Are Lady Parts creator Nida Manzoor about the intersection of art, faith and representation. You can follow u...
Jul 09, 2021•37 min
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 in animated series Tuca & Bertie , it seems like she's everywhere. Sam talks to Tiffany about her many projects, her hopes and dreams for the entertainment industry, and she tells a wild story about Nicolas Cage. — Watch the full extended version of this interview on YouTube: https://youtu.be/YMESf6UUQx8 You can follow us on Twitter @NPRItsB...
Jul 06, 2021•36 min
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. Alongside NPR White House correspondent Ayesha Rascoe , as well as PCHH hosts Linda Holmes and Aisha Harris , the group talks about the legacy of the decades-spanning series, why we love to hate it, and how action films of this caliber could be considered "hetero camp." You can follow us on Twitter @NPRItsBeenAMin and email us at samsanders@npr.org. See p...
Jul 04, 2021•25 min
This week, the Trump Organization and its Chief Financial Officer were charged with fraud and tax related crimes by the Manhattan District Attorney as a result of a years-long investigation. In light of these new charges, Sam revisits his conversation from last fall with Andrea Bernstein , co-host of the WNYC & ProPublica podcast Trump, Inc. They talk about Trump's business operations, debts, and how the biggest lesson from both is "we pay, he wins." You can follow us on Twitter @NPRItsBeenA...
Jul 02, 2021•31 min
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 twists. They talk about how Riley prepared her character's "blaccent," why she tends to play unlikeable characters, and how she became a death doula. You can follow us on Twitter @NPRItsBeenAMin and email us at samsanders@npr.org . See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcas...
Jun 29, 2021•7 min
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 education at Binghamton University, about what the past can teach us about today's fight. Plus, Sam talks to Lucia Aniello , Paul W. Downs and Jen Statsky , writers and creators of the HBO Max series Hacks . They discuss what inspired them to write the show, as well as the overlooked legacies of many trailblazing women comedians. They also play Who Said T...
Jun 25, 2021•36 min
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 a map. It can be tied to identity, immigration, career, family... and even food. In this episode from NPR's audio and video series Where We Come From , New York Times food writer Priya Krishna tackles this question with her mother, Ritu . They explore assimilation through food and why dal represents comfort for their family. You can follow us on Tw...
Jun 22, 2021•26 min
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, under-reported and deeply stigmatized. ACT UP united a diverse, non-partisan group of individuals committed to direct action to end the AIDS crisis. In her new book, Let The Record Show: A Political History of ACT UP New York, 1987-1993 , Sarah Schulman draws from nearly 200 interviews with ACT UP members to document the movement's history and explore...
Jun 18, 2021•49 min
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 the protests that followed the murder of George Floyd last year, Boyega has been outspoken about his treatment as a Black actor in Hollywood, and in the Star Wars franchise itself. He talked to Sam about why he was ready to talk about the "elephant in the room" that is racism in Hollywood and what he's doing to change things. We've love your feedba...
Jun 15, 2021•33 min
We've witnessed plenty of historic moments with Joe Biden as president: widespread COVID-19 vaccinations, the reunion of Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck, Mare of Easttown . But Arizona Republicans are attempting to prove otherwise with an unprecedented vote recount of the 2020 election. Sam talks to Jessica Huseman , editorial director at Votebeat , about the ongoing election audit in Arizona and what it means for the future of elections and voting rights. Plus, Sam talks about summer movies to l...
Jun 11, 2021•37 min
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 office floor. That's when she got the idea for her book, The Other Black Girl . What's it like when you're used to being the only one, but now there's another one like you? And what if things get weird ? Like, really weird. Sam and Zakiya talk about how her book subverts the office drama and what lessons it has for a still very white publishing indust...
Jun 08, 2021•27 min
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? Sam talks to writer and author Roxane Gay about why the queer community has the same conversations year after year and what they mean for what Pride is today. Plus, actress and filmmaker Natalie Morales on directing the new teen buddy comedy, "Plan B." See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship an...
Jun 04, 2021•34 min
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 Know . The book explores examples such as the arrest of Sandra Bland and the Stanford rape case as to why interactions with strangers often go so wrong. This episode was taped in front of a live studio audience at The George Washington University's Lisner Auditorium in September 2019. You can follow us on Twitter @NPRItsBeenAMin and email us at samsa...
Jun 01, 2021•52 min
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 , senior editor of NPR's Weekend Edition , and Traci Thomas , host of the podcast The Stacks . They give advice on how to get back into the habit of reading and recommend a few great summer reads: Yolk by Mary H.K. Choi, How the Word Is Passed by Clint Smith, Wild Rain by Beverly Jenkins and Filthy Animals by Brandon Taylor. They also play a special ...
May 28, 2021•30 min
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 on daily life. They also discuss the future of the Court, including its decision to take up two of the most controversial issues of today — abortion and gun rights — and why the drama between justices can sometimes equate to a Real Housewives– style argument over dinner (with table flip). You can follow us on Twitter @NPRItsBeenAMin and email us at...
May 25, 2021•29 min
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 Cardiff Garcia , former co-host of The Indicator , about the American job market and why businesses are having such a hard time hiring. Then, as vaccines have become more widely available and pandemic restrictions lift across the country, people are wandering back out into the world, having experiences they haven't had in over a year. We drop in on ...
May 21, 2021•38 min
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 new book, Let's Talk About Hard Things . She chats with Sam about how to talk to family, why we need to start having different conversations about money, and what it means to actually listen. You can follow us on Twitter @NPRItsBeenAMin and email us at samsanders@npr.org . See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of pers...
May 18, 2021•24 min
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 worked— and what they aren't getting quite right yet. Then, Sam talks to KUT reporter Audrey McGlinchy about how Texas, a Republican-led state, has responded and what that could mean for other cities trying to follow in the footsteps of Austin. Plus, Sam talks to actress and comedian Michelle Buteau about hosting the Netflix reality competition sho...
May 14, 2021•38 min
How transformative are President Biden's economic and infrastructure proposals? Depends on what gets passed. The comparisons to FDR and LBJ miss the vastly different political landscapes those presidents faced. Sam talks with presidential historian Doris Kearns Goodwin about how this moment compares to those past presidents' efforts at once in a generation legislation. You can follow us on Twitter @NPRItsBeenAMin and email us at samsanders@npr.org . See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our ...
May 11, 2021•30 min
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 getting wrong about housing. Plus, Sam revisits his 2020 conversation with Ziwe Fumudoh , whose comedy variety show Ziwe premieres on Showtime on May 9. Then, in honor of NPR's 50th anniversary, Sam plays "Who Said That?" with All Things Considered hosts Audie Cornish and Ari Shapiro . You can follow us on Twitter @NPRItsBeenAMin and email us at sam...
May 07, 2021•38 min
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 loving and lovable house mother at the center of the show. They also chat about the start of her career as Angel in Rent, channeling grief into her character, and LGBTQIA+ perseverance. You can follow us on Twitter @NPRItsBeenAMin and email us at samsanders@npr.org . See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data f...
May 04, 2021•19 min
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's been like living there as India's COVID-19 cases skyrocket. Then, Sam talks to public health activist Achal Prabhala about why rich and poor countries have unequal access to vaccines. Plus, Sam chats with Invisibilia host Kia Miakka Natisse about the new season of the show and her episode on how a reparations effort in Vermont shed light on how ...
Apr 30, 2021•39 min
Patti Harrison is known for bringing her absurd, caustic, yet charming comedy to supporting roles on shows like Search Party , Broad City and Shrill . But now she's in a starring role in the romantic comedy Together Together . In it, Harrison plays a young single woman who agrees to be a gestational surrogate for a single man in his 40s, played by Ed Helms. Sam talks to Patti about what it was like to play a role different from everything she's done before, why Together Together is even billed a...
Apr 27, 2021•29 min
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 Black to talk about the new season of "A Black Lady Sketch Show" and Black joy. You can follow us on Twitter @NPRItsBeenAMin and email us at samsa nders@npr.org. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy...
Apr 23, 2021•37 min
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 complications of making a prank show while Black, who André would never prank, and why everyone could use a little absurdism to warp their realities. — Watch the full extended version of this interview on YouTube: youtu.be/n8KamK-9hxY You can follow us on Twitter @NPRItsBeenAMin and email us at samsanders@npr.org . See pcm.adswizz.com for informat...
Apr 20, 2021•26 min
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 and journalist O'nika Nicole Craven . Then, he talks to Maurice Chammah , staff writer at The Marshall Project , about the origins and evolving symbolism of the thin blue line. Plus, Misha Euceph on the new season of her podcast Tell Them, I Am , and the many ways that Muslims find glimpses of God. Then, Mary Knauf , executive producer of Tell Them...
Apr 16, 2021•37 min
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 violence in the U.S. Sam revisits his conversation from last fall with the comedian, who discusses becoming the first Chinese American cast member on Saturday Night Live , what it was like to do the show during a pandemic, and why Adele Dazeem is the number one moment in the history of culture. — Watch Sam's extended interview with Bowen: https://yo...
Apr 13, 2021•30 min
Corporations have spoken out against the new restrictive voting law in Georgia, but to what end? Sam talks to Slate writer Dahlia Lithwick about whether that tactic actually effects change—and whether it's just a performance. Plus, Sam talks to author and historian Jules Gill-Peterson about the historic flood of anti-trans bills in state legislatures and how these bills echo anti-gay rhetoric of the past. Then, friends of the show Saeed Jones and Zach Stafford join Sam to play Who Said That. — R...
Apr 09, 2021•36 min
It's been a few years now since President Trump adopted (and then later reversed) his administration's zero-tolerance policy that separated parents and children at the U.S.-Mexico border. But what's happened to those families since? And what is President Biden doing now to help? Sam talks to Aura Bogado , senior investigative reporter and producer at Reveal , about how family separation, which has reaches back to the Obama administration, has affected a system that Aura says is not quite broken....
Apr 06, 2021•23 min
