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 Award-winning actor (with another nomination under his belt this year). Currently, Porter stars in the acclaimed FX show Pose, all about New York's underground ball culture in the 80s and 90s. It's also takes place during the height of the HIV-AIDS crisis.Sam talks to Porter about the parallels between that crisis and the one we're living in today, about growing up in the church, and why — despite everything that's happened this year — love will always win.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

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 supposed to work with the election in November. Then, Sam calls up historian Martha S. Jones, author of the forthcoming book Vanguard: How Black Women Broke Barriers, Won the Vote, and Insisted on Equality for All. They talk about why voting looks the way it does even in a normal cycle, and what the U.S. Constitution actually says about voting. Plus, Sam talks with comedian Robin Thede, creator and showrunner of A Black Lady Sketch Show, which is nominated for three Emmys this year. They talk about her long career in comedy, which includes her time as head writer for The Nightly Show with Larry Wilmore and as host of The Rundown with Robin Thede, and play the game Who Said That.Follow us: https://twitter.com/NPRItsBeenAMin Email us: [email protected] more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

We're in the homestretch of the 2020 presidential election campaign. Joe Biden announced Sen. Kamala Harris as his running mate, Democrats have their national convention this week, Republicans next week, and each party's candidate is hoping to energize their voter base. Sam talks to The Atlantic's McKay Coppins about Donald Trump's base and how his campaign's digital efforts have evolved since 2016. Then NPR political correspondent Asma Khalid turns the focus to Biden's eclectic coalition of voters — who include not only a growing number of Black and brown voters, but also white, college-educated suburban voters — and who have one goal in common: to defeat Trump in November.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

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 good and bad news of the housing market in a pandemic. Then, TikTok is massively popular around the world, but now it's under fire from the Trump Administration due to national security concerns. We hear from NPR tech reporter Bobby Allyn about the latest on the social media upstart and what a proposed ban has to do with China and user data.Follow us: https://twitter.com/NPRItsBeenAMin Email us: [email protected] more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

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 subscribers. Sam talks to Peter Kafka and Rani Molla, co-hosts of the podcast Land of the Giants, about the Netflix effect — how it got to where it is today, its win over Blockbuster, and the one TV show that launched a thousand binges (figuratively speaking).Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

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 encore interview, King talks about why she gravitates toward work that deals with race and policing, why she's still proud to call herself an American and why that also means demanding things to get a lot better than they are now.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

"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 at the expense of Black people. Karens are part of a long lineage going back at least a couple centuries. This week we share an episode from Code Switch about the origins of "Karen" as an archetype, who her ancestors were, and why such a label even exists.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

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 growing up Indian American in the San Gabriel Valley, cultural appropriation vs. appreciation in food, and her new Hulu show Taste the Nation.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

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 coronavirus, we have answers. Sam is joined by Short Wave host Maddie Sofia to dig into the science behind some of the decisions we have to make about everyday encounters in this pandemic. Then, Sam is all caught up in the buzz around Netflix's Indian Matchmaking, and he calls up journalist and former It's Been a Minute intern Hafsa Fathima to break it down.Follow us: https://twitter.com/NPRItsBeenAMin Email us: [email protected] more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

All relationships have a backstory, even friendships. Best friends Aminatou Sow and Ann Friedman, hosts of the podcast Call Your Girlfriend, are out with a new book called Big Friendship: How We Keep Each Other Close. In it, they write about their friendship story and they share lessons for all of us about how to keep our own friendships strong. Sam chats with them about going to friend therapy and what it's like to have a deep friendship with someone of a different race.Follow us: https://twitter.com/NPRItsBeenAMin Email us: [email protected] more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

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 childcare? Sam is joined by Planet Money's Mary Childs and Stacey Vanek Smith to make sense of it all. Then Sam chats with Reverend Jes Kast, an ordained minister in the United Church of Christ, about how faith and scripture provide solace in moments of uncertainty like this.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

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 Destroy You. Before that show, Coel made waves in the hit British sitcom Chewing Gum. Her work as the creator, writer, and lead actress on the show earned her a BAFTA. She tells Sam about the emotional transparency that comes from shaving her head and how she once embraced the Pentecostal faith. They also bond over their feelings about Black Mirror: Bandersnatch.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Colleges and universities are getting ready for a new year, but like everything else, coronavirus is complicating everything. Some are closing campus and moving online, others plan to bring students back with social distancing. Sam checks in with Tressie McMillan Cottom, associate professor at UNC-Chapel Hill and author of Lower Ed: The Troubling Rise of For-Profit Colleges in the New Economy, about the state of higher education and why not all colleges are created equal when it comes to prioritizing health over business. Then he chats with comedian and Desus and Mero writer Ziwe Fumudoh, whose recent interviews with white celebrities like Alison Roman and Rose McGowan have generated a lot of social media buzz for her frank questions about race. They talk about the art of the interview and her comfort with discomfort.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

The newsrooms that covered the protests for racial justice are now being forced to confront racism and inequity within their own organizations. Black journalists and other journalists of color are sharing their experiences on social media and leading a public debate over what it means to be "objective," whose stories are told, and how whiteness still dictates newsroom practices, opportunities and compensation. Sam chats about this reckoning within newsrooms with The Undefeated's Soraya Nadia McDonald, Futuro Media president and founder and Latino USA host Maria Hinojosa and NPR public editor Kelly McBride. Thanks for listening to our show! We want your feedback. Please visit npr.org/ibamsurvey to submit your thoughts now.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

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 answers about how this all ends, and for a lot of us, that's turned into anger and frustration. Sam talks to comedian Laurie Kilmartin about how she used Twitter and her iPad to process her mother's illness and death from COVID-19. Then he chats with Houston bar owner Greg Perez about how he's trying to keep workers and customers safe while also keeping his business afloat. And Sam asks Dr. Olveen Carrasquillo in Miami about how to make sense of all the mixed public health messaging on the coronavirus.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Last year, comedian Chelsea Handler made a documentary on Netflix called, Hello Privilege. It's Me, Chelsea, where she explored the idea of white privilege. Which happens to be a thing that a lot of people are talking about again... right now, in 2020.Sam talks to Chelsea about what she's learned since then, her latest book — Life Will Be the Death of Me...and You Too! -- and coming to terms with both her own white privilege during the protests... and herself, in therapy.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

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 Sam are All Things Considered co-host Audie Cornish and Code Switch co-host Gene Demby to chat about their TV picks — Netflix's Bojack Horseman and HBO's I May Destroy You — and to play a special summer songs version of Who Said That. Then, Sam chats with gospel musician, songwriter and author Kirk Franklin about how his music and faith are a balm for these turbulent times.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

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 has. And did, for her new book: #VeryFat #VeryBrave: The Fat Girl's Guide to Being #Brave and Not a Dejected, Melancholy, Down-in-the-Dumps Weeping Fat Girl in a Bikini.Sam talks to the "Nailed It" Netflix host about what it was like to make the book, what it taught her about her body, and why the store Lane Bryant touches a nerve.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

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 about Facebook and Twitter and how their platforms and views on free speech have evolved since the last presidential election. Sam also chats with Washington Post columnist and satirist Alexandra Petri about her book of essays Nothing Is Wrong and Here Is Why and how she uses humor to uncover bigger truths.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

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-ish.' She talks to Sam about pushing back against Black stereotypes on and off-screen, pursuing success at any age, finding Black joy during a tumultuous time, and sharing her singing work in her latest film 'The High Note' with her mother, music legend Diana Ross.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

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 — DACA recipients and LGBTQ workers — and protests against police brutality continued around the world. Sam chats about the Supreme Court with Slate's Mark Joseph Stern, then checks in with Tobore Oweh, a DACA recipient who is hopeful yet realistic about her status. After that, Sam calls across the pond to UK writer Candice Carty-Williams about the Black Lives Matter protests near her.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

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 King Kong, which is set against the backdrop of 1960s Brooklyn and tells the story of how one man's decision upended an entire neighborhood. Sam talks to McBride about race, religion and community, the parallels he sees to the world we're living in today, and why he's still optimistic, despite protests and a pandemic.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

The killing of George Floyd has inspired global protests against police brutality, and it seems like everyone has something to say, including the entertainment industry. Sam's joined by NPR television critic Eric Deggans and Tonya Mosley, co-host of NPR/WBUR's Here & Now and host of the KQED podcast Truth Be Told. They talk about the cancellation of the long-running reality TV show Cops, the removal of Gone With the Wind from HBO Max, and what it all says about this moment. After that, Sam chats with Rev. Jacqui Lewis, senior minister at Middle Collegiate Church in Manhattan, and Rev. angel Kyodo williams, a Zen priest. They talk about what Black people and white people should be doing differently now and give Sam a bit of sermon.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

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 politics for The Atlantic, and he says you can certainly draw comparisons between Trump and Nixon – in that Trump is actually a backlash to the policies that came out of 1968. But Serwer says 1868 is a better point of comparison – it was a moment of hope, when white Republicans had been fighting for black rights for years, before ultimately abandoning them to pursue white voters. Serwer sees Americans coming together in this moment, as they have in the past, but as a student of history, he says the backlash always comes eventually.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

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 protests, and he walks around downtown Los Angeles to get the perspective of people he meets. Sam also talks to BuzzFeed News reporter Melissa Segura on her recent reporting about police unions and what they mean for reform, and Morning Edition executive producer Kenya Young about being a black parent during this time.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

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 Netflix show Patriot Act with Hasan Minhaj, which has just begun its second season. He talks to Sam about being an Indian American Muslim, how he finds joy in family and what his faith means to him today.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

The coronavirus pandemic has us worrying not only about our health, but also about money. Sam talks to CBS News business analyst Jill Schlesinger, about the current economic crisis and how it's affecting different generations. Then, Sam talks to writer Samantha Irby about her newsletter "Who's On Judge Mathis Today?," which recaps the foibles of the syndicated daytime court show Judge Mathis.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Yvonne Orji plays the part of best friend Molly Carter on the HBO series Insecure, but Orji will soon headline her own stand-up special in June called, "Mama, I Made It." Orji talks to Sam about religion, getting her start in comedy at a Nigerian beauty pageant, growing up with strict immigrant parents and finding the humor in all of it. Email the show at [email protected] more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Maya Erskine has come a long way from the NYU experimental theater department where she met her PEN15 co-creator Anna Konkle. In this encore episode, Erskine talks to Sam about her starring role in the genre-bending romantic comedy Plus One and how she wrote her own life experiences into the character she plays on Hulu's PEN15.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Sam revisits his 2019 conversation with poet and writer Saeed Jones. Saeed discusses his memoir, How We Fight For Our Lives, a vulnerable exploration of his coming of age as black and gay in suburban Texas. The former BuzzFeed editor sat down with Sam to give a glimpse of the stories behind his book, including those of his mother and grandmother, and one where he faced violence during a sexual encounter with another man. This episode contains graphic discussion of sex, sexuality and abuse.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Ever since the coronavirus pandemic began, we've become more accustomed to life closing down than opening up. But for many, putting life on pause isn't an option. This week, Sam talks to people whose lives were thrown off course, but who scrambled to keep doing what they were doing. A home health aide talks about the risk she now takes to do her work. A political organizer explains how door knocking and canvassing had to go digital. And an international student is determined to stay in the United States, despite losing her classes, her housing, and her job.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

The music of the band Chicano Batman has long defied genre. Funk, psychedelic, soul, indie — it's all these things and more. Sam talks to band members Carlos Arévalo and Bardo Martinez about their new album, Invisible People, what it's like not to be able to tour and how their music is the ultimate reflection of their hometown, Los Angeles.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Politics may not be the first thing on minds right now, but it's still happening. With the Senate returning to session this week, Sam checks in to see how Capitol Hill is operating safely. NPR congressional correspondent Susan Davis discusses how congressional members are taking precautions, while NPR White House reporter Ayesha Rascoe explains how President Trump's election rallies could possibly continue with social distancing in place. Then, Sam calls up an artist in Sweden — which hasn't imposed strict lockdown measures— to find out what everyday life now looks like.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Sam hears listener stories and expert tips on virtual dating and maintaining relationships in the coronavirus era. He's joined by Lane Moore, comedian and host of Tinder Live, and Damona Hoffman, a dating and relationship coach and host of the podcast Dates & Mates with Damona Hoffman. Damona also shares questions from her podcast listeners.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

The coronavirus pandemic is affecting all parts of the entertainment industry. Sam talks to writer and comedian Jenny Yang and camera operator Jessica Hershatter, whose jobs are on hold due to shutdowns. Also, Sam and LA Times entertainment reporter Meredith Blake discuss television and streaming. And joining Sam for a special edition of Who Said That is Shea Serrano, staff writer for The Ringer and author of the book Movies (and Other Things).Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

The United States government has changed its definition of who counts as black throughout the years and the census is proof of that. During the very first census in 1790, it was simply "slaves." Now, in 2020, it's "Black or African American," with the option to write in a country of origin. This week, we share an episode from the Code Switch podcast about the ever-shifting boundaries of blackness and why it matters to this decade's census.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Depending on where you live, your race, and your income, the coronavirus pandemic can look dramatically different. Sam's NPR colleagues, Leila Fadel, based in Los Angeles, California, and Kirk Siegler, based in Boise, Idaho, compare how differently rural and urban populations are dealing with the pandemic — and what they may have in common. Then, Sam speaks with a listener who had COVID-19 and thinks she may have passed it on to a co-worker who later died. And listeners share all the things helping them cope and getting them through this time.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Sopan Deb lived under the same roof with both of his parents for most of his childhood, but never knew their ages or where they grew up or if they had any siblings. He didn't know much about them at all. He lived in a house of strangers, each going about their own lives, only briefly bumping into one another. It wasn't until Sopan turned 30 that he realized he was missing something and set out to reconnect with the family he never really understood.Sam talks to Sopan about his journey of self-reflection, traveling to India to see his father and what he ultimately learned about his family and himself.Email the show at [email protected] more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

The coronavirus has completely reshaped the world of sports. Sam talks to ESPN senior writer and ESPN Daily host Mina Kimes and The Undefeated columnist Clinton Yates about how different professional leagues are dealing with the pandemic. Also, BuzzFeed senior culture writer Anne Helen Petersen chats with Sam about our obsession with productivity in quarantine times.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Where is drag culture right now? It's certainly continuing to have a moment: from RuPaul's Drag Race, to DragCon, to drag queens appearing on the big screen. In this encore episode, Sam revisits the history of drag, chats with the co-executive producers of RuPaul's Drag Race, and talks to some drag performers about where drag is headed next.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

The census comes but once a decade, and this time it's in the midst of a pandemic. Code Switch co-hosts Gene Demby and Shereen Marisol Meraji talk it out with Sam. Also, hospitals have been dramatically changed by the coronavirus, but babies still need to be delivered. Sam talks to one mom-to-be whose birth plans have been upended by the crisis.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Jonathan Van Ness wears many hats: He's one of the Fab Five on the popular Netflix show Queer Eye, a podcast host, an aspiring figure skater and gymnast, a grooming and self-care expert, a comedian, and author of a best-selling memoir. And now... a children's book author.Sam talks to Van Ness about why he decided to write Peanut Goes for the Gold, about a gender nonbinary guinea pig who has their own way of doing things, and how he's been dealing with social distancing during self-quarantine.Email the show at [email protected] more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

The coronavirus is taking a toll on jobs and the economy. Sam talks to NPR's Cardiff Garcia and Stacey Vanek Smith, co-hosts of The Indicator from Planet Money, about ways to get people paid while they're out of work and the necessity for businesses to pivot to stay afloat. Also, Sam and NPR music news editor Sidney Madden talk about new ways people are listening to music and partying online in "club quarantine."Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Right now a lot of parents have taken on a new responsibility: homeschool teacher. Many feel like they have no idea what they're doing. Sam talks with parents in all different kinds of circumstances trying to make it work.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

The last few weeks have meant adjusting to new ways of life. Sam talks to two NPR colleagues about how life in lockdown is affecting them personally. Morning Edition host David Greene tells Sam how his wife, a restaurateur, is coping with a struggling industry and whether a new congressional stimulus bill can offer relief. Then, Kelly McEvers, host of Embedded and the new Coronavirus Daily podcast, talks about the realities of homeschooling. Sam also speaks with Variety writer Meg Zukin, whose tweet asking couples to share their coronavirus "drama" went viral.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Audie Cornish sits down with Sam Sanders to discuss her She's Funny series: conversations with female comedians Hannah Gadsby, Margaret Cho, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Jenny Slate and others. In a series of vignettes, Audie and Sam discuss how these women charged forward in their careers and what risks they've taken through the years. Plus, Audie's extended conversation with comedian Jenny Slate on what the culture is really like at Saturday Night Live.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

It's hard being isolated from jobs, friends and family. So Sam is changing up this week's show with guests who have ideas on how to cope with the quarantine. Superstar chef Samin Nosrat of Netflix's "Salt Fat Acid Heat" and Tucker Shaw of "America's Test Kitchen" talk about cooking for neighbors, helping laid-off restaurant workers, and making better meals out of the stuff you've got at hand. Comedian Iliza Schlesinger talks about what she's getting done during her time at home, and we hear from a Stanford psychologist about creating "distant socializing" to keep ourselves connected.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Twelve years ago this week, presidential candidate Barack Obama gave what became a historic speech about race. He spoke in response to video that surfaced of his former pastor, Rev. Jeremiah Wright, heatedly criticizing America's foreign policy and treatment of African-Americans. In his speech, Obama urged racial harmony and understanding. Sam is joined by political commentators, activists and academics to see if the speech's message still holds up.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy