Samuel Lincoln "Sam" Seder (born November 28, 1966) is a comedian, writer, actor, film director, television producer-director, and talk radio host. Seder was born in New York City, New York into a Jewish family, and raised in Worcester, Massachusetts.
His works include the film Who’s the Caboose (1997) as well as the television shows Beat Cops (2001) and Pilot Season (2004). Seder also made guest appearances on Spin City (1997), Sex and the City (2000) and America Undercover (2005).
In March 2004, Seder became co-host along with Janeane Garofalo on Air America Radio's The Majority Report. In July 2006 Garofalo departed the show, offering positive comments about working with Seder. Seder was later offered a new contract with Air America Radio, and his show moved from the 7-10PM (Eastern) spot to a 9AM-Noon spot, retitled The Sam Seder Show.
On September 1, 2004, Sam Seder was briefly detained by the United States Secret Service during his live, on-site coverage of the Republican National Convention at Madison Square Garden. Shortly after Zell Miller gave his speech, Seder began searching (with a sign in hand) on the convention floor for a willing homosexual Republican to interview live on radio. It was not long before he was physically removed from the floor and after brief questioning, was asked (or according to some, "strongly encouraged") to leave the convention. Seder later commented that his wearing of a lapel pin that he had been given by a Secret Service agent at the Democratic National Convention earlier that year had kept him from being ejected from the convention completely.
In the closing minutes of their Wednesday, March 9, 2005 show, Garofalo announced that Sam and his wife Nikki were expecting a daughter. This event in his life slightly colored and affected Seder's commentary. On more than one occasion he has voiced concerns about just how he was going to explain elements of this world to his daughter as she grows up, after witnessing actions by the Republican Party that Seder felt might adversely affect her future.
On August 9, 2005, Nikki Seder gave birth to a daughter, Myla Rae Seder.
On April 6, 2007, Air America Radio announced that the Sam Seder Show would end its run at the 9AM-Noon spot effective Friday, April 13, 2007, but that Seder would do a Sunday show, titled Seder on Sunday. The 9AM-Noon time slot was filled by Lionel, who hosted a late night radio show on the WOR Radio network. This change is part of what Air America President Mark Green called "Air America 2.0", his plan to transform Air America into a profitable leader in progressive talk radio. The final Seder on Sunday was broadcast on June 1, 2008.
Seder also occasionally would substitute for Randi Rhodes when Rhodes was on Air America (becoming the number one sub after KLSD morning host Stacy Taylor lost his job when the station changed its format), as well as Mike Malloy on The Mike Malloy Show on the Nova M Radio network. In September 2007 he also began a collaboration with Marc Maron on a weekly hour-long video webcast. In January 2009, the show was officially titled Breakroom Live with Maron & Seder. [1]. It aired live weekdays at 3PM Eastern. Seder and Maron also hosted a post-show chat with viewers after each episode. Air America Media cancelled Breakroom Live with Maron & Seder on July 15, 2009.
In November 2009 Seder hosted a pilot for NBC of an American version of Have I Got News For You. [2]
Seder was one of the first Air America personalities to make the official announcement that Rhodes had chosen to terminate her contract with the network.
America's Right-Wing Nightmare, co-authored with Stephen Sherrill, 2006, (ISBN 0-06-084671-2)
Wait! Don't Move to Canada: A Stay-and-Fight Strategy to Win Back America by Bill Scher, foreword co-authored by Seder and Janeane Garofalo, 2006, (ISBN 1-59486-396-2)
