Zainab Johnson: Is It Still Radical Just to Exist?
The Sam Sanders Show
KCRW & Sam Sanders
4.9 • 711 Ratings
🗓️ 23 May 2025
⏱️ 50 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Comedian Zainab Johnson joins Sam for a smart, funny, and unfiltered conversation about identity, comedy, and power.
They dive into her standup special Hijabs Off (now on Prime Video), where Zainab explores what it means to be Black, Muslim, and a woman in America — and why that trifecta still feels radical. She opens up about performing in a post-DEI Hollywood, navigating Islamophobia, and finding freedom in standup. They also unpack the rise of crowd work, the hustle of comedy today, and what it really takes to be heard.
Plus: Zainab shares the surprising story of how the Wayans family helped kick start her career.
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Transcript
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| 0:20.8 | Hey, y'all, it's the Sam Sanders show from KCRW, where we ask all the big questions |
| 0:26.5 | and share all the hot takes about the pop culture we're obsessed with. |
| 0:31.1 | Thank you so much for listening. |
| 0:33.3 | This week, a comedian I'm obsessed with, Zainab Johnson. |
| 0:37.8 | I first got to know her in 2023. |
| 0:40.3 | Zanab released this incredible special on Amazon Prime video called Hijabs Off. |
| 0:46.2 | A lot of the special was all about what it's like being Zainab Johnson. |
| 0:50.9 | Zanab is black and Muslim and a woman. |
| 0:54.0 | And the intersection of those three identities |
| 0:56.4 | is right for conversation and laughs. |
| 1:00.9 | And I actually love my name. Like, I feel like my name kind of like, like the Johnson |
| 1:05.7 | saves the Zanab, you know, in moments where people get suspicious. You know what I'm saying? |
| 1:10.8 | Like at the airport, they might look at Zainab and be like, oh, should we stop? You know? In moments where people get suspicious. You know what I'm saying? |
| 1:11.7 | Like at the airport. |
| 1:14.0 | They might look at Zanehap and be like, |
| 1:15.2 | oh, should we stop her? |
| 1:16.4 | Johnson. |
| 1:18.0 | Oh, no, she's probably just going to Atlanta. |
| 1:28.9 | And they're probably right. |
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