Episode 423

with W. Kamau Bell, Julia Rosen, and Samantha Crain

Host Luke Burbank and announcer Elena Passarello go down some internet rabbit holes; W. Kamau Bell breaks down the difference between white supremacy and white supremacists on his CNN documentary series "United Shades of America;" science reporter Julia Rosen schools us on the invasive nature of earthworms; and singer-songwriter Samantha Crain details how her days as a child powerlifter prepared her for a life of touring, before performing "High Horse" from her album "A Small Death."

W. Kamau Bell
Comedian, TV Host & Producer

W. Kamau Bell is a stand-up comedian and the host and executive producer of the Emmy Award winning CNN docu-series United Shades of America with W. Kamau Bell. His latest stand-up comedy special, Private School Negro, is available on Netflix. Kamau wrote a book with the easy-to-remember title, The Awkward Thoughts of W. Kamau Bell: Tales of a 6' 4", African American, Heterosexual, Cisgender, Left-Leaning, Asthmatic, Black and Proud Blerd, Mama's Boy, Dad, and Stand-Up Comedian. He’s also the ACLU Celebrity Ambassador for Racial Justice. Website • Twitter

Julia Rosen
Science Journalist

Julia Rosen is a Portland, Oregon-based freelance journalist covering science and the environment. A winner of numerous awards for science journalism, she writes stories about how the world works, and how humans are changing it. Her work has appeared in the Los Angeles Times, The New York Times, The Atlantic, Science, Nature, Hakai, bioGraphic, Orion, and National Geographic, among other places. She also hosts podcasts for Scientific American‘s 60-Second Science. Website • Twitter

Samantha Crain
Singer, Songwriter, Poet, Producer

Samantha Crain is a two-time Native American Music Award winner and winner of an Indigenous Music Award. Her genre spanning discography has been critically acclaimed by media outlets such as Rolling Stone, SPIN, Paste, No Depression, NPR, PRI, The Guardian, NME, Uncut, and others. She has toured extensively over the past 11 years nationally and internationally, presenting ambitious orchestrated shows with a band and intimate folk leaning solo performances. Website • Twitter • Spotify