Podcasts · Comedy

Choice Words with Samantha Bee

Lemonada Media

263 episodes · Explicit

We make a lot of choices, every single day. Some explode, some implode, most we barely remember. Each week on Choice Words, Samantha Bee sits down with people she admires to examine the biggest choices they’ve made in their lives and the ripple effects those decisions have had. What’s a story a journalist took a chance on that changed history? A vote that a politician never should have cast? A song lyric a musician came up with in the shower that made them instantly famous?

More about the show

Sam’s made a lot of choices, too. She may have to interview herself about starting this podcast.

Episodes page 1 of 6

  1. Elizabeth Holmes & Theranos: What the Documentary Left Out | Criminally Online

    · 9:25

    What did the Elizabeth Holmes documentary leave out about the Theranos scandal? Just 34 days before reporting to federal prison, Elizabeth Holmes invited a documentary crew into her life. Now, the new Nathan Fielder…

  2. Choices We Made: Outraged or Engaged? (with Patton Oswalt)

    · 1 h 01 min · Episode 262

    Actor and comedian Patton Oswalt joins Sam to catch up where they left off during the first Trump administration and how they simply can’t believe we’re doing round two of this shit. They discuss how there’s money in…

  3. Choices We Made: Magazine Makeup Artist or Cosmetics CEO? (with Bobbi Brown)

    · 48 min · Episode 261

    Bobbi Brown, Founder of Jones Road Beauty, joins Sam fresh off the plane from Paris to discuss her new book, Still Bobbi, and to explore her career trajectory from behind-the-scenes makeup artist to two-time cosmetic…

  4. Choices We Made: Joy or Happiness? (with Kate Bowler)

    · 58 min · Episode 260 · Explicit

    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…

  5. Choices We Made: Gina or Gheena? (with Gina Gershon)

    · 55 min · Episode 259

    Actress and author Gina Gershon joins Sam to talk about her new book AlphaPussy which leads to discussing their shared love of audiobooks, allowing cats to choose their owners, and the wild women who have shaped her…

  6. Choices We Made: Bruce Springsteen or Kid Rock? (with Aasif Mandvi)

    · 57 min · Episode 258

    Aasif Mandvi joins Sam for a major Daily Show catch up, and to talk about juggling his return to Broadway in Fallen Angels with his new TV show The Miniature Wife. They bond over the perfection of theater shows with no…

  7. Choices We Made: 1929 or 2026? (with Andrew Ross Sorkin)

    · 56 min · Episode 257

    Financial journalist and author of the new book 1929, Andrew Ross Sorkin, joins Sam to talk about the parallels between 1929 and now and, and how while history does repeat itself, there are some comparisons that don’t…

  8. Choices We Made: Cookbook Author or Restaurant Chef? (with Padma Lakshmi)

    · 58 min · Episode 256

    Television host and cookbook author Padma Lakshmi joins Sam to talk about her new show, America’s Culinary Cup and how she’s a triple threat on it serving as creator, executive producer, and host. She reveals if she…

  9. Choices We Made: TV or Radio? (with Christa Miller)

    · 51 min · Episode 255

    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…

  10. Choices We Made: Lawyer or Journalist? (with Jodi Kantor)

    · 52 min · Episode 254 · Explicit

    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…

  11. Choices We Made: Secular Saint or Church Guitarist? (with George Saunders)

    · 1 h 03 min · Episode 253

    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…

  12. Choices We Made: Shamed or Shameless? (with Jennifer Welch)

    · 1 h 01 min · Episode 252

    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…

  13. Choices We Made: Moscow or ‘Merica? (with David Remnick)

    · 56 min · Episode 251

    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…

  14. Choices We Made: Earth or Space? (with Kal Penn)

    · 54 min · Episode 250

    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…

  15. North South or East West? (with Senator Murphy)

    · 35 min · Explicit

    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…

  16. Joy or Happiness? (with Kate Bowler)

    · 58 min · Explicit

    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…

  17. House or Home? (with Lisa Ann Walter)

    · 42 min · Explicit

    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…

  18. Choices We Made: TV or Radio? (with Christa Miller)

    · 51 min · Explicit

    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…

  19. DC or Everywhere Else? (with Ana Navarro)

    · 50 min · Explicit

    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…

  20. Lawyer or Journalist? (with Jodi Kantor)

    · 52 min · Explicit

    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…

  21. Scarcity or Abundance? (with Jennie Garth)

    · 55 min · Explicit

    Actress Jennie Garth joins Sam to talk about her new book I Choose Me, and how to balance scarcity and abundance mindsets. They talk about the concept of choosing yourself and how Jennie first uttered those words on…

  22. Bruce Springsteen or Kid Rock? (with Aasif Mandvi)

    · 57 min · S3 E35

    Aasif Mandvi joins Sam for a major Daily Show catch up, and to talk about juggling his return to Broadway in Fallen Angels with his new TV show The Miniature Wife. They bond over the perfection of theater shows with no…

  23. Gina or Gheena? (with Gina Gershon)

    · 54 min · S3 E34

    Actress and author Gina Gershon joins Sam to talk about her new book AlphaPussy which leads to discussing their shared love of audiobooks, allowing cats to choose their owners, and the wild women who have shaped her…

  24. Check Out: Hell yeah it's No Kings 3 — here's how to make it massive

    · 1 h 03 min

    March 28th. 3000+ protests. No Kings 3. Leah breaks down the strategic logic — why Trump fears mass protest, what we can actually accomplish, and what comes next. Ezra shares a dead-simple 'tripling' tactic to get your…

  25. Choices We Made: 1929 or 2026? (with Andrew Ross Sorkin)

    · 55 min

    Financial journalist and author of the new book 1929, Andrew Ross Sorkin, joins Sam to talk about the parallels between 1929 and now and, and how while history does repeat itself, there are some comparisons that don’t…

  26. Shamed or Shameless? (with Jennifer Welch)

    · 1 h 00 min · S3 E33

    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…

  27. Cookbook Author or Restaurant Chef? (with Padma Lakshmi)

    · 58 min · S3 E32

    Television host and cookbook author Padma Lakshmi joins Sam to talk about her new show, America’s Culinary Cup and how she’s a triple threat on it serving as creator, executive producer, and host. She reveals if she…

  28. Real Wife or TV Wife? (with Sarah Chalke)

    · 1 h 00 min · S3 E31

    Actress Sarah Chalke joins Sam and they revel in having both been married to Jason Jones—Sam in real life and Sarah on How I Met Your Mother (which people still yell at her in airports for). They have a…

  29. Controlled Burns or Fires of the Future? (with Jacob Soboroff)

    · 58 min · S3 E30

    Reporter and author Jacob Soboroff joins Sam to talk about his new book Firestorm: The Great Los Angeles Fires and America's New Age of Disaster and the debate between the native communities’ historic practice of…

  30. TV or Radio? (with Christa Miller)

    · 50 min · S3 E29

    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…

  31. Secular Saint or Church Guitarist? (with George Saunders)

    · 1 h 02 min · S3 E28

    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…

  32. Bea or Twila? (with Emilia Clarke)

    · 48 min · S3 E27

    Actress Emilia Clarke joins Sam to talk about her new show PONIES and how for the first time ever she was given the choice of which main character to be, Bea or Twila. They compare stories of traveling with hot plates,…

  33. 1929 or 2026? (with Andrew Ross Sorkin)

    · 55 min · S3 E26

    Financial journalist and author of the new book 1929, Andrew Ross Sorkin, joins Sam to talk about the parallels between 1929 and now and, and how while history does repeat itself, there are some comparisons that don’t…

  34. Moscow or ‘Merica? (with David Remnick)

    · 56 min · S3 E25

    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…

  35. Carrots or Grapes? (with Emily Oster)

    · 58 min · S3 E24

    Economist and author Emily Oster joins Sam to ring in the New Year and talk about why so many people try to reset in January and if they believe in New Year’s resolutions. They unpack why some important people eat the…

  36. Choices We Made: City or Country? (with Leslie Bibb)

    · 54 min

    Choices We Made: Actress Leslie Bibb joins Sam while Mercury is fully in retrograde and they quickly agree that their shoulders only fully relax when they’re in the country despite both living in the city. They talk…

  37. Choices We Made: Magazine Makeup Artist or Cosmetics CEO? (with Bobbi Brown)

    · 47 min

    Bobbi Brown, Founder of Jones Road Beauty, joins Sam fresh off the plane from Paris to discuss her new book, Still Bobbi, and to explore her career trajectory from behind-the-scenes makeup artist to two-time cosmetic…

  38. Choices We Made: Bread Baskets or Bougie Butter? (with Tony Shalhoub)

    · 53 min

    Actor Tony Shalhoub joins Sam to discuss living out both their dreams while traveling the world eating bread for his new CNN show Breaking Bread. He talks about how bread is the “OG social media,” and while his bigger…

  39. Choices We Made: Wealthy or Wise? (with Michael Lewis)

    · 1 h 08 min

    Author Michael Lewis joins Sam to celebrate the 15th anniversary of The Big Short and talk about if we’ve learned any lessons since its publication—like why we so often conflate wealth and wisdom. They discuss why they…

  40. Act or Direct? (with Michael Showalter)

    · 54 min · S3 E23

    Comedy legend turned director extraordinaire Michael Showalter joins Sam to talk about how he made this career shift and how he now realizes he hates acting. Michael tells Sam that he’d ultimately like to direct a film…

  41. Outraged or Engaged? (with Patton Oswalt)

    · 1 h 00 min · S3 E22

    Actor and comedian Patton Oswalt joins Sam to catch up where they left off during the first Trump administration and how they simply can’t believe we’re doing round two of this shit. They discuss how there’s money in…

  42. Choices We Made: Mother or Father? (with Atsuko Okatsuka)

    · 55 min

    Comedian Atsuko Okatsuka joins Sam to talk about her new special “Father” and why in her relationship she is “father” and her husband is “mother.” They talk about recalibrating your goals once you’ve reached them–like…

  43. City or Country? (with Leslie Bibb)

    · 54 min · S3 E21

    Actress Leslie Bibb joins Sam while Mercury is fully in retrograde and they quickly agree that their shoulders only fully relax when they’re in the country despite both living in the city. They talk about being subject…

  44. Choices We Made: Caretaker or Comedian? (with Cristela Alonzo)

    · 1 h 00 min

    Comedian Cristela Alonzo joins Sam to talk about her new Netflix special Upper Classy, and how before her career took off she made the life-changing decision to leave LA to become her mom’s full-time end of life…

  45. Earth or Space? (with Kal Penn)

    · 54 min · S3 E20

    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…

  46. Bread Baskets or Bougie Butter? (with Tony Shalhoub)

    · 53 min · S3 E19

    Actor Tony Shalhoub joins Sam to discuss living out both their dreams while traveling the world eating bread for his new CNN show Breaking Bread. He talks about how bread is the “OG social media,” and while his bigger…

  47. Magazine Makeup Artist or Cosmetics CEO? (with Bobbi Brown)

    · 47 min · S3 E18

    Bobbi Brown, Founder of Jones Road Beauty, joins Sam fresh off the plane from Paris to discuss her new book, Still Bobbi, and to explore her career trajectory from behind-the-scenes makeup artist to two-time cosmetic…

  48. HHS or DOJ? (with Alex Wagner)

    · 45 min · S3 E17

    Journalist Alex Wagner, host of Runaway Country: a new podcast from Crooked Media, joins Sam to talk about how she can’t decide which department—HHS or DOJ—is the current worst offender. They talk about how journalism…

  49. Choices We Made: Sourdo or Sourdoughn’t? (with Nancy Silverton)

    · 51 min

    Chef and restaurateur Nancy Silverton joins Sam to talk about being one of the first American chefs to bring sourdough to the masses. They talk about Nancy opening a new diner with longtime friend Phil Rosenthal and…

  50. Introducing: Don’t Listen To Us with Mandy Patinkin and Kathryn Grody

    · 49 min

    We’re so excited to share a new show from Lemonada Media, Don’t Listen To Us, an advice show for advice-skeptics and wisdom-lovers, hosted by Mandy Patinkin, Kathryn Grody, and their son Gideon. Legendary actor Mandy…

Shows are listed from Apple Podcasts' charts and directory, and Podcast Index where it is used. Every show and episode belongs to its publisher and plays from the publisher's own feed; this site hosts none of them. Explicit shows are for adult profiles only, and children’s profiles hear only children’s shows. More about this list.