Texas Culture is at least a dozen cultures smashed into one enormous state — with a whopping 254 counties, four sprawling metro areas, 1255 miles of border with Mexico, the best breakfast item in the United States (fight me) and the best grocery store chain (fight me again). I needed a co-host who was up to the task — and, like all of our other regional-specific episodes, loves the place they’re from intensely… but is also willing to interrogate its mess. I needed longtime friend of the pod (and San Antonio native) Sam Sanders. In this ep, we go deep into so many corners of Texas Culture — and talk about what people who’ve never lived there just don’t get. It’s wonky and delightful, a perfect Culture Study combo.

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• Follow Sam Sanders on Instagram

• Listen to Sam’s two excellent podcasts: The Sam Sanders Show (on KCRW and wherever you get your podcasts) + Vibe Check

• Here’s me on Sam’s podcast earlier this summer re: Feminist Dystopias

• The long profile I wrote on Texas voters/voting during the Beto campaign

• The piece I wrote about Dallas and refugee resettlement in the wake of the 2016 election (lots of really interesting Dallas history here!)

• Questions about genre & publishing for Leigh Bardugo, author of Ninth House and so many other Culture Study favs

• Running a Small Business — and How to Make It Sustainable & Survivable (with Jen Hewett!)

• Different Modalities of Hanging Out (aka, best ways to hang out with different people) with Mary HK Choi

• Starting over in mid-life with Jen Hatmaker

• Baseball Culture (with Ali Liebegott and Melody as additional co-host!!!)

• Anything you need advice or want musings on for the AAA segment. You can ask about anything, it’s literally the name of the segment!

• As always, you can submit them (and ideas for future eps) here