W. Kamau Bell, Rick Steves, and Edna Vázquez

W. Kamau Bell, Rick Steves, and Edna Vázquez

Podcaster W. Kamau Bell (Who's With Me?) explains why he's a comedian first... despite his reputation for having difficult conversations with groups like the KKK; travel writer Rick Steves admits he was surprised to find himself a plot point in Apple TV’s “Pluribus;" and singer-songwriter Edna Vázquez, alongside a group of high school mariachi musicians, performs "Lindo Colima" from her album of traditional Mexican music Te Esperaba.

Sam Sanders, Sandi DuBowski, and The Lowest Pair (REBROADCAST)

Radio host and podcaster Sam Sanders makes the case for the three TV shows that he believes changed culture; filmmaker Sandi DuBowski discusses his documentary Sabbath Queen, which follows Rabbi Amichai Lau-Lavie over two decades as he grapples with orthodoxy, interfaith marriage, and his drag persona; and indie folk duo The Lowest Pair perform "Fall on My Knees"... a song which they once performed for 45 minutes at a medical marijuana market.

Jeff Chang and Okaidja Afroso

Writer and cultural critic Jeff Chang breaks down this latest book Water Mirror Echo: Bruce Lee and the Making of Asian America, which explores the life and legacy of the martial arts icon — from his days as a pesky college kid in Seattle to teetering on the brink of Hollywood stardom; plus, Ghanaian singer and guitarist Okaidja Afroso explains how he uses his native language of Gã to create a new musical sensibility, before performing his song "Nū Ké Là" (Water and Fire) from his Ancient Africa Wisdom Trilogy.

Aubrey Gordon, Jean Grae, and Rogê (REBROADCAST)

Podcaster Aubrey Gordon dives deep into topics tackled on her hit show Maintenance Phase, including the monopolization of weight-loss medications; multi-disciplinary artist Jean Grae explains why she's banning gum chewing and beatboxing at her funeral; and Brazilian singer-songwriter Rogê performs "A Lenda Do Abaeté" from his album Curyman II.

Jamie Loftus, Daisy Hernández, and Olive Klug

In this "Independence Day Special" podcaster and writer Jamie Loftus takes us on a roadtrip across America to understand the cultural and historical significance of the hot dog; writer Daisy Hernández unpacks her latest book Citizenship: Notes on an American Myth, which explores immigration and national identity; and singer-songwriter Olive Klug performs their single "Song About America."