Sam Sanders

Each week, the guests and hosts on NPR's Pop Culture Happy Hour share what's bringing them joy. This week: Horror in the High Desert, Emily the Criminal, and more.

Booster's film Fire Island, which he wrote and stars in, was inspired by the Jane Austen novel. The movie is a rom-com about a group of gay friends and explores racism and classism in their community.

A lot of us fall into the trap of saving up work we have to complete over the weekend for Sunday evening. Get catch-up work done earlier, so the last thing you do before Monday is something fun.

Janet Jackson's Control turns 35 this week. NPR's Audie Cornish talks with Sam Sanders of It's Been A Minute, who investigated the album's making and legacy to commemorate the anniversary.

NPR celebrates its 50th anniversary by looking back on moments of 1971. When Don Cornelius created Soul Train 50 years ago, it soon became a cultural institution — showcasing Black music and culture.

Singer-songwriter Yebba is out with her debut album, Dawn, named after her late mom. She describes the emotional toll she suffered making the album.

Michaela Coel has earned acclaim for her show: I May Destroy You, which explored sexual assault and consent. Her book, Misfits: A Personal Manifesto, details her experiences in TV.

The film Zola is based on a 148-tweet thread from 2015 — involving a 48-hour wild journey of partying, stripping and gangsters. Riley Keough is one of the stars of Zola.

When Pride month comes, there's always a debate about who belongs. NPR's Sam Sanders talks with writer and commentator Roxane Gay about the arguments over who pride is for.

Every Friday, Pop Culture Happy Hour hosts and guests share the shows, movies, books and music that brought them joy. This week: Sexy Beasts, Launchpad shorts, a Hunchback history and Mythic Quest.

Boyega has been outspoken about systemic racism in Hollywood. Last year, he talked about how his character in Star Wars was sidelined, along with the other characters played by actors of color.

Sam Sanders, host of NPR's It's Been A Minute, talks with comedian Eric Andre about making a prank movie while Black, pranking mostly people of color, and how it differs from, say, Johnny Knoxville.

The NPR podcast explores the reaction to Black artists in America. For example: Early in Whitney Houston's career, white America was enamored with her, while Black America was skeptical.

Sohla El-Waylly gained attention for appearing in Bon Appétit's popular "Test Kitchen" videos, then gained more attention for accusing Bon Appétit of unequal pay practices and racial discrimination.

Torrey Peters' new book features three people who struggle with parenthood and family questions. She says a transgender lens can help everyone understand the limits of how we define gender.

Lee's heist thriller centers on five Black veterans who return to Vietnam. Lee says one scene with Chadwick Boseman took on particular resonance after the actor's death from cancer in August 2020.

The insurrection at the Capitol was just the latest chapter in America's ongoing battle over race, writes NPR host Sam Sanders. "Once you see it as such," he says, "it all makes a lot more sense."

Bassett plays world-renowned jazz saxophonist Dorothea Williams in Disney/Pixar's latest animated film. She talks about that role, as well as the challenges she's faced as a Black woman in Hollywood.

In 1968, several prominent anti-war activists were accused of conspiring to start a riot at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago. Sorkin's new film captures their infamous trial.