‘Oh, Mary!’ Director on Celebrating Queer Art

EVENT ALERT! The Sam Sanders Show LIVE: Christmas Showdown! Join Sam live on December 6th, at Dynasty Typewriter in LA. Get tickets here! Before the hit play ‘Oh, Mary!’ became a Broadway smash, director Sam Pinkleton thought about calling it quits.  The Tony Award-winning show, written by Cole Escola, tells a fictional story about first lady Mary Todd Lincoln trying to fulfill her dream of becoming a cabaret singer. It’s queer, it’s campy, and unlike anything Broadway has seen before.  When the play first premiered in 2024, no one — including Pinkleton, could have predicted how much of a sensation it would become. The play is now touring the country and showing on London’s West End. Sam chats with Pinkleton all about what it’s like to make weird and wacky art on stage, and the importance of celebrating queerness. He also shares his very joyful pop culture scriptures. You can catch ‘Oh, Mary!’ now on Broadway, the West End, and on tour in the U.S. The Sam Sanders Show is a production of KCRW and Sam Sanders Productions.  

This year brought us some stellar new shows… But watching them has never been more complicated. Which app is your show streaming on? Are you subscribed? If not, are you willing to pay for yet another streaming service? Those are the big questions plaguing both audiences and TV creators. 'Vulture' critic Kathryn VanArendonk joins Sam to break down how the streaming era has changed our relationship to television. She also shares a few of her favorite shows of 2026 (and where to find them). The Sam Sanders Show is a production of KCRW and Sam Sanders Productions.  

Live from London, it’s Saturday night! The British adaptation of ‘Saturday Night Live’ premiered earlier this year, but the show really found its voice in its latest episode. Cynthia Erivo was the host. The standout sketch was called ‘Nigerian Wicked,’ a Nollywood twist to her blockbuster film.  That moment has now been described as one of the best ‘SNL’ sketches ever made. But how did the British version become so good, so quickly? What does the show’s quick success mean for the original? Sam breaks it all down with Caroline Darya Framke, television critic for ‘The New York Times.’  

Sam hasn’t been too impressed with the movies lately. But then he saw 'La Bola Negra.' The Spanish drama, directed by Javier Calvo and Javier Ambrossi (AKA Los Javis) is a queer epic that weaves together the story of three gay men across different eras. There’s romance, yearning, heartbreak… It's the whole package.  Journalist Kyle Buchanan joins Sam to talk about the film’s chances at the Oscars and whether or not we’re entering another #OscarsSoWhite year. Plus, Kyle shares the films everyone should have on their radar.  Check out Kyle’s new podcast, ’The Kyle Buchanan Show,’ on YouTube and wherever you get your podcasts.  The Sam Sanders Show is a production of KCRW and Sam Sanders Productions.  

Drag icon Bianca Del Rio has us in a fit of laughter this episode. Known for her blistering comedy, she rose to fame after winning the sixth season of 'RuPaul's Drag Race.' Since then, she's toured the world with her sharp tongue and fierce take downs.  She joins Sam to share her favorite pop culture scriptures and reveal some life lessons she’s learned after a 30-year career in drag. She also dishes on her decision to return to reality TV. Bianca will soon star in the next season of the hit series ‘The Traitors.’  Don’t miss Bianca Del Rio’s latest global standup tour ‘It Gets Bitter.’ The Sam Sanders Show is a production of KCRW and Sam Sanders Productions.

‘You Can See Everything’ has totally taken over our corner of the internet. The new documentary about disgraced Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes has garnered plenty of critical acclaim and awards buzz. But it also ignited many questions about grift and glorifying bad behavior. Did directors Lance Oppenheim and Nathan Fielder exploit or absolve Holmes? Can you call the film a documentary? Did we really need another Elizabeth Holmes project?  Sam chats with journalist Liz Plank about the film’s complicated gender dynamics around crime, power and victimhood.  Check out Liz’s review of the film on her substack Airplane Mode. The Sam Sanders Show is a production of KCRW and Sam Sanders Productions.  

From plastic surgeries to public backlash, comedian Heather McMahan has laughed through it all.  In her new standup special, Heather reflects on the unique experience of getting ‘cancelled’ online—something she went through last year after a golf tournament went awry. She tells Sam about finding humor in that moment and how it taught her to take better care of herself.  Heather and Sam also poke fun at today's political climate and how people often assume she supports MAGA because, as she explains, “I'm blonde, I've got big boobs, I'm from Georgia,” when in reality she’s just a southern liberal.  Heather McMahan’s new special 'By a Thread’ is streaming on Hulu. The Sam Sanders Show is a production of KCRW and Sam Sanders Productions.  

Even the fashion industry can’t escape AI slop. Fast fashion brands are using AI to pump out new looks and trends, and speed up production at unsustainable rates. It’s a business model that relies much more on algorithmic data than human design. Chances are you’ve even seen plenty of these products in your social media feeds. Sam chats with fashion journalist Amy Odell, host of the ‘Back Row’ podcast, about AI’s influence in the industry and how we can all be better consumers. Plus, is high fashion on life support? Amy also breaks down the perils of luxury shopping today. The Sam Sanders Show is a production of KCRW and Sam Sanders Productions.  

Betting has infiltrated nearly every part of our culture.  Attending a sporting event? You’re surrounded by ads for DraftKings and FanDuel. Watching the Oscars? You can bet on that too. There’s even a market for betting on the upcoming midterm elections. No matter where you look, betting is everywhere.  Sam is joined by tech journalist Max Read to unpack how gambling became omnipresent, how prediction markets are already influencing the entertainment we consume, and what we stand to lose as a culture in a world that rewards algorithmic slop.   Max’s latest piece in the New York Times Magazine is titled “How Everything Became Gambling.” He’s also hosting the ‘Hard Fork’ podcast. Check out more reporting in his ‘Read Max’ newsletter. The Sam Sanders Show is a production of KCRW and Sam Sanders Productions.  

Recently, Sam watched 'The Social Reckoning,' the long awaited sequel to 2010’s 'The Social Network.' It’s part of a long roster of tech villain films and documentaries coming out this fall that Sam finds annoying. The movies are long, the characters are underbaked, and by the end of the film he’s often left wondering … what did audiences get out of it?  'Vulture' critic Angelica Jade Bastién joins Sam to unpack Hollywood’s obsession with big tech, how these films signal the industry’s return to whiteness, and what viewers should be asking themselves as they head to the theaters.  The Sam Sanders Show is a production of KCRW and Sam Sanders Productions.