Sam Seder - Career

Career

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 J. 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.e

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 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. It aired live from the kitchen in the Air America offices 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. 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.

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.

In November 2010, Seder began an independent online podcast, also called the Majority Report. The format closely matches the previous Air America program, with politically oriented commentary by Seder and interviews with various guests. Seder plans to offer premium subscriptions to the podcasts, which allow subscribers access to expanded commentary not on the basic podcast, as well as DVDs of the 2004 TV series Pilot Season, produced and directed by Seder, starring Sarah Silverman and originally broadcast on the now-defunct Trio cable network. Seder has gained some popularity on the Majority Report for frequently taking instant messages from a conservative with a form of slight mental retardation who goes by the screen name "Primer."

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 Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. and Florida-based attorney Mike Papantonio.