Choice Words with Samantha Bee
Choice Words with Samantha Bee is a podcast where the host interviews people she admires about the pivotal choices they've made in their lives. Each episode explores the ripple effects of those decisions, from a journalist's career-defining story to a politician's controversial vote or a musician's spontaneous lyric. The show also touches on Sam's own choices, including the decision to start this podcast.
Episodes
Choices We Made: Magazine Makeup Artist or Cosmetics CEO? (with Bobbi Brown)
Bobbi Brown, Founder of Jones Road Beauty, joins Sam fresh off the plane from Paris to discuss her new book, Still Bobbi, and to explore her career trajectory from behind-the-scenes makeup artist to two-time cosmetic company CEO. Bobbi talks about how some of her most important choices were choosing men—both her husband, who she knew within weeks was “the one” and Leonard Lauder, who she decided t
Choices We Made: Joy or Happiness? (with Kate Bowler)
Professor, author, and podcast host Kate Bowler joins Sam to talk about her new book Joyful Anyway, and what the difference between joy and happiness really is. They talk about why happiness is circumstantial but joy is big and bright and hits your reward system. They talk about the Prosperity Gospel, Christian amusement parks, and what on earth the Pope must be feeling right now. They talk about
Choices We Made: Gina or Gheena? (with Gina Gershon)
Actress and author Gina Gershon joins Sam to talk about her new book AlphaPussy which leads to discussing their shared love of audiobooks, allowing cats to choose their owners, and the wild women who have shaped her life. They talk about making decisions from your brain or from your body, the unconventionality of her career, learning to be tough, and the importance of “fuck you” money. Sam is shoc
Choices We Made: Bruce Springsteen or Kid Rock? (with Aasif Mandvi)
Aasif Mandvi joins Sam for a major Daily Show catch up, and to talk about juggling his return to Broadway in Fallen Angels with his new TV show The Miniature Wife. They bond over the perfection of theater shows with no intermissions, but disagree about when they first met each other. They talk about meeting Bruce Springsteen at The Daily Show, how Kid Rock used to be a huge fan, and what it would
Choices We Made: 1929 or 2026? (with Andrew Ross Sorkin)
Financial journalist and author of the new book 1929, Andrew Ross Sorkin, joins Sam to talk about the parallels between 1929 and now and, and how while history does repeat itself, there are some comparisons that don’t work. Sam explains Soul Cycle vs. Peloton, they rehash the Gamestop frenzy, why the lottery is a “tax on the stupid,” and get rich quick schemes. They unpack what Venezuela means for
Choices We Made: Cookbook Author or Restaurant Chef? (with Padma Lakshmi)
Television host and cookbook author Padma Lakshmi joins Sam to talk about her new show, America’s Culinary Cup and how she’s a triple threat on it serving as creator, executive producer, and host. She reveals if she brought anyone from Top Chef with her, why it is important to set the contestants up for success, and why we crave shows where we can witness expertise. Padma talks about ten years of
Choices We Made: TV or Radio? (with Christa Miller)
Actor Christa Miller joins Sam to talk about the new season of Shrinking and her other role where she serves as music supervisor. Christa talks about how she loves giving new artists their big break on TV and how TV really is the new radio. They talk about the never-ending seasons of 90s sitcoms, choosing spending time with her kids over certain jobs and why it’s always risky to turn something dow
Choices We Made: Lawyer or Journalist? (with Jodi Kantor)
Journalist Jodi Kantor joins Sam to talk about her new book, How To Start, and how, much to the chagrin of her parents, she dropped out of Harvard Law to go into a career in Journalism. They talk about why it is so uniquely hard to find a job out of college these days, and how even if you’re not a recent grad, AI is destroying the interview process and the need for entry-level jobs. They talk abou
Choices We Made: Secular Saint or Church Guitarist? (with George Saunders)
Author George Saunders joins Sam to talk about his new book Vigil and why people are so obsessed with turning him into a secular saint (and his childhood role of church guitarist). George explains that even though he’s not on social media he still finds ways to doom scroll, how the current government could have learned empathy if they bothered to read a few books, and how he found inspiration for
Choices We Made: Shamed or Shameless? (with Jennifer Welch)
Jennifer Welch, host of the podcast “I’ve Had It” joins Sam to talk about taking a midlife gap year in Manhattan and how the country is led by people with no shame, and you just can’t shame the shameless. They talk about how she navigates the daily shitstorm (by starting her day at 5am with four shots of espresso), staying on Twitter despite the Elon Musk factor, how growing up atheist in Oklahom
Choices We Made: Moscow or ‘Merica? (with David Remnick)
The New Yorker editor David Remnick joins Sam to talk about if The New Yorker is the “slow food movement” of news and how today’s current events remind him of living in Moscow at the end of the Soviet Union. They talk about how the industry changed when Jeff Bezos bought the Washington Post and why his ownership is different in the second Trump administration than in the first, and how David is cu
Choices We Made: Earth or Space? (with Kal Penn)
Actor and former Obama White House staffer Kal Penn joins Sam to talk about how he doesn’t make calculated decisions and hates when people suggest he makes a decision tree. They unpack the hope of last week’s elections and his serendipitous decades-long connection to Zohran Mamdani. He explains how every job he’s ever said yes to has turned into subsequent exciting opportunities that have all been
North South or East West? (with Senator Murphy)
Senator Chris Murphy joins Sam to talk about keeping plants alive and why he’s been walking across the state of Connecticut for ten years, now with titanium screws in his knees!They discuss his new book, Crisis of the Common Good and debate whether it is a sequel to Heated Rivalry (he is adamant it isn’t). Senator Murphy explains why Americans are lonelier than they’ve ever been, and why President
Joy or Happiness? (with Kate Bowler)
Professor, author, and podcast host Kate Bowler joins Sam to talk about her new book Joyful Anyway, and what the difference between joy and happiness really is. They talk about why happiness is circumstantial but joy is big and bright and hits your reward system. They talk about the Prosperity Gospel, Christian amusement parks, and what on earth the Pope must be feeling right now. They talk about
House or Home? (with Lisa Ann Walter)
Actress and comedian Lisa Ann Walter joins Sam to talk about becoming the “man of the house” when she was ten and what it means to finally have a “Nancy Meyers kitchen” of her own. They talk about what led her to be involved in the various LA unions, growing up without a female comedy role model, and why the skill of being able to talk to anyone is an amazing sense of security. They discuss the di
Choices We Made: TV or Radio? (with Christa Miller)
Actor Christa Miller joins Sam to talk about the new season of Shrinking and her other role where she serves as music supervisor. Christa talks about how she loves giving new artists their big break on TV and how TV really is the new radio. They talk about the never-ending seasons of 90s sitcoms, choosing spending time with her kids over certain jobs and why it’s always risky to turn something dow
DC or Everywhere Else? (with Ana Navarro)
Ana Navarro, co-host of The View and host of the new podcast Bleep!, joins Sam to talk about how she’s been boycotting DC for almost two years and what might finally bring her back there. They bond over how Donald Trump has aged them (their necks specifically), and Sam marvels at Ana’s insane schedule. Ana talks about how the restrictions of network TV and her urgent need to swear led her to start
Lawyer or Journalist? (with Jodi Kantor)
Journalist Jodi Kantor joins Sam to talk about her new book, How To Start, and how, much to the chagrin of her parents, she dropped out of Harvard Law to go into a career in Journalism. They talk about why it is so uniquely hard to find a job out of college these days, and how even if you’re not a recent grad, AI is destroying the interview process and the need for entry-level jobs. They talk abou
Scarcity or Abundance? (with Jennie Garth)
Actress Jennie Garth joins Sam to talk about her new book I Choose Me, and how to balance scarcity and abundance mindsets. They talk about the concept of choosing yourself and how Jennie first uttered those words on 90210 over 30 years ago (and how she’s rewatching it for the first time now). They talk about what to do when your kids get older and won’t need you as much anymore, walking into room
Bruce Springsteen or Kid Rock? (with Aasif Mandvi)
Aasif Mandvi joins Sam for a major Daily Show catch up, and to talk about juggling his return to Broadway in Fallen Angels with his new TV show The Miniature Wife. They bond over the perfection of theater shows with no intermissions, but disagree about when they first met each other. They talk about meeting Bruce Springsteen at The Daily Show, how Kid Rock used to be a huge fan, and what it would
Gina or Gheena? (with Gina Gershon)
Actress and author Gina Gershon joins Sam to talk about her new book AlphaPussy which leads to discussing their shared love of audiobooks, allowing cats to choose their owners, and the wild women who have shaped her life. They talk about making decisions from your brain or from your body, the unconventionality of her career, learning to be tough, and the importance of “fuck you” money. Sam is shoc
Check Out: Hell yeah it's No Kings 3 — here's how to make it massive
March 28th. 3000+ protests. No Kings 3. Leah breaks down the strategic logic — why Trump fears mass protest, what we can actually accomplish, and what comes next. Ezra shares a dead-simple 'tripling' tactic to get your friends, family, and neighbors off the couch and into the streets. Plus: live Q&A, including why the single best message against Trump is that he doesn't give two flying fucks about
Choices We Made: 1929 or 2026? (with Andrew Ross Sorkin)
Financial journalist and author of the new book 1929, Andrew Ross Sorkin, joins Sam to talk about the parallels between 1929 and now and, and how while history does repeat itself, there are some comparisons that don’t work. Sam explains Soul Cycle vs. Peloton, they rehash the Gamestop frenzy, why the lottery is a “tax on the stupid,” and get rich quick schemes. They unpack what Venezuela means fo
Shamed or Shameless? (with Jennifer Welch)
Jennifer Welch, host of the podcast “I’ve Had It” joins Sam to talk about taking a midlife gap year in Manhattan and how the country is led by people with no shame, and you just can’t shame the shameless. They talk about how she navigates the daily shitstorm (by starting her day at 5am with four shots of espresso), staying on Twitter despite the Elon Musk factor, how growing up atheist in Oklahom
Cookbook Author or Restaurant Chef? (with Padma Lakshmi)
Television host and cookbook author Padma Lakshmi joins Sam to talk about her new show, America’s Culinary Cup and how she’s a triple threat on it serving as creator, executive producer, and host. She reveals if she brought anyone from Top Chef with her, why it is important to set the contestants up for success, and why we crave shows where we can witness expertise. Padma talks about ten years of
Real Wife or TV Wife? (with Sarah Chalke)
Actress Sarah Chalke joins Sam and they revel in having both been married to Jason Jones—Sam in real life and Sarah on How I Met Your Mother (which people still yell at her in airports for). They have a quintessentially Canadian interview swapping stories of current border angst, going to the US just to go to Trader Joes, playing in a mom’s hockey league and why there isn’t actually enough hockey
Controlled Burns or Fires of the Future? (with Jacob Soboroff)
Reporter and author Jacob Soboroff joins Sam to talk about his new book Firestorm: The Great Los Angeles Fires and America's New Age of Disaster and the debate between the native communities’ historic practice of controlled burns and the alternative of worsening fires year after year. Jacob talks about how covering the fires was actually the last thing he wanted to do but sometimes you just have t
TV or Radio? (with Christa Miller)
Actor Christa Miller joins Sam to talk about the new season of Shrinking and her other role where she serves as music supervisor. Christa talks about how she loves giving new artists their big break on TV and how TV really is the new radio. They talk about the never-ending seasons of 90s sitcoms, choosing spending time with her kids over certain jobs and why it’s always risky to turn something dow
Secular Saint or Church Guitarist? (with George Saunders)
Author George Saunders joins Sam to talk about his new book Vigil and why people are so obsessed with turning him into a secular saint (and his childhood role of church guitarist). George explains that even though he’s not on social media he still finds ways to doom scroll, how the current government could have learned empathy if they bothered to read a few books, and how he found inspiration for
Bea or Twila? (with Emilia Clarke)
Actress Emilia Clarke joins Sam to talk about her new show PONIES and how for the first time ever she was given the choice of which main character to be, Bea or Twila. They compare stories of traveling with hot plates, and the need to have “an evening” of making dinner and watching a cooking show even if they get home late. They talk about reading cookbooks like novels, the correct amount of newsp
1929 or 2026? (with Andrew Ross Sorkin)
Financial journalist and author of the new book 1929, Andrew Ross Sorkin, joins Sam to talk about the parallels between 1929 and now and, and how while history does repeat itself, there are some comparisons that don’t work. Sam explains Soul Cycle vs. Peloton, they rehash the Gamestop frenzy, why the lottery is a “tax on the stupid,” and get rich quick schemes. They unpack what Venezuela means for
Moscow or ‘Merica? (with David Remnick)
The New Yorker editor David Remnick joins Sam to talk about if The New Yorker is the “slow food movement” of news and how today’s current events remind him of living in Moscow at the end of the Soviet Union. They talk about how the industry changed when Jeff Bezos bought the Washington Post and why his ownership is different in the second Trump administration than in the first, and how David is cu
Carrots or Grapes? (with Emily Oster)
Economist and author Emily Oster joins Sam to ring in the New Year and talk about why so many people try to reset in January and if they believe in New Year’s resolutions. They unpack why some important people eat the same thing every day in order not to exert energy on unimportant decisions and why Emily has the same thing for breakfast and lunch every day (but gets to alternate between carrots a
Choices We Made: City or Country? (with Leslie Bibb)
Choices We Made: Actress Leslie Bibb joins Sam while Mercury is fully in retrograde and they quickly agree that their shoulders only fully relax when they’re in the country despite both living in the city. They talk about being subject to the winds of planetary forces, not being gamblers (they both abide by a strict “only 20 dollars at a time” rule) because they’ve worked too hard for their money
Choices We Made: Magazine Makeup Artist or Cosmetics CEO? (with Bobbi Brown)
Bobbi Brown, Founder of Jones Road Beauty, joins Sam fresh off the plane from Paris to discuss her new book, Still Bobbi, and to explore her career trajectory from behind-the-scenes makeup artist to two-time cosmetic company CEO. Bobbi talks about how some of her most important choices were choosing men—both her husband, who she knew within weeks was “the one” and Leonard Lauder, who she decided t
Choices We Made: Bread Baskets or Bougie Butter? (with Tony Shalhoub)
Actor Tony Shalhoub joins Sam to discuss living out both their dreams while traveling the world eating bread for his new CNN show Breaking Bread. He talks about how bread is the “OG social media,” and while his bigger decisions have been pretty random, little decisions like ordering off a menu are easy for him—as long as he lets the menu speak to him. Sam tells Tony about how important his film Bi
Choices We Made: Wealthy or Wise? (with Michael Lewis)
Author Michael Lewis joins Sam to celebrate the 15th anniversary of The Big Short and talk about if we’ve learned any lessons since its publication—like why we so often conflate wealth and wisdom. They discuss why they don’t think anyone would actually prefer to go back 30 or 60 years if they had the choice, why cutting interest rates mean house prices will go up, and why Michael wouldn’t bet agai
Act or Direct? (with Michael Showalter)
Comedy legend turned director extraordinaire Michael Showalter joins Sam to talk about how he made this career shift and how he now realizes he hates acting. Michael tells Sam that he’d ultimately like to direct a film in every genre and he hopes horror is next. They talk about how they love traveling at this time of year to see how other countries celebrate Christmas, and why it’s better than sta
Outraged or Engaged? (with Patton Oswalt)
Actor and comedian Patton Oswalt joins Sam to catch up where they left off during the first Trump administration and how they simply can’t believe we’re doing round two of this shit. They discuss how there’s money in outrage and how it drives engagement, and how news channels take advantage of your cortisol levels to keep you engaged with constant alerts of BREAKING NEWS. Patton explains why he no
Choices We Made: Mother or Father? (with Atsuko Okatsuka)
Comedian Atsuko Okatsuka joins Sam to talk about her new special “Father” and why in her relationship she is “father” and her husband is “mother.” They talk about recalibrating your goals once you’ve reached them–like when Atsuko fulfilled her only childhood goal of working at an ice cream parlor. They discuss Atsuko being unknowingly undocumented as a child after her grandmother brought her to Lo
City or Country? (with Leslie Bibb)
Actress Leslie Bibb joins Sam while Mercury is fully in retrograde and they quickly agree that their shoulders only fully relax when they’re in the country despite both living in the city. They talk about being subject to the winds of planetary forces, not being gamblers (they both abide by a strict “only 20 dollars at a time” rule) because they’ve worked too hard for their money, and their share
Choices We Made: Caretaker or Comedian? (with Cristela Alonzo)
Comedian Cristela Alonzo joins Sam to talk about her new Netflix special Upper Classy, and how before her career took off she made the life-changing decision to leave LA to become her mom’s full-time end of life caretaker. She explains that she started standup as a way of dealing with the grief of losing her mom, and how she didn’t even know it could be a real job before then. Cristela talks about
Earth or Space? (with Kal Penn)
Actor and former Obama White House staffer Kal Penn joins Sam to talk about how he doesn’t make calculated decisions and hates when people suggest he makes a decision tree. They unpack the hope of last week’s elections and his serendipitous decades-long connection to Zohran Mamdani. He explains how every job he’s ever said yes to has turned into subsequent exciting opportunities that have all been
Bread Baskets or Bougie Butter? (with Tony Shalhoub)
Actor Tony Shalhoub joins Sam to discuss living out both their dreams while traveling the world eating bread for his new CNN show Breaking Bread. He talks about how bread is the “OG social media,” and while his bigger decisions have been pretty random, little decisions like ordering off a menu are easy for him—as long as he lets the menu speak to him. Sam tells Tony about how important his film Bi
Magazine Makeup Artist or Cosmetics CEO? (with Bobbi Brown)
Bobbi Brown, Founder of Jones Road Beauty, joins Sam fresh off the plane from Paris to discuss her new book, Still Bobbi, and to explore her career trajectory from behind-the-scenes makeup artist to two-time cosmetic company CEO. Bobbi talks about how some of her most important choices were choosing men—both her husband, who she knew within weeks was “the one” and Leonard Lauder, who she decided t
HHS or DOJ? (with Alex Wagner)
Journalist Alex Wagner, host of Runaway Country: a new podcast from Crooked Media, joins Sam to talk about how she can’t decide which department—HHS or DOJ—is the current worst offender. They talk about how journalism school isn’t preparing journalists for the way the news system currently works, and why the Pentagon press corp handed in its badges. They both reflect on the hundreds of travel pie
Choices We Made: Sourdo or Sourdoughn’t? (with Nancy Silverton)
Chef and restaurateur Nancy Silverton joins Sam to talk about being one of the first American chefs to bring sourdough to the masses. They talk about Nancy opening a new diner with longtime friend Phil Rosenthal and how to decide what gets to be on the menu (not yogurt, yes cottage cheese). They talk about how to run more than one restaurant at a time, and protecting her immigrant kitchen workers
Introducing: Don’t Listen To Us with Mandy Patinkin and Kathryn Grody
We’re so excited to share a new show from Lemonada Media, Don’t Listen To Us, an advice show for advice-skeptics and wisdom-lovers, hosted by Mandy Patinkin, Kathryn Grody, and their son Gideon.
Legendary actor Mandy (The Princess Bride, Homeland, Criminal Minds) is the consummate entertainer who shoots from the hip, stage actress Kathryn is the thoughtful connector who sees all the nuance, and
Wealthy or Wise? (with Michael Lewis)
Author Michael Lewis joins Sam to celebrate the 15th anniversary of The Big Short and talk about if we’ve learned any lessons since its publication—like why we so often conflate wealth and wisdom. They discuss why they don’t think anyone would actually prefer to go back 30 or 60 years if they had the choice, why cutting interest rates mean house prices will go up, and why Michael wouldn’t bet agai
Cash or Card? (with Stephanie Ruhle)
Host of The 11th Hour with Stephanie Ruhle and former Wall Streeter Stephanie Ruhle, joins Sam to talk about why it’s important to teach your kids use cash if you care about financial literacy. They talk about trying to lower the political temperature and why sometimes going viral is the worst thing for us. Stephanie explains why she doesn’t let herself get tired or sloppy and needs to “keep it ti
Caretaker or Comedian? (with Cristela Alonzo)
Comedian Cristela Alonzo joins Sam to talk about her new Netflix special Upper Classy, and how before her career took off she made the life-changing decision to leave LA to become her mom’s full-time end of life caretaker. She explains that she started standup as a way of dealing with the grief of losing her mom, and how she didn’t even know it could be a real job before then. Cristela talks about
Weightlifter or Runner? (with Casey Johnston)
Casey Johnston, the author of Sam’s favorite new book A Physical Education, joins Sam to talk lifting and leaving diet culture. Casey explains why initially she—and many others—felt lifting wasn’t for women who wanted to be seen as attractive, and why people are afraid to question the status quo of health industries. Casey explains the importance of resting your muscles, the dangers of the manosph
Bystander or Upstander? (with Governor JB Pritzker)
Governor JB Pritzker of Illinois joins Sam to talk about what to do when the president declares war on one of your cities—totally normal stuff! The Governor explains why people need to finally decide if they’re going to be bystanders or upstanders and why he thinks people usually try to be upstanders. They talk about how President Trump talks a big game but also the federal government conveys noth
Actress or Animal Tracker? (with Martha Plimpton)
Actress Martha Plimpton joins Sam to talk about how she became a trained animal tracker in Africa, how she ended up living in the same apartment for 42 years, and at the risk of turning this into a total real estate podcast, Martha shares that for the first time in her entire life she won’t have a homebase in New York. She tells Sam about living in London and how people are less grossed out by men
A Bob or A Buzz? (with E. Jean Carroll)
Advice columnist extraordinaire and author of the new book Not My Type: One Woman vs a President, E. Jean Carroll joins Sam to talk about why she decided to write her book in secret even going to the length to edit it over Signal. Because Sam grew up reading E. Jean’s column, E. Jean also pauses to take credit for all of Sam’s success. They talk about the unwritten rules of jury trials like why yo
Hopeful Pessimist or Doom and Gloom? (with Jen Statsky)
Writer, executive-producer, and co-creator of Hacks Jen Statsky joins Sam to discuss her particular brand of hopeful pessimism, and their shared obsession with Jean Smart, who she says is one of the greatest nappers of all time. Jen explains that she is decisive if it’s a decision that only involves herself, but as soon as she brings in other people, there’s a big problem. Which is why she’s fortu
Listen or Speak? (with Piper Perabo)
Actress and activist Piper Perabo joins Sam to talk about the importance of listening to those who need help before speaking out on their behalf. Piper schools Sam on all the choices voters do actually have before 2028 (hello midterms!) and is the first guest to ever tell Sam that she is better at making decisions in the morning. Piper explains that she’ll probably never run for office because the
Edinbra or Edinburgh? (with Jena Friedman)
Comedian Jena Friedman welcomes Sam back from her summer hiatus and talks about what it was like to work together at The Daily Show. Jena talks about how the Ben and Jerry’s Flavor Graveyard taught her about mortality and how she similarly is a “great flavor that people don’t appreciate.” Sam hears about Jena’s new show, Motherfucker, which she’s now working on at Edinburgh (though they can’t quit
Choices We Made: Comedy or Fascism? (with Josh Gad)
Actor and fellow Daily Show alum Josh Gad joins Sam to talk about why it’s harder to do political satire now than in the early aughts (hint: it’s the fascism). They also talk about his new book, In Gad We Trust, lying to your therapist, experiencing imposter syndrome even after years of success, and why he tried to say no to the Book of Mormon. Plus they talk about why Trump impersonations are bad
Choices We Made: Attention Seeker or Attention Giver? (With Chris Hayes)
MSNBC’s Chris Hayes joins Sam and drops the most intimate choice yet—the decision to kiss his now-wife for the first time! Chris talks about how he is perhaps *too* decisive, what the right level of fame is, how his life improved when he stopped reading his mentions and Donald Trump’s pathological and genuine need for attention. They talk about Chris’ new book The Sirens’ Call and why they agree
Listen Now: Good Things - How to Fight Back Through Giving
Good Things from Lemonada Media is a podcast about the good people in the world who are rolling up their sleeves and working hard to make things better. Each week, we'll be talking about this country's most complex and confounding issues in an effort to affect systemic change, with a rotating cast of incredible guests and Lemonada hosts. From the dire condition of the American foster care system t
Choices We Made: Scam or Sam? (with Weird Al Yankovic)
Weird Al Yankovic joins Samantha Bee to discuss their unique meet-cute, and how their interview came to be due to a scam gone right. Al tells Sam about how he’s actually happy with all the choices he’s made in life except (other than wishing he had bought Apple stock) and yet he agonizes over little decisions—especially when editing music videos. He reveals that the ultimate dig at him is when peo
Retain or Repeal? (with Elie Mystal)
Elie Mystal, author of Bad Law: Ten Popular Laws That Are Ruining America, joins Sam to unpack how America could choose just ten laws to get rid of, and how you actually go about repealing laws—spoiler, it’s actually pretty easy. They commiserate over watching Democrats squander power when they have it, and how at best they’re a part of wet blankets, and why it’s their obligation to continually sh
Sourdo or Sourdoughn’t? (with Nancy Silverton)
Chef and restaurateur Nancy Silverton joins Sam to talk about being one of the first American chefs to bring sourdough to the masses. They talk about Nancy opening a new diner with longtime friend Phil Rosenthal and how to decide what gets to be on the menu (not yogurt, yes cottage cheese). They talk about how to run more than one restaurant at a time, and protecting her immigrant kitchen workers
Mother or Father? (with Atsuko Okatsuka)
Comedian Atsuko Okatsuka joins Sam to talk about her new special “Father” and why in her relationship she is “father” and her husband is “mother.” They talk about recalibrating your goals once you’ve reached them, which is what Atsuko had to do after accomplishing her only childhood goal of working at an ice cream parlor. They discuss Atsuko being unknowingly undocumented as a child after her gran
Fight or Flight? (with Senator Elizabeth Warren)
Senator Elizabeth Warren joins Sam to explain that the most important thing individuals can do right now to fight back is to pick their path of resistance and be loud about it—and sometimes that means being the most annoying person at the party until you get your way. They dive into the corruption of the infamous memecoin dinner, how her former employer Harvard University is demonstrating exactly
More Happier: Parenting Roundtable with Samantha Bee and Dr. Becky
As a bonus, we’re thrilled to share an episode of Happier with Gretchen Rubin, another standout podcast from Lemonada Media — and one that recently featured our very own Sam as a guest!
Happier is hosted by Gretchen Rubin, the #1 bestselling author of The Happiness Project and Better Than Before. Known for her insightful, practical advice, Gretchen brings her signature approach to building good h
Run or Retire? (with Amanda Litman)
Cofounder of Run For Something and Author of When We’re In Charge Amanda Litman joins Sam to talk about the gerontocracy running our country and her call for politicians over 70 to stop running for re-election. They talk about how to be a better boss and why that includes creating better parental leave programs and the importance of a four day work week. Sam asks Amanda if we’ll ever have “normal”
Real Chef and/or Reality Chef? (with Tom Colicchio)
Chef, author, activist and restaurateur Tom Colicchio joins Sam to talk about big life decisions like joining Top Chef almost 20 years ago and how it’s one of the only times he hasn’t followed his wife’s advice. They reminisce over meeting while Sam was dressed as a flight attendant and having kids that only eat bread. Tom explains his “shoot from the hip” decision making process and the occasiona
Listen Now: The Deep Dive with Jessica St. Clair and June Diane Raphael
Each week, comedians and best friends Jessica St. Clair and June Diane Raphael take a ‘deep dive’ into their real lives and discuss a wide range of topics including how to pursue joy amidst the insanity of motherhood and family, grief and loss, sh*t they put on their faces, and why they refuse to check their voicemails or unpack their suitcases.
In this episode, June and Jessica petition to brin
Community or Chaos? (with Connie Britton)
Connie Britton, creator and host of Hallmark’s new series The Motherhood, joins Sam to unpack parenting and talk about the importance of choosing community when raising kids, and how she is now helping other new single moms to do the same. They talk about why it’s hard for women to ask for help, how babies don’t respect working hours, why it’s important for kids to see a range of emotions from the
Scam or Sam? (with Weird Al Yankovic)
Weird Al Yankovic joins Samantha Bee to discuss their unique meet-cute, and how their interview came to be due to a scam gone right. Al tells Sam about how he’s actually happy with all the choices he’s made in life except (other than wishing he had bought Apple stock) and yet he agonizes over little decisions—especially when editing music videos. He reveals that the ultimate dig at him is when peo
Choices We Made: Gourmet or Go Home? (with Ruth Reichl)
Renowned restaurant critic, food writer, and magazine editor Ruth Reichl joins Sam to talk about why taking a job as the editor-in-chief of Gourmet Magazine was such a hard decision, and how it ended up changing her life. They talk about getting paid to do a job you would do for free, her new documentary “Food and Country,” thoughts on meal kits, and their recurring waitressing nightmares.
Keep u
Go On With The Show or Go On Home? (with Isaac Mizrahi)
Iconic American fashion designer Isaac Mizrahi joins Sam and talks about choosing to honor a commitment to do costumes at the Kennedy Center despite its hostile conservative takeover. They talk about his Trump-induced “meat-mares”, how sometimes there’s nothing to do but “double Spanx” and learning to do female impersonations as a seven year old in Brooklyn. Isaac tells Sam about how he loves perf
Doom or Democracy? (with Senator Brian Schatz)
Senator Brian Schatz of Hawaii joins Sam to talk about what it’s like to show up to work amidst all the chaos in DC and why the best preparation for being in Congress was growing up with three brothers. They discuss why the enormous dissatisfaction with President Trump still can’t paper over the real problems with Democrats, the importance of telling different types of people that they are welcome
Italian or French or Spanish or English? (with Matteo Lane)
Comedian Matteo Lane joins Sam and reveals that there may not be a single language he doesn’t speak? They talk about his new comedy cookbook “Your Pasta Sucks,” and if you’re even allowed to write a cookbook if you’re not a writer or a chef (he proves the answer is yes). Matteo explains he makes decisions for his personal life in a completely different way than his business life (in one he’s super
Introducing: Pantsuit Politics
This week we're excited to share an episode of Pantsuit Politics. In today's episode, hosts Sarah Steward Holland and Beth Silvers are discussing the Signal controversy, in which Jeffrey Goldberg (editor-in-chief of The Atlantic) was accidentally added to a group chat discussing war plans among top US officials. They discuss the national security implications and what this tells us about the secon
Life or Death? (With Yvette Nicole Brown)
Actress and host of the podcast Squeezed, Yvette Nicole Brown, joins Sam and admits she’s better at making decisions for other people than for herself because she wants to be perfect even though she knows she never can be. Yvette shares a regret about not being able to attend her dream school Howard University and how she hopes they might give her an honorary degree someday. She also talks about t
Dark Place/Good People or Bright Place/Bad People? (with Tarana Burke)
Tarana Burke, founder of the Me Too movement joins Sam to celebrate Women’s History Month and talks about how she’d rather be with good people in a dark place than bad people in a bright place and how Tesla cybertrucks are the only things that make them laugh these days. Sam and Tarana discuss how so many people in the administration are credibly accused of sexual violence and what to do when fund
Moms or Bros? (with Sophia Bush)
Actress and activist Sophia Bush joins Sam and they quickly crank it all the way up to a 15 on the rage chart and talk about how much better it would be if moms were in charge instead of bros. They talk about our current state of fascism and why we can’t even imagine how bad things are going to get because our imaginations have never had to work this hard. Sophia explains to Sam why she doesn’t us
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Deadline: White House
