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 Vigil without sounding too preachy. They talk about the importance of “vomit drafts” and the process of revisions, how his writing approach is about minimizing his anxiety, the choice to turn on or off some of the voices in your head, early rejection from The New Yorker, and choosing not to get killed just to be a great writer. They explain how they both put their choices up against the deathbed test, and how being compassionate doesn’t always mean being nice.

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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 Oklahoma taught her how to dissociate from craziness around her, fellow Oklahoman Markwayne Mullin at DHS, and how to reckon with leaders who don’t value human life. But, Jennifer also somehow gives Sam a little optimism talking about the problems with strongmen leaders, and why Democrats need to stop chasing the elusive “reasonable Republican” voter. Plus, they unpack some potential 2028 candidates and rage over why democratic leaders can’t speak extemporaneously.

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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 currently being sued by the president. They discuss how you can’t say the quiet part out loud anymore since there’s no quiet part, why David has been listening to Joe Rogan in the middle of the night, why teenagers are consuming so much fitness content, and how the two best decisions he’s ever made are marrying the right person and not signing up for social media when he first had the chance.

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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 meant to be. They wonder if his former job in the White House even exists anymore, talk about the destruction of the East Wing, and the importance of older leaders training their replacements. Plus they argue about the merits of space travel and if we should leave earth or stay on the ground forever.

"Here We Go Again” is distributed by iHeartPodcasts and is available on the iHeartRadio app and everywhere podcasts now.

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For a list of current sponsors and discount codes for this and every other Lemonada show, go to lemonadamedia.com/sponsors.

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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 Trump is richer than he’s ever been before. They talk the skyrocketing pay of CEOS, and why those CEOs are building secret bunkers because they know their products will destroy the world. They both insist they will never become part of the gerontocracy and unpack why there are so many young people in the Connecticut State House. 

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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 taking wisdom from Taylor Swift, an aversion to gardening, and the need to sometimes take a walk around the block for a quick cry.

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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 difference between resilience and stubbornness, doing Dancing with the Stars with Elaine Hendrix, the ex-husband who told her standup was “unfeminine”, and why she should have been doing comedy specials the past 30 years.

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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 down. She talks about her real life therapist being the inspiration for Shrinking and how she used to have a hard time making decisions until he helped her learn that the act of making the decision is the important part, not the outcome. Sam and Christa agree you really are only ever as happy as your unhappiest child, and they do some shared mom-gushing over Christa’s daughter, musician Charlotte Lawrence. Christa amazes Sam by talking about being Susan Saint James’ niece, growing up in NYC the daughter of a super model, and how in high school she would DJ at clubs after the real DJ was done for the night.

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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 her new podcast, and explains why the 25th Amendment will never actually be invoked by this Cabinet. They talk about why the signs at the No Kings protests are so good, the importance of walking away from your phone sometimes, and a hope that the Pope could excommunicate JD Vance. *This episode was recorded before the White House Correspondents Dinner*

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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 about why the American college system makes it so hard to take risks, the fog of technology, and the importance of focusing on craft if you can. They agree their kids will never take career advice from them and can only hear wisdom if it comes from Tik Tok, and why it would be best for everyone to find a career where they’re happy in ten minute increments. 

Keep up with Samantha Bee @realsambee on Instagram and X. And stay up to date with us @LemonadaMedia on X, Facebook, and Instagram.

For a list of current sponsors and discount codes for this and every other Lemonada show, go to lemonadamedia.com/sponsors.

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