It's Been A Minute With Sam Sanders

Sam esta bailando with Pop Culture Happy Hour host Linda Holmes (@lindaholmes) and NPR Politics Podcast host and congressional correspondent Scott Detrow (@scottdetrow). Catch up on the week's news: the World Cup, Trump administration immigration policy, and diversity in film criticism. Email the show at samsanders@npr.org and tweet @NPRItsBeenAMin with feels.

Sam chats with the two leads of the STARZ show 'Vida,' Melissa Barrera and Mishel Prada. They play two sisters who return home to their old east Los Angeles neighborhood after their mother's death. There, they have to grapple with family drama, gentrification, racism, and finding their identity. Email the show at samsanders@npr.org and tweet @NPRItsBeenaMin with feels.

We gon' be alright with Sam and these two guests this week: Morning Edition and Up First host Steve Inskeep and CNN Politics Senior Writer Juana Summers. The real Puerto Rico death toll, insulin prices, and baked beans, plus trade talk with Soumaya Keynes of The Economist. Email the show at samsanders@npr.org and tweet @NPRItsBeenAMin with feels.

Roseanne's tweet. NFL players kneeling. The President blocking people on Twitter. These stories are all about the same thing: what is free speech? Who gets to decide? And what happens when one person's speech makes another person feel unsafe? Sam talks to Nadine Strossen, a law professor and former president of the American Civil Liberties Union, about her new book, Hate: Why We Should Resist It With Free Speech, Not Censorship.

Here's a break from the news: Comedian and author Samantha Irby joins Sam live on stage at Chicago's Old Town School of Folk Music in partnership with WBEZ. Her recently re-published book is called "Meaty." Plus special guest Jennifer White drops by to dish about two famous Chicagoans — the subjects of WBEZ's "Making Obama" and "Making Oprah" podcasts. Back with our regular weekly wrap next Friday.

The comedian talks to Sam about running his own show, lampooing fringe news, and why the nicest parts of him are from Kalamazoo, Michigan. Email samsanders@npr.org or tweet @NPRItsBeenAMin with feels.

Sam is struck by two guests this week: Los Angeles Times reporter Laura Nelson, and senior writer at ESPN's "The Undefeated," Clinton Yates. They cover new NFL rules, Ramadan, North Korea, and lynx. Or lynxes. Email the show at samsanders@npr.org and tweet @NPRItsBeenAMin with feels.

Sam talks to singer Garrett Clark Borns in his Los Angeles studio on going from small town Michigan to playing at Coachella - TWICE. BØRNS' new album, Blue Madonna, is out now. Email samsanders@npr.org or tweet @NPRItsBeenAMin with feels.

Sam's right over here with NPR reporters Vanessa Romo and Brakkton Booker wrapping up the week in news: one year into the Mueller investigation, the royal wedding, and upcoming Supreme Court decisions on gerrymandering. Plus, the best things that happened to listeners all week. Tweet @NPRItsBeenAMin with feels or email samsanders@npr.org.

In 'RBG,' filmmakers Julie Cohen and Betsy West chronicle the legacy of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. NPR's legal affairs correspondent Nina Totenberg joins the conversation with Sam, Betsy, and Julie. Email the show at samsanders@npr.org and tweet @NPRItsBeenAMin with feels.

Sam's voice takes you there this week, with NPR Editor Arezou Rezvani and Los Angeles Times national correspondent Matt Pearce. Plus, the Iran Nuclear Deal, wage stagnation, and 'This Is America.' Email the show at samsanders@npr.org and tweet @NPRItsBeenAMin with feels.

The comedian and actor talks to Sam about his immigrant experience and making it in Hollywood, which he writes about in a new book, "How To American: An Immigrant's Guide To Disappointing Your Parents." Jimmy stars as immigrant programmer Jìan-Yáng on the HBO comedy "Silicon Valley." Email the show at samsanders@npr.org and tweet @NPRItsBeenAMin with feels.

Sam lets the sunshine in with NPR Code Switch correspondent Karen Grigsby Bates (@karenbates) and NPR Embedded producer and reporter Tom Dreisbach (@TomDreisbach). Also Rudy Giuliani, the Broadway musical "Hair," meatballs, and a call to Puerto Rico. Email the show at samsanders@npr.org and tweet @NPRItsBeenAMin with feels.

Political strategists Mark McKinnon and Mike Murphy join Sam to talk about the 2018 midterms and Mark's Showtime series 'The Circus,' which he co-hosts. Mike is a Republican who's worked for John McCain, Jeb Bush, and Mitt Romney. Email the show at samsanders@npr.org and tweet @NPRItsBeenAMin with feels. Tickets for our May 15 show in Chicago are at wbez.org/events.

Kanye's tweets, Emmanuel Macron's state visit, and Bill Cosby's guilty verdict, plus latest on Facebook and user privacy. From member station KQED in San Francisco, NPR Silicon Valley correspondent Aarti Shahani (@aarti411) and KQED senior editor Tonya Mosley (@TonyaMosley) join Sam to talk about the week that was. Email the show at samsanders@npr.org and tweet @NPRItsBeenAMin with feels.

Wolitzer's new novel is about women, misogyny, ambition, death, and the disillusionment of growing older. It's on virtually every must-read list this year, and feels so perfectly forged for the current moment that the Washington Post called Meg 'the novelist we need right now.' Email the show at samsanders@npr.org and tweet @NPRItsBeenAMin with feels.

That Philadelphia Starbucks, Bey-chella, Nikki Haley, and a spotlight on Cuba and its new president. NPR Reporter and Codeswitch host Shereen Marisol Meraji (@RadioMirage) and Morning Edition producer Justin Richmond (@JustJRichmond) join Sam to talk about the week that was. Email the show at samsanders@npr.org and tweet @NPRItsBeenAMin with feels.

Actress and comedian D'Arcy Carden plays Janet - the AI personal assistant - on NBC's 'The Good Place.' But she still makes time to perform at the Upright Citizens Brigade theatre in Los Angeles, where Sam got a chance to see her perform. Email the show at samsanders@npr.org and tweet @NPRItsBeenAMin with feels.

Facebook, Syria, Michael Cohen, and voters. NPR's Sarah McCammon (@sarahmccammon) is in for Sam, and she's joined by All Things Considered host Mary Louise Kelly (@NPRKelly) and NPR political correspondent Asma Khalid (@asmamk) to talk about the week that was. Email the show at samsanders@npr.org and tweet @NPRItsBeenAMin with feels.

Chrissy Metz currently plays Kate on the hit NBC show 'This Is Us.' But for years, she was an agent doing auditions on the side, just trying to catch a break. And in her new memoir, 'This Is Me: Loving the Person You are Today,' Chrissy relays the lessons she learned along the way, with some humor and grace sprinkled in. Email the show at samsanders@npr.org and tweet @NPRItsBeenAMin with feels.