It's Been A Minute With Sam Sanders

NPR newscaster Korva Coleman and NPR sports correspondent Tom "Yes, we do sports" Goldman join Sam to talk through the week that was: Puerto Rico, the NFL and Donald Trump, a dashed Republican health bill and a new Republican tax proposal — plus a call to a listener with family in Puerto Rico and the best things that happened to listeners all week. Email the show at samsanders@npr.org and follow Sam on Twitter @samsanders.

Prentice Penny, showrunner for 'Insecure', joins Sam to talk about the HBO comedy series, which just wrapped its second season. They also discuss what a showrunner does, how he got the job, collaborating with star and co-creator Issa Rae, diversity in television, why he likes Drake (and Sam doesn't), how he came to love television and writing as a kid, how he almost became a marine biologist, and black Twitter. Email the show at samsanders@npr.org and follow Sam on Twitter @samsanders.

NPR congressional correspondent Susan Davis and Pop Culture Happy Hour host Linda Holmes join Sam to talk through the week that was: Mariah Carey natural disasters, panic fatigue, President Trump's UN speech, the new Republican Health care bill, the Emmys, the economics of streaming, awards, and the television industry, Facebook and the election — plus a call to a listener in Missouri and the best things that happened to listeners all week. Email the show at samsanders@npr.org and follow Sam on Twitter @samsanders.

David Litt was writing speeches for President Barack Obama when he was 24. His new book about the experience is called "Thanks, Obama: My Hopey Changey White House Years." David talks to Sam about falling in love with then-candidate Obama, working his way to the White House after an internship spent playing minesweeper, getting his dream job, meeting the President, joining his team of speechwriters, how Obama used language, orchestrating moments like Obama's 'Anger Translator' bit with Keegan-Michael Key, and how David came to realize the President was not as infallible has he had once believed. Email the show at samsanders@npr.org and follow Sam on Twitter @samsanders.

NPR National Desk reporter Nate Rott and University of Montana journalism professor Jule Banville join Sam to talk through the week that was: fires, hurricanes, Trump on ISIS on Twitter, Silicon Valley vs bodegas, economic indicators, the legal rights of apes — plus a call to a listener in Australia and the best things that happened to listeners all week. Email the show at samsanders@npr.org and follow Sam on Twitter @samsanders.

New Yorker writer Adam Davidson and NPR national security correspondent Mary Louise Kelly join Sam to talk about a central question raised by Adam's reporting: What will investigators find when they look into President Trump's foreign business deals? Adam Davidson's latest story is here: http://bit.ly/2wr8pEx. Mary Louise described reporting from Moscow here: https://n.pr/2tJaMxS. Email the show at samsanders@npr.org and follow Sam on Twitter @samsanders.

NPR Science Desk producer Madeline Sofia and education reporter Claudio Sanchez join Sam to talk through the week that was: hurricanes and earthquakes, Donald Trump's deal with Democrats Chuck Schumer and Nancy Pelosi, Beyonce's birthday, the Trump administration's action on DACA and Title IX, a man-made gas shortage in Texas, endangered salamanders, and an Irish bat — plus a call to a listener in California and the best things that happened to listeners all week. Email the show at samsanders@npr.org and follow Sam on Twitter @samsanders.

Sam talks to novelist Danzy Senna about her new book, 'New People,' and about race in America, why LA is boring in a good way, black identity, what white people say when they think they're alone, being "professionally black", how her students perform their race, artistic integrity and safe spaces, prestige black TV like 'Atlanta' and 'Insecure', and the election of Barack Obama. If you're in the Washington DC area, catch Sam and Danzy in person at the East City Bookshop in Capitol Hill on Monday, September 18. Email the show at samsanders@npr.org and follow Sam on Twitter @samsanders.

New York Times reporter Katie Rogers and NPR film critic Bob Mondello join Sam to talk through the week that was: Hurricane Harvey and its aftermath, one woman's experience in the small Texas town of Refugio, and the view from Houston with Houston Public Media reporter Laura Isensee — then, in other news, the summer box office, upcoming movies, Prince's favorite color, Tom Brady's meal plan, six second television ads, and the Trump Hotel at night. More about how to help the Hurricane Harvey relief effort is at https://n.pr/2wiX1bS. Email the show at samsanders@npr.org and follow Sam on Twitter @samsanders.

Anonymous wealth leveraged in court represents a new threat to journalism in Brian Knappenberger's Netflix documentary, "Nobody Speak: Trials of the Free Press." Brian talks to Sam about the movie, which features NPR media correspondent David Folkenflik. David joins this conversation as well. Email the show at samsanders@npr.org and follow Sam on Twitter @samsanders.

Planet Money correspondent Stacey Vanek Smith and "Rough Translation" host Gregory Warner join Sam to talk through the week that was: Afghanistan, the President and the border wall, Amazon and Whole Foods, Taylor Swift, the eclipse, the GOP and tax reform, the economy in North Korea, racial identity in Brazil, and the 10-year-anniversary of the hashtag — plus music from Kanye West, a call to a listener in Georgia, and the best things that happened to listeners all week. Stick around after the episode to hear Sam talk to Stretch and Bobbito from "What's Good." Email the show at samsanders@npr.org and follow Sam on Twitter @samsanders.

Sam visits the Chicago offices of the satirical news publication for a headline pitch meeting and conversations with Editor-In-Chief Cole Bolton, Executive Editor Ben Berkley, Managing Editor Marnie Shure, and Head Writer Chad Nackers. They talk about comedy and President Trump (and why he makes their jobs harder), feuding with Sean Hannity, covering Barack Obama, crossing lines, and being socially awkward at parties. Email the show at samsanders@npr.org and follow Sam on Twitter @samsanders.

NPR reporter Kirk Siegler and Southern California Public Radio reporter Priska Neely join Sam to talk through the week that was: Charlottesville and the President's reaction to it, the reaction to that by corporations and everyone else, the so-called "alt left", Steve Bannon's late-breaking departure from the White House — plus a back-to-school scene, Queens of the Stone Age, a call to a listener in Colorado, and the best things that happened to listeners all week. Email the show at samsanders@npr.org and follow Sam on Twitter @samsanders.

Sam talks to white people — and only white people — about Charlottesville. This episode: UVA history professor Grace Hale, NPR's Sarah McCammon, and developmental psychologist Amy Roberson Hayes, plus some calls to our listeners. Email the show at samsanders@npr.org and follow Sam on Twitter @samsanders.

From WWNO in New Orleans, NPR Code Switch correspondent Gene Demby and Planet Money correspondent Noel King join Sam to talk through the week that was: a giant inflatable chicken, the President's rhetoric toward North Korea, White House infighting, an instantly notorious Google memo, a lawsuit against Harvard seeking to challenge affirmative action, and the Snap IPO — plus some New Orleans brass band music, a call to a listener in Michigan, and the best things that happened to listeners all week. Email the show at samsanders@npr.org and follow Sam on Twitter @samsanders.

Sam talks to comedian and former 'Saturday Night Live' cast member Sasheer Zamata about leaving the show, breakups, her new comedy special and variety show, talking about race in the age of Trump, growing up in the mid-west, moving around a lot, going to UVA, getting into improv, moving to New York, auditioning for SNL, working on the show, and Beyonce. Email the show at samsanders@npr.org and follow Sam on Twitter @samsanders.

Morning Edition host Rachel Martin and Stephen Thompson of NPR Music and Pop Culture Happy Hour join Sam to talk through the week that was: the speed of the news, the President's new immigration proposal and focus on the party base, why the stock market keeps soaring, the new White House chief of staff, TRL's return to MTV and the network's new CEO, celebrities (maybe?) running for office; plus, some LL Cool J, a call to a listener in San Diego, and the best things that happened to listeners all week. Email the show at samsanders@npr.org and follow Sam on Twitter @samsanders.

Sam talks to actor Lakeith Stanfield about fidget spinning, meditating, loneliness, his character Darius on 'Atlanta,' growing up in California, working odd jobs before acting, what success means in Hollywood, why 'Get Out' was the creepiest experience he's ever had on a set, black men in film and vulnerability, his family, charcoal lemonade, his upcoming movies 'Death Note' and 'Crown Heights', and they make a surprise phone call. Email the show at samsanders@npr.org and follow Sam on Twitter @samsanders.

All Things Considered host Audie Cornish and Planet Money correspondent Ailsa Chang join Sam to talk through the week that was: health care, the President's tweets on transgender individuals in the military, the GOP's failure to pass a health care bill in the Senate, a new wrinkle in the story of a Supreme Court case, millennials and beer; plus, some Missy Elliott, a call to a listener in Arizona, and the best things that happened to listeners all week. Email the show at samsanders@npr.org and follow Sam on Twitter @samsanders.

The first-time director and star of the CBS sitcom 'Life in Pieces' shot her new movie using an all-female crew. She talks to Sam about that, and about diversity in hiring, her favorite karaoke song, Jamie Foxx, her film's co-stars Adam Pally and Fred Armisen, growing up in New York as the daughter of struggling artists, success and failure in art, performing the music in 'Band Aid', how directing is like journalism editing, relationships, and working with her husband. Email the show at samsanders@npr.org and follow Sam on Twitter @samsanders.