It's Been a Minute

Actress Sonequa Martin-Green has made a career of otherworldly roles. She survived a zombie apocalypse in The Walking Dead, she explores space — the final frontier — in Star Trek: Discovery, and she's the wife of NBA star LeBron James in Space Jam: A New Legacy. She talks to guest host Ayesha Rascoe about her career, her hair and identity, and why she felt called to speak up about her internalized racism after the murder of George Floyd.

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Americans are quitting their jobs in record numbers. Guest host Ayesha Rascoe brings on CBS MoneyWatch editor Irina Ivanova to break down some of the reasons why. Then, The New Republic staff writer Jo Livingstone joins Ayesha to discuss the current state of horror movies and why nothing's better than a good scare. Author and Big Mood, Little Mood podcast host Daniel Lavery joins them to play Who Said That.

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The Cruelty Is The Point: The Past, Present, and Future of Trump's America, is journalist Adam Serwer's new book, based on a popular essay he wrote for The Atlantic. Serwer talks with guest host Ayesha Rascoe and lays out the ways in which Donald Trump came to power, the historical roots of his vision of law and order, and how he managed to build a loyal political following on the basis of cruelty.

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With Sha'Carri Richardson's recent disqualification, and the controversy surrounding the banning of natural hair swimming caps, there's a lot to talk about the treatment of Black women in the Olympics and across the sports world. Guest host Ayesha Rascoe brings on ESPN producer and podcast host Terrika Foster-Brasby and The Athletic's Kavitha A. Davidson to discuss. Then, she talks to We Are Lady Parts creator Nida Manzoor about the intersection of art, faith and representation.

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Tiffany Haddish has had a busy year. From starring in prank film Bad Trip, to hosting Kids Say the Darndest Things, to voicing a self-confident toucan in animated series Tuca & Bertie, it seems like she's everywhere. Sam talks to Tiffany about her many projects, her hopes and dreams for the entertainment industry, and she tells a wild story about Nicolas Cage.

— Watch the full extended version of this interview on YouTube: https://youtu.be/YMESf6UUQx8

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Sam sits in the guest seat at Pop Culture Happy Hour to discuss the glue that holds this nation together — The Fast and the Furious franchise. Alongside NPR White House correspondent Ayesha Rascoe, as well as PCHH hosts Linda Holmes and Aisha Harris, the group talks about the legacy of the decades-spanning series, why we love to hate it, and how action films of this caliber could be considered "hetero camp."

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This week, the Trump Organization and its Chief Financial Officer were charged with fraud and tax related crimes by the Manhattan District Attorney as a result of a years-long investigation. In light of these new charges, Sam revisits his conversation from last fall with Andrea Bernstein, co-host of the WNYC & ProPublica podcast Trump, Inc. They talk about Trump's business operations, debts, and how the biggest lesson from both is "we pay, he wins."

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Sam interviews Riley Keough, one of the stars of Zola— a new movie adapted from a viral 148-tweet thread story full of sex work, guns and plot twists. They talk about how Riley prepared her character's "blaccent," why she tends to play unlikeable characters, and how she became a death doula.

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The furor over critical race theory fits into a longer history of culture wars in schools. Sam talks to Adam Laats, a professor of history and education at Binghamton University, about what the past can teach us about today's fight. Plus, Sam talks to Lucia Aniello, Paul W. Downs and Jen Statsky, writers and creators of the HBO Max series Hacks. They discuss what inspired them to write the show, as well as the overlooked legacies of many trailblazing women comedians. They also play Who Said That.

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Where do you come from? It's a question that immigrant communities of color get asked constantly. But the answer is often not simply about a place on a map. It can be tied to identity, immigration, career, family... and even food. In this episode from NPR's audio and video series Where We Come From, New York Times food writer Priya Krishna tackles this question with her mother, Ritu. They explore assimilation through food and why dal represents comfort for their family.

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