Wikipedia

Sam Seder

Samuel Lincoln Seder (born November 28, 1966) is an American actor, left-wing[2] political commentator, and media host. His works include the film Who's the Caboose? (1997) as well as the television shows Beat Cops (2001) and Pilot Season (2004). He also appeared in Next Stop Wonderland (1998) and made guest appearances on Spin City (1997), Sex and the City (2000), America Undercover (2005), and Maron (2015). Since 2010, he has hosted a daily political talk show, The Majority Report with Sam Seder. He also voices Hugo, a recurring character on the animated comedy series Bob's Burgers.

Sam Seder
Seder in 2008
Born
Samuel Lincoln Seder

(1966-11-28) November 28, 1966 (age 57)
New York City, U.S.
EducationConnecticut College (BA)
Boston University School of Law (dropped out)
Occupations
  • Actor
  • political commentator
  • media host
  • scriptwriter
Years active1987–present
Notable workF.U.B.A.R.: America's Right-Wing Nightmare (2006)
Political partyDemocratic
Spouse
Nicole Cattell
​
(div. 2017)​
Children2
YouTube information
Channel
Years active2010–present
Genres
  • Politics
  • news
  • humor
  • debate
  • interview
  • live call-in
Subscribers1.55 million[1]
Total views945,669,120[1]
Associated actsThe Michael Brooks Show
Last updated: Feb 12, 2024
Websitemajority.fm

Early life

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Seder was born to a Jewish family in New York City, and raised in Worcester, Massachusetts, and is the oldest of three children.[3][4] His father, J. Robert Seder, is a well-known lawyer in Worcester. Seder earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Religious Studies from Connecticut College and enrolled at Boston University School of Law. Disillusioned by the school’s commercialized culture, he dropped out of studying law to pursue a career in comedy.[4] Seder became involved in the Boston comedy scene, associating with Janeane Garafalo, David Cross, Marc Maron and Sarah Silverman, whom he dated. These connections were used in his first film, Who's the Caboose?, which then led to Seder's appearances on comedy TV shows.[4]

Career

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In March 2004, Seder became co-host of Air America Radio's The Majority Report, alongside Janeane Garofalo until July 2006.[5]

During Mark Green's restructuring plan to transform Air America into a profitable leader in progressive talk radio, called "Air America 2.0",[6] The Sam Seder Show was canceled on April 13, 2007, and replaced by WOR Radio Network late night radio show host Lionel.[7] Seder was relegated to a Sunday show entitled Seder on Sunday.[6] Lionel soon lost two-thirds of Seder's live affiliates and listenership.[8] The final Seder on Sunday was broadcast on June 1, 2008.

Seder also occasionally substituted for Randi Rhodes when Rhodes was on Air America, as well as Mike Malloy on The Mike Malloy Show on the Nova M Radio network. In 2008 he also began a collaboration with Marc Maron on Maron v. Seder, an hour-long video webcast. In January 2009, Maron v. Seder was renamed Breakroom Live with Maron & Seder[9] and aired live from the kitchen in the Air America offices weekdays. Seder and Maron also hosted a post-show chat with viewers after each episode. Air America Media cancelled Breakroom Live with Maron & Seder in July 2009.[10] In 2010, Air America was shut down.[11]

In November 2009, Seder hosted a pilot for NBC of an American version of Have I Got News for You. Three years later, in November 2012, it was announced Seder would again be the host of an American version of the show, this time on TBS.[12][13]

In November 2010, Seder began an independent online podcast, called The Seder Channel (later renamed The Majority Report w/Sam Seder). The live talk-show format closely matches the previous Air America program, with politically oriented commentary by Seder and co-hosts, and interviews with various guests. Seder offers listeners different tiered levels of access to content around the show via crowdfunding platform Patreon.

In late 2010, Seder began occasionally serving as substitute host of Countdown with Keith Olbermann when Olbermann was on vacation. In December 2010, Seder also became co-host of the nationally syndicated progressive radio interview program Ring of Fire, co-hosted by Farron Cousins and Florida-based attorney Mike Papantonio.[14]

Seder also worked as a political contributor for MSNBC.[15][16]

The Majority Report was associated with the TYT Network, with which the show partnered, from the 2010 relaunch until 2020, which generally followed its original format but was rebooted as a viewer-funded production. Following those structural affiliation and funding-production changes, the show won a string of international People's Choice Podcast Awards,[17] in five of the next seven annual competitions (2011, 2012, 2013, 2015, and 2017), for the "News and Politics" award.

2017 MSNBC controversy

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In 2017, Mike Cernovich called attention to a subversive 2009 tweet by Seder and contacted multiple journalists asking them to write about the tweet.[15] As a result, MSNBC initially decided not to renew Seder's contract[18] despite Seder explaining that the tweet satirized a petition that had been circulating urging Roman Polanski's release from detention.[19] Shortly afterward, MSNBC reversed its decision after getting pushback from journalists, and MSNBC's president said the initial decision to part ways had been wrong.[20][21][22]

Personal life

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On August 9, 2005, Seder's wife Nicole Cattell gave birth to their first child, daughter Myla Rae.[23] On March 7, 2013, she gave birth to their second child, son Saul.[24][25]

On April 27, 2018, Seder announced that the couple were separated.[26]

Filmography

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Film

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Year Title Role Notes
1997 Who's the Caboose? Max Also director and writer
1998 Next Stop Wonderland Kevin Monteiro
2000 Happy Accidents Ned
2000 Endsville Wood Salesman
2004 Beacon Hill Rafe Coulter
2008 The Bad Situationist Arthur Lieberman Also director and co-writer[27][28]
2017 Fits and Starts Dressler
2022 The Bob's Burgers Movie Hugo Habercore

Television

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Year Title Role Notes
1995 All-American Girl Phil Episode: "Young Americans"
1995 Party of Five Greg Episode: "Best Laid Plans"
1996 The Show Tom Delaney 8 episodes
1996 Boys & Girls David Waits Television film
1997 The Big Fall Gary Snider Television film
1997 Spin City George / Bogus Temp 2 episodes
1997 The Magic School Bus Voice Episode: "In the City"
1998 Grown-Ups Phil Television film
1999 The Dick & Paula Celebrity Special William Clark Episode: "Merriweather Lewis and Curly Howard"
1999 Pulp Comics: Louis C.K.'s Filthy Stupid Talent Show Seth the Jew Television short
2000 Sex and the City Lew Episode: "Sex and Another City"
2002–2004 Home Movies Fenton Mulley / Cho / Paula's Father 12 episodes
2004 Pilot Season Max Rabin 2 episodes
2005 Wonder Showzen Bug Episode: "Patience"
2005–2007 Lucy, the Daughter of the Devil Special Father #2 / The Senator 11 episodes
2006 O'Grady Mr. Chip Hurley Episode: "A Stronger O'Grady"
2006 Cheap Seats: Without Ron Parker Sir Aglovale Episode: "Unbelievable Sports 1"
2008 Assy McGee Principal Jenkins / Douche 2 episodes; voice role
2011–present Bob's Burgers Hugo Habercore / Harold Cranwinkle / Al Genarro 32 episodes
2015 Maron Sam Seder Episode: "Patent Troll"
2017 The Good Fight Vaughn Yenko Episode: "Stoppable: Requiem for an Airdate"

References

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  1. ^ a b "About TheMajorityReport w/Sam Seder". YouTube.
  2. ^ "The Majority Report". The Majority Report. Retrieved October 10, 2023.
  3. ^ Shanahan, Mark (August 23, 2006). "Failure is an option - Despite his best efforts to sabotage himself, Sam Seder is finding success on Air America". Archived from the original on July 28, 2018. I don't look anything like Courtney Thorne-Smith; she's blonde and good-looking," says Seder, who's Jewish and has dark curly hair.
  4. ^ a b c Williamson, Dianne. "Worcester Living: Worcester native and podcast host Sam Seder takes life with a laugh - and thanks". telegram.com.
  5. ^ Steinberg, Jacques (March 31, 2004). "Liberal Voices (Some Sharp) Get New Home On Radio Dial". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved February 8, 2020.
  6. ^ a b "Comment from Mark Green about Sam Seder". Airamerica.com. Archived from the original on March 27, 2009. Retrieved July 16, 2009.
  7. ^ "Radio Online". News.radio-online.com. Archived from the original on September 30, 2007. Retrieved July 16, 2009.
  8. ^ "Sam Seder on TYT Network (Why Air America Fell, Obama & Much More!)". YouTube. February 5, 2010. Archived from the original on December 12, 2021.
  9. ^ "The Majority Report with Sam Seder - Political Podcast & Radio Show". Breakroomlive.com. Retrieved July 21, 2017.
  10. ^ Lowen, Cynthia (August 9, 2009). "Whatever Happened to Progressive Talk Radio? Did Air America Kiss it Good Bye?". AlterNet. Archived from the original on October 15, 2018. Retrieved December 20, 2017.
  11. ^ Stelter, Brian (January 21, 2010). "Air America, the Talk Radio Network, Will Go Off the Air". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved February 8, 2020.
  12. ^ "Punchline Magazine Blog » Michael Ian Black, Greg Giraldo film pilot for NBC, get tickets - Comedy Blog, Comedy News, and all things in Stand up Comedy". Archived from the original on November 14, 2009. Retrieved November 17, 2009.
  13. ^ "Will UK Panel Show 'Have I Got News for You' Work in the US?". Screenrant.com. November 14, 2012. Retrieved July 21, 2017.
  14. ^ "Sam Seder joins Ring Of Fire". CBS Radio. January 5, 2011. Archived from the original on September 3, 2017. Retrieved August 17, 2011.
  15. ^ a b Kludt, Tom; Darcy, Oliver (December 5, 2017). "How a joke, and Mike Cernovich, got Sam Seder booted from MSNBC". CNNMoney. Retrieved December 10, 2017.
  16. ^ O'Connor, Lydia (December 5, 2017). "MSNBC Gives In To Disingenuous Right-Wing Smear, Fires Sam Seder". Huffington Post. Retrieved December 10, 2017.
  17. ^ "Past Winners, 2005–2017". Podcast Awards.
  18. ^ "MSNBC to Cut Ties With Sam Seder After Roman Polanski Rape Joke (Exclusive)". TheWrap. December 4, 2017. Retrieved December 5, 2017.
  19. ^ Kirby, Jen (December 6, 2017). "How the alt-right duped MSNBC into firing one of its contributors". Vox. Retrieved August 8, 2024.
  20. ^ Kludt, Tom (December 7, 2017). "MSNBC decides to bring back Sam Seder after controversy". CNNMoney. Retrieved December 10, 2017.
  21. ^ Grim, Ryan (December 7, 2017). "MSNBC Reverses Decision to Fire Contributor Sam Seder". The Intercept. First Look Media. Retrieved December 10, 2017.
  22. ^ Bromwich, Jonah Engel (December 7, 2017). "MSNBC Rehires Contributor Sam Seder: 'Sometimes You Just Get One Wrong'". The New York Times. Retrieved December 10, 2017.
  23. ^ "Sam's Daughter ROCKS Global Climate Change Strike". YouTube. September 20, 2019. Retrieved August 3, 2022.
  24. ^ Seder, Sam (March 7, 2013). "My son born at 5:36 AM today. Mommy & baby both healthy!". Twitter. Retrieved July 21, 2017.
  25. ^ Seder, Sam (March 7, 2014). "Happy First Birthday to my son, Saul. I wish him a happy healthy and "sleep more please" year". Twitter. Retrieved August 3, 2022.
  26. ^ Seder, Sam (April 27, 2018). "I am separated from my wife". YouTube. Archived from the original on May 28, 2020. Retrieved June 27, 2019.
  27. ^ "A Bad Situationist". July 17, 2008 – via IMDb.
  28. ^ "As Heard on WTF with Marc Maron: Who's the Caboose? and Pilot Season.Sam Seder Movies". May 7, 2015 – via YouTube.

Bibliography

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