Slate Culture Feed

ICYMI - The Internet Loves To Hate Chappell Roan

Sat, 04 Apr 2026 07:00:00 GMT

On today’s episode, host Kate Lindsay is joined by writer and content creator Josh Lora, who goes by TellTheBees on Substack, TikTok, Instagram and YouTube. After yet another meaningless Chappell Roan controversy, this time involving a young fan and a security guard, Kate and Josh look into why Chappell Roan is always such a lightning rod for discourse. What seems like celebrity gossip ends up being used by bad actors online to smear Chappell Roan and discredit her progressive values.

This podcast is produced by Vic Whitley-Berry, Daisy Rosario, and Kate Lindsay.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Culture Gabfest - James Bond’s Sexistential Retreat Edition

Wed, 01 Apr 2026 07:10:00 GMT

On this week’s show, Dana is joined by Slate’s own Nadira Goffe and Richard Lawson, of the Critical Darlings podcast. Their first agenda item is Jury Duty Presents: Company Retreat, the second installment of the workplace comedy/reality show hybrid which places an unknowing everyman in a made-up scenario populated entirely by actors. Does the second season deliver a heart-warming moral test in the form of comedy or a manipulative prank? They discuss.

Next for more funhouse mirror television, they take up Bait, the Riz Ahmed-starring and created show about a Riz Ahmed-like actor vying for the role of James Bond. The show is stuffed with ideas and Ahmed’s charm, but they debate whether its conceptual martini sufficiently shaken or stirred.

Finally, it’s time to go out, wear something nice, and push as they take a listen to Sexistential, the new album by Swedish dance pop queen Robyn. Though the “Dancing On My Own” singer has a new partner on the dancefloor in her young son, motherhood and midlife make for some real club classics.

On a bonus episode for Plus subscribers, they take up the question, as posed in a recent New Yorker article, of whether “plagiarism is that bad?”

Endorsements

Richard: The compulsively watchable time travel family drama The Way Home, a Hallmark Channel Original. (And subscribing to Critical Darlings)

Nadira: The ten minute disco cover of "Bridge Over Troubled Water" by Linda Clifford and the album WOR$T GIRL IN AMERICA by Slayyyter.

Dana: The new book by Mason Currey Making Art and Making a Living as well as his newsletter Subtle Maneuvers.

Email us your thoughts at culturefest@slate.com.

Podcast production by Benjamin Frisch. Production assistance by Daniel Hirsch.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - "Lip Filler Accent" Is Infecting TikTok (and Us)

Wed, 01 Apr 2026 07:00:00 GMT

On today’s episode, host Kate Lindsay is joined by Defector co-owner Alex Sujong Laughlin, whose recent piece about “lip filler accent” identified a new way TikTok is changing how we speak. Even people who don’t have any plastic surgery at all appear to be picking up on the trend, because when it comes to status, sounding like someone who has had plastic surgery is really all that matters.

This podcast is produced by Vic Whitley-Berry, Daisy Rosario, and Kate Lindsay, with help from Kevin Bendis.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hang Up and Listen - The Final Four Countdown

Tue, 31 Mar 2026 22:00:00 GMT

Hosts Lindsay Gibbs and Ben Lindbergh discuss the maddest moment of March—from the UConn buzzer beater, to Women’s Final Four redux. Alex Kirshner rejoins for two interviews: the first with author and professor Seth Tannenbaum about the growing class divide inside baseball stadiums, the subject of his new book, Bleacher Seats and Luxury Suites: Democracy and Division at the Twentieth-Century Ballpark. The second with Nina Mandell about an Ohio gymnastics dynasty, chronicled in her book: A Fraction of a Point: A Gymnastics Dynasty on the Line.

Finally, Ben closes with an Afterball about the historic and cringey N64 video game Mia Hamm Soccer 64.

In this week’s bonus episode for Slate Plus members: the T-Rex hunting for a draft spot in the NFL.

March Madness: (6:37): Duke’s demise

Bleacher Seats (26:32): The haves and the have-nots

Fraction of a Point (42:42): The gymnastics world beaters

Afterballs (57:49): Mia Hamm Soccer 64

(Note: time codes are only accurate for Slate Plus members, who listen ad-free.)

Get more Hang Up and Listen with Slate Plus! Join for weekly bonus episodes of Hang Up and Listen and ad-free listening on all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe from the Hang Up and Listen show page on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, or visit slate.com/hangupplus for access wherever you listen.

You can email us at hangup@slate.com.

Podcast production and editing by Kevin Bendis, with production assistance from Patrick Fort

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Death, Sex & Money - A Court Settlement Made Me a Millionaire. I’ve Barely Touched the Money.

Tue, 31 Mar 2026 07:00:00 GMT

A listener we're calling Natalie received over a million dollars after being sexually abused by her university gynecologist in one of the largest abuse settlements in American history. She talks about the strange math of converting a bad experience into a dollar amount, and why she’s barely spent any of it.

*This episode includes descriptions of abuse. Please take care while listening.

Death, Sex & Money is now produced by Slate! To support us and our colleagues, please sign up for our membership program, Slate Plus! Members get ad-free podcasts, bonus content on lots of Slate shows, and full access to all the articles on Slate.com. Sign up today at slate.com/dsmplus.

And if you’re new to the show, welcome. We’re so glad you’re here. Find us and follow us on Instagram and you can find Anna’s newsletter at annasale.substack.com. Our new email address, where you can reach us with voice memos, pep talks, questions, critiques, is deathsexmoney@slate.com.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - Taylor Frankie Paul's Bachelorette Cancellation Was Inevitable

Sat, 28 Mar 2026 07:00:00 GMT

On today’s episode, host Kate Lindsay is joined by New York Magazine features writer Rebecca Jennings, who recently profiled the now-cancelled Bachelorette, Taylor Frankie Paul. Paul’s season was pulled after a video of her 2023 domestic violence incident was published by TMZ, following news of another domestic violence investigation from February of this year. While the video is upsetting, knowledge of Pauls’ 2023 arrest is not new, and The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives continued to use her volatile relationship for ratings. Now, parent company Disney is turning on her over a situation that may be more complicated than it seems.

This podcast is produced by Vic Whitley-Berry, Daisy Rosario, and Kate Lindsay.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hit Parade | Music History and Music Trivia - Feet on the Ground, Reaching for the Stars Edition Part 2

Fri, 27 Mar 2026 07:00:00 GMT

The 100th episode of Hit Parade has put host Chris Molanphy in a reflective mood. So in Part 2, he unfurls the story of the late, great American Top 40 host Casey Kasem—a perennial inspiration for this podcast and the chart king that Chris calls “the original poptimist.”

Enjoy this long-distance dedication, as Chris pays tribute to a radio hero with a preternatural understanding of the power of pop to unify.

Get more Hit Parade with Slate Plus! Join for monthly early-access episodes, bonus episodes of "The Bridge," and ad-free listening across all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe directly from the Hit Parade show page on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Or, visit slate.com/hitparadeplus to get access wherever you listen.

This episode will be available for free on March 27, 2026.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Culture Gabfest - Money On Film: Spirited Away

Fri, 27 Mar 2026 07:00:00 GMT

Welcome to a very special Money On Film miniseries!

Over three episodes, Slate Money’s Felix Salmon and Slate culture writer Nadira Goffe revisit three films at the intersection of culture and finance. On this episode, Nadira and Felix take a trip to a bathhouse for spirits in 2001’s Spirited Away.

Directed by Hayao Miyazaki, the film follows a girl named Chihiro, who becomes trapped in the spirit world and must save her parents, encountering soot sprites, river spirits, a giant baby, and many more wonderful and terrifying beings along the way.

The film is a masterpiece of storytelling and technical animation, but as Felix explains, it also works as a highly developed metaphor for capital and the Japanese economy at the close of the millennium: the bathhouse stands in for a stable but exploitative economic system, beset by outside capital forces, with workers stripped of their names and identities.

This is the final episode of the Money On Film miniseries. Thanks for listening!

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Culture Gabfest - Ryan Gosling’s Pet Rock Edition

Wed, 25 Mar 2026 07:05:00 GMT

This week, Dana, Julia (fresh from the launch of her new media venture L.A. Material), and guest host Dan Kois set their gaze to the heavens with a discussion of the lost-in-space adventure yarn Project Hail Mary. Based on the book by Andy Weir and directed by genre movie savants Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, the sci-fi blockbuster stars Ryan Gosling and a big rock creature puppet.

Next, they hop across the pond for the launch of SNL UK, the British revamp of the venerable American comedy institution. Slate UK contributor and author of Deep Down, Imogen West-Knights joins to share her two pence on the show’s local reception.

Finally, the panel turns to Dan Kois’s epic, 8,500 word Slate essay on… bar soap. His opus—or “soapus," if you will— makes a persuasive case for why bar soap is a superior form of foam.

In an exclusive Slate Plus bonus segment, the gang gets into a listener question about analog media.

Endorsements

Julia: In addition to subscribing to L.A. Material, the great American junk food that is the corndog—the vibes and graphic design of Hot Dog on a Stick at the Santa Monica Pier are swell but seeking listener recommendations for the very best place to get a corndog.

Dan: For some '"higher gossip " and a bit of 1800s history, the book Parallel Lives: Five Victorian Marriages by Phyllis Rose.

Dana: The work of voice actor Ray Porter in the audiobook of Project Hail Mary and the interview Porter gives on the book podcast Off the Shelf.

Email us your thoughts at culturefest@slate.com.

Podcast production by Benjamin Frisch. Production assistance by Daniel Hirsch.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - A Lemon Pound Cake Just Saved Free Speech

Wed, 25 Mar 2026 07:00:00 GMT

On today’s episode, host Kate Lindsay is joined by Jonquilyn Hill, host of Vox’s Explain It To Me podcast. First, they recap musician Afroman’s free speech victory in court after he used security camera footage to make music videos for his songs about the police raiding his home in 2022. While songs like “Lemon Pound Cake” will live to see another day, Justin Timberlake’s legacy may be in peril now that footage of his infamous DUI arrest has been made public. But it’s what the footage doesn’t show that’s most concerning…

This podcast is produced by Vic Whitley-Berry, Daisy Rosario, and Kate Lindsay.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Decoder Ring - The Johnlock Conspiracy (Encore)

Wed, 25 Mar 2026 07:00:00 GMT

For over a century, fans of Sherlock Holmes have been analyzing, debating, and creating new texts with Arthur Conan Doyle’s characters. But when a fan theory emerged about the BBC TV show Sherlock that posited the inevitability of a gay romance between Sherlock Holmes and Dr. John Watson—it wreaked havoc on the community. In this episode, which originally aired in 2018, we explore the Johnlock Conspiracy, with help from historians, journalists, and the fans at the heart of the controversial idea. It’s almost a Holmesian tale itself, full of brilliant theories, false leads and mysterious motives—except for the ending, which, unlike in a Holmes story, isn’t very neat.

This episode was written by Willa Paskin. It was produced and edited by Benjamin Frisch, who also created the episode art. Shasha Leonárd provided production assistance, and Danielle Hewitt helped us fact check the episode. Decoder Ring is also produced by Katie Shepherd, Max Freedman, and Evan Chung, our supervising producer. Merritt Jacob is Senior Technical Director.

If you have any cultural mysteries you want us to decode, email us at DecoderRing@slate.com or leave a message on our hotline at (347) 460-7281.

Get more of Decoder Ring with Slate Plus! Join for exclusive bonus episodes of Decoder Ring and ad-free listening on all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe from the Decoder Ring show page on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Or, visit slate.com/decoderplus for access wherever you listen.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Culture Gabfest - Money On Film: Materialists

Tue, 24 Mar 2026 07:00:00 GMT

Welcome to a very special Money On Film miniseries!

Over three episodes, Slate Money’s Felix Salmon and Slate culture writer Nadira Goffe revisit three films at the intersection of culture and finance. On this episode, Felix and Nadira discuss dating and money in Celine Song’s 2025 romantic comedy Materialists, which centers on a love triangle between a millionaire matchmaker (Dakota Johnson), a hunky financier (Pedro Pascal), and an old flame and out-of-work actor (Chris Evans). While not particularly romantic or comedic, the film raises questions about the role money plays in modern dating, how we select partners based on financial viability, and whether romance itself might be a bit overrated.

Next time on Money On Film: Spirited Away. See you then!

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Death, Sex & Money - A Career Change? In This Economy?

Tue, 24 Mar 2026 07:00:00 GMT

Career pivots can be terrifying. How do you know when the time is right? Is it ever too late to switch jobs? What if the next thing is worse?

This week, we’ve assembled a panel of career change experts to answer your questions about whether and when to make big moves. Sophia Chang is a former hip-hop talent agent who started a mentorship nonprofit. Ed Zitron launched his own PR firm but then branched out and started writing and podcasting about the tech industry. Luke Peterson is a Minnesota farmer, who pivoted to agriculture even though he didn’t own any equipment or land.

This episode was produced by Zoe Azulay and Cameron Drews.

Get more Death, Sex & Money with Slate Plus! Join for exclusive bonus episodes of DSM and ad-free listening on all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe from the Death, Sex & Money show page on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Or, visit slate.com/dsmplus to get access wherever you listen.

If you’re new to the show, welcome. We’re so glad you’re here. Find us and follow us on Instagram and you can find Anna’s newsletter at annasale.substack.com. Our email address, where you can reach us with voice memos, pep talks, questions, critiques, is deathsexmoney@slate.com.

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Hang Up and Listen - The WNBA’s New Deal

Mon, 23 Mar 2026 22:15:00 GMT

Hosts Lindsay Gibbs, and Ben Lindbergh discuss the WNBA's new CBA, which contains massive salary increases, revenue sharing, and historic precedents for all women’s sports. Then host Alex Kirshner arrives for a conversation with Ben and his Effectively Wild co-host Meg Rowley to recap the World Baseball Classic and preview the MLB season.

In this week’s bonus episode for Slate Plus members, the hosts chat about the abundance of athlete-hosted podcasts –is anyone listening?

WNBA CBA: (8:18): From $66K to millions

MLB (29:34): Are the Pirates playoff material?

(Note: time codes are only accurate for Slate Plus members, who listen ad-free.)

You can email us at hangup@slate.com.

Podcast production and editing by Kevin Bendis, with production assistance from Patrick Fort

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - Why The Internet Is Arguing About Its Favorite Feminist

Sat, 21 Mar 2026 07:00:00 GMT

On today’s episode, host Kate Lindsay is joined by Slate senior writer Scaachi Koul, who profiled author Lindy West. West’s new book, Adult Braces, details, among many things, her coming to grips with being in a polyamorous relationship. But opening up this complicated story to an audience has incited a tidal-wave of feedback about not just West, but also her partners, Aham Oluo and Roya Amirsoleymani. West is no stranger to online trolls, but something about this time feels different—and the way she and her partners are responding (including in emails to Koul herself) is only making things worse.

This podcast is produced by Vic Whitley-Berry, Daisy Rosario, and Kate Lindsay, with help from Kevin Bendis.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hit Parade | Music History and Music Trivia - Feet on the Ground, Reaching for the Stars Edition Part 1

Sat, 21 Mar 2026 03:58:00 GMT

To mark Hit Parade’s 100th episode, host Chris Molanphy is doing something he’s never done: He’s going to talk about himself—and just how nerdy you have to be to host a show like Hit Parade. Chris reflects on the origins and depth of his chart fandom, and ponders existential questions like: What makes a person want to track these rankings? Why do we care about what, or who, is No. 1?

Join Chris for this exploration of how the charts have informed, inspired and infiltrated his life—and yours, too.

Coming up in Part 2: Chris pays tribute to one of his heroes and a huge influence on Hit Parade: the chart king who counted down the hits every week ... from coast to coast. Available on March 27, but Slate Plus members can listen right now!

Not a Slate Plus member? Get early access, bonus episodes of “The Bridge,” and ad-free listening across all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe directly from the Hit Parade show page on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Or, visit slate.com/hitparadeplus to get access wherever you listen.

Podcast production by Kevin Bendis.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Culture Gabfest - Money On Film: Margin Call

Fri, 20 Mar 2026 07:00:00 GMT

Welcome to a very special Money On Film miniseries!

Over three episodes, Slate Money’s Felix Salmon and Slate culture writer Nadira Goffe revisit three films at the intersection of culture and finance. On this episode, we’re headed to Wall Street to watch a Felix Salmon favorite: Margin Call, the 2011 thriller-drama starring a long list of famous people, including Jeremy Irons, Paul Bettany, Stanley Tucci, Demi Moore, and yes, Kevin Spacey.

Directed by J. C. Chandor, the film takes place at an investment bank on the brink of the Great Financial Crisis, as financiers struggle to maintain their balance sheets against the greatest villain of the aughts: mortgage-backed securities.

Coming up on Money On Film: the 2025 rom-com Materialists, followed by the animated masterpiece Spirited Away from 2001. See you next time!

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Culture Gabfest - One Oscar After Another Edition

Wed, 18 Mar 2026 07:05:00 GMT

On this week’s show, Dana and Steve are joined by long-time FOP Isaac Butler (and author of the forthcoming book The Perfect Moment: God, Sex, Art, and the Birth of America's Culture Wars.) They step into this week’s cultural trenches by way of an animatronic beaver den in Pixar’s Hoppers. Does the kooky eco-romp revive Pixar from its much-discussed slump? They discuss.

Next, they step to the frontlines of middle-age malaise in the new HBO limited series DTF St. Louis, a sex comedy and meditation on male friendship mashed up with a murder mystery starring Jason Bateman, David Harbour, and Linda Cardellini.

Finally, they debrief on the various battles for golden men in a recap and analysis of the 98th Academy Awards. Are the Oscars a real measure of artistic value? What do this year’s ceremony and winners say about the state of cinema? Why are they so long? Your questions answered here.

In an exclusive bonus episode for Slate Plus subscribers, the panel takes up a recent excerpt from Michael Pollan’s new book A World Appears: A Journey into Consciousness.

Endorsements

Isaac: An earlier instance of Jason Bateman playing sinister, the 2015 thriller The Gift, directed by Joel Edgerton. (Also, don’t forget to pre-order The Perfect Moment: God, Sex, Art, and the Birth of America's Culture Wars)

Steve: The work of the recently deceased philosopher Jürgen Habermas. As a starting off point, read the Wikipedia page of his early work The Structural Transformation of the Public Sphere.

Dana: For more beaver-related slapstick, the exceedingly low-budget 2022 debut—produced for just $150,000— of director Mike Cheslik Hundreds of Beavers.

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Email us your thoughts at culturefest@slate.com.

Podcast production by Benjamin Frisch. Production assistance by Daniel Hirsch.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - Meet The Professional Clout-Chaser

Wed, 18 Mar 2026 07:00:00 GMT

On today’s episode, host Kate Lindsay is joined by Slate staff writer Nadira Goffe to answer the question everyone is asking since he appeared in a viral moment from the Oscars’ red carpet: Who TF is Jake Shane? The TikTokker has a podcast, an upcoming Hulu show, and a role at a candy company, but is best known for just being around famous people. He insists he’s not a journalist, but he’s not quite a celebrity himself, either. Is this our first “professional clout-chaser” (non-derogatory)?

This podcast is produced by Vic Whitley-Berry, Daisy Rosario, and Kate Lindsay.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Death, Sex & Money - AI Confessions: A Chatbot Ended My Marriage

Tue, 17 Mar 2026 07:00:00 GMT

Soon after his wife started experimenting with ChatGPT last summer, Rob* says her demeanor began to change. He says she started using mystical speech, running all communication through AI, and filed for divorce. Now, Rob is left to wonder how much he’s to blame for the end of their marriage and how much can be explained by “AI-induced psychosis.”

Also in this episode, Anna talks to psychologist Dr. Zak Stein, director of the AI Psychological Harms Research Coalition, about his theory of chatbots and “attachment hacking.”

*name changed for privacy

If you or a loved one had an experience with an AI spiral and want to check out Rob’s discord, send a message through https://thehumanlineproject.org/

Podcast production by Zoe Azulay

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hang Up and Listen - America's Wild, Weird World Baseball Classic

Mon, 16 Mar 2026 23:30:00 GMT

Hosts Alex Kirshner, Lindsay Gibbs, and Ben Lindbergh discuss the thrilling World Baseball Classic semifinal between Team USA and the Dominican Republic, as well as the missed calls, Navy SEAL visits, and other strange drama surrounding the tournament. Then the panel previews NCAA March Madness tournament before closing with a look at the expanding connections between Jeffrey Epstein and figures across the sports world.

In this week’s bonus episode for Slate Plus members, the hosts chat about Bam Adebayo’s historic 83-point run against the Washington Wizards last week.

WBC: (4:52): The called strike heard round the world

March Madness (23:01): Chalk talk.

Epstein and Sports (42:01): The revolting revelations about Steve Tisch

(Note: time codes are only accurate for Slate Plus members, who listen ad-free.)

You can email us at hangup@slate.com.

Podcast production and editing by Kevin Bendis, with production assistance from Patrick Fort.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - The “My Husband Hates Me” Influencer

Sat, 14 Mar 2026 07:00:00 GMT

On today’s episode, guest host Scaachi Koul is joined by journalist and content creator Melanie Hamlett to talk about the trend of wives who make content about the husbands who seem to hate them. Melanie has covered the toxic dynamics of some heterosexual relationships for years, including a viral 2019 article for Harper’s Bazaar. She was recently interviewed as part of an article for The Cut called I Love My Husband (Who Hates Me).

Get more of ICYMI with Slate Plus! Join for exclusive bonus episodes of ICYMI and ad-free listening on all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe from the ICYMI show page on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Or, visit slate.com/icymiplus for access wherever you listen.

This podcast episode is produced by Vic Whitley-Berry, Daisy Rosario, and guest host Scaachi Koul.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Culture Gabfest - Paul Is Not Dead Yet Edition

Wed, 11 Mar 2026 07:05:00 GMT

On this week’s monster mash, Steve, Dana, and Julia gather around the proverbial reanimation laboratory to take on the nutty, goth, and unbridled The Bride! Maggie Gyllenhaal’s feminist—or not, it’s up for debate—retelling of Frankenstein features a truly committed performance from Jessie Buckley. Do the disjointed pieces add to a coherent whole? They discuss.

Next, they take a look at Paul McCartney: Man on the Run, the Morgan Neville documentary about the moment when the legendary songwriter and rockstar stopped being a Beatle and had to become something else.

Finally, they wade through the morass of titles like How to Tame a Silver Fox and Ms. CEO’s Baby Daddy Is the Merchant of Death to explore the exceedingly cheap and increasingly popular world of vertical micro-dramas via the app ReelShort.

In a bonus episode for Slate Plus subscribers, they tackle the question of when, in fact, one becomes an adult—inspired by a recent piece in The New Yorker by Shayla Love.

And if you’re watching the Oscars this week, don’t miss a chance for a special live pre-show with your fave Gabfest critics. Dana joins Isaac Butler, Nadira Goffe, and Sam Adams on Thursday, March 12, for an Oscars preview unlike any other. They’ll weigh in on the sinners and saints of this year’s award season.

Endorsements

Dana: The compilation of Kris Kristofferson songs The Essential Kris Kristofferson, especially the first disc.

Julia: The Helen Garner novel The Spare Room. Also her new LA-based news outlet, L.A. Material, launching next week.

Steve: Jean Guéhenno's account of life in Occupied France Diary of the Dark Years, 1940-1944.

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Email us your thoughts at culturefest@slate.com.

Podcast production by Benjamin Frisch. Production assistance by Daniel Hirsch.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - Encore: Nobody Wants to Party Anymore

Wed, 11 Mar 2026 07:00:00 GMT

On today’s encore episode, host Kate Lindsay is joined by sociologist and content creator Josh Lora, who goes by @tellthebeees on TikTok and Substack. In his viral piece, “The Mainstreaming of Loserdom,” Lora explores how a generation of people is becoming proudly anti-social, often in favor of staying home on their phones. While less and less people may be partying, they’re not exactly happy about it. Are we doomed to doomscroll, or can we fight for our right to party again?

This podcast is produced by Vic Whitley-Berry, Daisy Rosario, and Kate Lindsay.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Decoder Ring - Was "Eyes Wide Shut" a Warning?

Wed, 11 Mar 2026 07:00:00 GMT

When Eyes Wide Shut opened in the summer of 1999, it was widely considered a disappointment. This final film from legendary director Stanley Kubrick had been sold as an erotic thriller, and potentially even a peek into the real sex lives of its then-married stars, Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman. But Eyes Wide Shut was stranger than that: a meditative art film whose much-hyped orgy scene is more creepy than sexy, run by a cabal of rich and powerful men who prey on young women.

But Eyes Wide Shut has received a burst of new attention in the last few years, amid constant revelations about a real-life cabal of rich and powerful men who prey on young women. Across the internet, cinema sleuths have been asking: is it possible Eyes Wide Shut was not fictional? Was Stanley Kubrick trying to warn the world about a real conspiracy? And if so… was he murdered for it?

In this episode of Decoder Ring, we follow Lane Brown—a lifelong Kubrick fan and features writer for New York Magazine—as he investigates this conspiracy theory and what it says about how we deal with ugly facts and murky fictions.

This episode was written and produced by Max Freedman and edited by Willa Paskin. Decoder Ring is also produced by Katie Shepherd and Evan Chung, our supervising producer. Merritt Jacob is Senior Technical Director.

If you have any cultural mysteries you want us to decode, email us at DecoderRing@slate.com or leave a message on our hotline at (347) 460-7281.

Sources for This Episode

Barbezat, Michael. “‘Pizzagate’ and the Nocturnal Ritual Fantasy: Imaginary Cults, Fake News, and Real Violence,” The Public Medievalist, May 4, 2017.

Brown, Lane. “The Eyes Wide Shut Conspiracy,” New York Magazine, Dec. 17, 2025.

Ebiri, Bilge. “An Oral History of an Orgy,” New York Magazine, June 27, 2019.

Nicholson, Amy. “The Year Tom Cruise Gave Not One but Two Dangerously Vulnerable Performances,” The New York Times, Aug. 27, 2024.

Raftery, Brian. “Dream Team: Cruise, Kidman, Kubrick, and the making of Eyes Wide Shut,” New York Magazine, Apr. 15, 2019.

Shapiro, Lila. “What I Learned After Watching Eyes Wide Shut 100 Times,” New York Magazine, July 1, 2019.

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Death, Sex & Money - AI Confessions: A Chatbot Saved My Life

Tue, 10 Mar 2026 07:00:00 GMT

This week and next, we’re talking to listeners about how chatbots are impacting their personal lives. Anna talks to a parent getting tips on how to raise a teenager, an American abroad who turned to ChatGPT for grief counseling, a therapist who says Claude is better than a lot of her peers, and a husband who says AI broke up their marriage.

Podcast production by Zoe Azulay

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hang Up and Listen - The Quarterback Bargain Bin

Mon, 09 Mar 2026 23:00:00 GMT

Hosts Alex Kirshner, Lindsay Gibbs, and Ben Lindbergh discuss the unusually high number of NFL teams that are seeking new quarterbacks via trades and free agency amid a weak draft class. Later: Why the Miami (Ohio) RedHawks could be left out of March Madness despite an undefeated regular season. Finally, Lindsay breaks down some of the stranger aspects of the WNBA’s collective-bargaining process—and the behind-the-scenes contributions of Kelsey Plum and Breanna Stewart.

In this week’s bonus episode for Slate Plus members, the hosts turn to the Celtics’ improbable (and slightly annoying) dominance despite missing their best player for most of the season.

Quarterback merry-go-round: (10:34): Tua to Atlanta?

Miami Redhawks (26:36): 31-0.

WNBA CBA (41:52): A Union divided?

(Note: time codes are only accurate for Slate Plus members, who listen ad-free.)

You can email us at hangup@slate.com.

Podcast production and editing by Kevin Bendis, with production assistance from Joel Meyer.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - Anthropic Isn't Woke

Sat, 07 Mar 2026 08:00:00 GMT

On today’s episode, host Kate Lindsay is joined by Slate editor Tony Ho Tran to talk about everyone’s sudden obsession with Anthropic, the AI company that refused to allow the Trump administration to use it for potential domestic surveillance and autonomous weapons. Now, the right is branding them as “woke,” and the left is rushing to download Claude, Anthropic’s AI chatbot. Both sides, however, are wrong. An AI company will never be the leader of the #resistance, and stanning them for this choice risks normalizing all of AI’s other problems.

This podcast is produced by Vic Whitley-Berry, Daisy Rosario, and Kate Lindsay.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Culture Gabfest - Elvis Has Entered the Building Edition

Wed, 04 Mar 2026 08:05:00 GMT

On this week’s show, Steve is joined by June Thomas, author of A Place of Our Own, and Michael Schulman, author of Her Again and Oscar Wars, for some rollicking Gabfest discourse. First up, they get all shook up by EPiC: Elvis Presley in Concert, the concert documentary directed by Baz Luhrmann from archival Elvis performance footage. Does the master of cinematic spectacle bring the King back to life?

Next, they turn to The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins, the new sitcom from 30 Rock co-creator Robert Carlock starring Tracy Morgan. Finally, they examine the uncanny and profound phenomena of posthumously-published celebrity interviews—including Eric Dane and Jane Goodall—of Netflix’s Famous Last Words specials. Existential bravery or exploitative trash? They discuss.

In an exclusive bonus episode for Slate Plus subscribers, the panel weighs in on the best casting Oscar race.

Endorsements

Michael: The audiobook of the memoir I Regret Almost Everything by Keith McNally as narrated by the incomparable Richard E. Grant.

June: Two niche podcasts featuring conversations with authors of biography including Bio, the official podcast of the Biographers International Organization, and Biographers in Conversation. Also, jumping on the Richard E. Grant train, the BBC parody cooking series Posh Nosh starring Grant and Arabella Weir.

Steve: The recent essay “The Stony Dark Within” by Joy Williams about Rainer Maria Rilke in the New York Review of Books.

Email us your thoughts at culturefest@slate.com.

Podcast production by Benjamin Frisch. Production assistance by Daniel Hirsch.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - Our Celebrity GoFundMe Dystopia

Wed, 04 Mar 2026 08:00:00 GMT

On today’s episode, host Kate Lindsay is joined by journalist Lorena O’Neil to talk about the rise in celebrities’ families using GoFundMe to fundraise after their deaths. In her piece for Rolling Stone, Lorena spoke to experts about why GoFundMes like Eric Dane’s and James Van Der Beek’s are becoming so common, but also why we feel so weird about it. If healthcare can financially devastate both celebrities and regular people alike, then who is really to blame?

This podcast is produced by Daisy Rosario, Vic Whitley-Berry, and Kate Lindsay.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Death, Sex & Money - After Two Wars and PTSD, He Became an Oyster Farmer. Why is He Running for Senate?

Tue, 03 Mar 2026 08:00:00 GMT

Graham Platner has never run for elected office before. He’s a war veteran, an oyster farmer, and now he’s running in a Democratic primary to eventually unseat Senator Susan Collins of Maine. He’s ahead in the polls, but he’s also been criticized for Reddit comments from his past and recently covered up a tattoo that looks suspiciously like a Nazi symbol (a connection he denies knowing about).

Last week, before the recent attacks on Iran, Anna sat down with Graham to discuss his unlikely outsider campaign. They also talk about his upbringing in rural Maine, his military experience (and current anti-war stance), and what politicians need to do to actually help working people today.

This episode was produced by Cameron Drews and Daisy Rosario. You can see a longer, video version of this interview at youtube.com/slate.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hang Up and Listen - Trump’s Olympic Locker Room Talk

Mon, 02 Mar 2026 23:30:00 GMT

Hosts Alex Kirshner, Lindsay Gibbs, and Ben Lindbergh revisit the whirlwind week for the U.S. men’s hockey team, after their gold medal win, and SOTU and White House visits. Then, the Ringer’s Megan Schuster joins to preview the new season of Formula 1 and its broadcasting move to Apple TV. To close, Ben breaks down what to look out for in the World Baseball Classic, which starts this week.

On the bonus episode, available exclusively for Slate Plus members, the hosts share their highs and lows of watching the Winter Olympics.

Hockey and Politics: (3:45): The U.S. men’s hockey team gets their Big Macs

F1 (20:02): Formula One’s new home at Apple

WBC (44:24): The American baseball dream team still has an uphill battle

(Note: time codes are only accurate for Slate Plus members, who listen ad-free.)

You can email us at hangup@slate.com.

Podcast production and editing by Kevin Bendis, with production assistance from Patrick Fort.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - Influencers Are Cashing In On Nancy Guthrie

Sat, 28 Feb 2026 08:00:00 GMT

On today’s episode, host Kate Lindsay and Slate staff writer Luke Winkie debrief after Luke’s scene report from outside Nancy Guthrie’s Arizona home. The 84-year-old was reported missing on February 1, and ever since, true-crime creators have been livestreaming from her home, spreading theories, and profiting off her disappearance without any journalistic or investigative experience. Independent creators redefining news and media isn’t necessarily a bad thing, so why does this feel so sinister?

This podcast is produced by Daisy Rosario, Vic Whitley-Berry, and Kate Lindsay.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hit Parade | Music History and Music Trivia - Country Roads and Summer Nights Edition Part 2

Fri, 27 Feb 2026 08:00:00 GMT

These days, country and pop acts regularly invade each other’s territory. But in Nashville during the 1970s, “crossover” was a dirty word. Then came two rising stars who offered up a new hybrid of Americana-style pop.

John Denver infused his folk balladry with homespun lyrics about country roads and wide-open skies. Olivia Newton-John sang over twangy melodies that belied her British-Australian roots. Both faced backlash—especially when they started topping the country and pop charts simultaneously and winning prizes that used to go to Nashville legends.

Eventually, both artists outgrew country music. Denver became a ubiquitous entertainer and beloved Muppet wingman. Newton-John dazzled in the film Grease, then reinvented herself as a leather-clad siren unafraid to get physical.

Join Chris Molanphy as he traces the parallel rise of two country-pop titans from the Rocky Mountains to Xanadu.

Get more Hit Parade with Slate Plus! Join for monthly early-access episodes, bonus episodes of "The Bridge," and ad-free listening across all your favorite Slate podcasts. Visit slate.com/hitparadeplus to get access wherever you listen.

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ICYMI - The Olympic Gold In Going Viral

Wed, 25 Feb 2026 08:00:00 GMT

On today’s episode, host Kate Lindsay and senior supervising producer Daisy Rosario reflect on the 2026 Winter Olympics—but not just what happened out on the ice. There was a different Olympics unfolding on social media, with viral moments from the ceremony that deserve their own gold, silver, and bronze medals. Kate and Daisy rank them, and also finally break their silence on the internet’s other current fixation: Punch the monkey.

This podcast is produced by Daisy Rosario, Vic Whitley-Berry, and Kate Lindsay.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Culture Gabfest - The Creator of Derry Girls Is Back Edition

Wed, 25 Feb 2026 08:00:00 GMT

The original trio Steve, Dana, and Julia convene for a right cracker of a Gabfest as they discuss How to Get to Heaven from Belfast, the new comedic mystery from Derry Girls creator Lisa McGee. In the Netflix series, three longtime Belfast friends must revisit their childhood trauma to unravel the mystery of a fourth friend’s disappearance— raucous Northern Irish hijinks ensue.

Next, they step into the unhinged dystopian Los Angeles of Gore Verbinski’s new film Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Die. In it a beleaguered time traveler played by Sam Rockwell must visit the same Norm’s diner 117 times to save the world from the menace of A.I..

Finally, they welcome Slate senior writer Christina Cauterucci to unpack her recent piece “My Gun and Me” about her unlikely journey towards gun ownership during Trump 2.0—and how she’s not alone in doing so in her left-leaning, queer community.

In an exclusive bonus episode for Slate Plus subscribers, they determine if there are indeed no comfortable reading positions, as a recent Slate essay by Luke Winkie attests.

Endorsements

Dana: The latest Today in Tabs entry from Rusty Foster "A.I. Isn't People."

Julia: In lieu of an endorsement, a gripe: the much-hyped New York Times two-player word game Crossplay is just Scrabble! (If only there were a German word for this specific form of disappointment...)

Steve: Rereading J.D. Salinger with some distance from one’s own adolescence— particularly Franny and Zooey and the short story "For Esmé—with Love and Squalor." And for a good critical reassessment, read Janet Malcolm's New York Review of Books essay "Justice to J.D. Salinger."

Email us your thoughts at culturefest@slate.com.

Podcast production by Benjamin Frisch. Production assistance by Daniel Hirsch.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Decoder Ring - A Prune by Any Other Name

Wed, 25 Feb 2026 08:00:00 GMT

The delicious, healthful prune has long had a cross to bear: It’s best known for making people poop. In the late 1990s, the California Prune Board set out on a quixotic mission to amend this sales-flattening reputation. It would attempt to rechristen this ancient fruit in the hopes the prune could one day be as unencumbered as an apricot, a raisin, or a fig.

In a world where every product and person increasingly believes it’s one good rebrand away from changing how they are seen, the story of the prune’s attempt to become the “dried plum” is a telling tale about the impossibility of escaping who you really are—and the freedom that comes with self-acceptance.

You’ll hear from Richard Peterson, retired Executive Director of the California Prune Board; food writer and chef David Liebovitz; lawyer and lobbyist Dan Haley; and Kiaran Locy, Director of Brand and Industry Communications at the California Prune Board.

This episode was written by Willa Paskin. It was edited by Evan Chung, our supervising producer. It was produced by Katie Shepherd. Decoder Ring is also produced by Max Freedman. Merritt Jacob is Senior Technical Director.

If you have any cultural mysteries you want us to decode, email us at DecoderRing@slate.com or leave a message on our hotline at (347) 460-7281.

Sources for This Episode

Barry, Dave. Dave Barry Hits Below the Beltway, Ballantine Books, 2002.

Brasher, Philip. “FDA Approves Prune Name Change,” ABC News, Feb. 1, 2001.

Brasher, Philip. “Where's the beef? Kids give prune burgers the taste test,” Associated Press, Jan 29, 2002.

Cimons, Marlene. “A New Wrinkle for the Prune Industry,” Los Angeles Times, Dec. 21, 1999.

Crespi, John M., Harry M. Kaiser, Julian M. Alston, and Richard J. Sexton. “The Evaluation of Prune Promotion by the California Dried Plum Board,” The Economics of Commodity Promotion Programs: Lessons from California, Peter Lang USA, 2005.

Davis, Glenn. “French History in Your City: San Jose, California - the Pellier Brothers,” Yale National Initiative, Sep. 2015.

Fabricant, Florence. “In France, the Prune Holds a Noble Station,” The New York Times, Oct. 31, 2001.

Fabricant, Florence. “Responsible Party: Richard Peterson; Rejuvenating The Humble Prune,” The New York Times, Aug. 13, 2000.

Fabricant, Florence. “Underapprecaited: The Humble Prune,” The New York Times, Oct. 12, 1983.

A Fortune In Two Old Trunks. Sunsweet, 1947.

Fullan, Genevieve. “In Defense of Prunes,” Eater, Jun 21, 2022.

Gellene, Denise. “New Wrinkle in an Old Story,” Los Angeles Times, Oct 16, 1997.

Good Wrinkles. Sunsweet, 1951.

Kamen, Al. “Sunday in the Loop: Plum Outta Luck,” Washington Post, Dec. 11, 1999.

Koger, Chris. “Dried plums no longer: California prunes have new brand,” The Packer, Nov. 15, 2022.

Lucas, Greg. “Who'd Have Thought? Pruneburgers / Juicy, tender and low-fat, they're surprising hits in school cafeterias,” San Francisco Chronicle, Aug. 9, 1999.

Martin, Ronda Beaman. “Stan Freberg—His Credits and Contributions to Advertising,” M.A. Thesis, Texas Tech University, Dec. 1986.

McKay, Leonard. “Louis Pellier,” San Jose Inside, Sep. 25, 2006.

Morse, Rob. “Hold the prunes, hold the lettuce,” San Francisco Examiner, July 28, 1999.

“Prune gets $10 million makeover -- as dried plum,” CNN, Sep. 13, 2000.

Rao, Tejal. “In Praise of the Prune,” The New York Times Magazine, Feb. 16, 2017.

Roach, Mary. “The power of prunes,” Salon, Nov. 5, 1999.

Waters, Michael. “When the Dried Plum Lobby Tried to Make Pruneburgers Happen,” Atlas Obscura, April 13, 2018.

Zasky, Jason. “Prunes: Turning Over a New Leaf,” Failure Magazine, Apr. 16, 2002.

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Death, Sex & Money - Not Wanting Kids Cost Me My Marriage

Tue, 24 Feb 2026 08:00:00 GMT

When Helena de Groot got married she didn't want children, but her husband did. For eight years, love was enough to paper over their differences. Then an unplanned pregnancy forced them to finally choose.

Listen to her terrific new podcast Creation Myth, out now from the CBC.

This episode was produced by Andrew Dunn.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hang Up and Listen - American Hockey Story

Mon, 23 Feb 2026 23:00:00 GMT

Hosts Alex Kirshner, Lindsay Gibbs, and Ben Lindbergh relive the dual wins for Team USA's women's and men’s hockey teams and examine how MAGA has co-opted the victory. Then, they’re joined by journalist Chris Dalby, author of the Sports and Crime newsletter, goes deep on why Trump seems to love pardoning athletes. Next, the hosts get into the alarming expansion of sports betting via prediction markets. And finally, Ben brings us an Afterball on the demise of the European Super League.

On the bonus episode, available exclusively for Slate Plus members, the hosts share their highs and lows of watching the Winter Olympics.

Olympics Hockey: (--): Team USA brings home gold.

Trump Pardons (--): Chris Dalby breaks down what’s really going on.

Prediction Markets (--): Who will reign in this new way of betting?

European Super League (--): Ben eulogizes the failed league.

Episode Notes:

Alex in Slate on America’s reckless, brilliant strategy to beat Canada.
This New York Times breakdown of the move that beat Chloe Kim in the halfpipe
Chris Dalby on Donald Trump’s love of pardoning athletes.

(Note: time codes are only accurate for Slate Plus members, who listen ad-free.)

You can email us at hangup@slate.com.

Podcast production and editing by Kevin Bendis, with production assistance from Patrick Fort.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - Boys Just Wanna Looksmax

Sat, 21 Feb 2026 08:00:00 GMT

On today’s episode, host Kate Lindsay is joined by writer Charlie Sosnick to break down “looksmaxxing.” While the trend—which involves things like jaw surgery and “bone smashing” to achieve mathematically-determined levels of attractiveness—has existed for some time in incel forums, creators like Clavicular have brought it mainstream. Now, teenage boys are growing up with their own kind of beauty standard, one that insists their success in life is determined by arbitrary factors like the width of their clavicles or tilt of their eyes. Rooted in racism and eugenics, the movement risks normalizing a new kind of masculinity that’s barely even human.

This podcast is produced by Daisy Rosario, Vic Whitley-Berry, and Kate Lindsay.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Culture Gabfest - Heathcliff, It’s Me Cathy Edition

Wed, 18 Feb 2026 08:00:00 GMT

This week, Dana is joined by Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times film critic and host of the podcast Unspooled, as well as Jamelle Bouie, New York Times columnist and host of the podcast Unclear and Present Danger. They discuss love affairs, lustful, glamorous, and interspecies.

First up, it’s the lustful as they take up Emerald Fennell’s bodice-ripping adaptation of “Wuthering Heights.” Starring Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi as the doomed duo Cathy and Heathcliff, the adaptation promises an over-the-top, camp spin on the Gothic tale but does it offer enough depravity to really deliver?

Next, it’s on to the glamorous with the Ryan Murphy-produced, CK One-scented limited series Love Story: JFK Jr. and Carolyn Bessette about the tragic love story of the political scion and New York fashion It Girl.

Finally, they discuss all the interspecies hijinks and backstage chaos in the delightful revival of The Muppet Show.

In an exclusive bonus episode for Slate Plus subscribers, the trio of cinephiles celebrate recent reporting that movie theaters are cool again.

Endorsements

Jamelle: William Wyler's 1939 version of Wuthering Heights starring Laurence Olivier— and while you're visiting the Criterion Channel, check out their collection Mervyn LeRoy’s Pre-Code Films.

Amy: Gore Verbinski's new film Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Die, in theaters now.

Dana: The patient, observant documentaries of the recently deceased filmmaker Frederick Wiseman, several of which are available to stream on Kanopy.

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Email us your thoughts at culturefest@slate.com.

Podcast production by Benjamin Frisch. Production assistance by Daniel Hirsch.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - Are You the “Finger Princess” In Your Group Chat?

Wed, 18 Feb 2026 08:00:00 GMT

On today’s episode, host Kate Lindsay is joined by Jenna Ryu, a lifestyle writer at SELF whose piece, “Meet the ‘Finger Princess’: The Annoying Friend Everyone Has,” introduced the term for a persistent pet peeve. “Finger princess,” the English translation of the Korean phrase ping-peu, applies to those in the group chat who ask questions instead of Googling, and refuse to scroll up to see if their question has already been answered. But by calling out finger princesses, are we actually being the finger police?

This podcast is produced by Daisy Rosario, Vic Whitley-Berry, and Kate Lindsay.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hang Up and Listen - The War On Tanking

Tue, 17 Feb 2026 23:45:00 GMT

Hosts Alex Kirshner, Lindsay Gibbs, and Ben Lindbergh examine the NBA’s growing tanking problem and the league’s ongoing struggle to make the All-Star Game competitive. Then they’re joined by sportswriter, Neil Paine, to discuss the rise of Connor Zilisch, a young NASCAR driver drawing comparisons to Jeff Gordon. To close, Hang Up vet, Josh Levin, returns to talk all things Winter Olympics and what he’s looking forward to in its last week.

Ben also has an Afterball on the Snoop Dogg-ification of the Olympics and sports in general.

On the bonus episode, available exclusively for Slate Plus members, the panel talks about the NCAA's messy player eligibility lawsuits.

NBA (2:39): The race to the bottom

NASCAR (20:40): A new young phenom racing to the top

Olympics with Josh (37:38): Levin crosses the hog line!

Afterballs (01:00:14): Ben drops it like it's hot

(Note: time codes are only accurate for Slate Plus members, who listen ad-free.)

You can email us at hangup@slate.com.

Podcast production and editing by Kevin Bendis, with production assistance from Patrick Fort.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Death, Sex & Money - The TikTok Channel Telling Male Athletes to Love Each Other

Tue, 17 Feb 2026 08:00:00 GMT

Here at DSM, we’ve been enjoying Heated Rivalry, the HBO series about two pro hockey players who begin a secret love affair. The show is steamy, but it also highlights some persistent problems in male sports culture, namely, that same-sex relationships are still extremely taboo.

But one TikTok account is trying to change that culture for the better. Sex Ed for Guys was started by athletes at Colby College in Maine, and their videos promote emotional vulnerability and openness, strong male friendships, safe sex, and lots more. This week, Anna talks to three of those athletes (Chris Maichin, Jack Gatjanis, and Mitch Humphrey) and to Adam Howard, their faculty mentor.

This episode was produced by Cameron Drews.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - The Best Dating App Profile? A Sh*tpost

Sat, 14 Feb 2026 08:00:00 GMT

On today’s episode, host Kate Lindsay is joined by writer Sonia Weiser to discuss her piece, “I Made My Dating Profile Weird on Purpose. It’s Surprisingly Effective.” People have been frustrated with dating apps for some time, but now the rise of AI has made profiles boring and inauthentic. When everyone looks and talks the same, it’s even harder to find a spark. Instead, Sonia and a number of other dating app users have decided to stop taking the apps so seriously, and use them to shitpost their way to finding love instead.

This podcast is produced by Daisy Rosario, Vic Whitley-Berry, and Kate Lindsay.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hit Parade | Music History and Music Trivia - Country Roads and Summer Nights Edition Part 1

Sat, 14 Feb 2026 02:30:00 GMT

Join Chris Molanphy as he traces the parallel rise of two country-pop titans from the Rocky Mountains to Xanadu.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - Stop Memeing the Epstein Files

Wed, 11 Feb 2026 08:00:00 GMT

On today’s episode, host Kate Lindsay is joined by Kat Tenbarge, who wrote “There's nothing funny about the Epstein Files,” to discuss how the internet has turned Jeffrey Epstein into a meme. While dark humor has long been a way to process tragic events, online shitposts about the sex offender and alleged sex trafficker risk minimizing his crimes. Instead of justice, the public is using the newly-released files to score internet points at the expense of victims.

This podcast is produced by Daisy Rosario, Vic Whitley-Berry, and Kate Lindsay.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Decoder Ring - Making Coal Cute Again

Wed, 11 Feb 2026 08:00:00 GMT

Three weeks ago, U.S. Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum shared an unusual tweet: a cartoon image of himself with his arm draped around a giant, anthropomorphized lump of coal. This piece of coal has big googly eyes and a smudge of a nose, and is wearing a safety vest and a hard hat. He is, frankly, adorable—and he has a name: Coalie.

When Coalie first appeared on the internet, he went viral—ridiculed on social media, in newsletters, and even on late night talk shows. And that’s because this big-eyed, cute piece of coal was widely understood to be coal propaganda, a tool to soften the coal industry’s image.

But the truth about Coalie is more complicated. His origins tell a story about what it’s like for federal employees to try to do their work while navigating the Trump administration’s agenda. Coalie may be widely seen as a mascot for coal mining, but that’s not what he was made for.

In this episode, you’ll hear from Simone Randolph, Director of Communications for the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSMRE); Sara Eckert, formerly of OSMRE; Slate staff writer Nitish Pahwa; and Leah Stokes, who researches climate and energy policy at the University of California, Santa Barbara and co-hosts the podcast A Matter of Degrees.

Thank you to Daniel Raimi, Tony Ho Tran, and Hannah Northey.

This episode was written by Willa Paskin and Evan Chung and produced by Evan Chung, Decoder Ring’s supervising producer. Our show is also produced by Max Freedman and Katie Shepherd. Merritt Jacob is Senior Technical Director.

If you have any cultural mysteries you want us to decode, email us at DecoderRing@slate.com or leave a message on our hotline at (347) 460-7281.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Culture Gabfest - Bad Bunny Spikes the Football Edition

Wed, 11 Feb 2026 08:00:00 GMT

The sugarcane fields! La casita! Piraguas! Lady Gaga! Ricky Martin! An actual wedding! Bad Bunny’s immense and boisterous Super Bowl Halftime show brought a whole Puerto Rican universe to Levi’s Stadium and into American viewers’ homes. Julia and guest hosts Nadira Goffe and Rebecca Onion revel in the joyful spectacle and are joined by Slate writer Joshua Rivera to decode the inclusive politics of this party.

Next, the panel examines the bracing, anxiety-inducing film If I Had Legs I’d Kick You. Starring a ferocious and funny Rose Byrne and directed by Mary Bronstein, it’s a jittery, intense portrait of motherhood.

Finally, they discuss the hugely popular podcast The Rest Is History and ponder how two British dudes—Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook—talking about things like the Battle of Carthage captured so much attention and admiration.

In an exclusive bonus episode for Slate Plus subscribers, it’s time for some Wednesday morning quarterbacking to size up the big game’s real players: the commercials.

Endorsements

Nadira: The new album of footwork music OVERTIME by the underground hip hop outfit usertime and Marsh crane as well as the new album URGH by the English–French noise rock band Mandy, Indiana.

Rebecca: The novel The Director by Daniel Kehlmann and the 2011 appropriately moody Bronte adaptation Wuthering Heights directed by Andrea Arnold.

Julia: The new cookbook by Joshua McFadden Six Seasons of Pasta — try all the absurd little steps at least once, the cheese gravel is good!

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Email us your thoughts at culturefest@slate.com.

Podcast production by Benjamin Frisch. Production assistance by Daniel Hirsch.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Death, Sex & Money - Becoming a Parent Of Six, At 25

Tue, 10 Feb 2026 08:00:00 GMT

On the air, Yesi Ortiz is a warm, flirty host for a popular L.A. hip hop station. Off the air, she’s a single mother of six adopted kids. Managing both roles, plus romance, is a challenge.

This episode originally aired in 2015.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hang Up and Listen - The Bad Bunny Super Bowl

Tue, 10 Feb 2026 02:00:00 GMT

Hosts Alex Kirshner, Lindsay Gibbs, and Ben Lindbergh break down the Seattle Seahawks’ brickwall defense in the Super Bowl, plus Bad Bunny’s refreshing halftime performance.

The panel then pivots to the stranger corners of the NBA trade deadline before welcoming college sports writer Jesse Dougherty, who discusses his experience as part of the Washington Post sports desk that was recently eliminated in a round of mass layoffs.

Ben has an Afterball on Team USA’s World Baseball Classic glow-up.

On the bonus episode, available exclusively for Slate Plus members, the panel talks about week one of the Olympics.

Super Bowl (3:06): The Only Thing More Powerful Than Hate Is Love

NBA Trades (22:10): Anthony Davis is banished to Washington

Washington Post cuts (39:36): A historic sports section is no more

Afterballs (01:04:44): Ben on a new WBC dream team

(Note: time codes are only accurate for Slate Plus members, who listen ad-free.)

You can email us at hangup@slate.com.

Podcast production and editing by Kevin Bendis, with production assistance from Patrick Fort.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - This Country Runs On Slop

Sat, 07 Feb 2026 08:00:00 GMT

On today’s episode, host Kate Lindsay is joined by Mia Sato, reporter at The Verge and author of the recent piece, “The rise of the slopagandist.” Creators like Nick Shirley are claiming to be journalists, making unfounded accusations against immigrants that directly result in ICE raids, including the unrest in Minneapolis that resulted in the death of two civilians. The content is lazy and designed to generate outrage, but is only becoming more influential as traditional journalism continues to decline.

This podcast is produced by Daisy Rosario, Vic Whitley-Berry, and Kate Lindsay.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Culture Gabfest - The Boss Responds to Minneapolis Edition

Wed, 04 Feb 2026 08:15:00 GMT

This week, Steve, Dana and guest host Sam Adams talk anti-authoritarian art in its many forms. First, they take up It Was Just an Accident, the Cannes Palme d’Or-winning film by Iranian filmmaker Jafar Panahi. Inspired in part by Panahi’s own experience being imprisoned for critiquing the Iranian government, his new film—made in secret from the regime— holds back little in its sharp political critique, rage, and… a surprising amount of comedy.

Not surprising in its amount of comedy— but maybe in its frequently anti-authoritarian politics—is Mel Brooks: The 99 Year Old Man! The documentary series about the showbiz legend, produced by Judd Apatow and Michael Bonfiglio, is a loving portrait of the long, unmatched, and revolutionary in its own way, career of Brooks.

Inspired by the recent release “Streets of Minneapolis” by Bruce Springsteen, the panel dedicates its final segment to the state of protest music in 2026. Joined by music critic Carl Wilson, of the Slate and Crritic!, they discuss the long tradition and still potent power of singer/songwriters with acoustic guitars—and the many political artists who defy that stereotype. To hear some of the music they talked about, plus several more current protest songs, check out our 2026 Protest Playlist.

In our bonus episode for Plus subscribers, the gang eulogizes the divine comic genius of Catherine O’Hara.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - Is Digital Detoxing Being "Performatively Offline"?

Wed, 04 Feb 2026 08:00:00 GMT

On today’s episode, host Kate Lindsay is joined by Alex Kirshner, Slate contributing writer and host of Hang Up And Listen. Back in September, Alex wrote about Brick, the plastic gadget he says “broke his phone addiction.” It seems like now more than ever, people want off their phones, and are trying everything from Brick to dumb phones to make it happen. They’re also, ironically, posting all about it, which begs the question: Do we really want to get offline, or do we just want people to think we do?

This podcast is produced by Daisy Rosario, Vic Whitley-Berry, and Kate Lindsay.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Death, Sex & Money - The Women Who Made George Saunders A Wife Guy

Tue, 03 Feb 2026 08:00:00 GMT

Growing up, George Saunders was the eldest boy with younger sisters, in a family full of women who gave him praise and special treatment. That created the confidence that fueled his ambition to become a great writer.

In this lively interview, George talks about why that dream took decades to realize and what was essential to making it happen – including a karmic, three-week romance, a pivotal trip to the Afghanistan border during the Soviet war, and witnessing a “colossal fuck up” working in the oil fields of Indonesia.

George’s newest novel, “Vigil,” is out now and his substack is called Story Club.

Podcast production by Andrew Dunn.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hang Up and Listen - Winter Olympics Show-and-Tell

Mon, 02 Feb 2026 23:45:00 GMT

Hosts Alex Kirshner, Lindsay Gibbs, and Ben Lindbergh kick things off by picking their favorite (and the most horrifying) events to watch at the upcoming Winter Olympics.

Then the panel digs into Bill Belichick’s bizarre Hall of Fame snub. They finish with a conversation with the Athletic’s Matthew Fairburn about the Buffalo Sabres, the NHL’s most playoff-averse team that might actually make the postseason this year.

Ben delivers an Afterball on Jordan Smith, the amateur tennis player who stunned the field at the Australian Open’s 1 Point Slam and walked away with one million dollars.

On the bonus episode, available exclusively for Slate Plus members, the panel discusses Novak Djokovic's Grand Slam dreams being dashed once again.

Olympics Preview (4:38): Get ready for ‘Skimo’ fever

Bill Belichick (27:19): The Spygate punishment

Buffalo Sabres (41:05): Can the city shake its playoff malaise?

(Note: time codes are only accurate for Slate Plus members, who listen ad-free.)

You can email us at hangup@slate.com.

Podcast production and editing by Kevin Bendis, with production assistance from Patrick Fort.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - I Miss The Old TikTok

Sat, 31 Jan 2026 08:00:00 GMT

On today’s episode, host Kate Lindsay is joined by writer Laura Wheatman Hill. Her Slate piece, “We Should Just Let TikTok Die,” documents life under TikTok’s new ownership. Algorithm glitches and alleged censorship have users disenchanted with the platform, which is now in the hands of owners friendly to Donald Trump. Some prominent users have already deleted the app, but even if people stay, the old TikTok—with its personalized algorithm and thriving culture—is already dead.

This podcast is produced by Daisy Rosario, Vic Whitley-Berry, and Kate Lindsay, with help from A.C. Valdez.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hit Parade | Music History and Music Trivia - Starman to Blackstar Edition Part 2

Fri, 30 Jan 2026 08:00:00 GMT

Chameleon: That’s long been the word used to describe David Bowie, pop music’s shapeshifting extraterrestrial. He shifted personas, genres, and looks, emerging from swinging London with psychedelic folk before steamrolling through glam rock, disco, funk, new wave, alt-rock, and even jazz.

Less remarked was Bowie’s savvy about shifting through commercial phases—he wore pop stardom like a costume, too. He drifted in and out of the spotlight, and on and off the charts, before one final chart-topping farewell 10 years ago this month.

Join Chris Molanphy as he takes us from station to station across the chart career of David Bowie, on a journey from Starman to Blackstar.

Podcast production by Kevin Bendis.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Culture Gabfest - Is Hamnet this Year’s Oscar Villain? Edition

Wed, 28 Jan 2026 12:45:00 GMT

Shuffling under the mortal coil this week (aka hosting the Gabfest), it’s our OG players Steve, Dana, and Julia. Like a morose Danish prince contemplating a human skull, they gaze upon the Oscar nominated Hamnet, based on the novel by Maggie O’Farrell inspired by William Shakespeare’s life. Directed by Chloé Zhao and starring Jessie Buckley and Paul Mescal, Hamnet has brought some critics to tears and left others cold. Our hosts share where they landed.

Next, they boot up the Netflix content machine to view The Rip, a new cop caper reuniting Matt Damon and Ben Affleck. Do the boys from Boston (illogically playing Miami cops) make good again? Finally, they welcome New Yorker writer Clare Malone to discuss her recent profile of the deeply polarizing, newly-appointed head of CBS News Bari Weiss.

In a special add-on, Isaac Butler leaves a voice memo to share his vituperative take on Hamnet—as outlined in a recent Slate piece. The Hamnet discourse continues in a bonus episode exclusively for Slate Plus subscribers wherein the gang unpacks the film’s ending. Is the play indeed the thing?

Endorsements

Dana: The book Hamnet by Maggie O’Farrell especially the audiobook version read by Jessie Buckley.

Julia: The hilarious video of Matt Damon and Ben Affleck with Jimmy Fallon naming all the towns in Massachusetts on The Tonight Show, the sober, intelligent New York Times opinion round table between Lydia Polgreen, David French, and Michelle Goldberg about ICE raids in Minneapolis and the killing of Alex Pretti, and the still deeply timely film I’m Still Here.

Steve: The film Sentimental Value and the double album Sing the Children Over & Sand In My Shoe by the singer/songwriter Kath Bloom as well as the Kath Bloom cover “Come Here” by the band The Concretes.

Email us your thoughts at culturefest@slate.com.

Podcast production by Kevin Bendis. Production assistance by Daniel Hirsch.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - Thank God For Petty Drama

Wed, 28 Jan 2026 08:00:00 GMT

On today’s episode, host Kate Lindsay is joined by Slate contributing writer David Mack to discuss the surge of niche celebrity drama unfolding in the midst of a horrifying news cycle. We’re cancelling the “Glambot guy”? Brooklyn Beckham broke up with his family via Instagram Story? Those two hockey podcasters didn’t actually like Heated Rivalry??? This drama is so petty, but also so necessary for staying sane during these times. Which means: We’re breaking down every detail of it.

This podcast is produced by Daisy Rosario, Vic Whitley-Berry, and Kate Lindsay.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Decoder Ring - Is Culture Stuck?

Wed, 28 Jan 2026 08:00:00 GMT

It’s a weird time for culture. There is more of it than ever before, it’s more accessible than ever before, but so little of it feels original. New movies are based on old stories, new songs are recycling old hooks, and fashion trends are cycling so fast that everything’s in.

Has our culture grown stagnant? The author and culture critic W. David Marx thinks so.

His new book, Blank Space, argues that there is a “blank space” in the 21st century where cultural innovation should be. In this episode, David explains to Willa how culture change worked in the 20th century, what changed after the turn of the millennium, and what we might do about it.

This episode was produced by Max Freedman. Decoder Ring is also produced by Willa Paskin, Katie Shepherd, and Evan Chung, our supervising producer. Merritt Jacob is Senior Technical Director.

If you have any cultural mysteries you want us to decode, email us at DecoderRing@slate.com or leave a message on our hotline at (347) 460-7281.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Death, Sex & Money - Maria Bamford Isn't Ready to Joke About Her Divorce

Tue, 27 Jan 2026 08:00:00 GMT

Comedian Maria Bamford discusses her separation after a decade of marriage, the wildfires that destroyed her Altadena neighborhood, and starting over in a new apartment.

Check out if Maria is coming to your city on her comedy tour: https://mariabamford.com/tourdates

Listen to our previous Death, Sex & Money interviews with Maria:

Anna and Maria talk in 2023 about her memoir Sure, I’ll Join Your Cult

Anna and Maria talk in 2020 about growing up and her special Weakness Is The Brand

Podcast production by Andrew Dunn and Zoe Azulay

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hang Up and Listen - We Got Our Brady-back, Brady-back, Brady-back.

Tue, 27 Jan 2026 00:32:00 GMT

Hosts Alex Kirshner, Lindsay Gibbs, and Ben Lindbergh recap NFL conference championship weekend, where the Patriots braved a blizzard better than the Broncos, and Sam Darnold proved that resurrected quarterbacks really can win it all.

Later, they get into Trinity Rodman’s three-year NWSL deal that keeps her in D.C., but has caught the ire of the players’ union.

The panel wraps with a breakdown of the Mets' busy offseason and whether they can actually come out on top in 2026.

On the bonus episode, available exclusively for Slate Plus members, the panel discusses Alex Honnold's white-knuckle climb of the Taipei 101 tower live on Netflix.

NFL (4:16): Resurrection Bowl

Trinity Rodman (23:27): Cap space for star power

The Mets (41:04): Can we still LOL?

(Note: time codes are only accurate for Slate Plus members, who listen ad-free.)

You can email us at hangup@slate.com.

Podcast production and editing by Kevin Bendis, with production assistance from Patrick Fort.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - Social Media Bans Are No Match For Teens

Sat, 24 Jan 2026 08:00:00 GMT

On today’s episode, host Kate Lindsay is joined by Washington Post reporter Tatum Hunter, who interviewed Australian teens about the country’s new social media ban. Platforms like Instagram and Reddit are now required to keep under-sixteens off their apps, but it didn’t take long for the teens to outsmart these new restrictions. As similar legislation is introduced across the world, no one knows if these bans are actually effective—or if they hurt teens more than they help.

This podcast is produced by Daisy Rosario, Vic Whitley-Berry, and Kate Lindsay.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Culture Gabfest - Game of Thrones Buddy Comedy Edition

Wed, 21 Jan 2026 08:00:00 GMT

This week, our Gabfest panel includes Steve and guest hosts Nadira Goffe and Laura Miller with a typically eclectic collection of topics. First up, Dana hops on the call to decode the unspoken truths and dream imagery of Kleber Mendonça Filho’s film The Secret Agent. Set in 1970s Recife, Brazil and starring a very charming Wagner Moura, the film is a heterodox brew of political thriller, magical realism, and attentive character study about the everyday surreality of life under dictatorship.

Next, it’s back to Westeros with a discussion of A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, a Game of Thrones prequel set 100 years before the original show based on George R.R. Martin’s fantasy epic. Grounded and surprisingly funny, don’t expect dragons in this knight’s tale.

Finally, they turn to “Gluttons for Punishment,” a recent Vulture article by Lila Shapiro about UPenn religious studies professor Justin McDaniel using some extreme, unorthodox measures to get his students to finish books.

In an exclusive bonus episode for Slate Plus subscribers, the panel talks to Laura about the secret pleasures of wood stacking as discussed in her recent piece “The Art of the Holzhausen.”

Endorsements

Nadira: Some melancholy shoegaze pop from Scandinavia, specifically the albums Goodbyehouse by Snuggle and Big City Life by Smerz.

Laura: The novels of Robert Jackson Bennett in his Shadow of the Leviathan series including Hugo-winning The Tainted Cup and A Drop of Corruption.

Steve: The Substack essay “The Wall Looks Permanent Until It Falls Down” by Adam Bonica about the cost of American exceptionalism.

And a bonus one from Dana: Pictures of Ghosts, the documentary by The Secret Agent director Kleber Mendonça Filho about Recife, Brazil in the 1970s.

Email us your thoughts at culturefest@slate.com.

Podcast production by Kevin Bendis. Production assistance by Daniel Hirsch.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - Craigslist Will Outlive Us All

Wed, 21 Jan 2026 08:00:00 GMT

On today’s episode, host Kate Lindsay is joined by internet culture writer Jennifer Swann, whose recent piece for Wired featured the users who are still turning to Craigslist for apartment hunting and second-hand shopping, despite newer, flashier alternatives. In fact, it’s precisely because Craigslist hasn’t changed at all in the past 30 years that people keep coming back. While so many other early websites have been lost to time, how has Craigslist endured?

This podcast is produced by Daisy Rosario, Vic Whitley-Berry, and Kate Lindsay.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hang Up and Listen - Is LIV Dead?

Tue, 20 Jan 2026 23:00:00 GMT

Hosts Alex Kirshner, Lindsay Gibbs, and Ben Lindbergh are joined by Fried Egg Golf’s Brendan Porath to examine the crumbling of LIV Golf in the wake of Brooks Koepka’s reinstatement by the PGA Tour.

Then Alex and Ben speak to author Chuck Klosterman about his new book, simply titled, Football. Klosterman predicts the eventual demise of America’s most beloved sport, and explains why it will be widely misunderstood by future generations.

The panel wraps with more football, breaking down the College Football Playoff national championship and the NFL postseason.

On the bonus episode, available exclusively for Slate Plus members, the panel discusses the Kyle Tucker acquisition by the Dodgers and whether it's finally time for an MLB salary cap.

LIV Golf (8:22): Koepka is out and takes his punishments

Klosterman (25:49): When football is no more

CFB (01:02:27): Hoosiers are no longer the biggest losers

(Note: time codes are only accurate for Slate Plus members, who listen ad-free.)

You can email us at hangup@slate.com.

Podcast production and editing by Kevin Bendis, with production assistance from Patrick Fort.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Death, Sex & Money - A 101-Year-Old Rediscovers a Love Lost to War

Tue, 20 Jan 2026 08:00:00 GMT

Anna talks to Jonathan Goldstein, host of the Pushkin podcast Heavyweight, about the show getting a second chance after a long period of uncertainty, and how that time helped some of the stories they had been working on find a proper conclusion.

Then we share one of our favorite episodes of Heavyweight, their recent season finale titled “Deborah.” At 101 years old, Deborah discovered a box she'd stashed away a lifetime ago. What was inside reignited an old love and turned her life upside down.

Heavyweight production by Phoebe Flanigan and Jonathan Goldstein.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - Twitter’s Chatbot Keeps Undressing Women

Sat, 17 Jan 2026 08:00:00 GMT

On today’s episode, host Kate Lindsay is joined by Parker Molloy, writer of The Present Age. After Elon Musk implemented updates to his Grok chatbot that encouraged it to be more sexually explicit, certain users began directing it to publicly remove clothing from not just photos of women, but also children. In addition to being a violation of Twitter’s own policies, it’s also against the law—and yet, nobody in power is stopping it. Musk and the platform have managed to dodge any accountability for the misstep, and keep claiming to have fixed the problem without actually changing anything. Even worse, what starts as an X problem may eventually plague the rest of the internet.

This podcast is produced by Daisy Rosario, Vic Whitley-Berry, and Kate Lindsay.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hit Parade | Music History and Music Trivia - Starman to Blackstar Edition Part 1

Sat, 17 Jan 2026 03:00:00 GMT

Join Chris Molanphy as he takes us from station to station across the chart career of David Bowie, on a journey from Starman to Blackstar.

Podcast production by Kevin Bendis.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - Get In Loser, We’re Friction-Maxxing

Wed, 14 Jan 2026 08:00:00 GMT

On today’s episode, host Kate Lindsay is joined by Kathryn Jezer-Morton, writer of The Cut column Brooding, and author of the viral article, In 2026, We Are Friction-Maxxing. Over the past fifteen years, technology has attempted to “fix” every small inconvenience in our lives, which has rendered us completely unable to endure basic hurdles such as sitting in silence, navigating unfamiliar social social interactions, and doing any kind of creative thinking. To reverse this, Kathryn proposes we “friction-maxx,” and rebuild our tolerance for the very things that, it turns out, make us human.

This podcast is produced by Daisy Rosario, Vic Whitley-Berry, and Kate Lindsay.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Culture Gabfest - Sydney Sweeney’s Box Office Triumph Edition

Wed, 14 Jan 2026 08:00:00 GMT

Podcasting is a privilege as Steve is joined by Dan Kois and Rebecca Onion to unpack and cackle at the domestic thriller schlockfest The Housemaid. Sydney Sweeney and Amanda Seyfried star in the Paul Fieg-directed tale of two women facing off to rule the McMansion roost.

Next, Seyfried proves she’s got the range as the panel joins the chorus appraising her performance in The Testament of Ann Lee, the epic tone poem and musical biopic about the founder of the Shakers directed by Mona Fastvold.

Finally, Julia hops on the call to join a conversation with Alia Hanna Habib, the influential book agent who is divulging hard-won publishing world insights in a new book Take It from Me and in the Substack Delivery & Acceptance.

In a Slate Plus bonus episode, the panel addresses a listener questioner from a U.S. history teacher about syllabus-worthy pop culture.

Endorsements

Dan: The Ruth Asawa retrospective at MoMA which illuminates the work and life of the prolific artist.

Rebecca: A bunch of books including Canticle by Janet Rich Edwards, The Ax by Donald E. Westlake, and True Grit by Charles Portis.

Steve: The essay "East Side Story" about Marty Supreme by Nawal Arjini in the New York Review of Books.

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Email us your thoughts at culturefest@slate.com.

Podcast production by Benjamin Frisch. Production assistance by Daniel Hirsch.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Decoder Ring - Decoder Rings Back | Why the Mona Lisa?

Wed, 14 Jan 2026 08:00:00 GMT

We are really lucky to get lots of listener suggestions for the show, more good questions than we can possibly answer in a mailbag episode once or twice a year. So we’re starting a new segment we call… Decoder Rings Back! Every month, host Willa Paskin will personally call up a listener to answer their question.

In this inaugural installment of Decoder Rings Back, Willa calls up listener Dustin Malek about his cultural mystery: Why did the Mona Lisa, of all paintings, become the most famous in the world, bar none? Willa shares the story of daring heist that turned Leonardo da Vinci’s enigmatic smiling subject into a celebrity.

Future episodes of Decoder Rings Back will only be available to Slate Plus subscribers. So if you want to be sure not to miss them, sign up for Slate Plus! You’ll get exclusive episodes and ad-free listening not just on our show, but all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe from the Decoder Ring show page on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, or visit slate.com/decoderplus for access wherever you listen.

This episode was produced by Max Freedman. Decoder Ring is also produced by Katie Shepherd and Evan Chung, our supervising producer. Merritt Jacob is Senior Technical Director.

If you have any cultural mysteries you want us to decode, email us at DecoderRing@slate.com or leave a message on our hotline at (347) 460-7281.

Sources for This Episode

Cumming, Laura. “The man who stole the Mona Lisa,” The Guardian, August 5, 2011.

Hoobler, Dorothy, and Thomas Hoobler. “Stealing Mona Lisa,” Vanity Fair, April 16, 2009.

Hoobler, Dorothy, and Thomas Hoobler. The Crimes of Paris: A True Story of Murder, Theft, and Detection, Bison Books, 2010.

Isaacson, Walter. Leonardo da Vinci, Simon & Schuster, 2018.

Roberts, Sam. “Happy Birthday to the Man Who Stole the Mona Lisa and Took It to Italy,” The New York Times, October 7, 2022.

Sassoon, Donald. “Mona Lisa: The Best-Known Girl in the Whole Wide World,” History Workshop Journal, Spring 2001.

Sassoon, Donald. Mona Lisa: The History of the World’s Most Famous Painting, HarperCollins, 2016.

“The Theft That Made The 'Mona Lisa' A Masterpiece,” NPR, July 30, 2011.

Zug, James. “Stolen: How the Mona Lisa Became the World’s Most Famous Painting,” Smithsonian Magazine, June 15, 2011.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Death, Sex & Money - Why Autopsies Are in Decline and Why it Matters

Tue, 13 Jan 2026 08:05:00 GMT

In the 1950s, about 50% of patients who died in a hospital in the U.S. received an autopsy. Today, that figure is in the single digits, which is a big loss according to two people who care a lot about this topic:

One is Dr. Alex Williamson, an forensic and pediatric pathologist who performs autopsies and talks to families of the deceased about what he learned in the process. The other is Sam Ashworth, a novelist who went looking for a storytelling device and found an obsession. This week, both men explain why autopsies are important and what they can teach us about living.

Sam Ashworth’s novel ⁠The Death and Life of August Sweeny⁠ is available now.

This episode was produced by Cameron Drews.

Get more Death, Sex & Money with Slate Plus! Join for exclusive bonus episodes of DSM and ad-free listening on all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe from the Death, Sex & Money show page on ⁠Apple Podcasts⁠ or ⁠Spotify⁠. Or, visit ⁠slate.com/dsmplus⁠ to get access wherever you listen.

If you’re new to the show, welcome. We’re so glad you’re here. Find us and follow us on ⁠Instagram⁠ and you can find Anna’s newsletter at annasale.substack.com. Our email address, where you can reach us with voice memos, pep talks, questions, critiques, is deathsexmoney@slate.com.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hang Up and Listen - The Wildest Wild-card Weekend

Tue, 13 Jan 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Hosts Alex Kirshner, Lindsay Gibbs, and Ben Lindbergh unpack a thrilling wild-card round of the NFL playoffs. Lindsay’s Panthers are out, John Harbaugh has been fired, the reigning champions exit early, and Caleb Williams grated some cheese.

The panel is then joined by soccer journalist Hayden Van Brewer to explain how Manchester United have gotten so abysmally bad over the years. To close, Lindsay and Ben ask Alex to break down the College Football Playoffs and the upcoming championship game.

On the bonus episode, available exclusively for Slate Plus members, the panel talks about the new viral queer hockey romance, Heated Rivalry.

NFL (4:52): Bye Eagles, Bye

Man U (20:35): Bent and broken

CFB (38:41): How Indiana reached the top

(Note: time codes are only accurate for Slate Plus members, who listen ad-free.)

You can email us at hangup@slate.com.

Podcast production and editing by Kevin Bendis, with production assistance from Patrick Fort.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - Meta Glasses Are Making Us Nervous

Sat, 10 Jan 2026 08:00:00 GMT

On today’s episode, host Kate Lindsay is joined by internet culture writer Christianna Silva, who recently covered the TikTok Awards while wearing America’s new favorite device: Meta Glasses. Meta Glasses are just one AR wearable, but their revenue tripled in 2025, and 2026 looks even bigger. However, wearing your phone on your face comes with completely new etiquette, and privacy concerns are at an all time high. Now, anyone could be filming you—and you’ll never know what they’re doing with it.

This podcast is produced by Daisy Rosario, Vic Whitley-Berry, and Kate Lindsay with help from Benjamin Frisch.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Culture Gabfest - The Timothée Chalamet vs. the Blue Aliens Edition

Wed, 07 Jan 2026 08:00:00 GMT

This week, Julia and Steve welcome guest host Sam Adams to deconstruct the aggravating, yet strangely charming, table tennis phenom on the make that is Marty Supreme. Played with “BDE off-the-charts” (Steve’s words) by Timothée Chalamet, the unceasingly shameless hustler may just be an avatar for our age.

Speaking of avatars, we can’t avoid discussing Avatar: Fire and Ash, the latest installment of James Cameron’s immersive mega-franchise. Once again, the big blue folks peopling Pandora drew boku bucks at the box office… but do the Avatar films have any “cultural impact”? And what does “cultural impact” even mean? New Yorker staff writer Michael Schulman steps into the cultural cage match to debate this long-simmering internet argument.

On this week’s bonus episode for Slate Plus subscribers, the hosts take up a listener question about “cultural bran muffins,” the bits of culture you know would be good for you if only you could get them down. The hosts confess their bran secrets.

Endorsements

Steve: The essay "Two Pins and a Lollipop" about Judy Garland by Bee Wilson in the London Review of Books.

Sam: The album Penthouse by the band Luna, particularly the song "Chinatown."

Julia: Slate's beloved annual tradition Movie Club which for its 2025 edition gathers film critics Bilge Ebiri, Alison Wilmore, Justin Chang, and our very own Dana Stevens for a rollicking exchange about the year in film.

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Email us your thoughts at culturefest@slate.com.

Podcast production by Benjamin Frisch. Production assistance by Daniel Hirsch.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - The Great Meme Reset of 2026

Wed, 07 Jan 2026 08:00:00 GMT

On today’s episode, host Kate Lindsay is joined by meme historian Aidan Walker to discuss “the great meme reset.” Internet users, exhausted by social media brain rot, declared January 1, 2026 as an official “reset.” They want a clean slate, and most importantly, to return to the meme style of the 2010s—back when memes had “substance.” But can we really go back? Or is it time to imagine what a post-brain rot world can look like?

This podcast is produced by Daisy Rosario, Vic Whitley-Berry, and Kate Lindsay with help from Kevin Bendis.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Death, Sex & Money - Stories About Death, Sex and Money to Start the New Year

Tue, 06 Jan 2026 08:00:00 GMT

Anna hosted Selected Shorts, an evening where professional actors read short stories in front of a live studio audience at Symphony Space in New York. The theme for the night? Death, sex, and money.

Stories performed:

Cat Owner by Alissa Nutting performed by Phoebe Robinson
The Model Millionaire by Oscar Wilde performed by Peter Francis James
You Again by Seth Fried performed by Amy Ryan

Hear more readings on the Selected Shorts podcast.

There’s still time to join our “low-stakes” 30-day creativity challenge, listen here.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hang Up and Listen - Kansas Bends the Knee for the NFL

Tue, 06 Jan 2026 00:35:00 GMT

Hosts Alex Kirshner, Lindsay Gibbs, and Ben Lindbergh are joined J.C. Bradbury, professor and author of the forthcoming book This One Will Be Different: False Promises and Fiscal Realities of Publicly Funded Stadiums, for a frank discussion of Kansas’ plan to spend nearly $2 billion on a new Chiefs stadium, and how taxpayers are often left footing the bill for largely private gain.

The hosts also fire up the MLB hot stove and examine the NFL playoff picture.

On the bonus episode available exclusively for Slate Plus members, the panel discusses the embarrassing revival of the battle of the sexes, which occurred in Dubai in December.

The Chiefs’ New Stadium (6:35): KC says no prob to 2 billion

MLB Hot Stove (28:39): Where will Kyle Tucker land?

NFL playoffs (42:17): The missed field goal heard round the world!

(Note: time codes are only accurate for Slate Plus members, who listen ad-free.)

You can email us at hangup@slate.com.

Podcast production and editing by Kevin Bendis, with production assistance from Patrick Fort.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - Twitter Is Dead (Really, We Mean It)

Sat, 03 Jan 2026 08:00:00 GMT

On today’s episode, host Kate Lindsay is joined by The Atlantic staff writer and host of the Galaxy Brain podcast, Charlie Warzel. Charlie has been following the demise of Twitter, now called X, since Elon Musk took over in 2022. While many of Musk’s decisions have prompted people to declare the end of the app, the introduction of a new location feature undermines almost all of what was left of its relevance. Can we finally call it? Is this Twitter’s official time of death?

This podcast is produced by Daisy Rosario, Vic Whitley-Berry, and Kate Lindsay.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Decoder Ring - A New Year’s Message from Willa

Wed, 31 Dec 2025 08:00:00 GMT

We can’t make this show without you, our listeners. Today, you can help support Decoder Ring – and get a really good deal. To join Slate Plus for just $59/year, visit slate.com/decoderplus on December 31st and type in the promo code DECODER50 at checkout. Slate Plus members get to listen to episodes of Decoder Ring (and all your favorite Slate podcasts!) with no ads, and get access to exclusive bonus episodes.

You can join Slate Plus at any time from the Decoder Ring show page on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, but the discount code DECODER50 will only work through the end of 2025. Subscribe today at slate.com/decoderplus.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Culture Gabfest - The 2025 Call-In Spectacular Edition

Wed, 31 Dec 2025 06:00:00 GMT

In the waning moments of 2025, Julia, Dana, and Steve say goodbye to the year that was with a beloved annual end-of-year tradition… our listener call-in show! And you delivered some great queries, dear listeners.

The hosts tackle questions about everything ranging from under-dramatized historical eras to Wuthering Heights to wedding registry etiquette. They also zoom out to grapple with a fundamental philosophical question underlying this whole show’s existence and take a cue from Las Culturistas Bowen Yang and Matt Rogers for some Schimpfen und Toben.

No endorsements this week. But for listeners in the New York area, don’t miss Steve when he joins Booker Prize-finalist Ben Markovitz for a conversation about his new novel The Rest of Our Lives on January 5, 2026 at the Upper West Side Barnes & Noble.

For Slate Plus subscribers, the hosts delight in answering an additional listener question in an exclusive bonus episode. They share their ideal cultural outings with their co-hosts.

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Email us your thoughts at culturefest@slate.com.

Podcast production by Benjamin Frisch. Production assistance by Daniel Hirsch.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Death, Sex & Money - The Family Drama of Inheritance

Tue, 30 Dec 2025 08:00:00 GMT

Your stories about inheritance: Gwynn wrestles with her mother's will that would cut out her sister; Trevor inherited money from his father and questions about whether his death was planned; and Anna talks to two young people giving away their inherited wealth despite some family opposition.

Podcast production by Zoe Azulay

Sign up for a full year of Slate Plus for 50% off by using the code DSM50 at checkout: slate.com/dsmplus (offer available until Jan 1).

My Father is Worth $70 Million. I Disinherited Myself.

Anna and Husband Arthur Play the Not-So-Newlywed Game

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hang Up and Listen - Prediction Season

Mon, 29 Dec 2025 08:00:00 GMT

Hosts Alex Kirshner, Lindsay Gibbs, and Ben Lindbergh look into their crystal balls and tell us what to look out for in the sports world of the future! Will we see more LeBron? More sports betting scandals? A Bill Super Bowl win? A Trump immigration World Cup incident? Only time and the all-knowing Hang Up hosts can tell.

In the second half of our show, we’re sharing Alex’s recent conversation with Mary Harris on What Next.

Predictions (2:54): 2026

What Next (41:50): Mary Harris interviews Alex

(Note: time codes are only accurate for Slate Plus members, who listen ad-free.)

You can email us at hangup@slate.com.

Podcast production and editing by Kevin Bendis, with production assistance from Ben Richmond.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - Our Year of Brain Rot and Tech Dystopia

Sat, 27 Dec 2025 08:00:00 GMT

On today’s episode, host Kate Lindsay is joined by internet culture writer Kat Tenbarge to break down the most important internet moments of 2025. But not just any internet moments—specifically, the moments that fall under the three key themes that emerged in online culture over the past twelve months: brain rot, surveillance, and big tech dystopia. These themes not only defined how we lived life online in 2025, but have set the stage for what to expect in 2026. Were we wrong about the Astronomer CEO debacle? Will TikTok ever get banned? Is 6-7 finally over?

This podcast is produced by Vic Whitley-Berry, Daisy Rosario, and Kate Lindsay, with help from AC Valdez.

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Hit Parade | Music History and Music Trivia - The Bridge: Slate’s Music Club 2025

Fri, 26 Dec 2025 09:00:00 GMT

The Slate Music Club returns, in this special year-end edition of Hit Parade’s The Bridge! Host Chris Molanphy joins New York Times pop music critic Lindsay Zoladz, and Julianne Escobedo Shepherd of Hearing Things in a critics’ roundtable led by Slate’s own Carl Wilson. They discuss their favorite albums and singles, as well as the trends that shaped music in 2025.

Among this year’s big musical questions: Have we reached peak Bad Bunny yet? Did those animated Demon Hunters reinvent K-pop? Are Geese the saviors of rock, or just muppets with guitars? Is hip-hop ready to move on from Kendrick and Drake? Plus: Rosalia, Water for Your Eyes, Gaga, Wednesday—and of course, Taylor Swift.

Note: Slate Plus members can hear this special episode in full. Ad-supported listeners will hear the first half. Want to hear the whole discussion? Sign up for Slate Plus! Unlock monthly early-access episodes, bonus episodes of “The Bridge,” and ad-free listening across all your favorite Slate podcasts. Visit slate.com/hitparadeplus to get access wherever you listen.

Podcast production by Kevin Bendis.

Don’t miss the rest of this year’s Slate Music Club episode! Become a Slate Plus member! Join for monthly early-access episodes, bonus episodes of "The Bridge," and ad-free listening across all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe directly from the Hit Parade show page on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Or, visit slate.com/hitparadeplus to get access wherever you listen.

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Hit Parade | Music History and Music Trivia - Hooked to the Silver Screen Edition Part 2

Fri, 26 Dec 2025 08:00:00 GMT

If you need confirmation of Hollywood’s vast influence on mass culture, look no further than the pop charts. From the 1937 classic Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs through this year’s KPop Demon Hunters, soundtracks have launched hits, defined genres—and sometimes even eclipsed the films that inspired them in the first place. Rock classics, funk jams, rap bangers, even Christmas standards: all became hits because we heard them first at the cinema.

Join Chris Molanphy as he unspools nearly a century of hit movie music, from Simon & Garfunkel’s groundbreaking ode to “Mrs. Robinson,” to the, ahem, titanic tin whistle of “My Heart Will Go On.”

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Culture Gabfest - We Found Our Archives: The Abstract Noun Edition

Wed, 24 Dec 2025 08:00:00 GMT

After thinking it was lost to the sands of internet time, our team uncovered a 2013 gem from the archives. In the “The Abstract Noun Edition,” your favorite Gabfesters talk about how we talk. Steve, Dana, and Julia discuss the elements of language: vocabulary, conversation, and voice. In paroxysms of polysyllables, they invoke their favorite writers—and their least favorite linguistic tics—to probe the best and worst of the English language. Why should you eschew the word “eschew”? What does “shibboleth” really mean? And where is the line between a strong voice and self-parody?

Speaking of self-parody, check out these very on-brand 2013 Endorsements:

Dana: The Sounding Joy, a CD collection of folk carols, collected by Smithsonian Folkways Recordings and performed by Elizabeth Mitchell. (Now available on streaming.)

Julia: Creating an iTunes playlist of all songs you’ve played more than 10 times and then shuffling them. You’ll rediscover old gems like “The Size of Our Love” by Sleater Kinney.

Steve: The mind-bending “Monty Hall problem,” as originally described by Marilyn vos Savant in Parade Magazine.

If you’re in New York on January 5, don’t miss some real life vocabulary, conversation, and voice when Steve joins Booker Prize-finalist Ben Markcovits for a conversation about The Rest of Our Lives — details here.

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ICYMI - Encore: Jubilee Is Making Debating Worse

Wed, 24 Dec 2025 08:00:00 GMT

On today’s encore episode, hosts Candice Lim and Kate Lindsay are joined by Slate staff writer Aymann Ismail to discuss the controversial YouTube channel, Jubilee. A video of political commentator Mehdi Hasan debating 20 far-right republicans has gone viral, but as Ismail argues in his piece for Slate, it also crossed a line. When political disagreement becomes content and extremism is rewarded with clicks, everybody loses.

This podcast is produced by Daisy Rosario, Vic Whitley-Berry, Candice Lim, and Kate Lindsay.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Death, Sex & Money - The Chaste Sexiness and Fantasy of Hallmark Holiday Rom-Coms

Tue, 23 Dec 2025 08:00:00 GMT

When screenwriter Russell Hainline first moved to L.A., his goal was to write high-budget monster movies and thrillers. Then one day, he was prompted to write a Hallmark holiday rom-com, and something clicked.

In this special holiday episode, Russell talks about his breakout Netflix hit Hot Frosty and how he found his groove writing movies for the Hallmark Channel. He also gets to the heart of why people connect to these movies and explains how he’s able to convey steamy sexual tension between chaste TV movie characters.

This episode was produced by Cameron Drews.

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Hang Up and Listen - 2025: The Year in Sports

Tue, 23 Dec 2025 02:00:00 GMT

Hosts Alex Kirshner, Lindsay Gibbs, and Ben Lindbergh look back on 2025, picking their top sports stories from each month—from the Luka trade and torpedo bats to a Trumpy Ryder Cup and OKC’s championship. It's been a year!

On the bonus episode available exclusively for Slate Plus members, the panel unpacks Trump’s proposed Patriot Games.

January - April (3:51): CFP - Rory

May - August (26:58): Coco Gauff - Belichick

September - December (50:43): Ryder Cup - Puka Nacua

(Note: time codes are only accurate for Slate Plus members, who listen ad-free.)

You can email us at hangup@slate.com.

Podcast production and editing by Kevin Bendis, with production assistance from Ben Richmond.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - Side-Eyeing at H Mart

Sat, 20 Dec 2025 08:00:00 GMT

On today’s episode, host Kate Lindsay is joined by comedian and writer Youngmi Mayer to talk about a controversy that’s divided TikTok: How should Asian people feel about white people in Asian grocery stores? That’s the question creator Madeline Qi didn’t even mean to ask when she posted her now-viral video, which resulted in call-outs, doxxing, and, ultimately, a conversation too nuanced for TikTok. Youngmi’s attempts to make sense of the discourse on her Substack ended up going viral on Instagram, so she came on the show to share what people misunderstand about the controversy, and how her own experience being mixed white and Asian contributes to her perspective.

This podcast is produced by Vic Whitley-Berry, Daisy Rosario, and Kate Lindsay, with help from AC Valdez.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Decoder Ring - Mailbag: Yo-Yos, Sandboxes, and Encores

Wed, 17 Dec 2025 08:00:00 GMT

Decoder Ring listeners write in with some excellent mysteries, and for our last episode of the year we’re solving three of them. Why do children play in boxes full of sand? Why do rock bands pretend like the show is over when everybody knows they’re coming back for an encore? And what was up with those school assemblies where you’d get to skip class to learn about…yo-yos?

The voices you’ll hear in this episode include yo-yo masters ”Dazzling Dave” Schulte and Dale Oliver, children’s book author Rob Peñas, Pulitzer Prize-winning design critic Alexandra Lange, and music journalists Brian Wise, Michael Walker, and Travis Andrews.

You can find all the music from the segment about encores in this YouTube playlist.

This episode was produced by Max Freedman, Katie Shepherd, and Evan Chung, Decoder Ring’s supervising producer. Merritt Jacob is Senior Technical Director. We had additional production from Joel Meyer.

If you have any cultural mysteries you want us to decode, email us at DecoderRing@slate.com or leave a message on our hotline at (347) 460-7281.

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ICYMI - How "Hockey Romance" Went Viral

Wed, 17 Dec 2025 08:00:00 GMT

On today’s episode, host Kate Lindsay is joined by culture writer Angelina Mazza to discuss the online reaction to the new HBO series, Heated Rivalry. Before the Canadian show premiered, let alone was picked up in the U.S., a dedicated online fandom committed to helping it succeed. Why did this show become such a sensation, and what happens to a niche fandom when their subject suddenly goes mainstream?

This podcast is produced by Vic Whitley-Berry, Daisy Rosario, and Kate Lindsay, with help from AC Valdez.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Culture Gabfest - The Biggest Show on Paramount Is Big Oil Propaganda Edition

Wed, 17 Dec 2025 08:00:00 GMT

On this week’s show, Dana and Steve are joined by guest host Rebecca Onion for a Gabfest first: a segment about something from the sprawling Taylor Sheridan television universe. They strap on their cowboy boots and hop in the pickup for a conversation on season 2 of Landman which stars a rangy and world-weary Billy Bob Thornton as an oil industry fixer.

Next, they turn north of the border for some good, old fashioned, Canadian gay hockey romance. They discuss HBO’s surprise—and surprisingly graphic—hit Heated Rivalry. The series sure is steamy, but does it feature enough hockey?

Finally, they mourn the passing of legendary filmmaker and Hollywood omnipresence Rob Reiner. They share their favorite moments from his films. Given those films include Stand By Me, When Harry Met Sally, Misery, The Princess Bride, and many more indelible classics, there’s much to share.

Endorsements

Rebecca: The podcast Posting Through It featuring hosts Jared Holt and Michael Edison Hayden discussing the ins and outs of rightwing infighting and the recipe Holiday Rocky Road by Sohla el-Waylly in New York Times Cooking.

Steve: For more melancholic Christmas music, Duke Ellington's Nutcracker Suite. Also, the Booker Prize short-listed novel The Rest of Our Lives by Ben Markovits, who Steve will be in conversation with at an event on January 5, 2026 at the Upper West Side Barnes & Noble— details here.

Dana: The Rob Reiner-directed documentary Defending My Life about his childhood friend Albert Brooks and this brilliant clip of Rob Reiner at his 2000 Friar's Club Roast reading from Roger Ebert's legendary pan of Reiner's film North .

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Death, Sex & Money - Samin Nosrat’s Recipe for Self-Compassion

Tue, 16 Dec 2025 08:00:00 GMT

After the blockbuster success of her first book, Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat, Samin Nosrat felt pressure to follow it up with something big. But when depression and grief hit, she was forced to slow down and accept help (and cooking) from people around her.

In this episode, Samin talks about getting "chef 911" texts from friends on Thanksgiving, new romance, and finding happiness outside of success.

Samin’s new cookbook is Good Things: Recipes and Rituals to Share with People You Love

Listen to How to Face Your Fears With Steve-O, Laurel Braitman, and Rev. angel

Get 50% Off Monarch Money, the all-in-one financial tool at ⁠www.monarchmoney.com/DSM⁠

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Hang Up and Listen - Michigan is a Mess

Tue, 16 Dec 2025 01:01:00 GMT

Hosts Alex Kirshner, Lindsay Gibbs, and Ben Lindbergh discuss the shocking circumstances around the firing and arrest of Michigan coach Sherrone Moore and how his misconduct speaks to a systemic issue within Michigan Athletics. Next, the team is joined by The Ringer’s David Shoemaker to pay tribute to the pro wrestling career of John Cena following his final match. And finally, Turkish sociologist and journalist Dağhan Irak helps us unpack the betting scandal rocking Turkish football.

On the bonus episode available exclusively for Slate Plus members, the gang talks about The Kansas City Chiefs’ fall from grace.

Episode Notes:

Read Alex’s piece on the Michigan situation.
Check out The Squared Circle by David Shoemaker
Read David Shoemaker’s piece on John Cena
Read more on the Turkish betting scandal

You can email us at hangup@slate.com.

Podcast production and editing by Kevin Bendis and Jessamine Molli, with production assistance from Patrick Fort.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - How “Millennial Cringe” Became “Millennial Optimism”

Sat, 13 Dec 2025 08:00:00 GMT

On today’s episode, host Kate Lindsay is joined by Gen Z expert and After School writer Casey Lewis to talk about how Gen Z TikTok users are switching up on Millennials. After years of mocking the generation for being “cringe” online, now people are longing to return to the 2010s and the culture that came with it. But were Millennials really as “optimistic” as the fancams make it seem? And what does Gen Z have, if anything, to be nostalgic about?

This podcast is produced by Vic Whitley-Berry, Daisy Rosario, and Kate Lindsay.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hit Parade | Music History and Music Trivia - Hooked to the Silver Screen Edition Part 1

Fri, 12 Dec 2025 23:00:00 GMT

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - Shopping on Etsy Sucks Now

Wed, 10 Dec 2025 08:00:00 GMT

On today’s episode, host Kate Lindsay is joined by senior reporter at Bloomberg Businessweek, Amanda Mull, to talk about how the enshittification of online shopping came for Etsy. The platform used to be a thoughtful reprieve from the cheap, mass-produced products on Amazon, but now it’s plagued by a number of the same problems. With cheap junk and AI allegations abound, where can the Shein and Temu-haters go to actually find what they’re shopping for?

This podcast is produced by Vic Whitley-Berry, Daisy Rosario, and Kate Lindsay.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Culture Gabfest - "Is the Warner Bros. Deal the End Of Cinema?" Edition

Wed, 10 Dec 2025 08:00:00 GMT

On this week’s episode, Gabfest old friends Steve, Julia, and June Thomas convene on two showbiz works of midlife retrospection and regret: the new film Jay Kelly and Stephen Sondheim’s Merrily We Roll Along. The former, directed by Noah Baumbach, stars George Clooney as the titular movie star looking back on his life while on a European train picaresque. The latter was a legendary flop for Sondheim, had a triumphant Broadway revival starring Jonathan Groff, Daniel Radcliffe, and Lindsay Mendez, and now has arrived at movie theaters.

In our third segment, the panel turns to another showbiz saga full of bitter regret: the fight to acquire Warner Brothers Discovery. Joined by writer and Hollywood watcher Mark Harris, they untangle the fight between Netflix and Paramount to outbid each other for the legacy film studio—and what it all has to do with Trump and the future of movie-going itself.

In an exclusive bonus episode for Slate Plus subscribers, it’s back to join the Joined in our recap discussion of Pluribus episode 7 “The Gap.”

Act now, there’s still time to leave us a voicemail with your burning cultural queries for our annual call-in show by calling us at 347-201-2397.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Death, Sex & Money - What Hearing Aids and Anger Management Still Miss

Tue, 09 Dec 2025 08:00:00 GMT

The British poet Raymond Antrobus was six years old when his parents and doctors realized that his ears couldn’t recognize a whole range of sounds. He was fitted with hearing aids and began a life of straddling the Deaf and hearing worlds, going to speech therapy and reading lips, learning British sign language, and attending both Deaf and hearing schools. By necessity, Raymond became an expert in communication and miscommunication, which are recurring themes in his poetry.

This week, Anna talks to Raymond about his memoir The Quiet Ear: An Investigation of Missing Sound and what it was like growing up with a “panicky sensitivity to misunderstandings.”

This episode was produced by Cameron Drews.

Get more Death, Sex & Money with Slate Plus! Membership is 50% off, which means $59 for a whole year of ad-free listening and special episode drops across all Slate podcasts, PLUS unlimited reading on Slate.com and the Slate app, every Slate Game AND you’ll be supporting Slate’s independent journalism at a moment where independent journalism needs all the support it can get.

Go to slate.com/dsmplus and use the promo code DSM50.

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Hang Up and Listen - FIFA's Trumpy World Cup Draw

Mon, 08 Dec 2025 23:30:00 GMT

Hosts Alex Kirshner, Lindsay Gibbs, and Ben Lindbergh discuss last week’s bizarre and pandering World Cup draw with The Athletic’s Adam Crafton. Next, the team talks about the obviously controversial College Football playoff rankings, and finally the latest in an antitrust trial that involves NASCAR and Michael Jordan.

On the bonus episode available exclusively for Slate Plus members, the gang talks about the Oklahoma City Thunder’s potentially historic rise to the top

Read Jordan Bianchi's explainer for The Athletic on the upcoming week in the NASCAR antitrust trial.

Why Notre Dame will probably be back in the College Football Playoff next year.

Adam Crafton in The Athletic on FIFA's long courtship of Donald Trump:

You can email us at hangup@slate.com.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - Okay. Let’s Talk About "Everyone" Getting Skinny

Sat, 06 Dec 2025 08:00:00 GMT

On today’s episode, host Kate Lindsay is joined by culture writer Mikala Jamison to talk about the rise in online concern about celebrities’ bodies. Mikala writes the newsletter Body Type, and her forthcoming book The Forever Project details her recovery from an eating disorder. Following the premiere of movies like Wicked: For Good, fan concern and speculation about celebrity bodies has culminated in a larger discussion about the return of “this is in.” But did “thin” really ever go away? And what is the right way, if any, to talk about it?

This podcast is produced by Vic Whitley-Berry, Daisy Rosario, and Kate Lindsay.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Decoder Ring - “Videomate: Men” (Encore)

Wed, 03 Dec 2025 08:00:00 GMT

Videomate: Men was a VHS tape released in 1987 featuring 60 single men pitching themselves as dates to women on the other side of the TV screen: “The love of your life could be on your TV tonight!” the box reads. In retrospect, Videomate: Men is a bizarre and hilarious time capsule, but at the time it was one of many manifestations of what was known as video dating. To find out how anyone thought this was a good idea, Decoder Ring examines the weird and forgotten world of video dating in the 1970s, ’80s, and ’90s to find out why video dating once seemed like the future—and if that future is still yet to come.

On this episode, originally released in 2019, we talk to the creators of the Found Footage Fest, VHS collectors who unleashed Videomate on the internet; ask the creators of video dating services like Videomate’s Steve Dworman and Great Expectations’ Jeffrey Ullman what they were thinking; and talk to participants who used these services but not necessarily in the way that was intended. We’ll also discuss the future of video dating with Coffee Meets Bagel co-founder Dawoon Kang and former host of The Longest Shortest Time Andrea Silenzi.

This episode was written by Willa Paskin and was produced and edited by Benjamin Frisch. We had research assistance from Cleo Levin. Decoder Ring is produced by Katie Shepherd, Max Freedman, and Evan Chung, our supervising producer. Merritt Jacob is Senior Technical Director.

If you have any cultural mysteries you want us to decode, email us at DecoderRing@slate.com, or leave a message on the Decoder Ring hotline at 347-460-7281. We love to hear any and all of your ideas for the show.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - “Danish Deception” or Danish Delusion?

Wed, 03 Dec 2025 08:00:00 GMT

On today’s episode host Kate Lindsay is joined by senior supervising producer Daisy Rosario to unpack the 25-part TikTok saga titled the “Danish Deception.” After a former Bachelor contestant came forward with a story about her scamming ex, TikTok turned on her instead. Why didn’t Onyeka get the Reesa Teesa treatment? And who is the real villain of this story?

This podcast is produced by Vic Whitley-Berry, Daisy Rosario, and Kate Lindsay.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Culture Gabfest - Knives Out Is Back with a New Hot Priest Edition

Wed, 03 Dec 2025 08:00:00 GMT

On this week’s show, Julia and Steve are joined by guest host Jamelle Bouie to crack mysteries corporeal and divine in Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery. The latest entrant in Rian Johnson’s whodunnit franchise sees Daniel Craig return as detective Benoit Blanc to team up with an earnest—and earnestly handsome—priest played by Josh O’Connor.

Next, they take on the hefty new Ken Burns documentary series The American Revolution, a sprawling, complicated, fife music-scored examination of this nation’s founding. Finally, are we experiencing a Great Stupidening? In a conversation about New York Magazine’s “Stupid Issue” and The Atlantic piece ‘A Recipe for Idiocracy,’ our smarty pants contemplate American idiocy.

In an exclusive Slate Plus bonus episode, the gang (with Dana!) recap Pluribus episode 6 “HDP.”

Don’t forget: we want your cultural queries! We’re gathering your most pressing questions for our annual call-in show. If you’ve got a burning one, email us at culturefest@slate.com or give us a call and leave a message at: 347-201-2397.

Endorsements:

Jamelle: The sequels of the early '90s martial arts B-movie Best of the Best, specifically Best of the Best II and Best of the Best 3: No Turning Back.

Steve: The Wong Kar Wai film In The Mood for Love.

Julia: Joyride the new memoir by Susan Orlean.

-----

Email us your thoughts at culturefest@slate.com.

Podcast production by Benjamin Frisch. Production assistance by Daniel Hirsch.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Death, Sex & Money - When Your Famous Dad Can Charm Anyone But Can't Pay the Bills

Tue, 02 Dec 2025 08:00:00 GMT

Sarah Amos says the best way to describe her childhood is as a “nepo-baby fever dream.” She grew up in a pink mansion in Hawaii where celebrities often dropped by, and the fridge was always stocked with cookie dough made from her father’s famous recipe.

Wally Amos founded Famous Amos cookies in 1975, but by the time Sarah was in middle school, he had sold the company and their house was in foreclosure. As Sarah grew up, her father never stopped chasing the success he’d once had with Famous Amos, a pursuit that pushed them apart.

Listen to Sarah’s new podcast about her father from Vanity Fair: Tough Cookie: The Wally “Famous” Amos Story

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Hang Up and Listen - The Ballad of Lane Kiffin

Mon, 01 Dec 2025 23:30:00 GMT

Hosts Alex Kirshner, Lindsay Gibbs, and Ben Lindbergh discuss Lane Kiffin’s latest dramatic exit, leaving Ole Miss for LSU right before a playoff run. Then, CBS Sports’ Matt Norlander explains the big money behind the launch of the new in-season college basketball tournament, the Players Era. Finally, the panel looks at two NBA legends: Chris Paul (nearing retirement), and LeBron James (somehow finding another gear).

On the bonus episode available exclusively for Slate Plus members, the panel discusses the ups and downs of Arch Manning’s first season.

Lane Kiffin (4:51): Won’t be Miss’d

College Basketball (22:25): A new mid-season tournament

LeBron (46:18): The undying career

(Note: time codes are only accurate for Slate Plus members, who listen ad-free.)

You can email us at hangup@slate.com.

Podcast production and editing by Kevin Bendis, with production assistance from Patrick Fort.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - Everyone Online Is Going Analog

Sat, 29 Nov 2025 08:00:00 GMT

On today’s episode host Kate Lindsay is joined by creator and social media manager Carmen Vicente to chat about the rise of offline hobbies, and how crafts, DVDs, and something called an “analog bag” are being used as acts of rebellion against an overly plugged-in society. But does this really mean the beginning of the end of social media? Probably not. Instead, Carmen shares how apps as we know them are about to change.

This podcast is produced by Vic Whitley-Berry, Daisy Rosario, and Kate Lindsay.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hit Parade | Music History and Music Trivia - Pour Some Sugar on Me Edition Part 2

Fri, 28 Nov 2025 08:00:00 GMT

When you hear the term “superproducer,” names like George Martin, Quincy Jones, Max Martin, Pharrell Williams or Missy Elliott might come to mind. But … Robert “Mutt” Lange? Probably not. Yet Lange was by some measures the biggest hitmaker—the producer of more top-selling albums than any of those better-known producers.

The South African studio wiz crafted the arena-rock sound of AC/DC and Def Leppard. Then, Lange transformed the Cars, Billy Ocean, Bryan Adams, and Shania Twain into fist-pumping stadium-fillers, too.

Join Chris Molanphy as he traces Mutt Lange’s legacy of loud—and his uncanny success on the pop charts. He poured sugar on every hit.

Podcast production by Kevin Bendis.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - Why Are So Many Celebrities Joining Substack?

Wed, 26 Nov 2025 08:00:00 GMT

On today’s episode host Kate Lindsay is joined by I <3 Mess writer Emily Kirkpatrick to discuss the influx of celebrities joining Substack. As two long-time Substack newsletter writers themselves, the pair dive into all of these new celebrity publications…including the parts they may not know readers can see. What does it say about the state of celebrity that so many are becoming writers—and do they even have anything to say?

This podcast is produced by Vic Whitley-Berry, Daisy Rosario, and Kate Lindsay.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Culture Gabfest - Wicked Triple Feature Edition

Wed, 26 Nov 2025 08:00:00 GMT

Something Wicked this way comes as Dana, Steve, and guest host Dan Kois gather round their proverbial cauldrons for an all-movie edition of the Gabfest. First up, of course, is Wicked: For Good the green/pink-hued conclusion to the alternative history of Oz. This sequel, which reunites Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande as witch besties/mortal enemies, goes to surprisingly dark places.

Next, they discuss Train Dreams, the contemplative and grandeur-filled adaptation of Denis Johnson’s novella directed by Clint Bentley. Finally, they sit down for a long, rich conversation between friends in Peter Hujar’s Day, a chamber piece by Ira Sachs about art, friendship, and how much can happen in a single day.

In our bonus episode for Slate Plus subscribers, Julia hops on the call to continue our recap series of Pluribus. The hosts get into all the details of Pluribus episode 5 “Got Milk.”

We’re still taking submissions for our call-in show. If you’ve got a burning cultural question or topic you’d like our hosts to tackle, call and leave us a message at: 347-201-2397

Endorsements:

Dan: Matching Minds with Sondheim by Barry Joseph, a whole book about Stephen Sondheim’s love of puzzles.

Steve: The jazz album Mal/4 by Mal Waldron Trio and Tim (Let it Bleed Edition) by the Replacements.

Dana: The Broadway production of Waiting for Godot that reunites none other than Bill and Ted with stars Keanu Reeves and Alex Winter.

Email us your thoughts at culturefest@slate.com.

Podcast production by Benjamin Frisch. Production assistance by Daniel Hirsch.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Death, Sex & Money - “The Lord Is My Shepherd and He Knows I'm Gay”

Tue, 25 Nov 2025 08:00:00 GMT

When the Metropolitan Community Church was founded in the late sixties, it was one of the first gay positive churches in America. When AIDS hit, it became a refuge for people who were sick and those who were mourning them.

In this episode, Anna talks to researcher Lynne Gerber, about finding boxes of cassettes under the church floor in an MCC church in San Francisco, and how those recordings of sermons and songs became a podcast about finding community and comfort during a crisis.

Lynne Gerber is the host of the 10-episode series When We All Get to Heaven.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hang Up and Listen - Apple’s Soccer Shakeup

Mon, 24 Nov 2025 23:30:00 GMT

Hosts Alex Kirshner, Lindsay Gibbs, and Ben Lindbergh speak with the Athletic’s Paul Tenorio on why Apple TV and MLS revised their deal and removed the paywall for viewers. They’re then joined by Massachusetts state senator John Keenan about his proposal to regulate online sports betting and why he’s changed his views on the issue. Finally, they wrap with a discussion of Connor Bedard and Macklin Celebrini, the young hockey phenoms leading the NHL in scoring. Lindsay has an Afterball on the one New York team that is actually good: Gotham FC.

On the bonus episode available exclusively for Slate Plus members, the panel discusses the abysmal football on display from both the New York Jets and Giants.

Apple and MLS (6:00): Tear down the wall

Regulating Big Gaming (25:41): Mass. state senator John Keenan wants to rein in sports betting

Hockey’s Young Guns (51:36): Shooting it out for the Art Ross trophy

Afterballs (1:07:04): The Bats win it

(Note: time codes are only accurate for Slate Plus members, who listen ad-free.)

You can email us at hangup@slate.com.

Podcast production and editing by Kevin Bendis, with production assistance from Patrick Fort.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Culture Gabfest - Glen Powell Does The Running Man Edition

Mon, 24 Nov 2025 20:42:00 GMT

If you’ve got a cultural question or topic you’d like our hosts to tackle, now is your chance because we’re preparing for our annual call-in show! Call and leave us a message with your cultural query at: 347-201-2397

On this week’s show, Julia, Dana, Steve are off to the dystopian races with Edgar Wright’s adaptation of The Running Man. Based on a novel by Stephen King and starring movie-star-to-be Glenn Powell, the film is chockfull of adrenaline and stylish wit but does it overcome its own authoritarian bleakness? They discuss with Slate’s own Sam Adams.

Next, they take a look at the oft-forgotten presidency and assassination of James A. Garfield in the Netflix limited series Death By Lightning, starring Michael Shannon, Matthew Macfadyen, and a whole lot of period accurate beards. Finally, they look to the heavens with the loftily ambitious, operatic, and polyglottal new album LUX by Rosalía.

In an exclusive bonus episode for Slate Plus subscribers, they continue their recap series and get into the twists and turns of the fourth episode of Pluribus.

Endorsements

Dana: The 17th century nun and poet (a very Rosalía-like divine feminine) Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz and particularly the poem "The Ripcord of Love" as translated by Ada Límon.

Steve: Joyce Carol Oates’s iconic, lacerating subtweet for the ages—illustrated beautifully on Literary Hub—as well as the prolific author's essay about the novel We Have Always Lived In the Castle in The New York Review of Books. (Steve welcomes listener recommendations for their favorite Oates's novel.)

Julia: The Alpine Men's Snow Boot from Xero, for when the Los Angeles Almanac predicts rain.

Email us your thoughts at culturefest@slate.com.

Podcast production by Benjamin Frisch. Production assistance by Daniel Hirsch.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - AI Is Changing How We Have Sex

Sat, 22 Nov 2025 08:00:00 GMT

On today’s episode host Kate Lindsay is joined by porn historian Noelle Perdue, author of the Porn World newsletter. OpenAI announced that they’d allow adult users to have erotic conversations with ChatGPT, just one more way AI and porn are becoming intertwined. As sex becomes more online, not only does it become more solitary, but also more surveilled. Both of these things are intended to divide us, but Noelle is confident that AI’s attempted sex-takeover will fail.

This podcast is produced by Vic Whitley-Berry, Daisy Rosario, and Kate Lindsay.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Decoder Ring - How Protein Muscled Its Way to the Top

Wed, 19 Nov 2025 08:00:00 GMT

Americans are currently besotted with protein. It’s touted as being good for muscle growth, weight loss, skincare, mental acuity, longevity, and much else besides. It’s sold to men, women, children, the elderly— you can even buy protein for your pets. The protein supplement market alone is worth $21 billion and growing—and extra protein is being added to coffee, cereal, pasta, beer, ice cream, and popcorn.

But as frenzied as we currently are about protein, this is not the first protein boom—or even the second. Protein has been promoted as a charismatic, cure-all nutrient for nearly two centuries. In this episode, with the help of Samantha King and Gavin Weedon, the authors of Protein: The Making of a Nutritional Superstar, we look closely at all our protein crazes and their associated protein products—from beef tea to whey powder—and see what they can tell us about our current protein mania.

This episode was produced by Max Freedman. Decoder Ring is also produced by Willa Paskin, Katie Shepherd, and Evan Chung, our supervising producer. We had editing support from Josh Levin and fact-checking by Sophie Summergrad. Merritt Jacob is Senior Technical Director.

If you have any cultural mysteries you want us to decode, email us at DecoderRing@slate.com or leave a message on our hotline at (347) 460-7281.

Sources for This Episode

King, Samantha and Gavin Weedon. Protein: The Making of a Nutritional Superstar, Duke University Press, 2026.

Baker, Ryan. “Protein has become America's latest obsession. Companies like General Mills and PepsiCo are capitalizing on it,” CNBC, July 22, 2025.

Brock, William H. Justus von Liebig: The Chemical Gatekeeper, Cambridge University Press, 1997.

Callahan, Alice. “The More Protein, the Better?” New York Times, April 9, 2025.

Draper, Kevin. “America’s Protein Obsession Is Transforming the Dairy Industry,” New York Times, July 16, 2025.

Gayomali, Chris. “Big Food Gets Jacked: How protein mania took over the American grocery store,” New York Magazine, Feb. 12, 2025.

“The Great Protein Fiasco,” Maintenance Phase, Aug. 31, 2021.

Liebig, Justus von. Researches on the Chemistry of Food, Taylor and Walton, 1847.

McLaren, Donald S. “The Great Protein Fiasco,” The Lancet, 1974.

Oncken, John. “Stingy, 'half-way' dairy farmer's curiosity changed the world,” Wisconsin State Farmer, April 27, 2022.

“Subject of Whey Disposal Discussed in UW Bulletin.” Wausau Daily Herald, Aug. 28, 1965.

Torrella, Kenny. “You’re probably eating way too much protein,” Vox, Jan. 30, 2024.

Wilson, Bee. “Protein mania: the rich world’s new diet obsession,” The Guardian, Jan. 4, 2019.

Wu, Katherine J. “Should We All Be Eating Like The Rock?” The Atlantic, Aug. 28, 2023.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - The Two Internet Villains Staging a Comeback

Wed, 19 Nov 2025 08:00:00 GMT

On today’s episode host Kate Lindsay is joined by New York Magazine feature writer, Rebecca Jennings, to discuss the two internet villains currently trying to get back in the internet’s good graces. First, there’s former Try Guy Ned Fulmer, who was ousted from the group after having an affair with an employee, and has now relaunched his YouTube channel as well as his own podcast. Then, Colleen Ballinger, also known as MirandaSings, appeared on Tea Time with Raven Symone and Miranda Maday to discuss allegations that she had interacted inappropriately with her fans. In both cases, fans have rejected their attempts to return. So why do they keep coming back?

This podcast is produced by Vic Whitley-Berry, Daisy Rosario, and Kate Lindsay.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Death, Sex & Money - Tig Notaro's Documentary About Her Friend's Death Is Also Really Funny

Tue, 18 Nov 2025 08:00:00 GMT

Even though the documentary Tig Notaro produced won the Festival Favorite Award at Sundance, she did not spend the festival hobnobbing with industry types. Instead she stayed holed up at the Airbnb she rented with friends and the film's crew. "We were calling it Snuggle Down because we were all sitting around the fire and having tea and just laughing so hard." Among the people at Snuggle Down was the subject of the documentary, poet Andrea Gibson, who was dying of ovarian cancer.

In this episode, Tig describes meeting Andrea, what made them click creatively, and how making a documentary about the end of Andrea's life brought an already tight-knit group of friends closer together.

Watch: Come See Me In the Good Light

And we also want to acknowledge the passing of disability activist Alice Wong. She died on Friday in San Francisco at age 51. Alice and Anna first talked in 2020.

Listen here: Alice Wong On Ruckuses, Rage And Medicaid

Podcast production by Andrew Dunn

Get 50% Off Monarch Money, the all-in-one financial tool at ⁠www.monarchmoney.com/DSM⁠

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hang Up and Listen - The Mavericks' Meltdown

Tue, 18 Nov 2025 00:30:00 GMT

Hosts Alex Kirshner, Lindsay Gibbs, and Ben Lindbergh speak with Yahoo Sports writer Dan Devine about the fallout from the Luka Dončić trade and the subsequent sacking of GM Nico Harrison in Dallas. Then Slate’s Nitish Pahwa joins to unpack the latest dispute between Disney and YouTube TV and what it means for the future of sports streaming. Finally, the Ringer’s Danny Chau stops by to discuss Victor Wembanyama’s breakout season and whether this could be the year he carries the Spurs back to the playoffs.

On the bonus episode available exclusively for Slate Plus members, the panel discusses Shedeur Sanders' far-from-stellar NFL debut.

Nico Harrison gets the boot (3:02): The Dallas collapse is complete

Disney vs. YouTube (26:12): What was behind the recent clash of the streamers

Wemby (42:52): The rise of the unguardable?

(Note: time codes are only accurate for Slate Plus members, who listen ad-free.)

You can email us at hangup@slate.com.

Podcast production and editing by Kevin Bendis, with production assistance from Patrick Fort.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - Yes, Having a Boyfriend Is Embarrassing

Sat, 15 Nov 2025 08:00:00 GMT

On today’s episode host Kate Lindsay is joined by writer and content creator Josh Lora, who also goes by TellTheBees. Josh’s Substack essay, Boyfriendland, was cited in the viral Vogue article written by Chanté Joseph, “Is Having a Boyfriend Embarrassing Now?” Many women are hiding their boyfriends online, or losing followers if they hard-launch. Some go as far as to say having a boyfriend “feels republican.” Is this heterofatalism gone too far, or a long-overdue correction to the patriarchy?

This podcast is produced by Daisy Rosario, Vic Whitley-Berry, and Kate Lindsay.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Death, Sex & Money - Money on the Mind: How to Budget for Aging Parents…and Yourself

Sat, 15 Nov 2025 08:00:00 GMT

In a new, very special Death, Sex & Money and Slate Money crossover, Felix Salmon and Anna Sale are once again joined by Felix’s financial advisor Adrianna Adams from Domain Money to talk about…parents. They dig into the emotions of trying to take care of your aging parents while also growing your own wealth, the importance of setting goals, and how to deal with aging children AND aging parents at the same time.

For a visual experience, you can watch this episode on YouTube.

Podcast production by Cheyna Roth. Video production by Micah Phillips.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hit Parade | Music History and Music Trivia - Pour Some Sugar on Me Edition Part 1

Sat, 15 Nov 2025 04:20:00 GMT

Join Chris Molanphy as he traces Mutt Lange’s legacy of loud—and his uncanny success on the pop charts. He poured sugar on every hit.

Podcast production by Kevin Bendis.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Culture Gabfest - The Slate Culture Gift Guide

Fri, 14 Nov 2025 08:00:00 GMT

Hark, the holiday season is upon us—and with it the most solemn of festive traditions: a gift guide! In this video and podcast special, Slate hosts Dana Stevens, Chris Molanphy, and Willa Paskin beam-in from their collective hearths to deliver unto the internet their favorite gifts for culture lovers this holiday. In addition to sharing gifts, they also discuss the cultural artifact that is the “holiday gift guide,” and its history going back to the early 20th century, up to the modern day. See the entirety of the 1910 gift guide Our Special Holiday Gift-Book from Greenhut-Siegel Cooper, and Esquire’s ultra-mod gift guide from 1961.

Check out our gift recommendations below:

Dana Stevens’ Cozy Movie Night-In:

Chris Molanphy’s Hit Parade Collection:

Willa Paskin’s Fruit-Themed Trompe-l'œil Housewares:

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - Who TF Is Grammy-Nominated Alex Warren?

Wed, 12 Nov 2025 08:00:00 GMT

On today’s episode host Kate Lindsay is joined by Yahoo News senior entertainment writer, Kelsey Weekman, to answer the question on everyone’s lips: Who is Alex Warren and why is every store playing his music? The Hype House OG is nominated for Best New Artist at the Grammys, and is part of a growing wave of musicians making “secular praise music.” Where did Alex Warren come from, and how did he pull off a musical career pivot when so many other TikTokkers failed?

This podcast is produced by Daisy Rosario, Vic Whitley-Berry, and Kate Lindsay.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hit Parade | Music History and Music Trivia - The Slate Culture Gift Guide

Wed, 12 Nov 2025 08:00:00 GMT

Hark, the holiday season is upon us—and with it, the most solemn of festive traditions: a gift guide! In this video and podcast special, Slate hosts Dana Stevens, Chris Molanphy, and Willa Paskin beam in from their collective hearths to deliver unto the internet their favorite gifts for culture lovers. In addition to sharing gifts, they also discuss the cultural artifact that is the “holiday gift guide,” and its history going back to the early 20th century, up to the modern day. See the entirety of the 1910 gift guide Our Special Holiday Gift-Book from Greenhut-Siegel Cooper, and Esquire’s ultra-mod gift guide from 1961.

Check out our gift recommendations below:

Dana Stevens’ Cozy Movie Night-In:

Chris Molanphy’s Hit Parade Collection:

Willa Paskin’s Fruit-Themed Trompe-l'œil Housewares:

The Slate Culture Gift Guide is produced for Slate Studios by Benjamin Frisch and Micah Phillips, with Meryl Bezrutczyk and Andrew Harding.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Culture Gabfest - The Creator of Breaking Bad is Back—with Polite Zombies Edition

Wed, 12 Nov 2025 08:00:00 GMT

On this week’s show, Steve, Dana, and Julia merge their consciousnesses—so to speak—to reflect on Pluribus, the latest television saga from Breaking Bad creator Vince Gilligan. In this unlikely body snatchers/sci-fi mashup, Rhea Seehorn plays a woman intent on saving the world from… eternal happiness? What exactly it needs saving from—or if it needs saving at all—is fodder for much discourse.

Next, they turn to the ruminative and funny family drama Sentimental Value, directed by Norwegian auteur Joachim Trier and starring Stellan Skarsgård and Renate Reinsve. Finally, they take a look at a recent piece in The Ankler by Richard Rushfield crunching the numbers to reveal that, since #MeToo, troublingly few major films have been directed by women.

In an exclusive Slate Plus bonus episode, it’s time to party! Or rather, it’s time for a reflective discussion about parties as pieces of personal culture.

Endorsements

Dana: Reading up on the historical figure Jean Ross, the writer and activist who inspired both the song “These Foolish Things (Remind Me of You)” and the character Sally Bowles of Goodbye to Berlin/Cabaret notoriety.

Julia: Kate McKinnon talking with Amy Poehler on Good Hang and Jennifer Lawrence talking with Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang on Las Culturistas— celebrities interviewing celebrities isn’t all bad!

Steve: By Night in Chile by Roberto Bolaño and the Dutch indie rock band Bettie Serveert— especially this playlist.

…

Email us your thoughts at culturefest@slate.com.

Podcast production by Benjamin Frisch. Production assistance by Daniel Hirsch.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Decoder Ring - The Slate Culture Gift Guide

Wed, 12 Nov 2025 08:00:00 GMT

Check out our gift recommendations below:

Dana Stevens’ Cozy Movie Night-In:

Chris Molanphy’s Hit Parade Collection:

Willa Paskin’s Fruit-Themed Trompe-l'œil Housewares:

The Slate Culture Gift Guide is produced for Slate Studios by Benjamin Frisch and Micah Phillips, with Meryl Bezrutczyk and Andrew Harding.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Death, Sex & Money - Raising A Country Musician Through Swagger and Psychosis

Tue, 11 Nov 2025 08:00:00 GMT

Country musician Luke Bell had swagger, talent, and a career on the rise, opening for Willie Nelson and Dwight Yoakam. Then mental illness took over. His mother Carol shares what it was like raising Luke, the fine line between his bold personality and paranoid delusions, and navigating his years of homelessness and psychosis before his death at 32.

Listen to his posthumous album, The King Is Back. Proceeds go towards mental health treatment for people in Wyoming who can't afford it.

Song List:

The Great Pretender

Rattlesnake Man

Where Ya Been (Music Video)

Guitar Man

Sometimes

On Our Own

The Bullfighter

River

The King Is Back (Music Video)

Podcast production by Zoe Azulay

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hang Up and Listen - Mamdani and the Knicks

Mon, 10 Nov 2025 23:30:00 GMT

Hosts Alex Kirshner, Lindsay Gibbs, and Ben Lindbergh are joined by Knicks superfan and X-Ray Vision host Jason Concepcion for a discussion on Zohran Mamdani’s Knicks fandom and the team’s presence in the mayoral race. The panel turns to yet another major betting scandal – this time in Major League Baseball. Later, journalist Nathan Fenno joins to explain the wave of high-profile burglaries targeting professional athletes.

On the bonus episode available exclusively for Slate Plus members, the panel talks about Project B and the future for women’s basketball around the world.

Brunson for Mayor (4:27): The Knicks and New York politics

Guardians players indicted for gambling (23:27): Baseball stars face charges for prop bets.

Sports burglaries (45:52): The rash of robberies targeting pro athletes

(Note: time codes are only accurate for Slate Plus members, who listen ad-free.)

You can email us at hangup@slate.com.

Podcast production and editing by Kevin Bendis, with production assistance from Patrick Fort.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - The Internet Has A Gambling Problem

Sat, 08 Nov 2025 08:00:00 GMT

On today’s episode host Kate Lindsay is joined by Manny Fidel, culture writer and cohost of the No Such Thing podcast, to explain how gambling took over the internet. A recent betting scandal not only exposed the chokehold that gambling has on the sports industry, but opened up a larger conversation about how everything on the internet is influenced by gambling. People are betting political candidates and arbitrary fashion choices, all while putting themselves further and further into financial precarity. How did this happen and, most importantly, can anything be done to fix it?

This podcast is produced by Daisy Rosario, Benjamin Frisch, and Kate Lindsay.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Death, Sex & Money - Money on the Mind: Prepping for Retirement Without Losing Your Mind

Sat, 08 Nov 2025 08:00:00 GMT

In a new, very special Death, Sex & Money and Slate Money crossover, Felix Salmon and Anna Sale dig into the stressful world of financial advice and planning for retirement. How do you know if you’re set up financially to retire? Is it possible to think about retirement without having a panic attack? How much should you track your 401k? They’re joined by Felix’s financial advisor Adrianna Adams from Domain Money, to dig into these questions and so much more.

For a visual experience, you can watch this episode on YouTube.

Podcast production by Cheyna Roth. Video production by Micah Phillips.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - The Alarm Clock That Woke Up #DemonTok

Wed, 05 Nov 2025 08:00:00 GMT

On today’s episode host Kate Lindsay is joined by Slate contributing editor Angelina Mazza to explain why Christian creators are throwing away their Hatch alarm clocks. The company’s Halloween commercial was so spooky that it was accused of having “demonic ties,” and now people are claiming they hear voices coming out of the device. The question is not, “Is the devil really hiding inside of a $200 alarm clock?” But rather, “Why do Christians keep thinking the devil is in their technology in the first place?”

This podcast is produced by Daisy Rosario, Vic Whitley-Berry, and Kate Lindsay.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Culture Gabfest - Lily Allen’s Revenge Tour Edition

Wed, 05 Nov 2025 08:00:00 GMT

On this week’s show, Steve, Dana, and Julia pull up proverbially barstools at Sardi’s to discuss Richard Linklater’s latest film Blue Moon, which is about one night in the life of Broadway lyricist Lorenz Hart. As played by a transformed Ethan Hawke, Hart is witty, needy, and totally captivating.

Next, they travel Down Cemetery Road by way of a conversation about the new conspiracy series starring Emma Thompson and Ruth Wilson based on a novel by Mick Heron of Slow Horses fame. Finally, they turn to a piece of real estate that may forever live in infamy as “The Pussy Palace” thanks to Lily Allen’s brutally honest and stunningly well-crafted album West End Girl.

On an exclusive bonus episode for Slate Plus subscribers, the hosts take up the issue of biographical pictures—aka biopics— and Slate’s recent package Portrait Mode about the ubiquitous film genre.

Endorsements:

Dana: Lily Allen’s song “The Fear”— to listen to and perform at karaoke.

Julia: A boule of chocolate sourdough bread from the bakery of Milo & Olive in Los Angeles.

Steve: Roberto Bolaño's novella By Night in Chile and Ella Fitzgerald singing “Bewitched, Bothered, and Bewildered” on the album Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Rodgers & Hart Song Book.

Email us your thoughts at culturefest@slate.com.

Podcast production by Benjamin Frisch. Production assistance by Daniel Hirsch.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Decoder Ring - Cozy Autumn Mysteries

Wed, 05 Nov 2025 08:00:00 GMT

Autumn may have more cozy signifiers than any other season—though we all have our own favorites. Maybe for you it’s sweater weather, football games, spooky season, apple picking, leaf peeping, or mainlining candy corn. Whatever it is, in today’s episode we’re looking closely at three of these autumnal staples.

First, we get to the bottom of a recurring complaint about the taste of the pumpkin spice latte. Then we gaze deep inside the enigma hiding inside colorful fall leaves. Finally we ask some hard-hitting questions about the seasonal availability of an elusive cookie. Snuggle up and enjoy!

In this episode, you’ll hear from author and podcaster Don Martin who has a new audiobook out about loneliness called Where Did Everybody Go?. We also speak with Simcha Lev-Yadun, professor of botany and archeology; Susanne Renner, botanist and honorary professor of biology at Washington University in St. Louis; and Prospect Park Alliance arborist Malcolm Gore. And you’ll also hear from Lauren Tarr, who runs the blog Midlife Moxie and Muscle, and her mother Grace Dewey, along with Caroline Suppiger, brand manager at Mondelēz.

We’d also like to thank Brian Gallagher, Tom Arnold, Sylvie Russo and Laura Robinson.

This episode was produced by Katie Shepherd. Decoder Ring is also produced by Willa Paskin, Max Freedman, and Evan Chung, our supervising producer. Merritt Jacob is Senior Technical Director.

If you have any cultural mysteries you want us to decode, email us at DecoderRing@slate.com or leave a message on our hotline at (347) 460-7281.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Death, Sex & Money - After SNL, Ego Nwodim Has Her Weekends Back

Tue, 04 Nov 2025 08:00:00 GMT

This September when SNL announced its season 51 cast, Ego Nwodim made the cut. Then, just days later, she announced on social media that she was leaving the show. "The hardest part of a great party is knowing when to say goodnight," she wrote.

In this episode, she talks about learning to trust her body when making big decisions, growing up in a family of workaholics, and her 3 AM post-show ritual of eating an entire cake while FaceTiming her best friend. Plus, why her phone has been on silent for 11 years.

Listen: Ego’s podcast Thanks Dad where she talks about growing up without a father, and talks to other comedians about their dads, and gets their dad-like advice.

See: Ego perform at Lincoln Center’s The Comedy Series, November 19 through November 23.

Podcast production by Andrew Dunn and Zoe Azulay

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hang Up and Listen - A World Series for the Ages

Tue, 04 Nov 2025 01:00:00 GMT

Hosts Alex Kirshner, Lindsay Gibbs, and Ben Lindbergh discuss what was possibly the greatest World Series of all time. Then they’re joined by Matt Brown, the publisher of Extra Points, to break down the competing Republican and Democratic proposals that could reshape the future of college sports. Finally, the Hang Up podfather Josh Levin returns to introduce his new sports history podcast, Replay Booth, and shares an Afterball about a forgotten baseball hero.

On the bonus episode available exclusively for Slate Plus members, the panel discusses how the National Women’s Soccer League continues to lose players to European teams.

The World Series (6:28): Yamamoto heroics

College Sports and Politics (27:28): Why Texas billionaire Cody Campbell might be interrupting your Saturday football viewing experience

Josh is back! (47:48): Levin returns to tell us about his new podcast, Replay Booth

(Note: time codes are only accurate for Slate Plus members, who listen ad-free.)

You can email us at hangup@slate.com.

Podcast production and editing by Kevin Bendis, with production assistance from Patrick Fort.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Death, Sex & Money - Money on the Mind: To Have Kids or Not to Have Kids

Sat, 01 Nov 2025 07:00:00 GMT

In a new, very special Death, Sex & Money and Slate Money crossover, Felix Salmon and Anna Sale dig into the difficult decision of whether or not to have kids.

Child care? School? New vehicle? All the baby gadgets? Kids are expensive! Anna has two kids, and Felix is famously childless. Between the two of them they dig into their decisions to have and not have kids, the budgeting and balancing of all the emotional and financial costs of kids, how kids can be a benefit later in life, and more.

For a visual experience, you can watch this episode on YouTube.

Podcast production by Cheyna Roth. Video production by Micah Phillips.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - Can The Internet Save Animation?

Sat, 01 Nov 2025 07:00:00 GMT

On today’s episode, host Kate Lindsay is joined by producer Vic Whitley-Berry, whose favorite animated shows like Hazbin Hotel have been funded by the internet—not big studios. In fact, as major studios consolidate and cut resources for animation, platforms like Patreon and YouTube are keeping the genre afloat. If we don’t continue to support independent artists, then crude animated musicals about religious trauma and pegging won’t get the audience they deserve!

This podcast is produced by Daisy Rosario, Vic Whitley-Berry, and Kate Lindsay.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hit Parade | Music History and Music Trivia - If You Love Sting, Set Him Free Edition Part 2

Fri, 31 Oct 2025 17:00:00 GMT

Walk into any store or flip on a radio, and you’ll probably hear the Police’s “Every Breath You Take” sooner or later. Thanks to that ubiquity, the swooning, menacing megahit’s songwriter—Sting—is a very wealthy man.

Now his former bandmates, Stewart Copeland and Andy Summers, are suing Sting over who deserves to profit from “Breath” and other Police songs. No matter how that dispute turns out, it’s a reminder of Sting’s uncanny songwriting skill and his charmed life of hitmaking.

For more than four decades, Sting seems to resurface every few years with a new earworm, from “Roxanne” to “Russians,” blending New Wave rock with another genre—reggae, jazz, classical, country, even rap and Raï—and in the process, getting sampled by new generations of millennial and zoomer hitmakers.

Join Chris Molanphy as he recounts the long, varied, sophisticated, but catchy career of the King of Pain. Whatever he tries, every little thing Sting does is magic.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Culture Gabfest - Netflix Goes Nuclear with A House of Dynamite Edition

Wed, 29 Oct 2025 07:00:00 GMT

On this week’s show, Dana is joined by fellow movie critics Amy Nicholson of The Los Angeles Times and Slate’s Sam Adams for an all-film edition of the Gabfest. First up, they enter A House of Dynamite, Kathryn Bigelow’s tense procedural about a nuclear catastrophe. Whether or not this grim thriller has any spark is up for debate.

Next, they step into the raucous party of Hedda Gabler in Nia DaCosta’s Henrik Ibsen adaptation Hedda, starring Tessa Thompson as the scheming hostess. Finally, they examine the documentary The Perfect Neighbor which offers an alarming portrait of one Florida community compiled primarily through police body cam footage.

In an exclusive Slate Plus bonus episode, the movie talk continues with an all-spoiler special about all three films.

Endorsements

Amy: The Man in the Tuskhut, an animatronic, AI theater piece by the writer and director Jason Woliner.

Sam: The band Belly’s album Star and the play Liberation by Bess Wohl.

Dana: Spike Jonze’s music video of Bjork’s cover of “It’s Oh So Quiet.”

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - Halloween Used to Be Fun Online

Wed, 29 Oct 2025 07:00:00 GMT

On today’s episode, host Kate Lindsay is joined by Jonquilyn Hill, host of Vox’s Explain It To Me podcast. The pair chat about how the internet used to celebrate Halloween, from spooky Twitter display names to Snapchat filters, and why no one wants to be earnest online anymore. However, today’s internet is still filled with plenty of scary stuff, with r/nosleep still going strong, ghost sightings going viral on TikTok, and LinkedIn. That’s it. Just LinkedIn.

This podcast is produced by Daisy Rosario, Vic Whitley-Berry, and Kate Lindsay.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Death, Sex & Money - Her Boyfriend Was Killed in a Random NYC Attack. Right-Wing Trolls Mocked Her.

Tue, 28 Oct 2025 07:00:00 GMT

In the early-morning hours of October 2, 2023, progressive activist and organizer Ryan Carson was stabbed and killed by a stranger on a Brooklyn sidewalk. His girlfriend Claudia Morales—who witnessed the crime, attempted CPR, and dialed 911—quickly became the target of sensationalist online posting. Internet trolls falsely claimed that she didn’t cooperate with law enforcement and suggested that she and Ryan were, first and foremost, anti-police activists.

This week, Claudia talks to Anna about what it’s like to become a flattened character in the online culture wars, and she explains what the online provocateurs get wrong about who she is and who Ryan was.

This episode was produced by Cameron Drews.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hang Up and Listen - The NBA’s Growing Gambling Affair

Mon, 27 Oct 2025 23:00:00 GMT

Hosts Alex Kirshner, Lindsay Gibbs, and Ben Lindbergh discuss the federal indictments of NBA players and coaches for gambling incidents and how the ubiquity of online betting plays a role.. Then the panel is joined by the host of the Ringer’s F1 podcast, Megan Schuster, to discuss the excitement and drama heading into the final stretch of the Formula 1 season. Finally, they finish with a mid-season NFL check-in.

On the bonus episode available exclusively for Slate Plus members, the panel discusses the San Francisco Giants hiring a college baseball coach as their new manager, a first in MLB.

Gambling and the NBA (2:47): Chauncey Billups and Terry Rozier have been indicted

F1 (21:56): Can Verstappen eke out another championship?

NFL (38:14): Could Daniel Jones really be an MVP

(Note: time codes are only accurate for Slate Plus members, who listen ad-free.)

You can email us at hangup@slate.com.

Podcast production and editing by Kevin Bendis, with production assistance from Patrick Fort.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - TwitchCon’s Sexual Harassment Problem

Sat, 25 Oct 2025 07:00:00 GMT

On today’s episode, host Kate Lindsay is joined by writer and streamer Laura Kate Dale to talk about what happened to Emiru at this year’s TwitchCon. The streamer was assaulted during a meet-and-greet, after a number of female streamers had already dropped out of the convention in fear for their safety. What is it about TwitchCon that makes creators feel unsafe, and why are female streamers, in particular, still paying the price?

This podcast is produced by Daisy Rosario, Vic Whitley-Berry, and Kate Lindsay.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Culture Gabfest - Slate Plus Preview: Jad Abumrad Inquires How We Make the Gabfest

Wed, 22 Oct 2025 07:05:00 GMT

This is a special preview of this week's Slate Plus episode. To get the full episode, another one like it every single week, and unlimited reading on Slate.com, subscribe to slate plus at Slate.com/cultureplus and help us keep the lights on.

When you have Jad Abumrad in the studio, you don’t let him leave without squeezing as much quality audio from him as possible. So, inspired by Jad’s own natural curiosity, we dedicated our bonus episode this week to responding to one of the foremost practitioners of American radio’s questions about our little ol’ show. What follows is a wide-ranging conversation between Julia, Dana, Steve, and Jad about the current cultural landscape, the role of criticism, and the vital need for art in a time of inhumane political realities.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - The Streamer and the Shock Collar

Wed, 22 Oct 2025 07:00:00 GMT

On today’s episode, host Kate Lindsay is joined by Slate staff writer Luke Winkie to talk about Twitch streamer Hasan Piker, who some viewers have accused of shocking his dog on his livestream. Winkie spent time with Piker and his dog, Kaya, for Slate earlier this year, and helps debunk the misinformation currently being spread by cloutchasers and right-wing media figures alike. He also answers the most important question of them all: Just how soft is Kaya’s fur, exactly?

This podcast is produced by Daisy Rosario, Vic Whitley-Berry, and Kate Lindsay.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Culture Gabfest - Guillermo del Toro Can Take Frankenstein Off His Bucket List Edition

Wed, 22 Oct 2025 07:00:00 GMT

On this week’s show, Dana, Steve, and Julia step into the gothic, visually rich world of Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein. It’s been years in the making, gorgeously rendered, and stars the always compelling Oscar Isaac and Jacob Elordi, but it’s up for debate if something like a soul emerges from del Toro’s mad machinations.

Next, author and journalist Stefan Fatsis joins the logophilic panel to talk about the uncertain fate of dictionaries as chronicled in his new book Unabridged: The Thrill of (and Threat To) the Modern Dictionary. Finally, the hosts talk about the sonically and narratively layered new podcast Fela Kuti: Fear No Man about the legendary Nigerian musician and activist— its acclaimed producer Jad Abumrad joins to discuss.

In an exclusive Slate Plus bonus episode, Jad sticks around to pepper the Gabfesters with questions about how we make our own podcast week after week.

Email us your thoughts at culturefest@slate.com.

Podcast production by Benjamin Frisch. Production assistance by Daniel Hirsch.

Endorsements

Steve: Jad Abumrad's new podcast Fela Kuti: Fear No Man (yes, the one covered in this very episode— it's that good). Also, Ben Lerner’s essay “Cardiography” in the New York Review of Books.

Jad: The dark Macedonian fantasy You Won’t Be Alone.

Julia: “Tense Present: Democracy, English, and the Wars over Usage,” David Foster Wallace's classic essay originally published in Harpers.
Dana: Adam Gopnik's recent piece "What Do We Want from Our Child Stars?" in The New Yorker.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Decoder Ring - The Red String Board Conspiracy

Wed, 22 Oct 2025 07:00:00 GMT

There’s a ubiquitous prop in just about every police procedural and conspiracy thriller: a cork board pinned with documents, newspaper clippings, and Polaroid photos, all connected by a web of red string. They go by many names, including pin boards, string boards, evidence boards, investigation walls, conspiracy walls, and walls of crazy. These boards can be vehicles of insight or manifestations of madness—and in many cases, both. But where did they come from? And can they really solve a crime?

In this episode, we try to unwind the red string board all the way to its center. To aide in our investigation, we enlist the help of Aki Peritz, a former CIA analyst and the author of Disruption: Inside the Largest Counterterrorism Investigation in History. You’ll also hear from Shawn Gilmore, editor of The Vault of Culture and creator of the Narrative String Theory project; and Dr. Anne Ganzert, author of Serial Pinboarding in Contemporary Television. And we learn about the intricacies of building a string board from production designers Michael Scott Cobb (It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia) and John D. Kretschmer (Homeland).

This episode was written and produced by Evan Chung, Decoder Ring’s supervising producer. It was edited by Willa Paskin. Decoder Ring is also produced by Katie Shepherd and Max Freedman. Merritt Jacob is Senior Technical Director.

If you have any cultural mysteries you want us to decode, email us at DecoderRing@slate.com or leave a message on our hotline at (347) 460-7281.

Sources for This Episode

Benson, Richard. “Decoding the Detective's 'Crazy Wall',” Esquire, Jan. 22, 2015.

Coley, Rob. “The case of the speculative detective: Aesthetic truths and the television ‘crime board’,” NECSUS, May 28, 2017.

Ganzert, Anne. Serial Pinboarding in Contemporary Television, Palgrave Macmillan, 2020.

Gilmore, Shawn. “Narrative String Theory,” The Vault of Culture.

McGarry, Andrew. “Did Orwell's nightmare Nineteen Eighty-Four inspire the Snowtown murders?” Australian Broadcasting Corporation News, May 21, 2019.

Peritz, Aki. Disruption: Inside the Largest Counterterrorism Investigation in History, Potomac Books, 2021.

Peritz, Aki. “The FBI Is Going Crazy-Stringboard Crazy,” Slate, Feb. 1, 2022.

Stiehm, Jamie. “My So-Called Bipolar Life,” New York Times, Jan. 17, 2012.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Death, Sex & Money - How a Former Polygamist “Sister Wife” Learned to Love Monogamy

Tue, 21 Oct 2025 07:00:00 GMT

Christine Brown Woolley grew up in Utah with a dad and two moms, in a polygamist community called the Apostolic United Brethren. When she became an adult, she joined a polygamist marriage as a third wife, helped raise more than a dozen kids, and became co-star of the TLC reality show Sister Wives.

Fast forward to 2025, and she has left her marriage and her polygamist faith. This week, she talks to Anna about the pros and cons of her former lifestyle, how being on a reality show helped her family to confront and process conflicts, and why she’s so happy being re-married and monogamous. Her new memoir is Sister Wife: A Memoir of Faith, Family, and Finding Freedom.

This episode was produced by Cameron Drews.

Get 50% Off Monarch Money, the all-in-one financial tool at ⁠www.monarchmoney.com/DSM⁠

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hang Up and Listen - Nate Silver and the NFL's Year of Parity

Tue, 21 Oct 2025 00:40:00 GMT

Hosts Alex Kirshner, Lindsay Gibbs, and Ben Lindbergh are joined by Nate Silver, founder of FiveThirtyEight and Silver Bulletin, to discuss his new NFL prediction model “ELWAY” and what it reveals about an unpredictable football league. Later in the show, OG Hang Up host Stefan Fatsis returns to talk about his new book on the dictionary, “Unabridged: The Thrill of and Threat to the Modern Dictionary,” and to share some of his favorite sports word definitions. The panel also previews the upcoming NBA season. Stefan sticks around to give a throwback style introduction to Ben's Afterball on the goofy mule-kicker comedy “Gus”.

On the bonus episode available exclusively for Slate Plus members, the panel has GOAT talk aboutShohei Ohtani.

NFL (3:54): The tricky world of football forcasting

NBA (26:33): Will Wemby be great?

Fatsis is back! (45:18): The prodigal host is unabridged

Afterballs (1:05:08: Hee-haw

(Note: time codes are only accurate for Slate Plus members, who listen ad-free.)

You can email us at hangup@slate.com.

Podcast production and editing by Kevin Bendis, with production assistance from Patrick Fort.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - Candice Lim Logs Off

Sat, 18 Oct 2025 07:00:00 GMT

On today’s episode, hosts Candice Lim and Kate Lindsay celebrate Candice’s three years at ICYMI, and send her off onto her next chapter. They talk Dan and Phil’s hard launch, Connor Franta and Troye Sivan’s Instagram beef, and the major predictions Candice has for the internet in 2026.

This podcast is produced by Daisy Rosario, Vic Whitley-Berry, Candice Lim, and Kate Lindsay.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hit Parade | Music History and Music Trivia - If You Love Sting, Set Him Free Edition Part 1

Sat, 18 Oct 2025 00:30:00 GMT

Join Chris Molanphy as he recounts the long, varied, sophisticated, but catchy career of the King of Pain. Whatever he tries, every little thing Sting does is magic.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Culture Gabfest - Channing Tatum on the Lam Edition

Wed, 15 Oct 2025 07:00:00 GMT

On this week’s episode, Julia and Steve are joined by guest host Rebecca Onion to admire and puzzle over the magnetic appeal of Channing Tatum in Roofman. Does the beloved hunk’s captivating performance ground Derek Cianfrance’s tonally odd film?

Next, the hosts take another step into Tim Robinson’s cringey, paranoid, comedy looking glass with his new series The Chair Company. Finally, they welcome back Atlantic staff writer Caity Weaver to regale them with war stories from writing her recent recent piece about Revolutionary War reenactors.

In an exclusive Slate Plus episode, the panel remembers the singular film talent and style icon that was Diane Keaton. Dana hops on the call to share her fond reflections.

Email us your thoughts at culturefest@slate.com.

Podcast production by Benjamin Frisch. Production assistance by Daniel Hirsch.

Endorsements

Rebecca: The memoir Next of Kin by writer and chef Gabrielle Hamilton.

Steve: The indie band Ex-Vöid’s album In Love Again, particularly the song “Swansea.”

Julia: Serious Eats’s recipe for Tate’s-Style cookies. Also, The Life of a Showgirl deep cuts “Honey” and “Ruin the Friendship” (co-signed by Steve!)

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - Stop Trying To Make A.I. Trendy

Wed, 15 Oct 2025 07:00:00 GMT

Candice Lim and Kate Lindsay get into tech’s latest effort to turn A.I. into a status symbol. Anthropic has been pushing “Thinking” caps into the trendy streets of New York. OpenAI has been handing out awards for power users akin to YouTube subscriber plaques. But one of the worst offenders is Friend, a $129 wearable necklace that spent a million dollars to infiltrate subway stations and bus stops. Why are A.I. companies trying so hard to be trendy? And how are people revolting against them? Finally, we have some news.

This podcast is produced by Vic Whitley-Berry, Daisy Rosario, Candice Lim, and Kate Lindsay.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hang Up and Listen - How the Ceasefire Keeps Israel in European Soccer

Tue, 14 Oct 2025 22:45:00 GMT

Hosts Alex Kirshner, Lindsay Gibbs, and Ben Lindbergh are joined by the Times’s Martyn Ziegler to explain the ripple effects of the Gaza ceasefire on UEFA and Israeli soccer. Then, The New York Times sports reporter Ken Belson joins to unravel the continued drama surrounding Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl halftime show and the backdoor dealings of NFL owners. Finally, the hosts ask if the Seattle Mariners are this year’s team of destiny? Ben’s Afterball looks at NHL superstar Connor McDavid’s surprising “hometown discount” to stay in Edmonton.

On the bonus episode available exclusively for Slate Plus members, the panel talks about Penn State’s $50 million coaching fumble

UEFA vs Israel (3:42): Trump makes nice with the European soccer

Bad Bunny (15:36): Ken Belson on the NFL’s MAGA gamble

MLB Playoffs (37:04): Big Dumper keeps dumping!

Afterballs (51:00): McDavid chases the Cup over big money.

(Note: time codes are only accurate for Slate Plus members, who listen ad-free.)

You can email us at hangup@slate.com.

Podcast production and editing by Kevin Bendis, with production assistance from Patrick Fort.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Death, Sex & Money - Nick Offerman's Principled Hypocrisy

Tue, 14 Oct 2025 07:00:00 GMT

In the new movie Sovereign, actor Nick Offerman plays an extremist who doesn’t believe in the legitimacy of the Federal government. In real life, Nick comes from a small-town political family. His father is the mayor of Minooka, Illinois, and his uncle is on the village board. In this episode Nick talks about choosing roles, how he’s different from his family, his love of teaching woodworking and the profound influence of poet Wendell Berry.

Listen to our 2018 interview: Nick Offerman Can Take Directions

Podcast production by Andrew Dunn

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - Podcaster Theo Von Is A Manosphere Mystery

Sat, 11 Oct 2025 07:00:00 GMT

On today’s episode, hosts Candice Lim and Kate Lindsay are joined by culture writer Aja Romano to try to make sense of Theo Von. Von was one of the podcasters credited with helping Donald Trump win the election, but in recent months, he’s deviated from the administration when it comes to his views on ICE raids and the war in Gaza. Who is Theo Von, really? What does it mean that influencers like him are part of the future of politics? And what does it say about us if we find him…kinda funny?

This podcast is produced by Daisy Rosario, Vic Whitley-Berry, Candice Lim, and Kate Lindsay.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Decoder Ring - What the Cuck?!

Wed, 08 Oct 2025 07:00:00 GMT

Earlier this year, a tweet went out from the official account of the Democratic Party, tagging the Trump advisor Stephen Miller. It was an image of what appeared to be a simple hotel room chair. But for those in the know, it was much more than that: It was a “cuck chair,” an online meme straight out of a popular genre of hardcore pornography in which a man watches his partner have sex with another man.

How did we get to a place where the Democrats could flame a political opponent with an image out of cucking porn and have millions of people immediately understand it? In this episode we trace the complicated and intricate history of the cuck. It’s a history that includes everything from Jacobean dramas to World War II pilots to, yes, pornography, as well as a host of deeply American prejudices that have become a lot less submerged over the last 10 years. And we also situate the cuck within a larger context, one in which porn is the elephant in the room of American culture. It’s a potent force, shaping and reflecting our very wants and desires and it is constantly seeping into mainstream culture—and yet we don’t analyze, critique, or even talk about it very much because, well, it’s porn.

In this NSFW episode, you’ll hear from: Slate staff writer Luke Winkie who wrote about the tweet that kicked this episode off; Samantha Cole, one of co-founders of 404 Media and the author of How Sex Changed the Internet and the Internet Changed Sex; Jennifer Panek, professor of English at the University of Ottawa; sex therapist and clinical psychologist Dr. David S. Ley; Dr. Justin Lehmiller, social psychologist, senior research fellow at the Kinsey Institute, and podcast host; Mireille Miller-Young, associate professor of feminist studies at UC Santa Barbara and the author of A Taste for Brown Sugar: Black Women in Pornography, and New York Magazine tech columnist John Herrman.

This episode was written by Willa Paskin. It was edited by Josh Levin and produced by Katie Shepherd, Willa Paskin, Max Freedman, and Evan Chung, Decoder Ring’s supervising producer. Merritt Jacob is Senior Technical Director, and we had help from Sophie Summergrad.

We’d also like to thank Gabriel Roth, Talia Lavin, Tatum Hunter, Rebecca Fasman, Jessica Stoya, Aiden Starr, Perrin Swanmoore, Sophie Gilbert, and Kevin Heffernan, who was a fount of knowledge.

If you have any cultural mysteries you want us to decode, email us at DecoderRing@slate.com or leave a message on our hotline at (347) 460-7281.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - Taylor Swift Is Rewriting Her Internet History

Wed, 08 Oct 2025 07:00:00 GMT

Kate Lindsay and Candice Lim wade through the negative reactions to Taylor Swift’s album The Life of a Showgirl. From outdated meme references to clunky shots at other female artists, Swift’s album indicates an oddly distant relationship with the internet. However, is she a devious online mastermind or a blundering millennial? Plus, why it’s important that this album’s backlash has gone largely unchallenged by fellow Swifties.

This podcast is produced by Vic Whitley-Berry, Daisy Rosario, Candice Lim, and Kate Lindsay.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Culture Gabfest - The Rock Goes for the Oscar Edition

Wed, 08 Oct 2025 07:00:00 GMT

On this week’s show, our fighters Steve, Julia, and Dana enter the ring to tussle over The Smashing Machine, the Dwayne Johnson vehicle directed by Benny Safdie. Can they smell what the Rock is cooking? Is it a subtly modulated performance about a sensitive pro UFC fighter? Or, a shameless Oscar play?

Next, it’s on to the offbeat climes of Tulsa, Oklahoma by way of The Lowdown, a shaggy noir series created by Sterlin Harjo and starring Ethan Hawke. Finally, they gaze into the uncanny eyes of Tilly Norwood, the A.I. beauty that launched a thousand think pieces and a Hollywood freakout.

On an exclusive bonus episode for Slate Plus subscribers, the panel unburies an old hatchet to discuss Elizabeth Gilbert’s newest memoir.

Email us your thoughts at culturefest@slate.com.

Podcast production by Benjamin Frisch. Production assistance by Daniel Hirsch.

Endorsements

Dana: The N+1 essay "Large Language Muddle" and Isaac Butler's deep dive on Daniel Day-Lewis in Slate.

Julia: Walking in Coal Oil Point Natural Reserve.

Steve: James Meek's essay in The London Review of Books "Computers that want things" and the novel Gargoyles by Thomas Bernhard (and welcomes listener suggestions for what else to read by Bernhard).

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Death, Sex & Money - A War Photographer on the Limits of Bearing Witness

Tue, 07 Oct 2025 07:00:00 GMT

When Peter van Agtmael went to Iraq in 2006 to embed with the U.S. military, he was 24 years old and confident that his pictures could help end an unjust war. Two decades later, after documenting combat deaths overseas and then turning his camera lens on America, he's learned the limits of what photography can do. In this episode, Peter talks about the emotional toll of bearing witness to violence, the fraught ethics of choosing a subject, and how he ended up in a legal battle with Ye over an image.

Peter’s book is called “Look at the U.S.A.: A Diary of War and Home,“ and he has a show at the Corcoran School of the Arts and Design until January 25th. You can see his 2015 KKK wedding photo here.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hang Up and Listen - Everything Is Sports Betting

Mon, 06 Oct 2025 23:00:00 GMT

Hosts Alex Kirshner, Lindsay Gibbs, and Ben Lindbergh speak to Slate’s Nitish Pahwa about prediction markets and the legally gray future of gambling. Then they turn to college football and Bill Belichick’s messy start at UNC. The panel wraps with a discussion of Napheesa Collier’s recent criticism of WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert and the backlash it caused.

On the bonus episode available exclusively for Slate Plus members, Bad Bunny hits the Super Bowl halftime stage!

Prediction Markets (3:35): Kalshi’s big bet

Belichick (25:12): The greatest coach keeps laying eggs

WNBA (41:06): Collier vs. Engelbert

(Note: time codes are only accurate for Slate Plus members, who listen ad-free.)

You can email us at hangup@slate.com.

Podcast production and editing by Kevin Bendis, with production assistance from Patrick Fort.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - Saudi Arabia Is Coming For The Sims

Sat, 04 Oct 2025 07:00:00 GMT

On today’s episode, hosts Candice Lim and Kate Lindsay are joined by Slate senior editor Tony Ho Tran to talk about why it matters that EA Games has been sold to Saudi Arabia and Jared Kushner. In addition to likely cost-cutting, this new ownership puts games like The Sims even more at risk of censorship, especially when it comes to LGBTQ+ characters. If your Sim groom can’t end up making out with his new father-in-law at the end of his wedding, then what is The Sims even for?

This podcast is produced by Daisy Rosario, Vic Whitley-Berry, Candice Lim, and Kate Lindsay.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Culture Gabfest - One Banger After Another Edition

Wed, 01 Oct 2025 07:00:00 GMT

On this week’s dispatch, Dana is joined by comrades in arms Sam Adams and Isaac Butler to take on Paul Thomas Anderson’s thrilling and incendiary new film One Battle After Another. Starring Leonard DiCaprio, the action epic depicts an America one notch away from our own fractured republic. Does the target of its revolutionary fantasia hit too close? They discuss.

Next, they kvell about Long Story Short, the new, time-jumping family comedy from the creators of BoJack Horseman. Finally, they turn to the Great White Way to assess the dire state of the business of Broadway musicals as written about in a recent piece by Michael Paulson in the New York Times.

There was so much to say about One Battle After Another, the gang kept gabbing for an exclusive Slate Plus bonus episode.

Email us your thoughts at culturefest@slate.com.

Podcast production by Benjamin Frisch. Production assistance by Daniel Hirsch.

Endorsements

Sam: If possible, seeing One Battle After Another in its native format VistaVision.

Isaac: The Criterion Channel’s Robert Altman collection and for a great date night movie Splitsville.

Dana: The writing of the late Kaleb Horton, particularly his essay "walking through los angeles when the crows are screaming and going through your garbage."

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - RIP to MTV's Catfish: Caught, But Never Forgotten

Wed, 01 Oct 2025 07:00:00 GMT

Candice Lim and Kate Lindsay pour one out for MTV’s Catfish, which was recently cancelled by MTV after 9 seasons and 12 years. Back in 2010, Nev Schulman was the subject of the Catfish documentary, which revealed the heartbreaking truth about a woman he fell in love with online. The documentary helped coin the internet phenomenon of people creating fake personas to manipulate, extort, or trick others online. However, instead of scamming for money, the protagonists of MTV’s Catfish were coerced into emotional relationships that turned their rom-coms into horror films. With Catfish leaving the airwaves, what has changed about the show (and the internet) since its inception? And why couldn’t the show keep up with a scam culture that is more advanced than ever before?

This podcast is produced by Vic Whitley-Berry, Daisy Rosario, Candice Lim, and Kate Lindsay.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Death, Sex & Money - Why Job Hunting Feels So Grim Lately, Especially for Gen Z

Tue, 30 Sep 2025 07:00:00 GMT

This week, Anna learns about how frustrating it is to apply for jobs these days, especially for early-career folks, even those with college degrees. First, Jeopardy champion Brendan Liaw talks about what it was like to list his job as “stay-at-home son” on national television. Then Slate writer Nitish Pahwa explains why talented people like Brendan are having such a hard time securing work. And finally, Anna discusses the growing prevalence of layoffs with Melanie Ehrenkranz, who writes a newsletter appropriately called Laid Off.

Mentioned in the episode:

“Why Are There No F-ing Jobs?” -Nitish Pahwa
Is A.I. Taking Your Job? -What Next TBD

This episode was produced by Cameron Drews.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hang Up and Listen - America's Trumpy Ryder Cup Flop

Mon, 29 Sep 2025 23:05:00 GMT

Hosts Alex Kirshner, Ben Lindbergh, and Lindsay Gibbs speak to Fried Egg Golf’s Kevin Van Valkenburg about the American crowds, President, and golf lapses at the Ryder Cup. Ben previews the MLB playoffs, and the hosts discuss the purchase of Electronic Arts by Jared Kushner and a Saudi investment fund. For Afterballs, Ben dusts off a copy of Robert Redford’s oft-forgotten and underrated ski film, Downhill Racer.

On the bonus episode available exclusively for Slate Plus members, Lindsay recounts the drama of the WNBA semifinals.

Ryder Cup (6:18): American losers

MLB (26:19): Mets gonna Mets

E.A. Sports (42:33): It’s in the…sovereign wealth fund?

Afterballs (54:18): Remembering Downhill Racer

(Note: time codes are only accurate for Slate Plus members, who listen ad-free.)

You can email us at hangup@slate.com.

Podcast production and editing by Kevin Bendis, with production assistance from Patrick Fort.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - Jimmy Kimmel & The Death Of Free Speech Online

Sat, 27 Sep 2025 07:00:00 GMT

On today’s episode, hosts Candice Lim and Kate Lindsay are joined by Spitfire News writer Kat Tenbarge to discuss how reactions to Charlie Kirk’s death are prompting us to reexamine free speech. In her piece, “Is anyone going to defend free speech online?” she explains how this right has long been under threat. From legal challenges to biased algorithms, the internet is being censored right before our eyes—but there are still ways we can fight back.

This podcast is produced by Daisy Rosario, Vic Whitley-Berry, Candice Lim, and Kate Lindsay.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hit Parade | Music History and Music Trivia - Toppermost of the Poppermost Edition Part 2

Fri, 26 Sep 2025 07:00:00 GMT

In the rarefied world of smash pop singles, there are No. 1s—and there are No. 1 debuts. Entering Billboard’s Hot 100 at the top is one of the hardest tricks in music. In fact, it wasn’t possible in the U.S. until 1995. That’s when the record labels hacked the Hot 100 and figured out how to send new singles straight into the chart penthouse.

But scoring a No. 1 in Week One doesn’t mean it’s built to last. For every enduring hit like “Fantasy,” “Shake It Off” or “Hello,” there are plenty of one-off oddities, coronation pabulum from American Idol finalists, and even a few missteps from chart luminaries. Within a couple of years these fast-breaking hits may be forgotten—never to be spun on the radio or streamed on Spotify.

Join Chris Molanphy as he explores the chart calculus, superfan interventions, and fluky conditions that create a perfect storm of pop-chart insta-success. It’s a parade of pop bangers that scored a fast pass to the front of the line.
Get more Hit Parade with Slate Plus! Join for monthly early-access episodes, bonus episodes of "The Bridge," and ad-free listening across all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe directly from the Hit Parade show page on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Or, visit slate.com/hitparadeplus to get access wherever you listen.

Podcast production by Kevin Bendis and Olivia Briley.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - Hank Green Started a War With Knitters

Wed, 24 Sep 2025 07:00:00 GMT

Candice Lim and Kate Lindsay break down the drama between Vlogbrothers star Hank Green and the online knitting community. Earlier this month, Green posted an educational SciShow episode about the knitting community’s contribution to physics. What the SciShow team didn’t expect were almost 30-minute long reaction videos and accusations of belittling and misogyny. This saga has spurred apology TikToks, vows to knit simple socks, and a bigger discussion about how an offline pastime became one of the most drama-filled communities online.

This podcast is produced by Vic Whitley-Berry, Daisy Rosario, Candice Lim, and Kate Lindsay.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Decoder Ring - Why Do Actors Act Like They Can Sing?

Wed, 24 Sep 2025 07:00:00 GMT

When an actor opens their mouth to sing in a movie, chances are high that the voice you hear will be their own. Even in music biopics, movie stars without much singing experience regularly go to great lengths to impersonate the most beloved vocalists of our time. Why not simply play Johnny Cash or Bruce Springsteen’s actual recordings, the reasons why we care about them in the first place? When the world is full of beautiful singing voices, why force Pierce Brosnan to bray his way through Mamma Mia?

What you hear when an actor unhinges their jaw is a matter that Hollywood has been negotiating since the dawn of sound. So in this episode, we’ll learn about the “ghost singers” of classic Hollywood musicals, find out why they went extinct, and why today’s music biopics so often fudge the music. Then we leave Hollywood for Bollywood, where the rise of the celebrity “playback singer” shows what can happen when good singing is the highest priority.

In this episode, you’ll hear from Slate’s pop music critic Jack Hamilton; musicologist Dominic Broomfield-McHugh, editor of The Oxford Handbook of the Hollywood Musical; Stephen Cole, co-author of a memoir by the ghost singer Marni Nixon; Isaac Butler, longtime Slate contributor and scholar of American acting; and Nasreen Munni Kabir, who has written several books on Hindi cinema and curates Indian films for the UK’s Channel 4.

If you want to listen to any of the songs you heard in this episode in full, you can find them all on this Spotify playlist.

This episode was written and produced by Max Freedman. It was edited by Willa Paskin and Evan Chung, our supervising producer. Decoder Ring is also produced by Katie Shepherd. Merritt Jacob is Senior Technical Director.

If you have any cultural mysteries you want us to decode, email us at DecoderRing@slate.com or leave a message on our hotline at (347) 460-7281.

Sources for This Episode

Basinger, Jeanine. The Movie Musical! Alfred A. Knopf, 2019.

Beaster-Jones, Jayson. Bollywood Sounds: The Cosmopolitan Mediations of Hindi Film Song, Oxford University Press, 2015.

Butler, Isaac. The Method: How the Twentieth Century Learned to Act, Bloomsbury, 2022.

Hamilton, Jack. “The Problem With Music Biopics Is Bigger Than Just the Cliches,” Slate, May 17, 2024.

Kabir, Nasreen Munni. Lata Mangeshkar ...in Her Own Voice, Niyogi Books, 2009.

Nixon, Marni with Stephen Cole. I Could Have Sung All Night: My Story, Billboard Books, 2006.

Robbins, Allison. “‘Experimentations by Our Sound Department’: Playback Stars in 1930s Hollywood.” Star Turns in Hollywood Musicals, edited by Chabrol Marguerite and Toulza Pierre-Olivier, Presses universitaires de Paris Nanterre, 2017.

Srivastava, Sanjay. “Voice, Gender and Space in Time of Five-Year Plans: The Idea of Lata Mangeshkar,” Economic and Political Weekly, vol. 39, no. 20, 2004.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Culture Gabfest - Jimmy Kimmel Is Back—Sort Of— Edition

Wed, 24 Sep 2025 07:00:00 GMT

On this week’s episode, Julia and Dana are joined by Slate writer (and Philadelphia native) Nadira Goffe for a conversation rooted in Delaware County about Task, HBO’s new gritty crime drama from the creators of Mare of Easttown.

Next, the hosts give longtime listeners what they’ve been chirping for: a discussion of birding. Specifically, it’s a discussion about the dirtbag, gonzo, totally self-produced and independently released documentary Listers: A Glimpse Into Extreme Birdwatching. Finally, they get into the Jimmy Kimmel situation. Why was his show cancelled, then uncancelled, then blacked out from several media markets? What does it mean for the state of free speech and democracy itself?

In an exclusive Slate Plus bonus episode, the panel is joined by Dan Kois to delight in Slate’s package on The 25 Best Picture Books of the Past 25 Years.

Email us your thoughts at culturefest@slate.com.

Podcast production by Benjamin Frisch. Production assistance by Daniel Hirsch.

Endorsements

Nadira: In addition to the Explore.org's Fat Bear Week, the work of singer-songwriter KeiyaA who recently released the tracks "stupid prizes" and "take it" from her forthcoming album hooke’s law.

Dana: Seeing Stanley Kubrick’s epic Barry Lyndon in its 4K re-release on the best screen you possibly can.

Julia: Meghan O'Rourke's New York Times essay "I Teach Creative Writing. This Is What A.I. Is Doing to Students."

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Death, Sex & Money - From Brazilian Butt Lifts to Botox: Your Beauty Confessions

Tue, 23 Sep 2025 07:00:00 GMT

Over the past few months, we've been asking you to tell us stories about your beauty interventions. You told us about feeling caught between viewing appearance improvements as vanity and recognizing how much looking a certain way affects your relationships, career, and self-worth.

In this episode, Anna talks to listeners about their appearance choices: Asher, who spent $43,000 on plastic surgery and openly celebrates his investments; Caroline, who used fillers and Botox after her divorce but recently filed for bankruptcy and can no longer afford treatments; Alexandra, who stopped dyeing her gray hair at 38 despite pushback from family; and Nick, whose multiple cosmetic surgeries nearly ended his marriage and forced him to confront deeper issues.

Read Nick Dothée’s essay: What Plastic Surgery Couldn’t Fix

Podcast production by Zoe Azulay

Get 50% Off Monarch Money, the all-in-one financial tool at ⁠www.monarchmoney.com/DSM⁠

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Hang Up and Listen - The Year Without Caitlin Clark

Mon, 22 Sep 2025 23:00:00 GMT

Hosts Alex Kirshner, Ben Lindbergh, and Lindsay Gibbs discuss the WNBA playoffs and the Indiana Fever's surprise success, despite an injured Caitlin Clark. They get into the uptick in long NFL field goals. Then they speak with managing editor of True Blue LA, Eric Stephen, about the career and retirement of Clayton Kershaw. For Afterballs, Ben recaps the final week of the MLB regular season and its nail-biting finishes.

On the bonus episode available exclusively for Slate Plus members, the hosts discuss the ongoing gambling scandal in college basketball.

WNBA (3:18): Can Indiana continue to rise?

NFL field goals (17:32): Why are there so many 60-yarders?

Clayton Kershaw (31:26): The Dodgers ace hangs it up.

Afterballs (52:16): Will the Mets and Tigers continue to spiral?

(Note: time codes are only accurate for Slate Plus members, who listen ad-free.)

You can email us at hangup@slate.com.

Podcast production and editing by Kevin Bendis, with production assistance from Patrick Fort.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - Nobody Wants To Party Anymore

Sat, 20 Sep 2025 07:00:00 GMT

On today’s episode, host Kate Lindsay is joined by sociologist and content creator Josh Lora, who goes by @tellthebeees on TikTok and Substack. In his viral piece, “The Mainstreaming of Loserdom,” Lora explores how a generation of people is becoming proudly anti-social, often in favor of staying home on their phones. While less and less people may be partying, they’re not exactly happy about it. Are we doomed to doomscroll, or can we fight for our right to party again?

This podcast is produced by Daisy Rosario, Vic Whitley-Berry, Candice Lim, and Kate Lindsay.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Culture Gabfest - Can Spinal Tap Still Go to 11 Edition

Wed, 17 Sep 2025 07:00:00 GMT

On this week’s show, Steve and Dana are joined by guest host Dan Kois to turn the volume up to… well, how hard Spinal Tap II: The End Continues rocks is the question of the day. They debate the mockumentary sequel which reunites the original Tap gang for a surprisingly tender portrait of aged rock stars.

Next, they turn their icy gaze at the POV-shifting, soapy series The Girlfriend, starring Robin Wright and Olivia Cooke as the warring mother and girlfriend of a wealthy young man. Finally, they appreciate the life and work of Hollywood’s foremost golden boy/rebel outsider Robert Redford.

In an exclusive Slate Plus bonus episode, they savor the recipes of chef Samin Nosrat, who Dan profiled in the New Yorker on the launch of her new cookbook Good Things.

Email us your thoughts at culturefest@slate.com.

Podcast production by Benjamin Frisch. Production assistance by Daniel Hirsch.

Endorsements:

Dana: The Louis Malle classic two-hander featuring Andre Gregory and Wallace Shawn, My Dinner with Andre.

Dan: The newsletter Looking at Picture Books by author Mac Barnett and author/illustrator Jon Klassen.

Steve: Donna Leon’s Guido Brunetti mystery novels. (And while we’re talking about Italian detectives, the Inspector Montalbano mysteries by Andrea Camilleri.)

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - The Funniest Guy on Slate's Slack

Wed, 17 Sep 2025 07:00:00 GMT

On today’s episode, host Kate Lindsay is joined by Slate senior writer Ben Mathis-Lilley to say goodbye after eleven years at Slate. Ben was responsible for iconic stories like “Wouldn’t It Be Nice to Get Knocked Out Cold With a Shovel for Exactly Six Weeks and Five Days?”, and is known as the “funniest person in Slack” despite spending his days reporting on our terrifying political climate. How does Ben stay sane and positive online when the internet is engulfed with bad news? One thing’s for certain: It’s not in his University of Michigan football Discord.

This podcast is produced by Daisy Rosario, Vic Whitley-Berry, Candice Lim, and Kate Lindsay.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Death, Sex & Money - Private Equity Blew Up My Life

Tue, 16 Sep 2025 07:00:00 GMT

When Megan Greenwell was 34 she landed a coveted job in journalism as the editor-in-chief of the sports and culture blog, Deadspin. Just over a year later a post about why she was resigning went viral – a private equity firm had bought Deadspin’s parent company, and was seeking "a quick cash-out rather than the growth that comes from a well-run business."

Her experience led her to spend six years investigating the industry for her book Bad Company: Private Equity and the Death of the American Dream which follows four Americans whose lives were upended by private equity takeovers in retail, healthcare, housing, and media.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hang Up and Listen - The Chiefs and the Week 2 NFL Panic Button

Mon, 15 Sep 2025 21:00:00 GMT

Hosts Alex Kirshner, Ben Lindbergh, and Lindsay Gibbs discuss the beginning of the NFL season, and the Kansas City Chiefs’ 0-2 record; their worst start since 2014 when they last missed the playoffs. Has their aging lineup started to catch up to them? Plus, the return of tush-push discourse.

Next, the 38-year-old Sidney Crosby has played a whopping 20 seasons for the Penguins and is arguably the best player of his generation. But as the Penguins continue to flail, Crosby’s management is signaling he may not be long for the team. What do teams owe to their oldest, most storied players, and is it the end of the one-team legend?

Then, Angel Reese publicly criticized her Chicago Sky teammates in the Chicago Sun Times, calling out weak recruiting and their reliance on injured players. Reese and the team have reconciled, but for how long? We also catch up on the WNBA playoffs: The Lynx may feel inevitable, but Lindsay argues there may be some meaningful challengers as the playoffs roll on.

In afterballs, the Tyreek Hill’s domestic violence allegations are barely registering in conversations about his rumored trade to the Kansas City Chiefs. Lindsay looks back at the details of the claims against him, and why they’re important to remember.

On the bonus episode available exclusively for Slate Plus members, the panel discusses Phillies Karen, the ball hawker who went viral after demanding the return of a ball from a child. After several false accusations and an ongoing campaign to unmask the ball-taker, have we taken bad ball park etiquette too far?

NFL Week 2 (3:52): A panic button for the Chiefs

Sidney Cosby and the Penguins (19:22): The end of an era?

The WNBA Playoffs (34:54): Angel Reese and Lynx domination

(Note: time codes are only accurate for Slate Plus members, who listen ad-free.)

Want more Hang Up and Listen? Subscribe to Slate Plus to immediately unlock weekly bonus episodes. Plus, you’ll access ad-free listening across all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe now on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of our show page, or visit slate.com/hangupplus to get access wherever you listen.

You can email us at hangup@slate.com.

Podcast production and editing by Benjamin Frisch, with production assistance from Patrick Fort.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - Is #BodyPositivity Over?

Sat, 13 Sep 2025 07:00:00 GMT

On today’s episode, hosts Candice Lim and Kate Lindsay are joined by writer Virgie Tovar, whose latest podcast, GLP-1 Truth Serum, explores the predatory nature of GLP-1 marketing, and companies’ attempts to target plus-size creators. But #BodyPositivity was getting backlash long before these new weight loss drugs became trendy, and now social media has gone from a safe space to a minefield. Is #BodyPositivity really gone for good?

This podcast is produced by Daisy Rosario, Vic Whitley-Berry, Candice Lim, and Kate Lindsay.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hit Parade | Music History and Music Trivia - Toppermost of the Poppermost Edition Part 1

Sat, 13 Sep 2025 00:00:00 GMT

Podcast production by Kevin Bendis and Olivia Briley.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - Does SNL Need Internet Comedians?

Wed, 10 Sep 2025 07:00:00 GMT

Kate Lindsay and Candice Lim dive into the online conversations surrounding recent Saturday Night Live cast announcements. With departing fan favorites (such as Heidi Gardner) come the arrival of new talent, and for the past few years, SNL has been sourcing their talent from your For You Page. From TikTok-prominent comedian Veronika Slowikowska to Dropout regular Jeremy Culhane, what does it mean when internet comedians step into Studio 8H? Do they need SNL, or does SNL need them more?

This podcast is produced by Vic Whitley-Berry, Daisy Rosario, Candice Lim, and Kate Lindsay.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Decoder Ring - Jane Fonda’s Workout, Part 2: Hanoi Jane’s VHS Revolution (Encore)

Wed, 10 Sep 2025 07:00:00 GMT

In part two of our special two-part episode, we return to the 1982 VHS tape that created the at-home video industry: Jane Fonda’s Workout. On this episode, originally released in 2020, we deconstruct the tape itself, how it was made, and why anyone thought it was a good idea in the first place. Then we’ll explore how it was possible for an extremely polarizing political activist, despised by some for her activism during the Vietnam War, to become America’s premier exercise guru. It’s a story that involves one enterprising home video visionary, dozens of ridiculous celebrity workout tapes, Tricky Dick Nixon, and one very full life.

Some of the voices you’ll hear on this episode include Jane Fonda; Court Shannon, former Karl Video employee; and Mary Hershberger, author of Jane Fonda’s War.

This episode was written by Willa Paskin. It was edited and produced by Benjamin Frisch. We had research assistance from Cleo Levin. Decoder Ring is produced by Katie Shepherd, Max Freedman, and Evan Chung, our supervising producer. Merritt Jacob is Senior Technical Director.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Culture Gabfest - Is the Office Spinoff Good Cringe or Bad Cringe Edition

Wed, 10 Sep 2025 07:00:00 GMT

On this week’s show, Steve, Dana, and Julia crack open the latest edition of The Paper, a new mockumentary set in the The Office universe. They debate whether the tried and true sitcom formula still delivers and assess its portrayal of local journalism.

Next, they share their feelings about two couples who are terrible at sharing theirs in Splitsville, the marriage farce created and starring Kyle Marvin and Michael Angelo Covino with Dakota Johnson and Adria Arjona. Finally, the heterofatalist discourse continues in their conversation with Slate music critic Carl Wilson about Man’s Best Friend, the latest release from the spritely, cheeky, and controversy-stirring Sabrina Carpenter.

In an exclusive Slate Plus bonus episode, the panel takes up the business of cultural criticism in a discussion inspired by the recent New York Magazine piece “Do Media Organizations Even Want Cultural Criticism.”

Email us your thoughts at culturefest@slate.com.

Podcast production by Benjamin Frisch. Production assistance by Daniel Hirsch.

Endorsements:

Julia: The very Julia Turner-coded board games Hues and Cues.

Carl: The documentary Sunday Best about Ed Sullivan by the late music journalist Sacha Jenkins and CMAT’s new album Euro-Country and the video playlist that goes with it.

Steve: The book Computer Power and Human Reason by Joseph Weizenbaum.

Dana: Astor Piazolla's "Otoño Porteño," played by the Neave Trio.

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Death, Sex & Money - Why Filmmaker Jay Duplass Had to (Kind of) Break Up With His Brother

Tue, 09 Sep 2025 07:00:00 GMT

After two decades of making movies with his younger brother Mark, Jay Duplass has gone solo. This week, he tells Anna about all the factors that led to that decision: tricky union rules, his brother’s career taking off without him, and the need to provide for his family. They also talk about the resulting film, a tender and unique indie rom-com called The Baltimorons, which Jay co-wrote with the talented but little-known comedian Michael Strassner, who stars in the film with Liz Larsen.

Hear Jay’s younger brother Mark on the show from June 2024: Mark Duplass on Making Money, Mental Health, and Midlife.

This episode was produced by Cameron Drews.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hang Up and Listen - When Trump Took Center Court

Mon, 08 Sep 2025 22:45:00 GMT

Hosts Alex Kirshner, Ben Lindbergh, and Lindsay Gibbs are joined by tennis writer Ben Rothenberg for a breakdown of the U.S. Open’s final days - where Trump was booed, Alcarez and Sinner battled, and Osaka was defeated. They also delve into the recent Steve Ballmer controversy, as well as Week 1 of the NFL. Finally, Ben has an afterball on the legacies of goalie Ken Dryden and second baseman Davey Johnson.

On the bonus episode available exclusively for Slate Plus members, the hosts speak to Monash University researcher Erik Denison about homophobia plaguing Australian football.

U.S. Open (2:42): Arthur Ashe vs. Trump

Clippers (24:36): Examining Pablo Torre’s recent investigation into Steve Ballmer and the Clippers.

NFL (39:11): The Bills’ Sunday night stunner

Afterballs (49:06): Ben remembers Ken Dryden and Davey Johnson.

(Note: time codes are only accurate for Slate Plus members, who listen ad-free.)

You can email us at hangup@slate.com.

Podcast production and editing by Kevin Bendis, with production assistance from Patrick Fort.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - The Gaylor Fandom Is Going Through It

Sat, 06 Sep 2025 07:00:00 GMT

On today’s episode, hosts Candice Lim and Kate Lindsay are joined by Spitfire News writer Kat Tenbarge, who came to the defense of the Gaylor fandom (people who believe Taylor Swift is secretly queer) after they were accused of “crashing out” in light of her engagement to Travis Kelce. But who are the Gaylors, really? And why are they always the butt of the joke?

This podcast is produced by Daisy Rosario, Vic Whitley-Berry, Candice Lim, and Kate Lindsay.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Culture Gabfest - Austin Butler Is Caught Cat Sitting Edition

Wed, 03 Sep 2025 07:00:00 GMT

This week, Steve, Julia and guest host Isaac Butler visit a pre-gentrified 1990s New York to discuss the gritty crime romp Caught Stealing directed by Darren Aronofsky and starring Austin Butler (no relation).

Next, it’s off to Cooper’s Chase, an English manor turned retirement community, to take up the case of The Thursday Murder Club, Netflix’s new film adaptation of the beloved cozy mystery series. Finally, they assess what the film studio A24’s rise—and potential fall—means for the movie business in their conversation about “Empire of Auteurs,” a recent New Yorker piece by Alex Barasch.

In an exclusive Slate Plus bonus episode, they look at the rise and actual, well-documented fall of the longform narrative podcast.

Endorsements:

Isaac: The Off-Broadway show Ginger Twinsies, a hilarious, R-rated parody of the Parent Trap. Also, Emily Adrian’s new novel Seduction Theory.

Julia: The New Yorker essay “Inside the World of Great ‘British Bake Off’” by former contestant Ruby Tandoh.

Steve: The new The Beths album Straight Line Was a Lie and the essay “On Resistance” by Adam Phillips in the London Review of Books.

Email us your thoughts at culturefest@slate.com.

Podcast production by Benjamin Frisch. Production assistance by Daniel Hirsch.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - Is $55K Enough To Work At Your Favorite Podcast?

Wed, 03 Sep 2025 07:00:00 GMT

Candice Lim and Kate Lindsay talk about the backlash surrounding The Cutting Room Floor, a fashion podcast you may know from its Leandra Medine Cohen episode or its viral Steve Madden interview. Last week, host and creator Recho Omondi went on TikTok to hire a full-time staffer who would be an office administrator, bookings coordinator, and personal assistant. Fans were intrigued until she dropped that this role would pay a salary of $55,000 with no healthcare benefits. TikTok reacted strongly and immediately, taking issue with the low salary and bringing up the privileged candidate who could afford to take a job like this in New York City. Omondi responded by going on TikTok Live and posting a short Patreon episode she titled “$55k Gate,” but doubling down seemed to triple the discourse.

This podcast is produced by Vic Whitley-Berry, Daisy Rosario, Candice Lim, and Kate Lindsay.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hang Up and Listen - Bill’s Chapel Hill Spill

Wed, 03 Sep 2025 00:00:00 GMT

Hosts Alex Kirshner, Ben Lindbergh, and Lindsay Gibbs discuss college football’s wild week one, including Bill Belichick’s disastrous debut with the Tar Heels and Arch Manning’s early struggles. They dissect the baffling Micah Parsons trade, and later welcome Syracuse sports management professor Lindsey Darvin to explore whether the world of video gaming is boosting women's sports. Finally, Ben has an Afterball on, “unwritten rules” in tennis, and their effect on the U.S. Open.

On the bonus episode available exclusively for Slate Plus members, the hosts pick their NFL ‘roses, buds, and thorns ' ahead of week one.

Chapel Hill Bill (2:28): Laid an egg

Micah Parsons (18:13): Jerry Jones traded away his star to turn the spotlight on himself, once again.

Women’s Sports Video Games (33:02): Are e-sports becoming more inclusive?

Afterballs (55:46): Ben on tennis’ unwritten rules.

(Note: time codes are only accurate for Slate Plus members, who listen ad-free.)

You can email us at hangup@slate.com.

Podcast production and editing by Kevin Bendis, with production assistance from Patrick Fort.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Death, Sex & Money - Sex-Positive Parents, Crass Grandparents, and a Weird and Wonderful Childhood

Tue, 02 Sep 2025 07:00:00 GMT

When comedy writer Tamara Yajia talks about her childhood, she’s sometimes unsure what tone to strike. Her new memoir Cry for Me Argentina: My Life as a Failed Child Star depicts a very fun nuclear family with parents and grandparents who are loud, crass, and sex-positive. There are hilarious moments and situations that seem wildly inappropriate.

In this week’s episode, Tamara tells Anna about the ups and downs of her childhood, which was spent in both Argentina and the U.S., and what she wishes her parents had done differently.

This episode was produced by Cameron Drews.

To check out the episodes about Hurricane Katrina that Anna mentioned, click here:

https://www.wnyc.org/story/in-new-orleans/

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ICYMI - Gavin Newsom’s Sh*tposting

Sat, 30 Aug 2025 07:00:00 GMT

On today’s episode, hosts Candice Lim and Kate Lindsay are joined by Slate staff writer Luke Winkie, whose piece “Is This What It Takes to Beat Trump?” examines Gavin Newsom’s latest social media strategy: shitposting. The California governor has started tweeting in the style of Donald Trump to ridicule the president and promote his new redistricting effort in California. It’s also paving the way for a potential presidential campaign in 2028. But is his comedy cutting, or just cringe?

This podcast is produced by Daisy Rosario, Vic Whitley-Berry, Candice Lim, and Kate Lindsay.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hit Parade | Music History and Music Trivia - The White and Nerdy Edition Part 2

Fri, 29 Aug 2025 07:00:00 GMT

Sped-up voices. Wacky instruments. Songs about cavemen, bathtubs, bikinis, and mothers-in-law. From the dawn of rock ‘n’ roll through the 1970s—the age of streaking, CB radios, disco and King Tut—novelty songs could be chart-topping hits. But by the corporate ’80s, it was harder for goofballs to score hits on regimented radio playlists. Until one perm-headed, mustachioed, accordion-playing parodist who called himself “Weird” rebooted novelty hits for the new millennium.

In the second part of this encore episode of Hit Parade, Chris Molanphy explores the history of novelty hits on the charts.

Podcast production by Justin D. Wright and Kevin Bendis.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - The Summer That Broke BookTok

Wed, 27 Aug 2025 07:00:00 GMT

On today’s episode, host Candice Lim tells Kate Lindsay about two recent BookTok conventions that went off the rails. While the first convention become known as the “Fyre Fest” of BookTok, the other faced troubling allegations of sexual assault against an employee. Is BookTok or social media to blame for how often attempts to bring a fandom together end up shattering the community apart?

This podcast is produced by Daisy Rosario, Vic Whitley-Berry, Candice Lim, and Kate Lindsay.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Decoder Ring - Jane Fonda’s Workout, Part 1: Jane and Leni (Encore)

Wed, 27 Aug 2025 07:00:00 GMT

In 1982, the Jane Fonda Workout became the best-selling home video of all time. Over decades, it and its 22 follow ups would spawn a fitness empire, sell more than 17 million copies, and transform Fonda into a leg-warmer-clad exercise guru. And 40 years after its initial release, when the COVID pandemic hit, the workout had a moment yet again. People began doing it alone and on Zoom, tweeting about it, writing about it. So when Jane Fonda agreed to talk to us, we set out to do an episode about it—but it did not go as planned.

On Part 1 of a special two-part Decoder Ring, originally released in 2020, we explore the decades-long relationship of Jane Fonda and Leni Cazden, a fraught friendship that birthed the VHS workout that changed the world. It’s a story of creation, fame, forgiveness, trauma, betrayal, survival, politics, and exercise. You’ll hear from Jane Fonda and Leni Cazden, the brain behind the workout, and Shelly McKenzie, author of Getting Physical: The Rise of Fitness Culture in America.

In two weeks we’ll return with Part 2: the nitty gritty story of the bestselling VHS tape of all time.

If you have any cultural mysteries you want us to decode, email us at DecoderRing@slate.com, or leave a message on the Decoder RIng hotline at 347-460-7281. We love to hear any and all of your ideas for the show.

Sources for This Episode

Burke, Carol. Camp All-American, Hanoi Jane, and the High-and-Tight, Beacon Press, 2005.

Fonda, Jane. My Life So Far, Random House, 2005.

Hershberger, Mary. Jane Fonda's War: A Political Biography of an Antiwar Icon, The New Press, 2005.

Lembcke, Jerry. Hanoi Jane: War, Sex, and Fantasies of Betrayal, University of Massachusetts Press, 2010.

McKenzie, Shelly. Getting Physical: The Rise of Fitness Culture in America, University Press of Kansas, 2013.

Perlstein, Rick. Nixonland, Scribner, 2009.

Rafferty, James Michael. “Politicising Stardom: Jane Fonda, IPC Films and Hollywood, 1977-1982,” Queen Mary University of London Dissertation, 2010.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Culture Gabfest - Denzel and Spike Remix a Classic Edition

Wed, 27 Aug 2025 07:00:00 GMT

On this week’s show, Dana, Julia, and Steve are joined by special fourth guest host: Wesley Morris of the New York Times. The foursome wield their sharpest critical tools for a discussion of the horror hit Weapons. Whether the twisty thrill ride hits its intended target— and what exactly is said target— is up for debate.

Next, they take up the latest Spike Lee joint Highest 2 Lowest which reunites the legendary director with Denzel Washington and riffs on an Akira Kurosawa classic. Finally, they examine the “Performative Male” trend popping up in TikTok, style sections, and costume contests around the globe. Is it an embodiment of real gendered anxiety or internet nonsense?

In an exclusive Slate Plus bonus episode, the panel gets into all the shocks and surprises of Weapons’s finale in a spoiler-filled conversation.

Email us your thoughts at culturefest@slate.com.

Podcast production by Benjamin Frisch. Production assistance by Daniel Hirsch.

Endorsements

Steve: Music by the jazz pianist Bobo Stenson, specifically his album Serenity.

Julia: Wesley Morris’s stellar new culture podcast Cannonball, specifically the episode with Taffy Brodesser-Akner about And Just Like That.

Wesley: Watching the great New York sporting event the US Open. If you can’t make it to Flushing Meadows, you can watch on ESPN or stream on Fubo, and shop the enviable merch at the US Open Store.

Dana: Akira Kurosawa’s High and Low.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Death, Sex & Money - Your Moving Stories

Tue, 26 Aug 2025 07:00:00 GMT

They say moving is one of life’s most stressful events. We asked for your stories about why you’re doing it.

Plus, Heidi Reinberg was priced out of a Brooklyn neighborhood she loved. Where did she end up?

Death, Sex & Money is produced by Slate! To support us and our colleagues, please sign up for our membership program, Slate Plus. Members get ad-free podcasts, bonus content on lots of Slate shows, and full access to all the articles on Slate.com. Sign up today at slate.com/dsmplus.

And if you’re new to the show, welcome. We’re so glad you’re here. Find us and follow us on Instagram and you can find Anna’s newsletter at annasale.substack.com.

Our email address, where you can reach us with voice memos, pep talks, questions, critiques, is deathsexmoney@slate.com.

Get 50% Off Monarch Money, the all-in-one financial tool at www.monarchmoney.com/DSM

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hang Up and Listen - ESPN Gambles on Streaming

Mon, 25 Aug 2025 23:15:00 GMT

Hosts Alex Kirshner, Ben Lindbergh, and Lindsay Gibbs discuss ESPN’s new $30-a-month streaming service, and the media giant’s attempt to maintain a streaming service without cutting off its cable cash cow. The panel then welcomes the New Yorker staff writer Louisa Thomas to review the U.S. Open’s revamped mixed doubles event. They also weigh in on Anthony Richardson and the Colts’ decision to bench their young quarterback ahead of the regular season.

On the bonus episode available exclusively for Slate Plus members, the hosts look at the Minnesota Lynx and Napheesa Colliers' return to WNBA dominance.

ESPN Plus (4:19): The broadcaster’s bet on streaming.

Mixed Doubles (22:10): The U.S. Open's newest competition was mostly a success.

Anthony Richardson (41:47): Are NFL teams giving young quarterbacks enough of a shot?

(Note: time codes are only accurate for Slate Plus members, who listen ad-free.)

You can email us at hangup@slate.com.

Podcast production and editing by Kevin Bendis, with production assistance from Patrick Fort.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - ChatGPT Has Ruined the Em Dash

Sat, 23 Aug 2025 07:00:00 GMT

Candice Lim and Kate Lindsay get into the war between em dashes and artificial intelligence. Back in 2024, what started as a developer question became an all-out grammar war, with the use of em dashes becoming a possible indicator that something was written using ChatGPT. In the past week alone, several writers have published their defenses of the em dash and how we shouldn’t let ChatGPT ruin our favorite keyboard shortcut. However, the em dash may be a symptom of a bigger issue: have our AI detection skills gotten worse? Or, are we all doomed to be tricked by a hyphen or two?

This podcast is produced by Vic Whitley-Berry, Daisy Rosario, Candice Lim, and Kate Lindsay.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Culture Gabfest - Alien is Back Now With More Aliens Edition

Wed, 20 Aug 2025 07:00:00 GMT

This week’s episode journeys to dystopian corporate hellscapes present and future as Julia, Dana, and Steve dissect the horror and philosophical underpinnings of Alien: Earth, Noah Hawley’s new series adapting the Ridley Scott sci-fi masterpiece.

Next, they set their course to Arlen, Texas where they’ll assess the return of Hank, Peggy, and Bobby in Mike Judge’s rebooted King of the Hill. Finally, they venture to Hollywood and greet its “new face” and the medical specialists who reconstructed it in their discussion of the Hollywood Reporter’s special issue on cosmetic surgery.

In an exclusive Slate Plus bonus episode, it’s time for lunch as they chat about Lauren Collins’s recent New Yorker piece “The Case for Lunch.”

Email us your thoughts at culturefest@slate.com.

Podcast production by Benjamin Frisch. Production assistance by Daniel Hirsch.

Endorsements:

Dana: A request seeking a good book about the cultural impact of Napoleon.

Steve: The poem “Empathy and New Year” by James Schuyler.
Julia: Crate diving into your own ancestry and visiting places significant to your family's history—Ancestry proves to be a useful tool to track down public records.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - Ethel Cain, Lana Del Rey, and the Lorax Girl

Wed, 20 Aug 2025 07:00:00 GMT

Candice Lim and Kate Lindsay explain what’s going on between the internet’s favorite sad girls, Ethel Cain and Lana Del Rey. Where did their beef start and why is Peter Griffin involved? Then, they dive into a new TikTokker who dresses up as the Lorax, does spot-on Ariana Grande impressions, and could be our next big comedian. But first, our favorite TikTok dolls may finally start posting again.

This podcast is produced by Vic Whitley-Berry, Daisy Rosario, Candice Lim, and Kate Lindsay.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Death, Sex & Money - The Internet Taught Me to Diet, Then Saved Me With Weightlifting

Tue, 19 Aug 2025 07:00:00 GMT

Casey Johnston grew up in a family where being thin mattered. In college, the internet told her to eat 1,200 calories and do endless cardio if she wanted to lose weight. That habit followed her into her late twenties, until she came upon a Reddit post about weightlifting that changed her relationship to her body and just about everything else.

Casey Johnston is the author of Physical Education: How I Escaped Diet Culture and Gained the Power of Lifting, and she writes the substack, She’s a Beast.

Podcast production by Zoe Azulay

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hang Up and Listen - Stalkers: A Hidden Threat to Athletes

Mon, 18 Aug 2025 22:55:00 GMT

Hosts Alex Kirshner, Ben Lindbergh, and Lindsay Gibbs speak to the Athletic’s Carson Kessler about her recent investigative series on the rise of stalking in sports. The panel then previews the upcoming college football season before welcoming golf journalist Brendan Porath to break down the Ryder Cup and the drama around Keegan Bradley potentially being the first player-captain since the early 1960s.

On the bonus episode available exclusively for Slate Plus members, Ben explains how the Milwaukee Brewers unexpectedly became the best team in baseball.

Sports Stalkers (3:50): The chilling rise in disturbing fan behavior.

CFB preview (23:30): What we love and hate going into week zero.

Ryder Cup (50:48): Is Keegan Bradley teeing up to fail?

(Note: time codes are only accurate for Slate Plus members, who listen ad-free.)

You can email us at hangup@slate.com.

Podcast production and editing by Kevin Bendis, with production assistance from Patrick Fort.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - The Great Girlboss Comeback

Sat, 16 Aug 2025 06:00:00 GMT

On today’s episode, host Kate Lindsay is joined by Slate senior writer Scaachi Koul to talk about the return of the girlboss. Over five years after various exposes exposed their poor management and, in some cases, racism, former it-girls like The Wing’s Audrey Gelman and Outdoor Voice’s Ty Haney are back in the spotlight. Their new projects, however, are falling flat. Is there any room for redemption in 2025, or is time to leave girlbosses behind for good?

This podcast is produced by Daisy Rosario, Vic Whitley-Berry, and Kate Lindsay, with help from Kevin Bendis.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hit Parade | Music History and Music Trivia - The White and Nerdy Edition Part 1

Fri, 15 Aug 2025 07:00:00 GMT

In this encore episode of Hit Parade, Chris Molanphy explores the history of novelty hits on the charts.

Podcast production by Justin D. Wright and Kevin Bendis.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - Kendra Fell In Love With Her Psychiatrist—Then She Met TikTok

Wed, 13 Aug 2025 07:00:00 GMT

On today’s episode, host Kate Lindsay is joined by senior supervising producer Daisy Rosario to talk about Kendra, the woman whose 25-part TikTok series about falling in love with her psychiatrist has captivated the internet. However, what viewers thought would be the next Reesa Teesa “Who The Fuck Did I Marry?” series turned out to be something much more complicated, as Kendra’s story went from suspicious to downright troubling. Now, TikTok is diagnosing Kendra with mental health issues, while still consuming her content like entertainment.

One part of the episode uses audio from this TikTok by user @tayyy.jpeg

This podcast is produced by Daisy Rosario, Vic Whitley-Berry, and Kate Lindsay.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Decoder Ring - How to Hunt a Mammoth, and Other Experiments in Archaeology

Wed, 13 Aug 2025 07:00:00 GMT

Experimental archeology is, simply put, archeology that involves running experiments. Where traditional archaeologists may study, research, analyze, and theorize about how artifacts were made or used, experimental archaeologists actually try to recreate, test, and use them to see what they can learn. In doing so, they have given the field a whole new way to glean clues and get insights into the lives of our ancestors.

Sam Kean is the author of a new book all about experimental archaeology called Dinner with King Tut. With help from him and a few archaeologists, we dig into a number of puzzles that experimental archaeology has helped solve—conundrums involving ancient megafauna, bizarre cookware, and deep sea voyages.

In this episode, you’ll hear from archaeologists Susan Kaplan of Bowdoin College and Karen Harry of University of Nevada, Las Vegas, and Native Hawaiian activist and storyteller Nāʻālehu Anthony.

To learn more about the story of Hokule’a and its first navigator, Mau Piailug, watch Nāʻālehu Anthony’s 2010 documentary, Papa Mau: The Wayfinder, as well as The Navigators: Pathfinders of the Pacific.

This episode was produced by Katie Shepherd and Max Freedman. Decoder Ring is also produced by Willa Paskin and Evan Chung, our supervising producer. Merritt Jacob is Senior Technical Director. We had mixing help from Kevin Bendis.

We’d also like to thank Metin Eren and Paul Benham.

If you have any cultural mysteries you want us to decode, email us at DecoderRing@slate.com or leave a message on our hotline at (347) 460-7281.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Culture Gabfest - The Naked Gun And The Nearly Naked Momoa Edition

Wed, 13 Aug 2025 07:00:00 GMT

On this week’s show, Julia Turner is joined by guest hosts Nadira Goffe and Dan Kois to answer the urgent question: is The Naked Gun starring Liam Neeson and Pamela Anderson the vital satire we need for our time? (Answer: No, but does that matter? The joke-dense spoof reboot directed by Akiva Schaffer is a hoot.)

Next, they turn to tropical shores and talk about Chief of War, the epic series about Hawaiian history starring and produced by Jason Momoa. Finally, the panel examines the legacy of the musical Hamilton on its ten-year anniversary. Is it a naive Obama-era cringefest or an enduring piece of theater that still has much to say about American democracy?

In an exclusive Slate Plus Bonus episode, Julia and Nadira grill Dan about the creation of Slate’s newest game Pears and discuss the state of the internet game ecosystem.

Email us your thoughts at culturefest@slate.com.

Podcast production by Benjamin Frisch. Production assistance by Daniel Hirsch.

Endorsements:

Nadira: The new album BLACKSTAR by Ghanaian and American singer and songwriter Amaarae.

Julia: Jurassic Park at the Hollywood Bowl accompanied by the LA Philharmonic. If not that, stream on a screen near you.

Dan: Quitting your job.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Death, Sex & Money - He’ll Move Your Couch, and Keep Your Secrets

Tue, 12 Aug 2025 07:00:00 GMT

Adonis Williams has been a mover in New York City for 20 years. He says he's moved about 3,500 people, and with each move, he catches a glimpse of a life in transition. There are the happy moves: getting a bigger place, couples moving in together, kids going off to college. There are also the sad moves: divorce, breakups, eviction. Adonis says he talks with his customers about it all. "You become the bartender or the taxi driver that they need to vent to." In this episode, Adonis explains why he didn't charge money for the first five years of being a mover and what he's observed on the job about relationships, family, and the cost of living in New York.

You can hear more Adonis in this episode, where he talked with one of his moving clients, and you can reach Adonis for a move on his website.

Podcast production by Zoe Azulay

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hang Up and Listen - Micah and Jerry’s Dallas Standoff

Mon, 11 Aug 2025 22:10:00 GMT

Hosts Alex Kirshner, Ben Lindbergh, and Lindsay Gibbs are joined by Cowboys beat writer RJ Ochoa to dissect the messy public contract negotiations between Jerry Jones and superstar Micah Parsons. The panel also discusses the relocation dispute between the Connecticut Sun and the WNBA, plus Jen Pawol becoming the first female umpire in MLB.

On the bonus episode available exclusively for Slate Plus members, the panel talks about the Kansas City Chiefs not being favored to win the Super Bowl this season.

Jerry Jones (4:29): The drama king digs in his heels.

The Connecticut Sun (24:20): Will Boston finally have its WNBA team?

Jen Pawol (43:25): Baseball’s umpire glass ceiling is finally broken.

(Note: time codes are only accurate for Slate Plus members, who listen ad-free.)

You can email us at hangup@slate.com.

Podcast production and editing by Kevin Bendis, with production assistance from Patrick Fort.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - Viral Debates: Crossing the Aisle or Clickbait?

Sat, 09 Aug 2025 07:00:00 GMT

On today’s episode, hosts Candice Lim and Kate Lindsay are joined by Slate staff writer Aymann Ismail to discuss the controversial YouTube channel, Jubilee. A video of political commentator Mehdi Hasan debating 20 far-right republicans has gone viral, but as Ismail argues in his piece for Slate, it also crossed a line. When political disagreement becomes content and extremism is rewarded with clicks, everybody loses.

This podcast is produced by Daisy Rosario, Vic Whitley-Berry, Candice Lim, and Kate Lindsay.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Culture Gabfest - Summer Strut 2025 Edition

Wed, 06 Aug 2025 07:00:00 GMT

It’s the most feelin’ yourself time of the year; a time for uptempo jams to make the sidewalk your runway; a time for the annual Summer Strut playlist! As per tradition, Steve, Dana, and Julia are joined by music critic and chartologist Chris Molanphy to sift through the hundreds of listener submissions to pick their favorite songs to strut to this season. They’ll also kick off the show with a discussion of the song of the summer.

You can find the panel’s collective favorites here, at the Summer Strut ‘25 Shortlist. In addition, Dana, Julia, Steven, and Chris, have also published their personal best-of lists.

Intrepid listeners are welcome to explore the gigantic original playlist here.

In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, the panel does two rapid fire rounds to discuss eight more songs for all your strutting needs.

Email us your thoughts at culturefest@slate.com.

Podcast production by Benjamin Frisch. Production assistance by Daniel Hirsch.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - Your Next Favorite Book Will Be Fanfiction

Wed, 06 Aug 2025 07:00:00 GMT

Kate Lindsay and Candice Lim discuss the latest in Labubu-land, from a TikTok blackface controversy to leaving one on an iconic anti-capitalist’s grave. Then, they dive into the growing trend of fanfiction getting a big marketing push from the publishing world. From Ali Hazelwood’s The Love Hypothesis starting as Reylo fanfic to Julie Soto basing her latest novel on a Dramione ship, traditional publishing is reaching into the channels of AO3, Tumblr, and Wattpad to find their next big hit. But what do we lose when our favorite fanfictions get taken mainstream? And is it good or bad for the community they originated from?

This podcast is produced by Vic Whitley-Berry, Daisy Rosario, Candice Lim, and Kate Lindsay.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Death, Sex & Money - How the Ultra-Rich Think…and What They Fear

Tue, 05 Aug 2025 07:00:00 GMT

Evan Osnos has spent nearly his whole life observing the habits, values, and norms of the wealthy elite, from his childhood in suburban Connecticut to the years he spent reporting on the mega-yachts and underground bunkers of the U.S.’s richest citizens.

This week, he talks to Anna about his new book The Haves and Have-Yachts: Dispatches on the Ultrarich, and they get specific about what the most powerful people in the world value and what keeps them up at night.

Evan is a staff writer at The New Yorker and is a co-host of The New Yorker’s podcast The Political Scene.

This episode was produced by Cameron Drews.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hang Up and Listen - Trump vs. the IOC

Mon, 04 Aug 2025 22:20:00 GMT

Hosts Alex Kirshner, Ben Lindbergh, and Lindsay Gibbs talk to sportswriter Rodger Sherman about how the United States’ immigration maneuvering might affect the Olympics. They also discuss the NFL’s new multibillion dollar deal with ESPN, and how the Minnesota Twins’ massive trade-off could affect the team – and the rest of MLB.

On the bonus episode available exclusively for Slate Plus members, the panel holds a special draft: one fictional player and one real player they want back in the game.

IOC (4:20): Trump’s immigration plans run afoul of the IOC.

NFL ESPN(23:27): ESPN acquires a ton of NFL assets.

Minnesota Twins (40:11): The team’s trade deadline turns into a fire sale.

(Note: time codes are only accurate for Slate Plus members, who listen ad-free.)

You can email us at hangup@slate.com.

Podcast production by Paige Osburn and Kevin Bendis, with production assistance from Patrick Fort.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - Why Online Whisper Networks Never Work

Sat, 02 Aug 2025 07:00:00 GMT

Candice Lim and Kate Lindsay are joined by writer and senior editor at Playboy Magazine, Magdalene Taylor, to talk about Tea. The app for women to crowdsource any “red flags” about the men they’re dating was hacked shortly after it hit #1 on the Apple Lifestyle app chart. Now, the private information of thousands of women has been shared across 4Chan and Twitter, all thanks to a platform that was supposed to keep them safe. But was Tea even a good idea in the first place?

This podcast is produced by Daisy Rosario, Vic Whitley-Berry, Candice Lim, and Kate Lindsay.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Decoder Ring - The Bad-Mouthing of British Teeth

Wed, 30 Jul 2025 07:00:00 GMT

From The Simpsons’ Big Book of British Smiles to Austin Powers’ ochre-tinged grin, American culture can’t stop bad-mouthing English teeth. But why? Are they worse than any other nation’s? June Thomas drills down into the origins of the stereotype, and discovers that the different approaches to dentistry on each side of the Atlantic have a lot to say about our national values.

In this episode, you’ll hear from historians Mimi Goodall, Mathew Thomson, and Alyssa Picard, author of Making the American Mouth; and from professor of dental public health Richard Watt.

This episode was written by June Thomas and edited and produced by Evan Chung, Decoder Ring’s supervising producer. Our show is also produced by Willa Paskin, Katie Shepherd, and Max Freedman. Merritt Jacob is Senior Technical Director.

If you have any cultural mysteries you want us to decode, email us at DecoderRing@slate.com or leave a message on our hotline at (347) 460-7281.

Sources for This Episode

Goodall, Mimi. “Sugar in the British Atlantic World, 1650-1720,” DPhil dissertation, Oxford University, 2022.

Mintz, Sidney. Sweetness and Power: The Place of Sugar in Modern History, Penguin Books, 1986.

Picard, Alyssa. Making the American Mouth: Dentists and Public Health in the Twentieth Century, Rutgers University Press, 2009.

Thomson, Mathew. “Teeth and National Identity,” People’s History of the NHS.

Trumble, Angus. A Brief History of the Smile, Basic Books, 2004.

Wynbrandt, James. The Excruciating History of Dentistry: Toothsome Tales & Oral Oddities from Babylon to Braces, St. Martin’s Griffin, 2000.

Watt, Richard, et al. “Austin Powers bites back: a cross sectional comparison of US and English national oral health surveys,” BMJ, Dec. 16, 2015.

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ICYMI - Astronomer Updates, Jessie Murph, and Dubious Cults

Wed, 30 Jul 2025 07:00:00 GMT

Kate Lindsay and Candice Lim run through some updates following the Coldplay concert cheating scandal, and why Astronomer’s latest PR stunt is hitting them differently. Then, they surprise each other with two stories from different sides of the internet. First, what’s going on with this fake TikTok cult that possibly involves animal sacrifices, skin carvings, and questionable leadership? And who is Jessie Murph, the pseudo-country singer whose recent performance on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon has the internet questioning whether her lyrics are satirical or regressive?

This podcast is produced by Vic Whitley-Berry, Daisy Rosario, Candice Lim, and Kate Lindsay.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Culture Gabfest - Trump Goes on Down to South Park Edition

Wed, 30 Jul 2025 07:00:00 GMT

On this week’s show, Dana, Steve and guest host Nitish Pahwa summon their critical superpowers to assess Marvel’s Fantastic Four: First Steps. Can the charms of Pedro Pascal and company mixed with a Jetsons-style retrofuturism energize this long-troubled comic book IP? They discuss.

Next, they’re joined by Euny Hong, author of The Birth of Korean Cool: How One Nation Is Conquering the World Through Pop Culture, to unpack why KPop Demon Hunters is such a record-breaking hit. Finally, they revisit a little town called South Park to talk about the long-running animated series’ latest episode which brutally satirizes President Trump.

In an exclusive Slate Plus bonus episode, the panel takes a look at the confusing messaging in advertisements for A.I. products.

Endorsements:

Nitish - The music of the late, great musical satirist and mathematician Tom Lehrer, who recently passed. His archive is available for free at tomlehrersongs.com.

Steve - The great spy thriller The Spy Who Came In From The Cold by John le Carré.

Dana - Tim Maia's irresistible "Do Leme Ao Pontal."

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Death, Sex & Money - The Real-Life Willy Wonka Who Built Tony Hawk a Secret Desert Train

Tue, 29 Jul 2025 07:00:00 GMT

N.D. Austin is not an event planner. He designs experiences, which he says are supposed to leave you feeling transformed. He’s designed hundreds over the years, from secret sewer speakeasies to coming-of-age rituals on deserted islands, to funeral board games that guide people through decades of memories.

In this episode, Anna talks to skateboarding legend Tony Hawk about an experience N.D. designed for Tony’s office that mended friendships on a homemade train. And N.D. tells Anna how growing up in a doomsday cult in Alaska sparked his obsession with performance, ritual and generosity.

Podcast production by Zoe Azulay.

Thank you also to Jeremy S. Bloom and Stefan Zeniuk.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hang Up and Listen - Chaos Inside the NFLPA

Mon, 28 Jul 2025 23:45:00 GMT

Hosts Alex Kirshner, Ben Lindbergh, and Lindsay Gibbs speak with ESPN senior NFL reporter Kalyn Kahler on the secrets, scandals, and leadership implosion plaguing the NFL Players Association ahead of labor negotiations. They also discuss the historic induction of Ichiro Suzuki in the National Baseball Hall of Fame and the death of Hulk Hogan.

On the bonus episode available exclusively for Slate Plus members, the panel reviews the new movie Happy Gilmore 2.

NFLPA (2:59): Behind the scenes of the leadership meltdown.

Ichiro(25:10): The first Japanese MLB position player joins the Hall of Fame.

Hulk Hogan (45:28): The wrestling giant’s life, death, and embarrassing embrace of bigotry.

(Note: time codes are only accurate for Slate Plus members, who listen ad-free.)

You can email us at hangup@slate.com.

Podcast production and editing by Kevin Bendis, with production assistance from Patrick Fort.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - Calico Critters Are Beefing Thanks To TikTok

Sat, 26 Jul 2025 07:00:00 GMT

Candice Lim and Kate Lindsay investigate the disappearance of SylvanianDrama. The creator behind the account gained millions of followers for role-playing salacious narratives with the fuzzy Calico Critters children’s toys, but a copyright lawsuit from the brand itself has threatened the future of the account. Fans of SylvanianDrama are in an uproar, but the story isn’t black and white. Instead, it’s a warning for all of us about how personal posts online could end up paying professional consequences.

This podcast is produced by Daisy Rosario, Vic Whitley-Berry, Candice Lim, and Kate Lindsay.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Death, Sex & Money - Seth Rogen Has Empathy and Disdain for Bad Hollywood Execs (Talk Easy)

Fri, 25 Jul 2025 07:00:00 GMT

Actor-writer-director Seth Rogen discusses Hollywood's perpetual existential crisis, where art and commerce constantly battle for dominance. On the heels of the Emmy nominated Apple TV+ series The Studio, Rogen talks about finding humor in the industry's dysfunction, and how his lifelong friendships shaped him as an artist.

This interview comes from the podcast Talk Easy hosted by Sam Fragoso.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hit Parade | Music History and Music Trivia - Here's The Beef Edition Part 2

Fri, 25 Jul 2025 07:00:00 GMT

When Kendrick Lamar took the Super Bowl halftime stage in 2025 and had the stadium chanting along to “Not Like Us,” it was clear: Diss tracks had gone stratospheric.

The Kendrick vs. Drake beef echoes legendary rap rivalries like Biggie vs. Tupac and Jay-Z vs. Nas—but diss tracks stretch back through a century of American pop to the Tin Pan Alley era. Vaudeville singer Eddie Cantor, James Brown, John Lennon, Carly Simon, Kool Moe Dee, Lauryn Hill, and countless other artists have all tapped the hitmaking power of a personal grudge.

Step this way and join Chris Molanphy as he traces the history of answer records, diss tracks, and rap beefs that shaped the charts—and the culture.

Podcast production by Kevin Bendis.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - The Astronomer CEO Coldplay Cheating Scandal

Wed, 23 Jul 2025 07:00:00 GMT

Kate Lindsay and Candice Lim break down everything that’s happened since a software CEO was caught in a suspicious position with his co-worker at a Coldplay concert. From Chris Martin’s viral dialogue to the dearth of content emerging from this story, they run through the tenets of a monocultural moment and debunk the misinformation that has transpired alongside this scandal.

This podcast is produced by Vic Whitley-Berry, Daisy Rosario, Candice Lim, and Kate Lindsay.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Culture Gabfest - Colbert is Cancelled Edition

Wed, 23 Jul 2025 07:00:00 GMT

Disinfect your groceries and mind the 5G, on this week’s show Steve, Dana, and guest host Sam Adams dive into the dread-inducing world of Ari Aster’s Eddington. Starring Joaquin Phoenix and Pedro Pascal, the neo-Western explores the conspiracy-brained, mentally unstable summer of 2020 when COVID brews unrest in a small town. Like said town, the panel is divided.

Next, they talk about why one of the biggest selling musical acts of all time has been both a national treasure and a forever punchline in their discussion of the documentary Billy Joel: And So It Goes. Finally, they take on what CBS’s decision to cancel the Late Show with Stephen Colbert means for both late night TV and democracy itself with New York Times TV critic James Poniewozik.

In an exclusive Slate Plus bonus episode, the panel shares their feelings about phone location sharing.

Email us at culturefest@slate.com.

Endorsements:

Dana: The best use of a Billy Joel song in a soundtrack: "Carded and Discarded," episode 7 of Freaks and Geeks:

Sam: The anti-establishment, anarchist British Post-punk band the Mekons’ 1989 album The Mekons Rock n’ Roll.

Steve: Stephen Colbert talking with Dua Lipa about faith and comedy and Esbjörn Svensson Trio’s “Somewhere Else Before” from the album Live in Gothenberg.

Want more Culture Gabfest? Subscribe to Slate Plus to unlock weekly bonus episodes. Plus, you’ll access ad-free listening across all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe now on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of the Culture Gabfest show page. Or, visit slate.com/cultureplus to get access wherever you listen.

Podcast production by Benjamin Frisch

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Death, Sex & Money - The Elvis Impersonator That Married 75 People a Day

Tue, 22 Jul 2025 07:00:00 GMT

Brendan Paul co-owns the Graceland Wedding Chapel in Las Vegas, which claims to be the site of the world's first Elvis-themed wedding. Dressed in sparkly jumpsuits, Brendan marries sometimes as many as 75 people a day—in back to back 15-minute appointments. But while his portrayal of Elvis is generally a jovialone, his view on The King's life isn't entirely one of reverence. "That loneliness, that despair, that unsatisfied inside," he told me about Elvis near the end of his life. "A lot people go, 'I bet you wish you were Elvis,' and I always go, 'Not really.'"

This episode originally aired in 2022 in collaboration with Condé Nast Traveler and their new love and travel series. Read more about Brendan and find other essays about love and travel here.

You can hear our 2022 listener style episode about weddings and budgets here— Bells and Bills: The Price You Paid For Your Wedding

Death, Sex & Money is produced by Slate! To support us and our colleagues, please sign up for our membership program, Slate Plus! Members get ad-free podcasts, bonus content on lots of Slate shows, and full access to all the articles on Slate.com. Sign up today at slate.com/dsmplus.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hang Up and Listen - Golf’s Boring GOAT?

Mon, 21 Jul 2025 23:15:00 GMT

Hosts Alex Kirshner, Ben Lindbergh, and Lindsay Gibbs discuss the brilliant (but boringly calm) Scottie Scheffler, who racked up yet another victory at the Open Championship at Royal Portrush. The hosts then welcome Front Office Sports writer Annie Costabile to examine the WNBA’s All-Star weekend. They also get into the MLB All-Star game’s swing-off finale.

On the bonus episode available exclusively for Slate Plus members, the panel ranks their favorite and least favorite innovations in sports broadcasting.

Scottie Scheffler (3:37): He loves The Office more than golf.

WNBA All-Star Weekend (21:42): How the players used their CBA leverage

The Swing-Off (40:33): With great power comes great endings?

(Note: time codes are only accurate for Slate Plus members, who listen ad-free.)

You can email us at hangup@slate.com.

Podcast production and editing by Kevin Bendis, with production assistance from Patrick Fort.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - The Internet History of Jojo Siwa

Sat, 19 Jul 2025 07:00:00 GMT

Candice Lim and Kate Lindsay are joined by New York Times reporter and former ICYMI host Madison Malone Kircher to break down the internet history of Jojo Siwa. The 22-year-old got her start on Dance Moms over ten years ago, and has gone on to be a singer, performer, and serial reality TV show contestant. During this time she came out as queer, and attempted to have her own Miley Cyrus Bangerz rebrand. Now, with a new single and a new boyfriend, Jojo is entering yet another era, prompting the question: Who is Jojo Siwa, anyway?

This podcast is produced by Daisy Rosario, Vic Whitley-Berry, Candice Lim, and Kate Lindsay, with help from Benjamin Frisch.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hit Parade | Music History and Music Trivia - Here’s the Beef Edition Part 1

Fri, 18 Jul 2025 16:00:00 GMT

When Kendrick Lamar took the Super Bowl halftime stage in 2025 and had the stadium chanting along to “Not Like Us,” it was clear: Diss tracks had gone stratospheric.

Step this way and join Chris Molanphy as he traces the history of answer records, diss tracks, and rap beefs that shaped the charts—and the culture.

Podcast production by Kevin Bendis.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - “Gen-Z Stare” and the Log-In Epidemic

Wed, 16 Jul 2025 07:00:00 GMT

Kate Lindsay and Candice Lim parse through the annoying practice of logging in and downloading apps. From hiking in the woods to brushing our teeth, it seems like we can’t do anything online these days without being prompted to make an account or download an app. Why do tech companies pressure us to log in all the time? And if we log out, why do they shame us into downloading apps for fast food places and refrigerators? But first, what’s the “Gen-Z Stare” and is this simply TikTok creating another intergenerational conflict?

This podcast is produced by Vic Whitley-Berry, Daisy Rosario, Candice Lim, and Kate Lindsay.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Decoder Ring - Mailbag: Drug Names, Cow Abductions, and the “Ass-Intensifier”

Wed, 16 Jul 2025 07:00:00 GMT

In this episode we’re opening our mailbag to answer three fascinating questions from our listeners. How did “ass,” a word for donkeys and butts, become what linguists call an “intensifier” for just about everything? How do pharmaceuticals get their wacky names? And why do we all seem to think that aliens from outer space would travel to Earth just to kidnap our cows?

In this episode, you’ll hear from linguistics professor Nicole Holliday, historians Greg Eghigian and Mike Goleman, and professional “namer” Laurel Sutton.

This episode of Decoder Ring was produced by Willa Paskin, Max Freedman, and Katie Shepherd. Our supervising producer is Evan Chung. Merritt Jacob is Slate’s Technical Director.

If you have any cultural mysteries you want us to decode, please email us at DecoderRing@slate.com, or leave a message on our hotline at 347-460-7281.

Sources for This Episode

Bengston, Jonas. “Post-Intensifying: The Case of the Ass-Intensifier and Its Similar but Dissimilar Danish Counterpart,” Leviathan, 2021.

Collier, Roger. “The art and science of naming drugs,” Canadian Medical Association Journal, Oct. 2014.

Eghigian, Greg. After the Flying Saucers Came: A Global History of the UFO Phenomenon, Oxford University Press, 2024.

Goleman, Michael J. “Wave of Mutilation: The Cattle Mutilation Phenomenon of the 1970s,” Agricultural History, 2011.

Karet, Gail B. “How Do Drugs Get Named?” AMA Journal of Ethics, Aug. 2019.

Miller, Wilson J. “Grammaticalizaton in English: A Diachronic and Synchronic Analysis of the "ass" Intensifier,” Master’s Thesis, San Francisco State University, 2017.

Monroe, Rachel. “The Enduring Panic About Cow Mutilations,” The New Yorker, May 8, 2023.

A Strange Harvest, dir. Linda Moulton Howe, KMGH-TV, 1980.

“United States Adopted Names naming guidelines,” AMA.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Culture Gabfest - Woke Superman Saves the Box Office Edition

Wed, 16 Jul 2025 07:00:00 GMT

On this week’s show, Dana and Steve are joined by guest host Isaac Butler to talk truth, justice, and the American way via James Gunn’s Superman. They discuss the latest incarnation of the man of steel and the cultural discourse he’s generating that has become as volatile as kryptonite itself.

Next, they hop to another cultural lightning rod: Lena Dunham. They get into her new series Too Much which she created with her husband Luis Felber. Finally, they report back from Viola’s Room, an immersive theater experience by the creators of Sleep No More.

In a bonus Slate Plus episode, they respond to the news that Scott Rudin—famous Broadway megaproducer and infamous alleged abuser—is mounting a comeback.

Endorsements:

Isaac: The Criterion Channel special Brian Cox: The Craft of Acting, hosted by yours truly Isaac Butler. Also, Ari Aster’s newest film Eddington before the discourse begins!

Steve: Finishing 2666 by Roberto Bolaño and Agnes Varda's breakout Cléo from 5 to 7.

Dana: Critic Walter Chaw's essay on the new Superman.

Podcast production by Benjamin Frisch

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Death, Sex & Money - The Honeymoon That Ended in Immigration Detention

Tue, 15 Jul 2025 07:00:00 GMT

Silvia Camila Muñoz and Bradley Bartell had been married for less than a year when ICE stopped them at the airport on the way back from their honeymoon in Puerto Rico. Silvia Camila came to the United States in 2019 to work at a Wisconsin waterpark for one season. The pandemic caused her to overstay her visa and continue to work without authorization. That’s when she met Bradley, a local factory worker, and a Trump supporter.

In this episode, Anna talks to Bradley and Silvia Camilla about her 49-day stay in immigration detention, how it changed their relationship and friendships within their community.

Podcast production by Zoe Azulay

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hang Up and Listen - Sinner Mows Down Alcaraz on the Grass

Tue, 15 Jul 2025 00:25:00 GMT

Hosts Alex Kirshner, Ben Lindbergh, and Lindsay Gibbs are joined by Giri Nathan, co-founder of Defector and author of the new book Changeover, for a discussion of Jannik Sinner’s breakthrough win and Iga Świątek’s domination at Wimbledon. The panel also digs into the Atlanta Braves’ surprisingly disappointing season, and then they welcome sportswriter Henry Bushnell to post-mortem the FIFA Club World Cup.

Plus, Lindsay has an Afterball on the amazing career and retirement of soccer player Tobin Heath.

On the bonus episode available exclusively for Slate Plus members, the panel discusses the NCAA’s proposed plan to expand March Madness even further.

Wimbledon (3:18): Sinner grabs glory

The Atlanta Braves (30:18): The prospective world beaters now suck?

Club World Cup (47:21): Was it worth it?

Afterballs (1:05:30): Tobin Heath Retires.

(Note: time codes are only accurate for Slate Plus members, who listen ad-free.)

You can email us at hangup@slate.com.

Podcast production and editing by Kevin Bendis, with production assistance from Ben Richmond.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - Love Island’s Toxic Relationship With Social Media

Sat, 12 Jul 2025 07:00:00 GMT

After a contestant was kicked off Love Island USA for resurfaced racist social media posts, the internet backlash was swift. But some think the show mishandled her exit, especially in light of the UK franchise’s past failure to protect the mental health of those in the villa. Hosts Candice Lim and Kate Lindsay dive into the show’s rocky relationship with social media harassment during its decade on air, including the tragic deaths of two UK contestants and host, Caroline Flack. How can the USA series learn from these tragedies, and how can the fandom stan—and unstan—responsibly?

This podcast is produced by Daisy Rosario, Vic Whitley-Berry, Candice Lim, and Kate Lindsay.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Decoder Ring - Introducing The Sporkful | Is Your Recipe Lying To You?

Wed, 09 Jul 2025 07:00:00 GMT

If you look at any list of best-selling cookbooks, certain words come up over and over again: quick, easy, fast, effortless. But is it actually possible to deliver deliciousness in no time? Or are these recipes too good to be true? This week, The Sporkful talks with intrepid journalist Tom Scocca, who exposed the dirty secret about caramelized onions; recipe-writing legend Christopher Kimball; and food writer (and mom) Elizabeth Dunn, who’s sick of feeling bad when a recipe turns out to be harder than she expected. And we ask: Why do recipes that look simple on paper turn out to be very different once you get into the kitchen?

Tom Scocca is the editor of Indiginity, and you can read his Slate story about caramelizing onions here. Christopher Kimball is the founder of Christopher Kimball’s Milk Street. Elizabeth Dunn co-writes the newsletter Consumed.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - Encore: Is ChatGPT Your Therapist?

Wed, 09 Jul 2025 07:00:00 GMT

Candice Lim is joined by Dazed senior writer Laura Pitcher to discuss her piece, “Meet the people using ChatGPT as their therapist.” Since ChatGPT’s public release in late 2022, there has been a growing reliance on the artificially intelligent chatbot in people’s everyday lives. TikTok users are talking about the way they use ChatGPT as their therapist, their best friend, their life organizer, and more. But is reliant, daily use of an AI service worth possible consequences such as climate change, loneliness, and data privacy concerns? On today’s episode, ICYMI dives into the unexpected ways people have been using ChatGPT and whether we can predict its role in the near future.

This podcast episode was produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Daisy Rosario and Candice Lim, with production assistance from Alexandra Botti and Kat Hong.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Culture Gabfest - Sorry, Straight White Male Novelist Edition

Wed, 09 Jul 2025 07:00:00 GMT

On this week’s show, Julia and Dana are joined by June Thomas for a decidedly feminist discussion. They start with Sorry, Baby, the debut feature from writer, director, and actor Eva Victor, about a young academic’s life after a terrible trauma. The panel debates whether the film— which was a Sundance hit for A24 — is a tart, surprising traumedy or a frustratingly evasive experiment.

Next, they get into Dear Ms.: A Revolution in Print, the HBO documentary about the pioneering feminist magazine. Finally, they take up a recent New York Times piece to determine whether the straight white male novelist is a thing of the past—and if we should care. Steve hops on the call to offer his token male perspective, naturally.

In an exclusive plus bonus episode, the feminist discourse continues with a conversation about the oft overlooked fashion designer Claire McCardell, who is the subject of a recent biography Claire McCardell: The Designer Who Set Women Free by Elizabeth Evitts Dickinson and book review by our very own Julia Turner.

Endorsements:

Dana: The essay “It’s Only An Island If You Look At It From The Water” by Elizabeth Cantwell in Bright Wall Dark Room about the film Jaws on its 50th anniversary.

June : The action film Heads of State starring John Cena and Idris Elba, or “Mamma Mia! with explosions.”

Julia - The new book Empire of the Elite by Michael Grynbaum about the magisterial publishing reign of Condé Nast. (Recently excerpted in the New York Times.)

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Death, Sex & Money - What Military Service During “Peacetime” is Really Like

Tue, 08 Jul 2025 07:00:00 GMT

Ray Christian joined the U.S. Army in 1978, as a way to get his life started. He became a paratrooper, an infantryman, and a drill sergeant. He also endured trauma and found that getting out of the service was more challenging than he expected.

This week, Ray discusses why he signed up in the first place, what it was like serving in-between major conflicts, and how he eventually transitioned into a life of academia and storytelling.

To hear more of Ray’s stories, check out his appearances on Snap Judgement, The Moth, and Risk!. And make sure to subscribe to What’s Ray Saying? wherever you get your podcasts.

This episode was produced by Cameron Drews.

If you’re new to the show, welcome. We’re so glad you’re here. Find us and follow us on Instagram and you can find Anna’s newsletter at annasale.substack.com. Our new email address, where you can reach us with voice memos, pep talks, questions, critiques, is deathsexmoney@slate.com.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hang Up and Listen - The LeBron and Giannis Loyalty Test

Mon, 07 Jul 2025 23:20:00 GMT

Hosts Alex Kirshner, Ben Lindbergh, and Lindsay Gibbs break down an unexpectedly quiet start to NBA free agency while big trade rumors keep swirling. They dig into fresh betting scandals rattling baseball and basketball, including Guardians pitcher Luis Ortiz. And they debate whether the WNBA’s ambitious expansion plans are moving too fast for the league’s own good.

Plus, Alex has an Afterball about the remarkable mismanagement of the Washington Nationals.

On the bonus episode available exclusively for Slate Plus members, the panel talks F1 domination on the track and on the screen.

NBA Free Agency (3:19): Could LeBron move on at age 40?

Sports Betting (20:07): Did Luis Ortiz engage in micro betting?

WNBA Expansion (39:10): Too fast, too soon?

Afterballs (57:26): The Nats fired their GM days before the MLB Draft.

(Note: time codes are only accurate for Slate Plus members, who listen ad-free.)

You can email us at hangup@slate.com.

Podcast production and editing by Kevin Bendis, with production assistance from Patrick Fort.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - Not Even Lawsuits Can Stop AI

Sat, 05 Jul 2025 07:00:00 GMT

Candice Lim and Kate Lindsay are joined by Slate senior tech editor Tony Ho Tran to parse through what Meta’s victory in a recent AI lawsuit means for its users. Tools like ChatGPT are becoming more common at home and at work, but without protections, they could threaten not just the creativity of artists, but anyone who posts online. As regulation lags behind, how can we protect ourselves? And how many of us are using AI without even knowing it?

This podcast is produced by Daisy Rosario, Vic Whitley-Berry, Candice Lim, and Kate Lindsay.

Further reading: The Court Battles That Will Decide if Silicon Valley Can Plunder Your Work from Slate’s Nitish Pahwa

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Culture Gabfest - Brad Pitt’s Victory Lap Edition

Wed, 02 Jul 2025 07:00:00 GMT

On this week’s show, Steve, Julia, and guest host Sam Adams are off to races with F1:The Movie, the new Brad Pitt racing vehicle featuring lots of racing vehicles. Is the thrill ride more than the sum of its sports movie cliches, high-octane action sequences, and perpetually handsome movie-star? Does the answer even matter?

Next, they’re joined by Slate senior supervising producer Daisy Rosario to decode the particularly British charms of Taskmaster, the UK panel/game-show now in its 19th season. Finally, what’s more fun to pick apart than a best of list? Dana Stevens hops in to dissect the New York Times’s 100 Best Movies of the 21st Century interactive feature.

In an exclusive Plus bonus episode, the topic is: sex! Specifically, the hosts discuss the status—and seeming decline—of sex in Hollywood movies.

Endorsements:

Sam: Drinking the anise-flavored aperitif pastis, the French brand Henri Bardouin is a good one to try.

Julia: The delicious Los Angeles restaurant Tomat in the most unlikely of locales: a strip mall by LAX International Airport.

Steve: The album Cunningham Bird by Andrew Bird and Madison Cunningham and the song Sara by Fleetwood Mac.

Dana: The production of Shakespeare’s As You Like It available to stream on National Theatre at Home.

Our Panelist’s Top Ten(ish) Movies of the 21st Century:

Dana:

4 Months, 3 Weeks, 2 Days

The Act of Killing

Atanarjuat (The Fast Runner)

Bright Star

Children of Men

Grizzly Man

Parasite

Portrait of a Lady on Fire

Moonlight

There Will Be Blood

Julia:

I’m Still Here

Mean Girls

Get Out

Do Not Expect Too Much from the End of the World

Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon

Zombieland

Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood

Erin Brockovich

The Act of Killing

Portrait of a Lady on Fire

Sam:

In the Mood for Love

The Act of Killing

The Grand Budapest Hotel

The Gleaners and I

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind

A Serious Man

It’s Such a Beautiful Day

The New World

Hedwig and the Angry Inch

The Death of Stalin

Stephen:

Anora

Spotlight

Toni Erdmann

The Lives of Others

Paddington 2

Meyerowitz Stories

Spirited Away

Get Out

There Will Be Blood

Mulholland Drive

Parasite

A Separation

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - The Most Famous Facelift on TikTok

Wed, 02 Jul 2025 07:00:00 GMT

Candice Lim and Kate Lindsay discuss an American woman in her 50s who is going viral for her plastic surgery journey. Michelle Wood is a mom who traveled to Guadalajara to undergo several procedures, including a facelift and a chin implant. She documented her journey before and after the procedure, creating intrigue, curiosity, and surprisingly positive responses online. TikTok reacted similarly when Kylie Jenner revealed the details of her boob job and broke the internet within the same week. So what do Wood and Jenner’s transparency say about the way women are talking about their bodies, and their surgeries, in 2025?

This podcast is produced by Vic Whitley-Berry, Daisy Rosario, Candice Lim, and Kate Lindsay.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Decoder Ring - The White Noise Boom

Wed, 02 Jul 2025 07:00:00 GMT

White noise has a very precise technical definition, but people use the term loosely, to describe all sorts of washes of sound—synthetic hums, or natural sounds like a rainstorm or crashing waves—that can be used to mask other sounds. Twenty years ago, if you’d told someone white noise was a regular part of your life, they would have found that unusual. Nowadays, it’s likely they use it themselves or know someone who does. The global white noise business is valued at $1.3 billion; TikTok is full of people trumpeting its powers; and Spotify users alone listen to three million hours of it daily. Far more of these sounds already exist than any one person could need—or use. And yet, more keep coming.

Looking out at this uncanny ocean of seemingly indistinguishable noises, we wanted to see if it was possible to put a human face on it; to understand why there is so much of it, and what motivates the people trying to soothe our desperate ears with sounds you're not really supposed to hear.

In this episode, you’ll hear from Elan Ullendorff, who writes the illuminating Substack Escape the Algorithm; Stéphane Pigeon, founder of myNoise; Brandon Reed, who runs Dwellspring; and Mack Hagood, author of Hush: Media and Sonic Self-Control and host of the podcast Phantom Power.

We’d also like to thank Dan Berlau, Sarah Anderson, and Ashley Carman.

This episode was written by Katie Shepherd, Evan Chung, and Willa Paskin. It was produced by Katie Shepherd. We produce Decoder Ring with Max Freedman, and Evan is also our supervising producer. Merritt Jacob is Senior Technical Director.

If you have any cultural mysteries you want us to decode, please email us at DecoderRing@slate.com, or leave a message on our hotline at 347-460-7281.

Sources for This Episode

Anderson, Sarah. The Lost Art of Silence: Reconnecting to the Power and Beauty of Quiet, Shambhala Publications, 2023.

Blum, Dani. “Can Brown Noise Turn Off Your Brain?” New York Times, Sep. 23, 2022.

Carman, Ashley. “Spotify Looked to Ban White Noise Podcasts to Become More Profitable,” Bloomberg, Aug. 17, 2023.

Carman, Ashley. “Spotify to Cut Back Promotional Spending on White Noise Podcasts,” Bloomberg, Sep. 1, 2023.

Hagood, Mack. Hush: Media and Sonic Self-Control, Duke University Press, 2019.

Pickens, Thomas A., Sara P. Khan, and Daniel J. Berlau. “White noise as a possible therapeutic option for children with ADHD,” Complementary Therapies in Medicine, Feb. 2019.

Riva, Michele Augusto, Vincenzo Cimino, and Stefano Sanchirico. “Gian Lorenzo Bernini’s 17th century white noise machine,” The Lancet Neurology, Oct. 2017.

Want more Decoder Ring? Subscribe to Slate Plus to unlock exclusive bonus episodes. Plus, you’ll access ad-free listening across all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe now on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of the Decoder Ring show page. Or, visit slate.com/decoderplus to get access wherever you listen.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Death, Sex & Money - Baywatch Made Me World Famous. My Stalker Stole My Privacy.

Tue, 01 Jul 2025 07:00:00 GMT

Alexandra Paul always loved connecting with fans. She had many, from her breakout role in the 1983 horror film Christine to her years playing a lifeguard on Baywatch. In 2011, Paul's career was slowing down, but it was also the year that she met her biggest fan: a woman who would come to stalk her for over a decade, costing Paul tens of thousands of dollars in legal bills, strain on her family, and forcing her to move across state lines. The ordeal is now over, and she has lessons to share.

In this episode you’ll hear Alexandra Paul read from an essay she published in The Ankler, a newsletter about the entertainment industry.

Podcast production by Zoe Azulay.

Get more Death, Sex & Money with Slate Plus! Join for weekly bonus episodes of DSM and ad-free listening on all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe from the Death, Sex & Money show page on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Or, visit slate.com/dsmplus to get access wherever you listen.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hang Up and Listen - The Caitlin Clark Dilemma

Mon, 30 Jun 2025 23:00:00 GMT

Hosts Alex Kirshner, Ben Lindbergh, and Lindsay Gibbs discuss Caitlin Clark’s injuries, controversies, and dramas that continue to spotlight the Fever and WNBA. They also get into the effects of major league baseball teams' use of minor league ballparks, plus a talk with SB Nation’s Ricky O’Donnell to break down the NBA draft.

On the bonus episode available exclusively for Slate Plus members, the panel speaks to Out of Your League newsletter writer Frankie de la Cretaz, about the Golden State Valkyries’ embrace and fostering of its queer fanbase.

Caitlin Clark (4:33): All eyes on the Fever

Minor League parks (26:22): How two pro teams have adjusted to smaller stadiums

NBA Draft (41:55): Cooper Flagg’s a Mav

(Note: time codes are only accurate for Slate Plus members, who listen ad-free.)

You can email us at hangup@slate.com.

Podcast production and editing by Kevin Bendis, with production assistance from Patrick Fort.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - How Coming Out Videos Changed YouTube

Sat, 28 Jun 2025 07:00:00 GMT

Kate Lindsay and Candice Lim are joined by Ingrid Nilsen, an OG beauty lifestyle YouTuber who you may know as “MissGlamorazzi,” to reflect on the 10-year anniversary of her most iconic video to date.

Throughout the 2010s, YouTube was the platform of choice for “coming out” videos. During those years, the U.S. saw progress in LGBTQ+ acceptance and representation, including a SCOTUS decision legalizing gay marriage nationwide in 2015. A part of this growing acceptance online included prominent creators speaking up about their own sexuality, creating essentially, an entire genre of YouTube videos. Entering that genre in 2015 was Nilsen, whose coming out video has more than 18 million views, and became perhaps the most memorable coming out video from that era.

Ten years later, Nilsen joins the show to talk about the moment before she hit upload, what she’s been up to since, and how the reaction — and backlash — to that video affected her coming out journey.

This podcast is produced by Vic Whitley-Berry, Daisy Rosario, Candice Lim, and Kate Lindsay.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hit Parade | Music History and Music Trivia - Mighty Real Edition Part 2

Fri, 27 Jun 2025 16:15:00 GMT

Little Richard was rock ‘n’ roll’s flamboyant architect. Lesley Gore sang that no one owned her. Sylvester was a gender-fluid icon who helped define disco. Freddie Mercury made rock operatic, and George Michael demanded freedom.

What all of these LGBTQ artists had in common was bold hitmaking—and fear of being fully out of the closet. For decades, queer acts topped the charts while cloaking their true identities and paving the way for today’s more openly queer stars.

For Pride Month, join Chris Molanphy as he traces the hidden history of queer hitmakers on the charts—including those that managed to be both out and No. 1, right up through our modern age of Lil Nas X and Chappell Roan. It’s a celebration of these artists’ quest to feel… mighty real.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - TikTok May Win Battles, But YouTube Will Win the War

Wed, 25 Jun 2025 07:00:00 GMT

Candice Lim and Kate Lindsay are joined by Yahoo senior entertainment reporter Kelsey Weekman, who is fresh off the plane from this year’s VidCon. Unlike past years, when TikTokkers took over the Anaheim Convention Center, VidCon 2025 put YouTubers front and center, inducting the first creators into the VidCon Hall of Fame. With platforms like MySpace and Vine coming and going, how has YouTube stuck around? Why can’t TikTok dethrone it? And who on earth is “jmancurly”???

This podcast is produced by Daisy Rosario, Vic Whitley-Berry, Candice Lim, and Kate Lindsay.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Culture Gabfest - Daddygang Rage Virus Edition

Wed, 25 Jun 2025 07:00:00 GMT

On this week’s show, Julia, Dana, and Steve return to the Rage Virus-infected world first created by Danny Boyle and Alex Garland two decades ago. They talk about 28 Years Later and what the zombie movie sequel has to say about now. A lot it turns out: COVID, Brexit, human mortality, and more.

Next, they grapple with the media phenomenon that is Alex Cooper—the spunky and sexually frank host of the blockbuster podcast Call Her Daddy— by discussing the recent documentary about her rise, Call Her Alex. Finally, they analyze the loping, charming, sister-rock appeal of Haim’s new album I quit.

In an exclusive Slate Plus segment, the hosts spoil the ending of 28 Years Laters and get into all the film’s twists that make it such a surprising, interesting ride.

Endorsements:

Dana: More Haim, specifically their 2020 Tiny Desk concert performed on Zoom.

Steve: The underappreciated band The Cry. And if you like that, more music from their Manchester-based record label Factory Records.

Julia: The charming hang of The Lonely Island and Seth Meyers Podcast.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Death, Sex & Money - Allison Williams on Botox, Privilege, and Gen Z’s Love of Marnie From ‘Girls’

Tue, 24 Jun 2025 07:00:00 GMT

On June 11th, actress Allison Williams joined Anna live onstage at the Tribeca Festival in New York City for a conversation that was equal parts introspective and hilarious. Allison talked about everything from botox and how it impacts her work (and the faces she’s able to make to her young son) to her very complicated and controversial film and TV characters, like the famously maligned Marnie from Girls.

Allison and Anna also welcomed two members of Gen Z into the conversation, Amelia Ritthaler and Evan Lazarus of the Girls Rewatch podcast, to discuss why Gen Z is way more sympathetic to Marnie than millennials were.

Allison’s new podcast from Headgum is called Landlines. Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts.

This episode was produced by Cameron Drews with help from Slate’s Katie Rayford, Alexandra Cohl, and Shay Cohen, and the wonderful team from Tribeca Audio: Davy Gardner, Allyson Morgan and Baiz Hoen.

Get more Death, Sex & Money with Slate Plus! Join for weekly bonus episodes of DSM and ad-free listening on all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe from the Death, Sex & Money show page on ⁠Apple Podcasts⁠ or ⁠Spotify⁠. Or, visit ⁠slate.com/dsmplus⁠ to get access wherever you listen.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hang Up and Listen - This NBA Final Was About the Losers

Mon, 23 Jun 2025 23:00:00 GMT

Hosts Alex Kirshner, Ben Lindbergh, and Lindsay Gibbs talk about the NBA Finals and the Oklahoma City Thunder’s victory over the Indiana Pacers – the comeback kings of the season. They discuss how the Pacers’ unsatisfying underdog ending and Tyrese Haliburton’s on-court injury made this one of the more bittersweet Finals of recent years. Then, the panel dissects the sale of the Los Angeles Lakers to a group of investors led by the Dodgers’ owner Mark Walter, and the team's record-breaking $10 billion valuation, and what it means for the presence of big, big money in sports team ownership. Finally they discuss the Edmonton Oilers getting iced out of Games 5 and 6 of the Stanley Cup Finals by the dominant Florida Panthers. They ask why Edmonton can’t get it together, and whether they might just be getting a little long in the tooth.

On the bonus episode available exclusively for Slate Plus members, the panel discusses another, less-positive team acquisition story: Mat Ishbia’s purchase of the Phoenix Suns back in 2022. Plus, the team’s blockbuster trade for Kevin Durant in 2023, undone this week when they traded Durant away to the Houston Rockets.

NBA Finals (3:02): Thunder Vs. Pacers

The Lakers Get Sold (22:15): A Record-Breaking $10 Billion Dollars

Stanley Cup (41:52): What’s Up With Edmonton?

(Note: time codes are only accurate for Slate Plus members, who listen ad-free.)

You can email us at hangup@slate.com.

Podcast production and editing by Benjamin Frisch, with production assistance from Patrick Fort.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - Is Partiful Cancelled?

Sat, 21 Jun 2025 07:00:00 GMT

Candice Lim and Kate Lindsay start off with two sounds of the summer from a divisive Love Island USA contestant and a popstar “standing on business.” Then, they explain the controversy brewing behind Partiful, the hip event invite app that was a rising star in the tech world, until an NYC Noise blog post brought up that Partiful’s co-founders used to work at Palantir Technologies. Palantir is a data-analytics company co-founded by Peter Thiel, who was on President Trump’s transition team and a prominent, billionaire donor to his campaign, and for years, Palantir has been in contract with the CIA and ICE. Then in April, 404 Media was able to obtain Slacks from Palantir that showed they were helping Trump’s mass deportation effort. So, is Partiful canceled? And why are there no good invite apps left?

Also: We're asking for your help on a future Pride episode! Send us your stories of coming out on social media. Whether you posted a quick tweet or produced a full on YouTube video about it, we want to hear from you! Did coming out online make things easier IRL or more complicated? Did seeing someone else's coming out post help you to do the same? Send us a voice memo at icymi@slate.com, and you might be featured on this future episode!

This podcast is produced by Vic Whitley-Berry, Daisy Rosario, Candice Lim, and Kate Lindsay.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Decoder Ring - The Boston Cinematic Universe

Wed, 18 Jun 2025 07:00:00 GMT

This episode is a first for Decoder Ring: a live show, recorded at the WBUR Festival in Boston, Massachusetts. Given the setting, we decided to take on a Boston-based cultural mystery: namely, the “Boston movie.” Beginning in the late 1990s and early 2000s, Hollywood has churned out a whole cycle of films drenched in Beantown’s particularities, crimes, crops, class conflicts, and accents, from The Departed to The Town. Why does a city smaller than El Paso or Jacksonville loom so large in the cinematic imagination? Why does Boston have a movie subgenre all its own? What makes a Boston movie a Boston movie?

With the help of three guests—film critic Ty Burr; Lisa Simmons, founder of the Roxbury International Film Festival; and Boston University linguist Danny Erker—we look closely at the history and heyday of the Boston movie: how The Friends of Eddie Coyle set the template, Good Will Hunting shoved the door wide open, and Mystic River ushered in an imperial phase. We discuss the importance of race and class to the Boston movie and the city itself, the role of homegrown movie stars like Ben Affleck and Mark Wahlberg, and, of course, the best and worst of Boston accents on film.

This episode of Decoder Ring was produced by Willa Paskin and Max Freedman. Our team also includes Katie Shepherd and supervising producer Evan Chung. Merritt Jacob is Slate’s Technical Director.

If you have any cultural mysteries you want us to decode, please email us at DecoderRing@slate.com, or leave a message on our hotline at 347-460-7281.

Films referenced in this episode:

The Thomas Crown Affair (1968)
Love Story (1970)
The Friends of Eddie Coyle (1973)
The Brink’s Job (1978)
The Verdict (1982)
Quiz Show (1994)
Good Will Hunting (1997)
Squeeze (1997)
Monument Ave. (1998)
The Boondock Saints (1999)
Southie (1999)
Lift (2001)
Blue Hill Avenue (2001)
Mystic River (2003)
Fever Pitch (2005)
The Departed (2006)
Gone Baby Gone (2007)
The Fighter (2010)
The Town (2010)
Ted (2012)
Ted 2 (2015)
Black Mass (2015)
Spotlight (2015)

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ICYMI - The Content Creators Crashing the Diddy Trial

Wed, 18 Jun 2025 07:00:00 GMT

Candice Lim and Kate Lindsay are joined by Slate staff writer Nadira Goffe, whose coverage of the United States v. Sean Combs (also known as the Diddy trial) has meant sharing a press room with YouTubers and streamers. These new media journalists have millions of followers, and aren’t beholden to the same editorial and ethical standards as traditional news outlets. As a result, they might just be beating them at their own game.

This podcast is produced by Daisy Rosario, Vic Whitley-Berry, Candice Lim, and Kate Lindsay.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Culture Gabfest - Can Materialists Revive the Rom-com Edition

Wed, 18 Jun 2025 07:00:00 GMT

On this week’s show, Steve and Dana are joined by guest host Dan Kois to weigh the suitability of Materialists as a rom-com for our transactional age. In choosing between suitors played by Pedro Pascal and Chris Evans, matchmaker Dakota Johnson must choose between love and money— but is there a soul beneath all this romantic calculation? They debate.

Next, they return to the depths of a billionaire-backed fiasco in the new documentary Titan: The OceanGate Submersible Disaster about the jaw-dropping 2023 submarine implosion. Finally, they remember and appreciate the life and ineffable, enduring work of pop music auteur, and Beach Boys, frontman Brian Wilson.

In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Steve, Dana, and Dan discuss Lauren Michelle Jackson’s New Yorker essay about “P.O.V.” videos and what they say about how we see the world.

Endorsements:

Dana - The intimate and revealing 2021 documentary about Brian Wilson, Long Promised Road.

Carl - Seeing the singular and surreal British musician Robyn Hitchcock live. And if he’s not coming to city near you, catching his performance in the Jonathan Demme-directed documentary Storefront Hitchcock.

Dan - For deeper exploration of his body of work, Brian Wilson’s 1988 self-titled solo album.

For an innovative portrayal of another eccentric musical genius the film Thirty Two Short Films About Glenn Gould.

Steve - Roberto Bolaño's posthumous masterwork 2066, Netflix’s new mystery thriller Dept Q, and sticking with works of art beyond their initial chapters.

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Death, Sex & Money - How Much Can Your Love Life Change in One Summer?

Tue, 17 Jun 2025 07:00:00 GMT

In 2018, we followed eight listeners as they dated over the course of the summer. We heard about having sex for the first time, being ghosted, downloading and deleting dating apps, and grieving one partner while falling in love with someone new. In this episode, you’ll hear the final check-in with our eight daters (you can listen to the first and second episode here).

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Hang Up and Listen - Carnage at Oakmont

Mon, 16 Jun 2025 23:15:00 GMT

Hosts Alex Kirshner, Ben Lindbergh, and Lindsay Gibbs talk about the rainy and unforgiving weekend at the U.S. Open, where J.J. Spaun was the only player to finish under par. They also get into the shocking trade of Rafael Devers from the Boston Red Sox to the San Francisco Giants. Plus, journalist and host of the podcast Sonic Boom, Jordan Ritter Conn, joins to discuss how Seattle lost its iconic basketball team and how Oklahoma City has reaped the benefits. There’s also an Afterball from Ben on WNBA's new “Line ‘Em Up” campaign in the wake of a three-point shooting surge.

On the bonus episode available exclusively for Slate Plus members, the panel speaks to soccer journalist Kim McCauley about the state of the USMNT.

U.S. Open (3:53): The soggiest weekend in golf.

Red Sox boot Raffy (19:01): The shocking trade of Boston’s biggest star

What happened to the SupersSonics? (36:26): How Seattle lost and OKC might win.

Afterballs (52:02): Ben on WNBA’s three-point push.

(Note: time codes are only accurate for Slate Plus members, who listen ad-free.)

You can email us at hangup@slate.com.

Podcast production and editing by Kevin Bendis, with production assistance from Patrick Fort.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - It’s International Bestselling Author Quan Millz

Sat, 14 Jun 2025 07:00:00 GMT

Candice Lim and Kate Lindsay are joined by Wired senior writer and producer of Black Twitter: A People’s History, Jason Parham, to attempt to explain the enigma that is “international bestselling author” Quan Millz. With titles like Old THOT Next Door and My Baby Daddy Is A Bedbug, Millz’s books have no trouble capturing the attention of the internet, so much so that the previously-anonymous author was forced to unmask himself to ward off a potential scandal. But who, exactly, are Millz’s books for? And the even more ominous question: What will he do next?

This podcast is produced by Daisy Rosario, Vic Whitley-Berry, Candice Lim, and Kate Lindsay, with help from A.C. Valdez.

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Hit Parade | Music History and Music Trivia - Mighty Real Edition Part 1

Fri, 13 Jun 2025 23:30:00 GMT

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ICYMI - When CEOs Post About Workers Who “Coast”

Wed, 11 Jun 2025 07:00:00 GMT

Kate Lindsay and Candice Lim dive into the online workplace drama surrounding a millennial founder’s hot take about 9-to-5 workers. Lindsey Carter is the CEO of SET Active, an influencer-targeted athleisure brand you may have seen on Kaia Gerber and Kendall Jenner. Recently, Carter complained in a now-deleted TikTok about office workers who leave right when the clock strikes 5 p.m. This is not the first time Carter has come under fire for questionable workplace practices, but this time, she’s Substacking through the backlash and letting this become a marketing moment. And while posting through workplace drama may help her brand go viral, what will it do to her workers and their morale? Also, why CEOs should turn off the microphones and put some headphones on.

This podcast is produced by Vic Whitley-Berry, Daisy Rosario, Candice Lim, and Kate Lindsay.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Culture Gabfest - Pee Wee’s Big Documentary Edition

Wed, 11 Jun 2025 07:00:00 GMT

On this week’s show, the secret word is: Pee-wee. Dana, Steve, and Julia discuss the new documentary Pee-wee as Himself. The fascinating two-part film, directed by Matt Wolf, attempts to reveal the complex man Paul Reubens behind the beloved, surprisingly subversive, goofball that was Pee-wee Herman.

Next, they tee off to talk about Stick, the new comedy series starring Owen Wilson set in the world of professional golf. In the third segment, they’re joined by Atlantic staff writer Caity Weaver to chat about her recently published, rollicking travel piece An Innocent Abroad in Mark Twain’s Paris.

In an exclusive Slate Plus segment, inspired by a listener question, the hosts each share their dream city they’d love to live in but have only ever visited.

Endorsements:

Steve: Sly Lives! the Questlove-directed documentary about the hugely influential pop star Sly Stone who recently passed away.

Julia: Season 2 of Poker Face and its smorgasbord of incredible guest appearances by beloved character actors.

Dana: The delightfully designed single-purpose website Oracle of Bacon.

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Death, Sex & Money - Money Advice For This Weird Moment

Tue, 10 Jun 2025 07:00:00 GMT

At a time when inflation, tariffs, and stock market fluctuations are creating confusion and financial strain, we’ve assembled an unlikely panel of experts to answer your money questions, big and small.

Our panel includes: Bethel Habte, a financial coach and author of the Deconstructing Money newsletter; Mark Blythe, economics professor at Brown University and author of Inflation: A Guide for Users and Losers; and Rebecca Auman, DSM’s go-to “practical witch” and host of the podcast Voices in the River.

This podcast was produced by Zoe Azulay and Cameron Drews.

Death, Sex & Money is now produced by Slate! To support us and our colleagues, please sign up for our membership program, Slate Plus! Members get ad-free podcasts, bonus content on lots of Slate shows, and full access to all the articles on Slate.com. Sign up today at slate.com/dsmplus.

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Hang Up and Listen - A New King of Clay?

Mon, 09 Jun 2025 23:45:00 GMT

Hosts Alex Kirshner, Ben Lindbergh and Lindsay Gibbs discuss Carlos Alcaraz’s dazzling comeback win over Jannik Sinner in the men’s French Open finals. Then they welcome Kim Ng, the commissioner of the new Athletes Unlimited Softball League, to talk about all things pro softball. They also speak with professor and author Neil Longley about some of the reasons Canada’s Stanley Cup drought has persisted for so long. Finally, Alex has an Afterball on the implications of the House v. NCAA settlement for athletes like star softball pitcher NiJaree Canady.

On the bonus episode available exclusively for Slate Plus members, the panel discusses how analytics are reframing the way we think about baseball defensive numbers, one year after Willie Mays’ passing.

French Open Finals (2:18): Carlos and Coco win.

Women’s Pro Softball (21:16): What’s to come for a fledgling league?

The Stanley Cup (45:23): Can the Oilers break the curse?

Afterballs (1:04:19): The House v. NCAA settlemen

(Note: time codes are only accurate for Slate Plus members, who listen ad-free.)

You can email us at hangup@slate.com.

Podcast production and editing by Kevin Bendis, with production assistance from Patrick Fort.

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ICYMI - TikTok’s “Relationship Experts” Must Be Stopped

Sat, 07 Jun 2025 07:00:00 GMT

After dating influencer TheWizardLiz revealed she had been cheated on, her viral tips for how to “keep” a man rang hollow. Candice Lim fills in Kate Lindsay on all the Wizard Liz lore, and how TikTok dating gurus are this decade’s Carrie Bradshaws. But with so much more of our lives on display, it’s riskier than ever for anyone to claim they’ve figured out the secret to love. Have these creators really cracked the code for a successful relationship, or are they just pickup artists in a new font?

This podcast is produced by Daisy Rosario, Vic Whitley-Berry, Candice Lim, and Kate Lindsay.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Decoder Ring - The Laff Box (Encore)

Wed, 04 Jun 2025 07:00:00 GMT

Decoder Ring is marking its 100th episode this year. To celebrate, we’re revisiting our very first episode from 2018, which asks: What happened to the laugh track? For nearly five decades, the laugh track was ubiquitous, but beginning in the early 2000s, it fell out of sitcom fashion. What happened? How did we get from The Beverly Hillbillies to 30 Rock? In this episode we meet the man who created the laugh track, which originated as a homemade piece of technology, and trace that technology’s fall and the rise of a more modern idea about humor. With the help of historians, laugh track obsessives, the showrunners of One Day at a Time and the director of Sports Night, this episode asks if the laugh track was about something bigger than laughter.

You can read more in Willa’s article “The Man Who Perfected the Laugh Track” in Slate.

Links and further reading on some of the things we discussed on the show:

Interview with Ben Glenn II on the history of the laugh track in McSweeney’s
See a Charlie Douglas Laff Box on Antiques Roadshow
More of Paul Iverson’s work restoring laugh tracks and inserting them into new shows
The sitcom One Day at a Time
Friends without a Laugh Track by Sboss
“The Okeh Laughing Record”
Tommy Schlamme and Aaron Sorkin’s Sports Night

This episode was written by Willa Paskin. It was produced and edited by Benjamin Frisch, who also created the episode art. Decoder Ring is produced by Katie Shepherd, Max Freedman, and our supervising producer Evan Chung.

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ICYMI - Sad Beige Lawsuits and an Influencer’s “Royal Wedding”

Wed, 04 Jun 2025 07:00:00 GMT

Kate Lindsay and Candice Lim break down the wedding weekend heard round TikTok starring one of r/NYCInfluencerSnark’s main characters. Jazmyn Smith (better known as @justjazzzyidk) got married after a year-long engagement that was rife with criticism surrounding her relationship, her fiancé’s financial status, and more. But instead of burying the wedding, she brought her followers along by posting in real time, creating TikTok spreadsheets, and having her assistant run her account while she got married. So why are her haters still mad?

Plus, how an influencer sued another content creator for stealing their “sad beige” aesthetic, and why the lawsuit sounds a lot like the plot of Ingrid Goes West.

This podcast is produced by Vic Whitley-Berry, Daisy Rosario, Candice Lim, and Kate Lindsay.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Culture Gabfest - The Creator of Succession Takes on the Broligarchy Edition

Wed, 04 Jun 2025 07:00:00 GMT

On this week’s show, longtime hosts Julia, Stephen, and Dana are all together in-person to talk about Mountainhead, the new HBO Max movie from Jesse Armstrong, creator of Succession. Then, they dig into the new Amazon Prime series Overcompensating. Finally, they talk about the new PR junket, full of spicy food and odd quizzes, inspired by this Vulture article by Nicholas Quah.

Endorsements:

Dana: The Pulitzer Prize winning book, The Swerve: How the World Became Modern by Stephen Greenblatt.

Julia: Restauranteur Keith McNally’s memoir, I Regret Almost Everything.

Stephen: Sarah Beckwith’s piece in The New Yorker, “Returning to the Scene of My Brutal Rape.” and the novel 2666 by Roberto Bolaño.

Podcast production by Benjamin Frisch.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Death, Sex & Money - How a Matchmaking Job Inspired a Film About Dating's Secret Economy

Tue, 03 Jun 2025 07:00:00 GMT

Long before Celine Song was nominated for an Academy Award for her directorial debut, Past Lives, she was a struggling playwright in New York City with a side hustle: matchmaking. In this episode, Celine talks about how that experience inspired the plot of her new A24 movie, Materialists, starring Dakota Johnson, Chris Evans, and Pedro Pascal.

This podcast was produced by Zoe Azulay.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hang Up and Listen - Finals Week

Mon, 02 Jun 2025 22:35:00 GMT

Hosts Alex Kirshner, Ben Lindbergh and Lindsay Gibbs break down the NBA Finals and the savvy draft and trade decisions that led to this year’s showdown between two small-market teams. They also unpack the NHL Finals rematch between Edmonton and Florida and whether a Canadian team can finally reclaim glory. Finally, they speak with New York Times sports business reporter Ken Belson about looming tax code changes proposed by the Trump administration that could spell major headaches for NFL owners.

On the bonus episode available exclusively for Slate Plus members, the panel discusses the vibe-crushing “foul up 3,” strategy plaguing the end of high-stakes NBA games.

NBA Finals (4:41): Pacers vs. Thunder

NHL Finals (19:49): Panthers vs. Oilers

Sports Tax Issues (31:10): Will Trump kneecap sports team owners?

(Note: time codes are only accurate for Slate Plus members, who listen ad-free.)

You can email us at hangup@slate.com.

Podcast production and editing by Kevin Bendis, with production assistance from Ben Richmond.

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ICYMI - Will MomTok Actually Change Mormonism?

Sat, 31 May 2025 07:00:00 GMT

Candice Lim and Kate Lindsay are joined by Sara Petersen, author of Momfluenced, to chat about season two of The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives. Mormon women once pioneered mommy blogging, so how did we get from vlogging to…swinging? The influencers who make up the reality show cast, known as “MomTok,” claim their racy antics are breaking stigmas and modernizing gender roles. In reality, they’re weaponizing their misunderstanding of feminism for their own personal gain.

This podcast is produced by Daisy Rosario, Vic Whitley-Berry, Candice Lim, and Kate Lindsay.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hit Parade | Music History and Music Trivia - All Apologies Edition Part 2

Fri, 30 May 2025 15:00:00 GMT

The story of Nevermind, Nirvana’s genre-defining breakthrough, is a familiar one. Less well known is the saga of Billboard’s Modern Rock chart—and how college-rock staples of the 1980s like R.E.M. and The Cure gave way to heavier, more commercially dominant groups of the ‘90s like Soundgarden, Alice in Chains, Pearl Jam, and The Smashing Pumpkins. What sparked the grungification of the charts? How did Modern Rock become the new Top 40? And how did the Seattle sound pave the way for post-grunge bands like Sublime, Third Eye Blind, and even Creed?

Join Chris Molanphy as he explores alternative rock’s evolution from the cutting edge to the middle of the road.

Podcast production by Olivia Briley and Kevin Bendis

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - TikTok’s Favorite Frat and Sorority Chefs

Wed, 28 May 2025 07:00:00 GMT

Candice Lim and Kate Lindsay are going back to college and telling the tale of two Greek life chefs on TikTok. Kevin Ashton gained almost 5 million followers after posting recipes and behind-the-scenes footage of his life as a sorority house chef at the University of Nevada, Reno. Beloved by students who review his meals on their accounts, Ashton has brought a new spotlight onto the less glamorous side of Greek life. In contrast, pastry chef Grant Grocost has found an audience taking his followers into the messy frat house he cooks for at the University of Tennessee. Both chefs have gained traction from fans who create videos comparing the two and specifically their relationships to the students they cook for. But is the beef between Kevin and Grant, or between TikTok and Greek life?

This podcast is produced by Vic Whitley-Berry, Daisy Rosario, Candice Lim, and Kate Lindsay, with production assistance from Kevin Bendis.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Culture Gabfest - Tom Cruise Nearly Died So You Would Like this Movie Edition

Wed, 28 May 2025 07:00:00 GMT

On this week’s show an all-star team of super agents join Julia to gab including guest host Amy Nicholson, film critic for the Los Angeles Times. Their first mission: Mission Impossible: The Final Reckoning, the supposed final installment of the Tom Cruise action juggernaut. Like Cruise on to a vintage biplane, Dana jumps on the call to discuss all the film’s death-defying stunts, clunky exposition, and lasting cultural impact.

Next, they’re joined by Slate senior editor Rebecca Onion to dish on Sirens, Netflix’s pastel-hued dramedy starring Meghan Fahey, Milly Alcock, and Julianne Moore. Finally, Slate’s music critic Carl Wilson arrives to grapple with the hugely successful, but critically polarizing, new Morgan Wallen album I’m the Problem.

In an exclusive Plus segment, Amy, fresh from the Riviera, shares with Julia and Dana her favorite films and moments from the 2025 Cannes Film Festival.

Endorsements:

Amy: The 19th season of the British game show Taskmaster, wherein a group of comedians are made to do impossible tasks by host Greg Davies.

Carl: The Mock Trial-centric live episode of the musical improv podcast Off Book, and the podcast itself while you’re at it.

Julia: The quintessentially American, summertime experience of eating a hotdog on a ferry as well as the 2011 film Money Ball.

You can also hear more from Amy on her podcast Unspooled and from Carl on his substack Crritic!.

Podcast production by Benjamin Frisch.

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Hang Up and Listen - The WNBA’s Fever Dream

Tue, 27 May 2025 23:30:00 GMT

One week into a new WNBA season, hosts Alex Kirshner, Ben Lindbergh chat with co-host Lindsay Gibbs about Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese, and what’s ahead in the league’s looming collective bargaining talks. Then tennis writer Ben Rothenberg joins to preview the French Open and break down key storylines on and off the court. Later, the hosts tackle the future of the controversial "tush push" in the NFL. Lindsay wraps up with an Afterball on the persistent pay gap between men and women in tennis.

WNBA (3:04): It's still the Caitlin Clark show.

French Open (23:59): Will Sinner return to domination

Tush Push (45:44): The Eagles' favorite play is here to stay

Afterballs (57:28): The long and continued history of sexism in tennis

(Note: time codes are only accurate for Slate Plus members, who listen ad-free.)

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Death, Sex & Money - Betraying a Friendship to Get a Viral Story

Tue, 27 May 2025 07:00:00 GMT

When blogger AJ Daulerio broke the Brett Favre sexting scandal in 2010, it became one of the biggest stories of his career. But it came at a cost: he had betrayed Jenn Sterger, the woman at the center of the story, who had confided in him as a friend and explicitly asked him not to name her.

The fallout was immediate and lasting. Jenn became the target of relentless online harassment and scrutiny that has followed her for 15 years. AJ went on to face his own reckoning when his aggressive tabloid journalism eventually led to Gawker's bankruptcy, which upended his career.

In this episode, both AJ and Jenn reflect on the toxic incentives of viral journalism, the lasting trauma of unwanted internet fame, and how a stray dog unexpectedly brought them back into contact after nearly a decade of silence.

AJ now writes a newsletter and hosts a podcast about recovery called The Small Bow and writes an addiction advice column for Slate called Ask A.J. You can hear more of Jenn on her podcast, Not Today... with Eddie Pence and Jenn Sterger.

Podcast production by Andrew Dunn

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ICYMI - Did These Influencers Build a “Plantation Fitness”?

Sat, 24 May 2025 07:00:00 GMT

Vibe Check’s Zach Stafford joins hosts Candice Lim and Kate Lindsay to talk about influencers Jalen Noble and Monet Mcmichael’s new Texas farmhouse. Built in 1850, the property includes a gym and a “guest house” that many commenters pointed out likely has ties to slavery. What responsibility, if any, do owners of former plantations have to honor that history? And where did Jalen go wrong in his attempt to fight back against these allegations?

This podcast is produced by Daisy Rosario, Vic Whitley-Berry, Candice Lim, and Kate Lindsay.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Decoder Ring - The Glaring Problem with Headlights

Wed, 21 May 2025 07:00:00 GMT

Something seems to have happened to car headlights. In the last few years, many people have become convinced that they are much brighter than they used to be—and it’s driving them to the point of rage. Headlight glare is now Americans’ number one complaint on the road. The story of how and why we got here is illuminating and confounding. It’s what happens when an incredible technological breakthrough meets market forces, regulatory failure, and human foibles.

So if you feel like everyone’s driving around with their high beams on all the time, it’s not your imagination. What once seemed like an obscure technical concern has gone mainstream. But can the movement to reduce glare actually do something about the problem?

In this episode, you’ll hear from Nate Rogers, who wrote about the “headlight brightness wars” for The Ringer; Daniel Stern, automotive lighting expert and editor of Driving Vision News; and Paul Gatto, moderator of r/fuckyourheadlights.

This episode of Decoder Ring was written by Willa Paskin and Olivia Briley, and produced by Olivia Briley and Max Freedman. Our team also includes Katie Shepherd and supervising producer Evan Chung. Merritt Jacob is our Senior Technical Director.

If you have any cultural mysteries you want us to decode, please email us at DecoderRing@slate.com, or leave a message on our hotline at 347-460-7281.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - Pope Leo XIV is the Taylor Swift of Catholicism

Wed, 21 May 2025 07:00:00 GMT

Kate Lindsay and Candice Lim are joined by Slate staff writer Molly Olmstead to talk all things Pope Leo XIV, who made the internet go wild following a highly-covered conclave, strong Chicago ties, and a digital footprint that keeps unfurling. But another reason the Pope has seemed more exposed than ever before is because for some groups online, it’s becoming trendy to be Catholic. They break down the first days of our new pope and how recent converts are creating a new Catholic culture that not all Catholics are happy about.

This podcast is produced by Vic Whitley-Berry, Daisy Rosario, Candice Lim, and Kate Lindsay.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Culture Gabfest - Can Tim Robinson Save Friendship Edition

Wed, 21 May 2025 07:00:00 GMT

In this week’s show, Dana and Julia are joined by guest host Isaac Butler to go through the A24, bromance looking glass to discuss Friendship, the surreal cringe comedy starring I Think You Should Leave’s Tim Robinson and the always friend-crushable Paul Rudd.

Next, they share their thoughts on Final Thoughts: Jerry Springer, the new podcast by Prologue Projects and Leon Neyfakh about the improbable and complex story of the infamous talk-show host and one-time progressive politician. Finally, they circle the drain of cultural apocalypse vis-a-vis a conversation on a recent Atlantic piece by Spencer Kornhaber about the possible decline of nothing less than Western culture itself.

In an exclusive Slate Plus Bonus Episode about a recent essay by Issac in Slate, Dana and Julia find out how he went from thinking the actor Tom Hardy was a grunting, incomprehensible B-list Brando to a delightful, albeit weird, screen star.

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Death, Sex & Money - Why Chef José Andrés Googled ‘How to Be a Father’

Tue, 20 May 2025 07:00:00 GMT

José Andrés is at the helm of more than a dozen restaurants and is famous for the humanitarian work that his organization World Central Kitchen does everywhere from Haiti to Gaza. But when it comes to parenting, José says he’s often felt less than confident. In this episode, he discusses his somewhat rocky upbringing in Spain, his successes and struggles as a chef and restauranteur, and his frustration that parenthood doesn’t come with a set of instructions.

This episode was originally produced in 2019 when our team was Katie Bishop, Anabel Bacon, Emily Botein, and Andrew Dunn with help from Stephanie Joyce and Joanna Solotaroff. This week’s update was produced by Anna.

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Hang Up and Listen - What Went Wrong in Boston?

Mon, 19 May 2025 23:00:00 GMT

Hosts Alex Kirshner, Lindsay Gibbs, and Ben Lindbergh discuss the surprisingly exciting NBA Conference semifinals and the downfall of the Boston Celtics’ aspiring dynasty. They also talk about Pete Rose’s newfound Hall of Fame eligibility, and the snooze-worthy PGA Championship. For Afterballs, Ben dives into Pope Leo’s sports allegiances.

On the bonus episode available exclusively for Slate Plus members, the panel welcomes journalist Erica Ayala to discuss the state of the Professional Women’s Hockey League.

NBA playoffs (2:55): Bing Bong.

Pete Rose to the HOF? (17:40): Could the infamous Red finally make it to Cooperstown?

PGA Championship (33:09): Scheffler wins, does anyone care?

Afterballs (45:31): Da Pope.

(Note: time codes are only accurate for Slate Plus members, who listen ad-free.)

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - This Influencer Baby Name Is a Tragedeigh

Sat, 17 May 2025 07:00:00 GMT

Influencer baby-naming has become a competitive sport, with people making predictions and even locking down Instagram handles before anyone has given birth. Despite this, most influencer baby names are…the same? If they’re not going rogue with “Malibu Barbie,” they’re reinventing the wheel with names like “Laikynn.” Candice Lim and Kate Lindsay dive into platforms like r/Tragedeigh, which document these ridiculous names in the wild, and try to figure out why influencers are getting increasingly outlandish with their baby name choices.

This podcast is produced by Daisy Rosario, Vic Whitley-Berry, Candice Lim, and Kate Lindsay.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hit Parade | Music History and Music Trivia - All Apologies Edition Part 1

Sat, 17 May 2025 00:00:00 GMT

Join Chris Molanphy as he explores alternative rock’s evolution from the cutting edge to the middle of the road.

Podcast production by Olivia Briley and Kevin Bendis.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - Kayla Malec Deserves Online Justice, Too

Wed, 14 May 2025 07:00:00 GMT

Kate Lindsay and Candice Lim explain the situation surrounding influencer Kayla Malec and beauty YouTuber James Charles. Malec is a 19-year-old TikToker who was in a 9-month relationship with a content creator named Evan Johnson. After their breakup, Malec posted a YouTube video accusing her ex-boyfriend of domestic abuse and violence. Days later, Johnson was charged by officials in Tennessee with domestic assault, and last week, he pled guilty to those charges and was sentenced to 18 months in jail. While Malec did win this case, somehow, the controversial makeup influencer James Charles entered the scene and caused more drama than necessary. ICYMI will explain how Malec’s story got sabotaged and overshadowed by influencers who may be trying to get clout off of her trauma, and why James Charles is somehow always involved in internet drama.

This podcast is produced by Vic Whitley-Berry, Daisy Rosario, Candice Lim, and Kate Lindsay.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Culture Gabfest - The 3 Blake Lively Problem Edition

Wed, 14 May 2025 07:00:00 GMT

On this week’s show, Steve, Dana, and Julia gab about Another Simple Favor, the sequel to Paul Fieg’s 2018 A Simple Favor, which again pits Blake Lively and Anna Kendrick in a twisty, noir comedy.

Next, they discuss Amy Sherman Paladino’s new Franco-American ballet TV confection Étoile. Finally, they confer on the shocking conclave pick of an American pope with New York Times journalist and Vatican-watcher Ruth Graham.

In the exclusive Slate Plus Bonus Episode, the panel spoils the heck out of all the many wild plot turns of Another Simple Favor.

Endorsements:

Dana: The new film April by up-and-coming Georgian filmmaker Déa Kulumbegashvili.

Julia: An essay by Keith Phipps’s about six crucial seconds in The French Connection and the experience of seeing this William Friedken film classic at a repertory cinema near you.

Steve: The enduringly nourishing poem “Peeling Onions” by Adrienne Rich.

Podcast production by Jessamine Molli.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Death, Sex & Money - Your IRL Dating Stories

Tue, 13 May 2025 07:00:00 GMT

A man delivers an unforgettable pickup line. A woman asks her Uber driver out on a date. A rancher swears off men and then, years later, suddenly develops feelings for the guy down the road. This week, listeners share offline dating stories for the ages, including charming meet-cutes, frustrating missed connections, and happily ever afters.

We also hear from Maxine Simone Williams, founder of WeMetIRL, a company that hosts in-person dating events in Brooklyn, NY.

To learn more about our Uber driver love story, check out this marriage announcement in the New York Times!

Podcast production by Cameron Drews.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hang Up and Listen - We’re All Knicks Fans Now

Mon, 12 May 2025 21:41:00 GMT

Hosts Alex Kirshner, Lindsay Gibbs, and Ben Lindbergh return to talk about the latest in the NBA playoffs where the Warriors are in trouble, and the Knicks are…fun to watch? Then they talk about Aaron Rodgers and the Pittsburgh Steelers’ quarterback quagmire. In the third segment, they discuss Boston Red Sox third or first baseman (depending on who you ask) Rafael Devers, and the history of asking players to switch to a different position.

Ben has this week’s Afterball on Ayami Sato, the first woman to play in Canada’s Intercounty Baseball League.

On the bonus episode available exclusively for Slate Plus members, they catch up on stories they’ve talked about on previous shows, including Justin Tucker’s release from the Ravens, and Sovereignty skipping the Preakness.

NBA Playoff Latest (3:51): The Knicks are fun!

Steelers Quarterback (23:17): Aaron Rodgers may or may not be it.

Rafael Devers (36:42): Never ask a third baseman to go to first.

(Note: time codes are only accurate for Slate Plus members, who listen ad-free.)

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - The Battle Over Tattle

Sat, 10 May 2025 07:00:00 GMT

While snark pages are universal, the UK website Tattle.Life has gained a reputation for being particularly cruel and relentless against influencers. Candice Lim and Kate Lindsay give a full breakdown of the website, which was founded in 2018 by a woman whose identity has never been revealed. She, along with other diehard users, reject the dramatic narrative the site has earned, and insist they’re just there to hold influencers accountable. Where, then, does this reputation come from? And what will happen to Tattle now that the UK government may get involved?

This podcast is produced by Daisy Rosario, Vic Whitley-Berry, Candice Lim, and Kate Lindsay.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Decoder Ring - Off-the-Wall Stories of Off-Label Use

Wed, 07 May 2025 07:00:00 GMT

Products often tell you exactly how they’re intended to be used. But why leave it at that? As a culture, we have long had a knack for finding ingenious, off-label uses for things. In this episode, we take a close look at a few examples of products that are ostensibly meant for one thing, but are better known for something else entirely. We explore Q-tips, which we are explicitly told not to put into our ears; the Hitachi Magic Wand, the iconic sex toy marketed as a body massager; the musical washboard; and the children’s electrolyte solution Pedialyte that many adults swear by as a hangover cure.

You’ll hear from Hallie Lieberman, author of Buzz: A Stimulating History of the Sex Toy; Jacqui Barnett of the Columbus Washboard Company; Christopher Wilson, curator and chair of the Division of Home and Community Life at the Smithsonian; musician and educator Súle Greg Wilson; zydeco musicians C.J. Chenier and Steve Nash; Shaughnessy Bishop-Stall, author of Hungover: The Morning After and One Man’s Quest for the Cure; as well as writers Roberto Ferdman, Dan Brooks, and Kaitlyn Tiffany.

Decoder Ring is produced by Willa Paskin, Max Freedman, Katie Shepherd, and Evan Chung, Decoder Ring’s supervising producer. We had additional production from Sofie Kodner. Merritt Jacob is Senior Technical Director. Special thanks to Kate Sloan, Dr. Carol Queen, Bryony Cole, Amber Singer, Molly Born, Laura Selikson, and Nell McShane Wulfhart.

If you have any cultural mysteries you want us to decode, please email us at DecoderRing@slate.com, or leave a message on our hotline at 347-460-7281.

Sources for This Episode

Bishop-Stall, Shaughnessy. Hungover: The Morning After and One Man’s Quest for the Cure, Penguin, 2018.

Brooks, Dan. “Letter of Recommendation: Pedialyte,” New York Times Magazine, Jan. 26, 2017.

Comella, Lynn. Vibrator Nation: How Feminist Sex-Toy Stores Changed the Business of Pleasure, Duke University Press, 2017.

Dodson, Betty. “Having Sex with Machines: The Return of the Electric Vibrator,” Dodson and Ross, June 9, 2010.

Feran, Tim. “Pedialyte Is Not Just For Kids,” Columbus Dispatch, July 19, 2015.

Ferdman, Roberto A. “The strange life of Q-tips, the most bizarre thing people buy,” Washington Post, Jan. 20, 2016.

Kushner, David. “Inside Orgasmatron,” Village Voice, March 26, 1999.

Lieberman, Hallie. Buzz: A Stimulating History of the Sex Toy, Pegasus Books, 2017.

Lieberman, Hallie. “Selling Sex Toys: Marketing and the Meaning of Vibrators in Early Twentieth-Century America,” Enterprise & Society, June 2016.

Russel, Ruth. “Hangover Remedies? I’ll Drink to That!,” Idaho Statesman, Jan. 1, 1978.

Sloan, Kate. Making Magic, 2024.

Tiffany, Kaitlyn. “How Pedialyte got Pedialit,” Vox, Sep. 10, 2018.

Williams, Dell. “The Roots of the Garden,” Journal of Sex Research, August 1990.

Wulfhart, Nell McShane. “The Best Hangover Cure,” Slate, Aug. 29, 2013.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - Kate Mackz Can’t Outrun Politics

Wed, 07 May 2025 07:00:00 GMT

Kate Lindsay and Candice Lim check in with the “Caveman Skincare” method and they pour one out for Skype. Then, they dive into the internet controversy surrounding a TikTok running influencer and White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt. Kate Mackz is the host of a TikTok series called The Running Interview Show where she jogs with celebrities. Last week, Mackz — who up until this point, did not discuss politics much on her page — interviewed Leavitt for the series and it ended up creating a huge controversy. ICYMI breaks down Kate and Karoline’s video and why this collaboration was a possible failed attempt at being apolitical.

This podcast is produced by Vic Whitley-Berry, Daisy Rosario, Candice Lim, and Kate Lindsay.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Culture Gabfest - Refeed: Annual Call-In Show 2024

Wed, 07 May 2025 07:00:00 GMT

On this week’s show, it’s one of the Gabfest’s most cherished traditions: the yearly call-in show. Dana, Julia, and Stephen answer listen-submitted questions that run the gamut – can cooking for one be a joy? Should philosophy be studied more? And how did you make your most recent friend?

In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, the panel gets into Lena Dunham's latest addition to the canon of "writers writing about moving out of New York."

Email us at culturefest@slate.com.

Podcast production by Jared Downing. Production assistance by Kat Hong and Palace Shaw.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Death, Sex & Money - Isabel Allende on Grief, Ayahuasca, and Dating After 70

Tue, 06 May 2025 07:00:00 GMT

Isabel Allende didn’t publish her first book until she was 39, after losing nearly everything in the wake of the Chilean military coup. More than four decades later, she’s become one of the most beloved Spanish-language authors, with over 80 million copies of her books sold worldwide.

After political exile, writing books became Allende’s way of making sense of the world. She wrote through divorce, affairs, and moving across continents. But after the devastating loss of her daughter Paula, even writing felt impossible, until her mother urged her to begin again. “My mother knew that the only way for me to walk the tunnel of grief was writing,” she says.

In this episode, Anna and Isabel talk about loss, late starts, and new beginnings. Isabel met her most recent husband, Roger, in her late 70s, “an age when most people are knitting for their great-grandchildren.”

Allende’s newest novel, “My Name Is Emilia del Valle,” is out now.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hang Up and Listen - Bill Belichick Doesn’t Want to Talk About It

Mon, 05 May 2025 23:00:00 GMT

Hosts Alex Kirshner, Lindsay Gibbs, and Ben Lindbergh talk about the NBA playoffs, where the Minnesota Timberwolves did a number on the Lakers. They explain why Bill Belichick and his girlfriend have become such a problem for the University of North Carolina. Finally, the Kentucky Derby and the return of the controversial trainer Bob Baffert.

On the bonus episode, available exclusively to Slate plus members, the gang talks about the NHL playoffs and the Mikko Rantanen revenge tour.

NBA Playoffs: 2:37

Bill Belichick: 26:36

Kentucky Derby: 40:41

(Note: time codes are only accurate for Slate Plus members, who listen ad-free.)

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - The Harry Potter Fandom Faces Its Biggest Test

Sat, 03 May 2025 07:00:00 GMT

While J.K. Rowling celebrates a new UK ruling that classifies “women” as biologically female, casting for the upcoming HBO Max adaptation is underway. Which fans have stuck by the series despite the author’s views, and will others be able to resist the siren call of a brand new TV series? Candice Lim and Kate Lindsay welcome ICYMI’s new producer Vic Whitley-Berry to talk about their feelings of betrayal watching the creator of their childhood favorite series incessantly target trans people online and publicly back anti-trans campaigns. Then, we’re joined by pop culture expert and YouTuber Princess Weekes, who shares her experience helping readers “deconstruct” from the Harry Potter fandom.

This podcast is produced by Daisy Rosario, Vic Whitley-Berry, Candice Lim, and Kate Lindsay.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Culture Gabfest - Andor is a Star Wars Series That Actually Feels Real Edition

Wed, 30 Apr 2025 07:00:00 GMT

On this week’s show, Julia Turner is joined by Slate’s own Dan Kois and Sam Adams. They start by talking about the second season of Andor, the Star Wars series that might have more in common with The Wire than The Mandalorian.

Then, they talk about The Wedding Banquet, a remake of the Ang Lee classic. Finally, they get into the story of the discovery of a new color called olo.

In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Julia, Sam, and Dan answer a listener question about a piece of art that they appreciated more with age.

Email us at culturefest@slate.com.

Endorsements:

Dan: While being on a quest for a new cookbook, but also struggling to find a cookbook that feels surprising, finally came across Third Culture Cooking: Classic Recipes for a New Generation by Zaynab Issa.

Sam: David Thomas, frontman and only permanent member of the band Pere Ubu, died last week. To get into his work, start with the collection Terminal Tower: An Archival Collection. Also, check out this obit that Slatester Carl Wilson wrote for his newsletter.

Julia: Colors Are Nice, a Little Golden Book that manages to capture Julia’s feeling about color.

Podcast production by Palace Shaw.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - This Book Drama Gets Hotter in the DMs

Wed, 30 Apr 2025 07:00:00 GMT

Candice Lim and Kate Lindsay break down the drama surrounding an influencer’s new book that has kicked off a whole controversy before it’s even been released. Christina Najjar, better known as Tinx, has made a successful career as a TikTok influencer who doles out dating advice to her more than 1.5 million followers. Her new book is a summer beach read following an influencer who escapes to the Hamptons after getting canceled. But TikTok creators have been suspicious leading up to the book’s release because Tinx, up to this point, has identified as a straight woman, and her novel revolves around a queer romance. Additionally, some creators believe Tinx might’ve used a ghostwriter, who is a queer writer herself. Therefore, who gets to tell which stories in traditional publishing? And what is the specific betrayal some people feel when influencers use ghostwriters?

This podcast is produced by Vic Whitley-Berry, Daisy Rosario, Candice Lim, and Kate Lindsay.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Death, Sex & Money - The Patient and Cunning Work of Defending LGBTQ Rights with a Republican Supermajority

Tue, 29 Apr 2025 07:00:00 GMT

In West Virginia, Republicans hold one of the largest supermajorities in the country, and it’s growing. Just 11 Democrats — down from 14 last year — are in the 134-member Legislature. It's a political reality that isn't necessarily conducive to advancing LGBTQ rights. But that's Andrew Schneider's job.

As head of Fairness West Virginia, Andrew has spent a decade as the only full-time lobbyist at the state capitol working on LGBTQ issues. His approach? Winning people over through listening rather than confrontation, a strategy he developed in college when he purposely chose a conservative campus to practice changing minds.

"I quickly realized that if I sat back and let someone talk to me and did not jump in and judge, they would trust me and we could actually have a meaningful conversation where ultimately I could inject my views," Andrew said.

In this episode we talk to Andrew, and political leaders in West Virginia whom he’s lobbied, about his relational approach to getting through issues that matter to him, and how that strategy is being tested in Donald Trump’s second term.

This episode is part of a series we’re calling Living At Odds, you can hear the rest of the series in the Slate podcast How To!

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hang Up and Listen - Shedeur: The Hype vs. Reality

Mon, 28 Apr 2025 23:30:00 GMT

Hosts Alex Kirshner, Lindsay Gibbs, and Ben Lindbergh talk about the NFL Draft and the media’s response leading up to its most shocking picks. Ben provides his April baseball rundown, and later, the panel is joined by The Entertainment Strategy Guy for an interview about major media buyers’ feelings about F1.

On the bonus episode available exclusively for Slate Plus members, the panel discusses Nottingham Forest, the small but scrappy Premier League club vying for a Champions League spot.

NFL Draft (4:23): Shedeur and the other major moves over the weekend

MLB month one (23:50): Where does the season stand, thirty games in?

F1 media problems (46:52): The motorsport’s ratings don’t match its asking price

(Note: time codes are only accurate for Slate Plus members, who listen ad-free.)

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - J.D. Vance, the Pope, and Internet Inside Jokes

Sat, 26 Apr 2025 07:00:00 GMT

J.D. Vance killed the Pope. Demi Lovato keeps their twin Poot locked in the basement. Lea Michele still can’t read. These things, unfortunately, aren’t true, and are instead just some of the inside jokes the internet has decided to collectively agree on over the years. In this episode, Candice Lim and Kate Lindsay break these internet lies down, and ask: Why do we make these jokes, and what happens when an inside joke breaks containment?

This podcast is produced by Daisy Rosario, Vic Whitley-Berry, Candice Lim, and Kate Lindsay.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hit Parade | Music History and Music Trivia - Only Girl in the World Edition Part 2

Fri, 25 Apr 2025 07:00:00 GMT

It’s been nearly a decade since Rihanna released a studio album—and fans and critics alike have wondered when, if ever, a follow-up to 2016’s Anti might arrive. Which is ironic, because in her heyday, Rihanna was the most productive hitmaker on the charts.

Churning out at least one album a year in the late aughts and early ‘10s, Rihanna’s approach to the charts was closer to early Motown or the Beatles than Beyoncé or Taylor. The result: the Barbadian pop deity scored more No. 1s than any 21st century artist, from “SOS” and “Umbrella” through “Diamonds” and “Work.”

Join Chris Molanphy as he traces Rihanna’s journey from tropical tyro to commanding chart queen and explores how she found hits at a boundless pace.

Podcast production by Kevin Bendis.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Culture Gabfest - Is Sinners Hollywood’s Salvation?

Wed, 23 Apr 2025 08:00:00 GMT

On this week’s show, Julia, Stephen, and Dana are together and talk about Sinners with Slate Culture Writer Nadira Goffe.

Then, they talk about a new animated series from Ramy Youssef called #1 Happy Family USA. Finally, they take a listener's suggestion and listen to a few episodes of the new podcast, Good Hang with Amy Poehler.

In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Nadira rejoins the panel to go deep on Sinners.

Email us at culturefest@slate.com.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - The $50M Revolve Lawsuit and Sponcon Literacy

Wed, 23 Apr 2025 07:00:00 GMT

Candice Lim and Kate Lindsay run through the lows of Coachella, before breaking down a lawsuit against one of the festival’s most visible e-commerce brands, Revolve. Earlier this month, Revolve was hit with a $50 million class-action lawsuit accusing them of deceiving more than 1 million customers using social media marketing tactics. The lead plaintiff named three influencers as co-defendants, saying they didn’t disclose that Revolve paid them for sponsored posts and had she known the posts were sponsored, she would not have purchased clothing from them. Does this case have merit, which past influencers have gotten in trouble for similar mistakes, and what does it say about our sponcon literacy today?

This podcast is produced by Vic Whitley-Berry, Daisy Rosario, Candice Lim, and Kate Lindsay.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Decoder Ring - How “Chicken Soup” Sold Its Soul

Wed, 23 Apr 2025 07:00:00 GMT

Chicken Soup for the Soul was the brainchild of two motivational speakers who preach the New Thought belief system known as the Law of Attraction. For more than 30 years, the self-help series has compiled reader-submitted stories about kindness, courage, and perseverance into easily digestible books aimed at almost every conceivable demographic: Chicken Soup for the Teenage Soul, Chicken Soup for the Grandma’s Soul, Chicken Soup for the Golfer’s Soul, and on and on. Since 1993, these books have sold more than 500 million copies worldwide, becoming the best-selling non-fiction book series of all time.

But in recent years, the company has become many other things that seem lightyears away from inspirational publishing: a line of packaged foods, a DVD kiosk retailer, and a meme stock. In this episode, with the help of journalist Amanda Chicago Lewis, we tell the story of how this feel-good brand went from comfort food to junk.

This episode was written by Willa Paskin and Max Freedman and produced by Max. It was edited by Evan Chung, Decoder Ring’s supervising producer. Our show is also produced by Katie Shepherd. Merritt Jacob is Senior Technical Director. Special thanks to Rachel Strom.

If you have any cultural mysteries you want us to decode, please email us at DecoderRing@slate.com, or leave a message on our hotline at 347-460-7281.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Death, Sex & Money - Are Airline Pilots Allowed to Be Depressed?

Tue, 22 Apr 2025 07:00:00 GMT

To fly a plane, pilots must prove to the Federal Aviation Administration that they’re physically and mentally fit. But when it comes to mental health, the rules are complicated and, some say, outdated.

Pilots who need antidepressants are limited to a short list of approved medications and must take a mandatory six-month leave. Even common diagnoses like anxiety or depression can trigger reviews that could ground them.

The F.A.A.’s rules are born out of desire to keep the public safe, but in this episode we talk to pilots, aspiring pilots, and medical aviation professionals about their unintended consequence: incentivizing people to stay quiet about their mental health issues.

Read: Why Airline Pilots Feel Pushed to Hide Their Mental Illness

Podcast production by Zoe Azulay.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hang Up and Listen - The Angstiest Stanley Cup Yet?

Tue, 22 Apr 2025 00:00:00 GMT

Hosts Alex Kirshner, Lindsay Gibbs, and Ben Lindbergh preview the NHL playoffs. Can the Maple Leafs or Jets finally break a Canadian Cup curse? The panel also give their NFL draft predictions, and discuss Paige Bueckers joining the Dallas Wings and Unrivaled.

For Afterballs, Ben does a deep dive into how last-minute timeouts have (and have not) led to MLB pitcher injuries, and what became of the long-forgotten pitcher Dick Windbigler.

On the bonus episode available exclusively for Slate Plus members, the panel discusses longtime College GameDay broadcast Lee Corso’s retirement.

NHL Playoffs (2:00): Can Canada finally do it?

NFL Draft (19:31): Where will Shadeur Sanders land?

Paige Bueckers (36:30): The UConn star is ready for the pros.

Afterballs (57:38): Remember Dick Windbigler

(Note: time codes are only accurate for Slate Plus members, who listen ad-free.)

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - The Chaos and Confusion of “Family Vlogger” Laws

Sat, 19 Apr 2025 07:00:00 GMT

Candice Lim and Kate Lindsay check back in now that states have begun passing laws that supposedly crack down on family vlogging and child influencers. While a new Utah law requires family vloggers to put money away for their kids, it misunderstands almost everything about how being a creator works. Without politicians who understand social media leading these bills, they could end up posing a threat to the entire creator industry.

This podcast is produced by Daisy Rosario, Olivia Briley, Candice Lim, and Kate Lindsay.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Culture Gabfest - Putting the Asinine in Astronaut

Wed, 16 Apr 2025 08:00:00 GMT

On this week’s show, Julia, Stephen, and Dana are reunited! The panel starts with Apple TV+’s new prestige offering, Your Friends and Neighbors, starring Jon Hamm.

Then, they talk about A Minecraft Movie, already the most financially successful movie of the year. Finally, they bat around the purpose of, and responses to, the all-female Blue Origin flight that happened on Monday.

In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, a conversation about The Pitt season finale.

Email us at culturefest@slate.com.

Endorsements:

Dana: What Rough Beast, a new podcast from Gabfest’s own Stephen Metclaf, and for Trumpcast host Virginia Heffernan.

Steve: Read something by poet and writer, Delmore Schwartz. Start here.

Julia: John Mulaney’s Netflix talk show, Everybody's Live! Though, she does prefer the previous title, Everybody's in LA.

Podcast production by Kevin Bendis.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - Did Remi Bader Lie To Her Followers?

Wed, 16 Apr 2025 07:00:00 GMT

Kate Lindsay and Candice Lim break down the controversy surrounding 30-year-old influencer Remi Bader, who was recently accused of lying to her audience for undergoing a procedure without telling them. Bader gained popularity on TikTok where she’d post “realistic” clothing hauls as a size 16 woman. Soon, she was heralded as a body positive influencer and the face of a movement she didn’t necessarily attach herself to. But when Remi started rapidly losing weight, her followers clocked it immediately. Not only were they feeling deceived, but they were also feeling somewhat betrayed, and finally, Remi came clean and admitted she underwent a weight loss surgery that was even more jarring and invasive than her followers speculated.

This podcast is produced by Olivia Briley, Daisy Rosario, Candice Lim, and Kate Lindsay.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Death, Sex & Money - How the ‘Subway Takes’ Guy Became His Own Nepo Baby

Tue, 15 Apr 2025 07:00:00 GMT

Kareem Rahma, host of the viral web series Subway Takes, says he’s been working since he was 14 and hasn’t really taken a break. In high school, he worked service jobs. In college, he bought and re-sold motorcycles, jeans, and whatever else he thought he could flip.

This week on the show, Kareem explains why he’s had so many jobs, including posts at Vice and the New York Times, and he discusses the financial maneuvering that allowed him to pivot to comedy in his 30s.

You can check out his podcast, Subway Takes Uncut, here.

Podcast production by Cameron Drews.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hang Up and Listen - Rory McIlroy Makes History

Mon, 14 Apr 2025 22:30:00 GMT

Hosts Alex Kirshner, Lindsay Gibbs, and Ben Lindbergh break down Rory McIlroy’s thrilling victory at the Masters on Sunday. Also on the show: a preview of the NBA playoffs, and an in-depth look at quarterback Nico Iamaleava’s messy split from the University of Tennessee.

For Afterballs, Ben shares the introduction to his new narrative podcast, “Ella Black: Lost and Found,” the story of the first woman to write about baseball for a national publication, and how she disappeared mysteriously.

On the bonus episode available exclusively for Slate Plus members, the panel discusses WNBA draft candidate Sedona Prince and the recent sexual assault allegations surrounding her.

McIlroy (3:57): Completes a grand slam.

NBA playoffs (20:44): Who will emerge in the West and can anyone topple the Celtics?

Nico Iamaleava (36:16): The nasty school-player divorce.

Afterballs (54:08): Ben previews his new show on a forgotten figure from baseball’s past.

(Note: time codes are only accurate for Slate Plus members, who listen ad-free.)

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - TikTok Is Taking the “Let Them Theory” Too Far

Sat, 12 Apr 2025 07:00:00 GMT

Candice Lim and Kate Lindsay dig deep into the Mel Robbins lore. The lawyer-turned-self-help-guru’s “let them theory” has taken over TikTok, encouraging people to let go when faced with situations or behaviors they cannot change. However, not only does “let them” remind the pair of another trendy (but problematic) self-help phrase, but it also might contribute to unhealthy social behaviors that, thanks to the internet, have resulted in a loneliness crisis for Gen Z.

This podcast is produced by Daisy Rosario, Olivia Briley, Candice Lim, and Kate Lindsay.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hit Parade | Music History and Music Trivia - Only Girl in the World Edition Part 1

Fri, 11 Apr 2025 23:30:00 GMT

Join Chris Molanphy as he traces Rihanna’s journey from tropical tyro to commanding chart queen and explores how she found hits at a boundless pace.

Podcast production by Kevin Bendis.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - Getting Fired for Going Viral

Wed, 09 Apr 2025 07:00:00 GMT

Kate Lindsay and Candice Lim break down the saga revolving around a fashion industry employee who got fired after posting a viral TikTok about whether or not influencers were boring. From the “Brokey” challenge to internet history-making GIFs, more and more people are getting fired because of social media. But is it fair — or even legal — for a company to fire someone just because they post online? And how much control should your job have over your social media? Plus, the emerging creator whose own job might be at risk after his followers flooded his employer’s phone lines.

This podcast is produced by Olivia Briley, Daisy Rosario, Candice Lim, and Kate Lindsay.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Decoder Ring - Spring Break Forever

Wed, 09 Apr 2025 07:00:00 GMT

The infamous annual ritual of spring break—where thousands of college students head to the same warm location and go crazy—can seem like it’s always been here. But it hasn’t. The spring break phenomenon is a holdover from midcentury teen culture that has endured by changing, just enough, to be passed from one generation to the next. In this episode we’re going from the beaches of Fort Lauderdale to Daytona, from the movie screen to the TV set, from MTV to Instagram reels, from its start to its surprisingly recognizable present, as we follow the evolving, self-reinforcing rite that is spring break.

You’ll hear from former MTV staffers Doug Herzog, Salli Frattini, Alan Hunter, and Joe Davola, along with John Laurie, Kaylee Morris, and Slate writer Scaachi Koul.

This episode was written by Willa Paskin and Katie Shepherd and produced by Katie. It was edited by Evan Chung, Decoder Ring’s supervising producer. Our show is also produced by Max Freedman. Merritt Jacob is Senior Technical Director.

Thank you to Bob Friedman and Allan Cohen, producers of Spring Broke; David Cohn, Derreck Johnson, and Ivylise Simones.

If you have any cultural mysteries you want us to decode, please email us at DecoderRing@slate.com, or leave a message on our hotline at 347-460-7281.

Sources for This Episode

Koul, Scaachi. “From ‘Girls Gone Wild’ to ‘Your Body, My Choice’,” Slate, Dec. 13, 2024.

Laurie, John. “Spring Break: The Economic, Socio-Cultural and Public Governance Impacts of College Students on Spring Break Host Locations,” University of New Orleans Dissertation, Dec. 19, 2008.

Mormino, Gary R. Land of Sunshine, State of Dreams: A Social History of Modern Florida, University Press of Florida, 2008.

Schiltz, James. “Time to Grow Up: The Rise and Fall of Spring Break in Fort Lauderdale,” The Florida Historical Quarterly, Fall 2014.

Spring Broke, dir. Alison Ellwood, Bungalow Media + Entertainment, 2016.

Thompson, Derek. “2,000 Years of Partying: The Brief History and Economics of Spring Break,” The Atlantic, March 26, 2013.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Culture Gabfest - Dying for Sex and Living in Malls

Wed, 09 Apr 2025 07:00:00 GMT

On this week’s show, Slate’s own Sam Adams sits in for Julia as they discuss the new Michelle Williams limited series “Dying for Sex,” about a woman who leaves her husband to experience a sexual awakening after receiving a breast cancer diagnosis.

Then, the trio discuss the documentary “Secret Mall Apartment” about a group in Rhode Island who managed to keep an apartment in a busy mall for years in the early aughts. Finally, Carl Wilson joins for a conversation about the new album from Lucy Dacus of Boygenius fame.

In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, the panel talks about art ripoffs and wonders who owns an idea.

Email us at culturefest@slate.com.

Endorsements:

Dana: In tribute to Val Kilmer, this beautiful obituary by David Hudson via Criterion.

Sam: Two endorsements: 1. Sarah Snook’s athletic performance in “The Picture of Dorian Gray” on Broadway. 2. The TikTok dance trend to the song Pop Muzik.

Steve: The album Radio DDR by Sharp Pins. Steve recommends starting with the track, “Sycophant.”

Bonus endorsement: Val Kilmer’s commentary on David Mamet

Podcast production by Jessamine Molli. Production assistance by Sophie Summergrad, Cameron Drews, and Daisy Rosario.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Death, Sex & Money - Scorpion Venom and Coffee Enemas Didn't Cure My Mother's Cancer

Tue, 08 Apr 2025 07:00:00 GMT

At a time when skepticism about conventional medicine has become even more mainstream, we’re revisiting a story about the causes and effects of that mistrust. Archie Matlow’s mother refused to get a surgery that could have saved her life, which led to her and Archie trying to love each other while bitterly at odds.

You can listen to the full audio piece Archie made here, and you can order their memoir, Dead Mom Walking, here.

Also make sure to check out Archie’s New York Times piece, titled Why My Father Called Me Son, Daughter, He, She and It.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hang Up and Listen - How UConn Reclaimed the Throne

Mon, 07 Apr 2025 23:30:00 GMT

Hosts Alex Kirshner, Lindsay Gibbs, and Ben Lindbergh discuss UConn’s return to the mountaintop of NCAA women’s hoops. Then they welcome journalist Lindsey Adler to talk about Tony Hawk and the potential for resurgent interest in vert skateboarding. Finally, they discuss if Rory McIlroy will ever win the Masters.

On the bonus episode available exclusively for Slate Plus members, the panel talks about the business side of the 2025 women’s college basketball season.

UConn (3:40): How they forced a South Carolina implosion.

Tony Hawk (17:32): Can the Birdman save vert skateboarding again?

Rory McIlory (45:35): Still elite, still incomplete.

(Note: time codes are only accurate for Slate Plus members, who listen ad-free.)

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - “Emergency Intercom” Fans Have an Emergency Meeting

Sat, 05 Apr 2025 07:00:00 GMT

Candice Lim picked the wrong time to become a fan of Emergency Intercom , the podcast hosted by former Viners Enya Umanzor and Drew Phillips. However, it makes her the perfect person to explain the recent backlash to her co-host Kate Lindsay. Emergency Intercom has longtime listeners threatening to quit after an out-of-touch joke about Greta Thunberg revealed a larger frustration with the hosts being out of touch, and the podcast losing its appeal.

This podcast is produced by Olivia Briley, Candice Lim, and Kate Lindsay. Special thanks to A.C. Valdez.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Culture Gabfest - Seth Rogen’s Love/Hate Letter to Hollywood

Wed, 02 Apr 2025 07:00:00 GMT

On this week’s show, the hosts discuss Apple TV’s latest ode (tragic comedy?) to the movie industry with The Studio. Then, they step up to the plate and take a swing at the baseball film Eephus. Finally, they invite Slate’s Rebecca Onion to discuss the new edition to Panem’s dystopia: Suzanne Collin’s Sunrise on the Reaping.

Endorsements:

Dana: A French Village Podcast

Steve: “Personal Responsibility Under Dictatorship” by Hannah Arendt

Dan: Sky Daddy by Kate Folk

Podcast production and research by Vic Whitley-Berry. Email us at culturefest@slate.com.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - Justin Bieber Crashes Out and Rachel Zegler Speaks Out

Wed, 02 Apr 2025 07:00:00 GMT

Candice Lim and Slate culture writer Nadira Goffe play High Speed Downloads and recap the most pressing stories on their timelines. In one minute or less, they’ll explain the internet’s rising support of Snow White star Rachel Zegler. They also discuss some massive developments in a story involving one of South Korea’s hottest actors and the untimely death of a Korean actress. But first, they recap Nadira’s nostalgia-filled trip to New Jersey’s very own JonasCon.

This podcast is produced by Olivia Briley, Daisy Rosario, Candice Lim, and Kate Lindsay, with help from A.C. Valdez.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Death, Sex & Money - Laughing About Hard Things

Tue, 01 Apr 2025 07:00:00 GMT

Alongside life's darkest moments there often are moments of absurdity that make us laugh.

In this episode, from a live San Francisco comedy festival in January, Anna and guests talk about the special kind of comedy born of something sad. Comedians Guy Branum and Carl Tart share stories of writing a sitcom about Zoom-era social relationships. Chanel Miller, author of Know My Name, talks about coping with the trauma of being a victim of a high profile sexual assault case… by doing standup. And Faith Albright, a veterinarian specializing in at-home euthanasia, explores the delicate art of finding humor while supporting grieving families through difficult goodbyes. Plus an AI chatbot and musician Matt Nathanson duke it out over who can more creatively sum up each segment.

Chanel Miller’s books are the memoir Know My Name and Magnolia Wu Unfolds It All, which was recognized by the Newbury Awards this year.

Faith Albright’s work at onelivingsanctuary.org.

Matt Nathanson’s new album is called King of Unsimple and he’s on tour…find dates at mattnathanson.com

Guy Branum has upcoming standup shows in LA, Chicago, Seattle and more…find those dates at guybranum.com

Watch Carl Tart’s writing work on SNL… keep track of all his podcasts and improv shows on his instagram.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hang Up and Listen - The PGA Tour's Saudi Stalemate

Mon, 31 Mar 2025 23:45:00 GMT

Hosts Alex Kirshner, Lindsay Gibbs, and Ben Lindbergh welcome Joel Beall, senior Golf Digest writer and author of Playing Dirty, for a deep dive into Saudi Arabia’s continued sportwashing through investments in professional golf. The panel also discusses number one seeds steamrolling their way into the men’s Final Four. Alex Ovechkin inches closer to surpassing Wayne Gretzky's NHL goal record. Finally, Ben has an afterball on the Bronx Bombers and their new, lethal torpedo bats.

On the bonus episode available exclusively for Slate Plus members, the panel talks about foul-grifting and faking injuries in the NBA.

LIV Golf (2:43): Why the PGA Tour/Saudi Arabia negotiations really failed.

March Madness (29:45): For the second time ever, the men’s Final Four is all No. 1 seeds

Ovechkin (45:18): The Capitals captain is five goals shy of surpassing Gretzky

(Note: time codes are only accurate for Slate Plus members, who listen ad-free.)

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - 9-to-5 Influencers and Social Media’s Relatability Trap

Sat, 29 Mar 2025 07:00:00 GMT

Candice Lim and Kate Lindsay are joined by Slate senior culture editor Jenny G. Zhang to discuss @Hubs.Life, an influencer who made content about his 9-5, only to become so successful, he quit. Connor Hubbard first gained traction online for his day in the life videos which were interesting to some, depressing to others. Despite their low entertainment quality, Hubbard’s TikTok videos gained him nearly 1 million followers from people fascinated by his typical life working a corporate job. Then, Hubbard announced he had quit his job to pursue content creation full-time, going as far as renting out a co-working cubicle to continue making content for his fans. Has Hubbard fallen into social media’s relatability trap, and why did Hubs Life’s unconventional attempt at rebranding fall flat for some viewers?

This podcast is produced by Olivia Briley, Daisy Rosario, Candice Lim, and Kate Lindsay.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hit Parade | Music History and Music Trivia - Singing Nuns and Green Tambourines Edition Part 2

Fri, 28 Mar 2025 22:00:00 GMT

When you think of music in the 1960s, some groundbreaking artists probably come to mind: Bob Dylan, Jimi Hendrix and the Jefferson Airplane, for example. But the pop charts paint a very different picture of that decade, which embraced easy listening, groovy bubblegum, novelty and instrumental records—even a guitar-strumming Belgian nun.

In other words, the soundtrack of the era was more like Mad Men and less like Forrest Gump.

Join Chris Molanphy as he unearths forgotten hits from Bobby Vinton, Kyu Sakamoto, Jeannie C. Riley, and other unlikely chart-toppers, on a still-strange trip through the ‘60s.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - Are Influencers Too Normalized To Be Mocked?

Wed, 26 Mar 2025 07:00:00 GMT

Kate Lindsay and Candice Lim recap their weekends which include Waymo cars and accidentally bumping into content creators, which brings them to the recent kerfuffle between Glacier Express and Influencers in the Wild. Earlier this month, Influencers in the Wild — an Instagram account that crowdsources and posts footage of content creators in public spaces — was asked to remove a video that featured one of Glacier Express’ employees being filmed and posted without their consent. The train company cited Article 28 of the Swiss Civil code, which dictates that individuals have the right to their own image. But this incident begs the question: do accounts like Influencers in the Wild contribute to a troubling self-surveillance culture, and what rights do any of us have if we accidentally end up in someone’s vlog or Instagram post?

This podcast is produced by Olivia Briley, Daisy Rosario, Candice Lim, and Kate Lindsay.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Decoder Ring - How Books About Things That Changed the World… Changed the World

Wed, 26 Mar 2025 07:00:00 GMT

Look in the nonfiction section of any bookstore and you’ll find dozens of history books making the same bold claim: that their narrow, unexpected subject somehow changed the world. Potatoes, kudzu, soccer, coffee, Iceland, bees, oak trees, sand, chickens—there are books about all of them, and many more besides, with the phrase “changed the world” or something similarly grandiose right there in the title. These books are sometimes called “microhistories” or “thing biographies” and they’ve been a trope in publishing for decades. In this episode, we establish where this trend came from, figure out why it’s been so persistent, and then we put a bunch of authors on the spot, asking them to make the case for why their subjects changed the world.

The writers you’ll hear from include:

Simon Garfield (Mauve: How One Man Invented a Color That Changed the World)
Mark Kurlansky (Cod: A Biography of the Fish That Changed the World)
George Gibson, publisher of Cod and Dava Sobel’s Longitude
Historian Bronwen Everill
Slate writer Henry Grabar (Paved Paradise: How Parking Explains the World)
Gastropod co-host Nicola Twilley (Frostbite: How Refrigeration Changed Our Food, Our Planet, and Ourselves)
Tim Queeney (Rope: How a Bundle of Twisted Fibers Became the Backbone of Civilization)
Leila Philip (Beaver Land: How One Weird Rodent Made America).

This episode was written by Willa Paskin and produced by Evan Chung, Decoder Ring’s supervising producer. Katie Shepherd and Max Freedman also produce our show. Merritt Jacob is Senior Technical Director.

Thank you to Joshua Specht, author of Red Meat Republic: A Hoof-to-Table History of How Beef Changed America; Dan Koeppel, author of Banana: The Fate of the Fruit That Changed the World; Tina Lupton; Dan Kois; and Nancy Miller.

If you have any cultural mysteries you want us to decode, please email us at DecoderRing@slate.com, or leave a message on our hotline at 347-460-7281.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Culture Gabfest - Netflix’s Incel Tragedy Adolescence

Wed, 26 Mar 2025 07:00:00 GMT

On this week’s show, Slate’s Rebecca Onion sits in for Julia. The team discusses Netflix’s current number 1 program Adolescence and what it says about how the descent into incel culture starts young. They then invite Chris Molanphy to talk about Lady Gaga’s new album, MAYHEM. They close out with a discussion on Trump's continued assault against DEI, this time holding funding over the heads of public universities if they don’t end programs that they say advance "racial preferences and stereotypes in education programs and activities."

Endorsements:

Steve: Lauren Theisen’s review of A Streetcar Named Desire

Dana: “That’s Life” on the Lady Gaga album Harlequin

Rebecca: The Fall

Podcast production and research by Vic Whitley-Berry. Email us at culturefest@slate.com.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Death, Sex & Money - A Middle-Aged Couple Made Porn to Spice Things Up. Then One of Them Got Fired.

Tue, 25 Mar 2025 07:00:00 GMT

When Joe Gow was fired from his position as chancellor and professor at the University of Wisconsin at La Crosse, his superiors said it was due to “abhorrent” behavior. Joe had made porn videos with his wife Carmen and uploaded them onto the internet under the name “Sexy Happy Couple.”

This week, Joe and Carmen tell their side of the story and explain how making porn spiced up their marriage. They also defend themselves against the argument that what they did was inappropriate.

Slate writer Dan Kois’ previous interviews with Joe Gow:

You can check out our previous series about erectile dysfunction, called Hard, here.

Podcast production by Cameron Drews.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hang Up and Listen - Hot Dogs and Tommy Johns

Mon, 24 Mar 2025 23:00:00 GMT

Three days from Opening Day, hosts Alex Kirshner, Lindsay Gibbs, and Ben Lindbergh share their roses, thorns, and buds for the upcoming MLB season. The panel also talks about the lows and highs of March Madness and finally, they remember the legendary boxer and businessman George Foreman.

On the bonus episode available exclusively for Slate Plus members, the panel discusses President Trump's love of sports and his recent conversation with Putin over hockey.

Opening Day (3:04): Who will be the winners, losers, and most yawn-inducing?

March Madness (32:26): The basketball tournament has so far had very few upsets

George Foreman (45:38): We remember the grill, but sometimes forget his 76-5 boxing career record.

(Note: time codes are only accurate for Slate Plus members, who listen ad-free.)

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - The Manosphere That Made Adolescence

Sat, 22 Mar 2025 07:00:00 GMT

Kate Lindsay and guest co-host senior Slate editor Rebecca Onion talk Adolescence, the new hit Netflix series Onion wrote is “one of the best shows of the year.” What looks on the surface to be a typical murder mystery unfolds as a brutal illustration of the rise of toxic masculinity online. Kate and Rebecca break down the manosphere ideology that radicalized the show’s protagonist, and how key manosphere figures like Andrew Tate continue to indoctrinate young boys.

This podcast is produced by Daisy Rosario, Olivia Briley, Candice Lim, and Kate Lindsay.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Culture Gabfest - Cate Blanchett Is a Sexy Super Spy

Wed, 19 Mar 2025 07:00:00 GMT

On this week’s show, Slate’s Dan Kois sits in for Stephen Metcaff. The hosts discuss the new Mr. & Mrs. Smith-like film Black Bag, starring Cate Blanchett and Michael Fassbender. Then they dive into the “inconvenient” Hulu show Deli Boys. They end by discussing the legacy of Dave Eggers’ phenomenal memoir A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius.

Endorsements:

Dana: The television show A French Village

Dan: Stone Yard Devotional by Charlotte Wood

Julia: LATimes article “I'm a martini purist. Here's what is — and isn't — in the perfect classic cocktail.” by Bill Addison

Podcast production and research by Vic Whitley-Berry. Email us at culturefest@slate.com.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - Are New York City Influencers Boring?

Wed, 19 Mar 2025 07:00:00 GMT

Kate Lindsay fills guest co-host Nitish Pahwa in on the TikTok drama that has the “NYC influencer girlies” in a tizzy. After being accused of being “boring,” certain (white, blonde, thin) creators took offense. Kate gives Nitish a crash course in this niche influencer community, and Nitish explains why people find it so hard to take control of their own algorithms, ultimately begging the question: Are NYC influencers boring…or are we?

This podcast is produced by Daisy Rosario, Candice Lim, and Kate Lindsay. Special thanks to Kevin Bendis for his help with this episode.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Death, Sex & Money - Life After Blowing It All Up: A Sugar Baby Story Revisited

Tue, 18 Mar 2025 07:00:00 GMT

In 2020, we made an episode about a listener who cheated on his wife with sex workers and was going through a divorce. He told us the idea to go on the website Seeking Arrangement came from an episode we made about sugar babies. A few weeks ago we called “Ethan” back to see what’s changed in his life since our first conversation, and how he navigates discussions about his past infidelity with his new wife.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hang Up and Listen - Tiger's Last Round?

Mon, 17 Mar 2025 21:00:00 GMT

Hosts Alex Kirshner, Lindsay Gibbs, and Ben Lindbergh discuss the possibility of Tiger Woods’ retirement after learning he’ll need yet another surgery - this time to fix a ruptured Achilles tendon. They also talk about the start of the NWSL season and whether the league can continue to build and retain star players. Finally, they wrap with a look back at the Luka Doncic trade and the wave of bad luck that has stricken the Mavs since.

On the bonus episode available exclusively for Slate Plus members, the panel discusses the amazing implosion of the New York Yankees just two weeks from opening day.

Tiger (4:40): Will Woods walk away?

NWSL (19:27): The season begins as stars like Trinity Rodman eye a possible move abroad.

NBA trade (35:14): Checking in on Dallas several weeks after the Luka Trade

(Note: time codes are only accurate for Slate Plus members, who listen ad-free.)

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - Hacktivism, Slacktivism, and (Cybertruck) Vandalism

Sat, 15 Mar 2025 07:00:00 GMT

Candice Lim and Kate Lindsay uncover the ways people are using the internet and other technology to protest the current government. From website hacking to AI videos to good old fashioned poop-throwing, there’s no shortage of tools to fight back. But which tactics are working, and which ones risk ending up as just another Instagram black square?

This podcast is produced by Alexandra Botti, Daisy Rosario, Candice Lim, and Kate Lindsay.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hit Parade | Music History and Music Trivia - Singing Nuns and Green Tambourines Edition Part 1

Fri, 14 Mar 2025 21:00:00 GMT

In other words, the soundtrack of the era was more like Mad Men and less like Forrest Gump.

Join Chris Molanphy as he unearths forgotten hits from Bobby Vinton, Kyu Sakamoto, Jeannie C. Riley, and other unlikely chart-toppers, on a still-strange trip through the ‘60s.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - What’s Going On with Alabama Barker and Bhad Bhabie?

Wed, 12 Mar 2025 07:00:00 GMT

Candice Lim and Kate Lindsay dive into the battle between Bhad Bhabie and Alabama Barker. Nine years ago, Bhad Bhabie was introduced to the world on Dr. Phil as Danielle Bregoli, a 13-year-old wild child who shot to viral fame as the “Cash Me Outside” girl. Bregoli, also known as rapper Bhad Bhabie, has recently made online waves for her diss track war with Barker, begging the question: why can’t the internet stop watching an internet meme and a nepo baby fight online? And did Kendrick Lamar and Drake’s beef create the ultimate template for feuds going forward?

This podcast is produced by Alexandra Botti, Daisy Rosario, Candice Lim, and Kate Lindsay.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Decoder Ring - Truck Nutz (Encore)

Wed, 12 Mar 2025 07:00:00 GMT

Truck Nutz is a brand name for the dangling plastic testicles some people affix to the bumpers or hitches of their vehicles. Also sold as Bulls Balls, Your Nutz, and other brand names, these plastic novelties have a powerful symbolic charge and are often associated with a crass, macho, red state audience. But truck nuts are a surprisingly complicated signifier whose symbolic power is increasingly divorced from their real-world usage.

On this episode, we talk to owners and users of truck nuts, investigate the origins of the accessories, and deconstruct the meaning of these oft-joked-about symbols. We’ll also take a tour of other novelty testicle products, including Bike Balls (testicular bike lights), Gunsticles (plastic testicles for guns), and Neuticles (prosthetic testicles for neutered pets), to better understand the maligned symbolism of truck nuts.

Links and further reading on some of the things we discussed on the show:

Ad for Monster Truck Nuts
Truck Nutz Prank Call
Elie Mystal’s writing on truck nuts for Above the Law
Austin Vasectomy in Austin Texas

This episode was written by Willa Paskin and edited and produced by Benjamin Frisch. Decoder Ring is produced by Katie Shepherd and Max Freedman. Evan Chung is our supervising producer.

If you have any cultural mysteries you want us to decode, email us at DecoderRing@slate.com. Or you can also call us now at our new Decoder Ring hotline at 347-460-7281. We love to hear any and all of your ideas for the show.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Culture Gabfest - Meghan Markle Sprinkles Potpourri on You

Wed, 12 Mar 2025 07:00:00 GMT

On this week’s show, we throw a flower-sprinkled dinner party for a space clone (personal beehive not included).

Slate culture staff writer Nadira Goffe sits in for Dana, and the hosts discuss the new Bong Joon Ho film Mickey 17, followed by Meghan Markle's uncanny homemaking show With Love, Meghan on Netflix.

Finally, we invite Slate writer Dan Kois to discuss his new cover story “How Giant White Houses Took Over America.”

Endorsements:

Julia: The Slate article “Cracking the Code” by Henry Grabar

Steve: The New York Review essay “Angles of Approach” by Sally Rooney

Nadira: Kelela’s album In The Blue Light

Podcast production and research by Vic Whitley-Berry. Email us at culturefest@slate.com.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Death, Sex & Money - Call It ‘A Midlife Awakening’

Tue, 11 Mar 2025 07:00:00 GMT

Anna talks to writer Ada Calhoun, author most recently of the novel Crush, about a married woman succumbing to extramarital temptation (she wrote it while she herself was separating from her husband) and then to comedian Rosebud Baker about her new Netflix comedy special, The Mother Lode, which is all about late-stage pregnancy and early motherhood.

This episode was recorded live at On Air Fest in New York City on February 20th.

And if you’re new to the show, welcome. We’re so glad you’re here. Find us and follow us on Instagram and you can find Anna’s newsletter at annasale.substack.com. Our email address, where you can reach us with voice memos, pep talks, questions, critiques, is deathsexmoney@slate.com.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hang Up and Listen - UNC’s March Sadness

Mon, 10 Mar 2025 23:00:00 GMT

Hosts Alex Kirshner, Lindsay Gibbs, and Ben Lindbergh discuss the ACC Tournament and the storied college basketball rivalry between UNC, Duke, and NC State. While once-mighty UNC and NC State navigate challenging seasons, Duke looks poised for a title run with Cooper Flagg at the helm. Later, sports writer Neil Paine joins the show to discuss NHL trade deadline drama, and to reflect on the closure of the data-driven news site FiveThirtyEight.

On the bonus episode available exclusively for Slate Plus members, Neil Paine sticks around to break down the NASCAR Cup series debut of Katherine Legge.

Triangle College Basketball (2:55): The state of North Carolina’s powerhouse teams in the ACC

NHL Trade Deadline (20:19): The Hurricanes’' surprising trade to Dallas of star Mikko Rantanen

RIP 538 (42:07): Farewell to the analytical news and sports site that was about more than number crunching.

(Note: time codes are only accurate for Slate Plus members, who listen ad-free.)

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - Does This Makeup Make Me Look Republican?

Sat, 08 Mar 2025 08:00:00 GMT

Candice Lim and Kate Lindsay have been tracking the many influencers “coming out” as Republicans, as well as what they all have in common: their makeup. Bad eyeliner aside, this new cast of conservative creators are younger, trendier, and ditching the typical influencer hub of Los Angeles for Nashville. With Republican influencers looking a lot different than they did five years ago, Candice and Kate break down what this could mean for the influencing industry as a whole.

This podcast is produced by Alexandra Botti, Daisy Rosario, Candice Lim, and Kate Lindsay.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Culture Gabfest - Zero Day Makes Robert De Niro a Befuddled President

Wed, 05 Mar 2025 08:00:00 GMT

On this week’s show, no amount of star power can save a “screamingly stupid show.” (Sorry, Robert De Niro et al.)

With Sam Adams—Slate Senior Editor and Staff Writer—sitting in for Dana, the team talks about the Netflix political thriller series Zero Day. Then they remember the career of Gene Hackman and end with their thoughts about this Atlantic article on navigating optimism during times of crisis.

Endorsements:

Julia: Moist Peanut Butter Cake Recipe from Cakes By MK

Steve: The savage suburbia of Helen Garner: ‘I wanted to dong Martin Amis with a bat’ by Sophie Elmhirst for The Guardian

Sam: Doppelganger: A Trip into the Mirror World by Naomi Klein (Again! After Julia endorsed it last week.)

Podcast production and research by Vic Whitley-Berry. Email us at culturefest@slate.com.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - The Meghan in Montecito Rebrand

Wed, 05 Mar 2025 08:00:00 GMT

Candice Lim and Kate Lindsay check in on Meghan Markle’s current relationship with the internet. First, they give their takes on With Love, Meghan, a Netflix lifestyle show created by and starring the Duchess of Sussex that brings her old, new, and famous friends into her Montecito lifestyle. Then, culture critic and Daily Fail host Kristen Meinzer joins to take a bigger look at how Meghan and Harry’s relationship with the public, the media, and themselves has changed in the last five years.

This podcast is produced by Alexandra Botti, Daisy Rosario, Candice Lim, and Kate Lindsay.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Death, Sex & Money - From Uncertainty to Total Chaos, Your Stories About the New Trump Term

Tue, 04 Mar 2025 08:00:00 GMT

Since the inauguration in January, we’ve been getting emails and voice recordings from people whose lives have been thrust into uncertainty due to changes made by the Trump administration. Many federal workers and people who rely on federal money have lost their jobs. Others feel vulnerable and uncertain.

This week, we’ll hear from a range of people who’ve been affected, from an IRS attorney who’s been a target of Elon Musk’s DOGE efforts to an army sergeant who could very likely be forced out of her post because she’s trans.

Podcast production by Cameron Drews.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hang Up and Listen - Robo Calls: The Umps of the Future Are Here

Mon, 03 Mar 2025 23:35:00 GMT

Hosts Alex Kirshner, Lindsay Gibbs, and Ben Lindbergh dive into the inclusion and implications of robotic officiating in the NFL and MLB. They also discuss the retirement of basketball all-time great, Diana Taurasi. Finally, they talk about a right-wing proposal for a steroid-fueled sports league. For Afterballs, Alex remembers the careers of Czech hockey superstar Jaromir Jagr as well as the beloved voice of the Pittsburgh Penguins, Mike Lange, who died last month.

On the bonus episode available exclusively for Slate Plus members, the panel discusses the popular NBA parody Twitter account, NBACentel.

Robo Refs (3:15): Robots will be used to scrutinize calls in both baseball and football.

Diana Taurasi (21:49): The basketball icon steps away after twenty-plus years.

Let 'em Juice (37:46): The bizarre proposal from Donald Trump Jr. and friends for a steroid-acceptable sports league.

(Note: time codes are only accurate for Slate Plus members, who listen ad-free.)

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - And The Oscar Goes To…Club Chalamet

Sat, 01 Mar 2025 08:00:00 GMT

To celebrate the end of awards season, Candice Lim and Kate Lindsay pay tribute to the true heroes behind Hollywood’s most talented stars: their fan accounts. While Club Chalamet’s lore is deep enough to deserve its own biopic, a number of internet moments and figures were responsible for the success—and downfall—of this year’s nominees. The pair explain it all, and the creator behind fuckyeahdanielradcliffe.tumblr.com is finally unmasked…

This podcast is produced by Alexandra Botti, Daisy Rosario, Candice Lim, and Kate Lindsay.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hit Parade | Music History and Music Trivia - Material Girl in an Imperial World Edition Part 2

Fri, 28 Feb 2025 07:00:00 GMT

In the late 1980s, the English synth-pop duo Pet Shop Boys dominated the U.K. pop charts and staged an invasion of the American charts. Years later, founding member Neil Tennant dubbed this streak of creative and commercial supremacy the group’s “imperial phase”—a term that eventually caught on among music critics and pop fans.

So, what does it take for an artist to achieve imperial dominance? Why might Fleetwood Mac in the 1970s or The Weeknd in the 2010s qualify, while Cher or Lizzo don’t quite fit the bill? Are there rules for imperial phases?

Hit Parade’s Chris Molanphy says yes—he’s got chart rules for determining when an artist is at peak imperiality. And he says Madonna’s late ’80s streak of hits might be the ultimate imperial phase.

Join Chris as he dissects the most regal artists across the decades, defining what makes them imperial—and he walks hit by hit through Madonna’s biggest phase, which may remain unmatched.

Podcast production by Kevin Bendis.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - Ethan Klein’s Attack on Fauxmoi

Wed, 26 Feb 2025 08:00:00 GMT

Kate Lindsay and Candice Lim break down YouTuber Ethan Klein’s attack on Fauxmoi and why public figures are starting to fire back at snark pages. Earlier this month, Klein’s wife Hila became a topic of discussion on Fauxmoi, a popular celebrity subreddit, after she posted an Instagram story that claimed a potential collaboration fell apart due to anti-semitism. Posts of problematic behavior and language the Kleins have exhibited on camera soon flooded the subreddit, calling out the podcasters for their past controversies. Since then, Ethan has used his platform to threaten multiple subreddits and seemingly gear up to come after Fauxmoi with lawyers. The Kleins’ battle against Fauxmoi begs the question: can you sue a subreddit for defamation? And should snark pages prepare for public figures to fight back?

This podcast is produced by Alexandra Botti, Daisy Rosario, Candice Lim, and Kate Lindsay.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Decoder Ring - Jerry Lewis’ Lost Holocaust Clown Movie

Wed, 26 Feb 2025 08:00:00 GMT

In 1972, Jerry Lewis—the actor and filmmaker known for slapstick comedies like The Nutty Professor—took the biggest risk of his career when he decided to make a drama called The Day The Clown Cried, about a circus clown who ends up in Auschwitz. This could have been a landmark as one of the first portrayals of the Holocaust in American cinema. Instead, it became a different kind of landmark: allegedly, one of the worst movies ever.

The Day The Clown Cried was never released, and only a handful of people have ever seen it. But the unbelievable concept alone has been enough to make this lost movie a holy grail for curious film buffs. In this episode of Decoder Ring, producer Max Freedman traces how The Day The Clown Cried became such a legendary disaster, why it’s impossible to see, and whether it actually deserves its rotten reputation.

You’ll hear from comedian Patton Oswalt; Shawn Levy, author of King of Comedy: The Life and Art of Jerry Lewis; Henry Gonshak, author of Hollywood and the Holocaust; Chuck Denton, whose father Charles co-wrote The Day The Clown Cried; and Jean-Michel Frodon, film critic at slate.fr.

If you have any cultural mysteries you want us to decode, email us at DecoderRing@slate.com. Or you can also call us now at our new Decoder Ring hotline at 347-460-7281. We’d love to hear any and all of your ideas for the show.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Culture Gabfest - The Oscars Go Streaming

Wed, 26 Feb 2025 08:00:00 GMT

On this week’s show, we preview the Oscars and Trump’s demolition throughout renowned institutions of art.

Isaac Butler — author of The Method: How the Twentieth Century Learned to Act and host of the new Criterion Channel series, The Craft of Acting — sits in for Stephen Metcalf.

First, the hosts discuss I’m Still Here and the continued addition of non-English speaking films getting some of the biggest Oscar buzz. Then we tackle the latest Trump shakeups at the National Endowment for the Arts and The Kennedy Center. Finally, Dana and Julia sit down with the CEO of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Bill Kramer.

Endorsements:

Dana: The documentary Pictures of Ghosts (2023)

Julia: Doppelganger: A Trip into the Mirror World by Naomi Klein, also discussed on Culture Gabfest in September 2023

Isaac: The film Z (1969), available on streaming

Podcast production and research by Vic Whitley-Berry. Email us at culturefest@slate.com.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Death, Sex & Money - I Was Ready to Write About My Domestic Abuser—Then Lawyers Said No.

Tue, 25 Feb 2025 08:00:00 GMT

When comedian Chelsea Devantez began writing her memoir, she knew exactly where to start: with a teenage relationship that spiraled into domestic violence. But when she submitted her draft, lawyers informed her she legally couldn't name her abuser or detail what happened.

"I threw the book in the trash for a few months," Chelsea recalls. After consulting friends and family, she decided to continue writing with a new approach. "Instead of telling my story, I would try to tell the story of how our systems are set up to silence."

In this episode, Chelsea and Anna also discuss how a complex PTSD diagnosis helped explain puzzling personality traits, friendship breakups, family secrets, and navigating a male-dominated, rich kid comedy scene.

Chelsea Devantez’s memoir is called I Shouldn't Be Telling You This: (But I'm Going to Anyway), and she has a podcast called Glamorous Trash: A Celebrity Memoir Podcast.

Podcast production by Zoe Azulay and Andrew Dunn.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hang Up and Listen - A Reckoning for Luis Rubiales

Mon, 24 Feb 2025 23:00:00 GMT

Hosts Alex Kirshner, Lindsay Gibbs, and Ben Lindbergh speak to the Athletic’s Dermot Corrigan about the trial of former Spanish women’s soccer chief Luis Rubiales, who was found guilty of sexually assaulting World Cup star Jenni Hermoso. The trial not only condemned the Spanish Football Federation, but also spotlighted a deeper issue of misogyny in Spain. The panel also revisits the 4 Nations Face-Off and the political tensions that boiled over during the hockey tournament. Finally, they discuss the end of the long-standing partnership between ESPN and MLB.

On the bonus episode available exclusively for Slate Plus members, the panel ponders what a Stephen A. presidential campaign might look like.

Rubiales (2:48): The Spanish soccer boss is found guilty.

MAGA vs Canada (27:17): Canada beats back the Americans once again

MLB (41:28): ESPN and pro-baseball decide to part ways.

(Note: time codes are only accurate for Slate Plus members, who listen ad-free.)

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - Welcome to the TikTok Pharmacy

Sat, 22 Feb 2025 08:00:00 GMT

Candice Lim and Kate Lindsay aren’t immune to TikTok marketing, even when it comes to healthcare. From Hims and Hers to nutritional gummies to something called “beef tallow,” social media promises the answers to all your medical woes. To figure out how to responsibly navigate this new online healthcare landscape, Candice and Kate talk to NPR pharmaceuticals correspondent, Sydney Lupkin. Sydney recently wrote about the sometimes sketchy world of online weight loss drugs, and shares some tips for separating the solutions from the scams.

This podcast is produced by Alexandra Botti, Daisy Rosario, Candice Lim, and Kate Lindsay.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Culture Gabfest - Congratulations! You Finally Got Your Severance.

Wed, 19 Feb 2025 08:00:00 GMT

On this week’s show, Slate Business and Tech reporter Nitish Pahwa sits in for Julia. The panel discusses Severance season 2 from Apple TV+. They then talk about the Oscar-nominated film No Other Land – a Palestinian documentary following a young activist fighting his community's mass expulsion by Israeli occupation. They end by discussing Nitish’s recent reporting on Buzzfeed’s upcoming AI-infused social media platform, BF Island.

Endorsements:

Dana: The Severance Podcast with Ben Stiller and Adam Scott

Steve: The Children’s Bach by Helen Garner

Nitish: Work by the late author Tom Robbins, particularly Jitterbug Perfume, who recently died at 92

Podcast production and research by Vic Whitley-Berry. Email us at culturefest@slate.com.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - The Wishbone Kitchen vs. Bon Appétit Food Fight

Wed, 19 Feb 2025 08:00:00 GMT

Candice Lim and Kate Lindsay talk about the social media battle between Wishbone Kitchen’s Meredith Hayden and Bon Appétit. Hayden’s popularity exploded as a private chef in the Hamptons, where she’d post idyllic “day in my life” TikToks. Now, Hayden is accusing food magazine Bon Appétit of possibly stealing her “Dinner with Friends” concept, which is a video series she started back in January 2024. From copying her series title to emulating her color scheme, TikTok, Instagram, and even Reddit are standing up for Hayden and telling Bon Appétit to do better. But has the magazine ever recovered from their 2020 racial reckoning and mass exodus? Or has the rise of TikTok allowed a whole new cast of influencers to surpass the once-revered food media institution?

This podcast is produced by Alexandra Botti, Daisy Rosario, Candice Lim, and Kate Lindsay.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hang Up and Listen - The NHL Puts Up a Fight

Wed, 19 Feb 2025 00:00:00 GMT

Hosts Alex Kirshner, Lindsay Gibbs, and Ben Lindbergh talk about the 4 Nations Face-off which kicked off with intense brawls and continued with high-stakes, best-on-best action. The panel also breaks down the NBA’s lackluster All-Star Weekend and wraps up with the latest moves in WNBA free agency.

On the bonus episode available exclusively for Slate Plus members, the panel takes a look at JuJu Watkins and the current stars of college basketball.

4 Nations (1:53): Canada vs. U.S.A. vs. Finland vs. Sweden.

NBA All-Star Game (17:02): A new format can’t save an obsolete game.

WNBA (32:48): Have the Indiana Fever leveled up?

(Note: time codes are only accurate for Slate Plus members, who listen ad-free.)

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Death, Sex & Money - Manhood: It’s Complicated

Tue, 18 Feb 2025 08:00:00 GMT

Six and a half years ago, in the wake of the #MeToo movement, we asked our listeners how they think about manhood–how to be, what’s hard, where they feel lost. Fast forward to 2025, and the norms and trends around manhood are even more varied and complicated. So we thought it would be a good time to revisit the stories from 2018 and provide updates on some of the men we heard from.

If you are a man, or are raising a man, or love a man, and want to share more about what you’re noticing about mixed signals about manhood and masculinity today and where you get stuck, record a voice memo and send it to us at deathsexmoney@slate.com.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - Thrifting in the Time of TikTok

Sat, 15 Feb 2025 08:00:00 GMT

Candice Lim and Kate Lindsay may not agree on thrifting, but they can confirm we’re living through a “digital thrift revolution.” From Depop to ThredUp, it’s never been easier for people to donate and shop their used clothing. However, the rise of thrifting creators is making for a crowded market, and what’s the point of thrifting if we’re still buying too much stuff?

This podcast is produced by Alexandra Botti, Daisy Rosario, Candice Lim, and Kate Lindsay.

P.S. The original Style Size Index spreadsheet mentioned in the episode has been deleted, but a similar tool exists here!

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hit Parade | Music History and Music Trivia - Material Girl in an Imperial World Edition Part 1

Fri, 14 Feb 2025 23:30:00 GMT

Join Chris as he dissects the most regal artists across the decades, defining what makes them imperial—and he walks hit by hit through Madonna’s biggest phase, which may remain unmatched.

Podcast production by Kevin Bendis.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - The Brilliance of “Montoya, Por Favor”

Wed, 12 Feb 2025 08:00:00 GMT

Kate Lindsay and Candice Lim dive into two internet stories they can’t stop thinking about. First, they explain how Montoya from Temptation Island became 2025’s crash-out king and created one of the first great international memes of the year. Then, they recap the journey of Onijah Andrew Robinson, an American who spent months in Pakistan after a catfish-gone-wrong, and used local media to become TikTok’s latest obsession.

This podcast is produced by Alexandra Botti, Daisy Rosario, Candice Lim, and Kate Lindsay.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Culture Gabfest - The SNL 50th Anniversary Industrial Complex

Wed, 12 Feb 2025 08:00:00 GMT

On this week’s show, the hosts reflect on 50 years of music, culture, and comedy with the 50th anniversary of SNL and QuestLove’s new documentary Ladies & Gentlemen…50 Years of SNL Music. For that, the team is joined by Jason Zinoman, critic at large for culture at The New York Times.

Then they discuss the Oscar-nominated animated film Flow – where we follow the adventures of an unlikely group of animals led by a curious black cat.

Finally, Slate culture writer Nadira Goffe joins to talk about Kendrick Lamar’s “double whammy” of a Super Bowl halftime show. Read her article reflecting on the performance here.

Note: Pardon the brief audio issues during the Kendrick Lamar conversation.

In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, the panel invites Jason Zinoman back to discuss his article on standup comedy’s move to soften the punchline in exchange for a long, humor-infused setup.

Email us at culturefest@slate.com.

Endorsements:

Dana: Henry IV playing at the Theatre for a New Audience in New York and K.D. Lang’s SNL performance of Johnny Get Angry in 1989 (audio only, as the video performance has been removed) or this other performance of the song (with visuals) on UK’s Channel Four from 1991

Julia: Vulture critic Craig Jenkins’ halftime show review – Kendrick Lamar Is Not Your Savior and Pom Pom maker

Steve: Pope Francis’ letter to Vice President J.D. Vance

Podcast production and research by Vic Whitley-Berry.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Decoder Ring - The Scratch-Off Ticket’s Instant Win

Wed, 12 Feb 2025 05:00:00 GMT

You may never have thought very hard about scratch-off tickets, but that’s part of their power. They’re a form of gambling that’s simply a pedestrian part of American life. But not so long ago, they were risky and innovative, the killer app of their time and the must-play game of the state lottery. In this episode, Ian Coss, host of the new podcast series Scratch & Win, is going to walk us through the history of the scratch-off ticket: its invention, its popularization, and its connection to the explosion in gambling that’s now all around us.

This episode of Decoder Ring was produced by Katie Shepherd. Decoder Ring is also produced by Willa Paskin, Evan Chung and Max Freedman. Derek John is Executive Producer. Merritt Jacob is Senior Technical Director.

Scratch & Win is a production of GBH News. It is produced by Isabel Hibbard and Ian Coss and edited by Lacy Roberts. Its editorial supervisor is Jenifer McKim with support from Ryan Alderman. Mei Lei is the project manager, and the Executive Producer is Devin Maverick Robins.

If you have any cultural mysteries you want us to decode, please email us at DecoderRing@slate.com. And you can also now call us at our Decoder Ring hotline — that number is 347-460-7281. We love hearing your ideas, and we especially enjoyed all the messages we got about our last episode on the ’90s swing craze. Keep ‘em coming! And even better, tell your friends to check us out.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Death, Sex & Money - After Sobriety, Chasing Goosebumps Instead of Highs

Tue, 11 Feb 2025 08:00:00 GMT

When the poet and writer Kaveh Akbar likes something, he really likes it. As a high school student, he got hooked on poetry. In college, it was alcohol. This week, Kaveh talks to Anna Sale about the factors that led to his sobriety, and he explains exactly how he manages a life that’s full of healthy, wonderful obsessions as well as problematic ones.

Kaveh’s critically acclaimed novel Martyr! is now available in paperback. You can read about his temporary fixation on collecting basketball cards in GQ.

Podcast production by Cameron Drews.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hang Up and Listen - The Not-So-Super Chiefs

Mon, 10 Feb 2025 22:00:00 GMT

Hosts Alex Kirshner, Lindsay Gibbs, and Ben Lindbergh examine how the world-beating Chiefs ran into the brick wall that was the Philadelphia Eagles at the Super Bowl. They also speak to journalist and author Julie Kliegman about the Trump administration’s recent executive order aiming to ban trans women from sports. Plus, the panel examines the growing movement across sports to shorten game times.

On the bonus episode available exclusively for Slate Plus members, the panel dives into potential blockbuster moves in the NFL offseason.

The Super Bowl (2:24): The Eagles are elite.

Trump’s Trans Sports Ban (18:08): The repugnant executive order fueling trans discrimination across sports.

Shorter Games (38:37): What's behind the push to bring playing time down?

(Note: time codes are only accurate for Slate Plus members, who listen ad-free.)

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - The TikTokification of Sports

Sat, 08 Feb 2025 08:00:00 GMT

Candice Lim and Kate Lindsay are not the world’s biggest sports fans, but are now more tuned in than ever thanks to TikTok. In today’s episode, the pair talk about how everything from fancams to fashion is giving audiences new entry points to a typically masculine space. But what happens when trends start to outway tackles? When followers start coming before free throws?

This podcast is produced by Alexandra Botti, Daisy Rosario, Candice Lim, and Kate Lindsay.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Culture Gabfest - Noah Wyle Lures Us Into The Pitt

Wed, 05 Feb 2025 08:00:00 GMT

On this week’s show, the hosts discuss Max’s new medical drama The Pitt – a show that we legally can’t call an ER reboot but does have Noah Wyle donning scrubs and handling the next bodily emergency yet again. Our regular hosts also discuss an article from the Intelligencer, The Cruel Kids’ Table about how young Republicans now feel empowered to bring cruelty back into public discourse. Finally, we welcome LA Film Critic Amy Nicholson to discuss the Oscar-nominated film September 5 about the hostage crisis during the 1972 Munich Olympics.

Also, we’re looking for a new Production Assistant! To apply, send us an email introducing yourself and give two ideas for segments to culturegabfestassistant@gmail.com.

In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, the panel tackles the biggest luminary question of the year: Do you use ‘The Big Light’?

Email us at culturefest@slate.com.

Endorsements:

Dana: Just sort of a beautiful moment: Live wolf howls in Manitoba, Canada

Julia: Branded in Memory | Signs.com / Draw Logos From Memory – Test your recall and see if you can recreate popular brand logos

Steve: The Wired Starter Pack on bsky and Subscribe to Wired

Podcast production and research by Vic Whitley-Berry.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - Will Memes Save 2025?

Wed, 05 Feb 2025 08:00:00 GMT

Episode notes: Candice Lim and Kate Lindsay are joined by meme historian and researcher Aidan Walker, whose Substack travels into the depths of meme lore. 2025 is off to a rocky start for several reasons, but the panel wonders if memes may provide a solution for getting through the year. Memes are a coping mechanism, especially for those who like dark humor in difficult times. And some memes help us make sense of the world at its most chaotic. From Distracted Boyfriend to Math Lady to Doge, ICYMI is walking through the history, layers, and positives of meme culture in our daily lives.

This podcast is produced by Alexandra Botti, Daisy Rosario, Candice Lim, and Kate Lindsay.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Death, Sex & Money - The “Chest-Clenching Fear” of My Ex-Husband’s Jan 6 Commutation

Tue, 04 Feb 2025 08:00:00 GMT

In 2023, Anna and On The Media’s Micah Loewinger traveled to Montana to talk to Tasha Adams, the ex-wife of Stewart Rhodes, who founded the far-right paramilitary group, the Oath Keepers. Stewart had been charged with seditious conspiracy for his participation in the January 6 Capitol riots, and Tasha was eagerly awaiting sentencing: “I need him to stay locked away so my kids can legally cut contact with him when they’re 18.”

Tasha described their decades-long marriage, from their courtship in a ballroom dance class in Las Vegas, to abuse and isolation as Stewart became transfixed on politics and apocalyptic ideas. She and her six kids managed to escape in 2018. And shortly after our conversation there was some good news for Tasha: her divorce was finalized, and Stewart got a long sentence – 18 years.

Then Trump was re-elected, and on his first day in office he issued nearly 1,500 pardons and commuted the sentences of 14 of his supporters in connection with Jan. 6. Among them was Stewart.

This week we’re replaying our 2023 conversation with Tasha, as well as a portion of a follow-up conversation we recorded with her right before Trump’s inauguration.

Watch: Trailer for ‘King of the Apocalypse’

Podcast production by Zoe Azulay

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hang Up and Listen - Luka’s A Laker

Tue, 04 Feb 2025 01:05:00 GMT

Hosts Alex Kirshner, Lindsay Gibbs, and Ben Lindbergh look at the trade heard round the world that sent Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers. The panel also discusses the sexual misconduct allegations against Ravens’ kicker Justin Tucker, as well as the sports betting scandal in the NBA that now involves Terry Rozier. In the Afterball, Lindsay breaks down the NFL Pro Bowl games played this past weekend.

On the bonus episode available exclusively for Slate Plus members, the hosts dive into the Utah Hockey Club’s top-secret renaming saga.

Luka to L.A.(3:18) The confounding trade of the basketball superstar

Justin Tucker (26:29): The troubling reports of sexual misconduct by the Baltimore kicker

Gambling in the NBA (44:31): The investigation into NBA player Terry Rozier’s alleged gambling collusion

Afterballs (1:00:50): Lindsay on the NFL Pro Bowl

(Note: time codes are only accurate for Slate Plus members, who listen ad-free.)

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - So You’ve Fallen For A Smear Campaign

Sat, 01 Feb 2025 08:00:00 GMT

Candice Lim and Kate Lindsay, still recovering from Justin Baldoni’s leaked voice memo to Blake Lively, dive into the online war being waged between the two It Ends With Us actors. They explore how this is the latest scheme in what seems to be a playbook for PR teams to tear down women online, and ask how we can avoid falling victim to the trap.

This podcast is produced by Alexandra Botti, Daisy Rosario, Candice Lim, and Kate Lindsay, with production assistance from A.C. Valdez.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hit Parade | Music History and Music Trivia - The Freewheelin’ Edition Part 2

Fri, 31 Jan 2025 07:00:00 GMT

At the movies, A Complete Unknown depicts Bob Dylan as a 1960s “it” boy—played by a 2020s “it” boy, Timothée Chalamet. But the film ends in 1965. What happened in the six decades after that?

Dylan not only kept recording. He actually started topping the charts—in the 1970s, the era of Led Zeppelin, not Pete Seeger. And several of his chart-topping albums came decades later, in the 21st century. Bob’s voice got rougher, but loyal audiences kept buying his music.

Several of these platinum Dylan LPs are among the most acclaimed in rock history—from Blood on the Tracks to Time Out of Mind. And Dylan stayed an object of fascination through all his changes—as a road warrior, a born-again Christian, a Traveling Wilbury, a JFK conspiracy theorist.

Join Chris Molanphy as he walks through Bob Dylan’s career decade by decade, from his ’60s folkie years to his 21st-century revival. With the biopic reviving interest in rock’s poet laureate, there’s never been a better time to get tangled up in Bob.

Podcast production by Kevin Bendis.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - Social Media Has Become A Minefield

Wed, 29 Jan 2025 08:00:00 GMT

Kate Lindsay and Candice Lim discuss how so many of their favorite social media platforms have gone openly pro-Trump since the election, and how they feel about it. With more social media platforms cozying up to this administration, is it time to boycott the big ones? Are apps like Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok actually essential to our daily lives? And without them, where do we go?

This podcast is produced by Alexandra Botti, Daisy Rosario, Candice Lim and Kate Lindsay, with production assistance from A.C. Valdez.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Culture Gabfest - One of Them Movies About Women That Stuns Hollywood by Being a Hit

Wed, 29 Jan 2025 08:00:00 GMT

On this week’s show, Dan Kois sits in for Dana Stevens. First, the hosts discuss One of Them Days, a new buddy comedy starring Keke Palmer and SZA that’s quickly becoming a critical darling — and a box office success. Then, they dive into Asura, Japanese director Hirokazu Kore-eda’s Netflix show that’s about the dynamics between three sisters and is “totally uninterested in the rhythms of a TV show.” Finally, it’s time to explore the “manosphere.” The trio dissected a deftly reported package from Bloomberg, “The Second Trump Presidency, Brought to You by YouTubers.”

Also, we’re looking for a new Production Assistant! Please send your resume and two ideas for segments to culturegabfestassistant@gmail.com.

In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, the panel tackles modern TV title sequences and asks the age-old question: do you skip or play? This conversation was inspired by James Poniewozik’s article for The New York Times, “Why Do TV Title Sequences Have So Much… Stuff?”

Email us at culturefest@slate.com.

Endorsements:

Dan: Playworld by Adam Ross.

Julia: A cookbook by Ben Mims, Crumbs: Cookies and Sweets from Around the World.

Steve: (1) Bar Merenda, a restaurant located right outside of Melbourne. (2) “For the Love of the World” by Daegan Miller for Poetry Foundation.

Kat: Calmly Writer Online, a distraction-free text editor.

Podcast production by Vic Whitley-Berry. Production assistance by Kat Hong.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Decoder Ring - Jump, Jive and Fail: The ’90s Swing Craze

Wed, 29 Jan 2025 08:00:00 GMT

When we got multiple listener emails asking about the swing revival of the late 1990s, host Willa Paskin’s first, knee jerk reaction was just: no. She lived through it, and remembers it as being so incredibly corny and uncool. Insofar as the swing revival persists in the cultural memory, it’s usually as a punchline or as head-scratcher, a particularly odd-seeming fad.

But then we started talking to everyone who was anyone in the swing scene, from Big Bad Voodoo Daddy to the dancers in the infamous Gap khakis commercial. It turns out the 90’s swing revival is more involved, more interesting and, OK, maybe cooler than we ever imagined. It’s about an underground scene that went above ground in a major way, and how that level of success can obscure what’s happening while it’s happening—but also long after it’s over.

This episode was written and produced by Willa Paskin, Evan Chung, and Sofie Kodner with mix help from Max Freedman. Decoder Ring is produced by Willa Paskin, Evan Chung, Max Freedman and Katie Shepherd. Derek John is Executive Producer. Merritt Jacob is Senior Technical Director.

Thank you to listeners Lorraine Denman and Alex Friendly for originally asking us about the ‘90s swing revival.

In this episode, you’ll hear from Mando Dorame, Michael Moss, Scotty Morris, Tom Maxwell, Sylvia Skylar, Christian Perry, Steve Perry, John Bunkley, and Carl Byrd.

Thank you to Kerstin Emhoff, Tom Breihan, Stephanie Landwehr, and Ken Partridge, whose conversation and book Hell of a Hat: The Rise of '90s Ska and Swing was extremely helpful.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Death, Sex & Money - The Kind of Man a Bullied Boy Becomes

Tue, 28 Jan 2025 08:00:00 GMT

Comedian Gary Gulman is used to dealing with bullies. He grew up with older brothers, who he describes as "aggressive" and “unenlightened,” and he’s witnessed plenty of unkind behavior from his peers in the New York City comedy scene. This is all despite being, in his words, “very, very sensitive.”

This week, Gary talks about managing that sensitivity, standing up for his principles, and becoming more secure in who he is as a comedian and a man.

Podcast production by Andrew Dunn.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hang Up and Listen - Chiefs vs. Bills: Different Year, Same Story

Mon, 27 Jan 2025 23:00:00 GMT

Hosts Alex Kirshner, Lindsay Gibbs, and Ben Lindbergh discuss the Bills' astonishing proclivity to lose to the Chiefs, plus how the Eagles steamrolled the Commanders. The panel also chats about Madison Keys’ shocking victory at the Australian Open. Finally, they get into the Philadelphia 76ers’ disastrous season, and Alex has an Afterball about Arkadag F.C., and the (disputable) win streak of the soccer club from Turkmenistan.

On the bonus episode available exclusively for Slate Plus members, the hosts discuss EA Sports' sinking stock price.

NFL Conference Championships (2:01): Chiefs and Eagles win again

Madison Keys (23:58): The American wins The Australian Open

Philadelphia 76ers (45:13): The catastrophically bad season continues

Afterballs (55:57): The world-beating football club from Turkmenistan?

(Note: time codes are only accurate for Slate Plus members, who listen ad-free.)

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - TikTok Is Back…Are We?

Sat, 25 Jan 2025 08:00:00 GMT

Candice Lim and Kate Lindsay make sense of TikTok’s surprise return, and what’s going on with the influencers who said goodbye to the app by sharing controversial secrets, only for it to come back the next day. Then, the pair debunk some of the social media conspiracy theories that have proliferated since the presidential inauguration.

This podcast is produced by Alexandra Botti, Daisy Rosario, Candice Lim, and Kate Lindsay.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Culture Gabfest - Chalamet Goes Electric

Wed, 22 Jan 2025 08:20:00 GMT

On this week’s show, the hosts dive into A Complete Unknown, director James Mangold’s surprisingly charming Bob Dylan biopic that’s all about fame and what it looks like to be adjacent to it. Then, the three explore Dick Wolf’s latest project: On Call, a half-hour cop procedural set in Long Beach, California that’s streaming on Prime Video. Finally, the trio remembers David Lynch, the iconic, singular filmmaker who passed away last week at the age of 78.

In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, the panel goes electric themselves and responds to a listener question from Rob: “Would you reminisce about the most electric experience you’ve had consuming a piece of culture with other people?”

Email us at culturefest@slate.com.

Endorsements:

Dana: The Soul of the Dance, a one-hour documentary about ballerina Ulyana Lopatkina.

Julia: The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman. Alos, Julia is looking for nonfiction recommendations about Japan! Email her at culturefest@slate.com.

Steve: Two Australia-related endorsements: (1) The Fatal Shore by Robert Hughes. (2) BUSH, a restaurant in Sydney’s Redfern neighborhood.

Podcast production by Vic Whitley-Berry. Production assistance by Kat Hong.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - Rawdogging, Brainrot, and Brat

Wed, 22 Jan 2025 08:00:00 GMT

Candice Lim and Kate Lindsay are joined by ICYMI producer (and resident linguist) Alexandra Botti, who shares her experience attending the American Dialect Society’s words-of-the-year vote. Then, Candice and Kate break down 2024’s winners (the WOTYs), and predict what internet words we’ll be seeing in 2025.

This podcast is produced by Alexandra Botti, Daisy Rosario, Candice Lim, and Kate Lindsay.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hang Up and Listen - The Buckeyes Are Champs Again

Wed, 22 Jan 2025 00:30:00 GMT

Hosts Alex Kirshner, Ben Lindbergh, and Lindsay Gibbs examine college football’s first twelve-team playoff and how Ohio State won it all. The panel then talks about the NFL playoffs with Jayden Daniels’ continued rise and Lamar Jackson’s sad defeat. They also chat about Roki Sasaki’s decision to join the Dodgers, plus an Afterball from Ben on goalie goals!

On the bonus episode available exclusively for Slate Plus members, the hosts discuss the Biden administration's last-minute guidance on revenue sharing in college sports.

CFB Championship (2:08) Ohio State wins it all.

NFL playoffs (21:14): The sad collapse of the Detroit Lions.

Roki Sassaki: (40:22): The predictable L.A. landing spot for the Japanese hurler.

Afterballs (58:49): Ben on hockey goalie goals.

(Note: time codes are only accurate for Slate Plus members, who listen ad-free.)

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Death, Sex & Money - ‘Babygirl’ Director Wants Women Not to Suppress Their Beast

Tue, 21 Jan 2025 08:00:00 GMT

Babygirl, the new erotic thriller starring Nicole Kidman, features an age-gap romance and a power imbalance. But according to the filmmaker Halina Reijn, it’s more about “what part of us is civilized…and what part of us is still driven by primal forces.” It’s also extremely entertaining, sexy, and dryly hilarious.

This week, Halina Reijn talks about why she wrote the movie, her decision to move away from a very successful and decades-long acting career, and her mission to get us all talking more openly about our sexual desires.

Podcast production by Cameron Drews.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - The Last Days of Legal TikTok

Sat, 18 Jan 2025 08:00:00 GMT

Candice Lim and Kate Lindsay are joined by Slate business and tech writer Nitish Pahwa to recap what the (possibly) last days of legal TikTok have been like. From influencers posting desperate pleas to follow them on Instagram to Americans invading a Chinese-language app called RedNote, it’s safe to say we’re not handling it well. Candice, Kate, and Nitish discuss what they’ll miss from the app and what their desert island TikToks would be.

This podcast is produced by Alexandra Botti, Daisy Rosario, Candice Lim, and Kate Lindsay.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hit Parade | Music History and Music Trivia - The Freewheelin’ Edition Part 1

Sat, 18 Jan 2025 03:00:00 GMT

Podcast production by Kevin Bendis.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - We Have Some News

Wed, 15 Jan 2025 08:00:00 GMT

On today’s episode, Candice Lim is joined for the first time by ICYMI’s new co-host. Tune in to hear about their relationship to MuggleNet, Shrimp Jesus, and their most deeply held, but least provable internet conspiracy theory.

This podcast is produced by Alexandra Botti, Daisy Rosario, and Candice Lim.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Decoder Ring - I am Tupperware, I Contain Multitudes

Wed, 15 Jan 2025 08:00:00 GMT

The storage container is a stealthy star of the modern home. It’s something we use to organize more of our stuff than ever before, and also something other people use to organize their stuff for our viewing pleasure. Its role as a source of soothing, satisfying, potentially viral clicks is new, but storage container innovations are not – something we had occasion to remember when Tupperware, the company, recently filed for bankruptcy. Tupperware was the original container craze. In today’s episode we’re going to connect it to the contemporary one, because as it happens, for a long time now, we’ve been filling empty plastic boxes with far more than just leftovers.

This episode was reported and produced by Olivia Briley. It was edited by Willa Paskin. Decoder Ring is produced by Willa Paskin, Evan Chung, Katie Shepherd and Max Freedman. Derek John is Executive Producer. Merritt Jacob is Senior Technical Director.

In this episode, you’ll hear from Amanda Mull who wrote the articles “Tupperware Is in Trouble” and “Home Influencers Will Not Rest Until Everything Has Been Put in a Clear Plastic Storage Bin.” And from Bob Kealing, the author of Tupperware Unsealed Brownie Wise, Earl Tupper, and the Home Party Pioneers.

If you have any cultural mysteries you want us to decode, email us at DecoderRing@slate.com

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Culture Gabfest - Babygirls and Nickel Boys

Wed, 15 Jan 2025 08:00:00 GMT

On this week’s show, Slate staff writer Nadira Goffe sits in for Stephen. First, the panel explores Babygirl and its kinks. The latest feature from Dutch writer-director Halina Reijn stars Nicole Kidman and Harris Dickinson, and is fascinated by sex (mostly, as a concept.) Then, the three puzzle over Nickel Boys and the film’s audacious use of first-person point-of-view in filmmaker RaMell Ross’ adaptation of Colson Whitehead’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, The Nickel Boys. Finally, what does a Hollywood smear campaign look like? The trio discusses the messy legal and PR conflict embroiling Blake Lively and former It Ends With Us co-star and director, Justin Baldoni.

In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, the panel checks in with Julia and production assistant Kat, as they share their experiences of the L.A. wildfires.

Email us at culturefest@slate.com.

Endorsements:

Nadira: Transa by Red Hot Org. Specifically, “Is It Cold In The Water” performed by Moses Sumney and ANOHNI.

Julia: Niksa sleep masks.

Dana: Exploring your local college radio stations. She likes WFUV (owned by Fordham University) and Columbia University’s WKCR.

Podcast production by Vic Whitley-Berry. Production assistance by Kat Hong.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Death, Sex & Money - Paid to Care: When Class, Power, and Caregiving Collide

Tue, 14 Jan 2025 08:00:00 GMT

When Delores moved to New York City from Jamaica nearly thirty years ago she didn’t know anyone. But soon she found a community of other nannies and learned how to navigate job interviews and “fussy” parents who don’t like nannies to tell their children no.

In this week’s episode on paid caretaking, we explore the class and power dynamics inherent in care work. Plus, we hear from Faye*, a woman living with debilitating multiple sclerosis, and her husband Murray*, about how hiring outside help for caregiving shifts became essential to supporting their marriage.

Are you taking care of a loved one with MS? Murray suggests starting here for resources.

*Names have been changed.

Read Koa Beck’s essay about becoming a foster parent: “Nanny of the State.”

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hang Up and Listen - Doinks and Domination

Tue, 14 Jan 2025 00:00:00 GMT

From the Steelers' predictable collapse to the Commanders’ doink-fueled victory in Tampa, hosts Alex Kirshner, Ben Lindbergh, and Lindsay Gibbs get into the NFL’s Wild Card weekend. They also talk about college football and the looming Ohio State-Notre Dame championship. Plus the arrival of the all-new, indoor, digital Tomorrow’s Golf League.

On the bonus episode available exclusively for Slate Plus members, the hosts talk about the Cleveland Cavaliers’ historic winning pace.

NFL Wild Cards (2:13): Washington squeaks by and Pittsburgh slumps out.

CFB playoffs (23:19): Can Notre Dame topple Ohio State?

TGL: (39:25): The new Tiger-backed indoor golf simulation league.

(Note: time codes are only accurate for Slate Plus members, who listen ad-free.)

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - Scaachi Koul on Terrible Emails, Moo Deng, and Orlando Bloom Fanfiction

Sat, 11 Jan 2025 08:00:00 GMT

Candice Lim is joined by Slate culture writer Scaachi Koul, the host of Scamfluencers and the author of the upcoming book Sucker Punch (coming out this March). Today, they’re diving into Scaachi’s internet diaries to hear about her most-referenced meme, the internet rule she thinks everyone should follow, and whether there’s hope for the next generation online. But first, they’re discussing Trisha Paytas and Scaachi’s personal beef with Moo Deng.

This podcast is produced by Alexandra Botti, Daisy Rosario, and Candice Lim.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Culture Gabfest - The Brutalist’s Outsized Ambition

Wed, 08 Jan 2025 08:00:00 GMT

On this week’s show, it’s an all-movie week! Isaac Butler — author of The Method: How the Twentieth Century Learned to Act and host of the new Criterion Channel series, The Craft of Acting — sits in for Stephen Metcalf. First, the panel explores The Brutalist, director Brady Corbet’s two-part epic following the life of László Tóth (Adrien Brody), a Hungarian-born Jewish architect who survives the Holocaust then emigrates to the United States. Then, the three unpack Carry-On, an action thriller set in Los Angeles International Airport. It’s a well-made film with a dumb concept, and smashed Netflix records over the holiday. Finally, it’s that time of year again: Dana leads the panel through Slate’s Movie Club 2024, a cherished tradition in which she chats with other critics over email about the year in cinema. (Read her first post, here.)

In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, the all-movie theme continues, as the three spoil The Brutalist.

Email us at culturefest@slate.com.

Endorsements:

Dana: Adaptation, directed by Spike Jonze and written by Charlie Kaufman.

Julia: A two-part endorsement: (1) My Cousin Vinny and (2) the production design of Three Men and a Baby (that apartment!)

Isaac: “Eat What You Kill,” a masterfully reported piece by J. David McSwane for ProPublica.

Podcast production by Vic Whitley-Berry. Production assistance by Kat Hong.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - Should I Join Bluesky?

Wed, 08 Jan 2025 08:00:00 GMT

Candice Lim is joined by Slate business and tech writer Nitish Pahwa and internet culture writer Steffi Cao to debate, defend, and decide how they’re going to face the internet this year. Each brought a personal query they’re on the fence about, and the remaining panelists will argue both sides before coming to a verdict. For example, should we join Bluesky? How can we resist the urge to fact-check our friends in their Instagram comments? And is it time to delete our texts? But first, they’re debating: does the internet care about analog awards shows, such as the Golden Globes?

This podcast is produced by Alexandra Botti, Daisy Rosario, and Candice Lim.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Death, Sex & Money - Paid to Care: The Magic, and Mess, of Care Work

Tue, 07 Jan 2025 08:00:00 GMT

Whether it's a nanny taking us to school or a home health aide helping us age in place, most of us will rely on paid caregivers at some point in our lives. For the next two episodes, we'll talk to professional caregivers about the emotional and economic reality of the intimate work they do.

In episode one, we hear from two eldercare workers: Rahn*, whose relationships with patients have helped heal emotional wounds from his childhood, and Tita Rose, a Filipina immigrant who uncovered exploitation at a nursing home. Plus Goldi, a nanny, recounts how she handled a father’s inappropriate advances and how that experience changed her approach to working for parents.

*We used first names or pseudonyms in this story.

Will you be in the Bay Area on January 31st? Anna is hosting Sketchfest, a comedy show at Club Fugazi at 7pm. Get tickets and more info here.

Podcast production by Zoe Azulay

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hang Up and Listen - Manchester’s Supersonic Soccer Downfall

Mon, 06 Jan 2025 23:40:00 GMT

Hosts Alex Kirshner, Ben Lindbergh, and Lindsay Gibbs talk about Premier League Soccer and how sputtering performances could leave Manchester City and Manchester United out of Champions League contention. The hosts also get into the college football playoffs and the coming NFL postseason.

For Afterballs: Ben recounts a history of alternative settings for specialty ‘classic’ sports games.

On the bonus episode available exclusively for Slate Plus members, the hosts discuss the high turnover rate of WNBA coaches, plus the messy math of a thirteen-team league.

Manchester Soccer (2:45): Looking back in anger.

CFB (22:32): A look at the semifinals with each top seed now eliminated.

NFL: (39:20): The explosive regular season wrap-up.

Afterballs (57:06): Ben on alt-settings and the Winter Classic.

(Note: time codes are only accurate for Slate Plus members, who listen ad-free.)

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - An Influencer Hates To See This Subreddit Coming

Sat, 04 Jan 2025 08:00:00 GMT

Candice Lim is joined by media scholars Dr. Jess Maddox and Dr. Jess Rauchberg to discuss the subreddit r/NYCInfluencerSnark: In the early 2020s, influencer snark pages began as a way to contain a growing, unregulated economy where sponcon and diet teas began to thrive. With more money flowing into influencer marketing, a backlash started to emerge on Reddit as followers became anti-fans, then haters. On today’s episode, the doctors discuss their paper (“She’s my bitch eating crackers”) and how r/NYCInfluencerSnark contributes to feminist media scholarship.

This podcast is produced by Alexandra Botti, Daisy Rosario and Candice Lim, with production assistance from Vic Whitley-Berry and Kat Hong.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hit Parade | Music History and Music Trivia - Introducing Broken Record: "Norah Jones Begins Again"

Fri, 03 Jan 2025 07:00:00 GMT

To kick off the New Year, we're sharing a podcast that we think Hit Parade listeners are going to love: Broken Record. Check out this episode with singer/songwriter Norah Jones, co-hosted by Blue Note Records President Don Was. Norah has been with Blue Note Records since releasing her juggernaut 2002 debut album, Come Away With Me. In this conversation, Norah details her musical upbringing and what it was like striking it big with her debut album. She also performs for us, and talks about the musical freedom she's found as part of the Blue Note family.

Blue Note is one of the first and longest standing institutions of jazz music. Since its formation in 1939 the label has put out albums by Robert Glasper, Lee Morgan, John Coltrane, Wayne Shorter, Gergory Porter, Bobby McFerrin, and many more.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Decoder Ring - Introducing Planet Money: Can Money Buy Happiness?

Wed, 01 Jan 2025 09:00:00 GMT

People often say that money can't buy you happiness. Sometimes, if you ask them to tell you more about it, they'll mention a famous 2010 study by Nobel Prize winners Daniel Kahneman and Angus Deaton. That study found that higher household income correlates with greater emotional well-being, but only up to around $75,000 a year. After that, more money didn't seem to matter.

This was a famous study by two famous academics. The result stood for over a decade. And it feels good, right? Maybe the rich aren't so much happier than anyone else. But researchers have recently done a complete 180 on this idea. In 2021, psychologist Matt Killingsworth found nearly the opposite: That more money does correlate with more happiness. And that the relationship continues well beyond $75,000 per year.

Today on the show: Does more money mean fewer problems? Two researchers with totally different takes come together to hammer out a better understanding of the relationship between money and happiness.

This episode was hosted by Sally Helm and Nick Fountain. It was produced by Sean Saldana, Sam Yellowhorse Kesler, and Emma Peaslee. It was edited by Meg Cramer and fact-checked by Sierra Juarez. Engineering by Cena Loffredo. Alex Goldmark is Planet Money's executive producer.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - What Next TBD: Facebook for the Dead

Wed, 01 Jan 2025 08:00:00 GMT

On this New Year's Day, ICYMI brings you an encore of one of our favorite episodes of What Next: TBD:

Tony Tran didn’t find his grandfather. But traveling to, photographing, and uploading his grandfather’s memorial stone gave him something else.

Guest: Tony Tran, senior tech editor at Slate and author of the feature “My Weekends with the Dead.”

Want more What Next: TBD? Subscribe to Slate Plus to access ad-free listening to the whole What Next family and all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of our show page. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to get access wherever you listen.

Podcast production by Evan Campbell, Patrick Fort, Cheyna Roth, and Alexandra Botti.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Culture Gabfest - Annual Call-In Show 2024

Wed, 01 Jan 2025 08:00:00 GMT

In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, the panel dishes about pottery. Listener Dave asks: “what's your relationship to pottery? How do you drink your hot beverages in the morning or throughout the day? And then, is it okay to use an art object utilitarianly?” Oh, and the hosts have a lot to say.

Email us at culturefest@slate.com.

Podcast production by Jared Downing. Production assistance by Kat Hong.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Death, Sex & Money - Love Actually: Real Romance Stories From Mahershala Ali, Jane Fonda, and More

Tue, 31 Dec 2024 08:00:00 GMT

For our last episode of 2024, we’re sharing a handful of stories about what love actually looks like, with all its flaws and complexities. The late poet Nikki Giovanni kicks things off by discussing the complicated love she had for her parents. We also hear from actor Mahershala Ali and comedian Chris Gethard and their romantic partners, and Jane Fonda discusses heartbreak and her choice to end a marriage.

Here’s a full list of guests featured in this episode and links to the original DSM episodes that they appeared in:

Podcast production by Andrew Dunn and Cameron Drews.

To support Death, Sex & Money, please sign up for our membership program, Slate Plus! Members get ad-free podcasts, bonus content on lots of Slate shows, and full access to all the articles on Slate.com. Sign up today at slate.com/dsmplus.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hang Up and Listen - Who Gets Christmas: The NFL or NBA?

Tue, 31 Dec 2024 00:30:00 GMT

Hosts Alex Kirshner, Ben Lindbergh, and Lindsay Gibbs close out 2024 Hang Up and Listen-style. They dig into the War for Christmas being waged between the NFL and NBA. Then they look at Alex Ovechkin’s attempts to break Wayne Gretzky’s 894 goals record. Next they discuss the rise of the alt-cast and what that means for broadcasting games.

On the bonus episode available exclusively for Slate Plus members, the hosts share the underrated sports stories of 2024 as well as what everyone should be watching in 2025.

War for Christmas(2:45): Who gets claim to the day: the NFL or the NBA?

Alex Ovechkin (21:33): Can he beat the hockey GOAT’s goals record? It suddenly looks like a matter of time, but the story isn’t breaking into mainstream coverage much.

Alternative Broadcasts (38:37): Do we really want a Toy Story football overlay?

(Note: time codes are only accurate for Slate Plus members, who listen ad-free.)

Disclosure in Podcast Description: A Bond Account is a self-directed brokerage account with Public Investing, member FINRA/SIPC. Deposits into this account are used to purchase 10 investment-grade and high-yield bonds. As of 9/26/24, the average, annualized yield to worst (YTW) across the Bond Account is greater than 6%. A bond’s yield is a function of its market price, which can fluctuate; therefore, a bond’s YTW is not “locked in” until the bond is purchased, and your yield at time of purchase may be different from the yield shown here. The “locked in” YTW is not guaranteed; you may receive less than the YTW of the bonds in the Bond Account if you sell any of the bonds before maturity or if the issuer defaults on the bond. Public Investing charges a markup on each bond trade. See our Fee Schedule. Bond Accounts are not recommendations of individual bonds or default allocations. The bonds in the Bond Account have not been selected based on your needs or risk profile. See https://public.com/disclosures/bond-account to learn more.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - Goodbye to All That 2024 Internet

Sat, 28 Dec 2024 08:00:00 GMT

From grammatical grievances to dating app screenshots, the internet has been rife with trends to get mad about. On today’s episode, Candice Lim is joined by Teen Vogue’s Aiyana Ishmael and culture reporter Moises Mendez II to audit everything they lived through online in 2024. They’re discussing the good, the bad, and the truly unhinged.

This podcast is produced by Alexandra Botti, Daisy Rosario, and Candice Lim.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hit Parade | Music History and Music Trivia - The Bridge: Slate Music Club 2024

Fri, 27 Dec 2024 07:15:00 GMT

The Slate Music Club is back, in a special edition of Hit Parade – “The Bridge”! Our year-end panel of critics—NPR Music’s Ann Powers, Hearing Things’ Julianne Escobedo Shepherd, Slate’s own Carl Wilson and Hit Parade host Chris Molanphy—discuss their favorite albums and singles and the trends that shaped the year in pop, rap, country, Latin and global music.

Among the questions the roundtable tackles: Have we reached peak Taylor Swift? Did the Kendrick Lamar–v.-Drake beef overshadow hip-hop’s next generation? How much further will country cross over to pop audiences—and how does Latin music fit in? How did music from diverse artists stand in for protest music in 2024? And what will become of music criticism itself?

Note: Slate Plus members can hear this special episode in full. Ad-supported listeners will hear the first half. Want to hear the whole discussion? Sign up for Slate Plus!

Podcast production by Kevin Bendis.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hit Parade | Music History and Music Trivia - I’d Like to Teach the World to Buy Edition Part 2

Fri, 27 Dec 2024 07:00:00 GMT

That damned jingle! In that infernal commercial trying to sell you cars, sneakers, soda, gum! Can’t get it out of your head? Well, what if we made it longer, had a famous singer perform it, and put it on the radio? How would you like it then?

A surprising number of hits across chart history got their start in advertisements: the Carpenters song that was originally a promo for a California bank. The ’70s country-pop smash by a character who didn’t exist, and was selling you sliced bread. The Sting song that began as a Japanese beer jingle. The Chris Brown song that sneaked a chewing-gum slogan into the chorus.

And that’s beyond all the songs and artists whose trajectories were changed by an ad placement—whether it was the R&B classics licensed to sell you Levi’s jeans or the indie-rock songs anointed by Apple to make iPod-wearing silhouettes bop.

Join Chris Molanphy as he explains how Madison Avenue finds its way into the Hot 100’s penthouse. We may think we don’t want the hard sell—but an army of Don Drapers are working day and night to buy the world a Coke and keep it company.

Podcast production by Kevin Bendis.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - Encore: Who TF Did Reesa Teesa Marry?

Wed, 25 Dec 2024 08:00:00 GMT

Rachelle and Candice dive deep into the scammer story currently scratching the internet’s itch: Reesa Teesa’s 52-part “Who TF Did I Marry?” TikTok series. On February 14, @ReesaMTeesa detailed the very harrowing story of meeting, dating and divorcing a man she calls “Legion.” She recaps her highly suspicious relationship to a man who courted her in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic and allegedly lied about his job, family and previous marriages. From faking phone calls with imaginary siblings to printing out bank statements for accounts that didn’t exist, this story is about the deceit of a man who Reesa Teesa calls “the United Nations of red flags.”

This episode was produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Daisy Rosario, Candice Lim, Rachelle Hampton, and Alexandra Botti.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Death, Sex & Money - Should You Divulge a Disability in Your Dating Profile?

Tue, 24 Dec 2024 08:00:00 GMT

Todd is looking for love, but he’s unsure about disclosing something in dating profiles: his multiple sclerosis. On Slate’s How To podcast, Todd got some crucial advice from Jessica Slice and Caroline Cupp, authors of Dateable: Swiping Right, Hooking Up, and Settling Down While Chronically Ill and Disabled.

This week, we’re sharing that wonderful episode with Death, Sex & Money listeners, and to kick things off, Anna talks to Carvell Wallace (the host of How To) about what makes this episode special. Listeners may remember Carvell from his appearance on DSM earlier this year.

Do you have a problem that needs solving? Reach out to the How To podcast at howto@slate.com or leave them a voicemail at 646-495-4001.

How To’s executive producer is Derek John. Joel Meyer is their senior editor/producer. The show is produced by Rosemary Belson, with Kevin Bendis and Sara McCrae.

Anna and Carvell’s conversation was produced by Cameron Drews. The rest of the DSM team includes Andrew Dunn, Zoe Azulay, and Daisy Rosario.

Here’s the estate planning checklist that Carvell mentions in the episode and the full episode of How To about estate planning. And here’s the episode featuring Carvell’s son – it’s delightful.

To support us and our colleagues, please sign up for our membership program, Slate Plus! Members get ad-free podcasts, bonus content on lots of Slate shows, and full access to all the articles on Slate.com. Sign up today at slate.com/dsmplus.

Ad Disclosure in Podcast Description: A Bond Account is a self-directed brokerage account with Public Investing, member FINRA/SIPC. Deposits into this account are used to purchase 10 investment-grade and high-yield bonds. As of 9/26/24, the average, annualized yield to worst (YTW) across the Bond Account is greater than 6%. A bond’s yield is a function of its market price, which can fluctuate; therefore, a bond’s YTW is not “locked in” until the bond is purchased, and your yield at time of purchase may be different from the yield shown here. The “locked in” YTW is not guaranteed; you may receive less than the YTW of the bonds in the Bond Account if you sell any of the bonds before maturity or if the issuer defaults on the bond. Public Investing charges a markup on each bond trade. See our Fee Schedule. Bond Accounts are not recommendations of individual bonds or default allocations. The bonds in the Bond Account have not been selected based on your needs or risk profile. See https://public.com/disclosures/bond-account to learn more.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hang Up and Listen - Rickey Henderson Was Ahead of His Time

Tue, 24 Dec 2024 00:30:00 GMT

Hosts Alex Kirshner, Ben Lindbergh, and Lindsay Gibbs talk about the death of a legend: Rickey Henderson. Then, they dig into the end of the NCAA women’s volleyball tournament and the sport’s growth. The panel also discusses the shenanigans taking place as Tampa Bay-area authorities consider building a new ballpark.

Finally, Alex delivers an Afterball on the first round of the College Football Playoff and explains why most games suck, actually.

On the bonus episode available exclusively for Slate Plus members, the hosts talk about the latest in a string of Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce inspired schlocky movies.

Rickey Henderson (2:17): A baseball legend dies at 65.

Volleyball (21:28): The NCAA tournament comes to a close.

Tampa Bay ballpark schemes (39:12): Should the team get public bonds to pay for a new stadium?

Afterballs (53:12): Alex on why everyone hates the College Football Playoff this year

(Note: time codes are only accurate for Slate Plus members, who listen ad-free.)

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - Our Top Internet Moments of 2024

Sat, 21 Dec 2024 08:00:00 GMT

Candice Lim is joined by Slate culture writer Nadira Goffe to count down their top internet moments of the year. Did Eric Adams make the list? What about Jack Schlossberg’s thirst-trapping, political correspondent arc? Which divorces are we still thinking (and hurting) about? On today’s episode, ICYMI is ruminating on the year of the Paris Olympics, Kate Middleton, and PopCrave’s most stunning faves.

This podcast is produced by Alexandra Botti, Daisy Rosario and Candice Lim, with production assistance from Kat Hong.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Culture Gabfest - Ted Danson, Gumshoe Grandpa

Wed, 18 Dec 2024 08:00:00 GMT

On this week’s show, the hosts indulge in the cozy pleasures of A Man on the Inside, a six-part Netflix series from showrunner and feel-good sitcom vet Michael Schur. Ted Danson stars as a grieving retired professor who is offered the chance to start life anew – and goes undercover inside a San Francisco retirement home.

Then, the trio dives into The Seed of the Sacred Fig, Iranian director Mohammad Rasoulof’s most daring — and most dangerous — film yet. Finally, the panel considers Kyle Chayka’s piece for the New Yorker, “2024 Is the Year Creators Took Over,” and discusses a few who stand out, including Haliey Welch, a.k.a. the “Hawk Tuah” girl.

In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, the panel travels down memory lane and discusses their history on stage: what roles they played, the reviews they received, and the first time someone had to flirt publicly.

Email us at culturefest@slate.com.

Endorsements:

Dana: Defector! Particularly, this piece by Patrick Redford, “The Hawk Tuah Memecoin Rug Pull Is the Apotheosis of Bag Culture.”

Julia: In the Culture Gabfest’s first rewind endorsement, a clip from Julia that she still stands by to this day: her riffing on The Clapper sound activated light switch.

Steve: Brad Mehldau’s After Bach and After Bach II.

Podcast production by Jared Downing. Production assistance by Kat Hong.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - The 2024 ICYMI Fancam Awards

Wed, 18 Dec 2024 08:00:00 GMT

Candice Lim is joined by Slate culture writer Nadira Goffe to host the inaugural ICYMI Fancam Awards, where they recognize their favorite fan edits and fancam editors of the year. But first, they’re bringing in one of their favorite editors of all time, Emma B. Videos, to discuss her viral Challengers edit, the work that goes into being a prolific fancam maker, and why Twitter keeps taking these masterpieces down.

This podcast is produced by Alexandra Botti, Daisy Rosario, and Candice Lim.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Decoder Ring - Mailbag: Fruit Snacks, Waterbeds, and Lobster Tanks

Wed, 18 Dec 2024 05:00:00 GMT

It’s our annual mailbag episode! We get a lot of wonderful reader emails suggesting topics for the show — and at the end of the year we try to answer some of them. This year, we’re tackling four fascinating questions. Why do grocery stores keep live lobsters in tanks, unlike any other animal? How did candy get rebranded as “fruit snacks” when fruit is already a snack? Whatever happened to perfumed ads in magazines? And what was the waterbed all about? We’ll get an answer from the waterbed’s inventor who still has four of them.

You’ll hear from Ray Shalhoub of Joray Fruit Rolls, consumer lawyer Steve Gardner, Jessica Murphy, aka the “Perfume Professor,” inventor Charlie Hall, restaurant historian Jan Whitaker, and the CEO of Crustacean Compassion, Dr. Ben Sturgeon.

This episode was produced by Max Freedman and Sofie Kodner. Decoder Ring is also produced by Willa Paskin, Evan Chung, and Katie Shepherd. Derek John is Executive Producer. Merritt Jacob is Senior Technical Director.

If you have any cultural mysteries you want us to decode, email us at DecoderRing@slate.com.

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Death, Sex & Money - Chaz Ebert on Loss, Intuition and Her 'Cougar' Group Chat

Tue, 17 Dec 2024 08:00:00 GMT

Ten years ago, Chaz Ebert talked to us about grief and loss as she was mourning the 2013 death of her husband, movie critic Roger Ebert. Her deep sense of connection to Roger continued after he was gone, including, she described, hearing his voice and feeling like they were still in conversation. When Chaz talked about this a decade ago, though, she was skittish about sharing too much about their ongoing communication, nervous that it would sound too out there.

No longer.

When we talked just a few weeks ago, Chaz described a lifetime of intuitive sensing, a skill she inherited from her mother. While her conversations with Roger have stopped, her intuition still powers much of what she does, including writing her new book, which she describes as “a download from the universe.” It’s called It’s Time to Give a FECK: Elevating Humanity through Forgiveness, Empathy, Compassion and Kindness.

This week, we listen back to our original conversation with Chaz and hear what has shifted in the ten years since.

Podcast production by Andrew Dunn.

Come out for a LIVE Death, Sex & Money show at SF Sketchfest, San Francisco’s comedy and improv festival, on January 31. Get your tickets here.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hang Up and Listen - The Patriot Way Comes to Chapel Hill

Tue, 17 Dec 2024 00:00:00 GMT

Hosts Alex Kirshner, Ben Lindbergh, and Lindsay Gibbs talk about Bill Belichick and how one of the winningest NFL coaches of all time transitions to college football as UNC’s head coach. The panel also discusses the NBA Cup and the recent Bills-Lions slugfest. Finally Ben delivers an Afterball on Catfish Hunter and the history of deferred salary payments across sports. On the bonus episode available exclusively for Slate Plus members, the hosts talk about this year’s Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter, and the future of two-way stars.

Belichick (2:35): The Hoody is heading the Tar Heels

NBA Cup (22:31): Did anyone care about this midseason tournament?

Bills Vs. Lions (41:23): Was this past weekend’s matchup a Super Bowl preview?

Afterballs (54:10): Ben on the history of deferred payments across sports.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - 3 Internet Stories We Missed In 2024

Sat, 14 Dec 2024 08:00:00 GMT

Candice Lim is joined by Slate writers Luke Winkie and Nitish Pahwa to cover the biggest internet stories ICYMI missed this year: from the investigation that may affect your For You Page, to a certain Silicon Valley founder’s unexpected fashion choices. Plus, the panel reveals their internet regrets for 2024.

This podcast is produced by Alexandra Botti, Daisy Rosario and Candice Lim with production assistance from Cameron Drews.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hit Parade | Music History and Music Trivia - I’d Like to Teach the World to Buy Edition Part 1

Fri, 13 Dec 2024 23:00:00 GMT

Podcast production by Kevin Bendis.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - Our Favorite TikTok Songs and Sounds of 2024

Wed, 11 Dec 2024 08:00:00 GMT

Candice Lim is joined by Waste or Taste host Jill Mapes to recap TikTok's year of music and give an unranked list of their favorite songs and sounds. They’re breaking down what makes a good TikTok sound, which mainstream artists won the platform this year, and asking: who is ian?

This podcast is produced by Alexandra Botti, Daisy Rosario, and Candice Lim.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Culture Gabfest - The Strange Lionization of Luigi Mangione

Wed, 11 Dec 2024 08:00:00 GMT

On this week’s show, the hosts chew over Nightbitch, Marielle Heller’s (Queen’s Gambit, Can You Ever Forgive Me, The Diary of a Teenage Girl, MacGruber), fourth feature film. Amy Adam stars as “Mother,” a former artist who has given up her creative pursuits to care for her infant son full-time — a transition so taxing, that she begins dissociating and transforming into a dog at night. And while there’s a lot to like here (it’s an adaptation of Rachel Yonder’s magical realism novel of the same name, for example), does the film ever achieve lift-off?

Then, the three rip Black Doves to shreds, Netflix’s latest espionage show starring Keira Knightly, Sarah Lancashire, and Ben Whishaw that has far too many plot holes to name (although, Stephen does try to.) Finally, the panel digs into the strange case of Luigi Mangione, the suspected shooter in the murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson — and the internet’s sardonic, if not jubilant, reaction to the fatal shooting.

In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, the panel explores the celebrity look-alike contest: a puzzling and mildly delightful phenomenon that’s been sweeping the nation. (Read Nadira Goffe’s excellent reporting on the Timothée Chalamet tournament that started it all, here.)

FINAL CALL: We are down to the final week! To submit your question for our annual call-in show (for inspiration, check out last year’s episode), please call (260) 337-8260 to leave us a voicemail, or record a voice note and email it to us at culturefest@slate.com.

Or, email us at culturefest@slate.com if you just want to gab.

Endorsements:

Dana: The Year of Lear audiobook, written by James Shapiro and narrated by Robert Fass.

Julia: Tree.fm — a project by Sounds of the Forest and aporee, where you can tune into forest soundscapes from around the world.

Stephen: A cover of Richard and Linda Thompson’s “Down Where the Drunkards Roll,” performed by Loudon Wainwright III and Rufus Wainwright.

Podcast production by Jared Downing. Production assistance by Kat Hong.

Disclosure in Podcast Description: A Bond Account is a self-directed brokerage account with Public Investing, member FINRA/SIPC. Deposits into this account are used to purchase 10 investment-grade and high-yield bonds. As of 9/26/24, the average, annualized yield to worst (YTW) across the Bond Account is greater than 6%. A bond’s yield is a function of its market price, which can fluctuate; therefore, a bond’s YTW is not “locked in” until the bond is purchased, and your yield at time of purchase may be different from the yield shown here. The “locked in” YTW is not guaranteed; you may receive less than the YTW of the bonds in the Bond Account if you sell any of the bonds before maturity or if the issuer defaults on the bond. Public Investing charges a markup on each bond trade. See our Fee Schedule. Bond Accounts are not recommendations of individual bonds or default allocations. The bonds in the Bond Account have not been selected based on your needs or risk profile. See https://public.com/disclosures/bond-account to learn more.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Death, Sex & Money - Betting on America: Two Gamblers, One Presidential Election

Tue, 10 Dec 2024 08:00:00 GMT

On election night, while many voters across the country were focused on who would win the presidency, a growing number of Americans were watching the returns with another question in mind: will I win or lose money? That’s because, just weeks before November 5th, a judge ruled that for the first time in almost a century Americans could bet large amounts of money on the outcome of political races.

In this episode, we talk to two people who made big bets: Mike, a Latino Democrat who bet $10,000 on Kamala Harris winning, and Jordan, a white conservative Trump supporter who risked $60,000 on Trump's victory. And Slate’s business and tech reporter Nitish Pahwa helps Anna understand the changing legal context for gambling in America.

Read Slate’s Nitish Pahwa's post on prediction markets and politics here.

Plus, we have new totebags for sale! Check them out.

Podcast production by Zoe Azulay

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hang Up and Listen - Juan Soto: The New Mr. Met

Tue, 10 Dec 2024 00:00:00 GMT

Hosts Alex Kirshner, Ben Lindbergh, and Lindsay Gibbs discuss Juan Soto’s earth-shatteringly large contract with the New York Mets. They also talk about Lewis Hamilton’s last ride for Mercedes before he moves to team Ferrari, and Igor Shesterkin’s unprecedented new deal with the New York Rangers. For Afterballs, Alex breaks down some of the controversy within college football’s first 12-team playoff. On the bonus episode, available exclusively for Slate Plus members, the hosts discuss expansion teams and how different leagues such as the WNBA and NHL have handled new additions.

Soto (2:51): His shocking shuffle over the Queens.

F1 (23:18): Lewis Hamilton rolls on from Mercedes.

NHL goalies (40:51): Igor Shesterkin sets a new contract record.

Afterballs (55:37): Alex on college football's new twelve-team playoffs.

(Note: time codes are only accurate for Slate Plus members, who listen ad-free.)

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - The Internet’s Favorite Moments in Women’s Sports

Sat, 07 Dec 2024 08:00:00 GMT

On today’s episode, Candice Lim is joined by Impersonal Foul writer Madeline Hill and Power Plays journalist Lindsay Gibbs to cover the biggest moments of sports that happened online this year. From witnessing historic moments at the Paris Olympics, to the phenomenon that was women’s basketball, the internet has a way of picking up the little moments you don’t see in a stadium and making major waves about them. Today, they’ll take a look back at the harrowing, nail-biting and historic stories that’ll be remembered for years to come.

This podcast is produced by Alexandra Botti, Daisy Rosario and Candice Lim.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Decoder Ring - Mystery of the Mullet (Encore)

Wed, 04 Dec 2024 08:00:00 GMT

The mullet, the love-to-hate-it hairstyle, is as associated with the 1980’s as Ronald Reagan, junk bonds, and breakdancing. But in at least one major way, we are suffering from a collective case of false memory syndrome. In this episode we track the rise and fall of the mullet, and also the lexical quandary at its heart: Who named the mullet? We learn how David Bowie, hockey players, the Oxford English Dictionary, the Beastie Boys, a mysterious Reddit user named Topsmate, and a group called Annoy Club all played a part in the strange history of the mullet.

Some of the voices you’ll hear in this episode include proud mullet-wearer Lauren Wright, amateur mullet-sleuth Oskar Sigvardsson, writer, market researcher, and 1980’s hockey teenager John Warner, head of product for Oxford Languages Katherine Connor Martin, and novelist and Grand Royal contributor Warren Fahy.

This episode was produced by Willa Paskin and Benjamin Frisch.

If you have any cultural mysteries you want us to decode, email us at DecoderRing@slate.com

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ICYMI - Should I Block My Boyfriend’s Aunt on Instagram?

Wed, 04 Dec 2024 08:00:00 GMT

Candice Lim is joined by internet culture writer Steffi Cao (It’s Steffi) to answer some very special, holiday-specific internet questions from her readers, such as: should I block my boyfriend’s aunt on Instagram? And how do I battle Facebook conspiracy theories at the dinner table?

This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Daisy Rosario and Candice Lim, with production assistance from Alexandra Botti.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Culture Gabfest - Steve McQueen’s Blitz: Dud or Hit?

Wed, 04 Dec 2024 08:00:00 GMT

On this week’s show, Slate experts June Thomas (author of A Place of Our Own: Six Spaces That Shaped Queer Women's Culture) and Dan Kois (author of Hampton Heights: One Harrowing Night in the Most Haunted Neighborhood in Milwaukee, Wisconsin) fill in for Dana and Julia. First, the trio tackles Blitz, director Steve McQueen’s new film about the German bombings of London during World War II, which stars Saoirse Ronan, Harris Dickinson, and randomly, Paul Weller. For a McQueen movie, it’s quite traditional – predictable plot beats, an easy to understand moral viewpoint – but as a piece of culture, does it work? Is the film informative and incredibly ambitious? Or didactic and boring?

Then, the panel unravels HBO’s Get Millie Black, a British crime drama set in Kingston, Jamaica. Created by Marlon James, the five-part detective series delivers a good, old-fashioned mystery (there’s corruption! Familial complications! Rich queer narratives! And way too much voiceover!) that reveals itself slowly, like peeling back the layers of an onion. Finally, can a “vibe” be copyrighted, in a world built on copying? The hosts pour over “Bad Influence,” a reported piece by The Verge about the groundbreaking legal case between two lifestyle influencers that has the potential to radically alter the online commerce industry.

In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, the panel discusses movie credits and debates the merits of sitting through them.

We are still taking questions for our annual call-in show! To submit your question, either leave us a voicemail at (260) 337-8260 or send us a voice note via email at culturefest@slate.com.

Email us at culturefest@slate.com.

Endorsements:

Dan: The Mighty Quinn (1989), starring a very handsome Denzel Washington.

June: Our Evenings by Alan Hollinghurst.

Steve: A quote by Vladimir Nabokov.

Podcast production by Jared Downing. Production assistance by Kat Hong.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Death, Sex & Money - From Social Work to Improv to the Best Show on HBO

Tue, 03 Dec 2024 08:00:00 GMT

When actor and performer Jeff Hiller first tried improv comedy, he was instantly amazing at it. Jeff is an excellent listener. He’s also accommodating, flexible, and undeniably hilarious. This week on the show, Jeff discusses his role on the critically acclaimed HBO series Somebody, Somewhere and the personal quirks and qualities that have made him such a funny and talented performer.

Mentioned in the episode:

-Jeff’s conversation with his husband Neil on the podcast She’s a Talker.

-Anna’s interview with Mark Duplass.

-Death, Sex & Money will be at San Francisco’s Sketchfest on January 31st. Get tickets and info here!

Podcast production by Cameron Drews.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hang Up and Listen - Tennis Reckons with Doping

Tue, 03 Dec 2024 00:50:00 GMT

Hosts Alex Kirshner, Ben Lindbergh, and Lindsay Gibbs discuss Iga Swiatek’s and Janik Sinner's doping allegations and the huge implications for international tennis. They also get into this past weekend’s college football chaos and Saquon Barkley and Derek Henry’s running back revival. For Afterballs, Lindsay Gibbs examines the tragic passing of Alabama A&M linebacker Medrick Burnett Jr. after a recent head injury. On the bonus episode, available exclusively for Slate Plus members, the hosts talk about Bluesky and whether big sports media will eventually pivot to the new platform.

Tennis and doping (2:37): Do Swiatek and Sinner deserve suspensions?

College football chaos (25:50): Flag planting and the mess in the Mid-West

Are runningbacks back? (46:57): How long can Barkely and Henry prop up their position?

Afterballs (1:03:38): Lindsay on Medrick Burnett Jr’s head injury and death.

(Note: time codes are only accurate for Slate Plus members, who listen ad-free.)

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - Max Read on Gawker, “Sculder” Fanfiction, and Slack Rules

Sat, 30 Nov 2024 08:00:00 GMT

Candice Lim is joined by Read Max writer Max Read, whose Substack hit a new high this year when he coined the term “Zynternet” and its connection to “Hawk Tuah girl.” Prior to Substack, Read was the editor-in-chief of Gawker, and on today’s episode, he speaks about the stories he regrets publishing, his relationship with The X-Files fandoms, and his golden rules for engaging online.

This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Daisy Rosario and Candice Lim, with production assistance from Alexandra Botti and Kat Hong.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hit Parade | Music History and Music Trivia - Say a Little Prayer Edition Part 2

Fri, 29 Nov 2024 08:00:00 GMT

You know her honorific: Queen of Soul. And heavy is the head that wears the crown. In her lifetime, Aretha Franklin didn’t just want to be revered. She wanted hits. But Franklin made pop come to her, not the other way around.

When showtunes and standards didn’t work in the ’60s, Aretha switched to gritty R&B and gospel harmonies—and started topping the charts. When she recorded a live album in a church in the ’70s, it became her best-seller. When the MTV era changed the game in the ’80s, she did New Wave synthpop her way—and topped the charts again. In the ’90s, she tried house, hip-hop and New Jack Swing, scoring hits deep into her fifties.

Join Chris Molanphy as he explains how Aretha Franklin earned her regal title, one hit at a time. She won our respect by infusing the charts with a holy spirit and amazing grace—and she always remained a natural woman.

Podcast production by Kevin Bendis.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - Our 2024 ICYMI Friendsgiving Spectacular

Wed, 27 Nov 2024 08:00:00 GMT

On today’s episode, Candice Lim is joined by Vox’s Alex Abad-Santos and The Atlantic’s Allegra Frank to celebrate ICYMI’s fourth annual Friendsgiving episode. They run down the internet moments that made them laugh out loud this year, such as the highs and lows of ClubChalamet, the Madame Web of it all, and horny TikToks.

This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Daisy Rosario and Candice Lim, with production assistance from Alexandra Botti.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Culture Gabfest - Wicked and Gladiator II in the Box Office Arena

Wed, 27 Nov 2024 08:00:00 GMT

On this week’s show, the hosts consider ‘Glicked’ (or is it ‘Wadiator’? ‘Gladicked?’), the Wicked and Gladiator II double feature that promised to be this year’s ‘Barbenheimer.’ But did it deliver? Or even come close? First, the trio inspects Wicked, which won the weekend by a long shot (and broke a few records along the way.) At times, director Jon M. Chu’s film adaptation of the famed Broadway musical (which is, itself, an adaptation of a series of novels inspired by Frank Baum’s The Wonderful Wizard of Oz) can feel overstuffed and exhausting, but as Dana puts it in her review, “it’s so buoyant it lifts both witches-to-be, along with the audience, into the stratosphere.”

Then, the panel moves on to Gladiator II, the very belated follow-up to Ridley Scott’s 2000 Best Picture Winner. Which is… a really bad movie. No longer is the question “are you not entertained?", but “are men okay, actually?” The panel attempts to make sense of Scott’s “dismal retread” and debate whether Denzel Washington’s free reign over his character benefited the movie at large. Finally, Slate’s Dan Kois joins to discuss “The 25 Most Important Recipes of the Past 100 Years,” a wonderful and lovely mega package compiled by Kois and J. Bryan Lowder that explores the history of home cooking in America and how it’s changed over time. (Dan also cooked all 25 recipes, and then some, an epic saga which he chronicled.)

In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, it’s the long-awaited Bluesky debate. Following the mass exodus from Twitter/X, the hosts discuss the pros and cons of migrating over to a new, remarkably similar, platform.

We are still taking questions for our annual call-in show! To submit your question, either leave us a voicemail at (260) 337-8260 or send us a voice note via email at culturefest@slate.com.

Email us at culturefest@slate.com.

Endorsements:

Dana: A recipe perfect for Thanksgiving: Laurie Colwin’s Creamed Spinach With Jalapeño Peppers.

Julia: Opal, a screen time app that blocks distractions.

Steve: “The Loudest, Brightest Thing” by Sam Huber for The New York Review.

Podcast production by Jared Downing. Production assistance by Kat Hong.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Death, Sex & Money - Why I Chose Estrangement

Tue, 26 Nov 2024 08:00:00 GMT

When is it time to go no contact? In this episode, we talk to four listeners who have recently become estranged from loved ones.

This episode was originally aired in 2022, and is part of a three-part series on estrangement. You can listen to the other episodes here:

Estrangement Purgatory - Our episode about the contemplation stages of estrangement with a listener named Brian who is considering leaving his religious community.

Estrangement’s Alternate Endings - What does long term estrangement look like? And one listener’s choice to get back in touch.

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Hang Up and Listen - One Last Vamos: Rafa’s Retirement

Tue, 26 Nov 2024 00:40:00 GMT

Hosts Alex Kirshner, Lindsay Gibbs, and Ben Lindbergh chat about Rafael Nadal’s legacy as one of the all-time tennis greats. They also discuss the NWSL championship which Lindsay attended, the last days of ESPN’s Around the Horn. This week’s Afterball is from Ben, in which he compares the terms of sports commissioners and Supreme Court justices. On the bonus episode available exclusively for Slate Plus subscribers, the panel breaks down the new women’s basketball league, Unrivaled.

Nadal (3:02): His long and impressive career.

NWSL Championship (24:01): Orlando won it all.

Sports TV (46:09): Around the Horn ends while Inside the NBA remains.

Afterballs (01:01:09): Ben Lindbergh on baseball commissioners vs. Supreme Court justices.

(Note: time codes are only accurate for Slate Plus members, who listen ad-free.)

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - Should I Buy A Purse Kindle?

Sat, 23 Nov 2024 08:00:00 GMT

Candice Lim is joined by Wall Street Journal reporter Ann-Marie Alcántara to discuss #KindleTok’s rise among millennials and Gen-Z. 17 years ago, Amazon released the Kindle as a tech device that seemed to resonate as a nerdy, bookworm gadget. But it’s now become Tiktok’s must-have accessory to complete the cozy, girly pop lifestyle. With Black Friday coming up, ICYMI is breaking down the rise of the Kindle, the pushback on #KindleTok, and how the pandemic may have contributed to a new generation of gooseneck stand-obsessed Kindle devotees.

This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Daisy Rosario and Candice Lim, with production assistance from Alexandra Botti and Kat Hong.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Decoder Ring - Reconsidering One of the “Worst” TV Shows of All Time

Wed, 20 Nov 2024 08:00:00 GMT

In 1980, a variety show debuted on NBC called Pink Lady and Jeff. Its stars were a pair of Japanese pop idols known for catchy, choreographed dance numbers. Pink Lady was inescapable in Japan: selling millions of records, appearing on TV daily, and filling arenas. But their American TV show left audiences completely bewildered. Pink Lady and Jeff acquired legendary status as one of television’s most notorious bombs, a show that managed to kill off the entire variety show genre. Or at least—that’s how it’s been seen in America. But for the two women of Pink Lady, the show was something else. In this episode, Decoder Ring’s Evan Chung puts this so-called “megaflop” in the spotlight to find out what really went wrong.

You’ll hear from Mie and Keiko Masuda of Pink Lady, their co-host Jeff Altman, head writer Mark Evanier, and legendary TV producer Sid Krofft of H.R. Pufnstuf fame.

This episode was written and produced by Evan Chung. It was edited by Willa Paskin. Our translator was Eric Margolis. Decoder Ring is also produced by Max Freedman and Katie Shepherd, with help from Sofie Kodner. Derek John is Executive Producer. Merritt Jacob is Senior Technical Director.

Special thanks to Kelly Killian, Lorne Frohman, Rowby Goren, Michael Lloyd, Cheyna Roth, Karin Fjellman, Cole delCharco, and Hannah Airriess.

If you have any cultural mysteries you want us to decode, email us at DecoderRing@slate.com

Disclosure: A Bond Account is a self-directed brokerage account with Public Investing, member FINRA/SIPC. Deposits into this account are used to purchase 10 investment-grade and high-yield bonds. As of 9/26/24, the average, annualized yield to worst (YTW) across the Bond Account is greater than 6%. A bond’s yield is a function of its market price, which can fluctuate; therefore, a bond’s YTW is not “locked in” until the bond is purchased, and your yield at time of purchase may be different from the yield shown here. The “locked in” YTW is not guaranteed; you may receive less than the YTW of the bonds in the Bond Account if you sell any of the bonds before maturity or if the issuer defaults on the bond. Public Investing charges a markup on each bond trade. See our Fee Schedule. Bond Accounts are not recommendations of individual bonds or default allocations. The bonds in the Bond Account have not been selected based on your needs or risk profile. See https://public.com/disclosures/bond-account to learn more.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - Princess Treatment, the 4B Movement, and "Women in Male Fields"

Wed, 20 Nov 2024 08:00:00 GMT

Candice Lim is joined by Vox senior correspondent Rebecca Jennings to discuss what their timelines have looked like since the U.S. presidential election was called. From TikToks accusing men of entering their feminine era, to a surge of Americans posting about the 4B movement, they discuss how the dynamic between men and women has become increasingly regressive online, and what battles are yet to come. But first, Rebecca pitches the Netflix Christmas movie that’s even better than Hot Frosty.

This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Daisy Rosario and Candice Lim, with production assistance from Alexandra Botti and Kat Hong.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Culture Gabfest - Lots to Say About Say Nothing

Wed, 20 Nov 2024 08:00:00 GMT

On this week’s show, Isaac Butler (Supreme Friend of the Show and author of The Method:‌ How the Twentieth Century Learned to Act) sits in for Dana. First, the panel is quite verbose about Say Nothing, a limited series that takes place over four generations and is set during The Troubles in Northern Ireland. By dramatizing the real-life events recounted in Patrick Radden Keefe’s 2018 bestseller, the adapted limited series achieves something quite rare: enriching the original text and imbuing it with new meaning.

Then, they unpack Emilia Pérez, an utterly captivating musical by writer-director Jacques Audiard that’s about gender transition, drug cartels, and becoming yourself. Finally, the trio discusses Carson the Magnificent, a new biography of the mysterious late-night pioneer that Isaac recently reviewed for The New Yorker.

In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, the panel answers a listener question from James: “Are there cultural works that you fully intend to see or experience, but are waiting for an optimal way to do it?”

Email us at culturefest@slate.com.

Endorsements:

Isaac: Blood Test by Charles Baxter.

Julia: Zoe Saldaña in Center Stage.

Steve: Alice Neel’s appearance on Johnny Carson’s Tonight Show in 1984.

Podcast production by Jared Downing. Production assistance by Kat Hong.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Death, Sex & Money - How a Betrayed Spouse Became an Infidelity Expert

Tue, 19 Nov 2024 08:00:00 GMT

Therapist Lauren LaRusso has spent the past few years learning everything she can about infidelity–why people have affairs, how to cope with an unfaithful spouse, and how to move forward with or without your partner after a betrayal. And she’s been sharing this wisdom with her 100,000 followers on Instagram.

This week, Lauren explains why she approaches this topic with more curiosity than judgment, and she discusses the affair that happened in her own marriage that led her to become a trusted and invested authority on the matter.

Learn more about Lauren at laurenlarusso.com or on her Instagram page. She also writes at laurenlarusso.substack.com.

This episode references the song Next Lifetime by Erykah Badu.

Podcast production by Cameron Drews.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hang Up and Listen - The Tyson-Paul Punchline

Tue, 19 Nov 2024 00:00:00 GMT

Hosts Alex Kirshner, Ben Lindbergh, and Lindsay Gibbs discuss the 4-hour Jake Paul and Mike Tyson boxing circus. They also talk about changes in regional sports networks, the next chapter in the Chiefs-Bills rivalry, plus an Afterball from Alex on the Winnipeg Jets. On the Bonus episode, available exclusively for Slate Plus members, the panel gets into the NBA’s continued love of three-pointers.

Paul vs. Tyson (2:54): How the main event duped so many viewers.

FanDuel takes on RSNs (25:18): How sixteen regional sports networks continue to be reshuffled.

Chiefs vs. Bills (43:35): CBS and the NFL want this rivalry to stick.

Afterballs (56:57): Alex Kirshner on the NHL’s Winnipeg Jets and their attendance issues.

(Note: time codes are only accurate for Slate Plus members, who listen ad-free.)

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - Is ChatGPT Your Therapist?

Sat, 16 Nov 2024 08:00:00 GMT

This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Daisy Rosario and Candice Lim, with production assistance from Alexandra Botti and Kat Hong.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hit Parade | Music History and Music Trivia - Say a Little Prayer Edition Part 1

Fri, 15 Nov 2024 23:00:00 GMT

Podcast production by Kevin Bendis.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Culture Gabfest - You Are the Media Now

Wed, 13 Nov 2024 08:20:00 GMT

On this week’s episode, the hosts tackle A‌ Real Pain, writer-director Jesse Eisenberg’s tale of two cousins (played by himself and Kieran Culkin) who travel to Poland to honor their late grandmother and, in the process, come to understand their family’s history through a new lens. Then, the three drop into the lush, sumptuous world of Like Water for Chocolate, Max’s new six-part limited series adapted from Laura Esquivel’s best-selling novel (which later became a critically acclaimed and internationally successful blockbuster.) Then finally, in a post 2024-election reality, do newsrooms still matter?‌ What role will journalists play over the next few years?‌ And can we solve the attention crisis in America?‌ Our panel discusses.

In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, the panel dive into a simple, yet important question: How are you doing?

Email us at culturefest@slate.com.

Endorsements:

Dana: On the Media’s latest episode, “The Manosphere Celebrates a Win. Plus, M. Gessen on How to Survive an Autocracy.”

Julia: What better time than now to announce the results of the AMC Nicole Kidman poll!

Steve: “Jessica Mitford’s Escape From Facism” by Noah McCormack.

Podcast production by Jared Downing. Production assistance by Kat Hong.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - Who’s Turning on Moo Deng?

Wed, 13 Nov 2024 08:00:00 GMT

Candice Lim is joined by Slate culture writer Nadira Goffe to play a game of High Speed Downloads, where they each get 60 seconds to break down an internet story they’re obsessed with. On today’s episode, they’re breaking down the Instagram comment that may affect Nicole Scherzinger’s Tony Awards chances, and the wild memes that struck the Moo Deng-iverse post-election. But first, Nadira and Candice share their two most recent celebrity encounters.

This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Daisy Rosario and Candice Lim, with production assistance from Alexandra Botti.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Death, Sex & Money - Will He Still Love Me When I'm Off Ozempic?

Tue, 12 Nov 2024 08:00:00 GMT

In 2021, we released an episode called The Weight of Love, where listeners shared stories about weight, body size, and how those factors affect their romantic relationships. Fast-forward to 2024, and weight loss drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy have complicated these issues even further.

This week, listeners share stories and questions about dating, romance, sex, and self-love in the Ozempic era, and we’ve assembled a panel of experts to respond. Ronald Young Jr. is the host of Weight For It, a podcast about the conversations that we tend to avoid when it comes to our bodies. Anna Holmes wrote about her experience with the weight loss drug Mounjaro for Slate (and she is also executive producer for the exciting new podcast, The Wonder of Stevie). Jill Lewis is a body-positive therapist based in Atlanta. You can follow her on Instagram @jlewistherapy.

Podcast production by Zoe Azulay and Cameron Drews.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hang Up and Listen - Trump’s Win and Its Ripple Effect on College Sports

Tue, 12 Nov 2024 00:40:00 GMT

Hosts Alex Kirshner, and Ben Lindbergh are joined by Matt Brown of Extra Points for a discussion of how unified Republican control of the government could allow the NCAA to roll back college athletes’ newly won empowerment. They also talk about the NFL’s international aspirations, possible MLB off-season moves, plus a baseball-crosswords Afterballs. On the Bonus episode, available exclusively for Slate Plus members, Ben and Alex chat about MLS and Lionel Messi’s first playoffs.

Trump and the NCAA (2:49): How college sports may welcome more conservative legislation.

The NFL Abroad (27:33): How much does the rest of the world really love Football?

The Juan Soto Sweepstakes (46:49): Where will the generational hitter land?

Afterballs (1:08:03): Ben Lindbergh on the prevalence of baseball in crosswords.

(Note: time codes are only accurate for Slate Plus members, who listen ad free.)

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - The Fashion Expert Twitter Loves to Hate

Sat, 09 Nov 2024 08:00:00 GMT

Candice Lim is joined by Slate’s business and tech writer Nitish Pahwa, to discuss the internet history of Derek Guy, better known as @DieWorkwear on Twitter. Back in 2022, Elon Musk acquired Twitter, leading to major consequences for everyone’s timelines. One of those consequences was the unexpected boosting of Derek Guy, which led to his Twitter account reaching more than 1 million followers. Pahwa interviewed Guy back in 2023, and he returns to ICYMI to talk about Guy’s persona on the phone vs. online, and how the menswear pundit capitalized on becoming the Twitter guy we love to hate.

This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Daisy Rosario and Candice Lim, with production assistance from Alexandra Botti and Kat Hong.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Culture Gabfest - How Quincy Jones Reinvented American Music

Wed, 06 Nov 2024 08:20:00 GMT

On this week’s show, Extremely Musical Friend of the Pod (EMFOP)‌ Chris Molanphy joins to memorialize pop’s Renaissance Man, Quincy Jones, who passed away on November 3, 2024. The legendary producer worked with every star under the sun, including Ray Charles, Aretha Franklin, and Chaka Khan, and created the best-selling album in history. (“Thriller,” maybe you’ve heard of it?)

Then, the trio mulls over Conclave, a sumptuous new film by director Edward Berger (All Quiet on the Western Front) about what happens when the Pope dies. It’s a fun, pulp-y romp, but does the movie have anything profound to say?‌ Finally, the panel considers Martha, a Netflix documentary about Martha Stewart’s rise to fame – and confronts all of lifestyle guru’s charms, mysteries, and borderline sociopathic tendencies.

Mentioned in today’s episode:‌

Hit Parade’s “I Wanna Rock with Q“ series.
Conclave review, written by Dana.

In the exclusive Slate Plus bonus episode, the panel unpacks the most interesting part of Conclave:‌ that out-of-left-field plot twist.

Email us at culturefest@slate.com.

Endorsements:

Dana:‌ Will &‌ Harper on Netflix.

Steve:‌ Getting lost in “Songs of a Lost World,”‌ a new album by the Cure.

Chris:‌ The podcast A Very Good Year.

Julia:‌ Throwing a birthday for your house; commissioning a micro-history of your home.

Podcast production by Jared Downing. Production assistance by Kat Hong.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - Bodega Cats and Cussing Out Your Boss

Wed, 06 Nov 2024 08:00:00 GMT

On today’s episode, Candice Lim is joined by Slate culture writer Nadira Goffe to share their favorite TikToks, tweets, and internet icons of late. They’ll discuss construction workers going viral and the newest Abbott Elementary guest star to inspire fan edits galore. But first, they discuss the peculiarity of People Magazine’s Sexiest Man Alive rollout and which categories caused the most confusion online.

This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Daisy Rosario and Candice Lim, with production assistance from Alexandra Botti.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Decoder Ring - A Feel-Good Story About the End of the World

Wed, 06 Nov 2024 05:00:00 GMT

The fear that the Earth could be destroyed by a killer asteroid is an anxiety that pops up all the time in fiction and is grounded in fact. But funnily enough—actually being pancaked by a giant space rock? Not something you need to spend a whole lot of time worrying about! And that’s because a bunch of NASA scientists and engineers are already worried about it for us. In this episode, science journalist Dr. Robin George Andrews tells us the story of NASA’s first-ever mission to defend the planet, which is the subject of his new book, How to Kill an Asteroid.

This episode was written and produced by Sofie Kodner. It was edited by Willa Paskin and Evan Chung. Decoder Ring is produced by Willa Paskin, Evan Chung, Max Freedman and Katie Shepherd, with help from Sofie Kodner. Derek John is Executive Producer. Merritt Jacob is Senior Technical Director.

If you have any cultural mysteries you want us to decode, email us at DecoderRing@slate.com

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Death, Sex & Money - A Celebration (and Critique) of American Freedom

Tue, 05 Nov 2024 08:00:00 GMT

From an early age, Alynda Segarra saw the people they loved grind it out in an American system that offered them little reward. Their father, a musician and Vietnam War veteran, suffered from PTSD, and their aunt and uncle, with whom they lived, were stretched beyond their means. Alynda decided they would take a different path: drop out of school, hop trains, and form a band. "I just thought I should take a bunch of risks in [my family's] honor," Alynda told Anna.

In 2024, Hurray for the Riff Raff released their ninth album, The Past Is Still Alive, and it explores that early period of risk-taking and leaving home. In this episode, Alynda talks to Anna about how writing the album, plus the recent death of their father, made them reconsider family dynamics, joy, and what it means to be free.

You can read their newsletter, Resist Psychic Death, here. There’s a playlist of the songs in our episode here.

Podcast production by Zoe Azulay

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hang Up and Listen - The Dodgers Bring Glory Back to L.A.

Tue, 05 Nov 2024 01:30:00 GMT

Hosts Alex Kirshner, Lindsay Gibbs, and Ben Lindbergh talk about the dominant Dodgers, why NCAA coaches are hiring lobbyists, election gambling, and the return of Afterballs! On the Bonus episode exclusively for Slate Plus members, the hosts get into esports, and gaming star FAKER's fifth League of Legends World Championship.

World Series (4:47): The Dodgers were good. The Yankees were bad.

Olympic Sports (19:23): a group of collegiate Olympic sports coaching associations hired lobbying firm FGS Global.

Election Betting (35:58): The potential ramifications of sportsbooks hosting presidential election bets.

Afterballs (48:29): Lindsay Gibbs on WTA Finals and Saudi Arabia

(Note: time codes are only accurate for Slate Plus members, who listen ad free.)

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - The Internet’s Favorite Fictional Presidents

Sat, 02 Nov 2024 07:00:00 GMT

Candice Lim is joined by Pop Culture Debate Club host Ronald Young Jr. to reveal their favorite fictional presidents of film, television, and the internet. Twitter, Tumblr, and Facebook were historically platforms rife with presidential meme content. Since the 2016 election, however, there seems to have been a shift in the way the internet talks — or doesn’t talk — about the commander-in-chief. On today’s episode, ICYMI is recollecting the best rom-com presidents, the best action hero presidents, and the TikTok presidential ship that will never, ever die down.

This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Daisy Rosario and Candice Lim, with production assistance from Alexandra Botti.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - The Breakup Reddit Can’t Stop Talking About

Wed, 30 Oct 2024 07:00:00 GMT

Candice Lim and Slate culture writer Nadira Goffe dissect the drama surrounding country singer Zach Bryan and his breakup with Barstool Sports personality Brianna “Chickenfry” LaPaglia. On October 22, Bryan announced via Instagram Story that he had split from LaPaglia, which did not surprise certain corners of Reddit who had been discussing alleged Raya profiles and recent ominous podcast comments. But multiple online communities were praying for the downfall of this relationship, asking: How much of this celebration is warranted, and how should an online figure react when people openly await their demise? But first, Nadira details her reporting from the Timothée Chalamet look-alike contest this past weekend.

This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Daisy Rosario and Candice Lim, with production assistance from Alexandra Botti and Kat Hong.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Culture Gabfest - Can Stolen Artifacts Return Time?‌

Wed, 30 Oct 2024 04:00:00 GMT

On this week’s show, Slate senior editor Rebecca Onion sits in for Julia Turner. First, the hosts examine Dahomey, an audacious new documentary by acclaimed filmmaker Mati Diop (Atlantics.)‌ With a one hour, eight minute run time, Dahomey is an incredibly rich text in a very small package, and contemplates the repatriation of 26 royal treasures plundered from the Kingdom of Dahomey as they journey back to their homeland, which now lies within the Republic of Benin.

Then, the three dive into Netflix’s Death, Let Me Do My Special, a one-woman show performed and written by Rachel Bloom (Crazy Ex-Girlfriend.)‌ The special is perceptive, macabre, and whimsical, as Bloom reflects on the pandemic years and the loss of her close friend and collaborator, Adam Schlesinger. Finally, what is Mark Zuckerberg wearing?‌ That is the question Brendon Holder asks in a recent Substack essay and that is bewildering the panel. Is the Meta CEO simply trying to beat the dweeb allegations through oversized t-shirts and a boyish haircut? Or is there something more sinister going on here?

In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, the panel discusses the role TV plays in their lives, inspired by a recent mega-article published by GQ, “How to Watch TV.”

Email us at culturefest@slate.com.

Endorsements:

Dana:‌ The AOC‌ and Tim Walz Twitch stream, specifically, the moment when Walz calls Tony Hinchcliffe a “jackwad” following a racist comment.

Rebecca:‌ The Voyage Home by Pat Parker.

Stephen:‌ Todd Gitlin’s 2001 essay, “Unsafe in any state.”

Podcast production by Jared Downing. Production assistance by Kat Hong.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Death, Sex & Money - The Making and Unmaking of a Productivity Perfectionist

Tue, 29 Oct 2024 07:00:00 GMT

This week, author and podcaster Kendra Adachi explains how she took perfectionism and strict time-management way too far and was forced to radically change her ways. Her new book is called The Plan: Manage Your Time Like a Lazy Genius, and it aims to be what most time-management books aren’t: flexible, kind, and applicable to people with busy schedules and loved ones to care for.

To learn more about Kendra’s 13 Lazy Genius principles, check out this episode of her podcast: 13 Principles That Will Change Your Life Forever.

Podcast production by Cameron Drews.

Find us and follow us on Instagram, and you can find Anna’s newsletter at annasale.substack.com. Our new email address, where you can reach us with voice memos, pep talks, questions, critiques, is deathsexmoney@slate.com.

Want more Death, Sex & Money? Join Slate Plus to unlock exclusive bonus episodes. Plus, you’ll access ad-free listening across all your favorite Slate podcasts. You can subscribe directly from the Death, Sex & Money show page on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Or, visit slate.com/dsmplus to get access wherever you listen.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hang Up and Listen - Athletes Punt on 2024

Mon, 28 Oct 2024 23:00:00 GMT

Hosts Alex Kirshner, Lindsay Gibbs, and Ben Lindbergh examine the notable silence from major sports stars on this year’s presidential election. They also discuss Michael Jordan's legal battle against NASCAR, plus the first week of the NBA regular season. In the Bonus episode exclusively for Slate Plus subscribers, the panel reflects on the life and legacy of Fernando Valenzuela and his impact on the Dodgers.

A lack of political endorsements (2:48): LeBron remains quiet with one week remaining until the election.

MJ vs. NASCAR (21:35): The implications of Michael Jordan’s legal case against Big Race Car.

NBA (36:01): Bronny’s first few minutes.

(Note: time codes are only accurate for Slate Plus members, who listen ad free.)

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - How to Thrive as a Party of One

Sat, 26 Oct 2024 07:00:00 GMT

Candice Lim is joined by Meghan Keane, the founder of NPR’s Life Kit and the author of Party of One: Be Your Own Best Life Partner. We’re approaching “cuffing season,” a viral term that demarcates those colder months when everyone in your life suspiciously couples up. While it’s bred a whole economy of cozy, staying in vlogs and soft (or hard) launches, what happens to those who choose not to cuff up this season — or ever? On today’s episode, we’re talking about what it really means to choose yourself in a world that pressures us to partner, and how the internet helps or hurts this narrative thanks to friendship breakups, dating app screenshots, and unfiltered Reddit advice.

This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Daisy Rosario and Candice Lim, with production assistance from Alexandra Botti.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hit Parade | Music History and Music Trivia - With or Without U2 Edition Part 2

Fri, 25 Oct 2024 21:30:00 GMT

U2 have millions of admirers—and haters: from the fans who regard them as rock’s conscience, to the cynics who blanch at lead singer Bono’s self-importance. Here’s the thing: U2 want to play to both crowds. They know why the haters can’t stand them. After a decade of earnestness in the ’80s, Bono, The Edge, Adam Clayton and Larry Mullen called BS on themselves, rebooting their sound and image for the ’90s age of irony.

This shouldn’t have worked. Instead, U2 became as big as ever, and kept scoring hits. Then, when the whole sardonic thing stopped working for them, at the turn of the millennium, they went back to anthemic U2—and the hits kept coming. Their ability to pivot so many times and keep scoring hits over multiple decades is rare in pop history.

Join Chris Molanphy as he explains how U2 pulled this off. How did they balance cool and cringe? How did they outlast new wave, college rock, hair metal and grunge to remain chart-toppers into the era of teenpop and hip-hop? And…what exactly were they thinking when they forced an album onto your iPhone? They don’t mean to bug ya, but…why can’t we live with or without U2?

Podcast production by Kevin Bendis.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - Victoria’s Secret Is Your Grandma’s Fashion Show

Wed, 23 Oct 2024 07:00:00 GMT

Candice Lim is joined by Slate culture writer Nadira Goffe and Teen Vogue associate editor Aiyana Ishmael to break down the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show, which came back last week after six years away. The lingerie brand’s once-iconic show featured performances from Cher, Tyla, and LISA, but its return has begged the question: who is the show for, and what does it say about the body positivity movement right now. But first, the panel dissects the alleged insurance fraud attempt that recently went viral on TikTok.

This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Daisy Rosario and Candice Lim, with production assistance from Alexandra Botti and Kat Hong.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Decoder Ring - The Wrongest Bird in Movie History

Wed, 23 Oct 2024 04:00:00 GMT

There is a prominent bird in the 2000 film Charlie’s Angels that makes absolutely no sense. This so-called Pygmy Nuthatch doesn’t look or sound like it should, or live where the characters say it does. The bird is so elaborately wrong that it has haunted the birding community, including Slate’s very own Forrest Wickman, for almost a quarter of a century. In this episode, Forrest embarks on a wild goose chase: Why can’t hundreds of filmmaking professionals with a $100 million budget accurately portray a single bird?

This episode was reported and written by Forrest Wickman. It was edited by Willa Paskin. It was produced by Max Freedman. Decoder Ring is produced by Willa Paskin, Evan Chung, Katie Shepherd, and Max Freedman with help from Sofie Kodner. Derek John is Executive Producer. Merritt Jacob is Senior Technical Director.

In this episode, you’ll hear from Charlie’s Angels screenwriters John August and Zak Penn, director McG, animal trainer Guin Dill, and sound editor Michael Benavente; and bird experts Nick Lund, Nathan Pieplow, and Drew Weber.

If you have any cultural mysteries you want us to decode, email us at DecoderRing@slate.com

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Culture Gabfest - Anora Pole Dances to The Oscars

Wed, 23 Oct 2024 04:00:00 GMT

On this week’s show, the panel falls for Anora, a new movie from writer-director Sean Baker (Tangerine, The Florida Project) that’s as arrestingly tender as it is sexy, funny, and unpredictable. The whirlwind Cinderella story won the Palme d’Or at Cannes this year, and will likely become an Oscar frontrunner due to its star-making performances and humanistic depiction of life on the margins and sex work. One host calls it “the best American movie in the past 25 years.”

Then, the three discuss Matlock, a gender-swapped reboot on CBS starring Kathy Bates. With huge viewership numbers and decent critical success, is the quirky legal procedural proof that network television is so, so back?‌‌ Finally, our trio turns their attention to Hearing Things, a new site for independent music journalism run (and owned by) a group of former Pitchfork writers.

In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, the hosts explore their thoughts and feelings about Halloween costumes.

Email us at culturefest@slate.com.

Endorsements:

Steve:‌ “Two Don Quixote Lyrics”‌ by W. H. Auden.

Julia:‌‌ Hampton Heights, an excellent novel by Supreme Friend of the Pod (SFOP)‌ Dan Kois.

Dana:‌ In honor of her new oven, a recipe for Roasted Cod and Potatoes. Also in honor of Dana’s recent appliance upgrade, an oven recipe from Julia and Stephen respectively:‌ Sheet-Pan Sausages and Brussels Sprouts With Honey Mustard and Roasted Kale and Sweet Potatoes With Eggs.

Podcast production by Jared Downing. Production assistance by Kat Hong.

Disclosure: A Bond Account is a self-directed brokerage account with Public Investing, member FINRA/SIPC. Deposits into this account are used to purchase 10 investment-grade and high-yield bonds. As of 9/26/24, the average, annualized yield to worst (YTW) across the Bond Account is greater than 6%. A bond’s yield is a function of its market price, which can fluctuate; therefore, a bond’s YTW is not “locked in” until the bond is purchased, and your yield at time of purchase may be different from the yield shown here. The “locked in” YTW is not guaranteed; you may receive less than the YTW of the bonds in the Bond Account if you sell any of the bonds before maturity or if the issuer defaults on the bond. Public Investing charges a markup on each bond trade. See our Fee Schedule. Bond Accounts are not recommendations of individual bonds or default allocations. The bonds in the Bond Account have not been selected based on your needs or risk profile. See https://public.com/disclosures/bond-account to learn more.

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Death, Sex & Money - Haley Joel Osment Is Not Your Typical Former Child Star

Tue, 22 Oct 2024 07:00:00 GMT

When he was 11 years old, actor Haley Joel Osment was nominated for an Oscar. His resume was already long and impressive, but his role as Cole Sear in M. Night Shyamalan’s psychological thriller The Sixth Sense cemented him as an acting prodigy and a big star. Money, fame, and accolades rapidly flew in his direction.

But Osment managed to avoid a lot of the common hurdles that early fame can bring. This week, he talks to Anna Sale about the many factors that led to his relatively smooth child star experience and his continued positive outlook in an industry that can be cruel and unpredictable.

Podcast production by Cameron Drews.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hang Up and Listen - The Liberty Bring Ticker-tape Back to Broadway

Mon, 21 Oct 2024 23:15:00 GMT

Alex Kirshner, Lindsay Gibbs, and Ben Lindbergh talk about the New York Liberty’s victory over the Minnesota Lynx in the WNBA Finals. They also get into Tom Brady’s controversial new ownership stake in the Las Vegas Raiders, and the World Series picture. In the Bonus episode exclusively for Slate Plus subscribers, the panel discusses University of Virginia men’s basketball coach Tony Bennett’s retirement announcement.

WNBA Finals (10:02): The Liberty bring home the glory

Tom Brady (32:38): The broadcaster and now team owner

World Series (47:04): Clash of the evil empires

(Note: time codes are only accurate for Slate Plus members, who listen ad free.)

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - How a K-Pop Star’s Comeback Was Canceled

Sat, 19 Oct 2024 07:00:00 GMT

Candice Lim is joined by Slate culture writer Nadira Goffe to play a game of High Speed Downloads, where they get 60 seconds to break down an internet story they’re obsessed with. On today’s episode, they’re breaking down the massive drama surrounding former RIIZE member Seunghan, the most famous missing cake in New York City, and why “in the clerb, we all fam.”

This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Daisy Rosario and Candice Lim, with production assistance from Alexandra Botti.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - 24 Hours of the Strangest Online Fad Diet

Wed, 16 Oct 2024 07:00:00 GMT

Guest host Daisy Rosario is joined by Slate’s own Luke Winkie. They talk about Luke’s brief experimentation with the Sardine Fast, a fad diet made popular by a YouTuber. Plus, a chat about Brat Autumn in NY’s place for making relationships “IG official.”

This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Daisy Rosario and Candice Lim. Alexandra Botti helped produce this episode.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Culture Gabfest - Does The Apprentice Make Trump Sympathetic?

Wed, 16 Oct 2024 04:00:00 GMT

On this week’s show, Julia and Stephen are joined by Slate writer and senior editor, Sam Adams. Why do we tell fictional stories about real people?‌ The panel ponders this question as they discuss two biopics: The Apprentice and Saturday Night. The Apprentice is an uncanny portrait of Donald Trump, a young striver under the tutelage – and spell – of his mentor, Roy Cohn. But does the film offer any new information or ideas? Saturday Night, on the other hand, is the often obnoxious tale of the frenetic 90-minute countdown before Saturday Night Live’s first broadcast in 1975. Finally, the panel is joined by The Atlantic staff writer Charlie Warzel to discuss his recent and prescient piece, “I’m Running Out of Ways to Explain How Bad This Is.”

In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, the panel discusses f*cking profanity, a conversation inspired by a listener question from Jonathan.

Email us at culturefest@slate.com.

Endorsements:

Sam: Separated, a documentary by Errol Morris. (Read Sam’s review here.)

Julia: Ten, Nine, Eight, a wonderful children’s book by Molly Bang.

Steve: Laura Miller’s book review of Revenge of the Tipping Point by Malcom Gladwell for Slate.

Podcast production by Jared Downing. Production assistance by Kat Hong.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hang Up and Listen - The Deshaun Watson Disaster

Tue, 15 Oct 2024 21:35:00 GMT

Alex Kirshner, Lindsay Gibbs, and Ben Lindbergh discuss Cleveland Browns QB Deshaun Watson and his historically bad start, the sports-wide expansion of playoff seasons, and the latest on the MLB postseason. On the Bonus episode exclusively for Slate Plus members, the hosts talk about Jessica Campbell, the first woman to coach in the NHL.

Deshaun Watson (3:22): The very bad Browns QB

Playoff Expansion (23:14): Regular and postseasons continue to grow longer

MLB (39:17): Baseball is fun again?

(Note: time codes are only accurate for Slate Plus members, who listen ad free.)

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Death, Sex & Money - Search Engine: When Is It Time to Stop Drinking?

Tue, 15 Oct 2024 07:00:00 GMT

Anna talks to PJ Vogt, host of the podcast Search Engine, about his distinct writing and interviewing style. Then we share one of our favorite episodes of Search Engine, which poses the question: When do you know it's time to stop drinking? In that episode, you'll hear PJ talk to A.J. Daulerio, who writes a newsletter and hosts a podcast about recovery called The Small Bow. He also writes an addiction advice column for Slate called Ask A.J.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - Hoda Kotb and the Joy of No Context Social Media Accounts

Sat, 12 Oct 2024 07:00:00 GMT

Candice Lim is joined by Caleb Stark who runs the very funny social media account Kathie Lee and Hoda No Context (@KLGH_nocontext). They talk about why no context accounts are such a fun part of our internet diets, the magic of well-produced but not over-produced live television, and how these clips share Hoda Kotb’s charm with a younger generation.

This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Daisy Rosario and Candice Lim. Jessamine Molli helped produce this episode. Additional thanks to Cameron Drews.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hit Parade | Music History and Music Trivia - With or Without U2 Edition Part 1

Fri, 11 Oct 2024 22:45:00 GMT

Podcast production by Kevin Bendis.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - The Most Famous Rug in Ohio

Wed, 09 Oct 2024 07:00:00 GMT

Candice Lim is joined by Slate producer Cheyna Roth to recap the spooky adventures of a woman in Ohio who found a rug buried in her backyard. In September, a woman in Ohio named Katie Santry woke up to discover her laptop was broken and items on her desk were rearranged, leading her to believe her house was haunted. However, she also dropped the small fun fact that while digging up a hole in her backyard for a fencing project, her family discovered a rolled-up carpet buried underground. What transpired next included cadaver dogs, overnight police units, and neighborhood live streams. But the rapidity of her fame brings into question social media’s influence on local law enforcement and the state of true crime theorists on TikTok.

This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Daisy Rosario and Candice Lim with production assistance from Kevin Bendis, Maura Currie, and Kat Hong.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Decoder Ring - Selling Out (Encore)

Wed, 09 Oct 2024 07:00:00 GMT

Whatever happened to selling out? The defining concern of Generation X has become a relic from another era. How that happened is best illustrated by one of the idea’s last gasps, when in 2001, Oprah Winfrey invited author Jonathan Franzen to come on her show to discuss his new novel The Corrections. A month later, she withdrew the invitation, kicking off a media firestorm.

The Oprah-Franzen Book Club Dust-Up of 2001 was a moment when two ways of thinking about selling out smashed into each other, and one of them—the one that was on its way out already—crashed and burned in public, seldom to be seen again.

Some of the voices you’ll hear in this episode include screenwriter Helen Childress; writer and musician Franz Nicolay; New York Times critic Wesley Morris, Oprah producer Alice McGee; Boris Kachka, author of Hothouse: The Art of Survival and the Survival of Art at America’s Most Celebrated Publishing House, Farrar, Straus, and Giroux; Bethany Klein, author of Selling Out: Culture, Commerce and Popular Music; and Laura Miller, Slate’s book critic.

This episode was written by Willa Paskin and produced by Benjamin Frisch. It was edited by Benjamin Frisch and Gabriel Roth. Cleo Levin was our research assistant.

Decoder Ring is produced by Evan Chung, Katie Shepherd, and Max Freedman, with help from Sofie Kodner. Derek John is Executive Producer. Merritt Jacob is Senior Technical Director.

If you haven’t yet, please subscribe and rate our feed in Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. And even better, tell your friends.

If you’re a fan of the show, please sign up for Slate Plus. Members get to listen to Decoder Ring and all other Slate podcasts without any ads and have total access to Slate’s website. Your support is also crucial to our work. Go to slate.com/decoderplus to join Slate Plus today.

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Culture Gabfest - The Wild Robot’s Big Heart

Wed, 09 Oct 2024 04:00:00 GMT

On this week’s show, Dana and Stephen are joined by Supreme Friend of the Podcast (SFOP) Isaac Butler, author of The Method:‌ How the Twentieth Century Learned to‌ Act. The trio first explores The Wild Robot, DreamWork Animation’s handcrafted, lovingly made film that’s the surprise of the year. Lupita Nyong’o voices ROZ, an old-fashioned robot powered by supremely advanced A.I. who must learn about and adapt to her new wild surroundings.

Then, they dissect Nobody Wants This, a new Netflix series starring Kristen Bell (who plays a sex podcaster) and Adam Brody as a hot rabbi. Although there are obvious charms, the show’s “will they, won’t they” rom-com beats can often feel, at best, gratingly familiar, and at worst, bizarre and unthoughtful, particularly in its portrayal of Jewish women.

Finally, the Criterion Collection, is “a catalog so synonymous with cinematic achievement that it has come to function as a kind of film Hall of Fame,” writes Joshua Hunt for The New York Times. The panel dives into the wonderful world of ‘Closet Picks,’ a viral video format in which celebrities and movie buffs head into the Criterion Collection stockroom and pluck high-quality DVDs and Blu-rays off its shelves while explaining their personal significance.

Also mentioned in this episode:‌

“The Wild Robot Has an Intelligence That’s Anything But Artificial” by Dana Stevens for Slate.
“‘Nobody Wants This’ Pits Jewish Women Against ‘Shiksas.’ Nobody Wins.” By Jessica Grose for The New York Times.

In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, the panel extols the joys of being on the ground. Inspired by Chris Black’s column for GQ, “How I Learned to Love a Layover,” the trio discusses how they spend their time in airports.

Email us at culturefest@slate.com.

Endorsements:

Dana:‌ “Abbas Kiarostami’s Childhood Films,”‌ a collection of 17 films by the renowned Iranian filmmaker made about or for children.

Isaac:‌ The Tale of The Princess Kaguya, directed by Isao Takahata.

Stephen:‌ “The Song That Connects Jackson Browne, Nico and Margot Tenenbaum”‌ by Bob Mehr for The New York Times.

Podcast production by Jared Downing. Production assistance by Kat Hong.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Death, Sex & Money - My Father Planned His Death. I Didn’t Stop Him.

Tue, 08 Oct 2024 07:00:00 GMT

One day on his morning Uber route, Jason Armstrong got an email from his father. The message: at 85, he'd decided to end his life by stopping eating and drinking. Jason's first reaction? This was the "ultimate act of narcissism." But over the next few months, as Jason witnessed his dad's careful preparations, his perspective shifted. In this episode, Jason talks to Anna about processing his father's choice - from panic attacks on morning walks to a poignant final night sharing tiny sips of favorite drinks, and opens up about grappling with love, tenderness, and what it means to honor a parent's wishes, even when they're hard to accept.

Podcast production by Zoe Azulay

Public.com Ad Disclosure: A Bond Account is a self-directed brokerage account with Public Investing, member FINRA/SIPC. Deposits into this account are used to purchase 10 investment-grade and high-yield bonds. As of 9/26/24, the average, annualized yield to worst (YTW) across the Bond Account is greater than 6%. A bond’s yield is a function of its market price, which can fluctuate; therefore, a bond’s YTW is not “locked in” until the bond is purchased, and your yield at time of purchase may be different from the yield shown here. The “locked in” YTW is not guaranteed; you may receive less than the YTW of the bonds in the Bond Account if you sell any of the bonds before maturity or if the issuer defaults on the bond. Public Investing charges a markup on each bond trade. See our Fee Schedule. Bond Accounts are not recommendations of individual bonds or default allocations. The bonds in the Bond Account have not been selected based on your needs or risk profile. See https://public.com/disclosures/bond-account to learn more.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hang Up and Listen - No More Locker Room Talk

Mon, 07 Oct 2024 22:15:00 GMT

Split Zone Duo’s Alex Kirshner, Power Plays’ Lindsay Gibbs, and the Ringer’s Ben Lindbergh chat about the NFL Players Association’s calls to revoke media access to locker rooms, the controversy surrounding a transgender volleyball player at San Jose State, and the wild week in college football. On the Bonus episode, exclusively for Slate Plus members, the hosts discuss Pete Rose’s historic and sordid legacy.

NFL Locker Rooms (2:35): Media access vs. player privacy

San Jose State Volleyball (23:53): The drama surrounding a transgender player

CFB (46:30): Vanderbilt beats Alabama

(Note: time codes are only accurate for Slate Plus members, who listen ad free.)

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - How Reddit Turned HBO’s Industry Into Appointment TV

Sat, 05 Oct 2024 07:00:00 GMT

Candice Lim is joined by Slate producer Madeline Ducharme to break down the third season of HBO’s Industry. Created by Mickey Down and Konrad Kay, the show stars Myha’la, Marisa Abela, and Harry Lawtey as three young finance workers obsessed with getting ahead. The show has not always been a ratings hit, but this season brought in record viewership, leading some to wonder how it became an HBO juggernaut. On today’s episode, ICYMI tries to figure out how the internet turned Industry into a Sunday primetime event and whether Reddit is the reason it got renewed.

This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Daisy Rosario, and Candice Lim with production assistance from Kevin Bendis and Kat Hong.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - Revisiting the Internet’s Hottest—and Messiest—Club

Wed, 02 Oct 2024 07:00:00 GMT

With all the Diddy news coming out, it's time to revisit this episode where Rachelle is joined by Nadira Goffe to dive into the firestorm engulfing two 2024 interviews on Shannon Sharpe’s delightfully dishy podcast Club Shay Shay. Katt Williams and Mo’Nique sat down with Sharpe in separate three-hour-long interviews that have set the internet ablaze. Both of the legendary comedians dished about their long-standing beefs with figures such as Ludacris, Oprah, Tyler Perry, Cedric the Entertainer, Kevin Hart, D.L. Hughley, Tiffany Haddish and (somehow!) more. Accusations of Illuminati memberships fly. Cognac is sipped. And a new gossipmonger is born.

This episode was produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Daisy Rosario, Candice Lim and Rachelle Hampton.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Culture Gabfest - Demi Moore Gives Substance to The Substance

Wed, 02 Oct 2024 04:00:00 GMT

On this week’s show, the hosts are joined by a very special fourth panelist: Wesley Morris, a critic at The New York Times and the host of The Wonder of Stevie, a new podcast on Audible. First, the quartet explores The Substance, a lurid, monstrous body horror flick by writer-director Coralie Fargeat. Demi Moore stars as Elisabeth Sparkle, a fading Hollywood icon who is so repulsed by the idea of aging, that she purchase a black-market drug known as “the substance.”‌ The film caused a commotion at Cannes this year, where audience members reportedly walked out in disgust and the remaining crowd gave it a 13-minute standing ovation. Then, the panel dives into The Wonder of Stevie with its host. The new six-part Audible series explores the career of Stevie Wonder and “uncovers the untold story of an extraordinary artistic journey that shaped the greatest creative era in popular music history.”‌ On the show, Wesley is joined by guests including Barack and Michelle Obama, Questlove, Smokey Robinson, and more. Finally, the hosts discuss A.I. slop and the onslaught of online garbage and language model detritus. This conversation was inspired by Max Read’s piece for New York Magazine, “Drowning in Slop.”‌

In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Wesley Morris sticks around for a classic Slate spoiler special, and joins the hosts in dissecting The Substance and the film’s controversial, bloody, and borderline nauseating third act.

Email us at culturefest@slate.com.

Endorsements:

Dana: Stevie Wonder and Gilbert Gil performing live in Brazil in 1995.

Julia:‌ Today on Trail, Rusty Foster’s spin-off newsletter miniseries about hiking the Appalachian Trail with his son.

Stephen:‌ British singer-songwriter Nilüfer Yanya’s album, My Method Actor.

Wesley: Vote for your favorite songs of the past 25 years, and add to WXPN radio’s definitive list of the “885 Greatest Songs of the 21st Century.”‌

Podcast production by Jared Downing. Production assistance by Kat Hong.

Disclosure: A Bond Account is a self-directed brokerage account with Public Investing, member FINRA/SIPC. Deposits into this account are used to purchase 10 investment-grade and high-yield bonds. As of 9/26/24, the average, annualized yield to worst (YTW) across the Bond Account is greater than 6%. A bond’s yield is a function of its market price, which can fluctuate; therefore, a bond’s YTW is not “locked in” until the bond is purchased, and your yield at time of purchase may be different from the yield shown here. The “locked in” YTW is not guaranteed; you may receive less than the YTW of the bonds in the Bond Account if you sell any of the bonds before maturity or if the issuer defaults on the bond. Public Investing charges a markup on each bond trade. See our Fee Schedule. Bond Accounts are not recommendations of individual bonds or default allocations. The bonds in the Bond Account have not been selected based on your needs or risk profile. See https://public.com/disclosures/bond-account to learn more.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Death, Sex & Money - My Secret Life as a Hoarder

Tue, 01 Oct 2024 07:00:00 GMT

Elizabeth* has a secret life as a hoarder. None of her colleagues or family members know that her apartment is filled to the brim with garbage bags, discarded hobbies and beautiful writing paper. Instead, she hosts an anonymous podcast detailing her struggles and efforts to declutter. In this episode, she talks to Anna about her complicated relationship with objects, how it relates to money anxiety and sexual identity, and how she’s trying to be more honest with people in her life.

* Elizabeth is a pseudonym. Her podcast is called, That Hoarder: Overcome Compulsive Hoarding.

Also this week, a listener asked for recommendations on how to rekindle old friendships. Have thoughts? Send them to deathsexmoney@slate.com. Here are some links to episodes, and Slate advice, on friendship.

Podcast production by Zoe Azulay

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hang Up and Listen - It’s the Postseason. Almost.

Mon, 30 Sep 2024 23:30:00 GMT

Split Zone Duo’s Alex Kirshner, Power Plays’ Lindsay Gibbs, and the Ringer’s Ben Lindbergh get into playoff talk, first MLB and then the WNBA. Later, they talk about the seemingly impossible task of filling Nick Saban’s shoes at Alabama. On the bonus episode exclusively for Slate Plus members, they discuss the White Sox's historic implosion.

MLB (2:48): Which playoff team should Lindsay root for?

WNBA (21:16): Dijonai Carrington and the start of the playoffs

CFB (42:22): Kalen DeBoer keeps the Tide rolling

(Note: time codes are only accurate for Slate Plus members, who listen ad free.)

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - How ShxtsNGigs Let Their Audience Down

Sat, 28 Sep 2024 07:00:00 GMT

Candice Lim is joined by Slate culture writer Nadira Goffe to explain the controversy surrounding James Duncan and Fuhad Dawodu, the co-hosts of the ShxtsNGigs podcast. Back in July, James and Fuhad appeared on Flagrant, a podcast hosted by comedian Andrew Schulz. Upon the episode’s release, James and Fuhad’s listeners reacted strongly to comments made by, and in front of, the duo that disparaged Black women, who make up a sizable portion of their listenership. On today’s episode, we explain how the duo got into this mess and why it has become a breaking point for their fans, who might not be fans anymore.

This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Daisy Rosario and Candice Lim.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hit Parade | Music History and Music Trivia - What’s 1984 Got to Do with It Edition Part 2

Fri, 27 Sep 2024 07:00:00 GMT

A decade ago, Rolling Stone magazine called 1984 “Pop’s Greatest Year.” A bold statement…but a lot of critics agree. A confluence of factors—the comeback of dance music, the peak of MTV, the Second British Invasion, and the emergence of metal and hip-hop—made the radio a great place to be.

It was a year of fearless genre crossover…cinematic hits…veterans reinventing themselves…ballads that became standards…a newcomer named Madonna…and a movie star who called himself The Kid and made doves cry.

Join Chris Molanphy as he dissects eight reasons why 1984 was awesome for pop fans and walks through all 20 of the year’s No. 1 hits: from “Jump” to “Hello,” “Karma Chameleon” to “Caribbean Queen,” “Let’s Go Crazy” to “Like a Virgin.” This is what it sounds like when pop’s fly.

Podcast production by Kevin Bendis.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Culture Gabfest - Colin Farrell Quacks Like a Penguin

Wed, 25 Sep 2024 07:00:00 GMT

On this week’s show, two of our favorite Slate-sters, Nadira Goffe (culture writer)‌ and Dan Kois (author of Hampton Heights), fill in for Dana Stevens and Stephen Metcalf. The trio first pays a visit to Gotham, and reviews Max’s The Penguin, an odd, unevenly paced mob show that doubles as DC Comics intellectual property. Sporting a prosthetic face, Colin Farrell reprises his role as the titular character (also known as Oz Cobb) and adds a new layer of humanity to the villainous Penguin. Then, the three discuss Sundance darling My Old Ass, a charming coming-of-age film by writer-director Megan Park, in which teenage Elliot (played by Maisy Stella) meets her future self (Aubrey Plaza) while tripping on shrooms. Finally, the panel tackles Am I The Asshole?‌‌ and explores the classic Reddit forum’s many pleasures.

Mentioned in this episode:‌

Colin Farrell’s Long Waddle to The Penguin (Isaac Butler, Slate.)

In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, the panel discusses Robert Caro’s The Power Broker with staff writer Henry Grabar, who in his essay, “Read Another Book,” offers a counterpoint to the weighty tome: maybe it’s OK to skip this one.

Email us at culturefest@slate.com.

Endorsements:

Nadira: Sean Wang’s film Dìdi; a playlist of metaphorically violent songs, inspired by Charli XCX’s “Sympathy is a Knife.”‌ (Also, if anyone has any intel on “Life Is a Death Wish”‌ or Golden Age Ensemble, please reach out!)

Dan:‌ Thank Goodness, an extremely funny video game.‌ Available on most gaming platforms. (He also strongly recommends watching this video about the game’s developers!)

Julia:‌‌ ColorKu, a vibrant and beautiful puzzle game.

Podcast production by Jared Downing. Production assistance by Kat Hong.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - Moo Deng Is The New Grumpy Cat

Wed, 25 Sep 2024 07:00:00 GMT

Candice Lim is joined by WUNC’s Anisa Khalifa (The Broadside) and Dr. Jess Maddox (The Internet Is for Cats) to discuss the biggest animal phenomenon of the year: Moo Deng. For the past few months, our timelines have been flooded with memes of a pygmy hippo in Thailand whose TikTok fame has created international fame, a 24/7 livestream, and increased visitor numbers for her zoo. But what does the internet’s fascination with Moo Deng say about the fate of viral animal celebrities and the sociological consequences of animal fame?

This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Daisy Rosario and Candice Lim.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Decoder Ring - Calling Dick Tracy! It’s Warren Beatty Again

Wed, 25 Sep 2024 07:00:00 GMT

Oscar-winner Warren Beatty first secured the rights to the comic book character Dick Tracy in the lead up to his 1990 movie adaptation. Decades later, Beatty kept playing Tracy in bizarre late-night specials airing on cable TV, that confounded nearly everyone. Why is one of the most famous movie stars of the 20th century, spending the twilight of his career playing a comic strip detective of dwindling renown? In this episode, we investigate: What’s going on between Warren Beatty and Dick Tracy?

This episode was written by Willa Paskin. It was edited by Lacy Roberts and Evan Chung. It was produced by Sofie Kodner. Decoder Ring is produced by Willa Paskin, Evan Chung, Katie Shepherd and Max Freedman. Derek John is Executive Producer. Merritt Jacob is Senior Technical Director.

In this episode, you’ll hear from author and artist Ryan Estrada, journalist Kim Masters, comic book store owner Matt Live, and media lawyer Celia Muller.

If you have any cultural mysteries you want us to decode, email us at DecoderRing@slate.com

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Death, Sex & Money - Bob the Drag Queen says Polyamory is Expensive

Tue, 24 Sep 2024 07:00:00 GMT

If you lived in Columbus, Georgia in the 90s, you might remember a queer club called Sensations. But Bob the Drag Queen knew Sensations by day, not night – she was in elementary school when her mom owned the place. Bob eventually moved to New York City, and now, she’s an international stand-up comedian and drag star.

In this episode, Bob talks to Anna about turning her big ideas into iconic side hustles, trying to move her family into a bigger home, and supporting and collaborating with queer and trans people in small U.S. towns as a co-host of the HBO reality show Elsewhere.

Podcast production by Afi Yellow-Duke and Lilly Clark in 2021.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hang Up and Listen - Shohei Ohtani and the Greatest Game Ever Played

Mon, 23 Sep 2024 23:30:00 GMT

Split Zone Duo’s Alex Kirshner, Power Plays’ Lindsay Gibbs, and the Ringer’s Ben Lindbergh discuss Shohei’s record-breaking season, Adrian Wojnarowski’s retirement, and the waning passing abilities of NFL quarterbacks. In the bonus episode exclusively for Slate Plus members, the hosts examine whether the SAFE Bet Act could actually rein in sports betting.

Woj (3:09): What comes next for sports scoop culture in a post-Woj world?

Ohtani (24:43): The first man to reach the 50/50 club.

NFL (42:57): The League’s passing offenses are not doing well.

(Note: time codes are only accurate for Slate Plus members, who listen ad free.)

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - “Celebrity Number Six” Was Found, But Not Forgotten

Sat, 21 Sep 2024 06:00:00 GMT

Candice Lim is joined by 404 Media co-founder Jason Koebler to discuss “Celebrity Number Six,” an intriguing internet mystery that was finally solved after four years. In January 2020, a Reddit user posted a plea on no fewer than 13 different subreddits asking for help identifying a collage of celebrity faces on his curtain. Some faces were quickly identified, such as Adriana Lima, Jessica Alba, Orlando Bloom, but one face remained nameless and unidentifiable — until now. On today’s episode, ICYMI explores the four years it took to find “Celebrity Number Six” and how everything changed on September 8.

This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Daisy Rosario and Candice Lim with production assistance by Alyssa Jeong Perry.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Culture Gabfest - Rebel Ridge’s Violent Ode to Non-Violence

Wed, 18 Sep 2024 07:00:00 GMT

On this week’s show, the hosts begin by reviewing one of Netflix’s hottest movies at the moment, Rebel Ridge. Written and directed by Jeremy Saulnier, Rebel Ridge is a revenge thriller that tackles the very real issue of civil asset forfeiture. And while the film’s cleverness is up for debate, the panel agrees on one thing: the star of Rebel Ridge, Aaron Pierre, is fantastic (“each of his eyes deserves a special Oscar nod,”‌ describes Steve.)‌ Then, the trio explores His Three Daughters, a tear-jerking death-watch drama that follows three estranged sisters trapped in a claustrophobic New York City apartment. The film is written and directed by Azazel Jacobs and stars Natasha Lyonne, Elizabeth Olsen, and Carrie Coon. Finally, musician and Friend of the Pod Franz Nicolay joins to discuss his new book, Band People:‌ Life and Work in Popular Music.

In the exclusive Slate Plus bonus episode, the panel is joined by Slate staff writer Nitish Pahwa to discuss the fate of the Internet Archive and controlled digital lending.

Email us at culturefest@slate.com.

Endorsements:

Dana: Inspired by today’s Plus conversation, Dana endorses the Media History Digital Library, “a conservation and access project for historical printed materials related to cinema, broadcasting and recorded sound,” hosted on the Internet Archive.

Julia:‌‌ An actually good protein bar:‌ Papa Steve’s No Junk Protein Bar.

Steve:‌ Colm Tóibín’s essay on James Baldwin for The New York Review, “The Pitch of Passion.”

Podcast production by Jared Downing. Production assistance by Kat Hong.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - Shannon Sharpe, Henry Danger, and Crashing Out

Wed, 18 Sep 2024 07:00:00 GMT

Candice Lim is joined by Slate culture writer Nadira Goffe to play a game of High Speed Downloads, where they get 60 seconds to break down an internet story they’re obsessed with. From the sudden memeification of a decade-old Nickelodeon show to everything that’s going on with Shannon Sharpe, they also explain what happened between Ice Spice and her opening act-turned-former best friend.

This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Daisy Rosario and Candice Lim.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Death, Sex & Money - Martha Wainwright on Post-Divorce Confidence and ‘Folk Tits’

Tue, 17 Sep 2024 07:00:00 GMT

Martha Wainwright was born into a world of music and folk fame, with songwriter parents Loudon Wainwright III and Kate McGarrigle and brother Rufus. In this episode, Martha opens up about love and jealousy, the profound impact of losing her mother to cancer, and how she discovered new sexiness following her divorce.

Martha Wainwright’s memoir is called Stories I Might Regret Telling You. You can listen to a playlist of songs featured in the episode on Apple Music or Spotify.

Podcast production by Andrew Dunn

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hang Up and Listen - The U.S. Wins Solheim!

Mon, 16 Sep 2024 23:40:00 GMT

Split Zone Duo’s Alex Kirshner, Power Plays’ Lindsay Gibbs, and the Ringer’s Ben Lindbergh reunite to talk about the U.S. women’s first victory at the Solheim Cup in eight years. They also discuss the Oakland Athletics’ move to Sacramento, and Tua Tagovailoa’s latest frightening concussion. On the bonus episode, Slate Plus members can hear chat about A’ja Wilson’s historic WNBA season.

LPGA (2:12): The U.S. beats Europe at the Solheim Cup.

Oakland A’s (28:07): The Athletics are on to Sacramento, but then where?

Tua Tagovailoa (46:20): The Dolphins quarterback's head injury and future.

(Note: time codes are only accurate for Slate Plus members, who listen ad free.)

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - The Costco Guys Bring the Boom

Sat, 14 Sep 2024 07:00:00 GMT

Candice Lim is joined by culture reporter Ej Dickson to break down her Rolling Stone profile of A.J. and Eric “Big Justice” Defumo, better known as the “Costco Guys.” In January 2024, A.J. was a former pro wrestler-turned-mortgage lender who wasn’t finding much traction on TikTok, until his son Eric joined him for a trip to Costco. That laid the groundwork for the duo’s biggest video to date, which combined their love for the warehouse chain and Tiktok’s fascination with the chicken bake institution. With more than 53 million views, the family business is only expanding with influencer touchstones such as toothbrush sponcon, a cast of characters, and a hit song.

This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Daisy Rosario and Candice Lim.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hit Parade | Music History and Music Trivia - What’s 1984 Got to Do with It Edition Part 1

Sat, 14 Sep 2024 03:30:00 GMT

A decade ago, Rolling Stone magazine called 1984 “Pop’s Greatest Year.” A bold statement…but a lot of critics agree. A confluence of factors—the comeback of dance music, the peak of MTV, the Second British Invasion and the emergence of metal and hip-hop—made the radio a great place to be.

Podcast production by Kevin Bendis.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Culture Gabfest - Beetlejuice Beetlejuice Revives Tim Burton

Wed, 11 Sep 2024 07:08:00 GMT

On this week’s show, the hosts revisit Beetlejuice (1988), the seminal film that marked Tim Burton’s arrival onto the scene as a sort of grim fairy tale teller. 36 years later, the director and much of the original cast return for its sequel, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, a surprisingly sincere tale about the nature of death and grieving. Or, is it a total mess?‌‌ The hosts discuss. Then, the three dive into English Teacher,‌‌ a hilarious new FX‌ series in which Brian Jordan Alvarez (previously known for online comedies like The Gay and Wondrous Life of Caleb Gallo)‌ plays Evan Marquez, a high school English teacher in Austin, Texas. Finally, chat podcasts (like the one you’re listening to right now)‌ are like dating and improv – to work, they necessitate a certain level of chemistry, intimacy, and vulnerability. The hosts are joined by New York Times culture critic Reggie Ugwu to discuss his recent piece, “What Makes Good Chemistry?‌ For Chat Podcasts, It’s Fundamental,”‌ as well as the Gabfest’s early days, the hosts first impressions of one another, and how they went about building their own unique rapport.

In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Julia joins last week’s productivity discourse and widens its scope, and the hosts discuss the nature of “hacking life” and how our relationship to productivity reflects current American ideals.

Email us at culturefest@slate.com.

Endorsements:

Dana:‌ A‌ spice shop that’s been in the news:‌ Penzeys Spices, in Pittsburgh. Check out Helen Rosner’s 2018 piece on the shop for The New Yorker, as well as Penzey’s sweet and spicy Cake Spice.

Steve: Howard’s End, a novel by E.M. Forster.

Julia: A‌ two-parter:‌ (1) The single best piece of criticism about Avatar:‌ The Way of Water, performed by English Teacher cast member Jordan Firstman (it’s the second slide in the Instagram reel).

(2)‌ Season 8, episode 5 of Frasier entitled ‌“Taking Liberties.”‌ Victor Garber is a hilarious guest star – this is Frasier at his best.

Podcast production by Jared Downing. Production assistance by Kat Hong.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - We May Have A New Bad Art Friend

Wed, 11 Sep 2024 07:00:00 GMT

Candice Lim is joined by Slate culture writer Nadira Goffe to break down the BookTok drama surrounding Old Enough by Haley Jakobson. Last year, Old Enough hit the shelves as a queer, coming-of-age novel about a sophomore in college named Sav and her ex-best friend, Izzie. A year later, a guest of Lucie Fink’s podcast The Real Stuff claimed she was allegedly the basis for Izzie and that her childhood was “plagarized” for the novel — from her experience with sexual assault to sensitive details about her family. On today’s episode, ICYMI asks how this BookTok drama became the “Bad Art Friend” of 2024 and where the lines should be drawn when it comes to using the trauma of others to sell a book.

This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Daisy Rosario and Candice Lim.

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Decoder Ring - If You Give a Mouse a Cookie… Will He Want a Welfare Check?

Wed, 11 Sep 2024 07:00:00 GMT

Adults have a long history of trying to find morals and lessons in children’s literature. But what happens when a seemingly innocent book about a boy and a hungry mouse becomes fodder for the culture wars? Over the last decade, Laura Joffe Numeroff’s If You Give a Mouse a Cookie has been adopted by some on the right as a cautionary tale about government welfare. In this episode, we explore the origins of If You Give a Mouse a Cookie, the history of adults extracting unintended meaning from children’s books, and try to figure out how this particular kid’s book became a Republican battle cry.

This episode was written by Cheyna Roth. It was edited by Katie Shepherd and Evan Chung. It was produced by Sofie Kodner. Decoder Ring is produced by Willa Paskin, Evan Chung, Katie Shepherd and Max Freedman. Derek John is Executive Producer. Merritt Jacob is Senior Technical Director.

In this episode, you’ll hear from author Laura Numeroff, book critic Bruce Handy, economist Rebecca Christie and former journalist Max Ehrenfreund.

If you have any cultural mysteries you want us to decode, email us at DecoderRing@slate.com

If you haven’t please yet, subscribe and rate our feed in Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. And even better, tell your friends.

If you’re a fan of the show, we’d love for you to sign up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get to listen to Decoder Ring and every other Slate podcast without any ads. You also get unlimited access to Slate’s website. Member support is crucial to our work. So please go to slate.com/decoderplus to join Slate Plus today.

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Death, Sex & Money - One Man’s Meticulous Quest to Cure Grief

Tue, 10 Sep 2024 07:00:00 GMT

After Cody Delistraty’s mom died in his early 20s he decided to turn his grief into a research project with one central question: can grief be cured? In this episode, he talks to Anna about all of the various remedies he tried, what worked, and what lessons he learned along the way.

Cody’s book is called The Grief Cure: Looking For the End of Loss

Looking for more episodes on grief and longing? Here are some from our archive:

Podcast production by Andrew Dunn.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hang Up and Listen - The NFL's Nine-Figure Quarterback Crisis

Mon, 09 Sep 2024 23:00:00 GMT

Slate contributing writer and co-host of the podcast Split Zone Duo, Alex Kirshner is back in the host chair this week. Joining Alex is the founder of the Power Plays newsletter, Lindsay Gibbs, and Yahoo Sports’ Charles McDonald. The panel comb through NFL Week 1, the American near victories at the US Open, and Angel Reese’s season-ending injury. In the Bonus episode, Slate Plus members can hear a discussion about Deion Sanders' disappointing Buffaloes.

NFL (3:13): The big budgets and big gambles on the current crop of QBs

US Open (23:02): The American Grand Slam drought continues.

WNBA (40:21): Angel Reese’s rookie season is cut short.

(Note: time codes are only accurate for Slate Plus members, who listen ad free.)

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ICYMI - Land Ho: Our Top Moments from the Ultimate World Cruise

Sat, 07 Sep 2024 07:00:00 GMT

Candice Lim is joined by Wailin Wong, the co-host of NPR’s The Indicator from Planet Money. Back in January, ICYMI explained everything you needed to know about Royal Caribbean’s Ultimate World Cruise — a nine-month trip that TikTokkers on land and sea couldn’t stop talking about. Today, we’re checking in with our favorite boat that’s finally coming home, dispatching everything from geopolitical crises to engagements, and passengers who didn’t get back on board.

This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Daisy Rosario and Candice Lim.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Culture Gabfest - Jeff Goldblum Lords Over KAOS

Wed, 04 Sep 2024 07:08:00 GMT

On this week’s show, Slate’s books and culture columnist, Laura Miller, sits in for Julia. The panel begins with KAOS, Netflix’s new series that reimagines Greek mythology in modern times. Created by Charlie Covell (End of the F***ing World), KAOS stars Jeff Goldblum as Zeus, alongside a host of excellently cast deities. But is the show too self-satisfied and high off its own supply?‌ The three investigate. Then, they dive into Close Your Eyes, a Spanish film made by Victor Erice (The Spirit of the Beehive)‌. After 30 years away from the medium, the filmmaker returns with a beautiful meditation on the nature of art and identity. Finally, the hosts contemplate Spotify: is the streaming service a glorious cornucopia or the algorithm that ate your music?‌ This conversation is inspired by this essay by Tiffany Ng for the MIT‌ Technology Review:‌ “How to break free of Spotify’s algorithm.”‌

In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, the panel hacks productivity, inspired by a recent episode of Vergecast, “What’s in a productivity system?”

Email us at culturefest@slate.com.

Endorsements:

Dana: Motivated by Choire Sicha’s review for The Strategist, Dana’s endorsement this week is a goofy desk timer:‌ the mooas Dodecagon Time Ball Mini Timer.

Laura:‌ Entitlement by Rumaan Alam, a novel that’s to be published soon.

Steve:‌ “Never Going Back Again,”‌ a song off of Fleetwood Mac’s Rumours album, performed by Lindsey Buckingham. Steve’s currently learning to play it on the guitar, which gave him a newfound appreciation of the song itself. Make sure to check out Buckingham’s performance at USC.

Podcast production by Jared Downing. Production assistance by Kat Hong.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - The Internet History of Charli XCX

Wed, 04 Sep 2024 07:00:00 GMT

Candice Lim is joined by Rolling Stone writer CT Jones and Switched on Pop producer Reanna Cruz to hold a retrospective on the internet history of Charli XCX, the founder of brat summer and a decades-long digital icon. They’re going all the way back to 2012, when a girl from Essex named Charlotte Aitchison hit the main stage with “I Love It.” They’ll dissect their first Charli XCX memories, the 2016 song that changed Charli’s entire internet career, and how her pandemic album-documentary led up to this moment, asking: Was it Charli’s Angels or Charli’s destiny?

This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Daisy Rosario and Candice Lim.

Want more ICYMI? Subscribe to Slate Plus to unlock weekly bonus episodes. Plus, you’ll access ad-free listening across all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe now on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of the ICYMI show page. Or, visit slate.com/icymiplus to get access wherever you listen.

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Death, Sex & Money - The Weight of Love

Tue, 03 Sep 2024 07:00:00 GMT

Your stories about how navigating weight and body size inside a relationship has sometimes made your partnerships stronger…and sometimes broken them apart.

Since we originally recorded this episode in 2021, the way we talk about weight loss has changed with drugs like Ozempic. We want to hear more of your stories about weight and love especially if you’ve taken new weight loss medications. How has the experience impacted your close relationships? Record a voice memo or write us an email and send it to us at deathsexmoney@slate.com.

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ICYMI - Skibidi Toilet Is An iPad Kid’s Fever Dream

Sat, 31 Aug 2024 07:00:00 GMT

Candice Lim is joined by Zakiya Gibbons, the host and creator of the reality dating podcast Hang Up. On today’s episode, they explain YouTube’s biggest phenomenon of the past year — Skibidi Toilet. The animated, dystopian web series was created by Alexey Gerasimov, whose toilets have broken the internet and wracked up more than 43.5 million subscribers. Skibidi Toilet’s biggest fans seem to be Gen Alpha, who are congregating around a meme that Gen-Z can’t fully get behind. Therefore, does Skibidi Toilet mark the first internet war between our two youngest generations?

This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Daisy Rosario and Candice Lim.

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Hit Parade | Music History and Music Trivia - Building a Herstory Edition Part 2

Fri, 30 Aug 2024 06:00:00 GMT

For decades—literally since Woodstock—female musicians had battled music-industry perceptions that amassing too many of them, on the radio or on the road, was bad for business. And yet, by the ’90s, women were vital to the rise of alt-rock and hip-hop on the charts: from Suzanne Vega to Queen Latifah, Tracy Chapman to Sheryl Crow, Natalie Merchant to Missy Elliott.

Sarah McLachlan harnessed this energy into an all-woman tour she dubbed Lilith Fair. Its string of sellouts from 1997 to ’99 affirmed women’s clout in the decade of grunge-and-gangsta. But the festival was also criticized for its narrow focus and for branding “women’s music” as a genre. More than two decades later, Hit Parade assesses the legacy of Lilith on the charts and on the road—how its performers, attendees and musical descendants are helping to ensure the future is female.

Podcast production by Benjamin Frisch and Kevin Bendis.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Culture Gabfest - Vince Vaughn is Back in Bad Monkey

Wed, 28 Aug 2024 07:09:00 GMT

On this week’s show, the hosts begin by reviewing Bad Monkey, a breezy new crime drama on Apple TV+ starring Vince Vaughn as a former police officer turned health inspector. It’s everything a summer show should be: laid-back, easy on the eyes, and set in warm, sunny Florida. Then, speaking of returns, the panel turns back the clock and tackles Homicide:‌ Life on the Street, a groundbreaking cop show that debuted in 1993 and is now available to stream on Peacock. Finally, the trio considers A.I. in the arts, inspired by Curtis Sittenfeld’s guest essay for The New York Times:‌ “An Experiment in Lust, Regret and Kissing.”‌

In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, the panel discusses the experience of dropping your children off at college.

Email us at culturefest@slate.com.

Endorsements:

Dana: Close Your Eyes, a film written and directed by Victor Erice.

Julia: Romantic Comedy by Curtis Sittenfeld.

Steve: The entire state of California.

Podcast production by Jared Downing. Production assistance by Kat Hong.

Hosts

Dana Stephens, Julia Turner, Stephen Metcalf

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - The Internet History of Kamala Harris

Wed, 28 Aug 2024 07:00:00 GMT

Candice Lim is joined by Slate culture writer Nadira Goffe and former host of Vox’s The Weeds Jonquilyn Hill. Vice President Kamala Harris has been a public servant for more than 20 years, but her internet history is just as storied and rife with awkward singing, baffling laughter, and accidental viral hits. From coconut trees to Venn diagrams, ICYMI dives into Harris’ relationship with the internet, the K-Hive, and her hall of fame memes.

This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Daisy Rosario and Candice Lim.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Decoder Ring - Chuck E. Cheese Pizza War (Encore)

Wed, 28 Aug 2024 07:00:00 GMT

In the late 1970s, a new and unusual concept for a restaurant chain emerged in California—video games plus bad pizza plus animatronic characters. The result was Chuck E. Cheese’s Pizza Time Theatre, an immensely popular chain with a pizza rat for a mascot. But the strangeness only starts there. Decoder Ring dives into the formation of Chuck E. Cheese’s and its rival, ShowBiz Pizza Place; the conflict between the two; and the odd personalities of the mechanical animatronics that inhabited both stores and are still beloved by a select group of adults to this very day.

This podcast was written by Willa Paskin and was produced and edited by Benjamin Frisch, who also did illustrations for this episode. Cleo Levin was our research assistant.

Decoder Ring is produced by Katie Shepherd, Max Freedman, and Evan Chung, with help from Sofie Kodner. Derek John is executive producer. Merritt Jacob is our senior technical director.

If you haven’t yet, please subscribe and rate our feed in Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. And even better, tell your friends.

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Death, Sex & Money - Two Friends, at 35 and 95, Confront Loss and Find Hope

Tue, 27 Aug 2024 07:00:00 GMT

Climate activists Jess Serrante and Joanna Macy are 60 years apart. They’re also close friends who’ve been sharing stories and commiserating about the state of the world for the past 10 years. When Jess experienced a crisis and started questioning whether her activism was really effective, Joanna provided a framework that changed everything.

In this episode, Anna talks to Jess about what she’s learned from Joanna about aging, activism, and managing the emotional ups and downs of caring about the world.

You can listen to Jess and Joanna’s podcast, We Are the Great Turning, here or wherever you listen to podcasts. Artist Autumn Leiker is mentioned in the episode, and you can learn more about her work here.

Podcast production by Cameron Drews.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hang Up and Listen - Football’s Private Equity Hail Mary

Mon, 26 Aug 2024 23:35:00 GMT

Slate contributing writer and co-host of the podcast Split Zone Duo, Alex Kirshner hosts this week’s Hang Up and Listen. Alex is joined by The Ringer’s Ben Lindbergh and founder of the Power Plays newsletter, Lindsay Gibbs for a discussion of private equity in the NFL and college football. Later, they break down the National Women’s Soccer League and the NWSL Players Association's new collective bargaining agreement. Plus, Joey Votto’s retirement and the decline of power players at first base in the MLB.

Football (2:25): Private equity invests in the NFL and CFB.

NWSL (22:55): The National Women’s Soccer League strikes a deal with the Players Association.

Baseball (43:27): Has the time of dominant first basemen and juggernaut teams evaporated?

(Note: time codes are only accurate for Slate Plus members, who listen ad free.)

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ICYMI - Is Ballerina Farm A Victim?

Sat, 24 Aug 2024 07:00:00 GMT

Candice Lim is joined by internet culture reporter and Embedded writer Kate Lindsay to explain Hannah Neeleman, better known as Ballerina Farm — the Mormon, Julliard-trained dancer who married a JetBlue nepo baby and became one of this year’s most intriguing, yet controversial influencers. They’ll check in on the state of tradwives, trace how Neeleman got here, and ask whether Ballerina Farm is a victim or a victor.

This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Daisy Rosario and Candice Lim.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Culture Gabfest - Will Industry Succeed Succession?

Wed, 21 Aug 2024 07:00:00 GMT

On this week’s show, Rebecca Onion and Jenny Zhang fill in for Stephen. First, the panel tackles HBO’s Industry. The show is in its third season and has seen a huge increase in viewership. But is it a show worth of the coveted Sunday night timeslot? Then, they explore Alien: Romulus, a new addition to Xenomorph lore, with a controversial cameo. Finally, the panel talks about Sephora, beauty culture and tweens in a conversation inspired by Jia Tolentino’s new essay What Tweens Get from Sephora and What They Get From Us.

On this week’s exclusive Slate Plus bonus episode, the panel talks about watching horror movies as a critic.

Email us at culturefest@slate.com.

Endorsements:

REBECCA: Two endorsements: First, Health and Safety: A Breakdown by Emily Witt. This memoir from a New Yorker writer is a fascinating look at “changing perceptions of life.” Second, pistachio milk. It’s tasty.

JULIA: This week’s Hang Up and Listen marks the end of an era. “What a gift this show has been.”

DANA: The Review of Beauty, a substack from Jessica Delfino. Dana knows she may have endorsed it in the past, but given the third topic this week it is too fitting to not mention it again.

Podcast production by Jared Downing. Production assistance by Kat Hong.

Hosts

Dana Stevens, Julia Turner, Rebecca Onion, Jenny Zhang

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - Allison Raskin on Leaving Buzzfeed and Friendship Breakups

Wed, 21 Aug 2024 07:00:00 GMT

Candice Lim is joined by writer, podcaster and YouTuber Allison Raskin, whose new book I Do (I Think) about Gen-Z and millennial marriages comes out October 15th. On today’s episode, Raskin takes us through her internet diaries which include the Substack app and her favorite internet conspiracy theories. But first, Raskin talks about her good (and bad) memories of working at Buzzfeed in its heyday, and the highs and lows of her most public friendship online.

This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Daisy Rosario and Candice Lim.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Death, Sex & Money - Life and Death Inside the Playboy Mansion

Tue, 20 Aug 2024 07:00:00 GMT

Crystal met Hugh Hefner when she was 21 and he was 81. They spent 10 years together at the Playboy mansion before he died and she became a widow. In this episode she reflects on their marriage, and how she’s changed since.

Crystal Hefner’s memoir is called Only Say Good Things: Surviving Playboy and Finding Myself.

Podcast production by Zoe Azulay

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hang Up and Listen - 15 Years of Hang Up and Listen

Tue, 20 Aug 2024 00:10:00 GMT

Stefan Fatsis and Josh Levin reflect on hosting Slate’s sports podcast, which debuted in July 2009.

Retrospective (6:51): How the show attempted to be an antidote to traditional sports talk radio.

Old Afterballs (30:55): Josh on a 1934 battle between a scorpion and a spider. Stefan with an update to “Proud to Be an Astro” from Ball Four.

New Afterballs (51:17): Josh on listener comments after the first episode of Hang Up and Listen. Stefan on a decade and a half of Afterballs.

(Note: time codes are only accurate for Slate Plus members, who listen ad free.)

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ICYMI - Unladylike’s Cristen Conger on Conspiracy Theories and White Women

Sat, 17 Aug 2024 07:00:00 GMT

Candice Lim is joined by Unladylike’s Cristen Conger, whose new podcast Conspiracy, She Wrote unravels women’s overlooked roles in today’s conspiracy culture. On today’s episode, they’re diving into Conger’s internet diaries, from her golden rules for engaging online to the conspiracy theory she secretly believes in.

This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Daisy Rosario and Candice Lim.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Decoder Ring - The Hysteria Over Mass Hysteria

Wed, 14 Aug 2024 07:00:00 GMT

“Hysteria” is an ancient word carrying thousands of years of baggage. Though the terminology has changed, hysteria has not gone away, and in its most baffling instances it can even be contagious. The idea of a mass psychogenic illness can be hard to wrap your head around. A group of people begins experiencing physical symptoms, because of something that started in one of their minds? In today’s episode Dan Taberski, the host of Hysterical, a new podcast about mass hysteria, walks us through the past and present of this phenomenon, why it’s so stigmatized, and why it shouldn’t be.

This episode was written by Evan Chung and Willa Paskin and produced by Evan. We produce Decoder Ring with Katie Shepherd and Max Freedman and with help from Sofie Kodner. Derek John is Executive Producer. Merritt Jacob is Senior Technical Director. Special thanks to Marialexa Kavanaugh and Alexandra Anderson.

If you haven’t please yet, subscribe and rate our feed in Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. And even better, tell your friends.

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ICYMI - Justin Baldoni Is Not Very Demure

Wed, 14 Aug 2024 07:00:00 GMT

Candice Lim is joined by Slate culture writer Nadira Goffe to play High Speed Downloads. On today’s episode, they’ll have exactly one minute to explain some of their favorite internet stories of late, including the mess surrounding It Ends With Us, why a Team USA gymnast has been asked to return her bronze medal, and what it means to be “very demure.”

This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Daisy Rosario and Candice Lim.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Culture Gabfest - Blake Lively Brings Melodrama Back

Wed, 14 Aug 2024 07:00:00 GMT

On this week’s show, June Thomas (author of A Place of Our Own: Six Spaces That Shaped Queer Women’s Culture) and Dan Kois (author of Hampton Heights) fill in for Dana and Stephen. First, the panel tackles It Ends With Us starring Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni (the latter also directed and produced the film.) It’s a big, glossy melodrama laced with a domestic violence plot, and is the first film adaptation of BookTok star author Colleen Hoover. Then, the three explore Time Bandits, a new television show from Jermaine Clement, Iain Morris, and Taika Watiti starring, among others, a sublime Lisa Kudrow. The Apple TV+ series is based on Terry Gilliam’s 1981 film of the same name and follows a ragtag bunch of bandits as they thieve and travel through time. Finally, in light of its 20-year anniversary, the trio considers Yelp – does the crowd-sourcing review platform still hold power in 2024? This conversation was inspired by Jaya Saxena’s Eater piece, “Everybody Gets a Star.”

On this week’s exclusive Slate Plus bonus episode, the panel goes on the hunt for the wonderful, elusive “perfect cracker.”

Email us at culturefest@slate.com.

Endorsements:

JUNE: A very well-reviewed book from two years ago: Katheine Rundell’s Super-Infinite: The Transformations of John Donne.

DAN: The Ministry for the Future: A Novel by Kim Stanley Robinson.

JULIA: First Class Tailors on Wilshire Blvd., which boasts a 4.7 Star rating on Yelp.

Podcast production by Jared Downing. Production assistance by Kat Hong.

Hosts

June Thomas, Dan Kois, Julia Turner

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Death, Sex & Money - Miranda July’s Perimenopausal Thriller

Tue, 13 Aug 2024 07:00:00 GMT

When Miranda July entered her early forties, she noticed a grim feeling emerge. “It wasn't coming from me,” she said, “I guess it came from this lack of imagery, or stories, or even just basic medical information about what was going to happen next with my body.” The dearth of information and near absence of cultural mythology about perimenopause and menopause became the catalyst for her novel All Fours, which came out in May and quickly became a New York Times bestseller.

In this episode, Miranda talks about the unease that inspired the book and speculates about what the future could look like if more people openly discussed this crucial chapter of life. We also hear from listeners who share their experiences with perimenopause and menopause.

The interview with Miranda was recorded live in San Francisco for City Arts & Lectures.

You can check out a great profile of Miranda, which is referenced in the episode, here:

https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2024/05/20/miranda-july-profile

Podcast production by Cameron Drews.

And if you’re new to the show, welcome. We’re so glad you’re here. Find us and follow us on Instagram, and you can find Anna’s newsletter at annasale.substack.com. Our new email address, where you can reach us with voice memos, pep talks, questions, or critiques, is deathsexmoney@slate.com.

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Hang Up and Listen - Au Revoir, Paris

Mon, 12 Aug 2024 22:30:00 GMT

Stefan Fatsis and Josh Levin discuss the Dream Team’s close calls on the road to gold, and the U.S. women’s basketball team’s narrow victory, too. They break down the quick overhaul of the U.S. women’s soccer team, which won its first gold medal since 2012. Finally, they assess whether the visually beautiful and athletically compelling Paris Games restored the Olympics’ luster.

Basketball (4:12): The U.S. men and women survived gold-medal scares from host France.

Soccer (19:25): The new-look U.S. women’s team topped Brazil for gold.

Olympics roundup (34:58): Did Paris help the Games regain their mojo?

(Note: time codes are only accurate for Slate Plus members, who listen ad free.)

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ICYMI - Should I Stop Sharing My Location? Why Do My Friends Act Wild In My Instagram Comments?

Sat, 10 Aug 2024 07:00:00 GMT

Candice Lim is joined by internet culture writer Steffi Cao, whose Substack recently started an advice column all about internet etiquette. On today’s episode, they’re answering reader questions such as: Should I report unhinged Facebook behavior? And should I get into political fights in the DMs?

This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Daisy Rosario and Candice Lim.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hit Parade | Music History and Music Trivia - Building a Herstory Edition Part 1

Sat, 10 Aug 2024 00:00:00 GMT

Podcast production by Benjamin Frisch and Kevin Bendis.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - Encore: Why YouTube Loves Video Essays

Wed, 07 Aug 2024 07:00:00 GMT

Today, we’re revisiting one of our favorite episodes from this January about longform video essays.

In this episode, Candice Lim is joined by Anisa Khalifa, a podcast producer and host of The Broadside from WUNC. They dissect the phenomenon surrounding video essays, which are not exactly new to YouTube, but finding a captivated audience in Gen-Z and millennial culture. From deep dives into The Hobbit to retellings of Greek mythology, the ability to analyze pop culture, cite sources and listen to spoken essays uninterrupted is creating the hunger for more longform content.

This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Daisy Rosario and Candice Lim.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Culture Gabfest - Culture Gabfest “Summer Strut 2024”

Wed, 07 Aug 2024 07:00:00 GMT

On this week’s show, it’s the return of a Cultfest favorite: The Annual Summer Strut Episode! As per tradition, the panel is joined by Slate’s pop music critic and chart analyst (and host of the podcast Hit Parade) Chris Molanphy to celebrate his tenth (!!) year of Summer Strutting —before the four dive into their favorite picks from this year’s massive playlist, populated with song recommendations from our lovely listeners.

You can find the panel’s collective favorites here, at the Summer Strut ‘24 Shortlist. In addition, Dana, Julia, and Stephen, have also published their personal best-of lists.

Brave listeners are welcome to explore the enormous original playlist here.

In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, the panel breezes through two additional lightning rounds of Strut picks, including a very cool, pastiche track from the Avalanches called “Because I’m Me.”

Email us at culturefest@slate.com.

Podcast production by Jared Downing. Production assistance by Kat Hong.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Death, Sex & Money - A Former Debt Collector's Unpaid Bills

Tue, 06 Aug 2024 07:00:00 GMT

When Angela first started working at a debt collection agency, she says she barely understood what her job was. "I was so completely awestruck that people didn't pay their bills," she told Anna in 2019, when this episode originally aired. Angela ended up working as a collector for 15 years, working her way up and getting monthly bonuses for getting people to pay up. But then, in 2018, she was accused of being part of a scheme to collect debt in unlawful ways, and was banned from the industry for life. Soon after she started racking up debt of her own, and got calls from bill collectors. At first, she said, she would pick up the phone when collectors called, just to critique them. "Now I just block the number and move on," she said. "I will eventually get them paid off and until I can, there is no point in wasting their time."

Podcast production by Katie Bishop in 2019.

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Hang Up and Listen - The World’s Fastest Human (Barely)

Mon, 05 Aug 2024 22:35:00 GMT

Morgan Campbell, Stefan Fatsis, and Josh Levin discuss Noah Lyles’ stunning win in the men’s 100 meters and Sha’Carri Richardson’s silver in the women’s. Slate’s Christina Cauterucci explains the controversy about the women boxers accused of failing a gender-eligibility test. Plus, Olympics potpourri, including NBC’s announcing fails, tennis genius, and archery thrills.

100 meters (2:34): Noah Lyles nipped Jamaica’s Kishane Thompson in one of the most exciting races in Olympics history.

Women’s boxing(17:41): Slate’s Christina Cauterucci on the culture-war furor around two women boxers.

Olympics potpourri (34:48): NBC’s 100-meters and gymnastics fails, a scintillating men’s tennis final, and a golden arrow.

(Note: time codes are only accurate for Slate Plus members, who listen ad free.)

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - The 2024 Internet Olympics

Sat, 03 Aug 2024 07:00:00 GMT

Candice Lim and Slate culture writer Nadira Goffe curate the internet’s best memes and moments from the 2024 Paris Olympics thus far. From the best Snoop Dogg moment to their favorite Olympic TikToker, they begin with the question on everyone’s mind: who’s winning the gold medal for best Olympic crush?

This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Daisy Rosario and Candice Lim, with production assistance by Jared Downing.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Decoder Ring - Standing Up for Sitting Down

Wed, 31 Jul 2024 07:00:00 GMT

If you’re lucky, it’s possible you’ve never thought much about sitting. It’s just something your body does, like breathing or sleeping. But in the last decade or so, sitting has stepped into the spotlight, as a kind of villain. In today’s episode, Slate’s Dan Kois tells us about his radical experiment to go without sitting for an entire month. Then to understand why sitting is under attack we look back at an earlier posture panic around slouching, and explore the role of hostile architecture.

This episode was written by Max Freedman and Willa Paskin and produced by Max. We produce Decoder Ring with Katie Shepherd and Evan Chung. Derek John is Executive Producer. Merritt Jacob is Senior Technical Director.

You heard “Sitting” by TJ Mack, aka Brian Jordan Alvarez, as remixed by Josh Mac. You also heard from Beth Linker and Jonathan Pacheco Bell. We’d like to thank Stephen Nessen and Rob Robinson. For some of the background on hostile architecture, we are indebted to the late Mike Davis’s book, City of Quartz, and in particular Chapter 4: “Fortress L.A.” Check out Dan Kois’ New York Magazine article about his exploits, “Sitting Is Bad for You. So I Stopped. For a Whole Month.”

If you haven’t please yet, subscribe and rate our feed in Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. And even better, tell your friends.

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ICYMI - Cody Ko Has Become the Misogyny He Mocks

Wed, 31 Jul 2024 07:00:00 GMT

On today’s episode, Candice Lim and Slate culture writer Nadira Goffe break down the allegations surrounding YouTuber and podcaster Cody Ko. In May, fellow YouTuber Tana Mongeau alleged that Ko had sex with her when she was 17 and he was 25. While covered by outlets such as Rolling Stone, the controversy did not pick up steam until commentary YouTuber D’Angelo Wallace posted a 15-minute video investigating Mongeau’s claims and mapping out Ko’s history of burying controversies.

Since then, Ko has lost more than 300,000 subscribers and his podcast network claims he “will not be involved in the day-to-day operations” of their business. However, fans have lingering questions, such as: did Ko’s associates try to squash the controversy on Reddit? Why were Mongeau’s allegations not taken seriously the first time? And what happens when a commentary YouTuber espouses the rampant misogyny they so heavily criticize online?

This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Daisy Rosario and Candice Lim.

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Culture Gabfest - Deadpool & Wolverine #%&$ the Box Office

Wed, 31 Jul 2024 07:00:00 GMT

On this week’s show, the panel is joined by Jamelle Bouie (New York Times Opinion columnist and Friend of the Pod) to discuss Deadpool & Wolverine, Marvel’s R-rated superhero flick starring Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman that’s dominating at the box office. Then the four assess the onslaught of Kamala Harris memes sweeping the internet right now and the role social media will play in this year’s upcoming election. Finally, Julia, Dana, and Steve puzzle over Eno, a new documentary chronicling Brian Eno’s 50-year career as a visionary musician and artist that’s different every time it’s shown.

Mentioned in this episode:

“Deadpool’s obnoxious gay panic humour is a tiresome schoolyard taunt” (Guy Lodge, The Guardian. July 26, 2024.)
Upcoming screenings of Eno

In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, the panel answers a listener question from Rob about assigned seating in movie theaters.

Email us at culturefest@slate.com.

Endorsements:

Stephen: Team USA’s pommel horse stallion, Stephen Nedoroscik, and his flawless routine at the 2024 Olympics.

Julia: An upcoming exhibit at the National Gallery of Art: “Paris 1874: The Impressionist Moment.”

Dana: The Decameron on Netflix.

Podcast production by Jared Downing. Production assistance by Kat Hong.

Hosts

Dana Stephens, Julia Turner, Stephen Metcalf

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Death, Sex & Money - Olympic Legend Greg Louganis on Outliving and Outperforming Expectations

Tue, 30 Jul 2024 07:00:00 GMT

During the 1988 Summer Olympics, diver Greg Louganis was competing under extreme pressure. In the preliminary round, he split his head open on the diving board, got stitched up, and decided to stay in the competition. He was also carrying a secret that only a few people knew: six months before the Olympics began, Greg learned that he was HIV positive.

Despite those obstacles, Greg went on to win gold in both the 3-meter springboard and 10-meter platform events, thrilling viewers and cementing himself as one of the best divers of all time. With the 2024 Games underway, Greg joins Anna to reflect on his odds-defying victories, and he explains how olympic training prepared him for life's challenges outside the pool.

Podcast production by Cameron Drews

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Hang Up and Listen - Simone’s Back (and Calf)

Mon, 29 Jul 2024 22:06:00 GMT

Joel Anderson, Morgan Campbell, and Stefan Fatsis discuss the Dream Team’s opening-game win at the Paris Olympics. Gymnastics writer Rebecca Schulman joins to assess whether a calf injury might derail Simone Biles’ quest for redemption. And, the Games’ first scandal: Canadian soccer Spygate.

Dream Team (4:53): Led by Kevin Durant and LeBron James, Team USA crushed Nikola Jokic and Serbia it its Olympics opener.

Gymnastics (18:26): How severe is the calf injury that left Simone Biles limping and crawling during qualifying rounds in Paris?

Soccer scandal (33:45): Canada’s men’s and women’s soccer teams used drones to spy on opponents for years.

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ICYMI - The Boys Are Not All Right

Sat, 27 Jul 2024 07:00:00 GMT

Candice Lim is joined by Slate writer Luke Winkie to break down the curiously indefinable “Zynternet.” Substack writer Max Read coined and defined the term as “a broad community of fratty, horndog, boorishly provocative” (mostly) men in their 20s and 30s who obsess over college sports, light domestic beers and Zyn nicotine pouches. On today’s episode, ICYMI asks who the “Zynternet” is performing for and whether its rise is a backlash against brat summer.

This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Daisy Rosario and Candice Lim.

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Hit Parade | Music History and Music Trivia - Song(s) of the Summer Edition Part 2

Sat, 27 Jul 2024 00:00:00 GMT

“Summer in the City.” “I Feel the Earth Move.” “Bette Davis Eyes.” “Whoomp! There It Is.” “Get Lucky.” “Espresso.” What do these big summer hits all have in common? None of them was Billboard’s official Song of the Summer.

Wait…there’s an official Song of the Summer? Isn’t that something that just happens organically? Every year, it seems everybody has an opinion on this musical national pastime. But the Hot 100 often tells a different story. For every “Light My Fire,” “Bad Girls,” “Crazy in Love,” “California Gurls” or “Call Me Maybe”—a hot-weather hit that unites the charts and the punditry—there are confirmed summer smashes that no one would pick out of a lineup, from Zager and Evans to Iggy Azalea.

Join Chris Molanphy as he traces the tangled story of how America came to decide there should be one victorious summer hit to rule them all. And he counts down the best Songs of the Summer by decade. Is it getting “Hot in Herre,” or is it just us…?

Podcast production by Kevin Bendis.

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ICYMI - The Day MTV News Went Down

Wed, 24 Jul 2024 07:00:00 GMT

Candice Lim is joined by Patrick Hosken to discuss the downfall and disappearance of MTV News. In May 2023, Paramount Global laid off 25 percent of its workforce, which included MTV News staffers like Hosken. A year later, Hosken had a new job at Rochester’s CITY Magazine when he clicked on his own MTV News articles and discovered they were gone because the website had been taken down. On today’s episode, Hosken describes the emotional journey of getting laid off, watching decades of music journalism disappear and how this was a lesson in internet preservation.

This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Daisy Rosario and Candice Lim.

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Culture Gabfest - Twisters Blows Away the Box Office

Wed, 24 Jul 2024 07:00:00 GMT

On this week’s show, the panel gets swept up by Twisters, and begins by discussing director Lee Isaac Chung’s standalone sequel starring Glen Powell and Daisy Edgar-Jones. (For the record, the original 1996 disaster flick, Twister, is a near-perfect, Gabfest-approved comfort watch). Sure, Chung’s reboot isn’t as weird as the original, and the modern-day renderings of completely plausible natural disasters are alarming, but Twisters did what it was supposed to do: deliver a good, generic summer movie where Glen Powell can be, well, Glen Powell. (Read Dana’s review! And Sam Adam’s take on the film’s approach to climate change.) Then, the three dissect Sorry Not Sorry, a documentary from the New York Times that examines Louis C.K.'s public fall from grace in 2017 and the comic’s recent comeback, but disappointingly offers little new insight. Finally, the trio tackles gambling and its increasing presence in modern life, inspired by an essay by Christine Emba for The Atlantic. “Suddenly, gambling seems to be everywhere,” Emba writes. “This sort of vice creep, a societal normalization of what used to be seen as unsavory habits—gambling, smoking marijuana, watching porn—is accelerated by people’s addiction to devices, in this case giving casual bettors the tools to become compulsive wagerers and easing the way for gambling to become a constant part of life.”

In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, the panel discusses a recent New York Times interactive and dives deep into their relationships with the grocery store.

Email us at culturefest@slate.com.

Endorsements:

Dana: Inspired by today’s gambling segment, Dana endorses Owning Mahowny, director Richard Kwietniowski 2003 film based on the true story of a Toronto bank employee (played by Phillip Seymour Hoffman) who embezzled more than $10 million to feed his gambling addiction.

Julia: An open call! Please send Julia your recommendations for great children’s books that discuss the weather or the changing seasons to culturefest@slate.com. (And read Tap the Magic Tree by Christie Matheson!)

Stephen: “One Hundred Famous Views of Edo,” a set of 118 woodblocks by 19th century Japanese landscape master Utagawa Hiroshige, which is currently on display at the Brooklyn Museum through August 4th.

Podcast production by Jared Downing. Production assistance by Kat Hong.

Hosts

Dana Stephens, Julia Turner, Stephen Metcalf

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Death, Sex & Money - What’s Missing From the Overdose Crisis Conversation

Tue, 23 Jul 2024 07:00:00 GMT

From a young age, James T. Morrison used drugs to help him feel better. He started with pills that were prescribed to him–medications like Xanax and Klonopin–but he soon moved on to basically whatever he could get his hands on. In this episode, James discusses his experience with substance use disorder, housing instability, and the criminal justice system. At a time when public officials and policy experts are debating ways to address the overdose crisis in the U.S., James discusses what humane drug policies could look like and how we as a society need to completely change the way we talk about drug use. We first learned about James’ story from an essay he wrote in Slate titled One More Day.

If you’d like to check out some of our previous episodes about substance use and recover, here’s a short list:

NOTE: We want to mention that this episode mentions suicide and self harm. If you or someone you love is struggling, please call 988, the National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline.

Podcast production by Cameron Drews

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Hang Up and Listen - Sex Testing and Women’s Sports

Mon, 22 Jul 2024 22:00:00 GMT

Joel Anderson, Josh Levin, and the CBC’s Morgan Campbell check in on the WNBA at the halfway point of a historic season. They also talk about ESPN’s list of the 100 greatest pro athletes of the 2000s. Finally, they interview Rose Eveleth about their podcast Tested, on the history of sex testing in sports.

WNBA (4:19): What’s the story with the new TV deal? How did the WNBA All-Stars beat the Olympic team?

100 greatest athletes(18:45): What’s wrong with ESPN’s list? Are we falling into a trap by talking about it at all?

Tested (32:06): The century-long obsession over whether women athletes are really women.

(Note: time codes are only accurate for Slate Plus members, who listen ad free.)

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ICYMI - What Next: TBD: The Blu-Ray-naissance Is Here. Sort of.

Sat, 20 Jul 2024 07:00:00 GMT

Today, we’re bringing you an episode from our friends and colleagues over at What Next: TBD. Guest host, Cheyna Roth is joined by Ash Nelson, journalist and author of “The Lost Art of the DVD Extra” for Slate.

The two discuss the downsides of the streaming era are coming into focus for movie fans—uncontrollable, changing libraries; lower fidelity; lack of extras and features. Can all of these be solved with a return to physical media?

Podcast production by Evan Campbell, Patrick Fort, and Cheyna Roth.

Want more What Next TBD? Subscribe to Slate Plus to access ad-free listening to the whole What Next family and all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of our show page. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to get access wherever you listen.

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Decoder Ring - The Secret Life of Lawn Ornaments

Wed, 17 Jul 2024 07:00:00 GMT

Lawn ornaments are everywhere—but for something so ubiquitous, they’re also mysterious. What’s the person with the flamingo or the gargoyle in their yard trying to say—and why do they want to say it so publicly? From the garden-variety to the not so common, the adorable to the odious—lawn ornaments speak volumes, without saying a word. In this episode, we travel from Germany to England and back home to look at the history and meaning behind three specific lawn ornaments: the garden gnome, the lawn jockey, and the 18th century ornamental hermit.

You’ll hear from historian Twigs Way, Sven Berrar of the Zwergstatt Gräfenroda, David Pilgrim of the Jim Crow Museum, Kenneth Goings who is an emeritus professor at the Ohio State University, and art historian Ned Harwood.

This episode was written by Evan Chung and Willa Paskin. It was produced by Evan Chung. We produce Decoder Ring with Katie Shepherd and Max Freedman. We had additional production from Cheyna Roth and Martina Weber. Derek John is Executive Producer. Merritt Jacob is Senior Technical Director.

Thank you to Friedemann Brenneis, Heather Joseph-Witham, and Elise Gramza.

If you have any cultural mysteries you want us to decode, email us at DecoderRing@slate.com.

If you love the show and want to support us, consider joining Slate Plus. With Slate Plus you get ad-free podcasts, bonus episodes, and total access to all of Slate’s journalism.

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ICYMI - Amanda Mull on Titanic Fandoms and Frog Subreddits

Wed, 17 Jul 2024 07:00:00 GMT

Candice Lim is joined by Bloomberg Businessweek reporter Amanda Mull, whose pieces investigate your favorite big-box stores, the cult of exercise and the girlboss economy. They dive into Mull’s internet diary, which includes her golden rule for arguing online, her most beloved @dril tweets and why she’s changed her mind on Peloton.

This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Daisy Rosario and Candice Lim.

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Culture Gabfest - Longlegs Has Legs

Wed, 17 Jul 2024 07:00:00 GMT

On this week’s show, the panel begins by dissecting Longlegs, director Osgood Perkin’s viral horror movie starring Nicolas Cage that’s sweeping the box office. Aided by a clever marketing campaign, Longlegs is undoubtedly the summer’s “you gotta see it” horror flick, but does the Silence of the Lambs copycat live up to the hype? Then, the three jump (or is it herkie?) into Greg Whiteley’s latest docuseries, America’s Sweethearts: Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders, which follows the Texan squad from auditions through the grueling NFL season, revealing a quietly devastating portrait of worker exploitation and modern femininity along the way. Finally, the trio is joined by Slate critic Laura Miller to parse through an extreme controversy in the literary world: Last week, Alice Munro’s daughter, Andrea Skinner, published an Op-Ed in the Toronto Star detailing the sexual abuse she suffered as a young girl at the hands of her stepfather – abuse that the Nobel Prize-winning author had known about, but chose to ignore. (Read Laura’s essay for Slate; check out the Star’s reported piece.)

In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, the panel rips into Longlegs and all of its glorious plot holes in a classic spoiler special.

Email us at culturefest@slate.com.

Endorsements:

Stephen: Dodie Smith’s I Capture the Castle and this essay by Anna Leskiewicz for The New York Review: “The Small-Girl’s Proust.”

Dana: In honor of Shelley Duvall (who passed away last week), a two-part endorsement: (1) Austin Film Society’s tribute to Duvall, which premiered at the 2020 Texas Film Awards. (2) Watching a Shelley Duvall movie that’s new to you! (Dana suggests Brewster McCloud directed by Robert Altman.)

Julia: A special Scandi-Candy report: (1) Norway’s national candy, Kvikk Lunsj, which carries the reputation of a Snickers bar in that part of the world and sports the Fjellvettreglene (Norwegian for “the mountain code”) on the wrapper’s back. (2) Fredag Slik, or “Friday sweets,” a Danish tradition where families head to the candy store together at the end of the week.

Podcast production by Jared Downing. Production assistance by Kat Hong.

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Death, Sex & Money - The Mayor of the Most Controversial City in the U.S.

Tue, 16 Jul 2024 07:00:00 GMT

San Francisco mayor London Breed grew up learning again and again about the dangers of drugs and addiction. She lived in public housing in the city in the 1980’s and saw friends and family members in her community get hooked, get sick, and sometimes pass away. Fast forward to now, and San Francisco is seeing sky-high overdose numbers (though they’re down a bit from last year), and the city has earned a reputation for being in disarray. Mayor London Breed faces a tough reelection campaign this fall, and this week on the show, she talks about the many different measures she and her administration are taking to address San Francisco’s problems, and she shares some of the important life experiences that have informed her approach.

Podcast production by Anna Sale.

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Hang Up and Listen - Chaos at the Copa

Mon, 15 Jul 2024 21:00:00 GMT

Copa America (7:03): A security breakdown outside the stadium marred Argentina’s 1-0 win over Colombia.

U.S. soccer ( 21:19): Will a big-name European replace Gregg Berhalter?

Crossword puzzles (34:26): An interview about the art of solving crosswords really fast.

(Note: time codes are only accurate for Slate Plus members, who listen ad free.)

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ICYMI - The “Hawk Tuah Girl” Is the New Scott Disick

Sat, 13 Jul 2024 07:00:00 GMT

Candice Lim is joined by Slate culture writer Nadira Goffe to play a game of High Speed Downloads, where they get 60 seconds to break down an internet story they’re obsessed with. From the rapidly rising star of the “Hawk Tuah girl” to the awkward BET Awards moment involving Taraji P. Henson and TikTok star Keith Lee, they also give some advice on what to do if you catch someone cheating on your next flight.

This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Daisy Rosario and Candice Lim.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hit Parade | Music History and Music Trivia - Song(s) of the Summer Edition Part 1

Sat, 13 Jul 2024 03:00:00 GMT

Podcast production by Kevin Bendis.

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Culture Gabfest - Has The Bear Jumped the Shark?

Wed, 10 Jul 2024 08:00:00 GMT

On this week’s show, June Thomas (co-host of Slate’s Working podcast and the author of A Place of Our Own) sits in for Julia Turner. The panel first explores The Bear, now in its third season, and questions whether Christopher Storer’s beast has become too self-aware. Then, they discuss Fancy Dance, a profoundly moving film by Native writer-director Erica Tremblay starring Lily Gladstone that’s equal parts road movie, crime procedural, and family drama. Finally, the trio dives deep into their personal relationships with app culture, inspired by Mark Hill’s essay for Slate, “I’m Tired of Using An App For Everything.”

In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, the panel answers a listener question from James: “As you get older, how do you keep yourself open to new interests, experiences, and ideas? To put it negatively, how do you avoid becoming an old crank?”

Email us at culturefest@slate.com.

Endorsements:

June: A particularly moving video that's making the rounds on social media, in which a large crowd of supporters gather at Carmarthen Railway in Wales to send off Plaid's Anne Davies and sing her the Welsh national anthem.

Steve: "I Know It's Over" by The Smiths.

Dana: Patti Smith reading Fernando Pessoa (or to be more precise, Álvaro de Campos) at the Casa Fernando Pessoa museum in Lisbon.

Podcast production by Jared Downing. Production assistance by Kat Hong.

Hosts

Dana Stephens, June Thomas, Stephen Metcalf

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ICYMI - Baggu’s Horse Bag Controversy

Wed, 10 Jul 2024 07:00:00 GMT

Candice Lim is joined by Slate business and tech writer Nitish Pahwa to break down two stories surrounding artificial intelligence in fashion and advertising. They explore Baggu’s recent collaboration with Collina Strada, which used an A.I. tool in their designs and possibly went against both brands’ commitment to sustainability. Then, they discuss the internet’s reaction to a bad Toys R Us commercial that was made almost entirely with A.I. software. But first, why was Twitter riled up over a Michael Mann movie?

This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Daisy Rosario and Candice Lim.

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Death, Sex & Money - Sex Parties and Shakespeare With Carvell Wallace

Tue, 09 Jul 2024 07:00:00 GMT

Carvell Wallace’s brilliant new memoir Another Word for Love has been rightfully praised for its passages about childhood trauma, about apologies and forgiveness, and about the healing power of love. But the book also features some important lessons about sex, consent, and the ways popular culture can send the wrong messages about both of those things. This week on the show, Carvell digs into those lessons and the experiences that changed him forever, including his first encounters with Shakespeare and his trip to an unforgettable sex party.

Podcast production by Cameron Drews.

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Hang Up and Listen - Sports’ Billion-Dollar Bubble

Mon, 08 Jul 2024 21:00:00 GMT

Joel Anderson, Josh Levin, and the Ringer’s Bryan Curtis talk about Klay Thompson’s move to Dallas and whether there will ever be another NBA dynasty. They also check in on the state of sports media TV rights, and they welcome Texas and Oklahoma to the SEC.

Klay to Dallas (2:38): Is the Golden State breakup what the NBA wants?

Sports media rights (19:08): Will the money keep on flowing forever?

SEC expansion (33:28): The huge positives and glaring negatives of conference realignment.

(Note: time codes are only accurate for Slate Plus members, who listen ad free.)

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ICYMI - How “Bye Sister” Changed Internet Culture Forever

Sat, 06 Jul 2024 07:00:00 GMT

Candice Lim is joined by TIME culture reporter Moises Mendez II for the five-year anniversary of Tati Westbrook’s “BYE SISTER” video, a 43-minute long confessional about her then-friend and fellow beauty YouTuber James Charles. What started as a hair care vitamin sponsorship gone wrong, then became a video accusing Charles of using his fame to coerce straight men into sex. This led Charles and controversial beauty influencer Jeffree Star to enter the chat, but the damage was done and no party has fully recovered from the video that started it all. Five years later, we trace how Sistergeddon entered the YouTube Hall of Fame.

This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Daisy Rosario and Candice Lim.

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Decoder Ring - Stuffed Animals Gone Wild

Wed, 03 Jul 2024 07:00:00 GMT

Axolotls. Narwhals. Llamas. Sloths. Every few years, it seems like American kids and parents collectively decide they cannot get enough of a creature that makes teddy bears seem impossibly quaint. In today’s episode we’re going to swim after the axolotl, as it takes us to some far-flung and unexpected places, to understand how it came to rule the stuffed animal kingdom. Though the answer absolutely has to do with parents eager to please their children at the gift shop, it's bigger than that. The insatiable hunger for novelty that is bound up with the axolotl — well, that has to do with all of us.

This episode was written by Willa Paskin. It was produced by Katie Shepherd. It was edited by Evan Chung. We produce Decoder Ring with Max Freedman. Derek John is Executive Producer. Merritt Jacob is Senior Technical Director.

In this episode you’ll hear from Elaine Kollias who works with Folkmanis Puppets, Diana Laura Vasquez Mendoza who is a biologist at the National Autonomous University of Mexico, Dr. Jessica Whited who is a professor at Harvard, Gerhard Runken who is the executive vice president of global brand and marketing for Jazwares, and Laura Wattenberg who is a baby name expert.

Thank you to our translator Ezequiel Andino, as well as Luis Zambrano, Kelley Garnier, and Alejandra Escobar. And if you’d like to help the wild Axolotl, here is the conservation project where Diana works and they accept donations.

If you haven’t yet, please subscribe and rate our feed in Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. And even better, tell your friends.

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ICYMI - The Internet History of Ayo Edebiri

Wed, 03 Jul 2024 07:00:00 GMT

Candice Lim and Slate culture writer Nadira Goffe excavate and preserve the internet history of Ayo Edebiri, a star in the making whose Letterboxd reviews should be crystallized in amber. They break down her best internet moments and discuss Edebiri’s social media presence since The Bear, from her dedication to Ireland to the fan-shipping that has percolated into real-life speculation.

This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Daisy Rosario and Candice Lim.

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Culture Gabfest - Celine Dion’s Heart Goes On

Wed, 03 Jul 2024 07:00:00 GMT

On this week’s show, Dan Kois (author of Vintage Contemporaries and the upcoming Hampton Heights) and Laura Miller (Slate’s books and culture columnist and author of The Magician’s Book) fill in for Julia and Dana. The panel is first joined by Carl Wilson, Slate’s music critic and the author of Let’s Talk About Love, to parse through I Am: Celine Dion, a new documentary on Prime Video. Directed by Oscar-nominated director Irene Taylor, I Am: Celine Dion chronicles the French Canadian singer’s private battle with Stiff Person Syndrome, an illness that has stripped away Dion’s ability to sing – and with it, her identity. Then, the three explore A Family Affair, Netflix’s wish fulfillment rom-com for middle-aged women starring Zac Efron, Joey King, and Nicole Kidman (plus a whole lot of Plasticine.) Finally, they dive into the world of aesthetics, inspired by Erin Schwartz’s essay for The Cut, “In Defense of Calling Everything an Aesthetic.”

In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, the panel looks into “The Vexing Problem of the ‘Medium Friend’” by Lisa Miller for The New York Times.

Email us at culturefest@slate.com.

Endorsements:

Dan: All Fours by Miranda July.

Laura: The Ministry of Time by Kaliane Bradley.

Stephen: “Art and Memory” by Julian Barnes for London Review of Books.

Podcast production by Jared Downing. Production assistance by Kat Hong.

Hosts

Stephen Metcalf, Dan Kois, Laura Miller

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Death, Sex & Money - Baby Reindeer’s Intimacy Coordinator on Sex and Trauma on Screen

Tue, 02 Jul 2024 07:00:00 GMT

Since the #MeToo movement, the presence of intimacy coordinators have become more common on movie and TV sets. In this episode, Elle McAlpine the intimacy coordinator for many projects including Poor Things and Baby Reindeer, talks about what her job entails, from choreographing the perfect orgasm to navigating tricky workplace dynamics.

Podcast production by Zoe Azulay

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Hang Up and Listen - LeBron and Bronny

Mon, 01 Jul 2024 22:01:56 GMT

Stefan Fatsis and Joel Anderson talk to the New Yorker’s Louisa Thomas about the 55th pick in last week’s NBA draft: LeBron James’ son, Bronny. Plus, Joel and Josh Levin interview Wil Aaron about racism in baseball in the decades after Jackie Robinson.

Bronny James (3:33): LeBron James wanted to play with his kid in the NBA. Will that be good for Bronny?

Wil Aaron (20:54): Hank Aaron’s cousin on his frustrating years in minor-league baseball.

Afterball (54:06): Stefan on Turkey vs. Türkiye at the 2024 Euros.

(Note: time codes are only accurate for Slate Plus members, who listen ad free.)

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ICYMI - Rachelle Hampton Logs Off

Sat, 29 Jun 2024 07:00:00 GMT

On today’s episode, ICYMI says so long, farewell to Rachelle as she departs for a new adventure. First, Candice allows her to update her internet diaries, then they run through fan-favorite moments and Rachelle’s greatest hits. Finally, we hear from friends of the podcast on what Rachelle’s run has meant to ICYMI.

This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Daisy Rosario, Candice Lim and Rachelle Hampton.

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Hit Parade | Music History and Music Trivia - I Wanna Rock with Q. Edition Part 2

Sat, 29 Jun 2024 02:00:00 GMT

What does a music producer do? If his name is Quincy Jones, a little bit of everything: conducting, arranging, composing. Assembling teams of ace session musicians. Sometimes, even picking a catchy title and telling an artist to go write a song about it— would “Thriller” have worked as well if it had been called “Starlight”?

Quincy Jones was pop’s Renaissance Man, and he could not be limited either by genre or by role. He played in jazz bands…produced teen pop hits…discovered young talent…scored Hollywood films…helped invent Yacht Rock and Yacht Soul…even released hit albums under his own name featuring cavalcades of guest vocalists.

And he worked with so! many! legends! Ray Charles, Frank Sinatra, Little Richard, Lesley Gore, Aretha Franklin, Chaka Khan … and all that happened before he even met a former child star named Michael Jackson and helped him produce the best-selling album in history. No wonder only Quincy had the clout to wrangle the superstars for the recording of “We Are the World.”

Join Chris Molanphy as he tells the story of the music man who truly did it all and is known affectionately by the letter Q. He made the world a better place for you and me.

Podcast production by Kevin Bendis.

Host

Chris Molanphy

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - Finding Queer Friendship Online

Wed, 26 Jun 2024 07:00:00 GMT

On today’s special Pride Month episode, Rachelle and Candice hear from two listeners about finding queer friendship and community online. From a group for late bloomers to an Instagram account for personal ads, their online life rafts became offline friendships that played a big part in their identities and internet histories today.

This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Daisy Rosario, Candice Lim and Rachelle Hampton.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Culture Gabfest - Much Ado About Ren Faire

Wed, 26 Jun 2024 07:00:00 GMT

On this week’s show, Isaac Butler (co-host of Slate’s Working podcast and the author of The Method: How the Twentieth Century Learned to Act) sits in for Julia Turner. The panel first turns their attention to Ren Faire, HBO’s three-part documentary chronicling the surreal power struggle at the heart of America’s largest renaissance festival. Director Lance Oppenheim (Spermworld, Some Kind of Heaven) presents an extraordinary window into the fantastical world, capturing a very specific moment in late-stage capitalism in which society returns to feudalism. Then, the three inspect Janet Planet, Pulitzer Prize-winning American playwright Annie Baker’s film debut. Like Baker’s theater work, Janet Planet–a loosely autobiographical tale revolving around an 11-year-old girl named Lacy (played by Zoe Ziegler) and her mother, Janet (played by Julianne Nicholson)–pushes naturalism to the extreme, an approach that some critics love and others, some even on this very panel, abhor. Finally, the great Canadian actor Donald Sutherland died this past week at the age of 88. His career spanned over six decades, but his immense talents weren’t always immediately obvious. To honor Sutherland and his body of work, each host re-watched a favorite film of theirs: Don’t Look Now, Invasion of the Body Snatchers, and Six Degrees of Separation.

In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, the panel reflects on their relationship to giving and receiving criticism, inspired by Arthur C. Brooks’s article for The Atlantic, “How to Take–And Give–Criticism Well.”

Email us at culturefest@slate.com.

It’s the last week to submit songs for Summer Strut! The final deadline is July 1st. Send your struttiest songs to culturefest@slate.com.

Endorsements:

Stephen: I, Claudius and Claudius the God by Robert Graves.

Isaac: Any Person Is the Only Self: Essays by Elisa Gabbert.

Dana: Inspired by Janet Planet: The Roche’s 1979 self-titled album and specifically, “Hammond Song.”

Podcast production by Jared Downing. Production assistance by Kat Hong.

Hosts

Dana Stephens, Isaac Butler, Stephen Metcalf

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Death, Sex & Money - Kara Swisher and Orna Guralnik on How to Get People Talking

Tue, 25 Jun 2024 07:00:00 GMT

Anna talks to Dr. Orna Guralnik, the psychoanalyst from Showtime’s Couples Therapy, and then to Kara Swisher, the pugnacious tech journalist and podcast host, about the art of the interview, and how they get people to open up to them.

Kara Swisher’s new book is Burn Book: A Tech Love Story, and you can read her 1989 Washington Post article here.

This episode is from a live conversation, earlier this month, at the Tribeca Festival. It was produced by Slate’s Katie Rayford and Alexandra Cohl and Tribeca Festival’s Davy Gardner, with help from Zoe Azulay and Cameron Drews.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hang Up and Listen - Remembering Willie Mays

Mon, 24 Jun 2024 22:30:00 GMT

Joel Anderson, Stefan Fatsis, and Josh Levin share their thoughts on baseball legend Willie Mays, who died last week at age 93. Morgan Campbell of the CBC also joins to analyze the U.S. Olympic Track and Field Trials and to look at how the sports world turned on Drake.

Mays (3:02): His greatest catch, the racism he faced, and his run-in with Commissioner Bowie Kuhn.

Track (28:05): Sha’Carri Richardson and Noah Lyles roared to victories in the 100 meters.

Drake and sports (46:45): Drake’s NBA “friends” appear to be siding with Kendrick Lamar.

(Note: time codes are only accurate for Slate Plus members, who listen ad free.)

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - John Green, Tall Love and the Star Wars Hotel

Sat, 22 Jun 2024 07:00:00 GMT

On today’s episode, ICYMI is bringing back a time-honored tradition: High Speed Downloads. For Candice’s first and Rachelle’s last HSD, they’ll have exactly one minute to explain some of their favorite internet stories. This includes tall people finding love on TikTok, Jenny Nicholson’s iconic four-hour Star Wars hotel review and that time John Green was bullied off Tumblr.

This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Daisy Rosario, Candice Lim and Rachelle Hampton.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Decoder Ring - Sex, Lies, and Hockey Pucks

Wed, 19 Jun 2024 07:00:00 GMT

30 years ago, the Stanley Cup playoffs ignited a rumor that has been messing with Jane Macdougall’s life ever since.

In 1994, the Vancouver Canucks had made it all the way to Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Finals against the New York Rangers. When they barely lost, fans expected the team to come back blazing the next year. Instead, 1995 was a total letdown. Team chemistry disappeared and fans started looking for an explanation. Quickly, a rumor took hold: a defensive player had been having an affair with the goalie’s wife, which destroyed team morale and left the franchise flailing.

In this episode of Decoder Ring, Acey Rowe from the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation traces the Canucks rumor from locker rooms to chat rooms. And she talks to NHL players Kirk McLean and Jeff Brown to figure out how a story like this can snowball and survive for 30 years.

This episode was reported and produced by Acey Rowe. Story editing by Willa Paskin and Evan Chung. Decoder Ring is produced by Willa Paskin, Evan Chung, Katie Shepherd and Max Freedman. Derek John is Executive Producer. Merritt Jacob is Senior Technical Director.

A longer version of this story was published on CBC’s Storylines, part of the CBC Audio Doc Unit. Julia Pagel is the Senior Producer of Audio Docs and Anna Lazowski is the Senior Producer of Special Programming at the CBC.

If you have a cultural mystery you’d like us to decode send us an email at decoderring@slate.com. Please subscribe and rate our feed in Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen. And even better, tell your friends.

If you’re a fan of the show, you should sign up for Slate Plus. Members get to listen to Decoder Ring and all other Slate podcasts without any ads and have total access to Slate’s website. Your support is also crucial to our work. Go to Slate.com/decoderplus to join Slate Plus today.

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ICYMI - Encore: Live, Laugh, LinkedIn

Wed, 19 Jun 2024 07:00:00 GMT

Today, we’re revisiting one of our favorite episodes from October 2023 about LinkedIn.

In this episode, Rachelle Hampton and Candice Lim dive into the decades-long transformation of LinkedIn from a website for digital resumes to a social networking platform whose devotees have earned the name LinkedIn Lunatics. Founded in 2003 and sold to Microsoft for $26 billion in 2018, LinkedIn has become an inescapable feature of the job hunt. But while the site is ostensibly founded on professionalism, in recent years its fomented its own particular and peculiar brand of terminal onlineness.

This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Daisy Rosario, Candice Lim and Rachelle Hampton.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Culture Gabfest - Does Inside Out 2 Get Anxiety Right?

Wed, 19 Jun 2024 07:00:00 GMT

On this week’s episode, the hosts excavate the psyche and begin by exploring Inside Out 2, a sophisticated children’s movie that tackles the question on every kid’s mind: How does one go about crafting a highly integrated ego? A bevy of new emotions join the motley crew living inside of our teenage protagonist Riley’s mind, most notably Anxiety, voiced brilliantly by Maya Hawke. The film, a sequel to Pixar’s 2015 Academy Award-winner, is filled with wisdom about developmental psychology, but finds itself in murky waters when indirectly tackling issues of free will and the power of the unconscious mind. Then, the panel probes the mind of Andrew McCarthy, whose recent documentary Brats (not to be confused with the new Charli XCX joint) reveals the inner workings of the “Brat Pack,” a term coined by David Blum in a New York Magazine cover story published in 1985. A lifelong member of the “Brat Pack,” McCarthy attempts to reconcile his relationship to the infamous label alongside others who fell under it, including Demi Moore, Rob Lowe, and Emilio Estevez, in a surprisingly personal and peculiar documentary that’s quite revealing of McCarthy – either intentionally or not. Finally, the trio considers Google, the tech giant and the subject of Kyle Chayka’s piece for The New Yorker, “Is Google S.E.O. Gaslighting the Internet?” Chayka’s article sparks a larger conversation about the oversized role search engines have played in our lives and in our understanding of the internet, and comes at a time when Google plans to further integrate A.I. into Search Engine Optimization (S.E.O.) and eliminate the need for writers, journalists, and news organizations.

In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, the panel answers an excellent listener request from Rachael: “Discuss your favorite content from the early Internet days, before it became a toxic wasteland.”

Email us at culturefest@slate.com.

We’re also accepting Summer Strut submissions until July 1st! Send your strut-worthy songs to culturefest@slate.com.

Endorsements:

Dana: The wonderful documentary Being Mary Tyler Moore, which you can stream on Max, Hulu, and Prime Video, among others.

Julia: Sam Anderson’s new podcast, Animal.

Stephen: A callback to last week’s episode – the song was “Ballad of the Runaway Horse” performed by Emmylou Harris and written by… Leonard Cohen! (Under the original name, “Ballad of the Absent Mare.”) He also endorses Stereophonic, which just won the 2024 Tony Award for Best Play.

Podcast production by Jared Downing. Production assistance by Kat Hong.

Hosts

Dana Stephens, Julia Turner, Stephen Metcalf

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Death, Sex & Money - Mark Duplass on Making Money, Mental Health and Midlife

Tue, 18 Jun 2024 07:00:00 GMT

Mark Duplass’s first big dream came true when he was 28: a movie he wrote and directed with his brother, Jay, got into The Sundance Film Festival. It was a major accomplishment, but Mark was miserable. “The week after Sundance was probably one of the worst weeks of my life because I realized I hit the top of the mountain. The top of the mountain didn't make me happy. So now what am I going to do?”

In this episode, filmmaker Mark Duplass talks about managing depression, what it’s like to have a creative partnership with his brother, and how they talk about making and spending money. “If I didn't have Jay as a partner, I would make a hundred mediocre movies a year, and if he didn't have me, he would die with two thirds of the greatest film ever made, not finished.”

Read: With Hollywood shedding jobs, here is help for coping with the slowdown

Podcast production by Andrew Dunn

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hang Up and Listen - How Sports Became Grievance Games

Mon, 17 Jun 2024 23:15:00 GMT

Stefan Fatsis and Josh Levin talk to Slate contributing writer Alex Kirshner about Bryson DeChambeau’s win—and Rory McIlroy’s heartbreaking loss—at the U.S. Open. Then, Washington Post columnist Jerry Brewer joins Stefan and Joel Anderson to analyze the NBA Finals and discuss his series “Grievance Games.”

U.S. Open (2:56): What went wrong for Rory McIlroy.

NBA Finals (22:19): Checking in on the Celtics and Mavericks.

Grievance Games (39:17): How sports have “buckled under the pressures of grievance and division.”

Afterball (56:29): Stefan on the 20th anniversary of Greece’s remarkable 2004 European soccer championship.

(Note: time codes are only accurate for Slate Plus members, who listen ad free.)

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - The Icarian Journey of Ashley Madison

Sat, 15 Jun 2024 07:00:00 GMT

On today’s episode, Rachelle is joined once again by Slate staff writer Nadira Goffe. The two dive into Ashley Madison: Sex, Lies and Scandal, a recent Netflix docuseries that documents the rise and fall of the dating website targeted towards cheating spouses.

This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Daisy Rosario, Candice Lim and Rachelle Hampton.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hit Parade | Music History and Music Trivia - I Wanna Rock with Q. Edition Part 1

Sat, 15 Jun 2024 03:57:00 GMT

Join Chris Molanphy as he tells the story of the music man who truly did it all and is known affectionately by the letter Q. He made the world a better place for you and me.

Podcast production by Kevin Bendis.

Host

Chris Molanphy

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - Netflix’s TikTok Dance Cult Documentary is Missing Something

Wed, 12 Jun 2024 07:00:00 GMT

On today’s episode, Rachelle is joined by ICYMI fave and Slate staff writer Nadira Goffe. The two sit down to discuss one of Netflix’s newest docu-series Dancing for the Devil: the 7M TikTok Cult which explores the alleged misconduct of Robert Shinn through the church and management company that he founded. Since the docu-series premiered on May 29, it’s consistently been one of the top 10 most watched TV series on Netflix.

This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Daisy Rosario, Candice Lim and Rachelle Hampton.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Culture Gabfest - Can The Acolyte Redeem Star Wars on TV?

Wed, 12 Jun 2024 07:00:00 GMT

On this week’s show, Dan Kois (writer at Slate and author of Hampton Heights: One Harrowing Night in the Most Haunted Neighborhood in Milwaukee, Wisconsin) fills in for Dana Stevens. The hosts begin by exploring the latest addition to the Star Wars canon, The Acolyte, created by Leslye Headland (Russian Doll). Amandla Sternberg and Lee Jung-jae lead the who-dunnit mystery, and while there is a lot to admire about the show’s visuals and depiction of the Master Jedi, The Acolyte often sags under the baggage of the vast Star Wars mythology and suffers from fundamental pacing problems. Then, the three tackle Godzilla Minus One, a genius and emotionally rich parable about wounded masculinity and the national trauma felt in a post-WWII Japan. The kaiju film, released at the end of last year, won the Academy Award for Best Visual Effects in 2023, and immediately shot to No. 1 on Netflix when it hit the streaming service last week. Finally, the panel is joined by Dan Charnas (author of Dilla Time and The Big Payback) to discuss Sabrina Carpenter’s “Espresso” and his very sharply framed piece for Slate, “The Musical History Lesson Buried Beneath the Song of the Summer.”

In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, the panel tackles: children’s birthday parties. To plan, or not to plan, that is the question!

Email us at culturefest@slate.com.

We’re taking Summer Strut submissions! Send your strutty-est songs to culturefest@slate.com.

Endorsements:

Dan: The quick-witted, joke-packed pleasures of Girls5eva season 3.

Julia: (1) Ambition Monster: A Memoir by Jennifer Romolini; (2) Dan Charna’s playlist, “The Genre With No Name.”

Stephen: (1) Who wrote this song?; (2) Abdullah Ibrahim’s "Solotude."

Podcast production by Kevin Bendis. Production assistance by Kat Hong.

Hosts:

Dan Kois, Julia Turner, Stephen Metcalf

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Death, Sex & Money - My Shy Bladder

Tue, 11 Jun 2024 07:00:00 GMT

Christopher Zara didn’t finish high school, and can sometimes feel like an outsider working in a field where it’s more common to have a college degree. Sometimes he’s able to push through his social anxiety, to put on a tough face. But other times his body won’t give him a chance to feel at ease – it seizes up, and in Christopher’s case that means not being able to pee even when he really, really has to.

“Imagine you’re unable to perform a basic function like move your hand or your leg,” Christopher said, “You're standing, in my case, in front of a urinal or wherever the bathroom is, and it just doesn't happen.”

In this episode, Christopher talks to producer Zoe Azulay about “paruresis,” more colloquially known as shy bladder syndrome, how it’s been disruptive to his life, how he thinks it's connected to class anxiety, and how it’s gotten better.

Christopher Zara’s memoir is called Uneducated: A Memoir of Flunking Out, Falling Apart, and Finding My Worth

Podcast production by Zoe Azulay

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hang Up and Listen - Wait, America Is Awesome at Cricket Now?

Tue, 11 Jun 2024 00:00:00 GMT

Joel Anderson, Stefan Fatsis, and Josh Levin discuss the Boston Celtics’ early dominance over the Dallas Mavericks in the NBA Finals. Stefan and Josh are also joined by journalist Peter Della Penna to talk about the United States’ massive cricket upset over Pakistan. Finally, Butch Reynolds joins to discuss the new ESPN 30 for 30 documentary False Positive on the doping allegation that derailed his life and career.

NBA Finals (3:02): Does Dallas have any chance of coming back?

Cricket (22:47): How the U.S. pulled off a historic victory.

Butch Reynolds (41:53): An interview with an American track legend.

Afterball (1:02:08): Josh on Alexander Zverev, who (despite his claims) was not just declared innocent.

(Note: time codes are only accurate for Slate Plus members, who listen ad free.)

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - Inside the Unsolved 2014 Attack on a Furry Convention

Sat, 08 Jun 2024 07:00:00 GMT

On today’s show, we’re joined by Nicky Woolf, the host Fur and Loathing, a new investigative podcast which attempts to solve the decade-old cold case of a chemical attack at the 2014 Midwest Furfest convention. From their show description, “It’s a journey that will bring [Woolf] face-to-face with the challenges this vibrant, often misunderstood subculture faces–including the far-right extremists looking to wreck the community from within.”

This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Daisy Rosario, Candice Lim and Rachelle Hampton.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Culture Gabfest - What Even Is Garfield?

Wed, 05 Jun 2024 08:02:08 GMT

On this week’s show, the hosts begin by asking the question: What even is Garfield? Jim Davis’ overfed, Monday-hating (even though he’s jobless) cultural figure first appeared in comic strips in the late 1970s, and since then, has been surprisingly resilient, most recently conquering the summer box-office with The Garfield Movie. But who is Garfield, and more perhaps more importantly, why is he a thing? To answer these questions, each host watched (or endured) a different Garfield entity, including Garfield: The Movie (2004), Garfield: A Tail of Two Kitties (2006), and the latest film starring Chris Pratt as the titular cat. Then, the three discuss suspense and its nature in relation to fiction, inspired by Kathryn Schulz’s essay for The New Yorker, “The Secrets of Suspense.” It’s a curious, fantastic essay that questions the human impulse to know what happens next. Finally, it’s a visit from the Gabfest’s oldest and closest Friend of the Pod, June Thomas, who speaks with the panel about her essential new book, A Place of Our Own: Six Spaces That Shaped Queer Women’s Culture.

In the exclusive slate Plus segment, the hosts answer a listener question from Evana: “What is a cultural reference that really bugs Steve/Julia/Dana when they see/hear it being misused or misinterpreted?”

We’re taking submissions for Summer Strut 2024! Send up to three songs that you find particularly strut-worthy to culturefest@slate.com.

Email us at culturefest@slate.com.

Endorsements:

Dana: A wonderful documentary on Apple TV+, From Caligari to Hitler: German Cinema in the Age of the Masses.

Julia: Koeze’s Cream-Nut All-Natural Peanut Butter (with no added sugar!)

Stephen: The musical stylings of Gillian Welch and David Rawlings. Read a profile on the duo: “How Gillian Welch and David Rawlings Held Onto Optimism” by Hanif Abdurraqib for The New York Times. Listen to their songs, “Beautiful Boy” and “Picasso,” and check out the YouTube video, “Getting Started with Licks & Fills in the style of Dave Rawlings.”

Podcast production by Jared Downing. Production assistance by Kat Hong.

Hosts

Dana Stephens, Julia Turner, Stephen Metcalf

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - TikTok’s Current Main Character is a Familiar Face

Wed, 05 Jun 2024 07:00:00 GMT

On today’s episode, Rachelle is joined by Slate staff writer and friend of the show, Nadira Goffe. The two revisit last year’s episode breaking down the Tarte brand trip that took over TikTok now that one of the main stars of that debacle, Fannita Legett, is once again TikTok’s main character

This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Daisy Rosario, Candice Lim and Rachelle Hampton.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Decoder Ring - Captain Planet to the Rescue

Wed, 05 Jun 2024 07:00:00 GMT

In 1990, the cartoon superhero Captain Planet swooped onto TV screens all over the world. He was the brainchild of media mogul Ted Turner, and in the face of impending ecological catastrophe, he had the lofty goal of turning kids into environmental warriors.

In this episode, we’re going to look at how Captain Planet came to be, what he aspired to do, and how much he really got done. Captain Planet’s mission was noble, but was it also naive? How much of an impact can even the most well-meaning fictional superhero have on very real environmental disasters? And can we really entertain ourselves and our children into solving our hardest problems?

This episode was reported and produced by Olivia Briley. It was edited by Evan Chung. Decoder Ring is produced by Willa Paskin, Evan Chung, Katie Shepherd and Max Freedman. Derek John is Executive Producer. Merritt Jacob is Senior Technical Director.

In this episode you’ll hear from Nick Boxer, David Coburn, Marsha Goodman, and Illac Diaz.

Thank you to Eugene Linden, Dr. Juliette Rooney-Varga, Mary DeMocker, Claire Reynolds, and Kelly Jones.

If you haven’t yet, please subscribe and rate our feed in Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. And even better, tell your friends.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Death, Sex & Money - I Was Afraid of Losing Myself to Motherhood. I Found Myself Instead.

Tue, 04 Jun 2024 07:00:00 GMT

Elissa Strauss always knew she wanted to be a mother, but she also knew she didn’t want motherhood to take over her personality. After all, she had spent years as a blogger making fun of anyone who took motherhood too seriously. She bemoaned the natural birth movement and people who made “mom friends.”

Then Elissa had a son, and her view of caretaking started to shift. “I had put so much energy into figuring out how not to lose myself to caregiving,” Elissa writes in her new book, “that I completely ignored the possibility that I might, in fact, find some of myself there.” In this episode, Anna and Elissa talk about why it feels uncool to talk about liking motherhood, the ways caretaking can take from us, but also how it can fill us up and engender “moral transformation.” Plus, the economics of care, and what really valuing care in society would look like.

Elissa’s book is called When You Care: the Unexpected Magic of Caring for Others. She also wrote a piece last month in Slate called “It’s Weird Times to Be a Happy Mother.”

Are you a paid caregiver? We want to hear from you for a future listener episode. Tell us some things you’ve taken away from the experience – wild stories, observations about class, lessons about the way you want your own loved ones to be cared for. Send us your thoughts and stories at deathsexmoney@slate.com.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hang Up and Listen - The WNBA’s Caitlin Clark Drama

Mon, 03 Jun 2024 23:30:00 GMT

Joel Anderson and Josh Levin are joined by Howard Megdal of the Next to discuss the tumultuous beginning to Caitlin Clark’s rookie season. Historian and author Larry Lester also joins to explain how records from the Negro Leagues finally got incorporated into the major-league record book. Finally, Joel speaks with Arena Football League player Tamatoa Silva about how it felt to watch an entire league come crashing down around him.

Caitlin Clark (2:49): Dissecting all the drama surrounding the WNBA star.

Negro Leagues (25:23): What to know about all the new stats, and why it took so long for MLB to add them to the record book.

Arena Football League (47:56): A conversation about life on the football fringes.

Afterball (59:48): Josh on Dejounte Murray and the greatest NBA quote of all time.

(Note: time codes are only accurate for Slate Plus members, who listen ad free.)

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - Anna Sale on Internet Sabbaticals, iPod Culture and WebCrawler

Sat, 01 Jun 2024 07:00:00 GMT

Rachelle Hampton and Candice Lim are joined by Anna Sale, the host of Death, Sex & Money, to dive into her internet diary. After her podcast jumped to Slate, Sale took a month off and plugged into her surroundings, starting with her local library. Since its return, Death, Sex & Money has dived into diagnosed sociopaths, botox in Appalachia and the magic of mushrooms. But as Sale tells ICYMI, the podcast has developed an interesting relationship with the internet, which makes it both easier and harder to answer the questions her listeners are dying to ask.

This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Daisy Rosario, Candice Lim and Rachelle Hampton.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hit Parade | Music History and Music Trivia - Be My Baby-Baby-Baby Edition Part 2

Fri, 31 May 2024 15:00:00 GMT

Girl groups have long been underestimated—even by the producers and managers who created them.

For women listeners, girl groups narrated profound emotions and expressed personal freedom—even when the singers were not so free themselves. For male listeners, girl groups provided inspiration, and a way to express matters of the heart.

And for all listeners across rock and soul history, girl groups pushed music forward. In the ’60s, the Shirelles, Marvelettes, Ronettes and Shangri-Las kept rock afloat between Elvis Presley and the Beatles. In the ’70s and ’80s, girl groups from the Emotions to Exposé rebooted dance music. In the ’90s, En Vogue, TLC and Destiny’s Child fused hip-hop style with old-school soul—and the Spice Girls fired up a new generation through Girl Power.

Join Chris Molanphy as we shimmy and strut through decades of bops to give girl groups the respect they deserve. You’ll love them tomorrow, because friendship never ends.

Podcast production by Kevin Bendis.

Want more Hit Parade? Join Slate Plus to unlock monthly early-access episodes. Plus, you’ll get ad-free listening across all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe now on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of our show page. Or, visit slate.com/hitparadeplus to get access wherever you listen.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - Encore: TikTok Shop Is a Dystopian Mall Kiosk

Wed, 29 May 2024 07:00:00 GMT

Today, we’re revisiting one of our favorite episodes from September 2022 about TikTok Shop.

In the episode, Rachelle and Candice are joined by sustainable stylist and fashion educator Lakyn Carlton to discuss TikTok Shop — a new feature that lets users purchase products without ever leaving the app. TikTok Shop is a modern day QVC, where merchants can shell products they’ve made — or are authorized to resell — in live videos with products tagged on screen. In the age of Amazon Storefronts and Etsy, it’s not surprising for TikTok to enter the e-commerce space. But the crowded, merchant-filled experience has ruined the app’s appeal and made users consider quitting TikTok for good.

This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Daisy Rosario, Candice Lim and Rachelle Hampton.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Culture Gabfest - Furiosa’s Glower

Wed, 29 May 2024 07:00:00 GMT

On this week’s show, the hosts begin by jumping into Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga, a prequel to George Miller’s 2015 Fury Road, in which Anya Taylor-Joy stars as Furiosa, an arachnid beauty who’s stolen as a child and becomes a wasteland road warrior. She’s a “strong, silent type,” typical of the action film genre, but does that trope mean something different with a female protagonist in 2024? The panel discusses. (Read Dana’s review of Furiosa!) Then, the three chat Hit Man, Richard Linklater’s latest starring Glen Powell as Gary Johnson, a college professor who moonlights as a fake gunman for hire. It’s a delightful rom-com tucked within a thriller—a romantic thriller, if you will–that manages to feel like a hangout film despite its ridiculous premise. (Read Dana’s review of Hat Man!) Finally, ScarJo or FauxJo? Tech journalist and author of Blood in the Machine: The Origins of the Rebellion Against Big Tech Brian Merchant joins the panel to parse through Silicon’s Valley’s latest scandal: Scarlett Johansson accusing ChatGPT of stealing her voice for its new interface program. (Read Brian’s newsletter about it!)

In the exclusive slate Plus segment, the hosts answer an excellent listener question from Michael Schulman: What fictional works of art-within-the-art would you most want to see on their own?

Email us at culturefest@slate.com.

Endorsements:

Dana: An interview between Richard Linklater and Skip Hollandsworth, whose stories Linklater adapted in the films Bernie and Hit Man, for Texas Monthly.

Julia: Monopoly Deal, a well-designed family card game.

Stephen: A poem by Janet Frame, “Scarlet Tanager, Saratoga Springs” which was featured on the Yumi Zouma song, “Lie Like You Want Me Back - Alternative Version.”

Podcast production by Jessamine Molli. Production assistance by Kat Hong.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hang Up and Listen - Luka and Kyrie Are Running the NBA

Tue, 28 May 2024 23:30:00 GMT

Joel Anderson, Stefan Fatsis, and Josh Levin discuss the stardom of the Dallas Mavericks’ Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving as well as Draymond Green’s stint on TNT’s Inside the NBA. Michael McCann of Sportico also joins to break down the multibillion-dollar settlement that will likely mark the end of amateurism in college sports.

Luka and Kyrie: How the Mavericks duo took over the Western Conference Finals.

NCAA: Will the settlement deal actually become reality? And how will the payments work?

Afterball: Stefan on Bill Walton, Jack Scott, and the FBI.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Death, Sex & Money - Why You’re Not Having Sex

Tue, 28 May 2024 07:00:00 GMT

The dating app Bumble recently declared in advertisements that “a vow of celibacy is not the answer.” The ad campaign, which was met with a swift backlash, seemed to be responding to a prevailing notion that people are having less sex than they used to. Back in 2015, we asked our listeners why they weren’t having sex, and their reasons varied. Disability, religious beliefs, S.T.I.s, and differing libidos were all cited as factors. This week, we revisit those stories and reflect on sex and abstinence at a time when those things continue to spark debate.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - The Ethics of the Therapist-Influencer

Sat, 25 May 2024 07:00:00 GMT

On today’s show, Rachelle is joined by internet culture writer and reporter Kate Lindsay whose recent Bustle article “My Therapist is a TikTok Star” explores the complicated dynamics that emerge when patients run into their therapists online.

This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Daisy Rosario, Candice Lim and Rachelle Hampton.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Death, Sex & Money - Bonus: After the Interview, Our Guest Had Some Questions

Fri, 24 May 2024 07:00:00 GMT

In our episode with Jim Harris, we talked about how a spinal cord injury left him partially paralyzed, and then how 8 months into his recovery he regained some lost sensation and movement after taking psilocybin at a music festival. When we recorded, we talked for a long time….right up to when his window of availability was closing.

But as I wrapped up and got ready to say goodbye, he said: can I ask you a few questions? It was interesting to hear what he was wondering about after I’d asked him questions for such a long stretch. So we kept talking… and we thought we’d share that with you too.

Podcast production by Andrew Dunn.

This episode is member-exclusive. Listen to it now by subscribing to Slate Plus. By joining, not only will you unlock this episode, but you’ll also access ad-free listening across all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe now on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of our show page. Or, visit slate.com/dsmplus to get access wherever you listen.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - The Aftermath of a Layoff

Wed, 22 May 2024 07:00:00 GMT

Candice Lim is joined by Yowei Shaw (former co-host of NPR’s Invisibilia) to discuss her new podcast Proxy, which takes listeners through the psychological aftermath of a layoff, starting with Shaw’s own layoff from NPR. In March 2023, the public radio institution laid off approximately 10 percent of its staff, resulting in the cancellation of four podcasts, including Invisibilia. Shaw, along with her team, was working on an upcoming season of the podcast when they were suddenly without jobs. More than a year later, Shaw is back with Proxy, which investigates layoff culture and asks questions like “Is there a good way to lay off employees?” and “Why did my HR representative smile when they laid me off?”

This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Daisy Rosario, Candice Lim and Rachelle Hampton.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Decoder Ring - Why Are We Still Using Fat Suits?

Wed, 22 May 2024 07:00:00 GMT

A fat suit is a custom-made costume with one goal: to make an actor appear fat without them actually having to be fat. It’s typically a unitard filled with mattress foam and other wiggly, jiggly bits—but it’s also so much more than that, an embodiment of all our cultural hang-ups about fatness. In today’s episode we’re going to consider the fat suit from all angles: how it’s made, how it’s changed, and why it continues to exist.

You’ll hear from Dawn Dininger, Royce Best, Amy Farrell, Hazel Cills, Mia Mask, and Matthew Mungle.

This episode was written and produced by Katie Shepherd. It was edited by Willa Paskin. Decoder Ring is also produced by Evan Chung and Max Freedman. Derek John is Executive Producer. Merritt Jacob is Senior Technical Director. We had mixing help from Kevin Bendis.

Special thank you to: Mike Marino, Jacqui Lucey, Gina Tonic, Kate Young, Barbara Miller and The Museum of the Moving Image.

If you haven’t yet, please subscribe and rate our feed in Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. And even better, tell your friends.

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Culture Gabfest - Can Babes Make Childbirth Funny?

Wed, 22 May 2024 07:00:00 GMT

On this week’s show, the hosts begin by reviewing Babes, Pamela Adlon’s (Better Things, Louie) directorial feature debut starring Ilana Glazer and Michelle Buteau. Through raunch-comedy and body horror, Babes explores childbirth and pregnancy through a refreshingly unromanticized lens, but does it succeed as a drama? Then, the three switch gears and turn to Interview With the Vampire, AMC’s Anne Rice adaptation that’s now in its second season. What a weird show! The series–starring Jacob Anderson as Louis de Pointe du Lac and Eric Bogosian as the titular cynical interviewer–brings the novel’s queer subtext to the surface, and is camp in every sense of the word. Finally, the trio is joined by Mikael Wood, the Los Angeles Times’ pop music critic to discuss Billie Eilish’s latest album, Hit Me Hard and Soft. (You can read Wood’s review here.) Produced with her brother Finneas, Hit Me Hard and Soft offers a new way of thinking about the 22-year-old, and features songs like “Birds of a Feather” and “Lunch,” a fun, lusty track about being into girls.

In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, the panel answers a question from long-time listener, James: “What things that you love have you been introduced to by advertising?”

Email us at culturefest@slate.com.

Endorsements:

Dana: This week’s endorsement comes with a brag: Dana’s daughter is going to Julliard! Through that, they discovered the wonderful documentary, Creating a Character: The Moni Yakim Legacy.

Julia: Two clarifications and an extremely sumptuous sweater recommendation. First, the fashion Substacks mentioned on a previous episode were I Want to be Her!, Girls of a Certain Age, and Blackbird Spyplane. Second, a wool sweater from Dana Lee Brown.

Stephen: The Time of the Last Persecution, an album by the English singer-songwriter Bill Fay, released in 1971.

Podcast production by Jessamine Molli. Production assistance by Kat Hong.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Death, Sex & Money - The Night Magic Mushrooms and Jam Bands Helped Me Walk Again

Tue, 21 May 2024 07:00:00 GMT

Before going on a kite-skiing trip to the Chilean mountains, Jim Harris and his longtime girlfriend broke up. She wanted to settle down, and he wanted to keep adventuring. On that trip, Jim broke his back and became paralyzed. After eight months of non-stop physical therapy his progress seemed to be stalled until one night at a concert he took magic mushrooms and noticed new movement in muscles that hadn’t worked since his accident. In this episode, Anna and Jim talk about his process of recovery, finding new identity, relationships, and ways to adventure and explore.

You can see Jim’s art and a portfolio of his wilderness adventures at PerpetualWeekend.com, and we first heard about Jim from an article in Outside Magazine.

Podcast production by Andrew Dunn.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hang Up and Listen - The Wolves Chomped the Champs

Mon, 20 May 2024 23:30:00 GMT

Joel Anderson, Stefan Fatsis, and Josh Levin discuss the Pacers’ and Timberwolves’ Game 7 wins in the NBA’s conference semifinals. Slate’s Alex Kirshner also joins to talk about Scottie Scheffler’s arrest at the PGA Championship. Finally, they review Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker’s ultra-conservative commencement speech.

NBA playoffs (3:11): Looking back at a pair of historic road victories.

Scheffler (20:18): A bizarre weekend at Valhalla for the world’s no. 1 golfer.

Butker (35:47): The Catholic football player launched himself into a culture war.

Afterball (51:53): Stefan on where Giannis Antetokounmpo grew up and what he overcame.

(Note: time codes are only accurate for Slate Plus members, who listen ad free.)

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - Jerrod Carmichael Reality Show Makes Reality TV Great Again

Sat, 18 May 2024 07:00:00 GMT

On today’s show, Rachelle is joined by Aisha Harris, co-host of NPR’s Pop Culture Happy Hour and author of Wannabe: Reckonings With the Pop Culture That Shaped Me. The two discuss Jerrod Carmichael Reality Show, the latest venture from the comedian behind the Emmy-award winning stand-up special Rothanial. In contrast, Reality Show has been greeted with a mixed critical reception but both Aisha and Rachelle agree that it’s a fascinating project by one of our generation’s most experimental comedians.

This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Daisy Rosario, Candice Lim and Rachelle Hampton.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hit Parade | Music History and Music Trivia - Be My Baby-Baby-Baby Edition Part 1

Fri, 17 May 2024 07:00:00 GMT

Girl groups have long been underestimated—even by the producers and managers who created them.

Join Chris Molanphy as we shimmy and strut through decades of bops to give girl groups the respect they deserve. You’ll love them tomorrow, because friendship never ends.

Podcast production by Kevin Bendis.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Culture Gabfest - Damn Dirty Apes

Wed, 15 May 2024 07:00:00 GMT

On this week’s show, the hosts begin by dissecting The Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes, the fourth chapter in the Apes franchise. Set “many generations” in the future, the latest installment (directed by Wes Ball and starring Owen Teague) is an undeniably well-crafted summer blockbuster – but does it achieve the level of complexity and thought its predecessors did? (Read Dana’s review for Slate for further analysis.) Then, it’s onto John Mulaney Presents: Everybody’s in LA, a six-part live Netflix special that aired during the streaming giant’s comedy festival. The conceit is thus: Netflix is a Joke attracts the best comedians in the world to LA, John Mulaney interviews them. But the final product is much stranger than that description, both a rejection and reinvention of the tired late-night talk show format, in which Mulaney interviews celebrities and non-celebrities, airs sketches, and delivers long monologues on the character of LA. Is Everybody’s in LA chaotic and sloppy, or a ragged delight? Our panel discusses. Finally, the trio is joined by Slate’s music critic, Carl Wilson, to eulogize the legendary musician and “producing engineer” (his preferred title) Steve Albini. Known for recording albums with Joanna Newsom, Nirvana, and the Pixies, among others, Albini considered himself a documentarian of sound and a technical expert, and brought his punk-rock ethic to everything he did. Read Steve Albini’s essay, “The Problem with Music” and his letter to Nirvana.

In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, the panel discusses cultural arbitrage with Slate’s music critic, Carl Wilson, inspired by W. David Marx’s essay for The Atlantic, “The Diminishing Returns of Having Good Taste.”

Email us at culturefest@slate.com.

Endorsements:

Dana: “Who’s Afraid of Judith Butler?” – a profile of the philosopher and gender theorist by Parul Sehgal for The New Yorker.

Julia: “Espresso” by Sabrina Carpenter.

Stephen: The delightful, catchy, and exuberant (with a tincture of melancholy) music of New Zealand band, Yumi Zuma. (Check out Steve’s playlist here.)

Podcast production by Jared Downing. Production assistance by Kat Hong.

Hosts

Dana Stephens, Julia Turner, Stephen Metcalf

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - Street Fights and Moissanite Rings: Reddit’s Favorite “Selling Sunset” Moments

Wed, 15 May 2024 07:00:00 GMT

Rachelle and Candice dive into their mutual obsession: the Selling Sunset subreddit. Across seven seasons, the Netflix reality show has taken viewers into a glamorous and over-the-top real estate agency in Los Angeles. Aside from selling mansions, the show’s most successful endeavor has been its online community, built on social media platforms like Reddit. r/SellingSunset has more than 250,000 followers with eagle-eyed fans posting daily about episode plotlines and off-season social media activity. Following the release of Selling the OC’s third season, ICYMI is rounding up the subreddit’s favorite moments from the original series and throwing in a few of their own.

This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Daisy Rosario, Candice Lim and Rachelle Hampton.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Death, Sex & Money - My Eating Disorder Turned Into an Obsession With Money

Tue, 14 May 2024 07:00:00 GMT

Vivian’s eating disorder started in college. She meticulously tracked calories and the number on the scale. Once she graduated she became less rigid with food, but her fixation with numbers took a new form: budgeting and saving money. In this episode, Anna talks to Vivian about her long and complicated relationship to mental math, how tracking calories and paychecks has helped distract her from painful loss, and how she’s managing with her money anxieties now as she plans a wedding and prenup.

Want to hear more about relationships and money? Check out an episode we made all about wedding costs last summer. And if you heard last week’s episode about a mobile health care clinic in rural Virginia, we have an important update from local reporting on the high levels of executive pay at the Health Wagon, which just prompted the Virginia legislature to cancel $800,000 of line item funding for the nonprofit. It's a developing story we'll be following.

Podcast production by Zoe Azulay

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hang Up and Listen - The WNBA Takes Flight

Mon, 13 May 2024 22:30:00 GMT

Joel Anderson and Josh Levin are joined by the Washington Post’s Ben Golilver to talk about the NBA’s conference semifinals. Jackie Powell of the Next also joins to preview all the big storylines leading into the most-anticipated WNBA season ever. Finally, one of the WNBA’s top draft picks in 2023, Maddy Siegrist, explains what the 2024 rookie class can expect in their first year as pros.

NBA playoffs (3:29): The Nuggets aren’t dead yet and the Knicks are held together with duct tape.

WNBA (21:25): Caitlin Clark’s debut, the Aces going for three in a row, and the rollout of charter flights.

Siegrist (39:49): The second-year player for the Dallas Wings on adjusting to the WNBA.

Afterball (56:22): Joel on the seeming demise of the Arena Football League.

(Note: time codes are only accurate for Slate Plus members, who listen ad free.)

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - Never Post: Everyone is a Journalish

Sat, 11 May 2024 07:00:00 GMT

The second and final installment of our two part collab with Never Post! Mike talks with mis- and disinformation researcher Joan Donovan about the line between gossip and conspiracy; then Candice and Rachelle join Mike to talk about what it feels like swimming in the wide open sea of monocultural event discourse. Also: C-SPAN’s earliest internet memories!

Become a Never Post member at https://www.neverpo.st/

Call us at 651 615 5007 to leave a voice mail
Drop us a voice memo via airtable
Or email us at theneverpost at gmail dot com
See what interstitials we need submissions for

Everyone is a Journalish

Find Joan at her website
and at publicinterestinter.net

Never Post’s producers are Audrey Evans, Georgia Hampton and The Mysterious Dr. Firstname Lastname. Our senior producer is Hans Buetow. Our executive producer is Jason Oberholtzer. The show’s host is Mike Rugnetta.

vertigo of too many nuances

don’t drown in their rapidity

choose the nuances you love

and settle down with them

Excerpt of #45 - butter colored slacks and rubber rum balls by Wayne Koestenbaum

Never Post is a production of Charts & Leisure

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Death, Sex & Money - 'Tom' Felt So Alone Not Being Able To Drive. We Made An Introduction.

Fri, 10 May 2024 07:00:00 GMT

We first heard from a listener we’re calling Tom in an episode about life transitions. He told us he had recently gotten his driving license revoked because of a health condition, and felt stranded at home and abandoned by friends. In this episode, we called Tom back to learn more about his life and circumstances, and also to put him in conversation with Anna Zivarts, author of the new book, When Driving is Not An Option: Steering Away from Car Dependency. Together they talk about how not being able to drive impacts your routine, relationships, and self-worth.

Podcast production by Zoe Azulay

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - How Kate Middleton’s Disappearance Redefined Monoculture

Wed, 08 May 2024 07:00:00 GMT

This week, ICYMI and the Never Post podcast are collaborating on two episodes surrounding 2024’s biggest internet monocultural moment: Kate Middleton’s disappearance. It’s been more than a month since Kate announced she’d started preventative chemotherapy treatments following a cancer diagnosis. Which means it’s also been just over a month since conspiracy theories about the princess ran rampant across the internet. As an increasingly algorithmic internet silos us further into our own little content niches, all-consuming events like Kate Middleton’s disappearance are fewer and far between. So what does it take, in 2024, to capture the internet’s attention and create these rare monocultural moments?

This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Daisy Rosario, Candice Lim and Rachelle Hampton.

This episode was made in collaboration with the Never Post team, which includes Hans Buetow, Mike Rugnetta, Jason Oberholtzer and Wil Williams.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Decoder Ring - How the Jalapeño Lost Its Heat

Wed, 08 May 2024 07:00:00 GMT

The jalapeño is the workhorse of hot peppers. They’re sold fresh, canned, pickled, in hot sauces, salsas, smoked into chipotles, and they outsell all other hot peppers in the United States. These everyday chilies are a scientific and sociological marvel, and tell a complicated story about Mexican food and American palates.

In today’s episode, we meet Dallas-based food critic Brian Reinhart, who fell in love with spicy Mexican cuisine as a teenager. Recently, Brian started to notice that the jalapeños he’d buy in the grocery store were less and less hot. So he called up an expert: Dr. Stephanie Walker, who studies chili pepper genetics at New Mexico State University. She explains that the food industry has been breeding milder jalapeños for decades – a project led by “Dr. Pepper” himself, Benigno Villalon.

Finally, Los Angeles Times columnist Gustavo Arellano puts the jalapeño in context, as part of an age-old cycle in Americans’ obsession with Mexican food: one more ingredient that’s been “discovered,” celebrated, then domesticated.

Brian Reinhart’s article about the jalapeño ran in D Magazine. Gustavo Arellano’s book is called Taco USA: How Mexican Food Conquered America.

This episode was produced by Evan Chung, who produces the show with Katie Shepherd and Max Freedman. Derek John is Executive Producer. Merritt Jacob is Senior Technical Director.

If you haven’t yet, please subscribe and rate our feed in Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. And even better, tell your friends.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Culture Gabfest - Ryan Gosling Falls for Emily Blunt

Wed, 08 May 2024 07:00:00 GMT

On this week’s show, the hosts begin by diving head-first into The Fall Guy, director David Leitch’s love letter to stunts and stunt people. It’s a rom-com starring action set pieces, in which stuntman Colt Seavers (Ryan Gosling) falls for his director and ex-flame, Jody (Emily Blunt). The film is very telling about the work that goes into making an action flick… but does The Fall Guy ever achieve liftoff? Then, they debate I Saw the TV Glow, Jane Schoenbrun’s impressive second feature that chronicles the friendship between Owen and Maddy, and their fascination with the fictional show The Pink Opaque. I Saw the TV Glow obsesses over what’s real and not real–and is said to be an allegory for being trans–in a way that’s brave and admirable, but often depressing to watch. Finally, the panel is joined by Lydia Polgreen, Opinion columnist for The New York Times and co-host of the Matter of Opinion podcast, to discuss her reporting on the student protests unfolding in New York City. A few of the media mentioned: “Columbia, Free Speech and the Coddling of the American Right” and “The Student-Led Protests Aren’t Perfect. That Doesn’t Mean They’re Not Right.” by Polgreen; “The Takeover,” an on-the-ground report by the staff of the Columbia Daily Spectator for New York Magazine; the Columbia Revolt documentary.

In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, the panel discusses the question that’s been roiling TikTok: For women, would you rather be alone in the woods with a man or a bear?

Email us at culturefest@slate.com.

Endorsements:

Dana: “Kindness,” a poem by Naomi Shihab Nye, which she read on the On Being podcast. You can explore more of Shihab Nye’s poetry here.

Julia: (1) A congratulations to former Los Angeles Times film critic Justin Chang for his Pulitzer Prize. (2) The Work of Art: How Something Comes From Nothing by Adam Moss.

Stephen: Saxophonist Frank Morgan, specifically, his album Listen to the Dawn. And you can listen to Steve’s playlist for Julia here.

Podcast production by Jared Downing. Production assistance by Kat Hong.

Hosts

Dana Stephens, Julia Turner, Stephen Metcalf

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Death, Sex & Money - Filling the Health Care Gap (and Filling Lips!) in Appalachia

Tue, 07 May 2024 07:00:00 GMT

Nurse practitioners Teresa Owens Tyson and Paula Hill-Collins have saved countless lives in rural Appalachia. They operate a mobile clinic called The Health Wagon that brings much-needed care to people who wouldn’t otherwise get it. Teresa and Paula have also been friends since they were 14 years old. They finish each other's sentences, crack jokes, and support each other through difficult times.

This week, Teresa and Paula join DSM to talk about their important work, their rock-solid friendship, and their exciting new side gig where they administer beauty treatments like botox and fillers.

We also hear from filmmaker Ramin Bahrani, an Academy Award-nominated filmmaker who made a documentary about healthcare in the rural south called If Dreams Were Lightning: Rural Healthcare Crisis.

Podcast production by Cameron Drews.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hang Up and Listen - So Long Sixers

Mon, 06 May 2024 22:00:00 GMT

Joel Anderson, Josh Levin, and NPR’s Gene Demby look back at the epic first-round series between the New York Knicks and Philadelphia 76ers. They also check in on the chaos inside Deion Sanders’ Colorado football program. Finally, Alex Prewitt joins Joel, Josh, and Stefan Fatsis to examine why Korean basketball players bank in their free throws.

Knicks- Sixers (2:25): How New York came out on top and what’s next for Philly.

Colorado (19:03): What happened to all the players Coach Prime booted?

Banked-in free throws (34:26): A deep dive into a mysterious phenomenon.

Afterball (49:15): Josh on the Shaq-Kobe NBA (and rap) beef.

(Note: time codes are only accurate for Slate Plus members, who listen ad free.)

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - How Challengers Took Over the Internet

Sat, 04 May 2024 07:00:00 GMT

On today’s show, Rachelle and Candice join the rest of the internet in yapping about Luca Guadagnino’s Challengers which features Zendaya as tennis prodigy Tashi Duncan and her paramours, Art (Mike Faist) and Patrick (Josh O’Connor). In a spoiler-filled discussion, they dive deep into the scenes, needle drops and press tour moments that have kept social media abuzz.

This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Daisy Rosario, Candice Lim and Rachelle Hampton.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Decoder Ring - From ‘The Last Archive’: Building an Automatic Songwriting Machine

Wed, 01 May 2024 07:00:00 GMT

We’re bringing you an episode of The Last Archive from our friends at Pushkin Industries. In this episode: an exploration of early artificial intelligence, the story of the composer Raymond Scott’s lifelong quest to build an automatic songwriting machine, and what it means for our own AI-addled, ChatGPT.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - The End of Foxtrot and Outdoor Voices

Wed, 01 May 2024 07:00:00 GMT

Rachelle Hampton and Candice Lim walk through the drama surrounding Foxtrot, an upscale cafe and mini market that abruptly closed all of its locations on April 23. Despite its popularity and over $100 million raised, Foxtrot’s sudden shutdown shocked employees and devoted customers who expressed their outrage and sadness on TikTok. Then, they discuss the rumors surrounding Outdoor Voices, the exercise clothing brand that was everywhere, until it wasn’t. But first, they debate this year’s song of the summer.

This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Daisy Rosario, Candice Lim and Rachelle Hampton.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Culture Gabfest - Zendaya Plays Doubles

Wed, 01 May 2024 07:00:00 GMT

On this week’s show, the hosts begin by discussing Challengers, Luca Guadagnino’s sexy tennis flick in which Zendaya stars as Tashi Duncan, the muse and lover of two male players, Art (Mike Faist) and Patrick (Josh O’Connor). It’s a smart but silly movie, one that paints a beautifully nested portrait of friendship and rivalry, and explores the complexities of desire. Then, the three dissect Baby Reindeer, an incredibly constructed and emotionally intense psychodrama–and a true-ish tale–by creator and star Richard Gadd. The seven-part series is currently dominating Netflix and explores themes including masculinity, sexuality, and abuse. Finally, what is a magazine now? The hosts consider this question, inspired by Jessica Testa’s article for The New York Times profiling Highsnobiety, a store-website-production agency-clothing line hybrid that recently won a National Magazine Award for general excellence, the publication’s first nomination and win at the “Oscars of the magazine world.”

In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, the panel jumps into a classic spoiler special and discusses the final scene of Challengers.

Email us at culturefest@slate.com.

Outro music: "The Red Light Special" by Matt Large

Endorsements:

Dana: A piece of Britain everyone can access: Mr Bates vs The Post Office on Hulu.

Julia: Samin Nosrat’s recipe for Clam Pasta, which can be found in her book, Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat.

Steve:

“How Penelope Fitzgerald became a late blooming novelist.” By Henry Oliver.

Hosts

Dana Stephens, Julia Turner, Stephen Metcalf

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Death, Sex & Money - You’re at a Crossroads. We’re Here to Help.

Tue, 30 Apr 2024 07:00:00 GMT

To make this episode we asked you, our listeners, if you had any questions about a big life transition you were preparing for where you needed some advice.

We received a collection of questions that really trace the full life cycle of adulthood. We heard from those of you just starting out, wondering about new careers and family structures. We heard from those of you in midlife encountering destabilizing shake-ups in your routine, like a divorce, or a sudden disability. And we heard from you at the end of your working lives, wondering when to retire, and also about how to find purpose when life is no longer organized around a 9-5.

To offer advice, we convened a panel of Slate writers and thinkers, Slate writer Mark Joseph Stern, What Next TBD host Lizzie O'Leary, and Working co-host Ronald Young Jr.

Podcast production by Zoe Azulay

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hang Up and Listen - Anthony Edwards Is Here

Mon, 29 Apr 2024 23:00:00 GMT

Joel Anderson, Josh Levin, and Slate’s Alex Kirshner discuss the quarterback frenzy at the top of the NFL draft and Anthony Edwards’ star-making performances in the NBA playoffs. Then, Josh and Stefan Fatsis are joined by cross-country skiing broadcaster Chad Salmela to talk about the remarkable Jessie Diggins.

QBs in the NFL draft (4:23): Was the Falcons’ Michael Penix pick a big mistake?

Edwards (18:44): The Timberwolves guard looks ready for the spotlight.

Diggins (34:06): Why everyone should root for the American skiing sensation.

Afterballs (56:38 ): Joel on "Machine Gun" Molly Bolin and WNBA.

(Note: time codes are only accurate for Slate Plus members, who listen ad free.)

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - The “TikTok Voice” of Our Generation

Sat, 27 Apr 2024 07:00:00 GMT

On today’s episode, Rachelle and Candice answer a listener's question about “Dr.” Natalya Toryanski, an influencer with almost a quarter of million of followers on TikTok who tune into her satirical videos mimicking a prototypical “bland influencer.” Our listener writes, “I have to believe that at least a major percentage of her content is intentional parody/satire; but then I have moments where I'm not so sure whether she is parodying something or just earnestly doing it (for example, when she talks nonsense about food).” We dive into the aforementioned “nonsense” and try to make sense of it.

This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Daisy Rosario, Candice Lim and Rachelle Hampton, with special thanks to Olivia Briley for her help on today’s episode.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hit Parade | Music History and Music Trivia - We Want It That Way Edition Part 2

Sat, 27 Apr 2024 00:00:00 GMT

When you hear “boy band,” what do you picture? Five guys with precision dance moves? Songs crafted by the Top 40 pop machine? Svengalis pulling the puppet strings? Hordes of screaming girls?

As it turns out, not all boy bands fit these signifiers. (Well…except for the screaming girls—they are perennial.) There are boy bands that danced, and some that did not…boy bands that relied entirely on outside songwriters, and those that wrote big hits…boy bands assembled by managers or producers, and quite a few that launched on their own.

From Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers to New Kids on the Block, the Monkees to the Jonas Brothers, Boyz II Men to BTS, New Edition to One Direction, and…yeah, of course, Backstreet Boys and *N Sync, boy bands have had remarkable variety over the years. (In a sense, even a certain ’60s Fab Four started as a boy band.)

Join Chris Molanphy as he tries to define the ineffable quality of boy band–ness, walks through decades of shrieking, hair-pulling pop history, and reminds you that boy bands generated some of our greatest hits, from “I Want You Back” to “I Want It That Way,” “Bye Bye Bye” to “Dynamite.” Help him “bring the fire and set the night alight.”

Podcast production by Kevin Bendis.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Culture Gabfest - Taylor Swift’s Messy Maximalism

Wed, 24 Apr 2024 07:00:00 GMT

On this week’s episode, the panel is first joined by Slate’s music critic, Carl Wilson, to puzzle over The Tortured Poets Department, Taylor Swift’s much-anticipated 11th studio album. Stuffed with 31 tracks, the two-part album is a departure from the billionaire pop star’s otherwise perfectly crafted oeuvre: it’s messy and drippy, and at times, manic and frenetic. Is this secretly a cry for help? And more importantly, when did she find the time to record this thing? Then, the three explore Fallout, a post-apocalyptic drama series adapted from the extremely popular role-playing video game of the same name. Executive produced by Jonathan Nolan (Westworld, Person of Interest) and streaming on Prime Video, Fallout certainly achieves a high level of immersive world-building, but do the stories and characters fare the same? Finally, Becca Rothfeld, the Washington Post’s non-fiction book critic, joins to discuss her triumphant first book, All Things Are Too Small: Essays in Praise of Excess, in which she rebukes the culture’s affinity for minimalism and makes the case for living in a maximalist world.

In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, it’s part two of the Ambition versus Contentment discussion (courtesy of a listener question from Gretel): How should a parent approach cultivating ambition in a child, if at all? The hosts discuss.

Email us at culturefest@slate.com.

Outro music: "Ruins (Instrumental Version)" by Origo

Endorsements:

Dana: The Teacher’s Lounge, a film by German-Turkish director Ilker Çatak. It was a Best International Film nominee at the 96th Academy Awards. (Also, Ebertfest in Champaign, Illinois!)

Julia: Kristen Wiig’s Jumanji sketch on Saturday Night Live, inspired by Dana.

Stephen: The British band Jungle, introduced to him by his daughter. A few favorite songs: “Back on 74,” “Dominoes,” and “All of the Time.”

Podcast production by Jared Downing. Production assistance by Kat Hong.

Hosts

Dana Stevens, Julia Turner, Stephen Metcalf

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - Is Roblox Coming for TikTok?

Wed, 24 Apr 2024 07:00:00 GMT

On today’s episode, Steffi Cao explains Roblox to Rachelle. Cao, a culture writer with bylines at The Atlantic, Fast Company, Forbes, BuzzFeed and more, recently wrote about Roblox’s new attempt to venture outside of kids’ gaming.

This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Daisy Rosario, Candice Lim and Rachelle Hampton.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Decoder Ring - Making Real Music for a Fake Band

Wed, 24 Apr 2024 07:00:00 GMT

Pop culture is full of fictional bands singing songs purpose-made to capture a moment, a sound. This music doesn’t organically emerge from a scene or genre, hoping to find an audience. Instead it fulfills an assignment: it needs to be 1960s folk music, 1970s guitar rock, 80s hair metal, 90s gangsta rap, and on and on.

In this episode, we’re going to use ‘Stereophonic,’ which just opened on Broadway, as a kind of case study in how to construct songs like this. The playwright David Adjmi and his collaborator, Will Butler formerly of the band Arcade Fire, will walk us through how they did it. How they made music that needs to capture the past, but wants to speak to the present; that has to work dramatically but hopes to stand on its own; that must be plausible, but aspires to be something even more.

The band in Stereophonic includes Sarah Pidgeon, Tom Pecinka, Juliana Canfield, Will Brill, and Chris Stack. Stereophonic is now playing on Broadway—and the cast album will be out May 10.

Thank you to Daniel Aukin, Marie Bshara, and Blake Zidell and Nate Sloan.

This episode was produced by Max Freedman and edited by Evan Chung, who produce the show with Katie Shepherd. Derek John is Executive Producer. Merritt Jacob is Senior Technical Director.

If you haven’t yet, please subscribe and rate our feed in Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. And even better, tell your friends.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Death, Sex & Money - A Tarot Reader Explains Why Intuition is So Tricky

Tue, 23 Apr 2024 07:00:00 GMT

Earlier this year, when the future of Death, Sex & Money was up in the air, Anna Sale consulted Rebecca Auman, a tarot reader and self-described witch based in North Carolina. Anna felt lost, but Rebecca encouraged her to relax and to pay close attention to what her body and mind were telling her about that moment.

Afterwards, Anna wondered how Rebecca became so good at reading people–and at helping them to navigate tough situations. When the two of them spoke a second time, Rebecca revealed that her ability to help other people doesn’t always translate to an ability to help herself. In this episode, the two of them talk about how hard it is to trust our own intuition…and to even recognize it in the first place.

Podcast production by Cameron Drews.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hang Up and Listen - The Huge NBA Gambling Scandal

Mon, 22 Apr 2024 23:30:00 GMT

Joel Anderson, Stefan Fatsis, and Josh Levin are joined by writer Tom Haberstroh to discuss Jontay Porter’s lifetime ban from the NBA for gambling. The Ringer’s Ben Lindbergh also joins to talk about the scourge of pitcher injuries in Major League Baseball and what MLB should do to get the crisis under control.

Jontay Porter (2:51): What his ban augurs for the future of pro sports and betting.

Pitcher injuries (26:17): What is MLB doing about them? Is it too late?

Afterball (47:02): Stefan on why the Ivy League’s best basketball players are transferring.

(Note: time codes are only accurate for Slate Plus members, who listen ad free.)

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - How a Chinese Glycine Manufacturer Took Over TikTok

Sat, 20 Apr 2024 07:00:00 GMT

On today’s episode, Rachelle and Candice answer listener questions about the rapid rise of Donghua Jinlong, a Chinese company that manufactures glycine. Over the past few weeks, paradoxically deadpan and impassioned videos about the high quality of Donghua Jinlong’s products have taken over TikTok. Are teens actually consuming industrial grade chemicals? Or is something even weirder happening?

This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Daisy Rosario, Candice Lim and Rachelle Hampton.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Culture Gabfest - Civil War: What Is It Good For?

Wed, 17 Apr 2024 07:00:00 GMT

On this week’s show, Slate culture writer (and Very, Very Good Friend of the Show, a.k.a. VVGFOP) Nadira Goffe sits in for Dana Stevens. The three begin with Civil War, writer-director Alex Garland’s (Ex Machina, Annihilation, Men) dystopian travelog starring Kirsten Dunst, Cailee Spaeny, and Wagner Moura that imagines a burned out, bombed out America in the throes of a raging internal conflict. But who is fighting whom? Our panel discusses. Then, they examine Jerrod Carmichael Reality Show, an eight-part series on Max depicting a very different civil war. Here, the exemplary sit-down stand-up comedian goes to war with himself, his public image, and the very nature of “reality.” It’s “Seinfeld meets reality TV meets Sylvia Plath,” and is a painfully naked confessional that begs the question: “Is Jerrod Carmichael trolling us?” (Read Nadira’s fantastic piece, “Who Did People Think Jerrod Carmichael Is?” Finally, the trio turns to “gaslighting,” the pop psychology term up for debate in Leslie Jamison’s essay for The New Yorker, “So You Think You’ve Been Gaslit.” Merriam-Webster’s Word of the Year in 2022, is “gaslighting” a handy term used to describe harmful behavior? Or has “gaslighting” become so ubiquitous, it’s lost all meaning? The panel gets into it.

In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, the hosts explore stuffed animals (including but not limited to: Squishmallows, Jelly Cats, and “lovies”), the difference between a blanket and blankie, and the joys of embracing one’s inner child, inspired by Valerie Trapp’s essay for The Atlantic, “Welcome to Kidulthood.”

Email us at culturefest@slate.com.

Outro music: "200 Dont's" by Conditional

Endorsements:

Nadira: (1) The Wiz revival on Broadway.

(2) Costco!

(3) Willow Smith’s new song, “b i g f e e l i n g s” off of her upcoming album, empathogen.

Julia: G. T. Karber’s book of puzzles, Murdle: 100 Simple to Impossible Mysteries to Solve Using Logic, Skill, and the Power of Deduction. “It’s a cross between an LSAT logic puzzle and a murder mystery.”

Stephen: Becca Rothfeld’s debut essay collection, All Things Are Too Small: Essays in Praise of Excess. (Becca will be on the show next week to discuss! For extra credit, grab a copy of her book and come prepared.)

Podcast production by Jared Downing. Production assistance by Kat Hong.

Hosts

Nadira Goffe, Julia Turner, Stephen Metcalf

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - Ann Maddox on Scandoval, Reddit and Grief

Wed, 17 Apr 2024 07:00:00 GMT

Candice Lim is joined by We Signed An NDA co-host Ann Maddox, who you may know as Tom Sandoval’s former personal assistant. In March 2023, Maddox was teaching improv to a middle school in Japan when she found out Sandoval and his then-girlfriend Ariana Madix had split. At first, Maddox assumed this was simply routine tabloid fodder, which often plagued her employers as long-time cast members on Vanderpump Rules. But one specific photograph made her realize the rumors were true, which escalated into one of 2023’s biggest online watercooler moments: “Scandoval.” Maddox joins the show to discuss how she got into this line of work, what she knew when Scandoval went down, and what it’s like to have your personal and professional life dissected online.

This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Daisy Rosario, Candice Lim and Rachelle Hampton.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Death, Sex & Money - A Sociopath's Guide to Death, Sex, and Money

Tue, 16 Apr 2024 07:00:00 GMT

Patric Gagne says being a sociopath is like having an emotional learning disability. In this episode, she talks about the good and the bad of having limited access to shame and guilt, how she overcame violent compulsions, and becoming a wife and mother.

Podcast production by Zoe Azulay.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hang Up and Listen - The Meaning of O.J. Simpson

Tue, 16 Apr 2024 00:00:00 GMT

Joel Anderson, Stefan Fatsis, and Josh Levin, discuss the death of O.J. Simpson and everything his life and his murder trial dredged up. They’re also joined by Vincent Goodwill of Yahoo Sports for a breakdown of the NBA playoffs.

O.J. Simpson's legacy (2:05): Reckoning with the meaning of O.J.

NBA Playoffs (23:45): Breaking down the upcoming playoff picture.

Afterball (41:42): Joel on O.J. Simpson’s long and not so successful sportscasting career.

(Note: time codes are only accurate for Slate Plus members, who listen ad free.)

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - What “Quiet on Set” Leaves Out

Sat, 13 Apr 2024 07:00:00 GMT

Candice Lim is joined by Slate culture writer Nadira Goffe to discuss their takeaways from Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV, a documentary series that details the toxic work environment, child abuse and disturbing events that occurred on the set of creator Dan Schneider’s shows. Schneider was the mind behind some of Nickelodeon's most-watched programming including All That, The Amanda Show and iCarly. But several dark truths were unearthed following the arrest of two child predators who worked on his sets, along with accusations of gender discrimination, sexual harassment and alleged sexual behavior by Schneider himself. Following the docuseries’ release, former child actors have used social media to make statements and speak about their experiences on Nickelodeon sets. But has the internet’s reaction from both viewers and former child actors helped or hurt the purpose and aim of the docuseries itself?

This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Daisy Rosario, Candice Lim and Rachelle Hampton with production assistance by Jared Downing.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hit Parade | Music History and Music Trivia - We Want It That Way Edition Part 1

Sat, 13 Apr 2024 01:00:00 GMT

When you hear “boy band,” what do you picture? Five guys with precision dance moves? Songs crafted by the Top 40 pop machine? Svengalis pulling the puppet strings? Hordes of screaming girls?

Podcast production by Kevin Bendis.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - What Next: TBD: Google’s Scam Obituary Problem

Wed, 10 Apr 2024 07:00:00 GMT

Why scam obituaries are edging out earnest ones, with the help of artificial intelligence and an adept Google game.

Guest: Mia Sato, reporter for The Verge.

Want more What Next TBD? Subscribe to Slate Plus to access ad-free listening to the whole What Next family and across all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of our show page. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to get access wherever you listen.

Podcast production by Evan Campbell, Patrick Fort, and Anna Phillips.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Culture Gabfest - Dev Patel Goes John Wick

Wed, 10 Apr 2024 07:00:00 GMT

On this week’s show, the panel is first joined by Slate business and culture writer Nitish Pahwa to discuss Monkey Man, Dev Patel’s dazzling but muddled directorial debut. The ultra-violent action flick stars Patel as Kid, a young man who works his way into a secret brothel for the super rich, hell-bent on finding the police chief who murdered his mother and exacting his revenge. It’s clearly a political statement of a film, rife with references to real-world controversies and corrupt political, religious, and pedagogical practices (all of which Nitish covers in his piece for Slate, “Monkey Man Has a Bold New Vision”). Then, the three jump into Ripley, a new eight-part Netflix series based on Patricia Highsmith’s master novel, The Talented Mr. Ripley, starring 47-year-old Andrew “Hot Priest” Scott as the titular seductive psychopath. Directed by Steven Zaillian (The Night Of, Schindler’s List, All the King’s Men) and with cinematography by Robert Elswith (Boogie Nights, There Will Be Blood, Good Night, and Good Luck), the series is shot in spectacular black-and-white and co-stars Dakota Fanning as Marge Sherwood and Johnny Flynn as Dickie Greenleaf. Finally, Julia Louis-Dreyfus (of Veep, Saturday Night Live, and Seinfeld fame, obviously) has a podcast, Wiser Than Me, which just entered its second season. On it, she interviews iconic older women like Jane Fonda, Carol Burnett, Bonnie Raitt, and Sally Field about the wisdom they’ve accrued and asks the question: “Well, how should I live?” While the show doesn’t fully avoid the pitfalls of the celebrity interview, secrets and things emerge within the course of a conversation and the framework itself gets to the very core of human existence.

In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, the panel answers a fittingly existential question from listener Gretel: “Wondering how you, high achievers all, balance ambition with contentment. Do you consider yourselves competitive or is your drive innate? I vacillate between pushing myself harder, striving to achieve more, and being grateful for what I have and where I am. Is contentment a noble endgame in your opinions?”

Email us at culturefest@slate.com.

Outro music: “Bollywood Star” by Jhukane Bada.

Endorsements:

Dana: Andrew Scott’s performance as Hamlet in 2017. (The full three-hour production can be watched on YouTube.)

Julia: Worn: A People’s History of Clothing by Sofi Thanhauser. An absolutely beautiful and fascinating book about the centrality of textile production throughout history.

Stephen: “Lowell, Plath, and Sexton in the Same Room” by Steve Moyer for the National Endowment for the Humanities (Spring 2024, Volume 45.)

Podcast production by Jared Downing. Production assistance by Kat Hong.

Hosts

Dana Stephens, Julia Turner, Stephen Metcalf

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Decoder Ring - Can the “Bookazine” Save Magazines?

Wed, 10 Apr 2024 07:00:00 GMT

Magazines have fallen on hard times – especially the weekly news, fashion, and celebrity mags that once dominated newsstands. The revenue from magazine racks has plummeted in recent years, and many magazines have stopped appearing in print or shut down altogether.

And yet, there is something growing in the checkout aisle: one-off publications, each devoted to a single topic, known as “bookazines.” Last year, over 1,200 different bookazines went on sale across the country. They cover topics ranging from Taylor Swift, Star Wars, the Kennedy assassination, K-Pop, the British royal family, and as host Willa Paskin recently observed, the career of retired movie star Robert Redford.

In today’s episode, Willa looks behind the racks to investigate this new-ish format. Who is writing, publishing, and reading all these one-off magazines – and why? Is the bookazine a way forward for magazines, or their last gasp?

Voices you’ll hear in this episode include Caragh Donley, longtime magazine journalist turned prolific writer of bookazines; Eric Szegda, executive at bookazine publisher a360 media; and Erik Radvon, comic book creator and bookazine fan.

This episode was produced by Max Freedman and edited by Evan Chung, who produce the show with Katie Shepherd. Derek John is Executive Producer. Merritt Jacob is Senior Technical Director.

If you haven’t yet, please subscribe and rate our feed in Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. And even better, tell your friends.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Death, Sex & Money - From Indie Rockers to Full-Time Caregivers

Tue, 09 Apr 2024 07:00:00 GMT

When musician Johnny Solomon hit rock bottom, he turned to his mom for help. Then, as his mother’s health declined, he and his wife (and bandmate) Molly moved in with her to lend a hand. But caring for Johnny’s mother meant that their music careers were put on hold.

We first talked to Johnny, Molly, and his mom Nancy in 2018. This week, we revisit that conversation and get a fresh update from Johnny.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hang Up and Listen - A Transcendent Women's Tourney

Mon, 08 Apr 2024 22:00:00 GMT

Stefan Fatsis and Josh Levin are joined by the Athletic’s Chantel Jennings to talk about South Carolina’s victory over Iowa. They also ponder Caitlin Clark’s WNBA future, John Calipari’s reported move to Arkansas, and Tennessee’s decision to move beyond the Pat Summitt coaching tree. Finally, Sam Koppelman joins to discuss Hunterbrook Media’s new report on Phoenix Suns owner Mat Ishbia’s mortgage company and how Hunterbrook is trying to use journalism to make money in the stock market.

South Carolina-Iowa (1:42): How the Gamecocks took down the Hawkeyes.

Caitlin Clark and big coaching moves (14:45): How will the Iowa star perform in the pros? And what’s next for the Kentucky men’s and Tennessee women’s basketball programs?

Ishbia (34:26): Breaking down a new story on the NBA and mortgage lending and assessing a new journalistic business model.

Afterball (55:51): Josh on Sports Illustrated’s 1955 baseball preview, featuring Willie Mays, Leo Durocher, and Laraine Day.

(Note: time codes are only accurate for Slate Plus members, who listen ad free.)

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - The Rise of Vine Star Casey Frey

Sat, 06 Apr 2024 07:00:00 GMT

Candice Lim and Rachelle Hampton dive into the internet history of Casey Frey, a dancer, comedian and internet icon who recently appeared on a Twitter-trending episode of Abbott Elementary. Frey was a Vine star who managed to transfer his audience to YouTube and Instagram, where he posted his most popular video in 2019. It found a second life during the pandemic when stuck-at-home fans made parodies and deep analyses, but it reminded the internet of Frey’s impact on late-2010s internet comedy and the nonsensical nature of his undeniable talent.

This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Daisy Rosario, Candice Lim and Rachelle Hampton.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Culture Gabfest - Beyoncé’s Country Kaleidoscope

Wed, 03 Apr 2024 07:00:00 GMT

On this week’s show, the panel is first joined by Slate culture writer (and the Gabfest’s Senior Beyoncé Correspondent) Nadira Goffe to dissect Beyoncé’s latest album, Cowboy Carter. Released on March 29th, Cowboy Carter is a 27-track behemoth with a country soul, packed with archival footage and songs that span multiple genres. To call it a country album would be too simplistic, so we’ll stick with Queen Bey’s own words: Cowboy Carter is a Beyoncé album. Then, the three jump into Do Not Expect Too Much From the End of the World, an avant-garde film from Romanian director Radu Jude that perfectly captures life in the 21st century. Finally, the trio examine Steve! (martin): a documentary in 2 pieces, a new two-part series directed by Morgan Neville (Will You Be My Neighbor?), which analyzes the legendary Steve Martin, an inscrutable human being and American icon.

In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, the panel discusses their personal relationships to hotels.

Email us at culturefest@slate.com.

Outro music: "I Can Still Dance" by Tigerblood Jewel

Endorsements:

Dana: Critic Nicolas Rapold’s interview with Radu Jude, the director of Do Not Expect Much From the End of the World, on his podcast, The Last Thing I Saw. It’s a great companion piece to listen to after watching the film.

Julia: The Fraud by Zadie Smith, a historical novel set in Victorian England. If you’ve read this book and have strong feelings, please email Julia at cultfest@slate.com to dissect the work and discuss.

Stephen: Penelope Fitzgerald, the Booker Prize-winning novelist, poet, and essayist. Specifically, her 1995 novel, the Blue Flower.

Podcast production by Jared Downing. Production assistance by Kat Hong.

Hosts

Dana Stephens, Julia Turner, Stephen Metcalf

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - Rebecca Jennings on NYT Connections and Selling Out

Wed, 03 Apr 2024 07:00:00 GMT

On today’s Internet Diary, Rachelle is joined by Rebecca Jennings, Vox’s senior correspondent covering social platforms and the creator economy. The two discuss Jennings’ recent pieces on why everyone loves NYT Connections and how self-promotion became the internet’s lingua franca.

This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Daisy Rosario, Candice Lim and Rachelle Hampton.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hang Up and Listen - The Kim Mulkey Profile Is Here

Mon, 01 Apr 2024 23:00:00 GMT

Joel Anderson and Stefan Fatsis are joined by USA Today’s Lindsay Schnell to talk about the NCAA women’s college basketball tournament and by Buzzer’s Eamonn Brennan to discuss the men’s tournament. Finally, the Washington Post’s Kent Babb joins for a conversation about his profile of Kim Mulkey.

NCAA women (5:55): Can anyone beat South Carolina?

NCAA men (23:02): Why everyone loves North Carolina State’s DJ Burns Jr.

Mulkey profile (38:31): Kent Babb on his reporting process and everything that came after.

Afterball (1:00:33): Stefan on chess pioneer Lisa Lane.

(Note: time codes are only accurate for Slate Plus members, who listen ad free.)

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - To Ban or Not to Ban TikTok

Sat, 30 Mar 2024 07:00:00 GMT

Rachelle Hampton and Candice Lim ask their most pressing questions about the bipartisan bill that would require TikTok’s parent company to sell the app or face a ban on all devices in the U.S. While the bill is not expected to become law anytime soon, it’s led to children crying on voicemails to their senators and TikTok creators preparing for the loss of their businesses, communities and collective internet histories.

This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Daisy Rosario, Candice Lim and Rachelle Hampton.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hit Parade | Music History and Music Trivia - Gotcha Covered Edition Part 2

Fri, 29 Mar 2024 22:00:00 GMT

Cover songs once had a simple playbook: Artists would faithfully rerecord a song—note for note and word for word. They might modernize the instrumentation. If they were feeling radical, they’d punch up the vocals a bit.

Now it’s hard to say what a cover is anymore. If Ariana Grande turns “My Favorite Things” into “7 Rings,” does that qualify? When Drake says he’s “Way 2 Sexy,” is he covering Right Said Fred?

The recent chart success of “Fast Car”—country star Luke Combs’ very traditional take on Tracy Chapman’s folk classic—has reinvigorated interest in cover songs. Sometimes, isn’t just remaking the song as-is enough?

Join Chris Molanphy as he explains the chart considerations and artistic motivations that rebooted the cover song, and whether a straight-up remake will ever top the Hot 100 again. We’re long past the days of “Twist and Shout,” “Venus” and “I’ll Be There.”

Podcast production by Olivia Briley.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Culture Gabfest - Jon Stewart Returns

Wed, 27 Mar 2024 08:00:00 GMT

On this week's show, Slate’s Dan Kois (author of Vintage Contemporaries, How to Be a Family, The World Only Spins Forward, and Facing Future) sits in for Julia Turner. The panel first begins with a reboot: In 1999, when Jon Stewart took over, rather indifferently, the helm of Comedy Central’s The Daily Show, he changed the media landscape with his comedic chops, serious outrage, and penchant for pointing out politicians' hypocrisies. He’s since left and returned back to the show (which he hosts once a week), but how effective are he and his trademark bag of tricks in 2024? We discuss. Then, the three dive into Problemista, writer-director-star Julio Torres’ first feature film that can only be described as “a lot.” Torres (Los Espookys, My Favorite Shapes, Saturday Night Live) plays Alejandro, a sweet but naive aspiring Salvadoran toymaker who must navigate the Kafka-esque purgatory known as the U.S. immigration system. He meets Elizabeth, played by Tilda Swinton, a nightmare boss with fuschia-colored hair and a looming presence that often overwhelms the film… but perhaps that’s exactly what it needs? Finally, the trio is joined by The Sporkful host Dan Pashman to discuss his cookbook, Anything’s Pastable: 81 Inventive Pasta Recipes for Saucy People. In 2021, Pashman created the cascatelli, a new pasta shape that went viral, with Time calling it “one of the best inventions of the year.” Anything’s Pastable aims to revolutionize our concept of what pasta sauces can be, with recipes for unique and non-traditional dishes like “Kimchi Carbonara” and “Cacio e Pepe e Chili Crisp.”

In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, the panel explores Dana’s book review, “Rejecting the Binary” for Slate. She reviews American philosopher and theorist Judith Butler’s latest book–the first of theirs published with a nonacademic press–Who’s Afraid of Gender. Butler served as Dana’s dissertation adviser at the University of California in the late 1990s.

Email us at culturefest@slate.com.

Outro music: “Funny Jam” by Gloria Tells.

Endorsements:

Dana: A feat of artistry and interpretation, nineteen-year-old American Ilia Malinin’s free skate to the Succession theme (composed, of course, by Nicholas Britell). Malinin scored a record 227.79, winning his first world title and executed the best collection of jumps in one program in figure skating history.

Dan: The Big Ears Festival held in Knoxville, Tennessee.

Stephen: Falling into a Cat Stevens rabbit hole. He recommends starting with “The First Cut is the Deepest” and Stevens’ 2014 Tiny Desk performance.

Podcast production by Jared Downing. Production assistance by Kat Hong.

Hosts

Dana Stephens, Dan Kois, Stephen Metcalf

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - Is Nara Smith Actually a Tradwife?

Wed, 27 Mar 2024 07:00:00 GMT

On today’s show, Rachelle is joined by writer and reporter Gaby Del Valle to discuss the rapid, contested rise of model-turned-influencer Nara Smith. Described by Rolling Stone as the “hot, young tradwife making everyone on the internet mad”, Nara’s elaborate homemade meals, hot husband and two young children are sending spectators into a tizzy as they debate whether or not she’s trying to convert them to Mormonism.

This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Daisy Rosario, Candice Lim and Rachelle Hampton.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Decoder Ring - Andrew Wyeth's Secret Nudes (Encore)

Wed, 27 Mar 2024 07:00:00 GMT

In 1986, Andrew Wyeth was the most famous painter in America. He was a household name, on the cover of magazines and tapped to paint presidents. And then he revealed a secret cache of 240 pieces of artwork, many provocative, all featuring the same nude female model. This collection, called The Helga Pictures, had been completed over 15 years and hidden from his wife, until they were revealed and wound up on the covers of both Time Magazine and Newsweek. The implication of these paintings were clear: Wyeth must have been having an affair, but then the story got complicated. Was it a genuine sex scandal? A hoax? Or something else entirely?

Some of the voices you’ll hear in this episode include Doug McGill, former New York Times reporter; Neil Harris, author of Capital Culture: J. Carter Brown, the National Gallery of Art, and the Reinvention of the Museum Experience; Cathy Booth Thomas, former Time Magazine correspondent; Gwendolyn Dubois Shaw, art historian and curator; Jeannie McDowell, former Time Magazine correspondent; Chris Lione, former art director at Art and Antiques; Joyce Stoner, Wyeth scholar; Peter Ralston, Wyeth photographer and friend; and Jim Duff, former director of the Brandywine River Museum.

This episode was written by Willa Paskin and produced by Willa Paskin and Benjamin Frisch. It was edited by Benjamin Frisch and Gabriel Roth. We had research assistance from Cleo Levin. Decoder Ring is produced by Evan Chung, Katie Shepherd, and Max Freedman. Derek John is Executive Producer. Merritt Jacob is Senior Technical Director.

A very special thank you to Paula Scaire.

If you haven’t yet, please subscribe and rate our feed in Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. And even better, tell your friends.

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Hang Up and Listen - Who Gets to Be a March Madness Folk Hero?

Mon, 25 Mar 2024 23:15:00 GMT

Joel Anderson, Josh Levin, and Ben Mathis-Lilley talk about whether college hoops has passed by John Calipari and why Oakland’s Jack Gohlke became a folk hero. They also discuss Kim Mulkey’s preemptive strike against the Washington Post and what to make of the strange story of Shohei Ohtani, his interpreter, and massive gambling debts.

NCAA tournament (4:06): The strangeness of tourneys that have mostly gone to form.

Mulkey (23:07): The LSU women’s basketball coach goes on the attack … over a story that hasn’t been published.

Ohtani (39:24): Trying to make sense of a very confusing series of events.

Afterball (50:56): Josh on Kobe Elvis.

(Note: time codes are only accurate for Slate Plus members, who listen ad free.)

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ICYMI - Fybrefest, Fake Deaths and Acrylic vs. Wool

Sat, 23 Mar 2024 07:00:00 GMT

Candice Lim is joined by internet culture reporter Morgan Sung to run through the five messiest moments that have wracked the knitting and crocheting communities. From the controversial acrylic vs. natural wool debate to knitfluencers overcharging their followers, they’ll recall their own first knitting experiences and how covering the internet has drawn them back to yarn crafts. But first, Rachelle Hampton recaps her recent encounter with actor Jeremy Strong.

This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Daisy Rosario, Candice Lim and Rachelle Hampton.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Culture Gabfest - Kristen Stewart Pumps Iron

Wed, 20 Mar 2024 08:00:00 GMT

On this week’s show, Slate culture writers Nadira Goffe and Dan Kois fill in for Julia and Stephen. First up, the panel dissects Love Lies Bleeding with What’s Next producer Madeline Ducharme. Writer-director Rose Glass’ second feature stars Kristen Stewart and Katy O’Brian as beefed up, star-crossed lovers, in a twisted and gory love story about two unhealthily enmeshed women. (You can read Madeline Ducharme and Christina Cauterucci’s detailed review of the sex scenes in Love Lies Bleeding here!) Then, the trio explores The Regime, a weird and tonally bizarre Max limited series by showrunner Will Tracy (The Menu, Succession), in which Kate Winslet–in a commanding performance–plays the fictional dictator of an unnamed European country. Finally, can a book published posthumously do more harm than good? The panel discusses renowned author Gabríel Garcia Márquez’s latest novella, Until August, which was published ten years after his death–and without his consent.

In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Nadira, Dan, and Dana chew over the rise and fall of food trends, inspired by Kim Severson’s piece for The New York Times, “The Coolest Menu Item at the Moment Is… Cabbage?”

Recipes mentioned by Dan:

Gilgeori Toast (Korean Street Toast with Cabbage and Egg) by Darun Kwak for The New York Times.
Vegan Bunny Chow by Meera Sodha for The Guardian.
Somen Salad by Sheldon Simeon.

Email us at culturefest@slate.com.

Outro music: "Funk Wife Punk Life" by L. M. Styles

Endorsements:

Dana: Extreme Friend of the Pod (EFOP) Isaac Butler’s Substack, Complete Works. Specifically, his most recent post: “It Ain’t Me, Babe: Complicity and consequences, from sitcoms to Gaza.”

Nadira: Two albums – World Wide Whack by Philadelphia rapper, Tierra Whack, and Brittany Howard’s What Now.

Dan: Radiant: The Life and Line of Keith Haring by Brad Gooch. A beautiful chronicle of the artist’s life.

Podcast production by Jared Downing. Production assistance by Kat Hong.

Hosts

Dana Stephens, Nadira Goffe, Dan Kois

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ICYMI - Anatomy of a Vasectomy

Wed, 20 Mar 2024 07:00:00 GMT

Rachelle and Candice catch up on Matthew Koma, the husband of singer/actress Hilary Duff, who got a vasectomy and documented his post-op Valium spiral on Instagram. Then, they give an update on Gypsy Rose Blanchard, who wiped her public Instagram and TikTok accounts after her parole officer allegedly warned that she might get in trouble and go back to jail.

This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Daisy Rosario, Candice Lim and Rachelle Hampton.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Death, Sex & Money - A Former Pro Climber On Enduring Chronic Illness

Tue, 19 Mar 2024 07:00:00 GMT

This week, we get an update from Mason Earle, a former professional rock climber who we spoke to back in 2021. Mason had been diagnosed with ME/CFS, commonly called chronic fatigue syndrome, and he discussed his former career, how he was adjusting to life and marriage with a disability, and why he doesn't miss rock climbing. This week, Mason shares what he’s been up to since we last spoke.

Death, Sex & Money is now produced by Slate! To support us and our colleagues, please sign up for our membership program, Slate Plus. Members get ad-free podcasts, bonus content on lots of Slate shows, and full access to all the articles on Slate.com. Sign up today at slate.com/dsmplus.

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Hang Up and Listen - The NFL’s Quarterback Shuffle

Mon, 18 Mar 2024 23:55:00 GMT

Joel Anderson, Stefan Fatsis, and Josh Levin talk about the top storylines going into March Madness. They also assess the NFL’s big quarterback moves. Finally, they discuss the greatest Scrabble play of all time and the fascinating Kiwi who made it.

March Madness (5:20): Brown’s Ivy League loss, the possible showdowns in the women’s bracket, and more.

NFL QBs (26:56): Were the Steelers smart to get Russell Wilson AND Justin Fields?

Nigel Richards (41:44): A singular moment of Scrabble genius from a singular player.

Afterball (51:23): Joel on the Mississippi Valley State men’s basketball team’s lone victory and the student announcers who called it.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - Reddit is the Real Host of “Love is Blind”

Sat, 16 Mar 2024 07:00:00 GMT

On today’s episode, Rachelle Hampton is joined by Jonquilyn Hill, the host and reporter of Vox’s policy and politics podcast The Weeds. The two reunite to discuss the most recent season of Netflix’s Love is Blind. Following an unmemorable season and a disastrous attempt at a live reunion, the sixth installment of the reality dating show finally managed to re-capture the magic that made the show’s initial premise so enticing. How’d they do it? By taking their cues from the sleuths, skeptics and superfans that inhabit the Love is Blind subreddit which boasts over 1 million followers.

This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Daisy Rosario, Candice Lim and Rachelle Hampton.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hit Parade | Music History and Music Trivia - Gotcha Covered Edition Part 1

Sat, 16 Mar 2024 03:44:00 GMT

Podcast production by Olivia Briley.

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ICYMI - An ICYMI Birthday Spectacular

Wed, 13 Mar 2024 07:00:00 GMT

This month marks not only the third birthday of In Case You Missed It but the birthdays of 75% of the ICYMI production team so what else could we do but host a birthday spectacular? On today’s episode, Rachelle and Candice receive birthday messages from friends of the show like Normal Gossip’s Alex Sujong Laughlin and Kelsey McKinney, Time’s Moises Mendez II, NPR’s Wailin Wong and more.

Later in the show, they figure out how well they know each other with an ICYMI edition of GQ’s couple quiz.

This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Daisy Rosario, Candice Lim and Rachelle Hampton.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Culture Gabfest - The Oscars Are Back, Baby!

Wed, 13 Mar 2024 07:00:00 GMT

On this week’s show, the panel is first joined by Mark Harris, cultural historian and the author of Pictures at a Revolution: Five Movies and the Birth of the New Hollywood, to discuss the 96th Academy Awards: a fun, glitzy return to form filled with surprisingly political moments. Then, the three review FX’s Shōgun, a massive epic set in 17th century Japan that many are calling “the new Game of Thrones.” But does it live up to the hype? Finally, the trio examines “Behind F1’s Velvet Curtain,” Kate Wagner’s spellbinding 5,000-word piece about the world of Formula 1 racing that Road & Track published then promptly yanked from the internet without explanation. Although Wagner’s piece is no longer live on Road & Track, you can still read it on Wayback Machine’s internet archive.

In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Mark Harris returns to talk about his New York Times essay, “How Bad Can It Get for Hollywood?” which details what we can expect from movies in 2024 (spoiler alert: it’s not looking good).

Email us at culturefest@slate.com.

Outro music: “8-Bit Hop” by Ash Sculptures

Endorsements:

Dana: HINT.FM’s Wind Map, which illustrates “the delicate tracery of wind flowing over the US.”

Julia: Tejal Rao’s recipe for Kale Sauce Pasta, adapted from Joshua McFadden.

Steve: “What Physicists Have Been Missing” by theoretical physicist Sabine Hossenfelder.

Podcast production by Jared Downing. Production assistance by Kat Hong.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Decoder Ring - Why Stylists Rule the Red Carpet

Wed, 13 Mar 2024 07:00:00 GMT

Like a manager or an agent or a publicist, a stylist has become a kind of must-have accessory for well-dressed, A-list celebrities. It’s just expected that they will have hired someone to select the clothes they’ll wear at public appearances. But this was not always the case.

In today’s episode, Avery Trufelman, host of Articles of Interest, will guide us through the collapse of a certain kind of Hollywood glamor; to the rise of a growing, financially rewarding relationship between fashion designers and celebrity culture; and then onto the explosion in red carpet events patrolled by fashion police that helped create this new occupation.

This episode was produced by Avery Trufelman and Evan Chung, who produces Decoder Ring with Willa Paskin, Katie Shepherd and Max Freedman. Derek John is Executive Producer. Merritt Jacob is Senior Technical Director.

You’ll hear from Teri Agins, Dana Thomas, Melissa Rivers, and Jeanne Yang.

If you haven’t yet, please subscribe and rate our feed in Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. And even better, tell your friends.

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Death, Sex & Money - Who’s Driving Your Uber?

Tue, 12 Mar 2024 07:00:00 GMT

This week, we’re revisiting an episode about the transitional lives of Uber drivers. Anna and then-producer Katie Bishop hitched multiple rides in the Bay Area and heard stories about immigration, domestic violence, personal finance, and more.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hang Up and Listen - March Madness Comes Early

Mon, 11 Mar 2024 21:17:33 GMT

Joel Anderson, Stefan Fatsis, and Josh Levin are joined by Great Expectations author Vinson Cunningham to talk about the fracas between the LSU and South Carolina women’s basketball teams. They also discuss Steve Garvey, DEI in Florida, and other intersections between sports and politics in 2024.

Women’s hoops (3:24): In so many ways, this weekend showed that this sport has the juice.

Sports and politics (22:07): How athletes are influencing politics and policy this election year.

Afterball (43:01): Josh on the U.S. women’s national team’s Gold Cup victory and what it all means.

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ICYMI - Protecting Child Influencers From Their Parents

Sat, 09 Mar 2024 08:00:00 GMT

Rachelle Hampton and Candice Lim are joined by writer and journalist Fortesa Latifi who has been reporting extensively on child influencer legislation for Teen Vogue. In August 2023, the governor of Illinois passed an amendment to the state’s child labor law that would require parents to compensate their children for their appearances in monetized content. Drawing comparisons to the Coogan Law, several states have followed suit and proposed their own legislation to finally address the privacy and monetary concerns that former children influencers have started speaking up about.

This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Daisy Rosario, Candice Lim and Rachelle Hampton.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Culture Gabfest - Timothée Chalamet Rides the Worm

Wed, 06 Mar 2024 08:00:00 GMT

On this week’s show, the panel returns to Arrakis! First up, the trio reviews Dune: Part Two, the (as the title suggests) second part of Denis Villeneuve’s adaptation of Frank Herbert’s 1965 science fiction epic. In it, Timothée Chalamet plays Paul Atreides, the supposed “messiah” of Arrakis, a hostile desert planet rich in spice, in a fantastic feat of world building and worm-riding. Then, they examine God Save Texas, a three-part docu-series streaming on Max that follows three Texan filmmakers (Richard Linklakter, Alex Stapleton, and Iliana Sosa) as they return to their respective hometowns and chronicle the state’s complex history with the prison system, oil business, and border laws. Finally, the panel is joined by Paul Schnee, an acclaimed casting director whose credits include Spotlight, Winter’s Bone, and The Help, to discuss the Academy Awards’ most recent addition: an Oscar for Casting.

In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, the panel answers a listener question from Eliot: What are some pieces of culture that your children have introduced to you?

Email us at culturefest@slate.com.

Outro music: “Last Sunday” by OTE

Endorsements:

Dana: Werner Herzog’s 2011 documentary, Into the Abyss. The film examines America’s capital punishment system.

Julia: The Lady and the Tramp, which is still great and bizarre, and somehow, makes the dogs… hot?

Steve: Australian novelist Helen Garner’s 2014 non-fiction book The House of Grief, which follows a man and his broken life, a community wracked by tragedy, and the long and torturous road to closure.

Podcast production by Jared Downing. Production assistance by Kat Hong.

Hosts

Dana Stephens, Julia Turner, Stephen Metcalf

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ICYMI - An Entirely Objective Ranking of the Brit Crew

Wed, 06 Mar 2024 08:00:00 GMT

On today’s show, Rachelle and Candice return to the halcyon days of YouTube in 2013, when wholesome youths with names like Zoe Sugg and Caspar Lee and Troye Sivan ruled supreme. Colloquially known as the Brit Crew, these teens and twenty-somethings were some of the first to prove that internet fame could translate into million-dollar empires. And while their influence has diminished over the past decade, their hold on our adolescent brains has lasted a lifetime which is why today’s episode is a super-special ranking of Rachelle and Candice’s favorite British YouTubers.

This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Daisy Rosario, Candice Lim and Rachelle Hampton.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Death, Sex & Money - Four Interviews and a Revival

Tue, 05 Mar 2024 08:00:00 GMT

To mark the return of Death, Sex & Money, we’re presenting a live celebration of new beginnings, featuring interviews with comedian and TV host W. Kamau Bell, writer Vicki Larson, Dr. Bonnie Chen, and artist Carissa Potter. You’ll also hear lively music accompaniment by D’Wayne Wiggins of Tony! Toni! Toné! This episode was recorded live at KQED in San Francisco on February 29, 2024.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hang Up and Listen - Peter King’s Exit Interview

Mon, 04 Mar 2024 23:45:00 GMT

Joel Anderson, Stefan Fatsis, and Josh Levin are joined by NFL reporting legend Peter King to talk about the Chicago Bears’ quarterback dilemma, what he’s seen in his four decades covering pro football, and why Bill Belichick refuses to speak to him.

Justin Fields and Caleb Williams (4:02): What are the Bears going to do?

Peter King looks back (29:48): What stories did he screw up? Which ones does he wish he got to cover?

Afterball (50:38): Stefan on D.C. public school basketball powerhouse Jackson-Reed.

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ICYMI - Rachel Karten on Snark Subreddits and Ryan Sheckler

Sat, 02 Mar 2024 08:00:00 GMT

Candice Lim is joined by Link in Bio writer Rachel Karten, whose Substack breaks down how Stanley Cups went viral, why the Duolingo owl got a BBL and how “seemingly ranch” hit supermarket shelves. Karten was a social media manager who started her newsletter after leaving Bon Appétit following a racial and labor reckoning in 2020 that exposed — what the publication themselves called — a “toxic, top-down culture.” Since then, Karten has found a rapt audience of more than 55,000 subscribers who are social media managers like herself, marketing insiders and curious readers who just want to know how and why they’re being influenced at.

This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Daisy Rosario, Candice Lim and Rachelle Hampton.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Decoder Ring - The Gen X Soda That Was Just "OK"

Wed, 28 Feb 2024 08:00:00 GMT

Thirty years ago, a new kind of soda arrived in select stores. Instead of crowing about how spectacular it was, it offered up a liquid shrug, a fizzy irony. OK Soda was an inside joke for people who knew soda wasn’t cool. But what exactly was the punchline? In today’s episode, we’re going to ask how Coca-Cola, a company predicated on the idea that soda is more than "OK," ever bankrolled such a project. It was either a corporate attempt to market authenticity or a bold send-up of consumer capitalism; a project that either utterly, predictably failed or, perhaps more surprisingly, almost succeeded.

This episode was written by Willa Paskin. It was edited by Jenny Lawton. It was produced by Willa Paskin and Katie Shepherd, along with Evan Chung. Derek John is Executive Producer. Merritt Jacob is Senior Technical Director.

You’ll hear from Sergio Zyman, Brian Lanahan, Robin Joannides Lanahan, Charlotte Moore, Peter Wegner, Todd Waterbury, Dustin Ness, and Matt Purrington.

Special thanks to David Cowles, Art Chantry, Seth Godin, Jeff Beer, Gabriel Roth, Mark Hensley for all the OK Soda commercials and Mark Pendergrast, whose book For God, Country, & Coca-Cola was indispensable.

If you haven’t yet, please subscribe and rate our feed in Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. And even better, tell your friends.

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ICYMI - The Greatest Love Story Ever Told…Through TikToks

Wed, 28 Feb 2024 08:00:00 GMT

On today’s episode, Rachelle is joined by her best friend Danielle Hewitt, a producer at Prologue Projects and, formerly, Slate’s daily news podcast What Next. In a deeply revealing exercise, the two go through a selection of the 250 TikToks that Danielle sent Rachelle while the latter was on a six week long social media break.

But first, Candice breaks down the highlights of Jennifer Lopez’s new documentary The Greatest Love Story Never Told.

This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Daisy Rosario, Candice Lim and Rachelle Hampton.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Culture Gabfest - J.Lo’s This Is… What Now?

Wed, 28 Feb 2024 08:00:00 GMT

On this week’s show, the panel is first joined by Wesley Morris, New York Times’ critic at large, to dissect This Is Me… Now: A Love Story, Jennifer Lopez’s bizarre, nutty, yet utterly delicious self-funded vanity project that cost the singer $20 million to produce. (Wesley wrote a brilliant piece about it for the Times.) Then, the three explore 20 Days in Mariupol, the Oscar-nominated documentary by Ukrainian journalist Mstyslav Chernov that depicts the atrocities of the Russia-Ukraine war through on-the-ground footage and harrowing accounts of civilians. Finally, in a new oral history of the Village Voice, entitled The Freaks Came Out to Write: The Definitive History of the Village Voice, the Radical Paper That Changed American Culture, author Tricia Romano tells the iconic alt-weekly newspaper’s history through 200 interviews with its legendary writers, editors, and photographers. We discuss.

In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, we share an impromptu conversation between the hosts and Wesley Morris.

Email us at culturefest@slate.com.

Outro music: "Zero Gravity" by ELFL

Endorsements:

Cameron: Longtime Culture Gabfest producer, Cameron Drews, is moving onto his next project but came on one last time to endorse! He endorses movie theater subscriptions and is a big fan of Alamo Drafthouse’s season pass.

Dana: The Criterion Channel’s new “Gothic Noir” series.

Julia: An algorithm-recommended bop, UNTZ UNTZ by Inji.

Steve: The Milk Carton Kids’ cover of Pink Floyd’s “Wish You Were Here” and a performance of their song, “All of the Time in the World to Kill,” featuring some lovely on-stage banter.

Podcast production by Jared Downing. Production assistance by Kat Hong.

Hosts

Dana Stephens, Julia Turner, Stephen Metcalf

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Hang Up and Listen - Is Court-Storming Over?

Tue, 27 Feb 2024 00:00:00 GMT

Joel Anderson, Stefan Fatsis, and Josh Levin discuss whether court-storming should be banned for good. The Washington Post’s Sally Jenkins also joins to explain why she believes the NCAA is cheapening Caitlin Clark’s scoring records. Finally, they assess the NCAA’s latest legal trouble and what comes next.

Court-storming (4:41): Is it even possible to stop students from rushing the court?

Clark’s records (22:48): The AIAW’s Lynette Woodard and Pearl Moore deserve respect and attention.

NCAA (41:20): How much longer can the house of cards stay standing?

Afterball (56:18): Joel on the precarious existence of the NBA’s G League Ignite.

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ICYMI - Who TF Did Reesa Teesa Marry?

Sat, 24 Feb 2024 08:00:00 GMT

This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Daisy Rosario, Candice Lim and Rachelle Hampton.

ICYMI is sponsored by BetterHelp.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hit Parade | Music History and Music Trivia - Hello, Gorgeous Edition Part 2

Sat, 24 Feb 2024 00:00:00 GMT

Barbra Streisand: star of stage and screen. Oscar-winner, film director and TV producer. Culture warrior and meme generator.

Yes, all that—but don’t get it twisted: Barbra’s legend rests in her catalog of hit songs—and that voice.

Even as culture vultures consume her recent doorstop of a memoir My Name Is Barbra, what’s getting overlooked are Streisand’s awesome musical benchmarks, especially on the Billboard charts. All of those records Taylor Swift has been setting on the album chart, and Billie Eilish on the Grammys? Babs got there first.

At a time when rock was ascendant and showtunes were on the wane, Streisand set her own pop agenda, scoring brassy hits that weren’t trendy but topped the charts anyway. She became a pop star, Broadway legend and box-office commander practically simultaneously.

Join Chris Molanphy as he tells the story of the original Queen of All Media and explains how she racked up all those hits your mom loved (be honest, you know them too) and made “memories, like the corners of [your] mind.” Trust us: It’ll be like buttah.

Podcast production by Kevin Bendis.

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Culture Gabfest - Mr. & Mrs. Smith: Remarried

Wed, 21 Feb 2024 08:00:00 GMT

On this week’s show, the panel begins by dissecting Mr. & Mrs. Smith, the episodic remake of Brangelina’s 2005 espionage film. The Prime Video series stars Donald Glover and Maya Erskine as the titular Smiths, spies who become “married” as a part of the job, and explores partnership in the gig economy in a quieter, smaller, and less glamorous version of the original. Then, they review The Color Purple, a movie-musical adapted from Alice Walker’s seminal novel. The film stars Fantasia Barrino and Taraji P. Henson, as well as Danielle Brooks, who was nominated for Best Supporting Actress for her role as Sofia. Finally, it’s the viral scam that rocked the internet: “The Day I Put $50,000 in a Shoe Box and Handed It to a Stranger” is a first-hand account written by The Cut’s financial-advice columnist, Charlotte Cowles, about the time she fell for an Amazon scam call. Our panel reviews the piece and explores its ethics.

In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Julia discusses her big life changes, including a new fellowship at USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism.

Email us at culturefest@slate.com.

Outro music: “Pull Me Out” by Mike Stringer

Endorsements:

Dana: Dance Life on Prime Video, a five-episode series that follows the students at Brent Street Academy, the southern hemisphere’s most prestigious dance academy.

Julia: The Hobonichi Techo Planner Book, a planner that’s descended from the heavens. The book uses thin and light yet durable paper and employs the same thread-stitch binding as a dictionary, allowing it to lay flat open for glorious, comfortable writing.

Steve: A two-part endorsement: Listen to his playlist of cover songs, Let’s Dance, while making hand-made pasta with a Marcato hand-crank machine.

Podcast production by Jared Downing. Production assistance by Kat Hong.

Hosts

Dana Stephens, Julia Turner, Stephen Metcalf

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - Inside the Internet’s Hottest—and Messiest—Club

Wed, 21 Feb 2024 08:00:00 GMT

On today’s episode, Rachelle is joined by Nadira Goffe to dive into the firestorm engulfing two recent interviews on Shannon Sharpe’s delightfully dishy podcast Club Shay Shay. Katt Williams and Mo’Nique sat down with Sharpe in separate three-hour-long interviews that have set the internet ablaze. Both of the legendary comedians dished about their long-standing beefs with figures such as Ludacris, Oprah, Tyler Perry, Cedric the Entertainer, Kevin Hart, D.L. Hughley, Tiffany Haddish and (somehow!) more. Accusations of Illuminati memberships fly. Cognac is sipped. And a new gossipmonger is born.

This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Daisy Rosario, Candice Lim and Rachelle Hampton.

ICYMI is sponsored by BetterHelp.

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Hang Up and Listen - The NBA’s All-Star Catastrophe

Tue, 20 Feb 2024 23:45:00 GMT

Joel Anderson, Stefan Fatsis, and Josh Levin discuss whether the NBA All-Star Game is fixable. They also talk about whether Fanatics and Nike are destroying the sports uniform. Finally, writer Abraham Josephine Riesman joins to explain the allegations against wrestling impresario Vince McMahon and why they matter.

All-Star Game (3:16): What can the league do to revive what used to be a showcase event?

Uniforms (22:53): Baseball players say their new clothes are the pits. What happened?

McMahon (42:37): What’s next for pro wrestling and the man who’s controlled it for decades?

Afterball (1:01:43): Josh on the time the mayor of San Francisco insulted the 49ers’ backup quarterback.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - The Turbulence of Air Force Taylor

Sat, 17 Feb 2024 08:00:00 GMT

Rachelle Hampton and Candice Lim catch up on the latest stories churning the Taylor Swift media machine, from her lawyers sending a cease and desist letter to a college student, to her possibly leading a groundbreaking case against AI deepfakes. Then, they break down the backlash surrounding Emily Mariko, who was criticized by her followers for selling out — and shelling out — a tote bag.

This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Daisy Rosario, Candice Lim and Rachelle Hampton.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Culture Gabfest - We’re Saving Our Own Lives

Wed, 14 Feb 2024 08:00:00 GMT

On this week’s show, the panel returns to 1985 and reviews The Greatest Night in Pop, Netflix’s star-studded documentary about how “We Are the World” (a charity single performed by USA for Africa, a supergroup comprised of the most popular artists not only of the time, but arguably, ever) came to be and the legendary night it was recorded. Although it features cameos from Michael Jackson, Lionel Richie, Diana Ross, Paul Simon, Tina Turner, Cyndi Lauper, and more, the documentary manages to be quite modest in its ambition. Then, the three discuss Rustin, director George C. Wolfe’s biopic about Bayard Rustin, an advisor to Martin Luther King Jr. whose legacy has often been glossed over. Rustin stars a fantastic Colman Domingo as its titular lead and is a celebratory example of the importance of telling gay/queer stories with queer creatives above and below the line of production. Finally, it’s the Slate True-Crime Canon! Cheyna Roth, contributor to the Canon and author of Between Two Wars: A True Crime Collection: Mysterious Disappearances, High-Profile Heists, Baffling Murders, and More joins to break down the monstrous endeavor.

(Roth’s other book is Cold Cases: A True Crime Collection)

In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, the panel discusses Super Bowl LVIII and analyzes the advertisements, Usher’s half-time performance, and the Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce love story at the center of it all.

Email us at culturefest@slate.com.

Outro music: "Self Made Woman" by Katharine Appleton

Endorsements:

Dana: Her perfect plane movie, Dumb Money, which features a superstar cast that’s always in-sync.

Julia: Small Mercies by Dennis Lehane, an “all-consuming tale of revenge, family love, festering hate, and insidious power, set against one of the most tumultuous episodes in Boston’s history.”

Steve: A liquidus piano album by Mary Lou Williams, Zodiac Suite. The 1945 album seamlessly mixes classical and jazz influences throughout 12 pieces, each named for a different astrological sign.

Podcast production by Jared Downing. Production assistance by Kat Hong.

Hosts

Dana Stephens, Julia Turner, Stephen Metcalf

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - The State of Dating Apps

Wed, 14 Feb 2024 08:00:00 GMT

Candice Lim is joined by dating culture researcher Lakshmi Rengarajan and culture writer Kate Lindsay to discuss the past, present and future of dating apps. Online dating has been around since the days of dial-up. But apps like Tinder disrupted the market and changed the way we’ve dated for the past decade. Recently, there’s been several trends emerging, from Gen-Z abandoning the apps to baby boomers finding love later in life. So are we witnessing the death of dating apps or have they integrated themselves so deeply into our lives that we can’t live without them?

This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Daisy Rosario, Candice Lim and Rachelle Hampton.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Decoder Ring - Why Do So Many Coffee Shops Look the Same?

Wed, 14 Feb 2024 08:00:00 GMT

The eerie similarity of coffee shops all over the world was so confounding to Kyle Chayka that it led him to write the new book Filterworld: How Algorithms Are Flattening Culture. In today’s episode, Kyle’s going to walk us through the recent history of the cafe, to help us see how digital behavior is altering a physical space hundreds of years older than the internet itself, and how those changes are happening everywhere—it’s just easier to see them when they’re spelled out in latte art.

This episode was written by Willa Paskin and produced by Katie Shepherd. Decoder Ring is produced by Willa Paskin, Katie Shepherd and Evan Chung. Derek John is Executive Producer. Merritt Jacob is Senior Technical Director. Special thanks to Ben Frisch and Patrick Fort.

If you haven’t yet, please subscribe and rate our feed in Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. And even better, tell your friends.

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Hang Up and Listen - The Chiefs Are Super

Mon, 12 Feb 2024 23:30:00 GMT

Joel Anderson, Stefan Fatsis, and Josh Levin discuss the Chiefs’ Super Bowl win over the 49ers, the performances of Patrick Mahomes and Brock Purdy, and how the new overtime rules played out. CNBC’s Alex Sherman also comes on to explain whether a new multi-network streaming deal will change how we watch sports.

How the Chiefs won (3:41): This Mahomes guy is pretty good.

Overtime (20:07): Did the 49ers screw up by taking the ball first?

Streaming (35:47): What you need to know about the new service and the future of sports TV.

Afterball (51:49): Stefan on the Chiefs’ legendary Black scout Lloyd Wells.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - The Terminally Ill Influencers Posting Their Way Through Life—and Death

Sat, 10 Feb 2024 08:00:00 GMT

On today’s show, Rachelle makes her triumphant return. She’s joined by A.W. Ohlheiser, a senior technology reporter and editor at Vox, who recently wrote about the complicated lives and deaths of TikTok’s illness influencers. As Ohlheiser wrote, “These stories — whether held in an archive of personal letters, a widely discussed lecture, or on the For You pages of millions — are all shaped by the expectations of the ‘well.’ Turning sickness into content can get views. And just like any content, not all people, or illnesses, have an equal chance of going viral.”

But first, Candice fills Rachelle in on what she’s missed online during her time off.

This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Daisy Rosario, Candice Lim and Rachelle Hampton.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hit Parade | Music History and Music Trivia - Hello, Gorgeous Edition Part 1

Sat, 10 Feb 2024 04:00:00 GMT

Barbra Streisand: star of stage and screen. Oscar-winner, film director and TV producer. Culture warrior and meme generator.

Yes, all that—but don’t get it twisted: Barbra’s legend rests in her catalog of hit songs—and that voice.

Podcast production by Kevin Bendis.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Decoder Ring - 2024 Teaser

Wed, 07 Feb 2024 17:02:00 GMT

We’re back with a new batch of cultural mysteries! This year, we’re putting out more new episodes—like many more of them. We’ll be diving down a new rabbit hole every two weeks all year long. Starting with a question hiding in plain sight: why do so many coffee shops look the same? We’re also heading back to the early 1990s to ask if you can successfully sell a soda by celebrating that it’s just… OK?

You can hear these episodes and more on Decoder Ring — now in your feed every two weeks beginning Feb. 14. Make sure to follow us so you never miss an episode.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - Was TikTok Silent or Silenced?

Wed, 07 Feb 2024 08:00:00 GMT

Candice Lim is joined by culture critic and reporter Cyrena Touros to break down the battle between Universal Music Group and TikTok. On February 1, UMG started pulling their artists’ music from TikTok after their licensing contract expired. This meant creators weren’t able to interact with music from artists like Taylor Swift, Drake and Olivia Rodrigo. UMG claims this drastic move was necessary to ensure appropriate compensation for their artists and songwriters. But TikTok fired back, saying UMG was putting “their own greed above” the interests of UMG’s artists because TikTok is a free marketing and discovery platform for their talent. So who’s the real villain here and how will musicians and creators cope during this battle?

This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Daisy Rosario, Candice Lim and Rachelle Hampton.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Culture Gabfest - Why Zone of Interest Is Dividing Critics

Wed, 07 Feb 2024 08:00:00 GMT

On this week’s show, Extreme Friends of the Pod and co-authors of The World Only Spins Forward, Isaac Butler and Dan Kois, fill in for Dana Stevens and Julia Turner. The hosts begin by dissecting The Zone of Interest, filmmaker Jonathan Glazer’s audacious movie about the Holocaust that’s told through the lens of Nazi commandant Rudolf Höss and his wife Hedwig as they live their somewhat ordinary lives in a compound outside of Auschwitz. The film has garnered both praise and severe critique from critics, many of whom are split on Glazer’s detached aesthetic and imaginative approach to depicting genocide. The Zone of Interest has racked up five Oscar nominations, including Best Picture and Best Director. Then, the three dive into Nyad, the (maybe?) true story of marathon swimmer Diana Nyad, as she attempts to swim unassisted from Cuba to Florida. Annette Bening stars in the titular role alongside Jodie Foster, both of whom are up for Oscars (Best Actress and Best Supporting Actress, respectively). Finally, what is a good director, anyway? What does it look like, what does it mean, and is there a difference between producing, screenwriting, and directing – or is it some strange amalgamation of all three? These questions come from a listener, Emily, and the panel attempts to answer them.

In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, the panel discusses their film preferences while airborne, inspired by David Mack’s essay for Slate, “What Makes a Perfect ‘Plane Movie’?”

Email us at culturefest@slate.com.

Outro music: "Pull Me Out" by Mike Stringer.

Endorsements:

Isaac: Dheepan (2015), an exquisitely directed movie from filmmaker Jacques Audiard. In it, three Tamil refugees must pose as a family to flee war-torn Sri Lanka but land in a Paris suburb blighted by drugs.

Dan: For anyone in or heading to New York, check out Cole Escola’s play “Oh Mary!” The comedian stars as a miserable, suffocated Mary Todd Lincoln and takes place in the weeks leading up to Abraham Lincoln’s assassination. (You can also find Escola’s episode of Slate’s Working podcast here.)

Steve: Rebecca Solnit’s meditation on the Bay Area, loneliness, and the human impulse towards succession: “In the Shadow of Silicon Valley” for the London Review of Books.

Podcast production by Cameron Drews and Jared Downing. Production assistance by Kat Hong.

Hosts

Isaac Butler, Dan Kois, Stephen Metcalf

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hang Up and Listen - The JuJu and Caitlin Show

Tue, 06 Feb 2024 01:15:00 GMT

Joel Anderson and Josh Levin are joined by the Athletic’s Chantel Jennings to discuss women’s college basketball stars JuJu Watkins and Caitlin Clark. The Washington Post’s Will Hobson also joins to talk about his piece on the broken promises of the NFL’s concussion settlement. Finally, U.S. senator and New York Knicks legend Bill Bradley discusses his one-man show Rolling Along.

Watkins and Clark (4:29): The biggest stars in women’s hoops are living up to the hype.

Concussion settlement (23:50): Retired players with dementia aren’t getting the money they believe they’re owed.

Rolling Along (44:24): Why the politician and basketball star is telling the story of his life.

Afterball (1:03:22): Josh on Zach LaVine, L.T. Levine, and athlete name homophones.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - Paloma Diamond Is TikTok’s Favorite Oscar Loser

Sat, 03 Feb 2024 08:00:00 GMT

Candice Lim is joined by Julian Sewell (@juliansewell), the creator of TikTok’s most famously snubbed actress: Paloma Diamond. In March 2023, Sewell posted a TikTok parodying the behavior of nominated actors at the Academy Awards. Posted days before the actual ceremony, the video gained millions of views immediately and made Paloma the protagonist of Sewell’s faux universe. Since then, Sewell has parodied everyone from Queen Elizabeth II to America’s Next Top Model, but his followers love adding to Paloma’s lore, making her one of TikTok’s favorite characters to root for.

This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Daisy Rosario, Candice Lim and Rachelle Hampton.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Culture Gabfest - Life and Art, from FT Weekend: Comfort Watch: Something’s Gotta Give (2003)

Fri, 02 Feb 2024 08:00:00 GMT

From our friends at Life and Art, a culture podcast of the Financial Times:

This week, we return to an old comfort classic: the 2003 Nancy Meyers romcom Something’s Gotta Give, starring Diane Keaton and Jack Nicholson. In it, two middle-aged people fall in love, but only after one heart attack, two younger lovers, some unexpected midnight pancakes and ample bickering. Does the movie still work today? How has the way we depict aging in film changed? And do we miss Nancy Meyers movies? Joining host Lilah Raptopoulos is comedian Negin Farsad, host of the podcast Fake the Nation, and FT senior corporate finance correspondent Eric Platt. This is one of his favourite movies.

https://podcasts.apple.com/lu/podcast/life-and-art-from-ft-weekend/id1179847741

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ICYMI - Nicki Minaj’s 72-Hour Spiral

Wed, 31 Jan 2024 08:00:00 GMT

Candice Lim is joined by Slate writer Nadira Goffe to break down the latest developments surrounding Nicki Minaj’s beef with rapper Megan Thee Stallion. On January 26, Megan Thee Stallion released “Hiss,” which takes aim at several unnamed parties. Fellow rapper Minaj took offense to certain lyrics, leading her to post about Megan for 72 hours on social media and ultimately, release a diss track titled “Big Foot.” While Minaj is notorious for her fraught relationships with female emcees, the social media spiral that occurred has fans questioning their loyalty to the increasingly problematic rapper.

This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Daisy Rosario, Candice Lim and Rachelle Hampton.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Culture Gabfest - American Fiction, Oscar Contender?

Wed, 31 Jan 2024 08:00:00 GMT

On this week’s show, Slate culture writer Nadira Goffe and Sam Sanders, host of Vibe Check fill in for Dana Stevens and Julia Turner. The hosts begin with a subversively brilliant Oscar contender, American Fiction, which is Cord Jefferson’s adaptation of Percival Everett’s 2001 novel Erasure. The filmmaker’s debut racked up five Oscar nominations, including Best Picture, and stars Jeffrey Wright as Thelonius “Monk” Ellis, a frustrated writer, in this heartfelt family melodrama encased in biting satire. (Catch Sam’s conversation with Cord Jefferson here.) Then, the three tread into familiar territory and dissect In the Know, Mike Judge’s (Beavis and Butthead, Silicon Valley, King of the Hill) latest show on Peacock which satirizes the world of public radio, specifically NPR, through the stop-motion animated lens of its third most-popular host, Lauren Caspian (voiced by Zach Woods). Finally, Oscar season is officially upon us, and with Oscar nominations, comes invariably, Oscar snubs. The panel explores this year’s nominees, and who may or may not have gotten the short end of the stick.

In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, the panel discusses a fun interactive from The New York Times, “The Menu Trends That Define Dining Right Now.”

Email us at culturefest@slate.com.

Outro music: “Bloody Hunter” by Paisley Pink

Endorsements:

Sam: An album he loves and owns on vinyl, Chameleon (1976) by the American singing trio Labelle. It’s pure R&B funk dazzle.

Nadira: A threefold music endorsement: Midnight Dancer (1979) by the Philly soul group Silk, Spotify’s “create radio” function, and a compilation of Barbara Ackland’s greatest hits.

Steve: A gorgeous, lofi home recording of Sandy Denny singing her classic, “Who Knows Where the Time Goes.”

Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Kat Hong.

If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get an ad-free experience across the network and exclusive content on many shows. You’ll also be supporting the work we do here on the Culture Gabfest. Sign up now at Slate.com/cultureplus to help support our work.

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Hang Up and Listen - Conference Title Game Agony and Ecstasy

Mon, 29 Jan 2024 23:30:00 GMT

Joel Anderson, Stefan Fatsis, and Josh Levin discuss the 49ers’ comeback win over the Lions and the Chiefs’ victory over the Ravens. The Washington Post’s Ben Golliver also joins to talk about the spate of high-scoring games in the NBA.

49ers-Lions (3:44): Did Dan Campbell’s coaching moves cost Detroit?

Chiefs-Ravens (18:50): Patrick Mahomes won again. Lamar Jackson flopped.

NBA scoring (35:36): Are all these amazing point totals bad news for the league?

Afterball (56:56): Joel on meeting Andrew Luck at the playground.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - Why YouTube Loves Video Essays

Sat, 27 Jan 2024 08:00:00 GMT

Candice Lim is joined by Anisa Khalifa, a podcast producer and host of The Broadside from WUNC. They dissect the phenomenon surrounding video essays, which are not exactly new to YouTube, but finding a captivated audience in Gen-Z and millennial culture. From deep dives into The Hobbit to retellings of Greek mythology, the ability to analyze pop culture, cite sources and listen to spoken essays uninterrupted is creating the hunger for more longform content.

This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Daisy Rosario, Candice Lim and Rachelle Hampton.

ICYMI is sponsored by BetterHelp.

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Hit Parade | Music History and Music Trivia - And the Grammy Goes to… Edition Part 2

Fri, 26 Jan 2024 23:00:00 GMT

Do you watch the Grammy Awards every year and groan, or even yell at the screen? Hit Parade host Chris Molanphy sure does. But he has a weird hot take: The Grammys are better off not trying to be cool. They should reward the popular stuff—especially younger people’s music.

Where the Recording Academy actually goes wrong is rewarding the old stuff—legendary artists long past their prime, from Frank Sinatra to Eric Clapton, Steely Dan to Beck. The Grammy wins remembered most fondly are artists at the peak of their chart prowess: Carole King. Stevie Wonder. Michael Jackson. George Michael. Lauryn Hill. Adele. Taylor Swift (and more Taylor…and more Taylor…and more…).

When did the Grammys get it most right—and wrong? (Was the Toto win really so bad?) And how can they become more relevant? (Hint: much more rap.)

Join Chris Molanphy as he offers a chart nerd’s take on the Recording Academy and offers guidelines for good Grammy governance, just before the 2024 awards. It’s an episode right in the Nick of Time.

Podcast production by Kevin Bendis.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Culture Gabfest - True Detective’s Coldest Case Yet

Wed, 24 Jan 2024 08:00:00 GMT

On this week’s show, Jamelle Bouie (Opinion columnist at The New York Times) sits in for Julia Turner. The hosts first begin with a trip to Ennis, a fictional Alaskan town at the heart of True Detective: Night Country, and review the fourth installment of the HBO Max anthology series. There’s a new showrunner at the helm, Issa López, who brings a desperately needed fresh take on the Lovecraftian True Detective format, along with the series’ two leads, played by Jodie Foster and Kali Reis. Then, the three dissect Origin, director Ava DuVernay’s ambitious feature film adapted from the nonfiction book Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents by the American journalist Isabel Wilkerson. In the film, we accompany Wilkerson (played by Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor) as she develops her theory of formalized subordination based on race in America through the lens of the caste system. Finally, Pitchfork, the rockstar’s digital paradise and essential music review site, announced that it would be laying off most of its senior staff and be folded into fellow Condé Nast publication, GQ. What does that mean for both Pitchfork and the future of music criticism? Slate’s music critic, Carl Wilson, joins to discuss.

In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, it’s the 25th anniversary of The Sopranos, and the panel discusses the series’ incredible legacy along with what it means for the stories of Tony, Dr. Melfi, Carmela, and more, to hit a quarter of a century.

Email us at culturefest@slate.com.

Outro music: “Ruins” by Origo.

Endorsements:

Dana: Blood in the Machine: The Origins of the Rebellion Against Big Tech by Brian Merchant, a nonfiction book about the “all-but-forgotten class struggle that brought nineteenth-century England to its knees.”

Jamelle: G-Man: J. Edgar Hoover and the Making of the American Century, historian Beverly Gage’s biography of FBI director J. Edgar Hoover.

Steve: Two reviews of Elon Musk, Walter Isaacson’s biography of the SpaceX/Tesla CEO: “Ultra Hardcore” by Ben Tarnoff for The New York Review and “Very Ordinary Men” by Sam Kriss for The Point.

Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Kat Hong.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - The TikTok Joy of Mychal the Librarian

Wed, 24 Jan 2024 08:00:00 GMT

Candice Lim talks to Mychal Threets (@mychal3ts), a Bay Area librarian by day and beloved TikTok creator by night. In December 2023, Threets was the target of a negative tweet that called his TikToks weird. But in a shocking twist, the internet ran to Threet’s defense, praising his work and platform as a librarian. Threets joins the conversation to talk about his reaction to that moment, his new rules for navigating the comment section and his surprisingly millennial-core music taste.

This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Daisy Rosario, Candice Lim and Rachelle Hampton.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hang Up and Listen - Sports Illustrated Is Dead Again

Tue, 23 Jan 2024 01:15:00 GMT

Joel Anderson, Stefan Fatsis, and Josh Levin discuss Kansas City’s win over Buffalo in the NFL playoffs. Adam Duerson also joins to talk about the collapse of Sports Illustrated and ESPN’s Myron Medcalf comes on for a conversation about second-generation athletes (and how they make us feel old).

Chiefs-Bills (5:00): How Patrick Mahomes took down Josh Allen again.

Sports Illustrated (21:49): Is there a path forward for SI?

Second-generation athletes (39:36): Wait, there’s a Jameer Nelson Jr. now?

Afterball (1:02:11): The time Buddy Ryan ran up the score on the Cowboys.

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ICYMI - Stanley, Josh and Tunnel Girl

Sat, 20 Jan 2024 08:00:00 GMT

Candice Lim is joined by Slate staff writer Luke Winkie for a mailbag episode. They dive into listener questions about hot topics such as Stanley cups, Josh wine and the two tunnels dumbfounding the internet. Do you have an internet query, trend or phenomenon you just can’t wrap your head around? Let us help! Send your internet conundrums to icymi@slate.com and we just might read your email on an upcoming episode.

This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Daisy Rosario, Candice Lim and Rachelle Hampton.

ICYMI is sponsored by BetterHelp.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Culture Gabfest - When Mean Girls Sing

Wed, 17 Jan 2024 08:00:00 GMT

On this week’s show, Nadira Goffe sits in for Julia Turner. The hosts first begin by exploring an updated cult classic: Mean Girls, the movie musical version of the Broadway show based on the iconic 2004 film. The 2024 iteration stars Reneé Rapp as Regina George and Angourie Rice as Cady Heron. Then the three head to 17th century Edo-era Japan and review Blue Eye Samurai, an animated Netflix series about an ambiguously gendered, half-Japanese, half-white samurai (voiced by Maya Erskine) hell-bent on exacting revenge on the man responsible for their “monstrous” existence. Finally, consider the plight of January, a recent New York Times essay implores. The panel debates the merits of America's least-loved month and whether they agree with the assertion that the first 31 days of the year are the best.

In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, the panel discloses what books to read for self-reinvention, including Letters to a Young Poet and Nadira’s favorite Toni Morrison work. The conversation is based on Chelsea Leu’s piece for The Atlantic, “What to Read If You Want to Reinvent Yourself.”

Email us at culturefest@slate.com.

Outro music: “Lonely Calling” by Arc De Soleil

Endorsements:

Nadira: Embracing her tradition of endorsing music favorites, Nadira’s been loving Depression Cherry by Beach House, the indie duo’s 2015 studio album that’s dreamy, surreal, and comforting, and Cynthia Erivo’s sensational cover of “Alfie,” performed live at the Kennedy Center Honors for 2023 honoree Dionne Warwick.

Dana: At the onset of every year, Dana chooses a mammoth book assignment for herself, and in 2024, that book was Middlemarch by George Eliot. She especially enjoys listening to the audiobook while hiking, which is narrated by the English actress Juliet Stevenson.

Steve: Steve learned to Travis pick on the guitar! Thanks to a wonderful YouTube tutorial by Mike’s Music Method for the song “Blues Run the Game” by Jackson C. Frank. (And maybe if enough listeners request it, he might perform it for us…)

Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Kat Hong.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - Harry Potter Fanfiction and Battling TikTok Haters

Wed, 17 Jan 2024 08:00:00 GMT

Candice Lim is joined by Milly Tamarez and Alise Morales, the co-hosts of Go Touch Grass — a new podcast that dives into the online gossip and niche drama you’ve missed this week. They dive into their internet diaries, which include Heather Gay memes, West Elm Caleb conspiracy theories and what happens when AI bots cheat on each other.

This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Daisy Rosario, Candice Lim and Rachelle Hampton.

ICYMI is sponsored by BetterHelp.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hang Up and Listen - The Lions Are Winners

Wed, 17 Jan 2024 01:00:00 GMT

Joel Anderson, Stefan Fatsis, and Josh Levin discuss the opening weekend of the NFL playoffs. They also talk about the departures of coaching legends Nick Saban, Bill Belichick, and Pete Carroll. Finally, Ben Rothenberg joins to discuss his new biography of tennis star Naomi Osaka.

NFL playoffs (3:17): How did the Detroit Lions franchise turn itself around?

Saban, Belichick, and Carroll (26:03): What do these coaching greats have in common and how do they differ from each other?

Osaka (48:09): A deep dive into a modern sports icon.

Afterball (1:14:22): Remembering Chris Laskowski.

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ICYMI - Gypsy Rose Blanchard’s Influencer Era

Sat, 13 Jan 2024 08:00:00 GMT

Candice Lim is joined by Vox culture reporter Aja Romano to explain the rapid social media rise of Gypsy Rose Blanchard. On December 28, 2023, Blanchard was released from prison after serving eight years following the brutal murder of her mother. Almost immediately, Blanchard became a social media celebrity who currently has more than 8 million followers on Instagram and 9 million followers on TikTok. But Blanchard’s internet presence raises questions about the way social media treats prisoners who have left the carceral system and whether the overwhelming support for Blanchard is warranted.

This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Daisy Rosario, Candice Lim and Rachelle Hampton.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hit Parade | Music History and Music Trivia - And the Grammy Goes to… Edition Part 1

Sat, 13 Jan 2024 04:58:00 GMT

When did the Grammys get it most right—and wrong? (Was the Toto win really so bad?) And how can they become more relevant? (Hint: much more rap.)

Podcast production by Kevin Bendis.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Death, Sex & Money - Life After Death: News About the Future of Death, Sex & Money!

Thu, 11 Jan 2024 19:30:00 GMT

Hear about the new life for Death, Sex & Money, with new episodes coming soon! In the meantime, subscribe to Anna's newsletter here to keep in touch and help shape this new era of the show. And tell us your favorite Death, Sex & Money episodes in a review on Apple Podcasts to help new listeners get to know us as all our archives move to our new home.

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Culture Gabfest - Much Ado About Anyone But You

Wed, 10 Jan 2024 08:00:00 GMT

On this week’s show, the hosts are first joined by Slate’s Heather Schwedel to discuss Anyone But You, a paper-thin adaptation of Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing, starring Sydney Sweeney and Glen Powell, whose combined good looks and star wattage aren’t enough to save the flimsily written rom-com. (Although, despite the film’s rocky start, it’s become a sleeper smash at the box-office.) Then, the panel explores Hayao Miyazaki’s The Boy and the Heron (which premiered under the name, How Do You Live?, in Japan), a beautiful and astoundingly thematic film made by one of the world’s greatest living animators, as he reflects on his life, work, and the nature of creation. Finally, the Golden Globes returned on Sunday, January 7th. The hosts ask: with a beefed up voting body and new network home, did the disgraced awards show manage to overcome its many scandals and untarnish its reputation?

In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, the panel answers a listener question from Scott: are there any movies, TV shows, novels, books, albums, etc., that impacted you at a pivotal time in your life (not necessarily childhood) that you will not revisit due to the fact that it may not hold up?

Email us at culturefest@slate.com.

Outro music: “I Want a Change” by The Big Let Down

Endorsements:

Dana: Inspired by his incredible essay in The Intelligencer last week, Dana endorses Tom Scocca’s Substack, Indignity, which covers internet culture, the distortions of fame and identity, nature, the weather, daily news, and more.

Julia: Do you use the right salt when you cook? The best fancy salt, according to Julia, is Carmargue Fleur de Sel, an exceptional French salt that comes in a sweet little tub with a cork lid.

Steve: The earlier works of Dave Brubeck, one of the greatest jazz artists of all time, particularly the albums Interchanges ‘54 and Jazz Goes to College. Steve made a short playlist of his favorites, which can be found here.

Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Kat Hong.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - The Nine-Month Cruise Heard Round the World

Wed, 10 Jan 2024 08:00:00 GMT

Candice Lim is joined by Wailin Wong, co-host of NPR’s The Indicator from Planet Money. They dissect the drama and mayhem surrounding Royal Caribbean’s Ultimate World Cruise — a nine-month trip that TikTokkers on land and sea that we can’t stop talking about. The cruise is scheduled to visit more than 60 countries over 274 nights, but since it left Miami in December, passengers have been uploading room tours, buffet reviews and excursion vlogs daily — if not, hourly — so land-dwellers can keep up with this reality show on water.

This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Daisy Rosario, Candice Lim and Rachelle Hampton.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hang Up and Listen - Hail to the Victors

Wed, 10 Jan 2024 01:10:00 GMT

Joel Anderson, Stefan Fatsis, and Josh Levin discuss Michigan’s win over Washington in the College Football Playoff. They also talk about Bill Belichick’s future and the Philadelphia Eagles’ decline. Finally, the Athletic’s Chantel Jennings assesses the state of women’s college basketball and the sport’s new TV deal.

Michigan (7:14): How the Wolverines won it all.

NFL (26:01): Why hasn’t Pats owner Robert Kraft made a move yet?

Women’s hoops (50:40): Is the new TV contract a disappointment or a positive step?

Afterball (1:09:43): What was the 2023 Sports Word of the Year?

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ICYMI - The Internet History of Tate McRae

Sat, 06 Jan 2024 08:00:00 GMT

Candice Lim is joined by culture journalist Cat Sposato to trace the rise of this year’s most promising pop act, Tate McRae. McRae gained national attention as a 12-year-old dancer on So You Think You Can Dance. While pursuing a legitimate dance career, she posted an original song on YouTube that led RCA Records to bet on her as the next big pop star. After two albums, certain people on the internet still accuse McRae of being an industry plant, but her path has been oddly traditional and well-documented online. So was McRae an industry plant or an inevitable star?

This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Daisy Rosario, Candice Lim and Rachelle Hampton.

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Culture Gabfest - Willy Wonka, Naive Sweetheart?

Wed, 03 Jan 2024 08:00:00 GMT

On this week’s show, the hosts begin by jumping into the fantastical world of Wonka, a prequel to Roald Dahl’s enduring novel that explores the origins of its famously impish character, Willy Wonka, portrayed here by a wide-eyed, sugary sweet Timothée Chalamet. The musical film, directed by Paul King (Paddington, Paddington 2) isn’t the kind of movie you want to pick on–it undoubtedly has a warm heart–but has the effect of watching a lucrative homework assignment. Then, the three switch gears and review Maestro, a biopic (if you can even call it that) about one of America’s greatest cultural luminaries and public educators, Leonard Bernstein. Directed by and starring Bradley Cooper as “Lenny,” the film explores Bernstein’s complicated marriage with Felicia Montealegre (played spectacularly by Carey Mulligan) and the couple’s struggle to balance Lenny’s public genius with his life as a closeted gay man. (For more on Cooper’s prosthetic nose, read Mark Harris’ comprehensive essay for Slate, “The Bradley Cooper ‘Jewface’ Controversy Isn’t Really About That Nose.”) Finally, the panel is led by ringmaster extraordinaire, Dana Stevens, through Slate’s 2023 Movie Club, an annual digital roundtable featuring conversations between prominent film critics and writers as they look back through a year in film. This year, Bilge Ebiri (film critic for New York Magazine and Vulture), entertainment writer Esther Zuckerman, and film historian Mark Harris contribute, along with features from Nadira Goffe, Sam Adams, and the project’s editor, Dan Kois.

In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, the panel embraces a post-holiday theme and discusses memorable gifts: their favorites and the ones that got away, inspired by a recent episode from the podcast Scriptnotes.

Email us at culturefest@slate.com.

Outro music: “Spinning the Wheels” by Dusty Decks

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ICYMI - Should We Quit Romance Novels?

Wed, 03 Jan 2024 08:00:00 GMT

Candice Lim is joined by Slate senior editor Rebecca Onion to talk about their love of romance novels. The romance genre grew rapidly this past year, becoming the fastest-growing category of fiction and generating over $1.4 billion in sales revenue. Partly thanks to Goodreads and BookTok, romance novels are getting into the hands of younger, more outspoken and vocal readers. But recent scandals, including last year’s Hockey BookTok disaster, question the limits of literary thirsting and ask whether we can ever quit romance.

This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Daisy Rosario, Candice Lim and Rachelle Hampton.

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Hang Up and Listen - Michigan and Washington Squeak Through

Tue, 02 Jan 2024 23:00:00 GMT

Joel Anderson and Josh Levin are joined by Slate’s Ben Mathis-Lilley to discuss the College Football Playoff semifinals. Vincent Goodwill of Yahoo Sports also joins to talk about the Detroit Pistons’ epic losing streak. Finally, we look back at our 2020 segment on the Pac-12’s #WeAreUnited movement.

CFP semis (5:21): How Michigan and Washington emerged victorious.

Pistons (29:02): How did they get so bad?

#WeAreUnited (51:06): A conversation from 2020 with then UCLA players Elisha Guidry and Otito Ogbonnia.

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ICYMI - Outward: PragerU’s Transphobic Twitter Takeover

Sat, 30 Dec 2023 08:00:00 GMT

On this episode, The Outward hosts break down the million dollar takeover ad on X for Prager University’s documentary Detrans: The Dangers of Gender Affirming Care. NBC reporter Jo Yurcaba joins Bryan, Christina, and Jules to tackle the misdirections and anti-trans agenda of the documentary and take a look at the transphobic shifts on the social media platform.

Email us at: outwardpodcast@slate.com

Podcast production by Palace Shaw.

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Hit Parade | Music History and Music Trivia - Second-Chance Hits Edition Part 2

Fri, 29 Dec 2023 23:00:00 GMT

In 2023, several hits from years ago—sometimes decades—made it to No. 1 on Billboard’s pop charts after falling short the first time: Taylor Swift’s “Cruel Summer.” The Weeknd’s “Die for You.” Miguel’s “Sure Thing.” And, most improbably but delightfully, Brenda Lee’s 65-year-old holiday bop “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree.”

What’s going on here? A lot of it has to do with the ways streaming, YouTube and TikTok have changed the charts. But the truth is, the second-chance hit is as old as the charts themselves

From David Bowie to Prince, Sonny and Cher to Guns n’ Roses, the Miracles to the Moody Blues, there are certain songs the music biz won’t give up on. To say nothing of all those holiday perennials, from “Monster Mash” to “Last Christmas.”

Join Chris Molanphy as he explains why certain songs keep coming back and counts down a dozen favorite second-chance hits. If it first they don’t succeed, chart, chart again.

Podcast production by Kevin Bendis.

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Death, Sex & Money - Four Interviews and a Funeral

Wed, 27 Dec 2023 09:00:00 GMT

When we heard that Death, Sex, & Money was coming to an end at WNYC, we decided there was only one thing to do: throw ourselves an in-person goodbye celebration. In this week’s episode, you’ll hear audio from “Four Interviews and a Funeral,” a show we hosted at Caveat in Manhattan. In it, Anna talks to past guests, like comedian Chris Gethard, Lawrence and Ronnine Bartley, mover Adonis Williams, and NYC’s subway voice, Bernie Wagenblast about their experiences with endings and life transitions. Also, actress Ellen Burstyn reads a poem, Anna gives a eulogy for the show, and The Outer Borough Brass Band plays us home.

Read more about the event in The New Yorker here, and sign up for Anna’s new newsletter where you can read her weekly musings, hear from other listeners, and get updates about the future of the show.

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Culture Gabfest - Encore: Barbenheimer Blockbuster Bonanza

Wed, 27 Dec 2023 08:00:00 GMT

This week, we revisit one of our favorite episodes of 2023! The panel begins by examining Barbie, Greta Gerwig’s hot pink, record-breaking movie about the iconic Mattel doll. Then, the trio dives into Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer, which chronicles the life of the “Father of the Atomic Bomb,” and explores whether the film achieves its aims. Finally, they are joined by Slate’s Chris Molanphy to discuss the controversy behind country singer Jason Aldean’s latest song, “Try That In A Small Town.”

In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, the panel is once again joined by Chris Molanphy to discuss all things Summer Strut. With the annual show just weeks away, the four pull back the curtain to detail their processes, weird observations, and more.

Email us at culturefest@slate.com.

Endorsements:

Dana: In line with her theme of the week, “Yay movies and go, go, go to the theater,” Dana highly recommends Theater Camp, a delightful film by Ben Platt and Molly Gordon.

Julia: Yotam Ottolenghi’s recipe for zucchini pasta with crispy capers and pistachios isn’t the sort of thing Julia would normally endorse (for one, it’s extremely laborious and you will need to fry individual basil leaves), but it’s vegan, a showstopper, and completely worth it.

Stephen: In honor of the late singer, Stephen recommends two Tony Bennett albums: “The Tony Bennett/Bill Evans Album” (1975) and “Tony Bennett at Carnegie Hall” (1962).

Outro music: “Last Sunday” by OTE.

Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Kat Hong.

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ICYMI - Decoder Ring: The Forgotten Video Game About Slavery

Wed, 27 Dec 2023 08:00:00 GMT

In 1992, a Minnesota-based software company known for its educational hit The Oregon Trail released another simulation-style game to school districts across the country. Freedom! took kids on a journey along the Underground Railroad, becoming the first American software program to use slavery as its subject matter.

Less than four months later, it was pulled from the market. In this episode, we revisit this well-intentioned, but flawed foray into historical trauma that serves as a reminder that teaching Black history in America has always been fraught.

We hear from Julian Lucas, Mike Palmquist, Rich Bergeron, Josh Bergeron, Kamau Kambui, Yamro Kambui Fields, Halim Fields, Mawusi Kambui Pierre, Nanyamka Salley, John Ojanen, Darrolyn Sharp, Byron Sharp, and Dean Kephart.

This episode was written by Willa Paskin. Decoder Ring is produced by Willa Paskin and Katie Shepherd. This episode was also produced by Benjamin Frisch, and edited by Erica Morrison. Derek John is executive producer. Joel Meyer is senior editor-producer and Merritt Jacob is senior technical director.

We’re grateful to Julian Lucas for his expertise, reporting, and generosity, without which this episode would not have been possible. His New Yorker article, “Can Slavery Reenactments Set Us Free?,” revisits the Freedom! story as part of an exploration of the live Underground Railroad re-enactments that Kamau Kambui pioneered.

Thank you to Jesse Fuchs for suggesting this topic. Thanks also to Coventry Cowens, Brigitte Fielder, Bob Whitaker, Alan Whisman, Wayne Studer, Alicia Montgomery, Rebecca Onion, Luke Winkie, and Kamau Kambui’s children: Yamro Kambui Fields, Halim Fields, Mawusi Kambui Pierre, Nanyamka Salley, and Kamau Sababu Kambui Jr.

If you haven’t please yet, subscribe and rate our feed in Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. And even better, tell your friends.

If you’re a fan of the show, please sign up for Slate Plus. Members get to listen to Decoder Ring without any ads and have total access to Slate’s website. Your support is also crucial to our work. Go to Slate.com/decoderplus to join Slate Plus today.

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Hang Up and Listen - Let’s Remember Some 2023 Moments

Mon, 25 Dec 2023 08:00:00 GMT

Joel Anderson, Stefan Fatsis, and Josh Levin discuss the most important and most memorable sports moments of 2023. They’re also joined by Mark Wright to talk about his podcast The Bison Project, on Howard University’s 1971 NCAA champion soccer team. Finally, we look back at one of our favorite segments from the recent past, featuring … a mystery guest.

Memorable moments (4:41): Damar Hamlin, Michigan sign-stealing, and everything in between.

Howard soccer (21:06): Can a 50-year-old injustice be rectified?

Mystery guest (42:57): Can you guess what sports innovation he came up with?

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ICYMI - Goodbye to All That 2023 Internet

Sat, 23 Dec 2023 08:00:00 GMT

From Goodreads scandals to relationship prompt Twitter, the internet has been rife with trends to get mad about. On today’s episode, Candice Lim is joined by Vox’s Alex Abad-Santos and journalist Sylvia Obell to audit everything they lived through online in 2023, discussing the good, the bad and the truly unhinged.

This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Daisy Rosario, Candice Lim and Rachelle Hampton.

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Death, Sex & Money - Your Inheritance Stories: When Death, Family and Money Mix

Wed, 20 Dec 2023 09:00:00 GMT

Over the past few months, we’ve been collecting your stories about inheritance, from those who have it and those who don’t. You told us about when inheritance was a surprise, when it felt like a control tactic, a safety net, an expression of love, or an opportunity to redistribute generational wealth.

In this episode, Anna talks to four people about their inheritance experiences: Gwynn, who is grappling with whether or not to faithfully execute her mother’s will, and cut her sister out; Trevor, who received inheritance from his father and, with it, a mystery about how long his father had been planning his death; and Anna talks to two young people who want to give away their inherited wealth to social causes, despite some opposition from family members.

Want to learn more about the nonprofit Resource Generation? Check out their website here.

And here's the link to sign up to Anna's newsletter: https://annasale.substack.com/

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ICYMI - The Celebrity Breakups That Wrecked Us In 2023

Wed, 20 Dec 2023 08:00:00 GMT

On today’s episode, Candice Lim is joined by Kristen Meinzer (Daily Fail, How to be Fine) and Tre’vell Anderson (FANTI, What A Day) to recap the year in celebrity breakups. Lately, it feels like everyone in Hollywood is breaking up, but have there really been that many more celebrity splits than usual? Was Scandoval really proof that love is dead or have we been placing celebrity couples on way too high a pedestal? And has the internet created a reaction ecosystem where Twitter aggregates like PopCrave amplify breakups beyond their reality?

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Culture Gabfest - Annual Call-In Show 2023

Wed, 20 Dec 2023 08:00:00 GMT

This week, it’s the yearly call-in episode! Steve, Dana, and Julia dive into questions submitted by Culture Gabfest listeners.

Outro music: “Forbidden Love” by OTE

Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Kat Hong.

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Hang Up and Listen - D.C. Sports at a Crossroads

Tue, 19 Dec 2023 00:40:00 GMT

Joel Anderson, Josh Levin, and Slate’s Alex Kirshner discuss Draymond Green’s indefinite suspension. They also talk about the Washington Capitals and Wizards reportedly leaving D.C. for Northern Virginia. And finally, they examine why every college quarterback is in the transfer portal.

Draymond (4:43): What’s next for him and for the Warriors?

Wiz and Caps (26:12): Are they actually leaving or is this just a classic case of owner extortion?

Portal (45:53): Why so many quarterbacks are switching teams.

Afterball (1:06:58): Joel on North Dakota State’s very lopsided basketball victory.

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ICYMI - Our Top Internet Moments of the Year (Part 2)

Sat, 16 Dec 2023 08:00:00 GMT

On today’s episode, Rachelle Hampton and Candice Lim are joined by Slate culture writer Nadira Goffe to conclude their list of the top internet moments of the year. In their previous episode, Rachelle and Candice memorialized Elon-held Twitter, the most famous submersible online and reunions that shouldn’t air live. But no moment superseded the viral drama, cultural legacy and aquatic meme-ifcation of a singular historic event that happened on August 5, 2023.

This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Daisy Rosario, Candice Lim and Rachelle Hampton.

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Hit Parade | Music History and Music Trivia - Second-Chance Hits Edition Part 1

Sat, 16 Dec 2023 03:00:00 GMT

What’s going on here? A lot of it has to do with the ways streaming, YouTube and TikTok have changed the charts. But the truth is, the second-chance hit is as old as the charts themselves

Join Chris Molanphy as he explains why certain songs keep coming back and counts down a dozen favorite second-chance hits. If it first they don’t succeed, chart, chart again.

Podcast production by Kevin Bendis.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Death, Sex & Money - Meshell Ndegeocello Thinks Authenticity is Unsustainable

Wed, 13 Dec 2023 09:00:00 GMT

Meshell Ndegeocello has been a working musician since she was a teenager. She’s probably best known for her biggest hit to date, “Wild Night,” a Van Morrison cover she recorded with John Mellancamp back in 1994. Meshell is 55 now and just put out her 11th solo album, “The Omnichord Real Book,” her first in five years. The album started as a kind of personal pandemic project before she decided to share it with the world, and it’s now been nominated for a Best Alternative Jazz Album Grammy award.

When Anna spoke with Meshell, she was just back from a quick European tour, and they talked about what it was like for her to grow up in the 70s and 80s in the Washington D.C. area, surrounded by music, and how she found the bass, her main instrument, by chance (and with a little help from Prince.) In this episode, Meshell shares how her life with music has evolved through the years, what she’s learned to let go of – as a performer, as a mother and a daughter – and how the ‘musical transmissions’ that she receives help her stay grounded and present to who she really is, moment to moment.

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Culture Gabfest - Emma Stone’s Horny Frankenstein Movie

Wed, 13 Dec 2023 08:00:00 GMT

This week, the panel is joined by Slate writer and senior editor Sam Adams to dissect Poor Things, director Yorgos Lanthimos' horny, steampunk Frankenstein tale about Bella Baxter (played by Emma Stone), a pregnant woman who commits suicide then is brought back to life by a brilliant scientist (Willem Dafoe), with an eccentric caveat: She now has the brain of her unborn fetus. Then, the three remember Norman Lear, the late television pioneer and American icon who died at the age of 101 and who was responsible for ushering in a new era of character-driven, comedic, topical, and morally serious TV with hit sitcoms like All in the Family, The Jeffersons, Maude, and One Day at a Time. Finally, they are joined by Slate’s books and culture columnist, Laura Miller, who shares her top ten books of the year, and along with Dana, discusses the joys and challenges of year-end listmaking.

In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, the panel reunites with Sam Adams to spoil Poor Things, detailing what is arguably the film’s weakest portion: the final ten minutes.

We’re also accepting submissions to our yearly call-in show, where Dana, Julia, and Stephen answer questions from Culture Gabfest listeners. Get in touch! Submit a question by calling (260) 337-8260 or emailing us at culturefest@slate.com. The deadline to submit is Wednesday, December 13.

Outro music: “The Red Light Special” by Matt Large

Endorsements:

Dana: It’s clear that Norman Lear was working in the heyday of television title sequences. And although Dana may have been born a bit late to catch All in the Family in real time, what she remembers are the theme songs. So, go on YouTube and call yourself up some of the most indelible introductory sequences (All in the Family, Good Times, One Day at a Time, The Jeffersons, etc.) and you’ll have a good time.

Julia: An endorsement that doubles as a one-item gift guide. If you would like to give someone a fancy, overpriced, but delicious-smelling body wash, Julia has found the best one: NO Green by Corpus, a luxurious plant-based cleanser with notes of bergamot, pink lemon, orange blossom, and cardamom. Snap it up if you have some last-minute gifts to buy.

Steve: A quote by Søren Kierkegaard, gifted to Stephen by his eldest daughter: “Should philosophy, among its other conceits, imagine that someone might actually want to follow its precepts in practice, a curious comedy would emerge.” (Fear and Trembling, 1843.)

Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Kat Hong.

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ICYMI - Our Top Internet Moments of the Year (Part 1)

Wed, 13 Dec 2023 08:00:00 GMT

On today’s episode, Rachelle Hampton and Candice Lim announce their top internet moments of the year. Is it the MirandaSings controversy? The Shein influencer factory tour? The internet boyfriend wars of Al Pacino vs. Robert De Niro? They bring their picks and ruminate on the year of Elon Musk and OceanGate.

This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Daisy Rosario, Candice Lim and Rachelle Hampton.

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Hang Up and Listen - Baseball’s $700 Million Man

Tue, 12 Dec 2023 01:30:00 GMT

Joel Anderson, Stefan Fatsis, and Josh Levin discuss Shohei Ohtani’s record-setting contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers. They’re also joined by the Washington Post’s Ben Golliver to assess the NBA’s first in-season tournament. Finally, they discuss Joel’s story about his tenure at ESPN and what it’s become now.

Ohtani (4:31): Did the Dodgers actually get a bargain?

In-season tournament (23:41): Was it a flop or is it here to stay?

ESPN (47:57): What is the Worldwide Leader trying to be?

Afterball (1:08:30): Josh on Bills coach Sean McDermott talking about the teamwork of … the 9/11 hijackers.

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ICYMI - The Internet’s Biggest Sports Moments of 2023

Sat, 09 Dec 2023 08:00:00 GMT

On today’s episode, Candice Lim is joined by journalists Bomani Jones and Tamerra Griffin to cover the biggest moments of sports that happened online this year. From basketball stateside to women’s soccer abroad, the internet has a way of picking up the little moments you don’t see in a stadium and making major waves about them. It’s the reason why an athlete’s behavior in one singular moment can become a platform for our projections and how Twitter can make anyone a talking head. Today, they’ll take a look back at the harrowing, nail-biting and historic stories that’ll be remembered for years to come.

This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Daisy Rosario, Candice Lim and Rachelle Hampton.

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Death, Sex & Money - Productive Discomfort: A Job Training Program for Single Moms That Centers Mental Health

Wed, 06 Dec 2023 09:00:00 GMT

Hannah is 34, has two kids, and lives in Casper, Wyoming, where she was born and raised. Hannah’s been working in construction for 3 years, ever since she graduated from Climb Wyoming’s 12 week job training program, where she earned her commercial drivers license.

Climb Wyoming has been around for more than 36 years and helps single moms like Hannah gain financial independence and stability by teaching them the specific skills that are needed to get hired for local jobs. These are jobs that have a path for advancement, and can help get the moms out of poverty, like commercial truck driving for Hannah, or, for a mom named Kendra, becoming a bank teller at a bank in her small town.

But Climb Wyoming also provides mental health and emotional support—among the moms and from the staff. This is key in helping moms like Hannah, who dropped out of school when she was 16 because of crippling anxiety. Anna talks with Hannah about finding a sense of belonging and how Climb gave her the tools to stay present in moments of stress. Anna also talks with Climb leaders, Katie Hogarty and Molly Kruger, about why centering mental health is crucial to the success of their program, and to 24-year-old mom, Kendra, who shares one of the most valuable lessons she learned at Climb: “We had a saying that says, ‘They hire you for your hard skills, but they fire you for your soft skills.’”

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ICYMI - The Year of Concerts and Being Outside

Wed, 06 Dec 2023 08:00:00 GMT

On today’s episode, Candice Lim is joined by culture journalist Cat Sposato to run down this year in concerts, from the Renaissance alien to the perils of standing room only. They get into the value of concert films, how internet standom translates to venue fandom and why pop stars have become the target of flying objects.

This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Daisy Rosario, Candice Lim and Rachelle Hampton.

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Culture Gabfest - The Beyhive Swarms the Box Office

Wed, 06 Dec 2023 08:00:00 GMT

This week, the panel begins by exploring Renaissance: A Film by Beyoncé with Slate culture writer (and Beyhive stan) Nadira Goffe. The renowned pop diva’s theatrical debut works both as a well-oiled concert documentary as well as a surprisingly heartfelt deconstruction of Knowles’ previously impenetrable image of perfection. Then, the three consider Todd Haynes’ May December, an emotionally curious, tonally dissonant study of life’s gray areas starring Natalie Portman, longtime collaborator Julianne Moore, and Charles Melton. Loosely based on the real-life relationship between Mary Kay Letourneau and Vili Fualaau, Haynes (and screenwriter Samy Burch) questions Hollywood’s penchant for sensationalizing tragedy and the ways humans interact with each other. Finally, they are joined by EEFOP (Exceedingly Exceptional Friend of the Pod), Slate writer Dan Kois to discuss Dr. Seuss’s How the Grinch Lost Christmas!, a posthumous sequel to Theodor Geisel’s iconic 1957 children’s book, How the Grinch Stole Christmas! The original IP has been marketed and re-imagined within an inch of its life – but does new author Alastair Heim invoke any of the source materials’ sincerity or deeper meaning?

In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, the panel answers a listener question from Timothy: “When reading for pleasure, how do you choose what to read next?”

Outro music: “Spinning the Wheels” by Dusty Decks

Endorsements:

Dana: A two-part endorsement that goes together like wine and cheese: If I Should Fall from Grace with God, the third studio album by Irish folk-rock band The Pogues, and “Shane MacGowan Leaves the Astral Plane,” a wonderful essay by Amanda Petrusich at The New Yorker, which memorializes the late frontman. Don’t know where to start with The Pogues’ catalog? Dana recommends “A Rainy Night in Soho.”

Julia: Drawing inspiration from this episode’s children’s book segment, Julia endorses the Little Blue Truck series (written by Alice Schertle and illustrated by the late Jill McElmurry) alongside her favorite Theodor Geisel work, Hunches and Bunches. “It’s the Beyoncé of Dr. Seuss books.”

Steve: Paris is Burning, which pairs beautifully with Beyoncé’s Renaissance. Jennie Livingston’s landmark 1990 documentary is one of the most moving films Stephen has ever seen, and provides a vibrant snapshot of New York City’s drag-ball scene in the ‘80s.

Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Kat Hong.

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Hang Up and Listen - Sympathy for Florida State?

Mon, 04 Dec 2023 23:30:00 GMT

Stefan Fatsis, Josh Levin, and the Ringer’s Bryan Curtis assess the decision to leave Florida State out of the College Football Playoff at the expense of Alabama. They also discuss Sports Illustrated using AI writers. And Stefan and Josh follow the continuing saga of LSU’s Kim Mulkey and Angel Reese.

Florida State and Alabama (3:50): A total outrage or a totally understandable decision?

Sports Illustrated (21:28): What does the magazine’s AI mess say about the present and future of sports media?

Mulkey and Reese (39:36): The question that went unasked when the LSU basketball star returned.

Afterball (1:00:19): Stefan on the origins of a famous quotation from baseball Hall of Famer Rogers Hornsby.

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ICYMI - Buying A Car on YouTube

Sat, 02 Dec 2023 08:00:00 GMT

On today’s episode, Candice Lim is joined by NPR producer J.C. Howard to walk through his personal experience of buying a car. The heyday of Toyotathon and Happy Honda Days are being replaced by car reviewers who have become influencers (and dealers) for major brands. From CarTok to CarTube, vloggers like EverydayChris and Gjeebs are not only upending the dealership model, but also creating parasocial relationships between cars and their consumers.

This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Daisy Rosario, Candice Lim and Rachelle Hampton.

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Death, Sex & Money - Maria Bamford on the Lucrative Nature of Oversharing

Wed, 29 Nov 2023 09:00:00 GMT

Maria Bamford is a comedian and actress who you may know from her standup specials, her Netflix show Lady Dynamite, or her 2020 interview with Anna on our show. She’s just released a book called, Sure I’ll Join Your Cult: A Memoir of Mental Illness and the Quest to Belong Anywhere. In this new conversation, recorded live from the stage of City Arts & Lectures in San Francisco, Maria and Anna discuss some of the themes and stories that she writes about in her memoir, including her experience of hospitalization, advocating for herself at work, and her relationship with her parents, before and after their deaths.

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Culture Gabfest - Napoleon Attempts to Conquer

Wed, 29 Nov 2023 08:00:00 GMT

This week, Dana and Julia are joined by Jamelle Bouie, Opinion columnist at The New York Times and co-host of Unclear and Present Danger. The panel begins by diving into Ridley Scott’s Napoleon, a visually sumptuous biopic starring Joaquin Phoenix that attempts to chronicle the legendary historical figure’s life and reduce him to human size, yet fails to do so within its 2 ½ hour runtime. Then, the three jump into Scott Pilgrim Takes Off, a new eight-part animated Netflix series that offers an alternate version of its protagonist, Scott Pilgrim (who was first depicted in Bryan Lee O'Malley’s series of graphic novels then later in Edgar Wright’s cult classic film, Scott Pilgrim vs. The World), and reunites much of the movie’s brilliant original cast. Finally, they discuss André 3000’s New Blue Sun, a transcendent ambient album laced with flute-base soundscapes that on its face seems like a complete departure from the rapper’s previous work in Outkast, but actually depicts a piece of him that’s been present in his music all along.

In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, the panel takes advantage of Jamelle’s baking prowess and discusses best practices and tips in the kitchen, before turning to the eternal, all-important question: When you bake, do you use a measuring scale? And if so, why?

Outro music: “By the Riverside” by Lindsey Abraham

Endorsements:

Jamelle: The 4K restoration of one of his favorite movies, The Fugitive (1993), starring Tommy Lee Jones and Harrison Ford. It’s an underrated and beautiful Chicago movie.

Julia: A deep cut from her personal Summer Strut playlist: Bob Dylan’s 1997 song “Not Dark Yet,” which appeared on the album Time Out of Mind.

Dana: Inspired by their discussion of André 3000’s new album, Dana endorses a different avant-garde flute enthusiast: Eric Dolphy, the American multi-instrumentalist and bandleader. Specifically, his fantastic 1964 jazz album, Out to Lunch.

Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Kat Hong.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - Colleen Ballinger’s Inevitable Return

Wed, 29 Nov 2023 08:00:00 GMT

On today’s show, Rachelle Hampton and Candice Lim are joined by writer, producer and former video blogger Franchescha Ramsey to discuss the return of Colleen Ballinger. Ramsey was last on the show earlier this year, decoding the firestorm that engulfed Ballinger, better known as her alter ego MirandaSings. After a four-month hiatus and a now-infamous ukelele “apology” video, Ballinger has returned to daily vlogging at the most lucrative time of the year.

This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Daisy Rosario, Rachelle Hampton and Candice Lim.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hang Up and Listen - Where’s Angel Reese?

Tue, 28 Nov 2023 01:30:00 GMT

Joel Anderson, Stefan Fatsis, and Josh Levin talk about the Michigan football team’s win over Ohio State and Alabama’s last-second victory over Auburn. They also discuss the mystery around why LSU women’s basketball star Angel Reese isn’t playing. Finally, the Wall Street Journal’s Jonathan Clegg explains the huge penalty the Premier League dished out to Everton.

College football (6:31): Why this year’s rivalry week loss was so crushing for Ohio State.

LSU women’s basketball (26:10): What’s going on between star Angel Reese and coach Kim Mulkey?

Everton (48:22): Will Manchester City and Chelsea get hammered next?

Afterball (1:07:17): Joel on the uplifting journeys of Idaho and New Mexico State football.

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ICYMI - The Waves: The Bravo Cinematic Universe

Sat, 25 Nov 2023 08:00:00 GMT

On today’s episode brought to us by Slate’s The Waves, we’re digging into the Bravo network. From Below Deck to Selling Sunset to Vanderpump Rules, the Bravo TV network is a reality television behemoth that has made millions on the backs of its female cast members. But is it actually good for women? ICYMI founding host Rachelle Hampton and culture writer Shamira Ibrahim discuss the current Bravo era, how much of Bravo belongs to famous producer Andy Cohen, why cast members can’t rely on a reunion to tell their stories, and whether the cast members of shows like the Real Housewives really have agency.

If you liked this episode, check out: How to Be a Woman in Music

Podcast production by Cheyna Roth with editorial oversight by Daisy Rosario and Alicia Montgomery.

Send your comments and recommendations on what to cover to thewaves@slate.com.

If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get an ad-free experience across the network and exclusive content on many shows—you’ll also be supporting the work we do here on The Waves. Sign up now at slate.com/thewavesplus to help support our work.

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Hit Parade | Music History and Music Trivia - Ride ’til I Can’t No More Edition Part 2

Fri, 24 Nov 2023 20:00:00 GMT

When it crash-landed on the charts in 2019, Lil Nas X’s “Old Town Road” felt new and old at the same time: a savvy, TikTok-fueled viral hit that summarized a century of cross-cultural collisions between R&B, rap and country. It was also unexpectedly huge—a record 19 weeks at No. 1 on the Hot 100—and controversial, as Billboard magazine pulled the song from its Hot Country Songs chart, prompting a reckoning on race and the very definition of country music.

“Old Town Road” wasn’t just a reckoning—it was a culmination. As a hard-to-categorize hit, it called back to cross-genre experiments by everyone from Ray Charles and the Rappin’ Duke to Bubba Sparxxx and even Jason Aldean. As a viral smash, its antecedents date back to “The Twist,” right through “Crank That (Soulja Boy)” and “Harlem Shake.”

In honor of his new book Old Town Road (now in bookstores!) join Chris Molanphy as he walks through the many predecessors to “Old Town Road” and explains why can’t nobody tell Lil Nas X nothin’.

Podcast production by Kevin Bendis.

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Death, Sex & Money - Underdogs, Training Montages and Buzzer-Beaters: When Sports Movies Got You Through It

Wed, 22 Nov 2023 09:00:00 GMT

With their underdog-against-all-odds-redemption stories and epic training montages, sports movies can be the best source of support when we’re deep in the toughest moments in our lives. Earlier this year, when our executive producer, Liliana Maria, found herself surrounded by cancer and death in her close circle of family and friends, she turned to the Michael B. Jordan movie, Creed III, to help her keep going. She kept repeating Adonis Creed’s mantra to herself each day: “One step at a time, one punch at a time, one round at a time.”

In this week's episode, hosted by Liliana Maria, we share your stories about sports movies like Hoosiers, Whip It, Brittany Runs A Marathon and Cool Runnings, which have accompanied you when you needed them most.

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ICYMI - Our 2023 ICYMI Friendsgiving Spectacular

Wed, 22 Nov 2023 08:00:00 GMT

Today, Rachelle and Candice celebrate ICYMI’s third annual Friendsgiving episode. They’re joined by Weight For It host Ronald Young Jr. and ICYMI producer Daisy Rosario to run down the internet moments that made them laugh out loud this year. They cover viral moments such as the adventures of George Santos, gamer thirst traps and little girls singing iconic jingles.

This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Daisy Rosario, Candice Lim and Rachelle Hampton.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Culture Gabfest - Nathan Fielder Goes Even Fuller Cringe

Wed, 22 Nov 2023 08:00:00 GMT

This week, the panel begins by reviewing The Curse, a cringe-worthy Showtime series co-produced by Nathan Fielder and Benny Safdie. Fielder and Emma Stone star as Asher and Whitney Siegel, a newlywed couple at the center of a reality HGTV show built on narcissism, gentrification, and lies. Then, the three jump into Alexander Payne’s The Holdovers, which Dana describes as a “sadsack Christmas classic,” starring Paul Giamatti as a curmudgeonly misanthrope professor alongside newcomer Dominic Sessa and Da’Vine Joy Randolph. The three play misfits being held over at a prep school during the winter break of 1970. Finally, the trio is joined by Dwight Garner, book critic for The New York Times, to discuss his delightful new memoir, The Upstairs Delicatessen: On Eating, Reading, Reading About Eating, and Eating While Reading.

In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, the panel commemorates Jezebel, the now-shuttered women-focused news and cultural commentary site, and reflects on their relationships with media geared towards women overall.

Email us at culturefest@slate.com.

Endorsements:

Dana: Life on Our Planet on Netflix, a nature documentary narrated by Morgan Freeman that tells the four-billion-year story of life on Earth. It’s perfect for at-home family viewing over the holidays.

Julia: A hilarious bit Nathan Fielder and Emma Stone did on Jimmy Kimmel Live! while promoting The Curse. In response to a less-than-glowing review of his acting skills in The New York Times, Fielder shows up in-character as a nonchalant, totally not stilted bad boy alongside Stone’s non-acted self.

Stephen: “Camus on Tour,” an excellent tour de force essay by Vivian Gornick in The New York Review of Books, in which she covers Camus’ Travels in the Americas: Notes and Impressions of a New World.

Podcast production by Jessamine Molli. Production assistance by Kat Hong.

Hosts

Dana Stevens, Julia Turner, Stephen Metcalf

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hang Up and Listen - Formula 1 Hits the Vegas Strip

Tue, 21 Nov 2023 01:00:00 GMT

Josh Levin, Joel Anderson, and Ben Mathis-Lilley are joined by the Ringer’s Lindsay Jones to talk about the controversy Charissa Thompson kicked up about sideline reporting. They also discuss Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel, and whether he’ll succeed at bringing a new leadership style to the NFL. Finally, the Wall Street Journal’s Joshua Robinson joins to assess Formula 1’s Las Vegas Grand Prix.

Sideline reporting (5:41): Why did Thompson’s admission that she made up reports strike such a nerve?

McDaniel (29:06): Can a humane coach win big in the NFL?

Formula 1 (49L59): How the Las Vegas Grand Prix went from disaster to success.

Afterball (1:07:17): Josh on commercials where athletes celebrate “ordinary people.”

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - The Year in Celebrity Memoirs

Sat, 18 Nov 2023 08:00:00 GMT

In this episode, Rachelle Hampton and Candice Lim are joined by writer, comedian and Glamorous Trash host Chelsea Devantez to break down this watershed year of celebrity memoirs. The trio crowns the best and the worst titles, dissect what separates a good memoir from a great one, and reveal the shocking figure who has appeared in way more memoirs than you’d expect.

This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Daisy Rosario, Candice Lim and Rachelle Hampton.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hit Parade | Music History and Music Trivia - The Bridge: Can’t Tell Me Nothin’

Sat, 18 Nov 2023 04:00:00 GMT

In this special mini-episode of Hit Parade, recorded live on at Housing Works bookstore in New York City, host Chris Molanphy is joined by Dan Charnas—author of the New York Times bestseller Dilla Time, The Life and Afterlife of J Dilla, and the acclaimed The Big Payback: The History of the Business of Hip-Hop. They discuss Chris’s new book Old Town Road—how he came to write it, what made the song exceptional, and how decades of chart and genre history led to Lil Nas X’s breakthrough.

Podcast production by Kevin Bendis.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Death, Sex & Money - In Our Marriage, Psychosis Comes and Goes

Wed, 15 Nov 2023 09:00:00 GMT

When Giulia Lukach had her first manic episode, it seemed to come out of nowhere. She was in her late twenties, and had been married to her husband, Mark, for three years. “For him it was just so new because I’ve always been the happy girl,” Giulia told Anna in an interview in 2015. Her psychosis was dark and intense.“ The only thing she could talk about was the devil and that she needed to protect the world because the devil was inside her,” Mark said in their 2015 interview.

In 2023, Mark and Giulia sat down with Anna again. In the intervening years, they had a second child, and after years without Giulia having a manic episode, they thought they were in the clear. “We had this quasi-pseudo-science theory that maybe by sharing our story with the world, that was becoming this like protective barrier,” Mark told Anna. In this episode, you’ll hear parts of the couple’s original 2015 conversation, and how their outlook has changed since, both in how they treat each other, and how they deal with the unknown. “I have been to war with myself and with my mind many times,” Giulia said, “knowing that my episodes can come at any moment – that's like high anxiety for me – and so I literally live in the moment now. I only live in today.”

Also, side note: Will you be in New York City on Saturday, December 9th at 12:30pm? Come to a Death, Sex, & Money live event at Caveat, a cabaret on the Lower East Side, to celebrate the show’s run at WNYC. We’re calling it Four Interviews and a Funeral. Join Anna, the team, special guests, and dance along to live music. Tickets are available here.

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Culture Gabfest - Nicolas Cage is Your Nightmare

Wed, 15 Nov 2023 08:00:00 GMT

This week, Dana and Stephen are joined by Supreme Friend of the Pod, Isaac Butler, who co-hosts Slate’s Working podcast and is the author of The Method: How the Twentieth Century Learned to Act (which is now available in paperback!). The panel begins by pondering Dream Scenario, a provocative new film from Norwegian writer-director Kristoffer Borgli. The nightmarish social satire stars Nicolas Cage as Paul Matthews, a hapless middle-aged biology professor who begins appearing randomly in people’s dreams in a tale about anonymity and the cycle of virality. Then, the three speak with the brilliant author and classicist Emily Wilson about her recent translation of Homer’s the Iliad, and her unique approach to metered verse and how she came to access the interior lives of Hector, Patroclus, Achilles, and more. Finally, the trio discusses Coyote vs. Acme, a completed film based on Ian Frazier’s 1990 comic in The New Yorker, that was shelved last week by Warner Bros. (reportedly in favor of a $30 million tax write-off) then un-shelved when the studio received backlash for being “anti-art.”

In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, the panel descends into a different kind of nightmare: The Beatles’ music video for “Now and Then.” Has director Peter Jackson created a touching CGI tribute to the legendary band? Or has he engineered something truly evil?

Email us at culturefest@slate.com.

Endorsements:

Dana: The Public Domain Review, an online journal and not-for-profit project dedicated to “the exploration of curious and compelling works from the history of art, literature, and ideas.” She’s only just begun to scratch the site’s surface, but recommends starting with “W.E.B. Du Bois’ Hand-Drawn Infographics of African-American Life.”

Isaac: Deadloch, an Australian feminist noir comedy set in a fictional working class fishing village that’s been, as he describes, “gentrified by the most granola crunchy lesbians on earth.”

Stephen: The song “New Romantic” by British folk singer-songwriter Laura Marling, specifically her extraordinary 2006 live performance of it when she was quite young at a now-closed music venue in West London.

Outro music: “Any Other Way” by Particle House

Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Kat Hong.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Decoder Ring - The Forgotten Video Game About Slavery

Wed, 15 Nov 2023 08:00:00 GMT

If you haven’t please yet, subscribe and rate our feed in Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. And even better, tell your friends.

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ICYMI - The Internet Used to be a Haven for People with Autism

Wed, 15 Nov 2023 08:00:00 GMT

On today’s episode, Rachelle and Candice are joined by Patrick Marlborough to discuss their recent essay for Slate, “The Death of the Internet as a Haven for People With Autism.” They wrote, “Things began to shift, if imperceptibly at first, with the advent of social media, and the steady corralling and corporatization of that otherness, weirdness, fun, and joy.” On the show, Marlborough describes what they see the internet what they see the internet shifting away from and what it’s shifting towards and what that shift means for all of us.

This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Daisy Rosario, Rachelle Hampton and Candice Lim.

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Hang Up and Listen - The Trial of Jim Harbaugh

Tue, 14 Nov 2023 01:00:00 GMT

Josh Levin, Joel Anderson, and Ben Mathis-Lilley weigh the evidence in the sign-stealing case against Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh. They also discuss Texas A&M’s decision to fire its football coach Jimbo Fisher. Finally, Josh and Joel speak with writer Megan Swanick about the career and legacy of Megan Rapinoe.

Harbaugh (4:04): Should the coach go down or is he getting railroaded?

Fisher (26:49): How national championship dreams turned into a $76 million buyout.

Rapinoe (44:01): She didn’t get a perfect ending, but she handled her ending perfectly.

Afterball (1:06:36): Joel on Jimbo Fisher, Colby Carthel, and Texas-sized football expectations.

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ICYMI - Restaurant Wars: Keith Lee vs. Atlanta

Sat, 11 Nov 2023 08:00:00 GMT

In this episode, Rachelle and Candice map out what happened when TikTok food personality Keith Lee traveled to Atlanta and ignited a culinary controversy. Lee is a former MMA fighter-turned-influencer who has been taking food tours around the country, ranking their cuisine and posting his reviews on TikTok. He was tasting restaurants in Atlanta when the itinerary took a turn for the worst: badly-reviewed establishments were fighting back online, one restaurant started receiving death threats, and even Cardi B had something to say. So how did a humble TikTok food critic become a lightning rod for such fierce (and dangerous) culinary criticism?

This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Daisy Rosario, Candice Lim and Rachelle Hampton.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hit Parade | Music History and Music Trivia - Ride ’til I Can’t No More Edition Part 1

Sat, 11 Nov 2023 04:00:00 GMT

Podcast production by Kevin Bendis.

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Death, Sex & Money - Raphael Saadiq: Music Was My Therapy. It Had To Be.

Wed, 08 Nov 2023 09:00:00 GMT

This fall, Tony! Toni! Toné! is on tour for the first time in twenty years. Raphael Saadiq's career took off as a member of the R&B trio —a group whose music taught Anna, a pre-teen at the time, a thing or two about romance and sexiness. Raphael left the group in the mid-'90s, launching a successful solo career and co-writing and producing music with everyone from Solange and Mary J. Blige to John Legend and D'Angelo.

This week, we revisit Anna’s 2019 conversation with Raphael about how he's dealt with family deaths over the years, paying off his studio, and what his love life looks like today, in his 50s.

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ICYMI - Endless Thread: The expanding universe of Lofi Girl

Wed, 08 Nov 2023 08:00:00 GMT

On today’s episode brought to us by WBUR’s Endless Thread, co-host Ben Brock Johnson and producer Nora Saks look at the Lofi Girl phenomenon. At least 13 million YouTube users subscribe to the channel Lofi Girl. Created by the mononymous French music producer Dimitri, Lofi Girl is a 24/7 livestream of an anime girl studying in her room and listening to lofi hip hop. For many, she’s become the perfect study buddy, and the music may actually be helping concentration.

Endless Thread producer Nora Ruth Valerie Saks and co-host Ben Brock Johnson look at how the Lofi Girl phenomenon has expanded into a record company, inspired copycats, and prompted academic research.

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Culture Gabfest - Does Voice-Over Kill the Killer?

Wed, 08 Nov 2023 08:00:00 GMT

This week, the panel is joined first by Isaac Butler, co-host of Slate’s Working podcast and author of The Method: How the Twentieth Century Learned to Act, to debate the merits of David Fincher’s The Killer and whether the director’s latest “thriller” (which stars Michael Fassbender) is a masterful example of craft or simply a logic-free time-suck. Then, Dana, Julia, and Stephen explore the world of Letterboxd, the self-proclaimed “Goodreads of movies” that may be the only positive social media platform left. Finally, the trio is joined by Extreme Friend of the Pod Chris Molanphy to discuss his wonderful new book, Old Town Road, which considers Lil Nas X's debut single as pop artifact, chart phenomenon, and cultural watershed.

In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, the panel asks: what’s the deal with long movies? Are today’s films getting longer or is it just a figment of our imagination?

Email us at culturefest@slate.com.

Endorsements:

Dana: A hometown endorsement of Slate’s excellent coverage of the Sam Bankman-Fried trial, specifically a piece by Nitish Pahwa entitled “The Days the Chips Fell,” which chronicles what Pahwa witnessed in the courtroom the day Bankman-Fried was found guilty.

Julia: The Last Waltz, Martin Scorsese’s iconic 1978 concert documentary that captures the Band’s legendary farewell performance in San Francisco. It depicts a very specific image of the male rockstar era, highlighting both the vanity and vulnerability of its stars. Dana also wrote about The Last Waltz for Slate in 2012!

Stephen: Taken by the retro-feel of The Holdovers’ trailer, Stephen endorses the song featured in it, “Silver Joy” by Damien Jurado.

Outro music: “Go Slow” by Daniel Fridell

Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Kat Hong.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Decoder Ring - The Dating Manual Unlike Any Other

Wed, 08 Nov 2023 08:00:00 GMT

From the moment it was released in 1995, The Rules was controversial. Some people loved it—and swore that the dating manual’s throwback advice helped them land a husband. Others thought it was retrograde hogwash that flew in the face of decades of feminist progress. The resulting brouhaha turned the book into a cultural phenomenon. In this episode, Slate’s Heather Schwedel explores where The Rules came from, how it became so popular, and why its list of 35 commandments continue to be so sticky—whether we like it or not.

Decoder Ring is produced by Willa Paskin and Katie Shepherd. This episode was edited by Willa Paskin. Derek John is executive producer. Joel Meyer is senior editor/producer. Merritt Jacob is our senior technical director.

We’d like to to thank Benjamin Frisch, Rachel O'Neill, Penny Love, Heather Fain, Elif Batuman, Laura Banks, Marlene Velasquez-Sedito, Leigh Anderson, Caroline Smith. We also want to mention two sources that were really helpful: Labour of Love by Moira Weigel, a paper called Shrinking Violets and Caspar Milquetoasts by Patricia McDaniel

If you haven’t yet, please subscribe and rate our feed in Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. And even better, tell your friends.

If you’re a fan of the show, we’d love for you to sign up for Slate Plus. Members get to listen to Decoder Ring without any ads. Their support is also crucial to our work. So please go to Slate.com/decoderplus to join Slate Plus today.

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Hang Up and Listen - How Bobby Knight Broke America

Tue, 07 Nov 2023 01:00:00 GMT

Stefan Fatsis, Josh Levin, and Joel Anderson assess the life and career of basketball coach Bobby Knight, who died last week at age 83. They also review Victor Wembanyama’s awe-inspiring opening weeks in the NBA. Finally, the Athletic’s Dan Robson joins to discuss the tragic death of hockey player Adam Johnson, who was slashed in the neck by a skate blade.

Knight (4:39): The legendary coach was a symbol of toughness and egomania.

Wemby (24:45): The French giant is even better than we thought.

Hockey death (45:25): Will a horrifying on-ice tragedy change anything about the game?

Afterball (1:08:39): Josh on the latest abuse allegations against tennis player Alexander Zverev.

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ICYMI - ICYMI on Dear Prudence: My Friend Tried to Bring Her Kids to A Winery. Help!

Sun, 05 Nov 2023 08:00:00 GMT

In this episode, the co-hosts of Slate’s ICYMI, Rachelle Hampton and Candice Lim, join Prudie (Jenée Desmond-Harris) to answer letters from readers about whether the following categories of people are unreasonable: moms who bring their kids to wineries, boyfriends who refuse to hard launch their girlfriends on social media, and husbands who are suspicious of their wives’ friendships with single men.

If you want more Dear Prudence, join Slate Plus, Slate’s membership program. Jenée answers an extra question every week, just for members.

Go to Slate.com/prudieplus to sign up. It’s just $15 for your first three months.

Podcast production by Se’era Spragley Ricks and Daisy Rosario, with help from Maura Currie.

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ICYMI - Hasan Minhaj’s “Emotional Truths” Are Admitted Fabrications. Does it Matter?

Sat, 04 Nov 2023 07:00:00 GMT

In this episode, Rachelle Hampton is joined by Slate staff writers Nitish Pahwa and Nadira Goffe to discuss their respective pieces about Hasan Minhaj. Since the New Yorker published their article on Minhaj’s “emotional truths,” the comedian has been at the center of a media firestorm that led to him publishing his own 21-minute response video. In the resulting discourse, questions have been raised about the role of truth in comedy.

This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Daisy Rosario, Rachelle Hampton and Candice Lim.

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Death, Sex & Money - An End of Life Doctor’s Shocking Loss

Wed, 01 Nov 2023 08:00:00 GMT

Dr. Bonnie Chen is no stranger to grief. The majority of her patients are facing a terminal illness and, as a palliative care doctor, her job is to help ease their symptoms. “It's a different kind of satisfaction than being able to fix someone or cure someone,” Bonnie told Anna, and she found pride in being able to offer comfort and have hard conversations about pain and about death, “I just always cherished that moment.”

And then, in the summer of 2022 her 16-month old son, Benji, died suddenly, and Bonnie found herself thrust on the other side of the medical system, and bowled over by her own deep grief. In this episode, Bonnie talks about how Benji’s death has changed the way she thinks about her job and how she talks to patients.

Read an essay Bonnie wrote for The San Francisco Chronicle titled, “As a doctor, I thought I was familiar with death. Until it came for my son.”

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Decoder Ring - Mailbag: The Recorder, Limos, and “Baby on Board” Signs

Wed, 01 Nov 2023 07:00:00 GMT

We receive a lot of fantastic show ideas from our listeners—and we’re grateful for each and every one. For our latest mailbag episode, we’re tackling five of your questions, including “Why the hell do we teach kids to play the recorder?” (We’re paraphrasing a bit.) Also: We’ll explore the rise and fall of the stretch limo, the incredible versatility of the word “like,” the meaning of the “Baby on Board” sign, and why it took so long to develop luggage with wheels.

Decoder Ring is produced by Willa Paskin and Katie Shepherd. This episode was also produced by Rosemary Belson. Derek John is executive producer. Joel Meyer is senior editor/producer. Merritt Jacob is our senior technical director.

Thank you to every listener who has submitted a suggestion for an episode. We truly appreciate your ideas. We read them all, even if we don’t always respond. Thanks for being a listener and for thinking creatively about this show.

If you haven’t yet, please subscribe and rate our feed in Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. And even better, tell your friends.

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ICYMI - How First-Gen Kids Are Healing Online

Wed, 01 Nov 2023 07:00:00 GMT

On today’s episode, Rachelle Hampton and Candice Lim are joined by Amy S. Choi, co-host of The Mash-Up Americans podcast. They talk about the burgeoning phenomenon of immigrant mom TikToks, videos and sketches that showcase the hilarious and loving ways children see their immigrant parents. They ask why immigrant moms get more online love than immigrant dads, and how these videos are healing both creators and viewers.

This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Daisy Rosario, Candice Lim and Rachelle Hampton.

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Culture Gabfest - Priscilla's Heartbreak Hotel

Wed, 01 Nov 2023 07:00:00 GMT

This week, the panel begins by discussing Priscilla, Sofia Coppola’s new film starring Cailee Spaeny and Jacob Elordi that’s based on Priscilla Presley’s memoir, Elvis and Me, and features an otherworldly courtship, gilded cages, and whole lot of mumbling. Then, the three review Anatomy of a Fall, an excellent French movie directed and co-written by Justine Triet that, on the surface, looks like a courtroom drama, but dives deep into the discrepancies and lies that make up a marriage. Finally, they conclude with a spicy topic: Hot Ones, the viral celebrity interview show that forces guests to eat increasingly hot chicken wings while answering surprisingly well-researched questions.

In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, the panel gets into spoiler territory and discusses the dramatic, twist-y ending of Anatomy of a Fall.

Email us at culturefest@slate.com.

Endorsements:

Dana: The French History Podcast hosted by Gary Girod, which covers unique and interesting aspects of French culture. She recommends starting with the episode “Thomas Jefferson’s Paris.”

Julia: Owen Gleiberman’s essay for Variety, “In ‘Killers of the Flower Moon,’ Is Leonardo DiCaprio Playing a Dumb Hick, a Pitiless Sociopath… or a Muddle?” Also, in light of actor Matthew Perry’s recent passing, she’s bumping his memoir, Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing up on her must-read list.

Stephen: Naples ‘44 written by Normal Lewis, a landmark novel that highlights the author’s dry wit and ability to detail the extent of human suffering.

Outro music: “Backwards” by Staffan Carlen

Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Kat Hong.

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Hang Up and Listen - How to Talk About Dwight Howard

Tue, 31 Oct 2023 01:00:00 GMT

Stefan Fatsis, Josh Levin, and Joel Anderson are joined by Slate’s Ben Mathis-Lilley to assess the latest developments in the Michigan sign-stealing extravaganza. The Ringer’s Ben Lindbergh also joins to break down the World Series matchup between the Arizona Diamondbacks and the Texas Rangers. Finally, Stefan, Josh, and Joel discuss how to talk about Dwight Howard, the future basketball Hall of Famer who’s been accused by a man of sexual assault.

Michigan (5:52): Is Jim Harbaugh in trouble?

World Series (27:27): These might not be the best teams in the major leagues but it is a great match-up.

Howard (49:57): There’s never been a story like this in the NBA.

Afterball (1:08:55): Stefan on the etymology of the “tush push” and its upstart rival, the “Brotherly Shove.”

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ICYMI - How DJ Envy Got Got

Sat, 28 Oct 2023 07:00:00 GMT

On today’s episode, Rachelle Hampton and Candice Lim walk through DJ Envy’s latest legal troubles, which include seminars, flipping houses and a Ponzi-like scheme. Then, they’re joined by legal affairs reporter Meghann Cuniff, whose extensive coverage of the Tory Lanez trial crowned her the Batman of Black Twitter. Cuniff talks about her first internet memory, how she ended up covering the Lanez trial and how the DJ Envy allegations may play out.

This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Daisy Rosario, Candice Lim and Rachelle Hampton.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hit Parade | Music History and Music Trivia - This Ain’t No Party?! Edition Part 2

Fri, 27 Oct 2023 23:00:00 GMT

HEY! HO! LET’S GO!! Is this chant: (a) a movement of disaffected hipsters, (b) walkup music for a baseball player, or (c) a really catchy bop? How about all of the above?

The legendary New York nightclub CBGB was the birthplace of punk. But it was also the future of pop: the Ramones, Talking Heads, Patti Smith, Blondie. To varying degrees, these acts either became hitmakers, tried to reshape their music for the charts, or influenced generations of future multiplatinum stars.

Honestly? Their music was pretty infectious from the jump, even if it was too advanced for the ’70s hit parade. The music we called punk contained multitudes: the improvisatory jazz-rock of Television. The demented anthems of the Ramones. The quirky funk of Talking Heads. The stylistic eclecticism of Blondie—who scored four No. 1 hits in four different genres.

Join Chris Molanphy on a journey back to New York’s dirty days to try to answer: When did CBGB punk morph into chart pop?

Podcast production by Kevin Bendis.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Death, Sex & Money - Married With No Kids and a Ranching Business with No Heirs

Wed, 25 Oct 2023 08:00:00 GMT

Albert and Sue Sommers met, fell in love and got married in their 40s. Albert is a rancher whose family has worked the same land in Pinedale, Wyoming for over 100 years, and Sue is a writer and multimedia artist who grew up in New Jersey. Since they married later in life and don’t have kids, that raised big questions about what would happen to Albert’s family ranch once they were gone.

Ranching is a tough business, and the Sommers family land is in a part of Wyoming where property values have soared as very wealthy people have moved in. That increases development pressure to turn that land into cash. In 2010, Albert and his family decided on a different, novel path that both preserved the Sommers’ family land from development and enabled them to pass the business to a young neighbor who’s no relation.

Albert and Sue tell Anna about how they got together and took on these big family decisions, and despite their offering differing opinions, how they “continue the conversation.”

Did you know we have a weekly email newsletter for the Death, Sex & Money community? Every Wednesday we send out podcast listening recommendations, fascinating letters from our inbox, and updates from the show. Sign up at deathsexmoney.org/newsletter, and follow the show on

Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

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Culture Gabfest - Scorsese’s Killer Epic

Wed, 25 Oct 2023 07:00:00 GMT

This week, the panel begins by reviewing Killers of the Flower Moon, Martin Scorsese’s film based on David Grann’s 2017 non-fiction book about the plot of white Americans to steal the Osage Nation’s headrights in the 1920s, starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Lily Gladstone. Then, the three are joined by Dan Kois, writer and editor at Slate and author of Vintage Contemporaries, to puzzle over Slayers: A Buffyverse Story, a scripted audio series based on Buffy: The Vampire Slayer that’s written and performed by many of the original cast, with one glaring omission: creator and showrunner Joss Whedon. Finally, the trio asks: Why is the internet no longer fun? The once utopian dream of democracy has turned into a hellscape, according to Kyle Chayka’s essay in The New Yorker, “Why the Internet Isn’t Fun Anymore.”

In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, the panel shares their relationships (or lack thereof) with audiobooks, inspired by Paul Grimstad’s essay “Confessions of an Audiobook Addict for The New Yorker.”

Email us at culturefest@slate.com.

Endorsements:

Dana: The Genius Behind Hollywood’s Most Indelible Sets, a profile of Jack Fisk, the master production designer behind Killers of the Flower Moon and many other films.

Julia: While watching Sleepless in Seattle with her husband, Julia discovered her new favorite sound clip: When Meg Ryan dishes with Rosie O’Donnell about her budding romance with Tom Hanks, O’Donnell responds comically while chomping a bite of egg salad into her mouth, in a way that deserves to become a meme.

Stephen: The little-known, up-and-coming writer Shakespeare (according to Stephen, he’s “very good” if not “a little antique-y”), specifically in the context of Killers of the Flower Moon. The film’s final scenes recall The Tempest in many ways.

Outro music: “Back to Silence” by OTE.

Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Kat Hong.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Decoder Ring - When Art Pranksters Invaded Melrose Place

Wed, 25 Oct 2023 07:00:00 GMT

In the mid-1990s, the prime time drama Melrose Place became a home to hundreds of pieces of contemporary art—and no one noticed. In this episode, Isaac Butler tells the story of the artist collective that smuggled subversive quilts, sperm-shaped pool floats, and dozens of other provocative works onto the set of the hit TV show. The project, In the Name of the Place, inspired a real-life exhibition and tested the ability of mass media to get us to see what’s right in front of our faces.

Decoder Ring is produced by Willa Paskin and Katie Shepherd. This episode was written and reported by Isaac Butler and produced by Benjamin Frisch. Derek John is executive producer. Joel Meyer is senior editor/producer. Merritt Jacob is our senior technical director.

Thank you to Jamie Bennett, JJ Bersch, Mark Flood, and Cynthia Carr, whose book On Edge: Performance at the End of the 20th Century inspired this episode.

If you haven’t yet, please subscribe and rate our feed in Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. And even better, tell your friends.

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ICYMI - A Former School Shooter is a TikTok Star. Should He Even Be Allowed Online?

Wed, 25 Oct 2023 07:00:00 GMT

On today’s episode, Rachelle Hampton and Candice Lim dive into the saga of Jon Romano. At the age of 16, Romano walked into his high school with a shotgun in an attempt, he says, to commit law-enforcement-assisted suicide. Though no one was killed in the ensuing violence, a teacher was shot and injured. Romano pled guilty to attempted murder and reckless endangerment. He served 17 years in prison and was released in 2020. Since his release, he’s been a public advocate for mental health reform and gun control. Since 2022, TikTok has been a part of that advocacy work for Romano, a choice that landed Romano in the headlines once again after many decried his public platform of more than 275,000 followers.

Romano’s presence on TikTok and his large public profile raise thorny questions around the possibility of redemption and life online for those who commit violent acts. To help answer those questions, Hampton and Lim are joined by Dr. Teiahsha Bankhead, the executive director of Restorative Justice for Oakland Youth and an expert in restorative and racial justice.

This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Daisy Rosario, Rachelle Hampton and Candice Lim.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hang Up and Listen - Michigan’s Spygate

Mon, 23 Oct 2023 23:30:00 GMT

Stefan Fatsis, Josh Levin, are joined by Slate’s Ben Mathis-Lilley to talk about allegations that the Michigan football team is running a sign-stealing operation. They also discuss flag football becoming an Olympic sport. Finally, ESPN’s Greg Wyshynski comes on for a conversation about the National Hockey League’s ban on rainbow-colored Pride Tape.

Michigan (1:54): Are the Wolverines cheating? And what does a guy named Connor Stalions have to do with it?

Flag football (23:12): Will NFL players take the field at the 2028 Games?

Pride Tape (41:54): The Arizona Coyotes’ Travis Dermott defied the ban. What happens now?

Afterball (01:05:41): Stefan on the first woman kicker in college football who’s also a rated tournament Scrabble player.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - Why Bella Hadid Said This Editor “Slayed”

Sat, 21 Oct 2023 07:00:00 GMT

On today’s show, Rachelle and Candice hang out with Teen Vogue associate editor Aiyana Ishmael. They dive into Aiyana’s internet diary, which includes an early Timothée Chalamet fandom, her Dance Moms obsession and dressing up like Bella Hadid for a week.

This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Daisy Rosario, Candice Lim and Rachelle Hampton.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Death, Sex & Money - Jonathan Goldstein, Heavy Weights, and What We Owe Old Friends

Wed, 18 Oct 2023 08:00:00 GMT

This week, we are very excited to introduce you all to one of our favorite podcasts: Heavyweight, hosted by Jonathan Goldstein. First, Jonathan chats with Anna about the art of asking difficult questions, why he loves awkward phone calls, and the emotional power of deadlines. Then, we're playing the first episode of Heavyweight’s new season. In it, Jonathan finds out his childhood best friend is dying, and though they haven't spoken in years, Jonathan and Lenny begin nightly phone calls.

New episodes of Heavyweight are available every Thursday through the end of the year — listen wherever you get your podcasts.

Got a story to share? Email us at deathsexmoney@wnyc.org.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - How a Pesto Recipe Devolved Into Delightful Chaos

Wed, 18 Oct 2023 07:00:00 GMT

On today’s episode, Rachelle and Candice answer a question from a listener about a viral pesto recipe. Susi Vidal, a 25-year-old food influencer, posted a simple recipe for pesto on September 1st. Since then, the introduction to her video which goes “Call me crazy but I’ve never liked store-bought pesto” has been used as a launching pad for wild stories about everything from terrible breakups to long-lost parents.

Earlier in the episode, Bobbi Althoff makes a return.

This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Daisy Rosario, Candice Lim and Rachelle Hampton.

Episode Syllabus

- https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZPR74sXE8/

- https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZPR74Hec6/

- https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZPR745Htc/

- https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZPR74DHk1

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Culture Gabfest - Swifties at the Movies

Wed, 18 Oct 2023 07:00:00 GMT

This week, the panel begins by diving into Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour, a glittery and extremely fun concert movie starring the singer-songwriter-producer-mogul that’s already become the highest grossing concert documentary of all time. Then, they discuss Beckham, a surprisingly candid four-part docu-series on Netflix directed by Fisher Stevens that chronicles the footballer’s meteoric rise to stardom and paints an intimate portrait of his home life with Victoria Adams, a.k.a. Posh Spice. Finally, the three dissect “Why Culture Has Come to a Standstill,” a provocative essay authored by Jason Farago, the New York Times critic at large.

In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, the panel embraces sweater weather with a discussion inspired by Amanda Mull’s essay for The Atlantic, “Your Sweaters Are Garbage.”

Email us at culturefest@slate.com.

Endorsements:

Dana: One of Dana’s favorites from the New York Film Festival this year is Anatomy of a Fall (which won the Palme d’Or at Cannes!) Directed by Justine Triet, this murder mystery thriller becomes a psychological study of a marriage when a suspicious tragedy strikes a family living in the French Alps. “It’s the kind of film you want to see then immediately debate over drinks with friends.”

Julia: A fantastic piece of writing on Insider, “The Great Zelle Pool Scam” by Devin Friedman, that uses the funny personal essay form–some reporting, a few confessions, observational humor, and the occasional insight–to levy an attack on Zelle, a massive, poorly regulated major part of our financial infrastructure.

Stephen: “Picasso’s Transformations” an essay by the art critic Jed Perl, published in The New York Review of Books (which is celebrating its 60th anniversary).

Outro music: “Lonely Calling” by Arc De Soleil

Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Kat Hong.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Decoder Ring - The Fast Decline of the Slow Dance

Wed, 18 Oct 2023 07:00:00 GMT

Judging from teen dramas on Netflix, the slow dance seems to be alive and well. But when you talk to actual teens, it’s clear this time-honored tradition is on life support. In this episode, we trace the history of slow dancing from its origins in partner dances like the waltz to the modern “zombie sway” seen at middle-school dances and high-school proms. Plus, former slow dancers offer up stiff-armed, nostalgia-soaked stories about a rite of passage that’s fading fast.

Decoder Ring is produced by Willa Paskin and Katie Shepherd. This episode was edited by Zakiya Gibbons. Derek John is executive producer. Joel Meyer is senior editor/producer. Merritt Jacob is our senior technical director.

Thank you to Benjamin Frisch and Carlos Pareja. Special thanks to everyone who shared their slow dancing stories, including Ralph Giordano, Matt Baume, Meryl Bezrutczyk, Ari Feldman, Ava Canade, Eileen Zheng, and Harper Kois.

Here’s the article by Kyle Denis that we mentioned in the episode: The Death of the Slow Dance? How the One-Time Rite of Passage Has Evolved for Gen Z.

If you haven’t yet, please subscribe and rate our feed in Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. And even better, tell your friends.

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Hang Up and Listen - What Jim Jordan Knew About Sexual Abuse at Ohio State

Tue, 17 Oct 2023 00:00:00 GMT

Stefan Fatsis, Josh Levin, and special guest Pablo Torre of Pablo Torre Finds Out are joined by Sports Illustrated’s Jon Wertheim to talk about the Ohio State wrestlers speaking out against their former coach Jim Jordan. They also discuss the journalism ethics brouhaha over the Braves’ Orlando Arcia lightly mocking the Phillies’ Bryce Harper. Finally, they assess the rivalry between NBA newsbreakers Adrian Wojnarowski and Shams Charania.

Jim Jordan (4:22): He claims he knew nothing about Richard Strauss’ sexual abuse. A group of Ohio State wrestlers say that’s not true.

Braves-Phillies (26:37): How a locker room joke became an off-field and off-field controversy.

Woj vs. Shams (45:57): Should we care about them and the transactions they report?

Afterball (1:04:00): Josh on the Asian-American tennis players you need to know, including Mackenzie McDonald and Jessica Pegula.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - Live, Laugh, LinkedIn

Sat, 14 Oct 2023 07:00:00 GMT

On today’s episode, Rachelle Hampton and Candice Lim dive into the decades-long transformation of LinkedIn from a website for digital resumes to a social networking platform whose devotees have earned the name LinkedIn Lunatics. Founded in 2003 and sold to Microsoft for $26 billion in 2018, LinkedIn has become an inescapable feature of the job hunt. But while the site is ostensibly founded on professionalism, in recent years its fomented its own particular and peculiar brand of terminal onlineness.

This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Daisy Rosario, Candice Lim and Rachelle Hampton.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hit Parade | Music History and Music Trivia - This Ain’t No Party?! Edition Part 1

Sat, 14 Oct 2023 03:30:00 GMT

HEY! HO! LET’S GO!! Is this chant: (a) a movement of disaffected hipsters, (b) walkup music for a baseball player, or (c) a really catchy bop? How about all of the above?

Join Chris Molanphy on a journey back to New York’s dirty days to try to answer: When did CBGB punk morph into chart pop?

Podcast production by Kevin Bendis.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Death, Sex & Money - Feeling Lost or Stuck? Try Craigslist, says John Wilson.

Wed, 11 Oct 2023 16:00:00 GMT

The filmmaker behind HBO’s How To with John Wilson shares how his hobbies, like checking Craigslist ads obsessively, make him feel more deeply connected.

Did you know we have a weekly email newsletter for the Death, Sex & Money community? Every Wednesday we send out a note from Anna, fascinating listener letters from our inbox, and updates from the show. Sign up at deathsexmoney.org/newsletter, and follow the show on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

Got a story to share? Email us at deathsexmoney@wnyc.org.

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Culture Gabfest - Roald Dahl, Wes Anderson Style

Wed, 11 Oct 2023 07:00:00 GMT

This week, the panel begins by reviewing The Wonderful World of Henry Sugar, Wes Anderson’s faithful adaptation of a 1977 Roald Dahl short story, that doubles as a sumptuous meta-commentary on the director’s exacting approach to his craft. Then, the three discuss The Super Models, Apple TV+’s docu-series that glossily chronicles the lives and careers of Naomi Campbell, Cindy Crawford, Christy Turlington, and Linda Evangelista, a.k.a. The It Girls of ‘90s fashion. Finally, they puzzle through a controversy sweeping the behavioral science community: What happens when so-called “lying experts” falsify their own data? Recent allegations against well-known thought leaders in the field, Francesca Gino and her frequent collaborator, Dan Ariely, have unleashed a host of ethical issues and questions within the academic sphere.

In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, the panel honors Spooky Season by sharing their first encounters with terrifying movies.

Email us at culturefest@slate.com.

Endorsements:

Dana: Joni Mitchell, the celebrated singer-songwriter, recently released Archives – Volume 3: The Asylum Years (1972-1975), a five-CD box set of archival treasures: never-before-heard demos, unearthed session outtakes, and recordings of live performances. (Also, if you’re not a Mitchell fan, what are you even doing here?)

Julia: Julia has doubled down and listened raptly to every episode of Strike Force Five, the late-night host podcast from Stephen Colbert, Jimmy Fallon, Jimmy Kimmel, Seth Meyers, and John Oliver. Apparently, the men eventually found their groove! It’s an unusual product that reveals much about their respective talents.

Stephen: Lydia Loveless, an amazing alt-country songwriter, and her superlatively strong sixth album, Nothing’s Gonna Stand in My Way Again. Stephen endorses Loveless so enthusiastically, he’s even created a playlist of his favorite songs of hers: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3vAPq5ZGCRB3kJLOFzZ4rF?si=4a4d5619bb6e40c0&nd=1

Outro music: “Break The Line” by Coma Svensson

Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Kat Hong.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Decoder Ring - Fall 2023 Teaser

Wed, 11 Oct 2023 07:00:00 GMT

We’re back with a new batch of cultural mysteries! This season, Decoder Ring explores the decline of an awkward yet unforgettable rite of passage: slow dancing. And, how did millions of TV viewers miss the experimental art installation that was embedded in the 1990s primetime drama Melrose Place? Plus, stories about stretch limos, an ill-fated video game from the makers of Oregon Trail, and the enduring appeal of a controversial dating manual. Launching October 18, 2023. Subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - How a Substack Revived the Dracula Fandom

Wed, 11 Oct 2023 07:00:00 GMT

On today’s episode, Rachelle Hampton and Candice Lim talk to writer Cyrena Touros about Dracula Daily, a newsletter that emails bite-sized passages from Bram Stoker’s 1897 novel to more than 235,000 readers. As an epistolary novel, Dracula is broken into letters written between May and November. Dracula Daily emails those letters to readers, who have now created a book club-like fandom rife with memes and sidebars about a guy stuck in a vampire’s castle.

This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Daisy Rosario, Candice Lim and Rachelle Hampton.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hang Up and Listen - The Superteam Finals Are Here

Tue, 10 Oct 2023 23:30:00 GMT

Stefan Fatsis and Josh Levin are joined by the Athletic’s Sabreena Merchant to talk about the WNBA Finals matchup between the Las Vegas Aces and the New York Liberty. Aaron Schatz of the FTN Network also joins to discuss the badness of the New England Patriots and whether Bill Belichick’s job is at risk. Finally, Defector’s Dave McKenna comes on for a conversation about swimmer Diana Nyad and the adversary committed to exposing her as a fraud.

WNBA (3:31): Do the Liberty still have a chance to make it a series?

Patriots (24:26): What’s gone wrong in New England and could Belichick be on his way out?

Nyad (49:21): The swimmer vs. her debunker.

Afterball (1:07:21): Stefan on teams losing football games after failing to take a knee.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - Stop Snitching on Main

Sat, 07 Oct 2023 07:00:00 GMT

On today’s episode, Rachelle and Candice discuss if movies should be posted on TikTok, why eavesdroppers are turning brunch into an unsafe space, and how a scamming minister almost got away with alleged fraud.

This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Daisy Rosario, Candice Lim and Rachelle Hampton.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Death, Sex & Money - A New York City Mover Who Carries More Than Your Boxes

Wed, 04 Oct 2023 16:00:00 GMT

Over the past 20 years, Adonis Williams has moved thousands of people in and out of New York City. With each move, he catches a glimpse of a life in transition.

Got a story to share? Email us at deathsexmoney@wnyc.org.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - Nostalgia is the Internet’s Favorite Currency

Wed, 04 Oct 2023 07:00:00 GMT

On today’s show, Rachelle and Candice are joined by Jessica Bennett and Susie Banikarim, the hosts of In Retrospect, a newly-launched podcast that explores pivotal moments from the ‘80s and ‘90s that shaped them. Bennett and Banikarim crack open the pages of their internet diary, revealing their first fandoms and the internet fights that still loom large in their memory. The four discuss the way that nostalgia shapes our current cultural moment and how it’s become the currency of the decade.

This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Daisy Rosario, Candice Lim and Rachelle Hampton.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Culture Gabfest - Is the Golden Bachelor Bachelor Gold?

Wed, 04 Oct 2023 07:00:00 GMT

This week, the panel begins by dissecting The Golden Bachelor, the latest spin-off of the classic reality TV series starring a 72-year-old bachelor searching for love amongst a group of women in their 60s, 70s, and 80s. Sincerity ensues… or does it? Then, the three return to the ‘80s to discuss A24’s re-release of Stop Making Sense, Jonathan Demme’s seminal 1984 Talking Heads concert movie that’s widely regarded as the apex of the genre. Finally, they investigate the celebrity apology video aesthetic, an artform that’s been attempted—and by no means, perfected—by Mila Kunis, Ashton Kutcher, Russell Brand, and Drew Barrymore recently, as an unusual document of the times.

In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, the panel discusses the meme and viral TikTok trend, “How often do you think about the Roman Empire?” and the ways it encourages a faux-performance of gender on the internet.

Email us at culturefest@slate.com.

Endorsements:

Dana: In the spirit of revelatory live shows, Dana endorses The Bengsons, a folk-rock duo (by married couple Abigail and Shaun Bengson) whose recent concert she describes as “performance art.”

Julia: “Stop Talking” by Miya Folick, one Julia’s favorite songs from the 2023 Summer Strut Mega-mix, that exasperatedly laments about a friend whose brain space has been eaten up by some boy–and Folick doesn’t want to hear about it anymore!

Stephen: Lucky in Paris by saxophonist Lucky Thompson, a relatively under-the-radar record that has become one of Stephen’s top five jazz albums of all time.

Outro music: “On the Keys of Steel” by Dusty Decks.

Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Kat Hong.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hang Up and Listen - Dame Time in Milwaukee

Mon, 02 Oct 2023 22:45:00 GMT

Stefan Fatsis and Josh Levin are joined by Kevin Clark of ESPN to talk about Taylor Swift vs. the New York Jets and the Buffalo Bills’ rout of the Miami Dolphins. Ben Golliver of the Washington Post also comes on to evaluate the trade of superstar Damian Lillard to the Milwaukee Bucks. Finally, golf writer Shane Ryan discusses Team Europe’s blowout Ryder Cup win over the United States.

NFL (3:31): Everyone (except Zach Wilson) wins when “Tayvis” hits New Jersey.

NBA (25:31): Dame to the Bucks. Jrue to Boston. Who’s the favorite in the East?

Ryder Cup (50:56): The golf world went nuts over a man not wearing a hat.

Afterball (1:11:41): Josh on athletes and triquetral fractures.

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ICYMI - Where Did Bobbi Althoff Come From?

Sat, 30 Sep 2023 07:00:00 GMT

On today’s episode, Rachelle and Candice dive into the latest mystery plaguing the internet—the unprecedented rise of podcaster Bobbi Althoff. Althoff launched The Really Good Podcast in April and since then has landed interviews with some of the biggest names in the entertainment industry, including Drake, Offset, Tyga, Lil Yachty and Shaq. But the admitted “master interviewer with weeks of experience” seemingly came out of nowhere, earning her industry plant accusations.

This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Daisy Rosario, Candice Lim and Rachelle Hampton.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hit Parade | Music History and Music Trivia - Insert Lyrics Here Edition Part 2

Fri, 29 Sep 2023 06:00:00 GMT

If an instrumental tops the charts, it’s probably an earworm: “Tequila.” “Wipeout.” “Dueling Banjos.” “The Hustle.” “Feels So Good.” “Chariots of Fire.” “Axel F.” You can probably whistle or hum several of those from memory. But do you remember the artists? All were one-hit wonders. By and large, instrumental hits throughout chart history were flukes.

But there were exceptions: a trumpet player from Los Angeles who pretended to be Latin, made up a fake mariachi band, put sexy models on his album covers and topped the charts almost as much as the Beatles. Or, a try-hard, perm-headed soprano saxophone player from Seattle, who turned holding his breath while playing dizzying runs of notes into an athletic feat.

How do songs without words become hits? Why were Herb Alpert and Kenny G so good at it? Why did instrumentals fall off the charts after the ’80s—and who is bringing them back? (Hint: think oontz-oontz-oontz.) Join Chris Molanphy as he throws away the lyric sheet and explains how a catchy melody can be worth a thousand words.

Podcast production by Kevin Bendis.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Death, Sex & Money - Ellen Burstyn at 90 Today

Wed, 27 Sep 2023 16:00:00 GMT

Anna and Ellen Burstyn check in 9 years after they first spoke. Ellen talks about the relationships that make up her life in this moment, her dog, and finding novelty in the everyday.

You can listen to the original interview here.

Got a story to share? Email us at deathsexmoney@wnyc.org.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Culture Gabfest - Gael García Bernal and Gay Lucha Libre

Wed, 27 Sep 2023 07:00:00 GMT

This week, Dana and Stephen are once again joined by Kat Chow, author of the memoir Seeing Ghosts. The panel begins by jumping into the ring with Cassandro, the oddly conflict-adverse biopic about the lucha libre superstar and exótico gay icon, Saúl Armendáriz, who is played terrifically by Gael García Bernal in a provocative, tour-de-force performance. Then, the trio wades into comedian–and future Daily Show host hopeful–Hasan Minhaj’s thorny web of lies with Slate staff writer, Nitish Pahwa, who detailed the devastating impact of Minhaj’s many falsehoods in his essay, “Hasan Minhaj Meant Something to Brown Americans. Was It All an Act?” Finally, the three react to “The 40 Greatest Stand-Alone TV Episodes of All Time,” written by the Slate Staff, a massive labor of love and fun thought experiment that spans The Sopranos, Atlanta, The Larry Sanders Show, Black Mirror, and High Maintenance.

In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, the panel discusses the impact the last few years have had on their lives, inspired by Katy Schneider’s essay for The Cut, “The Pandemic Skip.”

Email us at culturefest@slate.com.

Endorsements:

Dana: Dana sent this to everyone she knows–family, friends, etc. It’s a new interview with Martin Scorsese, written by Zach Baron for GQ entitled “Martin Scorsese: ‘I Have To Find Out Who The Hell I Am.’” In addition to films and moviemaking (his latest, Killers of the Flower Moon, is set to be released in October), the legendary director, now 80, also speaks candidly about life, its inevitable end, and his own mortality. It’s a dream of an interview and absolutely sublime.

Kat: Small Things Like These, a beautifully written historical fiction novel by Claire Keegan about the horrific conditions women and children endured at Magdalene Laundries in Ireland.

Stephen: “Quantum poetics,” an essay in Aeon written by William Egginton, a professor of humanities at James Hopkins University. In it, Egginton describes the ways Argentine short story author, Jorge Luis Borges, and German theoretical physicist Werner Heisenberg “converged on the notion that language both enables and interferes with our grasp of reality.”

Outro music: “Forbidden Love” by OTE

Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Kat Hong.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - The Summer of Suits

Wed, 27 Sep 2023 07:00:00 GMT

On today’s episode, Candice Lim and Rachelle Hampton are joined by Daisy Rosario to discuss the hottest show of the summer: Suits. The USA Network procedural follows a magnetic cast of law firm employees who bend the system, fire off quips in court and essentially, wear suits. Suits isn’t the most buzzy or exciting series out there, so how did a show that ended in 2019 experience a resurgence four years later? Since hitting Netflix in June, Suits has been the most-streamed title for 10 weeks and counting, and the conversation has been boiling over onto TikTok, Twitter and even AO3. So how did Suits become the show of the summer and does a certain paralegal-turned-royal have anything to do with it?

This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Daisy Rosario, Candice Lim and Rachelle Hampton.

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Hang Up and Listen - Taylor Swift-Travis Kelce

Mon, 25 Sep 2023 23:30:00 GMT

Stefan Fatsis is joined by writer and podcaster Spencer Hall to talk about a busy weekend in college football. The Ringer's Ben Lindbergh discusses Major League Baseball’s playoff races, and the future of Shohei Ohtani. Finally, Slate’s Nadira Goffe and Defector’s Dan McQuade assess the budding Taylor Swift-Travis Kelce relationship, and a new documentary about Kelce’s brother, Jason.

College football (2:30): Deion Sanders’ Colorado Buffaloes finally lost, and badly.

MLB (20:20): Are the Atlanta Braves the best offensive team in baseball history?

Kelce (39:30): Will the Swifties take over the NFL?

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ICYMI - Is “Algospeak” D@ngerous?

Sat, 23 Sep 2023 07:00:00 GMT

On today’s episode, Rachelle Hampton is joined by Alexia Fawcett, a PhD candidate in linguistics at UC Santa Barbara and Kendra Calhoun, an assistant professor of linguistic anthropology at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign. Calhoun and Fawcett wrote a presentation titled, “They edited out her nip-nops: Linguistic innovation as textual censorship avoidance on TikTok,” which explored both the ways in which and the reason behind why users have developed language like “unalived” and “seggs.” And while these neologisms originate on TikTok, their increasingly-wide adoption is causing concern among observers who notice a perhaps unnecessarily-broad softening of language across social media.

This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Daisy Rosario, Rachelle Hampton and Candice Lim.

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Death, Sex & Money - Revisiting Ellen Burstyn at 81

Wed, 20 Sep 2023 16:00:00 GMT

We’re listening back to one of Anna’s favorite episodes, when actor Ellen Burstyn invited us into her apartment for a sprawling interview about her past and present.

In next week’s episode, you’ll hear a new conversation between Anna and Ellen, recorded just a few weeks ago. But until then, you can also listen back to Ellen’s conversation with journalist and feminist icon Gloria Steinem on our show from 2016 here.

Got a story to share? Email us at deathsexmoney@wnyc.org.

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ICYMI - Inside the MLM to Life Coach Pipeline

Wed, 20 Sep 2023 07:00:00 GMT

On today’s episode, Rachelle Hampton is joined by Jane Marie, the host of the award-winning podcast The Dream which recently released it’s highly-anticipated third season all about life coaches. The two discuss the rise of life coaching and it’s connection to the MLM universe, how the internet has accelerated the life coach boom and what exactly the American Dream has to do with any of this.

This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Daisy Rosario, Rachelle Hampton and Candice Lim. With special thanks to Vic Whitley-Berry.

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Culture Gabfest - A Haunting in Venice Kicks Off Spooky Season

Wed, 20 Sep 2023 07:00:00 GMT

This week, Stephen and Dana are joined by long-time friend of the pod and co-host of Slate’s Working podcast, June Thomas. The panel begins by puzzling over the return of Kenneth Branagh’s Hercule Poirot in A Haunting in Venice, the actor-director’s third Agatha Christie whodunit adaptation. Then, they dig into Jann Wenner’s disastrous New York Times interview with David Marchese in which the Rolling Stone co-founder manages to disgrace himself in almost every conceivable way. Finally, the trio concludes by discussing Naomi Klein’s new book, Doppelganger: A Trip Into the Mirror World, which captures the strange ways selfhood is performed in the internet age.

In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, the panel reveals their cleaning playlists and audio accompaniments, inspired by Lindsay Zoladz’ essay for The New York Times, “A 20-Minute Cleaning Playlist.”

Email us at culturefest@slate.com.

Endorsements:

Dana: The wonderful world of Better Call Saul table reads (which can be found on YouTube), specifically, the one for “Switch,” Season 2, Episode 1.

June: As someone who enjoys reading biographies of unpleasant people, June endorses A Thread of Violence by Mark O’Connel, which chronicles the gripping tale of one of the most scandalous murders in modern Irish history.

Stephen: The West Cork podcast, a non-fiction series reported and hosted by Sam Bungey and Jennifer Forde about the 1996 murder of Sophie Toscan du Plantier.

Outro music: “Mother” by The Big Let Down.

Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Kat Hong.

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Hang Up and Listen - Aaron Rodgers’ Achilles

Mon, 18 Sep 2023 21:38:09 GMT

Stefan Fatsis and Josh Levin are joined by the Wall Street Journal’s Jason Gay to talk about quarterback Aaron Rodgers’ (possibly) season-ending injury. Gay also discusses American cyclist Sepp Kuss’ historic grand tour win at the Vuelta a Espana and the controversy that preceded it. And finally, the Athletic’s Sabreena Merchant assesses the big storylines in the WNBA playoffs.

Rodgers (2:22): Is it too soon to laugh about him doing his own research?

Kuss (19:30): Should the cyclist’s team and his teammates have challenged him or allowed him to win?

WNBA (38:20): Can anyone take down the New York Liberty and the Las Vegas Aces?

Afterball (59:23): Josh on the MLS story of the year: an Argentinian who is not Lionel Messi.

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ICYMI - AI-Generated Books are Tarnishing Authors’ Reputations

Sat, 16 Sep 2023 07:00:00 GMT

On today’s episode, Rachelle Hampton and Candice Lim are joined by Jane Friedman, author of The Business of Being a Writer and the publisher of Hot Sheet, a newsletter about the publishing industry. The three discuss Friedman’s recent battle with AI-generated books that were being published and sold under her name on Amazon. Friedman published a blog about the saga titled “I Would Rather See My Books Get Pirated Than This (Or: Why Goodreads and Amazon are Becoming Dumpster Fires)” detailing the dangers that the increasingly prolific practice presents to authors and the publishing industry at large.

This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Daisy Rosario, Candice Lim and Rachelle Hampton.

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Hit Parade | Music History and Music Trivia - Insert Lyrics Here Edition Part 1

Sat, 16 Sep 2023 03:00:00 GMT

Podcast production by Kevin Bendis.

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Death, Sex & Money - I Did Surrogacy For Money And Now I’m Starting Over

Wed, 13 Sep 2023 16:00:00 GMT

Anna follows up with Sarah Short, the mom who became a surrogate to pay off debt. They discuss her divorce, starting her own business, and why this chapter of her life feels “freeing.”

And if you're a Maria Bamford fan, Anna is interviewing her on stage in San Francisco on Saturday, October 14th, as part of City Arts & Lectures. You can get tickets to join them in person or watch remotely here: https://www.cityarts.net/event/maria-bamford-3/

Got a story to share? Email us at deathsexmoney@wnyc.org.

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Culture Gabfest - Is Rotten Tomatoes Certified Rotten?

Wed, 13 Sep 2023 07:00:00 GMT

This week, Stephen and Dana are joined by guest host Kat Chow, journalist and author of the 2021 memoir Seeing Ghosts. The panel begins by wading through HELL, Chris Fleming’s new hour-long comedy special that’s both puzzling and delightfully goofy. Then, the three consider Astrakan, a deeply dark and unsettling first feature from director David Depesseville, and attempt to parse through the film’s (intentionally?) ambiguous messages. Finally, they conclude by discussing Rotten Tomatoes, the widely used critical review aggregation site and subject of the recent Vulture exposé by Lane Brown, “The Decomposition of Rotten Tomatoes,” which details a “gaming of the system” by Hollywood PR teams.

In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, the panel dives into the 2023 U.S. Open, specifically the effect of extreme heat on gameplay and how the sport will need to contend with climate change going forward.

Email us at culturefest@slate.com.

Endorsements:

Kat: C Pam Zhang’s brilliant upcoming novel The Land of Milk and Honey.

Dana: One of the best novels she’s read in years, Idlewild by James Frankie Thomas.

Stephen: The Guest by Emma Cline, a novel that serves as a “carefully observed ethnography of the super rich.”

Outro music: “On the Keys of Steel” by Dusty Decks.

Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Kat Hong.

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ICYMI - The Orwellian World of Vintage Fast-Food Training Videos

Wed, 13 Sep 2023 07:00:00 GMT

On today’s show, Candice Lim and Rachelle Hampton are joined by Slate business and tech writer Nitish Pahwa to describe his recent piece on the deranged world of vintage fast-food training videos. In the depths of Youtube, videos from companies like McDonald’s, Hardee’s, and Jack in the Box depict a bygone era where employees were trained by animated burgers and celebrity cameos.

This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Daisy Rosario, Rachelle Hampton and Candice Lim.

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Hang Up and Listen - Coco Wins the Big One

Tue, 12 Sep 2023 00:00:00 GMT

Joel Anderson, Stefan Fatsis, and Josh Levin talk about Coco Gauff’s big breakthrough at the U.S. Open. They also discuss Texas’ win over Alabama, and whether the Longhorns are back, baby. Finally, the Washington Post’s Ben Golliver joins to assess Team USA’s non-medal-winning performance at the FIBA Basketball World Cup.

Coco Gauff (2:48): Why her first grand slam victory felt so monumental.

Texas-Alabama (26:50): Are the Longhorns rising up or is the Crimson Tide on the way down?

FIBA World Cup (44:49): Why did Team USA flop again? Does it matter?

Afterballs (01:13:15): Joel on Willie Jeffries and Stefan on how Billie Jean King and a deodorant manufacturer secured equal pay for women at the U.S. Open in 1973.

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ICYMI - Are Green Powders a Pyramid Scheme?

Sat, 09 Sep 2023 07:00:00 GMT

On today’s episode, Rachelle and Candice field a listener question about Bloom, the green powder nutrition company that’s popping up all over TikTok. They’re joined by health and wellness writer Julia Craven to talk about Bloom’s virality and what we should know before jumping on the green powder bandwagon. But first, they break down Tinder’s latest villain: the Tabi Swiper.

This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Daisy Rosario, Candice Lim and Rachelle Hampton.

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Death, Sex & Money - A Headline Stays Static Even As A Life Transforms

Wed, 06 Sep 2023 16:00:00 GMT

Lawrence Bartley was first on the show in 2014 while he was still in prison. In this new episode, he talks about becoming an award-winning journalist and the negative impact of a headline from our show.

Watch Inside Story here: https://www.themarshallproject.org/inside-story

Listen to Lawrence's previous DSM episodes here: https://www.wnyc.org/people/lawrence-bartley/

Get tickets for Anna’s October 14th conversation with Maria Bamford here: https://www.cityarts.net/events/

Got a story to share? Email us at deathsexmoney@wnyc.org.

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ICYMI - The Waves: How Drake Betrayed Megan Thee Stallion

Wed, 06 Sep 2023 07:00:00 GMT

On this week’s episode brought to us by Slate’s The Waves, Tory Lanez has been sentenced for shooting Megan Thee Stallion, and we have THOUGHTS. Scamfluencers co-host and former BuzzFeed reporter Scaachi Koul is joined by Refinery29 deputy director Kathleen Newman-Bremang to unpack why so many people turned against Megan despite Tory Lanez being a wasteman. They explain what exactly is a “Toronto Mans” and why this dangerous subsection of man is crossing American borders in the forms of Drake, the Weeknd, and more.

If you liked this episode, check out: The World Record Book of Racist Stories

Podcast production by Cheyna Roth with editorial oversight by Scaachi Koul, Daisy Rosario and Alicia Montgomery.

Send your comments and recommendations on what to cover to thewaves@slate.com.

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Culture Gabfest - Bottoms Queers the High School Comedy

Wed, 06 Sep 2023 07:00:00 GMT

This week, the panel jumps into Bottoms, the chaotic second feature from director and co-writer Emma Seligman that satirizes… something (what that thing is, they have yet to discover). They then discuss Telemarketers, a Michael Moore-style documentary that exposes the telemarketing industry’s dark underbelly in a weirdly captivating tour de force. Finally, the trio takes on Strike Force Five, a new Spotify podcast hosted by late-night veterans Jimmy Kimmel, Jimmy Fallon, Stephen Colbert, John Oliver, and Seth Meyers that deals with the ins and outs of the trade and raises money for their striking writing staffs.

In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, the panel considers the joys of trains and sleeper cars, inspired by Bryn Stole’s essay for Slate, “Wake on a Train.”

Email us at culturefest@slate.com.

Endorsements:

Dana: A very funny, investigative piece in The Guardian by Elif Batuman: “Proust, ChatGPT and the case of the forgotten quote.”

Julia: In a wonderfully kismet moment, Julia stumbled upon Hilltown Hot Pies, a neapolitan-ish pizzeria in the Berkshires run by chef Rafi Bildner, who previously owned one of Stephen’s favorite pizza spots in Ghent.

Stephen: “The Inheritance Case That Could Unravel an Art Dynasty” by Rachel Corbett for The New York Times Magazine, an essay that lays bare an empire built on shell companies, weird art depots, and paintings sequestered in vaults.

Outro music: “Break The Line” by Coma Svensson

Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Kat Hong.

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Hang Up and Listen - Deion Sanders Did It

Tue, 05 Sep 2023 23:00:00 GMT

Joel Anderson, Stefan Fatsis, and Josh Levin discuss the Colorado football team’s season-opening win over TCU. They also talk about how Maryland football coach Mike Locksley is dealing with his son’s posthumous CTE diagnosis. Finally, ESPN’s Elizabeth Merrill joins to explain how the Nebraska women’s volleyball team drew 92,000 fans.

Colorado (4:04): Deion Sanders got the win he needed to sell his vision and himself.

Locksley (28:26): A profound loss and a reckoning with football’s costs.

Nebraska volleyball (45:07): This is what it looks like to invest in women’s sports.

Afterball (1:06:42): Josh on the Cannon Street All-Stars.

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ICYMI - TikTok Shop is a Dystopian Mall Kiosk

Sat, 02 Sep 2023 07:00:00 GMT

On today’s episode, Rachelle and Candice are joined by sustainable stylist and fashion educator Lakyn Carlton to discuss TikTok Shop — a new feature that lets users purchase products without ever leaving the app. TikTok Shop is a modern day QVC, where merchants can shell products they’ve made — or are authorized to resell — in live videos with products tagged on screen. In the age of Amazon Storefronts and Etsy, it’s not surprising for TikTok to enter the e-commerce space. But the crowded, merchant-filled experience has ruined the app’s appeal and made users consider quitting TikTok for good.

This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Daisy Rosario, Candice Lim and Rachelle Hampton.

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Hang Up and Listen - One Year: 1955 - The Team Nobody Would Play

Thu, 31 Aug 2023 20:45:00 GMT

The Cannon Street All-Stars dreamed of playing in the 1955 Little League World Series. Their biggest obstacle didn’t come on the field. In the year that Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat on a public bus, these Black 12-year-olds became unlikely civil rights pioneers—and faced the wrath of a white society that wasn’t ready to change.

Josh Levin is One Year’s editorial director. One Year’s senior producer is Evan Chung.

This episode was produced by Kelly Jones and Evan Chung, with additional production by Sophie Summergrad.

It was edited by Joel Meyer and Derek John, Slate’s executive producer of narrative podcasts.

Merritt Jacob is our senior technical director.

Join Slate Plus to get the first three episodes of One Year: 1955 right away—and a bonus 1955 story at the end of the season. Slate Plus members also get to listen to all Slate podcasts without any ads. Sign up now to support One Year.

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Death, Sex & Money - Why Ezra Klein Thinks “We're Living Through A Mistake”

Wed, 30 Aug 2023 16:00:00 GMT

The New York Times journalist talks about the difficulties of early parenthood, the lure of communal living, and why he loves Burning Man.

Want more from Ezra on the topics in today’s episode? We recommend the following:

This episode of The Ezra Klein Show with scholar Kristen Ghodsee on communes and intentional communities (https://www.nytimes.com/2023/06/09/opinion/ezra-klein-kristen-ghodsee.html), a conversation The Atlantic’s Jerusalem Demsas about homelessness and the origins of our current housing crisis (https://www.nytimes.com/2023/07/18/opinion/ezra-klein-podcast-jerusalem-demsas.html), an interview with writer Sheila Liming on loneliness in America (https://www.nytimes.com/2023/04/18/opinion/ezra-klein-podcast-sheila-liming.html), and two interviews he’s done with child psychologist Alison Gopnik (https://www.vox.com/podcasts/2019/6/13/18677595/alison-gopnik-changed-how-i-think-about-love, https://www.nytimes.com/2021/04/16/podcasts/ezra-klein-podcast-alison-gopnik-transcript.html). Finally, Annie Lowrey’s piece about her experiences with pregnancy, childbirth and early parenting: “What Counts As the Life of the Mother?” (https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2022/08/pregnancy-birth-complication-abortion-life-of-mother/671006/).

Got a story to share? Email us at deathsexmoney@wnyc.org.

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Culture Gabfest - Gran Turismo is Cynical and Glorious

Wed, 30 Aug 2023 07:00:00 GMT

This week, Julia is joined by Slate associate culture writer Nadira Goffe and Jamelle Bouie, opinion columnist at The New York Times. The panel begins by test driving Gran Turismo, a sports movie that is essentially a Playstation commercial based on popular intellectual property and “real life.” Then, they explore Mask Girl, a visually stylish K-drama that tackles men, capital letters, systemic violence, Korean beauty standards, and fame through smart social satire. Finally, the three discuss the virtues, or lack thereof, found in Oliver Anthony’s number one hit song “Rich Men North of Richmond” (which Jamelle also covered in his essay “The Irony in the ‘Rich Men North of Richmond’”).

In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, the panel considers prep, preppy style, and their relationships to the American art form, inspired by Natalia Mehlman Petrzela’s piece for The New Republic, “We’re All Preppy Now.”

Email us at culturefest@slate.com.

Endorsements:

Jamelle: The films of Satoshi Kon, the legendary Japanese film director, animator, and screenwriter. Jamelle particularly enjoys Perfect Blue and Millennium Actress, which he calls a “love letter to mid-century Japanese filmmaking.”

Julia: A recent tomato sandwich devotee, Julia endorses Eric Kim’s furikake tomato sandwich recipe for The New York Times. It calls for Wonder Bread, a bit of mayonnaise, heirloom tomatoes, and a sprinkling of the dry Japanese condiment.

Nadira: British neo-funk electronic collective, Jungle, and the dance-based music videos for their latest album, Volcano, specifically “Candle Flame,” “Dominoes,” and viral sensation “Back on 74,” brilliantly choreographed by Shay Latukolan.

Outro music: "Warefare" by Sandra Bjurman

Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Kat Hong.

Hosts

Julia Turner, Nadira Goffe, Jamelle Bouie

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ICYMI - BookTok’s Horny Hockey Drama and the End of Internet Thirst

Wed, 30 Aug 2023 07:00:00 GMT

As an end of summer treat, Rachelle Hampton and Candice Lim dive deep into the drama that engulfed BookTok earlier this August. Over the spring and early summer, hockey-themed romance novels enjoyed a rise in the BookTok charts, a rise that led to an influx of new fans into the hockey community. One team in particular, the Seattle Krakens, became the unofficial team of BookTok, with Swedish player Alex Wennberg receiving special attention. Sexualized commentary by content creators like Kierra Lewis was both tacitly and overtly encouraged by the Kraken, who flew Lewis out to games.

All of this changed when Wennberg’s wife asked fans to stop posting sexualized content about her husband, a request that sent HockeyTok into a tailspin. So, what does this all mean in an era where loud and overt female desire is not only celebrated but monetized? Is there a difference between thirsting loudly for celebrities like Chris Evans and minor stars like Wennberg? And has internet thirst perhaps gone too far?

This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Daisy Rosario, Candice Lim and Rachelle Hampton.

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Hang Up and Listen - Sha’Carri Richardson Roars Back

Mon, 28 Aug 2023 22:45:00 GMT

Joel Anderson, Stefan Fatsis, and Josh Levin talk about the American stars at the world track and field championships. They also review the documentary BS High, on the Bishop Sycamore high school football scandal. Finally, journalist Semra Hunter joins Stefan and Josh to discuss the latest in the battle between Luis Rubiales and Spain’s women’s soccer team.

Track (5:50): Sha’Carri Richardson and Noah Lyles won gold and are shooting for stardom.

BS High (25:45): Looking back at an amazing con and the man who perpetrated it.

Spain (48:34): A fight over soccer, power, and chauvinism.

Afterball (1:08:30): Josh on the FIBA Basketball World Cup, naturalized players, and a contretemps in Cambodia.

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ICYMI - Addison Rae is the Newest Pop Princess

Sat, 26 Aug 2023 07:00:00 GMT

On today’s show, Candice Lim and Rachelle Hampton walk through Addison Rae’s quest for Hollywood stardom. They run through her moments of flop before the release of AR, a collection of Rae’s leaked music from her “lost album.” Then, Candice and Rachelle are joined by Pitchfork associate editor Cat Zhang to break down her bold and delicious review of “I Got It Bad.”

This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Daisy Rosario, Candice Lim and Rachelle Hampton.

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Hit Parade | Music History and Music Trivia - Shake It Like a Polaroid Picture Edition Part 2

Fri, 25 Aug 2023 13:00:00 GMT

Talk about ’90s rap, and most music fans will throw around the word “gangsta” and talk about the East Coast–West Coast feud that tragically brought down Biggie and Tupac. But one rap group, OutKast, quite literally rose above the fray: At the 1995 Source Awards, while East and West were bickering with each other, OutKast’s André Benjamin took the mic and told the rap faithful that hip-hop’s future was in the South. For the next quarter century, he was proved indisputably correct.

OutKast brought about this sea change by conceiving of hip-hop as everything music: funk, soul, pop, club, even country and indie all found their way into André and Big Boi’s music. By the time of their final studio album, they had pulled away almost fully from pure rap—and were rewarded with their biggest hits ever, a No. 1 smash each for Big Boi and André. Including that immortal jam that taught you, the fellas and the ladies—including all Beyoncés and Lucy Lius—what’s cooler than being cool.

Podcast production by Benjamin Frisch and Kevin Bendis.

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Death, Sex & Money - A Trans Elder’s ‘Final Act’: Musician Beverly Glenn-Copeland

Wed, 23 Aug 2023 16:00:00 GMT

The 79-year-old musician tells Anna about coming into his gender identity, “being cared for” by his bandmates, and the joys–and pitfalls–of finding success later in life.

Listen to "Transmissions" here (https://open.spotify.com/album/6X7rxq4bKcwPTKRFgIzR30?si=BfLeHGcKRS-uC0O5T9irBA), and you can stream his new album “The Ones Ahead” here: https://open.spotify.com/album/0AdkBNWEM8uprSOb2ah8aD.

Got a story to share? Email us at deathsexmoney@wnyc.org.

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Culture Gabfest - Passages Is Not For the Prudes

Wed, 23 Aug 2023 07:00:00 GMT

This week, Dana is joined by Slate’s books and culture columnist, Laura Miller, and senior editor Rebecca Onion (who are filling in for Julia and Stephen). The panel begins by unraveling Passages, the sexy but also, at times, repelling feature from director Ira Sachs about a complicated love triangle. The film received a controversial NC-17 rating from the Motion Picture Association. Then, they head to Detroit to discuss Justified: City Primeval, FX’s revival of the Raylan Givens cult classic that ran for six seasons. Finally, the three consider Michael Oher’s recent legal allegation that the Tuohy family (immortalized in the 2009 Oscar-winning movie The Blind Side) never really adopted him but instead, placed him in a conservatorship. It’s a scandal at the fascinating convergence of exploitation, fame, race, and adoption.

In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, the panel examines nature writing and their relationship to the form, inspired by Jonathan Franzen’s essay for The New Yorker, “The Problem with Nature Writing.”

Email us at culturefest@slate.com.

Endorsements:

Laura: Her quest for a new detective series (that isn’t stupid or cliché) is over: Laura endorses Deadloch, a Prime Video comedy set in Tasmania that’s equal parts genuine mystery and delicious social satire.

Rebecca: Anya Liftig’s memoir, Holler Rat, beautifully recounts her upbringing where she often felt caught between two worlds: the comfortable, upper-middle-class life in Connecticut where she lived, and the summers spent in Appalachia, her mother’s home.

Dana: A behind-the-scenes video for, what could potentially be the song of the summer, “I’m Just Ken” has just been released. In it, we see Ryan Gosling rehearsing and cameos from Greta Gerwig, Simu Liu and co-writer Mark Ronson, and it’s just super fun.

Outro music: “I Want a Change” by The Big Let Down.

Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Kat Hong.

This episode is sponsored by the podcast About the Journey. Learn more here: https://traveler.marriott.com/about-the-journey/

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ICYMI - How to Make Millions Playing Dungeons & Dragons

Wed, 23 Aug 2023 07:00:00 GMT

On today’s episode, Rachelle Hampton and Candice Lim are joined by Slate staff writer Luke Winkie to discuss his recent profile of Critical Role’s Matthew Mercer. Launched by Mercer and his friends in 2015, Critical Role is undoubtedly a megahit, boasting over 600 million views on YouTube. As Winkie wrote in his profile, “A 2021 data leak out of Twitch confirmed that Critical Role is one of the richest channels on the platform, generating a mammoth $9.6 million in revenue between 2019 and 2021.” Hampton, Lim and Winkie discuss the appeal of Critical Role, the so-called “Mercer Effect” and whether Critical Role’s success indicates that Dungeons & Dragons is no longer just the domain of the proudly geeky.

This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Daisy Rosario, Candice Lim and Rachelle Hampton.

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Hang Up and Listen - The Blind Side’s Blind Spots

Tue, 22 Aug 2023 00:45:00 GMT

Josh Levin and Stefan Fatsis are joined by Yahoo Sports’ Henry Bushnell to talk about Spain’s Women’s World Cup victory and the turmoil that preceded it. The New York Times’ Kurt Streeter joins to discuss the controversy over The Blind Side. Finally, ESPN’s Luis Miguel Echegaray assesses Lionel Messi’s brilliant opening month with Inter Miami.

Spain (3:27): The story behind La Roja’s World Cup win and everything that came before.

The Blind Side (28:12): Revisiting the book and the movie in light of Michael Oher’s allegations.

Messi (52:56): Could anyone have imagined that his transition to America would go this well this quickly?

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ICYMI - The Child Content Creator Crash is Coming

Sat, 19 Aug 2023 07:00:00 GMT

On today’s episode, Candice Lim and Rachelle Hampton dive deep into the mystery shrouding Lil Tay, a 14-year-old influencer who went viral in 2018 for being the “youngest flexer of the century.” In the years since her arrival onto the scene, Lil Tay has been hounded by controversy concerning her parents custodial battle, allegations of abuse and suggestions of exploitation. When rumors started swirling early last week that the 14-year-old and her older brother had passed, online speculation began in earnest, speculation that was in no way stemmed by news that Lil Tay and her brother are alive.

Since the dawn of social media, content created about and by children has been inescapable—and extremely profitable. As these children reach adulthood, a national reckoning similar to the one that led to the Coogan Law seems inevitable. But who will have suffered before that reckoning comes?

This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Daisy Rosario, Candice Lim and Rachelle Hampton.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Culture Gabfest - Ninja Turtle...Masterpiece?

Wed, 16 Aug 2023 07:00:00 GMT

This week, the panel begins by dissecting Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem, a zany piece of intellectual property that’s been taken off the shelf by Jeff Rowe, Seth Rogan, and a slew of animators and turned into a critical darling. Then, the trio reviews The Retrievals, a five-part narrative podcast hosted by Susan Burton for The New York Times and Serial Productions that chronicles the systematic ways American healthcare continually denies, discounts, and ignores women’s pain through a series of events that unfolded at the Yale Fertility Clinic. Finally, they are joined by Wesley Morris, critic at large at The New York Times, to discuss his tour de force essay, “How Hip-Hop Conquered the World,” and how the history of the radical art form is as porous and complex as the nation itself.

In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, the panel commemorates hip-hop’s 50th anniversary with a lightning round of personal accounts about their first encounters with the form.

Email us at culturefest@slate.com.

Endorsements:

Dana: Since their conversation about Sinéad O’Connor a few weeks ago, Dana has dived even deeper into the late Irish singer/songwriter’s oeuvre. One gem she found was The Year of the Horse, a concert documentary recorded live in 1990 at Forest National, Brussels. It’s a fantastic snapshot of a live performance at a very specific time in O’Connor’s life.

Julia: Taylor Swift fans! Julia recently attended Swift’s concert in Los Angeles and was struck by the overall kind, positive, and good vibes of the crowd. Fans of all ages and body types exchanged bracelets with one another, trading “Hi Barbie!” greetings, which made the concert-going experience feel even more special.

Stephen: It may be difficult to convince a teenage girl in 2023 to listen to Tom Waits’ catalog, but Stephen has done exactly that: he created a playlist for his daughter called “Broken Bicycles,” which highlights Waits’ extraordinary ability to write a pop melody.

Outro music: “Spinning Wheels” by Dusty Decks.

Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Kat Hong.

This episode is sponsored by the podcast About the Journey. Learn more here: https://traveler.marriott.com/about-the-journey/

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - You Just Missed This Year’s Most Important Episode of Reality TV

Wed, 16 Aug 2023 07:00:00 GMT

On today’s show, Candice Lim is joined by Slate producer Cheyna Roth to dissect the recent troubling events that happened on Below Deck: Down Under. Two crew members were fired after separate filmed incidents of sexual harassment and misconduct, and viewers have been praising several cast members for stepping up and doing the right thing. The underappreciated spinoff is now being heralded as the sea of change this outdated and repeatedly toxic franchise needs.

This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Daisy Rosario, Candice Lim and Rachelle Hampton.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hang Up and Listen - Simone Biles Is Back

Mon, 14 Aug 2023 22:45:00 GMT

Josh Levin, Stefan Fatsis, and the Atlantic’s Vann Newkirk talk about ESPN’s embrace of gambling. They also discuss the alleged suspension of Baltimore Orioles announcer Kevin Brown for alluding to the team’s recent losing seasons. Finally, Rebecca Schuman joins to assess Simone Biles’ return to competitive gymnastics.

ESPN and gambling (3:30): The Worldwide Leader makes a big bet. Is it too late?

Orioles (23:53): What are announcers allowed to say on team-owned networks?

Biles (42:49): How did she keep her comeback secret? And what should we expect from her?

Afterball (1:06:30): Stefan on Greek second-division soccer club Athens Kallithea FC, fashion, and hooliganism.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - What NewJeans Tells Us About the Future of K-Pop

Sat, 12 Aug 2023 07:00:00 GMT

On today’s show, Candice is joined by Vivian Yoon, the writer and host of K-Pop Dreaming. They dissect the hype surrounding K-pop viral sensation NewJeans, talk about the musical influences that make them stand out, and share their own experiences growing up with K-pop.

This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Rachelle Hampton, Candice Lim and Daisy Rosario, with special thanks to Emily Charash.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hit Parade | Music History and Music Trivia - Shake It Like a Polaroid Picture Edition Part 1

Fri, 11 Aug 2023 22:00:00 GMT

Podcast production by Benjamin Frisch and Kevin Bendis.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Death, Sex & Money - Secrets, Turn-Ons, and Fantasies: Your Stories About Porn

Wed, 09 Aug 2023 16:00:00 GMT

We revisit our most popular episode, featuring your stories about secret hard drives, fantasy plot lines, illegal downloads, titillating Tumblr feeds, and giving porn up completely.

Got a story to share? Email us at deathsexmoney@wnyc.org.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Culture Gabfest - Summer Strut 2023

Wed, 09 Aug 2023 07:00:00 GMT

This week, the panel is joined by pop critic and chart analyst (and host of Slate’s Hit Parade podcast) Chris Molanphy for our annual Summer Strut episode. The four dive into the longest listener-suggested summer playlist to date (this year, it’s a 682 song behemoth that adds up to approximately 42 hours!) and take turns in an electric, strut-ty roundtable discussion of their top picks.

You can find their collective favorites here in the Summer Strut '23 Shortlist:

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/6Ivpm4HVLsMw3LFwkgp7lw?si=90d2d26d65264157

To view Dana, Steve, Julia, and Chris's personal shortlists, and the original massive playlist, check out the Summer Strut show page at slate.com/culturefest.

In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, the panel does an additional round of their Strut-iest picks.

Email us at culturefest@slate.com.

Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Kat Hong.

This episode is sponsored by the podcast About the Journey. Learn more here: https://traveler.marriott.com/about-the-journey/

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Decoder Ring - Think Catchphrases Are Dead? Eat My Shorts.

Wed, 09 Aug 2023 07:00:00 GMT

Once you start listening for catchphrases in everyday life—you can’t stop hearing them. From the radio era’s “Holy mackerel!” to Fonzie’s “Ayyy!” to Urkel’s multiple go-to lines on Family Matters, we explore the irresistible quotables from sitcoms, movies and social media that have burrowed into our collective lexicon. Oh, just one more thing… bazinga! (Did I do that?)

This episode was written by Willa Paskin, who produces Decoder Ring with Katie Shepherd. This episode was edited by Joel Meyer. Derek John is Slate’s executive producer of narrative podcasts. Merritt Jacob is our senior technical director.

Thank you to Luke Winkie, Stephen Langford, Doug Dietzold and The Good, the Bad and the Sequel podcast, and Shawn Green for the suggestion and Urkel clips.

If you have any cultural mysteries you want us to decode, you can email us at DecoderRing@slate.com

If you haven’t yet, subscribe and rate our feed in Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. And even better, tell your friends. If you’re a fan of the show and want to support us, consider signing up for Slate Plus. As a member, you’ll get to listen to Decoder Ring without any ads—and your support is crucial to our work. Go to slate.com/decoderplus to join Slate Plus today.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - Will Doja Cat Ever Be Canceled?

Wed, 09 Aug 2023 07:00:00 GMT

On today’s episode, Candice Lim and Daisy Rosario give their takes on Doja Cat’s latest controversy: hating her fans. They trace her long-documented and problematic history with the internet, then ask how much a fandom can endure before the unstanning process begins.

This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Daisy Rosario, Candice Lim and Rachelle Hampton.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hang Up and Listen - The USWNT Is Out

Mon, 07 Aug 2023 23:30:00 GMT

Josh Levin and Stefan Fatsis talk about the U.S. national soccer team’s early exit from the Women’s World Cup. Slate’s Ben Mathis-Lilley also joins to discuss the huge shakeups in the Big Ten, Big 12, and Pac-12 conferences and ESPN’s Jeff Passan assesses the fallout from the Major League Baseball trade deadline. Finally, Josh interviews Wimbledon quarterfinalist Chris Eubanks.

Women’s World Cup (2:47): What went wrong for the U.S. women’s national team.

NCAA (26:01): Assessing the most significant week ever in conference realignment.

MLB (49:37): Did the Mets and Angels make the right calls at the trade deadline?

Chris Eubanks (01:07:51): A conversation with one of the most fascinating men in tennis.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - Decoder Ring: What’s Really Going On Inside a Mosh Pit?

Sat, 05 Aug 2023 07:00:00 GMT

The mosh pit has a reputation as a violent place where (mostly) white guys vent their aggression. There’s some truth to that, but it’s also a place bound by camaraderie and—believe it or not—etiquette. In this episode, we explore the unwritten rules of this 50-year-old live-music phenomenon with punks, concertgoers, and a heavy-metal physicist.

Decoder Ring is produced by Willa Paskin with Katie Shepherd. This episode was written by Katie Shepherd. This episode was edited by Willa Paskin and Andrea Bruce, with help from Joel Meyer. Derek John is Slate’s executive producer of narrative podcasts. Merritt Jacob is our senior technical director.

Thank you to Vivien Goldman, Paolo Ragusa, and Philip Moriarty, whose insights and research on moshing were crucial to this episode. You can create your own mosh pit using this simulator developed by Jesse Silverberg and his colleagues.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Death, Sex & Money - Bells and Bills: The Price You Paid For Your Wedding

Wed, 02 Aug 2023 16:00:00 GMT

In this episode we asked listeners if they were currently planning a wedding, and if money had become a sticking point. We heard from couples with vastly different ideas of what they wanted to spend, about opinionated parents and in-laws, tips from people who managed to spend less, and one Icelandic wedding planner’s mission to give the gift of a free wedding to a lucky, deserving couple.

Want to learn more about Pink Iceland’s “Queer Wedding Giveaway”? Visit their webpage here.

Got a story to share? Email us at deathsexmoney@wnyc.org.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - And the Grammy Goes to…Artificial Intelligence?

Wed, 02 Aug 2023 07:00:00 GMT

On today’s episode, Candice Lim and Rachelle Hampton dive deep into the ethics of AI-generated music. Since the days of Alan Turing, music created by computational models has been inextricably bound up with technological process. But now that tools like Voicify.AI are going viral on TikTok and the Recording Academy has updated their rules to allow music created with AI tools to be eligible for Grammy consideration, is it already too late to consider the musicians whose work will be made obsolete by AI?

This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Daisy Rosario, Candice Lim and Rachelle Hampton.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Culture Gabfest - Theater Camp Breaks a Leg

Wed, 02 Aug 2023 07:00:00 GMT

This week, the panel begins by diving into Theater Camp, a mockumentary-style comedy about gloriously talented misfits. Then, they pay tribute to Sinéad O’Connor, the dearly missed Irish singer, songwriter, and activist whose 1992 performance on Saturday Night Live rocked the world. Then, the trio is joined by screenwriter (and co-host of the Scriptnotes podcast) John August to discuss the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes, what’s going on in Hollywood, and how this “double strike” feels different than others past.

In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, the panel chews over our relationships to our digits, inspired by the delightfully small yet cerebral piece by Charlie Warzel for The Atlantic, “In Praise of Phone Numbers.”

Email us at culturefest@slate.com.

Endorsements:

Dana: While not released on one of her albums, Sinéad O’Connor’s performance of “The Foggy Dew” with The Chieftains at the 1995 IRMA awards in Dublin perfectly captures the singer’s gift for singing live.

Julia: A big fan of lighting candles at dinner, Julia recommends Mole Hollow, a Massachusetts-based company that produces stunning handmade candles in bright, vibrant colors.

John: Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone’s novel, This is How You Lose the Time War, is a beautiful and intimate story with science fiction influences, told through the exchanging of letters, epistolary-style. Shout out to Twitter user @maskofbun for the viral recommendation.

Stephen: He doesn’t normally join the bandwagon of clear winners, but Patrick Radden Keefe’s profile of art dealer Larry Gagosian for The New Yorker is so impressive, it left Stephen speechless.

Outro music: “Forbidden Love” by OTE

Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Kat Hong.

This episode is sponsored by the podcast About the Journey. Learn more here: https://traveler.marriott.com/about-the-journey/

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Decoder Ring - The Quest for a Homemade Hovercraft

Wed, 02 Aug 2023 07:00:00 GMT

When Slate’s Evan Chung was a kid, he was obsessed with a mysterious advertisement that ran for decades in the scouting magazine Boys’ Life. Under the enticing headline “You Can Float on Air,” the ad assured Evan—and generations of scouts—that a personal hovercraft could be theirs for just a few bucks.

In this episode, the adult version of Evan journeys halfway across the country to wield power tools, summon his latent scouting skills, and conscript his father into a quest three decades in the making.

Will Evan float on air? Scout’s honor: You’ll just have to listen.

This episode was written by Evan Chung, who produced this episode with Decoder Ring’s Willa Paskin and Katie Shepherd. It was edited by Willa Paskin and Joel Meyer. Derek John is Slate’s executive producer of narrative podcasts. Merritt Jacob is our senior technical director.

If you haven’t yet, please subscribe and rate our feed on Spotify, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. And even better, tell your friends.

If you’re a fan of the show and want to support us, consider signing up for Slate Plus. As a member, you’ll get to listen to Decoder Ring without any ads—and your support is crucial to our work. Go to slate.com/decoderplus to join Slate Plus today.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hang Up and Listen - The Biggest Contract in NBA History

Mon, 31 Jul 2023 23:30:00 GMT

Josh Levin and Stefan Fatsis are joined by the Washington Post’s Chuck Culpepper to talk about big wins for Colombia and Australia at the Women’s World Cup. Alex Kirshner of Slate and the Split Zone Duo podcast also joins to discuss whether NFL running backs should go on strike and the Celtics’ Jaylen Brown getting the biggest NBA deal ever.

Women’s World Cup (2:40): The scene in the stadium when Australia thrashed Canada.

NFL running backs (21:34): What can they do to get more respect and more cash?

Big-money deals (42:47): Is there any amount of money that’s too much for a pro athlete to make?

Afterball (1:02:22): Stefan on the world Scrabble championships in Las Vegas.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - The Girls Are Not All Right

Sat, 29 Jul 2023 07:00:00 GMT

On today’s episode, Rachelle and Candice reach into the ICYMI mailbag to answer why TikTokers are pretending to be video game characters, how a city girl became an anti-feminist prairie wife, and why snacktime is getting an obnoxious rebrand.

This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Daisy Rosario, Candice Lim and Rachelle Hampton.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hit Parade | Music History and Music Trivia - Lenny on Mars Edition Part 2

Fri, 28 Jul 2023 22:00:00 GMT

What do Lenny Kravitz, a hitmaker primarily in the ’90s and ’00s, and Bruno Mars, a 2010s–20s hitmaker, have in common? It turns out, a lot: Each man has a wide-ranging ethnic and musical background, with early exposure to unusual sides of showbiz. Each has scored hits in a variety of styles. They are admirers of each other’s work and have even performed live together.

But the main thing Lenny and Bruno have in common is their skill—some might say habit—of borrowing tropes and styles from hitmakers of the past. Kravitz from the very start of his career emulated the rock stylings of his heroes, like John Lennon and Sly Stone. And Bruno Mars—talk about an Unorthodox Jukebox: His career has been a parade of hits whose sound has spanned from the Police to Rick James to Michael Jackson.

Are they cultural appropriators, or genius style chameleons? Join Chris Molanphy as he chronicles two premier pop stylists of the last 30 years who wore genres like costumes and rebooted oldies into modern hits. Don’t believe them? Just watch.

Podcast production by Kevin Bendis.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Culture Gabfest - Barbenheimer Blockbuster Bonanza

Wed, 26 Jul 2023 07:00:00 GMT

This week, the panel begins by examining Barbie, Greta Gerwig’s hot pink, record-breaking movie about the iconic Mattel doll. Then, the trio dives into Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer, which chronicles the life of the “Father of the Atomic Bomb,” and explores whether the film achieves its aims. Finally, they are joined by Slate’s Chris Molanphy to discuss the controversy behind country singer Jason Aldean’s latest song, “Try That In A Small Town.”

Email us at culturefest@slate.com.

Endorsements:

Dana: In line with her theme of the week, “Yay movies and go, go, go to the theater,” Dana highly recommends Theater Camp, a delightful film by Ben Platt and Molly Gordon.

Stephen: In honor of the late singer, Stephen recommends two Tony Bennett albums: “The Tony Bennett/Bill Evans Album” (1975) and “Tony Bennett at Carnegie Hall” (1962).

Outro music: “Last Sunday” by OTE

Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Kat Hong.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - The Curious Case of Carlee Russell

Wed, 26 Jul 2023 07:00:00 GMT

On today’s episode, Rachelle and Candice dive deep into the ICYMI mailbag to answer listener questions about Colleen Ballinger’s 10-minute ukulele-backed apology, the renaming of Twitter, and the disappearance of 25-year-old Carlee Russell.

This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Daisy Rosario, Candice Lim and Rachelle Hampton.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Decoder Ring - A Brief History of Making Out

Wed, 26 Jul 2023 07:00:00 GMT

Kissing—the romantic, sexual, steamy kind—is so ingrained in us that it just seems like a fact of life. Like breathing or eating, we just do it. But what if it’s not like that at all?

In this episode, we’re going to look at passionate kissing, well, dispassionately, not as something instinctual and innate but as a cultural practice. We’re going to backtrack through history in search of the origins of the kiss, with some surprises along the way.

This episode was written by Willa Paskin, who produces Decoder Ring with Katie Shepherd. This episode was edited by Andrea Bruce and Joel Meyer. Derek John is Slate’s executive producer of narrative podcasts. Merritt Jacob is our senior technical director.

Thank you to Marcel Danesi.

If you’re interested in the papers we mentioned, you can read about Justin Garcia and William Jankowiak’s research, Troels Pank Arbøll and Sophie Lund Rasmussen’s essay, Sabrina Imbler’s When Was the First Sexy Kiss? and the herpes study. (Here’s that bronze-age statue, too!)

If you haven’t yet, please subscribe and rate our feed on Spotify, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. And even better, tell your friends.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hang Up and Listen - Messi’s Miami Magic

Mon, 24 Jul 2023 23:30:00 GMT

Josh Levin is joined by the Athletic’s Steph Yang to talk about the opening days of the Women’s World Cup. Author Jonathan Clegg also joins to discuss Lionel Messi’s MLS debut. And the Wall Street Journal’s Jason Gay assesses the 2023 Tour de France and the Netflix documentary Tour de France: Unchained.

Women’s World Cup (3:32): What are the main takeaways from the U.S. win over Vietnam?

Messi (20:31): What does success look like for Messi, his club, and Major League Soccer?

Tour de France (40:01): How a close race turned into a rout for Jonas Vingegaard.

Afterball (58:20): Josh on the Kolbe Conative Index.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - The Day AO3 Went Down

Sat, 22 Jul 2023 07:00:00 GMT

On today’s episode, Rachelle and Candice meet in person for the first time! They recap the July 10 attack on fanfiction site AO3 — Archive of Our Own — which caused a site outage and a state of panic for many writers, readers and their fandoms. The site was created in 2008 as an online fanfiction archive that soon became a safe haven for women and the queer community. So what happens when that safe haven is threatened by malicious hackers?

This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Daisy Rosario, Candice Lim and Rachelle Hampton.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Death, Sex & Money - The Crude Reality of Debt from This is Uncomfortable

Wed, 19 Jul 2023 21:00:52 GMT

Kate Beaton was determined to work her way out of debt. But nothing could have prepared her for the experience of toiling in the Canadian oil sands.

This episode is from This is Uncomfortable, a podcast from Marketplace about life and how money messes with it, hosted by Reema Khrais. You can find a more detailed episode description here.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Decoder Ring - What's Really Going On Inside a Mosh Pit?

Wed, 19 Jul 2023 07:00:00 GMT

The mosh pit has a reputation as a violent place where (mostly) white guys vent their aggression. There’s some truth to that, but it’s also a place bound by camaraderie and—believe it or not—etiquette. In this episode, we explore the unwritten rules of this 50-year-old, live-music phenomenon with punks, concertgoers and a heavy metal physicist.

Thank you to Vivien Goldman, Paolo Ragusa, and Philip Moriarty whose insights and research on moshing were crucial to this episode. You can create your own mosh pit using this simulator developed by Jesse Silverberg and his colleagues.

If you haven’t yet, please subscribe and rate our feed on Spotify, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. And even better, tell your friends.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - Take a Tour in the Shein Propaganda Factory

Wed, 19 Jul 2023 07:00:00 GMT

On today’s episode, Rachelle and Candice are joined by sustainable stylist and fashion educator, Lakyn Carlton. The three break down a now-infamous factory tour that the fast fashion giant Shein coordinated for a group of (un)lucky influencers. Since its founding in 2008, Shein has grown to a reported $100 billion valuation that is sustained by alleged labor violations and a cult-like following. In the Information Age, where Shein’s many controversies are well-known, how does the company manage to avoid blowback significant enough to affect its bottom line?

This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Daisy Rosario, Candice Lim and Rachelle Hampton.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Culture Gabfest - Tom Cruises Off a Cliff

Wed, 19 Jul 2023 07:00:00 GMT

This week, Slate culture writer Nadira Goffe fills in for Julia. The panel begins by discussing Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning Part One, Tom Cruise’s latest romp against rogue A.I. Then, the trio review Wham!, a bittersweet and perhaps hollow documentary following the ‘80s English pop duo’s rise to fame. Then, they explore Spill, a new image-based platform claiming to be the next “Black Twitter” and its role in the current social media landscape.

In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, the panel discusses the lost art of handwriting, inspired by this piece in The Atlantic: “How Handwriting Lost Its Personality” by Rachel Gutman-Wei.

Email us at culturefest@slate.com.

Endorsements:

Nadira: Adele’s tribute to George Michael — The singer’s performance of “Fastlove” at the 2017 Grammy’s is far from perfect, but it’s exactly those flaws and her raw emotion that makes this rendition so moving.

Also, NewJeans! Nadira adores this shapeshifting K-pop girl group and the ways they evoke nostalgia using Y2K visuals and hip hop elements. Stream their latest songs “Super Shy” and the self-titled “New Jeans.” (She also likes “Ditto” and “Attention”)

Dana: Billie Eilish, “What Was I Made For?” — Longtime Billie Eilish fan, Dana, recommends the pop star’s most recent music video, which was directed by Eilish and beautifully captures the melancholy of a doll’s role. It’s also a bit of free promotion for the upcoming Barbie film, which uses “What Was I Made For” in its final scenes.

Stephen: George Michael, “Waiting for That Day” — Stephen will never forget the day when he, free from the bias against Wham! and pop music he grew up with, finally realized that George Michal was a musical genius. This song about loss and an inherent sadness is especially moving.

Outro music: Adele's tribute to George Michael at the 2017 Grammys.

Podcast production by Jessamine Molli. Audio engineering by Merritt Jacob. Production assistance by Kat Hong.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hang Up and Listen - It’s Carlos Alcaraz’s Time

Mon, 17 Jul 2023 22:30:00 GMT

Josh Levin is joined by Joel Anderson and Ben Mathis-Lilley to talk about Northwestern firing football coach Pat Fitzgerald in the midst of a hazing scandal. Sports Illustrated’s Jon Wertheim then comes on to discuss Carlos Alcaraz’s win over Novak Djokovic at Wimbledon. Finally, Josh and Stefan Fatsis speak with the Washington Post’s Sally Jenkins about her piece on Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova.

Northwestern (5:44): Why Fitzgerald got axed.

Wimbledon (28:30): Is this a changing of the guard in men’s tennis?

Evert and Navratilova (51:03): How cancer diagnoses brought the rivals and friends closer together.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - Did Fancams Determine This Year’s Emmy Nominations?

Sat, 15 Jul 2023 07:00:00 GMT

On today’s episode, Rachelle and Candice talk all about the Emmys. This week the TV Academy announced the nominations for the 71st Emmy awards. Just a few days later, SAG-AFTRA announced that negotiations with the Academy had officially broken down and the actors’ guild was joining the writers’ guild on strike. So what does this all mean for the monthslong campaigns that actors have waged online to capture a nomination and, hopefully, a win?

This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Daisy Rosario, Candice Lim and Rachelle Hampton.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hit Parade | Music History and Music Trivia - Lenny on Mars Edition Part 1

Fri, 14 Jul 2023 04:00:00 GMT

Podcast production by Kevin Bendis.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Death, Sex & Money - Why Writer Brandon Taylor Likes Being “A Little Bit Lonely”

Wed, 12 Jul 2023 16:00:00 GMT

The author talks about arguing in high school English classes, learning to manage money, and his evolving relationship with the Internet.

Got a story to share? Email us at deathsexmoney@wnyc.org.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Culture Gabfest - A Raunchy Joy Ride

Wed, 12 Jul 2023 07:00:00 GMT

This week, Slate writer and editor Dan Kois fills in for Julia. The panel begins by breaking down Joy Ride, Adele Lim’s raunchy first feature about four Chinese-American friends. Then, the panel dives into the second season of the reality show Claim to Fame. Finally, they examine the commodification of storytelling, inspired by Parul Sehgal’s essay “The Tyranny of the Tale” for The New Yorker.

In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, the panel discusses pickleball, America’s fastest growing sport.

Email us at culturefest@slate.com.

Endorsements:

Dana: “They Don’t Want Us and We Don’t Need Them” – David Roth on the drama surrounding GQ’s David Zaslav story and the depressing state of media for Defector.

Dan: Patrick deWitt novels – Specifically, the Canadian novelist’s latest, The Librarianist.

Stephen: Diary of a Foreigner in Paris – Curzio Malaparte recounts his return to postwar Europe and his complex relationship with fascism.

Outro music: “Backwards” by Staffan Carlen

Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Kat Hong.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Decoder Ring - The Great Parmesan Cheese Debate

Wed, 12 Jul 2023 07:00:00 GMT

Parmesan is a food—but it’s not just a food. Italy’s beloved cheese is often paired with a deep craving for tradition and identity. But its history also involves intrepid immigrants, lucrative businesses and an American version that’s probably available in your local grocery store.

After a notorious debunker of Italian-cuisine myths claims this Wisconsin-made product is the real deal, we embark on a quest to answer the question: Has an Italian delicacy been right under our noses this whole time?

Decoder Ring is produced by Willa Paskin with Katie Shepherd. This episode was written by Willa Paskin and edited by Andrea Bruce. We had production help from Patrick Fort and editing help from Joel Meyer. Derek John is Slate’s executive producer of narrative podcasts. Merritt Jacob is our senior technical director.

Thank you to Giacomo Stefanini for translating. Thank you to Fabio Parasecoli, Ken Kane, Thomas McNamee, Dan Weber, Irene Graziosi, James Norton, and Ian MacAllen, whose knowledge and book Red Sauce: How Italian Food Became American were very helpful.

You should also read Marianna Giusti’s article in the Financial Times. If you feel like really nerding out, we also recommend the 1948 academic study Italian Cheese Production in the American Dairy Region.

We also included clips in this episode from David Rocco’s YouTube channel about how Parmigiano-Reggiano is made and from Gennaro Contaldo’s YouTube documentary on the same subject.

If you haven’t yet, please subscribe and rate our feed on Spotify, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. And even better, tell your friends.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - Has Black Twitter Found A New Home?

Wed, 12 Jul 2023 07:00:00 GMT

On today’s episode, Candice Lim is joined by Slate culture writer Nadira Goffe to dive into her piece about Spill, the latest Twitter alternative to hit the streets. But first, they parse out the chaos surrounding Keke Palmer and Jonah Hill, whose respective relationship drama entered public discourse over the past week.

This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Daisy Rosario, Candice Lim and Rachelle Hampton.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hang Up and Listen - The End of the New York Times Sports Department

Tue, 11 Jul 2023 01:20:00 GMT

Josh Levin and Stefan Fatsis are joined by the Washington Post’s Ben Golliver to discuss Victor Wembanyama’s NBA Summer League debut. The Athletic’s C. Trent Rosecrans also joins to talk about baseball stars Elly de la Cruz, Ronald Acuña Jr., and Shohei Ohtani. Finally, legendary New York Times sports columnist Robert Lipsyte comes on to talk about the demise of the Times sports department.

Wembanyama (5:45): What happened with Britney Spears? And what about his iffy debut?

MLB (29:46): A look at the game’s most exciting players.

New York Times (51:06): A Times legend on what comes next for the paper’s sports section.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - How Reddit Turned On Its Creator

Sat, 08 Jul 2023 07:00:00 GMT

On today’s episode, Candice Lim is joined by Slate business and tech writer Nitish Pahwa to break down the recent controversy surrounding Reddit CEO Steve Huffman. In May, Huffman announced Reddit would be charging third-party apps, bots and companies for using the site’s Data API. Redditors erupted in protest, with many popular subreddits going dark to signal their opposition to the move. The protest was effective, but where does Reddit go from here?

This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Daisy Rosario, Candice Lim and Rachelle Hampton.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Death, Sex & Money - I Still Love My Dad, But I Don't Love Guns

Wed, 05 Jul 2023 16:00:00 GMT

Two years after Anna’s first conversation with a listener named Jack, she called him back for an update on his relationship with his dad, and his relationship to firearms.

You can take our 10th anniversary survey here (https://forms.gle/27xgjCXLcW33dMZZ7), and listen to our episode with Ellen Burstyn here (https://www.wnycstudios.org/podcasts/deathsexmoney/episodes/how-ellen-burstyn-learned-survival).

Got a story to share? Email us at deathsexmoney@wnyc.org.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - What Next: TBD: The Trouble With TikTok Songs

Wed, 05 Jul 2023 07:00:00 GMT

How the music streaming business opened the door to billions of dollars in fraud.

Guest: Ashley Carman, Bloomberg News reporter covering the podcasting, music, and audio beat.

If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get benefits like zero ads on any Slate podcast, bonus episodes of shows like Slow Burn and Dear Prudence—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on What Next TBD. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to help support our work.

Podcast production by Patrick Fort.

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Culture Gabfest - Indiana Jones and the Lady From Fleabag

Wed, 05 Jul 2023 07:00:00 GMT

This week, the panel begins by examining the final Indiana Jones crusade (probably), Indiana Jones and The Dial of Destiny. Then, they debate Boots Riley’s daring new television show, I’m a Virgo. Finally, the trio considers Turner Classic Movies and the fate of the beloved TV network.

In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, the panel dives into the reliably controversial Agnes Callard’s latest piece, “The Case Against Travel.”

Email us at culturefest@slate.com.

Endorsements:

Dana: “The Joy of Traveling Solo” — Inspired by this week’s Slate Plus segment, Dana endorses writer Andre Acimen’s piece in Town & Country about the joys of being in a new place alone.

Julia: Raiders of the Lost Ark Story Conference Transcript — Over five days in January 1978, Steven Spielberg, George Lucas, and Lawrence Kasdan came together to brainstorm what would later become the Raiders of the Lost Ark screenplay. The entire story session transcript has been published in its entirety.

Stephen: “A Sort of Buzzing Inside My Head” — A beautifully written piece by Jessica Riskin for The New York Review that explores ChatGPT’s relationship to the Turing Test and what it tells us about the meaning of “intelligence.”

Outro music: “Spinning the Wheels” by Dusty Decks

Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Kat Hong.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Decoder Ring - Summer 2023 Teaser

Wed, 05 Jul 2023 07:00:00 GMT

Join Decoder Ring as we unlock a whole new season of cultural mysteries. First, we’ll sniff around Italy’s best-loved cheese to test an incredible claim: Is the most authentic parmesan being made not in Parma—but in Wisconsin? Next, a group of seasoned concertgoers, hardcore punks and one heavy metal physicist help explain what’s going on inside mosh pits. Plus: a brief history of super sexy, on-the-mouth kissing. Hear these episodes and more in the new season of Decoder Ring. Launching July 12, 2023. Subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hang Up and Listen - The Sports Culture Power Rankings

Mon, 03 Jul 2023 20:00:00 GMT

Josh Levin and Stefan Fatsis are joined by TV producer Mike Schur for a special episode: a debate on which sports have generated the best art and made the greatest contributions to culture. Topics discussed include Schur’s Field of Dreams adaptation, whether basketball or football has a greater canon, and if boxing will lose its cultural footprint.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - The Subreddit Teeming with Crime, Complaints and Candles

Sat, 01 Jul 2023 07:00:00 GMT

On today’s episode, Rachelle dives into one of Candice’s most treasured subreddits: r/bathandbodyworks. They trace the boom of candle consumption during the pandemic, how sale culture keeps the store in business, and Candice’s definitive rules for curating your haul.

This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Candice Lim and Rachelle Hampton.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hit Parade | Music History and Music Trivia - Yes We Can Can Edition Part 2

Fri, 30 Jun 2023 23:00:00 GMT

Today, the Pointer Sisters are mostly remembered for their flurry of ’80s hits, especially the “Excited” one about losing control and liking it. But their musical history is far more varied: jazz standards? Civil rights–era funk? Country music? Yacht rock? The Pointers applied their impeccable sibling harmonies to all of it.

Billboard ranks the Pointer Sisters behind only the Supremes, TLC, and Destiny’s Child among hitmaking girl groups. Yet their versatility has gone relatively unheralded—from the Grammy they won in a country category, to the Bruce Springsteen demo they turned into a smash, to the kiddie bop they recorded for Sesame Street.

How did the Pointers score so many hits in so many idioms? Join Chris Molanphy as he gives the Pointer Sisters their due as harmonizing innovators and genre-defying hitmakers. Here at Hit Parade, we jump (for their love).

Podcast production by Kevin Bendis.

This Pride Month, make an impact by helping Macy’s and The Trevor Project on their mission to fund life-saving suicide prevention services for LGBTQ youth. Go to macys.com/purpose to learn more.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Death, Sex & Money - Can You Help Your Kid’s Anxiety By Changing Your Behavior?

Wed, 28 Jun 2023 16:00:00 GMT

Kids look to their parents to keep them safe and to show them how much risk they can handle, but parents are often winging it as they walk that line. In this episode, Anna talks to Alexis, a parent of an 8 year-old with an anxiety disorder, about how she learned to adjust her parenting through a parent-focused therapy program directed by Dr. Eli Lebowitz, author of Breaking Free of Child Anxiety and OCD: A Scientifically Proven Program for Parents, who also talks to Anna about his approach.

Got a story to share? Email us at deathsexmoney@wnyc.org.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Culture Gabfest - The Bear's Second Course

Wed, 28 Jun 2023 07:00:00 GMT

This week, the panel begins with the question: is The Bear’s second season even better than its first? Then, the trio discusses Jennifer Lawrence’s new “sex” comedy, No Hard Feelings. Finally, they examine an essay by Jonah Weiner of Blackbird Spyplane, “Is Ssense hurting the cool-clothes eco-system?” about the online clothing emporium that’s growing like a weed.

In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, the panel dives into former New York Times film critic—and current Book Review critic—A.O. Scott’s recent piece, “Everyone Likes Reading. Why Are We So Afraid of It?”

Email us at culturefest@slate.com.

Endorsements:

Dana: Access and Engagement Curator at the Brontë Parsonage Museum — The Brontë Parsonage Museum in Haworth is hiring! Dana thinks someone out there must be perfect for this wonderful job: a part-time Access and Engagement curator at the former home of the Brontë family and where Jane Eyre, Wuthering Heights, and The Tenant of Wildfell Hall were written. Applications close on Sunday, July 2nd.

Julia: Cédric Grolet on Instagram — The French pastry chef (who works as executive pastry chef at Le Meurice in Paris) posts beautifully shot baking videos to his Instagram and TikTok. In them, he demonstrates how to make fruity, complex pastries at a huge scale. The result is perfection.

Stephen: “Cancelled” by Amia Srinivasan — Published by the London Review of Books, “Cancelled” is philosopher Amia Srinivasan’s exploration of the role of fee speech on campus. In it, she asks “Who gets to speak?” and details the ways academic freedom is currently being suppressed.

Outro music: “Zero Gravity” by ELFL

Podcast production by Cameron Drews and Jared Downing. Production assistance by Kat Hong.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - Finding Queer Love Online

Wed, 28 Jun 2023 07:00:00 GMT

On today’s special Pride Month episode, Rachelle and Candice hear from their queer listeners about finding love online. Stories come from digital spaces as far flung as Buffy the Vampire Slayer fandom boards to Craigslist missed connections, from Minecraft rose gardens to couch surfing websites.

This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Daisy Rosario, Candice Lim and Rachelle Hampton.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hang Up and Listen - The Quest for .400

Mon, 26 Jun 2023 23:00:00 GMT

Josh Levin and Stefan Fatsis are joined by the Ringer’s Ben Lindbergh to talk about Luis Arraez’s run at a .400 batting average. The Athletic’s Steph Yang also joins to discuss the U.S. women’s national team’s World Cup roster. Finally, college golfers Maycee Kay Aycock and Sarah Marshall come on to explain why they stuck with the sport despite shooting some of the worst scores of all time.

.400 (3:14): Why it’s still a magic number in baseball.

USWNT (21:57): Will injuries doom them at the World Cup?

Bad golfers (42:26): How two women from Meredith College became sports heroes.

Afterball (1:02:08): Josh on meat judging.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - Why the Internet Couldn’t Get Enough of the Missing Submarine

Sat, 24 Jun 2023 07:00:00 GMT

On today’s episode, Rachelle Hampton and Candice Lim parse out this week in #OceanGate, when a 5-passenger underwater vessel heading for the Titanic went missing. The U.S. Coast Guard has confirmed all five passengers are presumed dead following a “catastrophic implosion,” but the internet remains obsessed and desperate for more answers. We take a look at OceanGate the company, why someone would sign up for this voyage, and how four days of unanswered questions turned into millions of tweets, memes and TikToks.

This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Candice Lim and Rachelle Hampton.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Culture Gabfest - Black Mirror Shows Netflix Its Ugly Reflection

Wed, 21 Jun 2023 07:00:00 GMT

This week, Dana Stevens is joined first by Slate senior editor Sam Adams and ICYMI co-host Candice Lim to examine Wes Anderson’s latest film, Asteroid City. Then, the trio discusses why the sixth season of Black Mirror feels so disjointed. Finally, Dana and Candice explore the ethics of true crime content—and its devout followers—with Slate podcast producer and host Cheyna Roth inspired by a recent piece by The Atlantic, “The Gross Spectacle of Murder Fandom.”

In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Dana, Candice, and Cheyna delve into TikTok’s latest trend: “beige flags.” Not quite red or alarming, nor something you absolutely love, beige flags are little quirks a person reveals that makes you go, “Hmm… okay.” Their conversation is inspired by Buzzfeed’s “‘My Boyfriend Always Asks The Waiter What To Order’” and The Cut’s “So What’s Your ‘Beige Flag?’”

Email us at culturefest@slate.com.

Endorsements:

Dana: Reality — Based on the real-life FBI interrogation transcript of whistleblower Reality Winner (played wonderfully by Sydney Sweeney), Dana describes HBO Max’s Reality as a surprisingly experimental film that manages to recount the story of a historical event without any dramatic reenactments or fictionalized scenarios.

Candice: Glossy: Ambition, Beauty, and the Inside Story of Emily Weiss’s Glossier — Written by Marisa Meltzer, Glossy exposes the history of Glossier, one of America’s hottest and most consequential startups and examines the enigmatic woman responsible for it all. A must read for any Girl Boss obsessives.

Cheyna: Below Deck — If you’re looking for fun, “turn your brain off” television, it doesn’t get much better than Below Deck, according to Cheyna. Below Deck (and its many Bravo spin-off series) follows the crews of luxury sailing yachts and all of the mess and drama that comes along with the job.

Outro music: “You Know What I Want” by Staffan Carlen.

Podcast production by Cameron Drews and Jared Downing. Production assistance by Kat Hong.

Hosts

Dana Stevens, Candice Lim, Sam Adams, Cheyna Roth

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - The Super Bowl of Private Chef TikTok

Wed, 21 Jun 2023 07:00:00 GMT

On today’s episode, Rachelle and Candice are joined by Eater senior reporter Bettina Makalintal to discuss the rise of private chef content on TikTok. Specifically, the three discuss the now-yearly spectacle of chefs creating content about their summer sojourns to the Hamptons to cook for their wealthy clients. A form pioneered by Meredith Hayden, a.k.a @wishbonekitchen, Hamptons private chef content is now a phenomenon eagerly awaited by a section of TikTok viewers who call it their Super Bowl.

This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Daisy Rosario, Candice Lim and Rachelle Hampton.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hang Up and Listen - The Pelicans’ Zion Williamson Problem

Tue, 20 Jun 2023 23:00:00 GMT

Josh Levin, Stefan Fatsis, and Joel Anderson talk about whether the Pelicans should trade Zion Williamson. Josh and Stefan are also joined by the Athletic’s Paul Tenorio to discuss the U.S. men’s national soccer team's wins over Mexico and Canada and the rehiring of Gregg Berhalter. Finally, Mick Akers of the Las Vegas Review-Journal joins for a conversation about how Vegas became America’s No. 1 sports town.

Zion (4:47): The Pelicans are in a very tough spot.

U.S. soccer (27:35): Why Gregg Berhalter got his old job back.

Las Vegas (56:14): How it went from a sports desert to every league’s favorite destination.

Afterball (01:11:36): Stefan on the World Football League’s very colorful pants.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - Was the MirandaSings Controversy Inevitable?

Sat, 17 Jun 2023 07:00:00 GMT

On today’s episode, Rachelle Hampton and Candice Lim are joined by Franchesca Ramsey, a television writer and producer, comedian, and former vlogger whose videos have amassed more than 30 million views on YouTube. The trio dive deep into the current controversy engulfing Colleen Ballinger, better known as her alter ego MirandaSings. In recent weeks, Ballinger has come under fire for the allegedly inappropriate communications she’s had with minor fans throughout her years long career. Ramsey, Hampton and Lim discuss how one of her accusers–YouTuber Adam McIntyre–has been sounding the alarm since 2020 when he was largely ignored, if not outright vilified, by the MirandaSings fandom.

This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Daisy Rosario, Candice Lim and Rachelle Hampton.

This Pride Month, make an impact by helping Macy’s and The Trevor Project on their mission to fund life-saving suicide prevention services for LGBTQ youth. Go to macys.com/purpose to learn more.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hit Parade | Music History and Music Trivia - Yes We Can Can Edition Part 1

Sat, 17 Jun 2023 02:00:00 GMT

Billboard ranks the Pointer Sisters behind only the Supremes, TLC and Destiny’s Child among hitmaking girl groups. Yet their versatility has gone relatively unheralded—from the Grammy they won in a country category, to the Bruce Springsteen demo they turned into a smash, to the kiddie bop they recorded for Sesame Street.

Podcast production by Kevin Bendis.

This Pride Month, make an impact by helping Macy’s and The Trevor Project on their mission to fund life-saving suicide prevention services for LGBTQ youth. Go to macys.com/purpose to learn more.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Death, Sex & Money - ‘It Just Denies Reality’: Abortion Access and the Law After Dobbs

Wed, 14 Jun 2023 16:00:00 GMT

Mississippi-based reproductive justice activist Laurie Bertram Roberts updates Anna on life after Dobbs. Plus, a story from the podcast More Perfect on two legal scholars’ reimagining of abortion law.

You can hear Anna’s original conversation with Laurie here (https://www.wnycstudios.org/podcasts/deathsexmoney/episodes/abortion-dobbs-v-jackson-mississippi-death-sex-money), and subscribe to More Perfect here (https://link.chtbl.com/mrUQogCI?sid=dsm).

Got a story to share? Email us at deathsexmoney@wnyc.org.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Culture Gabfest - Closed Captions: On or Off?

Wed, 14 Jun 2023 07:00:00 GMT

This week, the panel is first joined by Slate senior editor Sam Adams to review Past Lives, Celine Song’s gentle yet affecting directorial debut. Then, Dana and Stephen dive into The Ultimatum: Queer Love with Slate’s June Thomas. Finally, the trio debate the virtues of closed captioning, based on a recent piece by The Atlantic, “Why Is Everyone Watching TV With the Subtitles On?”

In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Dana and Stephen are joined by Slate senior editor Rebecca Onion to discuss the ways therapy language has found its way into everyday conversations, inspired by The Rise of Therapy Speak (Katy Waldman, The New Yorker) and “‘Doing the Work’ and the Obsession With Superficial Self-Improvement (Jessica Grose, The New York Times).

Email us at culturefest@slate.com.

Endorsements:

Stephen: A Hero of Our Time by Mikhail Lermontov — “An expression of Byronism as it reaches Russian shores.” Written in 1939 by one of the great Russian poets, A Hero of Our Time follows a nihilistic anti-hero on his many misadventures.

Dana: Everything Isn’t Terrible by Dr. Kathleen Smith (Audio book) — To go with this week’s Plus segment, Dana recommends this very good self help book. The audio book is partly narrated by the author Dr. Kathleen Smith, who works as a family systems therapist.

June: Dykes to Watch Out For by Alison Bechdel (Audio series) — Based on the beautifully written comic strip, Dykes to Watch Out For is an Audible series adapted by Pulitzer Prize finalist Madeleine George that features voices from Roxane Gay, Jane Lynch, Carrie Brownstein, and more.

Outro music: “What We Didn't Do” by Particle House

Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Kat Hong.

This Pride Month, make an impact by helping Macy’s and The Trevor Project on their mission to fund life-saving suicide prevention services for LGBTQ youth. Go to macys.com/purpose to learn more.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - The TikTok Comedian Caught In A Ticketmaster Controversy

Wed, 14 Jun 2023 07:00:00 GMT

On today’s episode, Candice Lim and Slate culture writer Nadira Goffe explore the fandom surrounding standup comedian Matt Rife. They take it back to Rife’s breakout on Wild N’ Out and pick apart his rise on TikTok as a crowd work comic. But first, Nadira and Candice share their nominations for song of the summer.

This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Rachelle Hampton and Candice Lim.

This Pride Month, make an impact by helping Macy’s and The Trevor Project on their mission to fund life-saving suicide prevention services for LGBTQ youth. Go to macys.com/purpose to learn more.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hang Up and Listen - Novak Djokovic Stands Alone

Mon, 12 Jun 2023 23:30:00 GMT

Josh Levin and the New Yorker’s Louisa Thomas are joined by the Washington Post’s Ben Golliver to discuss how the Denver Nuggets took a commanding lead in the NBA Finals. Next, Slate’s Henry Grabar comes on to talk about Novak Djokovic’s record-setting French Open title. Finally, Josh is joined by Slate’s Alex Kirshner and the Fried Egg’s Brendan Porath to sort through the PGA Tour’s new deal with the Saudis.

NBA Finals (2:16): What makes Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray a historically great duo?

French Open (26:55): How Djokovic keeps winning.

Golf (49:37): Why the PGA Tour reversed its big moral stand.

Afterball (1:13:34): Josh and Louisa discuss her feature story on how pitcher Daniel Bard lost control, regained it, and lost it again.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - Why “The Ultimatum: Queer Love” Ultimately Fails

Sat, 10 Jun 2023 07:00:00 GMT

On today’s show, Candice and Rachelle are joined by Lindsay Lee Wallace, a culture writer who recently reviewed the second season of Netflix’s reality dating show The Ultimatum for TIME. The three discuss how the show’s unhinged conceit fares when all the contestants are queer and how the season’s reception on the internet. They dive deep into the chaos subsumed The Ultimatum subreddit, where one of the contestant’s name was briefly banned because so many critical threads were being posted about them. And they determine the show achieves of its two aims: to be messy and to show the interior lives of queer couples.

This show is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Daisy Rosario, Candice Lim and Rachelle Hampton.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Death, Sex & Money - Ocean Vuong on Telling Lies, Building Family and Loving the Knicks

Wed, 07 Jun 2023 16:00:00 GMT

The acclaimed poet talks about falling in love with poetry in New York basements, caring for his brother, and mastering — and walking away from — writing.

Got a story to share? Email us at deathsexmoney@wnyc.org.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - The Short-Lived, Very Controversial Healy-Swift Affair

Wed, 07 Jun 2023 07:00:00 GMT

On today’s episode, Candice Lim and Rachelle Hampton dig deep into the ICYMI mailbag to answer questions about Taylor Swift’s short but controversial relationship with Matty Healy, the lead singer of the alt-rock band, The 1975. Later in the show, they discuss the politics of babies on planes. The two end on a positive note, explaining the heartwarming story of how a tweet from an anime fan account sent a four-year-old book up the Amazon sales charts.

This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Candice Lim, Rachelle Hampton and Daisy Rosario.

This Pride Month, make an impact by helping Macy’s and The Trevor Project on their mission to fund life-saving suicide prevention services for LGBTQ youth. Go to macys.com/purpose to learn more.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Culture Gabfest - The Spider-Verse Proliferates

Wed, 07 Jun 2023 07:00:00 GMT

This week, the panel begins by unraveling Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse. Then, the three discuss Platonic, a new Apple TV+ show starring Rose Byrne and Seth Rogen. Finally, they are joined by Slate staff writer Luke Winkie to examine the surprisingly wholesome journalism storyline found in The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom.

In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, the panel reflects on their professional lives with a listener question: What is your relationship to your work after you’ve completed it?

Email us at culturefest@slate.com.

Endorsements:

Stephen: “Trespassing on Edith Wharton” by Alissa Bennett for The Paris Review — An essential piece and “exemplary specimen” that’s critical to the discussion of what literary criticism looks like in today’s digital media age.

Dana: “The Dress Diary of Mrs. Anne Sykes” by Kate Strasdin for The Paris Review — An excerpt from the fashion historian’s upcoming book The Dress Diary: Secrets from a Victorian Woman’s Wardrobe. A fantastic glimpse into the Victorian period, what people wore then, and what they did in those clothes.

Julia: Holedown — A mindless, addictive iPhone game that Julia describes as “Asteroid, but down instead of up.” This endorsement comes from John August, the host of her favorite podcasts, Scriptnotes.

Outro music is "Back to Silence" by OTE

Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Kat Hong.

This Pride Month, make an impact by helping Macy’s and The Trevor Project on their mission to fund life-saving suicide prevention services for LGBTQ youth. Go to macys.com/purpose to learn more.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hang Up and Listen - The Mascot That Changed American Sports

Mon, 05 Jun 2023 23:15:00 GMT

Josh Levin and Stefan Fatsis are joined by Jack Hamilton to discuss the NBA Finals. The New York Times’ Tariq Panja also comes on for a conversation about Saudi Arabia’s efforts to lure Lionel Messi and conquer global soccer. Finally, the Athletic’s Zach Buchanan discusses his piece on the pioneering mascot the San Diego Chicken.

Nuggets-Heat (3:05): How Miami tied up the series.

Saudi soccer (24:18): Can they get Messi? What are they trying to accomplish?

The Chicken (42:49): What Ted Giannoulas created.

Afterball (1:05:20): Josh on Rodney “Crash” McCray.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - Meet NPR’s TikTok Boy

Sat, 03 Jun 2023 07:00:00 GMT

On today’s show, Rachelle Hampton and Candice Lim are joined by Jack Corbett, one of the people behind NPR’s Planet Money TikTok account. In the three years that have passed since @planetmoney was started, the account has amassed over 14.1 million likes, thanks in no small part to Corbett. Here he discusses his daily internet diet, his controversial take on deleted tweets and the dark side of becoming the face of a corporate media brand.

This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Rachelle Hampton, Candice Lim and Daisy Rosario, with special thanks to Emily Charash.

This Pride Month, make an impact by helping Macy’s and The Trevor Project on their mission to fund life-saving suicide prevention services for LGBTQ youth. Go to macys.com/purpose to learn more.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Culture Gabfest - Did the Succession Finale Succeed?

Wed, 31 May 2023 07:00:00 GMT

This week, the panel begins by dissecting (and spoiling) the Succession finale. Then, the three discuss You Hurt My Feelings, a great new comedy by writer/director Nicole Holofcener starring Julia Louis-Dreyfus. Finally, they examine the Obama’s Netflix docuseries Working: What We Do All Day.

In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, the panel gets deep with a question from Julia Turner: What is one small life thing you’re absolutely terrible at?

Email us at culturefest@slate.com.

Endorsements:

Stephen: Jury Duty’s finale — After last week’s discussion, Stephen finished Jury Duty and discovered one of the better hours of television he’d seen in a long time, calling it “the antidote to reality TV: a genuinely wonderful show that is in a class of its own.”

Dana: Studs Terkel’s Radio Archive — WFMT-FM in Chicago published an archive of over 1,000 digitalized audio tapes that originally aired over 45 years on Studs Turkel’s radio show. No one interviews quite like him, a man of the people who can talk to pretty much anyone about anything. A stand out: this interview with Buster Keaton.

Julia: Frozen sliced bread — Discovering this life hack changed everything: crusty bread saved for later, sliced and stowed in the freezer. Is this the best thing since… sliced bread? Or, as Dana quips, “You can’t spell sliced bread without ‘iced bread.’”

Outro music: "Blue Nights and Yellow Days" by Matt Large

Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Kat Hong.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - The Only People Who Made Money From Tumblr

Wed, 31 May 2023 07:00:00 GMT

On today’s show, Rachelle and Candice are joined by Slate staff writer Luke Winkie. The three go back in time to 2010 when a lucky few creators of Tumblr blogs like Hipster Puppies, This is Why You’re Fat and Garfield Minus Garfield were able to leverage their popularity into book deals. They discuss the blog to Urban Outfitters pipeline and the optimism that colored the memes created in that era, an optimism that starkly contrasts against the layered irony of today’s memes.

And at the top of the show, Rachelle and Candice revive an age-old debate: Team Edward vs. Team Jacob.

This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Daisy Rosario, Candice Lim and Rachelle Hampton.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hang Up and Listen - The Best Comeback That Never Was

Wed, 31 May 2023 01:00:00 GMT

Josh Levin and Stefan Fatsis are joined by Joel Anderson to talk about the Celtics’ Game 7 loss to the Heat. They’re also joined by Mike Simmonds of Luton Today for a conversation about Luton Town’s rise to the Premier League. And finally, writer Sam Miller comes on to discuss the indelible image of Randy Johnson killing a bird with a fastball.

Celtics-Heat (6:49): How Boston came so far, and then collapsed.

Luton Town (28:27): The inside scoop on an incredible underdog story.

Baseball and birds (47:15): Why we’re still talking about a pitch from 2001.

Afterball (1:07:07): Stefan on Tom Wambsgans and Bill Wambsganss and Josh on whether Clarence Thomas could dunk.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Death, Sex & Money - Hold On: Should I Tell My Boss I’m Depressed?

Sat, 27 May 2023 16:00:00 GMT

In the final episode of Hold On, a national call-in show about our mental health, Anna talks to organizational psychologist Melissa Doman, author of Yes, You Can Talk About Mental Health at Work...Here's Why (And How To Do It Really Well), about how and when to address mental health issues in the workplace, and listeners call in with questions, success stories, and times disclosing a diagnosis to a boss did not go so well.

Find resources here, and our whole Hold On series of live call-ins here: https://www.wnycstudios.org/podcasts/deathsexmoney/articles/hold-mental-health-resources

Also out this week is On the Media's companion piece to the episode we did together about Tasha Adams, the ex-wife of Oath Keepers' founder Stewart Rhodes. Rhodes was sentenced to 18 years in prison for seditious conspiracy in the January 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol. Listen to On the Media's story here.

Got a story to share? Email us at deathsexmoney@wnyc.org.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - How To: Succeed at Social Media

Sat, 27 May 2023 09:00:00 GMT

Emily is a successful career and executive coach in Ohio, who has done well finding clients through word-of-mouth. But in order to expand her business she knows she has to up her online marketing game. The only catch? She is terrified of social media. On this episode of How To!, co-host Amanda Ripley brings in Suzy Wagner, president of Brand & Buzz. Suzy has some surprising advice for creating a social media strategy that cuts through the noise while being realistic and authentic to yourself.

If you liked this episode, check out: “How To Beat Hackers at Their Own Game.”

Do you wonder how best to use your time? Send us a note at howto@slate.com or leave us a voicemail at 646-495-4001 and we might have you on the show.

If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get an ad-free experience across the network and exclusive content on many shows—you’ll also be supporting the work we do here on How To!. Sign up now at slate.com/howtoplus to help support our work.

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Hit Parade | Music History and Music Trivia - Champagne Supernova Edition Part 2

Fri, 26 May 2023 23:00:00 GMT

In the ’90s, U.K. rock was by Britons, for Britons. The music of the U.K. indie, Madchester and shoegaze scenes fused together into a new wave of guitar bands with punk energy, laddish lyrics and danceable grooves. They called it Britpop.

In the motherland, Britpop set the charts alight: Blur faced off against Oasis. Pulp poked fun at the class system. Suede sold androgyny, and Elastica repackaged ’70s art-punk as ’90s pop. But with rare exception, these hits didn’t translate in America. There was no Third British Invasion in the ’90s—with the exception of that one inscrutable Oasis song about a “Wonderwall.”

Why did Britpop fire up Old Blighty and flop with the Yanks? Join Chris Molanphy as he tries to define Britppop—was it a scene? a sound? a movement?—and explains how the music boomed and busted faster than a cannonball.

Podcast production by Kevin Bendis.

Make an impact this Asian American & Pacific Islander Heritage Month by helping Macy’s on their mission to fund APIA Scholars. Go to macys.com/purpose to learn more.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Death, Sex & Money - Hold On: When Shame Keeps You From Therapy

Wed, 24 May 2023 14:48:36 GMT

In this episode of Hold On, our live national call-in series about mental health, we asked listeners to call in if the idea of getting therapy was something they felt excluded from, either because of how they were raised, what they looked like, or expectations around masculinity and what it means to be strong. Dr. Avi Klein, psychotherapist, and Danielle Muñoz, director of Basic Needs at California State University, Long Beach, talked about their experiences helping people who were reluctant or nervous to get started.

Find resources here, and our whole Hold On series of live call-ins here: (https://www.wnycstudios.org/podcasts/deathsexmoney/articles/hold-mental-health-resources).

Got a story to share? Email us at deathsexmoney@wnyc.org.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - Is Ice Spice an Industry Plant?

Wed, 24 May 2023 07:00:00 GMT

On today’s episode, Rachelle Hampton and Candice Lim speak to Sidney Madden, the host of NPR’s music podcast Louder Than a Riot. The three discuss the meteoric rise of 23-year-old Bronx rapper Ice Spice and how she went from going viral for a TikTok challenge to appearing on the Met Gala red carpet as Anna Wintour’s special guest. They dive deep into the criticism levied at Ice Spice and discuss whether the scrutiny she faces is merited.

This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Daisy Rosario, Candice Lim and Rachelle Hampton.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Culture Gabfest - Sanctuary Is No Fifty Shades of Grey

Wed, 24 May 2023 07:00:00 GMT

This week, Slate’s senior editor Rebecca Onion fills in for Julia. The panel begins by examining Sanctuary, a claustrophobic BDSM thriller starring Margaret Qualley and Christopher Abbott. Then, they debate Freevee’s hard-to-define “reality” series Jury Duty. Finally, Dana and Stephen are joined by Slate music critic Chris Molanphy to discuss Morgan Wallen and his number one song, “Last Night” and the nature of cancel culture.

In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, the panel talks about Martha Stewart posing for Sports Illustrated’s swimsuit cover at 81 and what it actually achieves in terms of empowerment for women.

Email us at culturefest@slate.com.

Endorsements:

Stephen: “The Price of Crypto” — A comprehensive and non-esoteric summation of Bitcoin’s history (both the network and “currency”) published by The New York Review of Books.

Dana: The simple joy of spring cleaning — While clearing out her basement, Dana recently unearthed an old record player and rediscovered her love of listening to vinyls to pass time.

Rebecca: The Lure (2015) — To prepare for Disney’s upcoming The Little Mermaid live action revival, Rebecca and her husband are binging mermaid-related movies. At the top of her list: The Lure, a Polish musical-horror film directed by Agnieszka Smoczyńska that tells the tale of two sirens who emerge from the water and perform in a nightclub.

Outro music: “Any Other Way” by Particle House.

Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Kat Hong.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hang Up and Listen - Remembering Jim Brown

Mon, 22 May 2023 23:00:00 GMT

Josh Levin and Stefan Fatsis discuss the Heat and Nuggets and their stars Jimmy Butler and Nikola Jokic. They’re also joined by writers Dave Zirin and Jesse Washington to talk about the life and legacy of Jim Brown. Finally, Defector’s Maitreyi Anantharaman joins to assess Brittney Griner’s return, Becky Hammon’s suspension, and other WNBA storylines.

NBA (3:10): How Miami and Denver are steamrolling to the NBA Finals.

Jim Brown (24:00): He was a football star, a civil rights icon, and a domestic abuser. How should we think about him?

WNBA (54:25): Making sense of the busiest opening week in league history.

Afterball (1:13:56): Stefan on race, wealth, and baseball in Washington, D.C.

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Death, Sex & Money - Hold On: Let’s Talk About Psych Meds

Sat, 20 May 2023 16:00:00 GMT

1 in 5 American adults are taking medication to treat their mental health, that’s more than the number of people in therapy. Anna talks to sociologist Daniel Tadmon, and psychiatrist Dr. Kali Cyrus, about how the field of psychiatry is changing. Plus listeners call in about the drugs they’re on, the ones they’re trying to get off, and the prescription process.

Find resources here, and our whole Hold On series of live call-ins here: (https://www.wnycstudios.org/podcasts/deathsexmoney/articles/hold-mental-health-resources).

Got a story to share? Email us at deathsexmoney@wnyc.org.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - The Internet’s Biggest Secret

Sat, 20 May 2023 07:00:00 GMT

On today’s episode, Rachelle is joined for the first time by ICYMI’s new co-host. Tune in to hear their first internet memory, what four subreddits they visit every single day and the time they got catfished on mileyworld.com.

This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Rachelle Hampton and Daisy Rosario.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Death, Sex & Money - Hold On: My Diagnosis, My Self

Wed, 17 May 2023 16:00:00 GMT

Anna talks to psychology professor and researcher Dr. Craig Rodriguez-Seijas, about his work studying bias in mental health diagnostics, and takes listener calls about how a diagnosis has shaped their sense of identity, for better or worse. Plus, Aneri Pattani, Senior Correspondent at Kaiser Health News, explains what investments the Biden administration is making toward mental health.

Find resources here (https://www.wnycstudios.org/podcasts/deathsexmoney/articles/hold-mental-health-resources).

Hold On will be in your podcast feeds all month long, but you can also listen live on your local public radio station or stream it at wnyc.org/radio on Thursday, May 18th at 8p ET.

Got a story to share? Email us at deathsexmoney@wnyc.org.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Culture Gabfest - How the BlackBerry Got Squashed

Wed, 17 May 2023 07:00:00 GMT

This week, Dana, Julia, and Stephen start by talking about the movie BlackBerry. Then they discuss the new Peacock series Bupkis. Finally, Slate’s Isaac Butler sits in to talk about the questions around Shakespeare’s identity that refuse to die.

In Slate Plus, Steve's recent move and how physical place relates to phases of life.

Email us at culturefest@slate.com.

Endorsements:

Dana: The vibes-based playlists on Matthew Perpetua’s YouTube channel

Julia: Amityville: An Origin Story on MGM+ and Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One | The Biggest Stunt in Cinema History (Tom Cruise)

Stephen: See Feist live if you have the opportunity.

Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Kat Hong.

Outro music: "Bloody Hunter" by Paisley Pink

Make an impact this Asian American & Pacific Islander Heritage Month by helping Macy’s on their mission to fund APIA Scholars. Go to macys.com/purpose to learn more.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - Quiet Luxury is TikTok’s Latest Nonsensical Fashion Trend

Wed, 17 May 2023 07:00:00 GMT

On today’s episode, Rachelle is joined again by Nadira Goffe for a sequel to their August 2022 episode “What is A Clean Girl?” The two dive deep into TikTok’s latest favorite fashion trend: quiet luxury, or stealth wealth. The aesthetic’s adherents posits that rich people don’t dress in ostentatious labels, but instead communicate their wealth through brands like Brunello Cucinell, Loro Piana and The Row. Quiet luxurists point to figures like the Roy family from HBO’s Succession and Gwyneth Paltrow at her recent trial as examples of stealth wealth. But the trend, like it’s “old money” predecessor, is built on a fundamental misunderstanding of fashion, classism and racism.

This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Rachelle Hampton and Daisy Rosario.

Make an impact this Asian American & Pacific Islander Heritage Month by helping Macy’s on their mission to fund APIA Scholars. Go to macys.com/purpose to learn more.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hang Up and Listen - How to Cover a Dog Show

Tue, 16 May 2023 00:00:00 GMT

Josh Levin and Stefan Fatsis are joined by the Washington Post’s Ben Golliver to discuss the 76ers’ Game 7 loss to the Celtics and other NBA playoff storylines. Meg Rowley of FanGraphs also joins to assess the terrible Oakland A’s and the excellent Tampa Bay Rays. Finally, the New York Times’ Sarah Lyall talks about reporting on the Westminster Dog Show.

NBA (3:26): How Philly blew it and what to look for in the conference finals.

Baseball (30:15): Are the A’s one of the worst teams in history?

Dogs (52:13): How a breed few people have heard of won Best in Show.

Afterball (1:08:41): Stefan on Joe Kapp, NFL labor pioneer.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Death, Sex & Money - Hold On: How to Support our Teens' Mental Health

Sat, 13 May 2023 16:00:00 GMT

Anna takes calls from teenagers, and people who love teenagers, about adolescent mental health, along with psychologist Dr. Lisa Damour.

Find resources here (https://www.wnycstudios.org/podcasts/deathsexmoney/articles/hold-mental-health-resources).

Hold On will be in your podcast feeds all month long, but you can also listen live on your local public radio station on Thursdays at 8p ET.

Got a story to share? Email us at deathsexmoney@wnyc.org.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - The Ill-fated Brand Trip That Took Over TikTok

Sat, 13 May 2023 07:00:00 GMT

On today’s show, Rachelle is joined by ICYMI favorite, Nadira Goffe to talk about the makeup meltdown that’s taken over TikTok. The two dissect a Miami F1 brand trip sponsored by Tarte Cosmetics that ended in multiple apology videos and a promise by Tarte CEO Maureen Kelly to make her brand’s creator program more equitable. They dive deep into Tarte’s less than inclusive history and explain how exactly Pyrex got involved.

This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Rachelle Hampton and Daisy Rosario.

Make an impact this Asian American & Pacific Islander Heritage Month by helping Macy’s on their mission to fund APIA Scholars. Go to macys.com/purpose to learn more.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hit Parade | Music History and Music Trivia - Champagne Supernova Edition Part 1

Sat, 13 May 2023 03:59:00 GMT

Podcast production by Kevin Bendis.

Make an impact this Asian American & Pacific Islander Heritage Month by helping Macy’s on their mission to fund APIA Scholars. Go to macys.com/purpose to learn more.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Death, Sex & Money - Hold On: How Therapists See the Mental Health Crisis

Wed, 10 May 2023 16:00:00 GMT

Anna takes calls from mental health professionals along with psychiatrist Dr. Kali Cyrus, and you offer your tips for accessing care.

Find resources here (https://www.wnycstudios.org/podcasts/deathsexmoney/articles/hold-mental-health-resources).

Hold On will be in your podcast feeds all month long, but you can also listen live on your local public radio station or stream it at wnyc.org/radio on Thursday, May 11th and Thursday, May 18th starting at 8p ET.

Got a story to share? Email us at deathsexmoney@wnyc.org.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - We’re Sorry

Wed, 10 May 2023 07:00:00 GMT

On today’s episode, Rachelle is joined by the co-host of NPR’s Throughline podcast, Ramtin Arablouei, who recently did an episode about the history of public contrition from the Salem witch trials to the infamous notes app apology. The two discuss how the internet turbo-charged the commodification of apologies, the cynicism it’s led to and where we go from here.

This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Rachelle Hampton and Daisy Rosario.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Decoder Ring - Who Owns the Tooth Fairy?

Wed, 10 May 2023 07:00:00 GMT

We pride ourselves on being grounded, rational beings, but flitting amongst us is a mystery: the Tooth Fairy. This flying piece of folklore is alive and well in the 21st century, handed down to kids in whatever way their parents see fit.

In this episode, with the help of Tinkerbell, Santa Claus, and some savvy humans who are trying to exploit this strange creature’s untapped intellectual property, we’ll explore the origins of this childhood ritual, its durability—and its remarkable resistance to commercialization.

This podcast was written by Willa Paskin, who produces Decoder Ring with Katie Shepherd. This episode was edited by Jamie York. Derek John is Slate’s executive producer of narrative podcasts. Merritt Jacob is our senior technical director.

Thank you to Charles Duan, Jim Piddock, Purva Merchant, Hannah Morris, Laurie Leahy, Torie Bosch, and Rebecca Onion. Also, a big tip of the hat to Rosemary Wells, the dental school instructor who in the 1970s began exploring the Tooth Fairy’s, ahem, roots . Much of Wells’ work is out of print, but you can find one of her pieces in a collection called The Good People: New Fairylore Essays.

If you haven’t please yet, subscribe and rate our feed in Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. And even better, tell your friends.

If you’re a fan of the show, sign up for Slate Plus. You’ll be able to listen to Decoder Ring without any ads—and your support is crucial to our work. Go to www.slate.com/decoderplus to join Slate Plus today.

Decoder Ring is now available on YouTube. Listen here: https://slate.trib.al/ucMyTst

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Culture Gabfest - Dead Ringers' Gynecological Horror

Wed, 10 May 2023 07:00:00 GMT

This week, Dana, Julia, and Stephen begin by talking about the new Amazon series, Dead Ringers. Then the L.A. Times’ Anousha Sakoui joins to discuss the WGA strike. Finally, Slate’s Dan Kois sits in to talk about the writing and revising of the story of digital media and Ben Smith’s book "Traffic.”

In Slate Plus, the panel gets into the health of alcohol and caffeine, inspired by this Slate article:

https://slate.com/technology/2023/04/alcohol-wine-drinking-healthy-dangerous-study.html

Email us at culturefest@slate.com.

Endorsements:

Dana: Newsreels from the UCLA Film & Television Archive

Julia: The Ultimate L.A. Bookshelf

Stephen: Jan Lisiecki - Chopin: Complete Nocturnes

Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Yesica Balderrama.

Outro music: "The Red Light Special" by Matt Large.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hang Up and Listen - Bronny to USC

Tue, 09 May 2023 00:00:00 GMT

Josh Levin and Slate’s Jack Hamilton and Ben Mathis-Lilley discuss Nikola Jokic’s tiff with Suns owner Mat Ishbia and Kevin Durant’s quest for a third title. They also talk about Alabama’s head baseball coach getting fired in a sports gambling scandal. Finally, they assess Bronny James’ decision to go to USC.

NBA (3:11): The subplots and plot twists of the Suns-Nuggets Western Conference semis.

Gambling (24:58): The NCAA and the pro sports leagues are walking a thin line with legalized betting.

Bronny (47:50): What his decision to play college basketball says about the sport and his future prospects.

Afterball (1:05:00): Josh and Jack on gun violence, sports, and the three Virginia football players who were killed in November.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - Inside the Nexus of Wellness Culture

Sat, 06 May 2023 07:00:00 GMT

On today’s show, Rachelle is joined by Hannah Jackson, the culture writer and reporter behind the recent Cut article “Meet the People Working Three Jobs to Afford Erewhon.” The two discuss how Erewhon transformed from a humble Boston market stall into what Jackson described as a “a luxury-wellness behemoth.” They dive deep into the culture cache that shopping at Erewhon offers to people from Hailey Bieber to a 20-something aspiring wellness content creator.

This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Rachelle Hampton and Daisy Rosario.

Make an impact this Asian American & Pacific Islander Heritage Month by helping Macy’s on their mission to fund APIA Scholars. Go to macys.com/purpose to learn more.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Death, Sex & Money - Leaving the Extreme Right, and a Marriage, Behind

Wed, 03 May 2023 16:00:00 GMT

Anna and Micah Loewinger, correspondent for On the Media, travel to Montana to talk to Tasha Adams about her decades-long marriage with Stewart Rhodes, founder of the far-right Oath Keepers.

Plus, Tasha sits down with Kelly Jones, ex-wife of far-right radio host Alex Jones, and they compare notes on their marriages, and reflect on their secret text exchanges from 2018, when Tasha was plotting her escape from Stewart with her six kids.

Subscribe to On the Media to hear Micah's episode about testifying in the Stewart Rhodes criminal trial. That's out later this month.

And for more Tasha, check out the podcast This is Uncomfortable from Marketplace. They did a series with Tasha, and her oldest child Dakota, that dropped last fall.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Culture Gabfest - Judy Blume Blooms Again

Wed, 03 May 2023 07:00:00 GMT

This week, Dana, Julia, and Stephen begin by talking about the new Netflix series “The Diplomat.” Then Slate’s Heather Schwedel joins them to discuss the adaptation of Judy Blume’s Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret. Finally, they chat about weddings, as inspired by Slate’s recent wedding coverage.

In Slate Plus, the panel gets into their relationships with Google Maps, prompted by this article in the Atlantic: https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2023/04/google-maps-world-perception/673834/

Email us at culturefest@slate.com.

Endorsements:

Dana: The 2010 National Theatre production of Hamlet starring Rory Kinnear.

Julia: L.A. Times’ The Wide Shot newsletter to help you stay informed about the WGA strike.

Stephen: The HBO series High Maintenance. (And, via Dana, the original web series.)

Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Yesica Balderrama.

Outro music: "Champions Day" by Lupus Nocte.

Make an impact this Asian American & Pacific Islander Heritage Month by helping Macy’s on their mission to fund APIA Scholars. Go to macys.com/purpose to learn more.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - Should Influencers Unionize?

Wed, 03 May 2023 07:00:00 GMT

On today’s show, Rachelle is joined by Wailin Wong, Darian Woods and Adrian Ma, the hosts of NPR’s daily economics podcast The Indicator from Planet Money. They discuss The Indicator’s recent five-part series on the $15 billion influencer industry that delves into where all that money is going—and where it’s not. They dive deep into the rise of the industry and how it emerged out of the economic precarity of the 2008 recession. They also talk through the astonishing fact that according to some surveys, almost 1 out of every 4 Gen Z-er wants to be an influencer.

This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Daisy Rosario and Rachelle Hampton.

Make an impact this Asian American & Pacific Islander Heritage Month by helping Macy’s on their mission to fund APIA Scholars. Go to macys.com/purpose to learn more.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Decoder Ring - Why You Can’t Find a Damn Parking Spot

Wed, 03 May 2023 07:00:00 GMT

Parking is one of the great paradoxes of American life. On the one hand, we have paved an ungodly amount of land to park our cars. On the other, it seems like it’s never enough.

Slate’s Henry Grabar has spent the last few years investigating how our pathological need for car storage determines the look, feel, and function of the places we live. It turns out our quest for parking has made some of our biggest problems worse.

In this episode, we’re going to hunt for parking, from the mean streets of Brooklyn to the sandy lots of Florida. We’ll explore how parking has quietly damaged the American landscape—and see what might fix it.

This episode was written by Henry Grabar, author of Paved Paradise: How Parking Explains the World. It was edited by Willa Paskin, who produces Decoder Ring with Katie Shepherd. We had extra production from Patrick Fort and editing help from Joel Meyer. Derek John is Slate’s executive producer of narrative podcasts. Merritt Jacob is our senior technical director.

Thank you to: Jane Wilberding, Rachel Weinberger, Donald Shoup, Andrés Duany, Robert Davis, Micah Davis, Christy Milliken, Fletcher Isacks, Victor Benhamou, and Nina Pareja.

If you have any cultural mysteries you want us to decode, you can email us at DecoderRing@slate.com

If you haven’t yet, please subscribe and rate our feed in Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. (Even better, tell your friends.)

Decoder Ring is now available on YouTube. Listen here: https://slate.trib.al/ucMyTst

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Hang Up and Listen - Steph Curry Lights the Beam

Mon, 01 May 2023 23:30:00 GMT

Stefan Fatsis and Josh Levin are joined by the Washington Post’s Ben Golliver to talk about the Warriors’ Game 7 win over the Kings. The Toronto Star’s Bruce Arthur also joins to discuss the Bruins’ NHL playoffs flop and the Maple Leafs’ historic first-round victory. Finally, Extra Points’ Matt Brown assesses Deion Sanders’ gutting of the Colorado football team.

Warriors-Kings (3:26): How Steph willed the defending champs to victory.

NHL (6:08): Another year, another regular-season juggernaut that won’t win the title.

Colorado football (48:50): Are Deion Sanders’ roster cuts immoral?

Afterballs (1:11:20): Stefan on a Penn basketball star in the transfer portal and Josh on the time a German soccer club signed the entire Cuban national team.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - Should We All Be Pirating More?

Sat, 29 Apr 2023 07:00:00 GMT

On today’s episode, Rachelle is joined by Sarah Marshall, writer, critic and host of the You’re Wrong About and You Are Good podcasts. The two discuss Marshall’s recent You’re Wrong About episode about Napster, the ill-fated peer-to-peer file sharing app that helped create the internet as we know it. They dive deep into the moral and ethical quandaries around pirating content in an age where corporations can disappear content from streaming services at a second’s notice.

This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Rachelle Hampton and Daisy Rosario.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hit Parade | Music History and Music Trivia - The British Are Charting Edition Part 2

Fri, 28 Apr 2023 19:00:00 GMT

Before 1964, British bands couldn’t get anywhere on the U.S. charts. Then suddenly, after a certain Fab Four broke, they were everywhere. By 1965, they had locked down our Top 10.

In 1981, a new generation of U.K. acts armed with synthesizers were largely shut out of the Hot 100 once again. But then a new video channel called MTV changed the game—helped by some very pretty men in dapper suits. By 1983, half of the U.S. Top 40 had a British accent.

What did these two movements have in common, besides screaming fans and impressive hair? Join Chris Molanphy as he dissects these two bloodless coups that rebooted our hit parade. These Invasions were about as easy as a nuclear war.

Podcast production by Kevin Bendis.

Make an impact this Earth Month by helping Macy’s on their mission to bring more parks to more people across the country. Go to macys.com/purpose to learn more.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Death, Sex & Money - The Voice of NYC's Subways Comes Out as Trans

Wed, 26 Apr 2023 16:00:00 GMT

Voiceover artist and journalist Bernie Wagenblast shares her journey to coming out as a trans woman.

Listen to our episode with Jane Fonda here: https://www.wnycstudios.org/podcasts/deathsexmoney/episodes/death-and-divorce-gave-jane-fonda-strength

Got a story to share? Email us at deathsexmoney@wnyc.org.

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Decoder Ring - The Artist Who Was Both Loved and Disdained

Wed, 26 Apr 2023 07:00:00 GMT

We bring you a special episode from Sidedoor, a podcast about the treasures that fill the vaults of the Smithsonian. This story is inspired by “Big Band,” a defining work by the painter LeRoy Neiman.

Neiman was a character, a cultural gadfly and an omnipresent artist who sat for decades right at the nexus of professional success, cultural ubiquity, and critical disregard. What made him so popular? What made him so disdained? And what can we learn from how he resolved this dissonance?

Sidedoor is produced by the Smithsonian with PRX.

This episode of Sidedoor was produced by Lizzie Peabody, Justin O’Neill, and James Morrison with help from Stefanie De Leon Tzic. The editorial team includes Ann Conanan, Caitlin Shaffer, Tami O’Neill, Jess Sadeq, Lara Koch, and Sharon Bryant. The show is mixed by Tarek Fouda and the theme song and episode music are by Breakmaster Cylinder.

Decoder Ring is produced by Willa Paskin and Katie Shepherd. Derek John is Executive Producer of Narrative Podcasts. Merritt Jacob is our Technical Director.

Special thanks to Joel Meyer, the LeRoy Neiman and Janet Byrne Neiman Foundation, especially Tara Zabor, Dan Duray, Heather Long, and Janet Neiman. Also thank you to the team at the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History: Stephanie Johnson, Ken Kimery, Theo Gonzalvez, Eric Jentsch, John Troutman, Krystal Klingenberg, Valeska Hilbig, and Laura Duff. Thank you to Smithsonian Folkways Recordings for contributing music for this episode, and also to the Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra.

If you haven’t yet, please subscribe and rate our feed in Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. And even better, tell your friends.

If you’re a fan of the show, sign up for Slate Plus.

Slate Plus members get to listen to Decoder Ring without any ads. Their support is also crucial to our work. So please go to Slate.com/decoderplus to join Slate Plus today.

Decoder Ring is now available on YouTube. Listen here: http://y2u.be/D8cLqWAffJ8

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Culture Gabfest - The Mario Movie's Star Power

Wed, 26 Apr 2023 07:00:00 GMT

This week, host Julia Tuner is joined by guest-hosts Jamelle Bouie and Nadira Goffe. In the first segment, they discuss The Super Mario Bros. Movie, which currently tops the box office and stars Chris Pratt, Anya Taylor-Joy, and numerous other big stars. After that, the panel talks about Chimp Empire, a new Netflix nature series narrated by Mahershala Ali. Then they wrap things up with a conversation about A.I. music and the song Heart on My Sleeve, which sounds like a collaboration between Drake and The Weekend, but…isn’t.

Endorsements

Jamelle Bouie: The 1971 film Carnal Knowledge, directed by Mike Nichols.

Nadira Goffe: Ackee and saltfish, a delicious Jamaican breakfast.

Julia Turner: The 2011 documentary Sing Your Song about Harry Belafonte.

Questions? Comments? Email us at culturefest@slate.com

Production assistance by Yesica Balderama. Production by Cameron Drews.

Outro music: “What We Didn't Do” by Particle House.

Slate Plus members get ad-free podcasts, a bonus segment in each episode of the Culture Gabfest, full access to Slate's journalism on Slate.com, and more. Sign up now at slate.com/cultureplus.

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ICYMI - We’ve Learned Nothing From West Elm Caleb

Wed, 26 Apr 2023 07:00:00 GMT

On today’s show, Rachelle is joined by Slate staff writer Nitish Pahwa for a mailbag episode. The two answer questions about Jojo Siwa’s rumored pregnancy, the fate of the music industry after an AI-generated Drake song went viral and the most recent instance of internet vigilantism.

This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Rachelle Hampton and Daisy Rosario.

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Hang Up and Listen - Baseball Announcers vs. the Pitch Clock

Mon, 24 Apr 2023 22:00:00 GMT

Stefan Fatsis and Josh Levin are joined by Slate’s Jack Hamilton to talk about Draymond Green, Dillon Brooks, and NBA villainy. Chicago White Sox announcer Jason Benetti also joins to discuss how to call a baseball game in the pitch-clock era. Finally, Talia Barrington comes on for a conversation about same-sex pairs in figure skating.

NBA villains (3:01): The basketball playoffs need bad guys.

Jason Benetti (24:39): “We are covering a different sport now.”

Same-sex pairs (47:10): Is figure skating ready for a monumental change?

Afterball (1:05:24): Stefan on the Athletics’ long history of threatening to move.

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ICYMI - Has TikTok Ruined Live Music?

Sat, 22 Apr 2023 07:00:00 GMT

On today’s episode, Rachelle is joined by Alex Sujong Laughlin, a supervising producer and co-owner of Defector Media where she makes the podcast, Normal Gossip. Alex and Rachelle dive deep into the age-old debate over concert spoilers, a debate that’s been turbo-charged by TikTok where over 80 million people watched the first two nights of Taylor Swift's "Eras" The ease of finding a livestream of some of the most expensive concerts in the world raises the question: why go to a concert when you can go on TikTok?

This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Rachelle Hampton and Daisy Rosario.

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Decoder Ring - The Curious Case of Columbo's Message to Romania Part 2

Wed, 19 Apr 2023 07:00:00 GMT

Last week, we put on the proverbial raincoat and made like Columbo to investigate Peter Falk’s claim that he recorded a special Cold War message telling Romanians to “put down their guns.” This week, we’re back on the case, and what started out as a zany inquiry goes to some serious and surprising places.

Part two of this caper, involves dubbers, propagandists, a couple of 90 year olds and the legacy of a brutal dictatorship. It’s a story about celebrity, diplomacy, memory, and the limitations of all three—and about the power of television not to get Romanians to put down their guns, as Falk would have it, but to pick them up.

This podcast was written by Willa Paskin who produces Decoder Ring with Katie Shepherd. This episode was edited by Joel Meyer. Derek John is Slate’s executive producer of narrative podcasts. Merritt Jacob is senior technical director.

Special thank you to Oana Godanu Kenworthy who was instrumental in figuring this all out as well as Andrada Lautaru who translated and worked with us from Romania.

Thank you to: Andrei Codrescu, Cameron Gorman, Gabriel Roth, Ilinca Calugareanu, Harry Geisel, Elaine McDevitt, Michael Messenger, Gerald Krell, Ash Hawken, Tom Mullins, Jessica Leporin, Jerry Gruner and Marie Whalen.

There’s a number of documentaries that were instrumental to reporting this episode: Videograms from a Revolution; Chuck Norris vs Communism; The Autobiography of Nicolae Ceausescu, The Rise and Fall of Ceausescu: and Whatever Happened to Blood Sweat and Tears.

If you can’t get enough Columbo, make sure to listen to our previous two-parter on McGruff the crime dog, who was directly inspired by Peter Falk’s detective, and features a wild soundtrack.

If you haven’t yet, please subscribe and rate our feed on Spotify, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. And even better, tell your friends.

If you’re a fan of the show, we'd love for you to sign up for Slate Plus.

Slate Plus members get to listen to Decoder Ring without any ads. Their support is also crucial to our work. So please go to www.slate.com/decoderplus to join Slate Plus today.

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ICYMI - How the Internet Broke Netflix’s “Love is Blind”

Wed, 19 Apr 2023 07:00:00 GMT

On today’s show, Rachelle is joined by Jonquilyn Hill, reporter and host of Vox’s politics and policy show The Weeds. The two take a deep dive into the most recent season of the Netflix reality dating show Love is Blind and how the internet has become the show’s shadow producer. They discuss Netflix’s attempt to muscle its way into the live-streaming market and the spectacular failure of the highly-anticipated live Love is Blind reunion on Sunday night.

This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Daisy Rosario and Rachelle Hampton.

Make an impact this Earth Month by helping Macy’s on their mission to bring more parks to more people across the country. Go to macys.com/purpose to learn more.

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Culture Gabfest - Beau is Afraid and Ari Aster is Unwell

Wed, 19 Apr 2023 07:00:00 GMT

This week, Slate’s Sam Adams joins Dana and Stephen to talk about auteur Ari Aster’s newest film, Beau is Afraid. Then they discuss the new Hulu limited series, Tiny Beautiful Things. Finally, they chat about the state of the music business as inspired by this recent article: https://www.thenation.com/article/society/music-industry-ipod/

In Slate Plus, the panel goes deep into spoilers and specifics about Beau is Afraid.

Email us at culturefest@slate.com.

Endorsements:

Dana: Sir John Soane’s Museum in London.

Sam: The Voyager by Jenny Lewis

Stephen: Multitudes by Feist, as well as the Feist and Kings of Convenience collaboration “Red Wing” (mislabeled as “Rewind” on YouTube).

Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Yesica Balderrama.

Outro music: "Did I Make You Wait" by Staffan Carlen

Slate Plus members get ad-free podcasts, a bonus segment in each episode of the Culture Gabfest, full access to Slate's journalism on Slate.com, and more. Sign up now at slate.com/cultureplus.

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Hang Up and Listen - So Long, Dan Snyder

Mon, 17 Apr 2023 22:30:00 GMT

Stefan Fatsis and Josh Levin are joined by Defector’s Patrick Redford to talk about the Sacramento Kings’ first playoff win in 17 years. Defector’s Dave McKenna also joins to commemorate the (supposed) end of Dan Snyder’s ownership of the Washington Commanders. Finally, Sports Illustrated’s Jon Wertheim comes on to assess the WTA’s decision to return to China.

Kings (3:21): What it felt and sounded like when Sacramento beat Golden State.

Snyder (23:31): Will D.C. ever recover from his horrific tenure?

WTA (45:47): Is women’s tennis choosing profit over principle?

Afterball (1:07:47): Josh on a remarkable shift in American tennis.

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ICYMI - Meet the Internet’s Princess

Sat, 15 Apr 2023 07:00:00 GMT

For the third installment of Internet Diaries, Rachelle is joined by 21-year-old cultural critic and internet essayist Rayne Fisher-Quann, who has amassed a devoted following on TikTok, Substack, Instagram and Twitter. The two discuss Fisher-Quann’s online work around leftism, feminism, mental illness, along with her ethics of posting and how she resists brandification even as her star continues to rise.

This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Rachelle Hampton and Daisy Rosario.

Make an impact this Earth Month by helping Macy’s on their mission to bring more parks to more people across the country. Go to macys.com/purpose to learn more.

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Hit Parade | Music History and Music Trivia - The British Are Charting Edition Part 1

Sat, 15 Apr 2023 03:50:00 GMT

Before 1964, British bands couldn’t get anywhere on the U.S. charts. Then suddenly, after a certain Fab Four broke, they were everywhere. By 1965, they had locked down our Top 10.

Podcast production by Kevin Bendis.

Make an impact this Earth Month by helping Macy’s on their mission to bring more parks to more people across the country. Go to macys.com/purpose to learn more.

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Death, Sex & Money - John Green on OCD, Writing, and Loving Middle-Age

Wed, 12 Apr 2023 14:56:17 GMT

The writer talks about longing to fall in love, his life with mental illness, and why adulthood is underrated.

This episode originally aired in 2018, and contains a description of suicidal ideation. If you find yourself in a moment of crisis like John did and need to talk with someone, the National Suicide Prevention Hotline is 988. They're open 24/7—please ask for help.

Got a story to share? Email us at deathsexmoney@wnyc.org.

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Culture Gabfest - Nike Gets Its Biopic

Wed, 12 Apr 2023 07:00:00 GMT

This week, Slate’s Rebecca Onion joins Julia and Stephen to talk about the Nike shoe story, Air. Then they discuss the new Netflix series Beef. Finally, Slate’s Carl Wilson joins to chat about the first full album by supergroup Boygenius.

In Slate Plus, the panel talks about leftovers and food waste, inspired by Tamar Adler's book The Everlasting Meal Cookbook.

Email us at culturefest@slate.com.

Endorsements:

Rebecca: The new memoir Don’t Call Me Home by Alexandra Auder.

Julia: Julia is endorsing the activity that is googling things with your kids, as inspired by her family’s deep dive into the history of Fanta while on vacation.

Stephen: Jazz pianist Brad Mehldau’s album Your Mother Should Know: Brad Mehldau Plays The Beatles

Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Yesica Balderrama.

Outro music: "Jenny's Alright" by OTE.

Make an impact this Earth Month by helping Macy’s on their mission to bring more parks to more people across the country. Go to macys.com/purpose to learn more.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Decoder Ring - The Curious Case of Columbo's Message to Romania Part 1

Wed, 12 Apr 2023 07:00:00 GMT

Not too long ago an old clip surfaced of Peter Falk on David Letterman, in which he told an intriguing tale about recording a special Cold War message for Romanian state television. The clip went viral and got our attention — but was it actually true? Did a fictional American detective really help quell a communist revolt?

We donned the proverbial raincoat and started sleuthing—at which point Falk’s late night anecdote cracked open into an intricate geopolitical saga that stretches from DC to Bucharest; from a Los Angeles hotel room to the palatial estate of a despot. It’s a story that involves dueling ideologies, dozens of diplomats, and millions of viewers. It’s an honest-to-goodness cold war caper about American soft power behind the iron curtain, and it’s so involved it’s going to take two episodes to solve.

This podcast was written by Willa Paskin, who produces Decoder Ring with Katie Shepherd. This episode was edited by Joel Meyer. Derek John is Slate’s executive producer of narrative podcasts. Merritt Jacob is senior technical director.

A special thank you to Andrada Lautaru who translated and worked with me from Romania. Thank you to Carol and Joel Levy, Jonathan Rickert, Alan and Aury Fernandez, Katie Koob, Felix Rentschler, Richard Viets, Jock Shirley, Gabriel Roth, Cameron Gorman, Torie Bosch, Delia Marinescu, David Koenig, Don Giller, Forest Bachner, Corina Popa, David Langbart, William Burr, Asgeir Sigfusson, John Frankensteiner, Tom Hoban, and everyone else who helped with this episode. Thank you to Evan Chung.

For research into Romanian T.V., Willa relied heavily on the scholarly work of Dana Mustata, Alexandru Matei, Annemarie Sorescu‐Marinković, and the screening socialism project from the University of Loughborough. She also relied on the work of Dennis Deletant and Timothy W Ryback’s Rock Around the Bloc, a history of rock music in Eastern Europe and the Soviet Union

You also heard a song in this episode from the Romanian band Phoenix.

If you haven’t please yet, subscribe and rate our feed in Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. And even better, tell your friends.

If you’re a fan of the show and want to support us, consider signing up for Slate Plus.

Slate Plus members get to listen to Decoder Ring without any ads. Their support is also crucial to our work. So please go to www.slate.com/decoderplus to join Slate Plus today.

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ICYMI - The Free Trial Period of Social Media Is Over

Wed, 12 Apr 2023 07:00:00 GMT

On today’s episode, Rachelle is joined by Alex Kantrowitz, the writer behind the Big Technology newsletter and podcast. The two discuss the recent changes to Twitter Blue and how paying for Twitter might be a joke, it won’t be for other platforms like Instagram and TikTok. As paid verification models become de rigueur in a bid to woo content creators, what will that mean for the average social media user? Is this all just a giant protection racket? Or is it platforms catering to the people who actually create content for them?

This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Rachelle Hampton and Daisy Rosario.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hang Up and Listen - The Mavericks Tank Out of the Playoffs

Mon, 10 Apr 2023 23:30:00 GMT

Stefan Fatsis and Josh Levin are joined by ESPN’s Kevin Pelton to talk about what went wrong for the Dallas Mavericks and to preview the NBA postseason. Slate’s Jim Newell also joins to discuss Jon Rahm’s Masters win. Finally, they speak with LJ Rader about his Twitter and Instagram accounts Art But Make It Sports.

NBA (4:20): Why did the Mavs lose on purpose? And how is the Western Conference shaping up?

Masters (24:31): What the year’s first major means for LIV and the future of golf.

Art But Make It Sports (44:35): Sports photos + paintings = mash-up magic.

Afterball (1:03:30): Stefan on the baseball Hall of Famer who lived in his childhood home.

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ICYMI - Blac Chyna and the New Plastic Surgery Era

Sat, 08 Apr 2023 07:00:00 GMT

On today’s episode, Rachelle Hampton is joined by Terry Nguyen, a culture writer and critic and staff writer for the digital culture newsletter Dirt. The two discuss Angela White, better known as Blac Chyna, who has taken to Instagram to document the process of her cosmetic surgery reversal. She’s been met with near universal praise which raises the question: are we entering a new plastic surgery era where less is more? If we are, what does that mean for the IG baddie of yore? And what does it mean for the increasing amounts of Americans who are receiving cosmetic surgery?

This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Daniel Schroeder, Daisy Rosario and Rachelle Hampton.

Make an impact this Earth Month by helping Macy’s on their mission to bring more parks to more people across the country. Go to macys.com/purpose to learn more.

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Decoder Ring - Spring 2023 Teaser

Wed, 05 Apr 2023 22:00:00 GMT

Decoder Ring is back with a new season of cultural mysteries to crack. We'll kick things off with a proper Cold War caper....did Peter Falk, star of the old TV show Columbo, really team up with the U.S. Government to help quell a communist revolution in Romania? Next, we'll get behind the wheel to investigate why it's so hard to park our cars—even though we’ve built so much parking. Finally, with an assist from my kids, we'll take a closer look at a magical being that remains surprisingly free from commercialization: the Tooth Fairy.

You can hear these episodes and more on the new season of Decoder Ring. Launching April 12, 2023. Subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts.

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Death, Sex & Money - The Movies That Taught Us What Sex Could Be

Wed, 05 Apr 2023 16:00:00 GMT

Your stories about the beloved – and complicated – movies you saw that taught you about sex.

Got a story to share? Email us at deathsexmoney@wnyc.org.

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ICYMI - Buying Concert Tickets Online is Still a Hellscape

Wed, 05 Apr 2023 07:00:00 GMT

On today’s episode, Rachelle Hampton is joined by Justin Richmond, co-host of the music podcast Broken Record and host of the new podcast Started From the Bottom. The two discuss what, if anything, has changed with the online ticketing giant Ticketmaster since ticket sales for Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour dominated headlines. How did Ticketmaster come to account for 70% of the ticketing and live event market? Now that it does, what responsibility do artists have to their fans to keep ticket prices accessible? Can real lasting change be made to system that most agree is broken?

This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Daisy Rosario, Daniel Schroeder and Rachelle Hampton.

Make an impact this Earth Month by helping Macy’s on their mission to bring more parks to more people across the country. Go to macys.com/purpose to learn more.

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Culture Gabfest - Dungeons, Dragons, and Depressed College Professors

Wed, 05 Apr 2023 07:00:00 GMT

This week, Slate’s own Nadira Goffe and Working co-host Isaac Butler join Dana to talk about Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves. Then they discuss the new AMC series starring Bob Odenkirk, Lucky Hank. Finally, Slate’s Dan Kois joins to talk about the poet Maggie Smith and an essay that was excerpted from her new memoir, You Could Make This Place Beautiful.

In Slate Plus, the panel talks about Phantom of the Opera finally leaving Broadway after more than three decades.

Email us at culturefest@slate.com.

Endorsements:

Nadira: Nadira encourages you to visit the weirdo, small museums in your area that you might not go to otherwise, as inspired by her impromptu visit to the New York Transit Museum.

Isaac: The movie The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent and the book Dear Committee Members.

Dana: A Swim in a Pond in the Rain by George Saunders

Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Yesica Balderrama.

Outro music is: "Last Sunday" by OTE

Make an impact this Earth Month by helping Macy’s on their mission to bring more parks to more people across the country. Go to macys.com/purpose to learn more.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hang Up and Listen - Angel Reese Takes Down Caitlin Clark

Mon, 03 Apr 2023 23:00:00 GMT

Stefan Fatsis and Josh Levin are joined by the Athletic’s Sabreena Merchant to discuss LSU’s victory over Iowa in the women’s NCAA Tournament. Tennis player Matija Pecotic also joins to talk about how he went from a full-time job to victory on the pro tour. Finally, Jody Avirgan discusses his podcast Good Sport and whether sports debate shows are hurting America.

Women’s NCAA Tournament (6:44): The on-court battles and the off-court controversies.

Pecotic (31:00): The star of one of the sports world’s best underdog stories tells all.

Sports debate shows (54:12): What has Stephen A. Smith wrought?

Afterball (01:15:30): Josh on some recent remembrances of Zelmo Beaty.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - Succession’s Kendall Roy is the Internet’s Girlboss

Sat, 01 Apr 2023 07:00:00 GMT

On today’s episode, Rachelle Hampton is joined once again by BuzzFeed internet culture report Kelsey Weekman. The two discuss the fandom surrounding Succession’s Kendall Roy, the second son of billionaire Logan Roy, played by Jeremy Strong.

This podcast is produced by Daniel Schroeder, Se’era Spragley Ricks, Daisy Rosario and Rachelle Hampton.

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ICYMI - ICYMI: Live from Copenhagen

Wed, 29 Mar 2023 09:00:00 GMT

On today’s episode, ICYMI goes international! Rachelle Hampton is joined by Lucia Odoom of Poptillægget, a Danish podcast about pop culture. On stage at CPH:DOX, the two discuss growing up online as black women in predominately white environments, the joys of fandom and answer the question of whether you can keep up with internet culture without being on TikTok.

This podcast is produced by Daniel Schroeder, Rachelle Hampton, Se’era Spragley Ricks and Daisy Rosario.

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Culture Gabfest - John Wick Whacks the Box Office

Wed, 29 Mar 2023 07:00:00 GMT

This week, Slate’s own Nadira Goffe joins Dana and Stephen as they begin by talking about John Wick 4. Then they discuss a new streaming series about fandom gone too far called Swarm. Finally, they chat about why classical music is getting more popular among young people.

In Slate Plus, the panel discusses Freud’s comeback.

Email us at culturefest@slate.com.

Endorsements:

Dana: Lorraine Hunt sings Handel

Nadira: The app and website Music League

Stephen: “The Trails of the Young: A Semester” by Mary Gaitskill

Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Yesica Balderrama.

Outro music is: "Self Made Woman" by Katharine Appleton.

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Death, Sex & Money - Alice Wong On Medicaid, Rage, and “Good Care”

Wed, 29 Mar 2023 05:35:46 GMT

Anna first talked with disability rights activist Alice Wong in 2020 about self-advocacy, as well as how she manages money, Medicaid, and her and her parents' futures. But after a health crisis, Alice shared an update.

You can read more of Alice’s recent essays in Teen Vogue (https://www.teenvogue.com/story/alice-wong-hospitalization-crowdfunding-community), for CNN (https://www.cnn.com/2023/02/22/opinions/caregiver-advocacy-legislation-wong-ctrp/index.html), and on the Disability Visibility Project’s website (https://disabilityvisibilityproject.com/2022/08/07/my-icu-summer-a-photo-essay/).

Got a story to share? Email us at deathsexmoney@wnyc.org.

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Hang Up and Listen - Caitlin Clark Is Changing the Game

Mon, 27 Mar 2023 23:35:00 GMT

Stefan Fatsis and Josh Levin are joined by the Athletic’s Sabreena Merchant to talk about Iowa women’s basketball star Caitlin Clark. The Washington Post’s Chuck Culpepper also joins to assess the most surprising men’s Final Four ever. Finally, Tom Haberstroh of Meadowlark Media discusses the vitriol directed at NBA referees.

Clark (2:50): The secrets of the Iowa point guard’s success.

Men’s tourney surprises (26:33): Miami? San Diego State? Florida Atlantic?!?

NBA refs (44:20): Who’s responsible for all the rancor?

Afterball (1:07:20): Stefan on the Princeton basketball team’s not-so-sad Sweet Sixteen defeat.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - Gwyneth Paltrow and the Ozempic Craze

Sat, 25 Mar 2023 09:00:00 GMT

On today’s episode, Rachelle Hampton is joined by Kate Lindsay of the Embedded newsletter to talk about the latest in diet discourse. They discuss Gwyneth Paltrow’s recent interview and the flak she got for revealing she drank bone broth most days for lunch, the recent rise of weight loss drugs like Ozempic, and how the ways people are talking about them sound all too familiar.

This podcast is produced by Daniel Schroeder, Rachelle Hampton, and Daisy Rosario.

Subscribe to Slate Plus at http://slate.com/icymiplus

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Hit Parade | Music History and Music Trivia - Raise Your Glass Edition Part 2

Fri, 24 Mar 2023 23:00:00 GMT

Alecia Moore was so fearless, they put an exclamation point in her name. Pink—a.k.a. P!nk—was full of bravado from the moment she broke at the turn of the millennium, singing a frothy style of teen pop&B. She was promoted as ethnically ambiguous and sold to white and Black audiences as a sassy Total Request Live starlet. She even joined an all-star remake of “Lady Marmalade.”

But Pink felt misrepresented, even Missundaztood—so she recorded an album by that name, fusing rock guitar, dance beats and filter-free lyrics. She called out shiftless boyfriends, other pop stars, even the president of her record label in the lyrics of her hits, becoming the pop fan’s rock star.

Join Chris Molanphy as he explains how Pink defined her own genre fusing punk attitude and soaring melodies into 21st-century self-empowerment music. She made herself into a rock star, simply by calling herself one. Who knew?

Podcast production by Kevin Bendis.

Make an impact this Women’s History Month by helping Macy’s on their mission to fund girls in STEM. Go to macys.com/purpose to learn more.

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Death, Sex & Money - Kate Bowler on Shame, Productivity, and Living with Chronic Pain

Wed, 22 Mar 2023 16:00:00 GMT

The professor and Everything Happens podcast host talks about growing up in a Mennonite community, living with chronic pain, and the small things that bring her joy.

Got a story to share? Email us at deathsexmoney@wnyc.org.

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ICYMI - Encore: Someone’s Selling Human Bones on TikTok?

Wed, 22 Mar 2023 09:00:00 GMT

Today, we’re revisiting one of our early favorite episodes from August 2021 about selling bones on TikTok.

In the episode, Rachelle Hampton and Madison Malone Kircher try to figure out if it’s legal to buy and sell human remains. They’re joined by Tanya Marsh, a professor at Wake Forest who specializes in funeral and cemetery law, to find out what the legal system says about the human bone market, the ethical questions surrounding such a market, and why we still have rights even after we die. If you’d like to know more about the history of the human bone trade, check out this video, “Can You Legally Buy a Real Human Skeleton?”

Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder and Derek John.

Subscribe to Slate Plus at http://slate.com/icymiplus

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Culture Gabfest - Daisy Jones and the Fictional Fleetwood Mac

Wed, 22 Mar 2023 07:00:00 GMT

This week, Dana, Julia, and Stephen begin by talking about Daisy Jones & the Six. Then they discuss the new film Palm Trees and Power Lines. Finally, writer Dan Charnas joins to chat about why it is time to finally legalize sampling in music.

In Slate Plus, the panel answers a listener question about the practicalities of being a critic.

Email us at culturefest@slate.com.

Endorsements:

Dana: The movie Smooth Talk from 1985.

Julia: “You Didn’t” by Brett Young

Stephen: The Poetics of Space by Gaston Bachelard

Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Yesica Balderrama.

Outro music is: "Blue Nights and Yellow Days" by Matt Large.

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Hang Up and Listen - How Fairleigh Dickinson Did It

Mon, 20 Mar 2023 22:38:37 GMT

Stefan Fatsis, Josh Levin, are joined by Slate’s Alex Kirshner to talk about Fairleigh Dickinson’s huge upset over Purdue and Princeton’s run to the Sweet 16. Then, ESPN’s Alden Gonzalez comes on to discuss the historic matchup between the USA and Cuba at the World Baseball Classic. Finally, author David Epstein assesses the legacy of high jumper Dick Fosbury, who invented the immortal Fosbury Flop.

Fairleigh Dickinson (2:18): Did the Knights pull off the biggest upset in college basketball history?

World Baseball Classic (23:59): What it meant for the Cuban national baseball team to take the field in Miami.

Fosbury (42:41): Where does it rank on the list of all-time sports innovations?

Afterball (1:01:32): Josh on Ole Miss women’s basketball coach Yolett McPhee-McCuin.

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ICYMI - Pedro Pascal Is the Internet’s Daddy

Sat, 18 Mar 2023 09:00:00 GMT

On today’s episode, Rachelle Hampton is joined by Slate’s Madeline Ducharme to talk about the internet’s thirst for Pedro Pascal. They discuss how he started edging into the role of Internet Daddy with Game of Thrones, his recent turns in The Mandalorian, and The Last of Us, and why his own surprise as this online adoration makes people love him even more.

This podcast is produced by Daniel Schroeder, Rachelle Hampton, and Daisy Rosario.

Subscribe to Slate Plus at http://slate.com/icymiplus

Make an impact this Women’s History Month by helping Macy’s on their mission to fund girls in STEM. Go to macys.com/purpose to learn more.

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Death, Sex & Money - How to Face Your Fears With Steve-O, Laurel Braitman, and Rev. angel

Wed, 15 Mar 2023 16:00:00 GMT

We asked you to tell us about the fears in your life that are holding you back. In this episode, we share your stories and questions with Steve-O, Laurel Braitman, and Rev. angel Kyodo williams. Each of them, in one way or another, had fear and bravery inform their work and their lives. They offer advice and insights on what’s worked for them, and what they’ve learned from navigating fear.

Did you know we have a weekly email newsletter for the Death, Sex & Money community? Every Wednesday we send out podcast listening recommendations, fascinating letters from our inbox, and updates from the show. Sign up at deathsexmoney.org/newsletter, and follow the show on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

Got a story to share? Email us at deathsexmoney@wnyc.org.

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ICYMI - Dear Prudence: Sister Wants Me to Be Her Surrogate. Help!

Wed, 15 Mar 2023 09:00:00 GMT

Today, we’re bringing you an episode of the recently relaunched Dear Prudence podcast hosted by Jenée Desmond-Harris.

In this episode, Prudie (Jenée Desmond-Harris) is tackling questions about text etiquette, whether or not to allow children at a wedding, and weighing the heavy decision of surrogacy for a sibling. Slate’s own Rachelle Hampton (host of ICYMI) joins dole out some words of wisdom.

Podcast production by Kayla Lattimore and Daisy Rosario. Production help from Se’era Spragley Ricks.

Make an impact this Women’s History Month by helping Macy’s on their mission to fund girls in STEM. Go to macys.com/purpose to learn more.

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Culture Gabfest - The Oscars Are Back, Baby!

Wed, 15 Mar 2023 07:00:00 GMT

This week, Dana, Julia, and Stephen start by discussing the wins and losses of Oscar night. Then, they’re joined by Slate’s Sam Adams to talk about his recent piece, “Peak TV Is Over. Welcome to Trough TV,” and the current state of streaming television. Finally, they try out TikTok’s new “Bold Glamour” filter and discuss how they feel about it.

In Slate Plus, the panel discusses the recent New Yorker profile, “Agnes Callard’s Marriage of the Minds.”

Email us at culturefest@slate.com.

Endorsements:

Dana: “Fat Suit Fart Attack: The Whale,” by Lindy West in her newsletter Butt News

Julia: The monthly Cartoon Club at the New Beverly Cinema in Los Angeles.

Stephen: The live music and food at the Lagniappe House in Miami.

Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Yesica Balderrama.

Outro Music: “200 Dont’s” by Conditional

Make an impact this Women’s History Month by helping Macy’s on their mission to fund girls in STEM. Go to macys.com/purpose to learn more.

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Hang Up and Listen - Is the NFL Colluding Against Lamar Jackson?

Mon, 13 Mar 2023 23:00:00 GMT

Stefan Fatsis, Josh Levin, and the New Yorker’s Louisa Thomas talk about what went wrong for the North Carolina men’s basketball team and other NCAA Tournament matters. They also check in on quarterback Lamar Jackson’s standoff with the Baltimore Ravens. Finally, the Athletic’s Nick Miller joins to discuss why the BBC pulled soccer commentator Gary Lineker off the air, and what happened next.

NCAA (5:54): Checking in on the Tar Heels and the sport’s other blue bloods.

Jackson (3:50): Why doesn’t anyone want to give the young star a guaranteed, mega-bucks deal?

Lineker (43:50): The controversy, the resolution, and what it says about the UK.

Afterball (1:00:52): Stefan on whether the Ivy League is ready to change with the times.

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ICYMI - Vanderpump Rules’ War of the Roses

Sat, 11 Mar 2023 10:00:00 GMT

On today’s episode, Rachelle Hampton is joined by Deepti Sahrawat, the host of Pop Culture Prisoner, to discuss a shocking cheating scandal within the cast of the Bravo reality series Vanderpump Rules, and why it blew up on the internet in such a big way. They talk about how the history of the show led us up to this point, the ways it’s so different from the usual cycle of reality scandals, and where the show can go from here.

This podcast is produced by Daniel Schroeder, Rachelle Hampton, and Daisy Rosario.

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Hit Parade | Music History and Music Trivia - Raise Your Glass Edition Part 1

Sat, 11 Mar 2023 01:00:00 GMT

Podcast production by Kevin Bendis.

Make an impact this Women’s History Month by helping Macy’s on their mission to fund girls in STEM. Go to macys.com/purpose to learn more.

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Death, Sex & Money - A Trans Parent’s Adoption Journey

Wed, 08 Mar 2023 17:00:00 GMT

Anna first talked with Liam and Marisa about their love story back in 2014. Nine years later, we hear about the next chapter of their relationship: becoming parents.

Update: We changed the title of this episode after publishing to be more accurate. It was initially called "Adopting As A Trans Couple."

Got a story to share? Email us at deathsexmoney@wnyc.org.

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ICYMI - The Internet Should Be Fun

Wed, 08 Mar 2023 10:00:00 GMT

On today’s episode, Daisy Rosario is joined by Nitish Pahwa and they’re talking about the places they go to when they need online comfort. They discuss cute cartoon affirmations, the need for satisfaction, and hear from a few Slate colleagues about their own comforting online enclaves.

Some of our recommendations:

@unclogging_drains on TikTok

@catsofyore on Instagram

@itslennie, an animated blob sharing affirmations on TikTok

@Jesssoweird, the baby that tries on wigs on TikTok

ASMR rug cleaning

Florian Gadsby, a ceramicist on Instagram and YouTube

@cosmetic_repair on TikTok

Lady Gaga’s music video for, “Marry the Night”

Girl With the Dogs on YouTube

This podcast is produced by Daniel Schroeder, Rachelle Hampton, and Daisy Rosario.

Subscribe to Slate Plus at http://slate.com/icymiplus

Make an impact this Women’s History Month by helping Macy’s on their mission to fund girls in STEM. Go to macys.com/purpose to learn more.

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Culture Gabfest - Creed III Delivers a Box Office Haymaker

Wed, 08 Mar 2023 08:00:00 GMT

This week, Dana, Julia, and Stephen begin by talking about Creed III. Then they chat about the Oscar-nominated animated short My Year of Dicks. Finally, a conversation about the history of the Oscars and their relevancy.

In Slate Plus, the panel talks about the poor state of projection at movie theaters.

Editor’s note: In the episode, the historian Kim Phillips-Fein is incorrectly referred to as “he” instead of “she.”

Email us at culturefest@slate.com.

Endorsements:

Dana: Charlie Kaufman’s speech at the WGA awards.

Julia: Sam Anderson’s Spirited Away to Miyazaki Land and Miyazaki’s film Kiki’s Delivery Service.

Stephen: The Betrayal of Adam Smith by Kim Phillips-Fein

Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Yesica Balderrama.

"You Know What I Want" by Staffan Carlen

Make an impact this Women’s History Month by helping Macy’s on their mission to fund girls in STEM. Go to macys.com/purpose to learn more.

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Hang Up and Listen - Ja Morant’s Crossroads

Tue, 07 Mar 2023 00:00:00 GMT

Stefan Fatsis and Josh Levin are joined by the Washington Post’s Molly Hensley-Clancy to discuss her reporting on the troubles surrounding Ja Morant. ESPN’s Don Van Natta Jr. also joins to talk about whether Washington Commanders owner Dan Snyder will get forced out of the NFL. Finally, they speak to Slate’s Alex Kirshner about the quarterback dilemmas at the top of the NFL Draft.

Morant (3:17): What comes next for the Memphis Grizzlies star?

Snyder (22:07): The scandals are mounting. Will he finally get the boot?

Quarterback prospects (42:07): Bryce Young, Anthony Richardson, and the Bears’ big choice at No. 1.

Afterball (1:01:05): Josh on podcast ads and the National Council on Problem Gambling.

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ICYMI - The Internet Hates Hogwarts Legacy

Sat, 04 Mar 2023 10:00:00 GMT

On today’s episode, Rachelle Hampton is joined by Gita Jackson to talk about a video game that has stirred up anger across the internet, Hogwarts Legacy. They discuss the controversy surrounding it, how the game reveals so many holes in JK Rowling’s world building, and why it’s not even fun to play.

Instead of playing Hogwarts Legacy, Gita’s got some recommendations.

Books:

Annihilation, by Jeff VanderMeer

Vita Nostra, by Maryna and Serhiy Dyachenko

Magic for Liars, by Sarah Gailey

Games:

Persona 5

Tokimeki Memorial Girl’s Side

Magical Diary

Life Is Strange

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild

Elden Ring

This podcast is produced by Daniel Schroeder, Rachelle Hampton, and Daisy Rosario.

Subscribe to Slate Plus at http://slate.com/icymiplus

Make an impact this Women’s History Month by helping Macy’s on their mission to fund girls in STEM. Go to macys.com/purpose to learn more.

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Death, Sex & Money - My Sex Life Became A Screenshot. Then I Lost My Job.

Wed, 01 Mar 2023 17:00:00 GMT

Erick Adame was a TV weatherman. Then someone sent pictures to his employer, his mother, and his boyfriend of him performing sex acts on a webcam.

Got a story to share? Email us at deathsexmoney@wnyc.org.

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ICYMI - Selena Gomez Loves Logging Off

Wed, 01 Mar 2023 10:00:00 GMT

On today’s episode, Rachelle Hampton is joined by Time’s Moises Mendez II to talk about Selena Gomez’s internet history. They look at her early days on YouTube, discuss her tumultuous relationship with Justin Bieber, and explain why TikTok has blown up with commentary on the recent feud between Gomez and Justin’s wife, Hailey Bieber.

This podcast is produced by Daniel Schroeder, Rachelle Hampton, and Daisy Rosario.

Subscribe to Slate Plus at http://slate.com/icymiplus

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Culture Gabfest - Party Down Parties Again

Wed, 01 Mar 2023 08:00:00 GMT

This week, Dana, Julia, and Stephen begin by talking about the return of the Starz comedy Party Down. Then they discuss Andrea Riseborough’s Oscar-nominated performance in To Leslie. Finally, NPR’s Aisha Harris joins to chat about the newest entries to the Black Film Canon; a collaboration between Slate and NPR.

In Slate Plus, the panel talks about the controversial changes to Roald Dahl’s books.

Email us at culturefest@slate.com.

Endorsements:

Dana: Nathan Hiller’s article ‘The End of the English Major’ in The New Yorker.

Julia: Art But Make It Sports on Instagram

Stephen: ‘Are You Sure’ by Willie Nelson from The Demos Project: Volume One

Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Yesica Balderrama.

Outro music: "Backwards" by Staffan Carlen.

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Hang Up and Listen - Scandal in Alabama

Tue, 28 Feb 2023 00:00:00 GMT

Stefan Fatsis and Josh Levin are joined by Joseph Goodman of AL.com to talk about the murder roiling the Alabama basketball program. They’re also joined by Jeremy Woo to discuss his Sports Illustrated cover story on French basketball phenom Victor Wembanyama. Finally, CNBC’s Alex Sherman comes on for a conversation about the death of regional sports networks.

Alabama (5:08): Why is star freshman Brandon Miller still playing?

Wembanyama (27:42): Inside the media rollout of the next NBA superstar.

RSNs (48:41): Is the sports TV business model dead?

Afterball (1:11:59): Stefan on a century of complaints about slow baseball games.

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ICYMI - North West Is TikTok’s New Queen

Sat, 25 Feb 2023 10:00:00 GMT

On today’s episode, Rachelle Hampton is joined by WAMU’s Aja Drain to discuss North West’s TikTok presence. They talk about how North got started on the app like going live without her mother’s permission, the controversies that’ve bubbled up around her TikTok account, and what makes her so different from the other kids posting online.

This podcast is produced by Daniel Schroeder, Rachelle Hampton, and Daisy Rosario.

Subscribe to Slate Plus at http://slate.com/icymiplus

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Hit Parade | Music History and Music Trivia - A Little Love and Some Tenderness Edition Part 2

Sat, 25 Feb 2023 00:00:00 GMT

One of the most improbable blockbuster successes of the ’90s was Hootie and the Blowfish: a South Carolina bar band fronted by a Black lead singer that played jangly alt-pop. That singer, Darius Rucker, built a career that’s one of a kind. Rucker’s tastes growing up were eclectic, as were the influences on his young bandmates. Their Cracked Rear View album took a year to catch on, but then it dominated the charts.

The story gets more interesting after Hootie fell off: Darius Rucker’s career is a prime example of how chart success is a product of musical trend. First, Rucker tried to become a neo-soul star. Then he tried his hand at country music, even though Nashville had not produced a major Black solo star since Charley Pride.

Join Chris Molanphy as he traces this improbable journey—the role Rucker’s band played in mainstreaming alt-rock, Rucker’s effort to find a genre to call home, and how he finally became a chart-conqueror again..

Podcast production by Kevin Bendis.

Make an impact this Black History Month by helping Macy’s on their mission to fund UNCF scholarships for HBCU students. Go to macys.com/purpose to learn more.

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Death, Sex & Money - How to Say Goodbye to Your Pets

Wed, 22 Feb 2023 17:00:00 GMT

Your stories of loving—and losing—your beloved animal companions. Plus, an end-of-life veterinarian offers advice on knowing when to say goodbye.

Some of you also shared resources for dealing with the loss of a pet. Here are a few of those suggestions:

Looking for books to read? Margaret recommended “Good Grief” by E.B. Bartels, Flora shared “Lifetimes” by Bryan Mellonie, Sophia offered Mary Oliver’s book of poems “Dog Songs,” and for more poetry, Jeni suggested Lynne Schimdt’s “Dead Dog Poems.”

A listener named David told us about the Jimmy Stewart interview on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson where Jimmy reads a tearjerker of a poem about his late dog, Beau. Watch it here.

Aileen shared an episode of Encyclopodia podcast where Dr. Allison Bergin discussed end-of-life care for pets.

A listener named Ali told us about Dr. Amanda Stronza (@amandastronza on Instagram), an anthropologist and conservationist who writes about her experiences with pet loss online.

And finally, another listener shared a CBS Sunday Morning story about Dog Mountain in St. Johnsbury, Vermont. Learn more about it here.

Got a story to share? Email us at deathsexmoney@wnyc.org.

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ICYMI - Tumblr Revived the Welcome to Night Vale Fandom

Wed, 22 Feb 2023 10:00:00 GMT

On today’s episode Rachelle Hampton is joined by journalist and podcaster Wil Williams to discuss the podcast Welcome to Night Vale, and how its faceless narrator just won the poll as top “Tumblr Sexyman.” They talk about the show’s origins and importance in the early 2010s podcasting scene, the ways it deftly navigated queerness, and its impact on the audio fiction space.

This podcast is produced by Daniel Schroeder, Rachelle Hampton, and Daisy Rosario.

Subscribe to Slate Plus at http://slate.com/icymiplus

Make an impact this Black History Month by helping Macy’s on their mission to fund UNCF scholarships for HBCU students. Go to macys.com/purpose to learn more.

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Culture Gabfest - Marc Maron's Grouchy Grief

Wed, 22 Feb 2023 08:00:00 GMT

This week, Dana and Stephen are joined by Jamelle Bouie, and they start by discussing Marc Maron’s new HBO comedy special From Bleak to Dark. Then they review the Oscar-nominated Polish film EO. Then, Slate writer Dan Kois joins to talk about his article on the importance of hanging out.

In Slate Plus they talk about the Bing Chatbot and this article in the New York Times:

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/02/16/technology/bing-chatbot-microsoft-chatgpt.html

Email us at culturefest@slate.com.

Endorsements:

Dana: A YouTube user named “nobody.” They post all these incredible baroque playlists with great names.

Jamelle: The films of Satoshi Kon.

Stephen: Listen to Barry Harris, a solo piano album by Barry Harris.

Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Yesica Balderrama.

Outro music: "Forbidden Love" by OTE

Make an impact this Black History Month by helping Macy’s on their mission to fund UNCF scholarships for HBCU students. Go to macys.com/purpose to learn more.

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Hang Up and Listen - Tiger’s Not Done Yet

Tue, 21 Feb 2023 23:00:00 GMT

Stefan Fatsis and Josh Levin are joined by Kevin Van Valkenburg of No Laying Up to talk about Tiger Woods’ return to tournament golf. Claire Watkins of Just Women’s Sports also joins to discuss the Canadian women’s soccer team’s fight for equal pay. Finally, Michael Baumann of Fangraphs comes on to assess Major League Baseball’s latest rule changes.

Tiger Woods (3:14): His competitors on the PGA Tour think he could win again.

Equal pay (24:46): How the labor battle in Canada is different from the one in the U.S.

New baseball rules (43:43): A pitch clock! Banning the shift! Bases as big as pizza boxes!

Afterball (1:06:19): Josh on ghost runners. Or are they zombie runners? Or something else?

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ICYMI - The Influencer Even Skeptics Love

Sat, 18 Feb 2023 10:00:00 GMT

On today’s episode, Rachelle Hampton is joined by NPR’s Candice Lim to discuss the online rise of Emma Chamberlain. They discuss her origins as a YouTuber in 2017, how she kept evolving her brand so it never got stale, and why she’s so different from her fellow it girls.

This podcast is produced by Daniel Schroeder, Rachelle Hampton, and Daisy Rosario.

Subscribe to Slate Plus at http://slate.com/icymiplus

Make an impact this Black History Month by helping Macy’s on their mission to fund UNCF scholarships for HBCU students. Go to macys.com/purpose to learn more.

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Death, Sex & Money - Your One Night Stand Stories, Revisited

Wed, 15 Feb 2023 17:00:00 GMT

Today, we're celebrating the very short-term romance: the one night stand. Those moments in life when someone appeared in a flash, you connected, and then you went your separate ways.

*This episode originally ran in 2021.

Got a story to share? Email us at deathsexmoney@wnyc.org.

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ICYMI - The Internet’s Black Emo Renaissance

Wed, 15 Feb 2023 10:00:00 GMT

On today’s episode, Rachelle Hampton is joined by Slate’s Nadira Goffe to discuss Rihanna and Paramore. First, they talk about the Super Bowl halftime show and the discourse that Rihanna sparked, and what she does or doesn’t owe her fans. Then, they look at the new album from Paramore, This Is Why, discusses how the band respects and embraces Black culture, and why Black people feel so connected to the pop punk genre. And don’t miss Rachelle and Nadira’s roundtable discussion with Allegra Frank about Paramore’s latest album.

This podcast is produced by Daniel Schroeder, Rachelle Hampton, and Daisy Rosario.

Subscribe to Slate Plus at http://slate.com/icymiplus

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Culture Gabfest - Rihanna's Big Super Bowl Surprise

Wed, 15 Feb 2023 08:00:00 GMT

This week, Dana, Julia, and Stephen start by talking about Rihanna’s Super Bowl Halftime performance with Slate’s Nadira Goffe. Then they discuss the new mockumentary series Cunk on Earth. Finally, they chat about Oscar-nominated documentary All That Breathes.

In Slate Plus, the hosts discuss Leslie Jamison’s article in the New Yorker, “Why Everyone Feels Like They’re Faking It,” about Imposter Syndrome.

Email us at culturefest@slate.com.

Endorsements:

Dana: Burt Bacharach’s live concert with Elvis Costello at The Royal Festival

Julia: Prince’s Super Bowl XLI Halftime Performance and the oral history behind this iconic performance.

Stephen: Essay in the Dublin Review of Books titled, Problems, problems by Johnny Lyons

Bonus from Nadira: Rihanna’s VMA Medley

Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Yesica Balderrama.

Outro music: "Break The Line" by Coma Svensson.

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Hang Up and Listen - How the Super Bowl Was Won

Tue, 14 Feb 2023 00:00:00 GMT

Joel Anderson, Stefan Fatsis, and Josh Levin talk about the Chiefs’ victory over the Eagles. They also discuss Kevin Durant’s move from the Nets to the Suns. Finally, the Athletic’s Chantel Jennings joins to talk about South Carolina and its challengers in women’s college basketball.

Super Bowl (4:15): Was the game-clinching holding call the right decision?

Durant (25:22): What’s the Nets’ legacy? What are the Suns’ title chances?

Women’s college basketball (44:32): Can anyone stop the Gamecocks from winning another title?

Afterball (1:04:56): Joel on a potential boycott of Florida schools by college athletes.

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Culture Gabfest - Sponsored: How Can Taking Risks Help Us Become Better Leaders?

Sat, 11 Feb 2023 11:00:00 GMT

In this episode of The Relentless, host Kristen Meinzer is joined by, not one, but two fearless Michelles who know that to be a successful leader, you need to take risks and have a strong support system.

First, she speaks with Michelle “Mace” Curran, a former F-16 fighter pilot and the second woman to fly as Lead Solo in the Air Force Thunderbirds. Now an entrepreneur, Curran has made it her mission to empower others to make bold and brave choices.

Afterwards, Kristen talks with Michelle Fermin, Team Lead of the Fermin Group at Century 21 North East. An expert, on-the-ground team builder, Fermin shares her secret to being a good leader: inspire and be inspired by those around you.

Guests

Michelle “Mace” Curran: Combat Veteran, Former Thunderbird & Fighter Pilot

Michelle Fermin: Team Lead of the Fermin Group, Century 21 North East

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ICYMI - Is Weight Lifting a Diet Culture Escape Hatch?

Sat, 11 Feb 2023 10:00:00 GMT

On today’s episode, Rachelle speaks with writer and cultural critic Casey Johnston about weight lifting. They discuss what led Casey to pick up the barbell, how she found her way into the online weight lifting space and the following she built there, and the ways weight lifting might be able to break us out of diet culture’s torturous cycle.

This podcast is produced by Daniel Schroeder and Rachelle Hampton.

Subscribe to Slate Plus at http://slate.com/icymiplus

Make an impact this Black History Month by helping Macy’s on their mission to fund UNCF scholarships for HBCU students. Go to macys.com/purpose to learn more.

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Hit Parade | Music History and Music Trivia - A Little Love and Some Tenderness Edition Part 1

Sat, 11 Feb 2023 02:00:00 GMT

Podcast production by Kevin Bendis.

Make an impact this Black History Month by helping Macy’s on their mission to fund UNCF scholarships for HBCU students. Go to macys.com/purpose to learn more.

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Death, Sex & Money - Gabrielle Union Completes Herself

Wed, 08 Feb 2023 17:00:00 GMT

The actor talks about having agency over her body, her relationships and her career, even as she lives with the trauma of sexual assault and infertility.

Got a story to share? Email us at deathsexmoney@wnyc.org.

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ICYMI - How a 9-Year-Old Took Over TikTok

Wed, 08 Feb 2023 10:00:00 GMT

On today’s episode, Rachelle Hampton is joined again by Slate’s Nitish Pahwa, this time to open up the mailbag. They answer questions about a child named Topher whose loud presence has swept across TikTok, Twitter’s bad bot decisions, and recent drama surrounding TikTok food reviewer Keith Lee.

This podcast is produced by Daniel Schroeder, Rachelle Hampton, and Daisy Rosario.

Subscribe to Slate Plus at http://slate.com/icymiplus

Make an impact this Black History Month by helping Macy’s on their mission to fund UNCF scholarships for HBCU students. Go to macys.com/purpose to learn more.

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Culture Gabfest - Is Shrinking the Next Ted Lasso?

Wed, 08 Feb 2023 08:00:00 GMT

This week, Dana, Julia, and Stephen start by talking about the new AppleTV+ series Shrinking. Then they discuss the Oscar-nominated film Triangle of Sadness. Finally, they chat about modern etiquette, inspired by The Cut’s piece on the topic.

In Slate Plus, the panel talks about the closing of the “World’s Best Restaurant” Noma.

Email us at culturefest@slate.com.

Endorsements:

Dana: I have great, great affection for Jason Segel. Nobody is talking about his children’s books. It’s this series called Nightmares! that he co-wrote with Kirsten Miller. There are also two sequels. Any kid about 10 or 11 years old can handle them.

Julia: OG food friend of the program Dan Pashman has followed up his invention of an entirely new pasta shape (Cascatelli) in 2021 with the release of two more shapes: Quattrotini and Vesuvio. These aren’t inventions, they are less commonly found shapes that he is helping bring to a larger audience of eaters. Dan is continuing his partnership with Sfoglini and you can buy the shapes on their site. [Producer note: Gluten free people can enjoy a gf version that Dan made in partnership with Banza.]

Stephen: I enjoyed the Nordic crime series The Bridge. It introduced me to Kim Bodnis, a great actor Americans would get to know as the assassin handler on Killing Eve. I finally caught up with the third season and it’s great.

Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Yesica Balderrama.

Outro music: "If Only I Was a Poet" by Staffan Carlen

Make an impact this Black History Month by helping Macy’s on their mission to fund UNCF scholarships for HBCU students. Go to macys.com/purpose to learn more.

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Hang Up and Listen - The Kyrie Irving Problem

Tue, 07 Feb 2023 01:30:00 GMT

Joel Anderson and Stefan Fatsis are joined by NPR’s Gene Demby to discuss the trade of talented, problematic superstar Kyrie Irving from the Brooklyn Nets to the Dallas Mavericks, and to preview the Super Bowl match-up between the Philadelphia Eagles and the Kansas City Chiefs. Also, Sabreena Merchant of the Athletic helps explain what an unprecedented free-agent frenzy means for the WNBA.

Kyrie Irving (5:05): The perpetually disgruntled superstar is on the move again.

Super Bowl (28:54): After more than half a century, two Black quarterbacks, Patrick Mahomes and Jalen Hurts, are finally starting in the Super Bowl.

WNBA (48:39): Free-agent moves by superstars Candace Parker and Breanna Stewart signal an era of super-teams.

Afterball (1:07:46): Stefan on Philadelphia’s outdated self-image as an underdog town.

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ICYMI - The Anal Bead Cheating Scandal That Rocked the Online Chess World

Sat, 04 Feb 2023 10:00:00 GMT

On today’s episode, Rachelle Hampton is joined by Slate’s Nitish Pahwa to discuss a major cheating scandal in the chess world this past fall between Magnus Carlsen and Hans Niemann, and how the story just keeps going. They talk about Niemann’s rise on Chess.com, ways people have tried to cheat in the past, and why anal beads entered the conversation. Plus, they talk about Mittens, the evil chess bot cat.

This podcast is produced by Daniel Schroeder, Rachelle Hampton, and Daisy Rosario.

Subscribe to Slate Plus at http://slate.com/icymiplus

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Death, Sex & Money - Margo Price After Cheating and Drinking

Wed, 01 Feb 2023 17:00:00 GMT

The country musician talks candidly about loss—of a generational family farm and the death of her newborn—and coping with infidelity and an abusive relationship with alcohol.

Got a story to share? Email us at deathsexmoney@wnyc.org.

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ICYMI - Has the Internet Made Parenting Easier?

Wed, 01 Feb 2023 10:00:00 GMT

On today’s episode, Rachelle Hampton is joined by Jamilah Lemieux, one of the columnists for Slate’s Care and Feeding advice column, and the host of Mom and Dad Are Fighting. They open up Jamilah’s internet diary, discussing how she got her career started online, what changed for her online after becoming a parent, and what sorts of online advice parents need right now.

This podcast is produced by Daniel Schroeder, Rachelle Hampton, and Daisy Rosario.

Subscribe to Slate Plus at http://slate.com/icymiplus

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Culture Gabfest - Natasha Lyonne's Poker Face

Wed, 01 Feb 2023 08:00:00 GMT

This week, Dana, Julia, and Stephen start by talking about Natasha Lyonne’s modern take on Columbo, aka the new Peacock series Poker Face. Then they discuss Netflix’s Oscar-nominated All Quiet On The Western Front. Finally, the chat about the changed aesthetics of shopping, inspired by this Grub Street article.

In Slate Plus, the panel talks about the sleepover panic.

Email us at culturefest@slate.com.

Endorsements:

Dana: Kiss Me Petruchio is an hour long documentary about the 1981 Shakespeare in the Park production of The Taming of the Shrew starring a young Meryl Streep and a young Raul Julia.

Julia: The third episode of HBO’s The Last of Us featuring Murray Bartlett and Nick Offerman.

Stephen: I couldn’t let the death of Tom Verlaine go unremarked. The albums Adventure and Marquee Moon that he made with his band Television are both absolute stone cold masterpieces.

And a discovery: Skeeter Davis, anybody?

Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Yesica Balderrama.

Outro music: "Stone Cookies" by Dusty Decks.

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Hang Up and Listen - Mikaela Shiffrin Is Amazing

Mon, 30 Jan 2023 23:30:00 GMT

Joel Anderson and Stefan Fatsis are joined by Lindsay Jones of the Ringer to break down the NFL conference championship games, won by the Philadelphia Eagles and the Kansas City Chiefs. Joel, Stefan, and Josh Levin discuss the impact of college athletes finally making money through name, image, and likeness rights. Finally, an interview with former Olympian Edie Thys Morgan about Mikaela Shiffrin, who is on the verge of becoming the winningest ski racer of all time.

NFL (3:49): The biggest takeaways from the NFL conference championship games.

NIL (27:49): Is college sports funding declining because athletes are getting money?

Mikaela Shiffrin (50:48): The skier is one World Cup win from tying Ingemar Stenmark’s all-time record.

Afterball (1:06:46): Stefan talks to Leander Schaerlaeckens about Weston McKennie, Leeds, and the U.S. men’s national soccer team.

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ICYMI - TikTok Isn’t For Creators Anymore

Sat, 28 Jan 2023 10:00:00 GMT

On today’s episode, Rachelle Hampton is joined by journalist and author Cory Doctorow to discuss his latest piece, “The Enshittification of TikTok,” in Wired. They talk about the life cycles of online platforms, why nobody on the platforms have any understanding of the rules of the game, and why we’re in dire need of better regulations.

This podcast is produced by Daniel Schroeder, Rachelle Hampton, and Daisy Rosario.

Subscribe to Slate Plus at http://slate.com/icymiplus

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Hit Parade | Music History and Music Trivia - Thinking About Tomorrow Edition Part 2

Sat, 28 Jan 2023 01:00:00 GMT

The story of Fleetwood Mac is an oft-told rock n’ roll tale: British blues-rock band sells poorly until two Americans join, bringing California vibes and lots of drama. Everybody fights, cheats, drugs, and boozes. Out pops Rumours and tons of hits.

It’s more complicated than that. Those two Americans—Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham—got all the media coverage and wrote many great songs. But the quiet lady behind the keyboards, Christine McVie, actually wrote more of the hits: “Don’t Stop.” “Say You Love Me.” “Hold Me.” “Little Lies.” “Everywhere.” They were all Christine compositions.

Join Chris Molanphy as he remembers Christine McVie, who died in late 2022 at age 79, and restores her rightful place as the glue that held Fleetwood Mac together.

Podcast production by Kevin Bendis.

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Death, Sex & Money - Your Estrangement Calls Answered Live

Wed, 25 Jan 2023 17:00:00 GMT

This week, we bring our estrangement series to an end with a live call-in show co-hosted by Anna Sale and WNYC’s Kai Wright, host of the Notes from America podcast. Kai and Anna heard from listeners all around the country about how stark disagreements — particularly around politics and key values — led to estrangement with families, long-time friends and also long-time romantic relationships. Plus, Rebecca Martinez Fitzgerald, a therapist based in Durham, North Carolina, offered advice on how to move forward.

If you’re living with estrangement, check out some of our listener recommendations on what’s helped, and listen to Kai’s show, Notes from America, wherever you get podcasts or on WNYC's YouTube channel.

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ICYMI - American Girl’s Addy Is More Than a Slave

Wed, 25 Jan 2023 10:00:00 GMT

On today’s episode, Rachelle Hampton is joined by NPR’s Aisha Harris to talk about the return of the discourse about Addy Walker, the first Black American Girl doll. They discuss Aisha’s great piece from 2016, “The Making of an American Girl,” their own histories with the doll, and why this discourse pops up so frequently.

This podcast is produced by Daniel Schroeder, Rachelle Hampton, and Daisy Rosario.

Subscribe to Slate Plus at http://slate.com/icymiplus

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Culture Gabfest - Women Are Talking, But Is the Academy Listening?

Wed, 25 Jan 2023 08:00:00 GMT

This week, Dana, Julia, and Stephen start by discussing the film, Women Talking. Then they chat about the new U.K. import Traitors with Slate’s own Carl Wilson. Finally, they finish by talking ChatGPT and the coming of AI chatbots.

In Slate Plus, the panel talks about this year’s Oscar nominations.

Email us at culturefest@slate.com.

Also, we're hiring! If you'd like to apply to be the production assistant for the Culture Gabfest, please send a cover letter with two suggestions for topics to culturegabfestassistant@gmail.com.

Endorsements:

Dana: Werner Herzog is in his somber, elegiac mode with The Fire Within: A Requiem for Katia and Maurice Krafft. Not to be confused with Fire of Love, about the same people, but made by Sara Dosa.

Julia: Endorsing the third season of Never Have I Ever. It’s such a good show. Sometimes I take for granted the variety of things being made.

Stephen: Two things: 1. I am comically late on Better Call Saul. 2. Sam Gendel is a young L.A. jazz guy with a DGAF attitude towards even the music he makes, in a weird way. The album is called blueblue. Just amazing.

Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Yesica Balderrama.

Outro music: "Last Sunday" by OTE.

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Hang Up and Listen - NBC’s Tony Dungy Problem

Tue, 24 Jan 2023 00:30:00 GMT

Joel Anderson, Stefan Fatsis, and Josh Levin assess the divisional round of the NFL playoffs. They also discuss Tony Dungy’s history of anti-gay rhetoric, and whether NBC and the NFL should do something about it. Finally, Slate contributor Isaac Butler joins to talk about the rise of American men at the Australian Open and Netflix’s tennis reality series Break Point.

NFL (5:37): The biggest takeaways from the weekend’s games.

Dungy (26:19): Should the ex-coach still be on television?

Tennis (47:49): Who are all these new American stars? Is Break Point worth watching?

Afterball (1:11:37): Josh on Shannon Sharpe, Vernon Maxwell, and NBA fracases.

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ICYMI - The Internet Won’t Let Austin Butler Forget Vanessa Hudgens

Sat, 21 Jan 2023 10:00:00 GMT

On today’s episode, Rachelle Hampton is joined by Nadira Goffe to talk about Austin Butler and Kerrygold butter. First, High Speed Downloads return so Rachelle can explain why everybody was melting down about Irish butter online, and Nadira takes us through Austin Butler’s persistent Elvis accent. Then, they discuss the fact that Vanessa Hudgens’ online fans won’t let Austin Butler forget his ex-girlfriend so quickly.

This podcast is produced by Daniel Schroeder, Rachelle Hampton, and Daisy Rosario.

Subscribe to Slate Plus at http://slate.com/icymiplus

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Death, Sex & Money - From Fan to Friend: The Unlikely Friendship Between Pico Iyer and Leonard Cohen

Wed, 18 Jan 2023 17:00:00 GMT

Pico Iyer, author of "The Half-Known Life," reflects on deliberately walking away from his dream job, his decades-long friendship with Leonard Cohen, and surrendering to the unknown.

Got a story to share? Email us at deathsexmoney@wnyc.org.

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ICYMI - MrBeast Dethroned a Child to Become the Most Successful YouTuber

Wed, 18 Jan 2023 10:00:00 GMT

On today’s episode, Rachelle Hampton is joined by BuzzFeed’s Kelsey Weekman for a crash course in the history and significance of YouTuber MrBeast. Kelsey tells Rachelle all about how he first got started counting numbers to camera, his wild philanthropic stunts, and why his blandness is so arresting and unnerving at the same time.

This podcast is produced by Daniel Schroeder, Rachelle Hampton, and Daisy Rosario.

Subscribe to Slate Plus at http://slate.com/icymiplus

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Culture Gabfest - Can a Video Game Really Be Turned Into a TV Show?

Wed, 18 Jan 2023 08:00:00 GMT

This week, Dana and Julia are joined by Slate writer Dan Kois. They start by discussing HBO’s new series, The Last of Us, a video game adaptation with culture editor and writer at The New Yorker, Alex Barasch. Then they discuss the French film, Saint Omer, shortlisted for Best International Film at the 2023 Oscars. Finally, they finish by talking about Dan's essay on how the Trunchbull, the formidable villain of Roald Dahl’s 1988 novel Matilda, is still evolving.

Email us at culturefest@slate.com.

Endorsements:

Dan: Two books publishing this week, an anti-romantic comedy, Really Good, Actually by Monica Heisey, about a young woman in Toronto failing to deal with her divorce, and a novel by Matthew Salesses titled The Sense of Wonder about the ways Asian Americans navigate the worlds of sports and entertainment when everything is stacked against them.

Julia: The Smitten Kitchen recipe for seven-yolk pasta dough.

Dana: An unexpected yet beautiful viral Twitter thread by @annethegnome about mushrooms.

Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Yesica Balderrama.

Outro music: "Pull Me Out" by Mike Stringer.

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Hang Up and Listen - Bye-Bye Brady?

Tue, 17 Jan 2023 23:00:00 GMT

Joel Anderson and Josh Levin are joined by Bomani Jones to discuss the Cowboys’ blowout win over the Bucs and other storylines from the opening weekend of the NFL playoffs. They also talk about all the high-scoring games in the NBA this season. Finally, Joel and Josh interview pool legend Jeanette Lee, aka the Black Widow, who’s featured in the new documentary Jeanette Lee Vs.

NFL (4:23): Is Tom Brady going to retire? Should he?

NBA (25:42): Why are so many players putting up 50-point games? And is all that scoring good for the sport?

Jeanette Lee (46:47): The Black Widow speaks about her life and career.

Afterball (1:02:33): Joel on the sad decline of Georgetown basketball.

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ICYMI - RuPaul’s Drag Race Has Finally Logged On

Sat, 14 Jan 2023 10:00:00 GMT

On today’s episode, Rachelle Hampton is joined again by Daisy Rosario to talk about the premiere of season 15 of RuPaul’s Drag Race. They talk about how the season seems to understand more than ever how the pandemic has affected the lives of its contestants, how the series’ relationship with the internet has changed over the years, and if this is the real way forward for the show.

This podcast is produced by Daniel Schroeder, Rachelle Hampton, and Daisy Rosario.

Subscribe to Slate Plus at http://slate.com/icymiplus

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Hit Parade | Music History and Music Trivia - Thinking About Tomorrow Edition Part 1

Sat, 14 Jan 2023 07:30:00 GMT

Join Chris Molanphy as he remembers Christine McVie, who died in late 2022 at age 79, and restores her rightful place as the glue that held Fleetwood Mac together.

Podcast production by Kevin Bendis.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Death, Sex & Money - Why the Creators of "Everything Everywhere All At Once" Treat Their Partnership Like a Marriage

Wed, 11 Jan 2023 17:00:00 GMT

Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert, known as Daniels, on their friendship, learning to play to their strengths, and making their hit film Everything Everywhere All At Once.

Got a story to share? Email us at deathsexmoney@wnyc.org.

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ICYMI - Who Is Alix Earle And Why Are People Mad at Her?

Wed, 11 Jan 2023 10:00:00 GMT

On today’s episode, Rachelle Hampton is back in the host chair. She’s joined by Daisy Rosario as they open up the mailbag to answer listener questions about Greta Thunberg’s involvement in the arrest of Andrew Tate, the rise of the corecore aesthetic, and TikTok drama about hair oil.

This podcast is produced by Daniel Schroeder, Rachelle Hampton, and Daisy Rosario.

Subscribe to Slate Plus at http://slate.com/icymiplus

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Culture Gabfest - M3GAN Goes to Camp

Wed, 11 Jan 2023 08:00:00 GMT

This week, Dana, Julia, and Stephen begin by reviewing the very buzzy horror comedy M3GAN. Then the panel dives into Slate’s annual movie club. Finally, L.A. Times columnist Carolina A. Miranda joins to talk about her article on how TikTok is changing our culture.

In Slate Plus, the panel answers a listener's question about whether it is more fun to love or hate a piece of art when working as a critic.

Email us at culturefest@slate.com.

Endorsements:

Dana: Eleonor Bindman is an incredible pianist, arranger, and transcriber. Her big thing is transcription of Bach for four-hand piano. I’ve seen her play a duet with another person and the four hands do things the two hands can’t. Her newest release is J.S. Bach: Orchestral Suites (transcribed for piano duet by Eleonor Bindman), which is performed by Bindman and Susan Sobolewski. Also, go follow her on social media and just learn about Bach from her.

Julia: I think regular listeners know that I like to bake. I am endorsing a cookbook that was recommended to me by the L.A. Times newsletter. It’s A Good Day to Bake: Simple Baking Recipes for Every Mood by Benjamina Ebuehi, who was a contestant on The Great British Bake Off. For my husband’s birthday we made a olive oil flourless chocolate cake that you cover in a ganache frosting. Wow, it’s a great recipe.

BONUS: Here's Julia's piece about her family's famous potato balls: https://www.latimes.com/food/story/2022-12-21/holiday-family-german-potato-balls

Stephen: Zadie Smith has written a definitive essay about the movie that most stayed with me from last year: Tár. It is a masterpiece. My admiration for Zadie Smith as a critic is hitting a zenith and I thought it couldn’t get any higher than it already was. Dear God, the woman is just deft and delightful and deep.

Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Yesica Balderrama.

Outro music: "Self Made Woman" by Katharine Appleton.

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Hang Up and Listen - The Bulldogs Stomped the Frogs

Tue, 10 Jan 2023 18:30:00 GMT

Joel Anderson, Stefan Fatsis, and Josh Levin talk about Georgia’s win over TCU in the college football title game. They also discuss Damar Hamlin’s remarkable recovery and how the NFL has tried to move on. Finally, they assess the Berhalter-Reyna rift that’s tearing apart U.S. men’s soccer.

Georgia-TCU (2:26): What it’s like to be on the wrong side of one of the biggest blowouts in sports history.

Hamlin (25:10): Watching pro football a week after the Bills safety’s near-death on the field.

U.S. soccer (48:59): The pettiness and sadness of a family dispute that’s gone public.

Afterball (1:07:20): Josh on a college basketball replay controversy.

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Decoder Ring - Slate Plus Exclusive: The Making of This Season

Mon, 09 Jan 2023 22:01:45 GMT

Host Willa Paskin and producer Katie Shepherd discuss how this season of Decoder Ring came together.

Slate Plus members have access to this whole interview. Sign up for Slate Plus to access this exclusive episode and support the show.

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ICYMI - The Untalented Mr. Ripley

Sat, 07 Jan 2023 10:00:00 GMT

On today’s show, Daniel Schroeder is joined by Vox’s Alex Abad-Santos to talk about the gay scammers that emerged at the end of the year. First we answer a listener’s question about some gay drama on Twitter, then we discuss the wild rise of Congressman George Santos. We also cover the darker side of gay scams both on Grindr and in real life.

This podcast is produced by Daniel Schroeder, Rachelle Hampton, and Daisy Rosario.

Subscribe to Slate Plus at http://slate.com/icymiplus

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Death, Sex & Money - Jenny Slate and Dean Fleischer-Camp Talk About Their Divorce, Anxiety, and Slowing Down

Wed, 04 Jan 2023 17:00:00 GMT

The co-creators of Marcel the Shell with Shoes On talk about collaborating while getting divorced, navigating grief, and finding joy in the everyday.

Got a story to share? Email us at deathsexmoney@wnyc.org.

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ICYMI - Fans Ran the World Last Year

Wed, 04 Jan 2023 10:00:00 GMT

On today’s episode, Nadira Goffe and Daisy Rosario are in the host chairs ready to talk all things fandom. They discuss the important moments like the Swifties’ battle with Ticketmaster, and John Fetterman’s wildly successful online campaign. Then, they get into the darker side of fandom where people like Elon Musk and Kanye reside.

This podcast is produced by Daniel Schroeder, Rachelle Hampton, and Daisy Rosario.

Subscribe to Slate Plus at http://slate.com/icymiplus

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Culture Gabfest - New Year's Call-In Show

Wed, 04 Jan 2023 08:00:00 GMT

This week, Dana, Julia, and Stephen bring you their yearly call-in episode where they answer questions from Culture Gabfest listeners.

In Slate Plus, the panel answers one final question from a listener named James.

Email us at culturefest@slate.com.

Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Yesica Balderrama.

Outro music: "Blue Nights and Yellow Days" by Matt Large.

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Hang Up and Listen - What Happened to Damar Hamlin

Tue, 03 Jan 2023 23:30:00 GMT

Joel Anderson, Stefan Fatsis, and Josh Levin talk about Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin collapsing on the field during Monday Night Football and what came after. Slate’s Ben Mathis-Lilley also joins to discuss TCU and Georgia’s thrilling wins in the College Football Playoff semifinals. Finally, author Alex Bellos discusses the Brazilian soccer legend Pelé, who died last week at age 82.

Hamlin (3:26): Is it fair to criticize the NFL’s response to Monday’s on-field crisis?

College Football Playoff (25:52): How TCU and Georgia took down Michigan and Ohio State.

Pelé (46:23): Remembering the greatest soccer player of all time.

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Hit Parade | Music History and Music Trivia - Hits of the Year Edition Part 2

Fri, 30 Dec 2022 23:30:00 GMT

Sam the Sham over the Rolling Stones? The Knack over Donna Summer? Wilson Phillips over Mariah Carey? Glass Animals over Harry Styles?

On Billboard’s year-end Hot 100, upsets are quite common. Songs that seemed to dominate the chart all year are defeated by stealthily ubiquitous earworms. Sometimes the obvious song takes the prize: “Hey Jude,” “Every Breath You Take” or “I Will Always Love You.” And then sometimes it’s a one-hit wonder: Domencio Mudugno, Daniel Powter, Gotye, Glass Animals—all won the year-end Hot 100 prize.

Join Chris Molanphy as he explains the secrets behind having the hit of the year—and why it doesn’t always go to a superstar.

Podcast production by Kevin Bendis.

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Death, Sex & Money - Trevor Noah Talks Depression, Radical Honesty, and Braiding Hair

Wed, 28 Dec 2022 17:00:00 GMT

The former host of The Daily Show sometimes struggles to get out of bed. But he's comfortable saying that with a smile.

*This episode originally ran in 2019.

Got a story to share? Email us at deathsexmoney@wnyc.org.

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ICYMI - Encore: We Talked to BYU’s Black Menaces

Wed, 28 Dec 2022 10:00:00 GMT

Today, we’re revisiting our episode from April 16, 2022 when we interviewed BYU’s Black Menaces.

The Black Menaces are a group at Brigham Young University who have recently gained popularity on TikTok for their videos in which they ask their fellow students about political and social issues. On this episode, Rachelle Hampton and Madison Malone Kircher talk to Rachel Weaver and Nate Byrd, two members of the Black Menaces, about what it’s like to film these interviews, how they’ve been received on campus and online, and what it’s like to be a Black student at BYU.

Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder, Rachelle Hampton, and Madison Malone Kircher.

Subscribe to Slate Plus at http://slate.com/icymiplus

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Culture Gabfest - Inside the Making of Fleishman is in Trouble

Wed, 28 Dec 2022 08:00:00 GMT

This week, we're taking a break from our usual programming to bring you a great episode of Slate's "Working" podcast. In it, host June Thomas talks to author Taffy Brodesser-Akner, who recently adapted her novel Fleishman is in Trouble into a limited series for Hulu.

After the interview, June and co-host Isaac Butler discuss the faulty metric of character likeability in both fiction and nonfiction. They also chat about creative collaboration and tough career decisions.

In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Taffy tells a story about her upcoming novel, Long Island Compromise.

If you enjoy this episode, make sure to subscribe to Working wherever you get your podcasts.

Podcast production by Cameron Drews.

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Hang Up and Listen - The “Immaculate Reception” Remembered

Tue, 27 Dec 2022 23:30:00 GMT

Joel Anderson, Stefan Fatsis, and Josh Levin are joined by the Athletic’s Kalyn Kahler to discuss her story on Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers’ array of hand signals. They also discuss New York Mets owner Steve Cohen’s $800 million offseason spending spree and look back at 1972’s “Immaculate Reception” by Pittsburgh Steelers running back Franco Harris.

Rodgers (3:00): The Packers QB bristled over Kahler’s well-sourced story on why rookie receivers struggle in Green Bay.

Mets (26:33): Cohen’s lavish spending hit a speed bump after medical concerns over free agent Carlos Correa.

Immaculate Reception (45:08): Why it’s considered the greatest play in NFL history.

Afterball (1:01:42): Stefan on how the New York Cosmos wooed Pele in the 1970s.

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Decoder Ring - The Mailbag Episode

Tue, 27 Dec 2022 08:00:00 GMT

We’re really lucky to get a lot of listener emails, suggesting topics for the show. In this episode, we’re going to dig into a handful of the most fascinating ones that we’ve yet to tackle on the show. We’re taking on five listener questions that run the gamut—from kids menus to succulents to the chicken that crossed the road. It’s an eclectic assortment of subjects that come to us thanks to you. So let’s jump into our mailbag.

Thank you to Mark Liberman and Susan Schulten.

This podcast was written by Willa Paskin who produces the show with Katie Shepherd. This episode was also produced by Sam Kim. Derek John is Slate’s Executive Producer of Narrative Podcasts. Merritt Jacob is Senior Technical Director.

If you haven’t please yet, subscribe and rate our feed in Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. And even better, tell your friends.

If you’re a fan of the show and want to support us, consider signing up for Slate Plus.

Slate Plus members get to listen to Decoder Ring without any ads. Their support is also crucial to our work. So please go to Slate.com/decoderplus to join Slate Plus today.

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Hit Parade | Music History and Music Trivia - Decoder Ring: The New Age Hit Machine

Mon, 26 Dec 2022 05:00:00 GMT

Today, we’re excited to share an episode from Slate’s Decoder Ring that we think you’re going to love.

For this episode, a story from Slate senior producer Evan Chung about how Yanni, John Tesh and a number of other surprising acts made it big in the 1990s. It’s a throwback to a simpler time— when musicians struggled to find their big break, but discovered it was possible with a telephone, a television, and our undivided attention.

This story originally aired in 2019 on Studio 360 from PRX.

We hear from George Veras, Pat Callahan, and John Tesh.

This episode was written and produced by Slate’s Evan Chung. Decoder Ring is produced by Willa Paskin and Katie Shepherd. Derek John is Slate’s Executive Producer of narrative podcasts. Merritt Jacob is Senior Technical Director.

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ICYMI - Encore: All Hail the Liver King

Sat, 24 Dec 2022 10:00:00 GMT

Today, we’re revisiting our episode from March 9, 2022 on the Liver King, his philosophy, and his online presence.

Brian Johnson, aka the Liver King, has amassed millions of followers with his bizarre yet addictive workout and raw-meat-diet videos. On this episode, Rachelle Hampton and Madison Malone Kircher comb through the king’s core tenets, his obsession with explosives, and of course his taste for liver with a side of maple syrup. Later in the show, science communicator Jonathan Jarry joins for a discussion of why we look to people like the Liver King, and why we can’t look away.

Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder, Derek John, Jasmine Ellis, and Kevin Bendis.

Subscribe to Slate Plus at http://slate.com/icymiplus

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Death, Sex & Money - Radiolab’s Lulu Miller Steals All Her Best Ideas From Her Kids

Wed, 21 Dec 2022 17:00:00 GMT

Anna talks with Terrestrials host and creator Lulu Miller about becoming a parent and being inspired by her kids’ curiosities. Plus, a clip from Terrestrials’ “The Water Walker.” We recommend you check out the whole incredible series here.

Got a story to share? Email us at deathsexmoney@wnyc.org.

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ICYMI - Decoder Ring: The New Age Hit Machine

Wed, 21 Dec 2022 10:00:00 GMT

Today, we’re excited to share an episode from Slate’s Decoder Ring that we think you’re going to love.

This story originally aired in 2019 on Studio 360 from PRX.

We hear from George Veras, Pat Callahan, and John Tesh.

Subscribe to Slate Plus at http://slate.com/icymiplus

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Culture Gabfest - Avatar: Glorious or Racist Schlock?

Wed, 21 Dec 2022 08:00:00 GMT

This week, Dana, Julia, and Stephen get started by discussing Avatar: The Way of Water. Then they discuss the new Netflix documentary series Harry & Meghan. Finally, they finish by talking about the new Lensa AI art app and all the photos it’s generating online.

In Slate Plus, the panel answers a listener question about which works of art they like to revisit again and again?

Email us at culturefest@slate.com.

Endorsements

Dana: Spending an afternoon at the Aftel Archive of Curious Scents in Berkeley, California.

Julia: The videos of Front Porch Dad on Instagram.

Stephen: The essay “Ol’ Blue Eyes,” by Simon Callow about Paul Newman in the New York Review of Books.

Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Yesica Balderrama.

Outro music: "Lonely Calling" by Arc De Soleil.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Decoder Ring - Encore: ‘You’ve Got Mail’ Got It Wrong

Tue, 20 Dec 2022 08:00:00 GMT

(This episode originally aired in March 2020.)

The 1998 romantic comedy You’ve Got Mail, starring Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan, is about the brutal fight between a beloved indie bookstore, the Shop Around the Corner, and Fox Books, an obvious Barnes & Noble stand-in. On this episode of Decoder Ring we revisit the real-life conflict that inspired the movie and displaced independent booksellers on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. This conflict illustrates how, for a brief time, Barnes & Noble was a symbol of predatory capitalism, only to be usurped by the uniting force at the heart of the film: the internet.

Some of the voices in this episode include Delia Ephron, the co-screenwriter of You’ve Got Mail, the illustrator Brian Selznick, Laura J. Miller, author of Reluctant Capitalists: Bookselling and the Culture of Consumption, Joel Fram, founder of Eeyore’s Books for Children, and Boris Kachka, book editor for the Los Angeles Times.

This podcast was written by Willa Paskin and produced by Benjamin Frisch and Cleo Levin was research assistant.

Thanks to Steve Geck, Maris Kreizman, Emma Straub, Jacob Bernstein, Gary Hoover, Peter Glassman and June Thomas.

Decoder Ring is produced by Willa Paskin and Katie Shepherd. Derek John is Slate’s Executive Producer of Narrative Podcasts. Merritt Jacob is Senior Technical Director.

If you haven’t please yet, subscribe and rate our feed in Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. And even better, tell your friends.

If you’re a fan of the show and want to support us, consider signing up for Slate Plus.

Slate Plus members get to listen to Decoder Ring without any ads. Their support is also crucial to our work. So please go to Slate.com/decoderplus to join Slate Plus today.

Sponsored by Saks.com. Check out the Holiday Gift Guide on saks.com

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hang Up and Listen - Argentina Campeón Del Mundo

Tue, 20 Dec 2022 00:30:00 GMT

Joel Anderson, Stefan Fatsis, and Josh Levin are joined by Argentinian journalist Marcela Mora y Araujo to talk about Lionel Messi’s coronation on soccer’s biggest stage and then continue their conversation about the greatest World Cup final ever. They also discuss a bizarre weekend in the NFL and assess the life and career of college football coach Mike Leach.

World Cup final (3:36): What it means to Argentina and how it felt to watch it.

NFL (28:55): The Vikings came back from how far? The Patriots did what?

Leach (44:08): Why there will never be another coach like him.

Afterball (1:05:12): Joel on Brittney Griner, high school phenom.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - Who Gets to Complain About Their Job Online?

Sat, 17 Dec 2022 10:00:00 GMT

Earlier this month, a group of nurses were fired after posting a TikTok where they shared their complaints or “icks” about their patients. On today’s episode, Rachelle Hampton is joined by health and wellness journalist Julia Craven to talk about this recent news, the proliferation of “ick” content on TikTok, and why healthcare workers (and everybody else) should keep their work complaints in the group chat.

This podcast is produced by Daniel Schroeder, Rachelle Hampton, Daisy Rosario, and Derek John.

Subscribe to Slate Plus at http://slate.com/icymiplus

Sponsored by Saks.com. Check out the Holiday Gift Guide on saks.com

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hit Parade | Music History and Music Trivia - Hits of the Year Edition Part 1

Fri, 16 Dec 2022 19:00:00 GMT

Sam the Sham over the Rolling Stones? The Knack over Donna Summer? Wilson Phillips over Mariah Carey? Glass Animals over Harry Styles?

Join Chris Molanphy as he explains the secrets behind having the hit of the year—and why it doesn’t always go to a superstar.

Podcast production by Kevin Bendis.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Death, Sex & Money - Estrangement’s Alternate Endings

Wed, 14 Dec 2022 17:00:00 GMT

In our last episode, we look at how estrangement changes shape over the course of a life: how it can bend or harden, and how it affects new relationships, old memories, and the idea of family.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - Why Did NBC’s Internet Culture Reporter Spend So Much Time on Reddit?

Wed, 14 Dec 2022 10:00:00 GMT

On today’s episode, Rachelle Hampton is is joined by NBC’s Morgan Sung to talk about how she lives online as an internet culture reporter. They talk about early internet loves like Avatar: The Last Airbender fanfiction, who Morgan thinks you need to follow on social media, and her and Rachelle’s favorite online conspiracy theories.

This podcast is produced by Daniel Schroeder, Rachelle Hampton, and Daisy Rosario.

Subscribe to Slate Plus at http://slate.com/icymiplus

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Culture Gabfest - Addams Family Outcast

Wed, 14 Dec 2022 08:00:00 GMT

This week, Isaac Butler and Dan Kois fill in for Stephen and Dana, joining to chat about Netflix’s new series, Wednesday. Then, they talk about the documentary, All the Beauty and the Bloodshed. Finally, they discuss what our Spotify Wrapped results tell us about ourselves.

In Slate Plus, the panel shares a fun follow-up on one of Julia’s recent endorsements.

Email us at culturefest@slate.com.

Endorsements

Dan: I’m endorsing a delightful book called What Artists Wear by Charlie Porter. It is exactly what it sounds like. This book really reminded me that art is work and it demands respect as a result of that, but it also reminds you that artists are often total, delightful weirdos.

Julia: Somehow I didn’t yet share the song that I liked best in 2022. It’s a song I considered submitting for Summer Strut. Frankly, I’m a little bit embarrassed because it’s a song about having breasts and really enjoying having breasts. It’s “Coconuts” by Kim Petras. It’s very funny and very peppy.

Isaac: I’m endorsing Connie Willis’ wonderful novel, To Say Nothing of the Dog. It is incredibly funny. The Victorian era gets satirized brilliantly. It’s just a soup-to-nuts delight. If you’re looking to have a really fun week of reading on your hands, this book is a great bet.

Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Yesica Balderrama.

Outro music is "Pike Place Market" by Rockin' For Decades.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Decoder Ring - Cellino & Barnes, Injury Attorneys, 800-888-8888

Tue, 13 Dec 2022 08:00:00 GMT

Ross Cellino and Steve Barnes were two Buffalo-based lawyers who became the literal poster-men for personal injury advertising. They poured millions of dollars into ads that did more than just bring in clients: it turned the duo into household names and faces—at least in New York. In this episode, we’re going to look at their rise and everything that happened after. It’s a bumpy ride full of ambition, accidents and tragedy and at its center are two men who, for 25 years, wanted to be at the front of our minds when we got hurt, but who we didn’t really notice until it all fell apart.

We hear from Ross Cellino, Rich Barnes, Jeremy Kutner, John Fabian Witt, Trish Rich, Ken Kaufman, Mike Breen, and David Rafailedes.

This podcast was written by Katie Shepherd. It was edited by Andrea Bruce and Willa Paskin. Decoder Ring is produced by Willa Paskin and Katie Shepherd. Derek John is Slate’s Executive Producer of narrative podcasts. Merritt Jacob is Senior Technical Director.

Thank you to Rachel Strom and Meryl Scheinman, host of Prank You.

If you haven’t please yet, subscribe and rate our feed in Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. And even better, tell your friends.

If you’re a fan of the show and want to support us, consider signing up for Slate Plus.

Slate Plus members get to listen to Decoder Ring without any ads. Their support is also crucial to our work. So please go to Slate.com/decoderplus to join Slate Plus today.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hang Up and Listen - Remembering Grant Wahl

Tue, 13 Dec 2022 01:15:00 GMT

Joel Anderson, Stefan Fatsis, and Josh Levin are joined by Sports Illustrated’s Jon Wertheim to talk about journalist Grant Wahl, who died suddenly over the weekend at the age of 49. They’re also joined by the Atlantic’s Franklin Foer for a conversation about Morocco’s thrilling run to the World Cup semifinals. Finally, they discuss Brittney Griner’s long-awaited return to the United States after a prisoner swap with Russia.

Grant Wahl (6:26): The life and legacy of a great journalist, mentor, and friend.

Morocco (32:01): What their success means for soccer, Africa, and the Arab world.

Griner (49:08): How she got released and what comes next.

Afterball (1:04:31): Josh on Grant Wahl’s Sports Illustrated cover story on LeBron James.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - Goodbye to All That 2022 Internet

Sat, 10 Dec 2022 10:00:00 GMT

The internet has been as wild as ever this year, delivering stories like West Elm Caleb, the Liver King, the Bridgerton musical and its legal woes, and more. On today’s episode, Rachelle Hampton is joined by Time’s Moises Mendez II and BuzzFeed’s Kelsey Weekman to talk about everything they lived through online in 2022, discussing the good, the bad, and the truly cursed.

This podcast is produced by Daniel Schroeder, Rachelle Hampton, and Daisy Rosario.

Subscribe to Slate Plus at http://slate.com/icymiplus

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Death, Sex & Money - Then I Blocked Them: How Estrangement Became Official

Wed, 07 Dec 2022 17:00:00 GMT

When we first asked for your stories on estrangement, we wondered if it was like a slow pulling away, or like a flipped switch? In episode two of our three-part series, we talk to four listeners for whom estrangement might have been a long time coming, but the choice to cut ties was recent and abrupt.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - What Is a Kevsexual?

Wed, 07 Dec 2022 10:00:00 GMT

On today’s episode, Rachelle Hampton is joined yet again by Nadira Goffe, this time to unpack the mailbag. First they discuss the convoluted mess over a guy on TikTok named Kevin who may or may not understand what the female gaze is. Then, they talk about chili, a Brazilian puppet, and inflation in TikTok’s doubloons economy.

This podcast is produced by Daniel Schroeder, Rachelle Hampton, and Daisy Rosario.

Subscribe to Slate Plus at http://slate.com/icymiplus

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Culture Gabfest - Is Spirited a Holiday Triumph or a Tap-Dancing Disaster?

Wed, 07 Dec 2022 08:00:00 GMT

This week, the Gabfest team starts by discussing Spirited, the new AppleTV+ musical comedy starring Ryan Reynolds and Will Ferrell. Then, they talk about comedian Matt Rogers’ new Showtime special, Have You Heard of Christmas?. Finally, a chat about the sending and receiving of holiday cards.

In Slate Plus, the panel talks about when the holiday season officially begins for each of them.

Email us at culturefest@slate.com.

Endorsements

Dana: Natalie Walker is a wonderful actress, singer, and performer. My Christmas gift to you is to send you down a rabbit hole of her work, and I suggest that you start with her performance of the song Cabaret. She was in Matt Rogers’ special but not singing or performing cabaret.

(Also, listeners can learn about Dana's weeklong series in Berkeley here: https://bampfa.org/program/camera-man-buster-keaton.)

Julia: About 10 years ago on the show I described my favorite childhood picture book which was long out of print. Well now for some reason the book is being republished in a new edition in the U.S. and Australia. The book is Need a House? Call Miss Mouse! and it is written by George Mendoza and illustrated by Susan Smith. I am so glad this book is going to be available.

Steve: This is one of the weirder endorsements I think I’ve ever dropped. I’m endorsing Lana Del Rey. She joins a list of artists who manage to get deep, deep, deep into the weird shallows of the American character. I think there’s something special happening in her music.

Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Yesica Balderrama.

Outro music is "What Do You Want From Me" by OTE.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Decoder Ring - How Preppy Became Streetwear

Tue, 06 Dec 2022 08:00:00 GMT

We bring you a special episode from the Articles of Interest podcast hosted by Avery Trufelman about the incredible reach and adaptability of preppy clothes. It’s a story about the great modernizer of Ivy style, Ralph Lauren, and how he and his label, Polo, were themselves modernized by customers who helped push preppy in a whole new direction, from the runway to the streets.

We encourage you to listen to the entire American Ivy series from Radiotopia.

Articles of Interest is created by Avery Trufelman. It’s edited by Kelly Prime, mixed and mastered by Ian Coss, fact checked by Jessia Siriano, with music by Avery, Rhae Royal, Sasami, and the Beazlebubs, the Tufts University Acapella Group.

Decoder Ring is produced by Willa Paskin and Katie Shepherd. We had mixing help on this episode from Sam Kim. Derek John is Slate’s Executive Producer of narrative podcasts. Merritt Jacob is Senior Technical Director.

If you haven’t please yet, subscribe and rate our feed in Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. And even better, tell your friends.

If you’re a fan of the show and want to support us, consider signing up for Slate Plus.

Slate Plus members get to listen to Decoder Ring without any ads. Their support is also crucial to our work. So please go to Slate.com/decoderplus to join Slate Plus today.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hang Up and Listen - What’s Next for U.S. Men’s Soccer?

Mon, 05 Dec 2022 23:30:00 GMT

Stefan Fatsis and Josh Levin are joined by Grant Wahl to discuss the U.S. loss to the Netherlands at the World Cup. Josh and Joel Anderson are then joined by Slate’s Alex Kirshner to talk about the College Football Playoff pairings and Deion Sanders’ move to Colorado.

World Cup (3:43): The positives and negatives of the USMNT’s run to the round of 16.

College Football Playoff (27:50): Who’s in, who’s out, and what to expect in the semifinals.

Deion Sanders (49:25): Was he wrong to leave Jackson State?

Afterball (1:08:47): Stefan on soccer vs. football.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - Online for the Holidays

Sat, 03 Dec 2022 10:00:00 GMT

On today’s episode, Rachelle Hampton is joined by one of our favorites, Slate associate culture writer Nadira Goffe, and they’re talking all about the holidays online. They discuss Christmas movies like the Lindsay Lohan vehicle Falling for Christmas, Mariah Carey’s genius business sense, and the importance of family both online and off.

This podcast is produced by Daniel Schroeder, Rachelle Hampton, and Daisy Rosario.

Subscribe to Slate Plus at http://slate.com/icymiplus

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hit Parade | Music History and Music Trivia - Angry Young Men Edition Part 2

Sat, 03 Dec 2022 00:00:00 GMT

Punk was meant to be angry. But the so-called Angry Young Men of the late ’70s U.K. scene were secret sophisticates in punk clothing. They delivered withering lyrics and snarling attitude over melodies a pop fan could love.

In so doing, Elvis Costello, Joe Jackson and Graham Parker helped transform a slew of back-to-basic styles—pub-rock, power-pop, post-punk—into the catchall category New Wave. It would take over the charts at the turn of the ’80s. But the launch of the MTV era forced these sardonic troubadours to adjust their songwriting for a New Romantic age.

Join Chris Molanphy as he chronicles the history of three men who wrote the book on alternative rock before it had a name.

Podcast production by Kevin Bendis.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Death, Sex & Money - Estrangement Purgatory

Wed, 30 Nov 2022 16:07:42 GMT

Brian is on the fence. On the one hand, he no longer believes in the religion he was raised in, “It’s high control,” he told us, “rules on everything from what to watch on TV," and "what you do in the bedroom.” But leaving would mean losing contact with his parents and wife.

In our first episode of Estrangement, we talk through the stakes—what could you gain by cutting ties, and what feels impossible to lose?

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - Goncharov, Tumblr’s Fake Scorsese Film

Wed, 30 Nov 2022 10:00:00 GMT

Over the past few weeks, Tumblr has been filled to the brim with content about the Martin Scorsese film Goncharov, but the best part is the film never existed. On today’s episode, Rachelle Hampton and Daisy Rosario explain the wild and weird way Tumblr invented this film, how committed Tumblr users are to this bit, and what Marty thinks about it, too.

This podcast is produced by Daniel Schroeder, Rachelle Hampton, and Daisy Rosario.

Subscribe to Slate Plus at http://slate.com/icymiplus

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Culture Gabfest - Raiders of the Lost Childhood

Wed, 30 Nov 2022 08:00:00 GMT

This week, Sam Adam sits in for Julia as the panel begins by reviewing Steven Spielberg’s new semi-autobiographical film, The Fablemans. Then, a discussion about the Hulu limited series Welcome to Chippendales. Finally, a chat about Ticketmaster.

In Slate Plus, the panel answers a listener question about the songs that make us cry.

Email us at culturefest@slate.com.

Endorsements

Dana: Inspired by chatting about the new Chippendales series this week, my endorsement is the true, non-fictionalized version of the story told by the podcast Welcome to Your Fantasy.

Sam: Endorsing a very specific version of A Christmas Carol. The one-man show version currently on Broadway performed by Jefferson Mays is excellent. Sometimes I find myself wondering if there is any need for another version of A Christmas Carol and this sort of answers that question.

Steve: Singer/songwriter Jessica Pratt is very highly regarded and I wanted to get into her music, but I had trouble until I listened to the song, Back, Baby. Also, saxophonist Ike Quebec. I am absolutely digging his album Blue & Sentimental.

Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Yesica Balderrama.

Outro music is "Stone Cookies" by Dusty Decks.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Decoder Ring - The New Age Hit Machine

Tue, 29 Nov 2022 08:00:00 GMT

For this episode, a story from Slate senior producer Evan Chung about how Yanni, John Tesh and a number of other surprising acts made it big in the 1990s. It’s a throwback to a simpler time—when musicians struggled to find their big break, but discovered it could be possible with a telephone, a television, and our undivided attention.

This story originally aired in 2019 on Studio 360 from PRX.

We hear from George Veras, Pat Callahan, and John Tesh.

This Episode was written and produced by Slate’s Evan Chung. Decoder Ring is produced by Willa Paskin and Katie Shepherd. Derek John is Slate’s Executive Producer of narrative podcasts. Merritt Jacob is Senior Technical Director.

If you haven’t please yet, subscribe and rate our feed in Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. And even better, tell your friends.

If you’re a fan of the show and want to support us, consider signing up for Slate Plus.

Slate Plus members get to listen to Decoder Ring without any ads. Their support is also crucial to our work. So please go to Slate.com/decoderplus to join Slate Plus today.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hang Up and Listen - Who Is Jerry Jones?

Mon, 28 Nov 2022 23:45:00 GMT

Joel Anderson, Stefan Fatsis, and Josh Levin are joined by journalist Meg Swanick to preview the U.S. men’s soccer team’s matchup against Iran. Ben Mathis-Lilley, the author of The Hot Seat, also joins to discuss Michigan’s win over Ohio State. Finally, they talk about the Washington Post’s feature on Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones.

USA-Iran (4:09): The on-field and off-field implications of the USMNT’s big game.

Michigan-Ohio State (25:53): How the Wolverines took down the Buckeyes again.

Jerry Jones (46:30): How much responsibility does he bear for the NFL’s diversity problems?

Afterball (1:07:46): Joel on the resignation of Stanford football coach David Shaw.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - Decoder Ring: The Truth About #TheDress

Sat, 26 Nov 2022 10:00:00 GMT

On today’s episode, we’re excited to share an episode from Slate’s Decoder Ring podcast that we think you’re going to love.

In the history of viral images, #TheDress has got to be in the top 10. This unassuming photo of a party dress kicked off a global debate when people realized they were seeing it completely differently. Is it black and blue, or white and gold? In today’s episode, we’ll talk to someone who was there when the photo was first taken, and the BuzzFeed writer whose post briefly broke the internet. Then we go down the optical rabbit hole with a neuroscientist who’s been studying the The Dress for years. What does it reveal about the nature of truth?

This podcast was written by Willa Paskin, who produces Decoder Ring with Katie Shepherd. This episode was edited by Andrew Adam Newman. Derek John is Slate’s senior supervising producer of narrative podcasts. Merritt Jacob is senior technical director.

We’ll hear from Paul Jinks, Cates Holderness, Pascal Wallisch, and David McRaney author of the book How Minds Change. Here’s the optical illusion of the strawberries mentioned in the episode and created by Professor Akiyoshi Kitaoka.

Subscribe to Slate Plus at http://late.com/icymiplus

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Death, Sex & Money - Fran Lebowitz’s Guide to Life (And Parties)

Wed, 23 Nov 2022 17:00:00 GMT

The writer shares her thoughts on talent versus luck, her vendetta against hiking, and how she’s made and kept friendships over the years in a live conversation at the Berkeley Repertory Theater.

Got a story to share? Email us at deathsexmoney@wnyc.org.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - An ICYMI Friendsgiving with Normal Gossip

Wed, 23 Nov 2022 10:00:00 GMT

As we all prepare to gather around the Thanksgiving table with our friends and families, we thought it was a great time for our second annual Friendsgiving special. On today’s show, Rachelle Hampton is joined by Kelsey McKinney and Alex Sujong Laughlin of Normal Gossip to share in the online riches of 2022. They discuss the first memes they encountered this year, the internet jokes they’re most thankful for, and so much more.

This podcast is produced by Daniel Schroeder, Rachelle Hampton, and Daisy Rosario.

Subscribe to Slate Plus at http://slate.com/icymiplus

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Culture Gabfest - She Said, He Said

Wed, 23 Nov 2022 08:00:00 GMT

This week, Jamelle Bouie sits in for Dana as the panel begins by reviewing She Said, the new film about investigating the Harvey Weinstein story. Then, a discussion about the Hulu limited series Fleishman is in Trouble. Finally, they chat about the auction of Joan Didion’s private items.

In Slate Plus, the panel talks to the very online Jamelle Bouie about the recent wild weeks of Twitter.

Email us at culturefest@slate.com.

Endorsements

Jamelle: The Criteron release of Spike Lee’s Malcolm X. Biopics have fallen out of style for the most part. I rewatched it last year and I came away struck not just by the sheer ambition of it, but the extent to which it is such a love letter to classic Hollywood.

Julia: My endorsement is episode 10 of Andor. It’s a great episode in a bunch of ways, but also the episode ends with an incredible monologue by Stellan Sarsgaard. It’s an incredible piece of writing and performance.

Steve: I like this song. I don’t know much about it, but a friend sent it to me. It’s Super Rich Kids and it’s a cover of a Frank Ocean song. This version is from Trio SR9 featuring Malik Djoudi

Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Yesica Balderrama.

Outro music is "Did I Make You Wait" by Staffan Carlen.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Decoder Ring - The Butt and the Bustle

Tue, 22 Nov 2022 08:00:00 GMT

For about two decades towards the end of the Victorian era, in the 1870s and 1880s, a large bustle-enhanced bottom was the height of fashion. In this episode we explore how it’s connected to today’s big booty craze. We look at the bustle’s history with a curator fascinated by old undergarments; consider the various theories about its popularity with the author Heather Radke; and then hone in the tragic story of Sarah Baartman. The bustle may be old-fashioned, but it still has a lot to tell us about race, sex, power and how much people know, or let themselves know, about what they put on everyday.

We hear from Heather Radke, author of Butts: A Backstory, as well as Kristina Haughland, Janell Hobson, Pamela Scully, and Maria Garcia.

Special thanks to Wesley Stevens and Daisy Rosario.

This podcast was written by Willa Paskin, who produces Decoder Ring with Katie Shepherd. This episode was edited by Andrea Bruce. Derek John is Slate’s Executive Producer of Narrative Podcasts. Merritt Jacob is Senior Technical Director.

If you haven’t please yet, subscribe and rate our feed in Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. And even better, tell your friends.

If you’re a fan of the show, I’d love for you to sign up for Slate Plus.

Slate Plus members get to listen to Decoder Ring without any ads. Their support is also crucial to our work. So please go to Slate.com/decoderplus to join Slate Plus today.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hang Up and Listen - An Opening Draw for the USMNT

Tue, 22 Nov 2022 00:40:00 GMT

Joel Anderson, Stefan Fatsis, and Josh Levin are joined by Slate’s Eric Betts to discuss the U.S. men’s national team’s 1-1 draw against Wales. They also discuss the controversial opening days of the World Cup. Finally, they assess the Warriors’ and Lakers' early-season woes and Kyrie Irving’s return to the Brooklyn Nets.

USA-Wales (4:24): How the USMNT fizzled after a promising start.

FIFA (35:06): What’s happening in Qatar, and what the media is (and isn’t) saying about it.

NBA (47:21): What’s wrong with the league’s most star-laden teams?

Afterball (1:07;12): Josh on the next big star in American tennis.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Death, Sex & Money - Estrangement: We Were Close, Now I Don’t Know You

Mon, 21 Nov 2022 20:20:22 GMT

In Death, Sex & Money’s new three-part series about estrangement, we talk to listeners about cutting family ties, leaving religion, and ending friendships. We also talk to listeners on the other side of estrangement, still desperately wishing for contact, and about what happens after the break. Hear more starting Wednesday, November 30th.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - What's Going to Happen to Twitter?

Sat, 19 Nov 2022 10:00:00 GMT

On today’s episode, Rachelle is joined by Lizzie O’Leary, the host of Slate’s tech podcast What Next: TBD. The two discuss Elon Musk’s takeover of Twitter, whether or not Musk has broken any laws and what the future of the platform might look like.

This podcast is produced by Daniel Schroeder, Daisy Rosario, Emily Charash and Rachelle Hampton.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hit Parade | Music History and Music Trivia - Angry Young Men Edition Part 1

Sat, 19 Nov 2022 02:20:00 GMT

Join Chris Molanphy as he chronicles the history of three men who wrote the book on alternative rock before it had a name.

Podcast production by Kevin Bendis.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Death, Sex & Money - Race and Friendship After 2020: An Update

Wed, 16 Nov 2022 17:00:00 GMT

“Some conversations I’m just not willing to engage in anymore.”

Check out Matt’s photo series of other Korean adoptees, Where are you really from?. And Chrishana and Sarah talked about reading Big Friendship, Aminatou Sow and Ann Friedman’s book – we recorded an episode with them in the summer of 2020. Plus, the Pandemic Toolkit we mentioned, full of activities and coping mechanisms for stress and isolation, still lives here.

Got a story to share? Email us at deathsexmoney@wnyc.org.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - Who’s Invited to the Cookout?

Wed, 16 Nov 2022 08:00:00 GMT

On today’s episode, Rachelle is once again joined by Daisy. The pair dive deep into the digital etymology of the phrase “invited to the cookout” which, in the past few years, has been applied to figures from Bill Nye the Science Guy to Justin Timberlake. They discuss the phrase’s roots in African American Vernacular English and the future of The Cookout.

This podcast is produced by Kevin Bendis, Rachelle Hampton, Daisy Rosario and Daniel Schroeder

Thanks Avast.com! Learn more about Avast One at Avast.com

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Culture Gabfest - Is Wakanda Forever?

Wed, 16 Nov 2022 08:00:00 GMT

This week, Nadira Goffe sits in for Julia as the panel begins by reviewing the Black Panther sequel, Wakanda Forever. Then, a discussion about the Selena Gomez documentary, My Mind & Me. Finally, they chat about Gen Z’s impact on the midterms and the election of Maxwell Alejandro Frost.

In Slate Plus, the panel talks about the art they resisted at first, but came to love.

Email us at culturefest@slate.com.

Endorsements

Dana: I will recommend Spielberg, a 2017 documentary about Steven Spielberg that I happened to watch on HBO because I was reviewing his new movie The Fablemans which is auto-biograohical or semi-autobiographical and has a lot of stuff about his childhood. So naturally I went back to try and what his actual childhood was like. Low and behold, this doc about Spielberg is really good. Available to stream on HBOMax.

Nadira: I was inspired by the Selena Gomez documentary to bring something that is a piece of celebrity journalism. The 15K word piece Frank Sinatra has a Cold by Gay Talese is one of my favorite pieces of journalism ever. There’s a really fun version on Neiman Storyboard with annotations both by someone interviewing Gay Talese and then Gat Talese responding to those questions. Also, I don’t know how familiar you are with Moses Sumney but he is a queer Ghananian-American artist from California who makes, I’d describe it as etherial avant-garde jazz rock. He’s so good. The lack of performing during the pandemic pushed him to make a sort of live conceptual concert film called BLACKALACHIA that he released last year. I saw him perform a live version of this concert film arrangement earlier this year in Brooklyn and it was one of the top 10 live shows in my life.

Steve: In the forthcoming New York Times Magazine, but it’s already up on the web, there is a longform interview with Brian Eno. The thing about Eno is, talk about someone who deserves the elder statesman label! He’s just stayed so vital and he’s such an intellectual. It’s a great interview. I could go on and on about Eno.

Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Yesica Balderrama.

Outro music is "Any Other Way" by Particle House.

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Decoder Ring - The Truth About #TheDress

Tue, 15 Nov 2022 08:00:00 GMT

If you haven’t please yet, subscribe and rate our feed in Apple, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. And even better, tell your friends.

If you’re a fan of the show, I’d love for you to sign up for Slate Plus.

Slate Plus members get to listen to Decoder Ring — and every other Slate podcast — ad-free. Their support is also crucial to our work. So please go to Slate.com/decoderplus to join Slate Plus today.

Check out Remote Works here.

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Hang Up and Listen - Jeff Saturday Is Coaching on Sundays

Tue, 15 Nov 2022 00:30:00 GMT

Joel Anderson, Stefan Fatsis, and Josh Levin are joined by Grant Wahl to talk about the World Cup in Qatar. They also discuss the NFL head coaching debut of the Colts’ Jeff Saturday and examine how women athletes are benefitting from the new name, image, and likeness rules in college sports.

Qatar (3:08): Bribery, authoritarianism, and soccer.

Jeff Saturday (24:07): He has no college or pro coaching experience. He’s running an NFL team now.

NIL (43:49): Women athletes are getting paid, but is there a potential problem lurking?

Afterball (59:26): Stefan on the pointed commentary about race in A Wife’s Guide to Baseball.

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Culture Gabfest - Sponsored: How Can We Build a Support System That Helps Us Push Past Fear and Find Success?

Sat, 12 Nov 2022 10:30:00 GMT

In this episode of The Relentless, we look at how the people we surround ourselves with can help us move fearlessly on the road to success. Host Kristen Meinzer is joined by two inspiring guests who know that turning visions into reality means pushing past fear and, to do that, you need a solid support system.

First, she talks to Aida Rodriguez, a comedian, writer, and actor, whose career took off when she stopped listening to critics and started aligning with people who resonated with her authenticity. Aida is unafraid to be vulnerable in her comedy, often talking about her own life story from surviving two kidnappings to experiencing homelessness. With an HBO stand-up special under her belt and another HBO comedy series in the works, Aida’s comedic talent is undeniable, but the real key to her success lies in the trusting relationships she’s built with people who help her stay fearless.

Later in the episode, we hear from Dan Kruse. As President of the number one CENTURY 21 affiliate in the world, Dan takes an immense amount of pride in the support network he’s built for his agents and brokers. If he’s succeeding, so are they.

Guests

Aida Rodriguez: Comedian, Writer, and Actor

Dan Kruse: President, CEO, and Owner of CENTURY 21 Affiliated in Madison, Wisconsin

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ICYMI - The Internet Wouldn’t Exist Without Sex

Sat, 12 Nov 2022 10:00:00 GMT

On today’s episode Rachelle interviews Vice senior editor Samantha Cole about her forthcoming book How Sex Changed the Internet. The two talk about the role of sex in internet technology like videoconferencing, affiliate links and online credit card transactions. Cole also explains how lifecaster Jennifer Ringley is a predecessor to modern vloggers and livestreamers.

This podcast is produced by Kevin Bendis, Daniel Schroeder, Daisy Rosario and Rachelle Hampton.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Decoder Ring - Fall 2022 Teaser

Thu, 10 Nov 2022 08:00:00 GMT

Decoder Ring is back with a new season of juicy topics, like.... Remember the viral phenomenon and optical mind-blower known as “The Dress”? What does another peculiar piece of clothing from the past—the bustle—tell us about fashion trends today? And, what can we learn from the rise and fall of one of the most notorious personal injury law firms in America?

You can hear these episodes and more on the new season of Decoder Ring. Launching Nov. 15, 2022. Subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts.

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Death, Sex & Money - Between Friends: Stories About Race and Friendship

Wed, 09 Nov 2022 17:00:00 GMT

"Friendship is our only social relationship that is purely voluntary. Someone can just walk away at any time."

Today, we're sharing your stories about how race, identity, and racism have impacted your friendships. And listen to the episode from our partners at the NPR podcast Code Switch, featuring expert advice on navigating those flashpoint moments around race—and explaining why it's so hard to make, and maintain, cross-racial friendships.

Got a story to share? Email us at deathsexmoney@wnyc.org.

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Culture Gabfest - Explain Crypto to Me Like I'm a Golden Retriever

Wed, 09 Nov 2022 08:00:00 GMT

This week, the panel begins by reviewing the Weird Al biopic, Weird. Then, a discussion about the entire run of Derry Girls. Finally, Matt Levine joins to explain crypto.

In Slate Plus, the panel takes on a listener question and talks about comfort food.

Email us at culturefest@slate.com.

Endorsements

Dana: A movie I saw a couple of weeks ago that is one of the best movies I’ve seen this year. If you can see it will depend on where you are but keep your eyes open for this Hindi-language documentary called All That Breathes.

Julia: I’d like to recommend an Instagram account and that Instagram account is by the name of Hot Dads of Picture Books and it is what it says. It’s basically somebody curating pictures of smokeshow dads from picture books. I can’t attest to its future longevity but I appreciate its commitment to the bit.

Steve: The wonderful Mimi Parker, drummer and vocalist of the band Low, has died. I really truly love their music so I’m endorsing both Low and their music but also very much the remembrance by Slate’s own Sam Adams. Low made this crazy, wonderful, spooky rock and roll music that I adore.

Outro music: "Ruins" by Origo

Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Yesica Balderrama.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ICYMI - A Man Ate Rotisserie Chicken for 40 Days Straight

Wed, 09 Nov 2022 08:00:00 GMT

On today’s episode, Rachelle is back with Daisy to read your letters and answer all your burning questions. They get into everything from Johnny Depp’s rumored appearance in Rihanna’s Savage x Fenty show to why hundreds of people turned out to abandoned Philadelphia dock to watch a man eat a rotisserie chicken.

This podcast is produced by Kevin Bendis, Daniel Schroeder, Daisy Rosario and Rachelle Hampton

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hang Up and Listen - The Astros Are the Champs

Tue, 08 Nov 2022 01:15:00 GMT

Joel Anderson, Stefan Fatsis, and Josh Levin are joined by Hannah Keyser of Yahoo Sports to talk about the Houston Astros’ World Series triumph. They also discuss LSU’s win over Alabama and the current state of SEC football. Finally, they assess Herschel Walker’s Senate candidacy.

World Series (5:02): How Houston won it all.

SEC football (26:12): Is Alabama on the way down? And what’s going on with Texas A&M?

Herschel Walker (48:46): What’s motivating the former football star’s foray into politics?

Afterball (1:08:35): Joel on what he wishes Deion Sanders would say about Jackson State and HBCUs.

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ICYMI - How Are the Midterms Affecting Social Media?

Sat, 05 Nov 2022 09:00:00 GMT

On today’s episode, Daisy is sitting in the host chair and she’s joined by Slate’s own Nitish Pahwa, who covers business and tech for the site, and has written a lot about these upcoming elections. They’ll be talking about which candidates are and aren’t using TikTok well, how easy it is to encounter election misinformation, Elon Musk’s Twitter takeover, and the state of right wing social media platforms.

This podcast is produced by Daniel Schroeder, Rachelle Hampton, and Daisy Rosario.

Subscribe to Slate Plus at http://slate.com/icymiplus

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Death, Sex & Money - An Update from the Sex Worker Next Door

Wed, 02 Nov 2022 16:00:00 GMT

Emma was a single mom and supported her family with the income she made from sex work. The money was good. But she struggled with the secrecy, and the shame.

Got a story to share? Email us at deathsexmoney@wnyc.org

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ICYMI - Did Deplatforming Andrew Tate Work?

Wed, 02 Nov 2022 09:00:00 GMT

Andrew Tate, a former kickboxer and star of Big Brother in the UK, was deplatformed earlier this year because of his offensive and misogynistic talking points, but that didn’t stop him from spreading his message. On today’s episode, Rachelle speaks with journalist Ikran Dahir who recently wrote, “Andrew Tate’s Hustlers University 2.0 Has Made at Least $11 Million in Just One Month,” in BuzzFeed. Ikran discusses what it was like being on the platform, the quality of the classes being offered, and the vibes of the user base, revealing Tate might be savvier than anybody wants to admit.

This podcast is produced by Daniel Schroeder, Rachelle Hampton, and Daisy Rosario.

Subscribe to Slate Plus at http://slate.com/icymiplus

Thanks Avast.com! Learn more about Avast One at Avast.com

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Culture Gabfest - Will Elon Musk Ruin Twitter?

Wed, 02 Nov 2022 07:00:00 GMT

This week, the panel begins by talking about Elon Musk taking over Twitter. Then, a discussion about the new film Aftersun. Finally, Angelica Jade Bastién joins to talk about her recent article about Brangelina.

In Slate Plus, the panel takes on a listener question and talks about swap casting.

Email us at culturefest@slate.com.

Endorsements

Dana: I know I’m constantly endorsing things on the Criterion Channel! They are streaming the noir films of 20th Century Fox all month long. I don’t know why noir has become associated with November. Maybe it goes with the shortening days and the gloomy shadows of November.

Julia: A slightly odd endorsement today. People really seem to think they can disrupt underwear. I don’t really know why. But, I have been a skeptic until now. Finally the platonic underwear has been designed. Knickey high-rise briefs. It’s just too good.

Steve: The thing that’s given me the most joy is the Richard Wilbur poem Castles and Distances from 1950. I was in the mood for Wilbur and I found one I had never read before. It’s so cool. So sadly apposite to modern experience, especially with Elon Musk in the news and tech barons.

Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Yesica Balderrama.

Outro music is "Lonely Calling" by Arc De Soleil.

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Hang Up and Listen - Goodbye Kyrie

Mon, 31 Oct 2022 22:15:00 GMT

Joel Anderson, Stefan Fatsis, and Josh Levin discuss Kyrie Irving and anti-Semitism. They also talk about the continued rise of Deion Sanders and Jackson State. And Claire Watkins of Just Women’s Sports comes on for a conversation about the championship game of the National Women’s Soccer League.

Kyrie (3:09): Is it finally time for the Brooklyn Nets to get rid of him?

Jackson State (28:09): Will the Prime Effect go away when Coach Prime moves on?

NWSL (47:10): The stardom of Sophia Smith and the future of the league.

Afterball (1:03:05): Stefan on a historic match-up between women soccer coaches.

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ICYMI - Inside the Online Life of a Health & Wellness Reporter

Sat, 29 Oct 2022 09:00:00 GMT

We all spend so much of our lives online these days, and so we figured we’d start interviewing people about theirs. On today’s show, Rachelle is joined by health and wellness journalist Julia Craven to talk about Julia’s past online, how she would curate her feeds if she could only follow three people, and the best and worst wellness trends she’s currently seeing. And, of course, we continue to wonder, was Jesus hot?

This podcast was produced by Daniel Schroeder, Rachelle Hampton, and Daisy Rosario.

Subscribe to Slate Plus at http://slate.com/icymiplus

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Hit Parade | Music History and Music Trivia - Give Up the Funk Edition Part 2

Fri, 28 Oct 2022 23:30:00 GMT

In the ’70s, funk was pop—the cutting edge of Black music and the way listeners got their groove on, before disco and hip-hop. After James Brown taught a generation a new way to hear rhythm, and George Clinton tore the roof off with his P-Funk axis, nothing would be the same.

Rising alongside blaxploitation at the movies, funk took many forms: Curtis Mayfield’s superfly storytelling. War’s low-riding grooves. Kool & the Gang’s jungle boogie. Earth, Wind and Fire’s jazzy crescendos. But when funk began fusing with rock and disco took over the charts, would these acts have to give up the funk?

Join Chris Molanphy as he traces the history of funk’s first big decade. You’ll ride the mighty, mighty love rollercoaster and get down just for the funk of it.

Podcast production by Kevin Bendis.

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Death, Sex & Money - Sandra Cisneros on Sex, Aging, and the Paranormal

Wed, 26 Oct 2022 16:00:00 GMT

Sandra Cisneros has picked “some real doozies” as lovers. But at 67, she says she’d rather write a new book of poetry than waste her time with men who aren’t on her level.

Got a story to share? Email us at deathsexmoney@wnyc.org.

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ICYMI - How a Lesbian Emu Influencer Got Milkshake Ducked

Wed, 26 Oct 2022 09:00:00 GMT

One TikTok famous emu was allegedly struggling with avian flu last week, but the story is a bit more complicated when it comes to public health. On today’s episode, Rachelle is joined again by Daisy Rosario to talk about Emmanuel the emu, the racist past of his owner Taylor Blake, and the confusing and risky tale she spun online about her bird’s illness.

This podcast is produced by Daniel Schroeder, Rachelle Hampton, and Daisy Rosario.

Subscribe to Slate Plus at http://slate.com/icymiplus

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Culture Gabfest - Two Severed Thumbs Up

Wed, 26 Oct 2022 07:00:00 GMT

This week, the panel begins by discussing the new Martin McDonagh dramedy, The Banshees of Inisherin. Then, they look at composer Michael Giacchino's foray into directing with Werewolf by Night on Disney+. Finally, they reflect on the generational divide over emoji use.

In Slate Plus, the panel talks about Anna May Wong, the first Chinese American film star in Hollywood, being the new face on a US coin.

Email us at culturefest@slate.com.

Endorsements

Dana: Happened upon this endorsement because kept me up late watching. If you are a cult horror fan you are probably already familiar with Carnival of Souls. If you aren’t familiar, it has this feeling of creepy rightness that makes it worth watching. It’s all vibes.

Julia: A new work by a little singer-songwriter you may have missed…Taylor Swift’s new release, Midnights is out now. It’s sort of halfway between pop-Taylor and folk-Taylor. Check out the song Anti-Hero.

Steve: Everybody knows The Zombies, but you may have missed lead singer Colin Blunstone’s masterpiece of a solo record One Year. Blunstone reissued the album last year. His vocals are so precise and unexpectedly baroque. The album saved my life this Halloween from the poison of poptimism.

Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Yesica Balderrama.

Outro music is "Haunted Playhouse" by Stationary Sign.

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Hang Up and Listen - What Happened to Russell Wilson?

Mon, 24 Oct 2022 23:35:00 GMT

Joel Anderson, Stefan Fatsis, and Josh Levin are joined by the Ringer’s Ben Lindbergh to talk about the Astros-Phillies World Series. They also discuss the decline of Russell Wilson, and possibly Tom Brady and Aaron Rodgers. And they assess whether Adam Silver’s NBA promotion and relegation talk is for real.

World Series (5:35): How are the Astros so consistently good in the randomness of the postseason?

Wilson (28:00): Is Russ cooked?

NBA relegation (47:00): Could it ever happen?

Afterball (1:04:36): Josh on the key to sports fan happiness.

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ICYMI - What’s It Like Being a Twitch Streamer?

Sat, 22 Oct 2022 09:00:00 GMT

A lot has been happening around Twitch, a platform that really seems to live in its own world on the internet. On today’s show, Rachelle is joined by Gita Jackson who explains exactly why Twitch can feel so insular even though the audience is enormous. They also talk about the poorly planned TwitchCon, and the horrible things that have led streamer Amouranth to take a break from the site.

This podcast is produced by Daniel Schroeder, Rachelle Hampton, and Daisy Rosario.

Subscribe to Slate Plus at https://slate.com/icymiplus

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Death, Sex & Money - Singing in the Pain: Hrishikesh Hirway on his Mother, Grief and Creativity

Wed, 19 Oct 2022 16:00:00 GMT

Musician and “Song Exploder” host, Hrishikesh Hirway, remembers his mother, Kanta, who died in 2020, and the music that’s helped him move through grief.

You can listen to Hrishikesh Hirway’s new solo music inspired by Kanta here, the podcast, “Song Exploder,'' here, and the podcast, “Home Cooking,” here.

Got a story to share? Email us at deathsexmoney@wnyc.org.

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ICYMI - What’s the Deal With Broadway’s 1776?

Wed, 19 Oct 2022 09:00:00 GMT

On today’s episode, Rachelle is joined again by Daisy Rosario to discuss what’s been happening online. First they scrape heaps of butter off their cutting boards, and then Daisy explains all the drama surrounding actor Sara Porkalob’s recent interview in Vulture where they tear into their own production. And then Rachelle gets powered up to tell Daisy exactly what a linewife and a bucket bunny are, and why they’ve taken over TikTok.

This podcast is produced by Daniel Schroeder, Rachelle Hampton, and Daisy Rosario.

Subscribe to Slate Plus at slate.com/icymiplus

Thanks Avast.com! Learn more about Avast One at Avast.com

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Culture Gabfest - Plastic Stormtrooper Codpiece

Wed, 19 Oct 2022 07:00:00 GMT

This week, the panel begins by discussing Cate Blachett’s new film Tár. Then, they dig into the ways the Star Wars universe is expanded in the series Andor. Finally, Slate’s own Dan Kois joins the panel to discuss his recent feature on forgotten American poet Rod McKuen.

In Slate Plus, the panel talks about the practice of reading out loud.

Email us at culturefest@slate.com.

Endorsements

Dana: Sharing a musical endorsement after coming across a CD on the street by chance. Josquin Desprez’s choral religious work is wonderful thinking music, and this version is performed by La Chapelle Royale.

Julia: A character in Tár inspires a revisit to the incredible New York Times obituary of Gilbert E. Kaplan written by Margalit Fox in 2016.

Steve: Joining Dana with a music suggestion, enjoy the oddly bewitching charm of jazz pianist McKoy Tyner’s Nights of Ballads & Blues from 1963.

Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Yesica Balderrama.

Outro music is "Break The Line" by Coma Svensson.

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Hang Up and Listen - Linsanity Redux

Mon, 17 Oct 2022 22:38:00 GMT

Joel Anderson and Stefan Fatsis are joined by Slate’s Ben Mathis-Lilley to review a crazy weekend in college football. ESPN’s Pablo Torre talks with Joel, Stefan, and Vinson Cunningham of The New Yorker about the new documentary 38 at the Garden on Jeremy Lin’s short but brilliant run with the New York Knicks a decade ago. Finally, Joel, Stefan, and Vinson discuss another new documentary, The Redeem Team, about the 2008 U.S. Olympic men’s basketball team.

College Football (5:25): Alabama vs Tennessee and CFB's explosive offenses.

Linnsanity revisited (28:32): 38 at The Garden. Is Jeremy Lin still underrated?

Redeem Team (49:28): Lebron, Kobe, Wade's quest for gold.

Afterballs (1:09:01): Joel examines which high basketball stars lived up to the hype.

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ICYMI - What Makes Online Advice Good?

Sat, 15 Oct 2022 09:00:00 GMT

On the show today, Rachelle is joined by Slate’s Dear Prudence, Jenée Desmond-Harris to talk all about online advice. They discuss what her online life was like before she took over as Dear Prudence, how she decides what sort of advice to give out, and why she really enjoys being on Twitter. And Rachelle continues to wonder, was Jesus hot?

This podcast is produced by Daniel Schroeder, Rachelle Hampton, and Daisy Rosario.

Subscribe to Slate Plus at slate.com/icymiplus

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Hit Parade | Music History and Music Trivia - Give Up the Funk Edition Part 1

Sat, 15 Oct 2022 01:10:00 GMT

Join Chris Molanphy as he traces the history of funk’s first big decade. You’ll ride the mighty, mighty love rollercoaster and get down just for the funk of it.

Podcast production by Kevin Bendis.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Culture Gabfest - Mansplaining Marilyn

Wed, 12 Oct 2022 22:55:39 GMT

This week, the panel begins by going Blonde as they dive into Andrew Dominik’s Marilyn Monroe biopic on Netflix. Then, the panel continues by chipping in on the reboot discussion, specifically through the lens of Hulu’s new show (you guessed it) Reboot. Finally, Slate’s music critic, Carl Wilson, joins the panel to explain the legacy of the late country music titan Loretta Lynn.

In Slate Plus, the panel discusses the on-going smear campaigns against cities and urban spaces—inspired by Henry Grabar’s Slate article titled “Fear City.”

Email us at culturefest@slate.com.

Endorsements

Dana: The 2006 movie The TV Set, directed by Jake Kasdan and starring Reboot’s Judy Greer, Sigourney Weaver, and David Duchovny.

Julia: A cookbook called Snacking Cakes: Simple Treats for Anytime Cravings: A Baking Book by Yossy Arefi.

Steve: Remembering the great French philosopher Bruno Latour who spent his work trying to explain how empirical statements come to be.

Podcast production by Yanii Evans. Production assistance by Nadira Goffe.

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Death, Sex & Money - Conversations with My Dead Mother

Wed, 12 Oct 2022 16:00:00 GMT

Rachel Matlow’s mother refused to get the surgery that could have saved her. That often left her and Rachel trying to love each other while bitterly at odds.

You can listen to the full audio piece Rachel made here, and order their memoir here.

Got a story to share? Email us at deathsexmoney@wnyc.org.

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ICYMI - The Internet Is an Invisible Force

Wed, 12 Oct 2022 09:00:00 GMT

On today’s show, Rachelle is joined by Kia Miakka Natisse and Yowei Shaw, the hosts of NPR’s Invisibilia podcast. They discuss how they found themselves in the hosting chairs, the ways they spend their own time online, and the places podcasting and influencing intersect.

This podcast is produced by Daniel Schroeder, Rachelle Hampton, and Daisy Rosario.

Subscribe to Slate Plus at https://slate.com/icymiplus

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Decoder Ring - McGruff Takes a Bite Out of Crime Pt. 2

Wed, 12 Oct 2022 01:18:30 GMT

McGruff the Crime Dog arrived on the scene at the dawn of the 1980s, just as a firehose of anti-drug PSAs was inundating the youth of America. These messages didn’t always work as intended—but they did work their way into the long term memories of the kids who heard them.

In the second episode of our two-part series on the weird world of PSAs and very special episodes, we look at how the McGruff Smart Kids Album influenced everything from straight-edge hardcore to a couple’s wedding playlist. We’ll hear from Sarah Hubbard, Dan Danger, Joseph Cappella, David Farber, Mike Hawes, Robin Nelson, Daisy Rosario, and Tatiana Peralta.

This podcast was written by Willa Paskin, who produces Decoder Ring with Katie Shepherd. This episode was edited by Jamie York. Derek John is Slate’s Sr. Supervising Producer of Narrative Podcasts. Merritt Jacob is Sr. Technical Director.

Thank you to Tatiana Peralta, Ari Merkin, Wendy Melillo, Dan McQuade, Dale Mantley, Larissa Zargeris, Dave Bledsoe, Larre Johnson, Duane Poole, Eric Greenberg, Charles and Karen Rosen, and Jennifer Holland, Orla Mejia, Andres Martinez and everyone else at the Rutgers library who helped me listen to some old cassette tapes.

A few things that were helpful in working on this piece: How McGruff and the Crying Indian Changed America: A History of Iconic Ad Council Campaigns by Wendy Melillo, Taking a Bite out of Crime: the Impact of the National Citizens Crime Prevention Media Campaign by Garrett J O’keefe and others, and “This McGruff Drug Album Might As Well Be By Weird Al,” by Dan McQuade for Defector Media. You can hear Daniel Danger’s McGruff cover album in it’s entirety or you can purchase it here. And lastly, if you are interested in hearing the full McGruff educational program or any of Puppet Productions productions they are available for purchase at puppetsinc.com, part of a company that Rob Nelson still runs.

If you have any cultural mysteries you want us to decode, email us at DecoderRing@slate.com

If you love the show and want to support us, consider joining Slate Plus. With Slate Plus you get ad-free podcasts, bonus episodes, and total access to all of Slate’s journalism.

Check out Remote Works here.

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Hang Up and Listen - Wembanyama Mania

Tue, 11 Oct 2022 23:15:00 GMT

Joel Anderson, Stefan Fatsis, and Josh Levin talk about the Warriors’ Draymond Green punching his teammate Jordan Poole. They also discuss 7-foot-4 basketball phenom Victor Wembanyama. Finally, the Athletic’s Steph Yang joins for a conversation about Sally Yates’ report on abuse in the National Women’s Soccer League.

Warriors (4:59): How should the team handle Draymond’s punch? Is he done in Golden State?

Wembanyama (28:24): Can the 18-year-old Frenchman possibly live up to all this hype?

Soccer abuse (49:09): What we learned from the report and what comes next.

Afterball (1:12:20): Stefan revisits cheating in chess and Scrabble.

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ICYMI - The Bling Ring Wasn’t Possible Without the Internet

Sat, 08 Oct 2022 09:00:00 GMT

The early years of social media were a wild place where people weren’t really thinking about what they were posting, which is something the teenagers of the Bling Ring took advantage of when they started using celebrity gossip sites, Facebook, MySpace and Google Maps to target their famous victims. On today’s show, Rachelle is joined by Moises Mendez II to talk about the new Netflix documentary The Real Bling Ring: Hollywood Heist, which details this group’s tactics, crimes, and conflicting stories. Rachelle and Moises discuss how the internet played such an important role in these crimes, the chaos in the courtroom, and the desperation for attention these teens had.

This podcast is produced by Daniel Schroeder, Rachelle Hampton, and Daisy Rosario.

Subscribe to Slate Plus at slate.com/icymiplus

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Death, Sex & Money - I Wanted To Be A 'Good Girl'

Wed, 05 Oct 2022 16:00:00 GMT

Andrea grew up attending an evangelical church in Texas, where she was taught to abstain from sex until marriage and keep herself sexually "pure." That early sex education—and her decision to have premarital sex anyway—had long-lasting impact, well into her adulthood.

This episode was part of our series called Our Sex (Mis)Educations. Find the entire series here.

Got a story to share? Email us at deathsexmoney@wnyc.org.

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ICYMI - Why an Orthodox Jewish Boys Choir Is Going Viral

Wed, 05 Oct 2022 09:00:00 GMT

The Miami Boys Choir is currently having a moment on TikTok with videos of their performances going viral on the platform. On today’s episode, Rachelle and Daisy explain who the Miami Boys Choir is, why they’re based in Brooklyn and not Miami, and what’s so appealing about their songs. They also talk about Lena Dunham’s latest wild tweet, and why the revelation of anonymous YouTuber Dream’s face was such a big deal online.

This podcast is produced by Daniel Schroeder, Rachelle Hampton, and Daisy Rosario.

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Culture Gabfest - Heteronormative Nonsense

Wed, 05 Oct 2022 07:00:00 GMT

This week, the panel begins by discussing the moral quandaries surrounding Netflix’s newest hit Dahmer—Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story. Then, the panel breaks down the successes and failures of Billy Eichner’s gay romcom Bros. And finally, the panel lends their opinions on the trope of the wife guy, spurred on by Ned Fulmer’s (formerly of the Try Guys) recent adultery scandal.

In Slate Plus, the panel discusses society’s growing appetite for true crime.

Email us at culturefest@slate.com.

Endorsements

Dana: Pulling a Steve with a local endorsement: the new bookstore (offering new and used books) in Park Slope called Troubled Sleep.

Julia: The American Military Museum, aka Tankland, in El Monte, California. It has over 150 odd, decommissioned military vehicles jam-packed in a dusty parking lot which they used to provide for various film and entertainment productions. Also, if you make the trip then also stop at Burritos La Palma in El Monte.

Steve: From the 2022 Newport Folk Festival: singer-songwriter Brandi Carlile bringing legendary singer-songwriter Joni Mitchell back on stage for her first full set performance in decades.

Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Nadira Goffe.

Outro music is "If Only I Was a Poet" by Staffan Carlen.

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Decoder Ring - McGruff Takes a Bite Out of Crime Pt. 1

Tue, 04 Oct 2022 18:00:00 GMT

In the first of two episodes, we take a look at PSAs and their strange afterlife through the lens of a trench-coat wearing bloodhound and his bizarre, yet catchy anti-drug songs. We’ll talk to Dan Danger, Sherry Nemmers, Joseph Cappella, David Farber, Mike Hawes and Robin Nelson to discover how the McGruff Smart Kids Album came to exist in the first place.

This podcast was written by Willa Paskin. Decoder Ring is produced by Willa Paskin and Katie Shepherd. We had production help from Sam Kim.

Editing by Jamie York and Derek John, Slate’s Sr. Supervising Producer of Narrative Podcasts. Merritt Jacob is Sr. Technical Director.

Thank you to Wendy Melillo, Dan McQuade, Dale Mantley, Larissa Zargeris, Daisy Rosario, Drew Bledsoe, Larre Johnson, Duane Poole, Ari Merkin, Charles and Karen Rosen and Eric Greenberg.

If you have any cultural mysteries you want us to decode, email us at DecoderRing@slate.com

If you love the show and want to support us, consider joining Slate Plus. With Slate Plus you get ad-free podcasts, bonus episodes, and total access to all of Slate’s journalism.

Check out Remote Works here

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Hang Up and Listen - Who’s to Blame for Tua’s Head Injury?

Tue, 04 Oct 2022 00:10:00 GMT

Joel Anderson, Stefan Fatsis, and Josh Levin discuss the fallout from Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa’s concussions. They also talk about Aaron Judge’s quest for the American League home run record. Finally, chess champion and poker pro Jennifer Shahade joins for a conversation about cheating allegations in both sports.

Tua (3:52): Why was he allowed to play after suffering an obvious head injury?

Judge (31:50): Is the Yankees star chasing the “real” home run record?

Chess and poker cheating (54:40): What we know, what we don’t, and what comes next.

Afterball (1:14:06): Josh on the real home run record of 1884.

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ICYMI - BuzzFeed Set the Try Guys Up to Fail

Sat, 01 Oct 2022 09:00:00 GMT

The internet has been abuzz with news that the Try Guys have ended their relationship with Ned Fulmer after it was revealed earlier this week that he cheated on his wife with a work colleague. On today’s show, Rachelle is joined by Devin Lytle, a director, producer, and former BuzzFeed colleague of the Try Guys who appeared in BuzzFeed’s Ladylike series. She and Rachelle discuss the heyday of BuzzFeed’s video department, the ways the Try Guys and Ladylike were treated differently, and how BuzzFeed created and trapped these performers in their online personalities.

This podcast is produced by Daniel Schroeder, Rachelle Hampton, and Daisy Rosario.

Subscribe to Slate Plus at slate.com/icymiplus

Thanks Avast.com! Learn more about Avast One at Avast.com

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Hit Parade | Music History and Music Trivia - At Last, My Legacy Has Come Along Edition Part 2

Fri, 30 Sep 2022 21:15:00 GMT

What do you call a song that bombed on the charts back in the day, that now booms out of radios and streaming apps nationwide? Chris Molanphy has a name for these songs: legacy hits. Elton John’s “Tiny Dancer.” Etta James’s “At Last.” The Romantics’ “What I Like About You.” Peter Gabriel’s “In Your Eyes.” Talking Heads’ “Once in a Lifetime.”

Many catalysts can change a song’s trajectory, from movie scenes to stadium singalongs, wedding DJs to evolving tastes. Sometimes the hivemind just collectively decides that this Whitney Houston hit, not that one, is her song for the ages.

Join Chris as he explains how the charts sometimes get it wrong, and how legacy hits correct the record—and counts down 10 of his favorite flops-turned-classics.

Podcast production by Kevin Bendis and Merritt Jacob.

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Death, Sex & Money - India Walton: I Knew It Was Gonna Be Tough, But I Didn't Expect it to Get Nasty

Wed, 28 Sep 2022 16:00:00 GMT

In 2021, India Walton won, then lost, the Buffalo mayor’s race. She continues to work and grieve in her city.

Got a story to share? Email us at deathsexmoney@wnyc.org.

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ICYMI - Jojo Siwa Did What on TikTok?

Wed, 28 Sep 2022 09:00:00 GMT

A lot of stuff has been happening online so we figured it was a perfect time for another mailbag. On today’s episode, Nadira is back with Rachelle to read your letters and answer your burning questions. They get into everything from Jojo Siwa’s lesbian TikTok drama, to why we’re all laughing about Adam Levine’s sexts, and whether or not influencers are allowed to complain about being influencers.

This podcast is produced by Daniel Schroeder, Rachelle Hampton, and Daisy Rosario.

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Culture Gabfest - Hamm Sandwich

Wed, 28 Sep 2022 07:00:00 GMT

This week, Slate writer and editor Dan Kois fills in for Julia as the panel begins by revisiting a familiar character in the Jon Hamm-led reboot Confess, Fletch. Then, the panel is joined by Slate’s book critic, Laura Miller, to remember the legacy of the recently departed British author Hilary Mantel. Finally, the panel is joined by Slate's web editor, Nitish Pahwa, to explain the cheating scandal that has embroiled not only the world of competitive chess, but also the general public.

In Slate Plus, the panel discusses what makes the best bathroom book—inspired by Dan Kois’ article on the subject for Slate.

Email us at culturefest@slate.com.

Endorsements

Dana: The perfect airplane viewing (whilst embarking on a new chapter of book promo): the one hour BBC documentary Attenborough and the Mammoth Graveyard.

Dan: The intensely close reading of the film Predator titled, Predator: A Memoir, a Movie, an Obsession by Ander Monson. In it, Monson transforms the close reading into a memoir about manhood, guns, politics, juvenile delinquency, and more.

Steve: The famous solo by tenor saxophone player Paul Gonsalves during Duke Ellington’s set at the 1956 Newport Jazz festival: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5vnrNWyvI-U

Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Nadira Goffe.

Outro music is "Bloody Hunter" by Paisley Pink.

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Hang Up and Listen - The Brett Favre Welfare Scandal

Mon, 26 Sep 2022 23:30:00 GMT

Joel Anderson, Stefan Fatsis, and Josh Levin discuss the Boston Celtics’ decision to suspend head coach Ime Udoka. They also talk about Roger Federer’s tearful retirement. Finally, Anna Wolfe of Mississippi Today joins for a conversation about Brett Favre and the state’s enormous welfare scandal.

Udoka (4:24): Did the media and the Celtics mishandle the news of his suspension?

Federer (21:01): What makes his relationship with Rafael Nadal so special.

Favre (42:20): How the ex-quarterback got enmeshed in an escalating welfare controversy.

Afterball (1:02:46): Joel on Mississippi, a segregation academy, and a football field.

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ICYMI - Serial Didn’t Free Adnan Syed

Sat, 24 Sep 2022 09:00:00 GMT

In 2015, Serial launched the case against Adnan Syed for the murder of Hae Min Lee in to the national conversation, but over the years the mistakes that show made continued to add up. Adnan Syed’s release from prison earlier this week would have been a great chance for the Serial team to admit their wrongs, but that was not the case.

On today’s episode, Rachelle is joined by Daisy Rosario to talk about the impact Serial had on the culture, and the case itself. They speak with Rebecca Lavoie, a writer and host of Crime Writers On…, about what's missing from the podcast, the New York Times continuing to ignore its journalistic responsibilities, and how Serial is responsible for the current state of true crime culture.

This podcast is produced by Daniel Schroeder, Rachelle Hampton, and Daisy Rosario.

Subscribe to Slate Plus at slate.com/icymiplus

Editor’s note: A previous version of this episode misstated that the phrase, “basically good guys,” was a direct quote from the Serial podcast. It was not and we should not have used the word quote in that instance. We would also like to acknowledge that we did not reach out to the Serial team for comment. This episode has been updated to make fixes relevant to those issues and to better clarify some of our points. We did not mean to imply that Serial had not reported out updates, but rather that we felt that information wasn’t easy to find. We did review the Serial website, transcripts, and show feed, though not as thoroughly as we should have. We regret our errors, and sincerely apologize to the Serial team.

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Death, Sex & Money - Inside John Waters' Home (But Not Inside His Colon)

Wed, 21 Sep 2022 16:00:00 GMT

The delightful and rebellious writer-director welcomes us into his apartment to talk about money, family, friendships, and colonoscopies.

Got a story to share? Email us at deathsexmoney@wnyc.org.

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ICYMI - It’s OK to Criticize the Dead

Wed, 21 Sep 2022 09:00:00 GMT

It was impossible to get anything done the day the Queen died because Twitter was just too lively. All sorts of takes were had including the sympathetic, the critical, and the just plain funny. One specific strain of opinion criticized those who were laughing or rejoicing because they weren’t respecting the grief of the royal family. On today’s show, Nadira is back to talk to Rachelle about exactly what the trouble is with that train of thought. They discuss why people are so quick to jump to the dead’s defense, and how that gets in the way of really remembering the full picture of a person’s life.

This podcast is produced by Ahyiana Angel, Daniel Schroeder, Rachelle Hampton, and Daisy Rosario.

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Culture Gabfest - Jolly Green Lawyer

Wed, 21 Sep 2022 07:00:00 GMT

This week, Julia and Dana invite different guests to temporarily fill in for Steve. First, Julia and Dana are joined by Slate’s technology editor, Jonathan L. Fischer, as they hulk out and lawyer out with She-Hulk: Attorney at Law. Then, the panel is joined by Slate’s music critic, Carl Wilson, to take a look at one of music’s larger-than-life figures, David Bowie, with the documentary Moonage Daydream. Finally, the panel is joined by Sam Adams, a senior editor at Slate, to discuss the ethics of documentaries—a discussion inspired by the article “Inside the Documentary Cash Grab,” written by Mia Galuppo and Katie Kilkenny for The Hollywood Reporter.

In Slate Plus, the panel discusses unfinished works of art they really wish were, well, finished.

Email us at culturefest@slate.com.

Endorsements

Dana: One of Dana’s favorite Onion articles of all time: “David Bowie Asks Iman If They Should Just Do Lasagna Again.”

Sam: Actually reading Robert Caro’s book The Power Broker.

Julia: Take an art class! Take. An. Art. Class. Generally, if you’re in LA: checkout Makers Mess. Specifically, if you’re anywhere: check out the online kits and classes from Mercedez Rex.

Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Nadira Goffe.

Outro music is "Stone Cookies" by Dusty Decks.

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Hang Up and Listen - Should the NBA Ban Robert Sarver?

Tue, 20 Sep 2022 00:30:00 GMT

Josh Levin, Joel Anderson, and the New Yorker’s Vinson Cunningham discuss the NBA’s suspension of Phoenix Suns owner Robert Sarver and Denver Broncos coach Nathaniel Hackett’s bizarre decisions. Finally, Josh and Stefan Fatsis speak with Olympic champion Mark Spitz about the new documentary series 72—A Gathering of Champions.

Robert Sarver (4:07): Should Adam Silver have done more?

Nathaniel Hackett (25:55): What is this coach thinking?

Mark Spitz (45:57): One of the greatest Olympians ever remembers the dizzying highs and brutal lows of the 1972 Summer Games.

Afterball (1:10:40): Vinson on the greatness of Manu Ginobili.

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ICYMI - Where AI Art Can Go Wrong

Sat, 17 Sep 2022 09:00:00 GMT

Rachelle knows a lot about internet culture, but tech…not so much. On today’s episode, Rachelle asks Lizzie O’Leary (host of What Next, TBD) about the latest developments in art created by artificial intelligence and whether or not TikTok is listening, before helping clear up a question about a popular video trope.

Subscribe to Slate Plus at slate.com/icymiplus

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Hit Parade | Music History and Music Trivia - At Last, My Legacy Has Come Along Edition Part 1

Sat, 17 Sep 2022 00:00:00 GMT

Join Chris as he explains how the charts sometimes get it wrong, and how legacy hits correct the record—and counts down 10 of his favorite flops-turned-classics.

Podcast production by Kevin Bendis and Merritt Jacob.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Death, Sex & Money - How Clothes Help Us Find Our People and Ourselves

Wed, 14 Sep 2022 16:00:00 GMT

Your stories about how your personal style has changed in the last few years, and the impact on not only what you wear, but how you see yourself and how you connect with others.

You can check out Bill's art on his website or Instagram, and you can find Stephen's style on his Instagram, or listen to his music on SoundCloud. As for Afi's style inspirations, learn more about DapperQ here, and follow Lydia Okello on Instagram. You can find more of the team's fashion inspirations in this week's newsletter.

Every Wednesday we send out podcast listening recommendations, fascinating letters from our inbox, and updates from the show. Sign up at deathsexmoney.org/newsletter, and follow the show on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

Got a story to share? Email us at deathsexmoney@wnyc.org.

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ICYMI - Harry Styles Knows Exactly What He’s Doing

Wed, 14 Sep 2022 09:00:00 GMT

Harry Styles has recently been in the news for saying some silly things and allegedly spitting on Chris Pine. On today’s episode, Rachelle is joined again by Nadira Goffe to talk through Harry’s wild history as an online character, what led us to recent events surrounding the new film Don’t Worry Darling, and why he might want to just stop talking and get back to work.

This podcast is produced by Daniel Schroeder, Rachelle Hampton, and Daisy Rosario.

Subscribe to Slate Plus at slate.com/icymiplus

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Culture Gabfest - Bad Sisters, Bad Sons

Wed, 14 Sep 2022 07:00:00 GMT

This week, the panel begins by settling into the scenic Irish mystery of Bad Sisters. Then, the panel begrudgingly watches the Breitbart funded uh…indie film…My Son Hunter which may end up being the most interesting text the panel has discussed in a while. Finally, the panel is joined by co-host of Slate’s Working podcast and special friend of the pod, June Thomas, to discuss the recent death of Queen Elizabeth II.

In Slate Plus, the panel discusses the 2022 Emmy Awards.

Email us at culturefest@slate.com.

Endorsements

Dana: A really great audiobook, Shirley, A Tale by Charlotte Brontë (the follow up to Jane Eyre) narrated by Georgina Sutton.

Julia: Two endorsements: first, possibly the silliest thing ever endorsed, the $17 Scalp Brush from fancy salon-style shampoo company Sachajuan. Second: Dana is coming to Village Well Books & Coffee in Culver City, CA to discuss her book, Camera Man, this coming Saturday, September 17th at 5 pm.

Steve: An interview with Harvard Philosopher of Science, Steven Shapin, in The Chronicle of Higher Education by Len Gutkin, titled “There’s No Shame in Being a Hack.”

Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Nadira Goffe.

Outro music is "Any Other Way" by Particle House.

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Hang Up and Listen - Our New Tennis Overlord

Mon, 12 Sep 2022 23:00:00 GMT

Stefan Fatsis, Josh Levin, and the New Yorker’s Vinson Cunningham discuss the opening weekend of the NFL season and the rise of tennis phenoms Carlos Alcaraz and Iga Swiatek. They’re also joined by Josh Levin (same name, different guy) to discuss how he made the final stage of American Ninja Warrior.

NFL (3:10): The cognitive dissonance of a new season.

Tennis (23:27): Why 19-year-old Carlos Alcaraz looks like a legend in the making.

Josh the Ninja (47:20): How he conquered his Ninja Warrior demons.

Afterball (1:11:07): Josh on notable moments in Knicks message board history.

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ICYMI - Everyone Wants to Be a Food Influencer…or Do They?

Sat, 10 Sep 2022 09:00:00 GMT

On today’s episode, Rachelle gets into the world of cooking videos. She speaks with Eater’s Bettina Makalintal about how online food content has changed over the years, taking something that we all do for ourselves and turning into a consumable performance. They discuss how this has changed our own approach to food offline and online, the expectations these videos engender in their viewers, and why everything is content.

This podcast is produced by Daniel Schroeder, Rachelle Hampton, and Daisy Rosario.

Subscribe to Slate Plus at slate.com/icymiplus

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Death, Sex & Money - Lucinda Williams Says Whatever the Hell She Wants

Wed, 07 Sep 2022 16:00:00 GMT

In her sixties, musician Lucinda Williams is more successful than ever. But with age has come a lot of loss.

Got a story to share? Email us at deathsexmoney@wnyc.org.

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ICYMI - A Texas Church Did What With Hamilton?

Wed, 07 Sep 2022 09:00:00 GMT

The Broadway musical Hamilton did not originally contain much of a Christian message, but then the Door McAllen Church in McAllen, Texas got a hold of it. On today’s episode, Rachelle is joined again by Daisy Rosario to talk about the latest TikTok sensation known as “Scamilton,” an unauthorized production of Hamilton staged by the Door McAllen Church and livestreamed on Youtube in early August. They get into copyright law, how the Church lied about its right to perform the musical, and the tragically tone-deaf cast.

This podcast is produced by Daniel Schroeder, Rachelle Hampton, and Daisy Rosario.

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Culture Gabfest - Rings of Power, Wads of Cash

Wed, 07 Sep 2022 05:00:00 GMT

This week, the panel begins by assessing the most expensive television show to date: Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power. Then, the panel breaks down Breaking, the John Boyega-led hostage crisis film that also includes one of the last performances of late actor Michael K. Williams. Finally, the panel discusses the pros and cons of child acting, a topic choice that was influenced by HBO’s The Rehearsal and Jennette McCurdy’s recent memoir.

In Slate Plus, the panel talks with Ultimate Major Super-Human Friend of the Program (and also author and contributing writer for the New York Times) Jody Rosen about his recent piece in NYT Mag about Willie Nelson, titled “Willie Nelson’s Long Encore.” And as a good example of Nelson’s magic: his performance of “Funny How Time Slips Away” at the ‘79 Austin City Limits music festival.

Email us at culturefest@slate.com.

Endorsements

Dana: Some Texas music: the most recent album from San Antonio indie band Buttercup, titled Specks, an Autobiographical Record by Buttercup.

Julia: Even more Strut afterglow: “Oui ou Non” by Angèle

Steve: In memory of Barbara Ehrenreich: reading her excellent work.

Podcast production by Anna Rubanova. Production assistance by Nadira Goffe.

Outro music is "The Brew" by Chris Shards

Slate Plus members get ad-free podcasts, a bonus segment in each episode of the Culture Gabfest, full access to Slate's journalism on Slate.com, and more. Sign up now at slate.com/cultureplus.

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Hang Up and Listen - Serena’s Coach Tells All

Tue, 06 Sep 2022 22:30:00 GMT

Josh Levin and Stefan Fatsis speak with Rennae Stubbs of ESPN and Racquet about coaching Serena Williams at the U.S. Open. Alex Kirshner of Slate and Split Zone Duo joins to discuss the start of college football season and the new 12-team playoff. Finally, the New York Times’ Juliet Macur talks about her story on how the Afghan women’s soccer team escaped the Taliban.

Rennae Stubbs (3:24): What she told Serena before and during her grand send-off in New York.

College football (24:22): How the game is changing, and how it’s staying the same.

Afghan women’s soccer team (49:23): The harrowing story of their escape from Kabul.

Afterball (1:11:42): Stefan on American soccer players on rival Scottish teams having the gall to eat dinner together.

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ICYMI - Encore: Is BYU Virginity Club Real? An ICYMI Investigation.

Sat, 03 Sep 2022 09:00:00 GMT

Instagram has seen a recent influx of college “virginity club” accounts featuring sharp, funny memes about remaining chaste. On today’s episode, Madison and Rachelle put these accounts under the microscope. Is anything about these accounts real, or are they just a grift for merchandise and music promotion? After some internet sleuthing, they track down the creator of the most popular account, for “Brigham Young Virginity Club,” and put him on the spot.

Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder and Derek John.

This episode originally aired on July 21, 2021.

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Death, Sex & Money - Big Freedia Bounces Back

Wed, 31 Aug 2022 16:00:00 GMT

Big Freedia is a reality TV star and fixture on New Orleans' bounce scene. But days after Hurricane Katrina, she was sleeping on the street outside of the city's convention center. This episode originally aired in 2015.

Got a story to share? Email us at deathsexmoney@wnyc.org.

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ICYMI - Encore: Who Weekly? Explains Bennifer 3.0

Wed, 31 Aug 2022 09:00:00 GMT

On today’s show, Madison and Rachelle have a short discussion of the recent beekeeper drama on TikTok. Then, they’re joined by Bobby Finger and Lindsey Weber, hosts of the Who Weekly? podcast, to discuss Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez getting back together. They talk about what it was like when the pair first got together in the early 2000s, and why it feels so exciting to see these two stars indulge again in their past romance, and how Bennifer 3.0 will play in a new era of social media gossip.

Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder and Derek John.

This episode originally aired on June 5, 2021.

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Culture Gabfest - Do-Over, Please

Wed, 31 Aug 2022 07:00:00 GMT

This week, Dana and Julia are out but never fear, we’ve brought on two great guest host to join Steve: slate alumnus and NYT columnist Jamelle Bouie and senior editor at Slate, Sam Adams. First, the panel breaks down the moral quandaries of the socially unhinged HBO hit The Rehearsal. Then, the panel dips a toe into the dark side with the Aubrey Plaza-led film Emily the Criminal. Finally, the panel discusses the article “Why Do Rich People Love Quiet?” by Xochitl Gonzalez for The Atlantic.

In Slate Plus, the panel discusses the relationship between race and food, based on the article “What We Talk About When We Talk About ‘White People Food’” by Jenny G. Zhang for Bon Appétit.

Email us at culturefest@slate.com.

Endorsements

Sam: The new New York City Center’s “Encore” production of Stephen Sondheim’s Into the Woods—now showing at the St. James Theater in New York City.

Jamelle: Inspired by his podcast Unclear & Present Danger: the 1992 Bill Duke film Deep Cover starring Laurence Fishburn and Jeff Goldblum, which is a great example of relatively modern neo-noir and a fascinating political artifact of the 1990s.

Steve: A previous endorsement update: Steve has finished and approves the 1980 novel The Transit of Venus by Shirley Hazzard. Steve’s real endorsement for the week: the album Crest by Swedish hip-hop artist Bladee, especially the songs: “Desire is a Trap” and “Girls Just Want to Have Fun.”

Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Nadira Goffe.

Outro music is "What Do You Want From Me" by OTE.

Slate Plus members get ad-free podcasts, a bonus segment in each episode of the Culture Gabfest, full access to Slate's journalism on Slate.com, and more. Sign up now at slate.com/cultureplus.

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