Vibe Check

Stitcher

A weekly podcast where Sam Sanders, Saeed Jones, and Zach Stafford make sense of what’s going on in news and culture – and how it all feels. Vibe Check is your favorite group chat, come to life.

  • 52 minutes 33 seconds
    If It’s Not A Hell Yes, It’s A No

    On this episode of Vibe Check, Saeed and Zach talk about taking the leap – what it really means to go for it, and how you know when the risk is actually worth it. They get into moments from their own lives, from bold career moves to saying yes to romance, and even figuring out when it’s time to walk away.

    You can find everything Vibe Check related at our official website, www.vibecheckpod.com

    We want to hear from you! Email us at [email protected], and keep in touch with us on Instagram @vibecheck_pod.

    Get your Vibe Check merch at www.podswag.com/vibecheck.

    Subscribe to SiriusXM Podcasts+ to listen to new episodes of Vibe Check ad-free.
    Start a free trial now on Apple Podcasts or by visiting siriusxm.com/podcastsplus.


    Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    17 April 2026, 7:00 am
  • 1 hour 18 minutes
    You Can Go to the Moon and Back, but Your Salary Won't

    On this episode of Vibe Check, Saeed and Zach talk about the politics of Coachella and about a personal obsession of Saeed’s, competency porn. Plus, they share their latest picks for “the vibes are on” and “the vibes are off.” 

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    Saeed’s Poem of the Week: “Characteristics of Life” by Camille Dungy

    You can find everything Vibe Check related at our official website, www.vibecheckpod.com

    We want to hear from you! Email us at [email protected], and keep in touch with us on Instagram @vibecheck_pod.

    Get your Vibe Check merch at www.podswag.com/vibecheck.

    Subscribe to SiriusXM Podcasts+ to listen to new episodes of Vibe Check ad-free.
    Start a free trial now on Apple Podcasts or by visiting siriusxm.com/podcastsplus.


    Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    15 April 2026, 7:00 am
  • 46 minutes 10 seconds
    Happy Spring! Clean Your Closet, Dump Your Friends, Delete the App

    On this episode of Vibe Check, Saeed and Zach get into spring cleaning — both literally and metaphorically. From tidying up your space to letting go of people and habits that no longer serve you, they talk about what it means to reset for a new season. Plus, they answer listener questions.

    You can find everything Vibe Check related at our official website, www.vibecheckpod.com

    We want to hear from you! Email us at [email protected], and keep in touch with us on Instagram @vibecheck_pod.

    Get your Vibe Check merch at www.podswag.com/vibecheck.

    Subscribe to SiriusXM Podcasts+ to listen to new episodes of Vibe Check ad-free.
    Start a free trial now on Apple Podcasts or by visiting siriusxm.com/podcastsplus.


    Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    10 April 2026, 7:00 am
  • 56 minutes 32 seconds
    You Can Do Everything Right and Still Get Left

    On this episode of Vibe Check, Saeed and Zach break down the latest drama – from the political shake-up involving Kristi Noem and Pam Bondi’s firing by Trump, to the bigger questions it raises. Then, they dive into Summer House chaos, unpacking Amanda allegedly dating West behind Ciara’s back. Plus, they share their latest picks for “the vibes are on” and “the vibes are off.”

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    Saeed’s Poem of the Week: “Powdered Wig” by Richie Hofmann

    You can find everything Vibe Check related at our official website, www.vibecheckpod.com

    We want to hear from you! Email us at [email protected], and keep in touch with us on Instagram @vibecheck_pod.

    Get your Vibe Check merch at www.podswag.com/vibecheck.

    Subscribe to SiriusXM Podcasts+ to listen to new episodes of Vibe Check ad-free.
    Start a free trial now on Apple Podcasts or by visiting siriusxm.com/podcastsplus.


    Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    8 April 2026, 1:15 pm
  • 45 minutes 14 seconds
    Is Superman Jesus-Coded? How Hollywood Keeps Retelling the Jesus Story

    On this episode of Vibe Check, Saeed and Zach get into some Jesus-coded characters in film and TV, and the stories that feel just a little too Christ-adjacent to be a coincidence. Plus, they share their latest picks for “the vibes are on” and “the vibes are off.”

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    Saeed’s Poem of the Week: Heart to Heart by Rita Dove

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    You can find everything Vibe Check related at our official website, www.vibecheckpod.com

    We want to hear from you! Email us at [email protected], and keep in touch with us on Instagram @vibecheck_pod.

    Get your Vibe Check merch at www.podswag.com/vibecheck.

    Subscribe to SiriusXM Podcasts+ to listen to new episodes of Vibe Check ad-free.
    Start a free trial now on Apple Podcasts or by visiting siriusxm.com/podcastsplus.


    Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    3 April 2026, 7:00 am
  • 1 hour 2 minutes
    How Conservatives Became the Snowflakes (And Usher's Defense of Diddy)

    On this episode of Vibe Check, Saeed and Zach talk about chaos surrounding comedian Druski’s viral skit about conservative white women and the conversation (and ruffled feathers) it sparked. Then, they unpack Usher’s recent controversial comments about Diddy. Plus, they share their latest picks for “the vibes are on” and “the vibes are off.”

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    Saeed’s Poem of the Week: “Pokeberries” by Ruth Stone

    You can find everything Vibe Check related at our official website, www.vibecheckpod.com

    We want to hear from you! Email us at [email protected], and keep in touch with us on Instagram @vibecheck_pod.

    Get your Vibe Check merch at www.podswag.com/vibecheck.

    Subscribe to SiriusXM Podcasts+ to listen to new episodes of Vibe Check ad-free.
    Start a free trial now on Apple Podcasts or by visiting siriusxm.com/podcastsplus.


    Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    1 April 2026, 7:00 am
  • 48 minutes 14 seconds
    The Business of Black Women: Symone Sanders-Townsend

    On this episode of Vibe Check, Saeed and Zach wrap up this year’s Hey, Sis mini-series with special guest – political commentator and strategist Symone Sanders-Townsend. They get into her dynamic career across politics and media, the challenges she’s faced as a Black woman in the spotlight, and how staying true to herself has been key to her success. They also discuss the outsized role Black women play in shaping culture, news, and politics, and the ways those same systems often work against them.

    You can find everything Vibe Check related at our official website, www.vibecheckpod.com

    We want to hear from you! Email us at [email protected], and keep in touch with us on Instagram @vibecheck_pod.

    Get your Vibe Check merch at www.podswag.com/vibecheck.

    Subscribe to SiriusXM Podcasts+ to listen to new episodes of Vibe Check ad-free.
    Start a free trial now on Apple Podcasts or by visiting siriusxm.com/podcastsplus.


    Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    27 March 2026, 7:00 am
  • 1 hour 1 minute
    ICE Is at the Airport and Straight Men Have No Friends

    On this episode of Vibe Check, Saeed and Zach talk about the latest chaos in air travel – from government funding cuts leaving TSA agents unpaid, to ICE agents being deployed in airports to “assist,” and safety concerns after a fatal air traffic control–related incident at LaGuardia. Then, they dive into the new documentary, Inside the Manosphere. Plus, they share their latest picks for “the vibes are on” and “the vibes are off.”

    You can find everything Vibe Check related at our official website, www.vibecheckpod.com

    We want to hear from you! Email us at [email protected], and keep in touch with us on Instagram @vibecheck_pod.

    Get your Vibe Check merch at www.podswag.com/vibecheck.

    Subscribe to SiriusXM Podcasts+ to listen to new episodes of Vibe Check ad-free.
    Start a free trial now on Apple Podcasts or by visiting siriusxm.com/podcastsplus.


    Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    25 March 2026, 7:00 am
  • 46 minutes 32 seconds
    The Business of Black Women: Anna Gifty Opoku-Agyeman

    On this episode of Vibe Check, Saeed and Zach continue the Hey, Sis mini-series with special guest – economist, Anna Gifty Opoku-Agyeman. They break down how systemic inequality creates real, measurable costs just to exist – especially for Black women – drawing on insights from Anna’s book, The Double Tax: How Women of Color Are Overcharged and Underpaid. They also unpack how misogynoir shows up across culture, from the economy to pop culture.

    You can buy Anna’s book here: https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-double-tax-how-women-of-color-are-overcharged-and-underpaid-anna-gifty-opoku-agyeman/

    You can find everything Vibe Check related at our official website, www.vibecheckpod.com

    We want to hear from you! Email us at [email protected], and keep in touch with us on Instagram @vibecheck_pod.

    Get your Vibe Check merch at www.podswag.com/vibecheck.

    Subscribe to SiriusXM Podcasts+ to listen to new episodes of Vibe Check ad-free.
    Start a free trial now on Apple Podcasts or by visiting siriusxm.com/podcastsplus.


    Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    20 March 2026, 7:00 am
  • 59 minutes 36 seconds
    Oscars Recap & The Politics of Posting

    On this episode of Vibe Check, Saeed and Zach welcome back Traci Thomas, host of The Stacks, for an Oscars recap – from the biggest wins to the most talked-about moments. Then, Saeed and Zach unpack a social media debate: should you expect your friends to post about politics and the news, and is it fair to judge them if they don’t? Plus, they share their latest picks for “the vibes are on” and “the vibes are off.”

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    Saeed’s Poem of the Week: “I’m Learning Nothing This Night” by Reginald Dwayne Betts

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    You can find everything Vibe Check related at our official website, www.vibecheckpod.com

    We want to hear from you! Email us at [email protected], and keep in touch with us on Instagram @vibecheck_pod.

    Get your Vibe Check merch at www.podswag.com/vibecheck.

    Subscribe to SiriusXM Podcasts+ to listen to new episodes of Vibe Check ad-free.
    Start a free trial now on Apple Podcasts or by visiting siriusxm.com/podcastsplus.


    Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    18 March 2026, 7:00 am
  • 42 minutes 50 seconds
    The Business of Black Women: Lisa Beasley

    On this episode of Vibe Check, Saeed and Zach continue the Hey, Sis mini-series with special guest – actor, comedian, and writer Lisa Beasley.

    They talk about Lisa discovering her viral character “Corporate Erin,” the performance of professionalism, and the ways code switching and corporate language can be exclusionary. Plus, a look at how race and gender quietly shape the rules of workplace communication.


    Follow Lisa Beasley on Instagram @lisabevolving.

    You can find everything Vibe Check related at our official website, www.vibecheckpod.com

    We want to hear from you! Email us at [email protected], and keep in touch with us on Instagram @vibecheck_pod.

    Get your Vibe Check merch at www.podswag.com/vibecheck.

    Subscribe to SiriusXM Podcasts+ to listen to new episodes of Vibe Check ad-free.
    Start a free trial now on Apple Podcasts or by visiting siriusxm.com/podcastsplus.


    Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    13 March 2026, 7:00 am
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