
The Sam Sanders Show
by KCRW & Sam Sanders
Is this your podcast?Insights from recent episode analysis
Audience Interest
Podcast Focus
Publishing Consistency
Platform Reach
Insights are generated by CastFox AI using publicly available data, episode content, and proprietary models.
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Total monthly reach
Estimated from 1 chart position in 1 market.
By chart position
- 🇻🇳VN · Society & Culture#543K to 10K
- Per-Episode Audience
Est. listeners per new episode within ~30 days
900 to 3K🎙 Daily cadence·112 episodes·Last published yesterday - Monthly Reach
Unique listeners across all episodes (30 days)
3K to 10K🇻🇳100% - Active Followers
Loyal subscribers who consistently listen
900 to 3K
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Reach across major podcast platforms, updated hourly
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* Data sourced directly from platform APIs and aggregated hourly across all major podcast directories.
On the show
From 31 epsHost
Recent guests
Recent episodes
Fred Armisen Revisits Portlandia
Sep 1, 2026
25m 44s
What Made Dolly Parton So Beloved?
Aug 27, 2026
39m 55s
Did Summer 2026 Bring Back Monoculture?
Aug 25, 2026
34m 12s
Janelle James: What’s It Like To Embody A Diva?
Aug 21, 2026
44m 57s
Can Mamdani Save Broadway?
Aug 18, 2026
28m 59s
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| Date | Episode | Topics | Guests | Brands | Places | Keywords | Sponsor | Length | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9/1/26 | Fred Armisen Revisits Portlandia | This episode, we’re going back in time for one of Sam’s favorite shows…‘Portlandia!’ For eight seasons, the sketch comedy show famously poked fun at the hipster culture, all while set in a fictionalized version of Portland. Creators and co-stars Fred Armisen and Carrie Brownstein played many of the show’s central characters. Now, they’re revisiting the episodes with a weekly rewatch podcast called ‘Podlandia: A-O Rewatch with Fred and Carrie.’ Sam got to chat with Fred about the show, their favorite sketches, and why hipsters were always ripe for spoofing. “Podlandia: A-O Rewatch” is distributed by iHeartPodcasts and is available on the iHeartRadio app and everywhere podcasts are heard. New episodes air every Thursday. Sign up for Sam’s Newsletter to get behind the scenes stuff from every interview each week. The Sam Sanders Show is a production of KCRW and Sam Sanders Productions. | 25m 44s | ||||||
| 8/27/26 | What Made Dolly Parton So Beloved? | We will always love Dolly Parton. Sam unpacks Dolly’s immense legacy with Ann Powers, critic and correspondent for NPR Music. Together they spend time reflecting on her many hit songs, her brilliant roles in Hollywood and her everlasting philanthropic efforts. They also break down the secrets to Dolly’s impeccable stardom, diving into what exactly made her so ubiquitous and beloved. Plus, they share some overlooked music from her catalog. Also, make sure to check out Ann's moving tribute essay to Dolly Parton. Sign up for Sam’s Newsletter to get behind the scenes stuff from every interview each week. The Sam Sanders Show is a production of KCRW and Sam Sanders Productions. | 39m 55s | ||||||
| 8/25/26 | Did Summer 2026 Bring Back Monoculture? | Whether it was big sporting events, or big blockbusters, or even celebrity weddings, Summer 2026 had a ton of pop culture that we all consumed together. For the first time in years, we even talked about it all together. But was it actually a return of monoculture? Sam looks at how this happened (and if it will ever happen again) with Esther Zuckerman, culture reporter for The Wall Street Journal who recently wrote all about the monoculture phenomenon. Sign up for Sam’s Newsletter to get behind the scenes stuff from every interview each week. The Sam Sanders Show is a production of KCRW and Sam Sanders Productions. | 34m 12s | ||||||
| 8/21/26 | Janelle James: What’s It Like To Embody A Diva? | Comedian Janelle James became a star after playing the selfish, scamming, yet hilarious principal Ava Coleman in 'Abbott Elementary.' She’s since been nominated for five Emmy awards for the role. But Janelle spent years grinding through the standup scene before finding television success. She told Sam about what inspired her to try comedy years ago, and what she’s learned about herself from playing a larger than life character in a sitcom. Plus, Janelle breaks down her forthcoming Hulu show inspired by her own childhood in the U.S. Virgin Islands. This conversation took place in front of a live audience at KCRW’s Annenberg Performance Studio in Santa Monica. Sign up for Sam’s Newsletter to get behind the scenes stuff from every interview each week. The Sam Sanders Show is a production of KCRW and Sam Sanders Productions. | 44m 57s | ||||||
| 8/18/26 | Can Mamdani Save Broadway? | Sam recently experienced one of the best stage musicals he’s seen in years. Cats: The Jellicle Ball reimagines the classic Andrew Lloyd Webber story with a ballroom twist. The show is filled with voguing, runway and Black, queer joy. It also won multiple Tony awards this year, which packed the theater night after night. The whole show seemed like it was on the path to success, until it closed suddenly on August 8th. Theater critic Naveen Kumar wrote about the fate of the production for The New York Times. He joined Sam to break down the major money problems facing Broadway. He also shares some ideas to fix them…Which may involve a certain charismatic mayor. Sign up for Sam’s Newsletter to get behind the scenes stuff from every interview each week. The Sam Sanders Show is a production of KCRW and Sam Sanders Productions. | 28m 59s | ||||||
| 8/14/26 | Eliot Glazer: Spiritually Lesbian, Sexually Gay | Comedian Eliot Glazer feels like he “missed the first day of Gay 101.” Even though he came out in college, he has always struggled to fit into gay culture. He doesn’t like the parties. He doesn’t wear the right clothes. Never listens to the right music. Can’t give off the right vibes. He writes about all these feelings in his hilarious new book of essays ‘The Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Gay.’ Eliot tells Sam about feeling like an outcast, yearning for connection, and how he learned to find peace with his style of queerness. Check out Eliot on his book tour now through September. Sign up for Sam’s Newsletter to get behind the scenes stuff from every interview each week. The Sam Sanders Show is a production of KCRW and Sam Sanders Productions. | 33m 10s | ||||||
| 8/11/26 | Is Culture Stuck? (From Decoder Ring) | Today we’re sharing an episode from our friends at Decoder Ring, a podcast that explores cultural mysteries. In this episode, host Willa Paskin digs into one of Sam’s biggest critiques about culture right now. There is more of it than ever before, it’s more accessible than ever, but so little of it feels original. New movies are based on old stories, new songs are recycling old hooks, and fashion trends are cycling so fast that everything’s in. Has our culture grown stagnant? Author and culture critic W. David Marx thinks so. His book, Blank Space, argues that there is a “blank space” in the 21st century where cultural innovation should be. David explains to Willa how culture change worked in the 20th century, what changed after the turn of the millennium, and what we might do about it. Listen to Decoder Ring on your favorite podcast app! Sign up for Sam’s Newsletter to get behind the scenes stuff from every interview each week. The Sam Sanders Show is a production of KCRW and Sam Sanders Productions. | 55m 29s | ||||||
| 8/7/26 | Hannah Einbinder on Comedy, Connection & Queer Art | Actor and comedian Hannah Einbinder has had an eventful past few years. She burst onto the scene with the acclaimed HBO comedy ‘Hacks’ in 2021. She won an Emmy for her role last season, and is nominated again this year. Now, she’s starring in the new horror film, ‘Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma.’ Hannah tells Sam about the craft of transitioning from comedy to drama, television to film, and why her true love will always be standup. She also dives into the importance of queer art and her lessons for navigating Hollywood. Plus, she tells Sam about her future passion project: An eventual stoner comedy made with her best friend. Sign up for Sam’s Newsletter to get behind the scenes stuff from every interview each week. The Sam Sanders Show is a production of KCRW and Sam Sanders Productions. | 48m 31s | ||||||
| 8/4/26 | The Cyndi Lauper Conspiracy (From Switched on Pop) | Today we’re sharing Sam’s episode of Switched on Pop! Sam believes in his heart that every song Cyndi Lauper has ever written is pop perfection. Many fall for “Girls Just Want To Have Fun,” but his favorite song is the slow burner “All Through The Night,” save for one moment: the synthesizer solo. For Sam, this solo never fit in. In this episode of Switched on Pop, co-host Charlie Harding helps Sam investigate the source of his musical malady and uncovers how the ‘80s got its groove. You can find Switched on Pop on your favorite podcast app and now on Netflix! Sign up for Sam’s Newsletter to get behind the scenes stuff from every interview each week. The Sam Sanders Show is a production of KCRW and Sam Sanders Productions. | 37m 21s | ||||||
| 7/31/26 | Are We All Nostalgic For Better Times? | If you could go anywhere back in time, where would you go? That’s the premise of writer Jessica M. Goldstein’s new novel, Retro. Set in a fantastical time travel agency, the book follows wealthy tourists who take vacations to the past. Destinations include 1920s speakeasies, bachelor parties at Woodstock, or even just a day wandering through a Y2K shopping mall. Sam chats with Jessica about what inspired the book and what the time travel genre says about our obsession with nostalgia. But first, Jessica unpacks a few modern hot topics…Like is smoking cool again? And why are movies so damn dark these days? Sign up for Sam’s Newsletter to get behind the scenes stuff from every interview each week. The Sam Sanders Show is a production of KCRW and Sam Sanders Productions. | 46m 14s | ||||||
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| 7/28/26 | What Is Sam’s Guiding Philosophy? (From Well Said) | Today we’re bringing you Sam’s episode of the Well Said podcast. The podcast explores all things public relations, communications, and the ever-evolving media landscape. Hosts Pia Arthur and Kelly Cheeseman talk to Sam about his career, his philosophy for interviewing, how he tries to break free from perfectionism and why he stopped covering politics. Find Well Said on your favorite podcast app and on YouTube. Sign up for Sam’s Newsletter to get behind the scenes stuff from every interview each week. The Sam Sanders Show is a production of KCRW and Sam Sanders Productions. | 42m 33s | ||||||
| 7/24/26 | Harvey Guillén Is Not An Overnight Success | You probably know Harvey Guillén from his breakout role as Guillermo in the FX vampire comedy 'What We Do In The Shadows.' Working on the show was a masterclass in acting for Harvey, but he never lost sight of his childhood dream to perform on stage. That dream came true earlier this year when Harvey made his Broadway debut in the revival of 'The Rocky Horror Show.' He tells Sam about his road to the stage, which included collecting cans as a kid to pay for acting classes. Plus, he shares how his family always keeps him grounded, and his favorite pop culture scripture. You can see Harvey Guillén in The Rocky Horror Show at Studio 54 in New York City. Sign up for Sam’s Newsletter to get behind the scenes stuff from every interview each week. The Sam Sanders Show is a production of KCRW and Sam Sanders Productions. | 40m 36s | ||||||
| 7/21/26 | comedymusical theater+3 | Jane Wickline | Saturday Night LiveKCRW+1 | New YorkSoHo Playhouse | Jane WicklineDukes+5 | — | 32m 26s | ||
| 7/17/26 | film critiquegender representation+3 | Angelica Jade Bastién | VultureMadwomen & Muses+1 | — | The OdysseyChristopher Nolan+3 | — | 52m 28s | ||
| 7/14/26 | Wikipediainternet culture+3 | Annie Rauwerda | WikipediaKCRW | — | WikipediaAnnie Rauwerda+5 | — | 23m 12s | ||
| 7/10/26 | authenticityHollywood+4 | Ryan O’Connell | KCRWSam Sanders Productions+2 | — | authenticityHollywood+6 | — | 51m 37s | ||
| 7/7/26 | Madonnamusic+4 | Louis Niebur | University of Nevada, RenoConfessions II+1 | — | MadonnaConfessions II+5 | — | 28m 30s | ||
| 7/3/26 | 90s nostalgiapop culture+3 | Traci ThomasEliot Glazer+1 | KCRW | Los Angeles | 90snostalgia+5 | — | 1h 43m 03s | ||
| 6/30/26 | homoerotic behaviorreality TV+3 | Jason P. Frank | VultureLove Island USA | — | Love Island USAhomoerotic+7 | — | 23m 53s | ||
| 6/26/26 | transgender issuescomedy+4 | Roz Hernandez | KCRWSam Sanders Productions+1 | LA | trans comedianstand-up tour+6 | — | 47m 24s | ||
| 6/23/26 | Hollywoodgenerational warfare+4 | Christopher Rosen | The AnklerBackrooms+1 | HollywoodLA | HollywoodGen Z+5 | — | 28m 03s | ||
| 6/19/26 | pop culturecelebrity dominance+4 | Traci ThomasChristiana Mbakwe Medina | The StacksPop Syllabus | LA | 2026pop culture+5 | — | 44m 36s | ||
| 6/16/26 | The Real Reason American Men are Struggling | Today we’re sharing an episode of Apple News In Conversation, guest hosted by Sam. The headlines say that American men are in crisis. But what does that actually mean — and what does it look like up close? Journalist Jordan Ritter Conn spent five years inside the lives of four different men to find out. His new book, American Men, explores the gap between masculine ideals and the reality of men’s lived experience. Sam sat down with Ritter Conn to talk about what those four lives reveal about masculinity, inadequacy, and what the national conversation about men keeps getting wrong. Sign up for Sam’s Newsletter to get behind the scenes stuff from every interview each week. The Sam Sanders Show is a production of KCRW and Sam Sanders Productions. | 30m 33s | ||||||
| 6/12/26 | comedygatekeepers+5 | Leslie Jones | Saturday Night LiveKCRW+3 | — | Leslie Jonescomedy+6 | — | 54m 40s | ||
| 6/9/26 | AI chatbotsrelationships+3 | Anna Wiener | KindroidTolan+4 | — | AI chatbotsrelationships+5 | — | 27m 47s | ||
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Chart history for The Sam Sanders Show
Peaked at #54 in VN, currently #54 in VN.
| Market | Genre | Peak | Current | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| VN | — | #54 | #54 | — |
Chart Positions
1 placement across 1 market.
Chart Positions
1 placement across 1 market.