2933 avsnitt • Längd: 50 min • Dagligen
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Guillermo and his ex-wife divorced nearly a decade ago. They share custody of their son which, Guillermo says, lets her continue meddling in his life. He recently started dating someone and it’s getting serious, but he’s worried that his ex is going to destroy his new relationship. On this episode of How To!, Carvell Wallace brings on Bill Eddy, author and co-founder of the High Conflict Institute. Bill explains how to set limits and impose consequences in truly difficult situations to preserve your peace of mind and foster happiness.
If you liked this episode check out: How To Do Divorce Right and How To Save a Friend from a Bad Relationship
Do you have a problem that needs solving? Send us a note at [email protected] or leave us a voicemail at 646-495-4001 and we might have you on the show. Subscribe for free on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you listen.
How To’s executive producer is Derek John. Joel Meyer is our senior editor/producer. The show is produced by Rosemary Belson, with Kevin Bendis.
Want more How To!? 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 How To! show page. Or, visit slate.com/howtoplus to get access wherever you listen.
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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.
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 [email protected].
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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.)
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On this episode: Zak, Elizabeth and Jamilah talk about what to do when you’re arguing with your partner… but you have to do it in front of the kids. We’ll talk about how to model healthy disagreement — and when it’s time to hit pause.
We’ll also check in on where the hosts are this week – and then, if you’re coming to hang out on the Slate Plus Playground, the hosts are listening back to their 2024 resolutions and deciding if it truly was the year of “meh.”
If you’re not part of the Slate Plus community, we hope you’ll consider joining! Keep reading to learn how.
Jamilah’s check-in: everyone’s fine!
Elizabeth’s check-in: hot mess express!
Zak’s check-in: improv!
Join us on Facebook and email us at [email protected] to ask us new questions, tell us what you thought of today’s show, and give us ideas about what we should talk about in future episodes. You can also call our phone line: (646) 357-9318.
If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get to hang out with us on the Plus Playground every week for a whole additional grab-bag of content — and you’ll get an ad-free experience across the network. And you’ll also be supporting the work we do here on Care and Feeding. Sign up now at slate.com/careplus – or try it out on Apple Podcasts.
Podcast produced by Maura Currie.
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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.
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Guest Prudie Kristen Meinzer is joined by Vanessa Zoltan, the CEO and Founder of Not Sorry Productions. Together, they answer questions about abuse accusations, how to introduce your parents to the person you’re dating, and how to resolve an explosion of a fight with a sibling.
Want more Dear Prudence? 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/prudie-plus to get access wherever you listen.
This week’s podcast is produced by Maura Currie, Vic Whitley-Berry, and Daisy Rosario.
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On this episode: Dan Kois joins Elizabeth and Zak for a conversation about moving abroad. We got a question recently from a listener who’s moving because of the new president… so while we’ll answer her question about picking up a new language, we’ll also talk about what moving abroad can, and can’t, fix for your family.
If you want more tips, be sure to check out this recent episode from our friends at How To! about how to become an expat.
Join us on Facebook and email us at [email protected] to ask us new questions, tell us what you thought of today’s show, and give us ideas about what we should talk about in future episodes. You can also call our phone line: (646) 357-9318.
If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get to hang out with us on the Plus Playground every week for a whole additional grab-bag of content — and you’ll get an ad-free experience across the network. And you’ll also be supporting the work we do here on Care and Feeding. Sign up now at slate.com/careplus – or try it out on Apple Podcasts.
Podcast produced by Maura Currie.
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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 [email protected].
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 [email protected].
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.
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Host Christina Cauterucci sits down with WIRED senior writer Kate Knibbs to unpack Meta’s alarming internal shifts, including its embrace of right-wing ideologies, the elimination of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs, and the policy changes that permit hate speech against gay and trans people. Together, they discuss why these changes are happening, how they align with broader political trends, and what it all signals about the future of tech, media, and LGBTQ+ rights
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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.
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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.)
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.
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Connie is feeling compelled to get involved in her local community, but she’s never even attended a PTA meeting. On this episode of How To!, Courtney Martin enlists Eric Liu of Citizen University to explain how busy parents, introverts, and first-timers like Connie can test the waters of civic engagement in the Trump 2.0 era—without getting sucked under.
Eric is the author of You’re More Powerful Than You Think: A Citizen's Guide to Making Change Happen.
If you liked this episode, check out our companion episode, How To Become an Expat, or this recent conversation: How To Lead Your Local Nonprofit.
For an upcoming episode, we want to hear from listeners affected by the disastrous wildfires in the Los Angeles area. If you’re able to do so during this stressful time, tell us about the questions and challenges you’re facing as you rebuild your home and your life. Send us a note at [email protected] or leave us a voicemail at 646-495-4001.
How To’s executive producer is Derek John. Joel Meyer is our senior editor/producer. The show is produced by Rosemary Belson, with Kevin Bendis.
Want more How To!? 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 How To! show page. Or, visit slate.com/howtoplus to get access wherever you listen.
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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.
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 [email protected].
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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.
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Emily Bazelon talks with author Yael van der Wouden about her debut novel, The Safekeep. They discuss why Yael chose a queer love story, how Yael’s own Dutch and Jewish heritage influenced her writing, the history of dispossession after World War II, and more.
Tweet us your questions @SlateGabfest or email us at [email protected]. (Messages could be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.)
Podcast production by Cheyna Roth.
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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.
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Guest Prudie Kristen Meinzer is joined by culture critic and writer Anne Helen Petersen. Together, they answer letters about secretly contributing to a kid’s college fund, asking a friend to apologize for their internalized fatphobia, and resolving a massive fight with a stepchild.
Want more Dear Prudence? 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/prudie-plus to get access wherever you listen.
This week’s podcast is produced by Maura Currie, Vic Whitley-Berry, Daisy Rosario, and Anuli Ononye.
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On this episode: Lucy, Zak, and Elizabeth take flight. Our listener’s kid has suddenly decided – or realized – he’s afraid of airplanes and heights. With a big trip coming up, this parent is looking for advice… and musing on whether bribes have to be involved. Or are they simply little treats?
After that, of course, we’ll circle up to share some Triumphs and Fails.
Join us on Facebook and email us at [email protected] to ask us new questions, tell us what you thought of today’s show, and give us ideas about what we should talk about in future episodes. You can also call our phone line: (646) 357-9318.
If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get to hang out with us on the Plus Playground every week for a whole additional grab-bag of content — and you’ll get an ad-free experience across the network. And you’ll also be supporting the work we do here on Care and Feeding. Sign up now at slate.com/careplus – or try it out on Apple Podcasts.
Podcast produced by Maura Currie. Special thanks to Alicia Montgomery, on her last week at Slate, for being an extraordinary cheerleader for this show.
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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.
If you have any cultural mysteries you want us to decode, email us at [email protected]
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.
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This we’re diving into the delightful chaos of queer life with an advice-packed episode! Bryan, Christina, and our guest host Outward Producer Palace Shaw, tackle the perplexing world of bisexual dads navigating dating apps, strategies for dealing with transphobic relatives during family gatherings, the dos and don’ts of art-gifting etiquette, and whether to make a messy disclosure to new partners.
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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.
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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 [email protected].
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.
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For three decades, Mike has worked in a field with an uncertain future: journalism. He loves the stability of his current job mentoring student reporters, but he can’t stop thinking about starting a new career—in his 50s—in astrophysics, architecture, or law. On this episode of How To!, co-host Courtney Martin enlists career coach and psychologist Dr. Dawn Graham to help Mike think through his midlife career crisis, especially his urge to go back to school.
Dawn’s book is Switchers: How Smart Professionals Change Careers—and Seize Success.
If you liked this episode check out: Find a New Career Before It's Too Late and How To Advance Your Career By Quitting Your Job.
Do you have a problem that needs solving? Send us a note at [email protected] or leave us a voicemail at 646-495-4001 and we might have you on the show. Subscribe for free on Apple, Spotify or wherever you listen.
How To’s executive producer is Derek John. Joel Meyer is our senior editor/producer. The show is produced by Rosemary Belson, with Kevin Bendis.
Want more How To!? 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 How To! show page. Or, visit slate.com/howtoplus to get access wherever you listen.
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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.”
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 [email protected].
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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.)
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.
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On this episode: Zak, Elizabeth and Jamilah help a listener who emailed us wondering how to break up a friendship. Her son is friends with an obnoxious girl who the parent would just rather not see. But, of course, friendships are complicated… and this might not be as easy as just not inviting this girl over.
We’ll also check in on where the hosts are this week – and then, if you’re coming to hang out on the Slate Plus Playground, the hosts are listening back to their 2024 resolutions and deciding if it truly was the year of “meh.”
If you’re not part of the Slate Plus community, we hope you’ll consider joining! Keep reading to learn how.
Jamilah’s check-in: the duck was secured.
Elizabeth’s check-in: fawning and freedom
Zak’s check-in: how long was winter break, actually?
Join us on Facebook and email us at [email protected] to ask us new questions, tell us what you thought of today’s show, and give us ideas about what we should talk about in future episodes. You can also call our phone line: (646) 357-9318.
If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get to hang out with us on the Plus Playground every week for a whole additional grab-bag of content — and you’ll get an ad-free experience across the network. And you’ll also be supporting the work we do here on Care and Feeding. Sign up now at slate.com/careplus – or try it out on Apple Podcasts.
Podcast produced by Maura Currie.
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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.
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Guest Prudie Anna Sale – host of Slate’s Death, Sex & Money – is joined by illustrator and author JP Brammer. Together, they answer letters about a mom who can’t understand her kid’s gender identity, a painting causing unexpected jealousy, setting the record straight after a bad break up, and how to make things work at a job after it took a long time to find one.
Want more Dear Prudence? 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/prudie-plus to get access wherever you listen.
This week’s podcast is produced by Maura Currie, Vic Whitley-Berry, Daisy Rosario, and Anuli Ononye.
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Will a First Amendment defense keep TikTok running in America?
Guest: Emily Baker White, tech reporter for Forbes.
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, and Cheyna Roth.
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A note: this episode was recorded just minutes after the Palisades Fire reportedly ignited in California. Jamilah and her family are safe as of the airing of this episode.
If you want to help victims of any of the fires in the Los Angeles metro area, please consider donating to the California Fire Foundation, Direct Relief, World Central Kitchen, or CORE.
On this episode: Jamilah, Zak, and Elizabeth help the favorite parent. This 6-year-old says she might love mom more than dad… and dad is, understandably, upset. We’ll offer some assurances to both parents — and some evergreen advice to love harder.
After that, of course, we’ll circle up to share some Triumphs and Fails.
Join us on Facebook and email us at [email protected] to ask us new questions, tell us what you thought of today’s show, and give us ideas about what we should talk about in future episodes. You can also call our phone line: (646) 357-9318.
If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get to hang out with us on the Plus Playground every week for a whole additional grab-bag of content — and you’ll get an ad-free experience across the network. And you’ll also be supporting the work we do here on Care and Feeding. Sign up now at slate.com/careplus – or try it out on Apple Podcasts.
Podcast produced by Maura Currie.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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 [email protected].
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.
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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.
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Bryan Lowder talks with writer and scholar Lucas Wilson about his new book, Shame Sex: Survivors’ Stories of Conversion Therapy. They chat about Wilson’s experience navigating same-sex attraction while on an evangelical path, experiencing conversion therapy, and the complicated relationships he experienced along the way. He also shares powerful stories from other survivors and explores the enduring harm of these practices, offering a poignant look at resilience, shame, and healing.
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After a summer on the receiving end of the internet’s ire, Blake Lively is back in the news, as her relationship with her former director and co-star Justin Baldoni has taken a turn for the litigious.
Guest: Heather Schwedel, staff writer at Slate.
Want more What Next? Join Slate Plus to unlock full, ad-free access to What Next and all your other favorite Slate podcasts. You can subscribe directly from the What Next show page on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Or, visit slate.com/whatnextplus to get access wherever you listen.
Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme and Rob Gunther.
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Before the 2024 election, Maureen and Jayna had hoped to attend a historic inauguration for Kamala Harris in Washington, D.C. But when Donald Trump won the presidency, the lesbian couple scrapped their trip—and booked a fact-finding mission to Portugal instead. On this episode of How To!, they talk with co-host Carvell Wallace about their plans to leave the U.S.—and start a new life somewhere they’ll feel safer. And, Jen Barnett of Expatsi offers up advice about Portugal and other LGBTQ+ friendly countries, the implications for taxes and international travel (including return trips to the States), and what expat-curious listeners need to know about raising kids, voting, EU citizenship—and how to take the first step.
Links Mentioned:
If you liked this episode check out: How To Uproot Your Life and How To Live Anywhere in the World.
Do you have a problem that needs solving? Send us a note at [email protected] or leave us a voicemail at 646-495-4001 and we might have you on the show. Subscribe for free on Apple, Spotify or wherever you listen.
How To’s executive producer is Derek John. Joel Meyer is our senior editor/producer. The show is produced by Rosemary Belson, with Kevin Bendis.
Want more How To!? 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 How To! show page. Or, visit slate.com/howtoplus to get access wherever you listen.
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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
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 [email protected].
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In this Money Talks: Jane Marie has spent years reporting on the tangled web of multi-level marketing companies, or MLMs, with her podcast The Dream and dives even deeper in her new book, Selling the Dream: The Billion-Dollar Industry Bankrupting Americans. In this episode, she sits down with Emily Peck to discuss their origins, their appeal to American women, and their extremely questionable business practices.
Want to hear that discussion and hear more Slate Money? Join Slate Plus to unlock weekly bonus episodes. Plus, you’ll access ad-free listening across all your favorite Slate podcasts. You can subscribe directly from the Slate Money show page on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Or, visit slate.com/moneyplus to get access wherever you listen.
Podcast production by Jessamine Molli and Cheyna Roth.
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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.)
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.
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On this episode: Lucy sits down with actress and author Mandy Gonzalez for a wide-ranging conversation about parenting, building a creative mom group, and enduring cancer treatment with your head held high. Mandy also answers questions from our own budding Broadway stars.
Lucy also shares a quick update about her mom's cancer journey - and Care & Feeding's production schedule in the new year.
Join us on Facebook and email us at [email protected] to ask us new questions, tell us what you thought of today’s show, and give us ideas about what we should talk about in future episodes. You can also call our phone line: (646) 357-9318.
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 Care and Feeding. Sign up now at slate.com/careplus to help support our work.
Podcast produced by Maura Currie.
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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.
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This week: The Lively/Baldoni PR war has become a legal battle. And it’s not just reputations that are at stake. Felix Salmon, Emily Peck, and Elizabeth Spiers explain how Blake Lively’s lawsuit against Justin Baldoni and his answering suit against The New York Times is more than just a Hollywood feud, it’s a fight to stay profitable. Then, the hosts discuss the recent ruling that seems to have killed the dream of net neutrality for good. Finally, they examine the decline in drinking that has caused a lake-sized tequila surplus in Mexico.
In the Slate Plus episode: Coffee Wars
Want to hear that discussion and hear more Slate Money? Join Slate Plus to unlock weekly bonus episodes. Plus, you’ll access ad-free listening across all your favorite Slate podcasts. You can subscribe directly from the Slate Money show page on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Or, visit slate.com/moneyplus to get access wherever you listen.
Podcast production by Jessamine Molli and Cheyna Roth.
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Guest Prudie Kristen Meinzer is joined by podcast producer Vic Whitley-Berry. Together, they answer letters from a concerned spouse over their husband’s drinking, a mom trying to get her daughter to apologize to her aunt, and someone who can’t avoid going down the rabbit hole of social media.
Want more Dear Prudence? 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/prudie-plus to get access wherever you listen.
This week’s podcast is produced by Maura Currie, Daisy Rosario, and Anuli Ononye.
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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 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 [email protected].
Podcast production by Jared Downing. Production assistance by Kat Hong.
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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.
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Today we’re going to see if one American family can flip the usual, tortured and tedious script for arguing about politics and do something more interesting. Jenn and Todd Brandel sit down with their dad, Bruce, to see if they can come to a better understanding about what has shaped their different political views. Mónica Guzmán, senior fellow for public practice at Braver Angels and author of I Never Thought Of It That Way: How To Have Fearlessly Curious Conversations in Dangerously Divided Times, is back to provide some insightful post-game analysis. In this second episode of our special two-part series, she breaks down what went well, what got a little messy, and what we can all apply to our own conversations with loved ones.
Listen to the first part of our series: “How To Talk Politics With Your Dad (Without Yelling) Pt 1”
If you liked this episode, you might also like: “How To Rescue Someone From a Conspiracy Theory.”
Do you have a question without an answer? Send us a note at [email protected] or leave us a voicemail at 646-495-4001 and we might have you on the show.
Want more How To!? 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 How To! show page. Or, visit slate.com/howtoplus to get access wherever you listen.
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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.
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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.)
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.
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.
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On this episode: we’re sharing our favorite Slate Plus segments with our whole audience, as we do every year. 2024 was a big year for our Slate Plus supporters: we launched the Slate Plus Playground, which is a whole new way to get bonus content and recommendations. If you like the Playground segments you’re about to hear, we hope you’ll consider joining us for them every week.
Join us on Facebook and email us at [email protected] to ask us new questions, tell us what you thought of today’s show, and give us ideas about what we should talk about in future episodes. You can also call our phone line: (646) 357-9318.
If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get to hang out with us on the Plus Playground every week for a whole additional grab-bag of content — and you’ll get an ad-free experience across the network. And you’ll also be supporting the work we do here on Care and Feeding. Sign up now at slate.com/careplus – or try it out on Apple Podcasts.
Podcast produced by Maura Currie.
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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.
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In this episode, Jamelle Bouie (New York Times opinion columnist) joins Prudie (Jenée Desmond-Harris) to answer letters from readers about how to turn down gifts that make you cringe, what to do when you discover a sibling was given up for adoption before you were born, and when it’s too late to chase your dreams
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.
This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Daisy Rosario, and Jenée Desmond-Harris, with help from Maura Currie.
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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.
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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.
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.
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On this episode: it’s the day after Christmas and the first day of Hanukkah — so we thought there would be no better time than now to sit down to talk about parenting, faith, and the cultural traditions that we adopt, and craft, for our kids.
Zak is joined by Slate writer and friend of the show Aymann Ismail and interfaith relationship and parenting expert Susan Katz Miller.
Join us on Facebook and email us at [email protected] to ask us new questions, tell us what you thought of today’s show, and give us ideas about what we should talk about in future episodes. You can also call our phone line: (646) 357-9318.
If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get to hang out with us on the Plus Playground every week for a whole additional grab-bag of content — and you’ll get an ad-free experience across the network. And you’ll also be supporting the work we do here on Care and Feeding. Sign up now at slate.com/careplus – or try it out on Apple Podcasts.
Podcast produced by Maura Currie.
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This week, Emily Bazelon, John Dickerson, and David Plotz close out a confounding year by answering listeners’ Conundrums.
Thank you to Conundrums contributors Mitchell, Alan, Rajesh, Margot, Josh, Rob, Thad, Tobi, Collin, Anna, Glenn, Tom, Aimee, Brad, Phil, Erin, and Sam!
For this week’s Slate Plus bonus segment, Emily, John, and David conduct a Conundrums lightning-round.
In the latest Gabfest Reads, Emily talks with Stephanie Gorton about her new book, The Icon & the Idealist: Margaret Sanger, Mary Ware Dennett, and the Rivalry That Brought Birth Control to America.
Email your chatters, questions, and comments to [email protected]. (Messages may be referenced by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.)
Podcast production by Jared Downing and Cheyna Roth with live show support from Katie Rayford
Research by Julie Huygen
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.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
While the What Next team takes some rest, enjoy this episode, originally aired on May 16.
When Miss USA abdicated her throne, people noticed that the first letters of each sentence of her resignation letter spell out “I am silenced.” Shortly thereafter, Miss Teen USA stepped down with a letter that opens with a quote from Nietzsche.
What’s going on at the Miss USA organization? Has the idea of a national pageant outlived its usefulness?
Guest: Constance Grady, senior Culture correspondent for Vox.
Want more What Next? 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 Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme and Rob Gunther.
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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.
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Jenn and Todd Brandel have a close, loving relationship with their father, Bruce. But one thing makes their blood boil: his political chain emails. The messages are often forwarded commentary written in a provocative tone, and are an unwelcome reminder of just how far apart the family is politically. On this episode of How To!, we’re joined by Mónica Guzmán, senior fellow for public practice at Braver Angels and author of I Never Thought Of It That Way: How To Have Fearlessly Curious Conversations in Dangerously Divided Times. In the first of a special two-part episode on talking politics with our parents, Mónica teaches Jenn and Todd how to aim for understanding with their dad, not agreement. Next week, Jenn, Todd, and their dad Bruce will put these tips into practice—on mic—around the kitchen table, as Mónica provides post-game analysis. We’ll dive into what worked, what got a little messy, and how to keep making progress.
If you liked this episode, check out: “How To Embrace Your Anti-Vax Family This Holiday Season” and “How To Talk Politics Without Wrecking Relationships.”
Do you have a question without an answer? Send us a note at [email protected] or leave us a voicemail at 646-495-4001 and we might have you on the show.
Want more How To!? 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 How To! show page. Or, visit slate.com/howtoplus to get access wherever you listen.
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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 [email protected] 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.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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 (53:21): 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.)
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.
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On this episode: it’s our annual holiday party! We traditionally hand the mics over to our kids at this time of year. This year, we did something a little different: our kids all interviewed each other. It’s sweet, it’s chaotic, and you’re going to love it.
Some naughty elves left a glitch in the show’s audio on Dec 23. It’s been fixed and they learned their lesson.
Join us on Facebook and email us at [email protected] to ask us new questions, tell us what you thought of today’s show, and give us ideas about what we should talk about in future episodes. You can also call our phone line: (646) 357-9318.
If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get to hang out with us on the Plus Playground every week for a whole additional grab-bag of content — and you’ll get an ad-free experience across the network. And you’ll also be supporting the work we do here on Care and Feeding. Sign up now at slate.com/careplus – or try it out on Apple Podcasts.
Podcast produced by Maura Currie.
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While the What Next team enjoys some rest, enjoy this episode, originally aired on August 15.
MrBeast is known for videos that blend stunts and philanthropy, but his new team-up with Amazon and MGM is bringing some of his less savory aspects to light.
Guest: Madison Malone Kircher, reporter covering internet culture for The New York Times
Want more What Next? 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 Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme and Rob Gunther.
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One influencer working for Amazon sued another influencer who works for Amazon for creating content that looks too similar to theirs. But with how the algorithms work and reward, was this an inevitability? What does this mean for the economics of the influencer position?
Guest: Mia Sato, reporter covering platforms and communities for The Verge.
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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Slate Political Gabfest host David Plotz talks with author David Greenberg about his new book, John Lewis: A Life. They discuss how Lewis went from marching with Martin Luther King, Jr. to an iconic career as a politician, Lewis’s commitment to non-violence, how Greenberg uncovered never-before-seen documents, and more.
Tweet us your questions @SlateGabfest or email us at [email protected]. (Messages could be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.)
Podcast production by Cheyna Roth.
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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.
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Guest Prudie Kristen Meinzer is joined by author and Slate writer Dan Kois. Together, they answer letters about holding on to holiday traditions, thinking your sister is a bad therapist, and how to convince your mom she doesn’t have to knock everytime she comes over.
Want more Dear Prudence? 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/prudie-plus to get access wherever you listen.
This week’s podcast is produced by Maura Currie, Vic Whitley-Berry, Daisy Rosario, and Anuli Ononye.
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On this episode: Jamilah, Lucy, and returning guest host Dillon Michael White answer a question from a member of the Slate Parenting Facebook group about being on time. This kindergartener’s class has helper days that you lose if you’re late to school that day… but what do you do when it’s your fault your kid is late?
After that, of course, we’ll circle up to share some Triumphs and Fails.
Join us on Facebook and email us at [email protected] to ask us new questions, tell us what you thought of today’s show, and give us ideas about what we should talk about in future episodes. You can also call our phone line: (646) 357-9318.
If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get to hang out with us on the Plus Playground every week for a whole additional grab-bag of content — and you’ll get an ad-free experience across the network. And you’ll also be supporting the work we do here on Care and Feeding. Sign up now at slate.com/careplus – or try it out on Apple Podcasts.
Podcast produced by Maura Currie.
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After a year of nuanced conversations on wellness, we say goodbye by reflecting on how these discussions expanded what it means to live a full, well-balanced life.
We’re also joined again by longevity expert Dr. Darshan Shah to discuss what needs to change to make wellness more accessible for everyone.
Well, Now is hosted by registered dietitian nutritionist Maya Feller and Dr. Kavita Patel.
Editing and podcast production by Vic Whitley-Berry with editorial oversight by Alicia Montgomery.
The Well, Now team is grateful to every listener who’s sent us a note. We’re not sure how long the address will work, but if the show mattered to you, we’d love to read your emails: [email protected]
Subscribe to Slate Plus to immediately unlock ad-free listening to Well, Now and all your other favorite Slate podcasts.
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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 [email protected].
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.
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.
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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 [email protected].
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.
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This week, Christina Cauterucci and Bryan Lowder are joined by guest host Jeff Bloomer to discuss the new film Queer from director Luca Guadagnino based on William S. Burroughs’ groundbreaking novel of the same name. They explore the themes of desire, alienation, and the director’s approach to queer intimacy- and most importantly whether the sex scenes deliver.
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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.
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How will you remember 2024? Here at How To! Headquarters, this will be the year when a bunch of very smart and insightful guests taught us how to flirt with confidence, be a mindful drinker, make bank at a yard sale, and cope with forever parenting. On this episode, co-hosts Carvell Wallace and Courtney Martin break down their favorite advice of the year and share some heart-warming updates from listeners who joined us on the show.
Did we forget to mention your favorite advice of the year? Let us know with a note at [email protected] or leave us a voicemail at 646-495-4001 and we might have you on the show. Subscribe for free on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you listen.
How To’s executive producer is Derek John. Joel Meyer is our senior editor/producer. The show is produced by Rosemary Belson, with Kevin Bendis and Sara McCrea.
Psst! Slate Plus members can listen to a special year-end bonus episode with Carvell and Courtney’s recommendations for books, films, and Substacks. Not a member? 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 How To! show page. Or, visit slate.com/howtoplus to get access wherever you listen.
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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.
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.
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.
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 [email protected].
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After a tepid embrace of Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter and a back-and-forth over Lil Nas X’s “Old Town Road,” country music fans are all in on Shaboozey’s “A Bar Song (Tipsy).” How has this hip-hop-inflected country hit perched atop the charts for a record-tying 19 weeks?
Guest: Chris Molanphy, chart analyst, pop critic, host of the Hit Parade podcast, and author of Slate's “Why Is This Song No. 1?” series and the book Old Town Road.
Want more What Next? Join Slate Plus to unlock full, ad-free access to What Next and all your other favorite Slate podcasts. You can subscribe directly from the What Next show page on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Or, visit slate.com/whatnextplus to get access wherever you listen.
Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme and Rob Gunther.
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.
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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.
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.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
On this episode: Zak, Elizabeth and Jamilah help a parent who’s thinking ahead to when her baby is a little bigger… and wondering how to build a close relationship with a kid who has a life of their own. How do you raise someone who wants to come to you for advice?
We’ll also check in on where the hosts are this week – and then, if you’re coming to hang out on the Slate Plus Playground, we’re continuing our conversation about building trust between parents and kids… and talking about what happens when it all breaks down.
If you’re not part of the Slate Plus community, we hope you’ll consider joining! Keep reading to learn how.
Jamilah’s check-in: Chi-town and Christmas
Elizabeth’s check-in: the gift is the trip
Zak’s check-in: whales and lights
Join us on Facebook and email us at [email protected] to ask us new questions, tell us what you thought of today’s show, and give us ideas about what we should talk about in future episodes. You can also call our phone line: (646) 357-9318.
If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get to hang out with us on the Plus Playground every week for a whole additional grab-bag of content — and you’ll get an ad-free experience across the network. And you’ll also be supporting the work we do here on Care and Feeding. Sign up now at slate.com/careplus – or try it out on Apple Podcasts.
Podcast produced by Maura Currie.
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The highest grossing documentary in 2024 was “Am I Racist?” from The Daily Wire’s Matt Walsh, and it’s not the only avowedly right-wing movie that’s enjoyed success at the box office this year. Is Hollywood going the way of the White House?
Guest: Barry Hertz, Deputy Arts Editor and Film Editor for The Globe and Mail
Want more What Next? Join Slate Plus to unlock full, ad-free access to What Next and all your other favorite Slate podcasts. You can subscribe directly from the What Next show page on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Or, visit slate.com/whatnextplus to get access wherever you listen.
Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, Rob Gunther and Ethan Oberman.
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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.
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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.
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.
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All good things must come to an end. For now. After close to four years at Slate, A Word will be moving on. For today’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson highlights some of the memorable conversations on the show, on issues from politics, police brutality, Afro-Futurism and more.
Want more A Word? Subscribe to Slate Plus to immediately access ad-free listening across all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of our show page. Or, visit slate.com/awordplus to get access wherever you listen.
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Guest Prudie Kristen Meinzer is joined by actress Stephanie Hsu. Together, they answer letters about how to deal with an ally who has also been your bully, a person who is pushing the limits of what “extended family” means during the holidays, and someone who wants to better get to know their partner’s parents.
Want more Dear Prudence? 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/prudie-plus to get access wherever you listen.
This week’s podcast is produced by Maura Currie, Vic Whitley-Berry, Daisy Rosario, and Anuli Ononye.
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On this episode: Elizabeth, Jamilah and Zak help a member of the Slate Parenting Facebook group whose whole household is struggling with a little one’s sleepless nights. We’ll talk about how to help a kid settle, and stay settled… and why it might not be smart to watch the clock.
After that, of course, we’ll circle up to share some Triumphs and Fails.
Join us on Facebook and email us at [email protected] to ask us new questions, tell us what you thought of today’s show, and give us ideas about what we should talk about in future episodes. You can also call our phone line: (646) 357-9318.
If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get to hang out with us on the Plus Playground every week for a whole additional grab-bag of content — and you’ll get an ad-free experience across the network. And you’ll also be supporting the work we do here on Care and Feeding. Sign up now at slate.com/careplus – or try it out on Apple Podcasts.
Podcast produced by Maura Currie.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
For eons, humans have been trying to find ways to live longer.
It’s a quest that’s inspired legends and myths across cultures and continues to fuel controversy in the health and wellness industry today.
On this week’s episode of Well, Now we speak with Dr. Darshan Shah to better understand longevity science and hear about his journey from performing surgery to creating the longevity clinic Next Health.
Well, Now is hosted by registered dietitian nutritionist Maya Feller and Dr. Kavita Patel.
Editing and podcast production by Vic Whitley-Berry with editorial oversight by Alicia Montgomery.
Send your comments and recommendations on what to cover to [email protected].
Want to listen to Well, Now uninterrupted? Subscribe to Slate Plus to immediately unlock ad-free listening to Well, Now and all your other favorite Slate podcasts.
Subscribe now on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of our show page. Or, visit slate.com/wellplus to get access wherever you listen.
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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 [email protected].
Or, email us at [email protected] 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.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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.
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This week, Christina Cauterucci explores the intimate connections between queer identity and the natural world with Bryn Mawr professor Kate Thomas. In this episode, we journey through the lives of Florence Blood and Princess Ghika, two enigmatic lesbians who found self-expression, love, and freedom renovating their Italian Renaissance estate at the turn of the 20th century- creating an enchanting landscape to host lesbian artists and thinkers of the time. Thomas unpacks how their landscapes reflect their identities and what they can teach us about the enduring relationship between queerness and the environment.
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Sandy is a former college athlete who knows how to exercise—at least, she used to. These days, she’s feeling lost without a coach, a workout plan, or much free time. On this episode of How To!, Carvell Wallace brings on Danielle Friedman, author of Let’s Get Physical and a contributor to the New York Times Well section. Danielle explains how to embrace movement that you love, make it fit into your life—and actually stick with it.
If you liked this episode check out: How To Start Strength Training and How To Stick to Your New Year’s Resolutions.
Do you have a problem that needs solving? Send us a note at [email protected] or leave us a voicemail at 646-495-4001 and we might have you on the show. Subscribe for free on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you listen.
How To’s executive producer is Derek John. Joel Meyer is our senior editor/producer. The show is produced by Rosemary Belson, with Kevin Bendis and Sara McCrea.
Want more How To!? 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 How To! show page. Or, visit slate.com/howtoplus to get access wherever you listen.
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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
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 [email protected].
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.
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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.)
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.
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On this episode: a member of the Slate Parenting community is wondering about how to handle tattletales. On the one hand: secrets can be bad. But on the other hand… are authority figures always there to help?
We’ll also check in on where the hosts are this week – and then, if you’re coming to hang out on the Slate Plus Playground, we’re talking through the US government’s list of dangerous toys.
If you’re not part of the Slate Plus community, we hope you’ll consider joining! Keep reading to learn how.
Lucy’s check-in: I don’t care
Elizabeth’s check-in: photobombing field trip photos
Zak’s check-in: mess around on the escalator
Join us on Facebook and email us at [email protected] to ask us new questions, tell us what you thought of today’s show, and give us ideas about what we should talk about in future episodes. You can also call our phone line: (646) 357-9318.
If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get to hang out with us on the Plus Playground every week for a whole additional grab-bag of content — and you’ll get an ad-free experience across the network. And you’ll also be supporting the work we do here on Care and Feeding. Sign up now at slate.com/careplus – or try it out on Apple Podcasts.
Podcast produced by Maura Currie.
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Spotify is shaping listening habits, so much so that musicians are shaping themselves for Spotify. It makes your musical world a little more prescribed, a little smaller.
If it feels like everything’s getting a little stale, how do we get out?
Guest: Tiffany Ng, culture and tech writer.
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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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.
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Guest Prudie Kristen Meinzer is joined by Zak Rosen, who co-hosts Slate’s Care & Feeding parenting podcast – and doles out his own advice on The Best Advice Show. Together, they answer letters from a listener concerned their step son is turning into an attention seeking drama queen, a cancer patient whose husband is turning resentful after taking on primary caretaking duties, and a couple concerned with making new friends post-retirement.
Want more Dear Prudence? 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/prudie-plus to get access wherever you listen.
This podcast is produced by Maura Currie, Daisy Rosario, Vic Whitley-Berry, and Anuli Ononye.
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From Dr. Oz to RFK Jr. to Donald Trump himself—the incoming administration looks like it will be populated with pitchmen and influencers. Will anyone take steps to divest from their businesses or avoid conflicts of interest—or will everyone just follow Trump’s lead from last time?
Guest: Drew Harwell, tech reporter for the Washington Post.
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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Many of the American musical genres that began in the Black community get taken over—artistically, financially, or both—by white Americans. Go-go, which traces its roots to the African-American neighborhoods in and around Washington, DC, is an exception. Now a new museum aims to preserve and amplify the essence of go-go, and extend its legacy to the next generation of fans. On today’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson is joined by Natalie Hopkinson, chief curator of the Go-Go Museum and Cafe Washington, DC, and the author of “Go-Go Live: The Musical Life and Death of a Chocolate City.” They discuss the museum, the history go-go across the region, and its unique role in inspiring resistance to gentrification and erasure of the city’s Black heritage.
Guest: Professor Natalie Hopkinson, writer and co-curator of the Go-Go Museum in Washington, DC.
Podcast production by Kristie Taiwo-Makanjuola
Want more A Word? Subscribe to Slate Plus to immediately access ad-free listening across all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of our show page. Or, visit slate.com/awordplus to get access wherever you listen.
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On this episode: Elizabeth, Lucy and Zak help a member of the Slate Parenting Facebook group whose almost-5-year-old is stuck on the word “stupid…” and won’t stop saying it. One parent thinks this word is unacceptable and requires punishment. The other parent is pretty sure punishment will only make things worse. We’ll weigh who’s right and whether there’s a middle ground.
After that, of course, we’ll circle up to share some Triumphs and Fails.
Join us on Facebook and email us at [email protected] to ask us new questions, tell us what you thought of today’s show, and give us ideas about what we should talk about in future episodes. You can also call our phone line: (646) 357-9318.
If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get to hang out with us on the Plus Playground every week for a whole additional grab-bag of content — and you’ll get an ad-free experience across the network. And you’ll also be supporting the work we do here on Care and Feeding. Sign up now at slate.com/careplus – or try it out on Apple Podcasts.
Podcast produced by Maura Currie.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
For many, the holiday season is both a joyful time with friends and family and a period of high stress with dangerous ways to cope. This can be especially challenging for people with substance use disorder.
On this week’s episode of Well, Now Maya and Kavita discuss addiction and recovery with Zac Clark. Reality TV fans may remember him as a contestant on The Bachelorette, where he opened up about his history with drug abuse and how his journey to sobriety led him to create Release Recovery, an addiction and mental health recovery program based in New York City.
If you liked this episode, check out: How Nick Cannon Got Celebrities to Open Up About Their Mental Health
Well, Now is hosted by registered dietitian nutritionist Maya Feller and Dr. Kavita Patel.
Podcast production by Vic Whitley-Berry with editorial oversight by Alicia Montgomery.
Send your comments and recommendations on what to cover to [email protected].
Want to listen to Well, Now uninterrupted? Subscribe to Slate Plus to immediately unlock ad-free listening to Well, Now and all your other favorite Slate podcasts.
Subscribe now on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of our show page. Or, visit slate.com/wellplus to get access wherever you listen.
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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 [email protected].
Email us at [email protected].
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.
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.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
This week, Bryan Lowder chats with Michael Andor Brodeur, author of Swole: The Making of Men and the Meaning of Muscle, to unpack the complex intersections of fitness, masculinity, and queer identity. From the sweaty intimacy of the gym to the charged symbolism of muscle, Brodeur examines how bodies become sites of desire, power, and transformation.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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 [email protected]
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.
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.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
André has known for years that they have to execute the estate when their parents pass. They feel wholly unprepared for the task, especially since their parents are reluctant to share any important information. On this episode of How To!: Carvell Wallace brings on M.P. Dunleavey, journalist, author of the Squished Substack, and contributor to Next Avenue where she covers aging, caregiving, and money. M.P. walks André through the important paperwork that needs to be in place and gives them guidance for working with stubborn family members.
Additional resources:
M.P.’s follow-up story on Next Avenue
If you liked this episode check out: How To Care for an Aging Parent and How To Make Aging Easier for Everyone
Do you have a problem that needs solving? Send us a note at [email protected] or leave us a voicemail at 646-495-4001 and we might have you on the show. Subscribe for free on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you listen.
How To’s executive producer is Derek John. Joel Meyer is our senior editor/producer. The show is produced by Rosemary Belson, with Kevin Bendis and Sara McCrea.
Want more How To!? 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 How To! show page. Or, visit slate.com/howtoplus to get access wherever you listen.
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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.
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 [email protected].
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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.)
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.
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On this episode: Every year, like clockwork, we start getting questions about how to do, or not do, the whole Santa thing. We’ll answer a listener's question and muse on the nature of belief.
We’ll also check in on where the hosts are this week – and then, if you’re coming to hang out on the Slate Plus Playground, we’re honoring peak holiday meal szn with a round of food would-you-rathers.
If you’re not part of the Slate Plus community, we hope you’ll consider joining! Keep reading to learn how.
Jamilah’s check-in: Wicked and a cold
Elizabeth’s check-in: terrifying VR jungle trek
Zak’s check-in: Noa’s accent work
Join us on Facebook and email us at [email protected] to ask us new questions, tell us what you thought of today’s show, and give us ideas about what we should talk about in future episodes. You can also call our phone line: (646) 357-9318.
If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get to hang out with us on the Plus Playground every week for a whole additional grab-bag of content — and you’ll get an ad-free experience across the network. And you’ll also be supporting the work we do here on Care and Feeding. Sign up now at slate.com/careplus – or try it out on Apple Podcasts.
Podcast produced by Maura Currie.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
In this episode, Carvell Wallace (author of Another Word for Love and host of Slate’s How To!) joins Prudie (Jenée Desmond-Harris) to answer letters from readers about how to cancel on family vacation plans that sound horrible to you, how to break it to your butch lesbian girlfriend that her friends might be misogynists, and how to convince your parents to let you go to a high school in a not so great neighborhood.
Want more Dear Prudence? 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/prudie-plus to get access wherever you listen.
This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Daisy Rosario, and Jenée Desmond-Harris, with help from Maura Currie and Anuli Ononye.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
On today’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson is joined by Capital B reporter, Brandon Tensley to discuss Trump’s cabinet picks, and their potential impact on the Black community.
Guest: Brandon Tensley, Capital B News reporter
Podcast production by Kristie Taiwo-Makanjuola
Want more A Word? Subscribe to Slate Plus to immediately access ad-free listening across all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of our show page. Or, visit slate.com/awordplus to get access wherever you listen.
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We're off for Thanksgiving but still got together to share some things we're grateful for — and then, Zak is grateful to share an episode of his other show with you... all about being grateful for friendships, even in the rear-view.
Join us on Facebook and email us at [email protected] to ask us new questions, tell us what you thought of today’s show, and give us ideas about what we should talk about in future episodes. You can also call our phone line: (646) 357-9318.
If you enjoy Care & Feeding, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get to hang out with us on the Plus Playground every week for a whole additional grab-bag of content — and you’ll get an ad-free experience across the network. And you’ll also be supporting the work we do here on Care and Feeding. Sign up now at slate.com/careplus – or try it out on Apple Podcasts.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
More than half the population will experience menopause if they’re fortunate enough to age. Yet so much of this full-body transformation remains a mystery.
Journalist and filmmaker Tamsen Fadal is out to change that.
Her new documentary The M Factor: Shredding the Silence on Menopause premiered on PBS earlier this year. In it, her team interviews patients and health experts worldwide about the lack of research into this important stage of life.
On this week’s episode of Well, Now Kavita and Maya ask her what can be done to better care for the millions of women experiencing it now and in the future.
If you liked this episode, check out: Michelle Obama Gets Health Advice From This Gyno. Now You Can, Too.
Well, Now is hosted by registered dietitian nutritionist Maya Feller and Dr. Kavita Patel.
Editing and podcast production by Vic Whitley-Berry with oversight from Alicia Montgomery.
Send your comments and recommendations on what to cover to [email protected].
Want to listen to Well, Now uninterrupted? Subscribe to Slate Plus to immediately unlock ad-free listening to Well, Now and all your other favorite Slate podcasts.
Subscribe now on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of our show page. Or, visit slate.com/wellplus to get access wherever you listen.
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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 [email protected].
Email us at [email protected].
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.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
This week, the hosts come together to unpack Sarah McBride’s groundbreaking win as the first openly transgender member of Congress. While the win is historic, Bryan, Jules, and Christina dig in to unpack the limits of representational politics and what it means for this win to exist alongside the emergence of anti-trans politics, which hit their all time high during this election cycle.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
‘Tis the season of gathering with friends and family. It’s also a time where some of us yearn for a closer community, like this week’s listener. Morgan is looking for a way to hang out with friends in a consistent, meaningful manner. On this episode of How To!, Priya Parker, author of The Art of Gathering, explains how to transform a lackluster hang-out where people just sit around drinking beer into a party with a purpose where guests want to come back. She tells us how to create an event that meets a need with the right rules and the right guest list. She even has tips for sprucing up your next holiday party.
If you liked this episode, check out: How To Cook One Perfect Meal.
Do you have a question without an answer? Send us a note at [email protected] or leave us a voicemail at 646-495-4001 and we might have you on the show. Subscribe for free on Apple, Spotify or wherever you listen.
Podcast production by Derek John, Rosemary Belson, and Kevin Bendis.
Want more How To!? 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 How To! show page. Or, visit slate.com/howtoplus to get access wherever you listen.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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.
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 [email protected].
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.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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.)
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.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
On this episode: we’re weighing how to teach little ones about the dangers of germs… without making it sound too scary. We’ll talk about how to explain why eating off the floor is bad… without unlocking some new fears.
We’ll also check in on where the hosts are this week – and then, if you’re coming to hang out on the Slate Plus Playground, we’re calling a meeting of the C&F weed caucus to order.
If you’re not part of the Slate Plus community, we hope you’ll consider joining! Keep reading to learn how.
Jamilah’s check-in: let’s unpack that
Elizabeth’s check-in: bestie inbound
Zak’s check-in: out and about and car-free
Join us on Facebook and email us at [email protected] to ask us new questions, tell us what you thought of today’s show, and give us ideas about what we should talk about in future episodes. You can also call our phone line: (646) 357-9318.
If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get to hang out with us on the Plus Playground every week for a whole additional grab-bag of content — and you’ll get an ad-free experience across the network. And you’ll also be supporting the work we do here on Care and Feeding. Sign up now at slate.com/careplus – or try it out on Apple Podcasts.
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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.
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Guest Prudie Cheyna Roth is joined by Steven Ray Morris — best known for his work on My Favorite Murder, but now producing and hosting See Jurassic Right. Together, they answer letters from a listener hurt by her boyfriend’s comments that “marriage isn’t on his radar,” another hoping to support her partner through work conflicts without adding to her own stress, and a listener whose husband doesn’t seem concerned that their family friends have been displaced by Hurricane Helene.
Want more Dear Prudence? 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/prudie-plus to get access wherever you listen.
This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Daisy Rosario, and Jenée Desmond-Harris, with help from Maura Currie, Vic Whitley-Berry, and Anuli Ononye.
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A sizable number of pregnancies end in a loss, whether to miscarriage, still-birth or abortion. But until very recently, discussions of these losses were kept out of public—and policy—conversations. On today’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson is joined by Colleen Long and Rebecca Little, co-authors of the book, “I’m Sorry for My Loss: An Urgent Examination of Reproductive Care in America.” They share their own stories of pregnancy loss, and what they learned about the range of experience from dozens of interviews for their book. They also offer their insights about why reproductive rights remain popular, even when the politicians who champion them aren’t.
Guest: Colleen Long and Rebecca Little, co-authors of “I’m Sorry for My Loss: An Urgent Examination of Reproductive Care in America.”
Podcast production by Kristie Taiwo-Makanjuola
Want more A Word? Subscribe to Slate Plus to immediately access ad-free listening across all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of our show page. Or, visit slate.com/awordplus to get access wherever you listen.
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On this episode: Elizabeth, Jamilah and Zak share advice for weighing whether you want your kids on Roblox. The company just announced some impending safety enhancements to the mega-popular online multiplayer game… but, as the hosts and our Slate Parenting community will tell you, the platform might still be a wild west.
After that, of course, we’ll circle up to share some Triumphs and Fails.
Join us on Facebook and email us at [email protected] to ask us new questions, tell us what you thought of today’s show, and give us ideas about what we should talk about in future episodes. You can also call our phone line: (646) 357-9318.
If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get to hang out with us on the Plus Playground every week for a whole additional grab-bag of content — and you’ll get an ad-free experience across the network. And you’ll also be supporting the work we do here on Care and Feeding. Sign up now at slate.com/careplus – or try it out on Apple Podcasts.
Podcast produced by Maura Currie.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Regular movement is crucial for lifelong health, but finding a routine that fits well in your life can be challenging and overwhelming.
On this week’s episode of Well, Now we speak to retired volleyball player Gabby Reece on transitioning out of professional sports and talk about ways to realistically bring performance-level fitness to every kind of exercise routine.
If you liked this episode, check out: Breaking Up With Diet Culture
Well, Now is hosted by registered dietitian nutritionist Maya Feller and Dr. Kavita Patel.
Podcast production by Vic Whitley-Berry with editorial oversight by Alicia Montgomery.
Send your comments and recommendations on what to cover to [email protected].
Want to listen to Well, Now uninterrupted? Subscribe to Slate Plus to immediately unlock ad-free listening to Well, Now and all your other favorite Slate podcasts.
Subscribe now on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of our show page. Or, visit slate.com/wellplus to get access wherever you listen.
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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 [email protected].
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.
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.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
In this episode, host Jules Gill-Peterson speaks with the co-founders of Invisible Histories about their groundbreaking work preserving the rich, often overlooked history of queer life in the American South. At a time when LGBTQ+ communities face growing threats, safeguarding these stories is more urgent than ever. Together, they discuss how archiving resilience, joy, and everyday lives challenges erasure and ensures these vital narratives inspire future generations.
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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.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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 [email protected]
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.
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.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Ezra is adrift in his early 20s. He craves a life of meaning, community, and love. But he’s struggling to find those things in a world that seems increasingly uncertain and discouraging for young people. On this existential episode of How To!, Courtney Martin brings in Andrew McPeak, author, podcast host, and vice president of Growing Leaders. He tackles Ezra’s big questions and explains how Gen Z (and everyone else) can make life more meaningful.
If you liked this episode check out: How To Keep Caring Amid Endless Crises
Do you have a problem that needs solving? Send us a note at [email protected] or leave us a voicemail at 646-495-4001 and we might have you on the show. Subscribe for free on Apple, Spotify or wherever you listen.
How To’s executive producer is Derek John. Joel Meyer is our senior editor/producer. The show is produced by Rosemary Belson, with Kevin Bendis and Sara McCrea.
Want more How To!? 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 How To! show page. Or, visit slate.com/howtoplus to get access wherever you listen.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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.
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 [email protected].
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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.)
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.
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.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
On this episode: Zak sits down with Zach O’Hora and Lisa Whittick – respectively, the creator and director of the new PBS Kids show Carl The Collector. They’ll talk about crafting a kids’ show with neurodiverse characters… and what it means to tell a good story.
We’ll also check in on where the hosts are this week – and then, if you’re coming to hang out on the Slate Plus Playground, we’re celebrating the life and work of children’s folk singer Ella Jenkins.
If you’re not part of the Slate Plus community, we hope you’ll consider joining! Keep reading to learn how.
Jamilah’s check-in: tall fun man and an IEP
Elizabeth’s check-in: self-sufficiency and model UN
Zak’s check-in: two wheels and a dream
Join us on Facebook and email us at [email protected] to ask us new questions, tell us what you thought of today’s show, and give us ideas about what we should talk about in future episodes. You can also call our phone line: (646) 357-9318.
If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get to hang out with us on the Plus Playground every week for a whole additional grab-bag of content — and you’ll get an ad-free experience across the network. And you’ll also be supporting the work we do here on Care and Feeding. Sign up now at slate.com/careplus – or try it out on Apple Podcasts.
Podcast produced by Maura Currie.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Political Gabfest host Emily Bazelon talks with author Stephanie Gorton about her new book, The Icon & The Idealist.They discuss racism and prudishness in the early suffragist movement, how eugenics played a role in the birth control movement, and how two different women fought each other, despite wanting the same things.
Tweet us your questions @SlateGabfest or email us at [email protected]. (Messages could be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.)
Podcast production by Cheyna Roth.
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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 is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Daisy Rosario and Candice Lim, with production assistance from Alexandra Botti and Kat Hong.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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.
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Guest Prudie Kristen Meinzer is joined by longtime Slate-ster June Thomas — author of A Place of Our Own: Six Spaces That Have Shaped Queer Women’s Culture. Together, they answer letters from a boyfriend who has been financially supporting his girlfriend but can’t afford to anymore, a spouse whose younger partner is mocking part of their aging, and a friend struggling to support someone in their life going through something so similar it’s painful.
Want more Dear Prudence? 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/prudie-plus to get access wherever you listen.
This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Daisy Rosario, and Jenée Desmond-Harris, with help from Maura Currie and Anuli Ononye.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Democrats were shut out of power across the board in the House, Senate and the presidency. But for African American voters, new leaders may be emerging from among a handful of winning candidates. On today’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson is joined by Capital B News reporter Christina Carrega to discuss post-election strategy, and rethinking among Black voters and elected officials about priorities and power in the coming years.
Guest: Christina Carrega, reporter at Capital B News
Podcast production by Kristie Taiwo-Makanjuola
Want more A Word? Subscribe to Slate Plus to immediately access ad-free listening across all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of our show page. Or, visit slate.com/awordplus to get access wherever you listen.
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Going on Joe Rogan’s podcast didn’t fit into Kamala Harris’s last month of campaigning, which consisted of a careful diet of traditional media and specifically selected appearances. It came up short against Donald Trump’s “get on mic with that guy and his big following” strategy.
Guest: Makena Kelly, senior writer at Wired.
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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On this episode: Elizabeth, Jamilah and Zak talk about the aftermath of the presidential election — from the policy issues that freak us out to handling grief in front of our kids. And we’ll share a ton of amazing thoughts, advice, and reassurance from the Slate Parenting community.
Join us on Facebook and email us at [email protected] to ask us new questions, tell us what you thought of today’s show, and give us ideas about what we should talk about in future episodes. You can also call our phone line: (646) 357-9318.
If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get to hang out with us on the Plus Playground every week for a whole additional grab-bag of content — and you’ll get an ad-free experience across the network. And you’ll also be supporting the work we do here on Care and Feeding. Sign up now at slate.com/careplus – or try it out on Apple Podcasts.
Podcast produced by Maura Currie.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
People praise Saturday Night Live for its political satire…in spite of how toothless a lot of that satire is. Is the show equipped to take on Donald Trump, a former SNL host whose own absurdity often defies parody?
Guest: Sam Adams, senior editor and writer for Slate.
Want more What Next? Join Slate Plus to unlock full, ad-free access to What Next and all your other favorite Slate podcasts. You can subscribe directly from the What Next show page on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Or, visit slate.com/whatnextplus to get access wherever you listen.
Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme and Rob Gunther.
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How do women gain social influence?
Understanding this is crucial because research shows they often face unique challenges in having their voices heard and their expertise recognized, even in highly qualified fields like medicine.
The consequences of this could be dire, both for female patients and their healthcare providers.
On this week’s episode of Well, Now, Kavita and Maya talk with psychologist Alison Fragale about the science behind effective social influence. Her new book is Likeable Badass: How Women Get the Success They Deserve.
If you liked this episode, check out: Who Cares for the Caregivers?
Well, Now is hosted by registered dietitian nutritionist Maya Feller and Dr. Kavita Patel.
Podcast production by Vic Whitley-Berry with editorial oversight by Alicia Montgomery.
Send your comments and recommendations on what to cover to [email protected].
Want to listen to Well, Now uninterrupted? Subscribe to Slate Plus to immediately unlock ad-free listening to Well, Now and all your other favorite Slate podcasts.
Subscribe now on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of our show page. Or, visit slate.com/wellplus to get access wherever you listen.
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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 [email protected].
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.
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.
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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.
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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.
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 [email protected].
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Contraception is a huge burden for women and people with uteruses to bear. What would it look like—on a personal, cultural, and medical level—if more men took on that responsibility? Today on How To!, a conversation about gender equity for reproductive care, from changes in sexual education to more accessible vasectomies to the development of new contraception methods. Carvell Wallace welcomes two guests: Dr. Sarah Miller, a board-certified family physician and family planning specialist at Northeast Vasectomy and Family Planning, where she provides many vasectomies. And: Dr. Brian Nguyen, associate professor of clinical obstetrics and gynecology at the University of Southern California, sub-investigator for a network of male-contraceptive clinical trials, and director of The EMERGE Lab.
If you liked this episode check out: How To Make Sexual Consent Sexy and How To Orgasm.
Do you have a problem that needs solving? Send us a note at [email protected] or leave us a voicemail at 646-495-4001 and we might have you on the show. Subscribe for free on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you listen.
How To’s executive producer is Derek John. Joel Meyer is our senior editor/producer. The show is produced by Rosemary Belson, with Kevin Bendis.
Want more How To!? 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 How To! show page. Or, visit slate.com/howtoplus to get access wherever you listen.
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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.)
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.
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On this episode: Elizabeth, Lucy and Zak help a member of the Slate Parenting Facebook group whose toddlers are at each other… Constantly. We’re just glad they don’t have cartoon hammers.
We’ll also check in on where the hosts are this week – and then, if you’re coming to hang out on the Slate Plus Playground, we’re talking about the long history of making stuff with your kids.
If you’re not part of the Slate Plus community, we hope you’ll consider joining! Keep reading to learn how.
Lucy’s check-in: planning a Costco trip weeks in advance
Elizabeth’s check-in: small things made big
Zak’s check-in: the newness wears off.
Join us on Facebook and email us at [email protected] to ask us new questions, tell us what you thought of today’s show, and give us ideas about what we should talk about in future episodes. You can also call our phone line: (646) 357-9318.
If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get to hang out with us on the Plus Playground every week for a whole additional grab-bag of content — and you’ll get an ad-free experience across the network. And you’ll also be supporting the work we do here on Care and Feeding. Sign up now at slate.com/careplus – or try it out on Apple Podcasts.
Podcast produced by Maura Currie and Rosemary Belson.
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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.
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Guest Prudie Kristen Meinzer is joined by journalist and host of Vox’s Explain It To Me podcast JQ Hill. Together, they answer letters wondering when is the right time to start dating in a new city, how to let your friend know you’re tired of listening to them complain about their job, and what’s the best way to tell your boyfriend that you’d prefer alone time when you’re sick.
Want more Dear Prudence? 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/prudie-plus to get access wherever you listen.
This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Daisy Rosario, and Jenée Desmond-Harris, with help from Maura Currie and Anuli Ononye.
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On this episode: Elizabeth, Lucy and Zak crack open our mailbag. You’ve been sending a ton of emails about everything from Zionism to the Red Light District to Lucy’s Impala impulses… so today, we’re sharing all that and more.
And then, of course, we’ll share some triumphs and fails.
Join us on Facebook and email us at [email protected] to ask us new questions, tell us what you thought of today’s show, and give us ideas about what we should talk about in future episodes. You can also call our phone line: (646) 357-9318.
If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get to hang out with us on the Plus Playground every week for a whole additional grab-bag of content — and you’ll get an ad-free experience across the network. And you’ll also be supporting the work we do here on Care and Feeding. Sign up now at slate.com/careplus– or try it out on Apple Podcasts.
Podcast produced by Maura Currie and Rosemary Belson.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
In the wake of Vice President Kamala Harris’s decisive loss left Democrats despondent, and locked in a cycle of finger-pointing. On today’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson surveys the wreckage with professor and political analyst Niambi Carter. They discuss why so many Democratic operatives failed to read the trends properly, how white women and Latino men supported Trump, and where Black activists and voters go from here.
Guest: Niambi Carter, political analyst and author of American While Black: African Americans, Immigration, and the Limits of Citizenship.
Podcast production by Kristie Taiwo-Makanjuola
Want more A Word? Subscribe to Slate Plus to immediately access ad-free listening across all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of our show page. Or, visit slate.com/awordplus to get access wherever you listen.
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Hormones influence everything from mood and energy levels to fertility and long-term health.
Yet for many, hormonal health remains shrouded in mystery.
When women do seek guidance from their OBGYNs, they’re often told birth control is the only option for treating hormone-related issues like PCOS and endometriosis.
But that wasn’t going to cut it for Alisa Vitti.
On this week’s episode of Well, Now Kavita and Maya tackle hormonal health with the FLO Living CEO and see what other options are available when treating hormone imbalances.
Well, Now is hosted by registered dietitian nutritionist Maya Feller and Dr. Kavita Patel.
Podcast production by Vic Whitley-Berry with editorial oversight by Alicia Montgomery.
Send your comments and recommendations on what to cover to [email protected].
Want to listen to Well, Now uninterrupted? Subscribe to Slate Plus to immediately unlock ad-free listening to Well, Now and all your other favorite Slate podcasts.
Subscribe now on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of our show page. Or, visit slate.com/wellplus to get access wherever you listen.
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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:
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 [email protected].
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.
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In this episode, historian Ben Miller chats with Bryan Lowder about the surprising ways white gay men have romanticized the idea of the 'primitive' in their search for utopia. Ben shares stories about key figures like Harry Hay and the radical gay activism of the 70s that centered a 'back to the land' fantasy that relied on racialized fantasies of the past. Together, they explore how these fantasies shaped identities and political movements, revealing the strange allure of these ideas and their lasting impact on queer culture today.
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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.
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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 [email protected]
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.
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Heather recently joined the board of her local library, a beloved institution from her childhood. While continuing to balance her day job, she is excited to be an active and engaged member of this community-led organization. But she’s also grappling with time management and effective communication with her fellow board members. How can she express her ideas and opinions without overstepping boundaries? In this episode of How To!, host Courtney Martin welcomes nonprofit consultant Malini Sridharan who offers expert advice on navigating the challenges of community leadership and the intricacies of board dynamics.
If you liked this episode check out:
Do you have a problem that needs solving? Send us a note at [email protected] or leave us a voicemail at 646-495-4001 and we might have you on the show. Subscribe for free on Apple, Spotify or wherever you listen.
How To’s executive producer is Derek John. Joel Meyer is our senior editor/producer. The show is produced by Rosemary Belson and Kevin Bendis.
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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
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 [email protected].
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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.)
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.
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On this episode: Elizabeth, Lucy and Zak share how they’re talking to the kids about tomorrow’s election. We’ll offer tips for cutting through the noise to talk civics… and also how to address the serious, nasty, and scary.
Elizabeth’s book recommendations:
V is for Voting by Kate Farrell
Equality’s Call: the Story of Voting Rights in America by Deborah Diesen
Usborne: Politics for Beginners
The Politics Book: Big Ideas Simply Explained
We’ll also check in on where the hosts are this week – and then, if you’re coming to hang out on the Slate Plus Playground, we’re sharing our deep-seated love of (and gripes with) daylight savings.
If you’re not part of the Slate Plus community, we hope you’ll consider joining! Keep reading to learn how.
Lucy’s check-in: back to the shitty little walk (as heard on Hear Me Out)
Elizabeth’s check-in: blow darts and ninja stars and teens and days in the month
Zak’s check-in: therapy
Join us on Facebook and email us at [email protected] to ask us new questions, tell us what you thought of today’s show, and give us ideas about what we should talk about in future episodes. You can also call our phone line: (646) 357-9318.
If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get to hang out with us on the Plus Playground every week for a whole additional grab-bag of content — and you’ll get an ad-free experience across the network. And you’ll also be supporting the work we do here on Care and Feeding. Sign up now at slate.com/careplus – or try it out on Apple Podcasts.
Podcast produced by Maura Currie.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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.
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Guest Prudie Ashley C. Ford is joined by entertainment writer and comedian H. Alan Scott. Together, they answer letters from a sibling who’s trying to understand a boundary, a parent worried about how their spouse speaks to them in front of their child, and someone feeling deep regret about a lost friendship.
Want more Dear Prudence? 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/prudie-plus to get access wherever you listen.
This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Daisy Rosario, and Jenée Desmond-Harris, with help from Maura Currie and Anuli Ononye.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Neil deGrasse Tyson’s life-long love of science led him to astrophysics and a career as the nation’s premiere voice on making science accessible for all. On today’s episode of A Word, he joins host Jason Johnson for a conversation about the new edition of his book, Merlin’s Tour of the Universe, Revised and Updated for the Twenty-First Century: A Traveler’s Guide to Blue Moons and Black Holes, Mars, Stars, and Everything Far. They also discuss the science in pop culture, the political history of space flight, and why he’s still proud to have led the effort to remove Pluto’s status as a planet.
Guest: Astrophysicist and author Neil deGrasse Tyson
Podcast production by Kristie Taiwo-Makanjuola
Want more A Word? Subscribe to Slate Plus to immediately access ad-free listening across all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of our show page. Or, visit slate.com/awordplus to get access wherever you listen.
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On this episode: Lucy, Zak and Elizabeth answer a listener's question about something that happened last Halloween… when an older gentleman might’ve taken a photo of her young kid. We’ll talk about whether it’s as creepy as it sounds — and also, why Elizabeth is over Halloween.
We’ll also circle up for a round of triumphs and fails — including an update on Lucy’s mama.
Join us on Facebook and email us at [email protected] to ask us new questions, tell us what you thought of today’s show, and give us ideas about what we should talk about in future episodes. You can also call our phone line: (646) 357-9318.
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 Care and Feeding. Sign up now at slate.com/careplus to help support our work.
Podcast produced by Maura Currie.
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Nearly half of states – 24 and Washington, D.C – have legalized recreational marijuana. As more people report regularly using it, physicians are seeing patients with alarming side effects related to their cannabis use.
On this week’s episode of Well, Now Kavita and Maya sit down with internist and pediatrician Dr. Brittany Tayler to better understand these conditions and who could most likely get them.
If you liked this episode, check out: Psychedelics’ Long Strange Trip to the Doctor’s Office
Well, Now is hosted by registered dietitian nutritionist Maya Feller and Dr. Kavita Patel.
Podcast production by Vic Whitley-Berry with editorial oversight by Alicia Montgomery.
Send your comments and recommendations on what to cover to [email protected].
Want to listen to Well, Now uninterrupted? Subscribe to Slate Plus to immediately unlock ad-free listening to Well, Now and all your other favorite Slate podcasts.
Subscribe now on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of our show page. Or, visit slate.com/wellnowplus to get access wherever you listen.
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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 [email protected].
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.
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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.
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On September 14th 2024, thousands of people joined the Gender Liberation March in Washington D.C. to join the call to protect reproductive health, bodily autonomy, and comprehensive healthcare access. In this episode, Jules Gill-Peterson sits down with lead organizers Raquel Willis and Eliel Cruz to talk about the march and movement building during an election year. Raquel and Eliel share into their intersectional approach to organizing and how gender liberation frees us all.
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Katie is terrified of dying. As the youngest in a big family, she can’t stop thinking about the fact that all her loved ones may die before she does. Katie is a comedy writer who knows how to get laughs, but her obsession with death is real, and getting in the way of living. In this episode of How To!, we bring on Rachel Menzies, a psychologist and researcher at the University of Sydney and author of Tales from the Valley of Death, to share what she’s learned about death anxiety. Exposure therapy is often the most effective way to overcome your fears, but how do you expose yourself to death? Rachel has some unusual ideas for Katie—and all of us—to take control of these intrusive thoughts, starting with lying in a body bag. Focusing deliberately on death, Rachel says, can actually help us appreciate life.
If you liked this episode, check out “How To Not Be Scared.”
Are you afraid of something? Send us a note at [email protected] or leave us a voicemail at 646-495-4001 and we might have you on the show.
Want more How To!? 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 How To! show page. Or, visit slate.com/howtoplus to get access wherever you listen.
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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: How to 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 [email protected].
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.
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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: How to 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 [email protected].
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.
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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.)
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.
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.
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We’re always getting questions about puberty. And even if we’re not dealing with a question explicitly about puberty, it seems like this topic always finds a way to come up anyway… like in last Thursday’s episode, for example.
And puberty is always in the news – just this year, the NIH published research about precocious puberty caused by chemicals in personal care products. And Harvard researchers developed an existing theory that socioeconomic factors might be linked to an early onset of puberty, too.
So we thought this might be a good time to re-share this great interview from last year — where Jamilah sat down with Cara Patterson and Vanessa Kroll Bennett, authors of This Is So Awkward: Modern Puberty Explained. They’ve got some amazing insights to share, and we’d love for you to hear them if you haven’t already.
Join us on Facebook and email us at [email protected] to ask us new questions, tell us what you thought of today’s show, and give us ideas about what we should talk about in future episodes. You can also call our phone line: (646) 357-9318.
If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get to hang out with us on the Plus Playground every week for a whole additional grab-bag of content — and you’ll get an ad-free experience across the network. And you’ll also be supporting the work we do here on Care and Feeding. Sign up now at slate.com/careplus – or try it out on Apple Podcasts.
Podcast produced by Maura Currie.
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He 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.
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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.
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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.
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.
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Guest Prudie Kristen Meinzer is joined by Care and Feeding co-host Lucy Lopez. Together, they answer letters from a wife whose husband is always looking for sympathy, someone who regrets the way they treated colleagues when pursuing a career promotion, and a person who can not move on after being dumped.
Want more Dear Prudence? 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/prudie-plus to get access wherever you listen.
This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Daisy Rosario, and Jenée Desmond-Harris, with help from Jared Downing, Maura Currie, and Anuli Ononye.
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This election cycle, TikTok has evolved into a news-and-politics delivery mechanism. Will it make a difference?
Guest: Sapna Maheshwari, reporting on TikTok and other tech for the New York Times.
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.
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.
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As the race for the White House remains deadlocked, there have been growing Democratic concerns about whether Black male voters are solid in their support for Kamala Harris. On today’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson is joined by Brandon Tensley, national political reporter for Capital B News. They dissect the truths and myths surrounding Black male voters and the upcoming election.
Guest: Brandon Tensley, national political reporter for Capital B News
Podcast production by Kristie Taiwo-Makanjuola
Want more A Word? Subscribe to Slate Plus to immediately access ad-free listening across all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of our show page. Or, visit slate.com/awordplus to get access wherever you listen.
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On this episode: Jamilah, Zak, and Elizabeth tackle a letter from a Care and Feeding reader who is trying to explain code-switching to a six-year-old. This kid doesn’t seem to understand how or why to speak differently to his peers than to adults… but how can you convey that without giving him the wrong message?
We’ll also, of course, circle up for a round of triumphs and fails.
Join us on Facebook and email us at [email protected] to ask us new questions, tell us what you thought of today’s show, and give us ideas about what we should talk about in future episodes. You can also call our phone line: (646) 357-9318.
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 Care and Feeding. Sign up now at slate.com/careplus to help support our work.
Podcast produced by Maura Currie.
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Puberty is changing, and we’re not talking about developing Adam’s apples and growing hair in new places.
It starts earlier and lasts longer.
Regardless of when this necessary stage of life starts, youth and their adults need support going through it.
On this week’s episode of Well, Now puberty expert Vanessa Kroll Bennett discusses the biggest ways puberty has changed for today’s youth and how best to navigate it.
She’s co-host of the podcast This Is So Awkward with Dr. Cara Natterson and co-author of This Is So Awkward: Modern Puberty Explained.
If you liked this episode, check out: Can Kids Be Healthy at Any Size?
Well, Now is hosted by registered dietitian nutritionist Maya Feller and Dr. Kavita Patel.
Podcast production by Vic Whitley-Berry with editorial oversight by Alicia Montgomery.
Send your comments and recommendations on what to cover to [email protected].
Want to listen to Well, Now uninterrupted?
Subscribe to Slate Plus to immediately unlock ad-free listening to Well, Now and all your other favorite Slate podcasts.
Subscribe now on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of our show page.
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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 [email protected]
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.
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.
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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.
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The 2004 presidential race would be the first fully Fox News election—a contest that was framed by Fox, and fought on its terms. But the fight over Fox News was about more than just partisan politics. It also launched covert ops against reporters and let loose a secret army of online trolls. And when a Fox producer made serious allegations against Bill O’Reilly, the network showed just how far it would go to defend its biggest star—no matter the cost.
To read our full reporting on the most recent legal actions between Bill O'Reilly and Andrea Mackris, and learn more about how a non-disclosure agreement from two decades ago has kept Mackris silent, go to slate.com/foxnda.
Want more from Slow Burn? Join Slate Plus to unlock full access to all seasons, including members-only bonus episodes from The Rise of Fox News. You'll also enjoy ad-free listening to all of your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe now by clicking "Try Free" at the top of the Slow Burn show page on Apple Podcasts. Or, visit slate.com/slowburnplus to get access wherever you listen.
Season 10 of Slow Burn was written and reported by Josh Levin. It was executive produced by Lizzie Jacobs.
Slow Burn is produced by Sophie Summergrad, Joel Meyer, and Rosie Belson with help from Patrick Fort, Jacob Fenston, and Julia Russo.
Derek John is Slate’s executive producer of narrative podcasts.
This season was edited by Susan Matthews and Hillary Frey.
Merritt Jacob is our senior technical director. Mix and sound design by Joe Plourde.
Our theme music was composed by Alexis Cuadrado. Derreck Johnson created the artwork for this season. Episode artwork by Ivylise Simones.
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On December 4th, the Supreme Court will hear arguments for U.S. v. Skrmetti, a case that could decide the fate of gender-affirming care for trans people across the country. Outward’s own Jules Gill Peterson contributed to an amicus brief for the case, a document that provides expertise and historical context to assist the court in making it’s decision. In this episode, Bryan and Christina reunite with Jules to break down her contributions to the document and dive into the history of transition and the powerful voices of trans youth from across time.
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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 [email protected].
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.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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.
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 [email protected].
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.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
As the parent of five kids, Sadie is no stranger to feeling overwhelmed. Most of her kids have left the nest, but one adult daughter has severe autism and can’t live or work on her own. Facing the end of school-based support services, Sadie has to figure out what comes next for her daughter—and for herself. On this episode of How To!, Carvell Wallace brings on Sarah Wayland, the founder of Guiding Exceptional Parents, to talk about parenting two autistic young adults and how to ask for help.
Links mentioned:
If you liked this episode check out: How To Hack Any Bureaucracy, How To Date With a Disability, or How To Fill an Empty Nest.
Do you have a problem that needs solving? Send us a note at [email protected] or leave us a voicemail at 646-495-4001 and we might have you on the show. Subscribe for free on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you listen.
How To!’s executive producer is Derek John. Joel Meyer is our senior editor/producer. The show is produced by Rosemary Belson, with Kevin Bendis and Sara McCrea.
Want more How To!? 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 How To! show page. Or, visit slate.com/howtoplus to get access wherever you listen.
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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.)
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.
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Why this closed case from 1989 is suddenly back in the news—and why the brothers may yet be freed.
Guest: Brian Buckmire, ABC Legal Contributor with a segment on GMA3, “Better Call Brian.”
Want more What Next? 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 Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme and Rob Gunther.
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On this episode: Elizabeth, Jamilah and Zak help a member of the Slate Parenting Facebook group who's wondering how to help her seven and five-year-olds — and especially her son — learn how to listen. They’re both vibrant kids with a lot of ideas… so how do you not dull their sparkle, while also getting those lips a little more zipped?
We also check in on what’s happening in the hosts’ lives right now. And then, if you’re joining us for the Plus Playground — out now in your podcast feed — we’re discussing a column from The Guardian that says parenting is financially ruinous.
If you’re not part of the Slate Plus community, we hope you’ll consider joining! Keep reading to learn how.
Jamilah’s check-in: Midwest musings
Elizabeth’s check-in: Grand Theft Bra-to
Zak’s check-in: Noa and Eli
Join us on Facebook and email us at [email protected] to ask us new questions, tell us what you thought of today’s show, and give us ideas about what we should talk about in future episodes. You can also call our phone line: (646) 357-9318.
If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get to hang out with us on the Plus Playground every week for a whole additional grab-bag of content — and you’ll get an ad-free experience across the network. And you’ll also be supporting the work we do here on Care and Feeding. Sign up now at slate.com/careplus – or try it out on Apple Podcasts.
Podcast produced by Maura Currie.
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Political Gabfest host John Dickerson talks with author Dan Harris about his re-released book, 10% Happier: How I Tamed the Voice in My Head, Reduced Stress Without Losing My Edge, And Found Self-Help That Actually Works – A True Story in light of the looming November 5 vote. They discuss the steps to coping with election anxiety, how to benefit from group dynamics (instead of letting the doom-scrolling get to you), and more.
Tweet us your questions @SlateGabfest or email us at [email protected]. (Messages could be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.)
Podcast production by Cheyna Roth.
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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.
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Guest Prudie Nadira Goffe is joined by actress and comedian Sasheer Zamata. Together, they answer letters about a neighbor-turned-last-minute-babysitter whose work has gone unappreciated, a widower whose family won’t stop judging his new girlfriend, and a reader struggling to balance time with their husband and extended family.
Want more Dear Prudence? 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/prudie-plus to get access wherever you listen.
This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Daisy Rosario, and Jenée Desmond-Harris, with help from Nadira Goffe, Maura Currie, and Anuli Ononye.
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On this episode: Jamilah, Zak and Elizabeth help a listener whose son is at the perfect age to learn about the birds and the bees. There’s just one problem: he really doesn’t want to know. We’ll help our listener with some strategies for communicating the important stuff, while still respecting a shy kid’s limits.
We’ll also circle up for a round of triumphs and fails.
Join us on Facebook and email us at [email protected] to ask us new questions, tell us what you thought of today’s show, and give us ideas about what we should talk about in future episodes. You can also call our phone line: (646) 357-9318.
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 Care and Feeding. Sign up now at slate.com/careplus to help support our work.
Podcast produced by Maura Currie.
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We live in a weight-obsessed world, and children are not immune.
From the moment a child is born, their weight and height are tracked and recorded. Then throughout their development, these metrics are used as one of the main factors to determine their health.
But as the Health at Every Size (HAES) philosophy continues to gain traction for some adults, is there use for it as a part of growing children’s well-being, too?
On this week’s episode of Well, Now Maya and Kavita speak with pediatric dietitian Jill Castle and her approach to children’s health, which marries the traditional medical approach with a body-postive, HAES model.
Her latest book is Kids Thrive At Every Size: How to Nourish Your Big, Small, or In-Between Child for a Lifetime of Health and Happiness.
If you liked this episode, check out: Eating for Health
Well, Now is hosted by registered dietitian nutritionist Maya Feller and Dr. Kavita Patel.
Podcast production by Vic Whitley-Berry with editorial oversight by Alicia Montgomery.
Send your comments and recommendations on what to cover to [email protected]
Want to listen to Well, Now uninterrupted? Subscribe to Slate Plus to immediately unlock ad-free listening to Well, Now and all your other favorite Slate podcasts.
Subscribe now on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of our show page. Or, visit slate.com/wellplus to get access wherever you listen.
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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.
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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 [email protected].
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.
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As Fox News gathered strength, progressive activists turned to comedian Al Franken and fledgling online communities to punch back. But could the left put up a real fight without a Fox News of its own? And what did Fox’s critics miss when they focused only on its politics?
Want more from Slow Burn? Join Slate Plus to unlock full access to all seasons, including members-only bonus episodes from The Rise of Fox News. You'll also enjoy ad-free listening to all of your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe now by clicking "Try Free" at the top of the Slow Burn show page on Apple Podcasts. Or, visit slate.com/slowburnplus to get access wherever you listen.
Season 10 of Slow Burn was written and reported by Josh Levin. It was executive produced by Lizzie Jacobs.
Slow Burn is produced by Sophie Summergrad, Joel Meyer, and Rosie Belson with help from Patrick Fort, Jacob Fenston, and Julia Russo.
Derek John is Slate’s executive producer of narrative podcasts.
This season was edited by Susan Matthews and Hillary Frey.
Merritt Jacob is our senior technical director. Mix and sound design by Joe Plourde.
Our theme music was composed by Alexis Cuadrado. Derreck Johnson created the artwork for this season. Episode artwork by Ivylise Simones.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
In this episode long-time friend of the show and longtime WNBA fan Daisy Rosario sits down with queer sports reporter Frankie de la Cretaz to chat about the historic 2024 WNBA season. In this episode, they dig into the celebration and tension as the WNBA’s queer roots meet mainstream success. Can the league stay true to its queer community while taking on big-time sponsors and new fans?
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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.)
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.
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.
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Erica judges other people by default. Whether they are acquaintances, co-workers, or new arrivals in a club, her first impression is often negative. “I would like to learn how to quash that part of myself,” she says, because those judgments might be ruling out potential friendships. On this episode of How To!, Courtney Martin brings on Dr. Terri Apter, psychologist and author of Passing Judgment: The Power of Praise & Blame in Everyday Life. Terri explains that Erica’s initial reactions are more useful than she thinks—and can help her better understand herself.
If you liked this episode check out: How To Say What You’re Thinking
Do you have a problem that needs solving? Send us a note at [email protected] or leave us a voicemail at 646-495-4001 and we might have you on the show. Subscribe for free on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you listen.
How To’s executive producer is Derek John. Joel Meyer is our senior editor/producer. The show is produced by Rosemary Belson, with Kevin Bendis and Sara McCrea.
Want more How To!? Subscribe to Slate Plus to unlock exclusive bonus episodes. Plus, you’ll access ad-free listening across all your favorite Slate podcasts. Visit slate.com/howtoplus to get access wherever you listen.
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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 leads with 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 about recovery called The Small Bow and writes an addiction advice column for Slate called Ask A.J.
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 [email protected].
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Forget polls—are gambling websites the real way to predict politics?
Guest: Nitish Pahwa, business and tech writer at Slate
Want more What Next? 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 Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme and Rob Gunther.
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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.
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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.
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.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
The New York Liberty face the Minnesota Lynx for the championship in what has been a remarkable year for the WNBA. Attendance, attention and viewership skyrocketed. But throughout the season, superstar players Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese were dogged by toxic fans and coverage that was often sexist, racist, and just plain wrong from male sports journalists who knew little about the sport. On today’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson discusses the issues with sports writer David Dennis Jr. of Andscape. They talk about how the action on the court was often overshadowed by off-the-court drama, and what the league can do better next season.
Guest: David Dennis Jr., senior writer for Andscape and author of The Movement Made Us: A Father, a Son, and the Legacy of a Freedom Ride.
Podcast production by Kristie Taiwo-Makanjuola
Want more A Word? Subscribe to Slate Plus to immediately access ad-free listening across all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of our show page. Or, visit slate.com/awordplus to get access wherever you listen.
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In this episode, Sam Sanders (host of The Sam Sanders Show from KCRW) sits in as Guest Prudie with Slate’s own Nadira Goffe to answer letters from readers about making amends after spreading gossip, trying to forgive your mother after years of rejection, managing social invitations when a couple in the friend group breaks up.
Want more Dear Prudence? 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/prudie-plus to get access wherever you listen.
This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Daisy Rosario, and Jenée Desmond-Harris, with help from Maura Currie, and Anuli Ononye. Extra thanks to Muara Currie this week.
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On this episode: Jamilah, Zak and Elizabeth share what’s in their emergency kits and talk about their approaches to disaster preparedness. We’ll also share a dispatch from our Florida correspondent — whose family is, fortunately, safe and well.
If you want to help Floridians recover from hurricanes Milton and Helene, check out the Florida Disaster Fund.
For more on disaster preparedness: ready.gov
We’ll also circle up for a round of triumphs and fails.
Join us on Facebook and email us at [email protected] to ask us new questions, tell us what you thought of today’s show, and give us ideas about what we should talk about in future episodes. You can also call our phone line: (646) 357-9318.
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 Care and Feeding. Sign up now at slate.com/careplus to help support our work.
Podcast produced by Maura Currie.
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Go to the supplement aisle at the grocery store, and the options are endless. Scroll through any Instagram or TikTok feed, and you’re bound to see videos of people claiming their latest supplement is life-changing.
Supplements can be used for health and wellness, but it’s important to know the facts before buying the next trendy capsule, pill, tincture, or gummy.
On this week’s episode of Well, Now Maya and Kavita give you helpful tools to decide what supplements are worth the hype and which are just out to get your money.
If you liked this episode, check out – Gut Check: How to Master Your Microbiome
Well, Now is hosted by registered dietitian nutritionist Maya Feller and Dr. Kavita Patel.
Podcast production by Vic Whitley-Berry with editorial oversight by Alicia Montgomery.
Send your comments and recommendations on what to cover to [email protected]
Want to listen to Well, Now uninterrupted? Subscribe to Slate Plus to immediately unlock ad-free listening to Well, Now and all your other favorite Slate podcasts.
Subscribe now on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of our show page. Or, visit slate.com/wellplus to get access wherever you listen.
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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:
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 [email protected].
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.
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The accusations against Sean “Diddy” Combs have grown in both number and grimness. Is this the music industry’s moment of reckoning?
Guest: Nadira Goffe, associate culture writer at Slate.
Want more What Next? 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 Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme and Rob Gunther.
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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.
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After 9/11, the Fox News Channel rallied a huge portion of the country around the Bush administration’s vision of the world. But as the U.S. marched to war in the Middle East, journalists, liberal watchdogs, and comedians began pushing back. Could The Daily Show, Fox News’ own liberal pundits, or an employee-turned-whistleblower take Fox down a peg?
Want more from Slow Burn? Join Slate Plus to unlock full access to all seasons, including members-only bonus episodes from The Rise of Fox News. You'll also enjoy ad-free listening to all of your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe now by clicking "Try Free" at the top of the Slow Burn show page on Apple Podcasts. Or, visit slate.com/slowburnplus to get access wherever you listen.
Season 10 of Slow Burn was written and reported by Josh Levin. It was executive produced by Lizzie Jacobs.
Slow Burn is produced by Sophie Summergrad, Joel Meyer, and Rosie Belson with help from Patrick Fort, Jacob Fenston, and Julia Russo.
Derek John is Slate’s executive producer of narrative podcasts.
This season was edited by Susan Matthews and Hillary Frey.
Merritt Jacob is our senior technical director. Mix and sound design by Joe Plourde.
Our theme music was composed by Alexis Cuadrado. Derreck Johnson created the artwork for this season. Episode artwork by Ivylise Simones.
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In this episode long-time friend of the show June Thomas sits down with the editor of The Queer Arab Glossary, Marwan Kaboour. The glossary is the first published collection of Arabic LGBTQ+ slang and covers a wide range of dialects across the arab world. Marwan details how he decided to organize the glossary and what the words reveal about queer culture.
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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.
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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.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
At a new job, Jenna was put in charge of some beautiful plants that are imbued with deep significance to their co-workers. But despite Jenna’s best efforts, the plants aren’t doing so hot. Can the browning leaves, flopping stems, and dry soil be nursed back to health before it’s too late? On this episode, Carvell Wallace brings on Maria Failla, host of the Growing Joy podcast and author of Growing Joy: The Plant Lover’s Guide to Cultivating Happiness (and Plants). Maria addresses Jenna and other listeners’ questions on the How To! hotline, breaking down plant care basics and offering up practical tips to make growing houseplants fun!
If you liked this episode check out: How To Save the Planet, Starting With Your Yard and How To Restore Nature in the Heart of a City.
Do you have a problem that needs solving? Send us a note at [email protected] or leave us a voicemail at 646-495-4001 and we might have you on the show. Subscribe for free on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you listen.
How To’s executive producer is Derek John. Joel Meyer is our senior editor/producer. This episode was produced by Sara McCrea and Rosemary Belson.
Want more How To!? 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 How To! show page. Or, visit slate.com/howtoplus to get access wherever you listen.
Correction, Oct. 9, 2024: This episode originally called Duotone Audio Group a podcast studio. Duotone is a music and sound production company.
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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
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 [email protected].
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.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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.)
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.
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On this episode: Elizabeth, Lucy and Zak are joined by author, speaker, and soccer superstar Abby Wambach. We’ll talk about her new book, The Wolfpack Way, and what it means to raise a little leader.
We also slip in a quick conversation about what it’s like to blend families and become a “bonus mom.” And then, if you’re joining us for the Plus Playground — out now in your podcast feed — Abby answers the hosts’ kids’ questions, and it is precious.
Join us on Facebook and email us at [email protected] to ask us new questions, tell us what you thought of today’s show, and give us ideas about what we should talk about in future episodes. You can also call our phone line: (646) 357-9318.
If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get to hang out with us on the Plus Playground every week for a whole additional grab-bag of content — and you’ll get an ad-free experience across the network. And you’ll also be supporting the work we do here on Care and Feeding. Sign up now at slate.com/careplus – or try it out on Apple Podcasts.
Podcast produced by Maura Currie.
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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.
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In this episode, it’s a Slate three-for-one as Cheyna Roth and Candice Lim join our Guest Prudie (Nadira Goffe) to answer letters from readers about what to do when your partner keeps spontaneously changing your dinner plans, how you should handle the fact that your father is the “other woman” in his new relationship, and how to handle your brother’s incredibly insecure fiancee.
Want more Dear Prudence? 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/prudie-plus to get access wherever you listen.
This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Daisy Rosario, and Jenée Desmond-Harris, with help from Nadira Goffe, Maura Currie, Kevin Bendis, and Anuli Ononye.
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The majority of Latino voters have historically backed Democrats. But former President Donald Trump has polled very strongly around Latino Americans, despite villifying immigrants from Latin America. And several high profile leaders of the American far right are Latino. On today’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson discusses the issue with Paola Ramos. She is an award-winning journalist, political analyst, and the author of Defectors: The Rise of the Latino Far Right and What It Means for America.
Guest: Paola Ramos, journalist and author of Defectors: The Rise of the Latino Far Right and What It Means for America.
Podcast production by Kristie Taiwo-Makanjuola
Want more A Word? Subscribe to Slate Plus to immediately access ad-free listening across all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of our show page. Or, visit slate.com/awordplus to get access wherever you listen.
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On this episode: Zak and Elizabeth are joined by Rachel Riskind, a longtime listener and mom to three Jewish kids. Together, they’ll commemorate Rosh Hashanah by reflecting on how to raise Jewish kids in the complicated world of 2024. Our community had a ton of questions and stories to share on everything from Gaza to fasting to how to explain to teachers that Hanukkah isn't that important.
We’re excited to do more interfaith conversations soon, and we want to know what you think: so, email us at [email protected] to ask us new questions, tell us what you thought of today’s show, and give us ideas about what we should talk about. You can also call our phone line: (646) 357-9318.
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 Care and Feeding. Sign up now at slate.com/careplus to help support our work.
Podcast produced by Maura Currie.
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GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic, WeGovy, Mounjaro and others revolutionized weight loss and chronic weight management. But what does it feel like for the patients who take them?
On this week’s episode of Well, Now Kavita and Maya talk with journalist and author Johann Hari. Over the course of a year, Johann dived into the research and history behind GLP-1 drugs and how they became the latest and most effective way to lose weight. All the while, he was also taking Ozempic himself.
His latest book Magic Pill: The Extraordinary Benefits and Disturbing Risks of the New Weight-Loss Drugs takes a personal and research-based look at the revolutionary, controversial rise of GLP-1 drugs for weight management.
If you liked this episode, check out: The Full Truth About Ozempic and Doctors Agree: Obesity is a Disease. The Public Needs to Catch Up.
Well, Now is hosted by registered dietitian nutritionist Maya Feller and Dr. Kavita Patel.
Podcast production by Vic Whitley-Berry with editorial oversight by Alicia Montgomery.
Send your comments and recommendations on what to cover to [email protected]
Want to listen to Well, Now uninterrupted? Subscribe to Slate Plus to immediately unlock ad-free listening to Well, Now and all your other favorite Slate podcasts.
Subscribe now on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of our show page. Or, visit slate.com/wellplus to get access wherever you listen.
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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 [email protected].
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.
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Outward hosts Bryan Lowder and Christina Cauterucci sit down with reporter and author Nico Lang to chat about their new book ‘American Teenager: How Trans Kids Are Surviving Hate and Finding Joy in a Turbulent Era’. Nico’s book is a vivid and moving portrait of eight trans and nonbinary teenagers across the country, following their daily triumphs, struggles, and all that encompasses growing up trans in America today.
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For a decade and a half, CNN was peerless and ambitious, and it understood its place in the world. At least, it thought it did—until Fox News burst onto television screens. Could CNN save itself by becoming conservative or by going tabloid? And how would CNN and Fox respond when September 11 made the news more important than ever?
Want more from Slow Burn? Join Slate Plus to unlock full access to all seasons, including members-only bonus episodes from The Rise of Fox News. You'll also enjoy ad-free listening to all of your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe now by clicking "Try Free" at the top of the Slow Burn show page on Apple Podcasts. Or, visit slate.com/slowburnplus to get access wherever you listen.
Season 10 of Slow Burn was written and reported by Josh Levin. It was executive produced by Lizzie Jacobs.
Slow Burn is produced by Sophie Summergrad, Joel Meyer, and Rosie Belson with help from Patrick Fort, Jacob Fenston, and Julia Russo.
Derek John is Slate’s executive producer of narrative podcasts.
This season was edited by Susan Matthews and Hillary Frey.
Merritt Jacob is our senior technical director. Mix and sound design by Joe Plourde.
Our theme music was composed by Alexis Cuadrado. Derreck Johnson created the artwork for this season. Episode artwork by Ivylise Simones.
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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.
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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 [email protected]. Here are some links to episodes, and Slate advice, on friendship.
Podcast production by Zoe Azulay
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 [email protected].
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The How To! hosts love helping listeners find the answers they need. But sometimes a host needs help, too. On this episode, Courtney Martin and her brother, Chris, open up about how their father’s dementia has led them to upend their own lives in order to become his caregivers. To help Courtney and Chris talk through what comes next, Carvell Wallace welcomes Dr. Allison Applebaum, whose book Stand by Me chronicles her own caregiving journey and her work at Memorial Sloan Kettering’s Caregivers Clinic.
If you liked this episode check out: How To Help a Loved One With Dementia and How To Make Aging Easier for Everyone
Do you have a problem that needs solving? Send us a note at [email protected] or leave us a voicemail at 646-495-4001 and we might have you on the show. Subscribe for free on Apple, Spotify or wherever you listen.
How To’s executive producer is Derek John. Joel Meyer is our senior editor/producer. The show is produced by Rosemary Belson, with Kevin Bendis and Sara McCrae.
Want more How To!? 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 How To! show page. Or, visit slate.com/howtoplus to get access wherever you listen.
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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.)
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.
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On this episode: Elizabeth, Lucy and Zak help a member of the Slate Parenting Facebook group who’s struggling with wrangling her new baby… and the baby’s very clingy new grandma. Grandma’s struggled with loneliness and is-over-the-moon about the baby. But is it time to set some boundaries? And how many photos is too many?
We also check in on what’s happening in the hosts’ lives right now. And then, if you’re joining us for the Plus Playground — out now in your podcast feed — we’re sharing our favorite educational stuff to stick on ye olde tablet.
If you’re not part of the Slate Plus community, we hope you’ll consider joining! Keep reading to learn how.
Lucy’s check-in: feeling like gauze.
Elizabeth’s check-in: the major highs and major lows of preteendom
Zak’s check-in: Ami carries a backpack (and more)
Join us on Facebook and email us at [email protected] to ask us new questions, tell us what you thought of today’s show, and give us ideas about what we should talk about in future episodes. You can also call our phone line: (646) 357-9318.
If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get to hang out with us on the Plus Playground every week for a whole additional grab-bag of content — and you’ll get an ad-free experience across the network. And you’ll also be supporting the work we do here on Care and Feeding. Sign up now at slate.com/careplus – or try it out on Apple Podcasts.
Podcast produced by Maura Currie.
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This week: the tragic tale of Nike, Foot Locker, and Bed Bath and Beyond. Bloomberg’s Kim Bhasin joins Felix Salmon, Emily Peck, and Elizabeth Spiers to discuss his recent piece on the downfall of the Nike brand and the peril of direct-to-consumer marketing. Then, they discuss Kim’s other feature on Jamie Salter, the man who made a fortune buying up mall “zombie brands” like Izod and Brook’s Brothers. Finally: The DOJ is suing Visa for monopolistic practices, but will it mean anything or ordinary consumers?
In the Plus bonus mini-episode: Three Mile Island is back, baby! The hosts discuss Mincrosoft’s power purchase agreement that involves switching on the defunct nuclear plant and Americans’ troubled relationship with nuclear in general.
Want more Slate Money? 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 Slate Money show page. Or, visit slate.com/moneyplus to get access wherever you listen.
Podcast production by Jared Downing and Cheyna Roth.
Public.com+Public Investing Disclosure: All investing involves risk. Brokerage services for US listed securities, options and bonds in a self-directed brokerage account are offered by Public Investing, member FINRA & SIPC. Not investment advice. Public Investing offers a High-Yield Cash Account where funds from this account are automatically deposited into partner banks where they earn interest and are eligible for FDIC insurance; Public Investing is not a bank.Cryptocurrency trading services are offered by Bakkt Crypto Solutions, LLC (NMLS ID 1828849), which is licensed to engage in virtual currency business activity by the NYSDFS. Cryptocurrency is highly speculative, involves a high degree of risk, and has the potential for loss of the entire amount of an investment. Cryptocurrency holdings are not protected by the FDIC or SIPC. . See public.com/#disclosures-main for more information.
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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.
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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.
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In this episode, Rachel Bloom (The CW musical comedy-drama series Crazy Ex-Girlfriend and Netflix’s Death, Let Me Do My Special) joins our Guest Prudie (Cheyna Roth) to answer letters from readers about how to handle a newly sober (and vegan) friend getting super judgy, what to do when you become friends with an ex-boyfriend and then that boyfriend gets a jealous girlfriend, and whether not wanting to listen to your friend group’s constant griping constitutes an intervention.
Want more Dear Prudence? 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/prudie-plus to get access wherever you listen.
This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Daisy Rosario, and Jenée Desmond-Harris, with help from Cheyna Roth, Maura Currie, and Anuli Ononye.
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Silicon Valley is a place where big ideas are transformed into thriving businesses and multi-billion dollar fortunes. But it has also built a reputation for being a boys club, with limited opportunities, harassment, and sometimes open hostility to women in its workforce. Women of color remain severely underrepresented in the world of Big Tech, with just an estimated 3% of industry jobs held by Black women. So what’s the path ahead for African Americans in Big Tech, and is the prize worth the fight?
On today’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson discusses the issue with Bari Williams. She’s a lawyer, a tech entrepreneur, and the author of Seen Yet Unseen: A Black Woman Crashes The Tech Fraternity.
Guest: Bari Williams, attorney and author of Seen Yet Unseen: A Black Woman Crashes The Tech Fraternity
Podcast production by Kristie Taiwo-Makanjuola
Want more A Word? Subscribe to Slate Plus to immediately access ad-free listening across all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of our show page. Or, visit slate.com/awordplus to get access wherever you listen.
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On this episode: Lucy, Zak and Elizabeth answer a question from a listener who’s worried that her preschooler has already encountered a lot of bullying and cliques… so what is kindergarten going to be like? And why are these little kids already capable of being so mean?
We’ll also circle up for a round of triumphs and fails — including an update on Zak’s talking-about-the-Holocaust dilemma.
Join us on Facebook and email us at [email protected] to ask us new questions, tell us what you thought of today’s show, and give us ideas about what we should talk about in future episodes. You can also call our phone line: (646) 357-9318.
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 Care and Feeding. Sign up now at slate.com/careplus to help support our work.
Podcast produced by Maura Currie.
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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.
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Before he ran Fox News, Roger Ailes launched a very different kind of channel. America’s Talking was his vision of the future of television: a strange, slapdash, mostly apolitical cable network. When that dream got snatched away from him, Ailes went on a revenge mission—and made a connection with Rupert Murdoch.
Want more from Slow Burn? Join Slate Plus to unlock full access to all seasons, including members-only bonus episodes from The Rise of Fox News. You'll also enjoy ad-free listening to all of your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe now by clicking "Try Free" at the top of the Slow Burn show page on Apple Podcasts. Or, visit slate.com/slowburnplus to get access wherever you listen.
Season 10 of Slow Burn was written and reported by Josh Levin. It was executive produced by Lizzie Jacobs.
Slow Burn is produced by Sophie Summergrad, Joel Meyer, and Rosie Belson with help from Patrick Fort, Jacob Fenston, and Julia Russo.
Derek John is Slate’s executive producer of narrative podcasts.
This season was edited by Susan Matthews and Hillary Frey.
Merritt Jacob is our senior technical director. Mix and sound design by Joe Plourde.
Our theme music was composed by Alexis Cuadrado. Derreck Johnson created the artwork for this season. Episode artwork by Ivylise Simones.
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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 [email protected]
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.
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In this episode, Outward hosts Jules Gill-Peterson, Bryan Lowder, and Christina Cauterucci sit down with non-binary marathoner Cal Calamia to talk about their journey into competitive racing. Cal shares how they first got into running and how their experiences as a non-binary, trans-masculine athlete have shaped their advocacy. From battling outdated USADA regulations on hormone therapy to pushing for non-binary categories in major marathons, Cal gives insight into the work they do to make competitive racing gender-inclusive.
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Modern IUDs have been used for decades to prevent unwanted pregnancy and have been extremely effective at doing so.
But they’re not without side effects. With few places to turn, many patients have resorted to TikTok to describe their experiences of painful insertion and removal as well as cramping, changes in menstruation, and mood shifts.
But patients don’t have to be left in the dark. If there was more research into how different bodies react to IUDs, there’s a chance patients can get the care they need without as drastic of side effects.
On this week’s episode of Well, Now Maya and Kavita talk with Dr. Kavita Nanda, the Director of Medical Research for FHI360, on why there is so little research into IUDs, what we do know about them, and how you or a loved one can prepare for a conversation with your doctor about them.
If you liked this episode, check out: Michelle Obama Gets Health Advice From This Gyno. Now You Can, Too.
Further Reading: Why Is It So Hard to Get a Basic Question Answered About My IUD
Well, Now is hosted by registered dietitian nutritionist Maya Feller and Dr. Kavita Patel.
Podcast production by Vic Whitley-Berry with help from Kristie Taiwo-Makanjuola. Editorial oversight by Alicia Montgomery.
Send your comments and recommendations on what to cover to [email protected]
Want to listen to Well, Now uninterrupted? Subscribe to Slate Plus to immediately unlock ad-free listening to Well, Now and all your other favorite Slate podcasts.
Subscribe now on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of our show page. Or, visit slate.com/wellplus to get access wherever you listen.
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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:
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 [email protected].
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.
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Ari always dreamed of starting his own podcast. When he started interviewing fellow academics for the Taylor Swift class he’s teaching, Ari suddenly had the perfect opportunity to turn those conversations into something called ¿What Are Taylor Swift Studies Anyways? Now he just needs to find an audience. On this meta episode of How To!, Carvell Wallace brings on Lauren Passell, founder of Tink Media and author of Podcast the Newsletter. Lauren shares creative ways to find new listeners and connect with your audience; tips that apply to all kinds of passion projects.
Resources Mentioned:
If you liked this episode check out: How To Succeed at Social Media
Do you have a problem that needs solving? Send us a note at [email protected] or leave us a voicemail at 646-495-4001 and we might have you on the show. Subscribe for free on Apple, Spotify or wherever you listen.
How To’s executive producer is Derek John. Joel Meyer is our senior editor/producer. The show is produced by Rosemary Belson, with Kevin Bendis and Sara McCrae.
Want more How To!? 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 How To! show page. Or, visit slate.com/howtoplus to get access wherever you listen.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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.
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 [email protected].
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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.)
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.
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On this episode: it’s Friendship Week at Slate, and we’re hopping aboard the friendship train to talk about the beauty, and challenges, of making friends in the parenting world… with special guest host Rebecca Onion, a senior editor for Slate.
We also check in on what’s happening in Elizabeth, Zak, and Rebecca’s lives right now. And then, if you’re joining us for the Plus Playground — out now in your podcast feed — we’re talking about what happens when a friendship dies.
If you’re not part of the Slate Plus community, we hope you’ll consider joining! Keep reading to learn how.
Zak’s check in: healthy snacks at school PLEASE
Elizabeth’s check in: phones for good
Rebecca’s check in: friendship necklaces: revenge edition.
Join us on Facebook and email us at [email protected] to ask us new questions, tell us what you thought of today’s show, and give us ideas about what we should talk about in future episodes. You can also call our phone line: (646) 357-9318.
If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get to hang out with us on the Plus Playground every week for a whole additional grab-bag of content — and you’ll get an ad-free experience across the network. And you’ll also be supporting the work we do here on Care and Feeding. Sign up now at slate.com/careplus – or try it out on Apple Podcasts.
Podcast produced by Maura Currie.
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On this month’s edition of Gabfest Reads, Political Gabfest host David Plotz talks with author Elizabeth Strout about her new book, Tell Me Everything. They discuss how Strout conceives of interconnected stories and characters across her work, including the return of beloved characters like Olive Kitteridge. They also dig into the importance of listening and the ways ordinary lives can be extraordinary.
Tweet us your questions @SlateGabfest or email us at [email protected]. (Messages could be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.)
Podcast production by Cheyna Roth.
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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.
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In this episode, Akilah Hughes (host of a new podcast from iHeart, Rebel Spirit) joins our Guest Prudie (Ashley C. Ford) to answer letters from readers about how to be a supportive long-distance friend to someone in an unhappy marriage, what to do when your friend is great at being a friend but a terrible colleague, and whether birthday texts are really necessary.
Want more Dear Prudence? 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/prudie-plus to get access wherever you listen.
This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Daisy Rosario, and Jenée Desmond-Harris, with help from Ashley C. Ford, Maura Currie, and Anuli Ononye.
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Yvette Nicole Brown spent years working in Hollywood before she got her big break. Then she rose to fame with her comedic turns in Community and Drake & Josh. But her latest –and perhaps most important– role is as caregiver to her father. That experience is at the heart of her storytelling as host of the new podcast Squeezed, focused on the millions of Americans who find themselves balancing caregiving with careers. On today’s episode of A Word, Yvette Nicole Brown speaks with Jason Johnson about the caregivers who shared their stories on Squeezed, and what the rest of the nation –from neighbors, to friends, to political leaders– can do to support caregiving.
Guest: Yvette Nicole Brown, actress and podcast host of Squeezed.
Podcast production by Kristie Taiwo-Makanjuola
Want more A Word? Subscribe to Slate Plus to immediately access ad-free listening across all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of our show page. Or, visit slate.com/awordplus to get access wherever you listen.
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Instagram’s new default privacy settings for teenagers are designed to keep kids safe from strangers online. It’s a worthy endeavor, but are privacy settings enough? And what about all the other hazards teenagers face on social media?
Guest: Natasha Singer, New York Times tech reporter, focused on how technology is affecting childhood and schooling.
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, and Cheyna Roth.
Public.com+Public Investing Disclosure: Public Investing offers a High-Yield Cash Account where funds from this account are automatically deposited into partner banks where they earn interest and are eligible for FDIC insurance; Public Investing is not a bank. See public.com/#disclosures-main for more information.
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On this episode: Elizabeth, Zak and Lucy help a listener who left us a voicemail about their little athlete who’s just not great at baseball… and he also gets upset when the game doesn’t go his way. If this kid were an adult, it’d be time to have an honest conversation about knowing your strengths. But how does that conversation work with a kid?
And after that conversation, of course, we’ll also debrief on our week in parenting with a round of triumphs and fails.
Join us on Facebook and email us at [email protected] to ask us new questions, tell us what you thought of today’s show, and give us ideas about what we should talk about in future episodes. You can also call our phone line: (646) 357-9318.
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 Care and Feeding. Sign up now at slate.com/careplus to help support our work.
Podcast produced by Maura Currie.
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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.
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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 [email protected].
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.
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When the Fox News Channel launched in 1996, critics called it disorganized, incompetent, and laughably inept. But it wouldn’t be a joke for long. During the 2000 election, Fox News would captivate the nation – and just maybe change the fate of American democracy.
Want more from Slow Burn? Join Slate Plus to unlock full access to all seasons, including members-only bonus episodes from The Rise of Fox News. You'll also enjoy ad-free listening to all of your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe now by clicking "Try Free" at the top of the Slow Burn show page on Apple Podcasts. Or, visit slate.com/slowburnplus to get access wherever you listen.
Season 10 of Slow Burn was written and reported by Josh Levin. It was executive produced by Lizzie Jacobs.
Slow Burn is produced by Sophie Summergrad, Joel Meyer, and Rosie Belson with help from Patrick Fort, Jacob Fenston, and Julia Russo.
Derek John is Slate’s executive producer of narrative podcasts.
This season was edited by Susan Matthews and Hillary Frey.
Merritt Jacob is our senior technical director. Mix and sound design by Joe Plourde.
Our theme music was composed by Alexis Cuadrado. Derreck Johnson created the artwork for this season. Episode artwork by Ivylise Simones.
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Nearly half of healthcare workers are at a breaking point, describing that they often or very often feel burnt out on the job.
Most of us have heard the phrase “Put on your oxygen mask before helping others,” but rarely does that happen especially for those who work as caregivers.
Psychiatrist Dr. Jessi Gold knows this firsthand when her mental overload caused her to make an unthinkable mistake with a patient. This error forced her to step back and reassess her relationship with the healthcare industry as a whole.
On this week’s episode of Well, Now Maya and Kavita speak with Dr. Gold about her latest book How Do You Feel?, and how by looking at the healthcare system through the eyes of her caregiver patients, she began to see the shared struggle many healthcare workers have to find the humanity in their work again.
If you liked this episode, check out: How Nick Cannon Got Celebrities to Open Up About Their Mental Health
Well, Now is hosted by registered dietitian nutritionist Maya Feller and Dr. Kavita Patel.
Podcast production by Vic Whitley-Berry with editorial oversight by Alicia Montgomery.
Send your comments and recommendations on what to cover to [email protected]
Want to listen to Well, Now uninterrupted? Subscribe to Slate Plus to immediately unlock ad-free listening to Well, Now and all your other favorite Slate podcasts.
Subscribe now on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of our show page. Or, visit slate.com/wellplus to get access wherever you listen.
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Ben has two sons in the fourth grade. Like a lot of kids, they love YouTube videos, gaming, movies, and other online entertainment. Before his sons begin using social media, Ben wants to ensure they develop a good relationship with tech—and he’s ready to recruit other families at their school to agree upon some rules of engagement. On this episode of How To!, Courtney Martin brings in Richard Culatta, CEO of the International Society for Technology in Education and ASCD. He’s also the author of Digital for Good: Raising Kids to Thrive in an Online World. He shares his refreshingly practical approach to tech, screen time, and social media.
Resources Mentioned:
Guide to create healthy conditions in schools
If you liked this episode check out: How To Face the A.I. Revolution and How To Help Teachers Thrive
Do you have a problem that needs solving? Send us a note at [email protected] or leave us a voicemail at 646-495-4001 and we might have you on the show. Subscribe for free on Apple, Spotify or wherever you listen.
How To’s executive producer is Derek John. Joel Meyer is our senior editor/producer. The show is produced by Rosemary Belson and Sara McCrae.
Want more How To!? 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 How To! show page. Or, visit slate.com/howtoplus to get access wherever you listen.
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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
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 [email protected].
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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.)
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.
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On this episode: Elizabeth sits down with Dr. Jennifer Freed to talk about how astrology can help us parent… even if you’re a skeptic about the whole star sign thing. It’s all about figuring out how to communicate with people who see the world differently than you do, right?
We also check in on what’s happening in Elizabeth, Zak, and Jamilah’s lives right now. And then, if you’re joining us for the Plus Playground — out now in your podcast feed — we’re using Dr. Freed’s parenting deck to learn about the hosts’ birth charts.. And their kids’!
If you’re not part of the Slate Plus community, we hope you’ll consider joining! Keep reading to learn how.
Zak’s check-in: how early is too early to talk about the Holocaust?
Jamilah’s check-in: middle school woes (whoa.)
Elizabeth’s check-in: grownup Henry/baby Henry
Join us on Facebook and email us at [email protected] to ask us new questions, tell us what you thought of today’s show, and give us ideas about what we should talk about in future episodes. You can also call our phone line: (646) 357-9318.
If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get to hang out with us on the Plus Playground every week for a whole additional grab-bag of content — and you’ll get an ad-free experience across the network. And you’ll also be supporting the work we do here on Care and Feeding. Sign up now at slate.com/careplus – or try it out on Apple Podcasts.
Podcast produced by Maura Currie.
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When Taylor Swift stated she was voting for Kamala Harris, a large segment of Swifties breathed a sigh of relief. How did Swift’s politics become so important—and will her endorsement make a difference in November?
Guest: Brian Donovan, professor of sociology at the University of Kansas who teaches a college course called “The Sociology of Taylor Swift.”
Want more What Next? 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 Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme and Rob Gunther.
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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.
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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.
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The law has been passed and signed by the president: TikTok’s parent company must sell or divest from the app. But that’s not happening without a legal fight.
Guest: Emily Baker-White, investigative reporter at Forbes.
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, and Cheyna Roth.
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Today, we’re revisiting one of our favorite episodes from October 2023 with Ashley C. Ford, author of the bestselling memoir Somebody’s Daughter, and one of our guest Prudies, while our regular Prudie, Jenée Desmond-Harris, will be on parental leave.
In this episode, Ashley C. Ford joins Prudie (Jenée Desmond-Harris) to answer letters from readers about whether conflicting ideas about children should end a relationship between two twenty-somethings, what to do when a friend is obsessed with her husband’s band, and if it’s acceptable to leave your partner behind and vacation without them if they’re running late and miss the flight.
Want more Dear Prudence? 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/prudie-plus to get access wherever you listen.
This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Daisy Rosario, and Jenée Desmond-Harris, with help from Maura Currie.
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It wasn’t even close. That was the verdict of most of the media—and millions of Americans—after the presidential debate on Tuesday. After Vice President Kamala Harris dominated former President Donald Trump on the debate stage, Trump has pledged not to debate her again. On today’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson is joined by Christina Greer, a professor of political science at Fordham University, and the author of Black Ethnics: Race, Immigration, and the Pursuit of the American Dream. The two break down the finer points of the debate, and what impact it could have on the race going forward.
Guest: Christina Greer, professor and author of Black Ethnics: Race, Immigration, and the Pursuit of the American Dream.
Podcast production by Kristie Taiwo-Makanjuola
Want more A Word? Subscribe to Slate Plus to immediately access ad-free listening across all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of our show page. Or, visit slate.com/awordplus to get access wherever you listen.
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On this episode: Elizabeth, Zak and Jamilah are joined by Allison Price of the Care & Feeding text column to talk through one of her most recent columns. This dad lets his wife lean into her Type A tendencies… and as a result, he’s been pushed out of parenting decisions. Who’s to blame here? And why was Allison worried about commenter clapbacks?
And after that, of course, we’ll also debrief on our week in parenting with a round of triumphs and fails.
Join us on Facebook and email us at [email protected] to ask us new questions, tell us what you thought of today’s show, and give us ideas about what we should talk about in future episodes. You can also call our phone line: (646) 357-9318.
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 Care and Feeding. Sign up now at slate.com/careplus to help support our work.
Podcast produced by Maura Currie.
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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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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 [email protected].
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.
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This week Christina speaks to journalists S.I. Rosenbaum and Josie Reisman about their Slate article Kamala Harris’ Surprising Record on Trans Rights. From the national conference she convened to counter the “gay panic” and “trans panic” defense, to her denial of gender-affirming surgery for an incarcerated trans person, a look back on key moments in Kamala Harris’ career reveal a complicated political track record on trans rights.
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Summer is ending and school is officially back in session. For many, a new school year is the perfect time to create new goals and establish a routine.
On this week’s episode of Well, Now, we are joined by primary care pediatrician, Dr. Edith Bracho-Sanchez. She discusses the importance of navigating the back-to-school season as a family, highlighting how parents can support their children and prioritize health and wellness.
If you liked this episode, check out: Spring Cleaning Your Medicine Cabinet
Well, Now is hosted by registered dietitian nutritionist Maya Feller and Dr. Kavita Patel.
Podcast production by Kristie Taiwo-Makanjuola and Vic Whitley-Berry with editorial oversight by Alicia Montgomery.
Send your comments and recommendations on what to cover to [email protected]
Want to listen to Well, Now uninterrupted? Subscribe to Slate Plus to immediately unlock ad-free listening to Well, Now and all your other favorite Slate podcasts.
Subscribe now on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of our show page. Or, visit slate.com/wellplus to get access wherever you listen.
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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 [email protected]
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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After a tree destroyed Tucker’s roof during a tornado, he felt lucky to be alive—and underprepared for the next disaster his family might face. On this episode, Courtney Martin welcomes back author and former How To! host Amanda Ripley to discuss emergency preparedness and how regular citizens can react smarter during a devastating event. Amanda’s newly updated book is The Unthinkable: Who Survives When Disaster Strikes—and Why.
After listening to this conversation, seek out (and save) this information:
If you liked this episode check out: How To Keep Cool in a Crisis and How To Cope With Climate Anxiety. Also mentioned: How To Pick a College (and Actually Afford It) and How To Take a Gap Year
Do you have a problem that needs solving? Send us a note at [email protected] or leave us a voicemail at 646-495-4001 and we might have you on the show. Subscribe for free on Apple, Spotify or wherever you listen.
How To’s executive producer is Derek John. Joel Meyer is our senior editor/producer. The show is produced by Rosemary Belson, with Kevin Bendis and Sara McCrae.
Want more How To!? 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 How To! show page. Or, visit slate.com/howtoplus to get access wherever you listen.
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On today’s episode of Hear Me Out: a fond farewell.
This is the last episode of Hear Me Out. And it comes at a volatile, strange time in the world of podcasting. Networks’ priorities have shifted, the money has shifted, and “success” means different things to different people.
Nick Hilton of Podot and Future Proof joins us for a discussion about the future of podcasting… whether we’re in it or not.
The Hear Me Out team is grateful, endlessly, to every single listener who’s sent us a note. We’re not sure how long the address will work, but if the show mattered to you, we’d love to read your emails: [email protected]
Podcast production by Maura Currie, who owes many more things than this podcast to Celeste Headlee.
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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.
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 [email protected].
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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.)
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.
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On this episode: helping a little guy with some big changes. A member of our Slate Parenting Facebook Group is getting ready to move with a three-year-old (and another kid on the way) — and between the disruption, the feelings, and the impending newness, this parent wants to know how to help smooth things out for her kid. Luckily, Elizabeth and Zak are seasoned experts.
We also check in on what’s happening in the hosts’ lives right now. And then, if you’re joining us for the Plus Playground — out now in your podcast feed — we’re weighing whether it’s okay to toss out kids’ art.
If you’re not part of the Slate Plus community, we hope you’ll consider joining! Keep reading to learn how.
Elizabeth’s check-in: say yes!
Zak’s check-in: shoot your shots!
Join us on Facebook and email us at [email protected] to ask us new questions, tell us what you thought of today’s show, and give us ideas about what we should talk about in future episodes. You can also call our phone line: (646) 357-9318.
If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get to hang out with us on the Plus Playground every week for a whole additional grab-bag of content — and you’ll get an ad-free experience across the network. And you’ll also be supporting the work we do here on Care and Feeding. Sign up now at slate.com/careplus – or try it out on Apple Podcasts.
Podcast produced by Maura Currie.
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This week, hosts June Thomas, Isaac Butler, and Ronald Young Jr. reflect on the best tips, tools, and words of wisdom from the past four years of Working. They bid farewell to the show, to the listeners, and discuss the lessons that stuck with them and changed the way they work. They also save time at the end to reply to some heartwarming listener emails.
Past episodes that they mention include: How Choreographer Annie-B Parson Expresses Music Through Movement, Writer Oliver Burkeman on the Dangers of Obsessive Time Management, and How to Write Every Day and Stick to It.
In recent years, Working has been hosted by June Thomas, Isaac Butler, Ronald Young Jr., Karen Han, Nate Chinen, Kristen Meinzer, TK Dutes, and Cameron Drews.
Morgan Flannery was the founding producer of the most recent iteration of the show. Cameron Drews and Kevin Bendis have been the primary producers of both Working and Working Overtime.
Please send comments, questions, tips about creative work, and feedback to [email protected], and thank you so much for listening!
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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.
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In this episode, Lizzie O’Leary (the host of Slate’s What Next: TBD) joins Prudie (Jenée Desmond-Harris) to answer letters from readers about what to do when your mother backed out of pre-arranged babysitting duties to go on a cruise, whether or not you’re being emotionally unfaithful to your partner, and what to do with a friend who’s great one-on-one but not-so-great in groups.
Want more Dear Prudence? 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/prudie-plus to get access wherever you listen.
This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Daisy Rosario, and Jenée Desmond-Harris, with help from Maura Currie and Anuli Ononye.
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The New York Police Department is perhaps the most famous—or notorious—police force in America, depending on who you talk to. Some see it as a group of thousands of dedicated civil servants, devoted to public safety. Others say the department is rife with corruption, tangled in politics, and—at best—indifferent to the racist brutality its officers visit on Black citizens of the city.
Now, a new podcast aims to shed light on the complicated history of the N.Y.P.D. and race. “Empire City” is a new narrative series from Wondery, Crooked Media and Push Black. On today’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson is joined by the show’s host and creator, NYU journalism professor Chenjerai Kumanyika.
Guest: Chenjerai Kumanyika, host of Empire City: The Untold Origin Story of the NYPD
Podcast production by Kristie Taiwo-Makanjuola
Want more A Word? Subscribe to Slate Plus to immediately access ad-free listening across all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of our show page. Or, visit slate.com/awordplus to get access wherever you listen.
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On this episode: Elizabeth and Zak debrief on your reactions to last week’s special episode about Gus Walz — and we’ll touch on some elements of this story that our audience thinks we might’ve missed the first time around.
And, of course, we also debrief on our week in parenting with a round of triumphs and fails.
Join us on Facebook and email us at [email protected] to ask us new questions, tell us what you thought of today’s show, and give us ideas about what we should talk about in future episodes. You can also call our phone line: (646) 357-9318.
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 Care and Feeding. Sign up now at slate.com/careplus to help support our work.
Podcast produced by Maura Currie.
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On this, the final episode of Working Overtime, hosts Ronald Young Jr. and June Thomas share some last bits of advice on how best to leave a job! Ronald has been let go, quit jobs, and switched gears in every possible way. June has moved across countries and allowed turning points in her life to be catalysts for moving on from certain work. Both of them share their experiences and offer some best practices for leaving on good terms and being prepared to leap into something new.
Podcast production by Kevin Bendis and Cameron Drews.
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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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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 [email protected].
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.
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Drag is one of the fastest-growing forms of entertainment, and has been making its way into the mainstream in recent years. On this week’s episode of Well, Now, we are joined by drag queen, actress, and trans activist, Miss Peppermint. She provides insight on self-advocacy, and how to navigate the healthcare system despite society’s tendencies to overlook transgender health.
If you liked this episode, check out: Ending Racism in Healthcare
Well, Now is hosted by registered dietitian nutritionist Maya Feller and Dr. Kavita Patel.
Podcast production by Kristie Taiwo-Makanjuola and Vic Whitley-Berry with editorial oversight by Alicia Montgomery.
Send your comments and recommendations on what to cover to [email protected]
Want more Well, Now? 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 Well, Now show page. Or, visit https://slate.com/wellnowplus to get access wherever you listen.
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This week Bryan, Jules, and Christina are joined by reporter Jasmine Mithani to talk about the Kids Online Safety Act. While protecting children from harmful material online seems like a win for everyone, some LGBTQ organizations fear that KOSA would be used to shut down LGBTQ+ content online and take away important resources for queer youth.
Podcast production by Palace Shaw
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With takeout prices on the rise, Josh wants to sharpen his home-cooking chops so he can whip up delicious dinners for himself and his wife. But this empty nester doesn’t want to spend all day in the kitchen. On this episode of How To!, co-host Courtney Martin consults award-winning chef, food writer, and New York Times Cooking pro Sohla El-Waylly for advice on meal prep, next-level seasoning, and preparing the best rice and beans. Sohla’s new cookbook is Start Here: Instructions for Becoming a Better Cook.
If you liked this episode, check out How To ‘Chaos Cook’ With Samin Nosrat or How To Cook One Perfect Meal.
Do you have a problem that needs solving? Send us a note at [email protected] or leave us a voicemail at 646-495-4001 and we might have you on the show. Subscribe for free on Apple, Spotify or wherever you listen.
How To’s executive producer is Derek John. Joel Meyer is our senior editor/producer. The show is produced by Rosemary Belson, with Kevin Bendis and Sara McCrae. Production for this episode by Sara McCrea.
Want more How To!? 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 How To! show page. Or, visit slate.com/howtoplus to get access wherever you listen.
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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 [email protected].
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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On today’s episode of Hear Me Out: pardon interruption.
What’s the purpose of the presidential pardon? Well, depends on who you ask — hypothetically, it’s meant for course-correction and honoring restorative justice. But presidents on both ends of the spectrum have used it for purposes that are distinctly not that. So do we need the pardon or do we need to get rid of it… and either way, what’s next?
Kim Wehle joins us once again to talk about her new book, Pardon Power.
Hear Me Out ends next week. So, before then, please feel free to email the show: [email protected]
Podcast production by Maura Currie.
Want more Hear Me Out? Subscribe to Slate Plus to access ad-free listening across all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of our show page. Or, visit slate.com/hearmeoutplus to get access wherever you listen.
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This week, host Ronald Young Jr. talks to Andy J. Pizza, an illustrator and creator of children’s books who’s also the host of the Creative Pep Talk podcast. In the interview, Andy explains what it’s like to be a working artist with ADHD, and he shares some strategies that have helped him channel his attention, accomplish tasks, and evolve in his career.
After the interview, Ronald and co-host June Thomas talk about creating like a child and the importance of “useless” friends.
In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Andy discusses some of his favorite music.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews.
Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected] or give us a call at (304) 933-9675.
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 Working. Sign up now at slate.com/workingplus to help support our work.
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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.
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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In this episode, Nadira Goffe (Slate culture writer) joins Prudie (Jenée Desmond-Harris) to answer letters from readers about what to do when your girlfriend refuses to return library books in the name of self-love, whether it’s worth admitting to your partner that you sometimes break your not-so-strict vegan diet for convenience sake, if you need to tell your dad that you caught your mom on a BDSM dating site, and how to prepare for a visit from parents you are sure will body-shame you.
Want more Dear Prudence? 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/prudie-plus to get access wherever you listen.
This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Daisy Rosario, and Jenée Desmond-Harris, with help from Maura Currie and Anuli Ononye.
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Election season brings politicians of all parties to the doors of Black churches, looking for photo ops, votes, and support from powerful pastors. But the traditional Black church is—like many American faith communities—shrinking. And a growing number of middle-class African Americans are worshiping in more diverse congregations. On today’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson is joined by Dr. Jason E. Shelton, Professor of Sociology and Director of the Center for African American Studies at the University of Texas at Arlington. They discuss his new book, The Contemporary Black Church: The New Dynamics of African American Religion, and how changes in African American faith communities are playing out in everything from politics, to education, to music.
Guest: Dr. Jason E. Shelton, author of The Contemporary Black Church: The New Dynamics of African American Religion.
Podcast production by Kristie Taiwo-Makanjuola
Want more A Word? Subscribe to Slate Plus to immediately access ad-free listening across all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of our show page. Or, visit slate.com/awordplus to get access wherever you listen.
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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.
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On this episode: Elizabeth, Lucy, and guest host Maribel Quezada-Smith circle up to talk about the viral moment surrounding Gus Walz’s appearance at the DNC last week — and what it meant to us, and our community, as parents of neurodivergent kids, and especially of boys.
We’ll also tackle a round of Triumphs & Fails — including a story about a very special language lesson.
Join us on Facebook and email us at [email protected] to ask us new questions, tell us what you thought of today’s show, and give us ideas about what we should talk about in future episodes. You can also call our phone line: (646) 357-9318.
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 Care and Feeding. Sign up now at slate.com/careplus to help support our work.
Podcast produced by Maura Currie.
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Say what you will about Donald Trump, the man can work a crowd. His running mate on the other hand…
Guest: Sam Adams, Slate writer and senior editor for Slate’s Culture department.
Want more What Next? 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 Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme and Rob Gunther.
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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 [email protected].
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
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This week, Jules and Bryan are joined by dating coach and host of the KCRW podcast How’s Your Sex Life, Myisha Battle. Myisha covers dating friends, understanding your own desire, and making connections in the real world.
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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.
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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Health at Every Size is an approach that shifts the focus from dieting and weight loss and instead promotes healthy eating and exercise patterns, regardless of body size and weight. On this week’s episode of Well, Now, Shana Spence, registered dietitian and nutritionist, provides insight on how to foster a healthy relationship with food.
If you liked this episode, check out: How Your Food Can Fight Climate Change
Well, Now is hosted by registered dietitian nutritionist Maya Feller and Dr. Kavita Patel.
Podcast production by Kristie Taiwo-Makanjuola and Vic Whitley-Berry with editorial oversight by Alicia Montgomery.
Send your comments and recommendations on what to cover to [email protected] Want more Well, Now? 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 Well, Now show page. Or, visit https://slate.com/wellnowplus to get access wherever you listen.
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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.
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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.
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 [email protected].
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Several months ago, Sarah told her best friend John she’s in love with him—but he doesn’t love her back. Now Sarah can’t get John out of her head, especially because they still talk all the time. How can Sarah move on from John? On this episode of How To!, we bring on Helen Fisher, a biological anthropologist and the author of Anatomy of Love, to help Sarah train her heart—and her brain—to fall out of love. The first thing Sarah needs to do, Helen says, is cut off contact with John. Every time she sees him, it reactivates her brain circuitry for romantic love. And as beautiful as their friendship may be, it’s holding Sarah back from finding her true love.
If you liked this episode, check out “How To Propose (to a Man).”
Do you have a problem in your love life? Send us a note at [email protected] or leave us a voicemail at 646-495-4001 and we might have you on the show.
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On today’s episode of Hear Me Out: PSL (not the drink).
Claudia de la Cruz cannot, mathematically, win the presidency. But she’s running anyway… because the two-party system doesn’t lend itself to real representation or the public interest.
Claudia joins us to make the case for voting socialist, because the parties with all the power aren’t as different as they want you to think.
We’ll also share an important update about the future of Hear Me Out at the end of the episode. After that, please feel free to email the show: [email protected]
Podcast production by Maura Currie.
Want more Hear Me Out? Subscribe to Slate Plus to access ad-free listening across all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of our show page. Or, visit slate.com/hearmeoutplus to get access wherever you listen.
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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.)
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.
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On this episode: Elizabeth, Lucy and Zak offer tips for a kid who’s really, really good at losing library books and incurring the dreaded fees. How can parents help keep track of library books… and, more broadly, do communal school supplies mean we don’t have to worry about labeling anymore?
We also check in on what’s happening in the hosts’ lives right now. And then, if you’re joining us for the Plus Playground — out now in your podcast feed — we’re sharing strategies for the after-school debrief.
If you’re not part of the Slate Plus community, we hope you’ll consider joining! Keep reading to learn how.
Lucy’s check-in: immersive theater!!
Elizabeth’s check-in: the kids do anniversary dinner
Zak’s check-in: honeymoon phase (covid included)
Join us on Facebook and email us at [email protected] to ask us new questions, tell us what you thought of today’s show, and give us ideas about what we should talk about in future episodes. You can also call our phone line: (646) 357-9318.
If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get to hang out with us on the Plus Playground every week for a whole additional grab-bag of content — and you’ll get an ad-free experience across the network. And you’ll also be supporting the work we do here on Care and Feeding. Sign up now at slate.com/careplus – or try it out on Apple Podcasts.
Podcast produced by Maura Currie.
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This week, host Isaac Butler talks to composer and bandleader Darcy James Argue, who fronts the 18-piece big band jazz group Secret Society. In the interview, Darcy talks about the thought processes that go into his compositions, like how his interest in mathematician Alan Turning inspired a track on the group’s most recent album Dynamic Maximum Tension. He also discusses the many hats he needs to wear, how he balances complexity and accessibility in his music, and how he makes the most of rehearsal time with such a big group.
After the interview, Isaac and co-host Ronald Young Jr. talk about the challenges and discomforts of self-promotion.
In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Darcy explains how he decides how to assign solos in his big band music.
Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected] or give us a call at (304) 933-9675.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews.
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 Working. Sign up now at slate.com/workingplus to help support our work.
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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.
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In this episode, Samantha Bee (Full Frontal with Samantha Bee and Choice Words with Samantha Bee) joins Prudie (Jenée Desmond-Harris) to answer letters from readers about what to do when your relationship with an older man is compromising your living situation, how to respond when your children’s disagreements are threatening your relationship with a close neighbor, and whether it’s fair to move internationally when you’re sure your parents will destabilize their social lives to follow you.
Want more Dear Prudence? 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/prudie-plus to get access wherever you listen.
This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Daisy Rosario, and Jenée Desmond-Harris, with help from Maura Currie and Anuli Ononye.
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Many congressional staffers and workers on Capitol Hill have argued that, regardless of the party in power, the institution hasn’t evolved much on diversity in the workplace. And that means African Americans are frequently underrepresented in high level jobs, and can often be targets of racism and abuse during their work. On today’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson is joined by Dr. James R. Jones, the author of The Last Plantation: Racism and Resistance in the Halls of Congress. The two discuss bias and inequality among the workers on Capitol Hill, and what that says about Congress’s ability to represent an increasingly diverse nation.
Guest: Dr. James R. Jones, professor and author of The Last Plantation.
Podcast production by Kristie Taiwo-Makanjuola
Want more A Word? Subscribe to Slate Plus to immediately access ad-free listening across all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of our show page. Or, visit slate.com/awordplus to get access wherever you listen.
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On this episode: Lucy sits down with actress and author Mandy Gonzalez for a wide-ranging conversation about parenting, building a creative mom group, and enduring cancer treatment with your head held high. Mandy also answers questions from our own budding Broadway stars.
Then: Lucy, Zak, and Elizabeth debrief with a round of parenting Triumphs & Fails — including an update on the Rosen family’s move overseas.
Join us on Facebook and email us at [email protected] to ask us new questions, tell us what you thought of today’s show, and give us ideas about what we should talk about in future episodes. You can also call our phone line: (646) 357-9318.
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 Care and Feeding. Sign up now at slate.com/careplus to help support our work.
Podcast produced by Maura Currie.
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On this week's episode of Working Overtime, hosts Ronald Young Jr. and June Thomas get into the weeds on in-between time and pivoting from one job to the next. June is at the tail end of the promotional tour of her book, while Ronald is gearing up for a new season of his podcast Weight For It. How do you take the final steps of wrapping up one project and be ready for another one? They share tips like prioritizing deadlines, taking on short-term anchor jobs, and ensuring you don’t give all your time to work that zaps your energy.
If you liked this episode be sure to check out our previous episode on How “Anchor Jobs” Can Save Your Freelance Life
Do you have questions or advice of your own about the creative process? Reach out at (304) 933-9675 or email us at [email protected].
Podcast production by Kevin Bendis and Cameron Drews.
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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.
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This week, Jules sits down with Art Specialist Corey Serrant from Swann Auction Galleries to chat about pieces from their upcoming LGBTQ+ Art, Material Culture & History auction and how they found the art in the first place. From an Ancient Roman bust who was an unlikely companion to famous writers to an invitation to the Weimar Republic’s hottest lesbian bar, this collection spans centuries of queer life.
Podcast production by Palace Shaw
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This week, Jules sits down with Art Specialist Corey Serrant from Swann Auction Galleries to chat about pieces from their upcoming LGBTQ+ Art, Material Culture & History auction and how they found the art in the first place. From an Ancient Roman bust who was an unlikely companion to famous writers to an invitation to the Weimar Republic’s hottest lesbian bar, this collection spans centuries of queer life.
Podcast production by Palace Shaw
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Every year, millions of Americans experience a stroke. Though the focus is often on prevention and immediate care, many patients are left with long-term effects for years –or even a lifetime– afterward. On this week’s episode of Well, Now, we dive into new approaches to overcome the cognitive and physical disabilities that often follow a stroke. Dr. Rajiv Ratan, executive director at Burke Neurological Institute, offers his insights.
If you liked this episode, check out – Gut Check: How to Master Your Gut Microbiome
Well, Now is hosted by registered dietitian nutritionist Maya Feller and Dr. Kavita Patel.
Podcast production by Kristie Taiwo-Makanjuola and Vic Whitley-Berry with editorial oversight by Alicia Montgomery.
Send your comments and recommendations on what to cover to [email protected]
Want to listen to Well, Now uninterrupted? Subscribe to Slate Plus to immediately unlock ad-free listening to Well, Now and all your other favorite Slate podcasts.
Subscribe now on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of our show page. Or, visit slate.com/wellplus to get access wherever you listen.
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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 [email protected].
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
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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
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 [email protected].
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Kate’s entire family loves to go on intense, day-long hikes. Kate does not. It’s just one of many differences that makes her feel like a black sheep. But Kate desperately wants to be close to her family—without disregarding her own desires or compromising on parts of her life. On this episode of How To!, Carvell Wallace brings on Dr. Lucy Blake, author of No Family Is Perfect: A Guide to Embracing the Messy Reality. Lucy helps Kate find her way to a family unity that works for everyone, while also learning to celebrate their differences.
If you liked this episode check out: How To Deal With a Difficult Parent
Do you have a problem that needs solving? Send us a note at [email protected] or leave us a voicemail at 646-495-4001 and we might have you on the show. Subscribe for free on Apple, Spotify or wherever you listen.
How To’s executive producer is Derek John. Joel Meyer is our senior editor/producer. The show is produced by Rosemary Belson, with Kevin Bendis and Sara McCrae.
Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now at slate.com/howtoplus.
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On today’s episode of Hear Me Out: sharpen up.
Public schooling in this country has had a lot of champions — including some that you might not expect. But did we ever actually agree on what we wanted schools to do for society?
Elizabeth Newcamp of Slate’s Care & Feeding joins us to argue for a reappraisal of the whole system… and what it means to educate.
If you have thoughts you want to share, or an idea for a topic we should tackle, you can email the show: [email protected]
Podcast production by Maura Currie.
Want more Hear Me Out? Subscribe to Slate Plus to access ad-free listening across all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of our show page. Or, visit slate.com/hearmeoutplus to get access wherever you listen.
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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.)
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.
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On this episode: Jamilah, Elizabeth, and Dillon Michael White help a listener whose kid is struggling hard to enjoy the summer break… and complaining about everything in the process. How can this parent nip the negativity in the bud and prevent a bad attitude from ruining everyone’s break?
We also check in on what’s happening in the hosts’ lives right now. And then, if you’re joining us for the Plus Playground — out now in your podcast feed — we’re talking about how to handle sharing kid stuff for a big audience of strangers online… including the uglier stuff that comes with it.
If you’re not part of the Slate Plus community, we hope you’ll consider joining! Keep reading to learn how.
Jamilah’s check-in: where are the Black teachers?
Elizabeth’s check-in: the car ride wormhole.
Dillon’s check-in: the big 0-8.
Join us on Facebook and email us at [email protected] to ask us new questions, tell us what you thought of today’s show, and give us ideas about what we should talk about in future episodes. You can also call our phone line: (646) 357-9318.
If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get to hang out with us on the Plus Playground every week for a whole additional grab-bag of content — and you’ll get an ad-free experience across the network. And you’ll also be supporting the work we do here on Care and Feeding. Sign up now at slate.com/careplus – or try it out on Apple Podcasts.
Podcast produced by Maura Currie.
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This week, host June Thomas talks to author and poet Judith Barrington about her knack for memoir writing and about a retreat called Flight of the Mind that she ran with her partner for 17 years. In the interview, they discuss what makes good memoir writing, what Flight of the Mind meant to women writers, and how to get the most out of writing retreats and workshops.
After the interview, June and co-host Ronald Young Jr. talk about why memoir as an art form is so important.
In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Judith talks about how she learned to promote her work on Instagram.
Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected] or give us a call at (304) 933-9675.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews.
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 Working. Sign up now at slate.com/workingplus to help support our work.
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Political Gabfest host Emily Bazalon talks with author Joshua Leifer about his new book, Tablets Shattered: The End of An American Jewish Century and the Future of Jewish Life. They discuss Leifer’s experience growing up Jewish in America, the conflict in Gaza, how what it means to be Jewish has evolved, and more.
Tweet us your questions @SlateGabfest or email us at [email protected]. (Messages could be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.)
Podcast production by Cheyna Roth.
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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.
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In this episode, Rod and Karen Morrow (co-hosts of the podcast The Black Guy Who Tips) join Prudie (Jenée Desmond-Harris) to answer letters from readers about what to do when your fiance asks you to open up your relationship but becomes obsessed with identifying your hook-up partners, how to support your friend’s widow when you’re still grieving their death, and whether it’s worth taking your ex-husband back only nine months into your divorce.
Want more Dear Prudence? 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/prudie-plus to get access wherever you listen.
This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Daisy Rosario, and Jenée Desmond-Harris, with help from Maura Currie and Anuli Ononye.
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In a recent CBS News interview, Republican vice presidential nominee JD Vance charged that the Biden administration was favoring Black farmers over white farmers in federal policy. That came days after the US Department of Agriculture began distributing more than $2 billion in relief to Black and other marginalized farmers who suffered historic discrimination from the agency. On today’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson is joined by John Boyd, Jr., a family farmer and the president of the National Black Farmers Association. They discuss Vance’s allegations, the long road to the discrimination settlement, and the continued work of preserving African American farming communities.
Guest: John Boyd Jr., founder, and president of the National Black Farmers Association
Podcast production by Kristie Taiwo-Makanjuola
Want more A Word? Subscribe to Slate Plus to immediately access ad-free listening across all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of our show page. Or, visit slate.com/awordplus to get access wherever you listen.
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On this episode: Jamilah, Elizabeth and special guest host Dillon White of DadChats and ChatsFam help a listener whose kid really, really struggles with losing. The smallest not-wins send this boy into hysterics… even though he knows all that sportsmanship stuff. So what might help — and what might this parent be missing?
We’ll also debrief with a round of parenting Triumphs & Fails — including an update on Naima’s first day of middle school.
Join us on Facebook and email us at [email protected] to ask us new questions, tell us what you thought of today’s show, and give us ideas about what we should talk about in future episodes. You can also call our phone line: (646) 357-9318.
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 Care and Feeding. Sign up now at slate.com/careplus to help support our work.
Podcast produced by Maura Currie.
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MrBeast is known for videos that blend stunts and philanthropy, but his new team-up with Amazon and MGM is bringing some of his less savory aspects to light.
Guest: Madison Malone Kircher, reporter covering internet culture for The New York Times
Want more What Next? 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 Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme and Rob Gunther.
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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 [email protected].
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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We all know the food we eat directly impacts our physical health. But that’s just the start of the story.
Food fuels our emotional well-being, connects us with one another, and fosters a key source of identity.
On this week’s episode of Well, Now we speak with award-winning food journalist Mary Beth Albright on her new book Eat & Flourish: How Food Supports Emotional Well-Being.
If you liked this episode, check out: No, Netflix Isn’t Forcing You to Go Vegan
Well, Now is hosted by registered dietitian nutritionist Maya Feller and Dr. Kavita Patel.
Editing and podcast production by Vic Whitley-Berry with editorial oversight by Alicia Montgomery.
Send your comments and recommendations on what to cover to [email protected].
Want to listen to Well, Now uninterrupted? Subscribe to Slate Plus to immediately unlock ad-free listening to Well, Now and all your other favorite Slate podcasts.
Subscribe now on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of our show page. Or, visit slate.com/wellplus to get access wherever you listen.
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“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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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.
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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.
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, or critiques, is [email protected].
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Cooper feels like they’re constantly falling behind on their to-do list. Life is busy and household chores are the last thing they want to do. Cooper tracks everything in a detailed spreadsheet—but that spreadsheet isn’t going to take care of the dirty dishes in the sink. On this episode of How To!, Carvell Wallace brings on Dale Aucoin of Clean & Queer, a professional organizing business based in New York City. Dale explains how to prioritize tasks, make chores easier, and find a routine that works for you.
Links Mentioned:
If you liked this episode check out: How To Be a Lazy Genius and How To Style Your Home Like a Pro.
Do you have a problem that needs solving? Send us a note at [email protected] or leave us a voicemail at 646-495-4001 and we might have you on the show. Subscribe for free on Apple, Spotify or wherever you listen.
How To’s executive producer is Derek John. Joel Meyer is our senior editor/producer. The show is produced by Rosemary Belson, with Kevin Bendis and Sara McCrae.
Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now at slate.com/howtoplus.
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On today’s episode of Hear Me Out: pants on fire.
The fact-check is a critical tool in the journalist’s toolbox – and now more than ever, it’s a key part of the job. The problem is that it’s already hard to make the case that definitive “true and false” designations exist anymore… and, it turns out, audiences might be made more suspicious of journalists who fact check, not less.
Randy Stein of Cal Poly Pomona joins Hear Me Out to discuss his new research about debunkings and public trust.
If you have thoughts you want to share, or an idea for a topic we should tackle, you can email the show: [email protected]
Podcast production by Maura Currie.
Want more Hear Me Out? Subscribe to Slate Plus to access ad-free listening across all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of our show page. Or, visit slate.com/hearmeoutplus to get access wherever you listen.
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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.)
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.
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On this episode: Jamilah, Zak, and Elizabeth answer a listener question about a kid who seems dedicated to making family hikes suck. He’s energetic and capable during other activities, but long walks are full of whining and fussing. What could this listener do to get him excited about family walks… and are there any options that aren’t making every walk a treasure hunt?
We also check in on what’s happening in the hosts’ lives right now. And then, on the Slate Plus Playground, we’re sharing a round of recommendations and a round of anti-recommendations.
If you’re not part of the Slate Plus community, we hope you’ll consider joining! Keep reading to learn how.
Jamilah’s check-in: Stiiiiiill hotel living
Elizabeth’s check-in: Internet friends are real friends!
Zak’s check-in: Just hoping the dog won’t poop on the plane
Join us on Facebook and email us at [email protected] to ask us new questions, tell us what you thought of today’s show, and give us ideas about what we should talk about in future episodes. You can also call our phone line: (646) 357-9318.
If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get to hang out with us on the Plus Playground every week for a whole additional grab-bag of content — and you’ll get an ad-free experience across the network. And you’ll also be supporting the work we do here on Care and Feeding. Sign up now at slate.com/careplus – or try it out on Apple Podcasts.
Podcast produced by Maura Currie.
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This week, host Ronald Young Jr. talks to Mike Gauyo, a TV writer and creator whose credits include the beloved series Insecure and Ginny and Georgia. In the interview, Mike shares his process for thinking of new ideas for shows, refining those ideas over time, and pitching them to industry gatekeepers. He also talks about being from an immigrant family, initially studying medicine, and the events that prompted him to pivot to writing.
After the interview, Ronald and co-host Isaac Butler discuss best practices for pitching a podcast, and Isaac refers to this episode of Working Overtime about pitching print stories to editors.
In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Mike talks about what it was like to join the writers’ room of Insecure as a fan of the show.
Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected] or give us a call at (304) 933-9675.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews.
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 Working. Sign up now at slate.com/workingplus to help support our work.
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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.
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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.
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In this episode, David Roth and Drew Magary (the hosts of Defector Media’s The Distraction) join Prudie (Jenée Desmond-Harris) to answer letters from readers about what to do when your parents are cosigning your brothers’ political values just because he’s the favorite, how to be an optimistic dater after a near-decade of failed dating, and how to react when you’re sure that your husband’s step-son is trying to hustle you for money.
Want more Dear Prudence? 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/prudie-plus to get access wherever you listen.
This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Daisy Rosario, and Jenée Desmond-Harris, with help from Maura Currie and Anuli Ononye.
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Project 2025, the massive Heritage Foundation policy blueprint, has become a major issue on the campaign trail for Democrats. While former President Trump has tried to distance himself from the document, many members of his administration and inner circle worked to draft it. On today’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson is joined by Brandon Tensley, national political reporter for Capital B News. They discuss Project 2025, what it could mean for the Black community, and what elements may already be in effect.
Guest: Brandon Tensley, national political reporter for Capital B News
Podcast production by Kristie Taiwo-Makanjuola
Want more A Word? Subscribe to Slate Plus to immediately access ad-free listening across all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of our show page. Or, visit slate.com/awordplus to get access wherever you listen.
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On this episode: Jamilah, Elizabeth and Zak help a listener who’s wondering why her friend is bodyshaming her own toddler so intensely — not to mention our listener’s kid, too — and what to do about it. These kids are still little enough to avoid lifelong damage to their relationships with food, and their bodies… but where’s the line when it comes to telling this friend to shut it and let the kids eat cake?
We’ll also debrief with a round of parenting Triumphs & Fails — and we'll share an update on the tricky question we tackled earlier this week about not liking your kid.
Join us on Facebook and email us at [email protected] to ask us new questions, tell us what you thought of today’s show, and give us ideas about what we should talk about in future episodes. You can also call our phone line: (646) 357-9318.
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 Care and Feeding. Sign up now at slate.com/careplus to help support our work.
Podcast produced by Maura Currie.
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How Imane Khelif and Lin Yu-Ting—two women boxers fighting in the gender category they were assigned at birth—became the targets of trans panic and subject to another round of “but is she woman enough?” at the Olympics.
Guest: Rose Eveleth, reporter and host of the podcast Tested, from NPR and CBC.
Want more What Next? 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 Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme and Rob Gunther.
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June Thomas recently published her book A Place of Our Own: Six Places That Shaped Queer Women’s Culture, and on this episode of Working Overtime co-host Isaac Butler asks her what went into the release and its promo-campaign. The weeks leading up to a release can be long and exhaustive, with questionnaires, blurb requests, and audiobook recordings to take care of. However, once the book is out in the world, there’s even more to think of, with live events, interviews, and reviews. Both June and Isaac share their experiences with book publishing and what it takes to stay positive through it all.
Do you have questions or advice of your own about the creative process? Reach out at (304) 933-9675 or email us at [email protected].
Podcast production by Kevin Bendis and Cameron Drews.
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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.
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Research going back decades shows adding more fruits, vegetables, and non-animal sources of protein helps us live longer, healthier lives.
A study featured in the Netflix docuseries You Are What You Eat: A Twin Study took that to the next level.
Stanford researchers asked 22 sets of identical twins to go 8 weeks eating a healthy, varied diet and regularly exercising. One twin ate an omnivore diet, the other vegan.
On this week’s episode of Well, Now we talk to the lead researcher of the “twin study” Christopher Gardner on his findings and whether we really all need to go vegan to stay healthy.
If you liked this episode, check out: How Your Food Can Fight Climate Change
Podcast production by Vic Whitley-Berry with editorial oversight by Alicia Montgomery.
Send your comments and recommendations on what to cover to [email protected].
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Subscribe now on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of our show page. Or, visit slate.com/wellplus to get access wherever you listen.
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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 [email protected].
Podcast production by Jared Downing. Production assistance by Kat Hong.
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On today’s episode of Hear Me Out: opening ceremonies (and a can of worms).
We come to you midway through the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris. But amid the patriotism, athletic prowess, and sheer spectacle of these games — the most watched and streamed to date, by some measures — there’s also concerns about geopolitical power, human rights abuses, and the facilitation of facism.
MacIntosh Ross of Windsor University joins us to talk about the uglier facets of the Olympic Games.
If you have thoughts you want to share, or an idea for a topic we should tackle, you can email the show: [email protected]
Podcast production by Maura Currie.
Want more Hear Me Out? Subscribe to Slate Plus to access ad-free listening across all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of our show page. Or, visit slate.com/hearmeoutplus to get access wherever you listen.
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When Elle started a new career as a therapist, she never imagined she would be the one in need of help. After just a few months, her position at a group practice became untenable amid a lack of support from colleagues. Now she’s looking for a new job and wants to avoid a similar scenario. On this episode of How To!, Carvell Wallace introduces Elle to leadership coach Rudhir Krishtel, who helps us rethink our relationships to co-workers—and work itself.
How To’s executive producer is Derek John. Joel Meyer is our senior editor/producer. The show is produced by Rosemary Belson, with Kevin Bendis and Sara McCrae.
Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now at slate.com/howtoplus.
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Once one of the most politically confrontational artists in music, Ice Cube has become a surprising asset to Donald Trump.
Guest: Joel Anderson, staff writer for Slate and the host of Seasons 3, 6, and 8 of Slow Burn.
Want more What Next? 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 Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme and Rob Gunther.
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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.
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 [email protected].
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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.)
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On this episode: Lucy, Zak, and Elizabeth answer a tricky question from a listener who’s struggling to feel love for her daughter. Mismatched neurodivergence might be to blame… but what is a parent to do when they don’t feel connected with their kids? How can they work on translating irritation into love — and grappling with the guilt of not feeling like a good parent?
We also check in on what’s happening in the hosts’ lives right now... And then, on the Slate Plus Playground, we’re venting (really, complaining) about the slog that is back-to-school shopping.
If you’re not part of the Slate Plus community, we hope you’ll consider joining! Keep reading to learn how.
Lucy’s check-in: Not a Sephora kid, just need some stuff
Elizabeth’s check-in: Safaris are just watching everything eat 24/7
Zak’s check-in: “You’re gonna have a bike accident”
Join us on Facebook and email us at [email protected] to ask us new questions, tell us what you thought of today’s show, and give us ideas about what we should talk about in future episodes. You can also call our phone line: (646) 357-9318.
If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get to hang out with us on the Plus Playground every week for a whole additional grab-bag of content — and you’ll get an ad-free experience across the network. And you’ll also be supporting the work we do here on Care and Feeding. Sign up now at slate.com/careplus – or try it out on Apple Podcasts.
Podcast produced by Maura Currie.
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This week, host Isaac Butler talks to Dina Hashem, a stand-up comedian and writer for The Daily Show whose recent special is called Dark Little Whispers. In the interview, Dina discusses her reliance on inspiration rather than a formal writing process, her experiences in comedy roast battles, and the fact that her standards for good comedy keep getting higher.
After the interview, Isaac and co-host June Thomas talk about why artists sometimes need to take jobs that aren’t a great fit but help propel them towards better opportunities.
In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Isaac asks Dina about her exciting new hobby: drumming.
Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected] or give us a call at (304) 933-9675.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews.
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 Working. Sign up now at slate.com/workingplus to help support our work.
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On this week’s Slate Money, Felix Salmon and Emily Peck are joined by Slate’s Henry Grabar and former Slate Money co-host AnnaSzymanski. They dig into Henry’s experience covering the Paris Olympics; what’s in the latest jobs report; and Florida’s experiment with high-speed trains.
In the Slate Plus segment, what exactly is the Soup Dumpling Index?
Mentioned in the Show:
Tom Vailant for The Pudding: Is Sleep Training Harmful?
If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get an ad-free experience across the network and an additional segment of our regular show every week. You’ll also be supporting the work we do here on Slate Money. Sign up now at slate.com/moneyplus to help support our work.
Podcast production by Jessamine Molli and Cheyna Roth.
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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.
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Many political spouses spend decades preparing for a White House run with their partners. But attorney Doug Emhoff had been married to then-Senator Kamala Harris for just five years when she first ran for the White House. Now, as the first Second Gentleman in history, he’s stepping into the spotlight, sprinting across the country for her whirlwind campaign. On today’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson talks with Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff about his family, his work combating anti-Semitism and other forms of hate, and campaigning with Vice President Kamala Harris.
Guest: Second Gentleman of the United States Doug Emhoff
Podcast production by Ahyiana Angel
Want more A Word? Subscribe to Slate Plus to immediately access ad-free listening across all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of our show page. Or, visit slate.com/awordplus to get access wherever you listen.
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In this episode, Scaachi Koul (Slate’s senior writer and co-host of Wondery’s Scamfluencers) joins Prudie (Jenée Desmond-Harris) to answer letters from readers about relationship dilemmas like what to do when your husband keeps confronting you about your supposed snoring habits, what to do when your partner uses colloquialisms that come across as mocking or offensive, and how to approach your friend group whose spreading an unforgivable rumor about your boyfriend.
Want more Dear Prudence? 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/prudie-plus to get access wherever you listen.
This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Daisy Rosario, and Jenée Desmond-Harris, with help from Maura Currie and Anuli Ononye.
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Donald Trump’s bombastic appearance at this week’s National Association of Black Journalist convention drew criticism, not just for the former president, but also the organizational leadership that invited him. On today’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson is joined by longtime journalist and media company leader Roland Martin, who attended Trump’s interview. They discuss what happened, the media response, and the reckoning facing the NABJ.
Guest: Veteran journalist Roland Martin, host of “Roland Martin Unfiltered”
Podcast production by Kristie Taiwo-Makanjuola
Want more A Word? Subscribe to Slate Plus to immediately access ad-free listening across all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of our show page. Or, visit slate.com/awordplus to get access wherever you listen.
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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:
In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, the panel answers a listener question from Rob about assigned seating in movie theaters.
Email us at [email protected].
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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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. 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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This week Bryan sits down with reporter Orion Rummler to break down Project 2025, conservative 920-page policy blueprint for a second Trump term. Orion’s article ‘What is Project 2025? Here’s the Heritage Foundation’s vision for a second Trump term’ looks at the widespread impact of these ideas for women, LGBTQ+ rights, families, education and the workforce. In this episode, we focus on the impact on LGBTQ rights and the danger of turning transness from a state of being to an ‘ideology’.
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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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It’s a fact that summers around the world are reaching record-breaking temperatures.
Heat-related illness and death have hit a crisis point, and staying cool is more important than ever.
On this week’s episode of Well, Now we speak with someone living in one of the country's hottest states.
Dr. Richard Carmona is a career first responder with more than 50 years of experience caring for people in crisis. A veteran of the U.S. Army as a special forces medic, Carmona also served as the 17th U.S. Surgeon General under President George W. Bush. Currently, Carmona is a professor at The University of Arizona in Tucson.
If you liked this episode, check out: How a Former Surgeon General Took on a $5,000 ER Bill
Well, Now is hosted by registered dietitian nutritionist Maya Feller and Dr. Kavita Patel.
Podcast production by Vic Whitley-Berry with editorial oversight by Alicia Montgomery.
Send your comments and recommendations on what to cover to [email protected]
Want to listen to Well, Now uninterrupted? Subscribe to Slate Plus to immediately unlock ad-free listening to Well, Now and all your other favorite Slate podcasts.
Subscribe now on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of our show page. Or, visit slate.com/wellplus to get access wherever you listen.
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On today’s episode of Hear Me Out: who runs the world?
Kamala Harris is having a brat summer, which means that you’re likely seeing lots of questions about what brat summer is and why anyone cares. But the meme being co-opted by the Harris campaign is just a small piece of the bigger puzzle.
Writer and podcast host H. Alan Scott joins Hear Me Out to argue that pop stars have a huge amount of political influence — that, coupled with “cool factor,” could swing the election.
If you have thoughts you want to share, or an idea for a topic we should tackle, you can email the show: [email protected]
Podcast production by Maura Currie.
Want more Hear Me Out? Subscribe to Slate Plus to access ad-free listening across all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of our show page. Or, visit slate.com/hearmeoutplus to get access wherever you listen.
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How do you learn to tell the perfect joke? In this special edition of How To!, founding host Charles Duhigg joins Courtney and Carvell to mark five years of life-changing advice with a look back at our very first episode. It features a pastor from Oklahoma who wants to spice up his sermons. We introduce him to Gary Gulman, a New York standup comedian who makes jokes about his clinical depression. They workshop the pastor’s new joke about the New Testament, and Gary reveals “what might be the most important rule of being funny.”
Do you have a problem that needs solving? Send us a note at [email protected] or leave us a voicemail at 646-495-4001 and we might have you on the show. Subscribe for free on Apple, Spotify or wherever you listen.
How To’s executive producer is Derek John. Joel Meyer is our senior editor/producer. The show is produced by Rosemary Belson, with Kevin Bendis and Sara McCrae.
Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now at slate.com/howtoplus.
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How physical and emotional abuse from coaches still persists in American gymnastics.
Guest: Molly Henseley Clancy, sports writer for the Washington Post.
Want more What Next? 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 Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme and Rob Gunther.
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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
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 [email protected].
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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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On this episode: Lucy, Zak, and Chris Duffy answer a question from the Slate Parenting Facebook group about what to do when dinner rolls around. This member of the group would be perfectly happy with toast or popcorn, but also wants to make sure their toddler grows up with a healthy relationship to food. We’ll share some low-effort, high-tastiness ideas for the weeknight dinner rush.
We’ll also try out a new segment called Just Checking In — where we’ll share what’s on our mind this week. Then, for Slate Plus listeners – we’re circling up on the Playground and talking to Chris about his new ebook, all about making and keeping platonic relationships.
If you’re not part of the Slate Plus community, we hope you’ll consider joining! Keep reading to learn how.
Lucy’s check-in: a euphemism for Espresso
Chris’ check-in: how do you have a platform but also respect your kids’ privacy?
Zak’s check-in: moving across the world (soon)
Join us on Facebook and email us at [email protected] to ask us new questions, tell us what you thought of today’s show, and give us ideas about what we should talk about in future episodes. You can also call our phone line: (646) 357-9318.
If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get to hang out with us on the Plus Playground every week for a whole additional grab-bag of content — and you’ll get an ad-free experience across the network. And you’ll also be supporting the work we do here on Care and Feeding. Sign up now at slate.com/careplus – or try it out on Apple Podcasts.
Podcast produced by Maura Currie.
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Host June Thomas speaks with authors Rachel Dodes and Lauren Mechling about their new novel, The Memo and their collaborative writing process. The pandemic took its toll on everyone, but for Mechling and Dodes, it became a time to collaborate via a Google Doc. They spewed ideas and paragraphs onto the same page, editing each other’s output in real time until they formulated their surrealist, comedic tale of friendship and career ambitions. Both authors extoll the benefits of collaborating and being less precious with their own words.
Later, hosts Isaac Butler and Ronald Young Jr. join June for a frank discussion of working with time limitations, ‘pitching without bitching,’ and an update about Working itself.
In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Rachel and Lauren speak about their appearance on Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen, and Lauren breaks down the similarities between The Memo and her last novel, How Could She.
Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected] or give us a call at (304) 933-9675.
Podcast production by Kevin Bendis and Cameron Drews.
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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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“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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The weeks of Democratic hand-wringing ended suddenly on Sunday after President Joe Biden stepped out of the White House race and endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris. Her young campaign has energized Democrats. But Harris has befuddled Republicans who don’t know how to attack her, and a media that doesn’t know how to define her. On today’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson discusses Harris’s record and her prospects with political analyst Niambi Carter, a professor at the University of Maryland’s School of Public Policy.
Guest: Niambi Carter, political analyst and author of American While Black: African Americans, Immigration, and the Limits of Citizenship.
Podcast production by Kristie Taiwo-Makanjuola
Want more A Word? Subscribe to Slate Plus to immediately access ad-free listening across all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of our show page. Or, visit slate.com/awordplus to get access wherever you listen.
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In this episode, Arionne Nettles (author of We Are the Culture: Black Chicago’s Influence on Everything) joins Prudie (Jenée Desmond-Harris) to answer letters from readers about how to keep composure when your soon-to-be sister-in-law shows up to your wedding in a thong, how to react when your husband’s comments oversexualize your teenage daughters’ friends, and ways to handle a sister-in-law whose unwanted body criticisms keep ruining family vacations.
Want more Dear Prudence? 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/prudie-plus to get access wherever you listen.
This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Daisy Rosario, and Jenée Desmond-Harris, with help from Maura Currie and Anuli Ononye.
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On this episode: Lucy and Zak are joined by special guest host Chris Duffy to talk about the power of a painting. Our listener has a piece of art hanging on her wall that features some nudity — and it recently startled a crew of kids over for a playdate. Should the painting be moved, or taken down? Or is our listener just becoming the fabled Cool Art House?
We’ll also debrief with a round of parenting Triumphs & Fails, and share an update about the parent who sparked the great shorts under skirts debate.
Join us on Facebook and email us at [email protected] to ask us new questions, tell us what you thought of today’s show, and give us ideas about what we should talk about in future episodes. You can also call our phone line: (646) 357-9318.
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 Care and Feeding. Sign up now at slate.com/careplus to help support our work.
Podcast produced by Maura Currie.
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It's halfway through the year, and hosts June Thomas and Isaac Butler are putting themselves back under the microscope to see which of their New Year's resolutions they’ve stuck with and which they’ve let peter out. June still wants to work more sustainably, and Isaac comes clean about his lapsed French studies. They get into routines that have truly worked out and how to let go of the goals that were far too lofty.
Do you have questions or advice of your own about the creative process? Reach out at (304) 933-9675 or email us at [email protected].
Podcast production by Kevin Bendis and Cameron Drews.
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This week Bryan sits down with reporter Nico Lang to break down their recent Slate article ‘Anti-Trans “Bathroom Bills” Are Making a Major Comeback. Where’s the Outrage?.They delve into the concerning return of ‘Bathroom Bills’ and unpack what’s different this time around, why it’s taking root, and the larger strategy of this legislation.
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A key component to wellness is gut health. But what determines if you have a healthy gut?
On this week’s episode of Well, Now, we dive into the fascinating world of the gut microbiome, a collection of bacteria and sometimes fungi that live in the human digestive system.
We are provided with insight from Dr. Colin Hill, professor of Microbiology at APC Microbiome Ireland on how to properly take care of your microbiome and why it is essential
If you liked this episode, check out – Doctors Agree: Obesity is a Disease. The Public Needs to Catch Up.
Well, Now is hosted by Dr. Kavita Patel and registered dietitian nutritionist Maya Feller.
Editing and podcast production by Kristie Taiwo-Makanjuola and Vic Whitley-Berry.
Editorial oversight by Alicia Montgomery.
Send your comments and recommendations on what to cover to [email protected].
Want to listen to Well, Now uninterrupted? Subscribe to Slate Plus to immediately unlock ad-free listening to Well, Now and all your other favorite Slate podcasts.
Subscribe now on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of our show page. Or, visit slate.com/wellplus to get access wherever you listen.
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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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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 [email protected].
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 [email protected]. (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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Todd is looking for love, but he’s unsure about disclosing something in dating profiles: his multiple sclerosis. With symptoms that are increasingly visible, Todd feels compelled to be upfront about his disability with potential dates—but he doesn’t know when or how to discuss it. On this episode of How To!, Carvell Wallace brings on Jessica Slice and Caroline Cupp, authors of Dateable: Swiping Right, Hooking Up, and Settling Down While Chronically Ill and Disabled. They give Todd guidance on having that talk, navigating ableism, and managing his own internal expectations.
If you liked this episode check out: How To Flirt With Confidence
Do you have a problem that needs solving? Send us a note at [email protected] or leave us a voicemail at 646-495-4001 and we might have you on the show. Subscribe for free on Apple, Spotify or wherever you listen.
How To’s executive producer is Derek John. Joel Meyer is our senior editor/producer. The show is produced by Rosemary Belson, with Kevin Bendis and Sara McCrae.
Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now at slate.com/howtoplus.
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And just like that, it’s (almost definitely) Kamala. Her rise has fueled a whole species of internet memes—but the questions about her platform are serious.
Guest: Scaachi Koul, Slate senior writer
Want more What Next? 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 Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme and Rob Gunther.
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For this Money Talks, lawyer/podcaster Peter Shamshiri, co-host of If Books Could Kill, reveals the secrets of junk nonfiction to host Emily Peck. He explains why “airport books” like The Secret, Hillbilly Elegy, and The Tipping Point tend to be rife with non-advice, pseudoscience, and outright junk, and what that means for our culture at large. He also tells how to get rich with your own crappy self-help book!
If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get an ad-free experience across the network and an additional segment of our regular show every week. You’ll also be supporting the work we do here on Slate Money. Sign up now at slate.com/moneyplus to help support our work.
Podcast production by Jared Downing and Cheyna Roth.
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On today’s episode of Hear Me Out: make the friendship bracelets. Or don’t.
Like all relationships, friendships can grow, change… and, yes, end. Sometimes for good reason. But we romanticize the BFF as the goal – to find your person – and that might not be realistic.
Author and podcast host Kristen Meinzer joins us to make the case for not needing a best friend forever.
If you have thoughts you want to share, or an idea for a topic we should tackle, you can email the show: [email protected]
Podcast production by Maura Currie.
Want more Hear Me Out? Subscribe to Slate Plus to access ad-free listening across all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of our show page. Or, visit slate.com/hearmeoutplus to get access wherever you listen.
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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
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 [email protected].
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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.)
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.
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This week, host Ronald Young Jr. talks to Darrin Bell, creator of the syndicated newspaper comic strip Candorville. In the interview, Darrin explains how hard it was to get Candorville picked up for syndication and how all newspaper comics artists face an up-hill battle to get published. He also talks about his routine for creating new strips every week, how he develops his characters, and real-life issues that inspire the strip’s political commentary.
After the interview, Ronald and co-host Isaac Butler discuss ways for politically conscious artists to stay grounded and take care of their mental health.
In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Darrin talks about his love for Star Wars, Star Trek, and Battlestar Galactica.
Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected] or give us a call at (304) 933-9675.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews.
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 Working. Sign up now at slate.com/workingplus to help support our work.
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In the hours after the assassination attempt on Donald Trump, conspiracy theories started circulating all over social media, often amplified by powerful voices on both sides of the aisle. It shows a complete breakdown of trust in institutions during a critical election.
Guest: Drew Harwell, technology reporter at the Washington Post.
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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John Dickerson talks with author Roland Allen about his new book, The Notebook: A History of Thinking on Paper. They discuss the historical origins of notebooks, how to keep a notebook and their own personal journeys documenting their lives.
If you enjoyed this conversation, you’ll love an exploration into John Dickerson’s notebooks with his podcast Navel Gazing. Season one is out now.
Tweet us your questions @SlateGabfest or email us at [email protected]. (Messages could be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.)
Podcast production by Cheyna Roth.
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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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In this episode, Carvell Wallace (author of Another Word for Love and host of Slate’s How To!) joins Prudie (Jenée Desmond-Harris) to answer letters from readers about how to cancel on family vacation plans that sound horrible to you, how to break it to your butch lesbian girlfriend that her friends might be misogynists, and how to convince your parents to let you go to a high school in a not so great neighborhood.
Want more Dear Prudence? 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/prudie-plus to get access wherever you listen.
This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Daisy Rosario, and Jenée Desmond-Harris, with help from Maura Currie and Anuli Ononye.
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After a tumultuous week of campaign news, Republicans wrapped their convention in Milwaukee by officially making former President Donald Trump their nominee. While President Joe Biden struggles with doubts within his own party, many in the G.O.P. believe there’s a new opportunity to reach out to Black voters. On today’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson is joined by political analyst and former RNC Chair, Michael Steele. They discuss the current state of the race, Trump’s ideas about what Black voters want, and the media’s influence on public opinion.
Guests: Political Analyst and former RNC Chair Michael Steele
Podcast production by Kristie Taiwo-Makanjuola
Want more A Word? Subscribe to Slate Plus to immediately access ad-free listening across all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of our show page. Or, visit slate.com/awordplus to get access wherever you listen.
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We all know about the mental health crisis wreaking havoc throughout the nation and world.
On this week’s episode of Well, Now we’re continuing our ongoing discussions of mental health, and this time we’re tackling men’s mental health as a whole.
Prime’s new show Counsel Culture, hosted by Nick Cannon and medical professionals across the spectrum, invites men to open up about their histories with anxiety, depression, grief, addiction, and more. Dr. Mike Dow is the resident psychotherapist for the program.
If you liked this episode, check out: Eating Disorders Are Rising Among Boys. Why?
Well, Now is hosted by registered dietitian nutritionist Maya Feller and Dr. Kavita Patel.
Podcast production by Vic Whitley-Berry with editorial oversight by Alicia Montgomery.
Send your comments and recommendations on what to cover to [email protected]
Want to listen to Well, Now uninterrupted? Subscribe to Slate Plus to immediately unlock ad-free listening to Well, Now and all your other favorite Slate podcasts.
Subscribe now on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of our show page. Or, visit slate.com/wellplus to get access wherever you listen.
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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 [email protected].
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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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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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 [email protected].
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Bryan, Jules, and Mathew unite to tackle your questions! This week they take on what to do when kids question your gender, whether or not you have to be honest about your pronouns at work, and the billion dollar question- can you save your friends from the circus of disinformation?
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On today’s episode of Hear Me Out: tried and Turing tested.
Coming into the 2024 election cycle, generative AI was one of the main concerns for democracy watchdogs; its power to create deceptive text, images and sounds at a rapid, unfettered pace seems ripe to spread misinformation. But of all the controversies and current events that have shaped the election thus far… AI, somehow, might not be one of them.
Writer and social strategist Rachel Greenspan joins us to share what she’s hearing about the AI revolution that wasn’t.
If you have thoughts you want to share, or an idea for a topic we should tackle, you can email the show: [email protected]
Podcast production by Maura Currie.
Want more Hear Me Out? Subscribe to Slate Plus to access ad-free listening across all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of our show page. Or, visit slate.com/hearmeoutplus to get access wherever you listen.
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Shirley Showalter and Marilyn McEntyre know that grandparenting is more than just cookies and Play-Doh. Don’t get us wrong, those things are fun! But the art of contemporary grandparenting requires mindfulness, intentionality, and navigating boundaries. On today’s episode, Courtney Martin talks with Marilyn and Shirley about their book, The Mindful Grandparent, and the wisdom they’ve gained as elders to 12 grandchildren.
If you liked this episode check out: How To Face Your Kid’s Future
Do you have a problem that needs solving? Send us a note at [email protected] or leave us a voicemail at 646-495-4001 and we might have you on the show. Subscribe for free on Apple, Spotify or wherever you listen.
How To’s executive producer is Derek John. Joel Meyer is our senior editor/producer. The show is produced by Rosemary Belson, with Kevin Bendis and Sara McCrea.
Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now at slate.com/howtoplus.
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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.
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 [email protected].
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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.)
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.
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This week, host Isaac Butler talks to Sally Franson, the author of two novels: A Lady’s Guide to Selling Out and the brand new release Big in Sweden, which was inspired by her real-life experience as a contestant on a Swedish reality competition show. In the interview, Sally digs into the challenges of writing her second novel and the realizations that got her unstuck. She also talks about her practice of plotting novels on gigantic pieces of butcher paper, her preference for writing under a deadline, and her decision to take clowning classes as part of a mission to write side-splittingly funny fiction.
After the interview, Isaac and co-host Ronald Young Jr. talk about reality TV, writing productivity exercises, and some of the challenges of the creative IP economy.
In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Sally and Isaac talk about a specific fiction device that always makes them laugh.
Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected] or give us a call at (304) 933-9675.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews.
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 Working. Sign up now at slate.com/workingplus to help support our work.
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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.
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“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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It's convention season, and nerds everywhere may be suiting up to attend the Cons, gatherings of hardcore science-fiction, comic book, fantasy or anime fandoms. That includes BlerdCon, the gathering where Black nerds celebrate their interests in comics, anime, gaming, and much more. On today’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson is joined by two artists who will be featured at this year’s BlerdCon, comedian Jay Washington, and actor Phil Lamarr. They talk about the event, the evolution of Black nerd culture, and handling the backlash over diversity in science fiction and fantasy entertainment.
Guests: Performers Jay Washington and Phil Lamarr
Podcast production by Kristie Taiwo-Makanjuola
Want more A Word? Subscribe to Slate Plus to immediately access ad-free listening across all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of our show page. Or, visit slate.com/awordplus to get access wherever you listen.
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In this episode, Ronald Young Jr. (host of Weight For It and Slate’s Working) joins Prudie (Jenée Desmond-Harris) to answer letters from readers about what to do when your fatphobic in-laws are overstaying their welcome and whether to interfere when your best friend is pressuring her husband into an open marriage.
Want more Dear Prudence? 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/prudie-plus to get access wherever you listen.
This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Daisy Rosario, and Jenée Desmond-Harris, with help from Maura Currie and Anuli Ononye.
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Hosts Ronald Young Jr. and Isaac Butler delve into coping with emotional trauma and the challenge of returning to work afterward. Following a death in his family, Ronald grapples with his grief while feeling overwhelmed by the backlog of work. Isaac, having faced his own unexpected personal struggles, explains that part of the return process is accepting that you simply can’t get everything done at once. They share practical tips, such as playing video games to decompress and breaking down urgent tasks into bite-size pieces.
Do you have questions or advice of your own about the creative process? Reach out at (304) 933-9675 or email us at [email protected].
Podcast production by Kevin Bendis and Cameron Drews.
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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 [email protected].
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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In this episode, Jules talks to Gender Doula Eli Lawliet. They break down what it means to offer non-medical support to people during transition, the long history of trans support networks, and the value of ritual and spirituality during transition.
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Few drugs in the last century have changed the landscape of healthcare and weight management like GLP-1 agonist drugs — drugs like Ozempic and WeGovy.
On this week’s episode of Well, Now we talk with Harvard professor and clinician Dr. Fatima Cody Stanford.
Her research revolutionized obesity medicine and helped pave the way to get a diabetes drug approved for treating a condition millions have in the U.S.
If you liked this episode, check out – Doctors Agree: Obesity is a Disease. The Public Needs to Catch Up.
Well, Now is hosted by Dr. Kavita Patel and registered dietitian nutritionist Maya Feller.
Editing and podcast production by Vic Whitley-Berry.
Production assistance from Kristie Taiwo-Makanjuola.
Editorial oversight by Alicia Montgomery.
Send your comments and recommendations on what to cover to [email protected]
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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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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.
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 [email protected].
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Trisha is craving a break from her job, but she doesn’t want to drain her bank account. On today’s episode, Courtney Martin connects Trisha to DJ DiDonna, founder of The Sabbatical Project, who’s on a quest to make extended breaks accessible to all. DJ explains how to plan for a sabbatical that is both meaningful and manageable.
If you liked this episode check out: How To Hit “Reset” On Your Career
Do you have a problem that needs solving? Send us a note at [email protected] or leave us a voicemail at 646-495-4001 and we might have you on the show. Subscribe for free on Apple, Spotify or wherever you listen.
How To’s executive producer is Derek John. Joel Meyer is our senior editor/producer. The show is produced by Rosemary Belson, with Kevin Bendis and Sara McCrea.
Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now at slate.com/howtoplus.
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On today’s episode of Hear Me Out: Bezos vs. the British invasion.
The Washington Post, like most legacy media outlets, can’t seem to catch a break. Right now, the newsroom is reeling under leadership changeups — and an editor who’s part of what appears to be a British invasion into American media leadership.
It’s hard to imagine Jeff Bezos, a soon-to-be trillionaire, as anyone’s folk hero. When he bought the Post in 2013, many assumed his involvement would put the paper’s editorial integrity at risk. But could his active presence actually right the ship?
Journalist and writer Brian Stelter joins us, apropos of his recent reporting for The Atlantic.
If you have thoughts you want to share, or an idea for a topic we should tackle, you can email the show: [email protected]
Podcast production by Maura Currie.
Want more Hear Me Out? Subscribe to Slate Plus to access ad-free listening across all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of our show page. Or, visit slate.com/hearmeoutplus to get access wherever you listen.
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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.)
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.
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This week, host June Thomas talks to Jim Saah, a photographer who documented D.C.’s legendary hardcore punk scene in the 1980’s and 90’s. In the interview, Jim explains how he fell in love with punk music in high school and soon started photographing bands like Minor Threat and Fugazi. He also discusses the chaotic environments he had to work in, and he explains how certain punk rock conventions—like simple lighting and the practice of allowing pretty much anyone to hop on stage—allowed him to snap memorable and action-packed photos. His photo collection is called In My Eyes, and you can follow him on Instagram @jimsaah.
After the interview, June and co-host Ronald Young Jr. talk about the differences between using digital and analogue tools.
In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Jim explains why the D.C. punk scene was different from other punk scenes in the U.S. He also talks about some of his favorite photography collections.
Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected] or give us a call at (304) 933-9675.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews.
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 Working. Sign up now at slate.com/workingplus to help support our work.
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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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How do I navigate casual dating? How do I get over my ex? How can I approach sex and dating when I’m asexual?
On today’s episode brought to us by KCRW’s How’s Your Sex Life?, host Myisha Battle is joined by actor Brandon Kyle Goodman, who dishes advice alongside Myisha, talks about embracing the messiness of dating, and plays a game of ‘Would You Rather.’
Read the full transcript here.
Need advice about dating, sex, or relationships? Send Myisha an email or voice memo at [email protected]. Your message will be kept confidential.
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This year’s Supreme Court session loosened laws on official bribery, overturned decades of precedent on regulation, and granted immunity to the president for official actions. On today’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson is joined by legal analyst Elie Mystal of The Nation. They review the Court’s most important decisions, and talk about the political implications and the potential fall out for ordinary Americans.
Guest: Legal analyst Elie Mystal
Podcast production by Kristie Taiwo-Makanjuola
Want more A Word? Subscribe to Slate Plus to immediately access ad-free listening across all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of our show page. Or, visit slate.com/awordplus to get access wherever you listen.
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The world’s population has never been bigger, and it’s still growing. but there’s a movement of “pronatalists” who see the slowing birth rate in wealthy, educated populations as a doomsday scenario in the making—and they’ve found their spokesman in one Elon Musk.
Guest: Sophie Alexander, reporter for Bloomberg
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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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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This week Bryan, Christina, and Jules reunite for a classic Outward episode! They share their prides and provocations, set the gay agenda for July, and take on the recent spate of queer animal documentaries that beg the question: Can animals really be queer?
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For the two years leading up to May 21, 1979, gay activists followed the rules. They engaged in civil debates. They sought justice at the ballot box. They peacefully mourned the assassination of Harvey Milk. But the verdict in Dan White’s murder trial changed everything.
(If you—or anyone you know—are in crisis, contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, anytime: Dial 988 or visit 988lifeline.org.)
Subscribe to Slate Plus to immediately unlock all episodes of Slow Burn: Gays Against Briggs. Your subscription also gets you ad-free access to all your favorite Slate podcasts, plus other member exclusive content. Join now on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Subscribe” at the top of our show page. Or, visit slate.com/slowburnplus to get access wherever you listen.
Season 9 of Slow Burn was written and produced by Christina Cauterucci. Slow Burn is produced by Sophie Summergrad, Kelly Jones, and Joel Meyer.
Josh Levin is the editorial director of Slow Burn.
Derek John is Slate’s executive producer of narrative podcasts.
Susan Matthews is Slate’s executive editor.
Merritt Jacob is our senior technical director. We had engineering help from Patrick Fort and Madeline Ducharme.
Our theme music is composed by Alexis Cuadrado. Artwork by Ivylise Simones, based on an image of Silvana Nova and a poster designed by Larry Hermsen and the Too Much Graphics Collective.
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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.
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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Women, girls, and people assigned female at birth make up more than half of the world’s population. Yet, many of them say they don’t feel supported, heard, or cared for in the doctor’s office — even in spaces designed specifically for their care like obstetrics and gynecology.
Dr. Sharon Malone, veteran OB/GYN, is on a mission to change that.
On this week’s episode of Well, Now, we speak with Dr. Malone on how to advocate for the care you deserve at every stage of life. It’s the subject of her new book Grown Woman Talk: Your Guide to Getting and Staying Healthy.
If you liked this episode, check out: How Doulas Make Childbirth Safer for Everyone
Well, Now is hosted by Dr. Kavita Patel and registered dietitian nutritionist Maya Feller.
Editing and podcast production by Vic Whitley-Berry with editorial oversight by Alicia Montgomery. Production assistance from Kristie Taiwo-Makanjuola.
Send your comments and recommendations on what to cover to [email protected]
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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 [email protected].
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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David was in the ocean in Hawaii when the unthinkable happened—a shark attacked him and bit off his leg. “I don’t think you’re gonna make it,” a medic told the 25-year-old on the helicopter ride to the hospital. But David did make it, and soon he learned that surviving the shark wasn’t the hardest part—it was what came after. On this episode of How To!, we bring in Dr. Bessel van der Kolk, psychiatrist and author of The Body Keeps the Score, to help David understand and deal with the lasting psychological trauma of the attack. For anyone suffering from severe trauma, Bessel says, it’s okay to grieve the person you were before. Accepting the loss of the “old you” will allow you to better embrace who you are now, both in your mind and body.
Do you need help overcoming life’s many challenges? Send us a note at [email protected] or leave us a voicemail at 646-495-4001 and we might have you on the show.
Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now.
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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
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 [email protected].
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On today’s episode of Hear Me Out: get back to work.
When your job becomes obsolete, is it the government’s job to teach you to do something else?
That’s the theory behind federal workforce training programs – which have existed, in various forms, for a long time. The problem is that studies are starting to show that these programs don’t provide much of an edge to workers… and that the jobs they place for might not be good jobs.
Kevin Carey of New America joins us to argue for a retooling of federal work training.
If you have thoughts you want to share, or an idea for a topic we should tackle, you can email the show: [email protected]
Podcast production by Maura Currie.
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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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On this episode: Zak, Lucy and Elizabeth help a listener whose daycare has requested that her toddler daughter wear shorts underneath skirts and dresses. The listener’s knee-jerk reaction is that it’s unnecessary… but we’ll offer some suggestions about what she could be missing, and why how we dress our kids is important.
We also dole out a round of recommendations, and share some stuff you listeners have been loving — and, for our Slate Plus listeners, we’ll talk about the way we choose baby names, and how hard it is to escape the popular name hivemind.
Zak recommends: Lake drawing app
Elizabeth recommends: Shakespeare Insult Generator book or online
Lucy and Amelia recommend: “The Throne of Glass”
Join us on Facebook and email us at [email protected] to ask us new questions, tell us what you thought of today’s show, and give us ideas about what we should talk about in future episodes. You can also call our phone line: (646) 357-9318.
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 Care and Feeding. Sign up now at slate.com/careplus to help support our work.
Podcast produced by Maura Currie.
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This week, host Ronald Young Jr. talks to John DeLore, a podcast editor and sound designer who’s been in the industry since its heyday. He’s produced hugely popular shows for companies like Gimlet and Stitcher, and now he runs his own production company, Starlight Diner Studio. In the interview, John breaks down his sound design process, shares tips for collaborating with clients, and explains how he keeps surviving despite the industry’s downturn.
After the interview, Ronald and co-host Isaac Butler talk about the importance of defining what “good work” means to you.
In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, John discusses his favorite musical instruments and his feelings about Harry Styles.
Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected] or give us a call at (304) 933-9675.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews.
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 Working. Sign up now at slate.com/workingplus to help support our work.
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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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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
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In this election year, there’s more criticism and distrust of the media than ever. For veteran journalist Ali Velshi, his belief in the power of journalism is rooted in a family history of pursuing social justice, across continents and generations. On today’s episode of A Word, he joins host Jason Johnson to talk about his career, and his new memoir Small Acts of Courage: A Legacy of Endurance and the Fight for Democracy.
Guest: Ali Velshi, MSNBC host and author of Small Acts of Courage: A Legacy of Endurance and the Fight for Democracy
Podcast production by Ahyiana Angel
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In this episode, Mina Kimes (ESPN NFL analyst and host of The Mina Kimes Show featuring Lenny) joins Prudie (Jenée Desmond-Harris) to answer letters from readers about what to do when your in-laws insult your daughter in a language they think you don’t understand, how to decide whether to have a second child later in life, and whether it’s okay to reject your husband’s calls when you’ve had a long day and want to drive home in peaceful silence.
Want more Dear Prudence? 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/prudie-plus to get access wherever you listen.
This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Daisy Rosario, and Jenée Desmond-Harris, with help from Maura Currie and Anuli Ononye.
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It’s Trump vs. Biden—again. But CNN promises, this time will be different.
Guest: Margaret Sullivan, columnist covering media, politics and culture for The Guardian
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Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme and Rob Gunther.
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For this week’s episode of Working Overtime, hosts Ronald Young Jr and Isaac Butler are joined by writer Elisa Gabbert for a discussion of reading and rediscovering a love of books. Gabbert is the author of Any Person is the Only Self, a new collection of essays on art, culture, and reading habits. Gabbert delves into some of her reading practices such as always being surrounded by exciting-looking books, exploring the ‘Recently Returned’ section of her library, and not being afraid to revisit and critique classic novels.
Do you have questions or advice of your own about the creative process? Reach out at (304) 933-9675 or email us at [email protected].
Podcast production by Kevin Bendis and Cameron Drews.
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On election night in 1978, gays and lesbians in California braced themselves for the statewide vote on Proposition 6. Less than a month after the results came in, a pair of killings shocked San Francisco and the nation.
Subscribe to Slate Plus to immediately unlock all episodes of Slow Burn: Gays Against Briggs. Your subscription also gets you ad-free access to all your favorite Slate podcasts, plus other member exclusive content. Join now on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Subscribe” at the top of our show page. Or, visit slate.com/slowburnplus to get access wherever you listen.
Season 9 of Slow Burn was written and produced by Christina Cauterucci. Slow Burn is produced by Sophie Summergrad, Kelly Jones, and Joel Meyer.
Josh Levin is the editorial director of Slow Burn.
Derek John is Slate’s executive producer of narrative podcasts.
Susan Matthews is Slate’s executive editor.
Merritt Jacob is our senior technical director. We had engineering help from Patrick Fort and Madeline Ducharme.
Our theme music is composed by Alexis Cuadrado. Artwork by Ivylise Simones, based on an image of Silvana Nova and a poster designed by Larry Hermsen and the Too Much Graphics Collective.
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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 [email protected].
It’s the last week to submit songs for Summer Strut! The final deadline is July 1st. Send your struttiest songs to [email protected].
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
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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.
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For years, psychiatrists have been researching new methods to help people with treatment-resistant mental illness. These include severe cases of depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, and other debilitating diagnoses.
One type of drug has seen some positive results in clinical trials: psychedelics like psilocybin, MDMA, ketamine, and LSD.
In professional medical settings, they’re used as a part of a multifaceted approach to mental health treatment, including supervised therapy sessions while a patient is on a drug.
Recently the pharmaceutical manufacturer Lykos petitioned the FDA to approve the psychedelic MDMA as a part of caring for treatment-resistant PTSD.
Earlier this month, an advisory committee to the FDA released their vote of rejecting to approve the drug.
Now it’s up to the FDA to make the final call, but the odds are not in the favor of Lykos and many psychiatrists and patients who’ve seen positive outcomes as a result of these MDMA-assisted trials.
Psychiatrist and entrepreneur Dave Rabin is one of the doctors pushing to approve psychedelic-assisted therapy.
On this week’s episode of Well, Now we ask him about the results of his trials using psychedelics in therapy as well as what he thinks the future holds for this field as we wait for the FDA’s final verdict.
If you liked this episode, check out: “As Little Regulation As Guns”: How Social Media Hurts Youth Mental Health
Well, Now is hosted by Dr. Kavita Patel and registered dietitian nutritionist Maya Feller.
Editing and podcast production by Vic Whitley-Berry, with support this week from Kristie Taiwo-Makanjuola.
Editorial oversight from Alicia Montgomery, Vice President of Slate Audio.
Send your comments and recommendations on what to cover to [email protected].
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This week Christina chats with Eleanor Medhurst, author of “Unsuitable: A History of Lesbian Fashion,” and the blog ‘Dressing Dykes’ to chat about lesbian style from around the world and across time. They dig into the gender-bending styles of the Harlem Renaissance, monocles, and how queer women used their fashions to find each other.
Click HERE to support Human Rights Campaign.
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The Apprentice, starring Captain America’s Sebastian Stan and Succession’s Jeremy Strong, was financed in part by the widely-loathed former-Washington Commanders owner Dan Snyder. But after the movie premiered at the Cannes Film Festival, Trump’s attorneys sent cease-and-desist letters to the filmmakers—and Snyder seems to be using veto power on an American sale of the rights. Will this controversial cut of the film ever play on the big screen in the States?
Guest: Jake Lahut, political reporter at the Daily Beast, covering Republican campaigns.
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Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme and Rob Gunther.
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How To!’s senior editor Joel Meyer recently experienced a yard sale fail and wants to know what went wrong. He spent hours planning and organizing the items on his lawn, but when it was all said and done he barely made enough to cover the cost of lunch. Enter this week’s expert, Ava Seavey, a self-described master of garage-sale-ology and author of Ava’s Guide to Garage Sale Gold. Seavey tells host Courtney Martin some hilarious stories and insider tips for how to cash in on all your old stuff.
If you liked this episode, check out “How To Find the Gems in All Your Junk”
Do you have a problem that needs solving? Send us a note at [email protected] or leave us a voicemail at 646-495-4001 and we might have you on the show. Subscribe for free on Apple, Spotify or wherever you listen.
Podcast production by Derek John, Joel Meyer, Rosemary Belson, and Kevin Bendis.
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For this Money Talks, Felix Salmon chats with food writer, podcaster, and cookbook author Matt Rodbard about the latest trends in the culinary biz. They discuss the Korean restaurant craze, the rise of non-alcoholic drinks, and how grocery stores got cool. They disagree on the usefulness of physical cookbooks but agree that MSG is underrated.
If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get an ad-free experience across the network and an additional segment of our regular show every week. You’ll also be supporting the work we do here on Slate Money. Sign up now at slate.com/moneyplus to help support our work.
Podcast production by Jared Downing and Cheyna Roth.
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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 Tribeca Festival’s Davy Gardner with help from 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.
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 [email protected].
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On today’s episode of Hear Me Out: aprons off.
Has there ever been a better time to be a woman in America? Probably not… but that’s a low bar. Modern feminism is having trouble making a case for itself, in the face of a challenging economy and backslides in reproductive rights. So when women on social media present themselves as traditional wives and homemakers, achieving the self-actualization of heteronormativity, have they given up? Or are they showing us what feminist thought might be missing?
Dr. C. Nicole Mason joins us to share her journey into the minds of tradwives… and her realization that they might have a point.
If you have thoughts you want to share, or an idea for a topic we should tackle, you can email the show: [email protected]
Podcast production by Maura Currie.
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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.)
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On this episode: Zak, Lucy and Elizabeth talk about the bold thesis statement of this piece from Romper Magazine… arguing that actually, traveling with a big group is the best way to relax on vacation. We’ll talk strategy for booking reservations, handing off kid duties, and casting the perfect vacation collective.
We also dole out a round of recommendations for beating the heat — and, for our Slate Plus listeners, we’re taking a trip down memory lane and sharing some travel-themed triumphs and fails.
Zak recommends: a hat box so the kids can choose their own
Lucy recommends: Twister Splash
Elizabeth recommends: UV Umbrella & Handheld Mini fan
Join us on Facebook and email us at [email protected] to ask us new questions, tell us what you thought of today’s show, and give us ideas about what we should talk about in future episodes. You can also call our phone line: (646) 357-9318.
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 Care and Feeding. Sign up now at slate.com/careplus to help support our work.
Podcast produced by Maura Currie.
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This week, host Isaac Butler talks to Sam Green, a documentary filmmaker who has pioneered a new kind of performance called “live documentary,” which involves presenting ideas and images on-stage, accompanied by live music. In the interview, Sam explains why he started designing his films this way and why the temporary nature of these performances makes them so special. He also talks about researching and structuring his performances, learning to script and memorize his lines, and the joys of feeding off the audience’s energy.
After the interview, Isaac and co-host June Thomas discuss whether more people should try to remix artistic mediums.
In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Sam talks about how much he loves traveling around the country and the world presenting his work.
Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected] or give us a call at (304) 933-9675.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews.
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 Working. Sign up now at slate.com/workingplus to help support our work.
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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.
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June is Black Music Month, and this year marks the 30th anniversary of some of the most influential albums in contemporary African American music, including Nas’ Illmatic, and TLC’s CrazySexyCool, to Notorious B.I.G’s Ready to Die. On today’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson is joined by pop culture columnist Panama Jackson to discuss the legendary Black music of 1994, and the difference between a merely great album, and one that’s going to stand the test of time.
Guest: Panama Jackson, columnist at TheGrio
Podcast production by Ahyiana Angel
Want more A Word? Subscribe to Slate Plus to immediately access ad-free listening across all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of our show page. Or, visit slate.com/awordplus to get access wherever you listen.
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Today, we’re revisiting one of our favorite episodes from September 2023 with Dr. Orna Guralnik (host of Showtime’s Couples Therapy).
In this episode, Dr. Orna Guralnik joins Prudie (Jenée Desmond-Harris) to answer letters from readers about what to do when a friend is obsessed with misogynistic love and relationship podcasts, when your husband just can’t figure out birthday gifts, and when you’re wondering “Does therapy just not work for me?”
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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On this episode: Lucy, Zak, and Elizabeth help a member of the Slate Parenting Facebook group come up with ways to prevent a summer backslide – and keep school skills fresh over the break. We got some great tips from our audience of parents and educators, too.
We’ll also debrief with a round of parenting Triumphs & Fails — including a tale of middle-school heroism involving a very large cockroach.
Join us on Facebook and email us at [email protected] to ask us new questions, tell us what you thought of today’s show, and give us ideas about what we should talk about in future episodes. You can also call our phone line: (646) 357-9318.
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 Care and Feeding. Sign up now at slate.com/careplus to help support our work.
Podcast produced by Maura Currie.
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Everyone knows the quality of the air we breathe directly affects our health.
As the summer rolls along and more people seek reprieve from the heat indoors, it’s important to be sure our indoor air is clean and toxin-free.
One pollutant to keep an eye out for is mold.
Mold inside a home could hurt your health both immediately and in the long term.
So to help us better understand how to spot mold in the home and how to get rid of it, we’re joined by air quality expert Michael Rubino, president of the Change the Air Foundation and the founder of HomeCleanse.
If you liked this episode, check out – Doctors Agree: Obesity is a Disease. The Public Needs to Catch Up.
Well, Now is hosted by registered dietitian nutritionist Maya Feller and Dr. Kavita Patel.
Editing and podcast production by Vic Whitley-Berry, with support this week from Kristie Taiwo-Makanjuola.
Editorial oversight from Alicia Montgomery, Vice President of Slate Audio.
Send your comments and recommendations on what to cover to [email protected]
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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 [email protected]. 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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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 [email protected].
We’re also accepting Summer Strut submissions until July 1st! Send your strut-worthy songs to [email protected].
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
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As Election Day approached, the campaign to defeat Proposition 6 faced formidable odds. John Briggs’ fundraising juggernaut was churning out cash, and public opinion polls were solidly in his favor. To turn the tide, gay rights activists unveiled a powerful symbol and gambled on the support of an improbable ally: Ronald Reagan.
(If you—or anyone you know—are in crisis, contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, anytime: Dial 988 or visit 988lifeline.org.)
Subscribe to Slate Plus to immediately unlock all episodes of Slow Burn: Gays Against Briggs. Your subscription also gets you ad-free access to all your favorite Slate podcasts, plus other member exclusive content. Join now on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Subscribe” at the top of our show page. Or, visit slate.com/slowburnplus to get access wherever you listen.
Season 9 of Slow Burn was written and produced by Christina Cauterucci. Slow Burn is produced by Kelly Jones, Joel Meyer, and Sophie Summergrad.
Josh Levin is the editorial director of Slow Burn.
Derek John is Slate’s executive producer of narrative podcasts.
Susan Matthews is Slate’s executive editor.
Merritt Jacob is our senior technical director. We had engineering help from Patrick Fort and Madeline Ducharme.
Our theme music is composed by Alexis Cuadrado. Artwork by Ivylise Simones, based on an image of Silvana Nova and a poster designed by Larry Hermsen and the Too Much Graphics Collective.
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On today’s episode of Hear Me Out: all aren’t welcome.
Pride Month festivities have a complicated legacy. On the one hand, being out, proud and supportive in public has been a game-changing force for the LGBTQ+ community; on the other hand, pride began as a protest, and the movement has been, and is, at odds with the status quo and acceptability politics.
So, should uniformed cops be welcome at Pride? Should politicians like Jill Biden be invited, or encouraged, to make Pride a campaign stop?
Jessie Sage, a Pittsburgh-based columnist and sex worker, joins us to argue: no.
If you have thoughts you want to share, or an idea for a topic we should tackle, you can email the show: [email protected]
Podcast production by Maura Currie.
Want more Hear Me Out? Subscribe to Slate Plus to access ad-free listening across all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of our show page. Or, visit slate.com/hearmeoutplus to get access wherever you listen.
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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
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 [email protected].
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Meg once was a terror in the world of roller derby. But these days, her sedentary lifestyle is making everyday physical activities a tad daunting. (We’re looking at you, groceries that need to be carried up four flights of stairs!). She wants to start lifting weights, but she’s unsure where to start—and whether she can avoid the bro-culture of many weight rooms. On this episode of How To!: Courtney Martin brings in writer and powerlifter Mikala Jamison, who was in Meg’s shoes not that long ago. She shares how she got started, why lifting is a lifelong journey, and what we can learn from the current zeitgeist for women’s strength training.
Resources mentioned:
Mikala’s Substack, Body Type
Book with simple lifting guide
Fitness trainer Meg Gallagher on Instagram
If you liked this episode check out: How To Be Free Of Body Shame or How To Stick to Your New Year’s Resolutions
Do you have a problem that needs solving? Send us a note at [email protected] or leave us a voicemail at 646-495-4001 and we might have you on the show. Subscribe for free on Apple, Spotify or wherever you listen.
How To’s executive producer is Derek John. Joel Meyer is our senior editor/producer. The show is produced by Rosemary Belson and Kevin Bendis.
Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now at slate.com/howtoplus.
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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.)
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.
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On this episode: Zak, Lucy, and Elizabeth help a member of our Slate Parenting Facebook group who’s struggling to keep her head above water. There’s always another deadline, appointment, and thing to do… and when it all piles up, it’s hard to feel like you can dig yourself out. We’ll have some concrete advice for how to move in the right direction — and more importantly, how to feel better.
We also dole out a round of recommendations — and, for our Slate Plus listeners, we’re talking about keeping teeth and making jewelry, and whether it’s actually as weird as it sounds.
Lucy recommends: Makeup/Skincare shopping with your 12 yr old
Elizabeth recommends: Silicone Nesting Scoops
Zak recommends: Babes
Join us on Facebook and email us at [email protected] to ask us new questions, tell us what you thought of today’s show, and give us ideas about what we should talk about in future episodes. You can also call our phone line: (646) 357-9318.
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 Care and Feeding. Sign up now at slate.com/careplus to help support our work.
Podcast produced by Maura Currie.
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This week, guest-host Kristen Meinzer talks to Stephen Seals, an actor and historical interpreter at Colonial Williamsburg in Virginia. In the interview, Stephen breaks down his process for researching and portraying Revolutionary War double-agent James Lafayette, a notable Black American whose story is seldom told. Stephen explains what it’s like to write for his character on the fly, to answer audience questions, and to add meaning and texture to an important historical figure.
After the interview, Kristen and co-host Isaac Butler talk about how to handle harsh audience feedback.
In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Stephen describes a philosophy of “social history” which centers individual experiences instead of dry data alone. He also shares which historical figures he would like to play in the future.
Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected] or give us a call at (304) 933-9675.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews.
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 Working. Sign up now at slate.com/workingplus to help support our work.
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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.
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David Plotz talks with author Sierra Greer about her new book, Annie Bot. They discuss how much discomfort Annie (a “Cuddle Bunny” type of robot) can feel, how the story of a robot is really about the right to control a body, and more.
Tweet us your questions @SlateGabfest or email us at [email protected]. (Messages could be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.)
Podcast production by Cheyna Roth.
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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
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The stereotype of Black fathers is that they’re largely absent, and uninvolved in their children’s lives. And that image persists, despite research that suggests that Black fathers are often more involved in the daily care of their kids than white fathers. On today’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson is joined by Sean Williams, the founder of The Dad Gang, an organization that uplifts and supports Black and other marginalized fathers. They talk about the challenges of fatherhood, and building a community where dads can help each other.
Guest: Sean Williams, founder of The Dad Gang
Podcast production by Kristie Taiwo-Makanjuola
Want more A Word? Subscribe to Slate Plus to immediately access ad-free listening across all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of our show page. Or, visit slate.com/awordplus to get access wherever you listen.
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In this episode, Erika Ettins (founder of A Little Nudge, an online dating coaching service) joins Prudie (Jenée Desmond-Harris) to answer letters from readers about how to fix a lackluster, long-distance relationship, when it is — and isn’t — a good idea to date a person who’s recently divorced, and whether a Type A person can stop doing all the work when it comes to dating.
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.
This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Daisy Rosario, and Jenée Desmond-Harris, with help from Maura Currie.
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On this episode: Lucy sits down with researcher and friend of the show Tova Walsh to talk about her work on dads who experience postpartum depression. Paternal mental health is a topic we don’t talk about nearly enough, so we wanted to give you some advice — and some resources to learn more and get help.
Tova wants to share the following:
Lucy, Zak and Elizabeth will also debrief on our week in parenting with a round of Triumphs & Fails — including ROLY-POLIES.
Listeners, we want your advice – and your questions – about how to prevent the dreaded summer backslide. You know where to find us (and if you don’t, keep reading).
Join us on Facebook and email us at [email protected] to ask us new questions, tell us what you thought of today’s show, and give us ideas about what we should talk about in future episodes. You can also call our phone line: (646) 357-9318.
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 Care and Feeding. Sign up now at slate.com/careplus to help support our work.
Podcast produced by Maura Currie.
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For this week’s episode of Working Overtime, hosts June Thomas and Ronald Young Jr dive into the work of PKM (Personal Knowledge Management) and the different means of gathering one's thoughts. June, a PKM evangelist, breaks down some of the many apps and processes for collating one’s notes into an organized web of insights and connections. She also explains German scholar Niklas Luhmann’s system of capturing and regenerating ideas with a zettelkasten. Both hosts agree that while new systems of organization can be wonderful tools, obsessing over them can eat away some of your creative time.
Do you have questions or advice of your own about the creative process? Reach out at (304) 933-9675 or email us at [email protected].
Podcast production by Kevin Bendis and Cameron Drews.
Hosts: Ronald Young Jr. and June Thomas
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Ever since it showed up on the Body Mass Index, the label “obese” has been used to judge and often shame people with larger bodies.
Medical providers, family and friends, even strangers make assumptions about fat people’s health solely based on their size.
At the same time, excess quantities of fat can lead to poor health outcomes such as high blood pressure, heart disease, and diabetes.
Over the decades, medical associations have evolved their understanding of obesity. The American Medical Association, the National Institutes of Health, and the American Obesity Society all classify obesity as a disease requiring medical treatment.
How does that change the way medical providers care for their obese and overweight patients? And does that mean people with fatter bodies can now face less discrimination?
As a part of a series of ongoing conversations on Well, Now on weight and health, we discuss the current medical definition of obesity and how to treat it with Dr. Angela Fitch, former Associate Director of the Massachusetts General Hospital Weight Center.
If you liked this episode, check out: The Isolation of a Life-Threatening Diagnosis
Well, Now is hosted by registered dietitian nutritionist Maya Feller and Dr. Kavita Patel.
Editing and podcast production by Vic Whitley-Berry with oversight from Alicia Montgomery.
Send your comments and recommendations on what to cover to [email protected]
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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.
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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 [email protected].
We’re taking Summer Strut submissions! Send your strutty-est songs to [email protected].
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
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Jules and Bryan talk to former Outward Producer June Thomas about her new book A Place Of Our Own: Six Spaces that Shaped Queer Women’s Culture. They take us from the commune to the feminist bookstore and discuss the world-building drive of the queer community.
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In the early days of the anti-Briggs campaign, a Richard Pryor comedy set turned into a public fiasco and laid bare longstanding divisions in the gay community. With the movement low on cash and running out of time, thousands of gay Californians decided their only option was to tell the world who they really were.
(If you—or anyone you know—are in crisis, contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, anytime: Dial 988 or visit 988lifeline.org.)
Subscribe to Slate Plus to immediately unlock all episodes of Slow Burn: Gays Against Briggs. Your subscription also gets you ad-free access to all your favorite Slate podcasts, plus other member exclusive content. Join now on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Subscribe” at the top of our show page. Or, visit slate.com/slowburnplus to get access wherever you listen.
Season 9 of Slow Burn was written and produced by Christina Cauterucci. Slow Burn is produced by Kelly Jones, Joel Meyer, and Sophie Summergrad.
Josh Levin is the editorial director of Slow Burn.
Derek John is Slate’s executive producer of narrative podcasts.
Susan Matthews is Slate’s executive editor.
Merritt Jacob is our senior technical director.
We had engineering help from Patrick Fort and Madeline Ducharme.
Our theme music is composed by Alexis Cuadrado. Artwork by Ivylise Simones, based on an image of Silvana Nova and a poster designed by Larry Hermsen and the Too Much Graphics Collective.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
After Lin met Dave, their lives quickly became entangled. Lin joined Dave’s small business, made much-needed improvements, and charmed Dave’s family. The two also began a romantic relationship that lasted years. When it fizzled, Lin continued working at the company—and eventually uncovered Dave’s lies, deceit, and infidelity. On this episode of How To!: Carvell Wallace welcomes Nina Renata Aron, author of Good Morning, Destroyer of Men’s Souls, to share her own experience exiting a toxic, codependent relationship and explain how she came to terms with it.
If you liked this episode check out: How To Do Divorce Right and How To Forgive Someone Who Isn’t Sorry
Do you have a problem that needs solving? Send us a note at [email protected] or leave us a voicemail at 646-495-4001 and we might have you on the show. Subscribe for free on Apple, Spotify or wherever you listen.
How To’s executive producer is Derek John. Joel Meyer is our senior editor/producer. The show is produced by Rosemary Belson and Kevin Bendis.
Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now at slate.com/howtoplus.
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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
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 [email protected].
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On today’s episode of Hear Me Out: base instincts.
Democratic strategists are reportedly freaking out about Joe Biden. Despite his opponent’s felony convictions, Biden remains unpopular and isn’t polling well in swing states. Young voters are mad about his handling of the war in Gaza; many Americans remain convinced that the economy is bad and the president is to blame for it.
So if strategists’ worst fears come to pass… how much of this wound is self-inflicted?
Hayes Brown of MSNBC joins Hear Me Out to argue that Biden is falling into a classic triangulation trap… and that it probably won’t be worth it.
If you have thoughts you want to share, or an idea for a topic we should tackle, you can email the show: [email protected]
Podcast production by Maura Currie.
Want more Hear Me Out? Subscribe to Slate Plus to access ad-free listening across all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of our show page. Or, visit slate.com/hearmeoutplus to get access wherever you listen.
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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.)
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.
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On this episode: Zak, Jamilah, and Elizabeth answer a listener question about whether it’s really necessary to lug around strollers and car seats during an international trip. The answer is complicated, but among other tips, we do recommend the following:
We also dole out a round of regular recommendations and share some stuff that listeners have been loving – and for our Slate Plus listeners, we’ll imagine our own personal parenting training montages (shoutout to listener Aili and her son Silas).
Jamilah recommends: A hotel staycation (but voluntary)
Elizabeth recommends: Magic Puzzle Company Puzzles
Zak recommends: Taki
Join us on Facebook and email us at [email protected] to ask us new questions, tell us what you thought of today’s show, and give us ideas about what we should talk about in future episodes. You can also call our phone line: (646) 357-9318.
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 Care and Feeding. Sign up now at slate.com/careplus to help support our work.
Podcast produced by Maura Currie.
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This week, host Ronald Young Jr. talks to writer Emma Copley Eisenberg about her new novel Housemates, which features a burgeoning friendship between two artists who decide to road trip across Pennsylvania together. In the interview, Emma explains how her nonfiction writing and her interest in history influenced this new work of fiction. She also talks about her “feast or famine” approach to productivity, her desire to document her community, and her belief that physical descriptions of people are crucial to good fiction writing.
After the interview, Ronald and co-host June Thomas ponder why the most difficult projects can be the most exciting. They also talk about how rare it is to see good depictions of fat people in fiction.
In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Emma talks about a toxic mentor character in Housemates and why it’s so troubling when teachers of the arts abuse their positions of power.
Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected] or give us a call at (304) 933-9675.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews.
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 Working. Sign up now at slate.com/workingplus to help support our work.
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It’s hard to imagine music fans mourning a break-up of Ticketmaster and its parent company Live Nation, as a Department of Justice lawsuit requests. But even with this monopolistic middleman out of the way, touring musicians still seem destined to struggle financially.
Guest: Laura Jane Grace, musician
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, and Anna Phillips.
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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.
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In this episode, Farhad Manjoo (author of Slate’s r/Farhad column) joins Prudie (Jenée Desmond-Harris) to answer letters from readers about how a 72-year-old introvert can become more social, when it’s okay to pop up unannounced at a romantic partner’s house and expect to have dinner, and whether you’re being unreasonable for not attending a family vacation because you didn’t get the upgrade you requested.
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.
This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Daisy Rosario, and Jenée Desmond-Harris, with help from Maura Currie.
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“Petty.” “Jealous.” That’s what many male sportscasters are saying about the women competing against WNBA rookie Caitlin Clark. The former Iowa star is bringing a new level of attention to women’s basketball, but many men who ignored the league for years are now leading the coverage. So how is sexism and racism fueling the way they’re talking about Clark and the rest of the WNBA?
On today’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson is joined by veteran sports journalist Jemele Hill to discuss the way the media treats Clark and the African American players who are competing with her. Hill is a contributing writer to The Atlantic, and wrote about the issue for them in the article, “The One Downside of Gender Equality in Sports.”
Guest: Veteran sports journalist Jemele Hill
Podcast production by Kristie Taiwo-Makanjuola
Want more A Word? Subscribe to Slate Plus to immediately access ad-free listening across all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of our show page. Or, visit slate.com/awordplus to get access wherever you listen.
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This week on Working Overtime, host Isaac Butler talks to AJ Ayers, a personal finance expert who specializes in helping creative people manage their money better. In the interview, AJ offers tips on everything from retirement accounts and taxes to homeownership and family planning.
Do you have questions or advice of your own about the creative process? Reach out at (304) 933-9675 or email us at [email protected].
Podcast production by Cameron Drews.
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After waiting for two strikes to resolve, film and television crews across Hollywood were hungry to return to work. But the work has been slow to come back. As a number of crew union contracts expire at the end of July, how strong is their negotiating position?
Guests:
Diane Haithman, Senior Entertainment Business Reporter, TheWrap
Diego Mariscal, IATSE local 80 dolly grip
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Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme and Rob Gunther.
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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 [email protected].
Email us at [email protected].
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
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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.
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This week, Jules chats with Chala June (food writer and former associate editor at Bon Appetit) about what it is to queer food, the labor politics of the food service industry, and the camp of early Food Network programming.
Click HERE to support Human Rights Campaign.
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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.
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Each week, we’ve explored wellness from different perspectives, but we haven’t talked about what it means to live a full life while grappling with the real possibility of death.
Most of us hope for a full, long life with “good” health. But a serious, possibly fatal diagnosis changes everything: Our relationships with work, loved ones, and even the way we see ourselves.
On this week’s episode of Well, Now we speak with author, journalist, and artist Suleika Jaouad. Many learned about her work in the Oscar-nominated documentary American Symphony – which chronicled her marriage to musician Jon Baptiste as his career soared and her leukemia re-emerged.
But Suleika began documenting illness and identity long before starring in an award-winning film.
If you liked this episode, check out: “People Feel Like They’re Drowning”: The Long COVID Survivors Left Behind
Well, Now is hosted by registered dietitian nutritionist Maya Feller and Dr. Kavita Patel.
Editing and podcast production by Vic Whitley-Berry with editorial oversight by Alicia Montgomery.
Send your comments and recommendations on what to cover to [email protected]
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After decades of wandering and job-hopping, Harvey Milk found his purpose as a gay community leader with growing political ambitions. But his historic election was just the beginning. As John Briggs’ gay teacher ban gained momentum, it was up to Supervisor Milk and his allies to figure out how to stop him.
Subscribe to Slate Plus to immediately unlock all episodes of Slow Burn: Gays Against Briggs. Your subscription also gets you ad-free access to all your favorite Slate podcasts, plus other member exclusive content. Join now on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Subscribe” at the top of our show page. Or, visit slate.com/slowburnplus to get access wherever you listen.
Season 9 of Slow Burn was written and produced by Christina Cauterucci. Slow Burn is produced by Kelly Jones, Joel Meyer, and Sophie Summergrad.
Josh Levin is the editorial director of Slow Burn.
Derek John is Slate’s executive producer of narrative podcasts.
Susan Matthews is Slate’s executive editor.
Merritt Jacob is our senior technical director. We had engineering help from Patrick Fort and Madeline Ducharme.
Our theme music is composed by Alexis Cuadrado. Artwork by Ivylise Simones, based on an image of Silvana Nova and a poster designed by Larry Hermsen and the Too Much Graphics Collective.
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On today’s episode of Hear Me Out: placing bets.
Betting on the results of elections is illegal in the United States – though that hasn’t stopped sportsbooks overseas from cashing in. And that doesn’t mean that Americans haven’t placed bets on election results in the U.S., either; that’s a tradition that dates back centuries.
There’s a push now to make elections betting legal on American soil — and for American companies to run online casinos. Futures markets are complicated, and it might feel gross, or even dangerous, to gamble on democracy… but of all the types of gambling we do allow, what if this one is actually the biggest good to society?
Eric Zitzewitz of Dartmouth joins us to bet on the value of election betting.
If you have thoughts you want to share, or an idea for a topic we should tackle, you can email the show: [email protected]
Podcast production by Maura Currie.
Want more Hear Me Out? Subscribe to Slate Plus to access ad-free listening across all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of our show page. Or, visit slate.com/hearmeoutplus to get access wherever you listen.
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Paula has a big family, lots of friends, and a girlfriend she adores. For most of her life, however, she has experienced an underlying and unshakeable sense of loneliness. On this episode of How To!, Courtney Martin brings on Kristen Radtke, the writer and illustrator behind Seek You: A Journey Through American Loneliness, to talk with Paula about an emotion that’s hard to talk about—and even harder to confront.
If you liked this episode, check out How To Find Your People and How To Survive a Silent Retreat.
Do you have a problem that needs solving? Send us a note at [email protected] or leave us a voicemail at 646-495-4001 and we might have you on the show. Subscribe for free on Apple, Spotify or wherever you listen.
How To! is produced by Rosemary Belson, with Kevin Bendis. Joel Meyer is our senior editor/producer. Derek John is our executive producer.
Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now at slate.com/howtoplus.
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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 [email protected].
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 [email protected].
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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.)
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.
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On this episode: Zak sits down with Jessica Calarco, whose new book – Holding It Together – is out tomorrow. The two walk through the ways in which women, and especially mothers, replace a social safety net in the United States… and, more importantly, why it doesn’t have to be this way.
We also dole out a round of recommendations – and for our Slate Plus listeners, we continue Zak and Jessica’s conversation and ask Jamilah and Elizabeth what they think their unpaid labor is holding together.
Elizabeth recommends: Brain Inflamed
Zak recommends: Play your favorite music videos for your kids. Like this.
Jamilah recommends: If (in theaters now!)
Join us on Facebook and email us at [email protected] to ask us new questions, tell us what you thought of today’s show, and give us ideas about what we should talk about in future episodes. You can also call our phone line: (646) 357-9318.
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 Care and Feeding. Sign up now at slate.com/careplus to help support our work.
Podcast produced by Maura Currie.
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This week, host Isaac Butler talks to Justin Peck, a dancer and choreographer who helped create the hit Broadway show Illinoise, which is based on a classic album with a similar name by Sufjan Stevens. In the interview, Justin breaks down how he adapted Sufjan’s album into a narrative dance piece, with clear characters and storylines. He also talks about his process for feeling out dance moves with his body, teaching those moves to other dancers, and then tweaking them based on the strengths of the performers.
After the interview, Isaac and co-host Ronald Young Jr. talk about the thrill of live performances and what it means to define success for a project.
In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Justin explains how the show varied in previous iterations before Broadway. Then he talks about his biggest dance influences.
Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected] or give us a call at (304) 933-9675.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews.
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 Working. Sign up now at slate.com/workingplus to help support our work.
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In this week’s essay, John discusses instinct versus obligation, his daughter’s wit, how he has changed since episode one, and more.
Notebook Entries:
Notebook 58, page 10. September 16, 2021
“You don’t measure your life the way you measure your writing.” - Nan
Notebook 75, page 46-47. September 2021
When your dog dies and son goes to college and you are confronted with your life’s work it all boils down to one alarm: the clock is ticking. If a scream is better than a thesis, I was hearing some kind of scream, but what was the thesis?
References:
Everything Is Copy – HBODocs
The Power of Regret – Daniel Pink
The Mezzanine – Nicholson Baker
“The Creative Process” – James Baldwin
Slouching Towards Bethlehem – Joan Didion
“Three Paths Toward the Meaning of Life” - Arthur Brooks for The Atlantic
Podcast production by Cheyna Roth.
Email us at [email protected]
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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.
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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.
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Former President Donald Trump and his supporters are furious after his conviction on all 34 counts related to his hush money payment to adult film star Stormy Daniels. On today’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson is joined by legal analyst Yodit Tewolde to discuss the path to the conviction, key moments in the trial, and what the verdict says about the justice system.
Guest: Legal analyst Yodit Tewolde
Podcast production by Kristie Taiwo-Makanjuola
Want more A Word? Subscribe to Slate Plus to immediately access ad-free listening across all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of our show page. Or, visit slate.com/awordplus to get access wherever you listen.
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In this episode, Emily McCombs (the Deputy Editor of HuffPost Personal) joins Prudie (Jenée Desmond-Harris) to answer letters from readers about when to confront someone who’s been consistently flaky, how to navigate dating across a 28-year age difference, and whether to tell a friend it appears they peed their pants.
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.
This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Daisy Rosario, and Jenée Desmond-Harris, with help from Maura Currie.
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His law firm won a $73 million dollar settlement against Remington on behalf of nine Sandy Hook families. Now he’s filing a lawsuit against the gunmaker Daniel Defense, the video game company Activision, and Instagram’s parent company, Meta, on behalf of families in Uvalde.
Guest: Josh Koskoff, attorney
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, and Anna Phillips.
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How one producer—now freed from his 20-year non-disclosure agreement—regrets his role shaping Donald Trump’s image on The Apprentice.
Guest: Bill Pruitt, producer for seasons 1 and 2 of The Apprentice.
Want more What Next? 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 Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme and Rob Gunther.
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For this week’s episode of Working Overtime, hosts June Thomas and Ronald Young Jr, unpack how to deal with life’s unexpected challenges and their effect on your work. A car accident, a sick child, or even a bad breakup can seem to be a bolt from the blue when you’re not expecting it. Currently, Ronald and his family are caring for his sick mom, and jumping between work and care can be a massive challenge. Both hosts discuss how to communicate your needs to a supervisor and how to take the time you need outside of work.
Do you have questions or advice of your own about the creative process? Reach out at (304) 933-9675 or email us at [email protected].
Podcast production by Kevin Bendis and Cameron Drews.
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In 1977, John Briggs was a small-time state senator with big dreams. But Briggs’ plan to ban gay and lesbian teachers from California schools changed the arc of his life and career. Suddenly, he was a right-wing hero, and a villain of the gay rights movement. And his message seemed to be catching on all over the country.
Season 9 of Slow Burn was written and produced by Christina Cauterucci. Slow Burn is produced by Kelly Jones, Joel Meyer, and Sophie Summergrad.
Josh Levin is the editorial director of Slow Burn.
Derek John is Slate’s executive producer of narrative podcasts.
Susan Matthews is Slate’s executive editor.
Merritt Jacob is our senior technical director. We had engineering help from Patrick Fort and Madeline Ducharme.
Our theme music is composed by Alexis Cuadrado. Artwork by Ivylise Simones, based on an image of Silvana Nova and a poster designed by Larry Hermsen and the Too Much Graphics Collective.
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This week, Bryan dives into the world of sports to talk about the often obscured queer history of the Olympics with writer Michael Waters. Michael’s new book ‘The Other Olympians: Fascism, Queerness, and the Making of Modern Sports’ highlights the gripping true stories of pioneering trans and intersex athletes from the 1936 Olympics.
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Everyone has a different birth experience.
Obstetricians and midwives are well-known members of the birth team. Along with the pregnant person, they are central to labor and delivery.
Doulas are lesser known, but they can provide essential support for pregnant women and their loved ones.
On this week’s episode of Well, Now: What to expect when working with a doula with Latham Thomas, founder of Mama Glow.
If you liked this episode, check out: Overcoming a Complicated Pregnancy
Well, Now is hosted by Maya Feller, CDN and Kavita Patel, MD.
Podcast production by Vic Whitley-Berry with editorial oversight by Alicia Montgomery.
Send your comments and recommendations on what to cover to [email protected].
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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.
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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 [email protected].
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.
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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.
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.
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Leo is a high-achieving high school senior on the cusp of graduation. Growing up in a rigorous school environment he faced endless pressure to follow the expected track of attending an elite university and eventually securing a good job. Yet, Leo feels slightly unfulfilled and is curious what an alternative path might look like. On this episode of How To!, Carvell Wallace is joined by Abby Falik, founder of the The Flight School, and organization dedicate to helping students and parents rethink and reshape their education. Abby shares her insights and experience guiding students through gap years so they find their own way.
If you liked this episode check out: How To Parent Less
Do you have a problem that needs solving? Send us a note at [email protected] or leave us a voicemail at 646-495-4001 and we might have you on the show. Subscribe for free on Apple, Spotify or wherever you listen.
How To’s executive producer is Derek John. Joel Meyer is our senior editor/producer. The show is produced by Rosemary Belson and Kevin Bendis.
Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now at slate.com/howtoplus.
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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.
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 [email protected].
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On today’s episode of Hear Me Out: self-limiting.
Congress is historically unpopular; it’s one of the few things that people on both sides of the aisle can agree on. But what could be done to actually fix our legislature?
Term limits are often posed as a good potential start. But there are those who argue that that’s not the best way to fix our legislature — and the pool of people who feel that way isn’t exclusively career politicians, either.
Charlie Hunt, a professor at Boise State University, joins us to argue against term limits.
If you have thoughts you want to share, or an idea for a topic we should tackle, you can email the show: [email protected]
Podcast production by Maura Currie.
Want more Hear Me Out? Subscribe to Slate Plus to access ad-free listening across all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of our show page. Or, visit slate.com/hearmeoutplus to get access wherever you listen.
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This week, host June Thomas talks to Francesca Zambello, artistic director of the Washington National Opera. In the interview, Francesca discusses the process of creating a brand new ending for Puccini’s unfinished final opera Turandot, from recruiting a composer and librettist to deciding on the visual language of the show. She also talks about her early career working overseas, the wide range of productions at the National Opera, and the kinds of shows that attract new opera fans.
After the interview, June and co-host Ronald Young Jr. talk about the ethics of changing or updating an artist’s work after their death.
In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, June asks Francesca if there are any other operas that she’d like to update or re-frame.
Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected] or give us a call at (304) 933-9675.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews.
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 Working. Sign up now at slate.com/workingplus to help support our work.
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In this week’s essay, John discusses Mothers’s Day, playing tennis with the Attorney General, medical scares, and more
Notebook Entries:
Notebook 19, page 16. April 2011
Is it possible, through applied thought, to become systematic in an approach to life? If you were to do that how would you proceed?
Notebook 16, page 6. July 26, 2005
“I’m here with a bunch of midshipmen and wondering what there is to do around here.” - Boy trying to hit on a girl working @ The Reef in Castine, ME.
Notebook 15, page 30. September 2004
Head problems:
Sunday 9/5 morning
Tuesday 9/7 evening
Wednesday 9/8 before lunch
Notebook 22, page 22. April 24, 2014
Question:
What did you want to be when you were a kid?
Notebook 9. 1995
“That’s just the ticket the doctor ordered”
Notebook 13. 2001
“Free as a clam”
Notebook 17, page 67. December 2006
The man sitting next to me has a face on the boil and garlic and old booze on his breath. When he sleeps, he sighs. For this leg of the flight I am wrapped in his breathy gumbo.
Notebook 15, page 7. April 2004
“In all these there are messages for those who use their reason.” - Quran quotation
Notebook 15, page 80. 2005
Would like to meet her.
Notebook 54. July 26, 2020
“Writing requires a reader. You can’t do it alone.” - John Cheever
Notebook 15, page 71. 2005
In the light of sobriety not sure what this means
Notebook 13. March 2001
Yesterday I played tennis with John Ashcroft the atty. general of the U.S.
Notebook 13, page 108. December 11, 2001
Anne just called. There is one little heartbeat beating in her today. Everything is okay for this hurdle. I must say, I was really worried.
Notebook 20, page 10. December 24, 2013
“Sometimes Dad says weird stuff, just ignore him” - Anne to kids about me
Notebook 15, page 84.
“Life goes on,” Hayawi says. “We are in the middle of a war [in Iraq] and we still smoke the water pipe.”
Notebook 45, page 24. April 16, 2019
Our savior lives by the manner in which we live.
Notebook 19, page 23. 2011
People on their mobile phones in England say goodbye a lot: “Cheers, alright then, speak to you soon, ta.” (That’s four ways of saying goodbye). Amelia tells the story of a man who thanked a ticket-taker by saying “Ta, magical, cheers.”
References:
Disaster on the Penobscot - John Henry Fay for Naval History Magazine
One Man’s Meat by E.B. White
The House at Allen Cove I E.B. White House Tour - New England Magazine
Little Plastic Castle - Ani Defranco
“Two Years of War: Taking Stock” - Anthony Shadid for the Washington Post
Podcast production by Cheyna Roth.
Email us at [email protected]
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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.
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Haiti has suffered under decades of crises, but the latest may be its most intractable. Violent criminals are now effectively in charge of the country, after years of assassinations and political instability left a power vacuum. As a new international force prepares for an intervention, A Word host Jason Johnson discusses the current troubles with Patrick Gaspard, leader of the Center for American Progress. They explore how Haiti fell into such dire circumstances, the role that American guns and policy have played, and how Haitian Americans and the U.S. government could help Haiti find stability.
Guest: Patrick Gaspard, chief of the Center for American Progress
Podcast production by Kristie Taiwo-Makanjuola
Want more A Word? Subscribe to Slate Plus to immediately access ad-free listening across all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of our show page. Or, visit slate.com/awordplus to get access wherever you listen.
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In this episode, Dear Prudence editors Paola de Varona and Bryan Lowder join Prudie (Jenée Desmond-Harris) to answer letters from readers about how to deal with a spouse who says he needs friends but has already alienated yours, how to introduce a partner to religious parents, and why guests who spent a free weekend at a lake house would feel entitled to pack up all the leftovers and take them home.
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.
This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Daisy Rosario, and Jenée Desmond-Harris, with help from Maura Currie.
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When OpenAI showed a demo for the latest version of ChatGPT —the one that you can chat with, you know, with your voice—one of the voices sounded eerily familiar. And instead of a victory lap, it was a reminder of all of the implications for intellectual property and one’s own basic human likeness that this technology carries with it.
Guest: Sigal Samuel, senior reporter for Vox's Future Perfect and co-host of the Future Perfect podcast.
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Allegations about Sean “Diddy” Combs had been circulating, but it wasn’t until surveillance footage of the mogul assaulting his then-partner Cassie began circulating on social media, that his response changed from defensive to apologetic.
Guest: Sidney Madden, reporter for NPR Music and co-host of Louder Than a Riot.
Want more What Next? 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 Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme and Rob Gunther.
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In the 1970s, San Francisco became a welcoming home for tens of thousands of new gay residents—and a modern-day Sodom for the American right. With a moral panic sweeping across the United States, a Florida orange juice spokeswoman inspired an ambitious California politician to launch his own campaign against lesbians and gays—one that would change the course of U.S. history.
(If you—or anyone you know—are in crisis, contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, anytime: Dial 988 or visit 988lifeline.org.)
Season 9 of Slow Burn was written and produced by Christina Cauterucci. Slow Burn is produced by Kelly Jones, Joel Meyer, and Sophie Summergrad.
Josh Levin is the editorial director of Slow Burn.
Derek John is Slate’s executive producer of narrative podcasts.
Susan Matthews is Slate’s executive editor.
Merritt Jacob is our senior technical director. We had engineering help from Patrick Fort and Madeline Ducharme.
Our theme music is composed by Alexis Cuadrado. Artwork by Ivylise Simones, based on an image of Silvana Nova and a poster designed by Larry Hermsen and the Too Much Graphics Collective.
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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.
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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 [email protected].
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.
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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.
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Youth mental health has hit a crisis point.
Just last year, U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy released an advisory connecting young people’s use of social media with adverse mental health outcomes.
But Murthy and other public health leaders are fighting back, including New York City Health Commissioner Ashwin Vasan. He’s leading the charge against social media platforms like Meta, TikTok, Snapchat and YouTube through litigation and legislation.
On this week’s episode of Well, Now – holding social media companies accountable for the youth mental health crisis.
If you liked this episode, check out: Is it Burnout? Or, Do You Have a Busy Brain?
Well, Now is hosted by Kavita Patel, MD and Maya Feller, RD.
Podcast production by Vic Whitley-Berry with editorial oversight by Alicia Montgomery.
Send your comments and recommendations on what to cover to [email protected]
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This week Christina Cauterucci returns to Outward to talk with Bryan about her experience making ‘Slow Burn: Gays Against Briggs’ and diving into one of the most consequential civil rights battles in American history: the first-ever statewide vote on gay rights.
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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.
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 [email protected].
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On today’s episode of Hear Me Out: don’t scare me like that, colonizer.
Understanding the legacy of colonialism is a project relatively few Americans have undertaken — and most have done so only relatively recently, at that.
But understanding the forces that led to the foundation of this country, and the creation of modern racism as we know it, is an important project. And it’s one that is also increasingly hard to bring into schools — especially in places like Florida.
Barry Mauer of UCF joins us once again to argue for teaching the ongoing project of colonialism… in the name of stopping it.
If you have thoughts you want to share, or an idea for a topic we should tackle, you can email the show: [email protected]
Podcast production by Maura Currie.
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The trouble began when Sarah put a fern in front of her new condo. Nice, right? The woman who lives in the unit above didn’t think so, and without warning sent Sarah a slew of passive-aggressive notes. Sarah thinks it’s all a big misunderstanding, but now her neighbor refuses to even speak to her. Sarah is wracked with anxiety, struggling to sleep, and contemplating moving out. On this episode of How To!, we turn to stand-up comedian Tig Notaro, a cancer survivor and host of the new advice podcast Don’t Ask Tig, to help Sarah approach the situation with humor and clarity. When things don’t go your way, Tig says, you have to take back control of your own story. What would the hero in your favorite movie do? For Sarah, this means gardening with headphones and the Rocky theme on the soundtrack.
Do you have a problem that could use some humorous advice? Send us a note at [email protected] or leave us a voicemail at 646-495-4001 and we might have you on the show. Subscribe for free on Apple, Spotify or wherever you listen.
If you liked this episode, check out “How To Talk to Strangers.”
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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.)
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This week, host Ronald Young Jr. talks to June Thomas about her new book A Place of Our Own: Six Spaces That Shaped Queer Women’s Culture. In the interview, June explains what it was like to bring journalistic rigor to a world that’s close to her heart. She also discusses her pivot to full-time book writing, the importance of passing history to future generations, and her use of the phrase “queer women” to describe a group that goes well beyond that label.
After the interview, Ronald and co-host Isaac Butler talk about culture and identity in their art.
In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, June designs her ideal queer space.
Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected] or give us a call at (304) 933-9675.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews.
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 Working. Sign up now at slate.com/workingplus to help support our work.
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Emily Bazelon talks with authors Bill Wasik and Monica Murphy, about their new book, Our Kindred Creatures: How Americans Came to Feel the Way They Do About Animals. They discuss the evolution of animal treatment in America, moral duties to animals, and how to care about more animals than our pets.
Tweet us your questions @SlateGabfest or email us at [email protected]. (Messages could be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.)
Podcast production by Cheyna Roth.
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In this week’s essay, John discusses the differences between moving around New York in 1991 and 2021; remembering 9/11 twenty years later; and more.
Notebook Entries:
Notebook 75, page 12. September 2021
Notebooks to Garret
Notebook 75, page 13. September 2021
Can you make a typo with handwriting? What’s a typo with handwriting called?
Notebook 4. 1991
We have to unplug the light to run the vacuum, so we do a lot of our vacuuming in the dark.
Notebook 75. September 11, 2021
Fritz want something?
References:
9/11 ceremonies, events and coverage on 20th anniversary - CBS News
Richard Drew on Photographing the “Falling Man” of 9/11 - CBS News
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Podcast production by Cheyna Roth.
Email us at [email protected]
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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.
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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.
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The 2021 subreddit-coordinated effort to raise the price of Gamestop stock was, in some ways, a proof of concept: the little guy can get into the market and make some noise. Because even though that “meme stock” rose and fell, the idea of the meme stock went has changed the way our stock market works.
Guest: Alex Kirshner, contributing writer for Slate.
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In this episode, Kiese Laymon (author of Long Division, How to Slowly Kill Yourself in America, and Heavy: An American Memoir) joins Prudie (Jenée Desmond-Harris) to answer letters from readers about how to convince your strict religious parents to let you go to an out-of-state college, whether to report a coworker’s insensitive gym behavior to HR, and how to deal with a mom who forgets to take her medication and immediately uses a racial slur.
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.
This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Daisy Rosario, and Jenée Desmond-Harris, with help from Maura Currie.
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Drake didn’t know who he was messing with, and was never on Kendrick Lamar’s level in hip hop. That’s the verdict of cultural commentator and author Touré. On today’s episode of A Word, he joins host Jason Johnson to break down the meaning behind the brutal rap battle, and whether Not Like Us, BBL Drizzy, Family Matters and other songs central to the beef will rewrite the blueprint for diss tracks forever.
Guest: Touré, host of the Touré Show podcast, and author of Nothing Compares 2 U: An Oral History of Prince
Podcast production by Ahyiana Angel
Want more A Word? Subscribe to Slate Plus to immediately access ad-free listening across all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of our show page. Or, visit slate.com/awordplus to get access wherever you listen.
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On this episode: Jamilah sits down with author Ruby Russell to talk about her new book, Doing It All: The Social Power of Single Motherhood. They talk about the ways that single mothers upend the patriarchy — and why that’s a good thing.
Lucy, Elizabeth, and Zak also circle up for a round of triumphs and fails — including an epic saga involving a hospital in the Philippines.
Join us on Facebook and email us at [email protected] to ask us new questions, tell us what you thought of today’s show, and give us ideas about what we should talk about in future episodes. You can also call our phone line: (646) 357-9318.
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 Care and Feeding. Sign up now at slate.com/careplus to help support our work.
Podcast produced by Maura Currie.
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When Miss USA abdicated her throne, people noticed that the first letters of each sentence of her resignation letter spell out “I am silenced.” Shortly thereafter, Miss Teen USA stepped down with a letter that opens with a quote from Nietzsche.
What’s going on at the Miss USA organization? Has the idea of a national pageant outlived its usefulness?
Guest: Constance Grady, senior Culture correspondent for Vox.
Want more What Next? 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.
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For this week’s episode of Working Overtime, hosts June Thomas and Isaac Butler are joined by author Justin Taylor, to discuss the process behind his new novel, Reboot. Taylor published numerous short pieces, as well as a memoir, during the years he spent writing this novel, yet it took multiple iterations before this book felt right. Later they share tips for persevering through long creative processes and discuss how to find the finish line.
Do you have questions or advice of your own about the creative process? Reach out at (304) 933-9675 or email us at [email protected].
Podcast production by Kevin Bendis and Cameron Drews.
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For many Americans, wellness is about mitigating and navigating disease. They’re looking for reliable ways to live healthier, longer lives.
But some are thinking even bigger than that and looking beyond what doctors view as the standard lifespan: 10, 20, 30, even 40 years beyond it. These people are often called “biohackers.”
On this week’s episode of Well, Now we talk to someone who’s considered the “Father of Biohacking” Dave Asprey on what exactly this movement is, and whether is it feasible for people who aren’t ridiculously rich.
If you liked this episode, check out: We Don’t Need to Cure Autism
Well, Now is hosted by Kavita Patel and Maya Feller.
Podcast production by Ahyiana Angel and Vic Whitley-Berry with editorial oversight by Alicia Montgomery.
Send your comments and recommendations on what to cover to [email protected]
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This week Bryan and Jules are joined by new contributor Mathew Rodriguez for a round of advice. They tackle who gets to use ‘they’, raising polite and inclusive kids, and help one listener navigate the aggressive gender politics of straight weddings.
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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.
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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 [email protected].
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
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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
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 [email protected].
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On today’s episode of Hear Me Out: live from Seattle.
Hear Me Out had its first-ever live show on May 4, 2024 — and it was such a great conversation that we wanted to make sure our podcast listeners heard it, too.
The Cascade PBS Ideas Festival was full of smart, unconventional thinkers on the biggest issues facing this country… so what better place to have a conversation about Donald Trump, and the future of this country?
It’s tempting to think of the MAGA ideology as an unprecedented threat to democracy. But is it? Or are the authoritarian, anti-democratic ideas percolating into our mainstream politics a feature, rather than a bug?
Historian and author Heather Cox Richardson joined us in Seattle.
If you have thoughts you want to share, or an idea for a topic we should tackle, you can email the show: [email protected]
Podcast production by Maura Currie.
Want more Hear Me Out? Subscribe to Slate Plus to access ad-free listening across all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of our show page. Or, visit slate.com/hearmeoutplus to get access wherever you listen.
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Leigh is a stellar employee by all accounts. She deeply cares about the company’s mission. She gets along with her coworkers. She delivers great work. So why does every critique cut deep and leave her questioning her worth? On this episode of How To!: Courtney Martin consults the columnist Alison Green, who answers tricky workplace questions at the advice site, Ask a Manager. Alison helps Leigh figure out what to do with criticism, forge better relationships with higher-ups, and even give better feedback.
If you liked this episode check out: How To Make Imposter Syndrome Your Superpower and How To Build Trust With Co-Workers
Do you have a problem that needs solving? Send us a note at [email protected] or leave us a voicemail at 646-495-4001 and we might have you on the show. Subscribe for free on Apple, Spotify or wherever you listen.
How To’s executive producer is Derek John. Joel Meyer is our senior editor/producer. The show is produced by Rosemary Belson and Kevin Bendis.
Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now at slate.com/howtoplus.
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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.)
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.
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On this episode: Zak, Jamilah and Elizabeth answer a question from our Slate Parenting Facebook group about the eternal struggle of the messy preteen bedroom. It seems like no matter what you do, there just keeps being stuff. Everywhere. So, we’ll offer some practical suggestions to help.
We also dole out a round of recommendations — and then, for Slate Plus, we muse on how anyone expects anyone to manage a summer camp schedule.
Elizabeth recommends: 2 Player Games: The Challenge (google play & app store)
Zak recommends: Play Cafes like Kidcadia
Jamilah recommends: the Slate Parenting Facebook Group
Join us on Facebook and email us at [email protected] to ask us new questions, tell us what you thought of today’s show, and give us ideas about what we should talk about in future episodes. You can also call our phone line: (646) 357-9318.
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 Care and Feeding. Sign up now at slate.com/careplus to help support our work.
Podcast produced by Maura Currie.
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This week, host Isaac Butler talks to Tracyanne Campbell, lead singer of the Scottish indie band Camera Obscura. In the interview, Tracyanne discusses the process of getting the band back together after a decade-long hiatus and the songwriting work that went into their new album Look to the East, Look to the West. She also talks about the humor and references in her lyrics, the imposter syndrome that won’t go away, and her mission to write a certain kind of love song.
After the interview, Isaac and co-host June Thomas talk more about imposter syndrome. They also discuss why some UK artists sing using American accents (as referenced in a Slate piece from 2012.
In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Isaac asks Tracyanne about a certain word that’s often used to describe Camera Obscura: twee.
Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected] or give us a call at (304) 933-9675.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews.
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 Working. Sign up now at slate.com/workingplus to help support our work.
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In this week’s essay, John discusses the Pomodoro Routine (among other productivity routines), why he especially needs a meditation pillow, and how a particular teacher captured his heart.
Notebook Entries:
Notebook 75, pages 8 and 9. September 2021
OReinstating the Pomodoro Routine…
Starting Marshall again…
Write Brice…
Send Laura the larger project list…
Work on budget to get accounts in order
Meditation pillow upstairs.
Notebook 18. December 6, 2009
Instapaper
Alpha Smart
Richard Hugo on poetry
Degrees of Gray In Philipsburg.
Notebook 18, page 105. June 4, 2011
Visit to Mr. Mead. He was playing piano as we entered. [During our conversation, he asked]: do you find your work fulfilling? Do you have a close circle of friends? Questions about life and living it well…
References:
Getting Things Done - David Allen
The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People - Stephen Covey
The Questions That Will Get Me Through the Pandemic - John Dickerson
43 Folders - Merlin Mann
The Hardest Job in the World - John Dickerson
“Merlin Mann” - Tina Essmaker for The Great Disconnect
More about Ernest “Boots” Mead
“Because Buying New Running Shoes is More Fun Than Actually Running” - Merlin Mann for 43 Folders
Atomic Habits - James Clear
The Creative Habit - Twyla Tharp
Free Agent Nation - Daniel Pink
“Sharon Salzberg On: Openness, Not Believing the Stories You Tell Yourself, and Why the Most Powerful Tools Often Seem Stupid at First” - Ten Percent Happier
Want to listen to Navel Gazing uninterrupted? Subscribe to Slate Plus to immediately unlock ad-free listening to Navel Gazing and all your other favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe now on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of our show page. Or, visit slate.com/navelgazingplus to get access wherever you listen.
Podcast production by Cheyna Roth.
Email us at [email protected]
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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/
Everyone is a Journalish
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
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Writer Ta-Nehisi Coates is arguably the strongest voice of his generation on the role of race and identity in American politics and culture. He’s the author of several books, including “Between the World and Me,” “We Were Eight Years in Power,” and “The Beautiful Struggle,” and the recipient of a MacArthur “genius” grant and a National Book Award. For this week’s episode, we feature a conversation between Coates and host Jason Johnson, recorded live at the recent Cascade PBS Ideas Festival. They discuss everything from the diss track battle between Drake and Kendrick Lamar, to the campus protests over the Middle East, to the limits –and necessity– of participating in electoral politics.
Guest: Award-winning writer Ta-Nehisi Coates
Podcast production by Kristie Taiwo-Makanjuola
Want more A Word? Subscribe to Slate Plus to immediately access ad-free listening across all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of our show page. Or, visit slate.com/awordplus to get access wherever you listen.
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In this episode, Dan Savage (of the Savage Love sex advice column and Savage Lovecast) joins Prudie (Jenée Desmond-Harris) to answer letters from readers about how to approach a serious relationship with someone who lets her pre-teens sleep in her bed, how to share with your parents you’re omnisexual, and how to tell your sibling you think they’re in an emotionally abusive marriage.
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.
This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Daisy Rosario, and Jenée Desmond-Harris, with help from Maura Currie.
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This week Bryan talks to Lucas LaRochelle, the creator of the online platform Queering the Map. Queering the Map is a community-generated digital archive and map of LGBTQ2IA+ experiences around the globe. They dig into the map’s beginnings, stories from the platform, and how this archive has been able to share queer joy, sorrow, and possibility across continents and in 23 languages.
Podcast production by Palace Shaw.
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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.
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For many, pregnancy is a time of heightened and joyful anticipation. There are doctor’s appointments, tests, preparation…All with a focus on bringing home a healthy baby.
The other side of pregnancy–the complications–is not readily discussed.
On this week’s episode of Well, Now we discuss all of these potential roadblocks with economist Emily Oster. In her latest book The Unexpected: Navigating Pregnancy During and After Complications, she arms patients with the data they need to advocate for themselves in their appointments.
If you enjoyed this episode, check out: How a Former Surgeon General Took on a $5,000 ER Bill
Well, Now is hosted by Kavita Patel, MD and Maya Feller, MS, RD, CDN.
Podcast production by Vic Whitley-Berry with editorial oversight by Alicia Montgomery.
Send your comments and recommendations on what to cover to [email protected]
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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.
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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 [email protected].
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
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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.
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 [email protected].
Podcast production by Cameron Drews.
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When Allen’s gym crush asked him—point blank—if he liked someone, he panicked. Should he tell her? What should he do if she wasn’t actually flirting with him? On this episode of How To!: Courtney Martin finds out what happened and brings in Jeff Guenther, therapist and author of the new book Big Dating Energy. (You might know him as TherapyJeff from TikTok, Instagram, or YouTube.) Jeff gives Allen the tools to flirt more authentically, stick to his non-negotiables, and lean into his self-confidence.
If you liked this episode check out: How To Ditch the Apps & Actually Find a Date
Do you have a problem that needs solving? Send us a note at [email protected] or leave us a voicemail at 646-495-4001 and we might have you on the show. Subscribe for free on Apple, Spotify or wherever you listen.
How To’s executive producer is Derek John. Joel Meyer is our senior editor/producer. The show is produced by Rosemary Belson and Kevin Bendis.
Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now at slate.com/howtoplus.
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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.)
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.
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This week, host June Thomas talks to the prolific writer Anne Lamott, whose latest book is called Somehow: Thoughts on Love. In the interview, Anne discusses the origin of her new book, the challenges of writing deeply personal memoirs, and the importance of writing groups.
After the interview, June and co-host Isaac Butler discuss Anne’s “bird-by-bird” writing advice. They also talk about why they share certain personal details–and not others–in their nonfiction writing and on the podcast.
In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Anne talks about the legacy of her book Bird By Bird and shares some of her favorite books on writing.
Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected] or give us a call at (304) 933-9675.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews.
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 Working. Sign up now at slate.com/workingplus to help support our work.
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In this week’s essay, John discusses an onboarding memo for his assistant Laura, and recounts his early days living and working in New York City.
Notebook Entries:
Notebook 75
Onboard memo for Laura
Notebook 3, page 44. May 1991
June 17 start job. Good stuff
Notebook 3, page 46. May 1991
Tips on buying renting in NYC
Ask about broker
20s and 30s East side. Murry Hill
Live on no major avenue
Interest bearing account for security deposit
Medeco locks
Notebook 4, page 15
Scared standing on 34th and Broadway
$6 cab fare
Notebook 4, page 42
Getting lost in the village
References:
The Little Brown Book of Anecdotes by Clifton Fadiman
“Here is New York” by E.B. White
“Silly Job Interview” - Monty Python
John Cleese on Creativity in Management
Herbie Hancock: Miles Davis’ Essential Lesson On Mistakes
Want to listen to Navel Gazing uninterrupted? Subscribe to Slate Plus to immediately unlock ad-free listening to Navel Gazing and all your other favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe now on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of our show page. Or, visit slate.com/navelgazingplus to get access wherever you listen.
Podcast production by Cheyna Roth.
Email us at [email protected]
Host
John Dickerson
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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.
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The city of Flint, Michigan made headlines in spring of 2014, after public officials recognized dangerously high lead levels in the water supply. After ten years and three presidents, many African American Flint residents say their health is still being compromised by their water, and civil actions aimed at compensating them have –so far– only enriched lawyers. On today’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson is joined by Adam Mahoney, the climate journalist for Capital B News. They discuss how the water crisis has affected everything from schools, to crime, to housing, and about ongoing efforts to make it right.
Guest: Adam Mahoney, climate reporter for Capital B News
Podcast production by Kristie Taiwo-Makanjuola
Want more A Word? Subscribe to Slate Plus to immediately access ad-free listening across all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of our show page. Or, visit slate.com/awordplus to get access wherever you listen.
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In this episode, Heben Nigatu (HBO’s Game Theory with Bomani Jones and BuzzFeed podcast Another Round) joins Prudie (Jenée Desmond-Harris) to answer letters from readers about what to do when a group chat explodes over allegations about offensive humor, when to cut a narcissistic stepsister from the wedding guest list, and how to relate to a little brother who’s openly sharing his wild conspiracy theories and alt-right views across social media.
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.
This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Daisy Rosario, and Jenée Desmond-Harris, with help from Maura Currie.
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On this episode: Zak sits down with Priya Krishna, New York Times bestselling author of Indian-ish, to talk about her new cookbook for kids: Priya’s Kitchen Adventures. We’ll talk about formative international foods, picking up new culinary skills, and – of course – how to get picky eaters onboard.
We’ll also debrief with a round of triumphs and fails — including a comedy fail, and a Seder community triumph.
Join us on Facebook and email us at [email protected] to ask us new questions, tell us what you thought of today’s show, and give us ideas about what we should talk about in future episodes. You can also call our phone line: (646) 357-9318.
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 Care and Feeding. Sign up now at slate.com/careplus to help support our work.
Podcast produced by Maura Currie.
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For this week’s episode of Working Overtime, hosts June Thomas and Isaac Butler, chew over accountability and how to stay disciplined while working without a supervisor. Both hosts grew up procrastinating through their school years, but they discovered the importance of deadlines and turning work in on time through their respective careers. They also share tips like joining accountability groups, being transparent with your family, and asking colleagues to review different stages of your work.
Do you have questions or advice of your own about the creative process? Reach out at (304) 933-9675 or email us at [email protected].
Podcast production by Kevin Bendis and Cameron Drews.
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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 [email protected].
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
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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.
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Who hasn’t received necessary medical care and got a shockingly high bill for it weeks later?
Even with insurance, many Americans will experience this at some point–including one of the most recognizable doctors in the country: the U.S. surgeon general.
Earlier this year, Dr. Jerome Adams – who served as surgeon general for the Trump Administration – received a bill of nearly $5,000 after being treated for dehydration. What was his strategy for fighting it?
On this week’s episode of Well, Now: How to fight back when you receive a surprising medical bill.
If you liked this episode, check out: Ending Racism in Healthcare
Podcast production by Vic Whitley-Berry with editorial oversight by Alicia Montgomery.
Send your comments and recommendations on what to cover to [email protected]
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Former Outward producer June Thomas joins Bryan and Jules to chat about the very gay new series from Starz, Mary and George. They talk 16th-century sex and sexuality and share their prides, provocations, and the gay agenda for May.
Read What's Fact and What's Fiction in Mary & George from Slate
Podcast production by Palace Shaw.
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On today’s episode of Hear Me Out: solidarity?
College campuses across the country are grappling with protests and occupations in the name of a free Palestine. Many hundreds of students, faculty, and outside community members have been arrested in tense clashes with police — called onto campuses by the universities themselves.
Student protestors have shaped public discourse on matters like war and the environment for many decades. But without a clear, sympathetic goal, they can also lead to political backlash that far outlasts a four-year degree.
So are today’s student protestors instigating change in Gaza… or teeing up a crackdown on speech and protest here at home?
Prof. Steven Mintz of UT Austin joins us, and urges a cautionary look at the history books.
If you have thoughts you want to share, or an idea for a topic we should tackle, you can email the show: [email protected]
Podcast production by Maura Currie.
Want more Hear Me Out? Subscribe to Slate Plus to access ad-free listening across all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of our show page. Or, visit slate.com/hearmeoutplus to get access wherever you listen.
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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.
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 [email protected].
Podcast production by Zoe Azulay
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On this episode of How To!: co-hosts Courtney Martin and Carvell Wallace sit down to talk about his new memoir, Another Word for Love. In the book, Carvell’s examination of his own journey becomes a reflection on how so many of us spend our lives trying to become whole again. He and Courtney discuss his approach to writing and interviewing, what it means to be seen as good (versus actually being good), and why it’s often so hard to forgive yourself.
If you liked this episode check out: How To Find Genuine Happiness
Do you have a problem that needs solving? Send us a note at [email protected] or leave us a voicemail at 646-495-4001 and we might have you on the show. Subscribe for free on Apple, Spotify or wherever you listen.
How To’s executive producer is Derek John. Joel Meyer is our senior editor/producer. The show is produced by Rosemary Belson and Kevin Bendis.
Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now at slate.com/howtoplus.
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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.)
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.
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This week, host Ronald Young Jr. talks to Anna Sale, host of the podcast Death, Sex & Money, which recently joined Slate after a brief hiatus. In the interview, Anna explains her process for conducting the powerful and vulnerable interviews that her podcast is known for. She also talks about her early career as a politics reporter, her tips for making sure interview subjects feel respected, and how a Death, Sex & Money episode is born.
After the interview, Ronald and co-host June Thomas discuss something Ronald calls “the question behind the question” in interviews and in everyday conversations.
In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Anna shares how her relationship with money (and talking about it) has changed since she started the podcast. She also talks about one of her favorite interviewers, Terry Gross.
Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected] or give us a call at (304) 933-9675.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews.
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 Working. Sign up now at slate.com/workingplus to help support our work.
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In this week’s essay, John discusses the art of attention and how to develop the skill of slow-looking.
Notebook Entries:
Notebook 75, page 8. September 2021
1016
Notebook 1, page 54. June 1990
- Magna carta 1215 at Salisbury
- Girls skipping
- The Haunch of Venison
- Chris
References:
A Little History of the World by E.H Gombrich
Artist Jeff Koons
“The Art of Divination: D.H. Lawrence on the Power of Pure Attention” by Maria Popova for The Marginalian
“Gabfest Reads: A Woman’s Life in Museum Wall Labels” for Political Gabfest
One Woman Show by Christine Coulson
“Grammy-winning artist Jason Isbell talks about the craft of songwriting and his latest music” for CBS News
A Journey Around My Room by Xavier De Maistre
“Just think: The Challenges of the Disengaged Mind” by Timothy Wilson, et.al for Science
“Our Rodent Selfies, Ourselves” by Emily Anthes for the New York Times
One Man’s Meat by E.B. White
Podcast production by Cheyna Roth.
Email us at [email protected]
Want to listen to Navel Gazing uninterrupted? Subscribe to Slate Plus to immediately unlock ad-free listening to Navel Gazing and all your other favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe now on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of our show page. Or, visit slate.com/navelgazingplus to get access wherever you listen.
Host
John Dickerson
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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.
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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.
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True crime is a hot topic for movies, television, and –yes– podcasts. At the center of many of these stories is a missing woman. In the She Has A Name podcast, veteran journalist Tonya Mosley tries to reconstruct the death –and life– of a woman who went missing in 1987, a woman who happens to be her long lost sister. On today’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson is joined by Tonya Mosley to talk about uncovering the mystery around her sister Anita’s disappearance and death, and how the podcast helped her connect to a family that she never knew.
Guest: Tonya Mosley, host of the podcast She Has A Name
Podcast production by Ahyiana Angel
Want more A Word? Subscribe to Slate Plus to immediately access ad-free listening across all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of our show page. Or, visit slate.com/awordplus to get access wherever you listen.
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In this episode, Gina Cherelus (New York Times’ weekly dating column Third Wheel) joins Prudie (Jenée Desmond-Harris) to answer letters from readers about how much physical affection is appropriate with people who aren’t your partner, believing you are with your partner because you are more attractive than them, and more.
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.
This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Daisy Rosario, and Jenée Desmond-Harris, with help from Maura Currie and Jared Downing.
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A vital component of wellness is taking care of our mental health. But mental wellness is more than just drinking water, doing yoga, and going for a walk.
Author and podcaster Allison Raskin has lived most of her life with diagnosed mental illness.
By navigating her mental health journey over the years, she’s been able to find community and humor through her diagnoses, particularly by writing about her experience with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder.
On this week’s episode of Well, Now – navigating wellness while living with mental illness.
Further reading: If My Mental Health Bothers You, I Understand
If you liked this episode, check out: Is it Burnout? Or, Do You Have a Busy Brain?
Podcast production by Vic Whitley-Berry and Ahyiana Angel with editorial oversight by Alicia Montgomery.
Send your comments and recommendations on what to cover to [email protected]
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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 [email protected].
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
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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.
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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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.
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This week, Jules and Bryan talk to Michael Goodyear about how trademark law is helping queer brands reclaim derogatory language. They dig into Dykes on Bikes and other early queer trademarks including the history of the rainbow flag we all know and love. You can read Michael’s article ‘The Surprising Result of the Supreme Court Case That Allowed Slurs in Brands’ on the Slate website.
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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.
After the reading, Anna wondered how Rebecca became so good at reading people–and at helping them to navigate tough situations. But 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.
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 [email protected].
Podcast production by Cameron Drews.
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A few years ago, Leah was diagnosed with schizophrenia. Her condition has posed many serious challenges, including how to start and maintain friendships. She wants to build a rich social life, but her symptoms—and the stigmas surrounding mental health—often get in the way. When Leah does meet a new person, she struggles with how (and when) to talk about her diagnosis and feels intense pressure to be “the perfect friend.” On this episode of How To!: Carvell Wallace brings on psychotherapist Dr. Aleksandra Rayska for a frank conversation about managing expectations, celebrating new achievements, and just going easy on yourself.
If you liked this episode check out: How to Navigate Adult Autism.
Do you have a problem that needs solving? Send us a note at [email protected] or leave us a voicemail at 646-495-4001 and we might have you on the show. Subscribe for free on Apple, Spotify or wherever you listen.
How To’s executive producer is Derek John. Joel Meyer is our senior editor/producer. The show is produced by Rosemary Belson and Kevin Bendis.
Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now at slate.com/howtoplus.
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On today’s episode of Hear Me Out: nobody wins with two parties.
A competitive presidential election draws closer every day – and as ever, every vote will count. So is it fair to accuse third-party voters of wasting a vote, as often happens? Or are third-party candidates actually preserving what little we have left of a competitive democracy?
Bernard Tamas of Valdosta State University joins us to make the case for the power of the third party.
If you have thoughts you want to share, or an idea for a topic we should tackle, you can email the show: [email protected]
Podcast production by Maura Currie.
Want more Hear Me Out? Subscribe to Slate Plus to access ad-free listening across all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of our show page. Or, visit slate.com/hearmeoutplus to get access wherever you listen.
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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.)
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.
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With all eyes on the WNBA as Caitlin Clark was drafted, many were surprised at the star player’s new salary, and how it paled in comparison to that of an NBA rookie. What would it take to address this disparity?
Guest: Lindsay Gibbs, author and founder of Power Plays, “a no-BS newsletter about women’s sports” and co-host of the Burn It All Down podcast.
Want more What Next? 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.
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In this week’s essay, John dives deep into the loss of his beloved dog, George, the essayist’s dilemma, the comfort of quiet mornings, and more.
Notebook Entries:
Notebook 75, page 5. September 5, 2021
I go to the morning alone.
Notebook 75, page 6. September 6, 2021
Phantom nails on the stairs
References:
“Every Dog Is a Rescue Dog” by John Dickerson for The Atlantic
“Oxytocin-gaze positive loop and the coevolution of human-dog bonds” by Miho Nagasawa et.al for Science
Haikus by Jennifer Gurney
“Which Pet Will Make You Happiest?” by Arthur C. Brooks for The Atlantic
“The Family Dog Is in Sync With Your Kids” by Gretchen Reynolds for The New York Times
Podcast production by Cheyna Roth.
Email us at [email protected]
Want to listen to Navel Gazing uninterrupted? Subscribe to Slate Plus to immediately unlock ad-free listening to Navel Gazing and all your other favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe now on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of our show page. Or, visit slate.com/navelgazingplus to get access wherever you listen.
Host
John Dickerson
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This week, host Isaac Butler talks to novelist Julia Hannafin and ecologist Adam Rosenblatt. In the interview, they discuss Julia’s new novel Cascade, which includes information about sharks and other marine life that Adam helped to verify. Julia explains how factual accuracy helped to solidify and drive both the plot of Cascade and some of its emotional power. Adam talks about what the collaborative process was like for him and argues that science is more creative than people think.
After the interview, Isaac and co-host Ronald Young Jr. talk more about fact-checking in fiction. They also discuss the strengths and weaknesses of first-person present tense in fiction.
In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Julia talks about the difference between writing novels and writing for TV.
Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected] or give us a call at (304) 933-9675.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews.
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 Working. Sign up now at slate.com/workingplus to help support our work.
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John Dickerson talks with author David E. Sanger about his new book, New Cold Wars. They discuss how Russia and China came to reach their new levels of power, the role the Middle East and Obama Administration played in all of this, and more.
Tweet us your questions @SlateGabfest or email us at [email protected]. (Messages could be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.)
Podcast production by Cheyna Roth.
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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.
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Nostalgia for the 1990s is everywhere, and for a generation of African Americans, perhaps nothing symbolizes the fun of that decade more than Freaknik. A sprawling days-long festival of all the good –and bad– of spring break behavior, at its height, Freaknik drew tens of thousands of partiers each year from around the country to Atlanta. So why did the party stop, and is there any way it could ever come back again?
On today’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson discusses the Hulu documentary Freaknik: The Wildest Party Never Told with director P. Frank Williams and executive producer Geraldine Porras..
Guests: P. Frank Williams and Geraldine Porras, the director and executive producer of Freaknik: The Wildest Party Never Told on Hulu.
Podcast production by Ahyiana Angel
Want more A Word? Subscribe to Slate Plus to immediately access ad-free listening across all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of our show page. Or, visit slate.com/awordplus to get access wherever you listen.
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In this episode, Bassey Ikpi (New York Times bestselling essay collection, I’m Telling the Truth but I’m Lying) joins Prudie (Jenée Desmond-Harris) to answer letters from readers about an international sisters’ trip gone awry, a husband’s struggle to live with his wife’s mental health issues, and an uncomfortable situation between coworkers.
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.
This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Daisy Rosario, and Jenée Desmond-Harris, with help from Maura Currie.
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For this week’s episode of Working Overtime, hosts Ronald Young Jr. and Isaac Butler examine a listener’s question about tackling the stickiest aspects of collaborating on a creative project. Both hosts have had their fair share of nightmare scenarios, but they agree that some of the best practices for collaborating involve having frank conversations before a project begins.
Do you have questions or advice of your own about the creative process? Reach out at (304) 933-9675 or email us at [email protected].
Podcast production by Kevin Bendis and Cameron Drews.
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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 [email protected].
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
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This week Bryan talks to writer Neil J. Young about his new book Coming Out Republican: A History of the Gay Right. They dig into some of the inherent contradictions of the Gay Right and the pillars of their political strategy and reveal how central whiteness and maleness is to their politic.
Podcast production by Palace Shaw.
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April is Autism Acceptance Month, and how we’ve come to understand autism has evolved over the past several decades.
For years, autism spectrum disorder (ASD) was thought of as something that needed to be cured. Through better data and years of activism, that misunderstanding is changing.
On this week’s episode of Well, Now we discuss that evolution with Sara Luterman, caregiving reporter for The 19th.
Podcast production by Vic Whitley-Berry and Ahyiana Angel with editorial oversight by Alicia Montgomery.
Send your comments and recommendations on what to cover to [email protected]
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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.
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“Doing the work” is a phrase often heard when talking about racial justice. We heard it a lot after the death of George Floyd in 2020. And we need to continue talking about it—but there’s an important aspect of “the work” that’s been missing. On this episode of How To!: Courtney Martin brings in Garrett Bucks, author of The Right Kind of White and founder of The Barnraisers Project, to help Elizabeth Doerr talk to fellow white parents about the implications of opting out of their kids’ public school.
If you liked this episode check out: “How To Fight Racism in Your Town”
CAST YOUR VOTE FOR HOW TO! IN THE 2024 WEBBY AWARDS! https://vote.webbyawards.com/PublicVoting#/2024/podcasts/shows/advice-how-to
Do you have a problem that needs solving? Send us a note at [email protected] or leave us a voicemail at 646-495-4001 and we might have you on the show. Subscribe for free on Apple, Spotify or wherever you listen.
How To’s executive producer is Derek John. Joel Meyer is our senior editor/producer. The show is produced by Rosemary Belson and Kevin Bendis.
Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now at slate.com/howtoplus.
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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.
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 [email protected].
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On today’s episode of Hear Me Out: blaze it.
Ahead of the honorary stoner holiday that is 4/20, we’re taking a look at the marijuana landscape. Public opinion has warmed considerably to legal weed in the past few decades – both medicinal and recreational – even though it remains a Schedule 1 drug on the federal level.
But some public health experts are still sounding the alarm, because this has all happened very quickly… and though hard-line illegality was harmful, what we’re doing now might be causing harm, too.
Dr. Keith Humphreys, professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Stanford University, joins us.
If you have thoughts you want to share, or an idea for a topic we should tackle, you can email the show: [email protected]
Podcast production by Maura Currie.
Want more Hear Me Out? Subscribe to Slate Plus to access ad-free listening across all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of our show page. Or, visit slate.com/hearmeoutplus to get access wherever you listen.
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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.)
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.
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This week, host Isaac Butler talks to Anthony McGill, principal clarinetist for the New York Philharmonic. In the interview, Anthony describes his weekly routine, which includes practicing lots of different pieces at any given time, rehearsing, and playing multiple shows per week. He also talks about his meditation practice, his ability to play and be swept away by the music at the same time, and his Grammy-nominated album American Stories.
After the interview, Isaac and co-host Ronald Young Jr. discuss the different preparation timelines of musicians and actors.
In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Anthony talks about meeting some of his musical heroes.
Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected] or give us a call at (304) 933-9675.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews.
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 Working. Sign up now at slate.com/workingplus to help support our work.
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In this week’s essay, John remembers dropping his son off at college, and trying to hold onto moments and feelings while you can.
Notebook Entries:
Notebook 75, page 6. September 2021:
They chose you.
Notebook 15, page 4. April 2004:
Sitting with Brice by waterfall. Throwing rocks in stream. Loading sand from dump truck and loader and back again.
References:
What Got You Here, Won’t Get You There by Marshall Goldsmith
Songwriter Nick Cave
Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin
Podcast production by Cheyna Roth.
Email us at [email protected]
Want to listen to Navel Gazing uninterrupted? Subscribe to Slate Plus to immediately unlock ad-free listening to Navel Gazing and all your other favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe now on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of our show page. Or, visit slate.com/navelgazingplus to get access wherever you listen.
Host
John Dickerson
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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.
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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.
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Commentator Candace Owens’ messy fall from grace in conservative media coincided with her appearances on popular Black chat shows. That includes The Breakfast Club, led by radio host and personality Charlamagne tha God.
Once a minor social media personality who condemned Donald Trump as racist, Owens became one of the former president’s chief defenders, and a leading Black voice of anti-Black rhetoric. So is Owens saying anything new in Black media, and were those outlets doing the right thing by inviting her?
On today’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson is joined by Michael Harriot. He’s a columnist for The Grio, and the author of Black AF History: The Un-Whitewashed Story of America. Harriot recently wrote for The Guardian, criticizing the choice to platform Owens in African American media.
In this interview and an earlier version of this episode description, we incorrectly stated and implied that Candace Owens’ interviews on Joe Budden’s podcast and The Breakfast Club happened after The Daily Wire announced her separation from the outlet on March 22. They both occurred before, with the Budden interview recording the week of February 27, and being published in mid-March. The Breakfast Club discussion was recorded on March 18 and aired on March 21. We regret the error.
Guest: Writer Michael Harriot
Podcast production by Kristie Taiwo-Makanjuola
Want more A Word? Subscribe to Slate Plus to immediately access ad-free listening across all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of our show page. Or, visit slate.com/awordplus to get access wherever you listen.
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In this episode, Anna Sale (host of Death Sex and Money) joins Prudie (Jenée Desmond-Harris) to answer letters from readers about how to navigate being the friend who always initiates plans, how to handle entitled stepdaughters moving into your home, and how to stop being a mean girl to other moms.
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.
This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Daisy Rosario, and Jenée Desmond-Harris, with help from Maura Currie.
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On this week’s episode, guest hosts Daisy Rosario and Madeline Duchamp break down the new lesbian caper films Drive Away Dolls and Love Lies Bleeding. They dig into the joy of queer bars, Kristen Stewart's soft butch coming out, and the newly iconic Katie O’Brien.
Podcast production by Palace Shaw.
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As we approach the warmer months and start spending more time outside, healthy skin couldn’t be more important. So how can we best protect our body’s largest organ?
Feel free to stock up on all the products for a 10-step routine if you want. But the reality is healthy skin requires just three products. The rest is kind of BS.
This week on Well, Now we talk all things skin health with Dr. Adarsh Vijay Mudgil, a dermatologist and dermatopathologist based in New York City.
If you liked this episode, check out: Spring Cleaning Your Medicine Cabinet
Podcast production by Vic Whitley-Berry and Ahyiana Angel with editorial oversight by Alicia Montgomery.
Send your comments and recommendations on what to cover to [email protected]
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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.
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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 [email protected].
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
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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.
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On today’s episode of Hear Me Out: amore, but make it anti-racist.
Honoring interracial marriage has only been the law of the land for a few decades in this country; there are couples alive today whose relationships were illegal within their lifetimes.
There are now more mixed-race couples – and children – in the U.S. than ever before, and interracial love is overwhelmingly supported by all Americans. But is that an indication that we’ve actually made progress toward racial equality?
Jamilah Lemieux, writer and contributor to Slate’s Care & Feeding, argues no: and that unless a couple has done the work to be truly anti-racist, their children will pay the price.
If you have thoughts you want to share, or an idea for a topic we should tackle, you can email the show: [email protected]
Podcast production by Maura Currie.
Want more Hear Me Out? Subscribe to Slate Plus to access ad-free listening across all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of our show page. Or, visit slate.com/hearmeoutplus to get access wherever you listen.
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Mia is a professional violinist. She’s played in symphonies. She’s played in improv groups. She’s played as a form of personal exploration. But now she’s taking on a big, conceptual project that may have nothing to do with music. Instead, she wants to create a piece rooted in connection. The only problem? She doesn’t know what she wants to create. On this episode of How To!: Carvell Wallace brings in storyteller extraordinaire Michaela Leslie-Rule. Michaela talks Mia through the process of bringing a potentially overwhelming idea to life. Check out Michaela’s work with Spiritual Technologies Project, the group we mention in the episode.
If you liked this episode check out: How To Put Your Town on the Map or How To Be an Artist and Not Starve.
CAST YOUR VOTE FOR HOW TO! IN THE 2024 WEBBY AWARDS: https://vote.webbyawards.com/PublicVoting#/2024/podcasts/shows/advice-how-to
Do you have a problem that needs solving? Send us a note at [email protected] or leave us a voicemail at 646-495-4001 and we might have you on the show. Subscribe for free on Apple, Spotify or wherever you listen.
How To’s executive producer is Derek John. Joel Meyer is our senior editor/producer. The show is produced by Rosemary Belson and Kevin Bendis.
Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now at slate.com/howtoplus.
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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.
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 [email protected].
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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.)
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.
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This week, host Ronald Young Jr. talks to Linda Holmes, host of NPR’s Pop Culture Happy Hour podcast and author of two novels: Evvie Drake Starts Over and Flying Solo. In the interview, Linda explains how she started her career practicing law in Minnesota before she pivoted to TV criticism. She also talks about how NPR came to take pop culture seriously, how her work as a critic informs her writing (and vice versa), and how she has gotten much better at coming up with titles for her novels.
After the interview, Ronald and co-host Isaac Butler talk about how they handle criticism of their work.
In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Linda discusses her favorite TV show and one of her main philosophies when it comes to pop culture criticism.
Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected] or give us a call at (304) 933-9675.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews.
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 Working. Sign up now at slate.com/workingplus to help support our work.
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In this week’s essay, John Dickerson looks back on a Sunday morning in 2021, and ruminates on the empty spaces left behind by the people that once filled our lives.
Notebook Entries:
Notebook 75, page 6. September 5, 2021:
“Oh my god. We dropped our son at college and our dog is dead.” – Anne.
References:
“Sunday Morning Coming Down” by Johnny Cash
“The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock” by T.S. Eliot
“When Someone You Love is Upset, Ask This One Question” by Jancee Dunn for the New York Times
“A Case of ‘Sunday Neurosis’” by Jena McGregor for the Washington Post
“Waking Early Sunday Morning” by Robert Lowell
Master of Change: How to Excel When Everything is Changing by Brad Stulberg
Jason Isbell: Running With Our Eyes Closed
“Alabama Pines” by Jason Isbell
Podcast production by Cheyna Roth.
Host
John Dickerson
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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.
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We’re bringing you an episode of Choice Words with Samantha Bee from our friends at Lemonada Media. In this episode, Sam speaks with Queer Eye’s Karamo about the biggest choices he’s made in his life, his unconventional journey to fatherhood, and how he learned to stop living in fear. They talk about his experience as the first openly gay Black man on reality TV (remember The Real World: Philadelphia?!), how his social work background helped him land his iconic role on Queer Eye, and the best ways to invite vulnerability in men.
Follow Choice Words to never miss an episode: https://lemonada.lnk.to/choicewords
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A young Black man, wrongfully accused of sexual assault, is convicted nonetheless. Evidence that could’ve exonerated him is withheld or covered up, and he spends much of his youth in prison. It sounds like a movie-of-the-week, but it was the real life nightmare of Jarrett Adams. Throughout his incarceration, he fought for his freedom and eventually won. Now, he’s a defense attorney who helps other wrongfully convicted people find justice, and build better lives on the outside through his organization Life After Justice. On today’s episode of A Word, Jarrett Adams joins host Jason Johnson to talk about his experience with the criminal justice system, and why the punishment may continue long after a conviction is overturned.
Guest: Jarrett Adams, co-founder of the non-profit organization Life After Justice
Podcast production by Kristie Taiwo-Makanjuola
Want more A Word? Subscribe to Slate Plus to immediately access ad-free listening across all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of our show page. Or, visit slate.com/awordplus to get access wherever you listen.
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For this week’s episode of Working Overtime, hosts Ronald Young Jr. and Isaac Butler take on listener Bob’s question about how to shift your brain from editor mode to creator mode. Creating new work can be invigorating, but then having to go back and self-edit your creations can zap your creative drive. Ronald and Isaac speak about their experiences with stepping away from work and exploring different kinds of art to reinspire themselves after a taxing editing process.
Do you have questions or advice of your own about the creative process? Reach out at (304) 933-9675 or email us at [email protected].
Podcast production by Kevin Bendis and Cameron Drews.
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Political Gabfest host John Dickerson has been a journalist for more than three decades, reporting about presidential campaigns, political scandals, the evolving state of our democracy. Along the way, he’s also been recording his observations in notebooks he has carried in his back pocket. On the Navel Gazing podcast, John Dickerson invites you to join him in figuring out what these thirty years of notebooks mean: sorting out what makes a life --or a day in a life— noteworthy.
Listen to Navel Gazing every week, starting April 6th, wherever you get your podcasts.
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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 [email protected].
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 [email protected] 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
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Spring is a time for fresh starts. For a lot of us, that means spring cleaning.
But don’t worry, we’re not talking about the whole house.
This week, the Well, Now team is spring cleaning our medicine cabinets. What are some medicinal must-haves, and what things should we definitely toss?
Joining us to help tidy up is Dr. Mauricio Gonzalez, a board-certified physician in internal, emergency and obesity medicine.
If you liked this episode, check out: What “Wellness” Is and Isn’t
Podcast production by Vic Whitley-Berry with editorial oversight by Alicia Montgomery.
Send your comments and recommendations on what to cover to [email protected]
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For National Poetry Month Bryan and Jules talk to multi-hyphenate writer and performer Brontez Purnell about his new book Ten Bridges I've Burnt: A Memoir in Verse. They dig into the influence of astrophysics and forgiveness on his work, and his essay on Black Gay Pornstar Gene Lamar.
Podcast production by Palace Shaw.
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Sports betting is now mostly legal, and, if you watch sports, its advertisements are inescapable. Now, a series of scandals has rocked the professional leagues. When everyone bets, odds are – someone will cross a line.
Guest: Jay Caspian Kang, staff writer for “The New Yorker” and author of The Loneliest Americans.
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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.
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In 2021, we talked to a listener that we’re calling Tessa, who found themselves in $19,000 worth of credit card debt. When Tessa’s sister offered to pay a huge chunk of the debt, new problems arose. First, the offer didn’t bring instant peace-of-mind. Second, it wasn’t clear if paying off the debt right away was even the best solution. This week, we revisit the conversation with Tessa and her sister and reflect on what they learned about debt, family, and mental health.
If you're struggling with consumer debt, check out these resources.
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 [email protected].
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On today’s episode of Hear Me Out: housing the nation.
We have an affordable housing problem — and an affordability problem, period, but that’s another show.
When we talk about solutions to homelessness and cost burden for renters and homeowners alike, many progressives lean toward government intervention… because capitalism seems to have failed us. But has it, really? Or is for-profit development the surprising answer to affordable housing?
Jon McMillan of TF Cornerstone – and author of a chapter in Housing The Nation – joins us.
If you have thoughts you want to share, or an idea for a topic we should tackle, you can email the show: [email protected]
Podcast production by Maura Currie.
You can skip all the ads in Hear Me Out by joining Slate Plus! Sign up now at slate.com/hearmeoutplus for just $15 a month for your first three months.
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Last week we learned about using the four different styles of humor to your advantage, and who makes a good target for a joke. But what if you read the room wrong and absolutely bomb? On this episode of How To!, the second in a two-part series, we resume our conversation with Naomi Bagdonas, co-author of Humor, Seriously!, and Michael Terry, the most hilarious hedge fund guy we’ve ever met. They swap stories about office jokes that fell flat, how to navigate a suddenly tense situation and what to do if your humor accidentally offends someone (especially your boss).
If you liked this episode, check out “How To Be Funny” with comedian Gary Gulman.
If you want to discover your own humor style, take the test on Naomi and Jennifer’s website.
Do you have a joke that killed at the office, or totally bombed? Send us a note at [email protected] or leave us a voicemail at 646-495-4001.
Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now at slate.com/howtoplus.
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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.)
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.
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This week, guest-host Kristen Meinzer talks to Joshua Jay, a world-class magician, storyteller, and author of multiple books about the history and craft of magic. In the interview, Joshua explains how he’s able to conceive of, design, and execute original tricks. He also talks about the role of storytelling in his work, and he explains how certain narrative structures can make for better performances.
After the interview, Kristen and co-host June Thomas talk about Joshua’s high standards for his work and why they’re sometimes reluctant to “kill their darlings.”
In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Joshua describes different varieties of magic. He also talks about the cliche ways magicians are often portrayed in movies.
Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected] or give us a call at (304) 933-9675.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews.
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 Working. Sign up now at slate.com/workingplus to help support our work.
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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.
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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.
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In this episode, Dan Pashman (The Sporkful and Anything’s Pastable) joins Prudie (Jenée Desmond-Harris) to answer letters from readers about how to handle a person who tastes food in an unsanitary fashion and deeply annoys you while you’re trying to cook in a tiny kitchen, what to do when your dinner party invitations aren’t reciprocated, and whether two people with extremely different eating habits can have a happy life together.
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.
This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Daisy Rosario, and Jenée Desmond-Harris, with help from Maura Currie.
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The American Dream has long been out of reach for many Black people in this country. Between police violence, the lack of economic opportunity, and the threat of a second Trump term, many African Americans are considering building their dream lives in another country. And for thousands of people, Mexico is one of the top destinations. On today’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson is joined by Adam Mahoney of the CapitalB News to talk about why many Black Americans are moving south of the border, where they’re settling, and whether their new country is as welcoming as they’d hoped.
Guest: Adam Mahoney, reporter for CapitalB News
Podcast production by Kristie Taiwo-Makanjuola
Want more A Word? Subscribe to Slate Plus to immediately access ad-free listening across all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of our show page. Or, visit slate.com/awordplus to get access wherever you listen.
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A new documentary, “Quiet On Set,” looks back at Nickelodeon’s heyday, and the culture of abuse that many of its child stars were subjected to.
Guest: Kate Taylor, reporter for Business Insider and producer of “Quiet on Set.”
Want more What Next? 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.
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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 [email protected].
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
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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.
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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.
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Eating disorders are one of the most deadly psychiatric disorders.
But for decades, much of the criteria to diagnose one applied only to cisgender girls and those assigned female at birth – like a loss of menstruation. This meant that many cisgender boys and those assigned male at birth fell through the cracks.
On this week’s episode of Well, Now: The rise in eating disorders among boys and men with Dr. Jason Nagata, Associate Professor of Pediatrics at the University of California San Francisco.
Maya and Kavita will discuss how eating disorders tend to manifest differently between boys and girls, and what signs to look for if you think you or someone you know needs care.
For more information on eating disorders, you can visit the National Eating Disorders Association’s website.
If you liked this episode, check out: Breaking Up With Diet Culture
Podcast production by Vic Whitley-Berry with editorial oversight by Alicia Montgomery.
Send your comments and recommendations on what to cover to [email protected]
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In this episode, Trace Lysette (Transparent, Hustlers) talks about her critically acclaimed film Monica, with Jules. The film tells the story of a trans woman returning home after decades of estrangement from her dying mother, and was the first-ever film led by an out trans actor to debut at the Venice Film Festival. Jules talks to Trace about the layers of her performance and the rollercoaster experience of making and campaigning the film.
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On today’s episode of Hear Me Out: getting the jab.
Vaccine hesitancy is not a new phenomenon in the United States, but it is a growing one… particularly in conservative Evangelical circles.
At the same time, there’s a lot for all of us to dislike, and distrust, about the American healthcare system. So, for those of us who have a hard time working up any sympathy for the vaccine-skeptical crowd, it’s worth asking: what if this is a symptom of the problems we’re all experiencing?
Johanna Richlin of the University of Maine joins us.
If you have thoughts you want to share, or an idea for a topic we should tackle, you can email the show: [email protected]
Podcast production by Maura Currie.
You can skip all the ads in Hear Me Out by joining Slate Plus! Sign up now at slate.com/hearmeoutplus for just $15 a month for your first three months.
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This week, we’re revisiting our conversation with (now Emmy-winning) actor Niecy Nash and her wife, singer-songwriter Jessica Betts. They discuss their initial friendship, their steamy first date, the process of going public with their relationship, and much more.
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 [email protected].
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Did you know that we, as a society, have fallen off a comedy cliff? No joke. Studies have shown that we largely stop laughing when we enter our mid-twenties, which is a shame because delighting in humor has a ton of health benefits. Plus, being perceived as funny can actually make people think you’re more intelligent, more competent, and even better looking! So on this episode of How To!, the first in a two-part series, we bring on Naomi Bagdonas, co-author of Humor, Seriously!, and Michael Terry, an amateur comedian who is working in the funniest of places: high finance. Combined, they have decades of experience harnessing the power humor and applying it to the workplace.
If you liked this episode, check out “How To Confront a Crazy Neighbor” with Tig Notaro.
If you want to discover your own humor style, take the test on Naomi and Jennifer’s website.
Do you have a question with no easy answers? Send us a note at [email protected] or leave us a voicemail at 646-495-4001 and we might have you on the show.
Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now at slate.com/howtoplus.
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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.)
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.
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On this episode: Zak, Jamilah and Lucy offer some quick advice to a listener who’s wondering how to help a young student with possible ADHD focus up, particularly about homework.
Then, Elizabeth sits down with Australian author Sally Rippin to discuss her book Wild Things — the story of her neurodivergent son’s struggles in school, and why it’s important to help kids learn when they need it.
Zak, Jamilah and Lucy also share a round of recommendations — and then, for Slate Plus, Elizabeth and Sally continue their conversation by sharing some recommendations for young readers.
Jamilah recommends: The 50/50 Solution The Surprisingly Simple Choice that Makes Moms, Dads and Kids Happier After a Split by Emma Johnson
Lucy recommends: WomensHistoryMonth.gov
Zak recommends: School of Rock (2003)
Join us on Facebook and email us at [email protected] to ask us new questions, tell us what you thought of today’s show, and give us ideas about what we should talk about in future episodes. You can also call our phone line: (646) 357-9318.
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 Care and Feeding. Sign up now at slate.com/careplus to help support our work.
Podcast produced by Maura Currie.
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This week, host June Thomas talks to Courtney Gilbert, curator of the Sun Valley Museum of Art in Ketchum, Idaho. In the interview, Courtney digs into the process of curating a “non-collecting” museum, which means they start from scratch with each exhibition, and they don’t keep a large inventory of pieces. She also explains how she comes up with ideas for exhibitions, what a good exhibition should do, and how she serves her specific community.
After the interview, June and co-host Isaac Butler talk about the importance of creating guidelines and best-practices for their work.
In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Courntey discusses her education and career journey.
Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected] or give us a call at (304) 933-9675.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews.
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 Working. Sign up now at slate.com/workingplus to help support our work.
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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.
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Despite the blackouts, moderator revolts, and long string of controversies, Reddit remains an active, healthy website. As the site goes public this week, can it remain that way?
Guest: Priya Anand, Bloomberg News tech reporter.
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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Myrlie Evers was arguably the first civil rights widow, a woman who was plunged into activism after the assassination of her husband—Mississippi NAACP field secretary Medgar Evers—in 1963. She survived to become a leader of the movement in her own right. But what’s less well known is the remarkable story of how the couple came together, and how their love endures, decades after his death. On today’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson is joined by journalist Joy-Ann Reid to talk about her book, Medgar & Myrlie: Medgar Evers and the Love Story That Awakened America.
Guest: Joy-Ann Reid, host of MSNBC’s The ReidOut
Podcast production by Ahyiana Angel
Want more A Word? Subscribe to Slate Plus to immediately access ad-free listening across all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of our show page. Or, visit slate.com/awordplus to get access wherever you listen.
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In this episode, Joel Anderson (host of Slow Burn and writer of Emotional Investment) joins Prudie (Jenée Desmond-Harris) to answer letters from readers about when to stop funding a “train wreck” daughter’s lifestyle, how to deal with watching your parents take expensive vacations when you’re broke, and whether to seek replacement costs when a friend’s drunk uncle destroys your expensive guitar.
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.
This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Daisy Rosario, and Jenée Desmond-Harris, with help from Maura Currie.
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For this week’s episode of Working Overtime, the hosts Ronald Young Jr. and June Thomas, take out their microscopes and examine what gives them purpose and where it comes from. For Ronald, finding creative independence led him to self-publish his own podcast, despite the financial risks, while June moved across the pond to write her book. With any creative pursuits it's important to know why we’re doing the thing we’re doing so we can understand our goals and what sacrifices we might have to make to achieve them.
Do you have questions or advice of your own about the creative process?
Reach out at (304) 933-9675 or email us at [email protected].
Podcast production by Kevin Bendis and Cameron Drews.
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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:
Email us at [email protected].
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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While most of the world moves on from Covid-19, millions of Americans remain in limbo: Those living with Long Covid.
Long Covid symptoms are vast and can impact all parts of the body: from gastrointestinal tract issues and fatigue to autoimmune inflammation and cognitive impairment.
On this week’s episode of Well, Now – Kavita and Maya talk with Dr. Wes Ely, an ICU physician based in Nashville, Tenn.
As the co-director of the Critical Illness, Brain Dysfunction and Survivorship Center, he is one of many doctors demanding our country’s leaders not to leave their patients behind.
If you liked this episode, check out: Life After Lockdown
Podcast production by Vic Whitley-Berry with editorial oversight by Alicia Montgomery.
Send your comments and recommendations on what to cover to [email protected].
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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.
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This week, we’re sharing more of our interview with Trans rights activist and ACLU Lawyer Chase Strangio. In this episode, Bryand and Jules ask Chase about his recent New York Times op-ed Trans Visibility Is Nice. Safety Is Even Better. They also talk about how hyper-visibility does not equate safety, and what we all risk losing when we lose trans rights.
Email us at [email protected]
Podcast production by Palace Shaw.
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On today’s episode of Hear Me Out: talk it out.
Talking about therapy isn’t taboo anymore — and that’s great, because everyone deserves help when they need it. The question is… do you really need it?
Dr. Richard Friedman of Weill Cornell Medicine wrote a piece for The Atlantic last month, headlined ”Plenty of People Could Quit Therapy Right Now.” So why is that the case… and what are the consequences of getting therapy when you don’t need it?
Dr. Friedman joins us to discuss.
If you have thoughts you want to share, or an idea for a topic we should tackle, you can email the show: [email protected]
Podcast production by Maura Currie.
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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.
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 [email protected].
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Forgetfulness. Repetitiveness. Confusion. Dementia is a long, painful road for both the person living with it, caregivers, and their additional loved ones. Mara’s mom just received her diagnosis and Mara is wondering what is next for their family. She turned to our host Courtney Martin for guidance—since Courtney is going through the same thing with her father.
On this episode of How To!: Courtney and Mara are joined by Tami Anastasia, author of Essential Strategies for the Dementia Caregiver. As a dementia consultant, Tami helps families support each other and find the beautiful moments in this painful journey.
If you liked this episode check out: How To Make Aging Easier for Everyone
Do you have a problem that needs solving? Send us a note at [email protected] or leave us a voicemail at 646-495-4001 and we might have you on the show. Subscribe for free on Apple, Spotify or wherever you listen.
How To’s executive producer is Derek John. Joel Meyer is our senior editor/producer. The show is produced by Rosemary Belson.
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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.
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This week, host Ronald Young Jr. talks to Bekah Brunstetter, a TV writer and playwright whose most recent project is the new Broadway musical version of The Notebook. In the interview, Bekah discusses her early career journey, when she was juggling a corporate job with her playwriting passion. She also talks about breaking into TV writing and working on the hit drama This is Us. And finally, she digs into her work on The Notebook and explains what it was like to adapt the classic rom-com.
After the interview, Ronald and co-host June Thomas talk about receiving feedback, establishing routines, and choosing the correct creative tools for your project.
In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Bekah shares the plot of the first play she ever wrote. Then she and Ronald talk about their experiences growing up in religious households and the impact it had on their cultural diets.
Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected] or give us a call at (304) 933-9675.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews.
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 Working. Sign up now at slate.com/workingplus to help support our work.
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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.
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Emily Bazelon talks with author Tana French about her new book, The Hunter. They discuss the different perspectives French uses throughout her books, how French happened into writing mysteries, writing as an outsider to Ireland, and more.
Tweet us your questions @SlateGabfest or email us at [email protected]. (Messages could be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.)
Podcast production by Cheyna Roth.
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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.
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TikTok’s connection to the Chinese government has been a Washington talking point since the Trump administration, but earlier this month lawmakers in the House introduced a bill requiring the app’s parent company to either divest the company into American hands—or be banned.
Guest: Emily Baker-White, technology reporter and senior writer at Forbes.
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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In this episode, Michael Arceneaux (I Can’t Date Jesus and I Finally Bought Some Jordans) joins Prudie (Jenée Desmond-Harris) to answer letters from readers about an interracial couple’s debate over African-centered home decor, how to cope with homesickness for a place you don’t actually want to live, and whether it’s fair to cut off an ex.
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.
This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Daisy Rosario, and Jenée Desmond-Harris, with help from Maura Currie.
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Beyoncé has announced that the second act of Renaissance will be a country album. “Cowboy Carter” is set for release at the end of March, Women’s History Month. Beyoncé has already made history as the first Black woman to top the country charts with “Texas Hold ‘Em,” and recently received Dolly Parton’s blessing to cover her classic song, Jolene.
While Beyoncé may seem to be breaking new ground, much of country music has always been rooted in African American culture, and Black women have been singing country for decades. On today’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson is joined by DePaul University Professor Francesca Royster, the author of Black Country Music: Listening for Revolutions. They talk about the history of Black women in country music, the racial tension that has kept many African American fans away from the genre, and whether this moment represents a new era for Black country artists.
Guest: Professor Francesca Royster, author of Black Country Music: Listening for Revolutions
Podcast production by Kristie Taiwo-Makanjuola
Want more A Word? Subscribe to Slate Plus to immediately access ad-free listening across all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of our show page. Or, visit slate.com/awordplus to get access wherever you listen.
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On March 11, 2020, the World Health Organization named Covid-19 a pandemic, and public health around the globe changed forever.
Countries shut down their borders, businesses closed and furloughed workers, and millions of students went to remote learning. Two years in, more than one million Americans lost their lives.
This week on Well, Now we mark this grim anniversary by talking about what we have and haven’t learned about this world-changing virus with one of the epidemiologists who first began sounding the alarm about Covid-19: Dr. Eric Feigl-Ding.
Podcast production by Vic Whitley-Berry with editorial oversight by Alicia Montgomery.
Send your comments and recommendations on what to cover to [email protected].
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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 [email protected].
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.
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2023 was a record-breaking year for anti-trans legislation and with over 500 bills introduced in 2024 it’s shaping up to be another critical year for statutory rights for trans people. This week, Bryan and Jules review the damage done in 2023 and look at the implications for anti-trans legislation this year with Chase Strangio, Deputy Director for Transgender Justice with the ACLU's LGBT & HIV Project.
Email us at [email protected]
Podcast production by Palace Shaw.
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Kate Middleton’s on-going absence has the internet tied in knots, and the heavily edited photo that the royal family released—and then rescinded—only made things worse. What do we know about the Princess of Wales’s whereabouts?
Guest: Imogen West-Knights, contributing writer for Slate based in London.
Want more What Next? 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.
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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.
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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.
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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On today’s episode of Hear Me Out: the purity test.
Purity, in political science, doesn’t have anything to do with morality. It has to do with whether your policy aligns with your principles.
From “Bernie Bros” to the uncommitted vote against Biden, we’ve seen progressives protect ideological purity… and punish stances that don’t align. An all-or-nothing stance on issues like universal healthcare and student loan forgiveness might sound appealing to voters. But does it doom progress, practically, if an increment isn’t good enough?
Shaniqua McClendon, VP of Politics for Crooked Media, joins us to argue against progressive purity politics.
If you have thoughts you want to share, or an idea for a topic we should tackle, you can email the show: [email protected]
Podcast production by Maura Currie.
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Shannon is set to become an ordained minister—but she has always struggled with public speaking. Here’s the thing: She’s fine in front of large gatherings. In smaller gatherings, however, she mentally “freezes up” and rambles until she regains her train of thought. As Shannon prepares to start interacting with a congregation, Courtney Martin sits her down with former How To! host Charles Duhigg, author of Supercommunicators: How to Unlock the Secret Language of Connection. Charles gives Shannon the tools to understand others and be understood herself.
If you liked this episode check out: How To Speak Up So Others Listen
Do you have a problem that needs solving? Send us a note at [email protected] or leave us a voicemail at 646-495-4001 and we might have you on the show. Subscribe for free on Apple, Spotify or wherever you listen.
How To’s executive producer is Derek John. Joel Meyer is our senior editor/producer. The show is produced by Rosemary Belson and Kevin Bendis.
Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now at slate.com/howtoplus.
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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.
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 [email protected].
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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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This week, host Isaac Butler talks to Howard Fine, an acting teacher and coach who instructs both beginners and accomplished movie stars. In the interview, Howard explains why he chose to teach and coach, instead of act. Then he discusses the common problems that his students and clients face, and he explains how actors can protect their mental health, even when they need to go to challenging emotional places.
After the interview, Isaac and co-host Ronald Young Jr. discuss the emotional toll that acting can take on performers, and Isaac shares a personal story about his experience as a young actor.
In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Howard talks about a role he helped Brad Pitt with and how his approach to Pitt’s character differed from the director’s. He also explains how he tailors his coaching to specific actors.
Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected] or give us a call at (304) 933-9675.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews.
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 Working. Sign up now at slate.com/workingplus to help support our work.
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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.
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Thousands of songs have disappeared from TikTok in recent months as music giant Universal Music Group, or UMG, has pulled its catalog from the app. UMG claims that TikTok is a music platform, and that TikTok needs to pay more to license its music. TikTok claims they're a marketing platform that helps labels promote their artists. But while the two sides argue over contract negotiations for licensing music on the video platform, many artists are left scrambling.
Guest: Ethan Millman, staff writer at Rolling Stone covering the music industry.
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.
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March is Women’s History Month, and for centuries, the roles of Black women in key moments of American history have been diminished. One book that takes a unique approach to exploring their stories is Wake: The Hidden History of Women-Led Slave Revolts. The book combines historical narrative with illustrations depicting African and African American women rising up against their enslavers, often at the cost of their own lives. On today’s episode of A Word, host Jason Johnson is joined by Wake’s author, attorney and educator Rebecca Hall. They discuss the leading role many Black women played in slave uprisings, and the complicated politics that have kept their stories hidden for so long.
Guest: Rebecca Hall, author of Wake: The Hidden History of Women-Led Slave Revolts
Podcast production by Kristie Taiwo-Makanjuola.
Want more A Word? Subscribe to Slate Plus to immediately access ad-free listening across all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of our show page. Or, visit slate.com/awordplus to get access wherever you listen.
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In this episode, Aubrey Gordon (who you may also know as “Your Fat Friend”) joins Prudie (Jenée Desmond-Harris) to answer letters from readers about how to handle unwanted comments about Ozempic-fueled weight loss, how to get people to stop talking so much, and how to deal with the stress of a unconventional—and potentially disruptive—wedding guest.
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.
This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Daisy Rosario, and Jenée Desmond-Harris, with help from Maura Currie.
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For this week’s episode of Working Overtime, the hosts Ronald Young Jr. and June Thomas talk money, finances, and getting paid as a freelancer in a tough economy. Filling out invoices the right way or sending a payment reminder email to an employer can turn into a sticky situation. Ronald and June recount their own frustrating experiences with not getting paid on time and how best to avoid them in the future.
Do you have questions or advice of your own about the creative process? Reach out at (304) 933-9675 or email us at [email protected].
Podcast production by Kevin Bendis and Cameron Drews.
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In this episode Bryan speaks with Reporter Jessica Bateman about her recent Washington Post article ‘They found spiritual joy. They won’t have it taken away. That details the importance of LGBTQ-affirming churches in Tennessee and the challenges they face.
Email us at [email protected]
Podcast production by Palace Shaw.
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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 [email protected].
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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It’s impossible to ignore the impact of climate change. Sea levels are rising, and natural disasters like hurricanes and wildfires are increasing in strength and number each year.
A major contributor to a warming planet is the way we’re processing our food. So on this week’s episode of Well, Now we discuss ways to eat a full, balanced diet while keeping the health of the planet in mind with registered dietitian nutritionist Chris Vogliano.
If you liked this episode, check out: Breaking Up With Diet Culture
Podcast production by Vic Whitley-Berry with editorial oversight by Alicia Montgomery.
Send your comments and recommendations on what to cover to [email protected]
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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.
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On today’s episode of Hear Me Out… Parliamentary America?
It’s Super Tuesday, and the process by which we elect a president is on full display (warts and all). Americans on both sides of the aisle agree that the electoral college has to go. But what should replace it?
Maxwell Stearns, author of Parliamentary America: The Least Radical Means of Radically Repairing Our Broken Democracy (out 3/5/2024), presents his case for restructuring American government to look more like a parliamentary system — and, in the process, to take presidential elections out of the hands of voters and conventions and into the hands of elected coalitions.
If you have thoughts you want to share, or an idea for a topic we should tackle, you can email the show: [email protected]
Podcast production by Maura Currie.
You can skip all the ads in Hear Me Out by joining Slate Plus! Sign up now at slate.com/hearmeoutplus for just $15 a month for your first three months.
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When Patti retired a few months ago, everyone told her she would love the freedom and flexibility that came with leaving the workforce. Not so. The transition has left Patti grieving the loss of her routine and sense of purpose—and she’s wondering how to find fulfillment in life’s (gulp!) third act. On today’s episode, Courtney Martin welcomes Brad Stulberg, author of Master of Change: How to Excel When Everything Is Changing—Including You. Brad helps Patti rethink this massive transformation and emerge from it stronger.
If you liked this episode check out: How To Start Over at 60.
Do you have a problem that needs solving? Send us a note at [email protected] or leave us a voicemail at 646-495-4001 and we might have you on the show. Subscribe for free on Apple, Spotify or wherever you listen.
How To’s executive producer is Derek John. Joel Meyer is our senior editor/producer. The show is produced by Rosemary Belson and Kevin Bendis.
Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now at slate.com/howtoplus.
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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.
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 [email protected].
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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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This week, host June Thomas talks to Anna Shechtman, a crossword puzzle creator whose new book is called The Riddles of the Sphinx: Inheriting the Feminist History of the Crossword Puzzle. In the interview, Anna talks about her experience writing crossword puzzles as a teenager and then going on to work with New York Times puzzle maker Will Shortz. She also discusses the subjectivity of “common knowledge” and recalls debates with Shortz about which words and phrases were puzzle-worthy.
After the interview, June and co-host Ronald Young Jr. talk more about crosswords and the ever-expanding pool of “common knowledge.”
In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Anna shares how much crossword puzzle creators get paid. She also discusses a more sensitive topic: her struggle with anorexia, which coincided with her early interest in crossword puzzles.
Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected] or give us a call at (304) 933-9675.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews.
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 Working. Sign up now at slate.com/workingplus to help support our work.
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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.
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In this episode, Jay Smooth (Underground Railroad and Think Twice: Michael Jackson) joins Prudie (Jenée Desmond-Harris) to answer letters from readers about how to find empathy for deeply unreasonable people who are totally wrong, how to navigate becoming a parent by accident, and how to reach out to support a friend without being “a cringey white person.”
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.
This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Daisy Rosario, and Jenée Desmond-Harris, with help from Maura Currie.
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Environmentalism has long been viewed as a preoccupation of white, educated, affluent voters. But climate change disproportionally impacts communities of color. Now a new generation of activists is building political awareness around environmentalism in the Black community. That’s part of the mission of the Hip Hop Caucus, a group that’s been working for decades to activate young voters around climate justice as a civil rights issue. On today’s episode of A Word, Hip Hop Caucus leader Reverend Lennox Yearwood Jr. joins host Jason Johnson to talk about the impact of environmental policy on Black Americans, and how to harness political power around the issue.
Guest: Reverend Lennox Yearwood Jr., chief of the Hip Hop Caucus
Podcast production by Kristie Taiwo-Makanjuola
Want more A Word? Subscribe to Slate Plus to immediately access ad-free listening across all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of our show page. Or, visit slate.com/awordplus to get access wherever you listen.
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On this episode: Jamilah sits down with Andie and Sabrina of Pop Culture Moms, ABC’s newest podcast. The three talk through the origins of the show (and Andie and Sabrina’s friendship), and the onscreen moms who shaped our understanding of motherhood.
We’ll also debrief on our week in parenting with a round of triumphs and fails… including some stories about learning to shower, a shower of [redacted bodily fluid], and choosing clothes for a preteen.
Join us on Facebook and email us at [email protected] to ask us new questions, tell us what you thought of today’s show, and give us ideas about what we should talk about in future episodes. You can also call our phone line: (646) 357-9318.
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 Care and Feeding. Sign up now at slate.com/careplus to help support our work.
Podcast produced by Maura Currie, with special thanks to Rosemary Belson.
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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 [email protected].
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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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.
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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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The U.S. healthcare system can split the country into two Americas.
Your zip code, education, class status and more all play a role in the outcome of your health as well as the kind of care you receive.
Fewer markers more clearly define these disparities than race.
On this week’s episode of Well, Now Maya and Kavita talk about racism in American healthcare with Dr. Uché Blackstock.
Her new book Legacy: A Black Physician Reckons with Racism in Medicine gives a historical view of how racism has always played a role in U.S. healthcare.
This book is also a memoir of her own experience as a physician carrying on the legacy of her late mother, Dr. Dale Gloria Blackstock.
Health Resources Mentioned in the Episode:
Podcast production by Vic Whitley-Berry with editorial oversight by Alicia Montgomery.
Send your comments and recommendations on what to cover to [email protected]
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From 52 first dates to 8 boyfriends at once, Ashley Ray is a poly expert here to answer your relationship questions and demystify some poly terms. Today, Bryan and Ashley dive into the perils of unicorn hunters, metamour drama, and what to do with jealous feelings.
Email us at [email protected]
Podcast production by Palace Shaw.
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On today’s episode of Hear Me Out… are journalists killing democracy?
Mainstream news outlets are starting to move away from horse race election coverage and toward policy substance. Though it’s a slow change, it’s heralded by much of the news industry as a good one. But what if the horse race was never really the problem?
Journalist and writer Chris Cillizza joins us to defend the horse race.
If you have thoughts you want to share, or an idea for a topic we should tackle, you can email the show: [email protected]
Podcast production by Maura Currie.
You can skip all the ads in Hear Me Out by joining Slate Plus! Sign up now at slate.com/hearmeoutplus for just $15 a month for your first three months.
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Our series about friendship ends with a look at, well, how friendships end.
Alice and Grace connected when their kids started dating. They became fast friends whose family lives were intertwined—in a good way. They even joked that they might end up raising grandchildren together. When the kids broke up, Alice and Grace broke apart, too. Now, Alice is wondering whether she should fight for her cherished relationship or just move on. On today’s episode, Carvell Wallace brings on Carissa Potter, an author and artist who founded People I’ve Loved and hosts the podcast Bad at Keeping Secrets.
Miss last week’s episode? Learn how to evolve your friendships. If you’re enjoying this series, check out our other friendship episodes:
How To Make Friends as an Adult
How To Make Friends… Like a Man
How To Show Up For a Friend With Cancer
Do you have a problem that needs solving? Send us a note at [email protected] or leave us a voicemail at 646-495-4001 and we might have you on the show. Subscribe for free on Apple, Spotify or wherever you listen.
How To’s executive producer is Derek John. Joel Meyer is our senior editor/producer. The show is produced by Rosemary Belson and Kevin Bendis.
Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now at slate.com/howtoplus.
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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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This week, host Ronald Young Jr. talks to chef and TV personality Carla Hall. In the interview, Carla talks about leaving her first career as an accountant to explore modeling and then cooking. Then she discusses her pivot to TV, her commitment to being herself on screen, and her latest project Chasing Flavor, which is now available to stream on Max.
After the interview, Ronald and co-host Isaac Butler talk about big career pivots, big personalities, and their goal as extroverts to make space for other people
In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Carla shares some of her favorite dishes and talks about what it was like to be a model in Paris.
Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected] or give us a call at (304) 933-9675.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews.
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 Working. Sign up now at slate.com/workingplus to help support our work.
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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 podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Daisy Rosario, Candice Lim and Rachelle Hampton.
ICYMI is sponsored by BetterHelp.
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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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The American obsession with categorizing people by race isn’t just a problem for our institutions. For multi-racial and multi-ethnic Americans, it can be intensely personal. On today’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson is joined by journalist Natasha Alford. She shares her own unique experience navigating America’s complicated ideas about race in her new book, American Negra: A Memoir. Alford shares how her African American and Puerto Rican heritage shaped her understanding of race in her early life, and how those ideas were challenged when she attended Harvard University and later became a journalist.
Guest: Natasha Alford, author of American Negra: A Memoir
Podcast production by Kristie Taiwo-Makanjuola
Want more A Word? Subscribe to Slate Plus to immediately access ad-free listening across all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of our show page. Or, visit slate.com/awordplus to get access wherever you listen.
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In this episode, Jenny Hagel (Jenny Hagel Gives Advice and Late Night Trash Can with Jenny Hage) joins Prudie (Jenée Desmond-Harris) to answer letters from readers about how to react to tacky gifts from your ex-husband’s girlfriend, what it means when your date says, “our energies didn’t mesh,” and whether to call out a friend who inexplicably lies about having a master’s degree.
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.
This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Daisy Rosario, and Jenée Desmond-Harris, with help from Maura Currie.
Dear Prudence is sponsored by BetterHelp.
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Iowa’s Caitlin Clark has scored more points than any other NCAA women’s basketball player in history, but her impact extends even further than her substantial range on the court.
Guest: Hayley McGoldrick, associate editor at Sportsnet.
Want more What Next? 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.
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For this week’s episode of Working Overtime, the hosts June Thomas and Isaac Butler dissect The Yang Slinger author Jeff Pearlman’s recent prickly advice to young professionals. Then, June and Isaac expound on their experiences of dishing out and seeking advice from others. They dig into the right and wrong ways to reach out to people in creative fields and share tips like having a sense of humility, always being specific, and never feeling discouraged from a lack of responses.
Do you have questions or advice of your own about the creative process? Reach out at (304) 933-9675 or email us at [email protected].
Podcast production by Kevin Bendis and Cameron Drews.
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This week, Bryan is joined by Slate’s Madeline Ducharme to solve the mystery of True Detective: Night Country’s queer undertones. Together, they whip out the detective corkboard and read between the lines of Jodie Foster’s ‘mommie’-like character and Kali Reis’ cheek piercings and come up with some interesting theories.
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Stress is all around us, but that doesn’t mean it needs to run our entire lives. According to Dr. Romie Mushtaq – a neurologist turned corporate wellness consultant – the main culprit behind our culture of stress is what she calls a “busy brain.”
This week on Well, Now Dr. Kavita Patel and Maya Feller, RDN talk with Dr. Mushtaq about curing our busy brains and her latest book The Busy Brain Cure: The Eight-Week Plan to Find Focus, Tame Anxiety and Sleep Again.
If you liked this episode, check out: What We Get Wrong About Love
Podcast production by Vic Whitley-Berry with editorial oversight by Alicia Montgomery.
Send your comments and recommendations on what to cover to [email protected]
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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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This week, Bryan is joined by Slate’s Madeline Ducharme to solve the mystery of True Detective: Night Country’s queer undertones. Together, they whip out the detective corkboard and read between the lines of Jodie Foster’s ‘mommie’-like character and Kali Reis’ cheek piercings and come up with some interesting theories.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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 [email protected].
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
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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.
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On today’s episode of Hear Me Out… making (fourteen) points.
A piece in this month’s issue of the Atlantic argues that it’s time to re-evaluate the presidency of Woodrow Wilson. President Wilson was indisputably a productive president — but he’s now reviled by the left as a racist and the right as a tyrant. Is there room to meet somewhere in the middle?
David Frum of the Atlantic joins us to argue that, yes: it’s time to un-cancel Woodrow Wilson.
If you have thoughts you want to share, or an idea for a topic we should tackle, you can email the show: [email protected]
Podcast production by Maura Currie.
You can skip all the ads in Hear Me Out by joining Slate Plus! Sign up now at slate.com/hearmeoutplus for just $15 a month for your first three months.
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In part two of our series on friendship, we’re looking at how to revitalize a relationship that began in a previous phase of life.
Michelle and Blair became fast friends in grad school. That bond survived graduation, marriages, and even a cross-country move. They now live just a short drive from one another—but things have never felt so distant. Michelle wants to know how to evolve their friendship to be more compatible with the present day. On today’s episode, Courtney Martin brings on Rhaina Cohen, author of The Other Significant Others: Reimagining Life with Friendship at the Center. Rhaina will help Michelle—and all of us—prepare for a daunting conversation.
Miss last week’s episode? Learn how to expand your horizons with new, cross-generational friendships. If you’re enjoying this series, check out our other friendship episodes:
How To Make Friends as an Adult
How To Make Friends… Like a Man
How To Show Up For a Friend With Cancer
Do you have a problem that needs solving? Send us a note at [email protected] or leave us a voicemail at 646-495-4001 and we might have you on the show. Subscribe for free on Apple, Spotify or wherever you listen.
How To’s executive producer is Derek John. Joel Meyer is our senior editor/producer. The show is produced by Rosemary Belson and Kevin Bendis.
Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now at slate.com/howtoplus.
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This week, host Isaac Butler talks to writer Amitava Kumar, whose latest novel is My Beloved Life. In the interview, Amitava discusses his habit of writing every day—a habit he strongly recommends to his students at Vassar College. Then he shares the process behind his new novel and explains how he drew upon other novels for inspiration.
After the interview, Isaac and co-host Ronald Young Jr. talk about daily writing practices, how to establish a writing voice, and much more.
In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Isaac and Amitava talk about how much they love novels about ordinary life.
Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected] or give us a call at (304) 933-9675.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews.
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 Working. Sign up now at slate.com/workingplus to help support our work.
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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.
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This week, Felix Salmon, Emily Peck and Elizabeth Spiers explain why factories, energy, stimulus money, and immigration have helped the U.S. economy succeed where its rivals struggle. Also: The failed Universal Music deal that silenced Taylor Swift music on TikTok, and why a typo by Lyft was the scourge of after-hours traders. In the Plus segment: Why is chocolate chip ice cream so hard to find?
If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get an ad-free experience across the network and an additional segment of our show every week. You’ll also be supporting the work we do here on Slate Money. Sign up now at slate.com/moneyplus to help support our work.
Podcast production by Jared Downing and Cheyna Roth.
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David Plotz talks with author Kiley Reid about her new book, Come & Get It. They discuss how money can work in the same way as language, writing realistic dialogue, and the things we can’t let go of.
Tweet us your questions @SlateGabfest or email us at [email protected]. (Messages could be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.)
Podcast production by Cheyna Roth.
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The promise of artificial intelligence in medicine is that it can reduce the influence of human error and bias in health care. But there’s growing concern that A.I. in medicine –as in other fields– can reflect the biases and lack of diversity among its creators. And that can have life threatening consequences for African American patients. On today’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson is joined by Margo Snipe, a health reporter for CapitalB News. They discuss how A.I. can sometimes fuel medical racism, and reasons to hope that it can change.
Guest: Margo Snipe, health journalist for CapitalB News
Podcast production by Kristie Taiwo-Makanjuola
You can skip all the ads in A Word by joining Slate Plus. Sign up now at slate.com/awordplus for $15 for your first three months.
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In this episode, Jenna Wortham (Black Futures and Still Processing) joins Prudie (Jenée Desmond-Harris) to answer letters from readers about how to get over a crush, what to do about a fiancé’s sneaky candy bar habit, and how to cope when your best friend’s secret social media reveals that she’s an unapologetic bigot who hates pretty much everyone.
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.
This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Daisy Rosario, and Jenée Desmond-Harris, with help from Maura Currie.
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This Valentine’s Day Poet Cyrée Jarelle Johnson is joined by Outward producer Palace Shaw to share poems and chat about the inherent queerness of poetry and romance. They get into disabled approaches to sex, the trope of the queer doppelganger date, and give some advice to all the queer lovers out there.
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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.
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In this special Valentine’s Day episode, Anna revisits a conversation she had with former Senator Al Simpson and his wife Ann, who provided some much-needed relationship advice at a crucial moment in Anna’s life.
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 [email protected].
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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 [email protected].
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
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On this week’s episode of Well, Now’s ditching the flowers and grand romantic gestures we often see on Valentine’s Day.
There’s tons of research about how loving relationships contribute to wellness, as well as how lacking those relationships can play a part in adverse health outcomes. But what if our entire understanding of love is misguided?
Kavita and Maya talk with relationship expert Dr. Sara Nasserzadeh about what she says are the six components for creating real, long-lasting intimate relationships. Her latest book is called Love By Design: Six Ingredients to Build a Lifetime of Love.
If you liked this episode, check out: What “Wellness” Is and Isn’t
Podcast production by Vic Whitley-Berry with editorial oversight by Alicia Montgomery.
Send your comments and recommendations on what to cover to [email protected]
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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.
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This Valentine’s Day Poet Cyrée Jarelle Johnson is joined by Outward producer Palace Shaw to share poems and chat about the inherent queerness of poetry and romance. They get into disabled approaches to sex, the trope of the queer doppelganger date, and give some advice to all the queer lovers out there.
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Though most Americans have problems with the way this country is run, the Constitution remains popular — and untouchable, in our nation of laws. But it’s often difficult to solve 21st century problems with an 18th century document.
Aaron Tang, author and professor of law at UC Davis, joins us once again to argue that, instead of aligning with the Constitution, courts should try to cause the least permanent harm possible.
If you have thoughts you want to share, or an idea for a topic we should tackle, you can email the show: [email protected]
Podcast production by Maura Currie.
You can skip all the ads in Hear Me Out by joining Slate Plus! Sign up now at slate.com/hearmeoutplus for just $15 a month for your first three months.
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Love typically reigns in February. But, here at How To!, we are giving friendship its due. For the next three episodes, we’re going to teach you how to find friends in surprising places, how to grow and change in your friendship during life transitions, and even how to recover from a friendship breakup.
So today we’re starting with a potential cure for our epidemic of loneliness: intergenerational friendships. Emily is in her early 20s and has been rethinking who she considers to be potential friends. On this episode of How To!, Courtney Martin brings on Marci Alboher, a friend and VP at CoGenerate, an organization that brings generations together. She’s got some amazing tips for finding connections across ages.
Make sure to tune in next week to learn how to evolve your friendship. In the meantime, check out:
How To Make Friends as an Adult
How To Make Friends… Like a Man
How To Show Up For a Friend With Cancer
Do you have a problem that needs solving? Send us a note at [email protected] or leave us a voicemail at 646-495-4001 and we might have you on the show. Subscribe for free on Apple, Spotify or wherever you listen.
How To’s executive producer is Derek John. Joel Meyer is our senior editor/producer. The show is produced by Rosemary Belson and Kevin Bendis.
Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now at slate.com/howtoplus.
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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.
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For a while, it seemed like the only place to meet potential partners was through an app—Tinder, Hinge, Bumble, etc. But as the apps are trying to monetize their matchmaking—and some users now with a whole decade of striking out under their belts—old-fashioned meet-cutes-in-bars or, say, debutante balls look more and more appealing.
Guests:
Katherine Lindsay, culture writer and cofounder of Embedded
Rachael Stein, dating-app spelunker
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.
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This week, host June Thomas talks to writer Adam Sisman about his two biographies of the late spy novelist John le Carré. In the interview, Adam discusses how he managed to land such an exciting project and how he was granted so much access to le Carré, whose real name was David Cornwell. He also talks about his friendly but complicated relationship with le Carre and some surprising findings that almost derailed the whole project.
After the interview, June and co-host Isaac Butler share research tips for nonfiction book projects.
In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Adam explains the importance of in-person interviewing.
Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected] or give us a call at (304) 933-9675.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews.
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 Working. Sign up now at slate.com/workingplus to help support our work.
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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.
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BREAKING NEWS: Felix Salmon paid money to watch the Taylor Swift concert movie, he reveals it in a tell-all chat with Emily Peck and Elizabeth Spiers. They discuss CEO Bob Iger’s efforts to keep Disney the fairest entertainment company in the land and why New York Community Bank’s financial straits could be a win for ordinary renters. Also, has the backlash against the SAT test been misguided? Dartmouth thinks so. In the Plus segment, the gang explains Superbowl commercial trends.
If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get an ad-free experience across the network and an additional segment of our show every week. You’ll also be supporting the work we do here on Slate Money. Sign up now at slate.com/moneyplus to help support our work.
Podcast production by Jared Downing and Cheyna Roth.
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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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In this episode, Gia Peppers (Healed Girl Era and More Than That) joins Prudie (Jenée Desmond-Harris) to answer letters from readers about how to set boundaries with your friend now boss, how to help a friend who won’t help herself, and to determine if there’s a red flag in a work-spouse relationship.
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.
This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Daisy Rosario, and Jenée Desmond-Harris, with help from Maura Currie.
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The 1989 murder of Carol Stuart in Boston became a national story, fueled by anxiety over urban crime. The city’s police broke down doors in the Black community, strip searched dozens of Black and brown men on the street, and arrested a Black suspect. Then Stuart’s husband was exposed as the killer. On today’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson is joined by Boston Globe associate editor Adrian Walker, who hosts the Murder in Boston podcast about the infamous case. They discuss the history of racial tension that led up to crime, and the lasting consequences for the families of the victim, the killer, and the wrongfully arrested Black suspect.
Guest: Adrian Walker, host of the Murder in Boston podcast
Podcast production by Ahyiana Angel
You can skip all the ads in A Word by joining Slate Plus. Sign up now at slate.com/awordplus for $15 for your first three months.
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For this week’s episode of Working Overtime, the hosts June Thomas and Isaac Butler respond to some recent listener mail. The first message is from a listener who wonders how to find an assistant to help with their workload and tasks around the home. June and Isaac offer up their own experiences and extoll the importance of making time to supervise someone you hire's work. Later they tackle another response from a listener in the publishing world, who found Isaac’s recent remarks about the pitfalls of publishing to be shortsighted.
Do you have a question about creativity? Reach out at (304) 933-9675 or email us at [email protected].
Podcast production by Kevin Bendis and Cameron Drews.
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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 [email protected].
Outro music: "Pull Me Out" by Mike Stringer.
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Super Bowl LVIII is this Sunday, amid decades of controversy surrounding football’s impact on traumatic brain injuries.
But for many athletes, these long-term effects can be felt well before making it to the pros: on high school and college teams.
On Well, Now this week: Maya and Kavita talk with physical therapist and concussion specialist John Doherty about the science surrounding youth contact sports and what we know about their relationship with brain injuries down the road.
Podcast production by Vic Whitley-Berry with editorial oversight by Alicia Montgomery.
Send your comments and recommendations on what to cover to [email protected]
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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.
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On today’s episode of Hear Me Out… dear colleague.
The way universities and colleges handle sexual assault cases has changed a lot in the last 13 years. Part of that is because of the sheer vastness of the higher education system; everyone does everything differently.
But federal guidance has also shifted with each of the last three administrations… and our guest today argues that none of those systems have worked. In fact, they’ve all been unmitigated failures.
Lara Bazelon of the University of San Francisco joins us to argue that existing systems should be burned down — and replaced with restorative justice.
If you have thoughts you want to share, or an idea for a topic we should tackle, you can email the show: [email protected]
Podcast production by Maura Currie.
You can skip all the ads in Hear Me Out by joining Slate Plus! Sign up now at slate.com/hearmeoutplus for just $15 a month for your first three months.
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In this Money Talks, Bianca Bosker, author of “Get the Picture,” chats with Felix Salmon about her adventures going undercover in the fine art world. Bianca worked as a museum security guard and gallery assistant, among other gigs, and got an inside peak at the smoke and mirrors of creating, collecting, and curating.
If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get an ad-free experience across the network and an additional segment of our show every week. You’ll also be supporting the work we do here on Slate Money. Sign up now at slate.com/moneyplus to help support our work.
Podcast production by Jared Downing and Cheyna Roth.
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Dry January has come and gone, but the conversation about alcohol—and rethinking our relationship with it—is still very much with us. This week’s listener, Natalie, wants to move past the abundance vs. abstinence debate and talk about a third option: thoughtful moderation. In this episode, Courtney Martin brings on journalist Rosamund Dean, author of Mindful Drinking: How Cutting Down Can Change Your Life and Well, Well, Well, a Substack about living better, for longer. She shares how she found moderation through mindfulness—and how you can too.
If you or someone you know is struggling with excessive drinking, consider contacting SAMHSA’s National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP. You can also find a local Alcoholics Anonymous meeting by visiting aa.org.
If you liked this episode, check out: How To Stick to Your New Year’s Resolutions
Do you have a problem that needs solving? Send us a note at [email protected] or leave us a voicemail at 646-495-4001 and we might have you on the show. Subscribe for free on Apple, Spotify or wherever you listen.
How To’s executive producer is Derek John. Joel Meyer is our senior editor/producer and our producer is Rosemary Belson.
Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now at slate.com/howtoplus.
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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.
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The number of TV streaming services is going up—and so is the cost and so are the number of ads. Cordcutters are finding themselves back to cable prices and inconveniences. And these changes don’t just impact the TV viewing experience - they impact the types of shows that get made in the first place.
Guest: Alex Cranz, managing editor at the Verge.
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.
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This week, host Isaac Butler talks to Anthony Davis, a Pulitzer Prize winning opera composer whose work includes the 1986 opera X: The Life and Times of Malcolm X, which was recently revived and produced for the Metropolitan Opera. In the interview, Anthony discusses the inspiration for X and the many genres he drew from to compose its music. He also talks about how to craft a story using music and why it’s important to him to make political art.
After the interview, Isaac and co-host June Thomas discuss creative career pivots and the act of finding inspiration from eavesdropping.
In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Anthony and Isaac talk about their mutual love of science fiction.
Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected] or give us a call at (304) 933-9675.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews.
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 Working. Sign up now at slate.com/workingplus to help support our work.
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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.
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Travel can be thrilling, relaxing, even life-changing. But planning for your big trip? Not so much. There are so many unknowns: Where to go? When is the best time? How much do you want to spend? In this special episode of How To!, founding host Charles Duhigg brings in Brady Binstadt, owner and CEO of the adventure travel company Geographic Expeditions. Brady explains how to pick the right destination, when to splurge, and how to make sure everyone will have an amazing time.
If you liked this episode, check out: How To Live Anywhere in the World
Do you have a question we can help you solve? Send us a note at [email protected] or leave us a voicemail at 646-495-4001 and we might have you on the show. Subscribe for free on Apple, Spotify or wherever you listen.
How To’s executive producer is Derek John. Joel Meyer is our senior editor/producer and our producer is Rosemary Belson.
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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In this episode, Michael Hobbes (If Books Could Kill and Maintenance Phase) joins Prudie (Jenée Desmond-Harris) to answer letters from readers about how to tell a friend they’re a horrible boss, whether a husband who won’t open the bathroom shades to give the plants light is a problem, and what to do when your friends setting you up on dates makes you think you might be a bigot.
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.
This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Daisy Rosario, and Jenée Desmond-Harris, with help from Maura Currie.
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A generation of activists –and well-meaning citizens– was pulled into intense social justice work by the murder of George Floyd in 2020. And the horrific crime, the fight for progess, and the backlash has taken a toll on their mental health. On today’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson is joined by writer and activist Ijeoma Oluo about her new book, Be a Revolution: How Everyday People Are Fighting Oppression and Changing the World--And How You Can, Too. It’s the collected wisdom of activists across a range of issues about how to do the hard and emotional work of confronting racism without losing hope.
Guest: Writer Ijeoma Oluo
Podcast production by Kristie Taiwo-Makanjuola
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For all the promise of the technology, one use-case for artificial intelligence reared its ugly head last week: non-consensual pornographic images. As millions of users saw abusive A.I. generated images of Taylor Swift proliferate across X, the pitfalls of this technology became clear.
Guest: Emanuel Maiberg, journalist and co-founder of 404 Media
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.
Check out Compiler here.
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Vince McMahon is walking away from professional wrestling, again. The WWE looks to continue without the man that built it into an institution—and shrouded it in scandal.
Guest: Dave Scherer, founder of the pro-wrestling news site, PWinsider.com.
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. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to help support our work.
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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 [email protected].
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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It’s award season in Hollywood, and it’s got the Well, Now team thinking about wellness and the entertainment industry. Can a medical drama really teach us accurate health information? Or is it all just high-stakes surgeries with beautiful actors?
Maya and Kavita talk this out with physician, showrunner and Harvard lecturer Neal Baer. He brought powerful, data-supported stories on HIV, emergency contraception, cervical cancer and more to hit cable shows like ER and Law and Order: SVU.
If you liked this episode, check out: Breaking Up With Diet Culture
Podcast production by Vic Whitley-Berry with editorial oversight by Alicia Montgomery.
Send your comments and recommendations on what to cover to [email protected]
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This week, Jules and Bryan join Slate Editor Jeffrey Bloomer to take on the spooky and surreal of All Of Us Strangers, a new film from director Andrew Haigh. Plus, prides, provocations, and delicious new additions to the gay agenda.
Podcast production by Palace Shaw.
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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.
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On today’s episode of Hear Me Out… folie à deux (again).
A few weeks ago, Frank Buckley joined us to argue that Trump voters aren’t delusional. And a lot of you disagreed.
One of you, though, turned out to be an expert in the nature of delusion. So who better to join us, and make the case that we got it wrong?
Barry Mauer, a Hear Me Out listener and associate professor at the University of Central Florida, joins us to argue that the pro-Trump movement isn’t just delusional — it’s dangerous, it’s a cult, and it has to be called what it is.
If you have thoughts you want to share, or an idea for a topic we should tackle, you can email the show: [email protected]
Podcast production by Maura Currie.
You can skip all the ads in Hear Me Out by joining Slate Plus! Sign up now at slate.com/hearmeoutplus for just $15 a month for your first three months.
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We’re constantly getting bombarded with messages about our bodies: They’re too big. They’re too small. They’re not muscular enough, not curvy enough, and so on and so on. Rebecca has lived in a bigger body all her life and she wants the messaging to stop. She’s done all the things—followed plus-size influencers, deemphasized weight from her health goals, tried to rewire how she thinks about weight. But it’s just not working. In this episode, Carvell Wallace brings in Ronald Young Jr., host of Weight For It. Ronald challenges the notion that we need to love our bodies and helps Rebecca navigate away from stigmatized “fixes” and toward a place of acceptance.
If you liked this episode, check out: How To Eat Whatever You Want and How To Love Your Face.
Do you have a problem that needs solving? Send us a note at [email protected] or leave us a voicemail at 646-495-4001 and we might have you on the show. Subscribe for free on Apple, Spotify or wherever you listen.
How To’s executive producer is Derek John. Joel Meyer is our senior editor/producer and our producer is Rosemary Belson. Special thanks to Kevin Bendis.
Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now at slate.com/howtoplus.
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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.
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This week, host June Thomas talks to children’s book author and illustrator Mika Song, whose work includes the Norma and Bellie series about two squirrels with big appetites. In the interview, Mika explains how she collects ideas just by moving around her neighborhood and jotting down notes and drawings. She also talks about her materials, her audience, and her experiences giving book presentations to her young readers.
After the interview, June and co-host Isaac Butler discuss how to find inspiration in the everyday.
In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Mika shares some of her current favorite children’s books.
Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected] or give us a call at (304) 933-9675.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews.
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 Working. Sign up now at slate.com/workingplus to help support our work.
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This week, Felix Salmon, Emily Peck, and Elizabeth Spiers discuss record-breaking rents that see most renters forking over more than 30% of their dough. Also: Infant apparel brand Kyte Baby’s maternity leave scandal, and why Josh wine is such a hit. In a British Slate Plus segment: An American professor says to put salt in our tea; Felix cries foul and explains how to make a proper English cuppa.
If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get an ad-free experience across the network and an additional segment of our show every week. You’ll also be supporting the work we do here on Slate Money. Sign up now at slate.com/moneyplus to help support our work.
Podcast production by Jared Downing and Cheyna Roth.
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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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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.
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Texas is one of the 24 states that has passed the CROWN Act. “CROWN” stands for Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair, and these laws are supposed to stop discrimination against Black people who wear their hair in natural styles. But high school senior Darryl George has been fighting suspension for months over his dreadlocks. The issue is now set to be decided in court in February. On today’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson is joined by Jennifer Wyatt Bourgeois, a professor at Lone Star College in Texas, and a research fellow at Texas Southern University’s Center for Justice Research. They discuss the specifics of Darryl George’s case, and why the CROWN Act in Texas seems to be falling short.
Guest: Professor Jennifer Wyatt Bourgeois of Lone Star College in Texas
Podcast production by Kristie Taiwo-Makanjuola
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In this episode, Cheryl Strayed (Dear Sugar and Tiny Beautiful Things) joins Prudie (Jenée Desmond-Harris) to answer letters from readers about whether it’s a good idea to offer to be your platonic best friend’s housewife, how to handle a husband’s disturbing body odors, and what an overachieving eldest millennial daughter can do to find happiness.
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.
This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Daisy Rosario, and Jenée Desmond-Harris, with help from Maura Currie.
Dear Prudence is sponsored by BetterHelp.
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On this episode: Elizabeth, Zak and Lucy help a listener who’s pretty sure they smelled marijuana when their young teen and a friend got in the car. The parent is wondering if they should have said something… but if so, what? And when is really too young?
We’ll also go over our week in parenting triumphs and fails — including an update on Henry’s solo trip in Tokyo — and share some listener mail we got about teenage tattoos.
Join us on Facebook and email us at [email protected] to ask us new questions, tell us what you thought of today’s show, and give us ideas about what we should talk about in future episodes. You can also call our phone line: (646) 357-9318.
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 Care and Feeding. Sign up now at slate.com/careplus to help support our work.
Podcast produced by Maura Currie, with special thanks to Rosemary Belson.
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For this week’s episode of Working Overtime, hosts June Thomas and Isaac Butler examine their most habitual work routines and think of new ways to improve them. For Isaac, it’s all about switching up your physical workspace, while June likes to audit her creative expenses and get rid of unnecessary subscriptions. Both of them have encountered the anxious feelings of what to do with your day once a big project is complete. They also offer tips for the best interview practices.
Do you have a question about creativity? Reach out at (304) 933-9675 or email us at [email protected].
Podcast production by Kevin Bendis and Cameron Drews.
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On this week’s episode of Well, Now, Maya and Kavita talk about practical ways to break up with diet culture with fitness instructor, speaker and educator Chrissy King.
She’s the author of The Body Liberation Project: How Understanding Racism and Diet Culture Helps Cultivate Joy and Build Collective Freedom.
Chrissy also ties in how breaking up with diet culture is a piece of a larger conversation about diversity, equity and inclusion in the wellness industry.
If you liked this episode, check out: What “Wellness” Is and Isn’t
Podcast production by Vic Whitley-Berry with editorial oversight by Alicia Montgomery.
Send your comments and recommendations on what to cover to [email protected]
Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now at slate.com/podcasts/well-now
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Danny Lavery and Madeline Ducharme join Bryan in taking on your uniquely queer queries, like- what to do when your facial piercing helps everyone remember your name- but you can’t remember theirs. White lies about homophobia, queer kids coming out, philosophical questions, and more in this latest round of Outward advice.
Podcast production by Palace Shaw.
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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.
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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 [email protected].
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.
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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On today’s episode of Hear Me Out… which wave is this, anyway?
There’s no denying that the feminist movement looks different now than it did 50 years ago — and in some ways, that’s a good thing. But there’s an argument to be made that the modern movement skews politically progressive… so much so that it’s leaving some women, and some issues, behind.
Phyllis Chesler, author and second-wave feminist, joins us.
If you have thoughts you want to share, or an idea for a topic we should tackle, you can email the show: [email protected]
Podcast production by Maura Currie.
You can skip all the ads in Hear Me Out by joining Slate Plus! Sign up now at slate.com/hearmeoutplus for just $15 a month for your first three months.
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Andrew snores so badly that his cats won’t sleep in the same room as him. He’s desperate to sleep better at night, and breathe more easily during the day. On this episode of How To!, we bring on James Nestor, author of Breath: The New Science of a Lost Art, to share the history of why we breathe the way we do. Turns out being a “mouth-breather” is more than just an insult, it’s harmful to our health. James gives Andrew some nasal breathing exercises to improve his snoring, anxiety, and overall wellness.
If you liked this episode, check out “How To Sleep.”
Do you have a problem you can’t get out of your head? Send us a note at [email protected] or leave us a voicemail at 646-495-4001 and we might have you on the show. Subscribe for free on Apple, Spotify or wherever you listen.
Podcast production by Derek John, Rachael Allen, and Rosemary Belson.
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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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How much of our lives—our tastes, preferences and choices—have been fed to us through an interlocking, impersonal network of algorithms?
Guest: Kyle Chayka, staff writer at the New Yorker and author of Filterworld: How Algorithms Flattened Culture.
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.
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This week, host Isaac Butler talks to the very in-demand sound designer Johnnie Burn, who has worked on multiple great and sonically rich films like Nope, Poor Things, and the dark historical drama The Zone of Interest, which tells the story of a Nazi commandant and his family who live right outside the walls of Auschwitz. In the interview, Johnnie discusses the crucial role that audio plays in the film and his close attention to historical accuracy. He also discusses the difference between his theatrical mix and a mix he creates for smaller devices, like phones and ipads.
After the interview, Isaac and co-host June Thomas discuss the role of sound in their own work.
In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Johnnie shares a strange discovery he made while tweaking the audio levels for The Zone of Interest.
Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected] or give us a call at (304) 933-9675.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews.
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 Working. Sign up now at slate.com/workingplus to help support our work.
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On this month’s edition of Gabfest Reads, John Dickerson talks with author Brad Stulberg about his new book, Master of Change: How to Excel When Everything is Changing – Including You. They discuss how to make change itself a mindset, John’s notebooks, what we can learn from athletes, and more.
Tweet us your questions @SlateGabfest or email us at [email protected]. (Messages could be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.)
Podcast production by Cheyna Roth.
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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 [email protected] 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.
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In this episode, our first-ever married couple, Liz Neely and Ed Yong, join Prudie (Jenée Desmond-Harris) to answer letters from readers about what to do when you discover your birthday gift and hate it, how to avoid losing respect for a partner who procrastinates, and whether it’s a problem if romantic daydreams are starting to stifle real-life relationships.
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.
This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Daisy Rosario, and Jenée Desmond-Harris, with help from Maura Currie.
Dear Prudence is sponsored by BetterHelp.
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Decades before most people had heard of Barack Obama, Black Republican Colin Powell was widely believed to be on the path to the presidency. And the Republican Party was the first political home of many African Americans. But the contemporary G.O.P, led by former President Donald Trump, has introduced a new class of Black Republicans who command little respect within the community. What happened, and is there a place for Black Americans in today’s or tomorrow’s Republican Party? On today’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson discusses that with Clay Cane, journalist and author of The Grift: The Downward Spiral of Black Republicans from the Party of Lincoln to the Cult of Trump.
Guest: Writer Clay Cane
Podcast production by Kristie Taiwo-Makanjuola
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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 [email protected].
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.
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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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.
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On this week’s episode of Well, Now we get to the heart of what “wellness” actually means. Depending on who you ask, you get a lot of different answers.
So Maya and Kavita sit down with veteran journalist Isabel Burton to define the term. Burton was the executive editor of renowned health-and-wellness magazines Shape and Self.
If you liked this episode, check out: A Toast to Dry January
Podcast production by Vic Whitley-Berry with editorial oversight by Alicia Montgomery.
Send your comments and recommendations on what to cover to [email protected]
Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now here.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
This week Bryan Lowder sits down with Evan Urquhart of Assigned Media, a news site dedicated to daily coverage of anti-trans propaganda and its effects to discuss his latest article ‘The Outing of Bubba Copeland’ for Slate. Bubba Copeland was the Mayor of Smiths Station who was outed for having an online trans-identity by a conservative news website and later that week committed suicide. Bryan and Evan discuss how this outing reflects the wave of anti-trans legislation.
Podcast production by Palace Shaw.
Email us at [email protected]
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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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On today’s episode of Hear Me Out… yas, queen?
It’s been hard to avoid an onslaught of memes about bad people lately. People like Gypsy-Rose Blanchard and George Santos have been punished for their misdeeds in one way… but now, it seems, they’re being rewarded by the attention economy. The question is: is it our fault?
Rachel Greenspan, writer and social strategist, joins us once again to argue for discretion in memeing.
If you have thoughts you want to share, or an idea for a topic we should tackle, you can email the show: [email protected]
Podcast production by Maura Currie.
You can skip all the ads in Hear Me Out by joining Slate Plus! Sign up now at slate.com/hearmeoutplus for just $15 a month for your first three months.
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Small talk has a bad reputation. It’s boring, shallow, and awkward. Who really wants to talk about the weather, again? But, when done right, it can be a cornerstone of connection. In this episode, Carvell Wallace is joined by Susan McPherson, the author of The Lost Art of Connecting. Susan is going to help our listener, Bee, navigate the uncomfortable small talk that she endures everyday at school pickup. Along the way, we’ll learn what questions to have in our back pocket, how to turn small talk into big talk, and even how to extract ourselves from conversations that are going on too long.
If you liked this episode, check out: How To Talk to Strangers and How To Make Humor Your Superpower
Do you have a problem that needs solving? Send us a note at [email protected] or leave us a voicemail at 646-495-4001 and we might have you on the show. Subscribe for free on Apple, Spotify or wherever you listen.
How To’s executive producer is Derek John. Joel Meyer is our senior editor/producer and our producer is Rosemary Belson.
Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now at slate.com/howtoplus.
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This week, host June Thomas talks to Jason Isaacs, an actor known for roles like Lucien Malfoy in the Harry Potter film series and Georgy Zhukov in The Death of Stalin. In the interview, Jason discusses the extensive research that went into his portrayal of Cary Grant in the Britbox series Archie, including the work of capturing Grant’s accent, which changed over time. He also talks about his impressively long IMDB page and his life-changing experience working on the play Angels in America.
After the interview, June and co-host Ronald Young Jr. talk about accent work and thorough research.
In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Jason talks more about Cary Grant’s career. Then June asks Jason if he ever borrows clothing and style choices from his characters.
Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected] or give us a call at (304) 933-9675.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews.
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 Working. Sign up now at slate.com/workingplus to help support our work.
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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.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
President Biden’s campaign kick-off speech at the historic Mother Emanuel AME church in South Carolina was interrupted by protesters this week. It was an awkward moment that provoked a lot of debate on social media about whether demonstrators were abusing the spirit of the Black church, or honoring it. It also revived questions about whether Democratic candidates’ reliance on the Black church is still an effective strategy in motivating African American voters. On today’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson is joined by veteran journalist Errin Haines to discuss whether President Biden and Democratic leaders are misunderstanding the strengths and the limits of the Black church as a political stage.
Guest: Errin Haines, founding mother and editor-at-large for The 19th*
Podcast production by Ahyiana Angel
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In this episode, Jamelle Bouie (New York Times opinion columnist) joins Prudie (Jenée Desmond-Harris) to answer letters from readers about how to turn down gifts that make you cringe, what to do when you discover a sibling was given up for adoption before you were born, and when it’s too late to chase your dreams
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.
This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Daisy Rosario, and Jenée Desmond-Harris, with help from Maura Currie.
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For this week’s episode of Working Overtime, hosts June Thomas and Isaac Butler expand their world by exploring the senses we often neglect. Isaac recounts a method acting technique of attaching a memory or feeling to a specific scent, or color from our past. June remembers the sight of a dress made by a friend bringing back the memory of childhood Christmas chocolates. They also dive into other sensory-building exercises and take a walk through the streets of Edinburgh.
Do you have a question about creativity? Reach out at (304) 933-9675 or email us at [email protected].
Podcast production by Kevin Bendis and Cameron Drews.
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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.
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This week Jules sits down with Raquel Willis, an award-winning activist and journalist whose work is dedicated Black trans liberation. Raquel’s new memoir, The Risk It Takes to Bloom chronicles her political and personal awakenings as a Black trans woman growing up in the south. Jules and Raquel talk grief, gender, and collective liberation.
Podcast production by Palace Shaw.
Email us at: [email protected]
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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 [email protected].
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.
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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On the first episode of Well, Now – Slate’s new podcast on health and wellness – hosts Dr. Kavita Patel and Registered Dietitian Nutritionist Maya Feller tackle resolutions.
A popular one? Sobriety. Or at least Dry January.
With more people becoming “sober curious” Kavita and Maya visit a sober speakeasy in Brooklyn, hosted by the zero-proof cocktail maker Curious Elixirs.
They sit down with the company’s founder and CEO JW Wiseman over some drinks and talk about the rise of the “sober curious” movement.
Podcast production by Vic Whitley-Berry with help from Kevin Bendis. Editorial oversight by Alicia Montgomery.
Send your comments and recommendations on what to cover to [email protected]. If you liked this episode, be sure to follow Well, Now wherever you listen to podcasts.
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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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On today’s episode of Hear Me Out… delusion is not the solution.
Welcome to a presidential election year, where everyone will surely be cool and normal. We know, we know — the prospect of dealing with electoral discourse is one that most of us aren’t looking forward to. But we’re here to prove that it’s possible to talk.
For Democrats, and liberals writ large, it’s hard to understand why anyone would want another Trump presidency; and it’s tempting to chalk that desire up to delusion, idiocy, or gullibility. But is that a good-faith assumption?
Author and professor Frank Buckley joins us to defend the 2024 Trump voter — as someone who earnestly believes the other side is worse.
If you have thoughts you want to share, or an idea for a topic we should tackle, you can email the show: [email protected]
Podcast production by Maura Currie.
You can skip all the ads in Hear Me Out by joining Slate Plus. Sign up now at slate.com/hearmeoutplus for just $15 a month for your first three months.
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This week, guest-host Ronald Young Jr. talks to Wendy MacNaughton, an artist whose work can be found in many places, including the bestselling cookbook Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat. In the interview, Wendy discusses her unique artistic style, which stems from her practice of interacting closely with her subjects. She also talks about her educational project DrawTogether and its sister project DrawTogether Strangers, which encourages people to draw portraits of complete strangers in public places around the U.S.
After the interview, Ronald and co-host June Thomas discuss the courage it takes to find and pursue a passion.
In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Wendy shares techniques for talking to strangers.
Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected] or give us a call at (304) 933-9675.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews.
You can learn more about Wendy’s work at her website, wendymacnaughton.com, and you can learn more about the DrawTogether Grown-Ups Table at club.drawtogether.studio.
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 Working. Sign up now at slate.com/workingplus to help support our work.
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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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In this episode, Nicole Chung (author of A Living Remedy and All You Can Ever Know) joins Prudie (Jenée Desmond-Harris) to answer letters from readers dilemmas about a husband who wants to give up travel for grandpa duty, a partner who’s becoming really pushy about issues around adoption, and an engagement ring that could use a little work.
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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Comic book films have dominated the box office for a generation, and gave many diverse actors and artists an opportunity to shine. But the genre struggled during 2023, and fans are worried that the golden age has ended for those movies and the culture that inspired them. On today’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson is joined by journalist David Betancourt, who covered comic book movies and culture for The Washington Post for more than a decade. They talk about why superhero films may be going through a rough patch, and whether they can rebound.
Guest: Journalist David Betancourt, author of The Avengers Assembled: The Origin Story of Earth’s Mightiest Heroes
Podcast production by Kristie Taiwo-Makanjuola
You can skip all the ads in A Word by joining Slate Plus. Sign up now at slate.com/awordplus for $15 for your first three months.
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We all want wellness, but what does that mean exactly?
Is it achieving diet and exercise goals, or finally reaching a place where you’re happy with your body as it is? Is wellness the thing that will keep you out of the doctor’s office, or give you information you need to advocate for yourself when you get there?
No matter what you define as living a life of wellness, our expert hosts want to help you get there.
Every week, Dr. Kavita Patel and Registered Dietitian Nutritionist Maya Feller talk with professionals from all over the wellness industry and people just like you who will share what they’ve learned on their way to wellness.
Follow Well, Now from Slate wherever you listen to podcasts. Our first episode drops Wednesday, Jan. 10.
Podcast production by Vic Whitley-Berry with editorial oversight by Alicia Montgomery.
Send your comments and recommendations on what to cover to [email protected]
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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 [email protected].
Outro music: “Spinning the Wheels” by Dusty Decks
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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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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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On today’s episode of Hear Me Out… new year, new you?
If you’ve resolved to make 2024 your happiest, healthiest, most organized, most peaceful, etc. year yet? You’re not alone. And if you’re pretty sure the people who have made resolutions are doomed to abandon ship before January is over… you’re not alone, either. Nor are you wrong, exactly.
In the season of giving, getting, and evaluating self-improvement advice, there’s a line between over-optimism and self-limiting skepticism. And our guest wants to help you walk that line.
Zak Rosen, host of The Best Advice Show and co-host of Slate’s Care & Feeding, joins us.
If you have thoughts you want to share, or an idea for a topic we should tackle, you can email the show: [email protected]
Podcast production by Maura Currie.
You can skip all the ads in Hear Me Out by joining Slate Plus. Sign up now at slate.com/hearmeoutplus for just $15 a month for your first three months.
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When he’s not working on How To! or coaching his daughter’s basketball team, our producer Derek John loves to play in pickup games with friends. But a serious on-court injury has kept him on the sidelines for months. Now, as he prepares to return to the sport he loves, Derek is seeking tips on how to prolong his playing days while avoiding another injury. In this episode, author Jeff Bercovici joins Carvell Wallace and Derek to share insights from his book, Play On: The New Science of Elite Performance at Any Age.
If you liked this episode, check out: How To Trick Your Brain Into Running Longer.
Do you have a problem that needs solving? Send us a note at [email protected] or leave us a voicemail at 646-495-4001 and we might have you on the show. Subscribe for free on Apple, Spotify or wherever you listen.
How To’s executive producer is Derek John. Joel Meyer is our senior editor/producer and our producer is Rosemary Belson. This episode was produced by Kevin Bendis.
Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now at slate.com/howtoplus.
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This week, working hosts June Thomas and Isaac Butler share their goals for the year ahead and devise strategies to help each other accomplish them. They also reflect on their resolutions from last year and share how well they stuck to them.
Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected] or give us a call at (304) 933-9675.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews.
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 Working. Sign up now at slate.com/workingplus to help support our work.
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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: [email protected]
Podcast production by Palace Shaw.
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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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On today’s episode brought to us Slate’s Outward, hosts Jules Gill-Peterson and Bryan Lowder, are joined by advice expert Danny Lavery to talk through some relationship issues. They share their thoughts on expectations around divorce as queer people, low self-esteem, and why shaming someone over hygiene might not be a bad idea.
If you have a question or need some advice, email us: [email protected]
Podcast production by Palace Shaw
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For this week’s episode of Working Overtime, hosts June Thomas and Isaac Butler discuss the value of finding people who can help take work off your plate and let you focus on your primary tasks. Isaac found employing a research assistant for both his books was an integral part of discovering and collating details. June has utilized software programs to stay productive and organized, yet both hosts are wary of the role that A.I. may play. They also discuss how other jobs such as copy editing, canvas stretching, and housekeeping can help you get through your work.
Do you have a question about creativity? Reach out at (304) 933-9675 or email us at [email protected].
Podcast production by Kevin Bendis and Cameron Drews.
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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.
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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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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 [email protected].
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.
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.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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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This week, we revisit host Isaac Butler's conversation with Liz Stokes and Jon Pearce, who make up half of the New Zealand indie rock band The Beths. In the interview, Liz and Jon walk through their songwriting process step-by-step, from initial riffs and lyrics to their complex vocal harmonies and guitar solos. They also explain why the bridge is often the hardest part of a song to write.
After the interview, Isaac and co-host June Thomas discuss why songwriting sometimes feels like magic.
In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Isaac’s daughter asks Liz and Jon some questions of her own!
Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected] or give us a call at (304) 933-9675.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews.
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 Working. Sign up now at slate.com/workingplus to help support our work.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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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John Dickerson talks with author Christine Coulson about her new book, “One Woman Show.” They discuss the moment that inspired Coulson to tell a story in museum wall labels, her 25-years working at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, and why restraint can be an artist’s best friend.
Tweet us your questions @SlateGabfest or email us at [email protected]. (Messages could be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.)
Podcast production by Cheyna Roth.
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The man who rose to fame –some would say infamy– as H. Rap Brown has a uniquely American story, inventing and reinventing himself over the course of decades. He turned himself from a teenage tough guy into a civil rights leader. He abandoned the philosophy of non-violence to become a Black Power pioneer. He underwent a jailhouse conversion to Islam, and became Imam Jamil Abdullah Al-Amin, a guiding force of an insular Black Muslim community. And then, almost 40 years after he stepped into the public consciousness, he was convicted of fatally shooting a cop.
But was Imam Jamil being punished for his actions, or his past?
In today’s episode of A Word, host Jason Johnson dives into the tangled history of the man once known as H. Rap Brown, and the murder case that landed him in jail for life. His guest is Mosi Secret, journalist and the host of the Radical podcast, which explores the case and the complicated search for justice.
Guest: Mosi Secret, investigative journalist and host of the Radical podcast
Podcast production by Kristie Taiwo-Makanjuola
You can skip all the ads in A Word by joining Slate Plus. Sign up now at slate.com/awordplus for $15 for your first three months.
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In this episode, Josie Duffy Rice (host of Crooked Media’s What a Day) joins Prudie (Jenée Desmond-Harris) to answer letters from readers discussing racially charged Next Door drama, a man who asks his girlfriend to butter his dinner rolls, and how to nicely ask a loved one to wash their hands after using the bathroom.
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 Palace Shaw.
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After his character, Kang the Conqueror, was set up to be the big villain of the next phase of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Jonathan Majors was dismissed from the franchise after being found guilty of reckless assault and harassment.
Guest: Michael Schulman, staff writer for the New Yorker.
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. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to help support our work.
Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Madeline Ducharme, Anna Phillips, Paige Osburn, and Rob Gunther.
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After his character, Kang the Conqueror, was set up to be the big villain of the next phase of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Jonathan Majors was dismissed from the franchise after being found guilty of reckless assault and harassment.
Guest: Michael Schulman, staff writer for the New Yorker.
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. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to help support our work.
Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Madeline Ducharme, Anna Phillips, Paige Osburn, and Rob Gunther.
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Before 1990, there had never been a documented case of a patient getting HIV from a health care worker. Kimberly Bergalis changed that. Her claim that she’d been infected by her dentist would captivate and terrify the country. And the dentist, David Acer, would be made into a villain without America ever knowing who he really was.
This episode was written by Kelly Jones and Josh Levin, 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 Olivia Briley.
It was edited by Joel Meyer and Derek John, Slate’s executive producer of narrative podcasts. Merritt Jacob is senior technical director. We had mixing help from Kevin Bendis. We had production help this season from Jabari Butler.
Join Slate Plus to get a special behind-the-scenes conversation at the end of our season about how we put together our 1990 stories. Slate Plus members also get to listen to all Slate podcasts without any ads.
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On this week’s episode of The Waves, we say goodbye by contemplating a key word of the podcast - feminism. Slate senior producer Cheyna Roth and original Waves host June Thomas discuss what feminism means, the historical problems with the word, who should get to call themselves feminist, and so much more.
Endorsements and Discussed in Episode:
A Place of Our Own by June Thomas
Between Two Wars by Cheyna Roth
In Defense of Lean In Feminism on The Waves
We Were Once a Family by Roxanna Asgarian
What the Hart Family Murders Reveal About Foster Care on The Waves
In Slate Plus: What is the most feminist holiday?
Podcast production by Cheyna Roth and Vic Whitley Berry with editorial oversight by Daisy Rosario and Alicia Montgomery.
Send your comments and recommendations on what to cover to [email protected].
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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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Jules, Bryan, and Outward regular Danny Lavery share year end Prides and Provocations. The hosts cover everything from risk-taking bottoms in government and infamous grifters to powerful organizers who are giving us hope for 2024.
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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.
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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On today’s episode of Hear Me Out… ‘tis the damn season.
Break out the glitter and the ugly sweaters. If you’re on social media, you’ve probably seen a lot of minimalist holiday décor this year — from celebrities, influencers, and DIY-ers alike. It seems trendy to try “class up” the holidays and eschew the bright and gaudy for the monotone, the understated, or the expensive-looking… but does living in fear of committing a faux pas maybe miss the point?
Kristen Meinzer, culture critic and cohost of The Daily Fail, joins us to defend the tacky — as not only counterculture, but as the real reason for the season.
If you have thoughts you want to share, or an idea for a topic we should tackle, you can email the show: [email protected]
Podcast production by Maura Currie.
You can skip all the ads in Hear Me Out by joining Slate Plus. Sign up now at slate.com/hearmeoutplus for just $15 a month for your first three months.
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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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In ancient times, hundreds of years before the dawn of history, director Rob Reiner gave the world a band named Spinal Tap. No one knows who they were or what they were doing … except for legendary designer Paula Scher, the mind behind 40 years of music artwork and branding. She chats with Felix Salmon, Emily Peck, and Elizabeth Spiers about the true stories that inspired the classic mockumentary.
If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get an ad-free experience across the network and an additional segment of our show every week. You’ll also be supporting the work we do here on Slate Money. Sign up now at slate.com/moneyplus to help support our work.
Podcast production by Jared Downing.
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This week, host Isaac Butler is joined by actor, writer, director Erik Jensen for a frank conversation about his recent cancer diagnosis and the challenges artists face holding on to health-care coverage, especially in the age of streaming. They go on to discuss Jensen’s continued creative activity, including a new film project he co-directed with his wife and acted in with his daughter. Later, Jensen explains some of the intricacies of the recent writers’ and actors’ strikes.
After the interview, co-host June Thomas joins Isaac to talk about the value of being candid about the financial realities of being a freelance artist. They also dive into creative collaborations and the importance of communicating clearly with the people you work with.
Learn more about Erik Jensen’s story and make a donation here.
Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected] or give us a call at (304) 933-9675.
Podcast production by Kevin Bendis and Cameron Drews.
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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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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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In this episode, Brittany Luse (host of NPR’s’ It’s Been a Minute) joins Prudie (Jenée Desmond-Harris) to answer letters from readers who are dealing with friends who hold grudges when their sexual advances are rejected, unsupportive coffee shop bosses, and people who keep tracking fleas into their homes.
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 Palace Shaw.
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Fast-fashion titan Shein is preparing for its initial public offering, even as questions of sustainability and labor practices linger.
Guest: Jordyn Holman, business reporter covering the retail industry and consumerism for The New York Times
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.
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In recent years, several states and localities have passed “crown” laws, statutes that keep employers from discriminating against African Amercans for wearing their hair in natural styles. That’s because, historically, having straight hair has often been a requirement for professional advancement for Black women in particular. But there is more science emerging that connects chemical relaxers with cancer. In today’s episode of A Word, reporter and cancer survivor Victoria St. Martin speaks with host Jason Johnson about the dangers of formaldehyde in hair relaxers, the history of marketing toxic cosmetics to African Americans, and consumer efforts to raise awareness.
Guest: Victoria St. Martin, Inside Climate News reporter
Podcast production by Kristie Taiwo-Makanjuola
You can skip all the ads in A Word by joining Slate Plus. Sign up now at slate.com/awordplus for $15 for your first three months.
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Robert Mapplethorpe was one of the most famous photographers in the world—and one of the most controversial. When his work came to Cincinnati in 1990, it would be at the center of a vicious fight over obscenity and the First Amendment, one that threatened the future of art in America.
This episode of One Year was written by Evan Chung, One Year's senior producer. It was produced by Kelly Jones and Evan Chung, with additional production by Olivia Briley.
It was edited by Josh Levin, One Year’s editorial director, with Joel Meyer and Derek John, Slate’s executive producer of narrative podcasts. Merritt Jacob is our senior technical director.
Join Slate Plus to get a special behind-the-scenes conversation at the end of our season about how we put together our 1990 stories. Slate Plus members also get to listen to all Slate podcasts without any ads.
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On this week’s episode of The Waves, why can’t the feminists all get along? Slate senior producer Cheyna Roth is joined by Danielle Kurtzleben, NPR political correspondent and author of the Substack, This F**king Job. They dig into what went wrong with Sheryl Sandberg’s book Lean In, why it wasn’t all completely wrong, and how to stop giving anti-feminists the ammo they need to attack.
In Slate Plus: We’re talking May December!
If you liked this episode, check out: We See Dead Girls
Podcast production by Cheyna Roth with editorial oversight by Daisy Rosario and Alicia Montgomery.
Send your comments and recommendations on what to cover to [email protected].
Clips Used:
“Sheryl Sandberg: Women Must Learn to ‘Lean In’” - ABC News
“I bought the book Lean In by Sheryl Sandberg” - Sarah Tollemache
“Girl boss culture gotta go” - Rachel Turner
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/thewavesplus to help support our work.
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For this week’s episode of Working Overtime, hosts June Thomas and Isaac Butler discuss the need to keep good health as a creative person. Both June and Isaac have had their health scares, June in the dental world, and Isaac with his back. We’ve all been enchanted by the chain-smoking, heavy-drinking, sleepless poet, but the truth is that mistreating your body can catch up with you and eventually impede your creative output.
Do you have a question about creativity? Reach out at (304) 933-9675 or email us at [email protected].
Podcast production by Kevin Bendis and Cameron Drews.
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This week, Jules and Bryan are joined by advice expert Danny Lavery to talk through some relationship issues. They share their thoughts on expectations around divorce as queer people, low self-esteem, and why shaming someone over hygiene might not be a bad idea.
If you have a question or need some advice, email us: [email protected]
Podcast production by Palace Shaw.
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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 [email protected]. 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.
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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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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On today’s episode of Hear Me Out… cen-suspicions.
We’re a little over six years away from the next national census. It’s understandable that this might not be at the top of your mind, but for a small group of academics and activists, it absolutely is.
Race isn’t a real thing, scientifically speaking. But we still live in a heavily racialized society, and the Census sets the stage for many, many policy decisions that impact race equity. So, if race isn’t real, why does the Census act like it’s a simple, immutable fact?
Carlos Hoyt, an author and speaker, joins us to propose a more dynamic way of self reporting – and recording – race.
If you have thoughts you want to share, or an idea for a topic we should tackle, you can email the show: [email protected]
Podcast production by Maura Currie.
You can skip all the ads in Hear Me Out by joining Slate Plus. Sign up now at slate.com/hearmeoutplus for just $15 a month for your first three months.
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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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This week, host June Thomas talks to Val McDermid, a prolific crime novelist whose books have sold millions of copies worldwide. Val has even been dubbed the “Quine of Crime,” a Scottish alternative to the title “Queen of Crime,” which the Agatha Christie estate objected to. In the interview, Val explains where her ideas come from and how she decides which of her on-going series to pick up next. She also talks about incorporating Scottish slang into her books, including her latest one, Past Lying: A Karen Pirie Novel.
After the interview, June and co-host TK Dutes talk about the problem of having too many creative ideas.
In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Val discusses some of her side gigs. Then she talks about the practice of incorporating real-life events into her novels.
Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected] or give us a call at (304) 933-9675.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews.
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 Working. Sign up now at slate.com/workingplus to help support our work.
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This week, Felix Salmon, Emily Peck, and Elizabeth Spiers discuss their Christmas shopping strategies and whether it’s time for self-checkouts to check out. Also: What big airline mergers mean for those of us in economy class, and whether the podcast bubble has finally burst. In the Plus segment: Do we really need to have meetings?
If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get an ad-free experience across the network and an additional segment of our show every week. You’ll also be supporting the work we do here on Slate Money. Sign up now at slate.com/moneyplus to help support our work.
Podcast production by Jared Downing.
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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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In this episode, the co-hosts of Forever 35, Kate Spencer and Doree Shafrir, join Prudie (Jenée Desmond-Harris) to answer letters from readers about whether it’s okay to reject holiday gifts, how to cope when participating in a charity turkey giveaway pisses you off, and what to do when your best friend won’t read your book.
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 Vic Whitley-Berry.
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Is Spotify’s 2023—ending with layoffs and cancelling critically acclaimed original podcasts—a sign of trouble at the streaming giant, or an adjustment to expectations that’s setting them up for a brighter future?
Guest: Ashley Carman, Bloomberg reporter who covers Spotfiy
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.
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Shanice Stewart was 9 months pregnant when Sacramento police pulled her over, and compelled her to leave her car at gunpoint. The reason? They mistook her 8-year-old son for a hardened criminal. On today’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson is joined by journalist Christina Carrega to discuss “the talk.” Carrega explains why the conversation that many Black parents give to their children about the potential dangers of police interactions may be happening for younger children, and whether it makes them safer, or just more afraid.
Guest: Christina Carrega, criminal justice reporter at Capital B.
Podcast production by Ahyiana Angel
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On this episode: a listener writes in from the bench. Their kid is in a sports class that’s been overrun by grown-ups and siblings — on the court, doing the drills, and taking up equipment. What’s going on in this class for 3-6 year olds, and is it time to give up?
We also go over our week in triumphs and fails, and then, if you’re sticking around for Slate Plus: how can we purge the stuffie plague, and what other toys are collecting dust?
Join us on Facebook and email us at [email protected] to ask us new questions, tell us what you thought of today’s show, and give us ideas about what we should talk about in future episodes. You can also call our phone line: (646) 357-9318.
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Podcast produced by Maura Currie and Rosemary Belson.
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Pickleball’s exploding popularity isn’t an organic grassroots rise. According to a reporter’s intrepid Freedom of Information Act inquiries, enthusiastic pickleball ambassadors are employing the “USA Pickleball tool kit” and harrying local park departments to elbow out their tennis-and-basketball-playing neighbors.
Guest: Jason Koebler, cofounder of 404 Media and host of the 404 Media Podcast, former editor-in-chief of Motherboard.
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. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to help support our work.
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In March 1990, a story broke that shocked the nation: George H.W. Bush had banned broccoli from Air Force One. The frenzy that came next would change the fate of a vegetable—and maybe even alter the course of a presidency.
This episode was written by Olivia Briley and Josh Levin, One Year’s editorial director. One Year’s senior producer is Evan Chung.
This episode was produced by Olivia Briley and Kelly Jones.
It was edited by Joel Meyer and Evan Chung.
Derek John is Slate’s executive producer of narrative podcasts.
Merritt Jacob is senior technical director.
Join Slate Plus to get a special behind-the-scenes conversation at the end of our season about how we put together our 1990 stories. Slate Plus members also get to listen to all Slate podcasts without any ads.
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On this week’s episode of The Waves, we’re bringing out the dead girls. Everywhere you look in popular culture there seems to be a new movie, TV show or true crime documentary detailing the mystery of yet another woman’s death. At least, that was how author and guest Alice Bolin saw things when she wrote her book Dead Girls in 2018. She sits down with Slate senior producer Cheyna Roth to unpack what has - and hasn’t - changed in dead girl culture (from Twin Peak’s Laura Palmer to our persistent obsession with Elizabeth Short aka The Black Dahlia) and what this fixation says about all of us.
In Slate Plus: What was really going on inside the Playboy Mansion.
If you liked this episode, check out: I Don’t Care If You Like Me
Podcast production by Cheyna Roth with editorial oversight by Daisy Rosario and Alicia Montgomery.
Send your comments and recommendations on what to cover to [email protected].
Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now at slate.com/thewavesplus.
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This week, the Outward hosts discuss Fellow Travelers, a new historical drama from Showtime that takes us into gay D.C during the Lavender Scare of the 1950’s. Bryan, Christina, and Jules dive into the sex and the sexual politics of the show and answer the most important question, were people really that hot in the 1950s?
Pride and Provocations:
Your Kid is Trans. You Live in Texas. There Are No Good Options
LaundryTok with Melissa Pateras
Gay Agenda
Pride Flag: Birth of a Rainbow
Email us at: [email protected]
Podcast production by Palace Shaw.
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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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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?”
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 [email protected].
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.
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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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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This week, sports journalist Mina Kimes joins the huddle with Felix Salmon, Emily Peck, and Elizabeth Spiers to discuss the 90s football rom-com Jerry Maguire. Mina explains how real-world sports agents do business, and the squad debates whether a young Tom Cruise can keep this somewhat poorly-aged classic on the varsity string.
If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get an ad-free experience across the network and an additional segment of our show every week. You’ll also be supporting the work we do here on Slate Money. Sign up now at slate.com/moneyplus to help support our work.
Podcast production by Patrick Fort and Jared Downing.
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This week, guest-host Keisha “TK” Dutes talks to graphic designer, writer, and educator Gail Anderson, who specializes in the art of typography. In the interview, Gail talks about falling in love with printed lettering and her decision to become a designer in the first place. Then she discusses some of her specific work, including campaign buttons and posters, playbills for Broadway, and her Emancipation Proclamation U.S. postage stamp.
After the interview, TK and co-host June Thomas talk about collecting inspiration from the outside world.
In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Gail discusses her position on the Citizen Stamp Advisory Committee, which helps to select and approve official postage stamps.
Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected] or give us a call at (304) 933-9675.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews.
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 Working. Sign up now at slate.com/workingplus to help support our work.
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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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On this final episode of our Golden Bachelor recap episode of The Waves, Gerry’s makes his decision but maybe loses the audience along the way.
Podcast production by Brandon Nix and Cheyna Roth with editorial oversight by Daisy Rosario and Alicia Montgomery.
Send your comments and recommendations on what to cover to [email protected].
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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In this episode, Elie Mystal (attorney and writer) joins Prudie (Jenée Desmond-Harris) to answer letters about what to do when you're wary of "cancel culture" but want to hold a bad boss accountable, what to do when it feels like nobody cares about spreading germs, and whether slumber parties are “sending kids into trauma.
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 Brandon Nix.
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The violent January 6th insurrection was a historic threat to American democracy. It led to five deaths, and many more injuries. Several Capitol police were hurt, but still managed to keep congressmembers and staff safe. Veteran officer Harry Dunn was awarded a Presidential Citizens Medal for his service that day, and is now sharing his experience in his new book Standing My Ground: A Capitol Police Officer’s Fight for Accountability and Good Trouble After January 6th. In today’s episode of A Word, Dunn speaks with host Jason Johnson about fighting the insurrectionists, testifying in congressional hearings, and calling for accountability for the attackers.
Guest: Harry Dunn, Capitol Police Officer
Podcast production by Kristie Taiwo-Makanjuola
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For this week’s episode of Working Overtime, hosts Nate Chinen and Isaac Butler are joined by Jaime Green, author of The Possibility of Life, for a discussion on “anchor jobs,” or gigs that can provide stability through the financial uncertainty of freelance work. All three have endured feast or famine periods and found that certain side jobs can create a protective scaffolding to help get through slower periods of work. The tricky part is not letting an anchor job turn into something that consumes all your creative energy and time.
Do you have a question about creativity? Reach out at (304) 933-9675 or email us at [email protected].
Podcast production by Kevin Bendis and Cameron Drews.
Hosts: Nate Chinen and Isaac Butler
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On this week’s episode of The Waves, with the emergence of streaming more Americans are becoming fans of Japanese anime. Within that media, viewers can see wide ranges of LGBTQ+ representation and gender presentation that often isn’t found in American animation. But like American media, not all of these representations are as nuanced as they should be. Host Vic Whitley-Berry is an avid anime fan, and they sit down with journalist Princess Weekes on femme representation in Japanese anime.
In Slate Plus the messiness of shipping and fandoms.
If you liked this episode, check out: Can Fairy Tales Be Feminist?
Podcast production by Cheyna Roth and Vic Whitley-Berry with editorial oversight by Daisy Rosario and Alicia Montgomery.
Send your comments and recommendations on what to cover to [email protected].
Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now at slate.com/thewavesplus.
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A middle-aged single dad in Chicago was outraged by all the cigarette billboards popping up in Black communities. In 1990, he picked up a paint roller and became an anti-tobacco vigilante. And he did it all under a secret identity.
This episode was written by Josh Levin, One Year’s editorial director. One Year’s senior producer is Evan Chung.
This episode was produced by Kelly Jones, Olivia Briley, and Evan Chung. It was edited by Joel Meyer and Derek John, Slate’s executive producer of narrative podcasts.
Merritt Jacob is our senior technical director. We had mixing help from Kevin Bendis.
Join Slate Plus to get a special behind-the-scenes conversation at the end of our season about how we put together our 1990 stories. Slate Plus members also get to listen to all Slate podcasts without any ads.
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On this episode, The Outward hosts break down the million-dollar takeover ad on X for Praeger 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.
Read Molly Olmstead's piece for Slate on Praeger University
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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?
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 [email protected].
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.
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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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.
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On today’s episode of Hear Me Out… great, but not enough.
Mental health is on a lot of minds as we enter the holiday season — a time when we know many people struggle.
So this week, we talk candidly about what it means to treat mental illness… and what it should mean, if we want that treatment to be effective, long-lasting, and sensitive. Spoiler: psychiatry and psychology are not the panaceas you might think.
Erin Grimm, author and mental health advocate, joins us.
** NOTE: This episode contains candid discussion of mental health crises and treatment. Listener discretion is advised; if you or a loved one need help, you can contact the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline 24/7 by calling or texting 988. You can also visit the lifeline online, and explore more resources from the National Alliance on Mental Illness.
If you have thoughts you want to share, or an idea for a topic we should tackle, you can email the show: [email protected]
Podcast production by Maura Currie.
You can skip all the ads in Hear Me Out by joining Slate Plus. Sign up now at slate.com/hearmeoutplus for just $15 a month for your first three months.
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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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In this episode of Slate Money Travel, Felix Salmon speaks with Craig Mod about why he loves to walk on vacation. Check out Craig Mod’s latest book, “Things Become Other Things”.
If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get an ad-free experience across the network and an additional segment of our show every week. You’ll also be supporting the work we do here on Slate Money. Sign up now at slate.com/moneyplus to help support our work.
Podcast production by Patrick Fort.
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This week, host June Thomas talks to casting director and producer Logan Clark, whose credits include reality TV series like American Idol, The Masked Singer, and the excellent HBO reality series Legendary. In the interview, Logan explains how and why he got into reality show casting and what the job entails. Then he talks about the casting process for Legendary and the importance of featuring members of underrepresented groups on reality TV.
After the interview, June and co-host Isaac Butler discuss both representation and exploitation in reality TV.
In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Logan talks about some of his very favorite reality TV shows.
Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected] or give us a call at (304) 933-9675.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews.
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 Working. Sign up now at slate.com/workingplus to help support our work.
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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 [email protected].
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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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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We’re listening back to one of Jenée’s favorite episodes when award-winning actor, director, and educator LeVar Burton joined Prudie (Jenée Desmond-Harris) to answer your letters from readers about stealing from abusive parents, sharing snacks with children, and how to cope as an actor when you don’t land a role you really wanted.
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 Brandon Nix.
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It’s Black Friday, prime time for many of us to binge on holiday leftovers and some of our favorite family-friendly shows. One of them is likely to be ABC’s Abbott Elementary. Before the show rewrote the lesson plan for workplace comedies, star and creator Quinta Brunson joined A Word to speak with Jason Johnson to talk about what inspired Abbott, her foundation in sketch comedy, and her unlikely path to showrunner.
Guest: Quinta Brunson, writer, producer, and star of Abbott Elementary. She’s the author of the memoir “She Memes Well.”
Podcast production by Jasmine Ellis and Ahyiana Angel
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Hot flashes, fatigue, and vaginal dryness were some of Katie’s first clues that her body was changing. Half the population will experience menopause, yet misinformation still abounds—with doctors ill-prepared to talk to patients about this major life transition. On this episode of How To!, journalist Susan Dominus joins us to share the knowledge she gained from working on her viral magazine piece, “Women Have Been Misled About Menopause.” She explains why women’s pain has been ignored for so long, where to look for information, and how to connect with others during this confusing phase of life.
Resources mentioned:
“If Men Could Menstruate” by Gloria Steinem
What Fresh Hell Is This?: Perimenopause, Menopause, Other Indignities, and You by Heather Corinna
The Menopause Manifesto: Own Your Health with Facts and Feminism by Dr. Jen Gunter
Hot Flash Sonnets by Moira Egan
If you liked this episode, check out: How To Make Aging Easier for Everyone.
Do you have a problem that needs solving? Send us a note at [email protected] or leave us a voicemail at 646-495-4001 and we might have you on the show. Subscribe for free on Apple, Spotify or wherever you listen.
How To’s executive producer is Derek John. Joel Meyer is our senior editor/producer. The show is produced by Rosemary Belson, with Kevin Bendis and Jabari Butler.
Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now at slate.com/howtoplus.
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Pizza Hut’s adventure in the Soviet Union was unlike any restaurant opening before or since. It involved a fleet of submarines, a very special pizza topped with tuna and salmon, and a casual dining spot on a mission to change the world.
This episode was written by Kelly Jones and Josh Levin, 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 Olivia Briley.
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 a special behind-the-scenes conversation at the end of our season about how we put together our 1990 stories. Slate Plus members also get to listen to all Slate podcasts without any ads.
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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.
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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 [email protected].
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
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On today’s episode of Hear Me Out… thanks, but no thanks.
Americans are anxiously awaiting their Thanksgiving celebrations this week – for many, with some trepidation. Polls suggest we all know we don’t want to talk about politics around the table… but that most of us will anyway.
With keeping the peace at the front of many minds — and civility always at the front of ours — our guest this week proposes an alternative: be a little bit of a jerk, if you need to. And, if you can… it’s okay to avoid the festivities altogether.
Our returning guest is H. Alan Scott – comedian, podcaster, and self-described a--hole.
Get your gift sets, stocking stuffers, white elephant gifts, and maybe even a little treat, by going to slate.com/shop.
If you have thoughts you want to share, or an idea for a topic we should tackle, you can email the show: [email protected]
Podcast production by Maura Currie
You can skip all the ads in Hear Me Out by joining Slate Plus. Sign up now at slate.com/hearmeoutplus for just $15 a month for your first three months.
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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.”
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In the first episode of Slate Money Goes to the Movies, Felix Salmon, Emily Peck and Elizabeth Spiers talk with Joe Nocera, author of “The Big Fail” about Dumb Money. Can you make a good movie about something that happened two years ago? What’s it like to watch the COVID pandemic on the big screen? Who made money in the GameStop craze?
If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get an ad-free experience across the network and an additional segment of our show every week. You’ll also be supporting the work we do here on Slate Money. Sign up now at slate.com/moneyplus to help support our work.
Podcast production by Patrick Fort.
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This week, host Isaac Butler talks to Kristoffer Borgli, the writer and director (and editor!) behind the new movie Dream Scenario, starring Nicolas Cage. In the interview, Kristoffer discusses the writing and revision process for Dream Scenario and explains how he tweaked the main character once Cage signed on. He also talks about why he shoots on film, why he likes to both direct and edit his work, and how he’s able to maintain good vibes on set.
After the interview, Isaac and co-host Cameron Drews discuss the importance of flexibility in creative work.
In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Kristoffer talks about getting feedback from trusted friends. Then he explains why he invited Taiwanese bodybuilder and performance artist Frank Yang to crash at his house for a while.
Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected] or give us a call at (304) 933-9675.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews.
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 Working. Sign up now at slate.com/workingplus to help support our work.
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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.
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Emily Bazelon talks with cartoonist James Sturm, about his new graphic novel adaptation of Watership Down. They discuss what makes the animal characters so compelling, going tharn[MOU1] , where Watership Down fits in the literary tradition, and so much more.
Tweet us your questions @SlateGabfest or email us at [email protected]. (Messages could be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.)
Podcast production by Cheyna Roth.
[MOU1]A word I haven’t thought of in years—stopped me in my tracks!
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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.
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Girls at a New Jersey high school were early victims of a novel and growing problem: their images were taken from social media without consent to create “deep-fake pornography.”
Guest: Julie Jargon, Wall Street Journal family and tech columnist.
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.
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On this week’s episode of The Waves, Gerry’s down to two women and two potential fantasy suites. How sweet do things actually get?
Podcast production by Vic Whitley-Berry and Cheyna Roth with editorial oversight by Daisy Rosario and Alicia Montgomery.
Send your comments and recommendations on what to cover to [email protected].
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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The first hopes for a post-racial America were raised during Reconstruction, the post-Civil War era when the country’s leaders pledged to fulfill the promise of freedom for formerly enslaved Blacks. But after a decade of reforms, the brutal racial hierarchy was reestablished in the South, costing African Americans their rights, opportunities, and—in many cases—their lives. On today’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson discusses the legacy of Reconstruction with Vann Newkirk II. He’s a senior editor for The Atlantic, which has devoted its latest issue to exploring that era of American history and what it can tell us about the current state of race in this country.
Guest: Vann Newkirk II, senior editor of The Atlantic
Podcast production by Ahyiana Angel
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In this episode, Dan Kois (writer at Slate) joins Prudie (Jenée Desmond-Harris) to answer letters about dilemmas around holiday celebrations: what to do when no one will come to yours, what to do when people are trying to force you to come to theirs, and how to move past the time you burnt the pies while wearing a vomit covered shirt.
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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On this week’s episode of 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.
In Slate Plus: Let’s talk Selling Sunset.
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 [email protected].
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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For this week’s episode of Working Overtime, hosts Nate Chinen and Isaac Butler explore the refractive nature of switching mediums. Like a light through a prism, we can sometimes find new creative colors by seeking unfamiliar paths. Nate explains his different approaches to two separate profiles he created on composer Anthony Braxton, one for the page and one for the radio. Then, both hosts share their thoughts on famed artist David Hockney’s recent switch to using the Brushes app on his iPad, to “paint” new pieces.
Do you have a question about creativity? Reach out at (304) 933-9675 or email us at [email protected].
Podcast production by Kevin Bendis and Cameron Drews.
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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 [email protected].
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.
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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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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This week, guest host Danny Lavery talks with self-appointed lesbian pop culture expert Kira Deshler to dive into the lively queer subculture within the Taylor Swift fandom, and their quest to liberate her. From there they explore the relationship between queer fans and their often straight pop icons.
Songs mentioned:
Tim I Wish You Were Born a Girl by Of Montreal
Pink Triangle by Weezer
Johnny Are You Queer? By Josie Cotton
Email us at: [email protected]
Podcast production by Palace Shaw.
Outward is sponsored by BetterHelp.
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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.
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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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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In the first episode of Slate Money’s Travel series, Felix Salmon talks with The New York Times’ Lydia Polgreen about her time as a foreign correspondent and big-time business exec. What was it like to carry $10,000 in cash? And how buttery is the leather on a private jet?
If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get an ad-free experience across the network and an additional segment of our show every week. You’ll also be supporting the work we do here on Slate Money. Sign up now at slate.com/moneyplus to help support our work.
Podcast production by Patrick Fort.
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This week, guest-host Kristen Meinzer talks to Nikki Watson, a home staging expert who founded The Design Quad, one of the biggest home staging companies in the country. In the interview, Nikki explains what a home stager does and how it’s different from the work of an interior designer. She also discusses trends in the industry, like the “monochromatic” color palettes, and her ability to evoke emotions with her staging.
After the interview, Kristen and co-host Isaac Butler talk more about trends and how to think about them in your work.
In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Nikki shares her biggest home staging pet peeves.
Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected] or give us a call at (304) 933-9675.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews.
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 Working. Sign up now at slate.com/workingplus to help support our work.
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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.
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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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In this episode, Alison Green (author of Ask a Manager) joins Prudie (Jenée Desmond-Harris) to answer letters about workplace dilemmas: what to do when you can’t stop crying at the office, whether it makes sense to share an autism diagnosis with your team, and PDA with a colleague.
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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Despite dismal poll numbers for President Biden, the off-year elections brought big wins for Democrats around the country, including in red states. Kentucky’s Democratic Governor Andy Beshear beat Black Republican Daniel Cameron to retain his seat, while Ohio voters supported legalized marijuana and abortion rights, in defiance of the state’s GOP leaders. On today’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson is joined by Brandon Tensley, national political reporter for Capital B News, to talk about the role of Black voters in Democratic victories, and what it all could mean for the 2024 general elections.
Guest: Brandon Tensley, national political reporter for Capital B News
Podcast production by Kristie Taiwo-Makanjuola
You can skip all the ads in A Word by joining Slate Plus. Sign up now at slate.com/awordplus for $15 for your first three months.
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On this week’s episode of The Waves, we get the first Women Tell All episode of The Golden Bachelor. Waves recap co-hosts Cheyna Roth and Laura Stassi have some thoughts for Gerry.
Podcast production by Vic Whitley-Berry and Cheyna Roth with editorial oversight by Daisy Rosario and Alicia Montgomery.
Send your comments and recommendations on what to cover to [email protected].
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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On this week’s episode of The Waves, what’s it like to be an indie musician? Slate senior producer Cheyna Roth is joined by singer and songwriter Dessa. They dig into her newest album and how she has benefited from and been hurt by being a woman in the music industry. Later in the show they explore the breakup song - and all the gendered expectations that go along with writing one.
In Slate Plus: What do a dentist, neuroscientists, and puppeteers all have in common? They’ve worked with Dessa.
If you liked this episode, check out: Penis Politics
Podcast production by Cheyna Roth and Vic Whitley-Berry with editorial oversight by Daisy Rosario and Alicia Montgomery.
Send your comments and recommendations on what to cover to [email protected].
Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now at slate.com/thewavesplus.
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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 [email protected].
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.
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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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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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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This week, Christina Cauterucci, Jules Gill-Peterson, and Bryan Lowder talk with Jeopardy! winner and trans trailblazer Amy Schneider about her bold new memoir In The Form of a Question. Amy won $1.3 million after a 40 day winning streak in 2021, the longest streak for a woman in the show’s history. In this episode, Amy talks about the decision to be herself on her historical Jeopardy! run and why it felt important to not skip the tarot, drugs, and ‘messiness’ in her new memoir.
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On today’s episode of Hear Me Out… lovable underdogs?
For a long time, we’ve been sold — and we’ve bought — the idea of the nerd hero; usually a man, usually brilliant, and usually a social outcast who, inevitably, gets the girl. That was the happy ending.
But now, we’re surrounded by powerful, self-styled nerds who have it all and still want more. And, to some, it’s increasingly hard to root for these guys.
Ian Bogost, a writer and video game designer, joins us.
If you have thoughts you want to share, or an idea for a topic we should tackle, you can email the show: [email protected]
Podcast production by Maura Currie
You can skip all the ads in Hear Me Out by joining Slate Plus. Sign up now at slate.com/hearmeoutplus for just $15 a month for your first three months.
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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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The Slate Money crew is joined by a familiar voice in Jordan Weissmann to discuss “The Insider”. They talk about the many conflicts of interest, how to make journalism look interesting, and the problem with Michael Mann movies.
If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get an ad-free experience across the network and an additional segment of our show every week. You’ll also be supporting the work we do here on Slate Money. Sign up now at slate.com/moneyplus to help support our work.
Podcast production by Patrick Fort.
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This week, host Isaac Butler talks to Raja Feather Kelly, a choreographer and director who works both on Broadway and with his dance-theatre-media company, The Feath3r Theory. In the interview, Raja discusses the useful systems and strategies he’s developed with his collaborators at The Feath3r Theory and how he’s able to apply some of that wisdom to his work on Broadway. He also shares the process behind his upcoming show, The Absolute Future of the Multiverse of How to Cover the Sun with Mud.
After the interview, Isaac and co-host June Thomas discuss the “big emotions” that drive their work.
In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Raja discusses his long-time obsession with Andy Warhol.
Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected] or give us a call at (304) 933-9675.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews.
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 Working. Sign up now at slate.com/workingplus to help support our work.
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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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On this week’s episode of The Waves, Gerry visits the hometowns of the last 3 women standing on The Golden Bachelor.
Unlike hometown dates in the past, Gerry isn’t meeting the parents. Instead, he’s getting to know the women’s kids and their grandkids. But it doesn’t make the hometown dates any less cringe. Slate Senior Producer Cheyna Roth and Dating While Gray host Laura Stassi recap the episode.
Podcast production by Cheyna Roth and Vic Whitley-Berry with editorial oversight by Daisy Rosario and Alicia Montgomery.
Send your comments and recommendations on what to cover to [email protected].
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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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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**THIS EPISODE CONTAINS REPEATED PROFANITY, AND MAY NOT BE APPROPRIATE FOR ALL LISTENERS.**
Leslie Jones got her big break, joining the cast of Saturday Night Live, at the age of 47. She says that the long wait for stardom meant that she knew her worth and how to stand up for herself, even when the stakes were high. On today’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson is joined by Leslie Jones to discuss her new book, “Leslie Fucking Jones: A Memoir.”
Guest: Comedian Leslie Jones
Podcast production by Ahyiana Angel
You can skip all the ads in A Word by joining Slate Plus. Sign up now at slate.com/awordplus for $15 for your first three months.
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On this week’s episode of The Waves, the next presidential election is one year away and we are entering a storm of macho man politics. Slate senior producer Cheyna Roth is joined by NPR politics reporter Danielle Kurtzleben to talk about why men keep talking about their manly-men bonafides, how that affects women trying to be in politics, and more.
More From Danielle and Mentioned in the Episode:
In Slate Plus: A check-in on new mom Danielle and whether she has in fact become a “mom” or just a person with a kid.
If you liked this episode, check out: Are “Cool Moms” A Menace?
Podcast production by Cheyna Roth and Vic Whitley-Berry with editorial oversight by Daisy Rosario and Alicia Montgomery.
Send your comments and recommendations on what to cover to [email protected].
Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now at slate.com/thewavesplus.
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For this week’s episode of Working Overtime, a listener grapples with the complicated problem of having too much success as a freelancer. Balancing their time between a day job and an onslaught of freelance projects leaves them feeling wiped out, yet tepid about rocking their financial boat. Hosts June Thomas and Isaac Butler share their own experiences of juggling freelance and full-time work. While freelancing can be feast or famine, it's important to set realistic deadlines, negotiate for better rates, and know when quitting one job might be your best bet.
Do you have a question about creative work? Leave a message at (304) 933-9675 or email us at [email protected].
Podcast production by Kevin Bendis and Cameron Drews.
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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 [email protected].
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.
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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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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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.
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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On today’s episode of Hear Me Out… the veil is thin.
It’s easy to forget, between the plastic skeletons and cheap chocolate, that Halloween was — and is, for many cultures — very much about the reality of death.
As the Northern Hemisphere goes dormant for the winter, it’s worth remembering that the circle of life includes death. And instead of a punchline or a thing to be feared, we might actually celebrate death, when we can. And who better to consult on how to do that than modern-day witches?
Helen Berger, sociologist and researcher at Brandeis University, joins us to discuss.
If you have thoughts you want to share, or an idea for a topic we should tackle, you can email the show: [email protected]
Podcast production by Maura Currie
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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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This week, host June Thomas talks to Katherine Howe, a writer of both historical fiction and nonfiction books. In the interview, Katherine starts by discussing her upcoming novel A True Account, which tells a fictional story about the very real Golden Age of Piracy. Then she talks about her work collaborating with CNN anchor Anderson Cooper on historical nonfiction books. Their latest is called Astor: The Rise and Fall of an American Fortune.
After the interview, June and co-host Kristen Meinzer discuss the challenges of juggling multiple projects and the use of “storytelling habits.”
In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Katherine shares some of her favorite works of historical fiction. She also explains her fascination with witches.
Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected] or give us a call at (304) 933-9675.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews.
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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.
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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.
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In this episode, Maeve Higgins (author of Maeve in America: Essays by a Girl From Somewhere Else) joins Prudie (Jenée Desmond-Harris) to answer letters from readers about how to respond when everyone thinks your toxic ex is brave and amazing, where to turn when your absentee dad has done psychedelics and forgiven himself a little too enthusiastically, and what to do when you can’t stop making nasty comments to your dog.
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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On this week’s episode of The Waves, Golden Bachelor Gerry is rapidly approaching hometown dates and needs to narrow the pool down to three. To get there, we have a passionate one-on-one date and a high-stakes group date. Slate senior producer Cheyna Roth and Dating While Gray host Laura Stassi give their thoughts.
Podcast production by Cheyna Roth and Vic Whitley-Berry with editorial oversight by Daisy Rosario and Alicia Montgomery.
Send your comments and recommendations on what to cover to [email protected].
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.
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The NFL is a multi-billion dollar business, with a player population that’s more than 60 percent African American. Yet the league’s owners, leadership, and reporters don’t reflect that diversity. In his role as an NFL Media journalist, Jim Trotter repeatedly questioned officials, including NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, about the league’s lack of diversity. After he lost his job, Trotter filed a lawsuit, claiming racial discrimination and retaliation. On today’s episode of A Word, Trotter joins host Jason Johnson to talk about career, his court case, and the importance of having more African American journalists covering professional football.
Guest: Jim Trotter, senior opinion writer for The Athletic
Podcast production by Kristie Taiwo-Makanjuola
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On this week’s episode of The Waves, the Las Vegas Aces beat the New York Liberty to win their second WNBA championship in a row. But more impressive is that they played in front of one of the biggest crowds to ever attend a WNBA game. Slate senior supervising producer Daisy Rosario is joined by sports journalist and founder of the Power Plays newsletter Lindsay Gibbs to unpack the recent surge in popularity for women’s sports, why you should make an effort to support women’s basketball, and more.
In Slate Plus: Lindsay tries to convince Daisy to get into women’s college basketball
If you liked this episode, check out: Watch The Women’s World Cup, Damnit!
Podcast production by Cheyna Roth and Vic Whitley-Berry with editorial oversight by Daisy Rosario and Alicia Montgomery.
Send your comments and recommendations on what to cover to [email protected].
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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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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The spooky season is upon us, so hosts Christina Cauterucci, Jules Gill-Peterson, and Bryan Lowder discuss Living for the Dead, the new queer ghost-hunting reality show from the creators of Queer Eye. The show, now streaming on Hulu, is narrated by the disembodied voice of Kristen Stewart, a haunting many of us would welcome. The hosts end the show, as always, with some new additions to the Gay Agenda.
Please note, starting in November, Outward will be appearing in your feeds more often, so be sure to subscribe.
Items discussed in the show:
Living for the Dead, on Hulu
Gay Agenda
Christina: Autostraddle’s coverage of Ashlyn Harris and Ali Krieger’s divorce
Jules: JewishCurrents’ “Dispatches From Gaza”
Bryan: Queer witch @Riotaddams
This podcast was produced by Palace Shaw and June Thomas.
Please send feedback, topic ideas, and advice questions to [email protected].
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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 [email protected].
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.
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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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.
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On today’s episode of Hear Me Out… when silence is violence.
The war in Israel and Palestine is a rapidly-evolving situation – and one that’s bringing up a lot of emotions for a lot of people. Couple that with the flood of mis-and-disinformation on social media, and “to post or not to post” becomes an extremely loaded question.
Are you ever required to speak up on social media? Even if you don’t know the whole story? And if you elect not to say anything, is that inherently choosing a side — and causing harm to others in the process?
Social strategist and writer Rachel Greenspan joins us to say that, as a Jewish woman, she doesn’t expect her friends to post about this moment in history… and maybe, neither should you.
If you have thoughts you want to share, or an idea for a topic we should tackle, you can email the show: [email protected]
Podcast production by Maura Currie
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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.
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In this episode of the Movies series, the Slate Money gang talks with BNN Bloomberg’s Amanda Lang about “BlackBerry”. Are there really vampires in Waterloo, Ontario? Why are all movie business guys just people who yell?
If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get an ad-free experience across the network and an additional segment of our show every week. You’ll also be supporting the work we do here on Slate Money. Sign up now at slate.com/moneyplus to help support our work.
Podcast production by Patrick Fort.
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This week, guest-host Kristen Meinzer talks to Margalit Fox, a longtime writer of obituaries for the New York Times and now a full-time writer of nonfiction books, like The Confidence Men. In the interview, Margalit discusses the delicate art of documenting notable deaths, including the practice of pre-writing and continually updating the obituaries of living people. She also explains how her work as an obituary writer has influenced her work as a nonfiction author.
After the interview, Kristen and co-host June Thomas talk about the terrifying work of cold-calling sources.
In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Margalit discusses why women and people of color have been underrepresented in the obituary section.
Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected] or give us a call at (304) 933-9675.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews.
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 Working. Sign up now at slate.com/workingplus to help support our work.
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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.
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Since Microsoft announced its bid to buy Activision Blizzard last year, regulators around the world sounded the alarm that the merger would suppress competition in the industry.
Now that the deal has officially gone through, should gamers be worried?
Guest: Jason Schreier, covering the video game industry for Bloomberg
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This week, Felix Salmon, Emily Peck, and Elizabeth Spiers are joined by Sara Fischer, senior media reporter at Axios, to break down recent media deals with sports leagues, and why cord-cutters are going old school and buying TV antennas. They also discuss Marc Andreessen’s unhinged tech manifesto.
In the Plus segment: The recent survey of consumer finances.
Podcast production by Jessamine Molli.
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David Plotz talks with author and 12-year Amazon senior employee, Kristi Coulter about her new memoir, Exit Interview: The Life and Death of My Ambitious Career. They discuss the good, the bad, and the confusing parts of Coulter’s career at Amazon, starting in 2006. They talk about the culture of Amazon, the frustrating gender dynamics, and why she was constantly “a year away” from a promotion.
Tweet us your questions @SlateGabfest or email us at [email protected]. (Messages could be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.)
Podcast production by Cheyna Roth.
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On this week’s episode of The Waves, Gerry says the D Word: Divorce. Laura Stassi, host of Dating While Gray, and Slate Senior Supervising Producer Daisy Rosario recap the fourth episode of The Golden Bachelor.
Podcast production by Vic Whitley-Berry with editorial oversight by Daisy Rosario and Alicia Montgomery.
Send your comments and recommendations on what to cover to [email protected].
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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In this episode, Roxane Gay (best-selling author of Bad Feminist and Opinions) joins Prudie (Jenée Desmond-Harris) to answer letters from readers about how to decline a colleague’s invitation to dinner, when it’s okay to ghost a friend for good reasons, and whether it’s possible to say positive about love when you’re burned out on dating apps.
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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Supreme Court watchers are concerned that the Justices are poised to make racial gerrymandering all but impossible to prove. This comes after the Court recently heard arguments in the case of Alexander v. the South Carolina State Conference of the NAACP. On today’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson is joined by Brandon Tensley, national political reporter for Capital B News. They discuss the South Carolina voters who are directly impacted by the case, and what it could mean for voting rights around the country.
Guest: Brandon Tensley, national political reporter for Capital B News
Podcast production by Kristie Taiwo-Makanjuola
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For this week’s episode of Working Overtime, hosts Isaac Butler and June Thomas discuss confidence and what it took for them to feel self-assured in their own creative strengths. June knows she is a wizard of copy editing, while Isaac has faith in his prowess as a writer, but it took them both years of hard work to get there. At the beginning of a career it can be hard to feel self-assured in your work, but keeping in mind that every artist has endured periods of self-doubt, and avoiding comparisons to finished pieces can help jump start your own creative confidence.
Do you have a question about creative work? Leave a message at (304) 933-9675 or email us at [email protected].
Podcast production by Kevin Bendis and Cameron Drews.
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On this week’s episode of The Waves, Laura Stassi is back in the host seat. Laura, host of the podcast Dating While Gray, still can’t get over what the heck is going on in 72-year-old Gerry Turner’s love life.
Gerry is the first lead for The Bachelor spinoff The Golden Bachelor. While Gerry and the group of women vying for his heart are seniors over 65 years old, many of the age-old Bachelor franchise tropes are still being put to use. What is it about reality TV dating that forces the stakes to be so high? To figure this out, Vulture TV critic Kathryn VanArendonk joins us.
In Slate Plus: Kathryn VanArendonk on a reality show focused on business connections – Project Greenlight: A New Generation
If you liked this episode, check out:
Podcast production by Vic Whitley-Berry with editorial oversight by Daisy Rosario and Alicia Montgomery.
Send your comments and recommendations on what to cover to [email protected].
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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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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 Candade, 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.
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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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 [email protected].
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.
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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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.
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This week, host Isaac Butler talks to Patrick Page, a broadway performer whose current one-man show All the Devils Are Here digs into the complex psyches of multiple Shakespeare villains. In the interview, Patrick discusses his passion for playing Shakespeare roles, his process for researching characters, and the importance of being a good listener as an actor.
After the interview, Isaac and co-host June Thomas talk about some specific acting exercises.
In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Patrick shares his experiences with vocal training.
Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected] or give us a call at (304) 933-9675.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews and Kevin Bendis.
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 Working. Sign up now at slate.com/workingplus to help support our work.
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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.
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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.
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With more than one and half million people behind bars, the U.S. is second only to China in the number of citizens who are incarcerated. And an estimated one of three African American men spend some part of their lives under the control or supervision of the criminal justice system. The consequences of incarceration for individuals, families, and communities are devastating…and little understood. Even the worst outcomes in prison –sickness, suicide and other deaths– are frequently overlooked because the victims aren’t valued and the incidents aren’t documented.
On today’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson is joined by Andrea Armstrong. She’s a professor at Loyola University of New Orleans College of Law, and the chair of the Prison and Jail Innovation Lab at the LBJ School of Public Affairs. She also recently won a MacArthur Fellowship –widely known as a genius award– for her work.
Guest: Andrea Armstrong, professor at Loyola University of New Orleans College of Law, and the chair of the Prison and Jail Innovation Lab at the LBJ School of Public Affairs.
Podcast production by Ahyiana Angel
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When the Arab Spring was unfolding, Twitter was hailed as a way for on-the-ground reporting to reach the public. But when fighting between Hamas and Israel broke out over the weekend, X became flooded with misinformation.
Guest: Casey Newton, founder and editor of the technology newsletter Platformer.
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.
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In this episode, Tracy Clayton (co-host of Pineapple Street Studios’ Back Issue) joins Prudie (Jenée Desmond-Harris) to answer letters from readers about coworkers who beg for baked goods, a husband who has a troubling amount of fun with his friends, and a boyfriend who said I love you way too soon (maybe?)
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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On this week’s episode of The Waves recapping The Golden Bachelor, we find Gerry in his feelings…again.
Slate Senior Supervising Producer Daisy Rosario and Dating While Grey Host Laura Stassi give their thoughts on the third episode of Gerry’s journey to finding love and all the tears that go along with it.
Podcast production by Vic Whitley-Berry with editorial oversight by Daisy Rosario and Alicia Montgomery.
Send your comments and recommendations on what to cover to [email protected].
If you enjoyed this episode, subscribe to the feeds for The Waves and Dating While Grey wherever you listen to podcasts.
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On this week’s episode of The Waves: the case for taking a sabbatical.
Host TK Dutes speaks with author and former television writer Patty Lin on her latest book End Credits: How I Broke Up With Hollywood. Lin worked in some of the most notable writers' rooms like Friends, Freaks and Geeks, Desperate Housewives and Breaking Bad. But when she hit a breaking point, she made a big change and stopped working for an entire year. After that? Her relationship with work–and everything else–transformed.
In Slate Plus: Patty Lin on how her closest relationships changed after going on sabbatical
If you liked this episode, check out: Female CEOs Can’t Save Us
Podcast production by Vic Whitley-Berry with editorial oversight by Daisy Rosario and Alicia Montgomery.
Send your comments and recommendations on what to cover to [email protected].
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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 [email protected].
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.
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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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.
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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.
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In this episode of the Movies series, the gang talks with Slate’s Cheyna Roth about Barbie. Is Barbie an anti-capitalist movie? Does Ryan Gosling steal too much of the show? And what message does Barbie’s success send to Hollywood?
If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get an ad-free experience across the network and an additional segment of our show every week. You’ll also be supporting the work we do here on Slate Money. Sign up now at slate.com/moneyplus to help support our work.
Podcast production by Patrick Fort.
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This week, host June Thomas talks to Suk Pannu, creator and writer of Mrs. Sidhu Investigates, a British radio drama that became a TV series that’s now available on Acorn TV. In the interview, Suk explains why he wanted to tell the story of a middle-aged Indian auntie who becomes an amateur sleuth. He also talks about the different creative demands of radio and TV and the slightly surrealist nature of amateur sleuth mystery stories.
After the interview, June and co-host Isaac Butler discuss why it’s important to hold onto old ideas that still have potential.
In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Suk shares some of his favorite mystery TV shows.
Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected] or give us a call at (304) 933-9675.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews.
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 Working. Sign up now at slate.com/workingplus to help support our work.
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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.
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Many of the gains of the Civil Rights movement were built by African Americans who turned grief—often over the violent deaths of loved ones—into activism. At the same time, grief over anticipated or theoretical losses within the white community is frequently harnessed into political power. On today’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson is joined by political science professor Juliet Hooker, author of Black Grief/White Grievance, about why anger and even violence has often been framed as a justified response to white losses of power and influence, but inappropriate among Black people, even when there’s loss of life.
Guest: Juliet Hooker, Professor of Political Science at Brown University
Podcast production by Ahyiana Angel
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In this episode, Ashley C. Ford (author of the bestselling memoir Somebody’s Daughter) joins Prudie (Jenée Desmond-Harris) to answer letters from readers about whether conflicting ideas about children should end a relationship between two twenty-somethings, what to do when a friend is obsessed with her husband’s band, and if it’s acceptable to leave your partner behind and vacation without them if they’re running late and miss the flight.
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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Join Slate senior producer Cheyna Roth and Laura Stassi, host of the Dating While Grey podcast as they unpack Gerry Turner’s journey to find love. It’s episode two and the remaining women are moving into the mansion…complete with bunk beds. Cheyna and Laura talk about Gerry’s bland one-on-one date, the cringe-inducing group date, whether Gerry could get serious with a divorcee, and much more.
Podcast production by Vic Whitley-Berry and Cheyna Roth with editorial oversight by Daisy Rosario and Alicia Montgomery.
Send your comments and recommendations on what to cover to [email protected].
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/thewavesplus to help support our work.
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On this week’s episode of The Waves, Slate Senior Supervising Producer of Audio, Daisy Rosario can’t get toxic female bosses out of her head. She’s joined by Noelle Crooks, author of the new book, Under the Influence and former employee of one Rachel Hollis, so she knows a lot about bad workplaces. They discuss the insidious nature of saying your workplace is “like a family,” why an office dance party is a BAD thing, and how some powerful women leverage their minority status for ill.
In Slate Plus: How to recover from a job that burned you out.
If you liked this episode, check out: The Bama Rush to Trad Wife Pipeline
Podcast production by Cheyna Roth and Vic Whitley-Berry with editorial oversight by Daisy Rosario and Alicia Montgomery.
Send your comments and recommendations on what to cover to [email protected].
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/thewavesplus to help support our work.
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For this week’s episode of Working Overtime, hosts Nate Chinen and June Thomas spotlight an idea from Rick Rubin’s latest book, The Creative Act: A Way of Being, about experiencing art on multiple levels. June has experience with the daily repetition of a poem to gain a greater understanding of it, while Nate explains his methods of ‘deep listening’ with music. To have a more acute grasp of a piece of art, you sometimes have to just let it be, before returning and processing it.
Do you have a question about creative work? Leave a message at (304) 933-9675 or email us at [email protected].
Podcast production by Kevin Bendis and Cameron Drews.
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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 [email protected].
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.
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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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.
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On today’s episode of Hear Me Out… stretching our legs.
We know we like to bring you deep conversations about the biggest topics in the news. But today? Let’s go for a walk.
Lots of us picked up this new healthy habit over the course of the pandemic. But walking is still one of those things you either love or really, really hate. So we took our host — an enthusiastic walker — and sat her down with someone who hates it.
Our guest is Lucy Lopez, media personality and host of the Mamacita Rica podcast.
If you have thoughts you want to share, or an idea for a topic we should tackle, you can email the show: [email protected]
Podcast production by Maura Currie
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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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This week, Isaac talks to author and returning guest Jonathan Lethem! In the interview, Jonathan discusses his brand new book, Brooklyn Crime Novel, which revisits themes and settings that Jonathan engaged with in his previous works, Fortress of Solitude and Motherless Brooklyn. This time, Jonathan uses unusual storytelling tactics–like characters without names and chapters that vary wildly in length–to rediscover the Brooklyn of his youth.
After the interview, Isaac and co-host June Thomas talk about why great artists often return to the same material over and over.
In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Jonathan explains how he mapped out Brooklyn Crime Novel’s unusual structure.
Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected] or give us a call at (304) 933-9675.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews.
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 Working. Sign up now at slate.com/workingplus to help support our work.
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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.
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On this special episode of The Waves, Slate’s Lizzie O’Leary and Alex Sammon talk about Sen. Dianne Feinstein’s legacy and what her death means for Senate Democrats and the whole party going forward.
Further Reading: Dianne Feinstein’s Death Instantly Creates Two Big Problems to Solve
If you liked this episode, check out: Why All the First Ladies Want to Be Jackie O.
Podcast production by Vic Whitley-Berry and Cheyna Roth with editorial oversight by Alicia Montgomery and Daisy Rosario.
Send your comments and recommendations on what to cover to [email protected].
If you enjoy this show and want to support it, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get an ad-free experience across the network and exclusive content on many shows. Sign up now at slate.com/thewavesplus to help support our work.
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In this episode, Amy Aniobi (best known for her work on HBO's Insecure) joins Prudie (Jenée Desmond-Harris) to answer letters from readers about donating sperm to their ex, whether you should decline to be a bridesmaid because you feel ugly, and if you should be concerned that your partner is obsessed with murder stories.
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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**Today’s episode discusses sensitive language, including the n-word, and may not be appropriate for all listeners.**
For decades, words and phrases that originate in Black homes, churches, and entertainment have been pulled into the national conversation…where their meanings are often changed or widely misunderstood. And social media has accelerated the process, taking Black vernacular from a group chat, to Twitter, to national headlines in record time. On today’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson is joined by journalists Tre’vell Anderson and Jarrett Hill, co-authors of the new book, Historically Black Phrases: From ‘I Ain’t One of Your Lil’ Friends’ to ‘Who All Gon’ Be There?’ They talk about what inspired their book, and how they hope the book can provide a snapshot of authentic Black language, and the spark to more honest conversations about race and identity.
Guests:
Acclaimed writer Tre’vell Anderson, author of We See Each Other: A Black, Trans Journey Through TV and Film.
Award-winning journalist Jarrett Hill, professor at the University of Southern California’s Annenberg School of Journalism.
Podcast production by Ahyiana Angel
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It’s our first Golden Bachelor recap episode! Join Slate senior producer Cheyna Roth and Laura Stassi, host of the Dating While Grey podcast as they unpack Gerry Turner’s journey to find love. They discuss who had the cringiest entrance, whether Gerry is really ready for love (and the drama), and just how ageist some parts of the show are.
Podcast production by Cheyna Roth with editorial oversight by Daisy Rosario and Alicia Montgomery.
Send your comments and recommendations on what to cover to [email protected].
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/thewavesplus to help support our work.
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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.
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Why is everyone—on the left and the right—suddenly touting the benefits of a married two-parent family? And what is it about this institution that appeals to a certain class of politicians and pundits as means to address American poverty, even as it loses popularity?
We consider the public meltdown over lower marriage rates and the renewed interest in ending no-fault divorce.
Guest: Rebecca Traister, author of All the Single Ladies: Unmarried Women and the Rise of an Independent Nation and writer-at-large for New York magazine.
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. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to help support our work.
Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Madeline Ducharme, Anna Phillips, Paige Osburn, and Rob Gunther.
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Jonas Salk’s polio vaccine transformed America and the world in ways that seemed unimaginable. But in 1955, there was a moment when everything was in doubt. This week, Josh Levin talks with Dr. Paul Offit about the medical mystery that threatened to derail one of history’s most important scientific breakthroughs.
Josh Levin is One Year’s editorial director. One Year’s senior producer is Evan Chung.
This episode was produced by Kelly Jones, Evan Chung, and Sophie Summergrad.
It was edited by Josh Levin, Joel Meyer, and Derek John, Slate’s executive producer of narrative podcasts.
Merritt Jacob is our senior technical director.
Join Slate Plus to get a bonus 1955 episode 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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On this week’s episode of The Waves, Host Kat Chow turns to Afghanistan, two years since the chaotic withdrawal of U.S. troops from the country. She speaks with reporter Tanvi Misra, who recently published an article with Politico following a family trapped in immigration limbo at a U.S. embassy in Doha, Qatar. Tanvi also explains how the U.S. immigration process singles out women and marginalized genders.
Further reading: They Thought Their Sick Little Girl Would Be Safe in America. Then It Denied Her Family Entry.
In Slate Plus: The drama and life of luxury on Prime Video’s Made in Heaven with Host Kat Chow and reporter Tanvi Misra
If you liked this episode, check out: Incompetent Cervix - The Misogynist History Behind Naming The Female Body
Podcast production by Vic Whitley-Berry and Cheyna Roth with editorial oversight by Daisy Rosario and Alicia Montgomery.
Send your comments and recommendations on what to cover to [email protected].
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/thewavesplus to help support our work.
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Everybody loves pandas—and China knows it. As we say goodbye to the National Zoo’s pandas, we look back at 50 years of “panda diplomacy” and consider its uncertain future.
Guest: E. Elena Songster, author of Panda Nation: The Construction and Conservation of China’s Modern Icon and professor of environmental history of modern China at St. Mary’s College of California.
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. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to help support our work.
Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Madeline Ducharme, Anna Phillips, Paige Osburn, and Rob Gunther.
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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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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 [email protected].
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.
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After five long months, the WGA and major Hollywood studios have reached a tentative agreement to end the strike—well, that one anyway. Who won what and where do the actors stand?
Guest: Michael Schulman, staff writer at The New Yorker.
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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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This week, host Nate Chinen talks with Dave Chisholm, a jazz trumpeter who writes graphic novels about jazz musicians. His previous publications include Chasin' the Bird: A Charlie Parker Graphic Novel and Enter the Blue. His next book, Miles Davis and the Search for the Sound, will be released in November.
In the interview, Chisholm talks about how he uses the visual language of comics to explore the musical language of jazz and about the challenges of writing a book about a figure of the significance and complexity of Miles Davis.
After the interview, Chinen and co-host June Thomas discuss ways in which elements of music theory and practice can be applied to writing and share some pop-cultural pet peeves.
In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Chisholm names three essential Miles Davis albums and three mind-blowing graphic novels
Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected] or give us a call at (304) 933-9675.
Podcast production by Zak Rosen.
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Emily Bazelon talks with author Zadie Smith about her new book, The Fraud. They discuss what happens when justice comes through an unjust symbol, how much Zadie does and doesn’t know about her characters, and more.
Tweet us your questions @SlateGabfest or email us at [email protected]. (Messages could be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.)
Podcast production by Cheyna Roth.
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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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Against the odds, a tight-knit group of Black families created the community of Shoe Lane in Newport News, Virginia in the early 20th century. Residents bought land, and often built their homes, expecting to hand down a thriving African American neighborhood to future generations. Then Christopher Newport University systematically took the land over, pushing out all but a handful of now-elderly residents. On today’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson is joined by journalist Brandi Kellam, who helped bring the story to light. She co-reported Erasing the “Black Spot”: How a Virginia College Expanded by Uprooting a Black Neighborhood for ProPublica and the Virginia Center for Investigative Journalism at WHRO.
Guest: Journalist Brandi Kellam
Podcast production by Kristie Taiwo-Makanjuola
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In this episode, Caroline Moss (writer, editor, and author) joins Prudie (Jenée Desmond-Harris) to answer letters from readers about how to break it to your dad that he’s not invited to walk you down the aisle, what to do with wedding photos that include a sibling’s ex, and whether it’s okay to tell loved ones you never want to vacation with them.
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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For this week’s episode of Working Overtime, hosts Nate Chinen and June Thomas press pause on adulthood and explore the creative spirit of childhood. Nate recounts his experience with the late jazz saxophonist Wayne Shorter, who always strived to get out of his own way and embrace a childlike approach to free expression. They also discuss the popular Australian cartoon Bluey, which often features the themes of suspending judgment and being open to the wildest of ideas.
Do you have a question about creative work? Leave a message at (304) 933-9675 or email us at [email protected].
Podcast production by Kevin Bendis and Cameron Drews.
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On this week’s episode of The Waves, Host Kat Chow welcomes back author and science journalist Rachel E. Gross to talk about the misogynist origins of many names and diagnoses in the female reproductive system. Gross is the author of Vagina Obscura: An Anatomical Voyage and the New York Times column Body Language.
In Slate Plus: Rachel E. Gross’s thoughts on the documentary Every Body about intersex people
If you liked this episode, check out: The Vagina et Al., an interview with Rachel E. Gross and Slate’s Shannon Palus about Gross’s book Vagina Obscura: An Anatomical Voyage
Podcast production by Vic Whitley-Berry and Cheyna Roth with editorial oversight by Daisy Rosario and Alicia Montgomery.
Send your comments and recommendations on what to cover to [email protected]. Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now at slate.com/thewavesplus.
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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 [email protected].
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.
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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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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It’s September. Are you ready to warm up your muscles as the temperatures dip and get your apartment all cozy for the cuffing season to come? If so, Outward has you covered. First, listeners Elizabeth and Peter respond to last month’s discussion of Amazon’s film adaptation of Red, White & Royal Blue. Then the hosts talk with sports journalist Katie Barnes about their new book Fair Play: How Sports Shape the Gender Debates, which tells the remarkable story of how sports have been gendered long before today’s anti-trans panic. After that, they’re joined by writer and TikTok-er extraordinaire Mercury Stardust, who is known as the “Trans Handy Ma’am” for her DIY home-repair videos. Mercury’s new book, Safe and Sound: A Renter-Friendly Guide to Home Repair, blends stunning illustrations and emotional-processing breaks with how-to guides for making your apartment into a sanctuary. The hosts end the show, as always, with some new additions to the Gay Agenda.
Items discussed in the show:
“Bottoms Queers the High-School Comedy,” the Culture Gabfest’s discussion of the movie, with Christina
“Power Bottoms,” by Rachel Handler, on Vulture
Fair Play: How Sports Shape the Gender Debates, by Katie Barnes
Safe and Sound: A Renter-Friendly Guide to Home Repair, by Mercury Stardust
The Safe and Sound book tour
Gay Agenda
Bryan: “What Happens When You’re Almost Out of Testosterone–and You Live in Florida,” by Nico Lang
Christina: Deadloch, on Amazon Prime
Jules: People Collide, by Isle McElroy
This podcast was produced by June Thomas.
Please send feedback, topic ideas, and advice questions to [email protected].
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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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This week, host June Thomas talks to writer and podcaster Brad Dowdy, who makes his living as a pen and stationary enthusiast. In the interview, Brad explains how he was able to quit his full-time job in I.T. and turn his passion into a career. He also breaks down the many facets of his job, from his “Pen Addict” blog and podcast to his newsletter and Twitch streams.
After the interview, June and co-host Isaac Butler discuss what makes a great pen and how to schedule your days as a freelancer.
In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Brad explains what “pen shows” are all about.
Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected] or give us a call at (304) 933-9675.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews.
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 Working. Sign up now at slate.com/workingplus to help support our work.
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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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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.
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The teaching of Black history has been under increasing political attack in recent years. But the version of African American history taught –even to Black people– has always been incomplete. On today’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson is joined by columnist Michael Harriot to discuss his new book, Black AF History: The Un-Whitewashed Story of America. They discuss the inspiration for the book, the most persistent myths of race and racism, and fighting the backlash against Black history.
Guest: Michael Harriot, author of Black AF History: The Un-Whitewashed Story of America
Podcast production by Kristie Taiwo-Makanjuola
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In this episode, Tia Williams (bestselling author of The Perfect Find) joins Prudie (Jenée Desmond-Harris) to answer letters from readers about how to cope with excessive Facebook photos of your partner’s ex, how to mourn a racist in-law’s death, and how to have a cute summer romance in Italy.
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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In the early days of television, women struggled to find their place. In 1955, they found it: forecasting the weather, on stations all across the country. But as these “weather girls” transformed the airwaves, a group of powerful men hatched a plan—one that had the potential to push women weathercasters off the air forever.
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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On this week’s episode of The Waves, Host Kat Chow dives into the public divorce of actress Sophie Turner and pop artist Joe Jonas. But we’re not so much getting into the actual divorce, more the way tabloid news is covering it and leaning into some seriously sexist tropes. As news spread about the marriage’s end, articles immediately started speculating as to who was at fault, and tabloids reported using anonymous sources saying Turner was more focused on partying and going out, leaving Jonas at home with their two young kids.
Kat is joined by Rolling Stone senior writer Ej Dickson, to dig into the long history of sexist tropes about mothers and motherhood, the “bad mommy” PR spin, and more.
Further Reading:
In Slate Plus: Ej Dickson on why Gweneth Paltrow is uncancellable.
If you liked this episode, check out: Is The Wedding Dress Dead?
Podcast production by Vic Whitley-Berry and Cheyna Roth with editorial oversight by Daisy Rosario and Alicia Montgomery.
Send your comments and recommendations on what to cover to [email protected].
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/thewavesplus to help support our work.
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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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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 [email protected].
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.
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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Niky just isn’t jibing with Spanish. She’s tried courses, podcasts, apps, and even private tutors in order to make a connection with Spanish speakers around Toronto, at her job, and while traveling. But years into her language-learning journey, she’s not even close to being fluent. On this episode of How To!, Carvell Wallace introduces Niky to Luca Lampariello. A speaker of 14 languages, Luca is a teacher and the founder of the Smart Language Learning Academy. He offers up tons of insight into why we learn the way we do, making what we learn actually stick, and how to have fun along the way.
If you liked this episode, check out: How To Remember Everything
Do you have a question we can help you solve? Send us a note at [email protected] or leave us a voicemail at 646-495-4001. We might invite you on the show! Subscribe for free on Apple, Spotify or wherever you listen.
Podcast production by Derek John, Joel Meyer, Rosemary Belson, Kevin Bendis, and Jabari Butler.
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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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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NOTE: This interview was recorded before the SAG-AFTRA strike.
This week, host Isaac Butler talks to Marian Macgowan, a long-time film and TV producer who recently oversaw production on the Hulu series The Great. In the interview, Marian describes the many varieties of executive producer, from the ones who do a lot of creative work to the ones who “just sit there in the credits.” She also talks about her experience working on The Great, which Isaac calls “the best show on television.”
After the interview, Isaac and co-host June Thomas discuss the best ways to provide feedback to collaborators.
In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Marian talks about The Great’s elaborate set designs.
Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected] or give us a call at (304) 933-9675.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews.
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 Working. Sign up now at slate.com/workingplus to help support our work.
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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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Kwamé Holland started his music career at the dawn of the hip-hop era. But after decades in the business, the rapper and producer is reconnecting with his first creative love – toys! And he’s building a community of Black toy lovers who don’t just collect action figures, but build and even play with them. On today’s episode of A Word, Kwamé Holland talks with host Jason Johnson about his unique path to becoming a prophet of playtime, and his work with Let’s Be Onyx, an organization that promotes the art of collectable toys.
Guest: Rapper, producer and writer Kwamé Holland, co-founder of Let’s Be Onyx
Podcast production by Ahyiana Angel
You can skip all the ads in A Word by joining Slate Plus. Sign up now at slate.com/awordplus for $15 for your first three months.
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In this episode, Gene Demby (co-host of NPR's Code Switch) joins Prudie (Jenée Desmond-Harris) to answer letters from readers about crushes that are complicated by power dynamics, family secrets about racial identity, and whether loud talking is a cultural issue that could end a relationship.
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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On this week’s episode of The Waves, it’s rush time! Host Kat Chow is diving deep into the #BamaRush phenomenon that has taken over the internet recently. She’s joined by professor and New York Times columnist Tressie McMillan Cottom to talk about her recent article, “In Alabama, White Tide Rushes On” They dig into the very specific “type” of college student that joins the Alabama sorority, the race and gender implications of the Greek “Machine” and the cuteness of it all.
Fighter Reading:
Our Aesthetic Categories: Zany, Cute, Interesting by Sianne Ngai
HBO documentary Bama Rush (2023) directed by Rachel Fleit
In Slate Plus: Unpacking Tressie’s piece The Enduring, Invisible Power of Blond, and all the internet chaos it caused.
If you liked this episode, check out: How Drake Betrayed Megan Thee Stallion
Podcast production by Cheyna Roth and Vic Whitley-Berry with editorial oversight by Daisy Rosario and Alicia Montgomery.
Send your comments and recommendations on what to cover to [email protected].
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/thewavesplus to help support our work.
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In 1955, the frontiersman Davy Crockett became the most famous man in America, more than a century after his death at the Alamo. This week, Evan Chung dives into a cultural phenomenon nobody saw coming. Not the kids in coonskin caps who started the craze, not the parents whose money fueled it, and least of all Walt Disney, the legendary studio head who created it totally by accident.
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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For this week’s episode of Working Overtime, hosts June Thomas and Isaac Butler acknowledge the painful fact that most art is in fact pretty bad. Yet, just because the play, or painting was poorly constructed does not mean you have to scrub it from your mind. Thinking about how you might have improved the piece, or realizing it was made from a labor of love can often generate new creative ideas of your own and respect for the process.
Do you have a question about creative work? Leave a message at (304) 933-9675 or email us at [email protected].
Podcast production by Kevin Bendis and Cameron Drews.
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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 [email protected].
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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 [email protected].
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.
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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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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This week, guest-host Nate Chinen talks to Kalia Vandever, a trombonist and bandleader who recently performed alongside Harry Styles in the U.S. and Europe during his “Love on Tour” tour. In the interview, Kalia explains how she got used to performing in front of gigantic, loud, high-energy crowds. She also shares how her experience touring with Harry has informed her solo work.
After the interview, Nate and co-host June Thomas talk about the challenges and learning opportunities that come from moving to a larger stage–literally or figuratively.
In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Kalia discusses some of her favorite horn sections in popular music.
Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected] or give us a call at (304) 933-9675.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews.
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 Working. Sign up now at slate.com/workingplus to help support our work.
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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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On this month’s episode of Future Tense Fiction, host Maddie Stone talks to Janelle Shane about her short story “The Skeleton Crew.”
The House of A.I. is a next-level haunted house: In it, a suite of advanced A.I.s read visitors’ facial expressions to generate perfectly tailored scares. Or at least, that’s what the marketing materials want you to believe. It turns out, the house is actually operated by a group of underpaid gig workers, tasked with posing as spooky A.I.s as they guide visitors through the mansion. When two gunmen sneak into the house in search of a famous rock artist who’s there visiting, things go south quickly—and everyone ends up really grateful for the humans behind the house’s spooky machines.
After the story, Maddie and Janelle discuss why the human workers behind A.I. are so often invisibilized—and why you should be suspicious when a company oversells its tech.
Guests: Janelle Shane is a research scientist. She writes about A.I. on her blog, aiweirdness.com, and she’s also the author of You Look Like a Thing and I Love You.
Story read by Kat Bohn
Podcast production by Tiara Darnell
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The racist murders of three Black Americans in Jacksonville renewed fears of a rising tide of violent white supremacists. At the same time, fascist movements are successfully recruiting more diverse members. On today’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson is joined by Daryle Lamont Jenkins, an activist who has devoted his career to tracking and confronting extremists, and even to helping people escape white supremacist groups. Jenkins proudly embraces the maligned “antifa” label, and is encouraging followers to find ways every day to stand up to organized extremists, from neighborhoods to the national government.
Guest: Daryle Lamont Jenkins, Executive Director of the One People’s Project
Podcast production by Ahyiana Angel
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In this episode, Dr. Orna Guralnik (host of Showtime's Couples Therapy) joins Prudie (Jenée Desmond-Harris) to answer letters from readers about what to do when a friend is obsessed with misogynistic love and relationship podcasts, when your husband just can’t figure out birthday gifts, and when you’re wondering “Does therapy just not work for me?”
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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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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On this week’s episode of The Waves, we’re talking about The Kiss. Scaachi Koul is joined by Women’s World Cup reporter for The Athletic and freelance sports reporter, Tamerra Griffin to talk about Spanish Soccer President, Luis Rubiales forcibly kissing player Jennifer Hermoso after Spain’s World Cup final win. They dig into the internal strife that was already going on within the Spanish team, Rubiales’s history of alleged misconduct, where the sport can go from here, and more.
In Slate Plus: How female players express themselves on the pitch.
If you liked this episode, check out: Watch the Women’s World Cup, Damnit!
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 [email protected].
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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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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 [email protected].
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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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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This week, host June Thomas is joined by writer Carlos Fonseca, the author of three critically acclaimed novels, and the much-lauded literary translator Megan McDowell. Fonseca and McDowell discuss their working relationship, the creative process of translation itself, and their latest collaboration on the book Austral.
After the interview June is joined by co-host Nate Chinen, for a discussion of the ebb and flow process between complexity and clarity that can exist within a collaborative project.
In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, June asks Fonseca about why translation is important and the background of how the non-textual elements of his book, were translated.
Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected] or give us a call at (304) 933-9675.
Podcast production by Kevin Bendis and Cameron Drews.
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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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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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In this episode, Brian Lehrer (host of WNYC’s The Brian Lehrer Show) joins Prudie (Jenée Desmond-Harris) to answer letters from readers about how roommates should handle mismatched levels of COVID caution, how to split a check when your friends forget they had appetizers, and how to settle a debate about going braless around teenage sons.
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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A small-town government’s failures pushed volunteer Patrick Braxton to run for mayor. He won the right to lead in Newbern, Alabama. But a white minority has literally locked him out of office. On today’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson is joined by Aallyah Wright, the Capital B journalist who helped elevate Braxton’s ordeal to national news. They discuss the wider issue of ways Black political power is thwarted by old school racism, and the need for a more wide ranging response.
Guest: Aallyah Wright, Capital B News reporter
Podcast production by Kristie Taiwo-Makanjuola
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On this week’s episode of The Waves, why can’t celebrities and sports organizations leave trans people alone? On the heels of the International Chess Federation excluding trans women from competing, and some terrible statements from singer Ne-Yo (remember Ne-Yo?) Waves host Scaachi Koul wants to know why everyone is so obsessed with trans people. She talks with cartoonist and author of the graphic novel, Boys Weekend, Mattie Lubchansky about why celebrities can’t help but get involved, why trans women continue to take the brunt of these types of attacks, and what hope there is for the future of trans rights.
In Slate Plus: It’s the season finale of And Just Like That…season 2.
If you liked this episode, check out: How a Drag Queen Recreated the American Dream
Podcast production by Cheyna Roth with editorial oversight by Scaachi Koul, Daisy Rosario and Alicia Montgomery. Additional help from Victoria Whitley-Berry.
Send your comments and recommendations on what to cover to [email protected].
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/thewavesplus to help support our work.
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For this week’s episode of Working Overtime, hosts June Thomas and Isaac Butler reflect on their times at different arts festivals. Being around like-minded individuals drawn together by an appreciation of art can be inspiring. Even if a festival isn’t physically possible to attend, finding creative groups and online communities can sometimes be just as rewarding.
Do you have a question about creative work? Leave a message at (304) 933-9675 or email us at [email protected].
Podcast production by Kevin Bendis and Cameron Drews.
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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 [email protected].
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/
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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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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On today’s episode of Hear Me Out… main character syndrome.
As concerts and movie theaters have roared back to life this summer, so has a disturbing trend: bad behavior. You’ve seen the videos, probably — picking fights with neighbors, throwing things onstage, and taking videos during Barbie.
Some of these behaviors have higher stakes than others, obviously. But it’s clear that we’re in a new frontier of public behavior… and that it might be more difficult, and more dangerous, to chide our neighbors.
Freelance writer Sara Stewart joins us to argue that times have changed… and it’s time for venues to step up.
If you have thoughts you want to share, or an idea for a topic we should tackle, you can email the show: [email protected]
Podcast production by Maura Currie
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Last week, retired NFL lineman Michael Oher sued the Tuohy family and revealed a gulf between real life and how he and the family were portrayed in 2009’s The Blind Side.
Guest: Santul Nerkar, reporter on sports and business for the New York Times.
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. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to help support our work.
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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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For this week’s episode of Working, host Isaac Butler interviews author Daniel Hornsby on his new novel Sucker and his creative process. The author of Via Negativa, Hornsby’s latest tale was spun out of jokes among friends about Elizabeth Holmes being a vampire and Martin Shkreli’s failed foray as punk-rock label owner, for a deeply sardonic salad of tech world billionaires, and campy horror. Butler is also joined by co-host Nate Chinen, to discuss Hornsby’s inspired ways of generating ideas from physically writing drafts in the bar, to exploring the rules of genres.
Do you have a question about creative work? Leave a message at (304) 933-9675 or email us at [email protected].
Podcast production by Kevin Bendis and Cameron Drews.
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Emily Bazelon, David Plotz, and John Dickerson talk with author Barbara Kingsolver about her new book, Demon Copperhead. They discuss her inspiration for the novel, what we keep getting wrong about Appalachia, and more.
Tweet us your questions @SlateGabfest or email us at [email protected]. (Messages could be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.)
Podcast production by Cheyna Roth.
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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.
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Felix Salmon, Emily Peck, and Elizabeth Spiers discuss FDIC chair Martin Guenberg’s proposal to let big bank debt holders lose money before the uninsured depositors. Also, Rao’s upscale cornering of the red sauce market leads to its $2.7 billion sale to Campbell’s. Finally “The Wig”: Argentina’s right-wing primary winner Javier Milei’s arresting mop and his plan to toss out the currency.
In the Plus segment: Why can’t it be Halloween all year round?
If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get an ad-free experience across the network and an additional segment of our show every week. You’ll also be supporting the work we do here on Slate Money. Sign up now at slate.com/moneyplus to help support our work.
Podcast production by Kevin Bendis and Patrick Fort.
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In this episode, Lori Gottlieb (advice columnist and co-host of the Dear Therapists podcast) joins Prudie (Jenée Desmond-Harris) to answer letters from readers about postpartum depression, wedding-planning anxiety, and what to do when you think neurodivergent people are getting away with way too much.
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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This week’s indictment of former President Donald Trump in Georgia is widely considered to be the most ambitious prosecution he faces. With 41 counts, and 18 named co-conspirators, it covers alleged crimes in Trump’s efforts to overturn his 2020 loss in the state. But the case also highlights his attacks on individual Black women, and legitimacy of Black votes in general. On today’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson is joined by attorney and voting rights advocate Nse Ufot. She’s the founder of the New South Super PAC, and a long-time activist in Georgia. She says that—no matter what happens in this particular case—voting rights for people of color and other marginalized groups are under constant threat across Georgia, and preserving democratic principles there will require vigilance, strategy, and determination.
Guest: Nse Ufot, voting rights activist and founder of the New South Super PAC
Podcast production by Ahyiana Angel.
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On this week’s episode of 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 reporter 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.
In Slate Plus: Episode 10 of our And Just Like That…recap.
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 [email protected].
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/thewavesplus to help support our work.
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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.
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This month, hosts Christina Cauterucci, Jules Gill-Peterson, and Bryan Lowder discuss Amazon Prime’s adaptation of Casey McQuiston’s best-selling queer rom-com Red, White & Royal Blue. They also speak with intersex activist and educator Pidgeon Pagonis about their memoir Nobody Needs to Know and the campaign to end nonconsensual surgeries on intersex kids. The hosts end the show, as always, with some new additions to the Gay Agenda.
Items discussed in the show:
Red, White, & Royal Blue, by Casey McQuiston
Red, White & Royal Blue on Amazon Prime
Outward’s December 2019 special episode on The Inheritance
Nobody Needs to Know: A Memoir, by Pidgeon Pagonis
Girl, Interrupted, by Susanna Kaysen
Interconnect.support, a support group for intersex people
Gay Agenda
Christina: John Early: Now More Than Ever, on Max
Jules: “O’Shae Sibley Was Killed While Voguing at a Brooklyn Gas Station. Last Weekend New Yorkers Rallied to Honor His Memory,” in Vogue
Bryan: Miriam and Alan Lost in Scotland on PBS, and “Who’s Afraid of Social Contagion,” by Hugh Ryan, in the Boston Review
This podcast was produced by June Thomas.
Please send feedback, topic ideas, and advice questions to [email protected].
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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 [email protected].
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/
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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On today’s episode of Hear Me Out… choosin’ cruisin’.
There seem to be two types of people in this world: those who love going on cruise ships, and those who wouldn’t be caught dead on one. Whichever you are, you probably feel pretty strongly about this.
The cruise industry has come roaring back from the brink since the lifting of pandemic restrictions, and there’s never been more to do while you’re at sea. So for the slight majority of you who, statistically, aren’t cruise fans, today’s guest poses a question: why not?
Ezra Dyer, senior editor at Car and Driver, joins us to argue that cruises are the kind of tacky fun that you might just like… in spite of yourself.
If you have thoughts you want to share, or an idea for a topic we should tackle, you can email the show: [email protected]
Podcast production by Maura Currie
You can skip all the ads in Hear Me Out by joining Slate Plus. Sign up now at slate.com/hearmeoutplus for just $15 a month for your first three months.
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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.
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This week, guest-host Nate Chinen talks to Miguel Cervantes, the actor currently playing Alexander Hamilton on Broadway. In the interview, Miguel explains why he’s not trying to mimic or channel the original performances by Lin-Manuel Miranda. He also shares how a personal tragedy changed his life and continues to impact his art.
After the interview, Nate and co-host June Thomas talk about repetition and ritual as tools for creative work.
In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Miguel tells the story of an embarrassing mishap on stage.
Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected] or give us a call at (304) 933-9675.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews.
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 Working. Sign up now at slate.com/workingplus to help support our work.
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Felix Salmon and Elizabeth Spiers are joined by Cardiff Garcia (host of The New Bazaar) to discuss ESPN’s big new investment in sports betting. They break down the state of a lawsuit over how much UFC fighters get paid. Finally, they talk about the increasing allure of private credit.
If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get an ad-free experience across the network and an additional segment of our show every week. You’ll also be supporting the work we do here on Slate Money. Sign up now at slate.com/moneyplus to help support our work.
Podcast production by Patrick Fort.
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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.
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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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In this episode, Joel Anderson (the host of the latest season of Slate’s Slow Burn) joins Prudie (Jenée Desmond-Harris) to answer letters about persistent friend requests from colleagues, allegations of white supremacy surrounding graduation attire, and what to do when your biggest relationship issue is cat litter in the bed.
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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According to the United Nations, more civilians died in Haiti than died in Ukraine during the first few months of 2023. Institutions have collapsed; violent gangs control the capital, and kidnappers are terrorizing citizens. What’s left of the Haitian government has pleaded for international help, but historically, foreign interventions in Haiti have harmed, exploited, and even killed many Haitians. On today’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson is joined by Patrick Gaspard, chief of the Center for American Progress think tank, who argues the U.S. has a moral obligation to intervene. Gaspard is also the former U.S. Ambassador to South Africa, and a Haitian-American.
Guest: Patrick Gaspard, president and CEO of the Center for American Progress
Podcast production by Kristie Taiwo-Makanjuola
You can skip all the ads in A Word by joining Slate Plus. Sign up now at slate.com/awordplus for $15 for your first three months.
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On this week’s episode of The Waves, former Buzzfeed reporter and current Scamfluencers host, Scaachi Koul is taking over hosting The Waves for the next few weeks. This week she’s digging deep into the life of First Lady hopeful, Casey DeSantis. Scaachi is joined by Washington Post reporter, Ruby Cramer. Ruby wrote a masterpiece on Casey DeSantis, “Tracing the power of Casey DeSantis.” They get into why Casey DeSantis scares Scaachi, how to properly make fun of Ron’s wife, and why the Ron and Casey two-some is so exclusive.
In Slate Plus: continuing our And Just Like That…recap with episode 9.
If you liked this episode, check out: Your Period Deserves Respect
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 [email protected].
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/thewavesplus to help support our work.
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For this week’s episode of Working Overtime, hosts June Thomas and Isaac Butler dive into all the ways creatives should relax and vacation. Whether it’s splashing in the pool, or breezing through some books, a few days of R&R can be just what is needed to replenish the creative juices. The hosts also explore the many conversations among friends and family that can sometimes jostle loose a new creative idea and recharge your relationships.
Do you have a question about creative work? Leave a message at (304) 933-9675 or email us at [email protected].
Podcast production by Kevin Bendis and Cameron Drews.
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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.
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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 [email protected]
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.
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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, 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 [email protected].
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/
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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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.
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Felix Salmon, Emily Peck, and Elizabeth Spiers kick off Slate Money’s series on some of the biggest financial scandals in recent history. This week they are joined by Joe Berlinger, director of “Madoff: The Monster of Wall Street”. Berlinger tells the Slate Money crew about Madoff and how his infamous Ponzi scheme ultimately came tumbling down.
If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get an ad-free experience across the network and an additional segment of our show every week. You’ll also be supporting the work we do here on Slate Money. Sign up now at slate.com/moneyplus to help support our work.
Podcast production by Patrick Fort.
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This week, host June Thomas talks to writer Madeleine George, who recently adapted the classic Alison Bechdel comic Dykes to Watch Out For into an audio drama that stars Jane Lynch, Carrie Brownstein, Roberta Colindrez, and Roxane Gay. In the interview, Madeleine discusses the challenges of turning a piece of visual art into an audio-only narrative. She also talks about the 1980’s setting of the story and the continued relevance of the characters’ personal and political lives.
After the interview, June and co-host Isaac Butler explain how to set rules for your creative projects.
In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Madeleine talks about her work on the Hulu series Only Murders in the Building.
Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected] or give us a call at (304) 933-9675.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews.
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 Working. Sign up now at slate.com/workingplus to help support our work.
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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.
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Felix Salmon, Emily Peck, and Elizabeth Spiers talk about the recent downgrade of America’s credit rating by one agency. They also cover how Taylor Swift and Beyonce are changing concert tours, and figure out whether or not anyone is judging you during a business lunch.
If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get an ad-free experience across the network and an additional segment of our show every week. You’ll also be supporting the work we do here on Slate Money. Sign up now at slate.com/moneyplus to help support our work.
Podcast production by Patrick Fort.
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In this episode, Jasmine Guillory (a New York Times bestselling author) joins Prudie (Jenée Desmond-Harris) to answer letters from readers who are obsessing about what happens when an affair partner becomes a coworker, girls’ trip drama, and friends with benefits who also have benefits with other friends.
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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More people are watching women’s sports than ever before, and the U.S. has high hopes for the Women’s World Cup. Still, there’s a lag in media coverage and resources for women athletes, particularly women of color. On today’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson is joined by Subria Whitaker, the chief of the non-profit organization Grow the Game. They discuss why the growth of women’s sports still isn’t matched by media coverage and economic resources, and how that impacts audiences and athletes of color.
Guest: Subria Whitaker, founder and executive director of the non-profit, Grow the Game
Podcast production by Ahyiana Angel
You can skip all the ads in A Word by joining Slate Plus. Sign up now at slate.com/awordplus for $15 for your first three months.
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On this week’s episode of The Waves, we’re talking the Hollywood strikes. Slate senior supervising producer Daisy Rosario is joined by longtime journalist and author of Burn It Down, Maureen Ryan to unpack the systematic oppression that has taken place behind the scenes of your favorite movies and television shows for decades. They dig into the structures in place to keep women and marginalized voices from getting to the top of the ladder, and how none of these stories are examples of one bad apple. They also explore how the ongoing writers and actors strikes are an inevitable result of years of injustice - and what they need to bargain for to make true change in Hollywood.
In Slate Plus: A recap of episode 8 of Max’s And Just Like That…
If you liked this episode, check out: How to Survive in Hollywood
Podcast production by Cheyna Roth with editorial oversight by Daisy Rosario and Alicia Montgomery. Additional help from Paige Osburn.
Send your comments and recommendations on what to cover to [email protected].
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/thewavesplus to help support our work.
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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.
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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.
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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 [email protected].
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/
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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On today’s episode of Hear Me Out… let’s get it on.
Whether you watch porn or not — admit it, or not — adult entertainment shapes the way we think about sex, gender, and power.
Our guest today argues that porn is an industry, but it’s also a genre, and it’s much closer to fantasy than it is to reality. But if we abandoned porn and replaced it with watching real people have real sex, we might not just shake off taboos; we might also become better lovers, and better people, too.
Cindy Gallop, CEO of MakeLoveNotPorn, joins us.
If you have thoughts you want to share, or an idea for a topic we should tackle, you can email the show: [email protected]
Podcast production by Maura Currie
You can skip all the ads in Hear Me Out by joining Slate Plus. Sign up now at slate.com/hearmeoutplus for just $15 a month for your first three months.
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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.
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This week, host Isaac Butler talks to actor Arian Moayed, who played Stewy on the hit HBO series Succession and more recently played Torvald Helmer in a production of A Doll’s House on Broadway. In the interview, Arian talks about his early career in theater and the valuable acting techniques that he learned in college. He also discusses his experiences playing unlikeable characters, his pivot from stage to screen, and the overwhelming amount of feedback that actors receive.
[NOTE: This interview was recorded before the SAG-AFTRA Union began its strike.]
After the interview, Isaac and co-host June Thomas discuss the benefits and downsides of high-intensity creative work.
In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Arian explains how he got the hang of Succession’s unique tone.
Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected] or give us a call at (304) 933-9675.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews.
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 Working. Sign up now at slate.com/workingplus to help support our work.
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On this month’s episode of Future Tense Fiction, host Maddie Stone talks to Andrew Silverman about his short story “Furgen.”
Tucker, the story’s canine protagonist, is the center of his owner Caro’s world. When Caro buys an A.I.-enabled dog trainer that promises to help both her and Tucker live their best lives, everything starts to fall into place—the A.I. takes care of Tucker when he’s sick, trains him to walk without a leash, and even helps Caro get a girlfriend. But as Tucker’s bond with the A.I. deepens, optimizing for their best lives starts to mean something much different than what Caro originally had in mind.
After the story, Maddie asks Andrew about how his own experiences as a dog owner—and a pediatric neurologist—influenced the story. Plus, Maddie talks with canine behavioral scientist Clive Wynne, who wrote a response essay to Andrew’s story, about whether a dog could really fall in love with a robot.
Guests: Andrew Silverman is a pediatric neurologist and the author of “Furgen.”
Clive Wynne is a professor of psychology and director of the Canine Science Collaboratory at Arizona State University. He is also the author of Dog Is Love: Why and How Your Dog Loves You.
Story read by Peggy O’Neal
Podcast production by Tiara Darnell
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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.
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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.
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For some, the election of Barack Obama signified hope. For others, it intensified hate. But what role did mainstream political rhetoric play in fueling subsequent violent racially charged incidents? On today’s episode of A Word, guest host Ahyiana Angel is joined by Wesley Lowery, journalist and author of American Whitelash: A Changing Nation and the Cost of Progress. Lowery details how he used first-hand reporting and historical analysis to explore the role of race in politics and the new wave of racial division in our society.
Podcast production by Ahyiana Angel.
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In this episode, Damon Young (a writer, critic, and a self-proclaimed “professional black person”) joins Prudie (Jenée Desmond-Harris) to answer letters from readers who are obsessing about their lackluster high school tennis careers, their awkward interaction with their crushes, and whether participation in civil war reenactments is a dating deal breaker.
If you want more Dear Prudence, join Slate Plus, Slate’s membership program. Jenée answers an extra question every week, just for members. This week she answers a question about what to do when a grandparent food-polices a toddler.
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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On this episode: Zak and Jamilah are joined by Lucy Lopez, host of the Mamacita Rica podcast, to talk about all things Barbie. Whether you played with Barbies as a kid — or are weighing whether to let your kids have them now — the summer blockbuster movie is certainly giving us a lot to talk about. Extra Listening: Why Barbie Lives On
They also discuss their week of triumphs and fails including summer camp blues, confident fashion choices, and finding more family time. On Slate Plus: Can traveling with little kids be easier or should they be left behind?
Join us on Facebook and email us at [email protected] to ask us new questions, tell us what you thought of today’s show, and give us ideas about what we should talk about in future episodes. You can also call our phone line: (646) 357-9318.
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 Mom and Dad are Fighting. Sign up now at slate.com/momanddadplus to help support our work.
Podcast produced by Rosemary Belson and Maura Currie.
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On this week’s episode of The Waves, drag queens are under attack and being labeled bad for families and kids. But RuPaul’s Drag Race and Drag Race All Stars contestant Mrs. Kasha Davis is making people rethink the American Dream. She sits down with Slate senior supervising producer, Daisy Rosario to talk about the real life inspiration for the character of Mrs. Kasha Davis, her new music video showcasing the importance of Drag Story Hour, and why more people need to see happy queer families like hers.
In Slate Plus: Recap of episode 7 of HBO’s And Just Like That…
If you liked this episode, check out: Why Barbie Lives On
Podcast production by Cheyna Roth with editorial oversight by Daisy Rosario and Alicia Montgomery.
Send your comments and recommendations on what to cover to [email protected].
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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Country music’s Jason Aldean has been around for years. But he didn’t crack the Billboard Top 5 until he released “Try That in a Small Town” – a controversial hit that portrays American city living as a gauntlet of violence and crime. CMT pulled down the song’s video, which featured Aldean singing at a former lynching site. But “Try That” is more popular than ever. Why? And what does its ubiquity say about modern country music?
Guest: Jason Lipshutz, senior director of music at Billboard
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 Amicus—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on What Next. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to help support our work.
Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme and Rob Gunther.
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For this week’s episode of Working Overtime, hosts June Thomas and Isaac Butler are joined by Lincoln Michel author of The Body Scout, for a deep dive into the legacy of creative work. Books may last forever, but vast amounts of work within the digital realm end up being ephemeral. It can be easy to worry about how a Tweet may be perceived in the future, but even major authors of their day can be lost to the annals of time.
Do you have a question about creative work? Leave a message at (304) 933-9675 or email us at [email protected].
Podcast production by Kevin Bendis and Cameron Drews.
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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.
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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.”
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 [email protected].
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.
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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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.
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.
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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.
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This week, guest-host Nate Chinen talks to Maria Schneider, winner of multiple Grammy Awards for her big band jazz compositions, including the song “Sue (Or in a Season of Crime),” which she composed with David Bowie. In the interview, Maria discusses her two mentors Gil Evans and Bob Brookmeyer and the wisdom that helped her find her voice as an artist. She also talks about her tools for composing, what it means to “trust your enthusiasm,” and her unforgettable collaboration with David Bowie.
After the interview, Nate and co-host Isaac Butler explain how to respect the inner logic of your work. They also talk about how artists can borrow wisdom from other art forms.
In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Maria explains why most of her music isn’t available on streaming services.
Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected] or give us a call at (304) 933-9675.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews.
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 Working. Sign up now at slate.com/workingplus to help support our work.
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David Plotz talks with author David Grann about his new book, The Wager. The non-fiction book tells the harrowing story of a shipwreck off the coast of Patagonia in 1742. They discuss how the British Empire twisted fact and fiction, the process of digging through 280-year-old documents, and why you should always have citrus at sea.
Tweet us your questions @SlateGabfest or email us at [email protected]. (Messages could be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.)
Podcast production by Cheyna Roth.
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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.
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In this episode, Jessica Valenti (a feminist columnist and author) joins Prudie (Jenée Desmond-Harris) to answer readers’ letters about whether it’s okay to ghost friends who don’t respect your reproductive choices, how to deal with a spouse who is a slob, and when to tell your kids you’ve had an abortion.
If you want more Dear Prudence, join Slate Plus, Slate’s membership program. Jenée answers an extra question every week, just for members. This week she answers a question about what to do when a grandparent food-polices a toddler.
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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Oklahoma’s legendary “Black Wall Street” was destroyed in the Tulsa Massacre of 1921. Hundreds of victims were murdered and dumped in mass graves, and dozens of homes and businesses were burned to the ground. More than a century later, three survivors remain, fighting for justice. But their lawsuit seeking reparations was recently dealt a blow in court. On today’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson is joined by attorney Damario Solomon-Simmons to talk about the case, the history and the next steps.
Guest: Attorney Damario Solomon-Simmons, founder of the Justice 4 Greenwood organization
Podcast production by Kristie Taiwo-Makanjuola
You can skip all the ads in A Word by joining Slate Plus. Sign up now at slate.com/awordplus for $15 for your first three months.
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On this week’s episode of The Waves, it’s all about Barbie. Slate senior producer Cheyna Roth sits down with M.G. Lord, author of Forever Barbie and co-host of “LA Made: The Barbie Tapes” from LAist and So Cal Public Radio. They discuss the history of the Barbie doll and how she’s managed to endure, how Barbie might actually be feminist, and what the new Greta Gerwig movie gets right about Barbie.
In Slate Plus: Episode 6 of our And Just Like That…recap.
If you liked this episode check out Is The Wedding Dress Dead?
Podcast production by Cheyna Roth with editorial oversight by Daisy Rosario and Alicia Montgomery.
Send your comments and recommendations on what to cover to [email protected].
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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 [email protected].
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.
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This month, taking a cue from the sultry, sensual heat of summer, Outward examines the venerable queer practice of cruising—for sex and sex work—in public space. First, hosts Christina Cauterucci, Jules Gill-Peterson, and Bryan Lowder make eyes at Park Cruising, a new essay collection on cruising in parks, which explores the pleasures, politics, and complexities of that gay pastime. Author Marcus McCann joins the hosts to discuss those themes. Then they head down to Christopher Street with the trans women of The Stroll, a new HBO documentary streaming on Max, as they revisit a time when New York’s now-gentrified Meatpacking District was rich with a unique and affirming form of sisterhood. Co-director Kristen Lovell stops by to discuss the making of the film. The hosts end the show, as always, with some new additions to the Gay Agenda.
Items discussed in the show:
“The Real Story of 303 Creative v. Elenis,” by Mark Joseph Stern in Slate
Outward’s Times Square billboard
A provocative chant at NYC Drag March
Park Cruising: What Happens When We Wander Off the Path, by Marcus McCann
Sylvia Rivera, Marsha P. Johnson, and STAR
Gay Agenda
Christina: Rock Hudson: All That Heaven Allowed from HBO
Jules: Hari Nef’s interviews about her role in Barbie
Bryan: Taylor Mac’s 24-Decade History of Popular Music (see also Hugh Ryan on the show’s history)
This podcast was edited by Emily Charash and produced by June Thomas.
Please send feedback, topic ideas, and advice questions to [email protected].
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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.
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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.
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.
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On today’s episode of Hear Me Out… a spoonful of sugar helps the trade protectionism go down.
The Farm Bill is up for renewal this year — and there’s a chorus of voices now, as in years past, saying it’s time we stop favoring domestic sugar.
The U.S. has subsidized American sugar producers for almost as long as we’ve been a republic, but the current system is very complicated… and very costly for the average consumer. Some argue that it’s closer to a cartel than it is a regulatory model.
Colin Grabow, research fellow at the Cato Institute, joins us to argue for the end of the U.S. sugar program.
You can find Celeste’s other podcast, Big Sugar, wherever you listen to podcasts.
If you have thoughts you want to share, or an idea for a topic we should tackle, you can email the show: [email protected]
Podcast production by Maura Currie
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Actor Lea DeLaria knew Orange is the New Black was a hit. But Netflix made sure their paychecks didn’t reflect it. Fast forward ten years and this business model is the norm for nearly all working American actors.
So now, the actors are joining the writers on strike, something that hasn’t happened in Hollywood since 1960, when television was the new, upstart technology. Today the double strike is about streaming services and artificial intelligence.
Guests:
Alissa Wilkinson, Vox senior correspondent covering film and television.
Lea DeLaria, comedian and an actor best known for playing Big Boo on Orange is the New Black.
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. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to help support our work.
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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.
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On this episode: Elizabeth, Zak and Jamilah dish on their favorite podcasts—ones they love to listen to with their kids and shows that binge without kids. They also do a round of normal, podcast-free recommendations and then share some parenting advice from listeners.
Recommendations:
Jamilah: I’m a Virgo.
Zak: Climb slides!
Elizabeth: Learn By Sticker Book
Podcast Recommendations:
Summer Camp: The Case of the Phantom Pooper
But Why: A Podcast For Curious Kids
Family Road Trip Trivia Podcast
Charm Words: Daily Affirmations For Kids
Who shat on the floor at my wedding?
Beach Too Sandy, Water Too Wet
Join us on Facebook and email us at [email protected] to ask us new questions, tell us what you thought of today’s show, and give us ideas about what we should talk about in future episodes. You can also call our phone line: (646) 357-9318.
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 Mom and Dad are Fighting. Sign up now at slate.com/momanddadplus to help support our work.
Podcast produced by Rosemary Belson and Maura Currie.
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This week, host June Thomas talks to journalist Maureen Ryan, author of the book Burn It Down: Power, Complicity, and a Call for Change in Hollywood. In recent years, Ryan has pivoted from TV criticism to writing stories focused on abuses of power in the TV industry. Her new book touches on troubling situations on shows like Lost, Saturday Night Live, The Goldbergs, Sleepy Hollow, and more.
In the interview, Ryan discusses her reporting process and what it's felt like to watch the creators of some of her favorite shows come under fire.
After the interview, Thomas and co-host Nate Chinen discuss why there might be some reason for hope in Hollywood after all.
In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Ryan talks about how her pivot to this kind of reporting has affected her career.
Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected] or give us a call at (304) 933-9675.
Podcast production by Zak Rosen.
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 Working. Sign up now at slate.com/workingplus to help support our work.
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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.
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Felix Salmon, Emily Peck, and Elizabeth Spiers talk about Disney’s challenges especially now that writers and actors are both on strike. They discuss the aftermath of the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision on student loans. And finally, what to do if your bank suddenly closes your account.
In the Plus segment: Giant cruise ship!
If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get an ad-free experience across the network and an additional segment of our show every week. You’ll also be supporting the work we do here on Slate Money. Sign up now at slate.com/moneyplus to help support our work.
Podcast production by Patrick Fort.
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Most people have something they’re holding on to. For Lesley and Alex, that’s some old baseball and basketball cards that are collecting dust in their attic. For Kathy, that’s a house full of antiques. They’ve all been wanting to pare it down. But the big question is: how much is it worth? On this episode of How To! co-host Carvell Wallace is joined by Leila Dunbar, a veteran appraiser and frequent expert on Antiques Roadshow. Leila knows the stories and the value behind all kinds of collectibles and memorabilia. She’ll break down why we hold on to certain items and let go of others…and how to make money along the way.
If you liked this episode, check out: “How To Put Your Town on the Map.”
Do you have a problem that’s keeping you up at night? Send us a note at [email protected] or leave us a voicemail at 646-495-4001 and we might have you on the show. Subscribe for free on Apple, Spotify or wherever you listen.
Podcast production by Derek John, Rosemary Belson, Kevin Bendis, and Jabari Butler.
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.
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.
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In this episode, Josh Gondleman (author, producer, and stand-up comedian) joins Prudie (Jenée Desmond-Harris) to answer readers’ dilemmas about workplace coffee runs, unwanted birthday gifts, pets who steal food—and husbands who react really strangely when that happens.
If you want more Dear Prudence, join Slate Plus, Slate’s membership program. Jenée answers an extra question every week, just for members. This week she answers a question about what to do when a grandparent food-polices a toddler.
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 Brandon Nix.
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Barbie is more than a toy. She’s an icon, and now the focus of a blockbuster film. For generations, Barbie has helped define all-American beauty, often leaving girls who weren’t blonde, thin, and white feeling invisible. But that began to change in the 1980’s with the introduction of Black Barbies. On today’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson is joined by Lagueria Davis, the producer of Black Barbie: A Documentary. The film tells the stories of the African American women who helped bring Black Barbie to life, and the surprising impact that had on the marketplace, and the emotional lives of Black girls.
Guest: Filmmaker Lagueria Davis, producer of Black Barbie: A Documentary
Podcast production by Ahyiana Angel
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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.
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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.
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.
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On this week’s episode of The Waves, we’re talking about the Women’s World Cup and why you should be watching it (even if sometimes it’s a little tricky to find). Slate senior supervising producer Daisy Rosario is joined by investigative sports journalist Jessica Luther with a Waves guide to the cup. They discuss what players to look for, why nationalism can sometimes trump misogyny, Megan Rapinoe’s retirement, and why the US women’s soccer team is so good.
In Slate Plus: Episode 5 of our And Just Like That…recap.
If you liked this episode, check out: Is the Wedding Dress Dead?
Podcast production by Cheyna Roth with editorial oversight by Daisy Rosario and Alicia Montgomery.
Send your comments and recommendations on what to cover to [email protected].
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/thewavesplus to help support our work.
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Beat it, Barbie; outta the way, Oppenheimer—this summer’s biggest box office surprise is “The Sound of Freedom,” a low-budget search-and-rescue thriller that Hollywood doesn’t want you to see—or so the implication goes.
Guests:
Sam Adams, Slate senior editor
Will Sommer, media reporter at the Washington Post and author of Trust the Plan The Rise of QAnon and the Conspiracy That Unhinged America.
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For this week’s episode of Working Overtime, hosts June Thomas and Isaac Butler peel back the layers of great art. Whether it’s books, movies, essays, or paintings, creative work can be broken apart and used as inspirational ammunition for your own output. Through dog-earing novels, overloading a Notes app, or treating yourself to an ‘Artist Date,’ there are countless ways to consume creativity and store it for your own work.
Do you have a question about creative work? Leave a message at (304) 933-9675 or email us at [email protected].
Podcast production by Kevin Bendis and Cameron Drews.
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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 [email protected].
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.
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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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.
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On today’s episode of Hear Me Out… royal pains.
The British Royals are far from the imperial power they once were. Whether you love the institution, hate it, or simply don’t care, it’s hard to deny that it feels like an artifact of another time.
Which is perhaps why Meghan Markle’s arrival on the scene – and subsequent departure, with Prince Harry at her side – threw so many people for a loop. Meghan continues to receive racist, sexist, and downright fabricated harassment from the public, and particularly the tabloids… and so do the people who defend her.
Kristen Meinzer, culture critic and host of The Daily Fail, joins us again to explain why we need to care about Meghan — and defend her.
If you have thoughts you want to share, or an idea for a topic we should tackle, you can email the show: [email protected]
Podcast production by Maura Currie
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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.
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Andrew Tate’s gross mix of self-help, toxic masculinity and misogyny captured the minds of young boys on the internet. It also led to indictments in Romania on human trafficking and rape charges.
Guest: Lisa Miller, contributing editor at New York magazine.
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.
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This week, we're airing an encore presentation of our interview with Hannah Bos and Paul Thureen, writers and creators of the HBO series Somebody Somewhere, which just finished airing its second season on HBO. In the interview, Hannah and Paul discuss their close collaborative relationship and share some of the creative practices they developed with their theater company, The Debate Society. Then they talk about the development and writing process behind Somebody Somewhere, which is set in rural Kansas and stars actor and cabaret singer Bridget Everett, who grew up there.
After the interview, hosts Isaac Butler and June Thomas talk about the effectiveness of writing exercises and the difficulty of describing one’s own creative processes.
In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Hannah and Paul explain why they chose not to include any details about the pandemic in Somebody Somewhere.
Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected] or give us a call at (304) 933-9675.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews.
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 Working. Sign up now at slate.com/workingplus to help support our work.
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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.
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In this episode, Meredith Goldstein (advice columnist and features writer for The Boston Globe) joins Prudie (Jenée Desmond-Harris) to answer readers’ dilemmas about commitment, wedding locations, and whether you’re allowed to make demands about your partner’s facial hair.
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 Brandon Nix.
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It can take years for a water crisis in a predominantly Black city or town to make national news. But contaminated water often harms communities for generations. Beyond the ongoing health threats, dirty water can stifle business and economic development, driving down educational achievement, property values and investment. On today’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson is joined by journalist Adam Mahoney who has reported extensively on how undrinkable water in hurting Black communities across the rural south.
Guest: Reporter Adam Mahoney of Capital B News
Podcast production by Ahyiana Angel
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This week, Emily Bazelon, John Dickerson, and David Plotz are on vacation, but Emily taped an extra episode of Gabfest Reads for everyone. She sits down with author Monica Potts to talk about her new memoir The Forgotten Girls. They discuss growing up in rural Arkansas, Monica’s childhood best friend Darci, and more.
For this week’s Slate Plus bonus segment, David, Emily, and John chatter about what’s making them happy this summer, an article about how bad things really are, and more.
In the June edition of Gabfest Reads, Emily talks with Peter Singer @PeterSinger about his book, Animal Liberation Now: The Definitive Classic Renewed.
Email your chatters, questions, and comments to [email protected] or Tweet us @SlateGabfest. (Messages may be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.)
Podcast production by Cheyna Roth
Research by Julie Huygen
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On this week’s episode of The Waves, Slate senior producer Cheyna Roth does a deep dive on wedding dresses. From the oldest family-run bridal shop in the United States, to a warehouse in New York, she explores what the modern wedding dress looks like. Along with brides-to-be Shannon Palus and Susan Matthews, Cheyna talks with Marteal Mayer, the owner of Loulette Bride in Brooklyn, and mother-daughter duo Shelly Mueller and Alyssa Pung, co-owners of Becker’s Bridal in Fowler, Michigan.
In Slate Plus: Our weekly And Just Like That…recap. This week it’s episode four with Cheyna Roth and Slate culture writer Heather Schwedel.
Podcast production by Cheyna Roth with editorial oversight by Daisy Rosario and Alicia Montgomery. Special thanks to Shannon Palus and Susan Matthews.
Send your comments and recommendations on what to cover to [email protected].
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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 [email protected].
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.
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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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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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.
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This week, host Isaac Butler talks to musician Peter One, whose recent album Come Back to Me is his first in more than three decades. In 1985, he and musician Jess Sah Bi released the album Our Garden Needs Its Flowers, which was a big hit in Peter’s home country of the Ivory Coast and bolstered his reputation around the world. In the interview, Peter discusses his songwriting process for Come Back to Me and explains what it’s been like to re-connect with his fanbase and to find new admirers of his work.
After the interview, Isaac and co-host Nate Chinen discuss the role of intuition in creative work.
In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Peter talks more about the events that led to his career revival.
Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected] or give us a call at (304) 933-9675.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews.
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 Working. Sign up now at slate.com/workingplus to help support our work.
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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.
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Felix Salmon, Emily Peck and Elizabeth Spiers take on the Supreme Court’s decision on affirmative action. They also talk about the (very good!) marketing campaign behind the upcoming Barbie movie, and the (less good) influencer campaign for SHEIN.
In the Plus segment: Vanna White needs a raise!
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Podcast production by Patrick Fort.
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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.
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As this year’s LGBTQ Pride Month ends, transgender Americans find themselves under political attack. At the same time, a number of transgender creatives are thriving, building bright careers and awareness of their community. Actress and activist Angelica Ross is one of those artists. She joins journalist Aisha Mills, who is filling in as host, on today’s episode of A Word. Ross talks about her own journey from struggling teen, to military service, to groundbreaking performer and entrepreuer.
Guest: Actress Angelica Ross
Host: Journalist Aisha Mills, in for Jason Johnson
Podcast production by Kristie Taiwo-Makanjuola
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In this episode, Candice Lim (co-host of Slate’s ICYMI) joins Prudie (Jenée Desmond-Harris) to answer letters from readers about whether to reject invitations from friends with filthy homes, how to cope when everyone at the office thinks you're a cheater, and what to do when you suspect your ambitious partner is about to burn out…and you’re kind of happy about it.
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 Brandon Nix and Emily Charash.
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On this week’s episode of The Waves, we’re diving into fairy tales. Slate book critic Laura Miller talks with author Kelly Link about her collection of fairy tale inspired short stories, White Cat, Black Dog. They discuss how fairy tales have influenced Kelly’s work, the allure of the “searching for a beloved” story, finding a community of female writers.
In Slate Plus: Cheyna Roth and Luke Winkie discuss episode three of Max’s And Just Like That…
Podcast production by Cheyna Roth with editorial oversight by Daisy Rosario and Alicia Montgomery.
Send your comments and recommendations on what to cover to [email protected].
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For this week’s episode of Working Overtime, hosts June Thomas and Isaac Butler address the dread of slumps and how they can affect any creative career. Whether it’s breaking down your project into tiny parts, treating yourself, or simply moving on to a new career altogether, there are many ways to escape a slump. They also dig into the pangs of professional jealousy and how to let it go.
Do you have a question about creative work? Leave a message at (304) 933-9675 or email us at [email protected].
Podcast production by Kevin Bendis and Cameron Drews.
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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 [email protected].
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.
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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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.
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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.
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This week, guest-host Nate Chinen talks to Ayodele Casel, an award-winning tap dancer and one of the choreographers for Funny Girl on broadway. In the interview, Ayodele explains how she progressed quickly in the mid to late 90’s even though she didn’t take up tap dancing until college. She also discusses her award-winning film Chasing Magic and her one-woman show While I Have the Floor, in which she dances to the rhythms of her own spoken word performance.
After the interview, Nate and co-host Isaac Butler talk about the ways artists can honor the history of their discipline.
In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Ayodele shares her favorite tap dancing clips on YouTube.
Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected] or give us a call at (304) 933-9675.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews.
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 Working. Sign up now at slate.com/workingplus to help support our work.
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On this month’s episode of Future Tense Fiction, host Maddie Stone talks to Matt Bell about his short story “Empathy Hour.”
In the story’s climate-change-ravaged future, society’s wealthiest are whisked away to luxurious, self-contained cities. Once there, they entertain themselves with a carefully crafted reality show meant to assuage their guilt about the climate refugees they’ve left behind. But then, someone breaks into their airbrushed world, lifting the lid on what hides underneath it.
After the story, Matt and Maddie discuss the promises and pitfalls of climate fiction–and why we want to feel empathy, but never too much.
Guest: Matt Bell is the author of several books, including the novel Appleseed, a New York Times Notable Book of 2021. He is a professor of creative writing at Arizona State University.
Story read by Josh Bloomberg
Podcast production by Tiara Darnell
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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.
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In this episode, Alisha Wainwright (actor and host of the new podcast series, When Science Finds A Way) joins Prudie (Jenée Desmond-Harris) to answer your letters from readers about friends who don’t call you when they’re in your town, the pros and cons of dating divorced men, and what to do when you’ve pressured your friend to break up with someone who… ends up being a great husband to someone else.
If you want more Dear Prudence, you should 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 Brandon Nix.
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During this LGBTQ Pride month, many members of the community are reflecting on a year of unprecedented political and legal attacks. One of the biggest battlefields has been in public schools and libraries, where books featuring LGBTQ stories have been the targets of censors. On today’s episode of A Word, guest host journalist Aisha Mills is joined by George M. Johnson, author of one of the most banned books, All Boys Aren’t Blue. They talk about the intersection of race and gender identity, and how Johnson has fought back against critics who call the book dangerous and inappropriate for children.
Guest: George M. Johnson, author of All Boys Aren’t Blue
Podcast production by Kristie Taiwo-Makanjuola
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On this week’s episode of The Waves, one year after the Supreme Court decision that set off a national crisis in reproductive health care, we’re taking a look at what the end of Roe has wrought. Countless lives have been affected: There's the people who've traveled across the country to get their lives back, the people who've been forced against their will into pregnancy and childbirth, and those who've been denied life saving medical care because their doctors are afraid of the law. There's also the people doing what they can to mitigate the damage—with ballot measures, and abortion funds, and the tools and knowledge to help someone manage an abortion on their own.
Slate senior writer Christina Cauterucci talks with Diane Horvath and Morgan Nuzzo, who opened an abortion clinic in Maryland just as Roe fell. She also sits down with Elaina Ramsey, who leads a faith-based pro-abortion group in Ohio that’s been charting new ways to use the specific assets of faith communities to help people get abortions, and Jessica Valenti, a journalist who’s been tracking the warp-speed rollback of abortion access across the country, and telling the stories of people whose lives have been upended because of it.
Some of Christina’s Writing on Abortion:
You Will Still Be Able to Get a Medication Abortion—Even if This Barbaric Ruling Stands
What Anti-Abortion Advocates Really Think of Women’s Lives
If the “Abortion Pill” Gets Banned, There’s Still One Good Move
The Religious Left Has Found Its Mission
If you liked this episode, check out: What the F*** Do We Do Now?
Podcast production by Cheyna Roth with editorial oversight by Daisy Rosario and Alicia Montgomery.
Send your comments and recommendations on what to cover to [email protected].
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/thewavesplus to help support our work.
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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 [email protected].
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
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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.
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This Pride month, many LGBTQ people are grappling with complicated feelings. Anti-gay and anti-trans political attacks are becoming all too common, Pride celebrations are being banned or canceled in some parts of the United States, and many of us are wondering how to put this in perspective. Hosts Christina Cauterucci, Jules Gill-Peterson, and Bryan Lowder wrestle with some of that complexity as they work through their feelings about corporate Pride. If rainbow capitalism never mattered in the first place, why does this year’s backtracking feel bad? Then they are joined by writer Delilah Friedler to discuss her piece “Tennessee Belongs to Trans People, Too,” which is part of Slate’s “Not Quite Pride” package. They end the show, as always, with some new additions to the Gay Agenda.
Items discussed in the show:
J. Harrison Ghee and Alex Newell become the first nonbinary acting award winners at the Tony Awards
“The Dirty Secret of Corporate Pride,” by Christina Cauterucci
“Tennessee Belongs to Trans People, Too,” by Delilah Friedler
Slate’s “Not Quite Pride” package of stories
Gay Agenda
Bryan: Casa Susana, a documentary airing on PBS’s American Experience
Jules: Chasing Chasing Amy, a documentary film by Sav Rodgers
Christina: Dykette, a novel by Jenny Fran Davis
This podcast was edited by Emily Charash and produced by June Thomas.
Please send feedback, topic ideas, and advice questions to [email protected].
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.
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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.
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We couldn’t stop thinking about And Just Like That. Now Carrie, Miranda and Charlotte are coming back for a second season and The Waves is going to be covering it all. Every week, Slate Plus members will get a very special And Just Like That recap episode, hosted by myself, Cheyna Roth, with a very exciting lineup of your favorite Slatesters like Daisy Rosario, Luke Wilkie and Heather Schwedel.
Look for the And Just Like That recap in The Waves Plus feed. And if you’re not a Slate Plus member, you can join now by going to Slate.com/thewavesplus to get all these special episodes along with tons of other bonus goodies.
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On today’s episode of Hear Me Out… an archaeology of grievances.
In honor of the third Juneteenth being celebrated as a national holiday, it’s worth unpacking symbolic gestures like Juneteenth — and, as many states are finding out, like Reparations.
The movement to compensate the descendants of slaves is gaining more traction than ever before, in many parts of the country. Could this be our chance to clear a massive, lingering blight on our nation’s history?
Our guest today argues no. Podcast host and columnist Coleman Hughes joins us to make the case that compensating the victims of slavery was something we should’ve done long ago – and now, it’s too late for it to be anything other than a problem.
If you have thoughts you want to share, or an idea for a topic we should tackle, you can now email the show: [email protected]
Podcast production by Maura Currie
You can skip all the ads in Hear Me Out by joining Slate Plus. Sign up now at slate.com/hearmeoutplus for just $15 a month for your first three months.
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This week, host June Thomas talks to Taliah Lempert, an artist who specializes in paintings and prints of bicycles. In the interview, Taliah tells the story of how she first discovered a passion for riding bikes and then painting their likeness. She also explains how she’s been able to turn her artistic practice into a satisfying full-time career.
After the interview, June and co-host Isaac Butler talk about getting into a creative “flow” and embracing your art as your “life’s work.”
In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Taliah discusses art fairs and other community events, and then she tries to list all of the bikes that she owns.
Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected] or give us a call at (304) 933-9675.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews.
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 Working. Sign up now at slate.com/workingplus to help support our work.
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Emily Bazelon talks with author Peter Singer about his updated and re-released book, Animal Liberation Now. The classic text has been an integral part of the animal rights movement since its publication in 1975. They discuss what we’ve learned about animals in the last several decades, including the intelligence of animals, why people should become vegan to help with climate change, and a passage in the Bible we’ve gotten very, very wrong.
Tweet us your questions @SlateGabfest or email us at [email protected]. (Messages could be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.)
Podcast production by Cheyna Roth.
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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.
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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.
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Police killings of Black men have their own grim, but established, rituals in American society. But what happens to those who survive police violence? On today’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson is joined by Leon Ford, who survived being shot multiple times by Pittsburgh police more than a decade ago. In his new memoir An Unspeakable Hope, Ford candidly describes his legal, physical, and mental health challenges, and why he eventually dedicated himself to working with police, including reaching out to the man who shot him. He also discusses The Hear Foundation—his non-profit group that builds partnerships between the community and police—and his complicated views of politics, gun violence, and activism.
Guest: Activist Leon Ford, co-founder of The Hear Foundation, and author of An Unspeakable Hope: Brutality, Forgiveness, and Building a Better Future for My Son
Podcast production by Kristie Taiwo-Makanjuola
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In this episode, Ophira Eisenberg (host of the new comedy podcast Parenting Is A Joke) joins Prudie (Jenée Desmond-Harris) to answer your letters from readers about whether to make your partner pass a test before having kids, how to handle it when you fall for someone else right in front of your boyfriend, and what to do when your friend seems to think she’s adorable and it really bothers you.
If you want more Dear Prudence, you should 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 Emily Charash and Brandon Nix.
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On this week’s episode of The Waves, we’re talking about menstruation. Period. Slate senior producer Cheyna Roth is joined by author and anthropologist Dr. Kate Clancy. Kate recently published her extensive study on menstruation, Period and they dig into why Western culture has constantly looked at menstruating bodies with shame, how this impacts scientific studies and healthcare for women and gender minorities, and how we can overcome the embarrassment.
In Slate Plus: Why language matters in science.
If you liked this episode, check out: The Hustle of Being Beautiful
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For this week’s episode of Working Overtime, hosts June Thomas and Isaac Butler discuss a listener’s query about how much importance one should grant ‘working on oneself.’ They share their different methods of pausing for self reflection, such as a quarterly, personal check-ins, mulling over problems that peers frequently encounter, and envisioning an ideal future.
Do you have a question about creative work? Leave a message at (304) 933-9675 or email us at [email protected].
Podcast production by Kevin Bendis and Cameron Drews.
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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 [email protected].
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.
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In celebration of Pride month, we’re bringing you some extra episodes of the Outward podcast. This week, host Christina Cauterucci talks to two people who recently visited every lesbian bar in the United States: Krista Burton, author of the newly published book Moby Dyke: An Obsessive Quest to Track Down the Last Remaining Lesbian Bars in America, and Naomi Gordon-Loebl, a writer and sommelier. They discuss the purpose of lesbian bars, trends in dyke-bar decor, and whether lesbian bars are still sexy.
Items discussed in the show:
Moby Dyke: An Obsessive Quest to Track Down the Last Remaining Lesbian Bars in America, by Krista Burton
The Lesbian Bar Project’s list of U.S. bars
Gay Agenda
Krista: Tom Ford Tuscan Leather
Naomi: Wear something that makes you feel spicy, like perhaps a leather harness or a Father Figure T-shirt by Tanner Shea
This podcast was edited by Emily Charash and produced by June Thomas.
Please send feedback, topic ideas, and advice questions to [email protected].
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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.
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On today’s episode of Hear Me Out… Racism Lite.
Racial politics is responsible for a lot of ugliness, in the United States and around the world. Humans want, and even need, to sort themselves into categories — and sometimes, that tribalism yields as much good as it can bad. So do we always need to be a melting pot?
Writer Damon Young joins us to make the case that we’re all racist, and there’s no reason to pretend otherwise.
If you have thoughts you want to share, or an idea for a topic we should tackle, you can now email the show: [email protected]
Podcast production by Maura Currie
You can skip all the ads in Hear Me Out by joining Slate Plus. Sign up now at slate.com/hearmeoutplus for just $15 a month for your first three months.
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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.
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This week, Working producer Cameron Drews gets a masterclass in interviewing from Sam Fragoso, host of the Talk Easy podcast. They discuss in-person vs remote interviews, the importance of follow-up questions, and what it means to capture “an honest snapshot” of the guest.
After the interview, Cameron and co-host June Thomas discuss the role of good taste and anxiety in creative work.
In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Sam talks about collaborating with his producers and participating in post-interview photo shoots.
Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected] or give us a call at (304) 933-9675.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews.
__
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.
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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.
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In this episode, Shan Boodram (host of Lovers and Friends and Bumble's Sex & Relationship Expert) joins Prudie (Jenée Desmond-Harris) to answer your letters from readers about what to do when your work crush starts ignoring you, when your spouse quietly quits the marriage, and when a partner’s mom seems to control his every move.
If you want more Dear Prudence, you should 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 Brandon Nix.
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Weeks into the Hollywood writers strike, and there’s no sign of a settlement. WGA members say that studio chiefs are using artificial intelligence, streaming, and other methods to undervalue their work. And a wealth of already produced content, along with the misconception that writers are well paid, could minimize sympathy from fans. On today’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson is joined by Eric Haywood. He’s a board member of the Writers Guild of America, and a creative whose work has been seen on Law & Order, Empire, and Power. Haywood explains what’s at stake for striking writers,
Guest: Screenwriter Eric Haywood, Writers Guild of America negotiator
Podcast production by Ahyiana Angel
You can skip all the ads in A Word by joining Slate Plus. Sign up now at slate.com/awordplus for $15 for your first three months.
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.
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On this week’s episode of The Waves, we talk about living a life alone, but without loneliness. Slate senior editor Rebecca Onion talks with author Amy Key about her new book, Arrangements in Blue, and how Key has found fulfillment without romantic love.
In Slate Plus: The influence of Joni Mitchell’s album, Blue.
If you like this episode, check out: Why Medical Mysteries Plague Women
Podcast production by Cheyna Roth with editorial oversight by Daisy Rosario and Alicia Montgomery.
Send your comments and recommendations on what to cover to [email protected].
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/thewavesplus to help support our work.
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.
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Deep in the heart of Texas, they performed in drag, for kids and enthusiastic crowds. But as state legislation moved to ban drag performances, they stopped lip syncing and spoke for themself—and the queer people who depend on them at their day job.
This is the second installment in What Next’s Pride Month series. “After They Testified” is about the Americans who’ve shown up in the last year to speak out against anti-queer legislation, how it felt to do so, and what came next.
Guest: Jay Thomas, AKA Bobby Pudrido, an Austin, Texas-based drag king and care coordinator.
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. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to help support our work.
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.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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 [email protected].
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.
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On today’s episode of Hear Me Out… these gays are trying to murder my neutral palate.
Pride Month festivities come at a time this year when LGBT+ rights are under attack across the country. Brands like Target and Bud Light are facing backlash for lifting up queer voices — but is this all a symptom of pride having gone a little too mainstream?
Comedian, writer and podcast host H. Alan Scott joins us to discuss his vision for a pride to be proud of… and, at length, the trouble with rainbows.
If you have thoughts you want to share, or an idea for a topic we should tackle, you can now email the show: [email protected]
Podcast production by Maura Currie
You can skip all the ads in Hear Me Out by joining Slate Plus. Sign up now at slate.com/hearmeoutplus for just $15 a month for your first three months.
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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.
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This week, host June Thomas talks to Ellen Hart, a mystery author who’s been active since the late 80’s and who is most famous for the long-running Jane Lawless series. In the interview, Ellen talks about her early career as a chef and explains why (and how) she pivoted to writing. Then she explains why, after so many years of heavy output, she’s deciding to write less and less, and both she and June reckon with the dreaded “R” word (retirement!).
After the interview, June and co-host Isaac Butler discuss what happens when work becomes your identity.
In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, June asks her favorite question to ask writers.
Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected] or give us a call at (304) 933-9675.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews.
--
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.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Felix Salmon, Emily Peck, and Elizabeth Spiers talk about the ongoing WGA strike, the latest news on the Fed’s fight against inflation, and how CEOs are courting Chinese business while staying in America’s good graces.
In the Plus segment, movie theaters are trying everything to get you back into the cinema, including booze and gourmet food.
If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get an ad-free experience across the network and an additional segment of our show every week. You’ll also be supporting the work we do here on Slate Money. Sign up now at slate.com/moneyplus to help support our work.
Podcast production by Patrick Fort.
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Every family has secrets. As a girl, Leta McCollough Seletzky learned that her father, Marrell McCollough– was on the scene of Martin Luther King Jr.’s assassination. But it would be years before she learned that he was there as a spy for the Memphis police, who wanted information on King’s local allies. On today’s episode of A Word, she speaks with Jason Johnson about her father’s story, captured in her new book, The Kneeling Man: My Father's Life as a Black Spy Who Witnessed the Assassination of Martin Luther King.
Guest: Leta McCollough Seletzky, author of The Kneeling Man: My Father's Life as a Black Spy Who Witnessed the Assassination of Martin Luther King
Podcast production by Ahyiana Angel
You can skip all the ads in A Word by joining Slate Plus. Sign up now at slate.com/awordplus for $15 for your first three months.
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.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
In this episode, the co-hosts of Stitcher’s Vibe Check, Sam Sanders, Saeed Jones, and Zach Stafford joins Prudie (Jenée Desmond-Harris) to answer your letters from readers about sharing food with ungrateful people, wanting to date a friend’s crush, and getting emotional needs satisfied by AI.
If you want more Dear Prudence, you should 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 Brandon Nix.
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When someone posts a photo of you online without your consent, it should be easy to have it taken down or confront the person who posted it. But what if the poster is your parent, and it’s not just one photo, but your entire childhood that’s readily available online? And as social media algorithms evolve to push content in front of as many people as possible, what happens when a temper tantrum goes viral?
Guest: Kathryn Lindsay, technology and culture writer.
Host: Emily Peck
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.
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On this week’s episode of The Waves, it’s all about the beauty industry. Senior writer and editor at New America, Julia Craven is joined by author and NPR host-at-large Elise Hu. They discuss Elise’s new book, Flawless - a remarkable investigation into the Korean beauty world. They also unpack the hustle culture inherent in beauty, how Eurocentric beauty trends are everywhere, and more.
In Slate Plus: Is Shiv Roy from HBO’s Succession misunderstood?
If you liked this episode, check out: Who’s Getting Rich Off Menopause?
Podcast production by Cheyna Roth with editorial oversight by Daisy Rosario and Alicia Montgomery.
Send your comments and recommendations on what to cover to [email protected].
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/thewavesplus to help support our work.
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.
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For this week’s episode of Working Overtime, hosts June Thomas and Isaac Butler speak with Jaime Green, author of The Possibility of Life, about her experiences publishing her first book. Whether it's the repetitive promotional interviews or the countless rounds of revisions, the process of publishing a book can be surreal and exhausting. Luckily, as Green recounts, the support of a creative community and praise from strangers can make it all worthwhile.
Do you have a question about creative work? Leave a message at (304) 933-9675 or email us at [email protected].
Podcast production by Kevin Bendis and Cameron Drews.
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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 [email protected].
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.
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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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.
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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.
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This week, Felix Salmon, Emily Peck, and Elizabeth Spiers are joined by NPR media correspondent David Folkenflik to discuss the series finale of Succession. It all comes down to this; who wins, who loses, and, who gets ‘the kiss from Daddy’?
The Tom/Greg Taylor Swift video.
If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get an ad-free experience across the network and an additional segment of our show every week. You’ll also be supporting the work we do here on Slate Money. Sign up now at slate.com/moneyplus to help support our work.
Podcast production by Jessamine Molli and Patrick Fort.
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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.
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This week, host Isaac Butler talks to actor Sarah Goldberg, who plays Sally on the hit HBO show Barry. In the interview, Sarah discusses her training at The London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art and the important lessons she learned there. Then she digs into the role of Sally and discusses her first impressions of the role, the many dimensions of the character, and her ability to access powerful emotions for certain scenes.
After the interview, Isaac and co-host June Thomas talk about the emotional toll that acting can take.
In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Sarah discusses the differences between theater acting in the U.K. vs the U.S.
Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected] or give us a call at (304) 933-9675.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews.
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 Big Mood, Little Mood—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on Working. Sign up now at slate.com/workingplus.
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On this month’s episode of Future Tense Fiction, host Maddie Stone talks to Justina Ireland about her short story “Collateral Damage.”
The story follows a group of soldiers deployed alongside TED, the Army’s first self-aware combat drone. TED is relentlessly efficient, quickly outpacing its human counterparts—and leaving them worried for their jobs. But when a wrong call from the clunky robot puts soldiers’ lives at risk, they realize just how hard it is to program for battlefield experience.
After the story, Ireland shares how her own time in the military shapes her writing, and why tech dreamed up in D.C. rarely reflects the needs of soldiers on the ground.
Guest: Justina Ireland, a veteran and author of books including Dread Nation, Deathless Divide, and Ophie’s Ghosts
Story read by Joanne Lichtenstein
Podcast production by Tiara Darnell
Check out AWS Insiders here: https://link.chtbl.com/awsinsiders?sid=podcast.futuretensefiction
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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.
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In this episode, Kelsey McKinney (host of Radiotopia’s Normal Gossip and co-owner of Defector.com) joins Prudie (Jenée Desmond-Harris) to answer your letters from readers about who to share random thoughts with after your spouse dies, what to do when you’ve saved a neighbor’s life but don’t want to be friends with her, and how to handle petty insults in the family group chat.
If you want more Dear Prudence, you should 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 Brandon Nix.
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The murder of George Floyd prompted a number of American colleges and universities to reckon with their historic roles in slavery. Three years later, many institutions have abandoned those efforts. One that’s still going strong is the Hard Histories Project at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore. On today’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson is joined by historian Martha Jones, the director of that effort. The scholars associated with the project have uncovered many challenging truths, including evidence that the founder of Johns Hopkins—widely hailed as an abolitionist—owned slaves.
Guest: Historian Martha Jones, Director of the Hard Histories Project at Johns Hopkins University
Podcast production by Kristie Taiwo-Makanjuola
You can skip all the ads in A Word by joining Slate Plus. Sign up now at slate.com/awordplus for $15 for your first three months.
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On this week’s episode of The Waves, are female characters becoming less likable? Slate senior supervising producer, Daisy Rosario is joined by author and comedian Jena Friedman. Jena’s new book Not Funny explores likeability and what that means for women in comedy and the world. They talk about unlikeable female characters and anti-heroines in shows like Rosanne, Killing Eve, and more. How unlikeable female characters have evolved - and how streamers actually helped bring down some gatekeepers making more room for complex women on TV.
In Slate Plus: When Jena asked famous male comics the questions so many female comics get asked every day.
If you liked this episode, check out: How to Survive in Hollywood.
Podcast production by Cheyna Roth with editorial oversight by Daisy Rosario and Alicia Montgomery.
Send your comments and recommendations on what to cover to [email protected].
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/thewavesplus to help support our work.
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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.
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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 [email protected].
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.
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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This month, Outward explores utopian fiction and dystopian reality TV. First, Bryan and Christina are joined by author Theodore McCombs to discuss Uranians, his new collection of speculative stories, which uses queer difference and divestment from the normal as an engine to drive five fascinating tales. Then they’re joined by producer June Thomas to discuss The Ultimatum: Queer Love, Netflix’s latest take on the dating show, which follows a cast of queer women and nonbinary folks as they try to decide who they will marry. Finally, the hosts add some new items to the gay agenda.
Items discussed in the show:
The CBC report on Patricia Ginn of the WindSisters
Uranians: Stories, by Theodore McCombs
More on Karl Heinrich Ulrich’s take on the Uranian
The Ultimatum: Queer Love on Netflix
June on the queerness of portrait galleries
Gay Agenda
June: The Scottish National Portrait Gallery in Edinburgh
Bryan: That! Feels Good!, by Jessie Ware
Christina: “Radical Desire: Making On Our Backs Magazine,” from Cornell University Library
This podcast was produced by June Thomas.
Please send feedback, topic ideas, and advice questions to [email protected].
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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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This week, Felix Salmon, Emily Peck, and Elizabeth Spiers are joined by filmmaker, activist (and member of a real-life media dynasty) Abigail Disney to discuss the penultimate episode HBO’s Succession. At Logan’s funeral, speeches are made and power is brokered as the future of Waystar Royco hangs in the balance.
If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get an ad-free experience across the network and an additional segment of our show every week. You’ll also be supporting the work we do here on Slate Money. Sign up now at slate.com/moneyplus to help support our work.
Podcast production by Jessamine Molli and Patrick Fort.
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This week, host Isaac Butler talks to Liz Stokes and Jon Pearce, who make up half of the New Zealand indie rock band The Beths. In the interview, Liz and Jon walk through their songwriting process step-by-step, from initial riffs and lyrics to their complex vocal harmonies and guitar solos. They also explain why the bridge is often the hardest part of a song to write.
After the interview, Isaac and co-host June Thomas discuss why songwriting sometimes feels like magic.
In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Isaac’s daughter asks Liz and Jon some questions of her own!
Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected] or give us a call at (304) 933-9675.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews.
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 Big Mood, Little Mood—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on Working. Sign up now at slate.com/workingplus.
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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.
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Malcolm X was born on May 19, 1925, and he remains one of the most polarizing figures of the civil rights movement. An enduring myth from that era is that he and Martin Luther King Jr. were diametrically opposed politically. But the recent revelation that a quote where King condemned Malcolm X was false has prompted a wider reconsideration of his beliefs and legacy.
On today’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson is joined by historian Peniel Joseph, author of “The Sword and the Shield: The Revolutionary Lives of Malcolm X and Martin Luther King Jr.” Professor Joseph explains why the popular understanding of Malcolm X is so incomplete, and helps to give a more nuanced portrait of him as a man and a leader.
Guest: Peniel Joseph, Barbara Jordan Chair in Ethics and Political Values at the University of Texas, LBJ School of Public Affairs
Podcast production by Ahyiana Angel
You can skip all the ads in A Word by joining Slate Plus. Sign up now at slate.com/awordplus for $15 for your first three months.
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In this episode, co-host of Red Table Talk and host of Positively Gam Adrienne “Gammy” Banfield Norris joins Prudie (Jenée Desmond-Harris) to answer your letters from readers about friends who make bad choices, a groomzilla who is being snobby about wedding planning, and a 70-year-old father who might be cheating using dating apps.
If you want more Dear Prudence, you should 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 Brandon Nix.
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On this week’s episode of The Waves, we’re unpacking medical mysteries. Science writer and Slate contributor Eleanor Cummins is joined by Allison Behringer. Allison is the host and creator of the KCRW podcast, Bodies. Now in its fourth season, every episode of Bodies digs into a person’s medical mystery. Eleanor and Allison talk about Allison’s own ‘body story,’ why female bodies contain so many mysteries, and what we can do to solve them.
In Slate Plus, using social media to connect people with illnesses.
If you liked this episode, check out Who’s Getting Rich Off Menopause?
Podcast production by Cheyna Roth and Tori Dominguez with editorial oversight by Daisy Rosario and Alicia Montgomery.
Send your comments and recommendations on what to cover to [email protected].
Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now at slate.com/thewavesplus.
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For this week’s episode of Working Overtime, hosts June Thomas and Karen Han answer one listener’s question about promoting their work. They also discuss how social media isn’t always ideal but it can still be an easy way to spread the word about your business and creative endeavors.
Do you have a question about creative work? Leave a message at (304) 933-9675 or email us at [email protected].
Podcast production by Kevin Bendis and Cameron Drews.
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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 [email protected].
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
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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.
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On this show we explore three different AI and machine-generated music technologies; vocal emulators that allow you to deep fake a singer or rapper’s voice, AI-generated compositions and text-to-music generators like Google Music LM and Open AI’s Jukebox, and musical improvisation technologies. We listen to the variety of music these technologies generate, and two guitarists face off against an AI in improvised guitar solos.
Along the way, we talk to philosophers of music Robin James and Theodore Gracyk about what musical creativity is and whether machines are more or less creative than human musicians, and Barry gives his take on each of the technologies and what they mean for the future of musical creativity.
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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.
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This week, Felix Salmon, Emily Peck, Elizabeth Spiers, and guest Euan Rellie discuss the Election Night episode of Succession season 4.
If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get an ad-free experience across the network and an additional segment of our show every week. You’ll also be supporting the work we do here on Slate Money. Sign up now at slate.com/moneyplus to help support our work.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
This week, host Karen Han talks to Hannah Yim and Justine Won, subtitle translators for the YouTube channel SBS Animal Farm. The channel features cute animal videos with Korean subtitles, which Hannah and Justine adapt for an English-speaking audience. In the interview, they discuss the challenges of translating Korean slang and other culturally specific language into English. They also discuss their fast-paced workflow and what it’s like to get feedback from YouTube commenters.
After the interview, Karen and co-host June Thomas talk about the positives and negatives of fast-paced work environments.
In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Hannah and Justine talk more about their workflow and how they divide up their duties.
Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected] or give us a call at (304) 933-9675.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews.
__
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.
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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.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
The persistent stereotype that role-playing, tabletop game players are overwhelmingly white is rooted in race, housing, and history. The suburban homes where people could dedicate a surface to a sprawling, multiplayer board game used to be almost exclusively white. And the knights, wizards, and other fantastic creatures in these games were closely tied to European mythology. But a more diverse world of game playing is rising, with more people of color getting a seat at the creative table. On today’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson discusses diversity in hobby games with Aaron Trammell, a professor of informatics at U.C. Irvine. He’s also the author of the new book The Privilege of Play: A History of Hobby Games, Race and Geek Culture.
Guest: Aaron Trammell, author of The Privilege of Play: A History of Hobby Games, Race and Geek Culture
Podcast production by Kristie Taiwo-Makanjuola
You can skip all the ads in A Word by joining Slate Plus. Sign up now at slate.com/awordplus for $15 for your first three months.
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.
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In this episode, award-winning actor, director, and educator LeVar Burton joins Prudie (Jenée Desmond-Harris) to answer your letters from readers about stealing from abusive parents, sharing snacks with children, and how to cope as an actor when you don’t land a role you really wanted.
If you want more Dear Prudence, you should 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 Brandon Nix.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
On this week’s episode of The Waves, E. Jean Carroll won, but what now? Slate senior producer Cheyna Roth talks with Slate senior writer Christina Cauterucci about the use of civil trials in cases of alleged rape and domestic violence, how the #MeToo movement influenced the trial, and what Carroll’s win could mean going forward.
More About Carroll:
“Not My Type” by Christina Cauterucci
Lie Detector by Christina Cauterucci
There’s a Remarkable Piece of Evidence in the E. Jean Carroll Trial by Christina Cauterucci
Make No Mistake About the $5 Million E. Jean Carroll Verdict Against Trump by Christina Cauterucci
In Slate Plus, the stupidity of one of Trump’s lies.
If you liked this episode, check out: What Amber Heard’s Makeup Palette Says About the Legal System
Podcast production by Cheyna Roth and Tori Dominguez with editorial oversight by Daisy Rosario and Alicia Montgomery.
Send your comments and recommendations on what to cover to [email protected].
Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now at slate.com/thewavesplus.
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.
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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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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 [email protected].
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.
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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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.
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On today’s episode of Hear Me Out… stop with the breakfast in bed.
As we approach the summertime season of parenting holidays in the U.S. — Mother’s Day in May and Father’s Day in June — it’s worth remembering that these holidays’ histories are deeply political… not unlike parenting itself.
Parenting is complicated, now more so than ever. In the best of circumstances, it’s a two-way relationship with a person who didn’t ask to be here. So what can we expect from our children?
Gabrielle Blair, founder of DesignMom.com and author of Ejaculate Responsibly, joins us to make the case that kids aren’t bound by blood to do, or be, anything.
If you have thoughts you want to share, or an idea for a topic we should tackle, you can now email the show: [email protected]
Podcast production by Maura Currie
You can skip all the ads in Hear Me Out by joining Slate Plus. Sign up now at slate.com/hearmeoutplus for just $15 a month for your first three months.
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Curtis is setting aside a large chunk of money to donate to charity, and it is up to us to persuade him where he should donate it. Luckily, philosophers, economists, and the nonprofit world has been thinking a lot about this issue in recent years. On this episode, effective altruism’s defenders and critics try to persuade Curtis of where he should donate. Who is the most effective in persuading an ordinary person as to the right way to donate to charity? And do the recent scandals involving effective altruism’s biggest donor implicate its philosophical foundations?
We start with arguments that you should always try to save the most lives possible, no matter where they are on the planet. We then hear a critic of that view, who argues that local giving can also be a good. We then turn to the view that we should save humans from extinction from threats like pandemics, nuclear war, and AI takeover. And finally, we hear from a critic of that view, who says we should not blow future risks out of proportion.
Guests include philosophers Richard Yetter-Chappell (Miami), Savannah Pearlman (Indiana), Shakeel Hashim (Center for Effective Altruism), and Seth Lazar (Australia National University).
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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.
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Felix Salmon, Emily Peck, and Elizabeth Spiers are joined this week by a star-studded lineup to discuss episode seven of HBO’s Succession. Author Taffy Brodesser-Akner, plus Shari Springer Berman and Robert Pulcini (the directors of this episode) join the gang to talk about the Roys’ election tailgate party.
If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get an ad-free experience across the network and an additional segment of our show every week. You’ll also be supporting the work we do here on Slate Money. Sign up now at slate.com/moneyplus to help support our work.
Podcast production by Patrick Fort.
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For this week’s episode of Working, host June Thomas interviews Danish actor Connie Nielsen on her latest role as the famed author Karen Blixen. Nielsen has an expansive career starring in such films as Gladiator, Wonder Woman, and Brothers, but this latest role in The Dreamer returns her to her Danish roots.
Later in the episode co-host Karen Han joins for a discussion about making sacrifices for art and finding time for books in a busy world.
Do you have a question about creative work? Leave a message at (304) 933-9675 or email us at [email protected].
Podcast production by Kevin Bendis and Cameron Drews.
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.
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Emily Bazelon talks with author author Curtis Sittenfeld about her new book Romantic Comedy.
They discuss why ordinary guys get to be with famous women, but usually not the other way around, the fun of writing a fictional version of Saturday Night Live, and how to write witty email exchanges.
Tweet us your questions @SlateGabfest or email us at [email protected]. (Messages could be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.)
Podcast production by Cheyna Roth.
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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.
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When television and screenwriters went on strike in 2007, Netflix had just started offering the option to stream content. This week, the Writer’s Guild of America went on strike to update pay structures for the streaming era—and to get ahead of A.I. and the changes it may bring.
Guests:
Michelle Dean, television writer and journalist
Anousha Sakoui, entertainment industry writer for the Los Angeles Times
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.
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Even classical art can be revolutionary. That was true for violinist Joseph Bologne. He was a biracial musical prodigy who worked and charmed his way into the center of 18th-century French society. But the new film “Chevalier” shows how even his genius couldn’t save him from the poisonous combination of bias and envy. On today’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson is joined by actor Kelvin Harrison Jr., star of “Chevalier.” They talk about rediscovering this largely forgotten musical history, and Harrison’s critically acclaimed work on stage and screen.
Guest: Actor Kelvin Harrison, Jr.
Podcast production by Ahyiana Angel
You can skip all the ads in A Word by joining Slate Plus. Sign up now at slate.com/awordplus for $15 for your first three months.
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.
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In this episode, Aisha Harris (co-host for NPR’s Pop Culture Happy Hour) joins Prudie (Jenée Desmond-Harris) to answer your letters from readers with dilemmas about friends who are terrible writers, coworkers who use therapy speak, and whether it’s a good idea to travel with an ex.
If you want more Dear Prudence, you should 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 Brandon Nix.
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For this week’s episode of Working Overtime, hosts June Thomas and Karen Han dive into some of the concepts in Austin Kleon’s book Show Your Work. It can be scary to share creative work, but firing off tweets or pounding out blog posts can sometimes generate the affirmative responses that make it possible to keep working. It can also be a great way to find a creative community and let yourself be discovered.
Do you have a question about creative work? Leave a message at (304) 933-9675 or email us at [email protected].
Podcast production by Kevin Bendis and Cameron Drews.
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It’s the first British coronation in 70 years and along with the celebration, questions abound: What kind of king will Charles be? Who is Charles anyway? And why even have a king?
Guest: Imogen West-Knights, writer and Slate contributor
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 Amicus—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on What Next. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to help support our work.
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On this week’s episode of The Waves, we’re doing a very special Mom and Dad Are Fighting crossover with host Jamilah Lemieux. Jamilah sits down with author Virginia Sole-Smith to talk about her new book, Fat Talk: Parenting in the Age of Diet Culture. They discuss helping kids accept their bodies in whatever form they take, dealing with our own internalized fatphobia, and more.
In Slate Plus, answering a listener’s question on secret snacking.
If you liked this episode, check out Making Friends As An Adult.
Podcast production by Cheyna Roth and Rosemary Belson with editorial oversight by Daisy Rosario and Alicia Montgomery.
Send your comments and recommendations on what to cover to [email protected].
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/thewavesplus to help support our work.
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.
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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 [email protected].
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.
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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.
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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.
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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 [email protected]
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.)
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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On today’s episode of Hear Me Out… Mission Accomplished?
This year marks the 20th anniversary of then-President Bush’s infamous address aboard an aircraft carrier, declaring that the war had been won and Iraqis were free.
We know now, of course, that the war had not been won – and in 2003, it was far from over. Many thousands of lives were lost. With the gift of hindsight, can we see the war as anything other than a costly mistake?
Iraqi-American and President of Ideas Beyond Borders Faisal Saeed Al Mutar joins Celeste to argue that the war, while mismanaged, was a victory — and that the alternatives could have been far, far worse.
If you have thoughts you want to share, or an idea for a topic we should tackle, you can now email the show: [email protected]
Podcast production by Maura Currie
You can skip all the ads in Hear Me Out by joining Slate Plus. Sign up now at slate.com/hearmeoutplus for just $15 a month for your first three months.
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Willy and Heidi were both gig workers for Shipt, the fast-delivery app for groceries or same-day shopping. In 2020, they both realised: the pay algorithm had changed. Now, they couldn’t tell what a job would pay, or whether it would earn or lose them money. Instead of just taking it, they decided to fight back.
In the gig economy, companies like Shipt, Instacart, and UberEats all use black box pay algorithms to try and get workers to accept gigs but hide information from them to do so. Early in the pandemic, a rag tag group of gig workers tried to resist, and found someone at MIT to help them.
Host Barry Lam talks to them about the steps they took, and political philosopher Daniel Halliday (University of Melbourne) talks about the differences between wage labor and freelance labor and why he thinks the biggest gig economy companies are morally suspect. Then, we talk the future of regulation and worker-owned apps and delivery platforms.
Guests include Drew Ambrogi (coworker.org), Dan Calacci (MIT). This is an in-depth, longform version of a story originally done for WNYC studio’s Radiolab in their Gigaverse episode.
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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.
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Felix Salmon, Emily Peck and Elizabeth Spiers are joined by Ed Lee of the New York Times for a spoilery recap of episode six of the final season of HBO’s Succession. They talk about Waystar’s investors meeting, Roman’s attempts to fire some people, and Tom and Shiv’s new game.
If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get an ad-free experience across the network and an additional segment of our show every week. You’ll also be supporting the work we do here on Slate Money. Sign up now at slate.com/moneyplus to help support our work.
Podcast production by Patrick Fort.
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This week, host Isaac Butler talks to opera singer Ryan Speedo Green, who is currently starring in the show Champion at the Metropolitan Opera in New York City. In the interview, Speedo shares the meticulous pre-show routine that allows him to portray the real-life boxer Emile Griffith in Champion. He also discusses the research that went into the role, the unique genre-bending qualities of Champion, and his specialization in opera and opera alone.
After the interview, Isaac and co-host June Thomas discuss their own creative routines and practices.
In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Speedo talks about the opera roles he would like to tackle in the future.
Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected] or give us a call at (304) 933-9675.
To see Ryan Speedo Green perform in Champion or to see a special screening of the show in theaters on May 3rd, visit metopera.org.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews.
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 Working. Sign up now at slate.com/workingplus to help support our work.
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Felix Salmon, Emily Peck and Elizabeth Spiers are joined by Semafor editor-in-chief Ben Smith to discuss his new book. They also break down Tucker Carlson’s departure from Fox News and the end of Buzzfeed News.
In the Plus: A throwback to the olden days of blogging.
If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get an ad-free experience across the network and an additional segment of our show every week. You’ll also be supporting the work we do here on Slate Money. Sign up now at slate.com/moneyplus to help support our work.
Podcast production by Patrick Fort.
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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.
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On this month’s episode of Future Tense Fiction, host Maddie Stone talks to David Iserson about “This, but Again.” The story follows Marcus, who is forced to relive his life over and over again in a never-ending computer simulation. Thanks to a glitch, Marcus already knows everything that will happen—but he can change almost nothing. That is until he meets Sara, who helps him break from the simulation’s script. But that, as you might expect, is not without consequences.After the story, Iserson and host Maddie Stone discuss what it would really be like to live in a computer simulation (and why it may actually be more hopeful than dystopian).
Guest: David Iserson, film and television writer-producer and author of Firecracker, a novel
Story read by David Iserson
Podcast production by Tiara Darnell
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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.
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In this episode, Cheyna Roth (podcast producer for Slate’s The Waves) joins Prudie (Jenée Desmond-Harris) to answer your letters about weddings: whether parents are obligated to pay for weddings they don’t support, whether a mean sister should get to attend an elopement, and whether you are really invited if you don’t have a paper invitation in hand.
If you want more Dear Prudence, you should 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 Brandon Nix.
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April is Autism Awareness and Acceptance month, and might be the only time of year when many Americans think about neurodiversity. But for many families, receiving an autism diagnosis for a child can set off an all-consuming search for doctors, therapists, and education that can work for their kids. That’s more complicated for African-American families, who have to overcome systemic racism in schools and health care to get the right help for their children. On today’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson is joined by Dr. Ashley Wiley-Johnson. She’s the vice president of The Los Angeles Speech and Language Therapy Center. She’s also the co-author of Autism Spectrum Disorders from Theory to Practice: Assessment and Intervention Tools Across the Lifespan. She explains how finding help that focuses on life-long skills for autistic people can lay a foundation for them to have happy, healthy futures.
Guest: Dr. Ashley Wiley-Johnson, vice president of The Los Angeles Speech and Language Therapy Center
Podcast production by Ahyiana Angel
You can skip all the ads in A Word by joining Slate Plus. Sign up now at slate.com/awordplus for $15 for your first three months.
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On this week’s episode of The Waves, finding friends as an adult. Slate executive editor Susan Matthews is joined by author, comedian, and musician Lane Moore to talk about Moore’s new book You Will Find Your People. They dig into the necessity of healthy boundaries, letting go of old friendships that no longer serve you, and the importance of deep friendships that require work.
In Slate Plus, unpacking celebrity friendships.
Podcast production by Cheyna Roth with editorial oversight by Daisy Rosario and Alicia Montgomery.
Send your comments and recommendations on what to cover to [email protected].
If you liked this episode, check out: Make Movies Horney Again.
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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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.
The Sidedoor podcast team is Justin O'Neill, James Morrison, Stephanie De Leon Tzic, 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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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 [email protected]
Production assistance by Yesica Balderama. Production by Cameron Drews.
Outro music: “What We Didn't Do” by Particle House.
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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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On today’s episode of Hear Me Out… Kim, there’s people that are dying.
We can probably all agree that reality shows aren’t exactly peak TV. But there’s a time, a place, and an audience for pretty much everything.
In a world where Love Is Blind’s chart-topping run is frequently described as brilliant and awful in the same breath, it’s easy to dismiss this stuff as a product of the social media era. But that’s not quite accurate.
Culture critic and podcast host Kristen Meinzer joins us to talk all things trashy. She maintains that not everything we watch needs to be brain food… and that, in fact, the entertainment we hate to love and love to hate might be good for society after all.
Podcast production by Maura Currie
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We explore the lives of people who are in love with their AI chatbots. Replika is a chatbot designed to adapt to the emotional needs of its users. It is a good enough surrogate for human interaction that many people have decided that it can fulfill their romantic needs. The question is whether these kinds of romantic attachments are real, illusory, or good for the people involved. Apps like Replika represent the future of love and sex for a subpopulation of people, so we discuss the ethics of the practice.
Host Barry Lam talks to philosophers Ellie Anderson and David Pena-Guzman of the Overthink podcast about what theories of love would say about these kinds of relationships. AI lovers include Alex Stokes and Rosanna Ramos. Original scoring by Aaron Morgan.
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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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Felix Salmon, Emily Peck, and Elizabeth Spiers are joined by Peter Kafka of Vox. They discuss episode five of the final season of HBO’s Succession, including a drug-fueled party, a very normal trip to Norway, and why the baguette may in fact be mightier than the bagel. Also, bags of blood. Really.
Check out how the Succession timeline (kind of) works.
If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get an ad-free experience across the network and an additional segment of our show every week. You’ll also be supporting the work we do here on Slate Money. Sign up now at slate.com/moneyplus to help support our work.
Podcast production by Patrick Fort.
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This week, host Karen Han talks to stand-up comedian and writer Josh Gondelman, whose hour-long special People Pleaser is now available on multiple streaming platforms. In the interview, Josh explains how he compiled material for the special and created a logical flow of jokes. He also talks about his stage presence and what it was like to find his authentic voice as a comedian.
In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Karen and producer Cameron Drews discuss the ideas of “persona” and “voice” in creative work.
In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Josh shares what it’s like to write for shows like Last Week Tonight, Desus & Mero, and The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel.
Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected] or give us a call at (304) 933-9675.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews.
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 Working. Sign up now at slate.com/workingplus to help support our work.
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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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David Plotz talks with author Alexandra Petri about her new book, Alexandra Petri’s US History: Important American Documents. They discuss how to transform staid history documents into rollicking parodies, how Petri found her “voice” multiple times, and her grander ambitions for the book. Plus, Petri reads some choice selections.
Tweet us your questions @SlateGabfest or email us at [email protected]. (Messages could be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.)
Podcast production by Cheyna Roth.
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In this episode, Lane Moore (bestselling author of How To Be Alone and the upcoming You Will Find Your People) joins Prudie (Jenée Desmond-Harris) to answer your letters about friends: how to make them, how to help them when they’re spiraling, and whether to tell them when they’re making bad relationship choices. Also, since this is Pet Advice Week at Slate, we’ll have a question or two about pet dilemmas.
If you want more Dear Prudence, you should 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 Brandon Nix.
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April is Child Abuse Prevention Month, and the African American community has a complicated relationship with corporal punishment of kids. On today’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson is joined by Stacey Patton, a writer, child abuse survivor, and the author of Spare the Kids: Why Whupping Children Won’t Save Black America. She debunks myths about spanking, including the idea that physical discipline of children has roots in Africa. They also discuss the emotional and psychological damage caused by spanking, and by the new phenomenon of parents sharing videos of punishing their children on social media.
Guest: Stacey Patton, author of Spare the Kids: Why Whupping Children Won’t Save Black America
Podcast production by Ahyiana Angel
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For this week’s episode of Working Overtime, hosts Karen Han and Isaac Butler picture who their work might be for. They discuss the benefits and implications of keeping your audience in mind, while making sure to follow your own artistic instincts.
Do you have a question about creative work? Leave a message at (304) 933-9675 or email us at [email protected].
Podcast production by Kevin Bendis and Cameron Drews.
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Spring is in the air, and the Outward hosts are gay like tulips and queer like allergies! First, they discuss a new animated version of the beloved Frog and Toad series of children’s books, which premieres on Apple TV+ on April 28. Then they welcome Daniel M. Lavery to the pod. Danny was Slate’s own Dear Prudence for many years, and now a Dear Prudence book is here to grace our bookshelves. Danny shares his philosophy of advice-giving, talks about what it was like to transition in the public eye, and offers his take on a reader question current Prudie Jenée Desmond-Harris answered a few weeks ago.
Items discussed in the show:
Jules and the Framing Agnes team at the GLAAD Awards
Outward’s December 2022 discussion of Framing Agnes with actress Jen Richards
LMN’s schedule
Somerville, Massachusetts, extends protections to polyamorous families
“Frog and Toad: An Amphibious Celebration of Same-Sex Love,” by Colin Stokes in the New Yorker
“How Frog and Toad Author Arnold Lobel Explored Gay Intimacy in His Work,” by J. Bryan Lowder in Slate
“This Is a Terrible Way to Commemorate a Major Civil Rights Victory,” by June Thomas in Slate
Dear Prudence: Liberating Lessons From Slate.com’s Beloved Advice Column, by Daniel M. Lavery
Jenée Desmond-Harris answered the question we put to Danny at the end of this Dear Prudence column
The Big Mood, Little Mood With Daniel M. Lavery podcast
The Dear Prudence podcast
Gay Agenda
Christina: Mae Martin’s new Netflix special, SAP
Jules: “Conservatives Are Turing to a 150-Year-Old Obscenity Law to Outlaw Abortion,” by Melissa Gira Grant in the New Republic
Bryan: Erick Adame’s Daily Weather Report (more background from the New York Times)
This podcast was produced by June Thomas.
Please send feedback, topic ideas, and advice questions to [email protected].
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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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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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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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 [email protected].
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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On today’s episode of Hear Me Out… a tail as old as time.
As part of Slate’s weeklong pet advice column, Faux Paws, Hear Me Out is tackling a debate that gets animal lovers on all sides heated up: should cats be allowed to roam outside?
Stacy LeBaron, longtime cat advocate and host of the Community Cats Podcast, argues yes… under the right circumstances, that is. It turns out, humans have an important role to play in helping our four-legged friends be healthy, happy, and helpful — whether they’re part of our outdoor environment or not.
Need pet advice? Submit questions for Slate’s expert Faux Paws columnists here.
Podcast production by Maura Currie
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A zoopolis is a future society that philosophers envision where wild, domesticated, and denizen animals have full political and legal rights. What would that look like? In this episode, we look at how animals were put on trial in medieval European courts, and how animal rights advocates and bringing animals back into the courtrooms to sue people and the US government.
We then look at what the science of animal minds tells us about how much agency animals have, and envision what political and legal rights various animals would have in a zoopolis. From there, we discuss and debate whether we should be allowed to farm animals, control their reproduction, and have them work for us.
Co-produced with Alec Opperman, guests include historian Gabriel Rosenberg, attorney Monica Miller, and animal minds researcher Professor Kristin Andrews.
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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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Felix Salmon, Emily Peck, and Elizabeth Spiers are joined by graphic designer Michael Bierut to recap the fourth episode of the last season of HBO’s Succession. The family attends Logan’s wake where big moves are made. Someone gets a surprising phone call. And where did that piece of paper come from?
If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get an ad-free experience across the network and an additional segment of our show every week. You’ll also be supporting the work we do here on Slate Money. Sign up now at slate.com/moneyplus to help support our work.
Podcast production by Patrick Fort.
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This week, host June Thomas talks to drag queen, author, and activist Lil Miss Hot Mess. In the interview, LMHM explains the origins of her drag persona and drag name and discusses the skills she had to build up early in her career. Then she discusses her work with Drag Story Hour and talks about what it means for drag to be simultaneously more mainstream and constantly under attack. Finally, she discusses her two children's books, The Hips on the Drag Queen Go Swish, Swish, Swish and If You’re a Drag Queen and You Know It.
After the interview, June and co-host Isaac Butler talk about the importance of playfulness and humor in creative work.
In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, LMHM talks about the current hostile political climate and her feud with senator Maro Rubio.
Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected] or give us a call at (304) 933-9675.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews.
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 Working. Sign up now at slate.com/workingplus to help support our work.
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Felix Salmon, Emily Peck, and Elizabeth Spiers go over China’s expanding role in the international debt market. They discuss a new problem with the American mortgage system, and dive into the wild world of the collectibles market.
In the Plus segment, Rupert Murdoch’s email divorce.
If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get an ad-free experience across the network and an additional segment of our show every week. You’ll also be supporting the work we do here on Slate Money. Sign up now at slate.com/moneyplus to help support our work.
Podcast production by Patrick Fort.
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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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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.
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The deadline for filing taxes this year is April 18th, and tax season brings on anxiety in lots of Americans. For Black folks, a lack of intergenerational wealth often means fewer contacts and networks that can offer guidance on taxes. On today’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson is joined by Washington Post personal finance columnist Michelle Singletary to talk about some of the tax challenges that disproportionately affect the Black community, last minute filing tips, and how to plan now for a better tax time next year.
Guest: Michelle Singletary, Washington Post personal finance columnist and author of “What To Do With Your Money When Crisis Hits: A Survival Guide.”
Podcast production by Kristie Taiwo-Makanjuola
You can skip all the ads in A Word by joining Slate Plus. Sign up now at slate.com/awordplus for $15 for your first three months.
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In this episode, Bomani Jones (host of HBO’s Game Theory With Bomani Jones and The Right Time With Bomani Jones) joins Prudie (Jenée Desmond-Harris) to answer questions from letter writers about workplace socializing, friends who are no longer likable people, and youth football.
If you want more Dear Prudence, you should 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 Brandon Nix.
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On this week’s episode of The Waves - the freelancing side of acting with Marvelous Mrs. Maisel actress Caroline Aaron. Slate senior supervising producer Daisy Rosario is joined by Caroline Aaron - a familiar face in movies for over forty years, if not a household name. They discuss building a life with an unstable career path, how women’s stories are done a disservice in film and television, and how Caroline’s show The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel seeks to overturn all of that.
In Slate Plus, Caroline discusses working with strong women like Amy Sherman Palladino and Nora Ephron.
Podcast production by Cheyna Roth with editorial oversight by Daisy Rosario and Alicia Montgomery.
Send your comments and recommendations on what to cover to [email protected].
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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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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 [email protected].
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.
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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.
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When Justin’s mom was diagnosed with cancer, he knew he wanted to keep talking to her after she died. So together they made an AI version of her, training it on her speech patterns and memories. Now he is scaling his findings so that anyone can continue their relationships with loved ones after their deaths. Justin even believes this can one day lead to digital immortality.
Grief experts are only now dealing with bereaved people who create digital versions of their loved ones. We look at what they say about the phenomenon, and what philosophers think about whether the best AI version of a person can actually be them.
Guests include Alexandra Salmon, Justin Harrison, CEO of You, Only Virtual, Dr. Mary-Frances O’Connor, and Dr. Debra Bassett.
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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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Felix Salmon, Emily Peck, and Elizabeth Spiers are joined by Slate’s Lizzie O’Leary to go over the shocking third episode of the last season of HBO’s Succession. Are Tom and Shiv going to get back together? What was in the “Logistics” folder? And was Connor’s wedding actually nice?
If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get an ad-free experience across the network and an additional segment of our show every week. You’ll also be supporting the work we do here on Slate Money. Sign up now at slate.com/moneyplus to help support our work.
Podcast production by Patrick Fort and Ben Richmond.
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This week, host Isaac Butler talks to writer John Cotter, whose new memoir Losing Music tells the story of a mysterious illness that degraded John’s hearing and caused periods of vertigo. In the interview, John explains how writing became a necessary tool that helped him make sense of his illness and his changing world.
After the interview, Isaac and co-host June Thomas discuss how creative practices can change drastically as people get older and their lives change. They also expand on a writing tip that Isaac mentions in his interview with John.
In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, John talks about how his teaching informs his writing and vice versa.
Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected] or give us a call at (304) 933-9675.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews.
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Slate Money hosts Felix Salmon, Emily Peck and Elizabeth Spiers talk about the podcasting economy and if the bubble has burst—or if it will soon. They also talk about Anthony Scaramucci’s hedge fund troubles, and a story about how to win at roulette.
In the Plus segment: The implications of Supreme Court Justice Thomas’ ties to a billionaire, and the broader politicization of the American judicial system.
If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get an ad-free experience across the network and an additional segment of our show every week. You’ll also be supporting the work we do here on Slate Money. Sign up now at slate.com/moneyplus to help support our work.
Podcast production by Patrick Fort, with technical assistance from Ben Richmond.
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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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In this episode, Danny Lavery (a former Prudie and host of Slate’s Big Mood, Little Mood) joins Prudie (Jenée Desmond-Harris) to recount his time as Prudie and answer questions from people dealing with unwanted crochet gifts, wedding dilemmas, and parents who think they are potential school shooters.
If you want more Dear Prudence, you should 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 Brandon Nix.
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Folklorist and Harlem Renaissance author Zora Neale Hurston made her hometown of Eatonville, Florida famous in her writing, including her novel Their Eyes Were Watching God. But her fame hasn’t saved the town from the pressures that many African American communities have endured: a population fighting poverty, government indifference, and developers that want to scoop up the land to build housing that current residents can’t afford. On today’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson is joined by Aallyah Wright, a reporter with Black news non-profit Capital B, who has written about the town’s recent success in resisting developers, and its hopes for the future.
Guest: Capital B reporter Aallyah Wright
Podcast production by Kristie Taiwo-Makanjuola
You can skip all the ads in A Word by joining Slate Plus. Sign up now at slate.com/awordplus for just $15 a month for your first three months.
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While TikTok’s parent company, Bytedance, is fighting to keep its flagship app from being banned in the United States, it’s also pushing a new app into the marketplace—Lemon8. One part Pinterest, one part Instagram and a dash of its sister app, Lemon8 is most likely saddled with the same security concerns that led lawmakers to consider banning TikTok.
Guest: Sapna Maheshwari, business reporter for the New York Times.
Host: Lizzie O’Leary
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.
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Coming April 11, 2023, Season 6 of Hi-Phi Nation will look at the future; of work, of love and sex, life and death, our relationship with animals, creativity in music, and philanthropy. Stories include people trying to create digital avatars of dead loved ones, people in exclusive relationships with AI chatbots, animals who are seeking legal protection in courts, the gig economy, AI music, and effective altruism. The episodes will draw out the most interesting moral and philosophical issues from the current path of artificial intelligence technology, data science, and cultural and legal trends.
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On this week’s episode of The Waves, author, journalist, and former host of Slate podcast Thirst Aid Kit Nichole Perkins is joined by journalist Eliana Dockterman to discuss the disappearance of sexuality in recent movies. They unpack Eliana’s recent piece in TIME, “Why Aren’t Movies Sexy Anymore?” and try to work through the reasons films that hit the theaters are lacking heat. Hint: One reason has to do with some superheroes.
In Slate Plus: Movies that DO have sex scenes.
Podcast production by Cheyna Roth and Tori Dominguez with editorial oversight by Daisy Rosario and Alicia Montgomery.
Send your comments and recommendations on what to cover to [email protected].
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For this week’s episode of Working Overtime, hosts Karen Han and Isaac Butler explain how they navigate the often confusing world of freelance rates. They offer tips on how to negotiate, when to take less money than you’d like, and when to walk away.
Do you have a question about creative work? Leave a message at (304) 933-9675 or email us at [email protected].
Podcast production by Kevin Bendis and Cameron Drews.
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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 [email protected].
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
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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.
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On today’s episode of Hear Me Out… the right to life and socialized healthcare walk into a delivery room.
Writer and journalist Liz Bruenig joins Celeste to discuss her vision for a United States where childbirth costs nothing. In a nation with skyrocketing healthcare costs, attacks on reproductive rights, and potential rollbacks on preventive care, we tell birthing people that not only do they have to give birth — they have to court financial ruin in order to do it.
Liz says it doesn’t have to be this way… and yes, we can pay for it. Moreover, it might be the rare issue where both sides of the aisle can find some common ground.
Podcast production by Maura Currie
You can skip all the ads in Hear Me Out by joining Slate Plus. Sign up now at slate.com/hearmeoutplus for just $15 a month for your first three months.
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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.
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Felix Salmon, Emily Peck and Elizabeth Spiers are joined by The New Yorker’s Clare Malone to recap the latest episode of HBO’s Succession. Will Kerry get on ATN? Will the Kids squash the GoJo deal? Is anyone going to come to Connor’s wedding?
If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get an ad-free experience across the network and an additional segment of our show every week. You’ll also be supporting the work we do here on Slate Money. Sign up now at slate.com/moneyplus to help support our work.
Podcast production by Patrick Fort and Ben Richmond.
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This week, host Karen Han talks to artist and ornithologist Isaiah Scott, whose popular Instagram account features vibrant photos, illustrations, and information about birds. In the interview, Isaiah talks about his process for organizing bird-watching hikes in his community and his mission to make bird-watching more welcoming. He also discusses the growing community of Black bird enthusiasts and his effort to bring more style and fun to the birding hobby.
After the interview, Karen and co-host June Thomas talk about the best ways to welcome newcomers into your field. They also discuss how to figure out boundaries for ambitious creative projects.
In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Isaiah shares more details about a field guide he’s designing.
Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected] or give us a call at (304) 933-9675.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews.
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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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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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Baltimore is one of many aging American cities that is plagued with both a lack of affordable housing, and a surplus of vacant homes. But a local non-profit is addressing both those issues, and teaching community members to rebuild their neighborhoods one house at a time. On today’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson is joined by Shelley Halstead, who founded Black Women Build in Baltimore.
Guest: Shelley Halstead, founder of Black Women Build
Podcast production by Ahyiana Angel
You can skip all the ads in A Word by joining Slate Plus. Sign up now at slate.com/awordplus for just $15 a month for your first three months.
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In this episode, Jamilah Lemieux (co-host of Slate’s Mom and Dad are Fighting) joins Prudie (Jenée Desmond-Harris) to answer questions from letter writers about saving friends from bad relationships, warning Black tourists in a sundown town, and how to deal when your spouse cares more about his dog than about your children.
If you want more Dear Prudence, you should 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 Brandon Nix.
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On this week’s episode of The Waves, Slate supervising producer Daisy Rosario is joined by Texas Tribune reporter Roxanna Asgarian to discuss her book We Were Once A Family: A Story of Love, Death and Child Removal in America and its findings on the foster care system. The book covers the tragic Hart family murders in 2018 where two mothers drove their six adopted children off a cliff.
In Slate Plus: How Roxanna navigated writing about a tragic family story in a pandemic while being a first-time mom.
Podcast production by Cheyna Roth and Tori Dominguez with editorial oversight by Daisy Rosario and Alicia Montgomery.
Send your comments and recommendations on what to cover to [email protected].
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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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Two years ago, the NCAA changed their rules to allow college athletes to make money from their “name, image and likeness.” It was a stop-gap measure at best, and some folks even want to see athletes gain employee status. But, the NCAA has taken to Capitol Hill today to try to prevent just that.
Guest: Dan Murphy, staff writer at ESPN and author of Start By Believing.
Spotify listeners, click here and follow What Next and to make sure you never miss an episode.
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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 [email protected].
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.
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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On today’s episode of Hear Me Out… the case for breaking up the union.
Frank Buckley, professor at George Mason University and author of American Secession, makes a case for allowing states to peacefully secede — not just in the interest of preventing another civil war, but in hopes of creating a happier, more functional society for us all.
Podcast production by Maura Currie
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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.
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This week, Felix Salmon, Emily Peck, and Elizabeth Spiers are joined by author and journalist Jim Stewart to recap episode one, season four of HBO’s Succession. They talk architecture, business deals, and parallels between the television drama and real-life media moguls.
Podcast production by Anna Phillips and Patrick Fort.
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This week, producer Cameron Drews talks to the legendary children’s musician Raffi Cavoukian, who’s best known for songs like “Baby Beluga” and “Bananaphone.” In the interview, Raffi discusses his pivot to kids music in the mid-’70s and the creative choices that went into one of his most beloved albums, Singable Songs for the Very Young. He also talks about his decision not to market directly to kids, his climate activism, and a philosophy he developed called “Child Honoring.”
After the interview, Cameron and co-host Karen Han discuss how artists can follow their instincts while keeping their audience in mind.
Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected] or give us a call at (304) 933-9675.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews.
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 Working. Sign up now at slate.com/workingplus to help support our work.
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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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On this month’s episode of Future Tense Fiction, host Maddie Stone talks to Annalee Newitz about “When Robot and Crow Saved East St. Louis.” Annalee’s short story follows a disease-fighting robot—and its companions, both human and crow—on a quest to track an outbreak and develop a vaccine before it's too late. The story was published in December 2018, but now, three years after the WHO declared COVID-19 a pandemic, it offers a look at how public health responses could better reflect the needs of the communities they serve. Plus, Annalee shares how they learned to speak crow language.
Guest: Annalee Newitz, author of the Terraformers, the Future of Another Timeline, and Autonomous.
Story read by Gin Hammond
Podcast production by Tiara Darnell
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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.
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For many people of faith, Holy Week brings the most sacred days of the year. But in 1968, that season was marred by the murder of Martin Luther King Jr., and the violent unrest and riots that followed. On today’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson is joined by Vann Newkirk II. He’s a senior editor for The Atlantic, and the host of its Holy Week podcast, which examines this moment in history. They discuss the political and social forces that led up to these pivotal events, and how they’re remembered by the people who were themselves in the streets.
Guest: Vann Newkirk II, host of The Atlantic’s Holy Week podcast.
Podcast production by Kristie Taiwo-Makanjuola
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In this episode, Prudie (Jenée Desmond-Harris) answers questions from letter writers about coping with aging, dealing with a spouse’s out-of-control frenemy, and explaining a little medicinal drug use to in-laws.
Tonya Mosley (host of Webby award-winning podcast Truth Be Told) joins to share some nuggets of wisdom.
If you want more Dear Prudence, you should 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.
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On this week’s episode of The Waves, Slate senior producer Cheyna Roth is joined by New Yorker editor Jessica Winter to talk all about postpartum psychosis. They dig into how the medical world is failing new moms during one of the “worst psychiatric emergencies” and why we need to talk about it more. After the break, Cheyna and Jessica talk about how movies and television have depicted postpartum depression and psychosis.
In Slate Plus, are “influencer parents” really new?
Articles Mentioned
What We Still Don’t Understand About Postpartum Psychosis by Jessica Winter
The Many Violations of the Violent Birth Scene by Amanda Hess
Women’s Heath Care is Underfunded. The Consequences Are Dire by Jessica Grose
Podcast production by Cheyna Roth and Tori Dominguez with editorial oversight by Daisy Rosario and Alicia Montgomery.
Send your comments and recommendations on what to cover to [email protected].
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For this week’s episode of Working Overtime, hosts June Thomas and Isaac Butler help a listener who’s wondering whether a career in the arts is realistic. Being an illustrator has always been this listener’s dream, but breaking into the industry and finding financial success has been an uphill battle.
Do you have a question about creative work? Leave a message at (304) 933-9675 or email us at [email protected].
Podcast production by Kevin Bendis and Cameron Drews.
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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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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 [email protected].
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.
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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On today’s episode of Hear Me Out… host Celeste Headlee introduces Slate’s newest podcast with a question: what if we could argue with each other without hating the results?
Hugh Breakey, writer and moral philosopher, thinks it’s possible. He and Celeste discuss the case for arguing with each other on difficult topics, and giving up the idea that every argument needs a winner. It’s not just a good idea, according to Breakey — it’s a moral imperative.
Podcast production by Maura Currie
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This week, host Isaac Butler talks to Suzan-Lori Parks, a Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright whose most recent project is a musical theater adaptation of the 1972 Jamaican crime film The Harder They Come. In the interview, Suzan-Lori shares her flexible approach to adaptation and, more specifically, how she was able to deepen the original story of The Harder They Come while honoring the original. She also talks about the unique challenges of adapting a movie into a stage musical.
After the interview, Isaac and co-host Karen Han talk about the ubiquity of adaptations and reboots and what it means to make a whole new piece of work out of old material.
In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Isaac asks Suzan-Lori about her project 365 Days/365 Plays in which she wrote a play a day for an entire year. Isaac also asks about a unique playwriting convention that Suzan-Lori pioneered.
Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected] or give us a call at (304) 933-9675.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews.
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 Working. Sign up now at slate.com/workingplus to help support our work.
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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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John Dickerson talks with author Chris Miller about his new book, Chip War: The Fight for The World’s Most Critical Technology. They discuss how semiconductor chips became so important, why everyone is so dependent on Taiwan for chips, and what lessons China can glean from what’s happening in Ukraine.
Tweet us your questions @SlateGabfest or email us at [email protected]. (Messages could be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.)
Podcast production by Cheyna Roth.
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When you imagine how science and technology will reshape our future, does it excite you, or scare you, or both? Each month, the Future Tense Fiction podcast will introduce you to a short work of science fiction, one that will challenge, surprise and intrigue you. Then host Maddie Stone will talk with the author to explore how their own experiences with technology—from smart weapons, to electronic pets, to virtual reality—informed their writing and their vision.
That’s every month on Future Tense Fiction, a podcast from Slate, Arizona State University, and New America. Subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts. See you in the future.
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In this episode, Prudie (Jenée Desmond-Harris) answers questions from letter writers who are dealing with judgemental parents, homophobic in-laws, and neighbors who throw dog poop over the fence.
Mark Joseph Stern (a Slate senior writer) joins to share advice on what to do.
If you want more Dear Prudence, you should 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.
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For decades, there has been a stigma attached to remaining unmarried and childless in the Black community, particularly for women. But a growing part of the Black middle class is single, childfree adults. Does the trend threaten the future of the Black family, or is it time to recognize a different model for family life? On today’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson is joined by sociologist Kris Marsh, author of “The Love Jones Cohort: Single and Living Alone in the Black Middle Class.”
Guest: Kris Marsh, University of Maryland Sociology Professor and author of “The Love Jones Cohort: Single and Living Alone in the Black Middle Class.”
Podcast production by Ahiyana Angel
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On this week’s episode of The Waves, Slate senior editor Shannon Palus talks with longtime health and foodwriter Tamar Haspel about her views on weight loss, and why it’s important for feminist to not shy away from the topic. They dig into why crank diets don’t work and often fail in trials, how Tamar changed her mind about “just lose weight!” being good, blanket advice, and how to make conversations about weight empowering—or, at least, less fraught.
In Slate Plus, a discussion about the latest weight loss drug, Ozempic.
Podcast production by Cheyna Roth and Tori Dominguez with editorial oversight by Daisy Rosario and Alicia Montgomery.
Send your comments and recommendations on what to cover to [email protected].
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Slate’s political and discussion podcast, Hear Me Out, launches March 21. Join host Celeste Headlee and a guest each week for a smart, fair debate on issues that matter.
In a nation where many of us have forgotten how to talk to each other, veteran journalist Celeste Headlee has devoted years to reinvigorating the art of civil conversation and debate. Each week on Hear Me Out, she'll invite a thoughtful guest to discuss their controversial perspective on a current issue, and engage in a tough, good-faith dialogue about the merits and drawbacks of their argument. The objective is to challenge conventional wisdom, and serve the intellectually curious new ideas and perspectives without partisan cliches.
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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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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 [email protected].
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
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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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This week, host Karen Han talks to sommelier Miguel de Leon, who currently works as the wine director for Pinch Chinese in New York City. In the interview, Miguel explains that his job is less about defining obscure tasting notes and more about curating experiences and telling stories. He also talks about the exclusionary nature of the wine world and his efforts to make that world more accessible to everyone.
After the interview, Karen and co-host Isaac Butler discuss how to be more welcoming to newcomers in creative fields. They also talk about how expensive art can be, both to make and to experience.
In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Miguel talks about some specific wines that he’s excited about.
Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected] or give us a call at (304) 933-9675.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews.
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The online dating world can be brutal and repetitive—just the kind of thing you might want to automate. But, in one tech writer’s experience, artificial intelligence isn’t ready to make real connections—at least, not without a lot of help.
Guest: Heather Tal Murphy, covers business and technology at Slate
Host: Lizzie O’Leary
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.
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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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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.
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In this episode, Prudie (Jenée Desmond-Harris) answers questions from letter writers who are stuck in high-paying jobs, deciding whether to bring kids into this world, confronting a “Karen,” and dealing with a classic topic – judgy in-laws.
Wajahat Ali (author and a Daily Beast columnist) joins to lend his wisdom.
If you want more Dear Prudence, you should 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.
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The Scream franchise returns to theaters this weekend. Since it first debuted in 1996, the racial dynamics of horror films have evolved. And for the first time in generations of scary movies, African American characters are surviving, killing the monsters, or even slaying as horror villains themselves. On today’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson is joined by Mark Harris, the co-author of The Black Guy Dies First: Black Horror Cinema from Fodder to Oscar, to talk about the evolution of Black horror.
Guest: Mark Harris, writer and co-author of The Black Guy Dies First
Podcast production by Kristie Taiwo-Makanjuola
You can skip all the ads in A Word by joining Slate Plus. Sign up now at slate.com/awordplus for just $1 for your first month.
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On this week’s episode of The Waves, Slate culture writer Nadira Goffe is joined by film producer and Stay Gold Features founder Daniela Taplin Lundberg to discuss the challenges of film production and the importance of movies that tell women’s stories, even when they seem too risky to make.
In Slate Plus, Nadira and Daniela talk about their favorite (surprisingly) feminist movies.
Podcast production by Cheyna Roth and Tori Dominguez with editorial oversight by Daisy Rosario and Alicia Montgomery.
Send your comments and recommendations on what to cover to [email protected].
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For all of his success, Steven Spielberg has a spotty record at the Oscars. He’s been nominated 22 times, but he’s only won three. Is it a curse?
This Sunday could mark a shift for the King of Hollywood’s five decades in the industry. And with The Fabelmans this year, it’s personal.
Guest: Michael Schulman, New Yorker staff writer and the author of Oscar Wars: A History of Hollywood in Gold, Sweat, and Tears.
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 Amicus—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on What Next. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to help support our work.
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For this week’s episode of Working Overtime, hosts June Thomas and Isaac Butler mull over James Altucher’s habit of creating 10 new ideas every day. Altucher’s theory is that the simple act of generating a list can build a strong creative routine. The hosts put this theory to the test and while Isaac remained skeptical, June had a surprising result.
Do you have a question about creative work? Leave a message at (304) 933-9675 or email us at [email protected].
Podcast production by Kevin Bendis and Cameron Drews.
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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
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
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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.
Email us at [email protected].
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
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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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This week, host June Thomas talks to Sian Heder, who wrote and directed the Oscar-winning film CODA and now works on the Apple TV Plus series Little America, which tells stories that are based on real immigrant experiences. In the interview, Sian discusses the success of CODA and shares what it was like to win an Oscar. Then she digs into her work on Little America and discusses the challenges and joys of telling other people’s stories.
In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Sian talks about growing up with a Welsh mother and a Hungarian father and explains how her upbringing informs her work.
Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected] or give us a call at (304) 933-9675.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews and Kevin Bendis.
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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
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In this episode, Prudie (Jenée Desmond-Harris) answers questions about how to build meaningful friendships, dating someone with PTSD, and awkward gift exchanges.
Jonquilyn Hill (host of Vox’s The Weeds) joins to share advice on what to do.
If you want more Dear Prudence, you should 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.
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The music of De La Soul is finally available on streaming. When they released their debut album “3 Feet High and Rising” in 1989, the group expanded the idea of what hip hop was and who it was for. On today’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson is joined by rapper, composer, and producer Don Will to discuss De La Soul’s impact, endurance, and what a new generation of hip hop fans can learn from them.
Guest: Don Will, host of “The Almanac of Rap” podcast
Podcast production by Kristie Taiwo-Makanjuola
You can skip all the ads in A Word by joining Slate Plus. Sign up now at slate.com/awordplus for just $1 for your first month.
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On this week’s episode of The Waves, Slate senior editor Shannon Palus talks with Heather Havrilesky about the divine tedium of marriage. They discuss Heather’s book, Foreverland and the explosive response the book initially got (especially when Heather called her husband “a heap of laundry”). Later in the show, they dig into what to do when your husband is truly being a little bit of a patriarchal jerk.
In Slate Plus, a behind the scenes look at what goes into writing the Ask Polly column.
Podcast production by Cheyna Roth and Tori Dominguez with editorial oversight by Daisy Rosario and Alicia Montgomery.
Send your comments and recommendations on what to cover to [email protected].
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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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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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 [email protected].
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.
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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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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This week, host Isaac Butler talks to Tarn and Zach Adams, two brothers who’ve been continually crafting and updating the video game Dwarf Fortress for two decades. In the interview, Tarn and Zach discuss the earliest versions of the game, which were available online for free in the early 2000’s and served as an important influence for games like The Sims and Minecraft. Tarn and Zach also discuss the intricate details of the game and the gigantic number of narrative possibilities that players can experience. After years of tinkering, the “fortress mode” of the game is finally available for purchase, and “adventurer mode” won’t be far behind.
After the interview, Isaac and co-host Karen Han talk about what happens when a project starts to evolve into something unexpected.
In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Tarn and Zach explain how Dwarf Fortress ended up in the Museum of Modern Art.
Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected] or give us a call at (304) 933-9675.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews.
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 Working. Sign up now at slate.com/workingplus to help support our work.
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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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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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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.
If you want more Dear Prudence, you should 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 Kayla Lattimore and Daisy Rosario. Production help from Se’era Spragley Ricks.
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Courtney and Nicole Mallery claim that their dream of ranching in Colorado has become a nightmare because of racist neighbors and hostile police. Their case grabbed national attention after videos of Courtney Mallery’s arrest went viral. On today’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson is joined by Ezekiel Walker of The Black Wall Street Times, who is covering the case. They talk about the controversy surrounding the Freedom Acres Ranch, and how the dispute echoes more than a century of stories of Black land loss.
Guest: Ezekiel Walker, senior editor of The Black Wall Street Times
Podcast production by Kristie Taiwo-Makanjuola
You can skip all the ads in A Word by joining Slate Plus. Sign up now at slate.com/awordplus for just $1 for your first month.
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On this week’s episode of The Waves, Slate senior editor Rebecca Onion is joined by Erika Lentz, host of the podcast The Turning to discuss the impact of ballet culture and the legacy of George Balanchine on dancers of all levels.
In Slate Plus, how ballerinas and nuns have more in common than you think.
Podcast production by Cheyna Roth and Tori Dominguez with editorial oversight by Daisy Rosario and Alicia Montgomery.
Send your comments and recommendations on what to cover to [email protected].
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For this week’s episode of Working Overtime, hosts Karen Han and Isaac Butler talk about how to properly apply feedback from an editor or another creative collaborator. They discuss when to compromise when to dig your heels in, and when to burn down a collaborative bridge.
Do you need help with a creative problem? Leave a message at (304) 933-9675 or email us at [email protected].
Podcast production by Kevin Bendis and Cameron Drews.
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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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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 [email protected].
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
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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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This week, host Karen Han talks to actor, director, and writer Tim Blake Nelson, who just came out with his first novel, City of Blows. In the interview, Tim explains why he decided to reference real life events–like the #MeToo movement and COVID–in a fictional story about Hollywood. He also talks about the challenges of writing fictional prose and offers some useful wisdom about writing in general.
After the interview, Karen and co-host June Thomas discuss the best ways to juggle multiple projects at once.
In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Tim shares his rejected idea for the cover image of City of Blows.
Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected] or give us a call at (304) 933-9675.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews.
--
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Emily Bazelon talks with author Rebecca Makkai about her new book, I Have Some Questions For You. They discuss why it’s so easy to suspend disbelief with this type of story, the “cancelled” subplot, and whether we’d be better off without Twitter.
Tweet us your questions @SlateGabfest or email us at [email protected]. (Messages could be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.)
Podcast production by Cheyna Roth.
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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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Slate’s Prudie (Jenée Desmond-Harris ) is on the mic answering questions about conversion therapy, awkward friends, and more. Slate’s own Nadira Goffe joins to lend her wisdom.
If you want more Dear Prudence, you should 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. Again, that’s Slate.com/prudieplus.
Podcast production by Kayla Lattimore and Daisy Rosario. Production help from Se’era Spragley Ricks.
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Awards season can be a frustrating moment for Black writers in Hollywood, when even their most successful shows and films are frequently overlooked. Rodney Barnes has built a thriving career by telling stories of Black life, from “Everybody Hates Chris,” to “The Boondocks,” to “Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty.” On today’s episode of A Word, he joins Jason Johnson to discuss the challenges and rewards of his rise as a screenwriter and producer. His latest work is a graphic novel, “Blacula: Return of the King.”
Guest: Screenwriter Rodney Barnes
Podcast production by Kristie Taiwo-Makanjuola
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On this week’s episode of The Waves, Slate senior producer Cheyna Roth talks all about fear with author Erica Berry. They discuss trying to navigate alone in the world as a woman, how one fairy tale tells you everything you need to know about women and fear, and Erica’s new book, Wolfish: Wolf, Self, and the Stories We Tell About Fear.
In Slate Plus, Cheyna and Erica talk about how one wolf, OR-7, stole hearts across the nation.
Podcast production by Cheyna Roth with editorial oversight by Daisy Rosario and Alicia Montgomery. With additional help from Tori Dominguez.
Send your comments and recommendations on what to cover to [email protected].
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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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Love is in the air this month, so hosts Christina Cauterucci, Jules Gill-Peterson, and Bryan Lowder turn their attention to some very queer questions of love. First, they discuss a new Spanish film, Petit Mal, which explores the intimate drama and everyday feelings of three women in a throuple. Then they consider what is arguably the hardest kind of love: loving yourself in the wake of great loss or pain. Recent years have seen a huge growth in the applications of psychedelic drugs as a treatment strategy for PTSD, depression, anxiety, and more. Although psychedelics are becoming more popular with everyone, a lot of queer and trans people have pre-existing relationships with some of these substances, both in recreational and therapeutic contexts. The hosts are joined by Dr. Alex Belser, the leading researcher into queer people’s relationship with psychedelics, to discuss what these drugs might offer—and get back from—queers.
Items discussed in the show:
“Gay Bars and Hookup Apps”: The February 2021 episode of Outward that focused on Lex and other dating apps for women
The official trailer for Petit Mal
Queering Psychedelics: From Oppression to Liberation in Psychedelic Medicine, edited by Alex Belser, Clancy Cavnar, and Beatriz C. Labate
“Does the Queer Scene Have a Ketamine Problem?” by Delilah Friedler in Rolling Stone
“10 Calls to Action: Toward an LGBTQ-Affirmative Psychedelic Therapy,” by Alex Belser
Gay Agenda
Christina: Aftersun, written and directed by Charlotte Wells
Bryan: The legacy of Charles Silverstein, who died on Jan. 30, 2023
Jules: Wayward Lives, Beautiful Experiments: Intimate Histories of Riotous Black Girls, Troublesome Women, and Queer Radicals, by Saidiya V. Hartman
This podcast was produced by June Thomas.
Please send feedback, topic ideas, and advice questions to [email protected].
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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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 [email protected].
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.
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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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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This week, host June Thomas talks to Chase Joynt and Morgan M. Page, co-writers of the new documentary Framing Agnes, which Chase also directed and appears in. The film depicts, through reenactments, conversations with trans patients who were part of a UCLA gender study in the 1950’s. It also features interviews with trans actors who portray the patients and multiple conversations between Chase, Morgan, and others about how to tell trans stories farily. In their interview with June, Chase and Morgan describe the many modes of the film and explain why they felt the need to venture so far outside the usual documentary conventions.
After the interview, June and co-host Karen Han talk more about Framing Agnes and documentary filmmaking. They also discuss best practices for conducting respectful interviews.
In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Chase and Morgan talk about some of the people they collaborated with to make Framing Agnes.
Works referenced in this episode include:
Errol Morris’ documentary series WORMWOOD.
The Handler, an edition of the BBC’s Assume Nothing series.
The Teacher’s Trial podcast
Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected] or give us a call at (304) 933-9675.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews.
--
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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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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
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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.
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For many Americans, the “Green Book” is an Oscar-winning film. But for generations of Black Americans, it served as a literal map for traveling through an often hostile and hateful country, finding safety and businesses that would serve us. On today’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson is joined by writer and financial educator Alvin Hall. He’s the author of Driving the Green Book: A Road Trip Through the Living History of Black Resistance. Hall explains how the original Green Book began, discusses its evolution, and why he’s dedicated years to studying and sharing stories of its impact.
Guest: Alvin Hall, author of Driving the Green Book: A Road Trip Through the Living History of Black Resistance
Podcast production by Kristie Taiwo-Makanjuola
You can skip all the ads in A Word by joining Slate Plus. Sign up now at slate.com/awordplus for just $1 for your first month.
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On this week’s episode of The Waves, Slate supervising producer Daisy Rosario is joined by stand-up comic Blaire Postman to discuss their journeys as women with ADHD, from receiving a diagnosis to the many ways it affects their everyday lives.
In Slate Plus, how Blaire navigated living with ADHD in the pandemic-era social media boom of all things ADHD content.
Podcast production by Cheyna Roth and Tori Dominguez with editorial oversight by Daisy Rosario and Alicia Montgomery.
Send your comments and recommendations on what to cover to [email protected].
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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For this week’s episode of Working Overtime, hosts Karen Han and Isaac Butler respond to listener Emily’s question about how best to plan out a period of creative freedom she’s been given through a writing grant. It can be a challenge to find motivation while working on spec, or without concrete deadlines, but Isaac and Karen share ideas for psyching yourself into a creative routine. Do you feel unable to plan out your creative future? Leave a message at (304) 933-9675 or email us at [email protected].
Podcast production by Kevin Bendis and Cameron Drews.
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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
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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 [email protected].
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
_
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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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This week, host Isaac Butler talks to V.V. Ganeshananthan, author of the book Brotherless Night, which takes place during the Sri Lankan Civil War and was recently featured on the cover of the New York Times Book Review. In the interview, Ganeshananthan discusses her experience in journalism school and explains how it laid the foundation for her fiction writing. Then she talks about the unique POV of Brotherless Night, the book’s multi-decade writing process, and the careful research that allowed her to depict the Sri Lankan Civil War.
After the interview, Isaac and co-host June Thomas talk about lessons learned in graduate school. Then they explain why you should dare yourself to take creative risks.
Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected] or give us a call at (304) 933-9675.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews.
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 Working. Sign up now at slate.com/workingplus to help support our work.
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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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Dear Prudence is Slate's advice podcast, where Prudie responds to your questions about relationships at home, work, and beyond. Join “Prudie” Jenee Desmond Harris and a guest each week as they offer helpful answers to your problems. Need help? Ask Prudie.
Jenée Desmond-Harris is a Slate staff writer and editor. She writes the Dear Prudence advice column and previously worked at the New York Times, Vox.com and the Root.
The series premieres on February 17.
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Days before footage of the fatal police beating of Tyre Nichols was made public, protests disrupted downtown Atlanta. The demonstrations there came in response to law enforcement shooting protestor Manuel Teran to death at the controversial site of a future police training facility. The area has come to be known as “Cop City,” and on today’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson is joined by attorney and State President of the Georgia NAACP Gerald Griggs to talk about the project, its history, and why officials are moving it forward in the face of widespread public opposition.
Guest: Gerald Griggs, State President of Georgia’s NAACP
Podcast production by Kristie Taiwo-Makanjuola
You can skip all the ads in A Word by joining Slate Plus. Sign up now at slate.com/awordplus for just $1 for your first month.
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On this week’s episode of The Waves, Slate senior editor Rebecca Onion is joined by NPR political reporter Danielle Kurtzleben to unpack all the fears that come with pending motherhood. They unpack Danielle’s brilliant Substack piece, “A Professional Lady Correspondent Stares Down Motherhood,” their fears of “cool moms” and…the possible merits of ”lean in feminism.” Heavy emphasis on the possible.
In Slate Plus, how Danielle navigated covering abortion post-Roe while pregnant.
Podcast production by Cheyna Roth and Tori Dominguez with editorial oversight by Daisy Rosario and Alicia Montgomery.
Send your comments and recommendations on what to cover to [email protected].
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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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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 [email protected].
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.
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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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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This week, host Karen Han talks to Yoon Sung, an urgent care doctor in Los Angeles who decided to pivot to the culinary arts…while continuing to be a physician. In the interview, Yoon talks about what his two jobs have in common, how he balances both careers, and how he fell into his latest gig as the pastry chef at Hanchic.
After the interview, Karen and co-host Isaac Butler discuss the role of “service” in creative work and the decision to do work that makes you happy.
In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Yoon talks about his early culinary experiments in Baltimore. He also shares some of his favorite foods to eat and cook.
Do you have a question about creative work? Call us and leave a message at (304) 933-9675 or email us at [email protected].
Podcast production by Cameron Drews.
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 Working. Sign up now at slate.com/workingplus to help support our work.
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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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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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Five former Memphis police officers are charged with second degree murder in the death of Tyre Nichols. Footage of them reportedly beating Nichols after a traffic stop is set to be released to the public on Friday evening. Nichols’ death came just days after English teacher Keenan Anderson was tazed repeatedly by LAPD officers, who were responding to a traffic incident. Anderson died hours later.
These deaths, and an increase in police killing civilians in 2022, are fueling concerns that the movement to combat police violence has stalled. On today’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson is joined by Phillip Atiba Goff. He’s the co-founder and CEO of the Center for Policing Equity. He’s also the director of Yale’s African American Studies program, and a professor of psychology. They discuss the different factors that may have diminished the movement's momentum and public support, and whether there’s a way forward in fighting police violence.
Guest: Phillip Atiba Goff, co-founder and CEO of the Center for Policing Equity.
Podcast production by Kristie Taiwo-Makanjuola
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On this week’s episode of The Waves, Slate senior producer Cheyna Roth is joined by author and Slate editor Dan Kois to talk about men writing women. Dan’s new book, Vintage Contemporaries, is the coming of age story of Em and the two women who had a meaningful impact on her life. Dan and Cheyna talk about how Dan wrote true to life female characters without falling into the #menwritewomen trap, why he told a story with female characters, and how to navigate the tricky world of writing characters of the opposite sex.
In Slate Plus, how the HarperCollins strike is impacting women.
You can find the HarperCollins Bookshop link here.
Podcast production by Cheyna Roth with editorial oversight by Daisy Rosario and Alicia Montgomery.
Send your comments and recommendations on what to cover to [email protected].
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For this week’s episode of Working Overtime, hosts Karen Han and June Thomas consider sculptor Claes Oldenburg’s ideas on reigniting the creative fire. From taking a walk to revisiting old notes, to perusing a friend's work, they’ve both found various ways to shake loose new ideas.
Do you have a question about creative work, are you trying to clear away your own creative cobwebs? Call us and leave a message at (304) 933-9675 or email us at [email protected].
Podcast production by Kevin Bendis and Cameron Drews.
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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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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 [email protected].
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 [email protected].
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.
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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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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This week, host June Thomas talks to poet Chip Livingston, who recently compiled a collection of letters titled, Love, Loosha: The Letters of Lucia Berlin and Kenward Elmslie. It documents the friendship between the writer Lucia Berlin, who is now well-regarded for her short stories but was underappreciated during her lifetime, and the poet and librettist Kenward Elmslie. In the interview, Chip shares how he put the collection together and talks about his personal relationships with both Berlin and Elmslie. He also explains how the book can serve as a useful depiction of what it’s like to live as an artist.
After the interview, June and co-host Isaac Butler talk more about what we can learn from the letters of great writers. They also discuss overly confessional writing and how to determine the audience for your work.
In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Chip talks about how his love of poetry blossomed in part thanks to his friendship with Kenward Elmslie.
Do you have a question about creative work? Call us and leave a message at (304) 933-9675 or email us at [email protected].
Podcast production by Cameron Drews.
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 Working. Sign up now at slate.com/workingplus to help support our work.
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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.
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This week, Felix Gillette joins Felix Salmon, Emily Peck, and Elizabeth Spiers to talk about his new book It's Not TV: The Spectacular Rise, Revolution, and Future of HBO and discuss the state of streaming, the relationship between sports and advertisers, and the decline of the movie theater industry.
In the Plus segment: YouTube.
Podcast production by Jessamine Molli.
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David Plotz talks with author Shahan Mufti about his new book, American Caliph: The True Story of a Muslim Mystic, a Hollywood Epic, and the 1977 Siege of Washington, DC. They discuss an Islamic group’s multi-location attack in D.C., the terror that hostages experienced while held captive for the two days, and the movie that started the whole thing.
Tweet us your questions @SlateGabfest or email us at [email protected]. (Messages could be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.)
Podcast production by Cheyna Roth.
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This week’s Spoiler Specials takes on M3gan, with Slate’s movie critic Dana Stevens and features director Jeffrey Bloomer.
Note: As the title indicates, this podcast contains spoilers galore.
Read another Slate review here.
Email us at [email protected].
Podcast production by Kristie Taiwo-Makanjuola.
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Headlines suggest that Haiti could be on the verge of collapse, with gangs controlling its streets, the economy at a standstill, and political leaders fearing for their lives. But while international observers decry it as a “failed nation,” Haiti’s path to success has been consistently blocked since its successful slave rebelion in 1804. On today’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson is joined by Professor Leslie Alexander, author “Fear of a Black Republic: Haiti and the Birth of Black Internationalism in the United States.“
Guest: Historian Leslie Alexander, the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Professor of History at Rutgers University
Podcast production by Kristie Taiwo-Makanjuola
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On this week’s episode of The Waves, Slate science and health editor Shannon Palus talks with freelance science writer Eleanor Cummins about how to detach exercise from diet culture, and learning to strive toward fitness goals that actually serve them. They discuss two recent pieces in Slate, Shannon’s article on the benefits of slow running and Eleanor’s on why yoga classes cost so much—an how the teachers, which are mostly women, can actually get paid more. They discuss why relaxing in a workout setting can be necessary and difficult, and how letting go of the idea that working out always has to be painful can actually help you accomplish big, impressive goals.
In Slate Plus, is Prince Harry feminist?
Podcast production by Cheyna Roth with editorial oversight by Daisy Rosario and Alicia Montgomery.
Send your comments and recommendations on what to cover to [email protected].
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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.
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This month, hosts Christina Cauterucci, Jules Gill-Peterson, and Bryan Lowder take an in-depth look at the latest fixation of the far right: drag, an art form as old as gender itself, which has brought generations of queer people together. In the first segment, the hosts consider why conservatives are now trying to regulate drag shows out of existence and armed hate groups are showing up at drag events to threaten and intimidate performers and audiences. Then they are joined by Lil Miss Hot Mess, who in addition to performing with Drag Story Hour, has taken an academic interest in what children take away from drag events.
Items discussed in the show:
Gay Agenda
This podcast was produced by June Thomas.
Please send feedback, topic ideas, and advice questions to [email protected].
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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 [email protected].
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.
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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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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This week, host Isaac Butler talks to Ali Slagle, a recipe developer for the New York Times cooking section and author of the book I Dream of Dinner (so You Don't Have To). In the interview, Ali shares where her ideas for recipes come from and her trial-and-error process for getting them just right. She also talks about her commitment to convenience and explains what it was like to develop recipes for her book that require only a handful of ingredients and take 45 minutes or less to prepare.
After the interview, Isaac and co-host Karen Han talk more about recipe development and discuss what it’s like to have too many options in front of you when you’re working on a creative project.
In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Ali offers a glimpse into the world of food styling.
Do you have a question about creative work? Call us and leave a message at (304) 933-9675 or email us at [email protected].
Podcast production by Cameron Drews.
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 Working. Sign up now at slate.com/workingplus to help support our work.
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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.
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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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Florida’s Stop W.O.K.E. Act has been law for less than a year. And while court challenges persist, it’s already having a chilling effect on many educators who teach about race. On today’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson is joined by Jonathan Cox, a University of Central Florida Professor of Sociology. Cox recently spoke with ProPublica about how the crusade against critical race theory led him to cancel some classes and alter others.
Guest: University of Central Florida Sociologist Jonathan Cox
Podcast production by Kristie Taiwo-Makanjuola
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On this week’s episode of The Waves, Slate Money co-host Emily Peck is joined by New York Times writer, Amy Larocca to discuss, as Amy says, the “menopause gold rush.” They dig into when exactly menopause starts, how younger women embracing their bodies has trickled up to their moms, and the companies that have started aggressively targeting menopausal women - for better and for worse.
In Slate Plus, how telehealth and online medicine have changed the menopause game.
Podcast production by Cheyna Roth with editorial oversight by Daisy Rosario and Alicia Montgomery.
Send your comments and recommendations on what to cover to [email protected].
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For this week’s episode of Working Overtime, hosts Karen Han and June Thomas strategize about how to avoid feeling guilty about insufficient productivity. Both have spent hours in front of a screen without getting words on paper, but the answer isn’t to punish yourself. Breaking down goals or taking a break will help you feel better .
Do you have a question about creative work, or are you struggling to meet your own impossible goals? Call us and leave a message at (304) 933-9675 or email us at [email protected].
Podcast production by Kevin Bendis and Cameron Drews.
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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.
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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 [email protected].
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.
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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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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On this week’s episode of Working, host Karen Han speaks with Marc Petrosino and Michael Latini, the founders of cutting-edge puppets and props studio Monkey Boys Productions. Marc and Michael have been crafting creatures and costumes for more than 16 years, and their work includes making dancing meatballs for Saturday Night Live and various iterations of Audrey 2 from Little Shop of Horrors. They recount the stresses of meeting deadlines, constructing intricate puppets, and the art of collaboration.
After the interview, Karen speaks with co-host June Thomas about the mysteries of puppeteering and their experiences of collaborating on creative work with a partner.
Do you have a question about creative work? Call us and leave a message at (304) 933-9675 or email us at [email protected].
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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.
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This week, Slate's Dana Stevens and Dan Kois spoil Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery, the sequel to Rian Johnson’s Knives Out.
Note: As the title indicates, this podcast contains spoilers galore.
Read Dana’s review here.
Email us at [email protected].
Podcast production by Kristie Taiwo-Makanjuola
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Buffalo Bills player Damar Hamlin seems to be making a remarkable recovery after suffering cardiac arrest on Monday Night Football. But the incident has renewed questions about how the NFL tries –and often fails– to keep the sport from threatening the health of its athletes. On today’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson is joined by veteran sports journalist Howard Bryant to discuss the NFL’s history of responding to injuries, and whether media and fans are complicit in the suffering of players.
Guest: Sports writer Howard Bryant, author of Full Dissidence: Notes from an Uneven Playing Field
Podcast production by Kristie Taiwo-Makanjuola
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On this week’s episode of The Waves, Slate science and health editor Shannon Palus is joined by author and co-host of Maintenance Phase, Aubrey Gordon. Shannon and Aubrey discuss Aubrey’s new book, “You Just Need to Lose Weight” and 19 Other Myths About Fat People, the fraught nature of “body positivity” and the insidious goalpost moving of the Dove “Love Your Body” campaign.
In Slate Plus, Aubrey and Shannon discuss the new weight-loss fad, Ozempic.
Further Reading Recommendations From Aubrey:
Hunger by Roxane Gay
Belly of the Beast by Da’shaun L. Harrison
The Body Is Not An Apology by Sonya Renee Taylor
Fearing the Black Body by Sabrina Strings
Julie Murphy’s fiction novels like Dumplin’
Check out Shannon’s new Slate Column: Good Fit
Podcast production by Cheyna Roth with editorial oversight by Daisy Rosario and Alicia Montgomery.
Send your comments and recommendations on what to cover to [email protected]
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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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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 [email protected].
Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Yesica Balderrama.
Outro music: "Blue Nights and Yellow Days" by Matt Large.
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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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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This week, all three hosts appear on the show to discuss their New Year's Resolutions for 2023. They also revisit their resolutions from last year and reveal how well they stuck to them.
Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected] or give us a call at (304) 933-9675.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews.
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 Working. Sign up now at slate.com/workingplus to help support our work.
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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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On this week’s episode of The Waves, Slate staff writer Heather Schwedel is joined by Slate books and culture columnist Laura Miller on the 10-year anniversary of Gillian Flynn’s Gone Girl. They talk about the initial reaction to Gone Girl, why the twists packed such a punch, and the enduring impact of the famous “cool girl” speech. Then they explore why, despite many books proclaiming to be so, there has never really been another Gone Girl.
In Slate Plus, Laura takes Heather behind the scenes of book blurbs.
Recommendations:
Heather: The Palace Papers by Tina Brown
Laura: The TV series Redemption, available on BritBox
Podcast production by Cheyna Roth with editorial oversight by Shannon Palus and Alicia Montgomery.
Send your comments and recommendations on what to cover to [email protected].
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For this week’s episode of Working Overtime, hosts Isaac Butler and June Thomas explore some painful memories of failing. Isaac recounts the nightmare of directing a play where almost everything went wrong, and June shares the struggles of trying to sell a first book. Through the hardships they both developed thicker skin, but also new tools for developing their creative careers.
Do you have a question about creative work, or a seemingly insurmountable hurdle to jump? Call us and leave a message at (304) 933-9675 or email us at [email protected].
Podcast production by Kevin Bendis and Cameron Drews.
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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.
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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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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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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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This week, we revisit two of our favorite interviews from 2022. In the first one, Isaac Butler discusses his book The Method: How the 20th Century Learned to Act. After that, Karen Han reveals the process behind her book Bong Joon Ho: Dissident Cinema.
Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected] or give us a call at (304) 933-9675.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews.
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 Working. Sign up now at slate.com/workingplus to help support our work.
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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.
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This week, Slate's Dana Stevens and Sam Adams spoil Avatar: The Way of Water, James Cameron’s long-awaited sequel to his 2009 film. Is it true that “the most dangerous thing on Pandora is that you’ll grow to love it too much?”
Note: As the title indicates, this podcast contains spoilers galore.
Read Dana’s review here.
Read Sam’s advice on which version to catch here.
Email us at [email protected].
Podcast production by Kristie Taiwo-Makanjuola
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With the holidays comes time to rest, recuperate, and unwind. What are this year’s best seasonal offerings to curl up in front of and watch with the family?
Guest: Rebecca Theodore-Vachon, essayist and pop culture critic.
Podcast production by Kristie Taiwo-Makanjuola
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On this week’s episode of The Waves, Slate senior supervising producer Daisy Rosario talks to comedian and activist Aida Rodriguez about the state of women in comedy. They dig into Aida’s background and what it was like to come up as a woman of color in comedy. They also unpack the sneaking suspicion that women of color are getting fewer and fewer chances these days, and how to turn trauma into comedy.
In Slate Plus, Aida and Daisy talk about whether it’s feminist to not stand up for yourself in a loud way.
Catch Aida’s comedy Fighting Words on HBO Max.
Podcast production by Cheyna Roth with editorial oversight by Daisy Rosario and Alicia Montgomery.
Send your comments and recommendations on what to cover to [email protected]
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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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This month, hosts Christina Cauterucci, Jules Gill-Peterson, and Bryan Lowder reflect on the painful impact of anti-LGBTQ violence and dig into the new possibilities for trans storytelling and filmmaking. First, they talk through their complicated feelings about one of the responses to the shooting at Club Q in Colorado Springs last month: Should queer people be organizing in self-defense, or even arming ourselves for protection? Then they are joined by actress Jen Richards who portrays Barbara in Framing Agnes, a new documentary, directed by Chase Joynt, which is centered on six trans people who were interviewed and treated at a UCLA gender clinic in the 1950s. The film combines reenactments of those interviews with contemporary conversations with trans actors reflecting on how the lives of the people they portray resonate with their own lives. Our own Jules Gill-Peterson has a central role in the movie as a historian and narrator.
Items discussed in the show:
Gay Agenda
Christina: shopping gay, including at The Little Gay Shop and Adam’s Nest
Jules: “Not a Transition: On Andrea Pallaoro’s Monica,” by Eva Pensis in the Los Angeles Review of Books
Bryan has created a bespoke cocktail for Outward listeners: the Cuddle Puddle
The Cuddle Puddle
2 oz rye
1 oz ginger liqueur
½ oz Fernet Branca or similar
Dash of orange bitters
Stir the ingredients for a long time over ice, then strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish with orange peel.
This podcast was produced by June Thomas.
Please send feedback, topic ideas, and advice questions to [email protected].
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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 [email protected].
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.
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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(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.
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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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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.
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The Food and Drug Administration gave an important thumbs up to lab-grown chicken, which means we could start seeing it in stores as soon as next year. While billions of dollars have been spent developing lab-grown meat, important questions remain: Is the production of it actually greener than raising livestock? Can it be made affordably? Is it healthy? And will anyone eat it?
Guest: Chloe Sorvino, staff writer on food and agriculture at Forbes, and the author of Raw Deal: Hidden Corruption, Corporate Greed and the Fight for the Future of Meat.
Host: Lizzie O’Leary
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This week, host June Thomas talks to author and repeat Working guest Taffy Brodesser-Akner, who recently adapted her novel Fleishman is in Trouble into a limited series for Hulu. In the interview, Taffy describes the biggest challenges she faced as both a showrunner and writer. She also explains what it was like to take a very personal project and turn it into a collaborative one, with creative input from actors, directors, and tons of other creative people.
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.
Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected] or give us a call at (304) 933-9675.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews.
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__
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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.
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John Dickerson talks with author Gautam Mukunda about his new book Picking Presidents: How to Make the Most Consequential Decision in the World. They talk about how Mukunda’s first book, Indispensable: When Leaders Really Matter laid the groundwork for Picking Presidents. Later, Dickerson and Mukunda dig into why ‘intellectual brilliance’ – which goes beyond IQ - is a strong predictor of presidential performance and how the human portion of the job of president is changing.
Tweet us your questions @SlateGabfest or email us at [email protected]. (Messages could be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.)
Podcast production by Cheyna Roth.
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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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Former NFL star Deion Sanders turned the struggling Jackson State University Tigers into a winning team, and brought a national spotlight to football at historically Black colleges and universities. That’s why his decision to take a coaching job at the University of Colorado sparked a debate among HBCU fans. On today’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson is joined by University of Houston Professor Billy Hawkins about why Sanders’ time at JSU had such an impact, and whether HBCUs can retain some of the momentum that Sanders helped to build.
Guest: University of Houston Professor Billy Hawkins, author of The New Plantation: Black Athletes, College Sports, and Predominantly White NCAA Institutions.
Podcast production by Kristie Taiwo-Makanjuola
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On this week’s episode of The Waves, host of Slate’s ICYMI podcast Rachelle Hampton is joined by Vulture’s Rebecca Alter to talk all about those cheesy holiday movies we can’t escape this time of year. They dig into what makes a Hallmark Holiday Movie™ (inns and men who have probably been to therapy are a must), how the movies have evolved over the years and whether their attempts at diversity are just forcing other cultures to conform to their model. Plus, all the holiday vibes.
In Slate Plus: Rebecca talks about her time on a Hallmark movie set, which she wrote about for Vulture.
Recommendations:
Rachelle: The Holiday Calendar on Netflix and Lifetime’s The Spirit of Christmas.
Rebecca: Dolly Parton’s Christmas on the Square on Netflix and Showtime’s Matt Rogers: Have You Heard of Christmas.
Podcast production by Cheyna Roth with editorial oversight by Daisy Rosario and Alicia Montgomery.
Send your comments and recommendations on what to cover to [email protected]
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For this week’s episode of Working Overtime, host June Thomas and co-host Isaac Butler speak to Slate contributor and author of Praying with Jane Eyre, Vanessa Zoltan, about jumping into the month-long writing exercise called NaNoWriMo. NaNoWriMo or National Novel Writing Month, is when a writer commits to writing a 50,000 word novel in the span of the month of November. As Vanessa explains, this can be an exercise in creative freedom that does away with the typical structure and hang-ups that come with producing “good writing.”
Do you have a question about creative work? Call us and leave a message at (304) 933-9675 or email us at [email protected].
Podcast production by Kevin Bendis and Cameron Drews.
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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
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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 [email protected].
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.
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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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.
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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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Argentina and Croatia face off in the World Cup semifinals today, and all eyes are on Lionel Messi. At 35, Messi is trying to put a cap on a legendary career and bring a World Cup championship to his home country.
How did he get to the top of the soccer world? And what will be his legacy if Argentina loses?
Guest: Jasmine Garsd Garcia, host of NPR’s soccer podcast “The Last Cup.”
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 Amicus—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on What Next. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to help support our work.
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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.
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On Aug. 1, 1942, the nation’s recording studios went silent. Musicians were fed up with the new technologies threatening their livelihoods, so they refused to record until they got their fair share. This week, Evan Chung explores one of the most consequential labor actions of the 20th century, and how it coincided with an underground revolution in music led by artists like Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie.
One Year is produced by Evan Chung, Sophie Summergrad, Sam Kim, and Josh Levin.
Derek John is senior supervising producer of narrative podcasts and Merritt Jacob is senior technical director.
Slate Plus members get to hear more about the making of One Year. Get access to extra episodes, listen to the show without any ads, and support One Year by signing up for Slate Plus for just $15 for your first three months.
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This week, Isaac talks to journalist Steven Thrasher, author of The Viral Underclass: The Human Toll When Inequality and Disease Collide. In the interview, Steven discusses the origins of the book, his decision to include himself in the narrative, and his distaste for the idea of journalistic objectivity. He also shares some tips about outlining and interviewing.
After the interview, Isaac and co-host June Thomas talk about how to cite sources without disrupting the flow of nonfiction writing. Then June and Working co-host Karen Han discuss the creative challenge of gift-giving.
In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Steven discusses his career journey.
Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected] or give us a call at (304) 933-9675.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews.
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 Working. Sign up now at slate.com/workingplus to help support our work.
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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
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New York’s Rikers Island is infamous for its violence and danger, even to prisoners who haven’t been convicted of any crime. At least 18 detainees have died there under questionable circumstances this year alone. On today’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson is joined by attorney Olayemi Olurin. She shares more about what led to these deaths, and why political leaders like New York Mayor Eric Adams may be standing in the way of closing Rikers or making it safer.
Guest: Olayemi Olurin, a public defender at The Legal Aid Society in New York City.
Podcast production by Kristie Taiwo-Makanjuola
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This week, Slate's Dana Stevens and Dan Kois spoil Tár, Todd Fields’ first film in 16 years. Cate Blanchett stars as a world-famous conductor whose life takes an unexpected turn as she prepares for a career-changing opportunity.
Note: As the title indicates, this podcast contains spoilers galore.
Read Dana’s review here.
Read Dan’s review here.
Email us at [email protected].
Podcast production by Kristie Taiwo-Makanjuola
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On this week’s episode of The Waves, Slate senior supervising producer of audio Daisy Rosario is joined by sisters and authors Amber Ruffin and Lacey Lamar. Amber and Lacey just released their second book, The World Record Book of Racist Stories, a collection of humorous and sometimes heartbreaking essays about the racism they and the people they know experience every day. Daisy, Amber and Lacey talk about needing to write a second book (because they didn’t fit all the stories in the first book), the importance of family in surviving micro and macro aggressions, and why humor is the only way to get through the pain.
In Slate Plus, Daisy, Amber and Lacey talk about why Omaha actually is a great place to live.
Podcast production by Cheyna Roth with editorial oversight by Daisy Rosario and Alicia Montgomery.
Send your comments and recommendations on what to cover to [email protected]
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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
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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 [email protected].
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.
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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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, 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.
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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.
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This week, host Karen Han takes a turn in the guest chair and talks to host Isaac Butler about her new book Bong Joon Ho: Dissident Cinema, which is a critical analysis of the work of Korean director Bong Joon Ho. In the interview, Karen tells the story of how she began writing about culture in the first place and then how she was selected to write a book about one of the world’s greatest directors. She also talks about the structure of the book, the artwork that accompanies it, and how she made the tough decision to quit her day job to work on the book full-time.
After the interview, Isaac and co-host June Thomas discuss big career changes, meeting people on Twitter, and the best ways to cultivate curiosity.
In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Karen tells a funny story that she came across while researching Bong Joon Ho.
Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected] or give us a call at (304) 933-9675.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews.
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 Working. Sign up now at slate.com/workingplus to help support our work.
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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
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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.
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For many years, tech professionals dismissed the threat of disinformation. Christopher Bouzy was one of them, until the 2016 election changed his mind. Bouzy founded and leads the organization Bot Sentinel to fight online disinformation. On today’s episode of A Word, he talks with host Jason Johnson about how best to detect lies and false narratives in social media, and how Elon Musk’s ownership of Twitter complicates his mission.
Guest: Christopher Bouzy, founder and C.E.O. of Bot Sentinel
Podcast production by Kristie Taiwo-Makanjuola
You can skip all the ads in A Word by joining Slate Plus. Sign up now at slate.com/awordplus for just $1 for your first month.
Thanks Avast.com! Learn more about Avast One at Avast.com
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On this week’s episode of The Waves, Slate Money host Emily Peck is joined by journalist and author Taffy Brodesser-Akner to talk about Taffy’s new show, Fleishman is in Trouble, based on her bestselling novel. They dig into why men’s magazines are more freeing to write for, how ambition can mess up a marriage, and how midlife crises and divorce are different experiences for women.
In Slate Plus, Emily and Taffy talk about Toby’s eating disorder, how empathy can make people mad, and more.
Podcast production by Cheyna Roth with editorial oversight by Daisy Rosario and Alicia Montgomery.
Send your comments and recommendations on what to cover to [email protected]
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For this week’s episode of Working Overtime, host Karen Han poses a listener’s question to co-host Isaac Butler about how to be a parent and how to remain a creative person. They ponder the challenges of parenthood, but also the joy and inspiration it can bring. They also share advice for staying creative and finding time for your work.
Do you have a question about creative work? Call us and leave a message at (304) 933-9675 or email us at [email protected].
Podcast production by Kevin Bendis and Cameron Drews.
Thanks Avast.com! Learn more about Avast One at Avast.com
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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
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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 [email protected].
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.
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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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.
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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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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.
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This week, guest host Zak Rosen from The Best Advice Show and Slate’s Mom and Dad Are Fighting podcast talks to Liza Bielby and Richard Newman of the Detroit-based theater company The Hinterlands. They talk about how The Hinterlands’ latest production, Will You Miss Me? came into being, their influences, their rehearsal process, and the importance of deadlines.
After the interview, Zak and co-host June Thomas chat about collaboration, how to kill your darlings, and how Zak implements Julia Cameron’s concept of the “artist’s date.”
In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Liza and Richard offer their perspective on the migration of coastal creatives to Detroit in the last decade or so.
Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected] or give us a call at (304) 933-9675.
Podcast production by Zak Rosen.
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This week, Felix Salmon, Emily Peck, and Elizabeth Spiers are joined by New York Times Magazine writer and Fleishman is in Trouble author Taffy Brodesser-Akner to talk about wealth, class and the media industry, specifically through the lens of the Fleishman is in Trouble book and new limited TV series.
In the Plus segment: what is everyone thankful for this Thanksgiving?
Podcast production by Anna Phillips.
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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
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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
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This episode was recorded before the Nov. 19 attack on Club Q. Outward stands with our queer family in Colorado Springs.
This month, Christina Cauterucci, Jules Gill-Peterson, and Bryan Lowder discuss two major trans news stories from recent weeks. First, the New York Times’ latest article about trans kids and gender-affirming care, this time about puberty blockers and bone density, and how it plays into the ongoing, manufactured, and weaponized conservative panic about trans existence. Then they are joined by James Roesener of Concord, New Hampshire, who earlier this month became the first out trans man to be elected to a U.S. state legislature. They talk about why he ran and what he hopes to achieve. Finally, the hosts add some new items to the gay agenda.
Items discussed in the show:
The American Library Association Rainbow Round Table
The Lilly Pharmaceutical Twitter impersonation
AMC’s new version of Interview With the Vampire
World Pride 2025 in D.C.
“They Paused Puberty, but Is There a Cost?” by Megan Twohey and Christina Jewett in the New York Times
Michael Hobbes’ Twitter thread responding to the NYT story
“The NYT’s Big Piece on Puberty Blockers Mucked Up the Most Important Point About Them,” by Evan Urquhart, in Slate
Gay Agenda
Brian: Queer for Fear on Shudder
Christina: The Secret to Superhuman Strength, by Alison Bechdel
Jules: Gossip Girl Fanfic Novella, by Charlie Markbreiter
This podcast was produced by June Thomas.
Please send feedback, topic ideas, and advice questions to [email protected].
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When presale tickets for Taylor Swift’s upcoming tour effectively broke the internet last week, Ticketmaster emerged as the villain…again. The media behemoth has been reviled since the ‘90s, but it has continued to grow, through a merger with Live Nation. What can a Department of Justice antitrust investigation, buoyed by Swifties, actually do?
Guest: Jason Koebler, editor-in-chief of Motherboard at Vice.
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 Amicus—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on What Next. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to help support our work.
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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 [email protected].
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.
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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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.
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.
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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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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.
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This week, host Karen Han talks to Daisuke “Dice” Tsutsumi, Robert Kondo, and Sara Sampson, the brilliant minds behind the new Netflix animated series Oni: Thunder God’s Tale. In the interview, Dice and Robert discuss their early careers at Pixar and their decision to start their own animation studio, Tonko House. Then, Dice, Robert, and Sara dig into the many creative decisions that went into the look, feel, and Japanese folklore-inspired story of Oni.
After the interview, Karen and co-host June Thomas discuss how small scenes can make a big impact in animated films.
In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Dice, Robert, and Sara name their favorite animated movies.
Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected] or give us a call at (304) 933-9675.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews.
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 Working. Sign up now at slate.com/workingplus to help support our work.
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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.
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Emily Bazelon talks with author Beverly Gage about her new book, G-Man: J. Edgar Hoover and the Making of the American Century, a detailed account of the life of the first FBI Director, J. Edgar Hoover. They discuss Hoover’s hostile relationship with Martin Luther King Jr., why he should have quit at the end of the 1950s, and how Hoover’s childhood shaped his reign [MOU1] as director.
Tweet us your questions @SlateGabfest or email us at [email protected]. (Messages could be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.)
Podcast production by Cheyna Roth
[MOU1]“tenure”? Maybe I’m overthinking this.
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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.
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The eagerly awaited World Cup starts on Sunday. While the sport features star athletes from across the African diaspora, many Black people in the U.S. still consider soccer a white sport. On today’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson speaks with Jermaine Scott. He’s an African American Studies professor at Florida Atlantic University, a life-long soccer player and fan, and an expert on Black soccer history. They discuss why so few African Americans have historically embraced the sport, what’s being done to turn that around, and whether the U.S. team has a chance of success at this year’s tournament.
Guest: Jermaine Scott, professor of African American studies at Florida Atlantic University.
Podcast production by Kristie Taiwo-Makanjuola
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On this week’s episode of The Waves, Slate senior producer Cheyna Roth is joined by author Gabrielle Blair. Blair’s new book Ejaculate Responsibly presents the radical idea that men should take control of the fertility conversation by better managing their sperm. After all, they're fertile 24-hours a day compared to women’s 24-hours a month. Cheyna and Gabrielle also talk about the problem with not prioritizing women’s pain, Gabrielle’s history as a “Design Mom” and how even Mormons seem to agree with Gabrielle’s book.
In Slate Plus: How the pope got involved in your birth control.
Podcast production by Cheyna Roth with editorial oversight by Daisy Rosario and Alicia Montgomery.
Send your comments and recommendations on what to cover to [email protected]
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For this week’s episode of Working Overtime, host Isaac Butler and co-host Karen Han help a listener who’s trying to reignite her creative spark after a depleting bout of Covid. They also share tips for dealing with any period when motivation is difficult to come by.
Do you have a question about creative work? Call us and leave a message at (304) 933-9675 or email us at [email protected].
Podcast production by Kevin Bendis and Cameron Drews.
Hosts: Isaac Butler and Karen Han
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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
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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 [email protected].
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.
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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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.
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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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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This week, host June Thomas talks to the prolific lesbian romance author Harper Bliss, who published nearly 40 novels in the past 10 years. In the interview, Harper describes her writing routine and explains how she’s been able to write and publish so many books. She also discusses the common themes in her books and why she chooses so many different international settings.
After the interview, June and co-host Karen Han talk about Harper’s decision to self-publish and her ability to delegate certain tasks.
In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Harper explains why one of her past books featured a politician character and why she mostly avoids overtly political plots and characters these days. She also talks about her admiration for audiobook narrator and former Working guest Abby Craden.
Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected] or give us a call at (304) 933-9675.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews.
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 Working. Sign up now at slate.com/workingplus to help support our work.
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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.
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This week, Slate's Dana Stevens and Nadira Goffe spoil Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, the sequel to Marvel’s Black Panther.
Note: As the title indicates, this podcast contains spoilers galore.
Email us at [email protected].
Podcast production by Kristie Taiwo-Makanjuola
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Wakanda Forever carries on the story that thrilled fans of the 2018 blockbuster Black Panther. On today’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson is joined by Evan Narcisse. He’s one of the comic book writers whose work –including the Marvel Black Panther Wakanda Atlas– helped flesh out Wakandan mythology in the years since the original film debuted. Narcisse talks about how the Afro-futuristic utopia inspired him, and how he and other creators hope to build its legacy.
Guest: Writer Evan Narcisse
Podcast production by Kristie Taiwo-Makanjuola
Thanks Avast.com! Learn more about Avast One at Avast.com
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On this week’s episode of The Waves, Slate senior supervising producer of audio, Daisy Rosario is joined by actress and director Lake Bell to talk about voices. Bell’s new audio book Inside Voice is all about her obsession with how people sound. They dig into why we should take better care of our voices, how trauma impacts our ability to speak, why candidate voices impact their electability, and more.
In Slate Plus, Lake and Daisy talk about the problem with the sexy baby voice.
Podcast production by Cheyna Roth with editorial oversight by Daisy Rosario and Alicia Montgomery.
Send your comments and recommendations on what to cover to [email protected]
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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 [email protected].
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.
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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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
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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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This week, host Isaac Butler talks to poet J. Hope Stein, whose latest collection Little Astronauts traces Stein’s journey from pregnancy to motherhood. In the interview, Stein discusses all the creative components that go into her work, from structural elements like line-breaks and word-choice to the decision to share deeply personal details in her poetry.
After the interview, Isaac and co-host Karen Han discuss the benefits of reading their work out loud. They also talk about the important creative decisions that go into book layouts.
In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Stein talks about her growing interest in children’s literature. She also offers recommendations to listeners who might be “poetry-curious.”
Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected] or give us a call at (304) 933-9675.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews.
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 Working. Sign up now at slate.com/workingplus to help support our work.
__
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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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One week in as head honcho of Twitter and Elon Musk is in a tight spot: how do you balance the desires of advertisers with your ostensible zeal for free speech? How do you make something for which you’ve already overpaid turn a profit? How do you convince Stephen King to pony up for a blue check?
Guest: Alex Kirshner, contributing writer at Slate.
Host: Lizzie O’Leary
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 Madeline Ducharme.
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Southern California’s gang violence has made national headlines for decades. Less well known are allegations of violent gangs within the L.A. County Sheriff’s Department. On today’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson is joined by journalist Cerise Castle, host and executive producer of A Tradition of Violence. This new podcast probes charges that the L.A. County Sheriff's Department tolerates violent gangs within its ranks, and has done so since the 1960s.
Guest: Journalist Cerise Castle, host and executive producer of A Tradition of Violence.
Podcast production by Kristie Taiwo-Makanjuola
You can skip all the ads in A Word by joining Slate Plus. Sign up now at slate.com/awordplus for just $1 for your first month.
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On this week’s episode of The Waves, we dig into why Sarah Palin is still around - and if you should be paying attention. Slate senior producer Cheyna Roth is joined by Slate senior writer Christina Cauterucci to talk about Christina’s time spent in Alaska where Palin is trying to make a political comeback in a tight race for Alaska’s lone Congressional seat. Later in the show, Christina explains why it’s necessary to keep talking about Palin after all these years.
In Slate Plus, Cheyna and Christina talk about whether Sheryl Sandberg’s abortion rights donation to the ACLU is feminist.
Recommendations:
Christina: Cleanness by Garth Greenwell
Cheyna: When No One is Watching by Alyssa Cole
Podcast production by Cheyna Roth with editorial oversight by Shannon Palus, Daisy Rosario and Alicia Montgomery.
Send your comments and recommendations on what to cover to [email protected]
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For this week’s episode of Working Overtime, host June Thomas and co-host Karen Han mull over the pros and cons of creative critique. An expert's input could ignite a new spark, but could too many cooks cause a fire?
Do you have a question about creative work? Call us and leave a message at (304) 933-9675 or email us at [email protected].
Podcast production by Kevin Bendis and Cameron Drews.
Hosts: June Thomas and Karen Han
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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
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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 [email protected].
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.
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.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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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There are some 400 million surveillance cameras installed in China, one for every three to four civilians. Built with the help of American tech companies, the surveillance state was pitched to the public as a way to make society safer and more efficient. But after severe lockdowns during COVID, the public has been objecting out of the eye of the camera lens. Protests are being written on bathroom walls.
Guest: Josh Chin, deputy bureau chief, China, for the Wall Street Journal
Host: Lizzie O’Leary
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This week, host Karen Han talks to musician Cameron Lew, who writes music under the name Ginger Root. In the interview, Cameron breaks down his songwriting process and discusses the elusiveness of inspiration and creative flow. He also talks about his EP Nisemono, which contains a completely fictional premise about a Japanese pop idol.
After the interview, Karen and co-host Isaac Butler discuss how hard it is to schedule creative work. They also talk about the different ways that they measure success.
In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Cameron explains how he used to balance a day job with his music work.
Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected] or give us a call at (304) 933-9675.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews.
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 Working. Sign up now at slate.com/workingplus to help support our work.
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Check out Remote Works here: https://link.chtbl.com/remoteworks?sid=podcast.WORKING
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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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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.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Twitter has been a lot of things—where you posted your lunch, where you met your people, where you were subjected to a harassment campaign. Now, as Elon Musk prepares to take the reins, where is it headed?
Guest: Will Oremus, technology reporter for the Washington Post.
Host: Lizzie O’Leary
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.
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This week, Slate's Sam Adams and Rebecca Onion spoil the season finale of HBO’s House of the Dragon, the prequel to Game of Thrones.
Note: As the title indicates, this podcast contains spoilers galore.
Email us at [email protected].
Podcast production by Kristie Taiwo-Makanjuola
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For every civil rights martyr like Emmett Till, there were many other Black Americans who were brutalized or killed by racist violence in the early 20th century and remain largely unknown. On today’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson is joined by Professor Margaret Burnham, author of By Hands Now Known: Jim Crow’s Legal Executioners. This new book unravels many of the lesser known stories of racist violence, the perpetrators, victims, and survivors. It’s also offering descendants of victims a platform, and an opportunity to fill in the blanks of their family history.
Guest: Professor Margaret Burnham, author of By Hands Now Known: Jim Crow’s Legal Executioners
Podcast production by Kristie Taiwo-Makanjuola
You can skip all the ads in A Word by joining Slate Plus. Sign up now at slate.com/awordplus for just $1 for your first month.
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On this week’s episode of The Waves, Slate senior editor Rebecca Onion is joined by Jess Zimmerman, who writes about witches, feminism, and all the scary ladies. They sit down to unpack their feelings about Disney’s Hocus Pocus films - both past and present and how the witch discussion has changed in the thirty years between movies.
In Slate Plus, is Taylor Swift’s Anti Hero music video feminist?
Recommendations:
Rebecca: The audiobook of The Mercies by Kiran Milwood Hargrave and read by Jessie Buckley.
Jess: The new book Toil and Trouble by Lisa Kroger and Melanie Anderson.
Podcast production by Cheyna Roth with editorial oversight by Shannon Palus, Daisy Rosario and Alicia Montgomery.
Send your comments and recommendations on what to cover to [email protected].
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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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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 [email protected].
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.
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.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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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After Joe Mauri gets evicted from his New York apartment, he becomes a star in the USSR, the subject of a documentary about the injustices of capitalism. But this Cold War icon was using the Soviets just as much as they used him.
One Year is produced by Evan Chung, Sophie Summergrad, Sam Kim, Madeline Ducharme, and Josh Levin. Mixing by Merritt Jacob.
Derek John is Sr. Supervising Producer of Narrative Podcasts and Merritt Jacob is Sr. Technical Director.
Slate Plus members get to hear more about the making of One Year. Get access to extra episodes, listen to the show without any ads, and support One Year by signing up for Slate Plus for just $15 for your first three months.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
This week, host June Thomas talks to Brittani Nichols, a writer and producer for ABC’s hit sitcom Abbott Elementary. In the interview, Brittani describes the show’s very collaborative writing process and explains what it means to be both a writer and producer. She also discusses how the show’s writers touch on personal experience to add texture to the world they’re creating.
After the interview, June and co-host Karen Han talk about balancing behind-the-scenes and more visible work. They also discuss what makes great sitcom writing.
In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Brittani talks about her experience acting and shares the story behind the movie she wrote and starred in, Suicide Kale.
Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected] or give us a call at (304) 933-9675.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews.
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 Working. Sign up now at slate.com/workingplus to help support our work.
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Alzheimer’s treatment hasn’t changed much in the past two decades, and the way researchers have been thinking about and approaching the disease may be to blame.
Guest: Damian Garde, reporter for Stat covering the biotech industry.
Host: Lizzie O’Leary
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.
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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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David Plotz talks with with author Tom Perrotta about why Tracy Flick doesn’t have the life she dreamed of in his new novel, Tracy Flick Can’t Win. A sequel to Perrotta’s 1998 novel Election, Tracy Flick Can’t Win meets up with Tracy Flick decades later where she’s a single mother and assistant principal of a New Jersey high school.
Tweet us your questions @SlateGabfest or email us at [email protected]. (Messages could be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.)
Podcast production by Cheyna Roth.
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On May 16, 1986, a man with a bomb held an entire elementary school hostage in the tiny town of Cokeville, Wyoming. Instead of becoming victims of unimaginable tragedy, all of the hostages in this predominantly Mormon community survived. But how? This week, Evan Chung explores what—or who—saved the children of Cokeville.
One Year is produced by Evan Chung, Sophie Summergrad, Sam Kim, Madeline Ducharme, and Josh Levin.
Derek John is Sr. Supervising Producer of Narrative Podcasts and Merritt Jacob is Sr. Technical Director.
Slate Plus members get to hear more about the making of One Year. Get access to extra episodes, listen to the show without any ads, and support One Year by signing up for Slate Plus for just $15 for your first three months.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
In 2020, the Black vote proved critical for Joe Biden in key states, and helped win the Senate for the Democrats. But in the years since, Republican leaders have pushed through laws aimed at discouraging and diluting the power of the Black vote. On today’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson speaks with Cliff Albright, executive director of the Black Voters Matter Fund, about why fighting for ballot access remains essential, even in the face of violence.
Podcast production by Kristie Taiwo-Makanjuola
You can skip all the ads in A Word by joining Slate Plus. Sign up now at slate.com/awordplus for just $1 for your first month.
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On this week’s episode of The Waves, Slate senior supervising producer of audio Daisy Rosario is joined by author Elissa Bassist to talk about women’s voices. They discuss Elissa’s new book, Hysterical and unpack why we cringe when we hear vocal fry, and ask why we don’t have similar words to describe male vocal ticks. Later in the show, they dig into how the fear of scrutiny women have over their voices silences them in ways you haven’t imagined.
In Slate Plus, Elissa talks about her involvement in Cheryl Strayed’s famous quote, “Write like a motherfucker.”
Podcast production by Cheyna Roth with editorial oversight by Shannon Palus, Daisy Rosario and Alicia Montgomery.
Send your comments and recommendations on what to cover to [email protected].
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
You can divide the career of the artist formerly known as Kanye West into chapters using off-script televised moments—announcing “George W. Bush doesn’t care about Black people” during a Hurricane Katrina telethon; interrupting Taylor Swift on stage at the VMAs; calling 400 years of slavery a choice in the TMZ offices. Now his Tucker Carlson appearance and subsequent bans from social media for antisemitic posts have Ye entering the “buying Parler phase” of his career. Fans of the “old Kanye” are missing more than just his choice samples.
Guest: Nitish Pahwa, staff writer and web editor at Slate.
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. Sign up now at https://slate.com/whatnextplus to help support our work.
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On this edition of Working Overtime, hosts Karen Han and June Thomas help a listener named Alisa who wants to know if it’s possible to move beyond goal-focused work. Alisa works in academia, where the goals and checkpoints are clear, but she feels like she’s gone as far as she can go. Karen and June share their experiences with goal-focused work and try to think of alternative methods for motivation.
Do you have a question about creative work? Call us and leave a message at 304-933-9675, or email us at [email protected].
Podcast production by Kevin Bendis and Cameron Drews.
Check out Remote Works here: https://link.chtbl.com/remoteworks?sid=podcast.WORKING
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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
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Bryan Lowder is still out on book leave, but hosts Christina Cauterucci and Jules Gill-Peterson summon him back to discuss Bros, the gay rom-com of the moment. The film lingers on questions of queer history, shows what happens when a nerdy podcast guy dates a beefy gay bro, and is a fascinating meditation on what it means to be a cis gay man in a time of both progress and prosecution. (This segment lasts around 31 minutes if you want to skip ahead to avoid Bros spoilers.) Then they are joined by Meg Metcalf, an LGBTQ collections specialist at the Library of Congress, to discuss how the world’s biggest library is surfacing the plentiful LGBTQ resources that can be found in its building and in cyberspace. Finally, they add some new items to the gay agenda.
Items discussed in the show:
The Problem With Jon Stewart, “The Problem With Gender”
“Why Jon Stewart’s Humiliation of an Anti-Trans Official Is So Important,” by Evan Urquhart in Slate
A new report from the Human Rights Campaign and Bowling Green State University
“Billy Eichner’s Curious Claims About Bros,” by J. Bryan Lowder in Slate
“Was Eleanor Roosevelt a Lesbian?” by Heather Schwedel, in Slate
The Library of Congress’ Collections Policy Statement for LGBTQIA+ studies
If you have a question for Meg, or other Library of Congress librarians, go to ask.loc.gov
Chronicling America, the Library of Congress’ database of historic newspapers
Gay Agenda
Christina: The episode of NPR’s Code Switch in which Kumari Devarajan profiled comedian and playwright D’Lo, who has a role in Bros
Jules: Faltas: Letters to Everyone in My Hometown Who Isn’t My Rapist, by Cecilia Gentili
This podcast was produced by June Thomas.
Please send feedback, topic ideas, and advice questions to [email protected].
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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 [email protected].
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.
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.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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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This week, host Isaac Butler talks with Patrick Marber about his multi-hyphenate career. Marber started as a stand-up comedian; has written several plays including Dealer’s Choice, Closer, and Howard Katz; and is a celebrated theater director. They discuss how being a writer affects Marber’s directing; his experience working with older men such as Harold Pinter, Mike Nichols, and Tom Stoppard; and his direction of Stoppard’s new play Leopoldstadt, which is currently on Broadway.
After the interview, Isaac and co-host June Thomas chat about the particular challenges of directing large-cast productions, then they name the genius they would love to have collaborated with.
In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Marber talks about the casting of the Broadway production of Leopoldstadt and whether Jewish roles should be played by Jewish actors.
Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected] or give us a call at (304) 933-9675.
Podcast production by Zak Rosen.
Check out Remote Works here: https://link.chtbl.com/remoteworks?sid=podcast.WORKING
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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
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
This week, Slate's Sam Adams and Jeffrey Bloomer spoil the 13th entry in the Halloween franchise, the alleged final showdown between Jamie Lee Curtis's Laurie Strode and Michael Myers. Note: as the title implies, the podcast contains spoilers galore.
Email us at [email protected].
Podcast production by Kristie Taiwo-Makanjuola
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
From Ferguson to Minneapolis, protests against racist policing have been catalyzed by videos of the brutality being spread on social media. On today’s A Word, Jason Johnson sits down with Dr. Ruha Benjamin to talk about her book, Viral Justice: How We Grow the World We Want, and where social sciences and technology intersect.
Guest: Ruha Benjamin
You can skip all the ads in A Word by joining Slate Plus. Sign up now at slate.com/awordplus for just $1 for your first month.
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On this week’s episode of The Waves, Slate homepage editor Sol Werthan sits down with trans rights activist and author, Paisley Currah. They discuss Paisley’s new book, Sex Is As Sex Does and discuss why “male” and “female” are used as a legal and social classifier. And why, even for cis people who identify with the gender binary, that might not be the right way to go.
In Slate Plus, Sol and Paisley talk about the politicization of trans kids.
Podcast production by Cheyna Roth with editorial oversight by Shannon Palus, Daisy Rosario and Alicia Montgomery.
Send your comments and recommendations on what to cover to [email protected]
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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 [email protected].
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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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 slate.com/icymiplus
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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 [email protected]
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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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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This week, host Karen Han talks to artist Drusilla Adeline, who works primarily as a movie poster and cover designer. Her work includes the poster for Armageddon Time, as well as the one for Bodies, Bodies, Bodies. She also designed the cover and other materials for the Criterion Collection’s edition of David Lynch’s The Elephant Man. In the interview, Drusilla breaks down her creative process and demystifies the art of movie poster and cover design.
After the interview, Karen and co-host June Thomas discuss some of Drusilla’s brainstorming techniques when she’s starting a new project. They also share some of their favorite movie posters.
In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Drusilla talks about the movie posters that are currently hanging on her walls.
Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected] or give us a call at (304) 933-9675.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews.
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 Working. Sign up now at slate.com/workingplus to help support our work.
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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.
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The new Interview With the Vampire television series is giving life to a whole new generation of fans who love the human monsters created by the late Anne Rice. On today’s episode of A Word, actor Jacob Anderson talks with Jason Johnson about his role as the reimagined blood sucker, and his career as a singer and sci-fi screen star.
Guest: Jacob Anderson
Podcast production by Yanii Evans
You can skip all the ads in A Word by joining Slate Plus. Sign up now at slate.com/awordplus for just $1 for your first month.
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On this week’s episode of The Waves, Slate senior editor Rebecca Onion is joined by Slate contributing writer Imogen West-Knights to talk all about queens. From the daily news to Sunday nights on HBO, queens are everywhere right now. Rebecca and Imogen talk about the enduring appeal of shows like The Crown, House of the Dragon, Victoria, and more and what these representations are lacking.
In Slate Plus, is the modern iteration of Hillary Clinton still feminist?
Recommendations:
Rebecca: Dirty Dancing abortion fundraisers, like this one.
Imogen: Netflix’s Dahmer (in order to grapple with its lack of sensitivity)
Podcast production by Cheyna Roth with editorial oversight by Shannon Palus, Daisy Rosario, and Alicia Montgomery.
Send your comments and recommendations on what to cover to [email protected]
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On this edition of Working Overtime, hosts Isaac Butler and June Thomas reply to a listener who wants some advice on pitching fiction to literary magazines. For help, Isaac and June turn to J. Robert Lennon, a novelist and short story writer who is also the editor of EPOCH, the literary magazine associated with Cornell University. In the interview, Lennon describes the pitching process for EPOCH and explains what he and his colleagues are looking for when they review submissions. He also offers advice to anyone who might be considering pitching their fiction.
Do you have a question about creative work? Call us and leave a message at 304-933-9675, or email us at [email protected].
Podcast production by Kevin Bendis and Cameron Drews.
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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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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 [email protected].
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.
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.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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 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 [email protected]
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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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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This week, host June Thomas talks to Annie Duke, an author and former professional poker player whose latest book is Quit: The Power of Knowing When to Walk Away. In the interview, Annie explains why she’s trying to rehabilitate the word “quit.” She also uses examples to illustrate why quitting is sometimes the best option and why people often stick to projects and jobs that aren’t working.
After the interview, June and co-host Isaac Butler discuss their own experiences with quitting and saying “no” to things.
In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Annie talks about balancing individual goals with the goals of your community. She also gives some possible explanations for why there aren’t more women in professional poker.
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 Working. Sign up now at slate.com/workingplus to help support our work.
Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected] or give us a call at (304) 933-9675.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews.
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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
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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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For decades, critical race theory was something discussed almost exclusively by scholars and academics. That was before conservatives turned it into a political football, even though most couldn’t define it properly. On today’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson is joined by UCLA Law Professor LaToya Baldwin Clark, a leader of CRT Forward. That’s a project that tracks attacks on CRT, and works to reframe the public policy discussion around it. She and her colleagues say CRT could play a vital role in preparing American students to live cooperatively in our increasingly diverse nation.
Guest: UCLA Law Professor LaToya Baldwin Clark
Podcast production by Yanii Evans
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This week’s Spoiler Specials takes on Don’t Worry Darling. Slate’s movie critic, Dana Stevens joins Slate’s associate editor Marissa Martinelli to spoil Olivia Wilde’s latest thriller.
Note: As the title indicates, this podcast contains spoilers galore.
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On this week’s episode of The Waves, Slate senior editor Shannon Palus and transgender journalist Evan Urquhart pose the question: Do we really need to separate sports by sex? The pair discusses Maggie Merten’s recent piece in The Atlantic, “Separating Sports By Sex Doesn’s Make Sense” and what role biology does (and doesn’t) play in determining who the top player on the field is. Later in the show, Shannon and Evan talk about why co-ed sports would be great for transgender youth.
In Slate Plus, is the Adam Levine sexting controversy feminist?
Recommendations:
Shannon: Adopting a dog.
Evan: The Power Wash Simulator game.
Podcast production by Cheyna Roth with editorial oversight by Shannon Palus, Daisy Rosario and Alicia Montgomery.
Send your comments and recommendations on what to cover to [email protected]
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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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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 [email protected].
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.
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.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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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This week, host Isaac Butler talks to Shanta Thake, chief artistic officer of New York City’s Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts. In the interview, Shanta describes the different branches of Lincoln Center and discusses the institution’s new mission to make all of those branches more welcoming and accessible to more people. She also describes her role as a curator and explains how she and her team are always on the lookout for new talent.
After the interview, Isaac and co-host Karen Han discuss the business side of live production. They also interrogate Isaac’s claim that “90% of art is bad.”
In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Shanta and Isaac talk about one of their favorite operas, Philip Glass’ Akhnaten.
Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected] or give us a call at (304) 933-9675.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews.
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 Working. Sign up now at slate.com/workingplus to help support our work.
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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.
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The growing racial diversity in American public schools is often framed as a challenge. In the new documentary Defining US: Children at the Crossroads of Change, veteran educator Paul Forbes focuses on the hard work of understanding how structural racism affects schools. The film spotlights success stories among “at risk” students of color, and the dedicated teachers who are making the system work for them. On today’s episode of A Word, Paul Forbes joins Jason Johnson to talk about Defining US, and the broader fight for racial equity in education.
Guest: Paul Forbes, executive producer of Defining US: Children at the Crossroads of Change
Podcast production by Kristie Taiwo-Makanjuola.
You can skip all the ads in A Word by joining Slate Plus. Sign up now at slate.com/awordplus for just $1 for your first month.
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On this week’s episode of The Waves, Nicole Lewis, former Slate senior editor and Daisy Rosario, senior supervising producer of audio at Slate, talk about Britney…bitch. Mega-pop star Britney Spears is trying to navigate her life after being released from the court order that gave her father almost total control of her life. But the fans that put her conservatorship in the spotlight still can’t let her go. Nicole and Daisy unpack the toxic relationship between Britney Spears and fame—as well as whether there’s a way to be a fan without contributing to the damage.
In Slate Plus, is the TNFW Nique rap Baby Daddy Free about abortion feminist?
Recommendations:
Daisy: Love Is Blind: After the Alter on Netflix.
Nicole: House of the Dragon on HBO.
Podcast production by Cheyna Roth with editorial oversight by Shannon Palus, Daisy Rosario and Alicia Montgomery.
Send your comments and recommendations on what to cover to [email protected]
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On this edition of Working Overtime, hosts June Thomas and Isaac Butler help a lister whose collection of homemade fused glass is getting out of control. The listener, named Todd, has already tried selling his art and giving to away to friend , but his collection keeps growing. June and Isaac offer creative solutions that will allow Todd to keep creating without being overwhelmed by clutter.
Do you have a question about creative work? Call uss and lease a message at 304-933-9675, or email us all [email protected]
Podcast production by Kevin Bendis and Cameron Drews.
Check out Remote Works here: https://link.chtbl.com/remoteworks?sid=podcast.WORKING
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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.
Subscribe to Slate Plus at slate.com/icymiplus
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This month, Bryan Lowder is away, so hosts Christina Cauterucci and Jules Gill-Peterson are joined by the podcast’s founding co-host Brandon Tensley to talk about some new representations of LGBTQ people involved in the wide world of sports. First, they debate whether the new Amazon Prime take on A League of Their Own, starring and co-created by Abbi Jacobson, might possibly be too queer. Then they discuss the making of Stay on Board: The Leo Baker Story, the new Netflix documentary about a transgender pro skateboarder, with Nicola Marsh, who directed the movie, along with Giovanni Reda, and executive producer Alex Schmider. Finally, they add some new items to the gay agenda.
Items discussed in the show:
Race Deconstructed, Brandon’s newsletter at CNN
A League of Their Own, on Amazon Prime
Stay on Board: The Leo Baker Story, on Netflix
Slate’s coverage of the Yummers debacle
The 2022 NLGJA Convention in Chicago
The Transgender Issue, by Shon Faye
Gay Agenda
Brandon: Listen to Rina Sawayama’s new album Hold the Girl
Jules: Follow actor, writer, model Hari Nef on Instagram
Christina: Listen to Lauren Ober’s new podcast The Loudest Girl in the World
This podcast was produced by June Thomas.
Please send feedback, topic ideas, and advice questions to [email protected].
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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 [email protected].
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.
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.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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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John Dickerson talks with author Ada Calhoun about her new memoir, Also a Poet: Frank O’Hara, My Father, and Me. What started as Calhoun’s attempt to finish the biography of Frank O’Hara that her father started, turned into a gripping story of Calhoun’s relationship with her father. Calhoun and Dickerson talk about not pulling punches when it comes to how nice family members are, why you can’t pre-plan a happy ending, and what her father thought of the book.
Tweet us your questions @SlateGabfest or email us at [email protected]. (Messages could be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.)
Podcast production by Cheyna Roth
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This week, host Karen Han talks to TV and film editor Stacy Moon, whose recent projects include Nathan Fielder’s HBO show The Rehearsal, Tim Robinson’s sketch comedy show I Think You Should Leave, and the new feature film Honk for Jesus. Save Your Soul. In the interview, Stacy breaks down the process for editing an episode of The Rehearsal, which involves piecing together a narrative from hours of unscripted conversations. She also talks about I Think You Should Leave and explains how she uses editing to play up awkward moments and help jokes land. Finally, she discusses Honk for Jesus. Save Your Soul. and the differences between editing TV shows and movies.
After the interview, Karen and co-host Isaac Butler talk about Stacy’s collaborative work ethic. They also discuss one of their favorite examples of bad editing.
Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected] or give us a call at (304) 933-9675.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews.
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 Working. Sign up now at slate.com/workingplus to help support our work.
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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.
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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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This week’s Spoiler Specials takes on Orphan: First Kill. Slate senior editor Sam Adams joins features director Jeffrey Bloomer to spoil the prequel to the 2009 psychological thriller, Orphan.
Note: As the title indicates, this podcast contains spoilers galore.
Email us at [email protected].
Podcast production by Kristie Taiwo-Makanjuola.
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The student body of America’s public schools is more diverse than ever, with a solid majority of children of color. But the teacher corp doesn’t reflect that diversity. Fewer than a quarter of American teachers are non-white, and fewer than 10 percent of teachers are Black. On today’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson is joined by former U.S. Secretary of Education John King about what’s driving Black teachers from the classroom, and the efforts to bring more young teachers in.
Guest: John King, former Secretary of Education and current president of The Education Trust
Podcast production by Yanii Evans
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On this week’s episode of The Waves, Slate senior editor Shannon Palus sits down with writer and political scientist Virginia Eubanks. They talk about Virginia’s New York Times magazine essay , “His PTSD, and My Struggle to Live With It,” and how the condition is more widespread than most people realize, even as terms like “trauma” and “triggered” are tossed around cavalierly. Later in the show, they talk about why you shouldn’t give unsolicited advice to people living with PTSD—and what kind of support caregivers of people with PTSD really need.
In Slate Plus: Why Virginia wanted to write her New York Times essay, and whether the COVID-19 pandemic is, technically speaking, a traumatic event.
Further Recommended Reading:
What to Say When Someone Tells You They’re Chronically Ill by Rachel Meeks
Irritable Hearts: A PTSD Love Story by Gabriel Mac
Podcast production by Cheyna Roth with editorial oversight by Shannon Palus, Daisy Rosario and Alicia Montgomery.
Send your comments and recommendations on what to cover to [email protected]
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In Seattle, a pack of voracious sea lions decimates the local fish population. When fireworks and an underwater air horn don’t scare away the whisker-y mammals, bureaucrats and scientists are faced with a thorny question: Who decides which creatures get to live, and which have to die?
One Year is produced by Evan Chung, Sophie Summergrad, Sam Kim, Madeline Ducharme, and Josh Levin.
Derek John is Sr. Supervising Producer of Narrative Podcasts and Merritt Jacob is Sr. Technical Director.
Slate Plus members get to hear more about the making of One Year. Get access to extra episodes, listen to the show without any ads, and support One Year by signing up for Slate Plus for just $15 for your first three months.
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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.
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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 [email protected].
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.
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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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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This week, host June Thomas talks to reporter Casey Parks, whose new memoir Diary of a Misfit was more than a decade in the making. In the interview, Casey explains how the book started as a documentary project that focused on a person from her hometown. Then she discusses the gradual evolution of the project and her decision to make it more personal.
After the interview, June and co-host Karen Han talk about Casey’s “need” to write the book and whether they’ve ever felt that same pull.
In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Casey shares what it was like to narrate the audiobook version of the memoir. She also lists some books and other works that served as inspiration for Diary of a Misfit.
Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected] or give us a call at (304) 933-9675.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews.
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 Working. Sign up now at slate.com/workingplus to help support our work.
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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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Technology is transforming the creative economy and ideas about what "art" even is.
Guest: Drew Harwell
Host: Lizzie O'Leary
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Over the last two decades, suicide among Black youth has surged to crisis levels. And many schools, doctors and parents are unprepared to recognize the signs early enough to stop a tragedy. On today’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson is joined by child and adolescent psychiatrist Dr. Kevin Simon to discuss the issue. Dr. Simon is also the Chief Behavioral Health Officer for the city of Boston, and a leading voice in preventing suicides among African American children.
Guest: Dr. Kevin Simon, Chief Behavioral Health Officer for the city of Boston
Podcast production by Yanii Evans
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On this week’s episode of The Waves, erotic thrillers are making a comeback and The Waves is ready to dig into it. Freelance podcaster and writer, Nichole Perkins is joined by Slate features editor Jeffrey Bloomer to talk about why they love these movies, while also acknowledging the many flaws they contain. Then, Nichole and Jeffrey talk about what they want to see change and evolve as we enter into a new era of erotic thrillers.
In Slate Plus, is taking your partner’s last name feminist?
Podcast production by Cheyna Roth with editorial oversight by Shannon Palus, Daisy Rosario and Alicia Montgomery.
Send your comments and recommendations on what to cover to [email protected]
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On this edition of Working Overtime, hosts Karen Han and Isaac Butler help a married couple who both do creative work but don’t always have the same creative rhythms. Karen and Isaac offer tips on how to navigate situations where one person is in a creative rut and the other is cranking out gold. They also offer general tips about communication and the creative work that goes into being a couple.
Do you have a question about creative work? Call us and leave a message at 304-933-9675, or email us at [email protected].
Podcast production by Kevin Bendis and Cameron Drews.
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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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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 [email protected].
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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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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This week, host Isaac Butler talks to Andy Le, Brian Le, and Daniel Mah, fight choreographers for the action comedy film Everything Everywhere All at Once. In the interview, Andy, Brian, and Daniel discuss the origins of their group Martial Club and explain how they learned to recreate fight sequences by watching lots and lots of martial arts movies. Then they talk about their work on Everything Everywhere All at Once and share what they’ve learned about working with big-time action stars like Michelle Yeoh.
After the interview, Isaac and co-host June Thomas discuss Martial Club’s rise to fame and their ability to learn from the films they admire.
In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Andy, Brian, and Daniel name some of their favorite martial arts movies.
Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected] or give us a call at (304) 933-9675.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews.
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 Big Mood, Little Mood—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on Working. Sign up now at slate.com/workingplus.
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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.
Subscribe to Slate Plus at slate.com/icymiplus
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While political conservatives slammed it as wasteful, President Biden’s student debt plan was greeted with relief by many borrowers. But questions remain about whether it goes far enough to help most of the Black students burdened by student loans. On today’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson discusses the issue with Professor Fenaba Addo, co-author of A Dream Defaulted: The Student Loan Crisis Among Black Borrowers.
Guest: UNC Professor Fenaba Addo, co-author of A Dream Defaulted: The Student Loan Crisis Among Black Borrowers
Podcast production by Kristie Taiwo-Makanjuola
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This week’s Spoiler Specials takes on The Sandman. Senior editor, Sam Adams, and Slate’s book critic, Laura Miller spoil the comic book series by Neil Gaiman.
Note: As the title indicates, this podcast contains spoilers galore.
Email us at [email protected].
Podcast production by Kristie Taiwo-Makanjuola.
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On this week’s episode of The Waves, Lizzie O'Leary host of What Next: TBD is joined by Emily Peck co-host of Slate Money to explain the new Student Debt Relief Plan. They delve into the reason women often carry more debt on average and why they stand to benefit the most from even modest relief. Then, Lizzie and Emily unpack debt-relief criticism itself, what Biden’s plan does well, and where it could improve.
In Slate Plus, some hard-hitting, in-depth analysis on whether or not laundry-folding is feminist.
Recommendations
Lizzie: Crime thriller Girl, Forgotten by author Karin Slaughter
Emily: She-Hulk: Attorney at Law from Marvel and Disney+
Podcast production by Cheyna Roth with editorial oversight by Shannon Palus, Daisy Rosario and Alicia Montgomery. With production help from Anna Rubanova.
Send your comments and recommendations on what to cover to [email protected]
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Rumors about the legendary gangster Al Capone’s buried treasure transform an abandoned Chicago hotel into the center of the entertainment universe. Will Geraldo Rivera’s excavation on live TV turn up money, skeletons, or nothing at all?
One Year is produced by Evan Chung, Sophie Summergrad, Sam Kim, Madeline Ducharme, and Josh Levin.
Derek John is Sr. Supervising Producer of Narrative Podcasts and Merritt Jacob is Sr. Technical Director.
Slate Plus members get to hear more about the making of One Year. Get access to extra episodes, listen to the show without any ads, and support One Year by signing up for Slate Plus for just $15 for your first three months.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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.
Subscribe to Slate Plus at slate.com/icymiplus
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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 [email protected].
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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Josh Levin, Stefan Fatsis, and Vinson Cunningham are joined by Ben Mathis-Lilley to discuss his new book on college football, The Hot Seat. They also discuss the hype around American tennis star Coco Gauff and review the soccer documentary Welcome to Wrexham.
The Hot Seat (2:14): Why does college football make so many of us insane?
Coco Gauff (24:54): Is the publicity warranted, or is too much for an 18-year-old to handle?
Welcome to Wrexham (47:60): Does the story of Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney buying a soccer team make for good TV?
Afterball (1:06:51): Josh on drinking beer through a hot dog straw.
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On this episode: Zak, Jamilah, and Elizabeth are joined by Phillip Maciak, TV editor at the Los Angeles Review of Books and teacher at Washington University in St. Louis. Phillip explains why Bluey, a kids show centered around a family of dogs in Australia, is the best depiction of parenthood on TV.
Recommendations:
Phillip recommends reading newspaper comics with kids.
Elizabeth recommends the games Stack the States and Globle.
Jamilah recommends Cheers Hydrate.
Zak recommends Joe Reilly’s music.
Check out Phillip’s original piece for Slate: Why TV’s Best Kids Show Is Also Its Best Show About Parents
Join us on Facebook and email us at [email protected] to ask us new questions, tell us what you thought of today’s show, and give us ideas about what we should talk about in future episodes.
Podcast produced by Rosemary Belson and Kristie Taiwo-Makanjuola.
Slate Plus members get a bonus segment on MADAF each week, and no ads. Sign up now at slate.com/momanddadplus to listen and support our work.
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This week, host Karen Han talks to David Seth Moltz and Kavi Moltz, founders of the perfume company D.S. & Durga. In the interview, David and Kavi explain how their interest in perfume started as a hobby and blossomed into a business. They also discuss the trial and error of creating great scents and argue that perfumery should be considered an art form on the level of writing or music composition.
After the interview, Karen and co-host Isaac Butler talk about telling stories through scents and how subjective our sense of smell is.
Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected] or give us a call at (304) 933-9675.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews.
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 Big Mood, Little Mood—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on Working. Sign up now at slate.com/workingplus.
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While authorities searched for missing 22-year-old Gabby Petito, she was everywhere to be found on TikTok, Reddit, and Instagram. Content creators, some well-intentioned and others simply chasing clout and clicks, turned the story of Gabby’s apparent death into the latest in true crime drama. On today’s show, Madison and Rachelle talk about the murkiness of the true crime internet and the ethics of using tragedy for clicks. They’re joined later in the show by Haley Toumaian, a TikTok creator and novice true crime podcast host who says the rapid pace of the news genre means sometimes getting things wrong in front of an audience of millions and willfully sharing misinformation.*
Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder and Derek John.
This episode originally aired on September 22, 2021.
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After winning 23 Grand Slam singles titles, four Olympic gold medals, and over $100 million in prize money, this month Serena Williams announced the end of her professional tennis career. While her on-court accomplishments and longevity put her in the sporting pantheon, her cultural impact is just as remarkable.
Guest: Amira Rose Davis, assistant professor of Black studies at the University of Texas Austin and co-host of the feminist sports podcast Burn It All Down.
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. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to help support our work.
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So, sure—Billy Joel’s first Top 40 hit, way back in 1974, was “Piano Man,” and the nickname stuck. But for a guy who became famous sitting behind 88 keys, few of his biggest hits are really piano songs. In fact, on all three of his No. 1 hits on the Billboard Hot 100, keyboards are not the primary instrument.
The truth is, Joel isn’t the Piano Man, he’s the pastiche man. He has openly admitted to borrowing genre tropes, vocal styles, and even specific song hooks from his Baby Boom-era heroes, from Ray Charles to the Beatles to the Supremes. He’s been a jazzy crooner, a saloon balladeer, an anthem rocker, even a pseudo-punk. And on his most hit-packed album, he literally tried on a different song mode on every single—and was rewarded for it. This month, Hit Parade breaks down the uncanny success of pop magpie Billy Joel, the guy who would try anything for a hit: the next phase, new wave, dance craze, any ways.
Podcast production by Benjamin Frisch and Kevin Bendis
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Are you ready for some football! After decades of being kept out of the quarterback position, more Black quarterbacks are creating success and finding stardom in the NFL. On today’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson is joined by ESPN’s Jason Reid, author of “Rise of the Black Quarterback: What It Means for America.” They discuss how the business and politics of race have changed for football’s most sought after players, and what challenges remain for Black quarterbacks.
Guest: Sports writer Jason Reid, author of “Rise of the Black Quarterback: What It Means for America”
Podcast production by Yanii Evans
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On this edition of Working Overtime, hosts Isaac Butler and Karen Han discuss the many complicated emotions that can sometimes creep up after a big project comes to an end. They also share tips for managing those emotions and finding ways to recharge before the next project starts.
Do you have a question about creative work? Call us and leave a message at 304-933-9675, or email us at [email protected].
Podcast production by Kevin Bendis and Cameron Drews.
Link to Atlassian Work Check
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On this week’s episode of The Waves, Slate senior producer Cheyna Roth is joined by culture writer Anna Nordberg to talk all about Jane Austen. The romance novelist may have written her seven books well over a century ago, but as Cheyna and Anna discuss, her work still endures in popular culture. They talk about why Austen’s characters are even more modern than the men and women we see on screen today and why some of the men are kind of meh. Later in the show, they talk about what makes an endearing Jane Austen adaptation, and why Netflix’s Persuasion fails so miserably.
In Slate Plus, are Jane Austen’s proposals feminist?
Recommendations:
Anna: The 1995 Sense and Sensibility adaptation starring Emma Thompson.
Cheyna: The music of Cosmo Jarvis. Plus a dedication to a beloved professor, Dr. Brent Chesley.
Podcast production by Cheyna Roth with editorial oversight by Shannon Palus, Daisy Rosario, and Alicia Montgomery.
Send your comments and recommendations on what to cover to [email protected]
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The realm of fan fiction is a wild, magical place to be, especially if that fan fiction is set at Hogwarts. On today’s episode, Rachelle and Madison talk about All the Young Dudes, an extensive Harry Potter fan fiction that has inspired a fandom all its own, and just how that fandom came to be. But first, they chat about National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) and spend time listening to the first line of some listeners’ NaNoWriMo novels.
Podcast production by Jasmine Ellis, Daniel Schroeder, and Derek John.
This episode originally ran on November 20, 2021.
Subscribe to Slate Plus at slate.com/icymiplus
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This week, Dana and Julia hold down the fort in Steve’s absence while Slate’s book critic, Laura Miller, fills in as a third host. First, the panel breaks down the Neil Gaiman adaptation that no one thought would happen, The Sandman. Then, the panel discusses the new installment in the Predator franchise: Prey. Finally, supplemented by Laura’s great piece on the author, the panel attempts to answer: Who is Colleen Hoover?
In Slate Plus, the panel discusses pairs of notable people that they’d like to see in conversation with one another.
Email us at [email protected].
Endorsements
Dana: Pulling a Julia with a food endorsement: Off-Script’s Samin-Nosrat-inspired thyme pistachio pesto.
Julia: More Summer Strut afterglow: “I Wish That I Could See You Soon” by Herman Dune.
Laura: The New Zealand comedy series, Wellington Paranormal, which is a spin-off of the original What We Do in the Shadows film. Specifically: season 4 episode 3, “The Coolening.”
Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Nadira Goffe.
Outro music is "Forbidden Love" 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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Josh Levin, Stefan Fatsis, and Vinson Cunningham are joined by Defector’s Maitreyi Anantharaman to discuss the WNBA playoffs. Dion Wright also joins to explain what it was like to guard LeBron James. Finally, they talk about Isiah Thomas’ “No Crime Day,” the subject of the first episode of Slate’s One Year: 1986 podcast.
WNBA (2:48): Can Sue Bird lead the Seattle Storm to a fifth title?
Dion Wright (23:39): How it felt to go viral for going up against one of the greatest of all time.
No Crime Day (42:20): A conversation about basketball and athlete activism in the 1980s.
Afterball (1:05:56): Stefan on the agony and ecstasy of watching Pete Carril’s Princeton teams.
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David Plotz talks with author Mat Johnson about his new novel Invisible Things. Johnson’s novel tells the story of a group of astronauts that land in a bubble colony on Jupiter's biggest moon.
They talk about the challenges of writing satire when reality feels fake, how mediocre people rise up by sucking up, and why we need to look at the invisible things in our daily lives.
Tweet us your questions @SlateGabfest or email us at [email protected]. (Messages could be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.)
Podcast production by Cheyna Roth
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This week, host Karen Han talks to Lynon Aksamit, a puzzle designer for the Colorado-based company Liberty Puzzles. In the interview, Lynon explains how he and his colleagues select artwork to turn into puzzles. Then he breaks down his process for designing puzzle pieces (including “whimsy pieces”) and describes how he plays with the themes of the original artwork to create engaging puzzles for customers.
After the interview, Karen and co-host June Thomas discuss their own experiences with puzzles.
In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Lynon explains how he’s able to make time for side projects.
Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected] or give us a call at (304) 933-9675.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews.
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 Big Mood, Little Mood—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on Working. Sign up now at slate.com/workingplus.
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Last week, Maya Cade, the creator and curator of the Black Film Archive tweeted about how Tumblr, specifically screengrabs and gifsets, has changed the way we watch movies. On today’s show, Daisy Rosario is back with Rachelle and they decided to give Maya a call. They ended up talking about the communal nature of encountering film through social media screenshots, how Maya was inspired to create the Black Film Archive, and why Tumblr might be the best current online archive tool.
This podcast is produced by Daniel Schroeder, Rachelle Hampton, and Daisy Rosario.
Subscribe to Slate Plus at slate.com/icymiplus
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This week’s Spoiler Specials takes on Bodies Bodies Bodies. Slate’s movie critic Dana Stevens and Slate writer Nadira Goffe spoil A24’s latest murder mystery, directed by Halina Reijn.
Note: As the title indicates, this podcast contains spoilers galore.
Read another Slate review here.
Email us at [email protected].
Podcast production by Kristie Taiwo-Makanjuola.
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The U.S. has some of the worst maternal mortality rates in the industrialized world. And African Americans are three times more likely to die in childbirth than whites. The documentary Aftershock focuses on how the healthcare system is failing Black mothers at the most vulnerable time of their lives, and how their families are fighting to change that. On today’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson speaks with the film’s co-director and co-producer Tonya Lewis Lee about the history of the crisis and the movement to solve it.
Aftershock is currently streaming on Hulu.
Guest: Tonya Lewis Lee
Podcast production by Kristie Taiwo-Makanjuola
You can skip all the ads in A Word by joining Slate Plus. Sign up now at slate.com/awordplus for just $1 for your first month.
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On this week’s episode of The Waves, the streaming wars have come for us all. The Daily Beast’s Allegra Frank sits down with Inkoo Kang of The Washington Post to talk about what happened at HBO and where gender fits into it all. HBO Max recently canceled the nearly done Batgirl, and has been quietly removing content from its streaming service as it prepares to merge with Discovery+. Allegra and Inkoo talk about how streaming services reducing their content offering likely spells trouble for non-white, non-male voices.
In Slate Plus, is Batman feminist?
Recommendations:
Allegra: Never Have I Ever on Netflix
Inkoo: The Harley Quinn series on HBO Max
Podcast production by Cheyna Roth with editorial oversight by Shannon Palus, Alicia Montgomery and Daisy Rosario.
Send your comments and recommendations on what to cover to [email protected]
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Three lifestyle trends with surprisingly retrograde ideas have been popping up on TikTok. On today’s show, Nadira Goffe is back with Rachelle to discuss what’s going on. They talk about the problems with the “clean girl” aesthetic, people who shouldn’t be trying to imitate the Kennedys and the like, and why being a housewife isn’t the “soft life” TikTokkers might want you to believe it is.
This podcast is produced by Daniel Schroeder, Rachelle Hampton, and Daisy Rosario.
Subscribe to Slate Plus at slate.com/icymiplus
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This week, Julia and co-host of Slate’s Working podcast, June Thomas, steer the ship with a rotating panel of guests as Dana and Steve take a break. First, Julia and June are joined by Slate’s Editorial Assistant and Production Assistant for Gabfest, Nadira Goffe, to discuss A24’s new Gen-Z slasher film Bodies Bodies Bodies. Then, the panel is joined by Slate’s Editor-in-Chief, Hillary Frey, to discuss the new female-led adolescent ‘80s sci-fi series Paper Girls. Finally, the panel is joined by former Slate lawyer (now at many places, including The Cornell Law First Amendment Clinic) Ava Lubell to discuss the current lawsuit between Netflix and The Unofficial Bridgerton Musical and the legalities surrounding fan art.
In Slate Plus, Julia interviews June about her upcoming move!
Email us at [email protected].
Endorsements
June: The soap-operatic lesbian romance novels from the very prolific writer Harper Bliss. Specifically, The Pink Bean and French Kissing series.
Julia: With a little Summer Strut afterglow, the listener-recommended song “100 years ago (2020)” by The Rolling Stones.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Nadira Goffe.
Outro music is "Pike Place Market" by Rockin' For Decades.
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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This month, host Christina Cauterucci, Jules Gill-Peterson, and Bryan Lowder start the show with a Thots & Queries segment in which a listener asks about orgy etiquette. In a completely different party setting, they try to figure out what on earth is going on in the U.S. Congress, where legislators are debating marriage equality in the form of the Respect for Marriage Act. Then Northwestern University professor and journalist Steven Thrasher joins them to discuss his new book The Viral Underclass: The Human Toll When Inequality and Disease Collide. Finally, they add some new items to the gay agenda.
Items discussed in the show:
Taylor Blake and her emu friend Emmanuel
Beyoncé’s Renaissance
A shocking tweet from the official Log Cabin Republicans account
The June 29 episode of Outward in which Mark Joseph Stern considered how the Dobbs decision might affect LGBTQ rights
“Why Is There More Republican Support for Gay Marriage Than for Abortion Rights?” by Moira Donegan, in the Nation
The Viral Underclass,, by Steven Thrasher
Let the Record Show, by Sarah Schulman
“An Uprising Comes From the Viral Underclass,” by Steven Thrasher in Slate, June 12, 2020
Gay Agenda
Jules: X, by Davey Davis
Bryan: The Sandman, on Netflix
Christina: “We Failed,” by Eric Neugeboren, in the Texas Tribune
This podcast was produced by June Thomas.
Please send feedback, topic ideas, and advice questions to [email protected].
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In the early 1930s, Mae West’s dirty talk and hip swiveling walk made her one of the biggest movie stars in America. But before West hit the big-screen, she was prosecuted for staging not one, but two scandalous plays. In this episode, we look at how West honed her persona when she was under the bright lights of Broadway and the flashbulbs of the tabloids — and briefly behind bars. More than a century later, her career arc offers a blueprint on how to survive a scandal…and maybe even come out ahead.
This episode relied heavily on a lot of archival material and innumerable books: When I’m Bad, I’m Better: Mae West, Sex and American Entertainment by Marybeth Hamilton; When Brooklyn was Queer by Hugh Ryan; Lillian Schlissel’s introduction to Three Plays by Mae West, Mae West: a biography by George Eells and Stanley Musgrove; Mae West: An Icon in Black and White by Jill Watts; Becoming May West by Emily Wortis Leider; Gay New York by George Chauncey; Mae West, She Who Laughs Last, by June Sochen: Goodness Has Nothing to Do with It by Mae West; and Linda Ann Losciavo’s play “Courting Mae West” and her blog, which you can find at Maewest.blogspot.com.
This episode of Decoder Ring was written by Willa Paskin. It was produced by Willa Paskin and Katie Shepherd. Derek John is Sr. Supervising Producer of Narrative Podcasts. Merritt Jacob is our Technical Director. Thank you to Benjamin Frisch for this topic.
If you have any cultural mysteries you want us to decode, email us at [email protected]
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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Vinson Cunningham and Stefan Fatsis are joined by the New Yorker’s Louisa Thomas to discuss the latest on Deshaun Watson’s sexual abuse case and Serena Williams’ impending retirement. Also, Sports Illustrated’s Julie Kliegman joins to talk about athletes and psychedelics.
Deshaun Watson (5:00): The new Browns quarterback debuted with the team to boos and jeers.
Serena Williams (21:52): The superstar announced in Vogue that she is “evolving away from tennis.”
Psychedelics (35:20): Should more athletes be using them to treat mental health and injury?
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This week, host June Thomas talks to writers Rob Walker and Joshua Glenn, whose Significant Objects project explores how and why physical items can take on meaning and value. In the interview, Rob and Joshua talk about how their partnership was born and explain why they’re such compatible collaborators. They also discuss their proclivity for balancing lots of projects, and Joshua explains something he calls the “virtuous circle of procrastination.”
After the interview, June and co-host Karen Han share lessons they’ve learned about collaborating on creative projects.
And here’s June’s contribution to Rob and Joshua’s “Project:Object.”
https://www.hilobrow.com/2020/05/04/movie-objects-12/
Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected] or give us a call at (304) 933-9675.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews.
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 Big Mood, Little Mood—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on Working. Sign up now at slate.com/workingplus.
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Exclusively Black spaces online have faded away as platforms with wider audiences have taken over, but what, if anything, has been lost with those spaces? On today’s show, Rachelle is joined again by Nadira Goffe to discuss their own experiences growing up online as Black women, and they speak with Dr. Meredith D. Clark, a professor at Northeastern University who studies Black online spaces, about Black online history, how and why we interact the way we do, and what it means to know that non-Black people are watching.
This podcast is produced by Daniel Schroeder, Rachelle Hampton, and Daisy Rosario.
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So, sure—Billy Joel’s first Top 40 hit, way back in 1974, was “Piano Man,” and the nickname stuck. But for a guy who became famous sitting behind 88 keys, few of his biggest hits are really piano songs. In fact, on all three of his No. 1 hits on the Billboard Hot 100, keyboards are not the primary instrument.
The truth is, Joel isn’t the Piano Man, he’s the pastiche man. He has openly admitted to borrowing genre tropes, vocal styles, and even specific song hooks from his Baby Boom-era heroes, from Ray Charles to the Beatles to the Supremes. He’s been a jazzy crooner, a saloon balladeer, an anthem rocker, even a pseudo-punk. And on his most hit-packed album, he literally tried on a different song mode on every single—and was rewarded for it. This month, Hit Parade breaks down the uncanny success of pop magpie Billy Joel, the guy who would try anything for a hit: the next phase, new wave, dance craze, any ways.
Podcast production by Benjamin Frisch and Kevin Bendis
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Black Panther: Wakanda Forever premieres in theaters this November. The franchise has provided a showcase for African Americans across the entertainment industry, including those behind the scenes. On today’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson speaks with one of those rising creatives, conceptual artist Phillip Boutte Jr. Boutte left an acting career for film design, working on several sci-fi blockbusters. They discuss how Black Panther has helped change the dynamic for African American film professionals who had struggled to get a foothold in Hollywood.
Guest: Production designer Phillip Boutte Jr., co-founder of 9B Collective, the first Black owned conceptual artist incubator in the industry.
Podcast production by Kristie Taiwo-Makanjuola.
You can skip all the ads in A Word by joining Slate Plus. Sign up now at slate.com/awordplus for just $1 for your first month.
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On this week’s episode of The Waves, Slate senior editor Shannon Palus is joined by the managing editor of Future Tense, Mia Armstrong. This week is all about selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), a class of drugs commonly used to treat depression and anxiety. Shannon and Mia discuss their own experiences with their mental health and SSRIs. Then they dig into the cultural narrative around using medication for anxiety and depression,a recent study disproving an old adage about depression, and why SSRIs might be overprescribed to women.
Why Has the Misleading “Chemical Imbalance” Theory of Mental Illness Persisted for So Long? by Sahanika Ratnayake
In Slate Plus, is marrying young feminist?
Recommendations:
Shannon: Guided meditations from UCLA Health.
Mia: Counting backwards from 100 by seven to help calm down while you’re feeling anxious.
Podcast production by Cheyna Roth with editorial oversight by Shannon Palus, Alicia Montgomery and Daisy Rosario.
Send your comments and recommendations on what to cover to [email protected]
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On this edition of Working Overtime, co-host June Thomas gets some advice from co-host Karen Han about moving to a new city as a freelance writer. First they talk about how important it is to engage with your new city’s art scene and cultural institutions. Then they discuss ways to build a new supportive community and how to stay in touch with former collaborators.
Do you have a question about creative work? Call us and leave a message at 304-933-9675, or email us at [email protected].
Podcast production by Kevin Bendis and Cameron Drews.
Link to Atlassian Work Check
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Everybody loves indulging in thirst online. On today’s episode, Rachelle is joined by Slate’s Nadira Goffe to discuss exactly what makes internet thirst so much fun. They talk about the qualities of a good internet boyfriend, when thirsting can go wrong, and how much these thirst objects really owe us.
This podcast is produced by Daniel Schroeder, Rachelle Hampton, and Daisy Rosario.
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This week, the panel begins by discussing Peacock’s latest mystery series The Resort. Then, the panel takes a more light-hearted turn with Marcel the Shell With Shoes On. Finally, the panel is joined by author and Slate editor Dan Kois to discuss his recent Slate piece about “The 50 Greatest Fictional Deaths of All Time.”
In Slate Plus, the panel talks about movie and television credits.
Email us at [email protected].
Endorsements
Dana: A suggestion from Carl Wilson (and in memory for Olivia Newton-John) a cover of the Olivia Newton-John song, “A Little More Love” by Juliana Hatfield, which is a track on an entire album of Newton-John covers titled Juliana Hatfield Sings Olivia Newton-John.
Julia: More from Recipe Julia: the Six Seasons cookbook recipe for peperonata.
Steve: The song “Watch the Sunrise” by Big Star.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Nadira Goffe.
Outro music is "Bloody Hunter" by Paisley Pink.
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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When you think of an alien abduction, what do you picture? Humanoid creatures, medical experiments, lost memories retrieved through hypnosis? That narrative was largely unknown until Betty and Barney Hill went public about their own alien abduction in the 1960s. Betty Hill’s niece, Kathleen Marden, recounts how the story went viral and her aunt and uncle became unwitting celebrities. And professors Susan Lepselter, Chris Bader, Joseph O. Baker and Stephanie Kelley-Romano explain how the Hills’ alien abduction changed science fiction forever.
Thanks to Eric Molinsky for bringing us this story that originally aired on his terrific podcast Imaginary Worlds. Eric’s got a lot more stories like this one so subscribe wherever you listen.
Decoder Ring is written by Willa Paskin and produced by Willa Paskin and Katie Shepherd. Derek John is Sr. Supervising Producer of Narrative Podcasts. Merritt Jacob is our Technical Director.
If you have any cultural mysteries you want us to decode, email us at [email protected]
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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Josh Levin, the New Yorker’s Vinson Cunningham, and Slate’s Henry Grabar take an audio tour of Vin Scully’s broadcasting career. They also discuss the documentary NYC Point Gods. Finally, Josh interviews tennis players Maxime Cressy and Daria Saville.
Vin Scully (2:36): Eight moments from 66 years in the booth.
NYC Point Gods (33:11): Is the new basketball documentary worth watching?
Tennis (48:33): Conversations with two of the most fascinating players on tour.
Afterball (1:16:42): Josh on the Shammgodd—or is it the Pooh Allen?
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This week, host Karen Han discusses the basics of great Korean food with chef Hooni Kim. In the interview, Hooni starts by explaining how one of his restaurants developed a meal-kit service at the start of the pandemic. Then he discusses his latest venture, the Little Banchan Shop, which will offer packaged Korean side dishes (called Banchan), marinated meats, and other items that customers can incorporate into their home cooked meals.
After the interview Karen and co-host Isaac Butler talk about the importance of trail and error in creative work.
In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Karen asks Hooni about his cookbook, My Korea: Traditional Flavors, Modern Recipes.
Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected] or give us a call at (304) 933-9675.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews.
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 Big Mood, Little Mood—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on Working. Sign up now at slate.com/workingplus.
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On today’s episode, Rachelle is joined by Daisy Rosario to open up the mailbag for another session of Read Receipts. They get into drama surrounding Nicki Minaj’s alleged former assistant airing the rapper’s alleged dirty laundry, Diane Warren stirring up trouble with Beyoncé, satisfying restocking videos, and an explanation of Ana Mardoll.
This podcast is produced by Daniel Schroeder, Rachelle Hampton, and Daisy Rosario.
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This week’s Spoiler Specials takes on Bullet Train. Slate’s movie critic Dana Stevens and senior editor Sam Adams spoil the latest action comedy release from Atomic Blonde director and John Wick co-creator, David Leitch.
Note: As the title indicates, this podcast contains spoilers galore.
Read Dana’s review here.
Email us at [email protected].
Podcast production by Kristie Taiwo-Makanjuola.
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NBA star Bill Russell, the first Black American to coach a major-league sports team, died this week. His playing earned him 11 championships. His activism won him respect in the Black community, but the hatred of many white fans, and surveillance from the FBI during the civil rights era. On today’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson is joined by sports journalist Howard Bryant to discuss Russell’s legacy, on and off the court.
Guest: Veteran sports journalist Howard Bryant
Podcast production by Eric Aaron
You can skip all the ads in A Word by joining Slate Plus. Sign up now at slate.com/awordplus for just $1 for your first month.
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On this week’s episode of The Waves, Slate senior writer Christina Cauterucci and Slate books and culture columnist Laura Miller talk all things Liz Cheney. They discuss Laura’s piece on how the Republican Congresswoman is coming across like a disappointed mom during the January 6 hearings—and whether comparing women politicians to mother figures is always sexist. Then they dig into what Cheney’s long-game is as she defies the Republican party and goes against Donald Trump.
In Slate Plus, Christina and Laura discuss the January 6 hearings’ breakout star, Cassidy Hutchinson.
Recommendations:
Christina: Caesar salad dressing from Once Upon a Chef
Laura: Trailed by Kathryn Miles
Podcast production by Cheyna Roth with editorial oversight by Shannon Palus, Alicia Montgomery and Daisy Rosario.
Send your comments and recommendations on what to cover to [email protected]
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Marcel the Shell With Shoes On was a viral sensation when he first popped up on the internet in 2010, and now he’s back in a major motion picture. On today’s episode, Rachelle is joined by Daisy Rosario to discuss Will Smith’s sneaky news dump, do some High Speed Downloads on the Pink Sauce, and the Little Miss meme, and get into why Netflix is suing the Unofficial Bridgerton Musical. Then, Rachelle speaks to Marcel the Shell With Shoes On director and co-writer Dean Fleischer-Camp to discuss what it’s been like translating an internet character to the big screen, what gets lost when things go viral, and how the internet virality to mainstream success pipeline has changed over the years.
This podcast is produced by Daniel Schroeder, Rachelle Hampton and Daisy Rosario.
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This week, the panel begins by trying to tackle Jordan Peele’s most recent sci-fi, western, horror film NOPE. Then, the panel is joined by author and host of Slate’s Working podcast, Isaac Butler, to discuss the new HBO series The Last Movie Stars. Finally, Slate’s editorial assistant and production assistant for Culture Gabfest, Nadira Goffe, joins to discuss Beyoncé’s 7th studio album Renaissance.
In Slate Plus, the panel gets into some NOPE spoilers.
Email us at [email protected].
Endorsements
Dana: The proper name pronunciation of two Irish artists from our Spoiler Special episode: Roisin Murphy and Ciara Mary-Alice Thompson (aka CMAT). In that vein, an endorsement for CMAT’s album If My Wife Knew I’d Be Dead.
Julia: An endorsement from “Recipe Julia” for Alison Roman’s Mustardy Green Beans with Anchovied Walnuts from her cookbook Nothing Fancy.
Steve: From a previous Julia endorsement: the app Merlin. Also, alto saxophonist Sonny Red’s album Out of the Blue.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Nadira Goffe.
Outro music is "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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Rod McKeun sold multiple millions of poetry books in the 60s and 70s. He released dozens of albums, was a regular on late night, and was even nominated for an Oscar. So, how did the most salable poet in American history simply disappear? On today’s episode, Slate writer Dan Kois went searching for Rod McKuen, a famous poet who isn’t so famous anymore. We’ll hear from Stephanie Burt, Mike Chasar and Barry Alfonso, author of Rod’s biography A Voice of the Warm. Along the way, Dan meets Andy Zax, a guy who, like him, was bewildered by this forgotten star—until he became an accidental fan, and then somehow the only person keeping Rod McKuen’s flame alive.
This episode of Decoder Ring was written by Dan Kois and edited by Willa Paskin. It was produced by Willa Paskin and Katie Shepherd. Derek John is Sr. Supervising Producer of Narrative Podcasts. Merritt Jacob is our Technical Director.
If you have any cultural mysteries you want us to decode, email us at [email protected]. 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.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Elaine picked up watercolor painting during her two year, cross country RV adventure with her family. She quickly fell in love with gorgeous nature scenes and found the creative process meditative and healing. But now she’s wondering if her art could be something more. On this episode of How To!, multitalented artist Aaron Dworkin has tips for Elaine and other aspiring artists on how to live a ‘portfolio life’ by finding your signature style, following your passions and ultimately getting paid. He also shares insights for unlocking your creativity even if you don’t fancy yourself an artist.
If you liked this episode, check out “How To Write the Perfect Breakup Song with Ben Folds.”
Do you have a problem that needs solving? Send us a note at [email protected] or leave us a voicemail at 646-495-4001 and we might have you on the show.
Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now at slate.com/howtoplus.
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Josh Levin is joined by Aram Goudsouzian for a conversation about Bill Russell’s life and legacy; by Grant Wahl to talk about England’s historic victory at the women’s European soccer championships; and by Andscape’s Jason Reid to discuss Deshaun Watson, Kyler Murray, and Reid’s book Rise of the Black Quarterback.
Bill Russell (2:21): The basketball legend’s biographer on his impact on and off the court.
England (23:28): How the Lionesses won, and how that victory will change women’s soccer.
Quarterbacks (44:46): The past, present, and future of Black QBs in the NFL.
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This week, host June Thomas talks to casting director Angelique Midthunder, who recently worked on the FX series Reservation Dogs. In the interview, Angelique describes the casting and audition processes for the show and shares what it was like to organize an open casting call in Oklahoma. She also talks about the decision to cast Paulina Alexis as Willie Jack, which was originally supposed to be a male role.
After the interview, June and co-host Isaac Butler discuss identity and authenticity in casting.
In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Angelique explains why the letters C.S.A follow the names of some casting directors in the credits of movies and TV shows.
Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected] or give us a call at (304) 933-9675.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews.
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 Big Mood, Little Mood—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on Working. Sign up now at slate.com/workingplus.
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Everybody loves to gossip, especially when it comes to celebrities. On the show today, Rachelle is joined by Normal Gossip host Kelsey McKinney to talk about the state of internet gossip. They discuss the early days of online gossip from Gawker, Perez Hilton, and Reality Steve, how social media changed the gossip landscape, and why those changes have made it so we all have the chance to be the subject of online gossip.
This podcast is produced by Daniel Schroeder, Rachelle Hampton, and Daisy Rosario.
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After the so-called-but-not-really “death” of disco, dance music in the 1980s moved to its own beat. There was synthpop, electro, hi-NRG and house. But the scrappy genre that seemed to pull it all together was called freestyle—a breakbeat-tempo, Latin-flavored genre fortified with dizzying, proudly synthetic beats. Freestyle grew out of the clubs and streets of New York and Miami and briefly dominated ’80s dance-pop.
Freestyle’s flagship artists were only medium-level stars: Shannon. Exposé. Lisa Lisa. Stevie B. Nu Shooz. Sweet Sensation. But these acts—most especially their yearning, floridly romantic, rhythmically hectic songs—punched above their weight on the charts and even affected the hits of superstars from Madonna to Duran Duran, Whitney Houston to Pet Shop Boys.
Join Chris Molanphy as he defines the byways of this bespoke dance genre and traces how it bridged the disco era into the hiphop era.
Podcast production by Kevin Bendis.
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People are back in the office; schools are planning full classes in the fall; masks are seen less and less frequently. It’s the third COVID summer, but the latest variant of the virus is causing another surge in infection rates and hospitalizations. What do we need to do to protect ourselves now? And how can we be prepared for monkeypox, and the next pandemic?
Guest: Dr. Ebony Hilton, practicing physician, and a frequent medical analyst for MSNBC.
Podcast production by Kristie Taiwo-Makanjuola
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On this edition of Working Overtime, hosts Karen Han and June Thomas help a listener who works in publishing but wants to exercise their writing skills on the side. Karen and June start by talking about their own creative side projects and hobbies. Then they discuss writing specifically and offer tips for how someone might begin a casual writing practice.
And here are some productivity videos that June recommends!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BG1tfC7tSYw
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q2WBHyqRsxA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2vvs7CjyS1M
Do you have a question about creative work? Call us and leave a message at 304-933-9675, or email us at [email protected].
Podcast production by Kevin Bendis and Cameron Drews.
Link to Atlassian Work Check
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On this week’s episode of The Waves, Slate senior producer Cheyna Roth is joined by staff writer Molly Olmstead to talk about the much-hyped threat against the Catholic Church in the wake of Roe’s dismantling. They talk about Molly’s piece, “Is the Catholic Church Under Attack” and where the vandalism against churches stacks up against other religious persecution. Then they take a look at “Cafeteria Catholics” - those who follow the religion, but not all the teachings at the top of the male hierarchy.
In Slate Plus, is the “Little Miss” meme feminist?
Recommendations:
Cheyna: Apple+ series Stillwater
Molly: Build Your House Around My Body by Violet Kupersmith
Podcast production by Cheyna Roth with editorial oversight by Shannon Palus, Alicia Montgomery, and Daisy Rosario.
Send your comments and recommendations on what to cover to [email protected]
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This week, the panel is joined by the host of Slate’s Hit Parade podcast, Chris Molanphy, for our annual Summer Strut episode. First, they discuss this year’s chart-topping songs of the summer and their lack of strut-ness. Then, the panel dives into the longest listener-suggested summer playlist to date (42 hours!), and takes turns in a roundtable discussion of their top favorites from the list.
You can find the panel’s shortlist of favorite summer strut songs here:
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2oc68EJC3OyLUi1Honhxlw?si=44ec68203e8d47a9&nd=1
In Slate Plus, the panel gives one more bonus round of strut picks.
Email us at [email protected].
Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Nadira Goffe.
Outro music is "Lonely Calling" by Arc De Soleil.
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On today’s show: more scams! Rachelle is joined by Daily Beast entertainment editor and former Slatester Allegra Frank; the two discuss the launch and social media rollout of the new multi-level marketing company Elomir. Later in the episode they examine how, despite the abundance of information on MLMs predatory nature, they still manage to pull people in.
This podcast is produced by Daniel Schroeder, Rachelle Hampton, Daisy Rosario and Kevin Bendis.
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What do we lose if we lose the mall? 70 years into their existence, these hulking temples to commerce are surprisingly resilient and filled with contradictions. In this episode, Alexandra Lange, the author of the new book Meet Me at the Fountain: an Inside History of the Mall walks us through the atriums, escalators, and food courts of this singular suburban space. We also hear from mall-goers whose personal experiences help us make sense of this disdained yet beloved, disappearing yet surviving place.
This episode of Decoder Ring was written by Willa Paskin and produced by Willa Paskin and Katie Shepherd. Derek John is Sr. Supervising Producer of Narrative Podcasts. Merritt Jacob is our Technical Director.
If you have any cultural mysteries you want us to decode, email us at [email protected]
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Josh Levin and the New Yorker’s Vinson Cunningham are joined by Tim Layden to discuss the record breakers of the world track and field championships; by Abe Riesman to talk about Vince McMahon’s scandal-laden retirement from WWE; and by Sarah Larson for a conversation about her New Yorker feature on pickleball.
Track and field (1:30): What’s next for Sydney McLaughlin, Noah Lyles, and the sport as a whole?
Vince McMahon (25:24): Why did he retire now? What’s next for WWE?
Pickleball (47:23): Why is it so popular? Is a billionaire ruining it?
Afterball (1:05:40): Josh on Carl Lewis’ mythical 30-foot long jump.
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This week, host Isaac Butler talks to artist Nayland Blake, whose current exhibition “Got an Art Problem?” allows them to help artists move past creative blocks. In the interview, Nayland discusses the reasoning behind the exhibition and their affinity for interactive art. They also talk about capitalism, museums, and the importance of ambiguity in art.
After the interview, Isaac and co-host June Thomas discuss the concept of “niching down,” i.e. cultivating a narrow brand for yourself instead of following your artistic instincts.
In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Isaac and Nayland talk about the interactive art of video games.
Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected] or give us a call at (304) 933-9675.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews.
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 Big Mood, Little Mood—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on Working. Sign up now at slate.com/workingplus.
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Emily Bazelon talks with author Vanessa Hua about her new historical fiction book, Forbidden City. The novel tells the story of sixteen-year-old revolutionary Mei who becomes a dancer in Chairman Mao’s inner circle. Emily and Vanessa talk about Vanessa’s inspiration for the novel, the complicated dynamics between Mei and Chairman Mao, and whether we’ll hear more from Mei.
Tweet us your questions @SlateGabfest or email us at [email protected]. (Messages could be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.)
Podcast production by Cheyna Roth
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It’s been a great run, but Madison is leaving ICYMI for new ventures. On today’s show, Rachelle interviews Madison about her time working on ICYMI, her own internet habits, and her first online scams. Plus, they’ve got a round of High Speed Downloads, perhaps the greatest one ever recorded, so get ready to be shocked and astonished in the best way.
This podcast is produced by Daniel Schroeder, Rachelle Hampton, Madison Malone Kircher, and Daisy Rosario.
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This week’s Spoiler Specials takes on Nope, the latest from horror auteur Jordan Peele.
Note: As the title indicates, this podcast contains spoilers galore.
Read Dana’s review here.
Email us at [email protected].
Podcast production by Kevin Bendis and Kristie Taiwo-Makanjuola.
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In Georgia, award-winning hip hop artist Young Thug and rapper Gunna are awaiting trial on multiple charges, and prosecutors used some of their lyrics in their indictment. Is that fair game, or an attack on free speech? On today’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson is joined by ACLU attorney Stephanie Willis to talk about the broader implications of the case, and ways that artists are learning to protect themselves.
Guest: Attorney Stephanie Willis
Podcast production by Kristie Taiwo-Makanjuola
You can skip all the ads in A Word by joining Slate Plus. Sign up now at slate.com/awordplus for just $1 for your first month.
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On this week’s episode of The Waves, Slate senior editor of Jurisprudence, Nicole Lewis is joined by Susan Matthews, Slate’s executive editor and host of Slow Burn: Roe v. Wade. Earlier this month, a story about a 10-year-old girl seeking an abortion after she was raped went viral, and Nicole and Susan dive into how themedia’s handedthe story, before questioning how news outlets should handle the influx of first-person abortion narratives in a post-Roe world.
In Slate Plus, is asking Vice President Kamala Harris to not be so public-facing, feminist?
Podcast production by Cheyna Roth with editorial oversight by Shannon Palus, Daisy Rosario, and Alicia Montgomery.
Send your comments and recommendations on what to cover to [email protected]
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On today’s show, Madison and Rachelle open up the mailbag to answer some more listener questions. They’ve got people wondering about a giant frog army on TikTok, Christy Carlson Romano doing sponcon cameos, dubious hygienic practices, and more.
This podcast is produced by Daniel Schroeder, Rachelle Hampton, Madison Malone Kircher, and Daisy Rosario.
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This month, Christina Cauterucci, Jules Gill-Peterson, and Bryan Lowder talk about two very different health stories. In the Thots & Queries segment they respond to a listener who has questions about the ethics of moving to another country in an age of Supreme uncertainty. Then they talk with Harun Tulunay, a London-based sexual-health advocate, about his experience with monkeypox. He has been sharing his experiences with the disease, including the challenges of receiving a correct diagnosis. In New York City, the rollout of the monkeypox vaccine program was a disaster. Then they are joined by journalist Io Dodds to discuss her recent piece for the Independent: “ ‘Never Ask Permission’: How Two Trans Women Ran a Legendary Underground Surgical Clinic in a Rural Tractor Barn.” (Note, Jules was interviewed for the piece.)
Items discussed in the show:
Conjuring Kesha, on Discovery +
“ ‘Never Ask Permission’: How Two Trans Women Ran a Legendary Underground Surgical Clinic in a Rural Tractor Barn,” by Io Dodds, in the Independent
Gay Agenda
Bryan: “What Should a Queer Children’s Book Do?” by Jessica Winter in the New Yorker
Christina: The Other Two, on HBO Max
Jules: P-Valley, on Starz
This podcast was produced by June Thomas.
Please send feedback, topic ideas, and advice questions to [email protected].
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This week, author, poet, and host of the podcast This Is Good for You, Nichole Perkins, fills in for Julia as the panel begins by digging into Apple TV+’s new series Loot. Then, the panel explores sex and sexuality in the film Good Luck to You, Leo Grande. Finally, the panel is joined by science writer and editor, Jaime Green, to break down the meaning of NASA’s new Webb Telescope images—her new book The Possibility of Life title comes out in April.
In Slate Plus, the panel discusses their relationship to plot.
Email us at [email protected].
Endorsements
Dana: A supplement to the segment on the Webb Telescope: a simple website that takes the images and places them in context to each other for scale.
Nichole: The 2012 romance novel A Lady Awakened by Cecilia Grant, which centers a recent widow who needs to provide an heir to keep her wealth.
Steve: Kris Kristofferson’s song “Help Me Make It Through the Night”: including the covers by John Doe and The Sadies and Sammi Smith.
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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Joel Anderson, Stefan Fatsis, and Josh Levin discuss the opening weekend of the world track and field championships. They also talk about why the Angels are so bad in spite of Shohei Ohtani and Mike Trout and the Nationals’ Juan Soto dilemma. Finally, Puck’s Julia Ioffe joins for a conversation about Brittney Griner’s detention in Russia.
Track (4:07): Why an American hurdler got a raw deal.
Baseball (25:02): Is Juan Soto crazy to turn down $440 million?
Griner (44:43): Should we be more pessimistic about her fate?
Afterball (1:04:43): Stefan on the Amarillo Sod Poodles.
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This week, host June Thomas talks to Sarah Clifford, an animal trainer who worked on the new FX series The Old Man, starring Jeff Bridges and some very talented rottweilers. In the interview, Sarah explains why rottweilers–instead of pit bulls or malinois–were chosen to be Jeff Bridges’ co-stars on the show. Then she gets specific about how she trained the dogs to display a range of behaviors and emotions.
After the interview, June and co-host Karen Han compare the on-set treatment of animal performers to the on-set treatment of human actors.
In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, June asks Sarah if there are any animals that can’t be trained.
Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected] or give us a call at (304) 933-9675.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews.
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 Big Mood, Little Mood—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on Working. Sign up now at slate.com/workingplus.
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Recently, it seems like our phones won’t stop buzzing with texts and phone calls about our expired car warranties or supposed IRS delinquency. On today’s show, Rachelle and Madison discuss their own recent brushes with scams, a recent piece in the Washington Post about how scams take more than an economic toll on us, and why none of us should feel bad if we get taken in by them.
This podcast is produced by Daniel Schroeder, Rachelle Hampton, Madison Malone Kircher, and Daisy Rosario.
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Persistent Russian missile strikes since February and an ongoing blockade have silenced Odesa’s normally busy port—but not its 19th century opera house. Performances now end with a singing of the Ukrainian national anthem.
Guest: Ekaterina Tsymbalyuk, a soloist at the Odesa Opera.
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. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to help support our work.
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After the so-called-but-not-really “death” of disco, dance music in the 1980s moved to its own beat. There was synthpop, electro, hi-NRG and house. But the scrappy genre that seemed to pull it all together was called freestyle—a breakbeat-tempo, Latin-flavored genre fortified with dizzying, proudly synthetic beats. Freestyle grew out of the clubs and streets of New York and Miami and briefly dominated ’80s dance-pop.
Freestyle’s flagship artists were only medium-level stars: Shannon. Exposé. Lisa Lisa. Stevie B. Nu Shooz. Sweet Sensation. But these acts—most especially their yearning, floridly romantic, rhythmically hectic songs—punched above their weight on the charts and even affected the hits of superstars from Madonna to Duran Duran, Whitney Houston to Pet Shop Boys.
Join Chris Molanphy as he defines the byways of this bespoke dance genre and traces how it bridged the disco era into the hiphop era.
Podcast production by Kevin Bendis.
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This week’s January 6th congressional hearings offered an in-depth look at the Proud Boys, the Oath Keepers, and other violent extremist groups that organized the insurrection. On today’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson discusses the issues with counter terrorism expert Malcolm Nance, who has spent years chronicling the rise of white supremacist and other American political extremist movements. His new book is “They Want to Kill Americans: The Militias, Terrorists, and Deranged Ideology of the Trump Insurgency.”
Guest: Analyst Malcolm Nance
Podcast production by Kristie Taiwo-Makanjuola
You can skip all the ads in A Word by joining Slate Plus. Sign up now at slate.com/awordplus for just $1 for your first month.
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On this week’s episode of The Waves, Slate senior producer Cheyna Roth is joined by Amira Rose Davis, professor, historian, and co-host of the feminist sports podcast Burn It All Down to talk about Brittney Griner. The WNBA superstar has been detained by the Russians for months. Cheyna and Amira talk about how Russia treats its women athletes like superstars (until they don’t), while in America it takes weeks for people to really notice when a star WNBA player is missing. Later in the show, they discuss the impact of having Brittney Griner out of the league and Amira recommends WNBA players to watch.
In Slate Plus, the fascinating (and feminist!) history of cheerleaders.
Recommendations:
Amira: Formula 1 racing, including Netflix’s Formula 1: Drive to Survive and F1 romance novels like the Fast and Hard series.
Cheyna: Jana Schmieding for her roles on Hulu’s Reservation Dogs and Peacock’s Rutherford Falls.
Podcast production by Cheyna Roth with editorial oversight by Shannon Palus and Alicia Montgomery.
Send your comments and recommendations on what to cover to [email protected]
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For this edition of Working Overtime, hosts Isaac Butler and Karen Han hear from a poet in rural Montana who wants to feel more connected to poetry communities in big cities. Isaac and Karen offer tips for how to make connections with people online, and they also discuss some of the benefits of being a rural writer living outside of the urban literary bubble.
Do you have a question about creative work? Call us and leave a message at 304-933-9675, or email us at [email protected].
Podcast production by Kevin Bendis and Cameron Drews.
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This past week Doja Cat started fighting with Stranger Things star Noah Schnapp, and Cardi B beefed with the gossip blog the Shade Room. On today’s show, Madison and Rachelle break down what’s really going on in these two fights, and how the Shade Room became a toxic behemoth of internet gossip. Plus, they talk about Beanie Feldstein bowing out of Funny Girl on Broadway, and what it means now that Lea Michele is taking the stage.
This podcast is produced by Daniel Schroeder, Rachelle Hampton, Madison Malone Kircher, and Daisy Rosario.
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This week, New York Times columnist and Slate graduate Jamelle Bouie fills in for Julia as the panel begins by taking on Thor: Love and Thunder with staff writer at The Atlantic and co-host of the podcast Blank Check, David Sims. Then, the panel feels the heat with the new documentary Fire of Love. Finally, the panel ranks their favorite content streaming services.
In Slate Plus, the panel discusses movie cliches they’d rather do without.
Email us at [email protected].
Endorsements
Dana: Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, the new-ish series on Paramount+.
Jamelle: A re-watch of Universal Soldier, and then: Universal Soldier: Day of Reckoning.
Steve: “Opus 40,” an art installation built out of the earth in the Catskills.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Nadira Goffe.
Outro music is "Death Dance" by Luftmensch"Death Dance" by Luftmensch.
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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Joel Anderson, Josh Levin, and Ben Mathis-Lilley discuss their proposals for fixing college football. Josh then speaks with Ben Rothenberg about Novak Djokovic’s Wimbledon win over Nick Kyrgios. Finally, Joel, Josh, and Ben assess the rising stars of NBA Summer League.
College football (3:26): How will the sport reshape itself in the next five years?
Tennis (27:01): Wimbledon got the final it deserved.
Summer League (53:07): What to make of the Chet Holmgren experience.
Afterball (1:09:07): Josh on the Summer League record for most points in a single game.
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This week, host June Thomas talks to Eliot Laurence, creator of the witchy supernatural series Motherland: Fort Salem. In the interview, Eliot discusses Motherland’s unique premise, its queer characters, and his decision to include tons of storylines and plot details.
After the interview, June and co-host Karen Han discuss supernatural premises, the “kill your gays” trope, and being an introverted boss.
In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, June asks Eliot about a specific piece of magic in Motherland.
Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected] or give us a call at (304) 933-9675.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews.
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 Big Mood, Little Mood—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on Working. Sign up now at slate.com/workingplus.
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Last weekend, Minions: The Rise of Gru premiered and a bunch of teens showed up to see it dressed up in suits, launching the #Gentleminions trend across TikTok. On the show today, Madison and Rachelle talk about why teens are putting on suits to go to the movies, and how the minions became such a dominant cultural and capitalistic force. Then, they’re joined by Vox’s Rebecca Jennings to discuss her latest piece on what the minions reveal about labor exploitation.
This podcast is produced by Daniel Schroeder, Rachelle Hampton, and Madison Malone Kircher.
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This week’s Spoiler Specials takes on Thor: Love and Thunder. Slate’s movie critic Dana Stevens and senior editor Sam Adams spoil the newest release from the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Note: As the title indicates, this podcast contains spoilers galore.
Read Dana’s review here.
Email us at [email protected].
Podcast production by Kristie Taiwo-Makanjuola.
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While the vast majority of African American students attend predominantly white institutions –or PWIs– for college, many Black scholars are giving historically Black colleges and universities a second look. On today’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson discusses the issue with Michelle Purdy, an associate professor of education at Washington University at St. Louis. She has studied the intersection of race and education, and is also the author of “Transforming the Elite: Black Students and the Desegregation of Private Schools.”
Guest: Professor Michelle Purdy
Podcast production by Eric Aaron
You can skip all the ads in A Word by joining Slate Plus. Sign up now at slate.com/awordplus for just $1 for your first month.
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On this week’s episode of The Waves, Brigid Schulte, author of Overwhelmed: How to Work, Love and Play When No One Has the Time and director of the Better Life Lab, is joined by author Angela Garbes. They unpack the modern challenges of motherhood, further illustrated and then exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. They talk about Angela’s new book, Essential Labor, how caregiving is seen as sacred, yet we make it so hard in the United States, and why we pay caregivers—a key part of our society—poverty wages.
In Slate Plus, Angela and Brigid talk about the subtitle of Angela’s book: Mothering As Social Change.
Podcast production by Cheyna Roth with editorial oversight by Shannon Palus and Alicia Montgomery.
Send your comments and recommendations on what to cover to [email protected]
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The Instagram account No White Saviors presented itself as an organization that exposed missionaries, aide workers, and influencers who were actively harming the communities they were in, but the story is much darker and more confusing than that. On today’s show, Rachelle and Madison are joined once again by journalist Jessica Lucas to talk about her latest piece for Input magazine on the dubious nature and recent implosion of No White Saviors.
This podcast is produced by Daniel Schroeder, Rachelle Hampton, and Madison Malone Kircher.
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This week, New York Times columnist and Slate graduate Jamelle Bouie fills in for Julia as the panel begins by answering the call of The Black Phone. Then, the panel digs into FX’s newest hit TV show The Bear. Finally, they discuss the perplexing and popular world of gross food trends on TikTok.
In Slate Plus, the panel discusses culture’s relationship to politics and affecting an audience.
Email us at [email protected].
Endorsements
Dana: Peter Brook the legendary theater director passed away last week, in memoriam of him: going on a Peter Brook deep dive. Specifically: a 2001 documentary titled Brook by Brook: An Intimate Portrait directed by his son, Simon Brook, and a YouTube video of a complete production of Hamlet Brook directed starring Adrian Lester as the titular prince.
Jamelle: The Criterion Channel’s new collection, titled In the Ring: Boxing On-Screen, comprising 16 boxing-related films. Specifically: the 1942 film Gentleman Jim directed by Raoul Walsh and starring Errol Flynn.
Steve: An involving read from Yale historian Timothy Snyder, titled “Germans have been involved in the war, chiefly on the wrong side:” a long, extensive, beautifully calm, excellently argued rejoinder to Jürgen Habermas, the German Philosopher widely regarded as the only remaining living embodiment of European Enlightenment.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Nadira Goffe.
Outro music is "Pike Place Market" by Rockin' for Decades.
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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Joel Anderson, Stefan Fatsis, and Josh Levin discuss the Brooklyn Nets’ Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving trade drama. They also talk about UCLA and USC moving to the Big Ten and assess the verbal sparring between Nick Kyrgios and Stefanos Tsitsipas at Wimbledon.
Nets (2:26): Could they still keep KD and Kyrie?
Big Ten (24:28): What the latest big move means for the future of college football and every other sport.
Kyrgios and Tsitsipas (45:35): The story behind the ugly tennis squabble.
Afterball (1:10:10): Joel on the latest feats of pole vault prodigy Mondo Duplantis.
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This week, host Isaac Butler talks to Chris Kelly and Sarah Schneider, creators and showrunners of the comedy series The Other Two. In the interview, Sarah and Chris talk about what it’s like to run a writers' room, how to work exposition into TV dialogue, and what they look for in the writers they hire.
After the interview, Isaac and co-host Karen Han discuss how difficult it is to write good exposition.
In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Chris and Sarah talk about a unique challenge they faced while making season two of The Other Two.
Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected] or give us a call at (304) 933-9675.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews.
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 Big Mood, Little Mood—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on Working. Sign up now at slate.com/workingplus.
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In the past month, customers of the meal delivery service Daily Harvest have been suffering from gastrointestinal distress after eating the company’s French Lentil + Leek Crumbles, and some have even required surgery. The company is currently investigating the cause of these medical issues but has yet to find anything conclusive. On today’s show, Rachelle and Madison speak to Luke Pearson, an influencer who received the product in a PR package from Daily Harvest and has since had to have his gallbladder removed. They discuss his medical journey, what it was like finding a community online that was also suffering from these problems, and how it’s affected his future plans for brand partnerships.
This podcast is produced by Daniel Schroeder, Rachelle Hampton, and Madison Malone Kircher.
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For decades, British alt-pop goddess Kate Bush had never had a Top 10 hit in America. Now, in 2022, she finds herself in the Hot 100’s Top Five—and television got her there. Her classic “Running Up That Hill” is featured prominently in the latest season of Netflix’s hit ’80s horror fantasy show Stranger Things.
This puts Bush in a long lineage of hits spawned or made bigger by TV, dating all the way back to Davy Crockett and Peter Gunn, through Hawaii Five-O and Happy Days, and peaking in the ’80s with Miami Vice and Family Ties.
Join host Chris Molanphy as he walks through more than six decades of hits from the so-called boob tube and reveals why—thanks to our streaming age—Kate Bush’s hit might be the biggest TV tune of all.
Podcast production by Kevin Bendis.
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Activists and abortion rights supporters are trying building a movement in the post-Roe v. Wade era. An empowered conservative court, a potential digital dragnet, and an unfocused Democratic response is making that complicated. On today’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson is joined by legal analyst Imani Gandy, who explains why –despite the setback– she feels energized and hopeful about this moment.
Guest: Legal analyst Imani Gandy, co-host of the Boom! Lawyered podcast
Podcast production by Eric Aaron
You can skip all the ads in A Word by joining Slate Plus. Sign up now at slate.com/awordplus for just $1 for your first month.
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On this week’s episode of The Waves, Slate staff writer Heather Schwedel and Slate senior editor Rebecca Onion sit down to talk about New York magazine cover story “Canceled at 17,” which features a boy who was ostracized by his peers after he showed a nude of his girlfriend. The talk about whether the article is a display of “himpathy,” and the fact that the writer had a personal connection to the school that she did not initially disclose. (New York magazine’s statement on that matter is available here.)
In Slate Plus, Rebecca and Heather talk about what they regret from high school.
Recommendations:
Rebecca: Apple+’s series For All Mankind.
Heather: Netflix’s series, The Summer I Turned Pretty.
Podcast production by Cheyna Roth with editorial oversight by Shannon Palus and Alicia Montgomery.
Send your comments and recommendations on what to cover to [email protected]
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For this edition of Working Overtime, hosts Karen Han and Isaac Butler explain how to pitch a story to an editor of a newspaper, magazine, or blog. They discuss the basic components of a good pitch and offer some DOs and DON’Ts about interacting with editors.
Do you have a question about creative work? Call us and leave a message at 304-933-9675, or email us at [email protected].
Podcast production by Kevin Bendis and Cameron Drews.
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On this week’s episode, Rachelle and Madison decided that, because of the recent Supreme Court news, it was time to take respite in some good online fun. They talk about the Olsen twins making pizza, Adam Lambert’s stellar vocals, plastic bags, musicals, and plenty more. Make sure to check out our Twitter for a thread with all the things mentioned in today’s episode.
This podcast is produced by Daniel Schroeder, Madison Malone Kircher and Rachelle Hampton.
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This week, the panel begins by experiencing Baz Luhrmann’s new biopic Elvis with Slate’s pop critic, author, and media professor, Jack Hamilton. Then, the panel goes on the run with the new FX series The Old Man. Finally, the panel discusses the viral article on cancel culture from New York Magazine’s website The Cut, titled “Canceled at 17.”
In Slate Plus, the panel divulges what they’re actually excited about.
Email us at [email protected].
Endorsements
Dana: A movie Dana just reviewed for Slate, Marcel the Shell With Shoes On.
Julia: A fortified endorsement of a previous Gabfest segment, Abbott Elementary.
Steve: An essay by Hannah Zeavin for n+1 Magazine titled, “Unfree Associations.”
Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Nadira Goffe.
Outro music is "Forbidden Love" 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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Erin thinks her dog Chief has the most embarrassing habit—he keeps eating her daughters’ underwear. This has happened several times, resulting in multiple costly surgeries. If she doesn’t put a stop to it, it could eventually kill Chief. How can she get her dog to behave and, more importantly, get her teenage daughters to put their underwear in the hamper? On this episode of How To!, Jenny Slate, comedian, actress, author of Little Weirds and voice of Marcel the Shell with Shoes On, opens up about the time her dog ate something he shouldn't have—and let’s just say it’s worse than underwear. But Jenny adores dogs and believes they have something important to teach us. You have to accept your loved ones’ limitations, Jenny says, and when problems arise, tailor your solution to what suits them best—advice that applies to both dogs and teenagers.
If you liked this episode, check out “How To Confront a Crazy Neighbor with Tig Notaro.”
Do you have a seemingly impossible problem? Send us a note at [email protected] or leave us a voicemail at 646-495-4001 and we might have you on the show.
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Joel Anderson, Stefan Fatsis, and Josh Levin are joined by Olympic gold medalist Crissy Perham to discuss what Roe v. Wade getting overturned means for women athletes. They also discuss Arch Manning’s decision to play football at the University of Texas and Ohio State getting a trademark on the word “the.”
Crissy Perham (2:56): A champion swimmer on why she’s speaking out about her abortion.
Arch Manning (23:15): America’s leading legacy athlete will be a Longhorn.
The Ohio State University (44:01): Is the school’s love affair with the definite article endearing or annoying?
Afterball (1:02:20): Josh on Billie Jean King’s abortion story.
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This week, host Karen Han talks to foley artist Joanna Fang, who uses everyday objects to create sound effects for movies, TV shows, and video games. In the interview, Joanna explains what a foley artist does and describes some of her tools and techniques. Then she demonstrates how pasta shells can sound like breaking bones and how a wet cloth can be used to make a whole range of (mostly gross) sounds.
After the interview, Karen and co-host Isaac Butler discuss Joanna’s unique passion for her work.
In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Joanna talks about her work on the movie musical In the Heights.
Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected] or give us a call at (304) 933-9675.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews.
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 Big Mood, Little Mood—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on Working. Sign up now at slate.com/workingplus.
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Emily Bazelon talks with author Keri Blakinger about her new memoir, Corrections in Ink which recounts Blakinger’s path from Olympic ambitions, to heroin addiction, to prison, and ultimately a return to life on the outside.
Blakinger launched a program to deliver her memoir to currently incarcerated readers. You can learn more here: https://800ceoread.com/coupons/redeem/donationcorrectionsinink
Tweet us your questions @SlateGabfest or email us at [email protected]. (Messages could be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.)
Podcast production by Jocelyn Frank.
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Log onto any social app and you’ll quickly find content that’s been ported over from another platform. On the show today, Rachelle and Madison talk about the homogenization of internet humor and how every platform is trying to copy its competition. Then they discuss the return of anonymous online spaces with the new app NGL, an app that allows people to solicit anonymous comments and questions from Instagram, and why these anonymous spaces always tend toward toxicity.
Make sure to check out our episode on period trackers, and the newest season of Slow Burn.
This podcast is produced by Daniel Schroeder, Rachelle Hampton, and Madison Malone Kircher.
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On this emergency episode of The Waves, Slate senior producer Cheyna Roth and Slate senior staff writer Christina Cauterucci respond to the decision by the US Supreme Court to overturn Roe v. Wade and get real about how they’re handling this devastating blow.
Read Christina’s piece on medication abortions here. Find all of Slate’s coverage of Roe v Wade here, and a guide to basic questions about what happens next here.
Recommendations:
Cheyna: Getting your kid the COVID vaccine and JellyCat stuffed animals.
Christina: Fire Island on Hulu.
Podcast production by Cheyna Roth with editorial oversight by Shannon Palus and Alicia Montgomery.
Send your comments and recommendations on what to cover to [email protected]
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With the Golden State Warriors wrapping up another championship, NBA players are settling in for the off-season when many will be working on physical fitness and strength. But more teams are recognizing that mental fitness –especially for a league full of young Black men– is just as important. On today’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson is joined by Corey Yeager, a life coach and psychotherapist for NBA’s Detroit Pistons. They discuss how Black athletes are dealing with the mental challenges of the pandemic, the racial reckoning, and other political issues, on top of the pressure to perform on the court.
Guest: Corey Yeager, psychotherapist, life coach and author of the forthcoming book “How Am I Doing?: 40 Conversations to Have with Yourself.”
Podcast production by Kristie Taiwo-Makanjuola
You can skip all the ads in A Word by joining Slate Plus. Sign up now at slate.com/awordplus for just $1 for your first month.
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This week’s Spoiler Specials takes on Lightyear. Slate’s movie critic, Dana Stevens, and senior editor, Sam Adams spoil the new animated film from Disney.
Note: As the title indicates, this podcast contains spoilers galore.
Read Dana’s review here and Sam’s review here.
Email us at [email protected].
Podcast production by Jasmine Ellis and Kevin Bendis.
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On this week’s episode of The Waves, Slate staff writer Heather Schwedel is joined by Slate books and culture columnist Laura Miller on the ten year anniversary of Gillian Flynn’s Gone Girl. They talk about the initial reaction to Gone Girl, why the twists packed such a punch, and the enduring impact of the famous “cool girl” speech. Then they explore why, despite many books proclaiming to be so, there has never really been another Gone Girl.
In Slate Plus, Laura takes Heather behind the scenes of book blurbs.
Recommendations:
Heather: The Palace Papers by Tina Brown
Laura: TV series Redemption, available on BritBox
Podcast production by Cheyna Roth with editorial oversight by Shannon Palus and Alicia Montgomery.
Send your comments and recommendations on what to cover to [email protected]
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Lesbians on dating and hookup apps aren’t looking for men, but that’s what platforms like Bumble and Tinder are serving them. On today’s show, Madison and Rachelle speak to some queer women who’ve had this problem and what sorts of issues it creates. Then they discuss the women-focused apps that’ve tried to fill that space, and why it’s so difficult to find safe queer dates online.
This podcast is produced by Daniel Schroeder, Madison Malone Kircher, and Rachelle Hampton.
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This week, the panel begins by trying out the new Adam Sandler film on Netflix, Hustle. Then, they discuss the new hit Indian film RRR. Finally, the panel is joined by host of Slate's Hit Parade podcast, Chris Molanphy, to discuss musician Kate Bush's recent rise in the charts.
In Slate Plus, the panel debates which SNL stars became the best film actors.
Email us at [email protected]
Endorsements
Dana: A crown of sonnets, For My Father: A Sonnet Redouble, by Alexis Sears in Literary Matters.
Julia: Cheap hack to kitchen luxury: buy yourself 4 or 5 complete sets of measuring spoons.
Steve: Elvis Costello and Chet Baker performing together.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Nadira Goffe.
Outro music: "Bring My Friends" by Tigerblood Jewel.
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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It’s story time, fam! This month, Bryan, Christina, and Jules talk about whether—and why—we still need Pride. Every Pride is someone’s first, and to get that fresh perspective, the hosts spoke with Sammie Bennett, who just celebrated for the first time in Kalamazoo, Michigan. They then talk about their own memories and feelings about the annual queer gathering.
Thanks to Alicia DeMaio for our first "Thots & Queries" segment. Here’s the them.us piece she referenced.
Items discussed in the show:
“The Battle Over Gender Therapy,” by Emily Bazelon in the New York Times Magazine
Jules’ Twitter thread
Jules’ Substack response
Postmates’ “Eat With Pride” ad campaign
Leo Herrera’s Instagram story about this campaign
Christina’s Slate story about a U-Haul truck full of Nazis who headed to a Pride celebration in Idaho.
Gay Agenda
Bryan: Buzzfeed’s roundup of “This Pride Month” memes
Christina: Kaftko
Jules: Read a banned LGBTQ book
This podcast was produced by June Thomas.
Please send feedback, topic ideas, and advice questions to [email protected].
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Joel Anderson, Stefan Fatsis, and Josh Levin are joined by ESPN’s Greg Wyshynski to discuss the Stanley Cup Finals. They also talk about Dream On, the ESPN documentary on the 1996 U.S. women’s Olympic basketball team. Finally, they assess Nike upon its 50th anniversary.
Stanley Cup (2:40): Inside the match-up between the Colorado Avalanche and Tampa Bay Lightning.
Dream On (26:57): Looking back at a landmark moment for women’s sports.
Nike (50:25): How it became a cultural behemoth.
Afterball (1:12:00): Stefan on his daughter, Scrabble, and Steph Curry.
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This week, host June Thomas talks to Barbara Wilson, author of multiple mystery novels and co-founder of the feminist publishing house Seal Press, which launched in 1976. In the interview, Barbara starts by discussing her mystery novels and her decision to revive the character Cassandra Reilly. Then she talks about her experience co-founding Seal Press and the challenges that she and her colleagues faced as indie publishers.
After the interview, June and co-hose Isaac Butler chat about the use of formulas in fiction.
In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Barbara explains why she changed her name to Barbara Sjoholm and started publishing certain books under that name.
Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected] or give us a call at (304) 933-9675.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews.
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 Big Mood, Little Mood—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on Working. Sign up now at slate.com/workingplus.
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Earlier this month, the American Girl Doll Instagram account announced the return of the classic Molly doll, and because it was announced during Pride month everybody started wondering, “Is Molly gay?” On today’s show, Rachelle and Madison discuss the recent gay panic of the conservative American Doll Instagram community, the online life of American Girl memes, and their own histories with these beloved childhood treasures. Plus, they discuss the drama around Lizzo’s “GRRRLS” and why she’s one of the few celebrities to nail the Notes app apology.
This podcast is produced by Daniel Schroeder, Madison Malone Kircher, and Rachelle Hampton.
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For decades, British alt-pop goddess Kate Bush had never had a Top 10 hit in America. Now, in 2022, she finds herself in the Hot 100’s Top Five—and television got her there. Her classic “Running Up That Hill” is featured prominently in the latest season of Netflix’s hit ’80s horror fantasy show Stranger Things.
This puts Bush in a long lineage of hits spawned or made bigger by TV, dating all the way back to Davy Crockett and Peter Gunn, through Hawaii Five-O and Happy Days, and peaking in the ’80s with Miami Vice and Family Ties.
Join host Chris Molanphy as he walks through more than six decades of hits from the so-called boob tube and reveals why—thanks to our streaming age—Kate Bush’s hit might be the biggest TV tune of all.
Podcast production by Kevin Bendis.
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*This will be a frank discussion about homophobia, and our guest will talk about his experience being called an anti-gay slur.*
This LGBTQ Pride Month has been marred by a rash of anti-gay and anti-trans laws, and some groups plotting physical attacks at Pride events. For Black members of the community, racism has added even more tension to this year’s Pride. On today’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson is joined by Clay Cane, author of Live Through This: Surviving the Intersections of Sexuality, God, and Race. They discuss how anti-Black and anti-gay violence is affecting Pride this year, as well as concerns about ongoing homophobia among African Americans, and racism within the LGBTQ movement.
Guest: Clay Cane, host of SiriusXM’s The Clay Cane Show
Podcast production by Eric Aaron
You can skip all the ads in A Word by joining Slate Plus. Sign up now at slate.com/awordplus for just $1 for your first month.
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On this week’s addition of Working Overtime, hosts June Thomas and Isaac Butler evaluate some writing advice that June received from Slate book critic Laura Miller, who got the idea from the writer Graham Greene. The advice is to write 500 words per day, and once you’re done with that quota, you can do whatever you want. But what happens when your schedule doesn’t allow such a rigid ritual? Is there something magic about the number 500? June and Isaac weigh in on these and other questions, and then they discuss a concept called “modular writing.”
Do you have a question about creative work? Call us and leave a message at 304-933-9675, or email us at [email protected].
Podcast production by Kevin Bendis and Cameron Drews.
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On this week’s episode of The Waves, Slate science writer and editor Shannon Palus is joined by Popular Science executive editor and author Rachel Feltman to talk about sex, baby. Rachel’s new book, “Been There, Done That” explores the quirky, wild, and often queer side of the history of sex. Shannon and Rachel talk about why animal sex is so relevant to human sex, the “loop-de-loop” of sexual evolution, and they ponder the age old question, “Why are even men?”
In Slate Plus, Rachel talks about why Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) may in some cases not be as terrible as you think.
Recommendations:
Shannon: Spindrift seltzer
Rachel: The horror anthology, Your Body is Not Your Body
Podcast production by Cheyna Roth with editorial oversight by Shannon Palus and Alicia Montgomery.
Send your comments and recommendations on what to cover to [email protected]
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Throughout the 2010s, the One Direction fandom was inescapable online. On today’s show, Atlantic writer Kaitlyn Tiffany is here to discuss her new book all about that subject, Everything I Need I Get From You: How Fangirls Created the Internet as We Know It. Rachelle and Madison talk to Kaitlyn about why she chose One Direction, how fan theories get out of hand, and why neither she nor Rachelle would ever want to meet Harry Styles.
Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder, Rachelle Hampton, and Madison Malone Kircher.
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This week, the panel begins by fraternizing with the dinosaurs of Jurassic World: Dominion. Then, they’re joined by senior writer for New York Magazine E. Alex Jung to discuss the movie that changed the Bechdel Test, Fire Island. Finally, the panel discusses a New York Times opinion piece from Tish Harrison, titled “I Married the Wrong Person, and I’m So Glad I Did.”
In Slate Plus, the panel discusses the Bechdel Test.
Email us at [email protected].
Endorsements
Dana: In honor of the recently late actor Phillip Baker Hall, the 1984 Robert Altman film Secret Honor, based on the one-man show.
Julia: Generally: micro journaling. Specifically: The Five Minute Journal and One Line A Day: A Five-Year Memory Book.
Steve: With love for the musical cover: Leo Nocentelli’s (of The Meters) cover of Elton John’s “Your Song.” Also: the band The Apartments (per Steve: the most underrated indie rock band of all time) and their song “Everything is Given to Be Taken Away” from their live album Live at L’Ubu.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Nadira Goffe.
Outro music is "Bloody Hunter" by Paisley Pink.
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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This month, in honor of Pride, we’re bringing you extra episodes of Outward.
This week, hosts Christina Cauterucci, Jules Gill-Peterson, and Bryan Lowder dig into the big gay movie of summer 2022: Fire Island. Directed by Andrew Ahn and written by Joel Kim Booster, who also appears in the film, Fire Island explores the magic of queer spaces like the titular enclave—along with the class and race disparities that so often beset them. The film, which also stars Bowen Yang, Margaret Cho, and Conrad Ricamora, is a gay resetting of Pride and Prejudice. Does it succeed? The hosts discuss this, and much more, in spoiler-filled detail.
This podcast was produced by June Thomas.
Please send feedback, topic ideas, and advice questions to [email protected].
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Joel Anderson and Josh Levin are joined by the New Yorker’s Vinson Cunningham to discuss Steph Curry and the NBA Finals. Then, they review the Adam Sandler basketball movie Hustle. Finally, ESPN’s Kevin Van Valkenburg joins Joel and Josh to talk about the debut weekend of the Saudi-funded LIV Golf.
Steph and the NBA (3:30): The Warriors got back into the Finals with some Curry magic. Can Jayson Tatum summon some of his own?
Hustle (45:35): It’s not just a bunch of NBA cameos.
LIV Golf (1:08:23): Will the Saudis’ money take down the PGA Tour?
Afterball (1:08:23): Joel on Rickey Henderson and Pine Bluff, Arkansas.
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This week, host Isaac Butler talks to music supervisors Bruce Gilbert and Lauren Mikus, whose most recent projects include the Hulu series Only Murders in the Building and the the multidimensional action movie Everything Everywhere All at Once.
After the interview, Isaac and co-host June Thomas talk about music choices in film and TV and discuss whether it’s better to pick well-known hits or more obscure deep cuts.
In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Bruce and Lauren talk about the taste-making aspect of their job. Then they explain their process for creating a uniquely New York sound for Only Murders in the Building.
Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected] or give us a call at (304) 933-9675.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews.
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 Big Mood, Little Mood—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on Working. Sign up now at slate.com/workingplus.
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On today’s episode, Rachelle and Madison dabble in some TikTok approved ASMR. Later they’re joined by Vice Senior Staff Writer, Anna Merlan, for an interview about political ads and the left leaning campaigns that pay influencers to produce policy based content - despite TikTok’s stringent rules.
Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder, Madison Malone Kircher, Rachelle Hampton, and Kevin Bendis
Support ICYMI and listen to the show with zero ads. Sign up to become a Slate Plus member for just $1 for your first month.
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This week’s Spoiler Specials takes on Jurassic World: Dominion. Sam Adams, a senior editor at Slate, is joined by Slate’s features editor, Jeffrey Bloomer, to spoil the latest evolutionary stage of the Jurassic World series. True to the spirit of bringing something back from the past, the stars of Jurassic Park—Laura Dern, Jeff Goldblum, and Sam Neill—join the dinos and their JW counterparts Chris Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard. The cast is big, the predators are bigger, but the villains and plot lines raised more eyebrows than heart rates among our critics.
Note: As the title indicates, this podcast contains spoilers galore.
Email us at [email protected].
Podcast production by Jasmine Ellis and Kristie Taiwo-Makanjuola.
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On this week’s episode of The Waves, Slate science editor and writer Shannon Palus is joined by freelance science journalist Eleanor Cummins to talk about plastics. Surgery that is. And all the physical and mental concerns that come with altering your body. They start out by talking about Eleanor’s recent piece on the health concerns of breast implants. Then they talk about VIP Syndrome, and how it’s coming for all of us.
In Slate Plus, is breast reduction surgery feminist?
Recommendations:
Shannon: Perfect Bars
Eleanor: Cotopaxi gear.
Podcast production by Cheyna Roth with editorial oversight by Shannon Palus and Alicia Montgomery.
Send your comments and recommendations on what to cover to [email protected]
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Over the past few months, musicians have been posting on TikTok about how their record labels are forcing them to make TikTok videos to promote their new music. On the show today, Rachelle and Madison look at what all these famous musicians like Charli XCX, Florence Welch, and Ed Sheeran are posting, why the music industry is so desperate for viral hits, and who we should feel sorry for in all of this.
This podcast is produced by Daniel Schroeder, Rachelle Hampton, and Madison Malone Kircher.
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This week, the panel begins by diving into the animated world of Chip ‘n Dale: Rescue Rangers. Then, they reflect on Norm Macdonald’s career and influence with his posthumous special Nothing Special. Finally, the panel enters Harry’s House as they are joined by Slate’s music critic Carl Wilson to discuss Harry Styles’ most recent album.
In Slate Plus, the panel discusses their ideal cultural mix.
Email us at [email protected].
Endorsements
Dana: In celebration of the late-great Prince’s birthday: his 1987 concert film Sign o’ the Times, which is finally available on streaming.
Julia: Two things: one, the famous Hollywood Bowl venue; two: in honor of the 100th anniversary of the Bowl, the LA Times has put together a guide to the history of the Hollywood Bowl.
Steve: An extraordinary memoir published posthumously in 1939 and written by Sebastian Haffner, a German man who witnessed the 1930s and the rise of Hitler, titled Defying Hitler: A Memoir.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Nadira Goffe.
"Stone Cookies" by Dusty Decks.
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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Joel Anderson, Stefan Fatsis, and Josh Levin assess the back-and-forth NBA Finals between the Warriors and Celtics. The New York Times’ Andrew Das also joins to talk about Ukraine’s loss to Wales in a World Cup playoff match. Finally, they discuss the Oklahoma softball juggernaut.
NBA Finals (3:09): How the Celtics took Game 1, and how the Warriors struck back.
Ukraine-Wales (25:00): An epic sporting event with global consequences.
Oklahoma softball (47:30): A deep dive on a remarkable dynasty.
Afterball (1:08:57): Josh on Coco Gauff, Iga Swiatek, Rafael Nadal, and tennis inevitability.
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This week, Working producer Cameron Drews talks to Alex Sujong Laughlin, producer of the hit podcast Normal Gossip. In the interview, Alex explains what a producer does and talks about how important it is for producers to have creative input. Then she digs into the process behind Normal Gossip and shares how she and host Kelsey McKinney anonymize the gossip stories and make decisions about which details to tweak and which ones to keep.
After the interview, Cameron and co-host June Thomas talk more about what it’s like to be a podcast producer.
In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Alex shares her favorite and least favorite production tasks. She also tells a story about a listener email that she and Kelsey received.
Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected] or give us a call at (304) 933-9675.
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 Big Mood, Little Mood—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on Working. Sign up now at slate.com/workingplus.
--
Thanks Avast.com!
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The Mormon moms on TikTok are accused of “soft swinging,” or engaging in sexual acts with people other than their spouses while their spouses are in the room, and people cannot stop asking about it. On the show today, Madison and Rachelle talk about Liam Payne’s recent comments about his former One Direction bandmates, and then they’re back with High Speed Downloads about the Early American Youtube channel, and the drama surrounding the Mormon moms of TikTok.
This podcast is produced by Daniel Schroeder, Rachelle Hampton and Madison Malone Kircher.
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Like so much of pop culture, online culture is largely rooted in the work of Black and other marginalized people. Writer and activist Bridget Todd celebrates their stories on her podcast There Are No Girls on the Internet. On today’s episode of A Word, she joins Jason Johnson to talk about the challenge of preserving that history, and building communities for women, LGBTQ people, and Black folks in an increasingly hostile online world.
Guest: Bridget Todd, host of the “There Are No Girls on the Internet” podcast.
Podcast production by Jasmine Ellis
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On this week’s episode of The Waves, Slate senior producer Cheyna Roth is joined by Slate senior writer Mark Joseph Stern to talk about Michigan’s ballot initiative to save abortion rights in the state. They dig into the positives and negatives of going to the ballot, what we can learn from Ireland, and why, at the end of the day, you really need the courts. Mark also explains the one big thing that citizens can and should be doing to help secure abortion access.
In Slate Plus, is Ginny Thomas maintaining a career that directly conflicts with her Supreme Court Justice husband’s work feminist?
Mentioned in the Show:
“The Ironic, Unintended Consequence of SCOTUS’s Plan to Overturn Roe” by Mark Joseph Stern
Recommendations:
Mark: The album Two Ribbons by Let’s Eat Grandma
Cheyna: Everything by the band HAIM.
Podcast production by Cheyna Roth with editorial oversight by Shannon Palus and Alicia Montgomery .
Send your comments and recommendations on what to cover to [email protected]
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On this edition of Working Overtime, hosts Isaac Butler and June Thomas hear from a listener who’s having trouble prioritizing his non-urgent tasks. With the help of some productivity metaphors and strategies, Isaac and June suggest ways to structure unstructured time and to break long-term projects down into bite-sized pieces.
Do you have a question about creative work? Call us and leave a message at 304-933-9675, or email us at [email protected].
Podcast production by Kevin Bendis and Cameron Drews.
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 Big Mood, Little Mood—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on Working. Sign up now at slate.com/workingplus.
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Since it started over six weeks ago, the court battle between Johnny Depp and Amber Heard has been impossible to escape online. On today’s show, Rachelle and Madison look at the troubling ways people are discussing the trial, the cottage industry of lawyers reacting to the trial, and the stakes that have been lost in the breathless coverage and endless meme-ing of Heard and Depp.
This podcast is produced by Daniel Schroeder, Rachelle Hampton, and Madison Malone Kircher.
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This week, the panel begins by re-visiting the Top Gun academy with Top Gun: Maverick. Then, the panel is joined by critic and author Jason Bailey to assess the career of George Carlin, presented in the two-part documentary George Carlin’s American Dream. Finally, the panel discusses the defamation trail of Johnny Depp and Amber Heard that is gripping the media.
In Slate Plus, the panel remembers the career of Ray Liotta.
Email us at [email protected].
Endorsements
Dana: The film Paris, 13th District, which is a light, French relationship movie where everyone has perfect sweaters, deep wine glasses, and engaging romantic arguments.
Julia: A birdwatching app, Merlin. Which can now identify birds by shazaming its song to identify the bird species.
Steve: Guardian book review from Anil Gomes, titled “Private Notebooks 1914–1916 by Ludwig Wittgenstein review—sex and logic,” about the first translation of famous philosopher’s notebooks in English.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Nadira Goffe.
Outro music is "Any Other Way" by Particle House.
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Josh Levin and Joel Anderson are joined by Jack Hamilton to discuss the Warriors-Celtics NBA Finals matchup. Bradford William Davis then joins to talk about Josh Donaldson’s suspension for calling Tim Anderson “Jackie” and Tommy Pham slapping Joc Pederson for allegedly cheating in fantasy football.
NBA (2:53): What the rise of the Warriors and the Celtics says about pro basketball team-building.
Donaldson vs. Anderson (22:48): The deeper meaning behind a public war of words.
Pham vs. Pederson (44:43): How a fantasy football dispute spilled over to the baseball diamond.
Afterball (1:05:13): Josh on the “rebuilding year” as a (possibly) dying concept.
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This week, host June Thomas talks to Jessamyn West, a librarian in rural Vermont who’s working to improve computer literacy and access to library services in her community. In the interview, Jessamyn explains her process for helping people to learn basic computer skills, like building a resume, setting up an online dating profile, or learning how to use a mouse. She also talks about her broader mission to make sure technology is intuitive and accessible to everyone who needs it.
After the interview, June and co-host Isaac Butler discuss mantras and understanding your strengths and weaknesses.
In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Jessamyn talks about her experience editing Wikipedia pages.
Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected] or give us a call at (304) 933-9675.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews.
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 Big Mood, Little Mood—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on Working. Sign up now at slate.com/workingplus.
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John Dickerson talks with author Elif Batuman about coming of age as a college student in the 1990’s, and the similarities between herself and her main character in Either/Or, the sequel to The Idiot.
Tweet us your questions @SlateGabfest or email us at [email protected]. (Messages could be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.)
Podcast production by Cheyna Roth
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Earlier this month, Bobbi Brown’s new foundation line blew up on TikTok thanks to some rather ungenerous videos from beauty influencers. In an effort to defend her new Jones Road line, Brown took to TikTok and filmed her own response, rocketing the drama into the TikTok mainstream. On today’s show, Madison and Rachelle dig through the drama to explain why this isn’t just a story about one makeup company, and what it reveals about the state of the influencer industry.
Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
What was in the water in Virginia Beach? Starting in the ’90s and peaking in the ’00s, Pharrell Williams, Timothy “Timbaland” Mosley and Missy Elliott—friends and family from the Tidewater Region—made nerdy pop normal on the charts. Their productions whirred, gurgled, pinged and rumbled—the handiwork of studio geeks—while their lyrics embraced the freaky: Missy demanding that you work it…Pharrell declaring he’s a hustler, baby…Timbaland bringing sexy back.
Join host Chris Molanphy as he explains how these three supa-dupa fly Virginia Beach geniuses helped us get our freak on. For over two decades, they never left you without a dope beat to step to.
Podcast production by Kevin Bendis.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
This week’s Spoiler Specials takes on Top Gun: Maverick. Film critic Dana Stevens is joined by Slate editor and writer Dan Kois to spoil the long awaited sequel, starring Tom Cruise and directed by Joseph Kosinski. Maverick is pressed into service, training a group of young pilots to carry out a dangerous strike in a rogue nation. But it soon becomes clear that only Maverick has the right stuff to lead the mission. Does Maverick fly high, or get grounded?
Is Top Gun: Maverick better than the 1986 original?
Read Dana’s thoughts on the movie here.
Note: As the title indicates, this podcast contains spoilers galore.
Email us at [email protected].
Podcast production by Jasmine Ellis.
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On this week’s episode of The Waves, Slate senior editor for Jurisprudence Nicole Lewis is joined by Slate Money co-host, and correspondent for Axios, Emily Peck to talk about the economic implications of overturning Roe v. Wade. A leaked Supreme Court draft opinion shows the court has the votes to abolish the constitutional right to abortion, which Roe established in 1973. Our hosts dig into all the ways ending abortion will undermine women’s economic gains and participation in the workforce, including gains that conservatives champion - like low rates of teenage motherhood, stable homes and being able to work and provide for yourself. And finally, they look at how eliminating the right to an abortion would disproportionately impact poor women and women of color.
Mentioned in the Episode:
“Overturning Roe Could Reverse Economic Gains” by Emily Peck
“The Horrifying Implications of Alito’s Most Alarming Footnote” by Dahlia Lithwick
National Network of Abortion Funds
In Slate Plus: Are Brazillian Butt Lifts feminist?
Recommendations:
Nicole: The Netflix series Bonding.
Emily: All kinds of gummy candy, from bears to sour worms.
Podcast production by Cheyna Roth with editorial oversight by Shannon Palus and Alicia Montgomery.
Send your comments and recommendations on what to cover to [email protected]
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
On today’s episode, it’s mailbag time! Rachelle and Madison answer listener questions on a very important Haley Kiyoko relationship status update, if the Apple Health app is also selling your biological data, and – shudder – whether there is a new Couch Guy. Plus, Madison herself has a very important question about resizing your jeans.
Mentioned in the Show:
“I’m the TikTok Couch Guy. Here’s What It Was Like Being Investigated on the Internet” by Robert McCoy
Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder, Derek John, and Cheyna Roth
Support ICYMI and listen to the show with zero ads. Sign up to become a Slate Plus member for just $1 for your first month.
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This week, the panel begins by discussing A24’s newest horror/thriller film from Alex Garland Men. Then, the panel jumps back in time with the reboot of Canadian comedy troupe Kids in the Hall. Finally, the panel is joined by contributing writer for the New York Times, Jody Rosen, to discuss his newest book Two Wheels Good: The History and Mystery of the Bicycle.
In Slate Plus, the panel spoils Men to get to the bottom of the horror mystery.
Email us at [email protected].
Endorsements
Dana: This 10 year-old article from Jimmy Stamp for Smithsonian Magazine titled “The Long History of the Espresso Machine.”
Julia: From Jody’s early recommendation via Twitter: the Boston food-chain Tatte, which is expanding into DC.
Jody: New York Times Critic Jason Farago’s series Close Read, in which he does close analyses of works of art. In particular: his pieces on Berthe Morisot, Jasper Johns, and Chitarman’s “Shah Jahan on a Terrace.”
Steve: A deep-cut YouTube video of The Replacements’ “Friday Night is Killing Me” (Live).
Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Nadira Goffe.
Outro music is "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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Josh Levin and Stefan Fatsis are joined by Jack Hamilton to discuss the NBA playoffs and Patrick Beverley’s chaotic media appearances; by Alex Kirshner to talk about the war of words between Nick Saban and Jimbo Fisher; and by the Washington Post’s Molly Hensley-Clancy to assess U.S. Soccer’s landmark equal pay deal.
NBA (2:07): Will the conference finals get any better? And is Patrick Beverley telling the truth or spinning his own narrative?
Saban-Fisher (27:30): Where did this fight come from, and what’s it really about?
U.S. Soccer (48:53): The anatomy of a historic collective bargaining agreement.
Afterball (1:07:32): Stefan on the death of Roger Angell at age 101.
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This week, host Isaac Butler talks to Steph Paynes, founder and guitarist of Lez Zeppelin, an all-female group dedicated to the musical and performative stylings of Led Zeppelin. In the interview Steph explains why she doesn’t consider Lez Zeppelin to be a “tribute band.” Then she describes the challenge of mimicking some aspects of the legendary rock band while still being unique and expressive.
After the interview, Isaac and co-host June Thomas discuss Steph’s attention to detail and the raw sexuality of both Lez and Led Zeppelin.
In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Steph tells the story of the time Jimmy Page showed up at one of Lez Zeppelin’s shows.
Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected] or give us a call at (304) 933-9675.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews.
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 Big Mood, Little Mood—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on Working. Sign up now at slate.com/workingplus.
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While TikTok’s “For You” page is designed to get inside users’ heads—and only show them videos about their niche interests—certain trends and sounds on the app can become too big to avoid. On this week’s episode, Madison and guest host Moises Mendes II break down the disturbing ubiquity of TikToks making fun of the Depp v. Heard defamation trial. Then, they offer insight into the app’s newest dance craze and our strongest contender for 2022 song of the summer, Lizzo’s “About Damn Time.” Finally, they trace the origins of TikTok’s strangest earworm, the “Jiggle Jiggle” rap.
Podcast production by Madeline Ducharme and Derek John.
Support ICYMI and listen to the show with zero ads. Sign up to become a Slate Plus member for just $1 for your first month.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
What was in the water in Virginia Beach? Starting in the ’90s and peaking in the ’00s, Pharrell Williams, Timothy “Timbaland” Mosley and Missy Elliott—friends and family from the Tidewater Region—made nerdy pop normal on the charts. Their productions whirred, gurgled, pinged and rumbled—the handiwork of studio geeks—while their lyrics embraced the freaky: Missy demanding that you work it…Pharrell declaring he’s a hustler, baby…Timbaland bringing sexy back.
Join host Chris Molanphy as he explains how these three supa-dupa fly Virginia Beach geniuses helped us get our freak on. For over two decades, they never left you without a dope beat to step to.
Podcast production by Kevin Bendis.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
On this week’s episode of The Waves, historian and original Waves host, Marcia Chatelain is joined by sociologist Danielle Lindemann to talk all things reality TV. They discuss Danielle’s new book, True Story: What Reality TV Says About Us and why we don’t take reality television as seriously as we should. Later in the show they talk about why women are more successful at monetizing their reality TV brand and how the genre takes us on a tour of the class system.
In Slate Plus: Is The Bachelorette feminist?
Recommendations:
Marcia: The True Crime Obsessed podcast, Let the Women Do the Work
Danielle: The Netflix series Selling Sunset
Podcast production by Cheyna Roth with editorial oversight by Shannon Palus and Alicia Montgomery.
Send your comments and recommendations on what to cover to [email protected]
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On this edition of Working Overtime, hosts June Thomas and Karen Han hear from a listener who can’t decide which creative project to move forward with. First, they discuss how to evaluate a project’s potential for success. Then they imagine what it would be like to choose between projects if money weren’t a factor.
Do you have a question about creative work? Call and leave a message at 304-933-9675, or email us at [email protected].
Podcast production by Kevin Bendis and Cameron Drews.
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 Big Mood, Little Mood—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on Working. Sign up now at slate.com/workingplus.
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In this episode, Rachelle Hampton and Madison Malone Kircher speak with Dion Beary, a writer and online community builder who founded the Tumblr blog This Is White Privilege. They talk with Beary about where that blog began, its impact on online discourse, and why he stepped away.
Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder and Derek John.
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This month Bryan, Christina, and Jules explore the intersection of queer life and incarceration. How has America’s prison-loving penal system shaped our history and present, and how does that experience get channeled—or not—into the culture we make and consume? The hosts are joined by Hugh Ryan, author of the new book The Women’s House of Detention: A Queer History of a Forgotten Prison, which uses one infamous mid-century institution in New York’s Greenwich Village to return the overlooked lives of incarcerated women and transmasculine folks to our collective story, and to make a stirring case for prison abolition as a queer issue. Then they discuss how prison shows up in pop culture—and whether they’re entirely comfortable with those fantasies.
Two recent articles on phalloplasty: “How Ben Got His Penis,” by Jamie Lauren Keiles in the New York Times, and “My Penis Myself,” by Gabriel Mac in New York
“Madison Cawthorn Thrusting His Naked Body on Another Man’s Face Doesn’t Tell Us Much About His ‘Gayness,’ ” by Bryan in Slate
Not Gay: Sex Between Straight White Men, by Jane Ward
The Women’s House of Detention: A Queer History of a Forgotten Prison, by Hugh Ryan
When Brooklyn Was Queer, by Hugh Ryan
Huey P. Newton’s 1970 speech on the women’s liberation and gay liberation movements
Christina: Great Freedom
Jules: The Vice series Transnational
Bryan: From Gay to Z: A Queer Compendium, by Justin Elizabeth Sayres
This podcast was produced by June Thomas.
Please send feedback, topic ideas, and advice questions to [email protected].
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This week, the panel begins by discussing the new true crime series Under the Banner of Heaven. Then, the panel time travels with the film Petite Maman. Finally, the panel debates “The Future of Public Parks,” inspired by a New Yorker piece from Alexandra Lange.
In Slate Plus, the panel discusses their experiences having their work edited.
Email us at [email protected].
Endorsements
Dan: The novel, Howards End by E.M. Forster.
Julia: A listener response to her former request of snorkeling’s relationship to birdwatching.
Steve: A book review in The New Statesman from Scotland’s National Poet, Kathleen Jamie, titled “What rocks teach us about the human condition,” which reviews Hugh Raffles’ book The Book of Unconformities: Speculations on Lost Time.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Nadira Goffe.
Outro music is "Last Sunday" 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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When did everyone become a storyteller? Decades after George Lucas and Steve Jobs made storytelling a big business, every company now wants to tell “Our Story.” Instagram and TikTok let everyone else tell their “stories,” and the number of people calling themselves storytellers on LinkedIn is now more than half a million. Something we have done for the entirety of our existence as a species has become just another fad.
In this episode of Decoder Ring, we’re going to look at where this trend came from and where it’s going. What Willa discovered changed the way she now thinks about stories—and it might do the same for you.
Some of the voices you’ll hear in this episode include Margaret O’Mara, historian and author of The Code: Silicon Valley and the Remaking of America; Michael Simon, director and producer; Francesca Polletta, sociologist at University of California, Irvine; Steve Clayton, Chief Storyteller at Microsoft; Seth Godin, entrepreneur and author of All Marketers Tell Stories; Everett Cook, Associate Editor at Axios Local; and David Paskin, Willa’s father.
Decoder Ring is written and produced by Willa Paskin. This episode was edited by Dan Kois and produced by Elizabeth Nakano. Derek John is Sr. Supervising Producer of Narrative Podcasts. Merritt Jacob is our Technical Director.
If you have any cultural mysteries you want us to decode, email us at [email protected].
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.
Thanks Avast.com!
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Vinson Cunningham, Josh Levin, and Ben Mathis-Lilley talk about the Mavs’ shocking win over the Suns, the Celtics’ romp over the Bucks, the 76ers’ flameout, and other NBA playoff happenings. They also discuss Tom Brady’s megabucks contract to call NFL games for Fox.
Mavs-Suns (3:05): How Luka Doncic and Dallas embarrassed Phoenix.
More NBA (24:53): With the Bucks and Suns gone, who’s the favorite to win the title?
Brady (48:00): Why does he want to be an announcer? Will he be any good?
Afterball (1:08:28): Ben on Greg Norman, Joe Biden, and what it’s OK to say about Saudi Arabia.
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This week, host Karen Han talks to voice actor and performer Erika Ishii, whose very long resume includes video games, animated series, and live action projects. In the interview, Erika explains their process of bringing video game characters to life–characters like Valkyrie in the game Apex Legends. Then Erika discusses diversity among both characters and performers in the gaming industry and the ability to say no to projects that aren’t the right fit.
After the interview, Karen and co-host Isaac Butler talk about diversity in entertainment and the progress that has yet to be made.
In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Erika lists some of the voice acting that has inspired them over the years.
Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected] or give us a call at (304) 933-9675.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews.
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 Big Mood, Little Mood—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on Working. Sign up now at slate.com/workingplus.
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The “troubled teen” industry, which refers to a network of private wilderness youth programs, therapeutic boarding schools, and residential treatment centers has recently come under scrutiny thanks to TikTok. Survivors of this industry have taken to the app to post stories of their traumatic experiences. On today’s show, Madison and Rachelle talk to Kendee and Daniel, two TikTokkers who’ve become voices of the “troubled teen” industry survivor movement. They take us through what they refer to as “legal kidnapping”, the harsh conditions and manual labor they were subjected to, what life’s been like since they got out, and how TikTok has helped them heal.
Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder.
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This week’s Spoiler Specials takes on Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. Film critic Dana Stevens is joined by Slate senior editor Sam Adams to spoil the Marvel film that stars Benedict Cumberbatch, Elizabeth Olsen, and Chiwetel Ejiofor. Directed by Sam Raimi, the first action scene takes place at the wedding of Doctor Stephen Strange’s (Benedict Cumberbatch) ex (Rachel McAdams) being interrupted by a one-eyed octopus creature from space that’s chasing after America Chavez (Xochitl Gomez).
It’s an explosive start to a film that has some of the best –and the worst– of what Marvel movies are famous for.
Read Sam’s review of the movie.
Note: As the title indicates, this podcast contains spoilers galore.
Email us at [email protected].
Podcast production by Jasmine Ellis.
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On this week’s episode of The Waves, we’re reflecting on the impact of Bitch Media, which started as a zine in the 90s, and grew into a print publication and website . Slate staff writer Heather Schwedel is joined by Bitch co-founder Andi Zeisler to talk about the history of Bitch. Then, they explore why feminist media is struggling, despite maybe being more necessary than ever.
In Slate Plus: Is asking if things are feminist, feminist?
Recommendations:
Heather: Ghosts by Dolly Alderton
Andi: Time Zone J by Julie Doucet
Mentioned in the Show:
“Bitch and the End of Independent Feminist Media” by Jude Ellison S. Doyle
Podcast production by Cheyna Roth with editorial oversight by Shannon Palus and Alicia Montgomery.
Send your comments and recommendations on what to cover to [email protected]
Thanks Avast.com!
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“Am I the asshole?” The provocative question lies at the heart of a wildly popular subreddit whose reach has spread far beyond the platform. On today’s show, Rachelle and Madison dig into the history and legacy of the 4-million-subscriber-strong advice forum that is the “Am I the Asshole” subreddit. They speak with Mallola Khalidi, a TikTokker who’s blown up on the platform after she started filming herself reading AITA posts. They discuss how she got started, how her videos have been received, and some of the wildest stories she’s ever read aloud.
Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder.
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This week, Steve is joined by author and Slate editor and writer, Dan Kois, and Slate staff writer, Heather Schwedel. The panel begins by discussing the French film Happening with Susan Matthews, Slate’s news director and the host of Slow Burn Season 7, which will focus on Roe v. Wade. Then, the panel sails the high seas with HBO’s Our Flag Means Death. Finally, Julia pops in for a surprise guest segment as the panel discusses Kim Kardashian’s Marilyn Monroe-inspired Met Gala appearance.
In Slate Plus, the panel discusses culture that shaped their ideas of 40s and 50s adulthood.
Email us at [email protected].
Endorsements
Dan: A contemporary novel about a very bad art friend that was somewhat overlooked in January, Last Resort by Andrew Lipstein.
Heather: Hersey’s Colliders—a two-part refrigerated dessert.
Steve: The 2002 Brazilian epic crime film City of God.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Nadira Goffe.
Outro music is "Self Made Woman" by Katharine Appleton.
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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In the 1970s, a song about protesting truckers topped the music charts in multiple countries, and kicked off a pop culture craze for CB radios. In early 2022, that same song became an anthem for a new trucker-led protest movement in Canada and the US. How did C.W. McCall’s “Convoy” come to exist, and what had it been trying to say?
For this episode, which was inspired by a listener’s question, we’ve updated a story that originally aired in 2017, but that could not be more relevant today. Slate producer Evan Chung is going to take us through the history of this bizarre number-one smash, an artifact from a time when truckers were also at the center of the culture. It touches on advertising, hamburger buns, and speed limits but also global conflict, sky-rocketing gas prices, and aggrieved, protesting truck drivers.
Some of the voices you’ll hear in this episode include Bill Fries, advertising executive; Chip Davis, singer and songwriter; and Meg Jacobs, historian and author of Panic at the Pump.
This episode of Decoder Ring was written and produced by Evan Chung and Willa Paskin with help from Elizabeth Nakano. Derek John is Sr. Supervising Producer of Narrative Podcasts. Merritt Jacob is our Technical Director.
If you have any cultural mysteries you want us to decode, email us at [email protected].
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.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Vinson Cunningham, Stefan Fatsis, and Josh Levin are joined by the New York Times‘ Joe Drape to talk about Rich Strike’s shocking Kentucky Derby win. They also discuss Brittney Griner’s continued detention in Russia. Finally, Shane Ryan joins for a conversation about the Ryder Cup and sports trivia.
Kentucky Derby (2:27): Inside one of the biggest upsets in horse racing history.
Brittney Griner (24:41): What comes next in the diplomatic crisis?
Ryder Cup and trivia (45:39): The evolution of golf’s showcase event, and the theory and practice of sports trivia.
Afterball (1:10:47): Vinson on Draymond Green, NBA ombudsman.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
This week, host Isaac Butler talks to theater director Awoye Timpo and dramaturg Arminda Thomas. In the interview, Awoye and Arminda start by defining the roles of director and dramaturg and explaining why they work so well together. They also discuss their group CLASSIX, which aims to revive the work of Black playwrights and to “explode” the classical canon. Then Awoye and Arminda talk about their latest play Wedding Band, written by the mid-twentieth-century playwright Alice Childress.
After the interview, Isaac and co-host June Thomas discuss the pleasures of archival research and the challenges of directing a play that was written during an earlier time period.
In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Awoye explains what it’s like to direct child actors, especially in a play that contains very adult subject matter.
Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected] or give us a call at (304) 933-9675.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews.
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 Big Mood, Little Mood—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on Working. Sign up now at slate.com/workingplus.
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After the Supreme Court opinion dismantling Roe v. Wade was leaked earlier this week, social media has been flooded with people telling you to delete your period tracker apps. On today’s show, Rachelle and Madison talk about their own experiences using period tracking apps, the ways your personal data can be purchased and used against you, and why data privacy in this country is nothing but a joke.
Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
With one million dead from COVID, many Americans are suffering through profound grief. And for Black Americans, the pandemic combined with the racial reckoning has made the mourning feel endless. On this week’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson talks with writer Marisa Renee Lee about her new book Grief Is Love: Living With Loss, and about making space for joy in the midst of grief.
Guest: Marisa Renee Lee, a writer, speaker, and entrepreneur. Her new book is Grief Is Love: Living With Loss.
Podcast production by Jasmine Ellis
You can skip all the ads in A Word by joining Slate Plus. Sign up now at slate.com/awordplus for just $1 for your first month.
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On this edition of Working Overtime, hosts Karen Han and June Thomas reply to a listener named Jamey, who thinks it might be time to abandon a novel-writing project. Karen and June first discuss projects they’ve abandoned and share what drove them to that decision. Then they discuss ways to salvage the best parts of a failed project to use on the next one.
Do you have a question about creative work? Call and leave a message at 304-933-9675, or email us at [email protected].
Podcast production by Kevin Bendis and Cameron Drews.
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 Big Mood, Little Mood—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on Working. Sign up now at slate.com/workingplus.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
On this week’s episode of The Waves, we start with a conversation with upcoming Slow Burn: Roe v Wade host, Susan Matthews and Slate senior producer Cheyna Roth about the implications of the recently leaked Supreme Court opinion overturning Roe.
In the main show, we shift focus to gender violence as the Johnny Depp v. Amber Heard trial continues. Cheyna sits down with Dr. Nicole Bedera about what happens when fans try to play detective and how we should actually be talking to victims of violence. Later in the show they talk about Men’s Rights Activists and the broader implications of suing people who accuse someone of assault.
In Slate Plus, is Mother’s Day feminist?
Podcast production by Cheyna Roth with editorial oversight by Shannon Palus and Alicia Montgomery.
Send your comments and recommendations on what to cover to [email protected]
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
The ICYMI mailbag is full once again so Rachelle and Madison decided to read some listener letters for today’s episode. On the show, they answer questions about a recent theory that Wes Anderson’s films have the trappings of fascist art, bad resurfaced tweets from online influencer Tinx, people over on TikTok talking about cussing, and more.
Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder.
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This week, Isaac Butler, author and co-host of Slate’s podcast Working, fills in for Steve as the panel begins by seeking Valhalla with The Northman. Then, the panel takes a time-traveling ride with Season 2 of Russian Doll. Finally, the panel is joined by Slate senior editor Rebecca Onion to discuss the new social media app BeReal.
In Slate Plus, the panel—plus guest producer Jessamine Molli—share their experiences watching content while under the influence.
Email us at [email protected].
Endorsements
Dana: The Hans Holbein exhibit Holbein: Capturing Character at The Morgan Library & Museum in New York City. Their website has a great online version of the exhibit with audio and artistic reproductions.
Julia: Still looking for RFP on snorkeling; also: an old-school internet delight: Grunge Frasier.
Isaac: Two novels! First: The Broken Sword by Poul Anderson from the mid-20th century. Second: the new novel Happy For You by Claire Stanford.
Buy Dana’s book and Isaac’s book!
Podcast production by Jessamine Molli. Production assistance by Nadira Goffe.
Outro music is The King by Robin Carolan and Sebastian Gainsborough from The Northman (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack).
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In 2004, the indie flick Sideways was released in just four theaters, but it had a big impact, earning five Oscar nominations and $110 million worldwide. “I thought it was just going to be a nice little comedy,” filmmaker Alexander Payne tells us. Instead, the movie became known for something else so notable that it has a name: The Sideways Effect.
In this episode, we explore all the outsized effects of this one little movie on the huge wine industry. Did a single line of dialogue really tank merlot sales for decades? Did an ode to pinot noir jumpstart demand for this expensive grape? Did Paul Giamatti’s sad sack character change our relationship to yet another wine, one that was barely mentioned in the film?
Today on Decoder Ring, all of these questions and this one: Is it long past time to start drinking merlot?
Some of the voices in this episode include Laura Lippmann, crime novelist; Tim Farrell, wine buyer for Brooklyn Wine Exchange; Rex Pickett, novelist and author of ‘Sideways,’ Alexander Payne, director, screenwriter, and producer; Jeff Bundschu, owner of Gundlach Bundschu; Steve Cuellar, professor of economics at Sonoma State University; and Kathy Joseph, owner of Fiddlehead Cellars. We also mention Travis Lybbert’s paper corroborating the “Sideways Effect,” which you can find here.
Decoder Ring is written and produced by Willa Paskin. This episode was produced by Elizabeth Nakano. Derek John is Sr. Supervising Producer of Narrative Podcasts.
If you have any cultural mysteries you want us to decode, email us at [email protected].
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.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Welcome to Slate Money Goes to the Movies, a miniseries in which Felix Salmon, Emily Peck, and a different guest each week discuss popular business-themed movies.
Taffy Brodesser-Akner, journalist and author of the novel turned soon-to-be television show, Fleishman Is in Troublejoins Felix and Emily to talk about the 1990 dark comedy The Bonfire of the Vanities. They get into why Emily hated this movie, the differences between the movie and the book, and all the racism. Plus, there’s some behind-the-scenes industry talk.
Email: [email protected]
Podcast production by Cheyna Roth
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Vinson Cunningham and Stefan Fatsis are joined by Slate’s Jack Hamilton to talk about the NBA playoffs and the dawn of de facto free agency in college sports. Also, Kalyn Kahler of Defector discusses the NFL draft and her reporting on a rape allegation against an NFL lineman.
NBA playoffs (2:03): Giannis Antetokounmpo led the Bucks to an easy win over the Celtics. Can Boston turn it around?
College sports (25:07): Name, image, and likeness rights have quickly ushered in a new era.
NFL draft (42:26): Edge rushers and wide receivers, not quarterbacks, were the hot commodities in Vegas.
Afterball (1:05:40): Stefan on the rise of the “edge”—or it is “EDGE”?—in the NFL.
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This week, host June Thomas talks to Hannah Kirshner, author of Water, Wood, and Wild Things: Learning Craft and Cultivation in a Japanese Mountain Town. In the interview, Hannah explains how her original plan to write a cookbook turned into an immersive reporting experience, where she practiced and documented multiple artisanal disciplines, like sake brewing and wood turning. She also discusses what it was like to be an outsider navigating the norms of rural Japan.
After the interview, June and co-host Karen Han talk about the difference between appreciation and appropriation when reporting on a culture different from one’s own.
In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Hannah talks in greater detail about working at a sake brewery. Then she explains the care and discipline that goes into growing rice.
Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected] or give us a call at (304) 933-9675.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews.
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 Big Mood, Little Mood—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on Working. Sign up now at slate.com/workingplus.
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Lea Michele is in the news again because of some rather personal details she reveals about her relationship with her Spring Awakening co-star, Jonathan Groff, in a new documentary about the musical. At the same time, the internet conspiracy theory that the former Glee star is illiterate has resurfaced. On the show today, Rachelle and Allegra enumerate the reasons Lea’s trending once again, the details about her ability to read, and why the internet loves to hate her.
Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder.
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Five years ago this month, Hit Parade launched on the Slate podcast network. What have we learned in that half-decade? And what episodes did you love the most? We asked you to vote—and the results may surprise you. Sure, you enjoyed our shows about Madonna, Nirvana, Whitney, Mariah, Bruce, Stevie and Janet. But even more than that, you loved our nerdy deep dives about the producers behind “Le Freak”…the rules for One-Hit Wonders…the college-rockers from Athens, Ga.…the man behind Meat Loaf…the smooth players behind Yacht Rock…and that explainer about why you had to pay top dollar for CDs in the ’90s with only one good song.
Join host Chris Molanphy as he shares his founding principles for Hit Parade, and counts down your 20 favorite shows. Happy fifth birthday to us! We’re finally old enough for kindergarten.
Podcast production by Kevin Bendis.
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This week’s Spoiler Specials takes on The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent. Film critic Dana Stevens is joined by Keith Phipps to spoil this action-packed comedy, starring Nicolas Cage as a struggling actor who is desperate to get back on the A list. Nicolas Cage plays Nick Cage, with Tiffany Haddish, Pedro Pascal, and Neil Patrick Harris co-starring. Dana and Keith tell listeners if this self-referential romp went deep enough.
Read Dana’s review of the movie.
Note: As the title indicates, this podcast contains spoilers galore.
Email us at [email protected].
Podcast production by Jasmine Ellis.
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On this week’s episode of The Waves, Slate senior writer, Christina Cauterucci and Slate science editor Shannon Palus, talk pineapples on sticks. Christina’s new piece, “What’s Eating Edible Arrangements” on the changes at Edible Arrangements sparked a conversation about gender roles that likely led do the creation of the company that now goes by Edible. Then they unpack the company’s pivot to CBD and what its attempt at “wellness culture” really means.
In Slate Plus, are workout selfies feminist?
Recommendations:
Shannon: Harry & David fruit boxes.
Christina: Season 2 of HBO’s The Flight Attendant.
Podcast production by Cheyna Roth with editorial oversight by Shannon Palus and Alicia Montgomery.
Send your comments and recommendations on what to cover to [email protected]
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TikTok star William White has a large and devoted fanbase of middle-aged women lusting after him as he lip-syncs to ‘80s songs. But things have taken a darker turn recently, as his fans have started turning on each other. On today’s show, Madison and Rachelle talk with journalist Jessica Lucas, who reported on White’s fanbase in a recent piece for Input. They discuss why these women are so obsessed with him, the alarming culture that has sprung up around him, and how he’s used his following for monetary gain.
Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder.
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This week, the panel begins by assessing Nicolas Cage’s satirical cinematic metaverse in The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent. Then, the panel is joined by co-host of Slate’s Working podcast, Isaac Butler, to discuss the final season of Better Call Saul. Finally, the panel is joined by Washington Post columnist Will Oremus to break down Elon Musk’s recent acquisition of Twitter.
In Slate Plus, Steve corrects a mistake and the panel discusses their relationships to imaginary places.
Email us at [email protected].
Endorsements
Dana: Cousin endorsements involving the Mankiewicz family. First: Nick Davis’ book Competing With Idiots: Herman and Joe Mankiewicz, A Dual Portrait. Second: This video of Ben Mankiewicz interviewing Bruce Dern.
Julia: Snorkeling!
Steve: A 2015 edition of local radio program Alternative Radio: Audio Energy for Democracy in which Timothy Snyder (author of On Tyranny) discusses the Holocaust.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Nadira Goffe.
Outro music is "Back to Silence" 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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When we think of method acting, we tend to think of actors going a little over the top for a role – like Jared Leto, who allegedly sent his colleagues dead rats when he was preparing to be The Joker, or Robert De Niro refusing to break character on the set of the movie Raging Bull.
But that’s not how method acting began. On this episode of Decoder Ring: we look at how “The Method” came to be so well-known and yet so widely misunderstood. It’s a saga that spans three centuries and involves scores of famous actors, directors and teachers. And it altered how we think about realism, authenticity, and a good performance.
Our guest today is Isaac Butler, who wrote The Method: How The 20th Century Learned to Act.
Decoder Ring is written and produced by Willa Paskin. This episode was produced by Elizabeth Nakano. Derek John is Sr. Supervising Producer of Narrative Podcasts.
If you have any cultural mysteries you want us to decode, email us at [email protected].
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.
Thanks Avast.com!
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Welcome to Slate Money Goes to the Movies, a miniseries in which Felix Salmon, Emily Peck, and a different guest each week discuss popular business-themed movies.
Cardiff Garcia, co-founder of Bazaar Audio, joins Felix and Emily to talk about the 1999 cult classic, Office Space. They get into how office life has changed since the movie’s premier, whether Peter would actually make a good manager, and poor, poor Milton.
Email: [email protected]
Podcast production by Cheyna Roth
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Vinson Cunningham, Stefan Fatsis, and Josh Levin talk about the decline of the Brooklyn Nets and the rise of the New Orleans Pelicans. They also discuss Wimbledon’s decision to ban Russian and Belarusian athletes, and they review the HBO series Winning Time, on the 1980s Los Angeles Lakers.
NBA playoffs (3:55): What’s gone wrong for Brooklyn? What’s going right for New Orleans?
Wimbledon (25:34): Is there any logic to banning individual Russian athletes?
Winning Time (49:08): What the show gets right and what it gets wrong.
Afterball (1:09:52): Josh on hiding in sports.
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This week, host Karen Han talks to Christina Chang, creative director for the animated series We Baby Bears on Cartoon Network. In the interview, Christina explains what a creative director does and describes the common challenges that animators and storyboard artists face. She also discusses her career journey and the challenges of assuming a leadership role.
After the interview, Karen and co-host June Thomas talk about how production budgets can affect animated series. Then they discuss the benefits of studying other people’s work to improve your own.
In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Karen and Christina chat about burnout and taking breaks.
Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected] or give us a call at (304) 933-9675.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews.
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 Big Mood, Little Mood—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on Working. Sign up now at slate.com/workingplus.
--
Thanks to Avast.com!
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In the past few years, trend pieces have flooded the internet telling us that Gen Z is a bunch of “puriteens” and not having as much sex as the rest of us. Looks like we’ve got a new moral panic on our hands. On today’s show, You’re Wrong About’s Sarah Marshall joins Rachelle to talk about the hand-wringing reasons people think the youth aren’t engaging in sex, why our society is so obsessed with the sex lives of teenagers, and how Gen Z might just have the healthiest relationship with sex yet, even if they aren’t having any.
Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder.
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On this week’s episode of The Waves, senior producer Cheyna Roth is joined by freelance science writer Eleanor Cummins to talk about the possible resurgence of Ecofeminism. Eleanor recently published “Is Ecofeminism Due for a Comeback?” in The New Republic. They discuss how the term came to be “passe,” what places are embracing the concept of combining feminism and the environment (and trying to save the Amazon in the process), and why the time is right for feminists to embrace the planet.
In Slate Plus, the waves of Ecofeminism, and where the term “tree-hugger” came from.
Recommendations:
Cheyna: Anxious People by Fredrik Backman
Eleanor: Disorientation by Elaine Hsieh Chou
Podcast production by Cheyna Roth with editorial oversight by Shannon Palus and Alicia Montgomery.
Send your comments and recommendations on what to cover to [email protected]
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For this week’s episode of Working Overtime, hosts Isaac Butler and June Thomas answer a question from a physics teacher named Anya, who thinks we should all view teaching as the creative practice that it is. Building a creative atmosphere for students can provide some truly inspired ways of teaching, but it can just as easily wind up going a little overboard…
What did a teacher do that you found really creative? Or are there some creative teaching habits that should really be avoided? Share them with us at (304) 933-9675 or email us at [email protected].
Podcast production by Kevin Bendis and Cameron Drews.
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 Big Mood, Little Mood—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on Working. Sign up now at slate.com/workingplus.
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Three people involved with Club Penguin Rewritten, a fan-made remake of a popular Disney game, were arrested last week by the City of London police because they were infringing on Disney’s copyright. On the show today, Rachelle and Allegra talk about the history of Club Penguin, growing up on browser games, and what this news could mean for other fan-created remakes of now-defunct games.
Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder.
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This month Bryan, Christina, and Jules take a break from talking about the hostile legislation queer and trans people are fighting against to talk about what they’re fighting for. Brooklyn kindergarten teacher Eliza Cutler joins the hosts to share what it looks like when teachers are free to speak about LGBTQ lives in the classroom. Then they discuss the queer family drama at the heart of the new genre-bending, multiverse-hopping film Everything Everywhere All at Once. (NOTE: If you don't want to hear spoilers for Everything Everywhere All at Once, you can jump from the 33-minute mark to the 59-minute point, but come back after you've seen the movie. You don't want to miss this conversation.)
Items discussed in the show:
Robbie Pierce’s Twitter thread about the homophobic harassment his family endured while riding Amtrak
Queers responding to homophobic legislation with … merch
The long life and sad demise of Bitch Media.
They She He Me: Free to Be, by Maya Christina Gonzalez and Matthew SG
Morris Micklewhite and the Tangerine Dress, by Christine Baldacchino and Isabelle Malenfant
Jacob’s New Dress, by Sarah and Ian Hoffman and Chris Cage
Introducing Teddy, by Jessica Walton and Dougal MacPherson
Pugdog, by Andrea U’Ren
“Everything Everywhere All at Once Is a Queer Masterpiece of Colossa Sincerity,” by Drew Gregory, in Autostraddle
“Everything Everywhere All at Once Is an Emotional Gut Punch About Queer Erasure, Acceptance,” by Patrick Ryan, in USA Today
“This One Stale Joke Won’t Let Everything Everywhere All at Once Be Great,” by Kyle Turner, in W
“On Being Trans and Watching Everything Everywhere All at Once,” by Linda Codega, in Gizmodo
Gay Agenda
Christina: “Sex, Love, and Art in the Suburbs,” by Garth Greenwell, in Esquire
Bryan: “This Beach in Mexico Is an L.G.B.T.Q. Haven. But Can It Last?” by Oscar Lopez and Lisette Poole, in the New York Times
Jules: Manhunt, by Gretchen Felker-Martin
This podcast was produced by June Thomas.
Please send feedback, topic ideas, and advice questions to [email protected].
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This week, the panel begins by entering the multiverse of Everything Everywhere All At Once. Then, the panel dives into Apple TV+’s newest spy drama Slow Horses (based on books that were reviewed by Slate’s own Laura Miller). Finally, the panel talks about music’s next big thing: British indie-rock duo Wet Leg’s newest self-titled album.
In Slate Plus, the panel discusses a Gawker article from Rachel Connolly, titled “The ‘Pity Me!’ Personal Essay.”
Email us at [email protected].
Endorsements
Dana: Dana reads Herman Melville’s sonnet titled “Art” about…art! Also, this video of Dana’s recent book event in Philadelphia!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CyODZSE6w_o
Julia: L.A. Times’ Festival of Books—where both Julia and Dana are doing panels!—which takes place April 23–24th. In addition: L.A. Times’ “Lit City” package which includes a list of “The 65 best bookstores in L.A.” Notably from that list is Julia’s listener-inspired selection: Children’s Book World.
Steve: An essay in the NYRoB by M.W. Feldman and Jessica Riskin, titled “Why Biology Is Not Destiny,” in which they review The Genetic Lottery by Kathryn Harden.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Nadira Goffe.
Outro music is "Lonely Calling" by Arc De Soleil
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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In the early 2000s, an arms race broke out in the world of men’s shaving. After decades with razors that had only one blade and then decades with razors that had only two, the number of blades rapidly spiraled up and up and up.
It’s a skirmish sometimes referred to as The Razor Blade Wars, and it was a face-off about innovation, competition, capitalism, masculinity, and most of all, how strange things can become after you’ve created something that’s the best a consumer can get — and then you have to keep going.
Some of the voices you’ll hear in this episode include Rebecca Herzig, author of Plucked: A History of Hair Removal; Tim Dowling, Guardian columnist and author of Inventor of the Disposable Culture: King Camp Gillette 1855-1932; Dan Koeppel, razor blade zelig; and Kaitlyn Tiffany, writer for the Atlantic.
If you want to read more about razor blades, check out:
Decoder Ring is written and produced by Willa Paskin. This episode was produced by Elizabeth Nakano. Derek John is Sr. Supervising Producer of Narrative Podcasts.
If you have any cultural mysteries you want us to decode, email us at [email protected]
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 Home. Made. here
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Welcome to Slate Money Goes to the Movies, a miniseries in which Felix Salmon, Emily Peck, and a different guest each week discuss popular business-themed movies.
Former Slate editor Jared Hohlt joins Felix and Emily to talk about the 1999 thriller The Talented Mr. Ripley…along with another movie! They get into the sexual politics of the movie and the furniture in it, how the movie stacks up against the Patricia Highsmith novel it’s based on, and get into the 1975 grift movie, Fox and His Friends.
Email: [email protected]
Podcast production by Cheyna Roth
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Vinson Cunningham, Stefan Fatsis, and Josh Levin discuss the epic Game 1 of the Nets-Celtics series. They also talk about the Minnesota Timberwolves, young playoff stars, and Brooklyn Nets owner Joe Tsai. Finally, the Ringer’s Ben Lindbergh joins for a conversation about near-perfection at the start of the baseball season.
Nets-Celtics (3:05): Jayson Tatum, Kyrie Irving, and a whole lot more.
NBA playoffs (26:39): What we’re watching this postseason.
Baseball (49:02): The sadness of two perfect games that almost were.
Afterball (1:09:34): Vinson on the Timberwolves’ spotty playoff history.
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This week, host June Thomas talks to sisters Natalia and Lauren O’Hara, who work as an author/illustrator team to create children’s books like Hortense and the Shadow and Frindleswylde. In the interview, Natalia and Lauren discuss their collaborative relationship, their early exposure to fairy tales, and misconceptions about gender in children’s book publishing.
After the interview, June and co-host Isaac Butler talk about sibling relationships and what it’s like to collaborate with a close friend or family member.
In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, June asks Natalia and Lauren if they ever include Easter eggs for parents in their books. Then the three of them discuss Northern English accents and rhyming words.
Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected] or give us a call at (304) 933-9675.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews.
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 Big Mood, Little Mood—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on Working. Sign up now at slate.com/workingplus.
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David Plotz talks with author Amy Bloom about her journey to support the death, by suicide, of her husband, chronicled in her new book In Love: A Memoir of Love and Loss.
Tweet us your questions @SlateGabfest or email us at [email protected]. (Messages could be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.)
Podcast production by Jocelyn Frank.
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This is a reprise of the first episode of our season on 1977.
Miami, 1977: Pop singer and orange juice spokeswoman Anita Bryant takes a stand against a local ordinance—and becomes the leader of a national anti-gay movement. Her campaign against gay rights, and the gay community's fight against her, would change America.
One Year is produced by Josh Levin, Evan Chung, and Madeline Ducharme. Mixing by Merritt Jacob.
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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 the show today, Rachelle and Madison 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.
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Five years ago this month, Hit Parade launched on the Slate podcast network. What have we learned in that half-decade? And what episodes did you love the most? We asked you to vote—and the results may surprise you. Sure, you enjoyed our shows about Madonna, Nirvana, Whitney, Mariah, Bruce, Stevie and Janet. But even more than that, you loved our nerdy deep dives about the producers behind “Le Freak”…the rules for One-Hit Wonders…the college-rockers from Athens, Ga.…the man behind Meat Loaf…the smooth players behind Yacht Rock…and that explainer about why you had to pay top dollar for CDs in the ’90s with only one good song.
Join host Chris Molanphy as he shares his founding principles for Hit Parade, and counts down your 20 favorite shows. Happy fifth birthday to us! We’re finally old enough for kindergarten.
Podcast production by Kevin Bendis.
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On this week’s Spoiler Specials, Slate’s Marissa Martinelli and Rebecca Onion spoil season 2 of the Netflix hit Bridgerton. It’s wedding season again, and this time, it’s Lord Anthony Bridgerton’s (Jonathan Bailey) turn to marry. But for the Viscount, finding a wife is more about one’s duty to the family line than love. And Lord Bridgerton thinks he’s found the perfect match in Edwina Sharma (Charithra Chandran). But will her sister Kate (Simone Ashley) approve? With all the drama that unfolds, how will Lady Whistledown keep up with this season’s shenanigans?
Read Rebecca’s review of the second season.
Note: As the title indicates, this podcast contains spoilers galore.
Email us at [email protected].
Podcast production by Jasmine Ellis.
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On this week’s episode of The Waves, Slate senior editor Shannon Palus is joined by science journalist, Rachel E. Gross to talk all about female anatomy. They discuss Rachel’s new book, Vagina Obscura: An Anatomical Voyage and how much science has to learn when it comes to diagnosing female maladies. Then they get into ovaries and all the misconceptions about these “egg baskets.”
In Slate Plus, is the term “pussy” feminist?
Articles discussed in this episode:
The Word for Anatomy That Shouldn’t Be “Vulgar” by Zoe Mendelson
Seventeen Years of Bad Sex by Allyson Rudolph
Ovaries Are Prone to ‘Exhaustion’ and ‘Fatigue.’ Or Are They? By Rachel Gross
Recommendations:
Shannon: Wearing wide-legged jeans.
Rachel: Showing yourself some, ah-hem, love.
Podcast production by Cheyna Roth with editorial oversight by Shannon Palus and Alicia Montgomery.
Send your comments and recommendations on what to cover to [email protected]
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Another day on the internet, another online challenge to laugh at. Even the ABC sitcom Abbott Elementary is getting in on it. On today’s show, Rachelle and Madison talk about the Abbott Elementary episode that so perfectly skewers all the adults posting their challenges online, the reemergence of the water cup challenge, and what’s really at the root of online challenge culture.
Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder.
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This week, the panel is joined by June Thomas, co-host of Working (Slate’s podcast on the creative process). They begin by digesting HBO’s Julia Child series, Julia, starring one of June’s favorites: Sarah Lancashire. Then, the panel dives into the world of AI with After Yang. Finally, the panel answers Dana’s very important question: is Chris Pine the Robert Redford of our time?
In Slate Plus, the panel discusses their favorite Canadian cultural products.
Email us at [email protected].
Endorsements
Dana: An audiobook which revolutionized the way Dana thinks about Virginia Woolf: Mrs. Dalloway read by Juliet Stevenson (of Truly, Madly, Deeply fame).
June: The Free World: Art and Thought in the Cold War by Louis Menand about a wide range of ideas from World War 2 to The Cold War.
Steve: An essay by general interest writer and professor Justin E. H. Smith, titled “The Punk-Prophet Philosophy of Michel Houellebecq,” for Foreign Policy, in which he writes an uninhibitedly intelligent assessment of the famed French novelist and essayist.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Nadira Goffe.
Outro music is "I Want a Change" by The Big Let Down.
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.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Welcome to Slate Money Goes to the Movies, a miniseries in which Felix Salmon, Emily Peck, and a different guest each week discuss popular business-themed movies.
Author and algorithmic auditor Cathy O’Neil joins Felix and Emily to talk about the 1946 Christmas classic, It’s a Wonderful Life. They talk about whether Jimmy Stewart is too entitled to be this upset, the banks of the 1940s, and the finances of heaven.
Email: [email protected]
Podcast production by Cheyna Roth
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Vinson Cunningham, Stefan Fatsis, and Josh Levin discuss the death of quarterback Dwayne Haskins. Slate’s Jim Newell also joins to discuss Tiger Woods’ dramatic return at the Masters. Finally, they assess the Los Angeles Lakers’ terrible season.
Dwayne Haskins (1:29): How should we talk about athletes who die young?
Tiger Woods (24:57): What comes after his miraculous comeback?
Lakers (47:58): What went so horribly wrong?
Afterball (1:08:17): Stefan on major leaguers who went for 7-for-7 in a single game.
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This week, host Isaac Butler talks to artist and writer Lauren Redniss, whose latest piece of visual nonfiction is Oak Flat: A Fight for Sacred Land in the American West. In the interview, Lauren first explains why she uses both art and text together in her work. Then she shares her reporting process for Oak Flat and describes how she landed on the book’s narrative structure.
After the interview, Isaac and co-host June Thomas discuss Lauren’s fluid artistic style and the importance of structure in nonfiction.
In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Lauren talks about trying her hand at children’s books.
Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected] or give us a call at (304) 933-9675.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews.
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 Big Mood, Little Mood—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on Working. Sign up now at slate.com/workingplus.
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In February, Etsy emailed its sellers to announce that it would be taking a larger cut of their money, even while announcing in the same email that the company’s profits were up. A group of sellers reacted to this increase by starting a movement for sellers to strike on April 11-April 18, 2022. On the show today, Rachelle and Madison explain how we got to this standoff and what the strikers’ demands are, and then speak with an Etsy seller about the news, the experience of banding together with other sellers, and whether or not she’ll even be returning to the site once the strike is finished.
Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder.
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For this week’s episode of Working Overtime, host Isaac Butler helps co-host June Thomas adjust to life as a freelancer. With boundless free time comes the need for new routines to maintain creative muscles and stay on task.
Then the hosts examine routines more broadly. Can lighting a candle set the perfect writing mood? Can a fresh drink and an hour of solitary reflection summon your muse? Joan Didion thought so.
Do you have any creative routines or rituals? Do you find them hard to develop? Share your thoughts with us at (304) 933-9675 or email us at [email protected].
Podcast production by Kevin Bendis and Cameron Drews.
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 Big Mood, Little Mood—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on Working. Sign up now at slate.com/workingplus.
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On this week’s episode of The Waves, Slate staff writers Rebecca Onion and Lili Loofbourow are talking about the prepper community. Is it all toxic masculinity? Is there already a space for women in the community, or do they have to carve their own space? They dig into Lili’s piece on the schism in the prepper reddit community and explore the gender dynamics of a culture that ranges from coupon clipping to hoarding guns. They also discuss Rebecca Onion’s 2016 piece on what prepper fiction reveals about American virtues.
In Slate Plus: Martha Stewart was in the news for an Instagram post about her dead cat. Is her empire feminist?
Recommendations:
Rebecca: The PBS series Sanditon.
Lili: Wearing men’s sweatpants.
Thanks Avast.com!
Podcast production by Cheyna Roth with editorial oversight by Shannon Palus.
Send your comments and recommendations on what to cover to [email protected]
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This Sunday, the Unofficial Bridgerton Musical took home a Grammy. But how was it allowed to compete in the first place? On the show today, Rachelle is joined by our producer, Daniel, to discuss why the Grammys have become so internet-focused, and how the Bridgerton musical sprang from TikTok. Then, Rachelle speaks with University of Colorado law professor Kristelia Garcia about the legal issues that the musical’s creators might need to resolve after their win, and if Netflix can now call Bridgerton a Grammy-award-winning series.
Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder.
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This week, the panel begins by revisiting the iconic film The Godfather in celebration of its 50th anniversary. Then, the panel answers the question Is It Cake? as they cut into Netflix’s newest hit. Finally, the panel is joined by Associate Professor of Music Theory at the University of Memphis, Jeremy Orosz, to discuss forensic musicology and what counts as musical plagiarism—which he wrote about for Slate, using Dua Lipa’s “Levitating” lawsuit as a case study.
In Slate Plus, the panel discusses reverse thematic aversions, or “thematic kinks.”
Email us at [email protected].
Endorsements
Dana: For all the videophiles out there, The Coppola Restoration of The Godfather from 2008, which includes all three parts of the trilogy.
Allegra: New sad girl indie rocker, Leanna Firestone, and her album Forward / Slash which speaks to your inner teen. More specifically, the song “Google Translate / poppies.”
Steve: Julius Aglinskas’ album Daydreamer, which he did with avant-garde experimental music collective, Apartment House.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Nadira Goffe.
Outro music is "You Know What I Want" 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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Joel Anderson, Stefan Fatsis, and Josh Levin discuss Kansas’ win over North Carolina’s in the men’s basketball title game, and the Athletic’s Chantel Jennings joins to talk about South Carolina’s win over UConn for the women’s title. Finally, they talk about Eric Church, and when it’s OK for sports to trump social and professional obligations.
NCAA men (2:21): How the Jayhawks turned it around against the Tar Heels.
NCAA women (22:16): How the Gamecocks steamrolled the Huskies.
Eric Church (46:47): Was he wrong to cancel a concert to go to the Final Four?
Afterball (1:06:51): Josh on a crazy two months in pro tennis.
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Welcome to Slate Money Goes to the Movies, a miniseries in which Felix Salmon, Emily Peck, and a different guest each week discuss popular business-themed movies.
Shazna Nessa of The Wall Street Journal joins Felix and Emily to talk about the 1963 Bengali film, The Big City. They talk about how the feminist themes resonate today, what makes it an “art house” film, and why the ending seems like a low point, but doesn’t feel like one.
Email: [email protected]
Podcast production by Cheyna Roth
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You’ve probably heard about the importance of journaling, putting thoughts on paper to help process the daily vicissitudes of life. But it’s easy to stall once you see a blank page or get self conscious about what exactly you’re writing. On this episode of How To!, we bring together Anna Quindlen, bestselling novelist and author of the new book Write For Your Life, and John Dickerson, co-host of Slate’s Political Gabfest, CBS News reporter, author and veteran journaler. They share their wit and wisdom on how to start writing about your personal life — and how to keep it going amid all the distractions. (And stay tuned after the credits for an exclusive sneak peek of Anna Quindlen’s next novel).
If you liked this episode, check out “How To Write a Bestseller” and “How To Get Your Book Published.”
Do you have a problem that needs solving? Send us a note at [email protected] or leave us a voicemail at 646-495-4001 and we might have you on the show.
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This week, host Karen Han talks to artist and designer Dan-ah Kim, whose work includes the picture book The Grandmasters Daughter and multiple graphic design projects for film and television. In the interview, Dan-ah discusses her traditional style of working and explains how she adapted her work to the picture book form. Then she talks about her graphic design work for the HBO series The Gilded Age.
After the interview, Karen and co-host Isaac Butler discuss martial arts and the difficult work of balancing personal projects with a day job.
In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Dan-ah talks about dabbling in the world of fashion design.
Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected] or give us a call at (304) 933-9675.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews.
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April Fool’s Day is every brand’s favorite holiday. Social media and PR teams get to make all the jokes their marketing department can come up with and face few repercussions. But it’s not all fun and games. On the show today, Rachelle and Madison talk about what nonsense the brands are up to this year, why we’re so easily taken in by internet hoaxes, and how skepticism can harden into something darker.
Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder.
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The early ’70s was a great time for R&B queens on the charts: Roberta Flack. Dionne Warwick. Patti LaBelle. Chaka Khan. They had come through the ’60s—Dionne as a smooth pop-and-B star, Patti as a girl-group frontwoman, Roberta as a cabaret pianist—and found themselves in a new decade with limitless possibilities. Flack turned folk songs into chart-topping, Grammy-winning R&B. Warwick shifted from Brill Building pop to Philly soul. LaBelle threw her insane voice at rock, funk and glam. And a relative newcomer, Rufus frontwoman Chaka Khan, followed in their footsteps, commanding the band and converting to disco, then electro. By the ’80s, all four women were ready for a major chart victory lap.
Join host Chris Molanphy as he traces four parallel careers that expanded the definition of soul from the ’60s through the ’80s and beyond. These soul sisters, flow sisters, bold sisters…killed us softly, walked on by and were, finally, every woman.
Podcast production by Kevin Bendis.
Host
Chris Molanphy
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On this week’s Spoiler Specials, Slate’s movie critic Dana Stevens is joined by Slate’s Jeffrey Bloomer and Dan Kois to spoil Deep Water.
The film opens with marital unease between Vic Van Allen (Ben Affleck) and his wife Melinda (Ana de Armas). Melinda has constant flirtations that Vic moodily tolerates … until he doesn’t.
Note: As the title indicates, this podcast contains spoilers galore.
Email us at [email protected].
Podcast production by Cleo Levin
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Chris Rock is back on tour, days after Will Smith struck him and won his first Oscar in the same night. While the Academy strongly condemned Smith, several Black stars and writers have publicly defended him, or even applauded him for standing up for his wife. On today’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson talks with entertainment journalist Chris Witherspoon about how race is playing out in the debate over what happened, and what should happen next.
Guest: Chris Witherspoon, entertainment journalist and founder/CEO of @PopViewers.
Podcast production by Sam Kim
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On this week’s episode of The Waves, the co-host of Slate’s internet culture podcast ICYMI, Rachelle Hampton sits down with Slate associate editor and romance author, Marissa Martinelli to talk about romance novels and, of course, the television show Bridgerton. In the first half, they dig into the longstanding race and gender politics at play within the romance writing community and gatekeeping, why we need more Short Kings and Fat Women in romance, and of course…Fabio. Then they get into the Netflix phenomenon, Bridgerton and talk about the problematic dynamics the show didn’t sort out when it “solved” racism, why making Daphne pretty ruined season one for Rachelle, and how season two kinda, sorta, almost cured some of the problems of season one.
In Slate Plus, are corsets feminist?
Recommendations:
Marissa: The romance novel book club podcast, Hot and Bothered.
Rachelle: Season one of Netflix’s Virgin River.
Further Reading:
Dangerous Books for Girls by Maya Rodale
“Inside the List” by Gregory Cowels
“How Bridgerton Touches on Colonialism in India” by Desiree Ibekwe
“The Biggest Changes Between Bridgerton Season 2, and The Steamy, Ridiculous Book It’s Based On” by Marissa Martinelli
“Under the Covers” by Anne Wallentine
“One Romance Novelist’s Fight for Diverse Love Stories” by Rachelle Hampton
Podcast production by Cheyna Roth with editorial oversight by Shannon Palus and June Thomas.
Send your comments and recommendations on what to cover to [email protected]
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On Sunday night, Will Smith slapped Chris Rock during the Oscars live broadcast after Rock made a joke about Jada Pinkett Smith. As soon as the internet figured out the slap wasn’t a bit, Twitter was deluged with takes. On today’s episode, Madison and Rachelle discourse about the discourse, discussing the neverending online take machine, how media narratives are shaped, and why we were all wondering if the slap was even real.
Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder.
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This week, the panel begins by breaking down everything that went down during the weirdest Oscars ever. Then, the panel is joined by author, professor, and Slate’s pop critic, Jack Hamilton, to discuss Adam McKay’s over-stylized docudrama about the 1980s Lakers, Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty. Finally, the panel is joined by Slate senior writer Mark Joseph Stern to discuss Disney CEO Bob Chapek and his response to Florida’s “Don’t Say Gay” bill.
In Slate Plus, the panel discusses Oscars fashion.
Email us at [email protected].
Endorsements
Dana: Bill McGlaughlin’s syndicated five-week-long series on WFMT public radio, Latin Carnival. McGlaughlin sits at the piano while he DJs, guiding us through a journey of Latin carnival music from the Middle Ages to current day. Listen before it expires!
Julia: Two pieces of great Oscars coverage from the LA Times. FIrst: Greg Braxton’s commentary, “With the slap, Smith tarnished a night of pride for Black Hollywood—and his legacy.” Second: Mary McNamara’s column, “Will Smith’s slap overshadows a historic night for women at the 2022 Oscars.”
Steve: The Cure! But more specifically, three different covers of their song “Just Like Heaven.” One by the Scottish synth-pop group CHVRCHES alongside English musician, Robert Smith. Another by the rock band Dinosaur Jr.. And a third by American singer-songwriters Christian Lee Hutson and Shamir and (also check out his song “Lose This Number”).
Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Nadira Goffe.
Outro music is “Backwards" 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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Welcome to Slate Money Goes to the Movies, a miniseries in which Felix Salmon, Emily Peck, and a different guest each week discuss popular business-themed movies.
Author and businessman, Ben Horowitz joins Felix and Emily to talk about the quietest Quentin Tarantino movie, Jackie Brown. They get into Ordell Robbie’s bad retirement plan, the romance of Jackie Brown and Max Cherry, and why you need to re-watch it when you’re old.
Email: [email protected]
Podcast production by Cheyna Roth
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Slate’s sports podcast on the NCAA basketball tournaments and U.S. soccer. Plus, an interview with Bomani Jones.
NCAA basketball (3:26): After two weeks of upsets, it’s Duke, UNC, Kansas, and Villanova.
World Cup (24:20): The U.S. men’s national soccer team is on the brink of qualifying after a 5-1 win over Panama.
Bomani Jones (47:33): Joel interviews ESPN personality Bomani Jones about his new HBO show, “Game Theory With Bomani Jones.”
Afterball (1:03:44): Stefan on watching last week’s U.S.-Mexico soccer game in Estadio Azteca.
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This week, host June Thomas talks to Julia Cameron, author of the classic book The Artist's Way and dozens of other books about creativity, including her most recent, Seeking Wisdom: A Spiritual Path to Creative Connection. In the interview, Julia discusses the role of spirituality in creativity and argues that her methods are helpful for believers and atheists alike. Then she digs into the benefits of morning pages and helps June overcome her inner perfectionist.
After the interview, June and co-host Karen Han discuss their strategies for overcoming creative blocks.
In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Julia reads two poems. You can find more of her work at juliacameronlive.com.
Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected] or give us a call at (304) 933-9675.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews.
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 Big Mood, Little Mood—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on Working. Sign up now at slate.com/workingplus.
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This week, Instagram announced the return of chronological feeds to the platform, allowing users to toggle between the standard algorithmic feed and two separate chronological ones. On the show today, Madison and Rachelle talk about these new changes, whether we really want newsfeeds with such a strict structure, and why, regardless of which way we go, we’re still at the will of the algorithm.
Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder.
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The early ’70s was a great time for R&B queens on the charts: Roberta Flack. Dionne Warwick. Patti LaBelle. Chaka Khan. They had come through the ’60s—Dionne as a smooth pop-and-B star, Patti as a girl-group frontwoman, Roberta as a cabaret pianist—and found themselves in a new decade with limitless possibilities. Flack turned folk songs into chart-topping, Grammy-winning R&B. Warwick shifted from Brill Building pop to Philly soul. LaBelle threw her insane voice at rock, funk, and glam. And a relative newcomer, Rufus frontwoman Chaka Khan, followed in their footsteps, commanding the band and converting to disco, then electro. By the ’80s, all four women were ready for a major chart victory lap.
Join host Chris Molanphy as he traces four parallel careers that expanded the definition of soul from the ’60s through the ’80s and beyond. These soul sisters, flow sisters, bold sisters…killed us softly, walked on by and were, finally, every woman.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
For this week’s episode of Working Overtime, hosts Isaac Butler and Karen Han answer a question from a listener named Anna, who wants to enliven her nonfiction work. Breaking through creative roadblocks can be challenging, but Isaac and Karen trade tricks, such as diagramming passages of your favorite writing and inventing weird rules to find a voice that fits your work.
Have you struggled to find your voice or encountered other creative barricades? Share them with us at (304) 933-9675 or email us at [email protected].
Podcast production by Kevin Bendis and Cameron Drews.
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 Big Mood, Little Mood—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on Working. Sign up now at slate.com/workingplus.
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On this week’s episode of The Waves, we’re saddling up and taking the reins to talk Westerns. Film critic and host of the podcast Watch With Jen, Jen Johans is joined by Washington Post TV critic and host of the All About Almodóvar & All About Campion podcasts, Inkoo Kang.
First they dive into the history of the genre: What makes something a Western, and how the genre has challenged stereotypes when it comes to the sexes. Then they explore Jane Campion’s Oscar-nominated film, and the latest big Western, Power of the Dog.
In Slate Plus, Jen and Inkoo talk about whether pianos are feminist.
Recommendations:
Jen: The films of Terrence Malick and Wim Wenders
Inkoo: Jane Campion’s 1999 film, Holy Smoke
Podcast production by Cheyna Roth with editorial oversight by Shannon Palus and June Thomas.
Send your comments and recommendations on what to cover to [email protected]
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Bryan, Christina, and Jules respond to the anti-trans attacks coming out of state legislatures across the country, particularly in Texas, where the governor and attorney general have tried to make caring for trans kids into a form of child abuse. Jules sketches out what a trans child’s life would look and feel like over the coming years as a result of these draconian bills and administrative attacks. Then they are joined by Michael Waters to discuss his recent piece for Slate about trans pioneer Barbara Ann Richards, who went to court in 1941 to legally change her name—and succeeded.
Items discussed in the show:
Lauren Groff discusses the writing of her novel Matrix on the podcast Women Who Travel
“The GOP’s All-Out Assault on Trans People,” The Waves, March 3, 2022, featuring Jules Gill-Peterson and Evan Urquhart
“Barbara Ann Richards Designed—and Then Demanded—the Life She Deserved,” by Michael Waters
True Sex: The Lives of Trans Men at the Turn of the Twentieth Century, by Emily Skidmore
Gay Agenda
Christina: Start your own Dyke Night!
Bryan: QueerSpace, a podcast from the National Air and Space Museum
Jules: The 2022 Lambda Literary Award nominations
This podcast was produced by Myron.
Please send feedback, topic ideas, and advice questions to [email protected].
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This past weekend, Rachel Zegler, known for playing Maria in the new remake of West Side Story, told a fan on Instagram that Disney wasn’t sending her to the Oscars. Her plan to watch the ceremony from home quickly changed, however, once the internet heard about it. On the show today, Rachelle and Madison break down the Oscars scandal’s online origins, and then they open up the mailbag. They answer questions about stuck boats, peeling eggs live on TikTok, a woman with 22 babies, drama in the knitting world, and more.
Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder.
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This week, New York Times columnist and Slate graduate, Jamelle Bouie, fills in for Steve as the panel begins by entering the Gotham of Matt Reeves’ The Batman. Then, for our final pre-Oscars round-up, the panel digs into Best Picture nominee Drive My Car. Finally, the panel discusses the trend of ever-elongating movie runtimes.
In Slate Plus, the panel questions Jamelle about his recent deep dive into the work of Martin Scorcese.
Email us at [email protected].
Endorsements
Dana: Pedro Almodóvar’s addition to the Director’s Issue series of W Magazine, in which he interviews and photographs Penélope Cruz.
Jamelle: The 4K UHD version of the 1993 Jean-Claude Van Damme vehicle Hard Target. Directed by Hong Kong director, John Woo, Hard Target is the first major Hollywood film made by a Chinese director. But, it’s Jamelle’s pick because it’s one of the best restorations of a movie he’s ever seen.
Julia: The Batman ‘66 series, which is a Batman that is different than the dark opus of Batman today. It’s good for adults but also great for kids. Then an addendum from Jamelle: the kid-friendly, highly funny Batman animated series, Batman: The Brave and the Bold.
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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Welcome to Slate Money Goes to the Movies, a miniseries in which Felix Salmon, Emily Peck, and a different guest each week discuss popular business-themed movies.
The Wall Street Journal’s Vipal Monga joins Felix and Emily to talk about the Jamaican crime film, The Harder They Come. They discuss the mix between crime and music, what makes the movie good (and bad), and the film’s treatment of women.
Email: [email protected]
Podcast production by Cheyna Roth
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This week, host Karen Han talks to Jeeyon Shim, who designs immersive games that allow players to craft objects and tell stories. In the interview, Jeeyon discusses her career as an outdoor educator and explains how that work prompted her pivot to game design. She also explains what a “keepsake game” is and describes her latest game, called The Snow Queen, which repurposes chess pieces and allows players to craft narratives about them.
After the interview, Karen and co-host June Thomas discuss the appeal of solo games. Then they reflect on Jeeyon’s comments about making a living as an artist and treating creative work as work.
In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Jeeyon lists some of her favorite games to play.
Jeeyon’s games can be found at jeeyonshim.games.
Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected] or give us a call at (304) 933-9675.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews.
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 Big Mood, Little Mood—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on Working. Sign up now at slate.com/workingplus.
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Emily Bazelon talks with author Meghan O’Rourke about germ theory, biomarkers, medical mysteries, long COVID and the quest to return to health as chronicled in her new book The Invisible Kingdom: Reimagining Chronic Illness.
Tweet us your questions @SlateGabfest or email us at [email protected]. (Messages could be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.)
Podcast production by Jocelyn Frank.
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The internet has birthed so many wild moments of hilarity over the years. During the second half of their South by Southwest show, Rachelle and Madison play a game to find out which piece of internet history is the greatest. With contestants like the man singing a gospel remix of the Golden Girls theme song, “Thank You For Being a Friend,” the Beto O’Rourke sex tweet, Julia Fox saying “uncut gems,” and the infamous DashCon, it’s quite the tough field. Tune in to find out which piece of internet ephemera comes out victorious.
Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder.
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On this week’s Spoiler Specials, Slate movie critic Dana Stevens and former Slate staff writer Karen Han spoil Turning Red, directed by Domee Shi. When 13-year-old Meilin (Rosalie Chiang) starts to experience puberty, she turns into a giant red panda. Little does she know that the matriarchal side of her family has a connection to this mythical creature. Her mother, Ming (Sandra Oh), also has a story about turning into a giant bear when she experiences intense emotions. Will this new revelation bring Meilin and Ming closer? And what will the teenager’s friends think when they find out about her new gift?
Read Dana’s review of the movie.
Note: As the title indicates, this podcast contains spoilers galore.
Email us at [email protected].
Podcast production by Jasmine Ellis.
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This year, several Black artists have been nominated for Oscars, including Ariana DeBose, Aunjanue Ellis, Will Smith, and Denzel Washington. But there’s concern that diversity –in front of and behind the camera– hasn’t been fully embraced in Hollywood. On today’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson is joined by April Reign, whose 2015 hashtag #OscarsSoWhite sparked a vigorous debate over inclusion in the film business. She addresses the state of her effort, and the work that still needs to be done to make entertainment better reflect the reality of Americans’ lives.
Guest: April Reign, media strategist, and creator of the movement #OscarsSoWhite
Podcast production by Jasmine Ellis
You can skip all the ads in A Word by joining Slate Plus. Sign up now at slate.com/awordplus for just $1 for your first month.
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On this week’s episode of The Waves, it’s all about getting paid. Slate Money co-host Emily Peck is joined by Phoebe Gavin, a career coach and executive director of talent and development for Vox.com. In the first part of the show they unpack Emily’s New York Times article, “What Do You Think You Should Be Paid” and the trap of that question. In the second half, Phoebe gives her advice on how to make sure you are paid what you’re worth.
You can find Phoebe’s career coaching information here.
In Slate Plus, is International Women’s Day feminist?
Recommendations:
Emily: These Precious Days: Essays, by Ann Patchett
Phoebe: Watching Gardeners’ World while wearing Nuit de Feu perfume.
Podcast production by Cheyna Roth with editorial oversight by Shannon Palus and June Thomas.
Send your comments and recommendations on what to cover to [email protected]
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ICYMI went to Austin this week and recorded a live show at South by Southwest. On today’s episode, Rachelle and Madison are joined by Bridget Todd, host of the podcast There Are No Girls on the Internet, to discuss the recent “womblands” drama, their favorite scams on the internet, and what it’s like covering the internet beat.
Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder.
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This week, senior editor at Slate, Allegra Frank, fills in for Steve as the panel begins by debating the enjoyability of Apple TV+’s new star-studded thriller Severance. Then, the panel digs into Paul Thomas Anderson’s latest Oscar contender Licorice Pizza. Finally, the panel discusses longform YouTube videos and the rise and fall of attention spans, inspired by Terry Nguyen’s article “The video essay boom” for Vox. Referenced video essays include: Mike’s Mic on Pretty Little Liars, Jenny Nicholson on Dear Evan Hansen, and Quinton Reviews on Victorious.
In Slate Plus, the panel discusses thematic aversions they have in films.
Email us at [email protected].
Endorsements
Julia: Endorsing Six Seasons: a New Way With Vegetables by Joshua McFadden and Martha Holmberg, which has lots of delicious recipes that are designed for your farmer’s market finds.
Allegra: The podcast Dead Eyes from comedian Connor Ratliff about people in the entertainment industry and their long forgotten, lost, and/or canceled projects—inspired by how he was fired from Band of Brothers by Tom Hanks himself because he had “dead eyes.”
Dana: Speaking of video essays, filmmaker Kogonada’s (After Yang, Columbus) video essays which are extremely visual and beautifully edited. They’re all on his website, but Dana specifically shouted out: Breaking Bad // POV, Mirrors of Bergman, Hands of Bresson, and Linklater // On Cinema & Time.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Nadira Goffe.
Outro music is "If Only I Was a Poet" 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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Welcome to Slate Money Goes to the Movies, a miniseries in which Felix Salmon, Emily Peck, and a different guest each week discuss popular business-themed movies.
Author of several books, Kurt Andersen joins Felix and Emily to talk about the 2015 Adam McKay film, The Big Short. They dig into the merits of the Margot Robbie in a bathtub scene, what the movie gets wrong, and who the real heroes are.
Email: [email protected]
Podcast production by Cheyna Roth
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This week, host Isaac Butler talks to Hannah Bos and Paul Thureen, writers and creators of the HBO series Somebody, Somewhere. In the interview, Hannah and Paul discuss their close collaborative relationship and share some of the creative practices they developed with their theater company, The Debate Society. Then they talk about the development and writing process behind Somebody, Somewhere, which is set in rural Kansas and stars actor and cabaret singer Bridget Everett, who grew up there.
After the interview, Isaac and co-host June Thomas talk about the effectiveness of writing exercises and the difficulty of describing one’s own creative processes.
In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Hannah and Paul explain why they chose not to include any details about the pandemic in Somebody, Somewhere.
Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected] or give us a call at (304) 933-9675.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews.
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 Big Mood, Little Mood—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on Working. Sign up now at slate.com/workingplus.
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The term “womblands” blew up on TikTok this past week, and the drama surrounding its origin is dense and confusing. On today’s show, Rachelle and Madison venture deep into TikTok to explain why the story behind this funny term is darker than you may realize. It involves racism, sexism, and sexual assault allegations, and it yet another case of interpersonal drama taken too far by the TikTok community.
Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder.
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For this edition of Working Overtime, hosts Isaac Butler and Karen Han reply to an email from a listener named Jeffrey, who points out how rare it is to see an accurate depiction of creativity in movies and on TV. One reason for this, Jeffrey asserts, is that creative work requires a lot of boring drudgery. Isaac and Karen weigh in on this idea and list some examples of accurate depictions of the creative process.
Is there a question about creativity or inspiration that you’d like to ask the hosts of Working? Give us a call and leave a message at (304) 933-9675, or email us at [email protected].
Podcast production by Kevin Bendis and Cameron Drews.
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 Big Mood, Little Mood—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on Working. Sign up now at slate.com/workingplus.
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On this week’s episode of The Waves, we’re talking about infertility treatments–and what happens when they don’t work. The Waves producer Cheyna Roth shares her personal struggles and talks about going through IVF with Slate’s Dear Prudence columnist, Jenée Desmond Harris. They talk about what they wished they had known before starting IVF, how to be a good friend of someone experiencing infertility, and Jenée offers advice on how to cope with IVF. Later in the show, Cheyna talks to author Pamela Mahoney Tsigdinos about the ethics of the infertility industry, what to say to a loved one who is going through treatments, and what it means to be an “IVF survivor,”
In Slate Plus, Cheyna and Jenée talk about the slippery slope to IVF and its high price tag. And Slate’s Lili Loofbourow shares what happened when she tried to get insurance to cover IVF.
Additional Reading:
“An IVF Survivor Unravels ‘Fertility’ Industry Narratives,” by Pamela Tsigdinos
“Would You Tell Someone You Were Infertile?” by Pamela Tsigdinos
“As The Dark Side of IVF Slowly Comes Into Focus, EvenMore Transparency Is Needed,” by Pamela Tsigdinos
Podcast production by Cheyna Roth with editorial oversight by Susan Matthews and June Thomas.
Send your comments and recommendations on what to cover to [email protected]
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Brian Johnson, aka the Liver King, has amassed millions of followers with his bizarre yet addictive workout and raw-meat-diet videos. On today’s episode, Rachelle and Madison 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 Johnathan Jarry joins for a discussion of why we look to people like the Liver King, and why we can’t look away.
If you’ve listened to the episode, here’s the Google Form that Rachelle and Madison mention. Send them your internet faves and nightmares.
Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder, Derek John, Jasmine Ellis, and Kevin Bendis.
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This week, the panel begins by hashing out Hulu’s new Silicon Valley miniseries The Dropout. Then, the panel breaks down Pedro Almodóvar’s recent film Parallel Mothers. Finally, the panel is joined by author and Slate writer Dan Kois to rant about the growing dangers of pickup trucks.
In Slate Plus, the panel answers the classic celebrity hall pass question.
Email us at [email protected].
Endorsements
Dana: The website Timemaps.com, where you can view maps of the world over time and focus on specific places to get historical summaries.
Julia: The instagram account @TheSussmans, which posts consistently funny hospitality industry memes.
Steve: The most recent long read from Oliver Bullough for The Guardian, “Gas-powered kingmaker: how the UK welcomed Putin’s man in Ukraine,” which provides insight into the deeper motivations behind the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Nadira Goffe.
Outro music is "Ruins" by Origo.
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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This week, host June Thomas talks to author, ghostwriter, and YouTuber Michelle Schusterman, who’s written more than a dozen novels. In the interview, Michelle differentiates between her various writing jobs and explains how she juggles so many projects. She also gives a step-by-step description of her ghostwriting process for fiction and offers advice on how to manage clients.
After the interview, June and co-host Isaac Butler discuss strategies for managing multiple jobs at once and learning through trial-and-error.
In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Michelle talks about her time as a marching band teacher and explains how it led to one of her first big writing jobs.
Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected] or give us a call at (304) 933-9675.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews.
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 Big Mood, Little Mood—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on Working. Sign up now at slate.com/workingplus.
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Nepotism is everywhere, and it’s always funny when a new generation realizes that. On today’s show, Madison is joined by Nichole Perkins to talk about the recent online conversation about nepotism babies that got started when people realized Lexi from Euphoria, played by Maude Apatow, is the daughter of two famous people. Madison and Nichole discuss the unending list of entertainment nepotism babies, why nepotism is a fact of daily life, and how privilege factors into it all. Plus, they share a few tips about being online during a global crisis.
Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder.
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On this week’s Spoiler Specials, Slate movie critic Dana Stevens and senior editor Sam Adams spoil The Batman.
After a high-ranking Gotham City politician is murdered in his apartment by a masked figure, Bruce Wayne (Robert Pattinson) investigates the crime alongside police detective James Gordon (Jeffrey Wright). It turns out that the murderer is the Riddler (Paul Dano), who is determined to expose the corruption in Gotham’s government by any means necessary. Will the Riddler succeed, or will his plan fall apart?
How does Robert Pattinson’s Bruce Wayne compare to the others? And was it necessary for this movie to be three hours long?
Read Dana’s review of the movie.
Note: As the title indicates, this podcast contains spoilers galore.
Email us at [email protected].
Podcast production by Jasmine Ellis.
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On this week’s episode of The Waves, we’re talking Texas. Slate community manager Evan Urquhart and author and co-host of Slate’s Outward podcast Jules Gill-Peterson dig into the Texas governor’s directive to treat gender-affirming health care for transgender youth as child abuse. In the first half of the show, they explore what’s going on in Texas and the harm it’s already causing. Later they talk about how the problem in Texas is symptomatic of a much bigger trans obsession by the GOP.
In Slate Plus: Is Trans Exclusionary Radical Feminism feminist?
Recommendations:
Evan: Do your research
“Mental Health Outcomes in Transgender and Nonbinary Youths Receiving Gender-Affirming Care”
Jules: Support on the ground organizations in Texas and contacting lawmakers to demand they support trans kids.
Campaign For Southern Equality
Podcast production by Cheyna Roth with editorial oversight by Shannon Palus and June Thomas.
Send your comments and recommendations on what to cover to [email protected]
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The metaverse wants to convince us it’s the future of retail, even for buying marijuana. On the show today, Madison is joined by Slate’s Shannon Palus to talk about Shannon’s recent journey into the metaverse to buy weed gummies. They discuss what it’s like to enter the metaverse, the mediocre graphics on display there, and if it really is the future of retail—or just a misguided lark from Big Tech.
Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder.
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This week, the panel begins by discussing the Norwegian Oscar contenderThe Worst Person in the World. Then, they're joined by Slate’s TV critic and host of the Decoder Ring podcast, Willa Paskin, to digest the New York Time’s latest hit podcast The Trojan Horse Affair. Finally, the panel is joined by screenwriter, director, and journalist Michael Idov to discuss Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s pivot from the entertainment industry to president of Ukraine.
In Slate Plus, the panel answers a question from a listener about their most divisive feelings about certain directors and writers.
Email us at [email protected].
Endorsements
Dana: The band She Wants Revenge from the early 2000s, especially their self-titled album from 2006—even more specifically, the single “These Things.”
Julia: A late endorsement for the 2000s show Veronica Mars which is currently on Hulu.
Steve: The original version of the Swedish/Danish show The Bridge, which also had an American remake.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Nadira Goffe.
Outro music is "Back to Silence" 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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This week, host Isaac Butler talks to composer and band leader Fabian Almazan. In the interview, Fabian explains how he uses physical places, like the Everglades or a region in Cuba, as a jumping-off point to compose music. He also discusses Biophilia Records, a label he started as a way to gather like-minded musicians. His latest album, This Land Abounds With Life, was released as a “Biopholio,” which is Fabian’s green alternative to traditional physical media.
After the interview, Isaac and co-host Karen Han talk about Fabian’s approach to inspiration and their own relationships to classical music.
In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Isaac asks Fabian about his experience working with composer and Spike Lee collaborator Terence Blanchard.
Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected] or give us a call at (304) 933-9675.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews.
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 Big Mood, Little Mood—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on Working. Sign up now at slate.com/workingplus.
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Millie Bobby Brown turned 18 last week, so of course those creepy “legal age” countdown clocks popped up as that day approached. On the show today, Madison is joined by Nichole Perkins to talk about the phenomenon of counting down to a celebrity’s 18th birthday, the history of their online and offline ickiness, and why girls of color always seem to be left out of this discussion.
Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder.
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Today on Hit Parade, we continue tracing the history of the remix. From Jennifer Lopez to Billie Eilish to Lil Nas X, the remix has become a ubiquitous part of contemporary pop chart battles. In part 2 we continue to story of how the remix became the defacto mode of reviving flagging singles, resulting in some of the most dominant pop songs of all time.
Sign up for Slate Plus now to get episodes in one installment as soon as they're out. You'll also get The Bridge, our trivia show and bonus deep dive. Click here for more info.
Podcast production by Benjamin Frisch
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For this episode of Working Overtime, hosts June Thomas and Karen Han discuss their experiences with writer’s block. Then they analyze how the Apple TV+ series about Emily Dickinson, aptly named Dickinson, addresses writer’s block.
Have you experienced writer’s block or other creative hurdles? Share them with us at (304) 933-9675 or email us at [email protected].
Podcast production by Kevin Bendis and Cameron Drews.
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 Big Mood, Little Mood—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on Working. Sign up now at slate.com/workingplus.
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On this week’s episode of The Waves, Slate senior editor Shannon Palus is joined by freelance beauty reporter, and author of The Unpublishable, Jessica DeFino to talk about why you probably don’t need all the lotions and potions in your cupboards. They start out by discussing Jessica’s recent Slate piece, “Why Your Skin Doesn’t Need Skin Care” and why other outlets turned the piece down. They then go behind the scenes of the beauty industry and talk about the toxicity of celebrity skin-care brands, what it’s like being fake Internet Khloe Kardashian, and why the industry keeps targeting women.
In Slate Plus, is the upcoming bar-soap trend feminist?
Recommendations:
Shannon: Using the Peloton app for exercise (but not buying the equipment)
Jessica: The Angela Caglia vibrating rose quartz facial roller
Podcast production by Cheyna Roth with editorial oversight by Shannon Palus and June Thomas.
Send your comments and recommendations on what to cover to [email protected]
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On today’s episode, Rachelle and Madison open up the mailbag to answer all of the latest listener questions. They respond to inquiries about evil animatronics on TikTok, the latest food fetish content, why Tumblr is obsessed with Horse Plinko, and more.
Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder.
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This week, the panel begins by pondering the longevity of the Jackass franchise, focusing on the latest addition, Jackass Forever, with Slate staff writer Sam Adams. Then, the panel watches the surprise Oscar Best Picture contender Nightmare Alley. Finally, the panel discusses the conversation-starter article from The Cut’s Allison P. Davis, “A Vibe Shift Is Coming. Will Any of Us Survive It?”
In Slate Plus, Sam joins the panel again to answer a listener's question about how knowing the ways in which people interact with their content (via the internet and SEO development) changes the way they write.
Email us at [email protected].
Endorsements
Dana: Criterion subscribers (and if you don’t already, you should subscribe!) get a treat: a small program they’re running called “Three Starring Laura Dern,” where they show three movies starring Laura Dern from the early days of her career including: Smooth Talk, Rambling Rose, and Citizen Ruth.
Julia: A counter endorsement, or maybe supplemental endorsement?, for fans of The Last Bookstore in LA: Hennessey + Ingalls in LA, which is an art, architecture, and design bookstore.
Steve: Josh Turner’s cover of Lucienne Boyer’s hit “Parlez-Moi D’Amour.”
Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Nadira Goffe.
Outro music is "Bloody Hunter" by Paisley Pink
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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This week, host Karen Han talks to Isaac Butler about the writing of his new book The Method: How the Twentieth Century Learned to Act. They discuss how Isaac’s background as a child professional actor informed his understanding of his subject, how he researched a wide-ranging topic that spanned geography and generations, and how he conceived of the book’s structure and managed its narrative tension.
After the interview, Karen and co-host June Thomas talk about learning from the questions that arise during a book’s research phase, coming to terms with having to make cuts to a manuscript, and how to find trusted outside readers.
In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Karen asks Isaac to recommend some great Method performances.
Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected] or give us a call at (304) 933-9675.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews.
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 Big Mood, Little Mood—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on Working. Sign up now at slate.com/workingplus.
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Gabfest reads is a new monthly series from the hosts of the Political Gabfest. This month David Plotz talks with author Florence Williams about divorce, affection, good friendships, and her new book Heartbreak: A Personal and Scientific Journey.
Tweet us your questions @SlateGabfest or email us at [email protected]. (Messages could be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.)
Podcast production by Jocelyn Frank.
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Kanye West recently got into an online feud with his daughter, North West, his ex-wife, Kim Kardashian, and her new boyfriend, Pete Davidson. On the show today, Rachelle and Madison run through Kanye’s long history of fighting online, our changing understanding of him as his mental health struggles came to light, and how we should talk about celebrities whose private dramas play out so publicly.
Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder.
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Today on Hit Parade, we trace the multifarious history of the remix: a musical term with a universe of meanings. Rethinks. Reboots. Reinventions. Re-recordings. Even instances where the so-called remix came before the supposed original. (How is that even possible?) In a way, the most pivotal “remix” in chart history was the one so transformative, it compelled a change in our understanding of what a remix even is. In part 1, we explore the experimental origins of the remix and its slow but steady infiltration of the pop charts.
Sign up for Slate Plus now to get episodes in one installment as soon as they're out. You'll also get The Bridge, our trivia show and bonus deep dive. Click here for more info.
Podcast production by Benjamin Frisch
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On this week’s Spoiler Specials, Slate movie critic Dana Stevens and staff writer Heather Schwedel spoil the new rom-com Marry Me.
Superstar Kat Valdez (Jennifer Lopez) decides to marry her fiancé Bastian (Maluma) in front of a live audience after their successful song “Marry Me” becomes a hit. Before they can say “I do,” things are turned upside down and Kat learns that Bastian isn’t as faithful as he seems. In a plot twist, Kat decides to marry concert attendee Charlie (Owen Wilson) after spotting him in the crowd. Is this marriage real, and could it possibly last?
You can read Dana’s review of the movie here.
Note: As the title indicates, this podcast contains spoilers galore.
Email us at [email protected].
Podcast production by Jasmine Ellis.
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Pornography is more than a dirty secret. It’s a profitable one, making billions from American consumers each year. And like much of entertainment, it trafficks in damaging racial stereotypes. On today’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson is joined by Dr. Carolyn West. She’s a psychology professor at the University of Washington who produced the documentary “Let Me Tell Ya’ll Bout Black Chicks: Images of Black Women in Pornography.” They discuss the often violent racism within the porn industry, and how that impacts the way society views African American sexuality.
Guest: Dr. Carolyn West, Professor of Psychology at the University of Washington
Podcast production by Jasmine Ellis
You can skip all the ads in A Word by joining Slate Plus. Sign up now at slate.com/awordplus for just $1 for your first month.
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Christina, Bryan, and Jules discuss a proposed Florida bill that would ban all discussion of sexual orientation and gender identity in the state, and the 4K-restored re-release of John Cameron Mitchell’s senimal 2007 film Shortbus. The Gay Agenda includes an East Williamsburg trans enclave.
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On this week’s episode of The Waves, Slate senior writer and host of the Outward podcast Christina Cauterucci is joined by Slate senior writer Seth Stevenson to talk about Sarah Palin and her recent trial against the New York Times. In the first half of the show, they unpack what happened at Palin’s trial and dig into why Palin’s clothes are a major part of her personality. Later on, Seth and Christina discuss how Palin’s time in court mirrored her 2008 run for vice president.
In Slate Plus, our hosts discuss a piece by Jessica M Goldstein in the Washingtonian titled, “More and More Women Are Paying Alimony to Failure-to-Launch Ex-Husbands. And They’re Really, Really Not Happy About It,” and whether or not the title issue is feminist.
Read Seth’s coverage of the trial in Slate here.
Recommendations:
Christina: Studio portraits of pets.
Seth: Hate-watching Apple TV+’s The Morning Show.
Podcast production by Cheyna Roth with editorial oversight by Shannon Palus and June Thomas.
Send your comments and recommendations on what to cover to [email protected]
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On today’s show, Rachelle Hampton is joined by Allegra Frank to talk about two new pieces of scammer-tainment from Netflix: the documentary The Tinder Swindler, which chronicles a con man’s exploitation of the popular dating app, and the series Inventing Anna, starring Julia Garner as faux-heiress Anna Delvey. Rachelle and Allegra discuss how the internet was essential to both these stories and why we’re all on the hunt to uncover the next online scam.
Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder.
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This week, the panel begins by discussing Hulu’s new biopic Pam & Tommy. Then, they dive into the Academy Award-record breaking animated Danish film Flee. Finally, the panel discusses Jennifer Senior’s popular article for The Atlantic, “It’s Your Friends Who Break Your Heart” about friendships as you age.
In Slate Plus, the panel takes inspiration from the Scriptnotes podcast and ponders what aspects of other languages they would want to borrow for English.
Email us at [email protected].
Endorsements
Dana: Charter Books in Rhode Island.
Julia: An update on her preferred digital clock, per Twitter request.
Steve: Thomas Nagel’s article—“What is rude?”—for the London Review of Books which is a review of Benjamin J. B. Lipscomb’s novel The Women Are Up to Something: How Elizabeth Anscombe, Philippa Foot, Mary Midgley, and Iris Murdoch Revolutionized Ethics.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Nadira Goffe.
Outro music is "If Only I Was a Poet" 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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This week, host June Thomas talks to New Yorker writer Rebecca Mead about her new memoir Home/Land, which traces her experience moving back to Britain after making a home for herself in New York and becoming a U.S. citizen. In the interview, Rebecca discusses the feelings she wanted to capture in the book and describes her impulse to document an important moment in her life. She also explains why Home/Land was more difficult to write than her previous books.
After the interview, June and co-host Karen Han talk about the challenges Rebecca faced while writing her book and what we can learn from them.
In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, June asks Rebecca for some moving tips.
Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected] or give us a call at (304) 933-9675.
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 Big Mood, Little Mood—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on Working. Sign up now at slate.com/workingplus.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
TikTok doesn’t know you better than you know yourself, even if you think it does. On the show today, Rachelle and Madison talk about two different ways the app leads people down dangerous paths. First, they discuss the recent uptick in posts and advertisements focused on diagnosing mental and physical health issues, and how it’s so easy to convince yourself that you’re suffering from whatever malady TikTok has presented. Then, they discuss the tragic death of Miss USA 2019 Cheslie Kryst, who died by suicide last week, and the alarming development of TikTokkers convincing themselves that there was some nefarious conspiracy behind it.
Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder.
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The NFL claims that Black coaches are treated fairly in the league. But former Miami Dolphins coach Brian Flores is suing, saying he can’t get a job because of racial bias. On today’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson is joined by Joel Anderson, co-host of Slate’s sports podcast Hang Up and Listen, to talk about the controversy, and the limits of the “Rooney Rule” in ending racism in hiring for NFL coaches.
Guest: Joel Anderson, co-host of Slate’s sports podcast Hang Up and Listen, and host of Slow Burn: The LA Riots
Podcast production by Jasmine Ellis
You can skip all the ads in A Word by joining Slate Plus. Sign up now at slate.com/awordplus for just $1 for your first month.
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For this episode of Working Overtime, hosts Karen Han and June Thomas dissect some creative advice from the director Bong Joon-ho, who claimed during his 2020 Oscars acceptance speech that “the most personal is the most creative,” a phrase he attributed to director Martin Scorsese. In their conversation, Karen and June examine the advice and discuss the upsides and downsides of making their work personal.
Is there a piece of creative advice that you’d like to share with us? Call and leave us a message at (304) 933-9675 or email us at [email protected].
Podcast production by Cameron Drews and Kevin Bendis.
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 Big Mood, Little Mood—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on Working. Sign up now at slate.com/workingplus.
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On this week’s episode of The Waves, co-host of Slate’s podcast, Working, June Thomas is joined by Amira Rose Davis, history professor and co-host of the feminist sports podcast Burn It All Down. They dig into the “bog standard” sexism we keep seeing in the Games, the lack of diversity in the Winter Games (despite the International Olympic Committee constantly saying the Games are more diverse than ever), and why they still can’t stop watching the Olympics. (Spoiler: One reason is insomnia.)
In Slate Plus, is the IOC method of increasing female participation in the Games by introducing more mixed-gender events feminist?
Recommendations:
June: Amazon Prime’s The Expanse
Amira: HBO’s The Fallout and Season 3 of Blue Wire’s podcast American Prodigies out Feb. 21.
Podcast production by Cheyna Roth with editorial oversight by Shannon Palus and June Thomas.
Send your comments and recommendations on what to cover to [email protected]
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Shailene Woodley and Aaron Rodgers might not be the most expected pairing, until you look at their willingness to embrace conspiracy nonsense. On the show today, Rachelle and Madison and joined by Vulture’s Rachel Handler to discuss her recent piece, “What Do Aaron Rodgers and Shailene Woodley ‘Agree to Disagree’ About?” They talk about the history of weird beliefs these two celebrities have, how it’s no longer fun to believe in conspiracy theories, and why these two should just log off.
Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder.
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This week, Culture Gabfest is coming to you live from The Strand Bookstore in NYC for a special event! In this live taping, Steve interviews Dana about her new book (Camera Man: Buster Keaton, the Dawn of Cinema, and the Invention of the Twentieth Century) and Isaac Butler about his new book (The Method: How the Twentieth Century Learned to Act).
In Slate Plus, Dana and Isaac answer some questions from the audience.
Email us at [email protected].
Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Nadira Goffe. Thanks to Jason Stack for this great photo!
Outro music is "Spinning the Wheels" by Dusty Decks.
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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This week, host Isaac Butler talks to playwright Aleshea Harris and director Whitney White, whose new play On Sugarland is currently in preview performances at the New York Theatre Workshop. In the interview, Aleshea and Whitney explain the crucial relationship between playwrights and directors and discuss the ways they work together, solve problems, and ultimately put on the best production possible.
After the interview, co-host June Thomas asks Isaac about his experience working as a director and collaborating with writers.
In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Aleshea and Whitney explain how COVID protocols have affected their rehearsal process.
Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected] or give us a call at (304) 933-9675.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews
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 Big Mood, Little Mood—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on Working. Sign up now at slate.com/workingplus.
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Last month, a Tennessee school board voted to ban Art Spiegelman’s graphic novel about the Holocaust, Maus, from their eighth grade curriculum. This caused Maus to experience the the Streisand effect. On the show today, Rachelle and Madison explain the origins of the Streisand effect as an online phenomenon, how it helped Maus’ recent sales skyrocket, and why this short-term publicity isn’t really the solution to bans like these.
Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder and Derek John.
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Searching for truthful versions of Black history can be tough, especially as honest lessons about racism are caught up in the controversy over Critical Race Theory. In his new book Who Are Your People?, political commentator Bakari Sellers delivers Black history to a generation of kids, something inspired by his own experience as a father. Bakari Sellers joined Jason Johnson on today’s episode of A Word to talk about the importance of being truthful about Black history with kids in a way that they can understand.
Guest: Bakari Sellers, political commentator, attorney, and author of the book Who Are Your People?
Podcast production by Jasmine Ellis
You can skip all the ads in A Word by joining Slate Plus. Sign up now at slate.com/awordplus for just $1 for your first month.
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On this week’s Spoiler Specials, Slate staffers Jeffrey Bloomer, Sam Adams, and Josh Levin spoil the latest Scream movie.
After high-schooler Tara Carpenter (Jenna Ortega) is attacked and hospitalized by Ghostface, her estranged sister Sam (Melissa Barrera) comes back to town with her boyfriend Ritchie (Jack Quaid). The reunion causes a surprising family secret to be revealed. More mayhem ensues as old characters return to the Scream fold. Who is the new Ghostface—and is this franchise dead?
CORRECTION: After this episode was taped, Jeffrey Bloomer realized that he had misspoken about the familial connections of a key character in Scream 4: That person was Sidney’s cousin, not her niece.
You can read Bloomer’s review of the movie here.
Note: As the title indicates, this podcast contains spoilers galore.
Email us at [email protected].
Podcast production by Jasmine Ellis.
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On this week’s episode of The Waves, Slate culture writer LIli Loofbourow is joined by Nichole Perkins, pop culture writer, author, and co-host of This Is Good for You. They talk about the history of the romantic comedy—and what makes it such an enjoyable, but sometimes insidious, genre. Then they unpack the return of the rom-com, why bromantic comedies are sometimes good for you, and shout to the heavens for more sex in rom-coms.
In Slate Plus, are the cartoon makeovers of M&M’s and Minnie Mouse feminist?
Recommendations:
Lili: One in Me I Never Loved, by Carla Guelfenbein
Nichole: The Worst Best Man, by Mia Sosa.
Podcast production by Cheyna Roth with editorial oversight by Shannon Palus and June Thomas.
Send your comments and recommendations on what to cover to [email protected]
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Rihanna is having a baby, and Romance Twitter is furious. On today’s show, High Speed Downloads are back! Madison and Rachelle will zoom through all the important news about Rihanna’s baby bump reveal and Romance Twitter’s toxic reaction to an innocuous tweet. Then, they explain exactly what’s going on with podcast host Joe Rogan over at Spotify, and why it’s so difficult for platforms to part ways with their big personalities.
Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder and Derek John.
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This week, the panel is first joined by author and co-host of Slate’s Working podcast, Isaac Butler, to discuss the new Joel Coen rendition of The Tragedy of Macbeth. (Buy Isaac’s new book!) Then, the panel is joined by author and Slate correspondent, Justin Peters, to explain the phenomena of Joe Rogan and the recent Spotify controversy. Finally, the panel discusses the decision to rebrand the famous advertising characters of the Mars candy M&M’s.
In Slate Plus, the panel answers listener questions about culture’s relationship to climate change.
Email us at [email protected].
Endorsements
Dana: An episode of the public radio show On the Media from WNYC called “Humans, Being.”
Julia: The endorsement: the Chez Panisse Vegetables cookbook from Alice Waters, owner of the famous California restaurant Chez Panisse. And a request for listeners to send in their favorite salad dressing recipes.
Steve: The song “Sweet Baby” by Prince and The New Power Generation.
Buy Dana’s book, Isaac’s book, and a ticket to Dana and Isaac’s book event at The Strand (hosted by our very own Stephen Metcalf)!
Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Nadira Goffe.
Outro music is "Blue Nights and Yellow Days" by Matt Large.
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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This week, host Karen Han talks to comedy writer Karen Chee, who works as a writer and performer for Late Night With Seth Meyers. In the interview, Chee discusses her early work writing humor pieces for the New Yorker before landing a job writing for the Golden Globes. Then she breaks down her joke-writing process for Late Night, which involves generating dozens of setups and punchlines every day.
After the interview, Karen Han and co-host June Thomas discuss the challenges of producing a large volume of work under a tight deadline.
In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Chee talks about her taste in movies. Then she shares more secrets from the Late Night writers' room.
Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected] or give us a call at (304) 933-9675.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews.
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 Big Mood, Little Mood—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on Working. Sign up now at slate.com/workingplus.
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In the past few weeks, Britney Spears has been posting all sorts of Notes App screenshots about how hurt she is by what her sister is saying on her press tour while promoting her new book Things I Should Have Said, by Jamie Lynn Spears. On the show today, Madison and Rachelle read the tweets, and the whole book, so you don’t have to. They talk about the origins of this fight, what’s caused it to resurface, and why a lot of this really has to do with their childhoods.
Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder and Derek John.
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In part two of our deep dive into Daryl Hall & John Oates' genre-defying streak on the pop charts, Chris Molanphy argues they were also more cutting-edge than you may realize, essentially inventing their own form of cross-racial new wave after spending the ’70s trying everything: rock, R&B, folk, funk, even disco. At their Imperial peak in the early ’80s, Hall and Oates commanded the pop, soul and dance charts while still getting played on rock stations. And decades later, when the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame ignored them, it was Black artists—rappers and soul fans—who pushed them in.
Join Chris Molanphy for a dissection of the Philly duo who invented “rock ’n soul” and made their dreams come true.
Sign up for Slate Plus now to get episodes in one installment as soon as they're out. You'll also get The Bridge, our trivia show and bonus deep dive. Click here for more info.
Podcast production by Asha Saluja.
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For decades, it has a running joke that Black characters were the first to die in horror movies. But movies like Nia DaCosta’s Candyman and Jordan Peele’s Get Out are rewriting the script, and creating horror villains and heroes who represent the real Black experience. On today’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson is joined by Tananarive Due, an award-winning author and producer who teaches Black Horror and Afrofuturism at UCLA, to discuss the past and future of Black horror.
Guest: Tananarive Due, award-winning author, and producer who teaches Black Horror and Afrofuturism at UCLA
Podcast production by Jasmine Ellis
You can skip all the ads in A Word by joining Slate Plus. Sign up now at slate.com/awordplus for just $1 for your first month.
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On this week’s episode of The Waves, Slate podcast producer Cheyna Roth is joined by author Danielle Friedman. Friedman’s new book Let’s Get Physical explores the history of women’s exercise, and how some old attitudes still linger. They talk about the double bind women have faced when it comes to exercising, the “uterus myth,” and where we’re at with anti-fatness and inclusivity in exercise.
In the Slate Plus segment: Are yoga pants feminist?
Recommendations:
Cheyna: YouTube yogi Yoga With Adriene.
Danielle: Watching movies from the 1930s. Especially Jewel Robbery.
Podcast production by Cheyna Roth with editorial oversight by Susan Matthews and June Thomas.
Send your comments and recommendations on what to cover to [email protected]
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
For this edition of Working Overtime, hosts June Thomas, Isaac Butler, and Karen Han discuss the pomodoro technique, which involves breaking work into timed intervals and taking breaks in between those intervals. In their conversation, they talk about the benefits of taking breaks and using timers, but they also underscore the importance of creative momentum. Could the pomodoro technique actually disrupt the flow of certain tasks?
If you have creative techniques or strategies to share, or if you’d like some advice from June, Isaac, and Karen, send us an email at [email protected] or leave a message at (304) 933-9675.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews.
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 Big Mood, Little Mood—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on Working. Sign up now at slate.com/workingplus.
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“We Don’t Talk About Bruno,” the hit song from Disney’s Encanto, is sitting at No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 this week, and that’s all thanks to TikTok. On the show today, Madison and Rachelle talk about the songs from Encanto currently dominating the platform, and why people online seem to love to hate Lin-Manuel Miranda.
Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder and Derek John.
Correction: This podcast incorrectly stated that TikTok is included in the Billboard Hot 100 chart calculations, misnamed the song “Surface Pressure,” and misstated that it is sung by the oldest daughter (it's sung by the middle daughter).
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This week, Slate’s TV critic and host of the podcast Decoder Ring, Willa Paskin, and poet, essayist, podcast host, and author, Nichole Perkins, fill in for Dana and Julia. The panel begins by taking a spin with Julian Fellowes’ (creator of Downton Abbey) new show The Gilded Age. Then, the panel debates about Kenny G and the installment of the docuseries Music Box: Listening to Kenny G. Finally, the panel ponders Ted Gioia’s question: is old music killing new music?
In Slate Plus, the panel discusses culture that they’ve changed their mind about over time—whether they’ve grown to like it or dislike it.
Email us at [email protected].
Endorsements
Willa: The podcast Once Upon a Time… at Bennington College.
Nichole: The collection of stories Vampires in the Lemon Grove: And Other Stories by Karen Russell.
Steve: Ian MacDonald’s essay “Exiled From Heaven: The Unheard Message of Nick Drake.”
Pre-order Dana’s book and buy a ticket to Dana and Isaac’s book event at The Strand (hosted by our very own Stephen Metcalf)!
Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Nadira Goffe.
Outro music is "Pike Place Market" by Rockin' For Decades.
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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This week, host June Thomas talks to author Malinda Lo, whose book Last Night at the Telegraph Club won the National Book Award. In the interview, Malinda explains that she never intended to write books under the young adult label. She also digs into her writing process, which involves many drafts and inspirational mood music.
After the interview, June and co-host Isaac Butler discuss Malinda’s research process and her willingness to go down rabbit holes.
In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Malinda talks about her use of Chinese languages in Last Night at the Telegraph Club.
Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected] or give us a call at (304) 933-9675.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews.
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 Big Mood, Little Mood—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on Working. Sign up now at slate.com/workingplus.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
The name on every TikTokker’s lips is “West Elm Caleb,” a New York City twenty-something whose dating practices and history have come under major scrutiny, after women started posting videos about their negative experiences with him. Things quickly got out of control as more and more people got swept up in the gossipy drama. On today’s episode, Madison and Rachelle talk to some of the women who shared their own stories about dating Caleb online. Then, they discuss how this is a moment both about the power of women coming together to protect each other and the way that this collective’s motives can quickly turn south.
Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder and Derek John.
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On this week’s Spoiler Specials, Slate staffers Allegra Frank and Rebecca Onion spoil The Lost Daughter.
Leda Caruso (Olivia Colman) is a college professor on a sunny holiday in Greece. When she meets Nina (Dakota Johnson) and her young daughter on the beach, her observations prompt dark memories of her own early motherhood.
Note: As the title indicates, this podcast contains spoilers galore.
Produced by Asha Saluja and Jasmine Ellis.
To listen to Spoiler Specials and other Slate podcasts with zero ads, read unlimited articles on Slate.com, and support Slate's journalism, sign up for Slate Plus now.
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On this week’s episode of The Waves, Slate senior writer Christina Cauterucci looks back to the first Women’s March that took place on Jan. 21, 2017. She talks to New York Magazine’s Rebecca Traister about what the march accomplished for progressive organizing and the role protests can have going forward. Then she sits down with Angela Peoples, an activist and organizer who went to the march with a sign saying “White Women Voted for Trump”—and went viral.
In Slate Plus, Christina and Angela continue their conversation and talk about the connection between the Women’s March and the Black Lives Matter protests during the summer of 2020.
Podcast production by Cheyna Roth with editorial oversight by Susan Matthews and June Thomas.
Send your comments and recommendations on what to cover to [email protected]
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Christina Cauterucci and Bryan Lowder welcome our new third co-host, Jules Gill-Peterson, and talk to author Dr. Kevin Guyan about his new book Queer Data. The crew then explores the trans storylines and general weirdness of And Just Like That, the “next chapter” in the Sex and the City universe, before adding more items to the Gay Agenda.
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AOL Instant Messenger launched 25 years ago, but at the time nobody understood exactly how important it would be in shaping the way we all interact online. On today’s show, Rachelle and Madison talk to AIM expert Caroline Moss about the early years of the platform, the playful shenanigans people got up to on there as teens, and how it led us to the world of always being online. Caroline hosts the podcast Gee Thanks, Just Bought It!
Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder and Derek John.
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This week, the panel begins by pondering Maggie Gyllenhaal’s directorial debut, The Lost Daughter. Then, the panel gushes about the fresh workplace comedy Abbott Elementary. Finally, the panel discusses everyone's latest obsession: the word game Wordle.
In Slate Plus, the panel enters spoiler territory as they continue to puzzle out The Lost Daughter.
Email us at [email protected].
Endorsements
Dana: An LA related endorsement: The Academy Museum (run by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences) which is mostly okay, but has a stellar show called The Path to Cinema: Highlights from the Richard Balzer Collection.
Julia: Potentially the first worthy piece of pandemic art: the Gary Shteyngart novel Our Country Friends, set in an upstate NY country home as friends gather to wait out the pandemic.
Steve: Israeli-born, Paris-based singer Keren Ann’s cover of “Hallelujah.” Also: a no longer on-the-fence, solid endorsement for HBO’s Succession.
Pre-order Dana’s book and buy a ticket to Dana and Isaac’s book event at The Strand (hosted by our very own Stephen Metcalf)!
Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Nadira Goffe.
Outro music is "Self Made Woman" by Katharine Appleton
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.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
This week, host Isaac Butler talks to Fionnuala Murphy, an actor and linguist who invented multiple alien languages for Apple TV Plus’s series Foundation. In the interview, Fionnuala explains how she landed the job, which was her first ever foray into language creation. Then she breaks down the process of designing the languages based on information she could gather from the scripts and conversations with the Foundation team.
After the interview, Isaac and co-host Karen Han talk about their own relationships to language and discuss how patterns and structures, like those found in language, are crucial to their creative work.
In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Isaac asks Fionnuala about her translation work. Then Fionnuala offers advice for people who are trying to better understand their own language.
Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected] or give us a call at (304) 933-9675.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews
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 Big Mood, Little Mood—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on Working. Sign up now at slate.com/workingplus.
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Yellowjackets is a new series on Showtime about a team of high school girls who, while on a flight to a soccer game, crash in the Canadian wilderness. It follows their struggle for survival and how that experience shaped those who made it out of the woods alive. On today’s show, Madison and Rachelle sing their own personal Yellowjackets praises, explain why it’s the latest addition to the Puzzle Box TV canon, and discuss how Reddit is the best place for fandom communities—like the one that’s quickly formed around the show. Plus, people think the Queen of England is dead?
Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder and Derek John.
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Daryl Hall and John Oates: Their songs were earworms, their videos cheap and goofy. John Oates’s mustache and Daryl Hall’s mullet are relics of their time. And…for about five years, their crazy streak on the pop charts was comparable to Elvis, the Beatles and the Bee Gees.
They were also more cutting-edge than you may realize, essentially inventing their own form of cross-racial new wave after spending the ’70s trying everything: rock, R&B, folk, funk, even disco. At their Imperial peak in the early ’80s, Hall and Oates commanded the pop, soul and dance charts while still getting played on rock stations. And decades later, when the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame ignored them, it was Black artists—rappers and soul fans—who pushed them in.
Join Chris Molanphy for a dissection of the Philly duo who invented “rock ’n soul” and made their dreams come true.
Sign up for Slate Plus now to get episodes in one installment as soon as they're out. You'll also get The Bridge, our trivia show and bonus deep dive. Click here for more info.
Podcast production by Asha Saluja.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
On this week’s episode of The Waves, Slate senior editor Shannon Palus is joined by author Emily Willingham. Emily’s new book The Tailored Brain: Feeling Better and Thinking Smarter is all about how our brains work and whether gender plays a role in brain enhancement. They talk about how to be more empathetic and the ways empathy can boost your brain, the importance of using a feminist lens in brain science, and the old theory that brains are made of sperm.
In the Slate Plus segment, Emily and Shannon talk about Emily’s other book, Phallacy: Life Lessons From the Animal Penis and explore why the duck vagina is like a gated community.
Recommendations:
Shannon: Wearing perfume to turn your mood around.
Emily: Lightly meditating by beholding a tree.
Podcast production by Cheyna Roth with editorial oversight by Shannon Palus, Susan Matthews and June Thomas.
Send your comments and recommendations on what to cover to [email protected]
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Welcome to the debut episode of Working Overtime! In these bi-weekly episodes, June, Isaac, and Karen dissect creative advice—and sometimes offer it to listeners and each other. This week, they discuss a piece of advice from cartoonist Alison Bechdel, who argues that avoiding the Internet every once in a while can lead to more focus and productivity. In the discussion, the hosts assess whether the internet helps or hurts their creative work and share some strategies for logging off when necessary.
Do you have a piece of creative advice to share? Or maybe you could use some advice from the Working crew. Either way, get in touch at [email protected] or leave a message at (304) 933-9675.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews.
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 Big Mood, Little Mood—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on Working. Sign up now at slate.com/workingplus.
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Empaths and the great book exchange pyramid scheme are filling up our feeds again. On the show today, Rachelle and Madison explain why every few months, posts circulate about a book exchange that sounds too good to be true, and why empaths aren’t really a thing—unless you’re in a science fiction story. Plus, they play Wordle!
Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder and Derek John.
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This week, author and co-host of Slate’s Working podcast, Isaac Butler fills in for Steve (pre-order Isaac's book!). First, the panel debates the merits of Adam McKay’s star-studded cautionary tale Don’t Look Up. Then, the panel is joined by film historian and journalist Mark Harris to outline the debt we owe to the late Sidney Poitier—a legend whom he speaks about in his book Pictures at a Revolution. Finally, the panel is joined by author and staff writer for the New Yorker, Kathryn Schulz, to discuss her new memoir Lost & Found.
In Slate Plus, the panel lists some reboots and remakes that they actually would like to see.
Email us at [email protected].
Endorsements
Dana: David Ehrlich’s, chief film critic for Indiewire, video montage countdown of the best films of 2021, an annual tradition he’s been doing for several years.
Julia: The LEGO set “Flower Bouquet” (set #10280) which ingeniously replicates a bouquet using some creative LEGO pieces.
Isaac: The novel I Am Not Sidney Poitier by Percival Everett.
Pre-order Dana’s book and buy a ticket to Dana and Isaac’s book event at The Strand (hosted by our very own Stephen Metcalf)!
Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Nadira Goffe.
Outro music "I Want a Change" by The Big Let Down
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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This week, host Karen Han talks to fashion designer Jasmine Chong whom you might know from the reality show Making the Cut. Before founding her own label, Jasmine worked for some of the most influential names in fashion. In the interview, Jasmine explains the profound influence her fashion designer mother has had on her life, creative outlook, and career.
After the interview, Karen and co-host Isaac Butler discuss the challenges of unraveling how people develop their aesthetic and what their aspirational garments are. (Isaac is big into Brian Cox’s Succession cardigans..)
In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Karen asks Jasmine about “straight-sizing” and how the fashion industry remains centered around a small sub-section of sizes and body types.
Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected] or give us a call at (304) 933-9675.
Podcast production by Zak Rosen.
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Elmo has been filling up the TikTok and Twitter feeds these past few weeks with his unique pronunciations and feud with a pet rock. On today’s episode, Rachelle and Madison try to chart the arc of this recent virality, and explain why Elmo is a member of the Black community. They also watched Hype House on Netflix so you don’t have to.
Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder and Derek John.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
On the Spoiler Special podcast, Slate critics discuss movies, the occasional TV show, and, once in a blue moon, another podcast, in full spoiler-filled detail. This week, Slate staffers Allegra Frank and Sam Adams spoil Spider-Man: No Way Home. Peter Parker (Tom Holland) is grappling with being identified as Spider-Man. This not only has consequences for him, but also his girlfriend, Michelle “MJ” Jones-Watson (Zendaya), and his best friend Edward “Ned” Leeds (Jacob Batalon) who are rejected from MIT. This inspires Peter to approach Dr. Stephen Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) for help. But what happens when it all goes sideways?
You can read Allegra Frank and Sam Adams’s guide to the movie here.
Note: As the title indicates, this podcast contains spoilers galore.
Email us at [email protected].
Podcast production by Jasmine Ellis.
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On this week’s episode of The Waves, Slate managing producer Asha Saluja and Slate senior editor Shannon Palus discuss women and aging on television. Through two seemingly unrelated shows—HBO Max’s And Just Like That and Showtime’s Yellowjackets—they dig into how these shows portray their protagonists for better and worse, and what makes the relationships between women compelling in both shows.
In Slate Plus: Was it feminist that Carrie was an anti-hero in the original series of Sex and the City?
Recommendations:
Asha: The album Urban Driftwoods by Yasmin Williams.
Shannon: Swabbing your throat for COVID and this Lululemon yoga mat.
Podcast production by Cheyna Roth with editorial oversight by Susan Matthews, Shannon Palus, and June Thomas.
Send your comments and recommendations on what to cover to [email protected]
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Huge Ma, founder of the website TurboVax, a.k.a. “Vax Daddy,” is running for office, and Taylor Swift has claimed 2022 as her own. On the show today, Madison and Allegra talk about how branding queen Taylor Swift is feeling 2022, and then Madison interviews Huge about creating TurboVax, how his online experiences have informed his campaign, and which Taylor Swift track is the theme of his campaign.
Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder and Derek John.
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This week, the panel begins by breaking down just what makes HBO’s pandemic series Station Eleven so successful with Slate’s senior managing producer of podcasts and co-host of Slate’s Working podcast, June Thomas. Next, the panel appreciates the legacy that writer Joan Didion left behind. Finally, the panel rehashes the 2021 edition of Slate’s Movie Club (including Dana’s list of the year’s best films) while discussing the future of film.
In Slate Plus, the panel responds to Parul Sehgal’s article “The Case Against the Trauma Plot” in the New Yorker.
Email us at [email protected].
Endorsements
Dana: The magical work of Swedish stop-motion animator Niki Lindroth von Bahr. Four of her animated shorts can be found on the Criterion Channel, but you can find one—The Burden—on Amazon Prime.
Julia: A recipe for Italian rainbow cookies adapted by Bon Appétit from Rich Torrisi and Mario Carbone (of popular eateries Carbone and Torrisi Italian Specialties).
Steve: First, his monster music playlist of mellow deep cuts, which includes work from Rickie Lee Jones’ great ‘81 album Pirates, particularly the song “Living It Up.” Second: Susan Tallman’s criticism for the New York Review of Books as a whole, but particularly her recent review of Jasper Johns titled “The House That Johns Built,” inspired by a Johns catalog titled Jasper Johns: Mind/Mirror.
Podcast production by Asha Saluja. Production assistance by Nadira Goffe.
Outro music is Freak Out! by Zorro.
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.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
This week, hosts June Thomas, Isaac Butler, and Karen Han share their creative New Year’s Resolutions for 2022. Then they look back at their goals for 2021 and discuss what they accomplished and where they had trouble. They also check in with former host Rumaan Alam, who shares an update on his 2021 resolutions.
Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected] or give us a call at (304) 933-9675.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews.
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 Big Mood, Little Mood—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on Working. Sign up now at slate.com/workingplus.
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From “woke bae” to “woke-a-cola,” the word woke has taken the internet and mainstream media by storm. But how many people who use the word actually know what it means? On today’s episode, Rachelle and Madison (but, really, mostly Rachelle) explain the decades-old origins of the word, and how its meaning has evolved as it’s gone from being sung as a call to “stay woke” by the likes of Erykah Badu and Childish Gambino to being wielded as a slur by the likes of Mike Huckabee.
Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder, Derek John, and Jasmine Ellis.
This episode was originally published on June 19, 2021.
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In part 2 of this holiday episode of Hit Parade, Chris Molanphy dives deep into radio, streaming and Billboard chart data of some your favorite holiday hitmakers to compare their long legacies to the majority-merry ways they are consumed today. And none has been more condensed by Christmas than another artist who was once famous enough to go by her first name: Brenda. A ’60s chart dominator and double–Hall of Famer, Brenda Lee is now mostly known for that tune about Christmas tree rockin’. How did the legendary “Little Miss Dynamite” become Santa’s little helper? And will she ever pass Mariah and go back to No. 1?
Podcast production by Asha Saluja.
Sign up for Slate Plus now to get episodes in one installment as soon as they're out. You'll also get The Bridge, our trivia show and bonus deep dive. Click here for more info.
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On this week’s episode of The Waves, former hosts Christina Cauterucci, Nichole Perkins and Marcia Chatelain return for a special reunion. They haven't been on the microphones together since the pandemic started, and they have a lot to discuss. They cover the nighttime doula Twitter fight, thoughts on the generational battles that are raging, how race plays a role in nostalgia, and the horrors of dating during the pandemic.
In Slate Plus: Is gift giving sexist?
Recommendations:
Christina: Sheertex tights
Nichole: Candles, especially from Brooklyn Candle Studio and Posh Candle Company.
Marcia: Checking out interesting children’s books like Julián Is a Mermaid, by Jessica Love.
Podcast production by Cheyna Roth with editorial oversight by Susan Matthews and June Thomas.
Send your comments and recommendations on what to cover to [email protected]
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It’s the final episode of the year, and a chance to look back at all the ways the internet has gone wrong in 2021. On today’s show, Rachelle and Madison invite Tracy Clayton and Josh Gwynn, hosts of the podcast Back Issue, to join them as they discuss all the trends, memes, and moments of 2021 internet that have no place cropping back up in 2022.
Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder and Derek John.
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This week, Steve, Dana, and Julia tackle some listener questions in our annual call-in show. Topics include: favorite pieces of art, culture their children introduced them to, and previous years’ endorsements that have become staples in the panel’s lives.
In Slate Plus, the panel continues to field some stellar listener questions.
Email us at [email protected].
There are no endorsements this week, but here are links to some of the things mentioned in the episode:
Here’s Julia’s former (Dana approved) Cooks Illustrated blueberry muffin recipe endorsement that’s sourced from The New Best Recipe. Here’s her current favorite blueberry muffin recipe. Dana’s suggestions for content that might help with grief features Francois Couperin’s Leçons de Ténèbres. Some songs Steve would like played at his funeral include: Everything but the Girl’s cover of Captain Beefheart’s “My Head Is My Only House Unless It Rains;” Nina Simone’s version of “Who Knows Where the Time Goes;” Charles Mingus’s “Myself When I Am Real;” and The Go-Between’s “Cattle and Cane.” Julia’s picks include: Felix Mendelssohn’s “Op. 62 No.3” and Superchunk’s “Me & You & Jackie Mittoo.” Here’s Dana’s Spotify playlist of her picks.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Nadira Goffe.
Outro music is "Lonely Calling" by Arc De Soleil.
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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This week, hosts June Thomas, Isaac Butler, and Karen Han help each other to overcome creative roadblocks and discuss some of their favorite pieces of creative wisdom. But first, they make a big announcement about future episodes of Working.
Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected] or give us a call at (304) 933-9675.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews.
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 Big Mood, Little Mood—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on Working. Sign up now at slate.com/workingplus.
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Martha Stewart loves to tell people on Instagram about the products she likes, but these posts look suspiciously like ads. On today’s episode, Madison and Rachelle scroll through Martha’s feed to look at all the things she raves about, talk about why she might be breaking the rules, and discuss how the social media advertising guidelines are much more flexible than we realize.
Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder and Derek John.
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On the Spoiler Specials podcast, Slate critics discuss movies, the occasional TV show, and, once in a blue moon, another podcast, in full spoiler-filled detail. This week, Slate movie critic Dana Stevens is joined by Vox editor-at-large and co-creator of the podcast Arden, Emily VanDerWerff.
Twenty years after the events of The Matrix Revolutions, Thomas Anderson, also known as Neo (Keanu Reeves) is once again confronted with a decision to forgo his ordinary life and open his mind to The Matrix.
Note: As the title indicates, this podcast contains spoilers galore.
Slate is having a holiday sale! For a limited time, we’re offering our annual Slate Plus membership at $25 off for your first year. With Slate Plus, you can listen to Spoiler Specials and other Slate podcasts with zero ads, read unlimited articles on Slate.com, and support Slate's journalism. Sign up for Slate Plus now. And if you’re already a member, consider giving the gift of Plus to a fellow Slate fan and they’ll receive all the benefits of membership."
Email us at [email protected].
Podcast production by Asha Saluja with help from June Thomas
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It’s the holiday season, which means it’s time to press play on your favorite Christmas movies. On today’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson is joined by essayist and pop culture critic Rebecca Theodore-Vachon to talk about what really makes a Black Christmas movie, and which classics they recommend.
Guest: Rebecca Theodore-Vachon, essayist, pop culture critic, and host of The Spectrum Lounge podcast.
Podcast production by Jasmine Ellis
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On this week’s episode of The Waves, it’s a very special reunion episode. Original hosts of The Waves, June Thomas, Noreen Malone, and Hanna Rosin gather together to catch up on everything that’s happened since their last episode in July 2019. They talk about topics they wish they could have covered, how the workforce has changed for women, bits of culture they’ve loved over the last couple of years, and how hosting The Waves made them more interesting people.
In Slate Plus: Are the holidays sexist?
Recommendations:
June: Showtime’s Yellowjackets
Noreen: Hulu’s series Only Murders in the Building
Hanna: The Electricity of Every Living Thing, by Katherine May, and The Great British Baking Show
Podcast production by Cheyna Roth with editorial oversight by Susan Matthews and June Thomas.
Send your comments and recommendations on what to cover to [email protected]
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Custer's Revenge is widely considered one of the worst video games ever made. Originally released as part of a series of Swedish Erotica-branded adult games for the Atari 2600, Custer's Revenge involves moving a pixelated General Custer across the screen to rape an Indigenous woman tied to a post. It's unfathomably racist, sexist, and un-fun to play. Today on Decoder Ring we tell the story of how Custer's Revenge came to be, the people who protested it, and the even stranger story of how the whole thing became a considered trolling operation. This is the final episode of our current season, but we'll be back in 2022.
If you love the show and want to support us, consider joining Slate Plus. With Slate Plus you can get ad free podcasts, bonus episodes, and much more.
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Christina and Bryan discuss the finer points of new queer Christmas movies—like, how realistic is Netflix’s Single All The Way?—and why that harness joke in Lifetime’s Under The Christmas Tree was so jarring. We’re also joined by some special guests who share Prides and Provocations from the past year and explore Premonitions for 2022. We close the year with bell hooks and trans triumphs in the Gay Agenda.
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Neopets, a kid-friendly site from the early 2000s that let users raise digital pets and play games with them, has fallen far from its peak popularity. The nostalgic luster of it also seems to be fading, following the site’s recent failed attempt at Neopet NFTs—not to mention its years-old, mostly broken user interface. On today’s show, Madison and Allegra look back at the happier times of Neopia past, discussing their early experiences on the site and exactly how it’s grown, or not, with the times. Then they interview concept artist Claire Hummel about her teenage years interning at the site, the creative freedom the staff used to have, and why nobody could ever get enough Neopoints to buy all those cool items.
Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder and Derek John.
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This week, the panel discusses Aaron Sorkin’s Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz biopic, Being the Ricardos. Next, the panel is joined by contributing writer for the New York Times, Jody Rosen, to make sense of Bruce Springsteen’s latest deal and the confusing world of music rights today. Finally, the panel is joined by Slate’s book critic Laura Miller to discuss her list of the best books (and audiobooks!) of 2021.
In Slate Plus, the panel continues the discussion of music rights and how Taylor Swift changed the game with her re-recordings.
Email us at [email protected].
Endorsements
Dana: A video of a series of pianist Bill Evans’s live performances over 11 years titled, Bill Evans Live ‘64 ‘75.
Julia: The 2004 film Cellular which stars Chris Evans, Kim Bassinger, Jason Statham, William H. Macy, Jessica Biel, and more.
Steve: A follow-up to the 8 hours of Get Back, one of the greatest works of cultural criticism: Revolution in the Head: The Beatles’ Records and the Sixties by Ian MacDonald. Also: Sufjan Stevens’s Christmas catalog, Songs for Christmas.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Nadira Goffe.
Outro music is "What Do You Want From Me" by OTE
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This week, host June Thomas talks to Debra Schmidt Bach, a curator of the New-York Historical Society’s new exhibition, " ‘Turn Every Page’: Inside the Robert A. Caro Archive.” They discuss the art of selecting objects that visitors will respond to; how objects like notebooks and a typewriter showcase Caro’s idiosyncratic writing process; and the particular challenges of maintaining an exhibition that features lots of pieces of paper, a material that needs to rest so that it can be preserved.
After the interview, June and co-host Karen Han discuss what kind of museum visitors they are, the art of winnowing, and how they find projects that will sustain their interest.
In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Schmidt Bach reveals her strategy for overcoming “curator’s block” and shares what she learned from working on the Caro exhibition.
Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected] or give us a call at (304) 933-9675.
Podcast production by Kevin Bendis and Cameron Drews.
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This past week, Nancy Reagan trended for her alleged oral talents, and an orange cat named Jorts kept locking himself in a closet. On today’s episode, High Speed Downloads are back. Rachelle and Madison each deliver some rapid-fire information about Nancy Reagan’s blow job skills and why everyone is obsessed with Jorts the cat—and the woman who keeps slathering him in margarine. Then they speak to Kate Lindsay of the Embedded newsletter about how she got started with that project and her advice for healthy online living.
Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder and Derek John.
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Bing. Nat. Dean. John and Paul. Darlene. Mariah. Ariana. Musicians so famous, with so many classic hits, you don’t even need their last names. Now here are a few more, with fewer hits: Vince Guaraldi. José Feliciano. Donny Hathaway. The Waitresses. What do all of these acts have in common? Years from now, each of them may be known primarily for a single holiday chestnut. In fact, in the streaming era, some of them already are consumed largely in December.
In this holiday episode of Hit Parade, Chris Molanphy dives deep into radio, streaming and Billboard chart data to compare these acts’ long hitmaking histories to the majority-merry ways they are consumed today. And none has been more condensed by Christmas than another artist who was once famous enough to go by her first name: Brenda. A ’60s chart dominator and double–Hall of Famer, Brenda Lee is now mostly known for that tune about Christmas tree rockin’. How did the legendary “Little Miss Dynamite” become Santa’s little helper? And will she ever pass Mariah and go back to No. 1?
Podcast production by Asha Saluja.
Sign up for Slate Plus now to get episodes in one installment as soon as they're out. You'll also get The Bridge, our trivia show and bonus deep dive. Click here for more info.
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It’s already a devastating situation when a loved one goes missing. And if you’re Black, you’ll likely have fewer resources and help to find your family member. On today’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson is joined by Derrica Wilson. She’s the co-founder and CEO of the Black and Missing Foundation, the group that inspired the HBO documentary Black and Missing. They talk about the disparities in the way the media and police treat missing people of color, how that impacts the chances that people are found, and what the Black and Missing Foundation is doing to change the dynamics.
Guest: Derrica Wilson, Co-Founder, and CEO of the Black and Missing Foundation, Inc.
Podcast production by Jasmine Ellis
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On today’s episode, Rachelle and Madison are excited to share an episode from One Year: 1995, a Slate podcast focused on telling a series of stories from 1995, ones which we may have forgotten or that merit reexamination. In “The Spot,” producer Evan Chung tells the story of what can be best described as the first internet soap opera.
“The Spot” follows a small group of creators who, through a series of interconnected blog posts, inspired one of the earliest instances of online fandom. It’s a story about online creativity, parasocial relationships, and how not everything on the internet lasts forever—the exact sort of story that we’d feature on ICYMI if we’d been making this podcast in 1995.
Find One Year: 1995 wherever you get you podcasts.
Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder and Derek John.
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Dana Stevens and Stephen Metcalf are joined by Isaac Butler to discuss Steven Spielberg’s new adaptation of West Side Story. Then Slate staff writer Heather Schwedel stops by to talk about And Just Like That, the “next chapter” in the lives of the characters from Sex and the City. And finally, they debate Vulture’s list of the “101 Best New York Movies Set in the Greatest City in the World” and add their own.
Dana’s list:
After Hours
The Cameraman
The Crowd
Do the Right Thing
Hester Street
Metropolitan
The Naked City
Rosemary's Baby
Shadows
The Taking of Pelham 1,2,3
Steve’s list:
The Apartment
Annie Hall
Desperately Seeking Susan
Dog Day Afternoon
Do the Right Thing
King of Comedy
Saturday Night Fever
Sweet Smell of Success
Wild Style
In the Slate Plus segment, Steve and Dana answer a question from listener Colin, via his friend Ezra: Which city block would you take to a desert island, and why?
Endorsements:
Dana: Two books about New York City and the movies: Fun City Cinema, by Jason Bailey, and Celluloid Skyline, by James Sanders.
Steve: The song “Watercolors,” from Between the Lines, by Janis Ian; and “Digging for Utopia,” Kwame Anthony Appiah’s review of David Graebner and David Wengrow’s recently published book The Dawn of Everything, in the New York Review of Books.
Email us at [email protected].
Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Nadira Goffe.
Outro music is “Bloody Hunter” by Paisley Pink.
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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Today on Decoder Ring: Three stories about fame, and one about monkeys. Are primates susceptible to celebrity endorsements? What does fame do to the mind of a famous person? Who were the famous tattooed ladies of the 1880s? And what's it like to be in a rising rock band, only to see everything fall apart over a beer commercial?
If you love the show and want to support us, consider joining Slate Plus. With Slate Plus you can get ad free podcasts, bonus episodes, and much more.
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Slate Money is obsessed with Succession, HBO's wonderful drama about the lives of the superrich Roy family. So, every Monday, we'll be discussing the previous night's episode with spoiler-filled glee. For Episode 8, Felix Salmon and Emily Peck are joined bySlate’s Lizzie O’Leary to talk about the Jeremy Strong New Yorker profile, the botched coup, and Tom’s big move.
Podcast production by Cheyna Roth.
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This week, host Isaac Butler talks to Ai-Ling Lee, a movie sound editor whose long résumé includes the critically acclaimed films First Man, La La Land, and Jojo Rabbit. In the interview, Lee explains what a sound editor does and how it’s different from the work of a sound mixer. Then she delves into the many creative decisions that go into crafting an immersive soundscape for movies.
After the interview, Isaac and co-host Karen Han discuss Lee’s early career strategy of cold-calling people in the movie business.
In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Lee explains how technological advancements have changed the way she works.
Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected] or give us a call at (304) 933-9675.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews.
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 Big Mood, Little Mood—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on Working. Sign up now at slate.com/workingplus.
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The ICYMI mailbag has started to get full so it’s time for another round of Read Receipts. On today’s episode, Rachelle and Madison answer some listener questions about why people are emptying out tubes of toothpaste on TikTok, whether there’s any similarity between Taylor Swift’s clue dropping and QAnon, and why there are so many possum memes on Instagram.
Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder and Derek John.
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On the Spoiler Specials podcast, Slate critics discuss movies, the occasional TV show, and, once in a blue moon, another podcast, in full spoiler-filled detail. This week, Slate movie critic Dana Stevens is joined by Slate features editor Jeffrey Bloomer to spoil the latest Jane Campion movie, Power of the Dog.
When domineering rancher Phil (Benedict Cumberbatch) meets his brother’s new wife Rose (Kirsten Dunst) and her son Peter (Kodi Smit-McPhee), he takes an instant dislike to them. Phil tirelessly mocks his new family members until Peter makes an unexpected discovery.
Note: As the title indicates, this podcast contains spoilers galore.
To listen to Spoiler Specials and other Slate podcasts with zero ads, read unlimited articles on Slate.com, and support Slate's journalism, sign up for Slate Plus now.
Email us at [email protected].
Podcast production by Cleo Levin.
Hosts
Dana Stevens is Slate’s movie critic. You can read her review here.
Jeffrey Bloomer is Slate’s features editor.
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How do you make a struggling public school --with outdated textbooks, a shady principal, and broken everything-- funny? Ask comedian Quinta Brunson, star and creator of the new ABC show Abbott Elementary. Brunson joins Jason Johnson on today’s episode of A Word to discuss the sitcom, her work on HBO’s A Black Lady Sketch Show, and her unconventional path to comedy stardom.
Guest: Quinta Brunson, writer, producer, comedian, and actress. She’s the author of the memoir “She Memes Well.” Brunson’s new show Abbott Elementary on ABC is out now.
Podcast production by Jasmine Ellis
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On today’s episode, Madison and Rachelle examine two strange new phenomena taking over TikTok. First, Madison explains why Chanel’s advent calendars have become the subject of an internet furor. Then, Rachelle explores Hinge’s new voice notes feature, discusses the voice notes that have gone viral on other platforms, and explains why this not have been the dating app’s brightest idea.
Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder and Derek John.
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This week, Julia is back! First, the panel discusses Jane Campion’s big comeback, The Power of the Dog. Next, the panel wades through Peter Jackson’s eight hour-long Beatles docuseries Get Back. Finally, the panel discusses the rise of the gift guide and gift giving.
In Slate Plus, Steve and Dana catch up with Julia and chat about how relationships with culture consumption can change.
Email us at [email protected].
Endorsements
Dana: The last movie Dana reviewed for Slate, Steven Spielberg’s and Tony Kushner’s remake (or re-invention) of West Side Story. It’s only in theaters currently, but (if you feel comfortable making the trip) it’s a great theatrical experience.
Julia: Isabel Wilkerson’s historical study The Warmth of Other Suns. Winner of the 2011 National Book Critics Circle Award, it’s one of the most incredibly well-crafted narratives of the Great Migration.
Steve: Among the pieces of culture Steve’s recently consumed, the one that meant the most after viewing the Beatles docuseries is a song: Taylor Swift’s re-recording of “All Too Well (10 Minute Version) (Taylor’s Version) (From The Vault)” is a masterpiece.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Nadira Goffe.
Outro music is "Pike Place Market" by Rockin' for Decades
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Note: This episode is about offensive material, and so contains explicit and offensive language.
Truly Tasteless Jokes were a series of joke books that dominated the bestsellers list during the 1980s. An equal opportunity joke book: Truly Tasteless Jokes were collections of jokes ranging from Helen Keller, to dead babies, to sexist and racist jokes that from the vantage of 2021, seem entirely abject. For readers in the 1980’s though, these books were ubiquitous. On this episode we dig into the history of these books and their author Ashton Applewhite. It’s a story that involves the tangled history of 1960’s free speech politics, conservative backlash, and the strange moment in the 1980’s when left and right wing speech politics converged to help make these books mainstream.
If you love the show and want to support us, consider joining Slate Plus. With Slate Plus you can get ad free podcasts, bonus episodes, and much more.
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Slate Money is obsessed with Succession, HBO's wonderful drama about the lives of the superrich Roy family. So, every Monday, we'll be discussing the previous night's episode with spoiler-filled glee. For Episode 8, Felix Salmon and Emily Peck are joined by Rachel Syme of The New Yorker to talk about the terrible parents of Succession, the fabulous – and not quite working – fashion choices, and Roman’s…ahem…picture.
Podcast production by Cheyna Roth.
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This week, host Karen Han talks to Andrew Ortiz, founder of the movie merchandise company Super Yaki, which designs T-shirts, pins, hats, and more. In the interview, Andrew discusses the origins of the company and their first product, which was an enamel pin with legendary animator Hayao Miyazaki’s face on it. After that, Andrew talks about quitting his day job, staffing the company, and building a customer base of people who adore cinema.
After the interview, Karen and co-host June Thomas discuss Andrew’s ability to create a vibe and a clear mission for his company.
In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Andrew offers some tips for avoiding burnout.
Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected] or give us a call at (304) 933-9675.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews.
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 Big Mood, Little Mood—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on Working. Sign up now at slate.com/workingplus.
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Actors Anthony Ramos and Jasmine Cephas Jones, who became a beloved couple online after meeting during rehearsals for Hamilton, have reportedly ended their engagement. The reports of the breakup came soon after a TikToker posted a video about Ramos allegedly going into a strip club with a woman who was not his fiancée. On today’s episode, Rachelle and Madison get into the drama, unpack exactly what a wife guy is, and explain why people on social media seem so obsessed with uncovering infidelity—especially if you’re the type of dude who never stops bragging about your girl. Plus, they unwrap all the embarrassing data within their Spotify Wrapped.
Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder and Derek John.
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In Part 2 of this episode, Chris Molanphy continues his analysis of how Cyndi Lauper, Aimee Mann, and The Bangles, three contemporary female acts with rock foundations and pop sensibilities, progressed out of their distinctive rock scenes and into the spotlight. They found critical and commercial acclaim and remain influential decades later, in a variety of media, from Hollywood to Broadway. What forces were they up against, and how did they fight to define themselves?
Podcast production by Asha Saluja.
Sign up for Slate Plus now to get episodes in one installment as soon as they're out. You'll also get The Bridge, our trivia show and bonus deep dive. Click here for more info.
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The subreddit r/TumblrInAction started out in the early 2010s as a place to mock the sorts of oversimplified social justice posts all over Tumblr, but it quickly became a breeding ground for online hate. On today’s episode, Rachelle and Allegra discuss their own history as Tumblr teens, the simplified and misguided ways Tumblr posts tried to share progressive ideology, and how the culture of one subset of Reddit forums that made fun of those posts eventually led to GamerGate and all sorts of online harassment tactics.
Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder and Derek John.
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This week, Steve and Dana are joined by senior managing producer of Slate podcasts and co-host of Slate’s Working podcast, June Thomas. First, the panel discusses the Princess Diana biopic Spencer. Dana tracked Kristen Stewart’s career up to this Oscar vehicle film. Next, the panel gets a taste of the new "meet stew" of a show, Yellowjackets. Finally, the panel is joined by author and co-host of Slate’s Working podcast Isaac Butler to remember the late, great Stephen Sondheim.
In Slate Plus, the panel discusses their processes for writing a book.
Email us at [email protected].
Endorsements
Dana: Susan Orlean reading her own audiobook of her non-fiction novel Rin Tin Tin: The Life and the Legend about the famous Hollywood star...who also happens to be a German Shepherd.
June: The exhibit at the New York Historical Society titled “‘Turn Every Page’: Inside the Robert A. Caro Archive.”
Steve: Continuing his Rachel Cusk endorsement with his most recently read novel of hers, Transit.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Nadira Goffe.
Outro music is "Any Other Way" by Particle House
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In literature, the choice to become a vampire is a metaphor for transformative experiences. On this episode, we bring you a story from Slate's Hi-Phi Nation podcast, which explores problems in contemporary philosophy through story. From real-life blood suckers, to Lord Byron, to Twilight, vampires are a tool for philosophers to think about otherness, sexuality, and the transformative experiences we all go through in life.
To listen to more Hi-Phi Nation, subscribe wherever you get your podcasts.
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Slate Money is obsessed with Succession, HBO's wonderful drama about the lives of the superrich Roy family. So, every Monday, we'll be discussing the previous night's episode with spoiler-filled glee. For Episode 7, Felix Salmon and Emily Peck are joined bytheir fellow Slate Money co-host, Stacy-Marie Ishmael to talk about Kendall’s crazy birthday party, asking for receipts for He-Man lunchboxes, and why Roman keeps making deals in bathrooms.
Podcast production by Cheyna Roth.
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This week, host June Thomas talks to Zak Rosen, host of The Best Advice Show podcast. First, they discuss the premise of Zak’s podcast, which features very short pieces of advice, then Zak shares some clips of his favorite words of wisdom.
In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Zak offers advice about interviewing.
If you have advice that you’d like to share with Zak, you can leave a message at (844) 935-BEST.
If you want to get in touch with us at Working—whether you have creative advice or a problem you’d like us to help us solve—leave a message at (304) 933-WORK or email us at [email protected].
Podcast production by Zak Rosen.
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 Big Mood, Little Mood—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on Working. Sign up now at slate.com/workingplus.
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YouTube recently announced that it’s doing away with publicly displaying the dislike count on videos. The buttons will still be there, but the numbers will be made private for creators. On today’s episode, Rachelle and Madison discuss why YouTube has decided to make this change, how dislikes are a tool for harassment, and why our brains have all been broken by the like economy.
Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder and Derek John.
Support ICYMI and listen to the show with zero ads. Sign up to become a Slate Plus member for just $1 for your first month.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
On the Spoiler Specials podcast, Slate critics discuss movies, the occasional TV show, and, once in a blue moon, another podcast, in full spoiler-filled detail. This week, Slate movie critic Dana Stevens is joined by Slate staff writer Heather Schwedel and New Yorker staff writer Rachel Syme to spoil the latest movie from Ridley Scott, House of Gucci.
When Patrizia Reggiani (Lady Gaga), a woman whose glamor belies her working-class lifestyle, meets Maurizio Gucci (Adam Driver) at a party, she senses an opportunity for something more. The film follows their romance as it grows, and then morphs into something more sinister.
Note: As the title indicates, this podcast contains spoilers galore.
To listen to Spoiler Specials and other Slate podcasts with zero ads, read unlimited articles on Slate.com, and support Slate’s journalism, sign up for Slate Plus now.
Email us at [email protected].
Podcast production by Cleo Levin.
Hosts
Dana Stevens is Slate’s movie critic. You can read her review here.
Heather Schwedel is a Slate staff writer.
Rachel Syme is a New Yorker staff writer.
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The holidays bring out the chef in many of us. For Vallery Lomas, stress-baking through her final year of law school laid the foundation for a career as a chef, and a victory in the Great American Baking Show. This week, she joins host Jason Johnson this week to talk about her unlikely path to celebrity chef status, and her new book Life is What You Bake It.
Guest: Vallery Lomas, cookbook author, recipe developer, and creator at @foodieinnewyork on Instagram
Podcast production by Ahyiana Angel and Jasmine Ellis
You can skip all the ads in A Word by joining Slate Plus. Sign up now at slate.com/awordplus for just $1 for your first month.
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On this week’s episode of The Waves, Slate staff writer Rebecca Onion is joined by leftovers expert and cookbook author Tamar Adler, author of An Everlasting Meal: Cooking with Economy and Grace, to talk about what to do with all your excess food. They start out by discussing why dealing with leftovers has historically fallen on women and the division of labor in their own homes. Then they shift gears and give ideas for new dishes to transform your leftovers into—from the gravy to the cranberry sauce.
In Slate Plus, Rebecca and Tamar talk about whether cooking for a date and “engagement chicken” is feminist.
Recommendations:
Rebecca: Mowing, instead of raking, your leaves.
Tamar: Making cleaning part of your work schedule and watching videos during your home exercise class.
Podcast production by Cheyna Roth with editorial oversight by Susan Matthews and June Thomas.
Send your comments and recommendations on what to cover to [email protected]
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
So much has happened on the internet in 2021, from Bernie in his mittens to the big boat stuck in the Panama Canal. On today’s episode, Rachelle and Madison are joined at the Friendsgiving table by Buzzfeed’s Elamin Abdelmahmoud and Autostraddle’s Christina Grace Tucker to discuss the funniest, craziest, and horniest things to come across their feeds this year.
Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder and Derek John.
Support ICYMI and listen to the show with zero ads. Sign up to become a Slate Plus member for just $1 for your first month.
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This week, Steve and Dana are joined by New York Times columnist and Slate graduate Jamelle Bouie. First, the panel discusses the Richard Williams—father of tennis phenoms Venus and Serena Williams—biopic, starring Will Smith, King Richard. Next, the panel is joined by Slate music critic Carl Wilson as they break down Adele’s latest emotional rollercoaster, 30. Finally, the panel dives into a new comic book, The Department of Truth.
In Slate Plus, the panel discusses their Thanksgiving culinary festivities.
Email us at [email protected].
Endorsements
Dana: An Adele related endorsement, a clip that went viral from the British TV series An Audience With... on ITV, where famous people perform for an audience of other famous people who then ask the performer questions. In this clip, Adele reunited with her former English Teacher, Ms. McDonald.
Jamelle: The Apple TV+ adaptation of Isaac Asimov’s Foundation trilogy.
Steve: The all-time greatest/worst endorsement was in 2014 when John Swansburg endorsed the TV show Cheers. To do John Swansburg one better, Steve endorses The Beatles, more specifically the slant way to get at their greatness, an infamous bootleg that’s been circulating for decades, The Esher Demos. Also: Rachel Cusk, a genius novelist.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Nadira Goffe.
Outro music is "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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When you think about the game, you lose the game. When you lose the game you must declare that you have lost the game, causing all others in your vicinity to also lose the game. That’s it, that’s the game.
The game is mind game that trades on a quirk of human psychology, and is so intensely viral that it went from a college science fiction club in-joke to an endemic mind virus in only a few decades. If you’re a bit older and already know about the game, you likely learned about it in the aughts, but the game continues to spread through social media, most recently on TikTok, where the game became a meme over lockdown. On this episode, we examine the game to figure out how it works, where it came from, and the curious psychology that powers its viral nature.
Note: A version of this episode was originally released as a secret bonus to our 2018 episode “The Incunabula Papers”, but this is its official public release. The episode has been updated with new voice over, sound design, and minor story changes to bring it up to date in 2021.
If you love the show and want to support us, consider joining Slate Plus. With Slate Plus you can get ad free podcasts, bonus episodes, and much more.
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Slate Money is obsessed with Succession, HBO's wonderful drama about the lives of the superrich Roy family. So, every Monday, we'll be discussing the previous night's episode with spoiler-filled glee. For Episode 6, Felix Salmon and Emily Peck are joined byjournalist, author and Godmother of Slate Money Succession, Taffy Brodesser-Akner to talk about Soy Boys, the fascists, and Tom’s diner regiment in preparation for prison.
Podcast production by Cheyna Roth.
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This week, host June Thomas talks to Oliver Burkeman, author of the book Four Thousand Weeks: Time Management for Mortals. In the interview, Oliver shares his philosophy of time management, which hinges on the finite nature of life. He also discusses his previous experience as a “productivity geek” and explains some of the dangers of obsessive time management.
After the interview, June and co-host Isaac Butler discuss their own approaches to organization and productivity.
In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Oliver talks about the benefits (and drawbacks) of group activities.
Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected] or give us a call at (304) 933-9675.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews.
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 Big Mood, Little Mood—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on Working. Sign up now at slate.com/workingplus.
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Thirty-five years ago, in the fall of 1986, women with rock foundations and pop sensibilities were doing quite well on the charts. Three acts in particular were drawing sizable attention—and they were all singing on the same album: Cyndi Lauper’s True Colors, which featured backing vocals by the Bangles and ’Til Tuesday’s Aimee Mann.
It turns out these women had more than that brief coincidence in common. Lauper, Mann and the Bangles came up at the same postpunk, new-wave moment in ’80s pop. And they fought many of the same battles: record-label machinations…a media that stoked rivalries, whether or not they existed…and a sexist music industry that repeatedly underestimated their skills. In this Hit Parade episode, Chris Molanphy recounts how these women emerged from distinctive rock scenes––from punk-era New York and Boston, to L.A.’s Paisley Underground—then outgrew them. They found critical and commercial acclaim and remain influential decades later, in a variety of media, from Hollywood to Broadway. What forces were they up against, and how did they fight to define themselves?
Podcast production by Asha Saluja.
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The realm of fan fiction is a wild, magical place to be, especially if that fan fiction is set at Hogwarts. On today’s episode, Rachelle and Madison talk about All the Young Dudes, an extensive Harry Potter fan fiction that has inspired a fandom all its own, and just how that fandom came to be. But first, they chat about National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) and spend time listening to the first line of some listeners’ NaNoWriMo novels.
Podcast production by Jasmine Ellis, Daniel Schroeder, and Derek John.
Support ICYMI and listen to the show with zero ads. Sign up to become a Slate Plus member for just $1 for your first month.
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Zeba Blay popularized the hashtag #carefreeblackgirls, a celebration of positive online representation of Black women and girls. In her book Carefree Black Girls, she reckons with why––even in a pop culture led by people of color––so many critics are white men. Blay joins the show this week to discuss The Harder They Fall, Passing, Dave Chappelle, and where today’s artists are, and aren’t, hitting the mark on race.
Guest: Zeba Blay, culture and film critic and author of the book Carefree Black Girls
Podcast production by Ahyiana Angel and Jasmine Ellis
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Christina and Bryan welcome guest host Carolyn Bergier, co-host of the podcast Dyking Out. The crew explore the ups and downs of the Amazon lesbian reality TV show Tampa Baes. They then talk about Billy Porter’s fashion beef with Harry Styles, what queer fashion and signifiers actually mean, and whether they matter anymore. And finally, queer burlesque, queer DJ sets, and butch dykes for our Gay Agenda.
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On this week’s episode of The Waves, managing producer of Slate Podcasts Asha Saluja and senior editor Shannon Palus dive into new releases from superstars Adele and Taylor Swift. In the first half, they talk about how Taylor Swift shaped their views of romance and being 22, and whether her move to take back her song catalogue is actually feminist. Then, Asha and Shannon explore the conversation around Adele’s weight loss and the patriarchal expectations put on female pop stars.
In our Slate Plus segment, Asha and Shannon talk about whether it’s feminist when female pop stars don’t dance in their music videos.
Recommendations:
Asha: Jao Refresher hand sanitizer and singing in the shower.
Shannon: Getting a latte and going for a walk with said latte.
Podcast production by Cheyna Roth with editorial oversight by Susan Matthews and June Thomas.
Send your comments and recommendations on what to cover to [email protected]
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You might have seen a bot on Twitter tweeting out facetuned versions of anybody you could think of, like Robert Pattinson or Mrs. Doubtfire, and wondered where they’re all coming from. On today’s episode, Rachelle and Madison explain this weird trend, known as yassification, and why it might already be over. Plus, the the return of High Speed Downloads on Shailene Woodley defending her boyfriend Aaron Rodgers, and a neverending feud between Vin Diesel and the Rock.
If you’d like to see some yassified photos, head to @ICYMI_pod on Twitter.
Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder and Derek John.
Support ICYMI and listen to the show with zero ads. Sign up to become a Slate Plus member for just $1 for your first month.
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This week, Steve and Dana are joined by writer extraordinaire Karen Han. First, the panel discusses Rebecca Hall’s adaptation of Nella Larsen’s novel, Passing. Next, the panel dives into The Shrink Next Door. Finally, the panel talks about People’s 2021 Sexiest Man Alive, Paul Rudd.
In Slate Plus, the panel answers a classic time travel question.
Email us at [email protected].
Endorsements
Dana: Rebecca Hall’s amazing performance in the 2016 film Christine, about news reporter Christine Chubbuck.
Karen: Swedish artist Agnes’s new album Magic Still Exists. Specifically her song “Here Comes the Night.”
Steve: First, the entire discography of Devonté Hynes aka Blood Orange—more recently, his work on the soundtrack for Passing. Second, Nick Lowe and Daryl Hall doing a marvelous acoustic version of Lowe’s hit from the ‘70s “Cruel to Be Kind.”
Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Nadira Goffe.
Outro music is “Edge of Life” 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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Rats live wherever people live, with one exception: the Canadian province of Alberta. A rat sighting in Alberta is a major local event that mobilizes the local government to identify and eliminate any hint of infestation. Rat sightings makes the local news. Alberta prides itself on being the sole rat-free territory in the world, but in order to achieve this feat, it had to go to war with the rat. On this episode of Decoder Ring we recount the story of how Alberta won this war, through accidents of history and geography, advances in poison technology, interventionist government policy, mass education programs, rat patrols, killing zones and more. The explanation tells us a lot about rats and a lot about humans, two species that are more alike than we like to think.
If you love the show and want to support us, consider joining Slate Plus. With Slate Plus you can get ad free podcasts, bonus episodes, and much more.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Slate Money is obsessed with Succession, HBO's wonderful drama about the lives of the superrich Roy family. So, every Monday, we'll be discussing the previous night's episode with spoiler-filled glee. For Episode 5, Felix Salmon and Emily Peck are joined by Edmund Lee, longtime media industry reporter for The New York Times to talk about the real-life influences behind Sandy and Sandy, the big board meeting, and invisible cats.
Podcast production by Cheyna Roth.
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This week, host Isaac Butler talks to documentary filmmaker Stanley Nelson, whose latest film, ATTICA, covers the 1971 uprising at the Attica Correctional Facility in upstate New York. In the interview, Stanley explains how he decides which stories to tell and how he earns the trust of his subjects. He also discusses the finer points of structure, editing, and his use of sound effects and music.
After the interview, Isaac and co-host Karen Han talk about the challenges of creating a structure for nonfiction projects and the difficult task of cutting interviews down.
In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Stanley looks back at the time he worked with legendary documentary filmmaker William Greaves. Then Isaac asks him if he ever gets nostalgic for the pre-digital era of filmmaking.
Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected] or give us a call at (304) 933-9675.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews.
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 Big Mood, Little Mood—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on Working. Sign up now at slate.com/workingplus.
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Taylor Swift just released her version of the 2012 album Red, but if you’d asked her fandom what was coming the answers would’ve included all sorts of red-string conspiracy theories. On today’s episode, resident Swiftie Madison takes Rachelle down Taylor’s rabbit hole, explaining her origins as a MySpace teen, the easter eggs she has and hasn’t hidden, and how her savvy engagement with fans demonstrates just how much she’s mastered the online medium.
Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder and Derek John.
Support ICYMI and listen to the show with zero ads. Sign up to become a Slate Plus member for just $1 for your first month.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
On the Spoiler Specials podcast, Slate critics discuss movies, the occasional TV show, and, once in a blue moon, another podcast, in full spoiler-filled detail. This week, Slate movie critic Dana Stevens is joined by Slate senior editor Sam Adams and Slate editorial assistant Nadira Goffe to spoil the newest Marvel film, Eternals.
The Eternals, a group of immortal beings with superpowers, reunite following an unexpected tragedy to fight the evil Deviants.
Note: As the title indicates, this podcast contains spoilers galore.
To listen to Spoiler Specials and other Slate podcasts with zero ads, read unlimited articles on Slate.com, and support Slate's journalism, sign up for Slate Plus now.
Email us at [email protected].
Podcast production by Cleo Levin.
Hosts
Dana Stevens is Slate’s movie critic. You can read her review here.
Sam Adams is a Slate senior editor.
Nadira Goffe is Slate’s editorial assistant.
Sam and Nadira both contributed to “The Casual Marvel Fan’s Guide to Eternals”
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Decades before Moonlight, Black Panther, or anything from Spike Lee, Black film artists worked through and around the studio system to bring their visions to the big screen. Now the Black Film Archive has brought together classics from 1915 to 1979. Its creator Maya Cade joins Jason Johnson on A Word to talk about the importance of African Americans connecting with movies from the past.
Guest: Maya Cade, creator of Black Film Archive and audience development specialist for the Criterion Collection
Podcast production by Jasmine Ellis
You can skip all the ads in A Word by joining Slate Plus. Sign up now at slate.com/awordplus for just $1 for your first month.
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On this week’s episode of The Waves, Slate’s news director Susan Matthews talks with Slate writer and community manager Evan Urquhart about the phrase, “pregnant person.” What started as an effort to be inclusive of transgender men has devolved into an argument that at times has become transphobic. Susan and Evan unpack what’s going on with this “debate,” and, later in the show, get into more productive ways to be a trans ally, the perils of the health care system, and how to better include trans and nonbinary people in coversations about them.
In Slate Plus, Evan and Susan talk about the Torrey Peters novel, Detransition Baby.
Additional Reading:
“Words for Every Body” by Ray Briggs and B R George
“Should feminists talk about ‘pregnant people’?” by Jennie Kermode
“You Can Still Say ‘Woman’ But You Shouldn’t Stop There” by Irin Carmon
“BIPOC or POC? Equity or Equality? The Debate Over Language on the Left” by Amy Harmon
“Healthcare avoidance due to anticipated discrimination among transgender people: A call to create trans-affirmative environments” by Luisa Kcomt, Kevin M. Gorey, Betty Jo Barrett, Sean Esteban McCabe
Recommendations:
Susan: Kiese Laymon’s book Heavy and Laymon’s The Ezra Klein Show interview with Tressie McMillan Cotton.
Evan: The “best game of 2021” Inscription and Metroid Dread for the Nintendo Switch.
Podcast production by Cheyna Roth with editorial oversight by Susan Matthews and June Thomas.
Send your comments and recommendations on what to cover to [email protected]
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
This week, Steve and Dana are joined by New York Times columnist and Slate graduate Jamelle Bouie. First, the panel discusses Marvel’s most recent big picture, Eternals—which Dana reviewed for Slate. Next, the panel gives an update on their feelings about HBO’s hit TV show Succession, which is currently in its third season. Finally, the panel explores the controversy involving Critical Race Theory.
In Slate Plus, the panel discusses Jamelle’s new podcast Unclear and Present Danger.
Email us at [email protected].
Endorsements
Dana: Something small, but in hopes to find the entire thing: this 2 minute clip of Welsh actor Michael Sheen performing a segment of Welsh poet Dylan Thomas’s drama Under Milk Wood.
Jamelle: Norman Jewison’s classic 1987 film Moonstruck, starring Cher and Nicolas Cage, which is currently in the Criterion Collection.
Steve: A slightly odd endorsement of a book review. Peter Salmon’s article for Prospect Magazine, titled “Boo to the Boo-Hurrahs: how four Oxford women transformed philosophy,” is a review of Benjamin J. B. Lipscomb’s novel The Women Are Up to Something: How Elizabeth Anscombe, Philippa Foot, Mary Midgley, and Iris Murdoch Revolutionized Ethics. The book and review discuss the female-led movement to take on the male consensus in philosophy during the 1930s and ‘40s which saw the world as value free.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Nadira Goffe.
Outro music is “Self Made Woman” by Katharine Appleton.
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.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Companies don’t want you to know this, but there are lots of helpful tips hidden in plain sight, you just have to be willing to read the fine print. On the show today, Madison and Rachelle talk about all the terms of service secrets TikToker Erika Kullberg has been sharing with her followers, whether these tricks actually work, and exactly who might have to deal with our return and exchange demands.
Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder and Derek John.
Support ICYMI and listen to the show with zero ads. Sign up to become a Slate Plus member for just $1 for your first month.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
In the summer of 1986, both Time Magazine and Newsweek ran blockbuster cover stories on the same subject: a secret cache of provocative, intimate paintings by Andrew Wyeth, one of America's most famous artists. These paintings were completed over fifteen years and all featured the same, often-nude model named Helga, and had been hidden from his wife and the public for 15 years. The implication was obvious: Wyeth had been having an affair with this woman. But just as the story was breaking in Time and Newsweek, it began to unravel, and something even stranger and more complex emerged.
On this episode we examine the story of these secret paintings, the backlash to that story, and question if, maybe, that backlash was itself overdrawn. This is the first episode of our winter season. If you love the show and want to support us, consider joining Slate Plus. With Slate Plus you can get ad free podcasts, bonus episodes, and much more.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Slate Money is obsessed with Succession, HBO's wonderful drama about the lives of the superrich Roy family. So, every Monday, we'll be discussing the previous night's episode with spoiler-filled glee. For Episode 4, Felix Salmon and Emily Peck are joined byMichael Mechanic, author of Jackpot: How the Super-Rich Really Live – and How Their Wealth Harms Us All to talk about the arrival of Adrian Brody, trying to kill your father with the sun, and how true to life Succession really is.
Podcast production by Cheyna Roth.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
This week, in her first episode as co-host of Working, Karen Han interviews cartoonist Dami Lee. In the interview, Dami talks about her resistance to art school and her early strategy of pursuing art “on the side.” Then she discusses her current career as a freelance cartoonist, her webcomic As Per Usual, and her book Be Everything at Once: Tales of a Cartoonist Lady Person.
After the interview, Karen and co-host Isaac Butler discuss the difficulties of pitching work as a freelancer.
In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Dami talks about her work translating comics from Korean to English.
Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected] or give us a call at (304) 933-9675.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews.
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 Big Mood, Little Mood—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on Working. Sign up now at slate.com/workingplus.
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Earlier this month, Mark Zuckerberg announced that Facebook was rebranding to become Meta, shifting the company’s focus away from the single social media platform to some sort of amorphous, “embodied internet” concept. Khabane Lame, TikTok’s second biggest star right now, got tapped to do some spon-con for the rebrand, appearing in a video alongside Zuckerberg on Instagram. On today’s episode, Rachelle and Madison discuss who Lame’s rise to TikTok fame, why Facebook grabbed him for their publicity campaign, and how this might all just be a distraction from some rather unsavory news inside the Facebook Papers.
If you would like to learn more about the Facebook Papers, check out:
”The Nationalism of Facebook,” by Siva Vaidhyanathan in Slate
The What Next TBD episode, “Will the Facebook Whistleblower Make a Difference?”
The What Next episode, “How Long Can Mark Zuckerberg Be King?”
Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder and Derek John.
Support ICYMI and listen to the show with zero ads. Sign up to become a Slate Plus member for just $1 for your first month.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
On this week’s episode of The Waves, Slate Money Succession podcast host Emily Peck and Slate staff writer Lili Loofbourow talk about the men versus the women of HBO’s Succession. They start out by talking about the power struggles and anxieties facing the female characters, and debate whether Shiv Roy just sucks. Then they talk about men in this bro-y show, including all that toxic masculinity and the relationship between Greg and Tom.
In Slate Plus, this week’s “Is This Feminist” discussion is all about Seinfeld’s Elaine Benes.
Recommendations:
Lili: Using vintage gold nibbed fountain pens
Emily: The podcast “The Just Enough Family”
Podcast production by Cheyna Roth with editorial oversight by Susan Matthews and June Thomas.
Send your comments and recommendations on what to cover to [email protected]
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
As the Real Housewives of Potomac wraps its latest season, it’s clear how essential the cast’s social media presences are when trying to understand the dynamics at play on the show. On today’s episode, Rachelle and Madison talk to culture writer and critic Shamira Ibrahim about how the series has grown increasingly dependent on online drama, and how social media can be a useful tool for following the intricacies of race and class on display. They also explain the meme, “Let’s Go, Brandon.”
Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder and Derek John.
Support ICYMI and listen to the show with zero ads. Sign up to become a Slate Plus member for just $1 for your first month.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
This week, Steve and Dana are joined by Slate’s music critic Carl Wilson. First, the panel reviews Edgar Wright’s newest psychological horror film Last Night in Soho—which Dana reviewed for Slate. Next, the panel discusses the newest album in over 40 years from the legendary Swedish music group ABBA, titled Voyage. Finally, the panel is joined by host of Slate’s Hit Parade podcast (and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame voter!) Chris Molanphy to discuss this year’s Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees and the institution at large.
In Slate Plus, the panel discusses music they like to listen to while working. You can find Dana’s playlist of music to work and write to here, Steve’s here, and Carl’s here.
Email us at [email protected].
Endorsements
Dana: The LA Times has been doing an incredible job of covering the ever-developing story of the tragic shooting on the set of the Alec Baldwin film, Rust. The story, which points to many bigger problems, including issues with labor relations in the entertainment industry at large. “The Day Alec Baldwin Shot Halyna Hutchins and Joel Souza” chronologically accounts the events of the entire day, written by three different reporters: Meg James, Amy Kaufman, and Julia Wick.
Carl: First, the great late-80s rock musician Billy Bragg’s newest album The Million Things That Never Happened in which he reflects on aging, isolation, change, and being challenged ideologically by younger generations. This is specifically true of the track, “Mid-Century Modern.” Second, the new music historiography novel from Kelefa Sanneh (who, in the 2000s, wrote the great central piece on rockism for the New York Times), Major Labels: A History of Popular Music in Seven Genres, which is a celebration of what happens when you stay within a tradition.
Steve: First, the ‘80s singer-songwriter Marshall Crenshaw’s live cover of ABBA’s song “Knowing Me, Knowing You.” Second, yet another Swedish indie band: The Amazing.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Nadira Goffe.
Outro music is “Lonely Calling” by Arc De Soleil.
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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Slate Money is obsessed with Succession, HBO's wonderful drama about the lives of the superrich Roy family. So, every Monday, we'll be discussing the previous night's episode with spoiler-filled glee. For Episode 3, Felix Salmon and Emily Peck are joined by Matt Haber, Newsletter Editor for the Alta Journal, to armchair psychoanalyze Kendall, talk about the daddy issues of the Roy children, and debate whether Tom will actually go to prison.
Podcast production by Cheyna Roth.
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This week, host Isaac Butler talks to makeup artist Leslie Ann Sebert about her long career in film and her latest project, the Netflix movie Nightbooks, starring Krysten Ritter. Leslie talks about how she fits into the collaborative process of creating the visuals that shape a film and it’s characters … and just how hard it is to find the exact right formula for candy vomit.
After the interview, Isaac and co-host June Thomas discuss people who choose sole career path at a young age, versus people whose career changes over time, And Isaac explains his biggest piece of writing advice—buy a laser printer.
Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected] or give us a call at (304) 933-9675.
Podcast production by Jessamine Molli.
Host
Isaac Butler
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For this special Halloween episode, you’re in for a handful of treats. Rachelle and Madison reveal their Halloween costumes and talk about what scares and bugs them on the internet this spooky season. They’ll discuss listener-submitted Vines, tweets, and Tumblr posts that are iconic Halloween internet staples, including the viral song “Spooky Scary Skeletons”’ We’ll dive deep into the origins of the song with Victoria Gold, whose father Andrew Gold wrote the celebrated bop.
Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder, Derek John, and Samira Tazari.
Support ICYMI and listen to the show with zero ads. Sign up to become a Slate Plus member for just $1 for your first month.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
On the Spoiler Specials podcast, Slate critics discuss movies, the occasional TV show, and, once in a blue moon, another podcast, in full spoiler-filled detail. This week, Slate movie critic Dana Stevens is joined by Slate senior editor Sam Adams to spoil the new adaptation of the 1965 sci-fi novel Dune.
In the year 10,191, Paul Atreides, along with his family and people, must travel to a dangerous planet at the behest of the emperor of the universe. Once there, violence explodes and Paul must test his training and power to survive.
Note: As the title indicates, this podcast contains spoilers galore.
To listen to Spoiler Specials and other Slate podcasts with zero ads, read unlimited articles on Slate.com, and support Slate's journalism, sign up for Slate Plus now. For a limited time only, you can get $25 off your first year.
Email us at [email protected].
Podcast production by Cleo Levin.
Hosts
Dana Stevens is Slate’s movie critic. You can read her review here.
Sam Adams is a Slate senior editor. You can read his breakdown of the ways to see the movie here.
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In Part 2 of this episode of Hit Parade, Chris Molanphy traces the lineage of ’90s bands like Green Day, Offspring and Blink‑182 to their descendants in ’00s emo artisans Fall Out Boy, Panic! at the Disco and their skinny-jeans-wearing, smarty-pants contemporaries.
Podcast production by Asha Saluja with help from Rosemary Belson.
We have a special announcement! This year is the 25th anniversary of Slate. And for a limited time, we’re offering our annual Slate Plus membership at $25 off. As a Slate Plus member, you'll get to hear every Hit Parade episode in full, the day it arrives; plus Hit Parade—“The Bridge,” our bonus episodes, with guest interviews, deeper dives on our episode topics, and pop-chart trivia. Plus, you’ll get no ads on any Slate podcast, unlimited reading on the Slate site, and member-exclusive episodes and segments. This offer lasts until October 31st, so sign up now at slate.com/hitparadeplus.
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On this week’s episode of The Waves, Slate senior editor Allegra Frank and Waves producer Cheyna Roth embrace the Halloween season and talk about horror movies. They get into the mainstays of horror and slasher movies that continue to haunt the genre to this day, ask whether the “final girl” trope is feminist, and question whether it’s possible to remake a classic without all its original (often sexist) baggage.
In Slate Plus, Allegra and Cheyna keep the Halloween theme going and discuss whether sexy Halloween costumes are feminist.
Recommendations:
Allegra: A very specific TikTok sound.
Cheyna: Hulu’s series Only Murders in the Building.
Podcast production by Cheyna Roth with editorial oversight by Susan Matthews and June Thomas.
Send your comments and recommendations on what to cover to [email protected]
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This week, Steve and Dana are joined by Slate senior editor Allegra Frank. First, senior producer of Slate’s Decoder Ring podcast, Benjamin Frisch, chimes in to review the sci-fi megafilm Dune. Next, the panel discusses Netflix’s Maid. Finally, the panel dives into the IATSE strike, and the tragic death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the set of Rust, involving the actor Alec Baldwin.
In Slate Plus, the panel discusses Halloween as an adult.
Email us at [email protected].
Endorsements
Dana: Lauren Michele Jackson’s piece for The New Yorker about corporate social media and the way Netflix’s social media teams have responded to the Dave Chappelle controversy, titled “Dave Chappelle, Netflix, and the Illusions of Corporate Identity Politics.”
Allegra: Lately, the videogame Super Smash Bros. Ultimate—which she has been playing on Nintendo Switch. Recently, the lead character of another video game franchise, Sora from Kingdom Hearts, has been added as an avatar you can play as in the game.
Steve: First, the song “Precious Memories” by Sister Rosetta Tharpe. Then, British political scientist David Runciman discussed Peter Thiel, silicon valley investor, for the London Review of Books’ podcast, in an episode titled, “The Peter Thiel Paradox.”
Podcast production by Jessamine Molli. Production assistance by Nadira Goffe.
Outro music is “Precious Memories” by Sister Rosetta Tharpe.
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We’re debuting our new segment, “Wormhole,” with this fascinating look into the phenomenon of the viral mukbang YouTuber and drama magnet, Nikocado Avocado. On today’s episode, Rachelle and Madison invite their internet obsessive colleague and senior producer of Slate’s Decoder Ring, Benjamin Frisch, to discuss who this infamous extreme eating content creator is, and why the internet is convinced Nikocado Avocado is eating himself to death.
Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder, Derek John, and Samira Tazari.
Support ICYMI and listen to the show with zero ads. Sign up to become a Slate Plus member for just $1 for your first month.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Slate Money is obsessed with Succession, HBO's wonderful drama about the lives of the superrich Roy family. So, every Monday, we'll be discussing the previous night's episode with spoiler-filled glee. For Episode 2, Felix Salmon and Emily Peck are joined by author and rich people expert Kurt Anderson, to talk about and whether Logan is in a decline, Kendal’s big speech, and those doughnuts.
Podcast production by Cheyna Roth.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
This week, host June Thomas talks to Rebecca Lavoie, who oversees podcasts at New Hampshire Public Radio and who has a “side” hustle as host and producer of Crime Writers On..., These Are Their Stories, and several other podcasts. Rebecca explains why her supposed side-gig has expanded into a much bigger enterprise, and how she makes that work.
After the interview, June and co-host Isaac Butler talk about how Rebecca gets it all done and the “grass is always greener” issue of being on staff versus being a freelancer in creative fields.
Podcast production by Jessamine Molli.
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Why have so many young women developed tic disorders during the course of the pandemic? Well, apart from the obvious pandemic-related stressors, TikTok could be a big part of it. On today’s episode, Rachelle and Madison talk to science journalist Maddie Bender about her report for Vice unpacking this medical mystery. They discuss the correlation between exposure to Tic Tok, a subculture on TikTok where influencers share videos of their tic-related symptoms, and the rise of young women who have developed tic-like behaviors. Though social media could be a trigger for this phenomenon, they’ll discuss if TikTok could also be a part of the solution.
Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder, Derek John, and Samira Tazari.
Support ICYMI and listen to the show with zero ads. Sign up to become a Slate Plus member for just $1 for your first month.
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On this week’s episode of The Waves, Slate news director Susan Matthews and Waves producer Cheyna Roth talk about one of the most popular reality TV shows: Below Deck. First, they share why they love it even though it is...a bit problematic, and then they bring on Rachel Hargrove, the chef from Seasons 8 and 9. Hargrove dishes on what it’s really like to be behind the camera, the backlash she received after her first season, working in the male-dominated yachting industry, and how yachts and their kitchen are making more room for women.
In Slate Plus: More from Susan and Cheyna’s chat with Rachel. They talk about what you don’t see on television and get Rachel’s thoughts on the upcoming season of Below Deck.
Recommendations
Susan: The HBO and BBC series I May Destroy You.
Cheyna: Setting your parents up with Spotify.
Podcast production by Cheyna Roth with editorial oversight by Susan Matthews and June Thomas.
Send your comments and recommendations on what to cover to [email protected]
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
This week, Steve and Dana are joined by Karen Han. First, Slate’s music critic Carl Wilson chimes in to discuss Todd Haynes’s new The Velvet Underground documentary, which he wrote beautifully about for Slate. Next, the panel (minus Dana) is joined by Slate staff writer Rebecca Onion to review Mike Flanagan’s newest Netflix horror series, Midnight Mass—which she also wrote lovingly about. Finally, the panel (minus Dana) is joined by Vulture senior editor and host of the Good One podcast, Jesse David Fox, to discuss the Dave Chappelle controversy.
In Slate Plus, the panel discusses media they loved when they were younger that they have since outgrown.
Email us at [email protected].
Endorsements
Dana: The book equivalent of Todd Haynes’s documentary, the first oral history Dana ever read and still one of the best she’s ever read to this day: Edie: American Girl by Jean Stein and George Plimpton. The oral history tells the story of actress and model Edie Sedgwick completely through testimony from people that were there, without any interstitial material.
Karen: New World, the Korean crime drama film from Park Hoon-jung that stars Squid Game’s Lee Jung-jae. The film features Lee as an undercover cop who is tasked with infiltrating the mob, but ends up caught between two worlds. It also stars a slew of great Korean actors including Hwang Jung-min and Song Ji-hyo.
Steve: First, Netflix’s series The Chestnut Man, a dark, taught crime drama which takes place in Copenhagen. Then, a whole genre of YouTube videos taking you from raw audio of rehearsal to mastertape of Elvis’s songs, including “And The Grass Won’t Pay No Mind”—though, Neil Diamond’s version of that one is better.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Nadira Goffe.
Outro music is “I’ll Be Your Mirror” by The Velvet Underground.
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Is it a bones day or a no bones day? That’s the question that’s swept across TikTok, thanks to Noodle the pug. Each morning, owner Jonathan Graziano wakes up and checks if his geriatric pug has bones or not, a helpful way of predicting what sort of day we’re all going to have. On today’s episode, Madison and Rachelle interview Jonathan (and Noodle) about his sudden viral fame, how Noodle is handling such celebrity, and exactly what it means to have a no bones day.
Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder and Derek John.
Support ICYMI and listen to the show with zero ads. Sign up to become a Slate Plus member.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Slate Money is obsessed with Succession, HBO's wonderful drama about the lives of the superrich Roy family. So, every Monday, we'll be discussing the previous night's episode with spoiler-filled glee. For the series premier, Felix Salmon and Emily Peck are joined by Janine Gibson, assistant editor of Financial Times to talk about Geri's glass cliff promotion, who might be going to jail, and all the best one liners.
Podcast production by Cheyna Roth.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
This week, host Isaac Butler talks to actor Alessandro Nivola, who recently starred in the Sopranos prequel The Many Saints of Newark. In the interview, Alessandro discusses his early career as a theater actor and shares a piece of wisdom he got from Robert De Niro about memorizing lines. Then he digs into the process of becoming a believable 1970’s tough guy in Many Saints.
After the interview, Isaac and co-host June Thomas discuss line memorization and the joys of being part of a “scene.”
In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Alessandro shares how he’s able to tap into powerful emotions in scenes that call for it.
Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected] or give us a call at (304) 933-9675.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews.
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 Big Mood, Little Mood—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on Working. Sign up now at slate.com/workingplus.
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Emily Mariko’s salmon rice bowl video has taken TikTok by storm, with fans praising its deliciousness and even claiming that her video helped heal their relationship with food. On this episode of ICYMI, Rachelle and Madison figure out where this story fits into the diet culture conversation and explain how the reaction to Mariko’s dish is about much more than just the ingredients she’s using. Of course, they weren’t about to talk about a viral recipe without trying it, so the hosts took to the kitchen to find out whether it really lives up to the hype.
Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder and Derek John.
Support ICYMI and listen to the show with zero ads. Sign up to become a Slate Plus member.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
“Punk happened, past tense.” That’s what Boomer-era critics and true-believer punks told the younger generations. Punk’s whole reason for being was rejecting the mainstream. But punk wasn’t just a movement—it was also a genre. And 20 years after it first emerged, punk went from underground to overground, dominating the radio for the first time.
In this episode of Hit Parade, Chris Molanphy traces how punk traveled from Sid Vicious to strip mall, through the lineage of ’90s bands Green Day, Offspring and Blink‑182, and ’00s emo artisans Fall Out Boy, Panic! at the Disco and their skinny-jeans-wearing, smarty-pants contemporaries. From the CBGB era to the current Billboard Hot 100, punk is no historical artifact—it’s still morphing and adapting. And for all its supposed opposition to convention, the dirty little secret is: Punk has always been catchy.
Podcast production by Asha Saluja with help from Rosemary Belson.
We have a special announcement! This year is the 25th anniversary of Slate. And for a limited time, we’re offering our annual Slate Plus membership at $25 off. As a Slate Plus member, you'll get to hear every Hit Parade episode in full, the day it arrives; plus Hit Parade—“The Bridge,” our bonus episodes, with guest interviews, deeper dives on our episode topics, and pop-chart trivia. Plus, you’ll get no ads on any Slate podcast, unlimited reading on the Slate site, and member-exclusive episodes and segments. This offer lasts until October 31st, so sign up now at slate.com/hitparadeplus.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
On the Spoiler Specials podcast, Slate critics discuss movies, the occasional TV show, and, once in a blue moon, another podcast, in full spoiler-filled detail. This week, Slate senior editor Sam Adams is joined by Laura Miller, a books and culture columnist for Slate, to spoil the new Mike Flanagan miniseries Midnight Mass.
Riley Flynn returns to his home on an offshore fishing village to find that the local priest has been replaced by a newcomer. The arrival of the magnetic Father Paul Hill brings religious fervor to the town, along with mystery and monstrosity.
Note: As the title indicates, this podcast contains spoilers galore.
Email us at [email protected].
Podcast production by Cleo Levin and Asha Saluja
Hosts
Sam Adams is a Slate senior editor. You can read his review here.
Laura Miller is a books and culture columnist for Slate.
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This week, Steve and Dana are joined by author and co-host of Slate’s Working podcast, Isaac Butler. First, the panel reviews Sally Rooney’s most recent novel, Beautiful World, Where Are You?. Next, the panel discusses the new poignant and hilarious television series Reservation Dogs. Finally, the panel dissects the viral NYT Mag article “Who Is the Bad Art Friend?” in a larger discussion about literary responsibility.
In Slate Plus, the panel discusses the choice to give up on media you just don’t like and, alternatively, why some people don’t.
Email us at [email protected].
Endorsements
Dana: Devery Jacobs’s—the actress who plays Elora Danan on Reservation Dogs—beautifully written article “How Reservation Dogs Is Opening Up a Crucial Conversation About Suicide in Indigenous Communities.”
Isaac: The 1996 romantic comedy and comedy of friendship from Nicole Holofcener, Walking and Talking, which is a perfect time capsule of ‘90s New York. Dana has written insightfully about the film, which has also been discussed on a previous episode of Gabfest.
Steve: An essay from The New York Review of Books that blew Steve away from Jessica Riskin, titled “Nature’s Evolving Tastes” which talks about the misconstrued reactions to Darwin’s most politicized work Descent of Man.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Nadira Goffe.
Outro music is "200 Dont's" by Conditional
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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As a child, Christy Carlson Romano starred in Disney Channel’s Even Stevens and voiced the character Kim Possible on the eponymous cartoon. Then she faded from the spotlight—until recently, when she reemerged as a chaotic YouTube genius. On this episode of ICYMI, Rachelle and Madison talk to Vanity Fair’s Chris Murphy about his recent profile of Romano and unpack why her candid, low-lift YouTube videos actually have quite the keen understanding of what drives clicks.
Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder and Derek John.
Support ICYMI and listen to the show with zero ads. Sign up to become a Slate Plus member for just $1 for your first month.
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This week, host June Thomas talks to actor Tom Mison, who discusses some of his favorite roles, from Ichabod Crane in Sleepy Hollow to Mr. Phillips in Watchmen. Tom also discusses various approaches to acting and his process for learning how to convincingly portray a blind character in the Apple TV+ series, SEE.
After the interview, June and co-host Isaac Butler discuss Tom’s description of different acting traditions in the UK and the US. Then, June turns to Isaac for some creative advice.
In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, June asks Tom about "posh" parts and "common" parts, a dichotomy that seems to exist all too often in the UK.
Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected] or give us a call at (304) 933-9675.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews.
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 Big Mood, Little Mood—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on Working. Sign up now at slate.com/workingplus.
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How many details must a writer change before real life turns into fiction? That’s a central question of “Who Is the Bad Art Friend?” the seismic New York Times Magazine article about a kidney donation, a Facebook post, and the subsequent fallout that has consumed social media this week. On today’s episode, Madison tries to summarize the story using only what she learned about it from reactions online. Then, Rachelle catches her up on the real story and all its bizarre details. Finally, they discuss whether anybody comes out of this situation looking like a hero, what writers owe to the people they know IRL, and the best practices for making sure your group chats aren’t the subject of the next big New York Times story.
Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder and Derek John.
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On this week’s episode of The Waves, Slate’s news director, Susan Matthews sits down with former colleague and host of the Why Oh Why relationship podcast, Andrea Silenzi to talk about all things weddings. They get into the weirdness of weddings, the sexist nature of some of the traditions, and how to reckon with all that while still having a good time on the dance floor.
In Slate Plus: Is The New York Times Vows column feminist?
Recommendations:
Susan: The new album, An Overview on Phenomenal Nature by Cassandra Jenkins.
Andrea: A brand new pasta shape called Cascatelli.
Podcast production by Cheyna Roth with editorial oversight by Susan Matthews and June Thomas.
Send your comments and recommendations on what to cover to [email protected]
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
It can feel nice to form bonds with people we don’t know by following their lives online! It can also be invasive. On today’s episode, Rachelle and Madison look at an instance of parasocial relationships gone wrong as one long-distance college couple’s reunion turned TikTok users into amateur investigators looking for signs of infidelity. Why did TikTok give these teens the true-crime treatment? Did they invite the scrutiny for even posting in the first place? To read more about parasocial relationships online, check out Madison’s piece, “John Mulaney Doesn’t Owe You Squat.”
Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder and Derek John.
Support ICYMI and listen to the show with zero ads. Sign up to become a Slate Plus member for just $1 for your first month.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
This week, Steve and Dana are joined by author and co-host of Slate’s Working podcast, Isaac Butler. First, the panel discusses the social implications of Netflix’s biggest hit to date, Squid Game. Next, the panel reviews the incredibly divisive (and gory) Cannes Palme d’Or winning Titane. Finally, the panel is joined by writer, researcher, and host of the Talking Scared podcast, Neil McRobert, to dissect the horror genre trope of the Final Girl.
In Slate Plus, the panel discusses representations of parenthood in art.
Email us at [email protected].
Endorsements
The panel revisits their previous discussion on eBooks and endorses more media.
Dana: Scottish actor Alan Cumming’s harrowing, yet deeply moving book—particularly the audiobook version—Not My Father’s Son: A Family Memoir.
Isaac: Two books consumed in eBook format! The first, a tome composed of every novella from author Ursula K. Le Guin titled, The Found and the Lost. The second, in this episode’s shadow theme of Halloween, Jason Zinoman’s book Shock Value: How a Few Eccentric Outsiders Gave Us Nightmares, Conquered Hollywood, and Invented Modern Horror. Which is, not clearly, a history steeped in love of 1970s horror cinema auteurs.
Steve: Keeping it simple this week with three songs. First, the indie rock band from Leeds, The Wedding Present and their 1992 song “Blue Eyes.” Second (friend of a friend of the podcast) Courtney Barnett’s cover of The Velvet Underground’s “I’ll Be Your Mirror” from the recent Velvet Underground & Nico tribute album. Finally, Willow Smith’s (yes, as in Jada Pinkett and Will Smith) song with artist Tyler Cole “Meet Me At Our Spot,” which was released under their alias THE ANXIETY. (The live version has been blowing up on TikTok.)
Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Nadira Goffe.
Outro music is "Meet Me At Our Spot" by THE ANXIETY, WILLOW, and Tyler Cole
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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This week, host Isaac Butler talks to Dana Covarrubias, costume designer for the popular Hulu series Only Murders in the Building, starring Steve Martin, Martin Short, and Selena Gomez. In the interview, Dana explains how her early work as an actor influences her decision-making as a costume designer. She also breaks down some of the creative thinking that went into the wardrobes for each of the main characters in Only Murders in the Building.
After the interview, Isaac and co-host June Thomas discuss Dana’s technique of establishing backstories for every character, even the minor ones.
In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Dana talks about designing the wardrobes for some of the supporting characters. Then she talks about how to deal with the costume design equivalent of writer’s block.
Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected] or give us a call at (304) 933-9675.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews.
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 Big Mood, Little Mood—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on Working. Sign up now at slate.com/workingplus.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Scams are everywhere. From the Fyre Festival to Anna Delvy to LuLaRoe, fraudsters just seem to be getting more and more popular these days. On today’s episode, Rachelle and Madison welcome Laci Mosley, host of the podcast Scam Goddess, to talk about her love of scams and scammers, how she’s been scammed herself, and why she thinks we are all so obsessed with these audacious grifters.
Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder and Derek John.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
On the Spoiler Special podcast, Slate critics discuss movies, the occasional TV show, and, once in a blue moon, another podcast, in full spoiler-filled detail. This week, Slate’s movie critic Dana Stevens is joined by Rolling Stone’s chief TV critic and host of the popular podcast Too Long, Didn’t Watch, Alan Sepinwall to spoil the new Sopranos prequel film, The Many Saints of Newark.
The film follows a young Anthony Soprano, growing up in a very tumultuous era in Newark, N.J. Caught up in the changing times is the uncle he idolizes, Dickie Moltisanti, whose influence over his nephew will help shape the impressionable teenager into the all-powerful mob boss: Tony Soprano.
Note: As the title indicates, this podcast contains spoilers galore.
Email us at [email protected].
Podcast production by Morgan Flannery.
Hosts
Dana Stevens is Slate’s movie critic. You can read her review here.
Alan Sepinwall is Rolling Stone’s chief TV critic and host of the popular podcast Too Long, Didn’t Watch. You can read his review here.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
On this week’s episode of The Waves, Slate executive producer of podcasts Alicia Montgomery and The Waves producer, Cheyna Roth talk about the Clinton impeachment and the why, decades later, we can’t seem to let go of this story. They start out by unpacking Ryan Murphy’s new show, American Crime Story: Impeachment and how feminist thinking has evolved since the mid-90s. After the break they talk about the characters surrounding Monica Lewinsky, and whether the show treats them fairly.
In Slate Plus’s “Is This Feminist” segment, Alicia and Cheyna talk about whether the ongoing Britney Spears saga is feminist.
Recommendations:
Alicia: Diving headfirst into Fall.
Cheyna: Lindy West’s new Substack Butt News.
Podcast production by Cheyna Roth with editorial oversight by Susan Matthews and June Thomas.
Send your comments and recommendations on what to cover to [email protected]
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
On today’s episode, it’s time for some High Speed Downloads: First, Rachelle and Madison tell you everything you need to know about a viral video of an unfortunate sea lion seeking refuge from a group of orcas. Then, they get to the bottom of a mythical version of Dear Evan Hansen featuring a digitally de-aged Ben Platt. Is it real? Finally, the hosts answer listener questions about the chair emoji on TikTok, “devious licks,” and “soaking.” (We bet you can’t guess which of those aren’t a weird sex thing.)
Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder and Derek John.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
This week, Steve and Dana are joined by author and co-host of Slate’s Working podcast, Isaac Butler. First, the panel reviews Clint Eastwood’s most recent film Cry Macho. Next, the panel discusses the neoliberal parable that is Amazon’s docuseries LuLaRich. Finally, the panel discusses the advantages and pitfalls of eBooks.
In Slate Plus, the panel discusses their favorite film credit sequences.
Email us at [email protected].
Endorsements
Dana: Generally: Explore.Org, a live nature cam network. More specifically: Dana’s favorite live cam “The Mississippi River Flyway Cam” on the Raptor Resource Project in Brice Prairie, Wisconsin.
Isaac: The novel A Lie Someone Told You About Yourself by Peter Ho Davies, about how a big early decision impacts a couple’s married life afterwards.
Steve: A pound the table endorsement: the essay by the feminist critic Vivian Gornick in Harper’s Magazine called “Put on the Diamonds: Notes on humiliation” -- in which she thinks out loud about what humiliation and loneliness are.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Nadira Goffe.
Outro music is “Ruins” by Origo.
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.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
This week, host June Thomas talks to writer and podcaster Nichole Perkins, whose new book of personal essays is Sometimes I Trip on How Happy We Could Be. In the interview, Nichole describes the techniques she used to get in touch with early memories for the book. She also discusses the importance of clarity and her mission to avoid being misunderstood.
After the interview, June and co-host Isaac Butler get some creative advice from writer Taffy Brodesser-Akner.
In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Nichole talks about some of her favorite collections of personal essays.
Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected] or give us a call at (304) 933-9675.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews.
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 Big Mood, Little Mood—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on Working. Sign up now at slate.com/workingplus.
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The little lad who loves berries and cream is inescapable on TikTok right now. A character from a 2007 Starburst commercial, the little lad has transcended his advertising origins and become a meme all his own. On today’s episode, Madison and Rachelle explain how and why this lad has taken over your feeds, and why there are so many remixes of his audio. They also talk about all the remixes on TikTok featuring rapper Cupcakke, how these are all part of the ubiquity of advertising, and if there’s anything viral that isn’t consumed by capitalism.
Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder and Derek John.
Support ICYMI and listen to the show with zero ads. Sign up to become a Slate Plus member for just $1 for your first month.
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In Part 2 of our 50th episode of Hit Parade, we go back 50 years, celebrating the semicentennial of the year when, critics claim, “music changed everything.” The Quiet Beatle became the Favorite Beatle, when Mick Jagger sang lyrics even he regrets, when Carole King graduated from songwriter to singer-songwriter, and commercial juggernaut, when blaxploitation took over the charts and the Oscars, and when the radio was somehow awash in Osmonds. It wasn’t a perfect year—but Hit Parade host Chris Molanphy is fond of ’71 for personal reasons.
Podcast production by Asha Saluja with help from Rosemary Belson.
Sign up for Slate Plus now to get episodes in one installment as soon as they're out. You'll also get The Bridge, our trivia show and bonus deep dive. Click here for more info.
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This week, Steve and Dana are joined by culture writer extraordinaire, Karen Han. First, the panel reviews the definitely problematic, yet overall divisive, popular Netflix film Kate—which Karen wrote about. Next, the panel discusses when Hulu’s risk-taking Nine Perfect Strangers pays off and when it doesn’t. Finally, the panel is joined by Slate’s TV critic and host of Decoder Ring Willa Paskin to discuss the Emmys, the value of award shows, and the evolving way we consume television.
In Slate Plus, the panel discusses media they love but consume in moderation for fear of wearing it out.
Email us at [email protected].
Endorsements
Dana: Netflix’s controversial and shocking Bob Ross documentary, Bob Ross: Happy Accidents, Betrayal, & Greed, which was coincidentally co-produced by Nine Perfect Strangers’ Melissa McCarthy & Ben Falcone.
Karen: The first season of The Righteous Gemstones and how it speaks to the current American climate. You can catch up before season two!
Steve: A sad endorsement: The New Republic’s great article, “How Tucker Carlson Lost It” by Alex Shephard. A happier endorsement: it’s time to fall in love again with Gillian Welch, particularly with her songs “Picasso,” “Wayside/Back in Time,” and, honestly? All of the other songs she’s ever made.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Nadira Goffe.
Outro music is "I Can Still Dance" by Tigerblood Jewel
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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While authorities searched for missing 22-year-old Gabby Petito, she was everywhere to be found on TikTok, Reddit, and Instagram. Content creators, some well-intentioned and others simply chasing clout and clicks, turned the story of Gabby’s apparent death into the latest in true crime drama. On today’s show, Madison and Rachelle talk about the murkiness of the true crime internet and the ethics of using tragedy for clicks. They’re joined later in the show by Hayley Toumaian, a TikTok creator and novice true crime podcast host who says the rapid pace of the news genre means sometimes getting things wrong in front of an audience of millions and willfully sharing misinformation.
Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder and Derek John.
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This week, in his final hosting appearance on the show, Rumaan Alam talks to graphic designer Rodrigo Corral, who specializes in book cover art. In the interview, Rodrigo explains how his designs attempt to capture the tone and themes of the books they adorn. He also talks about avoiding a signature style and finding inspiration at the hardware store.
After the interview, Rumaan and co-host Isaac Butler discuss the covers of their books and the creative decisions that went into the designs.
In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Rodrigo explains how fatherhood has impacted his work. He also talks about some cover art that he admires.
Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected] or give us a call at (304) 933-9675.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews and Morgan Flannery.
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 Big Mood, Little Mood—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on Working. Sign up now at slate.com/workingplus.
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Men’s Rights Asians are a group of men whose concern for anti-Asian racism in America has led them on a grim path of anti-Blackness and harassing Asian women. On today’s show, Rachelle and Madison are joined by Slate’s Aaron Mak, whose recent cover story, “Men’s Rights Asians Think This Is Their Moment,” dove into his two year stint embedded in this online Reddit community and what he’s learned about their structure, tactics, and the vitriolic anger constantly simmering within it. Rachelle and Madison also explain the baffling “good soup” meme on TikTok.
Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder and Derek John.
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On the Spoiler Special podcast, Slate critics discuss movies, the occasional TV show, and, once in a blue moon, another podcast, in full spoiler-filled detail. This week, Slate’s senior editor Allegra Frank is joined by fellow Slate senior editor, Sam Adams, to spoil Marvel’s Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings.
Shang-Chi is living a quiet, normal life in San Francisco working as a valet parking attendant with his best friend Katy when suddenly he’s confronted by his dark past. He soon realizes that it’s up to him and his friends to save the world from ancient soul-eating demons.
Note: As the title indicates, this podcast contains spoilers galore.
Email us at [email protected].
Podcast production by Morgan Flannery.
Hosts
Allegra Frank is Slate’s senior editor. You can read her review here.
Sam Adams is Slate’s senior editor and editor of Slate’s culture blog Brow Beat. You can read his review here.
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On this week’s episode of The Waves, Slate staff writers Rebecca Onion and Heather Schwedel dive into girls’ and women’s magazines. Many outlets like Sassy and CosmoGirl have been shuttered or moved to online-only editions. With the recent resurrection of teen magazine icon Atoosa Rubenstein in the media, Rebecca and Heather talk about what made these types of magazines pop and how problematic they were for their audience—especially the young girls. Then they dig into the lasting impact these relics have in the digital age.
Recommendations:
Rebecca: The 2016 PBS show Victoria and Nicola Griffith’s book Ammonite.
Heather: Listening to music, especially if you usually listen to podcasts.
Podcast production by Cheyna Roth with editorial oversight by Susan Matthews and June Thomas.
Send your comments and recommendations on what to cover to [email protected]
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
This week, Steve and Dana are joined by author and co-host of Slate’s Working podcast, Isaac Butler. First, the panel discusses how Paul Schrader’s most recent film, The Card Counter, replaces gambling and addiction with guilt and accountability. Next, the panel discusses the star-studded true crime satirical comedy, Only Murders in the Building. Finally, the panel is joined by Slate senior writer and ICYMI podcast host Madison Malone Kircher to discuss John Mulaney and parasocial relationships.
In Slate Plus, the panel divulges more of their personal parasocial relationships.
Email us at [email protected].
Endorsements
Dana: Nora Ephron’s great essay in The New Yorker “Moving On, A Love Story,” in which she struggles to move on from her apartment in the historical Apthorp building in the Upper West Side.
Isaac: First, Scorcese’s 1982 film The King of Comedy—the ultimate parasocial relationship film. Second, the app Relisten, which allows you to stream live-music recordings from the vast number of internet archives.
Steve: The great writer Saul Bellow’s 1956 novel, Seize the Day. Also: the 1984 collection of his short stories, Him with His Foot in His Mouth and Other Stories.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Nadira Goffe.
Outro music is "Self Made Woman" by Katharine Appleton
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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LulaRich, a new documentary from Amazon, tells the story of LulaRoe, a multi-level marketing company on selling leggings to women. On today’s episode, Rachelle and Madison discuss their own encounters with MLMs, the importance of Facebook Live videos in this company's rise, and who the documentary chooses to ignore when telling this story.
Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder and Derek John.
Support ICYMI and listen to the show with zero ads. Sign up to become a Slate Plus member for just $1 for your first month.
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Christina, Bryan and Slate Senior Managing Producer June Thomas say farewell to outgoing host Rumaan Alam, then welcome journalist Casey Newton to discuss Grindr's data security problem and its inherent potential for ruining self-esteem. They then delve into Todd Stephens' Swan Song, a beautiful new film about an old queen, his cross-town journey to find hair products fit for styling his dead client, and the closure it brings.
Items discussed in the show:
Swan Song, directed by Todd Stephens
Gay Agenda
Christina: Eric Cervini's Queer History 101
June: Olivia on the Record by Ginny Berson
Bryan: two-room tents!
This podcast was produced by Katya Kumkova.
Please send feedback, topic ideas, and advice questions to [email protected].
Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now.
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This week, host Isaac Butler talks to music supervisor Morgan Rhodes.
In the interview, Morgan explains what a music supervisor is, how she researches music for film and TV projects, and the challenges she deals with in securing the rights to that music.
After the interview, Isaac and co-host June Thomas talk about specific examples of music in film and TV that have stood out to them—for better or for worse.
In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Isaac asks Morgan about how and when she likes to use well-known music in her projects.
Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected] or give us a call at (304) 933-9675.
Podcast production by Morgan Flannery.
Host
Isaac Butler
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Somebody has been hurling raw eggs at people in Chicago. On today’s episode, Rachelle and Madison try to crack the case of these egg attacks, and speak to the man who created the Chicago Egg Hunters Facebook group that has been on the hunt for the culprit ever since.
Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder and Derek John.
Support ICYMI and listen to the show with zero ads. Sign up to become a Slate Plus member for just $1 for your first month.
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At any given time, the music world is celebrating some anniversary, but 1971 has received more than its share of commemorations this year. And with good reason: Carole King. Marvin Gaye. Joni Mitchell. Sly Stone. Janis Joplin. The Who. All released their best work a half-century ago.
For our 50th episode of Hit Parade, we go back 50 years, celebrating the semicentennial of the year when, critics claim, “music changed everything.” The Quiet Beatle became the Favorite Beatle, when Mick Jagger sang lyrics even he regrets, when Carole King graduated from songwriter to singer-songwriter, and commercial juggernaut, when blaxploitation took over the charts and the Oscars, and when the radio was somehow awash in Osmonds. It wasn’t a perfect year—but Hit Parade host Chris Molanphy is fond of ’71 for personal reasons.
Podcast production by Asha Saluja with help from Rosemary Belson.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
On this week’s episode of The Waves, Slate Money co-host Emily Peck and Slate senior editor Shannon Palus talk all things #girlboss. They explore how the concept went from being a sought-after status to a ridiculed slogan. Then they dive into the upcoming trial of possible former (and current?) girlboss Elizabeth Holmes and talk about whether potential trial strategies and defenses are sexist.
Recommendations:
Shannon: Jessica Knoll’s 2015 novel, The Luckiest Girl Alive.
Emily: The Cathy comic strip podcast, Aack Cast.
Podcast production by Cheyna Roth with editorial oversight by Susan Matthews and June Thomas.
Send your comments and recommendations on what to cover to [email protected]
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This week, Steve and Dana are joined by Slate senior editor, Allegra Frank. First, the panel discusses the surprising achievements of Marvel’s newest addition, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings. Next, the panel is joined by Slate senior editor Jeremy Stahl to talk about Spike Lee’s docuseries NYC Epicenters 9/11-2021½ and 9/11 trutherism on the 20th anniversary of 9/11. Finally, the panel discusses the frustrations of the star-studded time-loop video game 12 Minutes.
In Slate Plus, the panel discusses big swings—that missed—but, still hold special places in their hearts.
Email us at [email protected].
Outro music: "Break the Line" by Coma Svensson
Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Nadira Goffe.
Endorsements
Dana: The indie film Short Term 12 from Shang-Chi director Destin Daniel Cretton. Also, an endorsement for flood-proof spatial planning–especially for your precious physical media.
Allegra: Upon the release of the famous rapper’s newest album, Allegra’s curated playlist of Drake Songs That Don’t Suck. And a quick shout out to the everlasting enjoyment of It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia.
Steve: Christoph Reuter’s beautifully reported deep-dive on the Western presence in Afghanistan post-9/11 titled The Entirely Predictable Failure of the West’s Mission in Afghanistan for Der Spiegel.
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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On today’s episode, Rachelle and Madison open up the mailbag to answer a few questions from our listeners. In addition to other things, they explain what acting POV TikToks are, the possibility of going to Chernobyl, and what, if any, meaning the different emoji heart colors have. If you’ve got questions you want us to answer, send an email to [email protected].
Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder and Derek John.
Support ICYMI and listen to the show with zero ads. Sign up to become a Slate Plus member for just $1 for your first month.
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This week, host June Thomas talks to Shayne Bushfield, aka Thorsten A. Integrity, founder of the online trivia competition LearnedLeague. In the interview, Shayne explains how LearnedLeague works and discusses his efforts to make trivia more inclusive by expanding the “trivia canon.” He also reveals how he’s been able to write thousands of unique trivia questions over the years.
After the interview, June and co-host Isaac Butler talk about their experiences with trivia.
In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, June asks Shayne who the new host of Jeopardy! should be.
Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected] or give us a call at (304) 933-9675.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews.
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 Big Mood, Little Mood—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on Working. Sign up now at slate.com/workingplus.
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Earlier this week, musician Jazmine Sullivan took to Instagram and requested her followers to send in secrets, which she then shared anonymously on her page. On today’s episode, Rachelle and Madison talk about how what Jazmine did isn’t new, secrets sharing as a useful online engagement strategy, and why we’ve all be sharing our secrets online for so long.
Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder and Derek John.
Support ICYMI and listen to the show with zero ads. Sign up to become a Slate Plus member for just $1 for your first month.
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On the Spoiler Special podcast, Slate critics discuss movies, the occasional TV show, and, once in a blue moon, another podcast, in full spoiler-filled detail.
This week, Slate’s movie critic Dana Stevens is joined by Slate contributor Isaac Butler and The New Yorker staff writer Rachel Syme to spoil Mike White’s The White Lotus.
What happens when a group of extremely privileged and wealthy people arrive at The White Lotus Resort in Hawaii for a week of relaxation in the sun? The answer is nothing good.
Note: As the title indicates, this podcast contains spoilers galore.
Email us at [email protected].
Podcast production by Morgan Flannery.
Hosts
Dana Stevens is a movie critic at Slate. You can hear her talk more about The White Lotus here.
Isaac Butler is the co-host of Slate’s Working podcast. You can listen to his interview with the show’s composer here.
Rachel Syme is a staff writer at The New Yorker. You can read her piece about the show here.
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On this week’s episode of The Waves, Slate TV critic Willa Paskin and Vulture staff writer Kathryn VanArendonk talk about the precarious position of white men on TV this summer. Their conversation, inspired by Kathryn’s recent piece in Vulture, TV's White Guys Are in Crisis, surveys the history of white men on TV, from the good-guy dad to the complex antihero, through to our current moment, where shows like Rutherford Falls and Kevin Can F**k Himself position their white guys as obstacles, and The White Lotus overtly asks, would we prefer white guys to disappear entirely? Willa and Kathryn get into it.
After the break, our hosts contrast these shows to their glaring exception, Apple TV’s Ted Lasso, which allows its white guy lead to be uncomplicatedly beloved. Is his charming take on progressive masculinity too good to be true?
For Slate Plus members, Willa and Kathryn contribute to our regular segment, Gateway Feminism, where they talk about one thing that helped make them feminists. For Willa, it’s the young adult series The Baby-Sitter’s Club, by Ann M. Martin, and for Kathryn it’s the Western TV drama Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman.
Recommendations
Kathryn recommends three things: Felco garden clippers, the Toniebox, and the TV series What We Do in the Shadows.
Willa thinks you should check out Richard Powers’ novel The Overstory.
Podcast production by Asha Saluja filling in for Cheyna Roth. Editorial oversight by Susan Matthews and June Thomas.
Send your comments and thoughts about what The Waves should cover to [email protected].
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The milk crate challenge, an online viral challenge where people attempt to walk up and down a pile of milk crates stacked to resemble steps, has become so popular that it even shut down a highway and two parks in Atlanta. On today’s episode, Rachelle and Madison recount how this challenge rose to viral fame, talk to Keith Dorsey who coordinated the Atlanta event, and even try to find some milk crates of their own.
Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder and Derek John.
Support ICYMI and listen to the show with zero ads. Sign up to become a Slate Plus member for just $1 for your first month.
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This week, Steve and Dana are joined by Slate senior editor, Allegra Frank. First, the panel discusses the divisive parables within Candyman. Next, they talk about the Netflix series, The Chair. Finally, the panel is joined by Slate pop critic Jack Hamilton to discuss the legacy of the late, great Rolling Stones drummer, Charlie Watts.
In Slate Plus, the panel discusses things they’re looking forward to in the rest of 2021.
Email us at [email protected].
Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Nadira Goffe.
Outro music is "If Only I Was a Poet" but Steffan Carlen.
Endorsements
Dana: This eight-minute montage of Charlie Watts’s signature warm-up dance before live shows.
Jack: The work and legacy of the inimitable Jamaican reggae producer, Lee “Scratch” Perry, who recently passed. Specifically: the 1977 landmark roots reggae album Heart of the Congos by reggae group The Congos—which Perry produced. A highlight: the track “Sodom and Gomorrow.”
Allegra: The long-running daily web comic steeped in the culture of “shit posting,” Mr. Boop by Alec Robbins.
Steve: This destination pizza evangelizer endorses the pizza at Hearth & Harbor in Southwest Harbor, Maine. Also, the sitcom Arrested Development
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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This week, host Isaac Butler talks to composer Cristobal Tapia de Veer, who wrote the spooky, absolutely unmistakable score for the HBO series The White Lotus. In the interview, Cristobal discusses his career journey and explains why he switched from writing classical and pop music to scoring TV shows. Then he gets into the details of how he came up with the sound for The White Lotus and what it was like collaborating with writer/director Mike White.
After the interview, Isaac and co-host June Thomas talk about Cristobal’s seemingly joyful composition process. Then they answer a listener’s question about procrastination.
In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Cristobal discusses the challenges of working on a long-term project and explains why he struggles to get past the research phase.
Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected] or give us a call at (304) 933-9675.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews.
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 Big Mood, Little Mood—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on Working. Sign up now at slate.com/workingplus.
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Last week, the company behind OnlyFans, a platform where sex workers can generate income by providing adult content to paid subscribers, announced that it would ban sexually explicit uploads starting October 1. Less than a week later, the company reversed its decision after public backlash. On today’s episode, Rachelle and Madison talk about the rise of OnlyFans, and its importance to independent sex workers. Then they interview Slate sex columnist and OnlyFans performer Jessica Stoya about her experience on the platform over the past year, and why this sort of fight isn’t anything new for those who’ve been in the industry.
Jessica Stoya’s recent piece on OnlyFans is, “I Made Thousands on OnlyFans. I Have a Dark Suspicion About What’s Coming.” You can read more from her by checking out Slate’s How To Do It sex advice column which she writes every week with Rich Juzwiak.
Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder and Derek John.
Support ICYMI and listen to the show with zero ads. Sign up to become a Slate Plus member for just $1 for your first month.
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In part 2 of this episode of Hit Parade, Chris Molanphy continues his deep dive on Yacht Rock, the retroactive genre label for the sleek, jazzy, R&B-flavored sound that cropped up in the late '70s and early '80s amongst polished, perfectionist West Coast studio musicians.
Whatever you call it, this music really did command the charts at the turn of the ’80s: from Steely Dan to George Benson, Michael McDonald to Kenny Loggins, Toto to…Michael Jackson?! Believe it: even Thriller is partially a Yacht Rock album. This month, Hit Parade breaks down what Yacht Rock was and how it took over the charts four decades ago—from the perfectionism of “Peg,” to the bounce of “What a Fool Believes,” to the epic smoothness of “Africa.”
This episode was released in August 2020 exclusively for Slate Plus listeners. Sign up for Slate Plus now to get episodes in one installment as soon as they're out. You'll also get The Bridge, our trivia show and bonus deep dive. Click here for more info.
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In 2012, the non-profit organization Invisible Children released Kony 2012, a short film about the human rights violations in Uganda perpetrated by Joseph Kony, which rapidly took over the internet and made Joseph Kony a household name. On today’s episode, Rachelle and Madison look back at the origins of the organization, how its creator handled the extreme popularity of their viral moment, and what lessons we learned from its utter failure.
Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder and Derek John.
Support ICYMI and listen to the show with zero ads. Sign up to become a Slate Plus member for just $1 for your first month.
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This week is a Bizarro Fest featuring associate editor Marissa Martinelli; June Thomas, senior managing producer of Slate podcasts; and Benjamin Frisch, senior producer, Decoder Ring. First, the panel discusses the bizarre experience of watching Annette. Next, they talk about the BBC miniseries, The Pursuit of Love. Finally, they talk about the board game Wingspan with Slate editor and writer Dan Kois.
In Slate Plus, the panel answers a listener question about which board game they would choose to play on a first date.
Email us at [email protected].
Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Cleo Levin.
Outro music is "Death Dance" by Luftmensch.
Endorsements
June: The writing of all the Mitfords. Especially Hons and Rebels and Poison Penmanship by Jessica Mitford. (As well as the biography Irrepressible: The Life and Times of Jessica Mitford by Leslie Brody). And The Pursuit of Love and Love in a Cold Climate by Nancy Mitford.
Ben: Promises by Floating Points, Pharoah Sanders, and The London Symphony Orchestra. And the game Disco Elysium.
Marissa: “How Science Saved Me From Pretending to Love Wine” by Anne Fadiman in The New Yorker.
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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This week, host Isaac Butler talks to playwright Antoinette Chinonye Nwandu about her play Pass Over, which is the first show to premiere on Broadway after a long shutdown due to COVID-19. In the interview, Antoinette discusses the process of writing the play and describes how Samuel Beckett’s influence “came charging in.” She also talks about the many different versions of the play, current revisions, and her new mission to prioritize self-care.
After the interview, Isaac and co-host June Thomas discuss the continuing importance of Broadway. Then they hear from a listener who wants to know if she’s doing enough research before moving forward with her creative projects.
Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected] or give us a call at (304) 933-9675.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews.
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 Big Mood, Little Mood—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on Working. Sign up now at slate.com/workingplus.
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There is always a bunch of hand-wringing surrounding cancel culture, but after your bank account hits a certain threshold, there’s not much more to worry about. On today’s episode, Madison is joined by BuzzFeed’s Scaachi Koul to discuss why Chet Hanks just won’t go away, and what happens when a journalist finds themselves as a character in a YouTuber’s drama. We knew Trisha Paytas would be back on our radar. Make sure to check out Scaachi Koul’s profile of Trisha Paytas, “Don’t Piss Off Trisha Paytas.”
If you enjoyed this episode, check out this past Wednesday’s episode about a human bone salesman going viral on TikTok and whether it’s even legal to participate in the human skeleton marketplace.
Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder and Derek John.
Support ICYMI and listen to the show with zero ads. Sign up to become a Slate Plus member for just $1 for your first month.
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When you’re running a business, distinguishing yourself is crucial. With almost every industry evolving faster than ever, competition is largely driven and determined by technology. In this episode, Kristen Meinzer is joined by two guests who create and capitalize on disruptive innovations to better serve their customers. First, she talks to Chieh Huang, a serial entrepreneur who has built successful businesses in two of today’s most competitive markets: mobile gaming and e-commerce. Later in the show, you’ll hear from Tracy Hutton. As the CEO of CENTURY 21 Scheetz in Indianapolis, she fosters a culture of going above and beyond for clients.
Guests
Chieh Huang: CEO and a Co-founder of Boxed
Tracy Hutton: CEO of CENTURY 21 Scheetz
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On the Spoiler Special podcast, Slate critics discuss movies, the occasional TV show, and, once in a blue moon, another podcast, in full spoiler-filled detail.
This week, Slate staff writer Karen Han is joined by Slate’s senior editor Sam Adams to spoil James Gunn’s The Suicide Squad, a soft reboot of the original 2016 Suicide Squad.
What happens when the US government brings together a few of the world’s most dangerous supervillains to save the day? You get chaos, blood, gore and The Suicide Squad.
Note: As the title indicates, this podcast contains spoilers galore.
Email us at [email protected].
Podcast production by Morgan Flannery.
Hosts
Karen Han is a staff writer at Slate. You can read her review here.
Sam Adams is a senior editor at Slate and editor of Slate’s culture blog, Brow Beat.
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On this week’s episode of The Waves, show producer and true crime author Cheyna Roth sits down with Rebecca Lavoie, co-host of the Crime Writers On podcast and fellow true crime author. The pair start by talking about the current state of true crime and beg Hollywood to stop making sexy serial killer movies. After the break, Rebecca and Cheyna dissect how the genre treats victims and whether criticisms of true crime are sexist.
Recommendations:
Cheyna: The pyramid scheme podcast series The Dream and the 2018 episode of Decoder Ring, Clown Panic.
Rebecca: True crime documentary Murder on Middle Beach on HBO; Season 1 of The Staircase on Netflix; and the podcast Canary from the Washington Post.
Podcast production by Cheyna Roth with editorial oversight by Susan Matthews and June Thomas.
Send your comments and recommendations on what to cover to [email protected]
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This week is a Bizarro Fest featuring Karen Han, Slate staff writer; June Thomas, senior managing producer of Slate podcasts; and Marissa Martinelli, Slate associate editor. First, the panel is joined by writer Sara Nović to discuss the Sundance hit film CODA. Next, they talk about the dating simulation game Boyfriend Dungeon. Finally, Josh Levin, host of the Slate podcast One Year, comes on to talk about the premiere season of his show.
In Slate Plus, the panel talks about which writer (living or dead) they would choose to pen their biographies, and then which actor they would want to play them in their biopics.
You can read Sara Nović’s interview with CODA star Marlee Matlin in Bustle: “Marlee Matlin Knows How to Make Change.”
Email us at [email protected].
Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Cleo Levin.
Outro music is "Zero Gravity" by ELFL
Endorsements
June: The podcast The Rise and Fall of Mars Hill from Christianity Today
Marissa: The video game Stardew Valley
Karen: The TV show Wellington Paranormal
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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On today’s episode, Rachelle and Madison 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.
Support ICYMI and listen to the show with zero ads. Sign up to become a Slate Plus member for just $1 for your first month.
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It’s August, and Outward is leaning into the heat. First, Christina, Bryan, and Rumaan gab about the beach. Why, exactly, are queer beaches so delightful? Is there a secret geography of finding the gay beach? They then talk to GirlFlexx, a female dom stripper who performs largely for straight women in a traditionally male style -- and kills it in adoration and tips.
Items discussed on the show:
An ice cream cake you can make "in the back of your car."
The upcoming Chromatica remix album, confirmed by Lady Gaga.
Outsports.com's coverage of the Olympics.
Provincetown's citizen scientist effort to contact trace a Delta variant outbreak.
A lawyer who fought for marriage equality helped disgraced Governor Andrew Cuomo discredit abuse victims.
A primer on lesbian dom strippers.
Gay Agenda
Bryan: Lindsay Morris and Ruth Padawar's photo essay about Camp I Am.
Rumaan: Colm Toibin's The Master.
Christina: The L Word: Generation Q.
This podcast was produced by Katya Kumkova.
Please send feedback, topic ideas, and advice questions to [email protected].
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This week, host June Thomas talks to Charlie Jane Anders, author of many novels and a new book of writing advice, Never Say You Can't Survive. In the interview, Charlie Jane offers tons of detailed writing tips and explains how escaping into fictional worlds can help people endure hard times.
After the interview, June and co-host Rumaan Alam discuss some of Charlie Jane’s writing tips, and then Rumaan talks about his recent profile of author Jason Reynolds, which was published in the New Yorker.
Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected] or give us a call at (304) 933-9675.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews.
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 Big Mood, Little Mood—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on Working. Sign up now at slate.com/workingplus.
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For many TikTok users, it’s been impossible to escape #BamaRush, the week of sorority recruitment at the University of Alabama. On today’s episode, Madison and Rachelle explain, how rush week actually works, why it’s flooded our feeds, and what its popularity says about whiteness, wealth, and class on the app.
Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder and Derek John.
Support ICYMI and listen to the show with zero ads. Sign up to become a Slate Plus member for just $1 for your first month.
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In the late ’70s and early ’80s, a scene and a sound cropped up on the West Coast: polished, perfectionist studio musicians who generated sleek, jazzy, R&B-flavored music. About a quarter-century later, this sound was given a name: Yacht Rock. The inventors of the genre name weren’t thinking about boats…well, unless the song was Christopher Cross’s “Sailing.” Yacht Rock was meant to signify deluxe, yuppified, “smooth” music suitable for playing on luxury nautical craft.
Whatever you call it, this music really did command the charts at the turn of the ’80s: from Steely Dan to George Benson, Michael McDonald to Kenny Loggins, Toto to…Michael Jackson?! Believe it: even Thriller is partially a Yacht Rock album. This month, Hit Parade breaks down what Yacht Rock was and how it took over the charts four decades ago—from the perfectionism of “Peg,” to the bounce of “What a Fool Believes,” to the epic smoothness of “Africa.”
This episode was released in August 2020 exclusively for Slate Plus listeners. Sign up for Slate Plus now to get episodes in one installment as soon as they're out. You'll also get The Bridge, our trivia show and bonus deep dive. Click here for more info.
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Alex Haley’s Roots displayed the brutal realities of slavery to more than 100 million Americans. The book and mini-series also made a bold claim: that Haley was the first Black American to trace his lineage all the way back to Africa, and to a specific ancestor captured into slavery. What would it mean, for Haley and America, if he hadn’t found what he said he’d found?
For more of this show, subscribe to One Year on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you listen.
Slate Plus members get to hear more about the making of One Year and more about the culture of 1977 in supplementary episodes this season. Get access to those episodes, listen to the show without any ads, and support One Year by signing up for Slate Plus for just $1 right now.
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This week, Steve and Dana are joined by Hit Parade host Chris Molanphy for our annual Summer Strut episode. First, they discuss this year’s song of the summer and how one particularly passionate fan base gained control of the charts. Then, the panel announces their favorite song picks from the mammoth playlist of listener suggestions and explain why they love them.
In Slate Plus, the panel does a couple additional rounds of strut picks.
Sumer Strut Final Selections:
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5ypwIOuhN3ClV9lvynRl88?si=ff5da2bfa5a04b1b
Summer Strut Full List:
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1iLdLhunJkTq9F4CeHkCJR?si=f1b8d195db414fd5
Past “Summer Strut” Gabfests are available here: 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020.
Email us at [email protected].
Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Cleo Levin.
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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Tumblr is once again trying a new way to monetize its content, but will its users allow it? On today’s episode, Rachelle is joined by fellow former Tumblr teen Allegra Frank to discuss their own origins on the platform, Tumblr’s numerous attempts to make money, and why the users who called a strike over its new Post+ feature might not have the best understanding of the legal system. (We reached out to some copyright professors to find out.)
Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder and Derek John.
Support ICYMI and listen to the show with zero ads. Sign up to become a Slate Plus member for just $1 for your first month.
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Welcome to Slate Money Goes to the Movies, a miniseries in which Felix Salmon, Emily Peck, and a different guest each week discuss popular business-themed movies.
For the final episode of the season, author and Slate Money favorite, Taffy Brodesser-Akner returns to talk about Sense and Sensibility….and, in a major plot twist, the JLo vehicle Maid in Manhattan! They’ll discuss what these two films could possibly have in common, the villainization of gold diggers, and why Emily felt Sense and Sensibility was a horror film.
Email: [email protected]
Podcast production by Jessamine Molli.
Twitter: @felixsalmon, @EmilyRPeck
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This week, host Rumaan Alam talks to artist Shahzia Sikander about her decades-long career as a painter and multimedia artist. In the interview, Shahzia discusses the process behind her painting “The Scroll,” which she created as an undergraduate student in Pakistan. She also talks about her relationship to the concept of “tradition” and her unwillingness to either break or conform to it.
After the interview, Rumaan and co-host Isaac Butler discuss the importance of demystifying artwork.
In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Shahzia grapples with the way her art was received in the 1990s and the tendency to look at her work through the narrow lens of her biography.
Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected] or give us a call at (304) 933-9675.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews.
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 Big Mood, Little Mood—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on Working. Sign up now at slate.com/workingplus.
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On today’s episode, Rachelle and Madison crack open some romance novels and talk about BookTok, the realm of TikTok where readers can find hyper-personal recommendations and niche memes about the horny books everybody is reading. They discuss how TikTok has caused some books to reappear on the New York Times bestseller list, Rachelle’s love of The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller, and why the top priority when it comes to reading is fun.
Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder and Derek John.
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In 2001, Oprah Winfrey invited 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, barely to be seen again. So today on Decoder Ring, what happened to selling out? This is the last episode of our current season. See you in a few months!
If you love the show and want to support us, consider joining Slate Plus. With Slate Plus you can binge the whole season of Decoder Ring right now, plus ad free podcasts, bonus episodes, and much more.
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On the Spoiler Special podcast, Slate critics discuss movies, the occasional TV show, and, once in a blue moon, another podcast, in full spoiler-filled detail. This week, Slate’s senior editor Allegra Frank is joined by Slate’s web editor Nitish Pahwa to spoil Old, the new thriller directed by M. Night Shyamalan.
When a family takes a relaxing tropical vacation, they make a terrifying discovery. As the children play in the sand on a nearby secluded beach, their parents notice that in the span of just a few hours, their children have suddenly aged. It’s not long before the parents realize that they themselves are aging too! It’s a race against time as they attempt to escape the beach before it’s too late. But can they find a way out?
Note: As the title indicates, this podcast contains spoilers galore.
Email us at [email protected].
Podcast production by Morgan Flannery.
Hosts
Allegra Frank is a senior editor at Slate.
Nitish Pahwa is a web editor at Slate and you can read his review here.
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On this week’s episode of The Waves, Waves producer Cheyna Roth and Slate senior culture editor Allegra Frank take a trip to FBoy Island. They discuss the ups and sexisms of HBO Max’s newest dating show and question why the narrative of women saving men persists. Later in the show, Allegra and Cheyna talk about the deception inherent in these shows and ask why everyone is the same type of beautiful.
Recommendations:
Allegra: Keeping your hands busy during the final days of summer with Pokémon UNITE.
Cheyna: The children’s books authors and illustrators Lauren and Natalia O’Hara, especially their book The Bandit Queen.
Podcast production by Cheyna Roth with editorial oversight by Susan Matthews and June Thomas.
Send your comments and recommendations on what to cover to [email protected]
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
This week, Stephen Metcalf and Dana Stevens are joined by Working co-host and longtime Slate contributor Isaac Butler. First, the panel discusses David Lowery’s new movie The Green Knight, a retelling of the medieval story of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. Next, they talk about Billie Eilish’s new album Happier Than Ever with Slate music critic Carl Wilson. Finally, the hosts dig into the questions raised by Scarlett Johansson’s breach-of-contract lawsuit over the way Disney handled the release of her movie Black Widow, with Peter Labuza, a historian of creative industries. In Slate Plus, the careers the hosts almost pursued.
Outro music is "Pike Place Market" by Rockin' For Decades
Email us at [email protected].
Podcast production by Cameron Drews.
Endorsements
Dana: The word maieutic
Isaac: The audiobooks of Simon Armitage’s translation of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, narrated by Bill Wallis, and The Death of Arthur, by Sir Thomas Malory, narrated by Philip Madoc
Steve: Picture, by Lillian Ross and Crash Landing on You on Netflix
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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On today’s episode, Madison and Rachelle try to answer a listener question about whether over-the-top DIY videos are secretly kink content. They end up get pulled into the world of online reaction videos and discuss why these DIY videos are so tempting to react to, how TikTok has made engaging with this content even easier, and if reaction videos are maybe just the internet’s own kink.
Things discussed on the show:
- @sadsadmatt reacting to a TikTok where a girl pours paint on herself in a kiddie pool.
- “42 Holy Grail Hacks That Will Save You a Fortune,” from 5-Minute Crafts on YouTube
-“Your Least Favorite Gross Viral Food Videos Are All Connected to This Guy,” by Ryan Broderick in Eater
- @lixvucy on TikTok reacting to 5-Minute Crafts videos
- @vernonrecords on TikTok reacting to 5-Minute Crafts videos
Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder and Derek John.
Support ICYMI and listen to the show with zero ads. Sign up to become a Slate Plus member for just $1 for your first month.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Welcome to Slate Money Goes to the Movies, a miniseries in which Felix Salmon, Emily Peck, and a different guest each week discuss popular business-themed movies.
Mary Childs of Planet Money joins Felix and Emily to talk about the 1992 film Glengarry Glen Ross, adapted by David Mamet from his play of the same name. They discuss toxic masculinity in the workplace, short-termism, and why this film kept Mary up all night.
Email: [email protected]
Podcast production by Jessamine Molli.
Twitter: @felixsalmon, @EmilyRPeck
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This week, host June Thomas talks to composer Jake Heggie, who the Wall Street Journal described as “arguably the world’s most popular 21st-century opera and art song composer.” In the interview, Jake talks about how he fell in love with opera and why he composes all his work on manuscript paper by hand. He also discusses his recent work, Songs for Murdered Sisters, which he created with the help of writer Margaret Atwood and singer Joshua Hopkins.
After the interview, June and co-host Rumaan Alam talk about Joshua’s refined artistic instincts. Then they help a listener who wants to start publishing fiction again after a long break.
Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected] or give us a call at (304) 933-9675.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews.
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 Big Mood, Little Mood—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on Working. Sign up now at slate.com/workingplus.
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On today’s episode, Rachelle and Madison call up an ex-Mormon listener, who provides some further insight into our previous investigation of the BYU Virginity Club and explains why she thinks it’s clear that the person behind the account is unaware of Mormon culture. Then, it’s another round of High Speed Downloads. Rachelle speeds through the controversy surrounding rapper DaBaby, and Madison tells us about Adam Driver becoming a horse.
Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder and Derek John.
Support ICYMI and listen to the show with zero ads. Sign up to become a Slate Plus member for just $1 for your first month.
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In Part 2 of this episode of Hit Parade, Chris Molanphy continues his analysis of the career and legacy of the legendary and sometimes-misunderstood Bruce Springsteen. In his second decade, Springsteen wasn’t just a hitmaker—he was the archetype: the symbol of flag-waving American rock, even when the song was less patriotism than protest. Advertisers, other pop stars, President Ronald Reagan—everybody glommed onto Bruce, and virtually all of them got him wrong. Just in time for summer, Hit Parade takes on the Boss, pop star. How did Bruce Springsteen invent his persona and find his truth?
Podcast production by Asha Saluja.
Hit Parade episodes are now split into two parts, released two weeks apart. For the full episode right now, sign up for Slate Plus and you'll also get The Bridge, our Trivia show and bonus deep dive. Click here for more info.
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On this week’s episode of The Waves, it’s all about the Olympics. Amira Rose Davis, assistant professor of history and African American studies at Penn State University and co-host of the feminist sports podcast Burn it All Down, is joined by Slate’s gymnastics reporter Rebecca Schuman. The pair start with a discussion of the racial and gender inequalities that have permeated the Games, past and present. Then they get into whether it’s time for us all, like Simone Biles, to “nope” out of this complicated tradition. Davis also talks about a recent piece she did for Slate, in which she interviewed several Black women Olympians about their experiences in the Games.
Recommendations:
Amira: Rooting for Guan Chenchen on the beam. She also recommends the podcast Blind Landing, about a disastrous equipment error that had a massive impact on the gymnastics competition in the 2000 Sydney Olympics.
Rebecca: Watching Anna Cockrell in the 400-meter hurdles and Idalys Ortiz in judo. She also loves Ted Lasso.
Podcast production by Cheyna Roth with editorial oversight by Susan Matthews and June Thomas.
Send your comments and recommendations on what to cover to [email protected].
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
This week, Steve and Dana are joined by Slate editor and writer Dan Kois. First, the panel discusses the TV show White Lotus, airing on HBO. Then they talk about the Nicholas Cage movie Pig. Finally, the hosts review the second season of the podcast The Plot Thickens, based on the book The Devil’s Candy.
In Slate Plus, the panel talks about their past summer jobs.
Email us at [email protected].
Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Cleo Levin.
Outro music is "What We Didn't Do" by Particle House
Endorsements
Dana: The documentary The Truffle Hunters and The Mike White movie School of Rock
Dan: The book Truck: On Rebuilding a Worn-Out Pickup and Other Post-Technological Adventures
Steve: The pianist Marcin Wasilewski and his album Arctic Riff and the essay “Against Persuasion” by Agnes Callard in the Boston Review.
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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75 Hard, a new trend sweeping TikTok, is just another fad diet pretending to be a mental toughness challenge. On today’s episode, Madison and Rachelle revisit the world of diet culture to unpack exactly what makes 75 Hard so insidious, and why it’s so hard to curate a healthy approach to wellness culture on your TikTok feed. They also down a gallon of water during the episode, something we do not recommend you trying at home.
And don’t forget to check out Decoder Ring’s history of hydration.
Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder and Derek John.
Support ICYMI and listen to the show with zero ads. Sign up to become a Slate Plus member for just $1 for your first month.
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Welcome to Slate Money Goes to the Movies, a miniseries in which Felix Salmon, Emily Peck, and a different guest each week discuss popular business-themed movies.
Ben Smith, media columnist for The New York Times, joins Emily and Felix to discuss the urtext of business-themed movies, Orson Welles’ 1941 film Citizen Kane. They discuss Charles Foster Kane’s real life counterpart William Randolph Hearst, the portrayal of Jewish characters in the 1940s, and how much (or little) the media industry has changed since Kane’s day.
Email: [email protected]
Podcast production by Jessamine Molli.
Twitter: @felixsalmon, @EmilyRPeck
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Time does funny thing to everything, but especially to tattoos. Today, four stories about tattoos whose meanings have shifted with the passage of years, decades, or centuries: first, a look into an archive of 300 preserved tattooed skins, then a personal investigation into into the Tasmanian Devil tattoo, the story of the Zune tattoo guy, and finally mistranslated Chinese character tattoos.
If you love the show and want to support us, consider joining Slate Plus. With Slate Plus you can binge the whole season of Decoder Ring right now, plus ad free podcasts, bonus episodes, and much more.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
This week, host Isaac Butler talks to J. Robert Lennon, author of numerous short stories and novels. In the interview, Lennon discusses his daily writing practices, the importance of revision, and the creation of his new novel, Subdivision, which features a supernatural world with its own unique makeup and logic. Lennon also talks about his recently published short story collection, Let Me Think.
After the interview, Isaac and co-host Rumaan Alam discuss Lennon’s process of taking notes and drawing material out of his subconscious.
In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Lennon shares the origins of a short story he wrote called “Falling Down the Stairs.”
Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected] or give us a call at (304) 933-9675.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews.
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 Big Mood, Little Mood—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on Working. Sign up now at slate.com/workingplus.
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How did a clip from In the Heights lead to a new TikTok face filter that has helped some of the app’s users express their gender identity? On today’s episode, Madison and Rachelle trace the timeline of this trend, and how it ended up causing a number of trans and nonbinary users to experience gender euphoria.
Even though this is a wholesome trend, In the Heights isn’t free from criticism. As we mentioned on the show, you can read more about that in the New York Times and Slate.
And we discussed the Wall Street Journal investigation into TikTok's algorithm.
Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder and Derek John.
Support ICYMI and listen to the show with zero ads. Sign up to become a Slate Plus member for just $1 for your first month.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
On the Spoiler Special podcast, Slate critics discuss movies, the occasional TV show, and, once in a blue moon, another podcast, in full spoiler-filled detail. This week, Slate’s senior editor Allegra Frank is joined by Slate staff writer, Karen Han, to spoil Space Jam: A New Legacy, the long-awaited sequel to the original 1997 Space Jam starring Michael Jordan.
This time, LeBron James finds himself trapped in digital space by a rogue AI villain. In order to get back home and save everyone, LeBron must team up with the Looney Tunes gang to win the ultimate high-stakes basketball game and save the day.
Note: As the title indicates, this podcast contains spoilers galore.
Email us at [email protected].
Podcast production by Morgan Flannery.
Hosts
Allegra Frank is a senior editor at Slate.
Karen Han is staff writer at Slate and you can read her review here.
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On this week’s episode of The Waves, author and professor of history at Georgetown University Marcia Chatelain and Slate staff writer Lili Loofbourow dissect Bill Cosby’s release from prison, and what that could mean for the #MeToo movement. First they unpack exactly what happened in the Cosby case. Then they get into the potential ripple effects it could have on victims seeking justice more broadly.
Recommendations
Lili: The Netflix show Money Heist.
Marcia: As much Real Housewives on Bravo that you can handle.
Podcast production by Cheyna Roth with editorial oversight by Susan Matthews and June Thomas.
Send your comments and recommendations on what to cover to [email protected]
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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.
Support ICYMI and listen to the show with zero ads. Sign up to become a Slate Plus member for just $1 for your first month.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
This week, Steve and Dana are joined by Isaac Butler, co-host of Slate’s Working podcast. First, the panel discusses the documentary Roadrunner about Anthony Bourdain. Next, they talk about the Apple TV show Schmigadoon. Finally, the hosts are joined by Laura Miller to discuss her review of Michael Wolff’s Landslide.
In Slate Plus, the panel further discusses their thoughts on Roadrunner.
Email us at [email protected].
Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Cleo Levin.
Outro music is "Back to Silence" by OTE
Endorsements
Dana: The Kitchen Confidential audiobook
Isaac: The documentary And Everything is Going Fine and the novel Secrets of Happiness by Joan Silber
Steve: “A Just and Loving Gaze” by Deborah Casewell in Aeon
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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A year-and-a-half into the pandemic, Christina, Bryan, and Rumaan look back at all the times we did not get to share our milestones -- good, bad, or just big -- with other queers. If a queer comes out in the forest where no one can hear them are they still queer? Yes, but perhaps less joyfully than if they had been in community. The hosts then speak with Lucia Lucas, the first female baritone to perform a principal opera role on the American stage as Don Giovanni.
Items discussed on the show:
A recent assault at Nellie's gay bar in DC draws protests.
Richard Branson wore a rainbow ribbon during his space flight.
Breakthrough COVID infections strike Provincetown.
The Sound of Identity, a documentary about Lucia Lucas's appearance as Don Giovanni.
Gay Agenda
Bryan: director's cut of Studio 54
Christina: How Twitter Can Ruin a Life by Emily VanDerWerff
Rumaan: two wistful and sexy short stories read by author Douglas Stuart on The Writer's Voice podcast.
This podcast was produced by Katya Kumkova.
Please send feedback, topic ideas, and advice questions to [email protected].
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Welcome to Slate Money Goes to the Movies, a miniseries in which Felix Salmon, Emily Peck, and a different guest each week discuss popular business-themed movies.
Dodai Stewart of The New York Times joins Emily and Felix to discuss the stunning winner of the 2020 Best Picture Oscar, Parasite. They discuss class solidarity (or lack thereof), how the film’s themes translate to America, and why only the rich can afford luxuries like planning, trust and using all their senses.
Email: [email protected]
Podcast production by Jessamine Molli.
Twitter: @felixsalmon, @EmilyRPeck
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You know the Tootsie Shot. It’s that shot from the movies: a really busy midtown street, protagonist smack in the middle of it all, everyone going somewhere. It’s one of the most recognizable shots in film. It can be found in Working Girl, Midnight Cowboy, Wall Street, Heartburn, Elf, Bridget Jones’s Diary, The Devil Wears Prada, The Wolf of Wall Street, and so many more. This is a short, transitional moment that often comes in the middle of a montage and takes up 30 seconds max, and sometimes just two or three. It’s just someone walking down a crowded street. So why is it so sticky?
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This week, host Rumaan Alam talks to photographers James and Karla Murray, who are on a mission to capture the unique charm of New York City’s storefronts and advocate for small businesses. In the interview, James and Karla explain what it was like to teach themselves the basics of photography while juggling multiple jobs. They also discuss the process of landing their first book deal and starting an Instagram account.
After the interview, Rumaan and co-host Isaac Butler talk about the small businesses in their own communities that enrich their lives.
In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, James and Karla explain how neighborhoods can change and evolve responsibly.
Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected] or give us a call at (304) 933-9675.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews.
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 Big Mood, Little Mood—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on Working. Sign up now at slate.com/workingplus.
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On today’s episode, Rachelle and Madison turn the show into a sports podcast. First, they discuss the recent news in college sports that allows athletes like Sedona Prince to finally make money off their personal brands, a major shift after years of schools profiting off of students without compensation. Then, they talk about how even though the Olympics haven’t begun, they’re getting an early start on TikTok.
Olympic athletes to follow:
Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder and Derek John.
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Bruce Springsteen has been a legend so long, it’s easy to forget that, for his first decade, he had trouble getting a hit. Yes, even the legendary “Born to Run”: It missed Billboard’s Top 20. And yet, several of Springsteen’s songs became big hits for others: the song with the misheard lyric about “a deuce” that went to No. 1 for a British band. The song he couldn’t finish that became a hit for a punk priestess. The song he refused to let his record label hear that became a massive hit for the Pointer Sisters. The hit he almost gave away to the Ramones.
In his second decade, on the other hand, Springsteen wasn’t just a hitmaker—he was the archetype: the symbol of flag-waving American rock, even when the song was less patriotism than protest. Advertisers, other pop stars, President Ronald Reagan—everybody glommed onto Bruce, and virtually all of them got him wrong. Just in time for summer, Hit Parade takes on the Boss, pop star. How did Bruce Springsteen invent his persona and find his truth?
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On this week’s episode of The Waves, June Thomas, senior managing producer of Slate podcasts and a host of Working, talks with Willa Paskin, Slate TV critic and host of Decoder Ring, about the reboot of Gossip Girl. They discuss how the show messed up by making its characters too nice, why the teachers may be the most interesting part of the reboot, and whether Gossip Girl has finally figured out its class politics.
Recommendations
June: Reality competition show about ball culture, Legendary on HBO Max.
Willa: The Succession meets Agatha Christie new show, The White Lotus on HBO.
Podcast production by Cheyna Roth with editorial oversight by Susan Matthews and June Thomas.
Send your comments and recommendations on what to cover to [email protected].
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On today’s episode, Madison and Rachelle talk about two of the internet’s favorite subjects: cats and Wendy Williams. First, they talk about the story that made “Slate” itself trend on Twitter: the debate surrounding a Slate essay published last week in which writer Alexis Nowicki revealed that the 2017 New Yorker story “Cat Person,” which became the first work of short fiction ever to go viral, was based on her life. Then, Madison shares a listener letter that validates all of her suspicions about those TikTok missed connections. (It also happens to feature a cat.) Finally, they close out the episode with High Speed Downloads about two recent online controversies: one about a woman who faced a flood of hate for tweeting about feeding feral cats, and another about a tasteless segment from a recent episode of The Wendy Williams Show.
Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder and Derek John.
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This week, Steve is joined by Allegra Frank, Slate senior editor, and Heather Schwedel, Slate staff writer. First, the panel discusses the new Marvel blockbuster Black Widow. Next, they talk about the AMC show Kevin Can F**k Himself. Finally, the hosts are joined by Alexis Nowicki to discuss her essay in Slate “‘Cat Person’ and Me.”
In Slate Plus, the panel talks about the rabbit holes they fell down during the pandemic.
Email us at [email protected].
Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Cleo Levin.
Outro music: "Stone Cookies" by Dusty Decks
Endorsements
Allegra: The cookies at City Cakes.
Heather: The documentary Kid 90.
Steve: “This Woman’s Work: Alice Neel’s Portraits of Feminized Labor” by Jessica Fletcher in The Baffler.
DeFazio’s Pizzeria in Troy, NY
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Welcome to Slate Money Goes to the Movies, a miniseries in which Felix Salmon, Emily Peck, and a different guest each week discuss popular business-themed movies.
Michael Bierut, graphic designer and self-described “recovering Ayn Rand fan”, joins Felix and Emily to discuss the 1949 film adaptation of The Fountainhead. They cover the film’s remarkable architecture, the clunky, long-winded dialogue, and its surprising watchability--despite Ayn Rand’s insistence on controlling everything.
Email: [email protected]
Podcast production by Jessamine Molli.
Twitter: @felixsalmon, @EmilyRPeck
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In the year 2000, Dan Kois was a junior book agent working on selling a secretive book proposal called IT, a codename for what would eventually be revealed as the Segway personal scooter. This is the story of the invention and development of a potentially revolutionary device, how Dan may or may not have doomed it, how the hype got out of control, and how that speculation helped birth the modern internet.
If you love the show and want to support us, consider joining Slate Plus. With Slate Plus you can binge the whole season of Decoder Ring right now, plus ad free podcasts, bonus episodes, and much more.
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This week, host Isaac Butler talks to the multitalented singer/songwriter Yola. In the interview Yola breaks down her songwriting process from the first seed of an idea to the final product. She also discusses her forthcoming album, Stand for Myself, and the collaborative work that went into it.
After the interview Isaac and co-host June Thomas marvel at Yola’s intuitive songwriting style.
In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Yola talks about her musical influences and her upcoming tour.
Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected] or give us a call at (304) 933-9675.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews.
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 Big Mood, Little Mood—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on Working. Sign up now at slate.com/workingplus.
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GETTR, a new social media network from former Trump aide Jason Miller, launched on July 1 and quickly became an unmanageable mess. On today’s episode, Rachelle and Madison discuss this low-budget Twitter clone, how it got overrun with hentai, and why its privacy issues may indicate that the network is already dead. If you’d like to read more on GETTR, Slatester Aaron Mak wrote about what happened when he tried to make a profile on the platform as Donald Trump.
Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder and Derek John.
Support ICYMI and listen to the show with zero ads. Sign up to become a Slate Plus member for just $1 for your first month.
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On the Spoiler Special podcast, Slate critics discuss movies, the occasional TV show, and, once in a blue moon, another podcast, in full spoiler-filled detail. This week, Slate’s movie critic Dana Stevens is joined by Slate staff writer, Karen Han, to spoil Black Widow, the new Marvel origin story for one of it’s Avengers, Black Widow.
Who was Black Widow before she became the beloved and troubled hero we’ve all come to know over the years?
Note: As the title indicates, this podcast contains spoilers galore.
Email us at [email protected].
Podcast production by Morgan Flannery.
Hosts
Dana Stevens is Slate’s movie critic and you can read her review here.
Karen Han is staff writer at Slate.
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Zola, a new movie based on the infamous Twitter thread by Aziah “Zola” Wells King, follows a part-time stripper who goes on a weekend trip to Florida with a new friend to make money, and how things quickly escalated until their friendship fell apart. On today’s episode, Rachelle and Madison talk to Tony-nominated playwright and screenwriter Jeremy O. Harris about how he and director Janicza Bravo translated the 148-tweet saga into a feature-length film, the scene that almost made members of the crew quit, and why he considers Zola’s tale to be akin to Homer’s epic poetry.
Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder and Derek John.
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This week Dana is accompanied by Allegra Frank, Slate senior editor. First the panel is joined by Slate’s music critic Carl Wilson to discuss Summer of Soul, a documentary about the 1969 Harlem Cultural Festival. Next, the panel discusses season two of the Netflix sketch show I Think You Should Leave with Vulture senior editor Jesse David Fox. Finally, Carl returns to talk about the productions of Jack Antonoff.
In Slate Plus, Carl and the panel talk about the concerts they’re looking forward to seeing and the live music experience.
Email us at [email protected]
Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Cleo Levin.
Outro music: "Bloody Hunter" by Paisley Pink
Endorsements
Carl: The work of Lauren Berlant, especially “Trump, or Political Emotions.” (And Dana recommends an episode of the podcast Big Brains Berlant appeared on: “Why Chasing the Good Life is Holding Us Back.”)
Allegra: The video game Doki Doki Literature Club Plus!
Dana: The website Radio Garden.
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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Welcome to Slate Money Goes to the Movies, a miniseries in which Felix Salmon, Emily Peck, and a different guest each week discuss popular business-themed movies.
Katherine Bell, Editor in Chief of Quartz, joins to talk about The Hudsucker Proxy. They discuss the heightened depiction of corporate culture, circles, and yet another female reporter character who sleeps with her source.
Email: [email protected]
Podcast production by Jessamine Molli.
Twitter: @felixsalmon, @EmilyRPeck
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Ilona Granet was a New York art-scene fixture who won the praise of the art world when she put up anti-harassment street signs in lower Manhattan in the mid- 1980s. Her career seemed like a sure thing, but three decades on, and so much more art later, it still hasn’t materialized, even as her contemporaries are now hanging in museums. This episode is not about the familiar myth of making it, but the mystery of not making it. What happens, to an artist—to anyone—when they’re good enough, but that’s not enough?
If you love the show and want to support us, consider joining Slate Plus. With Slate Plus you can binge the whole season of Decoder Ring right now, plus ad free podcasts, bonus episodes, and much more.
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This week, host June Thomas talks to Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Jose Antonio Vargas. In the interview, Jose discusses the origins of a piece he wrote for the New York Times Magazine titled “My Life as an Undocumented Immigrant.” He also talks about his organization, Define American, which aims to influence how immigrants are depicted on TV, in movies, and on the national stage broadly.
After the interview, June and co-host Isaac Butler talk about which groups are still not represented adequately on TV and in movies.
In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Jose lists his favorite books about immigration and citizenship.
Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected] or give us a call at (304) 933-9675.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews.
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 Big Mood, Little Mood—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on Working. Sign up now at slate.com/workingplus.
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Black dance creators on TikTok are sick of white influencers stealing their work without credit. Now, they have collectively refused to choreograph dance challenges for the app’s latest trendy hit, Megan Thee Stallion’s new song, “Thot Shit.” On today’s episode, Rachelle and Madison discuss the origins of this strike, the ineptitude of white dancers trying to create their own dances for the song, and how empty TikTok is without these Black creators.
Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder and Derek John.
Support ICYMI and listen to the show with zero ads. Sign up to become a Slate Plus member for just $1 for your first month.
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In Part 2 of this episode of Hit Parade, Chris Molanphy continues his analysis of when singing became central to rap music. Rap has always been musical. But back in the day, rappers generally, well, rapped: talked in cadence over a beat. Fans judged MCs primarily by their rhymes and rhythms, not their melodies.
Now? Rappers are mostly singers: MCs from Drake to DaBaby slip seamlessly in and out of melody. Some hits that appear on Billboard’s Rap charts feature literally no rapping. When did this change?
Part 2 takes a close look at an integral pivot point in this progression: when Beyoncé changed the game by singing with triple-time flow like the baddest MC.
Podcast production by Asha Saluja.
Hit Parade episodes are now split into two parts, released two weeks apart. For the full episode right now, sign up for Slate Plus and you'll also get The Bridge, our Trivia show and bonus deep dive. Click here for more info.
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This week Dana and Steve are joined by Slate staff writer Karen Han. First, the panel discusses the movie Zola. Next, they talk about the British sitcom We Are Lady Parts. Finally, the panel is joined by Seth Stevenson, the host of Slate’s Thrilling Tales of Modern Capitalism, to discuss the past, present, and future of HBO.
In Slate Plus, the panel talks about Conan O'Brien's departure from late night TV.
Email us at [email protected]
Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Cleo Levin.
Outro music is "Did I Make You Wait" by Staffan Carlen
Endorsements
Dana: “The Story Behind Luca’s Whale Carcass-Loving Breakout Character” by Karen Han for Slate
Karen: “Navillera” on Netflix.
Steve: “Rothko Chapel” by Morton Feldman.
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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On today’s episode, Rachelle and Madison are joined by Buzzfeed’s Scaachi Koul to discuss her recent piece, “Why Bo Burnham, Jenna Marbles, and Shane Dawson All Logged Off.” They talk about the cesspool that is YouTube fandom, how precisely Bo Burnham articulates the problems of constant internet consumption, and the three ways logging off may be possible: deleting your content, apologizing a lot, and getting a Netflix special. Plus, a short explanation of the online phrase touch some grass.
Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder and Derek John.
Support ICYMI and listen to the show with zero ads. Sign up to become a Slate Plus member for just $1 for your first month.
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Welcome to Slate Money Goes to the Movies, a miniseries in which Felix Salmon, Emily Peck, and a different guest each week discuss popular business-themed movies.
Shane Ferro, former economics journalist and current public defender, stops by to talk about how Magic Mike is a film about the gig economy and the precarity of freelance work in a post Great Recession world.
Email: [email protected]
Podcast production by Jessamine Molli.
Twitter: @felixsalmon, @EmilyRPeck
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
If you love the show and want to support us, consider joining Slate Plus. With Slate Plus you can binge the whole season of Decoder Ring right now, plus ad free podcasts, bonus episodes, and much more.
On this episode, we explore the misunderstood history of Muzak, formerly the world’s foremost producers of elevator music. Out of the technological innovations of World War I, Muzak emerged as one of the most significant musical institutions of the 20th century, only to become a punching bag as the 1960’s began to turn public perceptions of popular music on its head. By the 80’s and 90’s, Muzak was still the butt of jokes, and was trying to figure out a new direction as they happened to employ many players in Seattles burgeoning grunge scene. This is the story of how different ideas about pop music butted heads throughout the 20th century, including inside Muzak’s offices.
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This week, host Isaac Butler talks to intimacy coordinator and director Marcus Watson, who oversees the performance of intimate scenes for film, TV, and theater. In the interview, Marcus discusses the increasing prevalence of his role in recent years, especially since the beginning of the #metoo movement. He also details the conversations he has with performers and directors in order to establish boundaries for scenes that involve things like kissing and simulated sex.
After the interview, Isaac and co-host June Thomas discuss the awkwardness of performing and directing intimate scenes.
In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Marcus talks about how his job has affected the way he watches movies and TV shows.
Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected] or give us a call at (304) 933-9675.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews and Cheyna Roth.
Listeners can read Isaac’s article about Owen Wilson here: https://slate.com/culture/2021/06/owen-wilson-loki-mobius-actor-sadness-addiction.html
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 the Culture Gabfest—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on Working. Sign up now at slate.com/workingplus.
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On Wednesday, Britney Spears spoke in court against her current conservatorship, which began in 2008. In recent years, fans have speculated that Spears was being controlled against her will by her father through this conservatorship, and started the #FreeBritney movement in an attempt to break her out of it. On today’s episode, Madison and Rachelle break down the history of Spears’ conservatorship, the conspiracy theories that arose around #FreeBritney, and what the pop star’s statement changes.
Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder and Derek John.
Support ICYMI and listen to the show with zero ads. Sign up to become a Slate Plus member for just $1 for your first month.
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On the Spoiler Special podcast, Slate critics discuss movies, the occasional TV show, and, once in a blue moon, another podcast, in full spoiler-filled detail. This week, Slate staff writer Karen Han is joined by Slate’s movie critic Dana Stevens to spoil Luca, the new animated film from Pixar.
Set in a beautiful seaside town on the Italian Riviera, a young boy named Luca is experiencing an unforgettable summer filled with gelato, pasta and endless scooter rides. Luca shares these adventures with his newfound best friend, but all the fun is threatened by a deeply-held secret: he is a sea monster from another world just below the water's surface.
Note: As the title indicates, this podcast contains spoilers galore.
Email us at [email protected].
Podcast production by Morgan Flannery.
Hosts
Karen Han is staff writer at Slate.
Dana Stevens is a movie critic at Slate and you can read her review here.
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Police violence and protests were the sounds of summer 2020, and Black musicians from across the spectrum lent their voices to the moment. In honor of Black Music Appreciation Month, entertainment and music reporter Jewel Wicker talks with Jason Johnson about the tradition of popular music mixing with protests --from The Staple Singers, to Beyoncé, to DaBaby-- and which songs will have staying power.
Guest: Jewel Wicker, entertainment and music journalist
Podcast production by Ahyiana Angel and Jasmine Ellis
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Emily, John and David discuss the post-pandemic workforce, Tucker Carlson, and student wins at the Supreme Court.
Here are some notes and references from this week’s show:
Ben Smith for the New York Times: “Tucker Carlson Calls Journalists ‘Animals.’ He’s Also Their Best Source.”
Slate: “David Plotz and Tucker Carlson Debate Scott Brown, Health Care, and More”
Andrew Van Dam for the Washington Post: “The Seven Industries Most Desperate for Workers”
Deep Work: Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World, by Cal Newport
John Dickerson for 60 Minutes: “Colleges and Universities Prepare for Fall Classes in the Middle of the Coronavirus Pandemic”
The Sound Scene Festival: an annual free and interactive audio arts festival organized by the D.C. Listening Lounge, an audio collective of Washington-based sound artists and enthusiasts.
Here’s this week’s chatter:
John: Steve Rathje, Jay J. Van Bavel, and Sander van der Linden for the Proceedings of The National Academy of Sciences: “Out-Group Animosity Drives Engagement On Social Media”
Emily: Associated Press: “Connecticut Is Firstst State to Make All Prison Phone Calls Free”
David: Mad Men
Listener chatter from Laura Forsythe: Stephanie Lai for the Washington Post: “26 Years After Being Convicted Of Murder, A D.C. Jail Inmate Is Elected To Public Office”; campaign videos at https://neighborsforjusticedc.org/takeaction/
If you enjoy the 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 Danny Lavery's new show Big Mood, Little Mood" and you’ll be supporting the Political Gabfest. Sign up now at slate.com/gabfestplus to help support our work. For this week’s Slate Plus bonus segment, Emily, John, and David discuss things that have gotten better since their childhoods.
Tweet us your questions and chatters @SlateGabfest or email us at [email protected]. (Messages may be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.)
Podcast production by Morgan Flannery.
Research and show notes by Bridgette Dunlap.
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What do Chloe Bailey, Nina Simone, and Vice President Kamala Harris have to do with one another? We’re here to help you figure that out. On today’s episode, Rachelle and Madison talk about how a cover of Simone’s “Feeling Good” turned into a story that ultimately felt anything but. But first, they examine Rachel Lindsay’s recent comments about the Bachelor franchise.
Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder, Derek John, and Jasmine Ellis.
Support ICYMI and listen to the show with zero ads. Sign up to become a Slate Plus member for just $1 for your first month.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
This week Dana and Steve are joined by Slate staff writer Karen Han. First, the panel discusses the Pixar movie Luca. Next, they talk about the first two episodes of Marvel’s TV show Loki. Finally, the panel is joined by Willa Paskin and Benjamin Frisch, the host and producer of Slate’s Decoder Ring podcast, to discuss the making of the new season.
In Slate Plus, the panel talks about whether seeing movies in the theater is a tradition worth preserving.
Email us at [email protected]
Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Cleo Levin.
Outro music is "Eightball" by Gabe Nandez.
Endorsements
Dana: The playlist of the music found in James Baldwin’s apartment, “This Giant Prehistoric Rhino Was the Biggest Land Mammal to Walk the Earth” by Jack Guy and Zixu Wang for CNN
Karen: Try making ice cream at home
Steve: The writing of Janet Malcolm in the New York Review of Books and The New Yorker
Further Reading
“How Gay Is Pixar’s Luca?” by Marissa Martinelli for Slate
“The Many Contradictions of Owen Wilson” by Isaac Butler for Slate
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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Welcome to Slate Money Goes to the Movies, a miniseries in which Felix Salmon, Emily Peck, and a different guest each week discuss popular business-themed movies.
Joanne Lipman, author and journalist, joins to talk about the 2005 film Thank You For Smoking. They discuss the terrible trope of female reporters sleeping with their sources, The Marlboro Man, and “moral flexibility.”
Email: [email protected]
Podcast production by Jessamine Molli.
Twitter: @felixsalmon, @EmilyRPeck
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
To say that hydration is an invention is only a slight exaggeration. Back in the 1970’s and ‘80s, no one carried bottled water with them, but by the ‘90s it was a genuine status object. How did bottled water transform itself from a small, European luxury item to the single largest beverage category in America? It took both technological innovation, but even more importantly it took savvy marketing from brands like Gatorade and Perrier to turn the concept of hydration, and dehydration into problem they could solve via their wares. Today, hydration has branched out from athletics to wellness to skincare, but the actual science behind all of it is pretty sketchy. If you love the show and want to support us, consider joining Slate Plus. With Slate Plus you can binge the whole season of Decoder Ring right now, plus ad free podcasts, bonus episodes, and much more.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
This week, host June Thomas talks to Spanish-language journalist and broadcaster León Krauze, who works primarily as a local news anchor in Los Angeles but also hosts a radio show and writes for outlets like Slate and the Washington Post. In the interview, León discusses the process of figuring out which topics and stories matter most to his community. He also describes what it’s like to have a hyperlocal focus and explains why his Los Angeles broadcast might differ from Spanish-language news in other parts of the country.
After the interview, June and co-host Rumaan Alam discuss the skill it takes to be bilingual, and they reflect on a point León made about the difference between audio and visual media.
In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, León shares some of the biggest misconceptions about the Latinx community in the U.S.
Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected] or give us a call at (304) 933-9675.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews.
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 the Culture Gabfest—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on Working. Sign up now at slate.com/workingplus.
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From “woke bae” to “woke-a-cola,” the word woke has taken the internet and mainstream media by storm. But how many people who use the word actually know what it means? On today’s episode, Rachelle and Madison (but, really, mostly Rachelle) explain the decades-old origins of the word, and how its meaning has evolved as it’s gone from being sung as a call to “stay woke” by the likes of Erykah Badu and Childish Gambino to being wielded as a slur by the likes of Mike Huckabee.
Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder, Derek John, and Jasmine Ellis.
Support ICYMI and listen to the show with zero ads. Sign up to become a Slate Plus member for just $1 for your first month.
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Let’s be clear: Rap has always been musical. But back in the day, rappers generally, well, rapped: talked in cadence over a beat. Fans judged MCs primarily by their rhymes and rhythms, not their melodies.
Now? Rappers are mostly singers: MCs from Drake to DaBaby slip seamlessly in and out of melody. Some hits that appear on Billboard’s Rap charts feature literally no rapping. When did this change?
In this episode of Hit Parade, Chris Molanphy walks through the history of hip-hop—from Gil Scott-Heron to Lil Nas X—to trace the evolving role of melody in rap’s conquest of the charts. The broadening of rap to include more female MCs, from Queen Latifah to Lauryn Hill, had a lot to do with it. But all roads lead through rap-and-B’s power couple, Jay-Z and Beyoncé. The pivot point may have been when Queen Bey realized she could sing with triple-time flow like the baddest MC.
Podcast production by Asha Saluja.
Hit Parade episodes are now split into two parts, released two weeks apart. For the full episode right now, sign up for Slate Plus and you'll also get The Bridge, our Trivia show and bonus deep dive. Click here for more info.
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It’s Pride month, which means Outward is feeling particularly festive! Christina, Bryan, and Rumaan are joined by musician Julien Baker to discuss her feelings about Pride, queerness, fluidity, and ways of interpreting queer art. Then Jillian Hanlon, a trans cop in upstate New York, joins to offer her take on the recent debate over cops at Pride.
Items discussed on the show:
Skittles go gray for Pride month.
A Twitter thread about kink at Pride.
Out in the Country: Youth, Media, and Queer Visibility in Rural America, by Mary Gray
Julien Baker interview on Working
Julien Baker on the Queerology podcast
The October 2018 Outward episode that includes interviews with members of No Justice No Pride and Reclaim Pride
“A Mistep by the Organizers of Pride,” by the New York Times’ Editorial Board
“The New York Times Doesn’t Know What Pride Is For,” by J. Bryan Lowder, in Slate
Gay Agenda
Christina: Drew Gregory’s interview with Daniela Sea in Autostraddle
Bryan: Hola Papi, by John Paul Brammer
Rumaan: You are enough, queer comrades!
This podcast was produced by Margaret Kelley and June Thomas.
Please send feedback, topic ideas, and advice questions to [email protected].
Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now at slate.com/outwardplus
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On today’s episode, Madison is joined by producer Daniel Schroeder to talk about people accusing Billie Eilish of queerbaiting on Instagram. Then discuss the way TikTok seems to be replacing Craigslist as the spot for finding missed connections, but are the videos real? To find out, Madison interviews Val and Kaycie, two women who reconnected and became friends via TikTok after they met at a rooftop bar.
Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder & Derek John.
Support ICYMI and listen to the show with zero ads. Sign up to become a Slate Plus member for just $1 for your first month.
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This week Dana and Steve are joined by Monica Castillo, arts and culture reporter for Colorado Public Radio, to discuss In the Heights. Next, Atlantic staff writer Sophie Gilbert comes on to talk about HBO’s Hacks. Finally, Dana and Steve dive into Liz Phair’s new album, Soberish, with the expertise of Slate music critic Carl Wilson.
In Slate Plus, Dana, Steve, and Carl talk about Gen X musicians and how they’re aging gracefully—or not.
Email us at [email protected]
Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Rachael Allen.
Outro Music: "Any Other Way" by Particle House
Endorsements
Dana: The soundtrack to Bo Burnham’s Inside
Carl: Clairo’s single “Blouse” and the series Feel Good (especially the placement of “Motion Sickness” by Phoebe Bridgers)
Steve: Herzog by Saul Bellow
Further Reading
“In the Heights Fumbles Some of Its Changes, but It Still Soars” by Dana Stevens for Slate
“’In the Heights’ Film Review: Lin-Manuel Miranda’s Stage Hit Becomes a Screen Celebration” by Monica Castillo for the Wrap
“What Hacks Proves About Jean Smart” by Sophie Gilbert for the Atlantic
“An Alt-Rock Queen Returns to Take Back Her Crown” by Carl Wilson for Slate
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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Welcome to a brand new season of Decoder Ring! On this episode, we investigate the wild world of soap operas through the lens of one legendary, decades-long, ripped-from-the-headlines storyline. that dared to combine the melodrama of soaps with a serious examination of sexual assault, and how that soap turned an award-winning story about believing victims into a redemption arc for the rapist at its heart. This is the story of those who made it happen: the producers, actors, writers, and the soap opera machine itself: the perpetually moving, forever-churning, complex system that create the miracle that is the daily soap opera. If you love the show and want to support us, consider joining Slate Plus. With Slate Plus you can binge the whole season of Decoder Ring right now, plus ad free podcasts, bonus episodes, and much more.
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This week, Isaac Butler talks with Joi McMillon, an award-winning film editor and longtime collaborator with filmmaker Barry Jenkins. Her latest project, The Underground Railroad, tells the story of a woman’s escape from a Georgia plantation in the 1800s. They talk about how McMillon came to be an editor, her approach to her work, what it’s like to edit the same scene over and over again, and how she gets through it.
Afterward, Isaac and co-host Rumaan Alam discuss what they found most surprising about the interview and discuss how they plan to implement Joi’s tactics into their own work.
Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected].
Podcast production by Morgan Flannery.
Host
Isaac Butler
Follow
@Working on Twitter /
Slate Working on Facebook /
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On today’s episode, Rachelle and Madison explain the latest drama surrounding online provocateur Trisha Paytas. They recap Paytas’ history online, how they’re connected to David Dobrik’s Vlog Squad, and why their podcast Frenemies is in predictable turmoil. Then, Rachelle and Madison give High Speed Downloads, first on the grifting of internet chef Darius Williams (aka @DariusCooks) and then on the woman who got arrested for disguising herself as her daughter and going to school in her place.
Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder and Derek John.
Support ICYMI and listen to the show with zero ads. Sign up to become a Slate Plus member for just $1 for your first month.
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On the Spoiler Special podcast, Slate critics discuss movies, the occasional TV show, and, once in a blue moon, another podcast, in full spoiler-filled detail. This week, Slate’s movie critic Dana Stevens is joined by associate editor at Slate Marissa Martinelli and Slate’s new editorial intern Sofia Andrade to spoil In the Heights, the new film adaptation of Lin-Manuel Miranda’s play of the same name.
Set in Washington Heights, New York, a kaleidoscope of dreams rallies a vibrant and tight-knit community. At the intersection of it all is a magnetic bodega owner (Anthony Ramos) who dreams and sings about a better life.
Note: As the title indicates, this podcast contains spoilers galore.
Email us at [email protected].
Podcast production by Morgan Flannery.
Hosts:
Dana Stevens is Slate’s movie critic and you can read her review of the film here.
Marissa Martinelli is Slate’s associate editor
Sofia Andrade is Slate’s editorial intern
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On this week’s episode of The Waves, Slate senior editor Allegra Frank and Robin Boylorn, a professor at the University of Alabama and occasional Slate contributor, discuss the enduring appeal of Keeping Up With the Kardashians as the E! reality show it comes to a close at the end of its 20th season. The pair digs into the show as a backdrop for the creation of a family dynasty of internet celebrity, track the diminishing role of television in their multi-billion-dollar empire, and parse out the curious appeal of the sisters who became famous just for being famous.
After the break, Allegra and Robin dig deep on the Kardashian-Jenner clan’s history of appropriation of Black culture, and discuss the impact of their adopting working-class Black aesthetics to great personal gain as several of them became mothers to Black children themselves. The sisters haven’t shied away from airing their learning moments for the world to see. But have they been able to use their enormous platform to any meaningful end?
For Slate Plus members, Allegra and Robin continue our new segment, Gateway Feminism, where they talk about one thing that helped make them feminists. For Allegra, it’s the manga and anime series Cardcaptor Sakura, and for Robin it’s her favorite Toni Morrison novel and feminist blueprint, Sula.
Recommendations
Allegra recommends a new EP, Whole Damn Body from Los Campesinos!
Robin thinks you should check out the Crunk Feminist Collective’s new newsletter, The Remix.
Podcast production by Asha Saluja filling in for Cheyna Roth. Editorial oversight by Susan Matthews and June Thomas. Additional production help from Rosemary Belson.
Send your comments and thoughts about what The Waves should cover to [email protected].
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This week Dana is joined by Slate senior editor Sam Adams and Vulture critic Kathryn VanArendonk. First, the panel discusses the HBO mini-series Mare of Easttown. Next, they talk about Bo Burnham’s Netflix special Inside. Finally, Dana and Sam dive into the recent Amazon-MGM deal.
In Slate Plus, the panel talks spoilers galore about Mare of Easttown.
Email us at [email protected].
Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Rachael Allen.
Outro Music: "On the Keys of Steel" by Dusty Decks
Endorsements
Dana: MGM: Hollywood’s Greatest Backlot
Sam: Lucy Dacus’s song “VBS” from her upcoming album Home Video
Further Reading
“Mare of Easttown’s Creator on Its Final Shocking Twist” by Sam Adams for Slate
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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On today’s episode, Rachelle finds out that Madison is an anthro-paul-ogist. Internet star Logan Paul faced off against Floyd Mayweather in a boxing match this weekend, so Madison takes Rachelle through the troubling origins of the Paul brothers, how they’ve been able to maintain their internet fame across multiple platforms despite a series of serious allegations, and why this fight is nothing more than a money-making publicity stunt.
Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder and Derek John.
Support ICYMI and listen to the show with zero ads. Sign up to become a Slate Plus member for just $1 for your first month.
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This week host Rumaan Alam talks to literary magazine editor Brigid Hughes, who started her career as an intern with the Paris Review and went on to be its executive editor before leaving and starting her own magazine, A Public Space. In the interview, Brigid explains what the editor of a literary magazine does and how she works with authors to unearth the story “underneath” the story. She also discusses how literary magazines can help new authors find an audience.
After the interview Rumaan and co-host June Thomas talk about the importance of good editors.
In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Brigid Hughes tells the story of how she came across the work of writer Bette Howland and decided to print some of Howland’s unpublished work.
Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected] or give us a call at (304) 933-9675.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews.
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 the Culture Gabfest—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on Working. Sign up now at slate.com/workingplus.
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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.
Support ICYMI and listen to the show with zero ads. Sign up to become a Slate Plus member for just $1 for your first month.
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David Alan Grier is a comedian’s comedian, from his iconic stint on ‘In Living Color,’ to his many sitcoms roles, including his latest on the Netflix show, ‘Dad Stop Embarrassing Me.’ He’s also a dramatic actor, with roles in Broadway classics and Ava Duvernay’s ‘Queen Sugar.’ On today’s episode of A Word, David Alan Grier joins Jason Johnson to talk about his career, staying booked and busy during the pandemic, and his many collaborations with Oscar-winner Jamie Foxx.
Guest: David Alan Grier, award-winning comedian and actor
Podcast production by Ahyiana Angel and Jasmine Ellis
You can skip all the ads in A Word by joining Slate Plus. Sign up now at slate.com/awordplus for just $1 for your first month.
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On this week’s episode of The Waves, Slate Senior Editor Allegra Frank and Slate Production Assistant Madeline Ducharme talk about the latest season of Netflix’s Master of None. The pair digs into the show’s depiction of a queer Black relationship and breakup, and discusses if the show even a comedy anymore. Also: how are we supposed to care about a relationship when we first see it at its end?
After the break, Allegra and Madeline go outside of the show to talk about Season 3’s creators, Aziz Ansari and Lena Waithe. Ansari and Waithe have both stirred controversy in the past few years. At the height of the #MeToo movement, a now shuttered site called Babe.net reported an alleged unpleasant sexual encounter between a 22-year-old woman and Ansari. In response, Ansari stepped out of the spotlight for a couple years, though he said at the time that the encounter was consensual. Meanwhile, Waithe has worked on several projects, including 2019’s Queen and Slim and Amazon’s Them, that have been accused of propagating needlessly cruel Black violence on-screen. Allegra and Madeline discuss what we’re supposed to do with accusations and situations like this, particularly once the dust has settled.
For Slate Plus members, Allegra and Madeline kick off our new segment, Gateway Feminism. They talk about one thing that helped make them feminists. For Allegra, it’s those sugar and spice cartoons, the Powerpuff Girls, while Madeline was heavily influenced by 2010s Tumblr.
Recommendations
Allegra recommends a seasonal favorite - S’mores flavored Oreos.
Madeline thinks you should pick up Kristen Arnett’s second novel, With Teeth.
Podcast production by Cheyna Roth with editorial oversight by Susan Matthews and June Thomas. Additional production help from Rosemary Belson.
Send your comments and thoughts about what The Waves should cover to [email protected].
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This week Steve is joined by Slate senior editor Allegra Frank and Slate staff writer Karen Han. The group first discusses Cruella, starring Emma Stone. Next, they discuss the television adaption of Colson Whitehead’s novel The Underground Railroad. Finally, the group is joined by Slate’s Hit Parade host Chris Molanphy to dive into Olivia Rodrigo’s breakout album Sour.
In Slate Plus, the panel shares their experiences going back to movie theaters.
Email us at [email protected].
Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Rachael Allen.
Outro music: "I Want a Change" by The Big Let Down
Endorsements
Allegra: Doomin’ Sun by Bachelor, Jay Som, & Palehound
Karen: The perfume company Snif
Steve: Robyn Hitchcock & Emma Swift’s cover of “Motion Pictures” by Neil Young
Further Reading
“Cruella Shouldn’t Work, but It Mostly Does” by Karen Han for Slate
“Why Olivia Rodrigo’s ‘Good 4 U’ Is Rock’s First Hot 100 No.1 in Years” by Chris Molanphy for Slate
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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On today’s episode, Madison and Rachelle examine a case of mistaken identity. One of TikTok’s best features is its algorithm, which specializes in surfacing videos seemingly tailor-made for the user. That is, until the algorithm gets an idea about the user that’s very, very wrong. They discuss why TikTok is convinced Madison is an ex-Mormon and Rachelle is a Marvel fanatic, and then field a number of listener voicemails about all the hilarious and sometimes alarming ways TikTok has gotten them wrong, too.
Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder and Derek John.
Support ICYMI and listen to the show with zero ads. Sign up to become a Slate Plus member for just $1 for your first month.
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On this week’s show, Working producer Cameron Drews talks to Erin Tomasello, casting director for the Netflix reality show The Circle. In the interview, Erin explains what it’s like to work on the casting team for shows like The Bachelor, Fear Factor, America’s Got Talent, and more. Then she discusses the casting process for The Circle and lays out what she and the casting producers are looking for in potential contestants. She also offers tips for anyone who’s thinking about applying to be on the show (which you can do at thecirclecasting.com).
After the interview, co-hosts June Thomas and Isaac Butler talk to Cameron about the rise of politeness and good sportsmanship on reality shows, and then Cameron asks June and Isaac for some creative advice.
In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Erin talks about how she got into reality show casting and what it’s like to work as a freelancer in the TV industry.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews.
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 the Culture Gabfest—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on Working. Sign up now at slate.com/workingplus.
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On today’s episode, Rachelle is joined by producer Daniel Schroeder to discuss the online legacy of Keeping Up With the Kardashians. After 14 years and 20 seasons, the series is finally coming to a close, so Daniel and Rachelle look back at its infamous origins, trace the show’s evolving relationship with social media, and look ahead to what life might be like for all of us after the series goes off the air.
Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder and Derek John.
Support ICYMI and listen to the show with zero ads. Sign up to become a Slate Plus member for just $1 for your first month.
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In Part 2 of this episode of Hit Parade, Chris Molanphy continues his analysis of Milli Vanilli, the musical act that many of us who were around in 1989 listened to more than they might admit. They also have quite a legacy: a blend of pop, dance and rap that now seems commonplace but was still relatively novel then. If you’ve danced to Europop that fronts like hip-hop, you’re living in a world Milli Vanilli helped create.
Chris Molanphy continues to break down the history of Milli Vanilli mastermind Frank Farian’s musical career: from his burst of Billboard chart success, to the storied past of the Best New Artist Grammy award. From MTV News to Behind the Music, the Milli Vanilli story has been told and retold. But the Billboard chart feats achieved by Rob and Fab, and their accomplices, reveal just how addicted America was to their music—and maybe, how they won that Grammy.
Hit Parade episodes are now split into two parts, released two weeks apart. For the full episode right now, sign up for Slate Plus and you'll also get The Bridge, our Trivia show and bonus deep dive. Click here for more info.
Podcast production by Asha Saluja with help from Rosemary Belson.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
On the Spoiler Special podcast, Slate critics discuss movies, the occasional TV show, and, once in a blue moon, another podcast, in full spoiler-filled detail. This week, Slate’s movie critic Dana Stevens is joined by Slate staff writer, Dana Stevens, to spoil Cruella, the new Disney live-action origin story for one of it’s most infamous villains, Cruella de Vil.
Who was Cruella before she became the Cruella we all know and hate? This teen-friendly backstory holds the answers.
Note: As the title indicates, this podcast contains spoilers galore.
Email us at [email protected].
Podcast production by Morgan Flannery.
Hosts
Dana Stevens is Slate’s movie critic.
Karen Han is staff writer at Slate and you can read her review here.
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This week Steve, Dana, and Julia discuss HBO Max’s film Those Who Wish Me Dead, starring Angelina Jolie. Next, the panel is joined by Slate books critic Laura Miller to dive into a strange publishing trend—where literary criticism meets self-help. Finally, Slate’s technology editor Jon Fisher talks with the hosts about M.O.D.O.K., Hulu’s latest series on the Marvel character.
In Slate Plus, the hosts open up about their schedules, productivity, and hacks for cultural consumption in response to a listener question.
Email us at [email protected]
Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Rachael Allen.
Endorsements
Dana: A series of films by Lois Weber on the Criterion Channel
Julia: A new daily news podcast from the L.A. Times called The Times: Daily news from the L.A. Times
Steve: The restaurant Feast & Floret in Hudson, New York
Further Reading
“Enough With Literature as Self-Improvement!” by Laura Miller in Slate
https://slate.com/culture/2021/03/wonderworks-angus-fletcher-review.html
Outro music: "200 Dont's" by Conditional
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On today’s episode, Madison and Rachelle open with High Speed Downloads on two viral stories: the photos of Tessa Thompson, Rita Ora, and Taika Waititi sharing an apparent three-way kiss, and the journey of the woman who live-tweeted her cross-country flight to pursue a man who might be just not that into her. Then they examine how the song “Castaways” from the Nickelodeon show The Backyardigans has become so popular on TikTok that it topped the Spotify Viral 50 chart. Where did this trend begin, and what does it say about TikTok as a nostalgia factory?
Podcast Production by Daniel Schroeder and Derek John.
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This week, host Isaac Butler talks to dialect coach Samara Bay, who helps film and TV actors learn new accents. In the interview, Samara describes her coaching process and explains the importance of combining good dialect work with good acting. Then she teaches Isaac how to speak in an Irish accent.
After the interview Isaac and co-host June Thomas discuss Samara’s tactful way of providing feedback and the distinction between “cheerleading” and “flattering.”
In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Samara talks about one particular movie that she loved working on.
Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected] or give us a call at (304) 933-9675.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews.
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 the Culture Gabfest—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on Working. Sign up now at slate.com/workingplus.
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On today’s episode, Rachelle and Madison chronicle the long, complicated life of Shrek online. They argue that the film, which premiered in 2001, was primed to become an internet meme before Shrek fans even got their hands on it. And then they explain all the different iterations, some funny and some downright creepy, of Shrek content that have kept the green ogre alive on the web for 20 years.
You can check out the Shrek syllabus here.
Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder and Derek John.
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Whoopi Goldberg’s early views, Barack Obama’s youthful indiscretions, Diahann Carroll’s big break. Those stories and thousands more have been preserved by The HistoryMakers, a video archive of notable African Americans. On today’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson speaks with the founder and president of The HistoryMakers, Julieanna Richardson, about the project’s mission, and the urgency of preserving Black history during Covid crisis.
Guest: Julieanna Richardson, founder and president of The HistoryMakers
Podcast production by Ahyiana Angel and Jasmine Ellis
You can skip all the ads in A Word by joining Slate Plus. Sign up now at slate.com/awordplus for just $1 for your first month.
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For a musical project that’s synonymous with deceit, Milli Vanilli sold an awful lot of records. They also have quite a legacy: a blend of pop, dance and rap that now seems commonplace but was still relatively novel in 1989. If you’ve danced to Europop that fronts like hip-hop, you’re living in a world Milli Vanilli helped create.
In this episode of Hit Parade, Chris Molanphy breaks down the history of Milli Vanilli mastermind Frank Farian’s musical career: from his days with Boney M, a hit-making, half-real, half-fake group that was a precursor to his later scheme; to his enlistment of European model–dancers Rob Pilatus and Fabrice Morvan to be the faux-frontpeople of Milli Vanilli. From MTV News to Behind the Music, the Milli Vanilli story has been told and retold. But the Billboard chart feats achieved by Rob and Fab, and their accomplices, reveal just how addicted America was to their music—and maybe, how they won that Grammy.
Hit Parade episodes are now split into two parts, released two weeks apart. For the full episode right now, sign up for Slate Plus and you'll also get The Bridge, our Trivia show and bonus deep dive. Click here for more info.
Podcast production by Asha Saluja with help from Rosemary Belson.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
This month, Christina, Bryan, and Rumaan are joined by Sarah Schulman, whose new book Let the Record Show sets out to correct inaccurate representations of ACT UP New York, its tactics, and its philosophy of direct action in response to the AIDS epidemic. Then they discuss three collections of photographs of LGBTQ people. Who are they for, and will they be seen by the people who need them most?
Items discussed on the show:
"How to Be a Queer Person in the World Post-Quarantine," by Naveen Kumar
The section of Walt Whitman’s Leaves of Grass that begins, "I have perceived that to be with those I like is enough.”
Let The Record Show: A Political History of ACT UP New York, 1987-93, by Sarah Schulman
Sarah’s appearance on the June 10, 2020, episode of Outward, “ACT UP and Larry Kramer's Legacy”
The ACT UP Oral History Project
Self Evident Truths: 10,000 Portraits of Queer America, by IO Tillett Wright
Queer Love in Color, by Jamal Jordan
Eye to Eye: Portraits of Lesbians, by JEB (Joan E. Biren)
Gay Agenda
Bryan: Taylor Mac’s "Whitman in the Woods"
Christina: Call My Agent
Rumaan: Halston
This podcast was produced by Margaret Kelley.
Please send feedback, topic ideas, and advice questions to [email protected].
Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
For the past week, while the violence between Israel and Palestine has escalated, a separate battle has accelerated on social media, one fought with rocket emojis instead of rockets and celebrities like Israeli actress Gal Gadot and Palestinian-American model Bella Hadid getting involved. If you don’t post, are you tacitly anti-Palestine? Anti-semitic? If you do post and you fumble some of your history, are you nothing but a hashtag activist? (What about if you get right?) In this episode, Madison and Rachelle survey a week’s worth of controversial celebrity statements and the evolution of one particular viral infographic to ask who these memes and Instagram posts really serve and how to avoid the 2021 equivalent of posting black squares.
Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder and Derek John.
Support ICYMI and listen to the show with zero ads. Sign up to become a Slate Plus member for just $1 for your first month.
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This week Steve, Dana, and Julia discuss Netflix’s animated film The Mitchells vs. the Machines. Next, the panel dives into the cultural resonances of Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck aka “Bennifer.” Finally, the group is joined by Isaac Butler, co-host of Slate’s Working podcast, to talk about the latest Zoom version of Samuel Beckett’s Waiting for Godot.
In Slate Plus, Isaac Butler joins the hosts to talk about the state of theater and what its reopening will look like in the coming months.
Email us at [email protected]
Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Rachael Allen.
Outro music: "You Know What I Want" by Staffan Carlen
Endorsements
Dana: “The Trees” by Philip Larkin
Julia: Uncanny Valley by Anna Wiener
Steve: “Arendt and Roth: An Uncanny Convergence” by Corey Robin and DeFazio’s Pizzeria in Troy, NY
Further Reading
“What Everyone Forgot About Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez” by Heather Schwedel in Slate
“Why is Bennifer 2.0 so exciting? Because last time, we screwed it up” by Meredith Blake in the LA Times
Slate Plus members get ad-free podcasts and a bonus segment in each episode of the Culture Gabfest. Sign up now at slate.com/cultureplus.
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This week, host Rumaan Alam talks to Jordan Moblo, the man behind the Instagram account @jordys.book.club, which features artful photos of both fiction and nonfiction books, as well as short reviews of titles Jordan feels like promoting. In the interview, Jordan discusses the creative decisions that go into his posts and explains what it was like to grow an audience of 69,000 followers. He also talks about balancing his Instagram hobby with his full-time job.
After the interview, Rumaan and co-host Isaac Butler discuss Jordan’s decision to never post negative reviews of books.
In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Jordan lists some of his favorite book covers and talks about the hashtag #bookstagrammademedoit.
Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected] or give us a call at (304) 933-9675.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews.
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 the Culture Gabfest—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on Working. Sign up now at slate.com/workingplus.
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On today’s episode, Rachelle and Madison discuss the latest news about Chrissy Teigen and Courtney Stodden. Earlier this week, Stodden, who rose to fame as a teenager in the early 2010s after marrying middle-aged character actor Doug Hutchison, came forward saying that they had been harassed on Twitter by Teigen, who sent tweets wishing for their death. Teigen has since apologized, but this news highlighted the disgusting ways people used to talk about young girls on the internet, and how Teigen’s online presence has never been as kind and lovable as she’d want you to believe.
Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder and Derek John.
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Robin DiAngelo’s White Fragility climbed back on the best-seller charts after George Floyd’s murder. On today’s episode of A Word, she talks with Jason Johnson about what white allyship looks like after Derek Chauvin’s conviction, and the challenges of building an anti-racist society. The two originally spoke at the Crosscut Festival, an online conference that took a hard look at the people, policy and events that shape our lives.
Guest: Robin DiAngelo, author of White Fragility
Podcast production by Ahyiana Angel and Jasmine Ellis
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On the Spoiler Special podcast, Slate critics discuss movies, the occasional TV show, and, once in a blue moon, another podcast, in full spoiler-filled detail. This week, Slate’s Brow Beat nights and weekends editor Matthew Dessem is joined by Slate books and culture columnist Laura Miller to spoil Woman in the Window, the new Netflix thriller based on the book by A. J. Finn.
Agoraphobic Dr. Anna Fox (Amy Adams) witnesses something she shouldn't while keeping tabs on the Russell family, the seemingly picture perfect clan that lives across the way. What could possibly go wrong?
Note: As the title indicates, this podcast contains spoilers galore.
Email us at [email protected].
Podcast production by Morgan Flannery.
Hosts
Laura Miller is a books and culture columnist for Slate
Matthew Dessem is Slate’s Brow Beat’s nights and weekends editor
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Rachelle and Madison discuss Elon Musk’s episode of Saturday Night Live. Specifically they break down the ”Gen Z Hospital” sketch, where everybody seems to be speaking in internet slang, and the backlash to it. Rachelle explains how all the language used isn’t just from the internet or from Zoomers but from African-American Vernacular English. This isn’t a new thing, of course—white Americans have been appropriating Black culture for as long as America has been around—but as this Paper magazine article by Rob Dozier points out, the internet has made it particularly easy for those words to lose their original context.
Podcast Production by Daniel Schroeder and Derek John.
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This week Steve, Dana, and Julia discuss Tina Fey’s new Peacock sitcom Girls5Eva. Then the panel dives into vaccine personalities—how did Pfizer really become the “status vax”? Finally, the group discusses Netflix film The Disciple with LA Times film critic Justin Chang.
In Slate Plus, the panel talks about their relationship with cars, courtesy of a listener question. Email us your questions at [email protected]
Podcast production by Jasmine Ellis and Asha Saluja. Production assistance by Rachael Allen.
Endorsements
Dana: Morning Ragas, Bombay 1965 by Nikhil Banerjee
Julia: Empire of Pain by Patrick Radden Keefe and “The Composer at the Frontier of Movie Music” by Jamie Fisher (and Nicholas Britell’s Culture Gabfest episode!)
Steve: “Quintin Jones Is Not Innocent. But He Doesn’t Deserve to Die.” by Jonah M. Kessel, Suleika Jaouad, and Lindsay Crouse
Further Reading
“Pfizer Snobs Are Wong. Johnson & Johnson Is the Coolest Vaccine.” by Dan Kois in Slate
“How Pfizer Became the Status Vax” by Heather Schwedel in Slate
“Review: ‘The Disciple’ is already one of the year’s best movies. Does Netflix know—or care?” by Justin Chang in the LA Times
Hosts
Stephen Metcalf
Dana Stevens
Julia Turner
Social Media
@slatecultfest on Twitter
https://twitter.com/slatecultfest
@slateculturepodcasts on Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/slateculturepodcasts/
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This week host Isaac Butler talks to actor Blair Underwood about performing for the stage and screen. In the interview, Blair talks about landing a role on the legal drama L.A. Law when he was still an undergraduate student at Carnegie Mellon. He also explains how he prepares for roles and how he gets in the right mindset to play tormented characters.
After the interview, Isaac and co-host Rumaan Alam discuss the mysterious craft of acting.
In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Blair tells the story of the time he found himself sitting next to Sidney Poitier on a flight from New York to L.A.
Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected] or give us a call at (304) 933-9675.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews.
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 Working. Sign up now to help support our work.
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On today’s episode, Rachelle and Madison discuss Facebook upholding their ban of Donald Trump from their platform—sort of. Then they interview someone about their own experience getting banned: legal journalist Rachel Stone, who was banned from Twitter after she jokingly threatened the man who cautions you to take a break from scrolling through TikTok. Finally, they debut their new segment Galaxy Brain, where they share some of the wildest theories on the internet, starting with a listener letter about the word cheugy.
Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder and Derek John.
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On today’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson is joined by Emmy-nominated actor William Jackson Harper. Fans might know him as indecisive professor Chidi from The Good Place. But he’s back on screens this spring in Barry Jenkins’ The Underground Railroad. The series is based on the Pulitzer prize-winning novel from Colson Whitehead. Harper talks about the upcoming Amazon Prime series, playing Chidi on The Good Place, and his role as a rom-com star in We Broke Up.
Guest: William Jackson Harper, Emmy-nominated actor.
Podcast production by Ahyiana Angel and Jasmine Ellis
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This week Steve, Dana, and Julia discuss the Netflix film Stowaway with Slate book and culture columnist Laura Miller. Then the panel dives into the French dramedy Call My Agent! with New Yorker staff writer Lauren Collins. Finally, the group discusses the social realities and challenges of the CDC’s new guidelines on masking outdoors.
In Slate Plus, the hosts discuss the ending to Stowaway and other spoilers from the film.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Rachael Allen.
Email the hosts at [email protected]
Endorsements
Dana: You Must Remember This podcast and Jacques d’Amboise, specifically Jacques d’Amboise in China
Julia: The Mirage Factory
Steve: “The Abiding Scandal of College Admissions” by Matt Feeney in the Chronicle of Higher Education
Further Reading
“'Dix pour cent’: les agents et leurs doubles” by Benjamin Locoge in Paris Match
“Fanny Herrero, créatrice de ‘Dix pour cent’: ‘Mon rêve est de faire une série d’auteur populaire’” in Les Inrockuptibles
Outro Music
"Go slow" by Daniel Fridell
Slate Plus members get a bonus segment in each episode of the Culture Gabfest and access to exclusive shows like Dana Stevens’ classic movies podcast Flashback. Sign up now to listen and support our work.
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On today’s episode, Madison and Rachelle answer a couple of listener questions in a new segment we’re calling Read Receipts. First, they explore the origins of the “this shit bussin’—sheesh” meme that’s all over TikTok and why teens are getting their parents to do it. Then Rachelle digs into the drama currently embroiling the fan-fiction website Archive of Our Own, explaining whether the nonprofit’s latest fundraising drive is a scam (it’s not), and why the site both is and isn’t a safe haven for marginalized fans. If you'd like to read more about Sexy Times With Wangxian you can do that here.
Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder and Derek John.
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This week, host June Thomas talks to cartoonist Alison Bechdel, whose work includes the hugely influential comic strip Dykes to Watch Out For and the bestselling graphic memoir Fun Home. In the interview, Alison talks about her new book, The Secret to Superhuman Strength, which is about her interest in exercise and fitness but also her work ethic as an artist and writer.
After the interview June and co-host Rumaan Alam discuss Alison’s skills as a memoirist and her work-life balance. Then they get some creative advice from Pulitzer-winning playwright Michael R. Jackson.
In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, June asks Alison about the Bechdel Test.
Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected] or give us a call at (304) 933-9675.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews.
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 Working. Sign up now to help support our work.
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On today’s episode, Rachelle and Madison explain the controversy surrounding an NFT of Chadwick Boseman’s head that was connected to, but not sanctioned by, the Oscars. Then they run through a series of High-Speed Downloads on why Ryan Gosling trended last weekend, Mark Zuckerberg’s sunscreen photo, a flash of TikTok drama involving Doja Cat, and the celebration of Ed Balls Day.
Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder and Derek John.
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In Part 2 of this episode of Hit Parade, Chris Molanphy continues his analysis of Taylor: the country years, dissecting how she gradually, step by step, became the new queen of pop one irresistible song at a time. She went from interviewing bigger stars on MTV’s red carpet one year, to being the talk of the Video Music Awards the next—even before Kanye took that microphone away from her. He told Taylor he would let her finish, but the game was already over. Swift had the most played song in the USA.
Podcast production by Asha Saluja, with help from Rosemary Belson.
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It’s game time, and Black women creatives are leveling up in the online video gaming business. On today’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson is joined by online gamer Briana Williams, better known as Storymodebae. She’s a content creator, gamer, and Twitch ambassador. They discuss her path to winning in the white and male-dominated business of online gaming, and how she and Black women gamers are building their own community.
Guest: Briana Williams, content creator, gamer, and Twitch ambassador
Podcast production by Ahyiana Angel and Jasmine Ellis
You can skip all the ads in A Word by joining Slate Plus. Sign up now for just $1 for your first month. Click here for more info.
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On the Spoiler Special podcast, Slate critics discuss movies, the occasional TV show, and, once in a blue moon, another podcast, in full spoiler-filled detail. This week, Slate staff writer Karen Han is joined by Slate Brow Beat's nights and weekends editor, Matthew Dessem, to spoil Mortal Kombat, the new action/fantasy movie based on the 1990’s video game. Hunted by the fearsome warrior Sub-Zero, MMA fighter Cole Young finds sanctuary at the temple of Lord Raiden. Training with experienced fighters Liu Kang, Kung Lao and the rogue mercenary Kano, Cole prepares to stand with Earth's greatest champions to take on the enemies from Outworld in a high-stakes battle for the universe.
You can read Karen’s review here.
You can read Matt’s review here.
Podcast production by Morgan Flannery.
Note: As the title indicates, this podcast contains spoilers galore.
Email us at [email protected].
Slate Plus members get ad-free podcasts and access to exclusive shows like Dana Stevens’ classic movies podcast Flashback. Sign up now to listen and support our work.
Hosts
Karen Han is a Slate staff writer.
Matthew Dessem is Slate Brow Beat's nights and weekends editor
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Episode Notes
This week Steve, Dana, and Julia discuss the Oscars in a pandemic year. Then the panel dives into the Bob Odenkirk action flick Nobody. Finally, the group discusses the allegations of workplace harassment against the producer Scott Rudin, as first reported by The Hollywood Reporter.
In Slate Plus, the panel talks about the fallout surrounding sexual assault allegations against Blake Bailey, who published a biography of Phillip Roth earlier this month.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews and Jasmine Ellis. Production assistance by Rachael Allen.
Email the hosts at [email protected]
Endorsements
Dana: Call My Agent! and the accompanying French podcast
Julia: Sheet-Pan Sausages and Brussel Sprouts With Honey Mustard recipe from the New York Times
Steve: Sturgill Simpson, specifically his NPR Tiny Desk concert and “The Woman Who Shattered the Myth of the Free Market” by Zachary D. Carter in the New York Times
Further Reading
“Scott Rudin, As Told by His Assistants” by Anne Victoria Clark, Jackson McHenry, Lila Shapiro, Gazelle Emami, Helen Shaw, Tara Abell, Nate Jones, E. Alex Jung, and Megh Wright in Vulture
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Madison and Rachelle pour one out for Yahoo Answers. To remember the site’s important place in internet history, they’re joined by J.T. Sexkik, the creator of the infamous video “How Is Prangent Formed.” They talk to him about his earliest memories of the question-and-answer forum, its wildest moments, and what the internet is losing with its demise. Plus, we exorcise our IKEA shopping demons with a little help from TikTok comic Scott Seiss.
Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder and Derek John.
Support ICYMI and listen to the show with zero ads. Sign up to become a Slate Plus member for just $1 for your first month.
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This week, host Rumaan Alam talks to author Stuart Gibbs, who writes mystery novels for young readers. Stuart’s work includes the FunJungle series and other collections like the Spy School and Charlie Thorne books. In the interview, Stuart discusses his career beginnings and the literary agent who encouraged him to try writing for a younger audience. He also talks about his writing process, getting pointers from his own kids, and how he’s able to produce multiple titles per year.
After the interview, Rumaan and co-host June Thomas talk about Stuart’s unique relationship with his readers.
In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Rumaan’s son shares what he loves about Stuart’s books.
Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected] or give us a call at (304) 933-9675.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews.
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 Working. Sign up now to help support our work.
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On this episode, Madison and Rachelle discuss how the phrase “body positivity” has lost all meaning. They talk about how the body-positivity movement started as a way to advocate for fat acceptance, including with respect to such tangible issues as healthcare and employment, but how the phrase has been co-opted into memeable soundbites on TikTok and Instagram that serve no real purpose beyond gaining likes and follows. (At least Lizzo gets it.) They also share how an excessive focus on body-consciousness has followed them their whole lives, and examine why the recent focus on “body positivity” on social media has distracted from actual issues. Plus, they run down what happened with Demi Lovato and that frozen yogurt shop.
Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder and Derek John.
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This month, Christina, Bryan, and Rumaan are first joined by Diana Souhami, whose new book, No Modernism Without Lesbians, tells the story of Sylvia Beach, Bryher, Natalie Barney, Gertrude Stein, and the artistic community they built in Paris between the wars. Then June Thomas joins them for a discussion of the recent spate of period dramas featuring women in love. Why can’t the women in these films get a little electricity or running water?
Items discussed on the show:
Dan D’Addario on Colton Underwood’s coming out, in Variety
Daniel Schroeder on what Underwood’s coming out revealed about the Bachelor franchise, in Slate
“Transgender Childhood Is Not a ‘Trend’,“ by Jules Gill-Peterson in the New York Times
No Modernism Without Lesbians, by Diana Souhami
Saturday Night Live’s take on lesbian period dramas
Ammonite
Carol
Portrait of a Lady on Fire (and Slate Spoiler Special episode)
The World to Come
Gay Agenda
Bryan: The Lady and the Dale on HBOMax
Rumaan: Julie Mehretu’s exhibit at the Whitney Museum, and the New York Times T Magazine conversation between Mehretu and her former partner Jessica Rankin
June: The audiobook Hoosier Daddy, by Ann McMan and Salem West, and Not the Real Jupiter, by Barbara Wilson
Christina: Eye to Eye: Portraits of Lesbians, by JEB, and June’s interview with JEB on Slate’s Working podcast about the making of the book
This podcast was produced by Margaret Kelley.
Please send feedback, topic ideas, and advice questions to [email protected].
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On this episode, Madison and Rachelle talk to Rolling Stone senior writer EJ Dickson about PissTok, a new TikTok trend in which people are making jokes about urination kinks. She recently reported on the videos, which have attracted tens of millions of views, for her magazine. They discuss how kink has become memified, what this says about the rise of sex positivity in mainstream discourse, and whether or not it’s a step in the right direction. Also, Madison places a call to Apple support.
Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder and Derek John.
Support ICYMI and listen to the show with zero ads. Sign up to become a Slate Plus member for just $1 for your first month.
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This week Steve, Dana, and Julia discuss the Oscar-nominated documentary Collective. Next, the group is joined by June Thomas, senior managing producer of Slate podcasts, to discuss Law & Order: Organized Crime. Finally, the panel dives into Substack, the newsletter platform journalists are flocking to.
In Slate Plus, the panel talks about the Oscars.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Rachael Allen.
Email the hosts at [email protected]
Endorsements
Dana: The Narcotic Farm
Julia: Party Down
Steve: Anne Briggs, particularly this song
Further Reading
Charlie Warzel’s recent Twitter thread on Galaxy Brain
Outro Music
"What Do You Want From Me" by OTE
Slate Plus members get a bonus segment in each episode of the Culture Gabfest and access to exclusive shows like Dana Stevens’ classic movies podcast Flashback. Sign up now to listen and support our work.
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This week host June Thomas talks to TV writer Jed Mercurio, who created the hugely popular UK police procedural Line of Duty and recently executive produced the drama series Bloodlands. In the interview, Jed explains what an executive producer does and discusses some of the signature qualities of his work. He also tells the story of how he became a practicing doctor before trying his hand at writing for television.
After the interview June and co-host Isaac Butler talk about Jed’s career pivot. Then they get some creative wisdom from writer Roxane Gay.
In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Jed talks about why British TV writers rarely work in U.S. writers rooms.
Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected] or give us a call at (304) 933-9675.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews.
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 Working. Sign up now to help support our work.
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In this episode, Rachelle Hampton and Madison Malone Kircher discuss the latest development in the world of The Bachelor and how it all plays into the show’s relationship with social media. First they dig into the news that former Bachelor Colton Underwood has come out as gay on Good Morning America. Then they get into the show’s love-hate relationship with Instagram, examining how the series has become a launchpad for influencers and explaining how social media has become its public editor, leading to everything from this year’s casting of the first Black Bachelor to to host Chris Harrison’s ouster.
If you would like to read more about Underwood and his season of the show, check out our producer Daniel Schroeder’s piece on the subject.
Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder and Derek John.
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Taylor Swift’s new album is a reboot of an old album: Fearless, her 2008 chart-topping juggernaut that made her the biggest star on the Billboard charts. But Fearless (Taylor’s Version)—filled with banjos, steel guitars and fiddles—is also a reminder for those who forgot: Swift was once the top act in country music, too. From Dolly Parton to Shania Twain, the Chicks to Faith Hill, no country artist has ever crossed over to pop the way Taylor did, utterly dominating one genre before she took over another.
In this episode, Chris Molanphy focuses on Taylor: the country years, dissecting how she gradually, step by step, became the new queen of pop one irresistible song at a time. She went from interviewing bigger stars on MTV’s red carpet one year, to being the talk of the Video Music Awards the next—even before Kanye took that microphone away from her. He told Taylor he would let her finish, but the game was already over. Swift had the most played song in the USA.
Podcast production by Asha Saluja, with help from Rosemary Belson.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
On the Spoiler Special podcast, Slate critics discuss movies, the occasional TV show, and, once in a blue moon, another podcast, in full spoiler-filled detail. This week, Slate’s senior editor Allegra Frank is joined by Brow Beat nights and weekends editor at Slate, Matthew Dessem, to spoil Godzilla vs. Kong, the new action-packed sci-fi movie from director Adam Wingard.
Kong and his protectors go on a perilous journey to find his true home but soon find themselves in the path of an enraged Godzilla as he cuts a swath of destruction across the globe. But the initial confrontation between the two titans is only the beginning of the deeper mystery that lies within the center of the earth.
Note: As the title indicates, this podcast contains spoilers galore.
Email us at [email protected].
Podcast production by Morgan Flannery.
Hosts
Allegra Frank is a Senior Editor at Slate.
Matthew Dessem is Slate’s Brow Beat’s nights and weekends editor
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On this episode, Rachelle Hampton and Madison Malone Kircher look at the way the COVID vaccines have seemed to develop online personalities. They discuss how the memes and merch inspired by Pfizer, Moderna, and Johnson & Johnson can actually encourage vaccine hesitancy—which is all the more disappointing since there are actually some pretty informative TikToks out there about COVID-19. Next, they speak to a few Slatesters who might not have purchased vaxx merch but definitely made their own reckless online purchases, by buying things through targeted Instagram ads. Do these impulse buys ever bring us the joy we think they will?
Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder and Derek John.
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This week Steve is joined by Slate senior editor Allegra Frank and writer/editor Dan Kois. The group first dives into the What Lies Below, the wild No. 1 movie on Netflix. Next, they discuss the Netflix series Worn Stories. Finally, the panel is joined by Slate music critic Carl Wilson to talk about Prince’s vault of unreleased music, as covered in Sunday's episode of 60 Minutes.
In Slate Plus, the panel talks about how their parents influenced their music taste.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Rachael Allen.
Email the hosts at [email protected]
Endorsements
Dan: Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry
Allegra: serpentwithfeet’s DEACON
Steve: “Averted Intimacies” by Elaine Blair in the New York Review
Slate Plus members get a bonus segment in each episode of the Culture Gabfest and access to exclusive shows like Dana Stevens’ classic movies podcast Flashback. Sign up now to listen and support our work.
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Welcome to Slate Money Goes to the Movies, a miniseries in which Felix Salmon, Anna Szymanski, and a different guest each week discuss popular business-themed movies.
For the season finale, Jolie Hunt, CEO of Hunt & Gather, joins Felix Salmon and Anna Szymanski to talk about the 80s classic Working Girl. They discuss the class dynamics at play, the actual business taking place in the film, and what makes it such an enjoyable fairytale.
Email: [email protected]
Podcast production by Jessamine Molli.
Twitter: @felixsalmon, @Three_Guineas
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This week host Isaac Butler talks to Anthony Fortenberry, chief nursing officer at Callen-Lorde Community Health Center, which has been serving the LGBTQ community in New York City for decades. In the interview, Anthony talks about all the creative challenges he and his staff have faced over the past year, from converting a hotel into a quarantine facility to making sure vulnerable people have access to vaccines. He also talks about the importance of flexibility and explains why managers need to model the behavior they advocate.
After the interview, Isaac and co-host June Thomas reflect on some of Anthony’s creative wisdom.
In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Anthony talks about his cultural interests and some of the high points of his job.
Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected] or give us a call at (304) 933-9675.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews.
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 Working. Sign up now to help support our work.
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In this episode, Rachelle Hampton and Madison Malone Kircher start with a couple of High Speed Downloads: Madison summarizes the latest online drama surrounding self-help guru Rachel Hollis (featuring Harriet Tubman), and Rachelle chronicles the Kardashian fury that was unleashed after somebody posted an untouched-up photo of Khloe. Then, for their main segment, they speak with Dion Beary, a writer and online community builder who founded the Tumblr blog This Is White Privilege. They talk with Beary about where that blog began, its impact on online discourse, and why he stepped away.
Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder and Derek John.
Support ICYMI and listen to the show with zero ads. Sign up to become a Slate Plus member for just $1 for your first month.
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On this episode, Rachelle Hampton and Madison Malone Kircher report from the latest front in the battle between millennials and Gen Z: the use of reaction GIFs. First, they trace this conflict back to its origins in skirmishes over middle parts and skinny jeans. Then they speak to culture writer Jenny G. Zhang, who recently encountered the fury of thirtysomethings scorned when she tweeted about what using reaction GIFs says about your age.
Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder and Derek John.
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This week Steve and Dana are joined by Slate senior editor Allegra Frank. First the hosts discuss the Oscar contender Judas and the Black Messiah and the performances of its two stars, Daniel Kaluuya and Lakeith Stanfield. Then pop critic and UVA professor Jack Hamilton joins the show to offer his thoughts on Tina, the new documentary about the life of rock n' roll icon Tina Turner. After that, the hosts talk to Slate writer Rebecca Onion about her re-examination of The Beauty Myth, a modern feminist classic with an increasingly controversial author.
In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Steve, Dana, and Allegra talk about being evangelists for the art they like and discuss whether pushing your cultural taste on other people is a good or bad practice.
Outro music: "Death Dance" by Luftmensch
Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Rachael Allen.
Email the hosts at [email protected]
Slate Plus members get a bonus segment in each episode of the Culture Gabfest and access to exclusive shows like Dana Stevens’ classic movies podcast Flashback. Sign up now to listen and support our work.
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Welcome to Slate Money Goes to the Movies, a miniseries in which Felix Salmon, Anna Szymanski, and a different guest each week discuss popular business-themed movies.
Lizzie O'Leary, host of Slate’s What Next TBD, joins to talk about Margin Call, the 2011 drama about the financial crisis. They’ll talk about how realistic the film is, the nuanced depiction of the people behind the crisis, and Lizzie’s experience as a political reporter covering the real thing.
Email: [email protected]
Podcast production by Jessamine Molli.
Twitter: @felixsalmon, @Three_Guineas
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This week host June Thomas talks to the activist photographer Joan E. Biren, also known as JEB. In the interview, JEB discusses the creation, funding, and printing of her 1979 photobook Eye to Eye: Portraits of Lesbians, which was recently reissued by Anthology Editions. She also talks about the enduring legacy of the book and what it meant for lesbians to see themselves accurately represented in her work.
After the interview, June and co-host Isaac Butler reflect on JEB’s ability to create the art she wanted to see in the world.
In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, JEB explains why she doesn’t like words like capture and shoot to describe photography.
Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected] or give us a call at (304) 933-9675.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews.
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 Working. Sign up now to help support our work.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
On the latest episode, hosts Rachelle Hampton and Madison Malone Kircher talk to the teens. Mya Johnson and Chris Cotter are two teen TikTok stars who created a dance challenge set to Cardi B’s No. 1 hit “Up.” Fellow TikTok creator Addison Rae appeared on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon to perform their dance, along with seven other popular TikTok dances, without giving credit to any of the creators. A Twitter user tweeted a side-by-side video of Chris and Mya’s original choreography and Addison’s tepid Tonight Show performance, demonstrating just how watered down the moves had become.
Chris and Mya are here to discuss how the two first linked up, what they thought about Addison Rae’s performance, and the experience of watching their moves go viral without them.
Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder and Derek John.
Support ICYMI and listen to the show with zero ads. Sign up to become a Slate Plus member for just $1 for your first month.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
In Part 2 of this episode of Hit Parade, Chris Molanphy continues his analysis of the music of Sam Cooke. The Oscar-nominated film One Night in Miami… imagines the conversation between Cooke, Malcolm X, Cassius Clay and Jim Brown the night in 1964 they gathered to celebrate the soon-to-be Muhammad Ali’s heavyweight victory. Malcolm X challenges Sam Cooke to use his amazing voice to help “the struggle.” Little did he know Cooke had already recorded his civil‑rights masterpiece, “A Change Is Gonna Come.”
In his too-brief career—seven years as a gospel star, then seven more as a chart-conquering superstar—Sam Cooke took a remarkable journey: from the pathbreaking pop of “You Send Me,” to the wistful R&B of “(What a) Wonderful World,” to the yearning romance of “Bring It on Home to Me,” to—of course—the now-legendary “Change Is Gonna Come.” Meet the man who defined what soul music was and could be.
Hit Parade episodes are now split into two parts, released two weeks apart. For the full episode right now, sign up for Slate Plus and you'll also get The Bridge, our Trivia show and bonus deep dive. Click here for more info.
Podcast production by Asha Saluja.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
On the Spoiler Special podcast, Slate critics discuss movies, the occasional TV show, and, once in a blue moon, another podcast, in full spoiler-filled detail. This week Slate’s movie critic Dana Stevens is joined by New Yorker staff writer Rachel Syme to spoil Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar, the new adventure-filled comedy by real life best friends and the writers who brought us Bridesmaids, Kristin Wiig and Annie Mumolo.
When lifelong best friends and roommates Barb (Annie Mumolo) and Star (Kristin Wiig) leave their Midwestern hometown for the first time ever, they embark on a vacation to Vista Del Mar, Florida. What starts out as a bit of harmless fun in the sun, quickly becomes the most unexpected, bizarre and even dangerous adventure of a lifetime for the pair. Will they ever be the same?
Note: As the title indicates, this podcast contains spoilers galore.
Email us at [email protected].
Podcast production by Morgan Flannery.
Slate Plus members get ad-free podcasts and access to exclusive shows like Dana Stevens’ classic movies podcast Flashback. Sign up now to listen and support our work.
Hosts
Dana Stevens is a movie critic at Slate.
Rachel Syme is a staff writer at The New Yorker and you can read her review here.
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On this episode of ICYMI, Slate’s new podcast about internet culture, hosts Rachelle Hampton and Madison Malone Kircher get lewd. (Sorry, Mrs. Hampton.) First, they read some erotica about the big, unstuck boat. Then, they explain why Lil Nas X’s supposedly shocking turn—stripping for the devil in his new video for “Montero” and selling “Satan Shoes” with blood in them—is really just the logical next step for the “Old Town Road” rapper.
Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder and Derek John.
Support ICYMI and listen to the show with zero ads. Sign up to become a Slate Plus member for just $1 for your first month.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
This week Steve, Dana, and Julia discuss the film The Father, starring Anthony Hopkins. Next, the group is joined by Slate television critic Willa Paskin to talk about The Real World Homecoming: New York. Finally, the panel dives into the new secrets revealed by a Philip Roth biography.
In Slate Plus, Steve and Julia chat with Willa about the books, movies, or shows they've changed their minds about.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Rachael Allen.
Email the hosts at [email protected]
Endorsements
Dana: Bertrand Tavernier’s My Journey Through French Cinema
Julia: Her recent roadrunner sighting, the Atlantic podcast Floodlines, and I Capture the Castle
Steve: The Simpletons and Call My Agent!
Slate Plus members get a bonus segment in each episode of the Culture Gabfest and access to exclusive shows like Dana Stevens’ classic movies podcast Flashback. Sign up now to listen and support our work.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Welcome to Slate Money Goes to the Movies, a miniseries in which Felix Salmon, Anna Szymanski, and a different guest each week discuss popular business-themed movies.
This week, Felix and Anna are joined by Edmund Lee of The New York Times to talk about The Devil Wears Prada. They discuss the film’s dated depiction of the magazine and fashion industries, Andy’s judgey friends, and of course, the IRL Miranda Priestly, Anna Wintour.
Email: [email protected]
Podcast production by Jessamine Molli.
Twitter: @felixsalmon, @Three_Guineas
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
This week June Thomas, Isaac Butler, and Rumaan Alam co-host a special episode about staying creative during a difficult year. First they talk about their own experiences in quarantine and how they managed to continue getting work done. Then they hear from other professional creative people like Zoe Kazan, Emma Straub, Jessica Winter, Taffy Brodesser-Akner, Alison Bechdel, Emily Gould, Roxane Gay, Chris Eigeman, Alex Winter, and Michael R. Jackson, who discuss the obstacles they faced over the past year and how they dealt with them.
Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected] or give us a call at (304) 933-9675.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews.
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 Working. Sign up now to help support our work.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
On the second episode of ICYMI, Slate’s new podcast about internet culture, hosts Madison Malone Kircher and Rachelle Hampton take listeners on an all-access tour of Clubhouse, the invite-only audio app that already has millions of users, including everyone from Elon Musk and Drake to Oprah and Joe Rogan. Madison somehow ends up taking a shower with hundreds of other users? The app also doesn’t allow people to record and publish audio, so this episode will probably get us banned.
Then, they try a new segment that we’re calling High Speed Download, in which each of them must try to summarize all of the drama of a recent internet story in 60 seconds or less. This time: the sagas of relationship guru Derrick Jaxn and Jensen Karp, aka Cinnamon Toast Shrimp Guy.
Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder and Derek John.
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The Falcon and the Winter Soldier is the latest example of Black characters taking on the mantle of comic book superheroes. On this week’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson is joined by professor and award-winning comic book artist John Jennings. They discuss the importance of Black characters winning more power in comic books, and why Black superheroes still have to deal with microaggressions and overt racism.
Guest: John Jennings, a professor of Media and Culture Studies at the University of California Riverside and an award-winning comic book artist.
Podcast production by Ahyiana Angel and Jasmine Ellis
You can skip all the ads in A Word by joining Slate Plus. Sign up now for just $1 for your first month. Click here for more info.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
On the first episode of ICYMI, Slate's new podcast about internet culture, hosts Rachelle Hampton and Madison Malone Kircher make sense of two recent controversies about online celebrities. First, they recap the recent drama around Kylie Jenner’s call for her followers to donate to a makeup artist’s GoFundMe—and explain how it connects to a whole year of influencers failing to read the room during the pandemic. Next, they dig into the reckoning currently roiling YouTube, recounting the rise and fall of David Dobrik, and analyzing why an allegation in a recent Insider report has put “Gen Z’s Jimmy Fallon” in hot water.
Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder and Derek John.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
This week Steve, Dana, and Julia discuss the Oscar-nominated Danish film Another Round. Next, the group is joined by Dan Pashman, host of the Sporkful podcast, to discuss his journey to invent a brand-new pasta shape. Finally, the panel is joined by Carolina Miranda of the LA Times to discuss museums “deaccessioning” art.
In Slate Plus, the hosts discuss what favorite works for children they discovered as grown-ups.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Rachael Allen.
Email the hosts at [email protected]
Slate Plus members get a bonus segment in each episode of the Culture Gabfest and access to exclusive shows like Dana Stevens’ classic movies podcast Flashback. Sign up now to listen and support our work.
Endorsements
Dana: The Flashback archive
Julia: “A guide to hiking in L.A.” in the LA Times
Steve: “With You” by Teenage Fanclub
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Hit The Oscar-nominated film One Night in Miami… imagines the conversation between Sam Cooke, Malcolm X, Cassius Clay and Jim Brown the night in 1964 they gathered to celebrate the soon-to-be Muhammad Ali’s heavyweight victory. Malcolm X challenges Sam Cooke to use his amazing voice to help “the struggle.” Little did he know Cooke had already recorded his civil‑rights masterpiece, “A Change Is Gonna Come.”
In this episode, Chris Molanphy sets the record straight on the man now called the King of Soul. In his too-brief career—seven years as a gospel star, then seven more as a chart-conquering superstar—Sam Cooke took a remarkable journey: from the pathbreaking pop of “You Send Me,” to the wistful R&B of “(What a) Wonderful World,” to the yearning romance of “Bring It on Home to Me,” to—of course—the now-legendary “Change Is Gonna Come.” Meet the man who defined what soul music was and could be.
Hit Parade episodes are now split into two parts, released two weeks apart. For the full episode right now, sign up for Slate Plus and you'll also get The Bridge, our Trivia show and bonus deep dive. Click here for more info.
Podcast production by Asha Saluja.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Welcome to Slate Money Goes to the Movies, a miniseries in which Felix Salmon, Anna Szymanski, and a different guest each week discuss popular business-themed movies.
This week, Felix and Anna are joined by Niala Boodhoo of Axios to discuss the Paul Thomas Anderson oil epic, There Will Be Blood. They’ll delve into the religious symbolism in the film, analyze Daniel Plainview’s family values and get into some of the history behind the story.
Email: [email protected]
Podcast production by Jessamine Molli.
Twitter: @felixsalmon, @Three_Guineas
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
In the new episode of Flashback, movie critics Dana Stevens and K. Austin Collins discuss the comedy The Apartment (1960), directed by Billy Wilder.
Other titles mentioned in the episode:
Sunset Boulevard (1950)
Butterfield 8 (1960)
Some Like It Hot (1959)
Ace in the Hole (1951)
Stalag 17 (1953)
The Lost Weekend (1945)
Double Indemnity (1944)
Ball of Fire (1941)
Ninotchka (1939)
Brief Encounter (1946)
Fast Times on Ridgemont High (1982)
The Crowd (1928)
Gaslight (1944)
Children of Paradise (1946)
Ikiru (1956)
When Harry Met Sally (1989)
Frances Ha (2013)
Manhattan (1979)
Eve’s Bayou (1997)
Dietrich & von Sternberg in Hollywood
Wanda (1970)
Alexandria…Why? (1979)
The Silence of the Lambs (1991)
Lawrence of Arabia (1962)
Within Our Gates (1920)
One From the Heart (1982)
Email us at [email protected]
Production by Chau Tu.
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This week, host Isaac Butler talks to musician Julien Baker about her new album Little Oblivions. In the interview, Julien discusses the process of writing the song “Favor” and how she combined pieces that were originally intended to be separate songs. She also describes her revision process and explains why Little Oblivions features more dissonant and abrasive sounds than her previous albums.
After the interview, Isaac and co-host Rumaan Alam help a teacher who wants to bring more creativity into the classroom.
In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Julien talks about some of the music that has inspired her recently.
Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected] or give us a call at (304) 933-9675.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews.
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 Working. Sign up now to help support our work.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
On the Spoiler Special podcast, Slate critics discuss movies, the occasional TV show, and, once in a blue moon, another podcast, in full spoiler-filled detail. This week Slate staff writer Karen Han is joined by Slate’s senior editor Sam Adams to spoil Zack Snyder’s Justice League, the new four hour artistic cut to its original counterpart.
When Bruce Wayne (Ben Affleck) enlists newfound ally Diana Prince (Gal Gadot) to face a greater threat than ever before, they have to work quickly to recruit a team to stand against their new enemy. Can the world be saved by this unprecedented league of heroes? Or is it too late?
Note: As the title indicates, this podcast contains spoilers galore.
Email us at [email protected].
Podcast production by Morgan Flannery.
Slate Plus members get ad-free podcasts and access to exclusive shows like Dana Stevens’ classic movies podcast Flashback. Sign up now to listen and support our work.
Hosts
Karen Han is a staff writer at Slate and you can read her review here.
Sam Adams is Slate’s senior editor and you can read his review here.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
This month, Christina, Bryan, and Rumaan discuss a New York magazine piece about fashion designer Alexander Wang, the dynamics of power and consent, and the swiftly changing norms of gay spaces. Then they’re joined by science writer Riley Black to discuss her recent Slate piece about how science might not be the best tool to argue with those who oppose trans rights.
This podcast was produced by Daniel Schroeder.
Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
This week Steve and Dana are joined by Slate editor Allegra Frank. First, they discuss Coming 2 America, the sequel to the 1988 film Coming to America starring Eddie Murphy and Arsenio Hall Next, they chat about the Pedro Almodóvar short The Human Voice and discuss how it compares to other Almodóvar works. Finally, they’re joined by Slate staff writer Aaron Mak to talk about NFT's (non-fungible tokens), the new digital certificates of "ownership" that are changing the way people buy art.
In Slate Plus, the panel talks about their feelings on re-entering society post-pandemic.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Rachael Allen.
Email the hosts at [email protected]
Outro Music: "Break The Line" by Coma Svensson
Slate Plus members get a bonus segment in each episode of the Culture Gabfest and access to exclusive shows like Dana Stevens’ classic movies podcast Flashback. Sign up now to listen and support our work.
Further reading:
“Coming 2 America’s Disastrous Return to Africa” by Allegra Frank in Slate
“What the Heck Are NFTs, and Why Are Grimes, Lindsay Lohan, and the Guy Who Made Nyan Cat Selling Them?” by Aaron Mak in Slate
Endorsements
Dana:
“Repeat After Me” by June Thomas in Slate
“Talk To Her, All About My Mother, Broken Embraces …” by June Thomas in Slate
This radish recipe
Allegra:
The Real World Homecoming: New York and the original.
“i drive me mad” by renforshort, as heard on Generation
Steve:
“Only Love Can Break Your Heart” by Saint Etienne
"Cherry Wine" by Hozier
"Shrike" by Hozier
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Welcome to Slate Money Goes to the Movies, a miniseries in which Felix Salmon, Anna Szymanski, and a different guest each week discuss popular business-themed movies.
This week, Felix and Anna are joined by Paul Ford, podcaster and CEO of Postlight, to discuss the 2010 David Fincher movie The Social Network and let’s just say...he does not recommend it. They’ll discuss what the movie gets wrong in retrospect, what makes the writing of the female characters so terrible and other reasons The Facebook Movie just does not hold up.
“Discussing Skateboarding with Director Werner Herzog” by Ian Michna & Rob Fraebel for Jenkem Magazine
Email: [email protected]
Podcast production by Jessamine Molli.
Twitter: @felixsalmon, @Three_Guineas
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
This week host Rumaan Alam talks to cookbook author Julia Turshen about her career as a professional home cook and her new book Simply Julia: 110 Easy Recipes for Healthy Comfort Food. In the interview, Julia explains why she was drawn to cookbooks from a young age and how she later managed to combine her love of writing and her love of cooking into one career. She also talks about the deeply personal details in Simply Julia and discusses why she’s trying to get readers in and out of the kitchen “as easily and as efficiently as possible.”
After the interview, Rumaan and co-host June Thomas dig into Julia’s advice to “only write the book that only you can write.”
In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Julia helps Rumaan out of his cooking rut.
Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected] or give us a call at (304) 933-9675.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews.
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 Working. Sign up now to help support our work.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
This week Steve, Dana, and Julia are joined by Slate’s executive producer of podcasts Alicia Montgomery for a segment about Oprah’s widely viewed interview with Meghan and Harry. Then the hosts discuss the ever-growing popularity of Stanley Tucci, from his viral cocktail videos to his CNN show Searching for Italy to his new movie Supernova. Finally, the group talks about the discontinuation of six Dr. Seuss books.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Rachael Allen.
Email the hosts at [email protected]
Outro Music: "Bring My Friends" by Tigerblood Jewel
Slate Plus members get a bonus segment in each episode of the Culture Gabfest and access to exclusive shows like Dana Stevens’ classic movies podcast Flashback. Sign up now to listen and support our work.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Welcome to Slate Money Goes to the Movies, a miniseries in which Felix Salmon, Anna Szymanski, and a different guest each week discuss popular business-themed movies.
This week, Felix and Anna are joined by Josh Brown, CEO of Ritholtz Wealth Management and Wall Street superfan, to talk about Oliver Stone’s 1987 ode to yuppie culture. They’ll discuss the corporate raider culture of the 80s, the era of “smiling and dialing” and the wonky legality of insider trading.
Email: [email protected]
Podcast production by Jessamine Molli.
Twitter: @felixsalmon, @Three_Guineas
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
This week, host June Thomas talks to audiobook narrator Abby Craden about voicing multiple characters, narrating fiction and nonfiction, and finding a niche in the world of lesbian romances. (The books June referenced are Radclyffe’s “Honor” series.) Abby also discusses her home recording setup and her surprising workload.
Learn more about Abby and her work at abbycraden.com.
After the interview, June and co-host Isaac Butler help a listener who feels too stressed out to write.
In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Abby talks about one of her side gigs, where she helps create background audio for film and TV.
Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected] or give us a call at (304) 933-9675.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews.
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 Working. Sign up now to help support our work.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
On the Spoiler Special podcast, Slate critics discuss movies, the occasional TV show, and, once in a blue moon, another podcast, in full spoiler-filled detail. This week, Slate’s senior editor Allegra Frank is joined by Slate staff writer Rachelle Hampton to spoil Coming 2 America, the sequel to the 1988 hit comedy, Coming to America.
Set in the royal country of Zamunda, newly-crowned King Akeem (Eddie Murphy) and his trusted confidante Semmi (Arsenio Hall) embark on an adventure that has them traversing the globe from their great African nation to the borough of Queens, New York - where it all began.
Note: As the title indicates, this podcast contains spoilers galore.
Email us at [email protected].
Podcast production by Morgan Flannery.
Slate Plus members get ad-free podcasts and access to exclusive shows like Dana Stevens’ classic movies podcast Flashback. Sign up now to listen and support our work.
Hosts
Allegra Frank is Slate’s senior editor.
Rachelle Hampton is a staff writer at Slate.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
This week Steve and Dana talk to Slate senior editor Sam Adams about the HBO documentary Allen v. Farrow, which examines the legal battle between Woody Allen and Mia Farrow in the early 90's and the sexual assault allegations at the heart of it. Then Steve, Dana, and Julia talk about the Golden Globes and a report by the LA Times that revealed dubious spending practices by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (the group behind the Globes) and a lack of diversity in its ranks. After that, University of Pennsylvania English professor Alan Filreis joins the show to talk about the poet, activist, and bookstore owner Lawrence Ferlinghetti, who recently passed away.
In Slate Plus, the hosts discuss the new gender-neutral rebranding of Mr. Potato Head and the reaction from right-wing pundits. Send us your questions and topic suggestions at [email protected].
Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Rachael Allen.
Outro Music: "Mother" by The Big Let Down
Slate Plus members get a bonus segment in each episode of the Culture Gabfest and access to exclusive shows like Dana Stevens’ classic movies podcast Flashback. Sign up now to listen and support our work.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Welcome to Slate Money Goes to the Movies, a miniseries in which Felix Salmon, Anna Szymanski, and a different guest each week discuss popular business-themed movies.
This week, Felix and Anna are joined by Louise Roug, International executive Editor at HuffPost, to talk about the hit 1980 comedy 9 to 5. They discuss how the film’s original, darker tone was abandoned, why its themes are, sadly, still so relevant today and, of course, the wonderful Dolly Parton.
Email: [email protected]
Podcast production by Jessamine Molli.
Twitter: @felixsalmon, @Three_Guineas
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
This week, host Isaac Butler talks to cartoonist and now showrunner Noelle Stevenson about the process of rebooting the ‘80s TV show She-Ra: Princess of Power. In the interview, Noelle talks about developing a fresh vision for the show and ultimately creating one of the most diverse kids shows in history. She also discusses her webcomic, Nimona, which was adapted into a graphic novel and earned her a National Book Award nomination at the age of 23.
After the interview, Isaac and co-host June Thomas offer advice to a listener who wonders if focusing on their art, rather than working with vulnerable people, is too privileged a life choice.
In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Noelle talks about The Weight of Them, a webcomic she created about her decision to get top surgery.
Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected] or give us a call at (304) 933-9675.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews.
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 Working. Sign up now to help support our work.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
In Part 2 of this episode of Hit Parade, Chris Molanphy continues to demonstrate a weird chart phenomenon he calls The AC/DC Rule.
Hit Parade episodes are now split into two parts, released two weeks apart. For the full episode right now, sign up for Slate Plus and you'll also get The Bridge, our Trivia show and bonus deep dive. Click here for more info.
What was the only No. 1 album by Jimi Hendrix? How about the first No. 1 by Billy Joel? Jackson Browne? Pat Benatar? Pearl Jam? Lady Gaga?
In all cases, the answer isn’t obvious—it’s not the album you know best, the one with the most hits on it. It’s the album after that classic that goes to No. 1. And there’s no better example than AC/DC, the Australian-by-way-of-Scotland hard rock band that’s sold more than 20 million copies of Back in Black. But it was their next album (can you name it?) that topped the Billboard album chart.
Just as less-good movie sequels open better at the box office than classic first installments, follow-up albums often chart higher than their slow-growing but hit-packed predecessors. Some of the rock and pop legends who fell prey to this chart phenomenon might surprise you…might just leave you shook all night long.
Podcast production by Asha Saluja.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
This week Steve, Dana, and Julia talk about Chloé Zhao’s Nomadland. Next, they dig into their obsession with the New York Times’s Spelling Bee puzzle and interview its creator, 24-year-old Sam Ezersky. Finally, they discuss group chats in light of Heidi Cruz’s recent troubles with the forum.
In Slate Plus, the hosts discuss a piece of culture that they used to love and are now done with? Thanks to listener James Callan. Send us your questions and topic suggestions at [email protected].
Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Rachael Allen.
Outro Music: "Back to Silence" by OTE
Slate Plus members get a bonus segment in each episode of the Culture Gabfest and access to exclusive shows like Dana Stevens’ classic movies podcast Flashback. Sign up now to listen and support our work.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Welcome to Slate Money Goes to the Movies, a miniseries in which Felix Salmon, Anna Szymanski, and a different guest each week discuss popular business-themed movies.
This week, Felix and Anna are joined by Peter Kafka, a senior correspondent at Recode and host of the Recode Media podcast, to talk about the 2007 Oscar-winning film Michael Clayton. They break down some of the plot issues, get into what makes it a good New York film, and Anna will explain why she really hates this movie.
Email: [email protected]
Podcast production by Jessamine Molli.
Twitter: @felixsalmon, @Three_Guineas
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
This week, host Rumaan Alam taps into the well of creativity that is Austin Kleon, author of books like Steal Like an Artist and Show Your Work! In the interview, Austin talks about his distaste for the “guru” label and the uncertainty it takes to be a teacher and student of creativity. He also weighs in on whether creativity is teachable and sprinkles the whole conversation with quotes and other nuggets of wisdom from his favorite writers and thinkers.
After the interview, Rumaan and co-host Isaac Butler hear from a listener who’s trying to find a good writing group.
In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Austin talks about his email newsletter and what he plans to work on next.
Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected] or give us a call at (304) 933-9675.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews.
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 Working. Sign up now to help support our work.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
On the Spoiler Special podcast, Slate critics discuss movies, the occasional TV show, and, once in a blue moon, another podcast, in full spoiler-filled detail. This week, Slate’s movie critic Dana Stevens is joined by Slate features editor Jeffrey Bloomer and New York Times correspondent Ruth Graham to spoil Saint Maud, the feature film debut from writer and director Rose Glass.
In this extremely eerie horror film, we meet Maud, (played by Morfydd Clark) a reclusive young nurse charged with the hospice care of Amanda, (Jennifer Ehle) a former dancer who has been diagnosed with cancer. At first, they find commonality in their religious beliefs. But will Maud’s newfound faith guide her and Amanda toward a path of healing? Or is something more sinister at play?
Note: As the title indicates, this podcast contains spoilers galore.
Email us at [email protected].
Podcast production by Morgan Flannery.
Slate Plus members get ad-free podcasts and access to exclusive shows like Dana Stevens’ classic movies podcast Flashback. Sign up now to listen and support our work.
Hosts
Dana Stevens is a movie critic at Slate.
Jeffrey Bloomer is Slate’s features editor.
Ruth Graham is a New York Times correspondent.
You can read Jeffrey Bloomer’s review here
You can reach Dana Stevens review here
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This month, Christina, Bryan, and Rumaan are first joined by June Thomas to discuss Jeremy Atherton Lin’s new book Gay Bar, their own personal histories with gay bars, and if such queer spaces have a future. Then they’re joined by Autostraddle’s Shelli Nicole to talk about the Lex app, a text-based dating app aimed at queer, trans, and gender-nonconforming people. They discuss how the app got its start, the ways it’s changed in just one year, and if queer women will ever have an app that’s just for sex.
This podcast was produced by Daniel Schroeder.
Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now.
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This week Steve and Dana are joined by Jessica Winter, editor at the New Yorker and author of the upcoming novel, The Fourth Child. They kick off the show by discussing Saint Maud, the critically acclaimed horror film by Rose Glass. Then they dig into the #FreeBritney movement and dissect a televised documentary by the New York Times that covers Britney Spears' legal battle with her father. After that, Slate's pop music expert Chris Molanphy joins the show to discuss Olivia Rodriguo's hit song Drivers License, which shot to the top of the Billboard Hot 100. Chris is the host of the Hit Parade podcast.
In Slate Plus, Julia joins Steve and Dana to talk about the Gina Carano controversy and weigh in on whether her firing from The Mandalorian was justified.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Rachael Allen.
Email the hosts at [email protected]
Slate Plus members get a bonus segment in each episode of the Culture Gabfest and access to exclusive shows like Dana Stevens’ classic movies podcast Flashback. Sign up now to listen and support our work.
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Welcome to Slate Money Goes to the Movies, a miniseries in which Felix Salmon, Anna Szymanski, and a different guest each week discuss popular business-themed movies.
This week, Felix and Anna are joined by Taffy Brodesser-Akner to discuss the 1993 film Indecent Proposal starring Demi Moore, Woody Harrelson and Robert Redford. They get into topics like whether there can possibly be a feminist read of this film, the moral value of money and why Taffy quotes this movie all the time in her professional life.
Email: [email protected]
Podcast production by Jessamine Molli.
Twitter: @felixsalmon, @Three_Guineas, @EmilyRPeck
Taffy Brodesser-Akner is an author and a journalist for New York Times Magazine.
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This week host June Thomas discusses the art of set decoration with Beth Kushnick. Beth has worked on dozens of film and TV projects including The Good Wife, The Good Fight, and the new EPIX series Bridge and Tunnel. In the interview she talks about how she sources items and finds authentic furniture and accessories for period pieces. She also explains how physical items can add complexity and biographical details to the characters we see in movies and on television.
After the interview, June and co-host Rumaan Alam talk about Beth’s experience working during the pandemic. Then June talks to Slate writer and editor Dan Kois about a book deal he just landed.
Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected] or give us a call at (304) 933-9675.
You can follow Beth on Instagram @bakhomedecor where you can see photos from Bridge and Tunnel and other shows. Her podcast is called Decorating the Set: From Hollywood to Your Home with Beth Kushnick.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews
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 Working. Sign up now to help support our work.
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Quick, what was the only No. 1 album by Jimi Hendrix? How about the first No. 1 by Billy Joel? Jackson Browne? Pat Benatar? Pearl Jam? Lady Gaga?
In all cases, the answer isn’t obvious—it’s not the album you know best, the one with the most hits on it. It’s the album after that classic that goes to No. 1. And there’s no better example than AC/DC, the Australian-by-way-of-Scotland hard rock band that’s sold more than 20 million copies of Back in Black. But it was their next album (can you name it?) that topped the Billboard album chart.
Chris Molanphy has coined a term for this weird chart phenomenon: He calls it The AC/DC Rule. Just as less-good movie sequels open better at the box office than classic first installments, follow-up albums often chart higher than their slow-growing but hit-packed predecessors. Some of the rock and pop legends who fell prey to this chart phenomenon might surprise you…might just leave you shook all night long.
Podcast production by Asha Saluja.
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Steve, Dana, and Julia kick things off by discussing Minari, the semi-autobiographical movie by the filmmaker Lee Isaac Chung that focuses on a Korean family trying to build a life for themselves in rural Arkansas. After that, New York Magazine writer Mark Harris joins the show to to talk about his new biography of the director Mike Nichols. Then the hosts pick apart the latest Chrissy Teigan controversy and offer opinions about wealth, celebrity, and privilege during the pandemic.
In Slate Plus, the hosts remember the brilliant and charming actor Christopher Plummer who passed away last week at age 91.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Rachael Allen.
Slate Plus members get a bonus segment in each episode of the Culture Gabfest and access to exclusive shows like Dana Stevens’ classic movies podcast Flashback. Sign up now to listen and support our work.
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This week, host Isaac Butler talks about movement, music, and space with choreographer Annie-B Parson. In the interview, Annie-B discusses her long-time collaborative relationship with musician David Byrne and her work on his live show American Utopia, which was filmed and can now be streamed on HBO Max. Annie-B also talks about Big Dance Theater, a company she founded, which combines multiple disciplines to produce innovative stage performances.
After the interview, Isaac and co-host Rumaan Alam discuss Annie-B’s openness to inspiration and the way she looks closely at the world around her.
In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Annie-B tells the story of how she met her husband and frequent collaborator Paul Lazar. She also previews her upcoming book.
Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected] or give us a call at (304) 933-9675.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews.
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 Working. Sign up now to help support our work.
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On the Spoiler Special podcast, Slate critics discuss movies, the occasional TV show, and, once in a blue moon, another podcast, in full spoiler-filled detail. This week, Slate’s TV critic Willa Paskin is joined by Slate writer and podcast host Nichole Perkins to spoil Bridgerton, the new period drama series on Netflix, produced by Shonda Rhimes.
In this re-imagined adaptation of the romance novels by Julia Quinn, eight close-knit siblings of the powerful Bridgerton family attempt to find love. But the age-old question remains: will they? Or won’t they?
Note: As the title indicates, this podcast contains spoilers galore.
Email us at [email protected].
Podcast production by Morgan Flannery.
Slate Plus members get ad-free podcasts and access to exclusive shows like Dana Stevens’ classic movies podcast Flashback. Sign up now to listen and support our work.
Hosts
Willa Paskin is a Slate TV critic.
Nichole Perkins is the writer and host of Slate’s new podcast This is Good for You.
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Stephen, Dana, and Julia begin this week's show by talking about Locked Down, the rom-com heist movie starring Anne Hathaway and Chiwetel Ejiofor that's set during the early days of the pandemic. Then they discuss Derek DelGaudio's In & Of Itself, a Frank Oz directed stage performance that's part magic show and part meditation on personal identity. The filmed version is now available to stream on Hulu. For their third segment the hosts weigh in on a controversy in the film criticism world about a review of the movie Promising Young Woman, which they talked about in last week's show.
In Slate Plus, the hosts chat about the pandemic's affect on casual friendships. Their inspiration was Amanda Mull's article in The Atlantic, titled The Pandemic Has Erased Entire Categories of Friendship.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Rachael Allen.
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This week host Rumaan Alam talks to writer Damion Searls, who translates literature from German, French, Dutch, and Norwegian into English. In the interview, Damion argues that the work of translating is more creative than technical, and he breaks down what it means to preserve the best qualities of foreign works.
After the interview, Rumaan and co-host June Thomas talk about their own experiences with literary translations.
In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Damion lists some of the works he’d like to translate in the near future.
Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected] or give us a call at (304) 933-9675.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews.
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 Working. Sign up now to help support our work.
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This week Stephen, Dana, and Julia start by discussing Promising Young Woman, the revenge thriller starring Carey Mulligan and written and directed by Emerald Fennell. Then Slate culture writer Karen Han joins the show to talk about the French heist series Lupin, which has been firmly situated on Netflix's top 10 list since it premiered. After that, the hosts reflect on a recent article in the New York Times Magazine by Justin Metz titled, How Nothingness Became Everything We Wanted.
In Slate Plus, the hosts wonder whether the end of the Trump presidency has really hit them yet.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Rachael Allen.
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This week host June Thomas talks to musician, conductor, and singing coach Kathleen Kelly. In the interview, Kathleen describes her daily musical practices and explains the tricky work of accompanying singers on piano. She also describes the qualities every great conductor needs.
After the interview, June and co-host Rumaan Alam talk about what happens when countries adequately fund the arts.
In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Kathleen plays one of her favorite piano pieces, and then June and Kathleen try to define “talent.”
Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected] or give us a call at (304) 933-9675.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews.
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 Working. Sign up now to help support our work.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
On the Spoiler Special podcast, Slate critics discuss movies, the occasional TV show, and, once in a blue moon, another podcast, in full spoiler-filled detail. This week, Slate’s movie critic Dana Stevens is joined by Slate staff writer Karen Han to spoil Promising Young Woman, the feature film debut from writer and director Emerald Fennell.
In this visually captivating world, we meet Cassie, (played by Carey Mulligan) a wickedly smart and tantalizingly cunning young woman, living a secret double life by night. But is she a hero? Or a morally corrupt villain?
Note: As the title indicates, this podcast contains spoilers galore.
Email us at [email protected].
Podcast production by Morgan Flannery.
Slate Plus members get ad-free podcasts and access to exclusive shows like Dana Stevens’ classic movies podcast Flashback. Sign up now to listen and support our work.
Hosts
Karen Han is staff writer at Slate.
Dana Stevens is a movie critic at Slate.
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This month, Christina, Bryan, and Rumaan discuss the New Year’s drama in Puerta Vallarta, the Instagram account that popped up to shame gay people for traveling during COVID, and if shaming ever works as a health and safety tactic. Then they interview Torrey Peters about her new book Detransition, Baby. They talk with her about writing for a trans audience and expecting cisgender readers to keep up, why so much adult queer fiction resembles YA, and how elephants fit into it all.
This podcast was produced by Daniel Schroeder.
Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
This week Stephen, Dana, and Julia take a look at Sound of Metal, the debut movie from writer/director Darius Marder, about a heavy metal drummer who loses his hearing. Then they discuss WandaVision, the new Marvel TV show that's loaded with references to classic TV sitcoms. After that they dive into the world of TikTok sea shanties and theorize about why the craze caught on.
In Slate Plus, the hosts talk about vice president Kamala Harris' recent Vogue cover and the debate surrounding it.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Rachael Allen.
Slate Plus members get a bonus segment in each episode of the Culture Gabfest and access to exclusive shows like Dana Stevens’ classic movies podcast Flashback. Sign up now to listen and support our work.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Hit Parade is back for non-Slate Plus listeners! Upcoming episodes will be split into two parts, released two weeks apart. For the full episode right now, sign up for Slate Plus and you'll also get The Bridge, our Trivia show and bonus deep dive into our subjects. slate.com/hitparadeplus.
How can you tell disco didn’t really die at the start of the 1980s? Because half of ’80s pop owed its sound to one of disco’s most seminal acts. Chic—cofounded by guitarist Nile Rodgers and bassist Bernard Edwards—would be legendary if all they’d done was record the’70s disco smashes “Le Freak,” “I Want Your Love” and “Good Times.” Indeed, the “Good Times” bassline spawned a slew of copycats, from “Rapper’s Delight” to “Another One Bites the Dust” to “Rapture.”
As if that wasn’t enough, over the next decade, the Chic masterminds became the secret sauce for a range of cutting-edge pop acts, producing and writing for everyone from Diana Ross and David Bowie to Madonna, Duran Duran and the B-52’s. Nile Rodgers even scored a hit in the 2010s with a pair of French robots who “got lucky” with another take on the Chic groove.
Podcast production by Asha Saluja.
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This week, host Isaac Butler talks to novelist Jonathan Lethem about daily writing rituals, teaching writing, and the process behind Jonathan’s latest novel, The Arrest, which imagines a world where most advanced technology stops working.
After the interview, Isaac and co-host June Thomas discuss the improvisational way that Jonathan plots out his novels.
In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Jonathan talks about how he managed to find time to write when he was a young aspiring novelist working full-time jobs that didn’t involve writing. He also talks about a recent piece of Zoom theater that he loved.
Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected] or give us a call at (304) 933-9675.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews.
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 Working. Sign up now to help support our work.
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This week Stephen, Dana, and Julia talk about the National Geographic miniseries, City So Real, about the 2019 mayoral race in Chicago and the social and political issues that fueled it. Then New York Times writer Charlie Warzel joins the show to discuss conservative media outlets like Newsmax and OANN and the alternate reality of news that Trump supporters reside in. After that, the hosts talk about New Yorker writer Lawrence Wright's comprehensive article, The Plague Year, about the way U.S. officials have reacted to the pandemic.
In Slate Plus, the hosts reply to a lister who wants to know how they distinguish between works of art that are "entertaining" and ones that are "good" and whether making that distinction makes them snobs.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Rachael Allen.
Slate Plus members get a bonus segment in each episode of the Culture Gabfest and access to exclusive shows like Dana Stevens’ classic movies podcast Flashback. Sign up now to listen and support our work.
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This week, host Rumaan Alam talks to author Heather Clark about her massive new biography Red Comet: The Short Life and Blazing Art of Sylvia Plath. Heather speaks about what separates her biography from the ones that came before it, and how an academic changes her writing style for a book aimed at a general audience. She also describes what it was like to track down and get permission to view materials she needed for the book.
After the interview, Rumaan and co-host June Thomas talk more about the length of Heather’s book and the tremendous amount of research that went into it.
In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Heather describes what it felt like to finally finish Red Comet, and she previews her next book.
Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected] or give us a call at (304) 933-9675.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews.
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 Working. It’s only $35 for the first year, and you can get a free two-week trial. Sign up now to help support our work.
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Welcome to Slate Money Goes to the Movies, a miniseries in which Felix Salmon, Anna Szymanski, and a different guest each week discuss popular business-themed movies.
In this special holiday preview episode, Felix and Anna are joined by Yinka Adegoke, the Africa editor for Quartz, to discuss the classic Christmas/commodities-trading comedy Trading Places. They talk about the rampant 1980s-ness of it all, what is actually happening with the frozen concentrated orange juice, and how the film stacks up as a finance movie overall.
Email: [email protected]
Podcast production by Jessamine Molli.
Twitter: @felixsalmon, @Three_Guineas
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On the Spoiler Special podcast, Slate critics discuss movies, the occasional TV show, and, once in a blue moon, another podcast, in full spoiler-filled detail. This week, Slate’s Karen Han is joined by Slate writer and editor Dan Kois to spoil Soul, the new animated film from Pixar. After landing himself in the realm of the “great beyond”, middle school band teacher Joe Gardner tries desperately to make it back to Earth in time for his Jazz gig. But his journey takes a turn when he tries to help a new friend find their passion. Will Joe make it back to Earth and get to his gig on time? Or is he doomed to remain in the great beyond forever?
You can read Dan Kois review here.
Note: As the title indicates, this podcast contains spoilers galore.
Email us at [email protected].
Podcast production by Morgan Flannery.
Slate Plus members get ad-free podcasts and access to exclusive shows like Dana Stevens’ classic movies podcast Flashback. Sign up now to listen and support our work.
Hosts:
Karen Han is staff writer at Slate.
Dan Kois is an editor and writer at Slate.
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Steve, Dana, and Julia start by talking about Wonder Woman 1984 with LA Times film critic Justin Chang. Then they discuss Bridgerton, the new Netflix show produced by Shonda Rhimes and based on a series of novels Julia Quinn. After that, Justin Chang rejoins the show to talk about Movie Club, Slate's annual end-of-year movie coverage.
In Slate Plus, the hosts expand on their Wonder Woman conversation in spoiler-filled detail.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Rachael Allen.
Slate Plus members get a bonus segment in each episode of the Culture Gabfest and access to exclusive shows like Dana Stevens’ classic movies podcast Flashback. Sign up now to listen and support our work.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
To kick off 2021, June, Rumaan, and Isaac share their creative goals for 2021 and offer each other advice on how to see them through. They talk about reading habits, social media consumption, time management, and much more.
Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected] or give us a call at (304) 933-WORK. That’s (304) 933-9675.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews.
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 Working. It’s only $35 for the first year, and you can get a free two-week trial. Sign up now to help support our work.
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Hit Parade is back for non-Slate Plus listeners! Upcoming episodes will be split into two parts, released two weeks apart. For the full episode right now, sign up for Slate Plus and you'll also get The Bridge, our Trivia show and bonus deep dive into our subjects. slate.com/hitparadeplus.
In Part 2 of this episode of Hit Parade, we continue the story of how Nirvana’s Nevermind ousted Michael Jackson’s Dangerous from the top of the Billboard album chart, Chris Molanphy examines the chart dynamics that not only ushered in the grunge era but also invented a new music sales strategy, the post-Christmas album, and how that trend has been shaped and changed by the rise of rap, and the surprise album drop.
Podcast production by Benjamin Frisch.
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This week, Stephen, Dana, and Julia present the Culture Gabfest’s annual listener call-in show, originally recorded live and streamed on Facebook and YouTube. They answer questions like, “Would you live in a muder house?” and “Are there any ways in which you are a snob about the culture you partake in?”
In Slate Plus, the hosts field more questions from their live audience via Facebook and YouTube.
Click here for the video version of the show.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Rachael Allen. Live show production by Faith Smith and Britt Pullie.
Outro Music: "200 Dont's" by Conditional
Slate Plus members get a bonus segment in each episode of the Culture Gabfest and access to exclusive shows like Dana Stevens’ classic movies podcast Flashback. Sign up now to listen and support our work.
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Welcome to The Authority, Slate’s deep dive into the world(s) of HBO’s His Dark Materials. Each week, Slate’s scholars of experimental theology Dan Kois and Laura Miller discuss the HBO series and Philip Pullman’s original trilogy. This week, they cover the Season 2 finale, “Æsahættr”, in which Will finally meets his father, Lee Scoresby visits the Alamo, and Mrs. Coulter puts a kid in a trunk. Plus: an interview with Jack Thorne, the adaptor-in-chief of Philip Pullman’s books.
Email: [email protected]
Podcast production by Phil Surkis.
Dan Kois on Twitter: @dankois
Laura Miller on Twitter: @magiciansbook
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For this very special episode, June, Isaac, and Rumaan answer listener questions about creative work. A video producer wants to get better at reacting to negative feedback. A musician wants to know how to avoid ripping off her heroes. Plus, Rumaan answers a question he’s frankly tired of hearing from aspiring writers.
Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected] or give us a call at (304) 933-WORK. That’s (304) 933-9675.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews.
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 Working. It’s only $35 for the first year, and you can get a free two-week trial. Sign up now to help support our work.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
This week Stephen and Dana are joined by Slate editor and writer Dan Kois. First, they discuss the new Steven Soderbergh movie Let Them All Talk, starring Meryl Streep, Dianne Wiest, and Candice Bergen. Then they talk to Slate TV critic Willa Paskin about the trends in TV this year and why "popular" TV isn't always "good" TV. After that, the hosts talk about a new project in the UK that aims to revive smells from the past.
In Slate Plus, the hosts debate whether the labels "movie" and "TV show" have lost some of their meaning in the age of streaming.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Rachael Allen.
Outro Music: "If Only I Was a Poet" by Staffan Carlen
Slate Plus members get a bonus segment in each episode of the Culture Gabfest and access to exclusive shows like Dana Stevens’ classic movies podcast Flashback. Sign up now to listen and support our work.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Welcome to The Authority, Slate’s deep dive into the world(s) of HBO’s His Dark Materials. Each week, Slate’s scholars of experimental theology Dan Kois and Laura Miller discuss the HBO series and Philip Pullman’s original trilogy. This week, they cover Episode 6 of Season 2, “Malice,” in which Mrs. Coulter controls Spectres, Lee loses control over his balloon, and Mary Malone spends a nice afternoon reading Let’s Go Cittàgazze. Plus: Actual daemons respond to HBO’s My Daemon app.
Email: [email protected]
Podcast production by Phil Surkis. My Daemon segment written by Marissa Martinelli.
Dan Kois on Twitter: @dankois
Laura Miller on Twitter: @magiciansbook
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What took blue food so long to catch on? Today it’s all over the freezer aisle, in candies for kids, in tortilla chips, and novelty foods, but it wasn’t very long ago that food experts agreed: blue food was an impossible sell. Their best evidence was a study from the 1970’s in which subjects were served blue steaks to sickening effect. On this episode, we uncover the strange, misinformation-stuffed history of blue food, the rise of blue raspberry, and what to make of the blue food experiment that made those people sick. It may have something to do with Alfred Hitchcock. This episode was produced in collaboration with Proof, from America's Test Kitchen. Proof is a podcast that investigates the food we love. Subscribe to Proof on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, or Spotify.
Special programming note: Decoder Ring is going seasonal! That means you won’t hear from us for a while, but we’ll be back in 2021 with a bunch of new stories released week-by-week. Thanks for sticking with us, we’re excited to try something new, and we’ll see you soon.
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This week, Rumaan Alam talks with George C. Wolfe. Wolfe is a playwright, film director, and two-time Tony winner. His latest project, Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, takes place in a single day of 1927, when trailblazing blues singer Ma Rainey and her band gather at a recording studio in Chicago, and tensions begin to rise. The film is out now, playing in select theaters and streaming on Netflix.
They talk about how Wolfe wanted to approach this project from the ground up, reimagining how the story would be told to fit its new form. He also explains how his own experience as an actor in college has informed the way he collaborates with professional actors today.
Afterward, Rumaan and co-host June Thomas discuss what they found most surprising about the interview and discuss how they implement George C. Wolfe’s tactics into their own creative collaborations.
Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected].
Podcast production by Morgan Flannery.
Host
Rumaan Alam
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This month, Christina, Bryan, and Rumaan speak with Ruth Coker Burks, author of the new book All the Young Men: A Memoir of Love, AIDS, and Chosen Family in the American South, about her work in the 1980s, helping Arkansans with AIDS. Then they discuss three of 2020’s bumper selection of LGBTQ holiday movies: The Christmas Setup, Happiest Season, and A New York Christmas Wedding. Should we be grateful for the gift of representation, or should we be searching for the receipt?
Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
This week Steve and Dana are joined by guest host Nichole Perkins, writer, poet, and host of the Thirst Aid Kit podcast. First they discuss the new film adaptation of Ma Rainey's Black Bottom, which stars Viola Davis and features Chadwick Boseman in his final role. Then they weigh in on the HBO Max mystery thriller The Flight Attendant. After that, Vulture writer Mark Harris joins the show to talk about Disney's rapid growth and what it means for the movie industry.
In Slate Plus, the hosts talk about which historical performances they wish they could witness.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Rachael Allen.
Outro Music: "Go slow" by Daniel Fridell
Slate Plus members get a bonus segment in each episode of the Culture Gabfest and access to exclusive shows like Dana Stevens’ classic movies podcast Flashback. Sign up now to listen and support our work.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Welcome to The Authority, Slate’s deep dive into the world(s) of HBO’s His Dark Materials. Each week, Slate’s scholars of experimental theology Dan Kois and Laura Miller discuss the HBO series and Philip Pullman’s original trilogy. This week, they cover Episode 5 of Season 2, “The Scholar,” in which Will and Lyra steal back the alethiometer, Mary Malone makes a big decision, and a monkey wears a seat belt.
Email: [email protected]
Further reading: Archive of Our Own: Temptress - Chapter 1
Podcast production by Phil Surkis.
Dan Kois on Twitter: @dankois
Laura Miller on Twitter: @magiciansbook
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Hit Parade is back for non-Slate Plus listeners! Upcoming episodes will be split into two parts, released two weeks apart. For the full episode right now, sign up for Slate Plus and you'll also get The Bridge, our Trivia show and bonus deep dive into our subjects. slate.com/hitparadeplus.
When Nirvana’s Nevermind ousted Michael Jackson’s Dangerous from the top of the Billboard album chart, it made headlines in early 1992. Only, it didn’t really happen in ’92. What gave Nirvana the win happened right after Christmas ’91. Teenagers who were home for the holidays voted with their gift cards, and they gave Kurt Cobain’s band the win over the King of Pop. This month, Chris Molanphy examines the chart dynamics that not only ushered in the grunge era but also invented a new music sales strategy, the post-Christmas album.
Podcast production by Benjamin Frisch.
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In this special episode of Hang Up and Listen, Joel Anderson tells the story of Michael Jordan's second comeback. How did Jordan end up in Washington, D.C.? Why couldn’t he make the Washington Wizards into winners? And what does the final chapter of Jordan’s career reveal about him as a player and a person?
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Flashback is usually for Slate Plus members only. To listen to other episodes of the show, sign up for Slate Plus.
In the new episode of Flashback, movie critics Dana Stevens and K. Austin Collins discuss the epic Lawrence of Arabia (1962), directed by David Lean.
Other titles mentioned in the episode:
2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)
Saving Private Ryan (1998)
Ben Hur (1959)
The Ten Commandments (1956)
Marvel’s The Avengers (2012)
The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957)
The Lord of the Rings trilogy
Doctor Zhivago (1965)
Brief Encounter (1946)
Ryan’s Daughter (1970)
Passage to India (1984)
The Elephant Man (1980)
Out of Sight (1998)
A Man for All Seasons (1966)
Nicholas and Alexandra (1971)
Birth of a Nation (1915)
The Searchers (1956)
Suddenly, Last Summer (1959)
Citizen Kane (1941)
Prometheus (2012)
There Will Be Blood (2008)
Funny Girl (1968)
Casablanca (1943)
The Parent Trap (1998)
On the next episode: Nancy Meyers’ The Holiday (2006).
Comments or suggestions? Email us at [email protected]
Production by Chau Tu.
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This week, host June Thomas talks to Suzzy Roche, the youngest member of the harmonious folk group The Roches, and Suzzy’s daughter, Lucy Wainwright Roche. The duo recently released an album called I Can Still Hear You that was inspired by the pandemic, the Trump presidency, and the #metoo movement. In the interview, Suzzy and Lucy discuss their songwriting process and explain what it’s like to collaborate with a family member. Suzzy also reflects on her time writing songs with her sisters in The Roches.
After the interview June and co-host Isaac Butler discuss their mutual love of The Roches.
In the exclusive Slate Plus section, Suzzy and Lucy talk about how the pandemic has affected the music industry. Then June asks Suzzy about The Roches’ Christmas album, We Three Kings.
Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected] or give us a call at (304) 933-WORK. That’s (304) 933-9675.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews.
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 Working. It’s only $35 for the first year, and you can get a free two-week trial. Sign up now to help support our work.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
On the Spoiler Special podcast, Slate critics discuss movies, the occasional TV show, and, once in a blue moon, another podcast, in full spoiler-filled detail. This week, Slate’s Dana Stevens is joined by Slate’s Brow Beat’s nights and weekends editor Matthew Dessem to spoil Mank, the new film about the making of another film, Citizen Kane. Will Herman Mankiewicz, a troubled alcoholic (played by Gary Oldman), finish his script in time for his deadline? Will anyone like the film? And how does a California Governor's race fit into it all?
You can read Dana Stevens here.
You can read Matthew Dessem’s review here.
Note: As the title indicates, this podcast contains spoilers galore.
Email us at [email protected].
Podcast production by Morgan Flannery.
Slate Plus members get ad-free podcasts and access to exclusive shows like Dana Stevens’ classic movies podcast Flashback. Sign up now to listen and support our work.
Hosts
Dana Stevens is Slate’s movie critic.
Matthew Dessem is Slate’s Brow Beat’s night and weekends editor.
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This week Steve and Dana are joined by co-host Laura Miller, books and culture columnist for Slate. First, the three of them talk to Slate's own Mattew Dessem about what's real and what's made up in the new David Fincher movie, Mank. Then Julia Turner joins the show for a discussion about Spotify's end-of-year "wrapped" feature. For the third segment, Laura talks about the best books of 2020.
In Slate Plus, Laura talks about a debate that keeps cropping up in literary circles about whether kids should be taught more contemporary literature.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Rachael Allen.
Outro music: "Ruins" by Origo
Slate Plus members get a bonus segment on the Culture Gabfest each episode, and access to exclusive shows like Dana Stevens’ classic movies podcast Flashback. Sign up now to listen and support our work.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Welcome to The Authority, Slate’s deep dive into the world(s) of HBO’s His Dark Materials. Each week, Slate’s scholars of experimental theology Dan Kois and Laura Miller discuss the HBO series and Philip Pullman’s original trilogy. This week, they cover Episode 4 of Season 2, “The Tower of the Angels,” in which Will meets the subtle knife, Lee meets the Hot Priest, and Mary Malone meets Dust. Plus: a deep dive into the Guild of Philosophers and the mysteries of the subtle knife.
Email: [email protected]
Podcast production by Phil Surkis.
Dan Kois on Twitter: @dankois
Laura Miller on Twitter: @magiciansbook
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
This week, host Isaac Butler talks to playwright Ayad Akhtar about dream journals, beginning the workday by reading Shakespeare, and other creative rituals and techniques. Then Ayad discusses the origins of his new novel, Homeland Elegies, and explains how he was able to blend autobiographical elements with fictional ones.
After the interview, Isaac and co-host June Thomas talk about one of Ayad’s mentors, legendary theater director Jerzy Grotowski.
In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Ayad recommends two books that transformed the way he thinks about writing.
Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected] or give us a call at (304) 933-WORK. That’s (304) 933-9675.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews.
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 Working. It’s only $35 for the first year, and you can get a free two-week trial. Sign up now to help support our work.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
This week Steve and Dana are joined by writer, poet, and co-host of the Thirst Aid Kit podcast, Nichole Perkins. First, the they weigh in on Happiest Season, the new holiday rom-com starring Kristen Stewart and Mackenzie Davis. Then they chat with Culture Gabfest producer Cameron Drews about why he loves the HBO show How To with John Wilson. And finally, the hosts a talk about a big mistake made recently by the publisher Fireside Fiction, where a white voice-over artist put on a fake accent to read an audio essay written by a Black woman. The essay, written by Dr. Regina N. Bradley, is called Da Art of Speculatin’ .
In Slate Plus, the Steve, Dana, and Nichole discuss their pop culture blindspots.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Rachael Allen.
Outro Music: "What Do You Want From Me" by OTE
Slate Plus members get a bonus segment on the Culture Gabfest each episode, and access to exclusive shows like Dana Stevens’ classic movies podcast Flashback. Sign up now to listen and support our work.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Welcome to The Authority, Slate’s deep dive into the world(s) of HBO’s His Dark Materials. Each week, Slate’s scholars of experimental theology Dan Kois and Laura Miller discuss the HBO series and Philip Pullman’s original trilogy. This week, they cover Episode 3 of Season 2, “Theft” in which Will loses Lyra, Lyra loses the alethiometer, and Mrs. Coulter has a meeting of the minds with Lee Scoresby. Plus: a deep dive into the character of Lee and the series’ attempt to give this cowboy aeronaut a tragic backstory.
Email: [email protected]
Podcast production by Phil Surkis.
Dan Kois on Twitter: @dankois
Laura Miller on Twitter: @magiciansbook
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
This week host June Thomas talks with cookbook author Klancy Miller, whose book Cooking Solo celebrates the joy of making delicious food for yourself. In the interview, Klancy talks about the trial and error of her career journey and how she came to focus on recipe development after studying at the Le Cordon Bleu in Paris. She also discusses her process for designing recipes and why she decided to write a cookbook specifically for single people. Klancy’s latest project is For the Culture, a food magazine that celebrates Black women in food and wine.
After the interview, June and co-host Rumaan Alam talk about their own relationships to food and cooking.
In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Klancy talks about her sources of inspiration and how she deals with creative blocks.
Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected] or give us a call at (304) 933-WORK. That’s (304) 933-9675.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews.
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 Working. It’s only $35 for the first year, and you can get a free two-week trial. Sign up now to help support our work.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
On the Spoiler Special podcast, Slate critics discuss movies, the occasional TV show, and, once in a blue moon, another podcast, in full spoiler-filled detail. This week, Christina Cauterucci and June Thomas discuss Happiest Season, a charming new Christmas rom-com from writer-director Clea DuVall that premiered on Hulu on Nov. 25. Harper Caldwell (Mackenzie Davis) invites her girlfriend, Abby (Kristen Stewart) home for Christmas. Right before they arrive, Harper shares that the people in her hometown, or even in her family, don’t know that she’s gay. And since her father is running for mayor, the couple has to keep their relationship a secret. How will Abby navigate the holiday season while hiding her authentic self? What impact will the holiday weekend have on the lovebirds and their relationship?
Read Christina Cauterucci’s review.
You can also check out past Spoiler Specials, and you can subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts. Note: As the title indicates, spoilers galore.
Email us at [email protected].
Podcast Production by Jasmine Ellis.
Hosts
Christina Cauterucci is a Slate staff writer and co-host of the Outward podcast.
June Thomas is senior managing producer of the Slate Podcast network and co-host of the Working podcast.
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Hit Parade is back for non-Slate Plus listeners! Upcoming episodes will be split into two parts, released two weeks apart. For the full episode right now, sign up for Slate Plus and you'll also get The Bridge, our Trivia show and bonus deep dive into our subjects. slate.com/hitparadeplus.
Hit Parade continues the story of Garth Brooks. In the ’90s, he was country-authentic, ignored pop radio, and still utterly dominated the charts as the decade’s biggest multiplatinum megastar. Brooks took on chart competitors from Guns n’ Roses to Madonna to Mariah Carey and bested them all … until he tried taking on the Beatles. (And we’re still scratching our heads over that Chris Gaines thing.)
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On this week’s episode, Steve and Dana kick off the show by talking about season 4 of The Crown with June Thomas, Slate's managing producer and co-host of the Working podcast. Then they're joined by Asha Saluja, operations manager for Slate Podcasts, to discuss one of the internet's latest creations: a TikTok musical based on the Pixar movie Ratatouille. For their third segment, Slate senior editor Sam Adams argues that our new streaming world is a poor replacement for traditional movie-going.
In Slate Plus, Dana, Steve, and June discuss their Thanksgiving plans.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Rachael Allen.
Outro Music: "Backwards" by Staffan Carlen
Slate Plus members get a bonus segment on the Culture Gabfest each episode, and access to exclusive shows like Dana Stevens’ classic movies podcast Flashback. Sign up now to listen and support our work.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Welcome to The Authority, Slate’s deep dive into the world(s) of HBO’s His Dark Materials. Each week, Slate’s scholars of experimental theology Dan Kois and Laura Miller discuss the HBO series and Philip Pullman’s original trilogy. This week, they cover Episode 2 of Season 2, “The Cave,” in which Lyra meets Mary Malone, a theoretical physicist in our world. She, and we, make some major discoveries about Dust.
Email: [email protected]
Podcast production by Phil Surkis.
Dan Kois on Twitter: @dankois
Laura Miller on Twitter: @magiciansbook
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
In 1983, the Cabbage Patch Kids were released, causing widespread pandemonium in toy stores and in the media. How did a children'a toy inspire such bad adult behavior? On this episode of Decoder Ring we explore the strange world of the Cabbage Patch Kids to figure out why they hit it so big. The answer involves butt tattoos, slightly grotesque faces, industrial innovations, an origin story in a cabbage patch, and serious accusations of copyright theft.
Slate Plus members get ad-free podcasts and bonus episodes of shows like Dear Prudence and Slow Burn. Sign up now to listen and support our work.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
This week, host Isaac Butler talks to cinematographer Michael Watson about what it was like to work on the HBO sci-fi series Lovecraft Country. In the interview, Michael talks about the unique challenges of shooting a period drama that features gigantic monsters. He also discusses how he was able to guide the viewer’s attention during crucial moments and bring his own unique style to the scenes he shot.
After the interview, Isaac and co-host Rumaan Alam offer advice to a listener who’s curious about the role random chance can play in creativity.
In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Isaac and Rumaan talk about the camera techniques they love to see in movies and on TV.
Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected] or give us a call at (304) 933-WORK. That’s (304) 933-9675.
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 Working. It’s only $35 for the first year, and you can get a free two-week trial. Sign up now to help support our work.
This episode was sponsored by the Remote Works podcast. You can listen here: https://www.citrix.com/fieldwork/flexible-work/racing-into-a-new-world-of-work.html
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
On this week’s episode, Steve and Dana talk to Slate’s television critic Willa Paskin about the unprecedented current season of The Bachelorette. Then Slate's Brow Beat editor, Matthew Dessem, comes on board for the rest of the show to talk about Saturday Night Live and two recent articles about societal collapse, one titled The Next Decade Could Be Even Worse and one titled How Do You Know When Society Is About to Fall Apart?
In Slate Plus, the hosts discuss which TV universes they'd like to be dropped into.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Rachael Allen.
Outro Music: "Break The Line" by Coma Svensson
Slate Plus members get a bonus segment on the Culture Gabfest each episode, and access to exclusive shows like Dana Stevens’ classic movies podcast Flashback. Sign up now to listen and support our work.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Welcome to The Authority, Slate’s deep dive into the world(s) of HBO’s His Dark Materials. Each week, Slate’s scholars of experimental theology Dan Kois and Laura Miller discuss the HBO series and Philip Pullman’s original trilogy. It’s a new season, and Lyra and Will aren’t the only people who’ve traveled to entirely different worlds. We all have since the show’s first season ended in 2019. Can Season 2 recapture the magic? We explore the season premiere, “The City of Magpies,” and discuss the architecture of Citàgazze, the growing friendship between Lyra and Will, and the secret powers of witches.
Email: [email protected]
Podcast production by Phil Surkis.
Dan Kois on Twitter: @dankois
Laura Miller on Twitter: @magiciansbook
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Hit Parade is back for non-Slate Plus listeners! Upcoming episodes will be split into two parts, released two weeks apart. For the full episode right now, sign up for Slate Plus and you'll also get The Bridge, our Trivia show and bonus deep dive into our subjects. slate.com/hitparadeplus.
Today your Hit Parade marches to the week ending October 27th, 1990, when “Friends in Low Places” by Garth Brooks was in its fourth week at No. 1 on Billboard’s Hot Country Singles and Tracks, the same week his album No Fences instantly went gold and platinum, affirming that he was country music’s biggest star. Soon enough, Brooks would become —more than any rock star, rapper or pop diva—the archetypal artist of the SoundScan era. On part 1, we explore country music's boom and bust 1970's and 80's before diving into the world that made Garth Brooks megastardom possible.
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This week, host June Thomas talks to Jenny Thompson, story producer for the long-running U.K. medical drama Casualty. In the interview, Jenny explains what a story producer does, and why it’s different from a script-writing job. She also shares what it’s like to create character arcs for a show with such a long and rich history and explains how the U.K.’s National Health Service impacts the storylines and characters.
After the interview, June and co-host Isaac Butler talk about why shows like Casualty are so beloved in Britain.
In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Jenny shares some of her favorite examples of TV storytelling.
Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected] or give us a call at (304) 933-WORK. That’s (304) 933-9675.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews.
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 Working. It’s only $35 for the first year, and you can get a free two-week trial. Sign up now to help support our work.
This episode was sponsored by the Remote Works podcast. You can listen here: https://www.citrix.com/fieldwork/flexible-work/racing-into-a-new-world-of-work.html
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
On the Spoiler Special podcast, Slate critics discuss movies, the occasional TV show, and, once in a blue moon, another podcast, in full spoiler-filled detail. This week, Slate’s Sam Adams is joined by Slate’s new staff writer Karen Han to spoil Freaky, the new body-switching slasher film. Think Friday the 13th meets Freaky Friday. Will high school outcast, Millie (played by Kathryn Newton), find her way back into her own body? Or will she be stuck in the body of a 6’5 serial killer (played by Vince Vaughn) forever?
You can read Karen Han’s review here.
Note: As the title indicates, this podcast contains spoilers galore.
Email us at [email protected].
Podcast production by Morgan Flannery.
Slate Plus members get ad-free podcasts and access to exclusive shows like Dana Stevens’ classic movies podcast Flashback. Sign up now to listen and support our work.
Hosts
Sam Adams is an editor for Slate’s culture blog Brow Beat.
Karen Han is a Slate staff writer.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
On this week’s episode, Steve, Dana, and Julia talk with New York Times book critic Dwight Garner about his book Garner’s Quotations: A Modern Miscellany. Next, they are joined by Slate’s television critic Willa Paskin to discuss The Queen’s Gambit. Finally, the panel imagines how the Trump administration will be remembered in American Studies classes years from now.
In Slate Plus, the hosts talk with writer and enneagram counselor Jacob Rubin about their enneagrams.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Rachael Allen.
Slate Plus members get a bonus segment on the Culture Gabfest each episode, and access to exclusive shows like Dana Stevens’ classic movies podcast Flashback. Sign up now to listen and support our work.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
This week host Rumaan Alam talks to Javier Zamora about the truth-telling power of poetry. When Javier was 9 years old, he traveled to the U.S. from El Salvador without his parents. In his book of poems, Unaccompanied, Javier tries to make sense of his own experience and the experiences of his parents, who left El Salvador before him. In the interview, Javier describes the personal and political goals of his poetry and explains what it took for him to turn poetry into a career.
After the interview, Rumaan and co-host Isaac Butler discuss whether they think all art is political.
In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Javier recommends some poets to check out and explains why he thinks so many people are intimidated by poetry.
Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected] or give us a call at (304) 933-WORK. That’s (304) 933-9675.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews.
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 Working. It’s only $35 for the first year, and you can get a free two-week trial. Sign up now to help support our work.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
On this week’s episode, Steve and Dana are joined by guest host Isaac Butler, writer and co-host of Slate’s Working podcast. First, the group talks about What the Constitution Means to Me, the Broadway play now streaming on Amazon. Next, they talk about the legacy of Sean Connery, who passed away last week. Finally, they discuss the new Netflix documentary series Song Exploder, based on the podcast.
In Slate Plus, the hosts talk with Isaac about the future of the theater industry in pandemic times.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Whitney Tesi and Rachael Allen.
Outro Music: A Sail by Lisa Hannigan
Endorsements
Dana: Isaac’s interview with Alex Lacamoire on Slate’s Working podcast
To Be or Not to Be and Criterion’s accompanying commentary track
Isaac: John M. Ford’s The Dragon Waiting
The Danish political drama Borgen
Steve: Cowboy Junkies’ cover of “Flirted With You All My Life”
Lisa Hannigan’s “A Sail”
Slate Plus members get a bonus segment on the Culture Gabfest each episode, and access to exclusive shows like Dana Stevens’ classic movies podcast Flashback. Sign up now to listen and support our work.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
This week, host June Thomas talks to the multitalented actor, comedian, and game-show host Jane Lynch, who discusses her wide range of acting roles and her latest gig as the host of NBC’s reboot of Weakest Link.
After the interview, June and co-host Rumaan Alam discuss Lynch’s many strengths.
In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Jane Lynch talks about one of her favorite projects.
Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected] or give us a call at (304) 933-WORK. That’s (304) 933-9675.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews.
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 Working. It’s only $35 for the first year, and you can get a free two-week trial. Sign up now to help support our work.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
On the Spoiler Special podcast, Slate critics discuss movies, the occasional TV show, and, once in a blue moon, another podcast, in full spoiler-filled detail. This week, Slate’s Dana Stevens is joined by Slate’s Sam Adams to spoil Borat Subsequent Moviefilm: Delivery of Prodigious Bribe to American Regime for Make Benefit Once Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan, Sacha Baron Cohen’s long awaited sequel to Borat. Can Borat find his way through America to deliver a very special gift to Vice President Mike Pence? How will Borat navigate COVID 19 in a foreign country? Is Borat still funny when nothing shocks us anymore in the year 2020?
You can hear Dana’s review on Culture Gabfest here.
You can read Sam Adam’s review here.
Note: As the title indicates, this podcast contains spoilers galore.
Email us at [email protected].
Podcast production by Morgan Flannery.
Slate Plus members get ad-free podcasts and access to exclusive shows like Dana Stevens’ classic movies podcast Flashback. Sign up now to listen and support our work.
Hosts
Dana Stevens is a Slate movie critic.
Sam Adams is an editor for Slate’s culture blog Brow Beat.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Hit Parade is back for non-Slate Plus listeners! Upcoming episodes will be split into two parts, released two weeks apart. For the full episode right now, sign up for Slate Plus and you'll also get The Bridge, our Trivia show and bonus deep dive into our subjects. slate.com/hitparadeplus.
In part 2 of our episode on Meatloaf maestro Jim Steinman: Chris Molanphy continues the story of how Steinman moved on from Meatloaf to emerge as a hitmaker for other artists like Bonnie Tyler with "Total Eclipse of the Heart" and Celine Dion with “It’s All Coming Back to Me Now”. At the height of his power, he had more credits in the top 40 than Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
This week on the Culture Gabfest, Stephen Metcalf and Dana Stevens are joined by guest host Jody Rosen, a contributing writer for the New York Times Magazine. First, they discuss Borat 2 (officially, Borat Subsequent Moviefilm). Next, they dive into music with “The Harry Smith B-Sides.” Finally, they discuss Zoom’s newfound, and sometimes dangerous, place in our culture.
On this week’s Slate Plus segment the hosts extend their analysis of Borat 2, diving into the scene with Rudy Giuliani.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Rachael Allen.
Outro music: Next Stop the Big Onion by Chester Malone
Endorsements
Jody: “The butcher's shop that lasted 300 years (give or take)” by Tom Lamont in the Guardian
Top Boy: Summerhouse and Top Boy
Dana: The music streaming station “Ocora” from Radio France and its accompanying podcast
Steve: The Beatles’ rehearsals on YouTube, particularly the “Think For Yourself Vocal Overdub Session 1965” video
Slate Plus members get a bonus segment on the Culture Gabfest each episode, and access to exclusive shows like Dana Stevens’ classic movies podcast Flashback. Sign up now to listen and support our work.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
How did Hanoi Jane become Exercise Jane?
This is the second part of our two-parter on Jane Fonda's Workout. If you haven't yet, listen to the previous episode "Jane and Leni" first, it will give you the full context for this episode. This time around we explore how an academy award winning actor and controversial political activist managed to transform herself into a category defining fitness icon. It's a story involving a persistent VHS entrepreneur, dozens of bizarre celebrity workout tapes, and Tricky Dick, himself.
Slate Plus members get ad-free podcasts and bonus episodes of shows like Dear Prudence and Slow Burn. Sign up now to listen and support our work.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
This week, Isaac Butler talks with journalist and cartoonist Joe Sacco. Sacco is a Maltese-American cartoonist and journalist best known for his comics journalism. His books Palestine and Footnotes in Gaza have been critically praised and have won him several awards, including the American Book Award. His most recent book is Paying the Land.
They talk about how he draws stories out of people and then draws those stories onto the page. Sacco talks in-depth about his creative process, which does not include story-boarding, and about how he gains the trust of his subjects—mostly by learning how to listen.
Afterward, Isaac and co-host Rumaan Alam discuss what they found most striking about the interview and how Sacco’s advice can be applied to their own work.
Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected].
Podcast production by Morgan Flannery.
Host
Isaac Butler
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This week on the Culture Gabfest, Stephen Metcalf, Dana Stevens, and Julia Turner discuss The Trial of the Chicago 7. Then, the panel is joined by Willa Paskin, Slate’s TV critic, to discuss Ted Lasso. Finally, they discuss “Cereal Eats” with New York Times opinion columnist Jamelle Bouie.
The Slate Plus segment this week features producer Jessamine Molli, as the panel talks about knowing about things before they become popular.
Podcast production by Jessamine Molli. Production assistance by Whitney Tesi.
Outro music: Cello Suite No. 1 in G Major, BWV 1007 (Arr. E. Bindman for Piano): I. Prélude
Endorsements
Dana: J.S. Bach Cello Suites for Solo Piano transcribed and performed by Eleonor Bindman
Julia: Cinnamon Buns
Steve: Miami and the Siege of Chicago, by Norman Mailer; Return of the Secaucus 7
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This week, host Isaac Butler talks shop with Alex Lacamoire, who was the arranger, music director, conductor, and orchestrator for Hamilton. In the interview, Alex explains what an arranger does and details some of the specific creative decisions that went into songs like “You’ll Be Back,” “Ten Duel Commandments,” “That Would Be Enough,” and “Burn.”
After the interview, Isaac and co-host June Thomas answer a listener question about how to set aside time and energy for creative work when you have a full-time job.
In Slate Plus, Alex talks about a song from Hamilton that was particularly hard to get right.
Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected] or give us a call at (304) 933-WORK. That's (304) 933-9675.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews.
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 Working. It’s only $35 for the first year, and you can get a free two-week trial. Sign up now to help support our work.
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Slate staffers Sam Adams and Laura Miller spoil The Haunting of Bly Manor.
An American governess (Victoria Pedretti) signs on two care for two orphaned children in a remote English mansion. But she finds the house is haunted by a malevolent presence, and the children may be as well. Sam Adams and Laura Miller break down Netflix’s followup to The Haunting of Hill House, which takes its inspiration from Henry James’ The Turn of the Screw and his other classic ghost stories.
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Hit Parade is back for non-Slate Plus listeners! Upcoming episodes will be split into two parts, released two weeks apart. For the full episode right now, sign up for Slate Plus and you'll also get The Bridge, our Trivia show and bonus deep dive into our subjects. slate.com/hitparadeplus.
Producers and songwriters have a major impact on how a finished pop song sounds, and feels. But it’s possible no hitmaking mastermind—not even Phil Spector—has had a more specific pop sound than Jim Steinman. His songs have an unmistakable signature: pounding pianos, revving motorcycles, sometimes literal thunder. And power-vocalists singing passionate lyrics that don’t always make sense but always sound like the fate of the world depends on this song.
Chris Molanphy tells the story of a fervent, headstrong songwriter who fused with a singer who called himself Meat Loaf, creating a blockbuster song cycle called Bat Out of Hell. Steinman then went on to spread his pomp-rock to other artists: Bonnie Tyler’s “Total Eclipse of the Heart.” Air Supply’s “Making Love Out of Nothing at All.” Celine Dion’s “It’s All Coming Back to Me Now.” Every song sounded like a hallelujah chorus and a Broadway show—even though Steinman’s actual Broadway show was a notorious flop. But nothing keeps Jim Steinman down. Forever’s gonna start tonight.
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This week Dana, Steve, and Julia talk about Kirsten Johnson's new documentary, Dick Johnson is Dead, in which Johnson documents her father's experience with dementia. Then the hosts are joined by LA Times television editor Matt Brennan to discuss Luca Guadagnino's HBO series We Are Who We Are. And finally, Slate's pop critic Jack Hamilton joins the show to talk about Eddie Van Halen and the appeal of screeching guitar solos.
Slate Plus members get a bonus segment on the Culture Gabfest each episode, and access to exclusive shows like Dana Stevens’ classic movies podcast Flashback. Sign up now to listen and support our work.
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When Jane Fonda granted us an interview to talk about her famous workout tape, things didn't go as planned.
On part one of a special two-part Decoder Ring, we explore the decades-long friendship of Jane Fonda and Leni Cazden, the relationship that birthed the workout that changed the world. It's a story of creation, regret, fame, forgiveness, trauma, survival, politics, and exercise. In two weeks, we return with part two: the story of the bestselling VHS tape of all time.
Slate Plus members get ad-free podcasts and bonus episodes of shows like Dear Prudence and Slow Burn. Sign up now to listen and support our work.
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This week, host June Thomas talks to novelist, critic, and co-host of Working Rumaan Alam about his new novel Leave the World Behind, which has already garnered critical acclaim and a nomination for the National Book Award. In the interview, Rumaan talks about the origins of the novel, his writing process, and how he was able to craft memorable characters despite being, in his words, “face blind.”
After the interview, June and co-host Isaac Butler talk about the prophetic nature of Leave the World Behind and Rumaan’s approach to character development.
In Slate Plus, Rumaan recommends a piece of short fiction to give listeners a taste of his work. He also talks about works of art that have inspired him and shares an anecdote about Denzel Washington.
Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected].
Podcast production by Cameron Drews.
To listen to Teamistry, the podcast about teams who work together in new and unexpected ways, click here: https://link.chtbl.com/teamistry?sid=podcast.working
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 Working. It’s only $35 for the first year, and you can get a free two-week trial. Sign up now to help support our work.
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This week, Stephen Metcalf and Julia Turner are joined by guest-host Laura Miller, Slate's books and culture columnist, to discuss the new Gloria Steinem biopic, The Glorias. Then they're joined by New Yorker writer Lauren Collins who helps them decide if there's anything to like about Darren Star's new Netflix series, Emily in Paris. For their final segment, the hosts frame the president's COVID-19 diagnosis as part of a narrative arc.
In Slate Plus, Laura Miller recommends books to read this fall.
Slate Plus members get a bonus segment on the Culture Gabfest each episode, and access to exclusive shows like Dana Stevens’ classic movies podcast Flashback. Sign up now to listen and support our work.
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This week, host Isaac Butler cracks the code of the heist film genre with Phil Alden Robinson, director of the 1992 cult classic Sneakers. In the interview, Phil talks about Sneakers’ nine-year writing process, the film’s alternate endings, and how he landed a cast of cinema legends, including Robert Redford and Sidney Poitier, to portray his meticulously crafted characters.
After the interview, Isaac and co-host June Thomas talk about Phil’s ability to strive for perfection while also being a super nice guy.
In Slate Plus, Phil talks about his favorite heist movies.
Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected].
Podcast production by Cameron Drews.
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 Working. It’s only $35 for the first year, and you can get a free two-week trial. Sign up now to help support our work.
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On the Spoiler Special podcast, Slate critics discuss movies, the occasional TV show, and, once in a blue moon, another podcast, in full spoiler-filled detail. This week, Slate’s Marissa Martinelli and Laura Miller spoil Enola Holmes.
Enola, who likes to remind people that her name spelled backwards is ‘alone,’ wakes up to find her mother missing. While Enola is determined to investigate her mother’s disappearance, it’s up to Mycroft and Sherlock to figure out what to do with their little sister. Can Enola outwit her intelligent brothers and break free from the stuffy, proper future Mycroft sets out for her?
Plus, Marissa and Laura delve into other, more transgressive, Holmes stories with female protagonists.
You can read Laura Miller’s review here.
Note: As the title indicates, this podcast contains spoilers galore.
Email us at [email protected].
Podcast production by Rosemary Belson.
Slate Plus members get ad-free podcasts and access to exclusive shows like Dana Stevens’ classic movies podcast Flashback. Sign up now to listen and support our work.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Hit Parade is back for non-Slate Plus listeners! Upcoming episodes will be split into two parts, released two weeks apart. For full episodes on the day of release, sign up for Slate Plus and you'll also get The Bridge, our trivia show and deep dive into our subjects. slate.com/hitparadeplus.
In part two of our one-hit wonders show, we propose three rules to identify a one-hit wonder, which is not as easy as it sounds: Dexys Midnight Runners? They’re a one-hit wonder. Men Without Hats? Nope, not fair. Lou Reed? Yes. Marky Mark? No. In this episode, Chris breaks it all down, explaining why “Take on Me” is a pop classic but A-ha are still only one-hitters in America.
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This week on the Culture Gabfest, Stephen Metcalf, Dana Stevens, and Julia Turner discuss the Netflix film My Octopus Teacher. Next, they chat about the legacy and ending of Keeping Up With the Kardashians (check out the Gabfest’s 2011 conversation about the Kardashians here). Finally, the panel is joined by Slate staff writer Aaron Mak to analyze the latest episode of Reply All on QAnon.
On Slate Plus, the hosts discuss how they try to balance work and family.
Slate Plus members get a bonus segment on the Culture Gabfest each episode, and access to exclusive shows like Dana Stevens’ classic movies podcast Flashback. Sign up now to listen and support our work.
Outro Music: The Red Light Special by Matt Large
Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Rachael Allen.
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This week, host Rumaan Alam talks about the aims of literary criticism with novelist and book critic Charles Finch. In the interview, Charles discusses the impact of platforms like Goodreads (where anyone can be a critic) and explains why it’s so hard for people to make a living writing book reviews. He also talks about how a book’s popularity can affect his response to it and how it’s possible to get burned out from writing too many reviews.
After the interview, Rumaan and co-host Isaac Butler discuss their relationships to criticism, as people who both write reviews and produce creative work.
In Slate Plus, Rumaan asks Charles about the critics he admires most and the titles he would assign if he were teaching a course on criticism.
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 Working. It’s only $35 for the first year, and you can get a free two-week trial. Sign up now to help support our work.
Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected].
Podcast production by Cameron Drews.
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On this week’s episode, Steve, Dana, and Julia are live from … Zoom! First, the panel talks about Cuties, the Netflix film that has stirred up controversey. Next, the panel discusses the Emmys—how successful (and necessary) was the virtual awards show? Finally, the panel takes on the future of fashion. Get your closets ready: Sweatpants will not be around forever.
In Slate Plus, the hosts answer listeners’ questions about philosophy, comfort watches, and so much more. (Per a listener’s question, here is our previous episode on pumpkin spice.)
Slate Plus members get a bonus segment on the Culture Gabfest each episode, and access to exclusive shows like Dana Stevens’ classic movies podcast Flashback. Sign up now to listen and support our work.
Endorsements:
Dana: The McMansion Hell blog
Julia: Con Todo El Mundo by Khruangbin
Steve: The television show Reno 911!
Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Rachael Allen. Special thanks to Faith Smith and Britt Pullie for organizing the live show.
Outro Music: Self Made Woman by Katharine Appleton
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Dana reminds listeners about tonight's virtual live show! It's at 8pm ET on Slate's Facebook and YouTube pages. For links and more info, visit Slate.com/live
If you can't make it, that's okay! The audio version of the live show will be dropped in your feed on Thursday evening.
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This week host June Thomas talks about the underrated art of scrapbooking with Ali Edwards, who managed to turn her love of crafting into a full-time career. In the interview, Ali discusses her most popular scrapbooking projects, like “December Daily,” and explains why the practice of pairing photographs with words and artistic flair can lead to personal growth and reflection.
After the interview, June and co-host Rumaan Alam talk about the benefits of documenting memories.
In Slate Plus, Ali reminisces about one of her favorite high-school teachers.
Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected].
Podcast production by Cameron Drews.
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 Working. It’s only $35 for the first year, and you can get a free two-week trial. Sign up now to help support our work.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
On the Spoiler Special podcast, Slate critics discuss movies, the occasional TV show, and, once in a blue moon, another podcast, in full spoiler-filled detail.
This week, Slate’s Sam Adams and Vox’s Film Critic Alissa Wilkinson spoil Tenet. Christopher Nolan’s time-bending thriller is visually spectacular yet incredibly confusing.
The main character, played by John David Washington, simply referred to as the Protagonist is a CIA operative who becomes entangled with Tenet, a secret organization that’s fighting a future that’s actively attempting to destroy the world. The Protagonist suddenly finds himself in a world where things, and even people, can be inverted to travel backwards through time. Can the Protagonist save the world before it’s too late? How does Nolan incorporate palindromes within the movie’s structure? And what parallels can be drawn to Bill & Ted?
Note: As the title indicates, this podcast contains spoilers galore.
Read Sam Adams’ review here.
Read Alissa Wilkinson’s review here.
Need more explanation? Check out Sam’s explainer here.
Check out Alissa’s fascinating palindrome piece here.
Email us at [email protected].
Podcast production by Rosemary Belson.
Slate Plus members get ad-free podcasts and access to exclusive shows like Dana Stevens’ classic movies podcast Flashback. Sign up now to listen and support our work.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
There are few more iconic pieces of Americana than a Harley-Davidson motorcycle. But its singular Americanness - the thing that has kept the brand popular for decades - may now be a harbinger of its downfall.
Podcast production by Jess Miller, with help from Asha Saluja.
Slate Plus members get ad-free podcasts and bonus episodes of shows like Dear Prudence and Slow Burn. Sign up now to listen and support our work.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Hit Parade is back for non-Slate Plus listeners! Upcoming episodes will be split into two parts, released two weeks apart. For the full episode right now, sign up for Slate Plus and you'll also get The Bridge, our Trivia show and deep dive into our subjects. slate.com/hitparadeplus.
What makes a one-hit wonder? To artists and pop chart analysts, it isn't just an academic question. On this episode of Hit Parade we explore the history and context of the one-hit wonder. In part 2, we'll propose three rules to determine if an artist can be classified as a one-hit wonder.
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And… SCENE.
We came, we ushered in a glorious age of elucidating female desire, coined a few salient expressions of desire, and poof! like magic, we were gone. That’s right, we did it, folks: we wrapped up Thirst Aid Kit as a weekly podcast. We thank you for your ears, your enthusiasm, your tweets, your drabbles, your Tumblr Asks, your marriage proposals (1) and your gifs. This final episode is a song of gratitude and pride. Two Black women talking about female desire, race, and culture week in, week out? Yeah, we did THAT. What a glorious few years.
But please do not despair. This is just a perfect example of one door closing in a mansion full of other doors and windows. The weekly podcast is ending, but we remain. Keep an eye on our Twitter and Tumblr for updates on what we’re up to and where. This isn’t the end, but we will miss you. Stay thirsty; the world needs it. ♥️
In our Plus segment, we share just a few of the Thirst Objects we weren’t able to get to during the run of the show: Bill Hader, Andy Samberg, Aldis Hodge, Avan Jogia, and Rob Delaney. We couldn’t give them full episodes but here are some quick tasty morsels to hint at what might have been.
We’re on Twitter @ThirstAidKit. Our music is by Tanya Morgan. You’ll find show notes and more on our Tumblr at thirstaidkitpodcast.tumblr.com. You can contact us via email at [email protected].
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On this week’s episode, Steve, Dana, and Julia are joined by Slate’s Aymann Ismail to discuss the Emmy-nominated series Ramy (check out Aymann’s story for Slate on Ramy Youssef here). Next, the panel talks with Glenn Whipp, an entertainment columnist for the LA Times, about the new inclusion requirements the Oscars recently announced. Finally, the panel dives in HBO Max’s movie Unpregnant.
In Slate Plus, the hosts open up about the first thing they’ll want to do in a post-pandemic world and what things, to their surprise, they will not want to return to doing.
Slate Plus members get a bonus segment on the Culture Gabfest each episode, and access to exclusive shows like Dana Stevens’ classic movies podcast Flashback. Sign up now to listen and support our work.
Endorsements:
Dana: “Aquarium” from “Carnival of the Animals” by Camille Saint-Saëns (as heard in Days of Heaven)
Julia: Rösle Stainless Steel Mincing Garlic Press
Steve: Hilltown Hot Pies (“Feast your eyes!”)
Phoebe Bridgers’ cover of “Teenage Dirtbag” by Wheatus
Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Rachael Allen.
Outro Music: Last Sunday by OTE
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This week, host Isaac Butler learns the finer points of costume design from Brenda Abbandandolo, who recently dressed two different characters played by Seth Rogen in American Pickle. Brenda also designed costumes for The Disaster Artist, directed by and starring James Franco, and spent some time working on SNL’s digital shorts. In the interview, she talks about how costumes can communicate information about characters and how practical choices, like giving a character an umbrella, are a crucial part of her job.
After the interview, Isaac and co-host Rumaan Alam discuss how the trends and norms of the real world are reflected in Hollywood’s costume design choices.
In Slate Plus, Brenda talks about two different styles of costume design that have influenced her work.
Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected].
Podcast production by Cameron Drews.
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 Working. It’s only $35 for the first year, and you can get a free two-week trial. Sign up now to help support our work.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Matthew Rhys’ energy is complex and layered, like a roasted pepper: there’s spice, there’s heat, and there’s smoke. In Rhys, there is a balance of all our favorite things — superb eye and face acting, characters that know how to yearn, tightly coiled power in a stern shell, and talent as deep as a Welsh valley. We talk about his career-defining work as a weary spy on The Americans, his turn as an older Mr Darcy in Death Comes To Pemberley, his laughter on The Wine Show and Archer, and so much more besides. Top notes of Château Rhys are: intense knowingness and barely banked passion. Pour us a glass, and leave the bottle.
On this week’s Slate Plus, Nichole makes Bim break down something that has escaped her all these years: the appeal of Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy and Pride and Prejudice itself. Bim, despite being shocked to her marrow, obliges.
Our music is by Tanya Morgan. You can find show notes, and more on our Tumblr at thirstaidkitpodcast.tumblr.com. You can also send us your drabbles by emailing [email protected].
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
On this week’s episode, Steve is joined by guests hosts Laura Miller, a books and culture columnist for Slate, and Jamelle Bouie, a columnist for the New York Times and Slate’s former chief political correspondent. The panel takes on Lovecraft Country, HBO’s new horror series. Next, they talk about Charlie Kaufman’s enigmatic I’m Thinking of Ending Things. And finally, the panel dives into the “is NYC over?” debate.
In Slate Plus, the hosts talk about a George Washington University professor’s recent confession that she falsely claimed a Black identity.
Slate Plus members get a bonus segment on the Culture Gabfest each episode, and access to exclusive shows like Dana Stevens’ classic movies podcast Flashback. Sign up now to listen and support our work.
Endorsements:
Laura: The Silver Arrow by Lev Grossman
Jamelle: The Way Back, a sports film starring Ben Affleck
Steve: “What Ails America” by Timothy Snyder in the New York Review of Books, adapted from his new book, Our Malady: Lessons in Liberty from a Hospital Diary
And finally, please check out Jamelle’s cereal reviews for Serious Eats.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Rachael Allen.
Outro Music: Bloody Hunter by Paisley Pink
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This week, host Rumaan Alam talks about the importance of museums with writer and art advocate, Kimberly Drew, whose Tumblr blog Black Contemporary Art set her apart as one of the most promising young voices in the visual art world. It also led to a job as social-media manager at The Metropolitan Museum of Art. In the interview, Kimberly discusses her new book, This Is What I Know About Art, and talks about the role art has played in peoples’ lives during the pandemic.
After the interview, June and co-host Rumaan Alam talk about which museums they’re excited to go to when institutions reopen.
Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected].
Podcast production by Cameron Drews
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 Working. It’s only $35 for the first year, and you can get a free two-week trial. Sign up now to help support our work.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
On the Spoiler Special podcast, Slate critics discuss movies, the occasional TV show, and, once in a blue moon, another podcast, in full spoiler-filled detail. This week, Slate’s Dana Stevens and Matthew Dessem spoil I’m Thinking of Ending Things. Charlie Kaufman starts the film following a young couple, Lucy (Jessie Buckley) and Jake (Jesse Plemons) driving on a snowy evening to meet and have dinner with Jake’s parents. Lucy is already second guessing the trip since she doesn’t know if she wants to stay with Jake, who oddly seems to physically react when she thinks about breaking things off with him. Kaufman intersects their journey with the experiences of a janitor at a high school. Things start to get weird when the couple arrives at Jake’s childhood home. As the movie progresses, the characters become untethered from time and the film calls into question if Lucy and Jake even exist. And what does the janitor have to do with anything?
Note: As the title indicates, this podcast contains spoilers galore.
Email us at [email protected].
Podcast production by Rosemary Belson.
Slate Plus members get ad-free podcasts and access to exclusive shows like Dana Stevens’ classic movies podcast Flashback. Sign up now to listen and support our work.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Thirst is a broad church—did you know that? Which is why we can cackle like dirty aunties at filthy innuendos but also relish the pure PG-13 sweetness of a show like Sweet Magnolias. *Stefon from SNL voice* This show has everything: the long term female friendship of Helen, Maddie, and Dana Sue PLUS smouldering looks between exes; the exploration of something new after a drought; on-off entanglements that cancel out good judgment; all wrapped in a SFW picnic basket of subtle, Southern thirst-language and behaviour. We break down what the show gets right, and why we are craving it so much in 2020.
Our Plus segment brings back “Explain Yourself” with special guest (and former TAK producer) TK Dutes. TK breaks down her love for Sampha and Niecy Nash, but she didn’t have to do much to convince us to feel the same way.
As usual, you can follow us on Twitter @ThirstAidKit. Our music is by Tanya Morgan. You can find show notes, and more on our Tumblr at thirstaidkitpodcast.tumblr.com. Don’t forget to send us your drabbles by emailing [email protected].
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
This week Steve, Julia, and Dana take a trip to the Bill and Ted universe and share their thoughts on the latest addition, Bill and Ted Face the Music. Then Wesley Morris from the New York Times joins the show to pay tribute to the late actor Chadwick Boseman. And finally, Dana shares the group's final comfort pick, Days of Heaven.
Slate Plus members get a bonus segment on the Culture Gabfest each episode, and access to exclusive shows like Dana Stevens’ classic movies podcast Flashback. Sign up now to listen and support our work.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
This week, host June Thomas talks to novelist, journalist, editor, and radio host Kurt Andersen, who talks about the curiosity and drive that has fueled so many of his creative pursuits. He also discusses his latest nonfiction book, Evil Geniuses: The Unmaking of America, and he ponders the legacy of Spy magazine, a publication he co-founded in the 1980s.
After the interview, June and co-host Isaac Butler discuss the difference between generalists, who know a little bit about a lot of topics, and specialists, who have a specific area of expertise.
Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected].
Podcast production by Cameron Drews.
And 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 Working. It’s only $35 for the first year, and you can get a free two-week trial. Sign up now to help support our work.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Okay. You might be saying “who?” but trust us. Marc Rebillet’s rising star is one to watch. Using a loop machine, a keyboard, and a strong WiFi connection, Marc live-streams his way across platforms and into that delightful intersection where humor, undeniable talent, and thirst meet. He improvises songs based on suggestions from his audience which means sometimes he sings about processing grief and sometimes he sings about buttholes. We love a man with range.
In our Plus segment, we try to break down the lure of musicians. Why do we love guitar players and drummers so much? Why does Nichole want you to give those who play brass instruments a chance? What is it about drummers’ forearms that Bim wants you to know? Become a Slate Plus member and find out!
As usual, you can follow us on Twitter @ThirstAidKit. Our music is by Tanya Morgan. You can find show notes, and more on our Tumblr at thirstaidkitpodcast.tumblr.com. Don’t forget to send us your drabbles by emailing [email protected].
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
On the Spoiler Special podcast, Slate critics discuss movies, the occasional TV show, and, once in a blue moon, another podcast, in full spoiler-filled detail. This week, Slate’s Television Critic Willa Paskin is joined by Vulture Staff Writer Angelica Jade Bastién to spoil I May Destroy You. Michaela Coel is at the heart of this series. Besides writing and producing the show, she directed many episodes and plays the main character, Arabella Essiedu. Coel covers consent, rape, friendship, and empathy, in a complex, yet compelling, way that really humanizes Arabella.
Arabella is a young writer and influencer working on her second book when her drink was drugged and raped while at a bar in London. The series follows her as she works through the aftermath of her assault. Does Arabella regain her full memories of her sexual assault? Will she be able to finish her book? Will she accept the help from another acquaintance who she believes to have raped her? How does she use fantasy to imagine a better resolution for herself than reality can give her?
You can read Willa’s review here.
You can read Angelica’s review here.
Note: As the title indicates, this podcast contains spoilers galore.
Email us at [email protected].
Podcast production by Rosemary Belson.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
This week host Isaac Butler traces the creative origins of Michael R. Jackson’s Pulitzer-winning musical A Strange Loop. In the interview, Michael talks about his early songwriting attempts and the gradual process of turning a monologue about his experiences as a young, Black gay man into a one-man show and then turning that one-man show into a “proper musical.”
After the interview, Isaac and co-host June Thomas discuss Michael’s distinction between an “autobiographical” work and a “self-referential” work.
In Slate Plus, Michael talks about two celebrity encounters, one with Liz Phair, whose music inspired a lot of his work, and one with Tyler Perry, whose work was satirized ruthlessly in A Strange Loop.
Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected]
Podcast production by Cameron Drews.
And 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 Working. It’s only $35 for the first year, and you can get a free two-week trial. Sign up now to help support our work.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Every so often, the thirst stars align, or the thirst goddesses smile down on us, or whatever you want to call it... and well, it all came together for us this week. We manifested a long held TAK desire — we got to interview Jake Johnson! ::scream:: He told us about his new adult animated show Hoops, working on Spider-Man: Into the Spider-verse, and why he thinks the pandemic has affected the way people see Nick Miller.
In Slate Plus, we spoke to a few of our very favourite writers of romance and romantic comedy novels — Rebekah Weatherspoon, Alisha Rai, Mhairi McFarlane, Jasmine Guillory, and Alyssa Cole — and asked them three burning questions about romance world building, meet-cutes, fave tropes, and how the pandemic is changing the way they write.
As usual, you can follow us on Twitter @ThirstAidKit. Our music is by Tanya Morgan. You can find show notes, and more on our Tumblr at thirstaidkitpodcast.tumblr.com. Don’t forget to send us your drabbles by emailing [email protected].
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
On this week’s episode, Steve, Dana, and Julia discuss a recent video of twins’ listening to Phil Collins’s “In the Air Tonight” that went viral. Then, the panelists talk about John M. Barry’s The Great Influenza. Finally, they take on this week’s comfort watch—Network.
In Slate Plus, the hosts break down The Daily’s recent two-part series on cancel culture.
Endorsements:
Dana: The accurate lime cordial recipe!
Julia: Rodham by Curtis Sittenfeld
Steve: “Dickens in Brooklyn” by Jay Neugeboren in the New York Review of Books
Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Rachael Allen.
Slate Plus members get a bonus segment on the Culture Gabfest each episode, and access to exclusive shows like Dana Stevens’ classic movies podcast Flashback. Sign up now to listen and support our work.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
This week, host Rumaan Alam talks to artist Paul Mpagi Sepuya about his unique style of intimate studio photography. In the interview, Paul breaks down the difference between artist and photographer, shares what it was like to get recognized for his work early in life, and explains why critical success doesn’t always translate to monetary success.
After the interview, Rumaan and co-host Isaac Butler talk about why it’s so difficult to sum up visual art with language.
Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected]
Podcast production by Cameron Drews.
And 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 Working. It’s only $35 for the first year, and you can get a free two-week trial. Sign up now to help support our work.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
The mullet, the love-to-hate-it hairstyle is as associated with the 1980's as Ronald Reagan, junk bonds, and break dancing. 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?
Slate Plus members get ad-free podcasts and bonus episodes of shows like Dear Prudence and Slow Burn. Sign up now to listen and support our work.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
This week, host Isaac Butler talks to composer Michael Abels about what it’s like to write music for suspenseful movies like Get Out, Us, and the recent HBO movie Bad Education, starring Hugh Jackman and Allison Janney. In the interview, Michael digs into the collaborative nature of film scoring and offers tips on how to capture your creativity.
After the interview, Isaac and co-host Rumaan Alam talk about the music they listen to when they’re doing creative work.
Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected]
Podcast production by Cameron Drews
And 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 Working. It’s only $35 for the first year, and you can get a free two-week trial. Sign up now to help support our work.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
On the Spoiler Special podcast, Slate critics discuss movies, the occasional TV show, and, once in a blue moon, another podcast, in full spoiler-filled detail. This week, Dana Stevens, Slate’s movie critic, is joined by Isaac Butler, writer, theater director, and co-host of Slate’s podcast Working, to spoil An American Pickle. Seth Rogen stars as Herschel Greenbaum, a man who wakes up after being preserved in pickle brine for a century, and Ben Greenbaum, Herschel’s only living descendant. Can Herschel adapt to the contemporary world? Will Ben and Herschel bond despite generational and value differences? How convincing is Seth Rogen as both of these men?
You can read Marissa Martinelli’s interview with An American Pickle’s prop master here.
You can read Matthew Dessem’s piece on pickle related catastrophes here.
Note: As the title indicates, this podcast contains spoilers galore.
Email us at [email protected].
Podcast production by Rosemary Belson.
Slate Plus members get ad-free podcasts and access to exclusive shows like Dana Stevens’ classic movies podcast Flashback. Sign up now to listen and support our work.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
We’ve long talked about our love for romance novels and in this episode we are going deep: talking about the changing aesthetics of romance novels, the increased visibility of our favourite tropes and sub-genres, and the heroes and heroines that we love to see.
In our Plus segment, we take begrudging inspiration from our times and look at how movies have treated love at a distance. The Truth About Cats and Dogs, 40 Days and 40 Nights, and The Age of Innocence all keep our main couples apart somehow and yet they manage to find ways to ease the physical ache of love and attraction.
As usual, you can follow us on Twitter @ThirstAidKit. Our music is by Tanya Morgan. You can find show notes, and more on our Tumblr at thirstaidkitpodcast.tumblr.com. Don’t forget to send us your drabbles by emailing [email protected].
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On this week’s episode, Steve, Dana, and Julia are joined by Slate’s music critic Carl Wilson to take on Taylor Swift’s Folklore. Then, the panelists discusses school reopenings, riffing off of Dana’s recent op-ed for the Washington Post. Finally, they break down this week’s comfort watch—the 1936 screwball comedy, My Man Godfrey.
In Slate Plus, the hosts are joined by Slate staff writer Lili Loofbourow to discuss her recent pieces on cancel culture and online debate.
Slate Plus members get a bonus segment on the Culture Gabfest each episode, and access to exclusive shows like Dana Stevens’ classic movies podcast Flashback. Sign up now to listen and support our work.
Other items discussed in this show:
“Taylor Swift’s New Album Reveals That Social Distancing Has Served Her Well” by Carl Wilson in Slate
“Held back: As parents realize how badly the U.S. botched the next school year, we’re furious” by Dana Stevens in the Washington Post
“The Cancel Culture Trap” by Lili Loofbourow in Slate
“Illiberalism Isn’t to Blame for the Death of Good-Faith Debate” by Lili Loofbourow in Slate
Endorsements:
Dana: Dana’s original drink “This Lime-Tree Bower My Prison,” inspired by a Samuel Taylor Coleridge poem. To make the cordial, boil a 2:1 ratio of lime juice to water on stove until reduced to half. Sweeten to taste. Mix with bourbon or rye whiskey. Throw in basil or mint leaf as garnish.
Julia: Strand by the Spinanes, especially “Winter on Ice.”
Steve: “Publish and Perish” by Agnes Callard in the Point.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Rachael Allen.
Outro Music: Back to Silence by OTE
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This week, host June Thomas talks about her deep love of audio fiction with longtime radio and podcast writer-producer John Scott Dryden. First, they discuss the U.K. origins of the genre and the growing appetite for audio fiction in the U.S. Then they dig into John’s production process and discuss how he creates immersive stories using sounds and voices from all over the world.
After the interview, June and co-host Rumaan Alam answer a question from a listener.
Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected].
Podcast production by Cameron Drews.
And 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 Working. It’s only $35 for the first year, and you can get a free two-week trial. Sign up now to help support our work.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Like many media organizations at the moment, Slate is getting hit pretty hard by what's going on with the economy in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. We want to continue doing our work, providing you with all our great podcasts, news and reporting, and we simply cannot do that without your support. So we're asking you to sign up for Slate Plus, our membership program. It's just $35 for the first year, and it goes a long way to supporting us in this crucial moment.
In the late ’70s and early ’80s, a scene and a sound cropped up on the West Coast: polished, perfectionist studio musicians who generated sleek, jazzy, R&B-flavored music. About a quarter-century later, this sound was given a name: Yacht Rock. The inventors of the genre name weren’t thinking about boats…well, unless the song was Christopher Cross’s “Sailing.” Yacht Rock was meant to signify deluxe, yuppified, “smooth” music suitable for playing on luxury nautical craft.
Whatever you call it, this music really did command the charts at the turn of the ’80s: from Steely Dan to George Benson, Michael McDonald to Kenny Loggins, Toto to…Michael Jackson?! Believe it: even Thriller is partially a Yacht Rock album. This month, Hit Parade breaks down what Yacht Rock was and how it took over the charts four decades ago—from the perfectionism of “Peg,” to the bounce of “What a Fool Believes,” to the epic smoothness of “Africa.”
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It’s never a bad move to hear from our thirsty yet oh-so-talented Thirst Buckets! Our audience is the best audience because they send us drabbles that make us swoon and giggle and we immediately put them aside so we can share the wealth on air. That’s what we’re doing with this episode— sharing listener-submitted drabbles about John Boyega, Aidan Turner, Pedro Pascal, Andy Samberg, and Seth Rogen. We also answer some questions from Tumblr and a couple of Thirst Sommelier requests. One listener needs someone with a Lin-Manuel Miranda vibe and someone else wants to replace Terry Crews on her thirst mood board. Luckily, we have a few suggestions we think will make everyone happy.
In our Slate Plus segment, we break down quarantine beards: yay or nay?
As usual, you can follow us on Twitter @ThirstAidKit. Our music is by Tanya Morgan. You can find show notes, and more on our Tumblr at thirstaidkitpodcast.tumblr.com. Don’t forget to send us your drabbles by emailing [email protected].
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
This week, host Rumaan Alam talks to cartoonist and New Yorker cover artist Adrian Tomine, who just released a graphic memoir called The Loneliness of the Long-Distance Cartoonist. In the interview, Adrian talks about what it was like for his childhood hobby to become a full-time job, and how his art has evolved over the years.
After the interview, co-host June Thomas interviews Slate writers Dahlia Lithwick and Molly Olmstead about a massive piece of journalism they’ve put together about the women in Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s class at Harvard Law School. To hear the audio version of the piece, subscribe to Slate’s Amicus podcast.
Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected].
And 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 Working. It’s only $35 for the first year, and you can get a free two-week trial. Sign up now to help support our work.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
On the Spoiler Special podcast, Slate critics discuss movies, the occasional TV show, and, once in a blue moon, another podcast, in full spoiler-filled detail. This week, Slate’s movie critic Dana Stevens is joined by Willa Paskin, Slate’s television critic, and Sam Adams, a senior editor at Slate and the editor of Slate’s culture blog, Brow Beat, to spoil Palm Springs. At first, Palm Springs seems like a fun wedding rom-com until Nyles (Andy Samberg) is shot with a bow and arrow while fooling around in the desert with Sarah (Cristin Milioti). Injured, he crawls into a nearby cave and tells Sarah not to follow him. She ignores his warning and is pulled into his infinite time loop. Will she follow Nyles’ lead and make peace with the situation? Why is Nyles being hunted? Why is Sarah so desperate to find a way out? And what is with those dinosaurs?
You can read Sam’s interview with the theoretical physicist who consulted on the movie here.
Note: As the title indicates, this podcast contains spoilers galore.
Email us at [email protected].
Podcast production by Rosemary Belson.
Slate Plus members get ad-free podcasts and access to exclusive shows like Dana Stevens’ classic movies podcast Flashback. Sign up now to listen and support our work.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
It’s Bim’s turn to delve into the roots of her thirst habits — and naturally, it turned out to be a journey through TV and film! Watching Tevin Campbell sing to Ashley on The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air and falling in love with Dwayne Wayne on A Different World led naturally to a love for Capeside’s finest, Pacey Witter… and also the Blue Moon Agency’s David Addison (Bruce Willis). We also trace Bim’s love for a Strong Nose to David Duchovny (Red Shoe Diaries) and ER’s Dr Luka Kovac (Goran Višnjić). Thirst is complex, y’all.
In our Plus segment, we take a look at some of the cliche ‘sexy time’ tropes in film and TV and why they work (or not): the wanton clearing of a desk (hello, Friends and also The Good Wife); the full-bodied slam against the wall/bookcase (Atonement, Always Be My Maybe, The Night Manager) and why we do NOT fool around with food. Join Slate Plus to find out why! Slate.com/thirstaidplus
As usual, you can follow us on Twitter @ThirstAidKit. Our music is by Tanya Morgan. You can find show notes, and more on our Tumblr at thirstaidkitpodcast.tumblr.com. Don’t forget to send us your drabbles by emailing [email protected].
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
We’re joined this week by Aminatou Sow and Ann Friedman of the wildly popular podcast Call Your Girlfriend. We giggle over Tunde Adebimpe, Peter Dinklage, and Stanley Tucci before we discuss Big Friendship: How We Keep Each Other Close, the book that looks at Ann and Aminatou’s friendship. This episode will make you laugh and think and hopefully, reach out to your friends for no reason at all.
In our Thirst Aid Kit Plus segment this week, we put the microscope to Nichole’s drabbles to find out why she keeps men on their knees so much!
As usual, you can follow us on Twitter @ThirstAidKit. Our music is by Tanya Morgan. You can find show notes, and more on our Tumblr at thirstaidkitpodcast.tumblr.com. Don’t forget to send us your drabbles by emailing [email protected].
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
This month, Christina, Bryan, and Rumaan interview journalist David France about his new documentary Welcome to Chechnya on the atrocities happening there and the work being done by activists to liberate queer Chechens. Then they discuss the new audio documentary by Evan Roberts, “Caring for Lesbian Icon Phyllis Lyon, With Love and Deceit.” June shares how important Naya Rivera and her Glee character, Santana Lopez, were to the queer community and changing American attitudes on gay marriage. Then we close it out with the gay agenda.
This podcast was produced by Daniel Schroeder.
Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
On this week’s episode, Steve, Dana, and Julia are joined by Chris Molanphy, Slate's pop critic and host of the Hit Parade podcast. The four of them pick their favorite songs form a giant list of listener suggestions. They also talk about which songs are candidates for Song of the Summer this year.
Slate Plus members get a bonus segment on the Culture Gabfest each episode, and access to exclusive shows like Dana Stevens’ classic movies podcast Flashback. Sign up now to listen and support our work.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
This week, host June Thomas talks to Julio Torres, Ana Fabrega, and Fred Armisen, creators of the HBO show Los Espookys. The three comedians talk about what it was like to craft a bilingual TV show with dialogue in both English and Spanish and why the show isn’t set in a particular country. They also discuss the show’s supernatural elements, which intentionally lack specific rules and logic.
After the interview, June and co-host Isaac Butler help a listener who’s feeling unproductive in her new workplace.
Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected].
And 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 Working. It’s only $35 for the first year, and you can get a free two-week trial. Sign up now to help support our work.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
On the Spoiler Special podcast, Slate critics discuss movies, the occasional TV show, and, once in a blue moon, another podcast, in full spoiler-filled detail. This week, Dana Stevens, Slate’s movie critic, is joined by Sam Adams, a senior editor at Slate and the editor of Slate’s culture blog, Brow Beat, and Tom Scocca, Slate's politics editor. They dive into Jon Stewart’s comedy starring Steve Carell as an out-of-touch political operative who decides that a former marine would make a great Democratic candidate for mayor in Deerlaken, Wisconsin. It creates a proxy battleground in rural Wisconsin as Carell’s Republican counterpart, played by Rose Byrne, ups the ante. Stewart practically perfected political commentary woven with jokes during his time on The Daily Show. But can he harness that same nuance as a director? And how does the movie’s big twist affect Stewart’s message about unchecked money in politics?
You can read Sam Adams’ review here.
You can read Tom Scocca’s piece on the twist here.
Note: As the title indicates, this podcast contains spoilers galore.
Slate Plus members get ad-free podcasts and access to exclusive shows like Dana Stevens’ classic movies podcast Flashback. Sign up now to listen and support our work.
Email us at [email protected].
Podcast production by Rosemary Belson.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
The Karen, a white woman who surveys, inconveniences, and terrorizes, service workers and people of color is a relatively new term in the culture, but her character type has been with us for centuries. In this episode of Decoder Ring we explore the history of this type, from the code-names used during enslavement, to the contemporary menace of the COVID age.
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This week, host Isaac Butler talks to novelist and celebrity profile writer Taffy Brodesser-Akner. In the interview, Taffy shares how she’s able to land interviews with celebrities and how she structures her pieces. She also explains why she’s a “champion advice-taker” and tells the story of how her bestselling novel, Fleishman Is in Trouble, started as a failed magazine pitch. Don’t miss her New York Times Magazine profiles of Gwyneth Paltrow and Val Kilmer.
After the interview, Isaac and co-host June Thomas discuss a couple of Taffy’s most ingenious pieces of wisdom. Check out Isaac’s profile of Nathan Lane.
Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected].
And 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 Working. It’s only $35 for the first year, and you can get a free two-week trial. Sign up now to help support our work.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
On the Spoiler Special podcast, Slate critics discuss movies, the occasional TV show, and, once in a blue moon, another podcast, in full spoiler-filled detail. For a very special LIVE episode of Spoiler Specials, Slate’s Dana Stevens was joined by Sam Adams, Rachelle Hampton and Rebecca Onion to spoil the Hamilton movie that’s streaming on Disney+. They discuss how well the show has aged, historical inaccuracies, colorblind casting, and even the ending scene that doesn’t appear on the album.
You can read Sam Adams’ dive into the ending here.
You can hear more analysis from Dana Stevens here.
You can even read Marissa Martinelli’s argument to not watch the film here.
Note: As the title indicates, this podcast contains spoilers galore.
Slate Plus members get ad-free podcasts and access to exclusive shows like Dana Stevens’ classic movies podcast Flashback. Sign up now to listen and support our work.
Email us at [email protected].
Podcast production by Rosemary Belson. A huge thank you to Faith Smith and Britt Pullie for producing the Slate Live event.
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We talk about formative crushes A LOT of the show, so we decided to do a little digging… Who, exactly, was the first person to indoctrinate Nichole into the ways of long hair? Why does she seem to like a french fry of a man? Who sparked her love of wide mouths and thick eyebrows? All are questions only Prince, Al B. Sure! and Maxwell can answer… hopefully in falsetto.
In our Plus segment, we take a look at the music from pop culture that marked us. We can never forget songs from Something New, Love and Basketball, Misfits, The Best Man, Cruel Intentions, or Mrs. Fletcher. Join Slate Plus to find out why! Slate.com/thirstaidplus
As usual, you can follow us on Twitter @ThirstAidKit. Our music is by Tanya Morgan. You can find show notes, and more on our Tumblr at thirstaidkitpodcast.tumblr.com. Don’t forget to send us your drabbles by emailing [email protected].
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
On this week’s episode, Steve, Dana, and Julia are joined by New Yorker staff writer Doreen St. Félix to talk about I May Destroy You. Then, Steve and Dana are joined by Isaac Butler, writer and co-host of this season of Slate’s Working podcast, to discuss the filmed version of Hamilton, now streaming on Disney Plus. Finally, the panel dives into Julia’s comfort-watch pick of the week: the 1996 disaster film Twister.
In Slate Plus, the hosts continue to talk with Isaac about Hamilton, its ending, its significance in 2020, and more.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Rachael Allen.
Outro Music: Smartface by Smartface
Endorsements
Dana: Scott Brick’s narration of Ron Chernow’s Alexander Hamilton.
Julia: The movie Dave.
Steve: “Wanting Wrong” by Anne Enright in the New York Review of Books.
Slate Plus members get a bonus segment on the Culture Gabfest each episode, and access to exclusive shows like Dana Stevens’ classic movies podcast Flashback. Sign up now to listen and support our work.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Host Rumaan Alam talks about elevating Black voices in the book publishing industry with Tracy Sherrod, editorial director of the Haper Collins imprint Amistad Press. In the interview, Tracy explains how the predominantly white publishing industry has created barriers for Black authors over the years. She also digs into the details of her work, including the process of negotiating book deals with new authors.
After the interview, Rumaan and co-host Isaac Butler answer an ethical question from a listener.
Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected].
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 Working. It’s only $35 for the first year, and you can get a free two-week trial. Sign up now to help support our work.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Every movie we watch can’t be a part of the Criterion Collection, okay? Sometimes you have to suffer through a movie to gorge yourself on eye candy and that’s perfectly fine! Michele Morrone in 365 Days, Brad Pitt in Troy, Alexander Skarsgård and Djimon Hounsou in The Legend of Tarzan make the suffering worth it. Maybe?
For our Slate Plus segment, we put Bim on the Thirst Therapy couch to get to the root of why domesticity is so important in her drabbles.
As usual, you can follow us on Twitter @ThirstAidKit. Nichole is @tnwhiskeywoman and Bim is @bimadew. Our music is by Tanya Morgan. You can find show notes, and more on our Tumblr at thirstaidkitpodcast.tumblr.com. Don’t forget to send us your drabbles by emailing [email protected].
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Lauren already knows the plot of her bestselling novel—the problem is she hasn’t written a word. Paralyzed by self-criticism and an earlier rejection, this former English major has spent years journaling instead of attempting the scary, difficult work of creative writing. On this episode of How To!, we turn to writer Taffy Brodesser-Akner, whose debut novel Fleishman Is in Trouble, was one of the hottest books of the year. Can she help Lauren finally put pen to paper? The first thing Lauren needs to do, Taffy says, is stop journaling, and start writing. And then keep writing: “You can't get to the good sentences if you don't write the bad ones first.” Next, find a trusted reader, not a cheerleader, to give you honest feedback. And when doubt begins to creep in again, look at the writers you admire and simply ask, “Why them and not me?”
Do you have a problem that needs a solution? Send us a note at [email protected] or leave us a voicemail at 646-495-4001 and we might have you on the show.
Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Like many media organizations at the moment, Slate is getting hit pretty hard by what's going on with the economy in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. We want to continue doing our work, providing you with all our great podcasts, news and reporting, and we simply cannot do that without your support. So we're asking you to sign up for Slate Plus, our membership program. It's just $35 for the first year, and it goes a long way to supporting us in this crucial moment.
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.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
This week, host June Thomas digs into the romance genre with bestselling author Jasmine Guillory, who started her career as a lawyer and then went on to release five novels including Party of Two, which was released on June 23. In the interview, Jasmine talks through her writing process and shares how she was able to publish five novels in such a short period of time. She also explains why her characters don’t fit into the usual tropes of the romance genre.
After the interview June and co-host Rumaan Alam talk about the comforting nature of genre fiction.
Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected].
And 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 Working. It’s only $35 for the first year, and you can get a free two-week trial. Sign up now to help support our work.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
On the Spoiler Special podcast, Slate critics discuss movies, the occasional TV show, and, once in a blue moon, another podcast, in full spoiler-filled detail. This week, Dana Stevens, Slate’s movie critic, is joined by Aisha Harris, writer and editor for The New York Times’ Opinion section to spoil Da 5 Bloods.
Spike Lee’s newest film follows a group of Black Vietnam War veterans as they reunite years later. The group returns to Vietnam to find the remains of Stormin’ Norman, their commander who died during the war. While they are there, they try to retrieve a lost cache of CIA gold. At first the search seems easy–too easy. But soon familial tensions, lingering PTSD, and environmental hazards start complicating the mission. How many of the remaining Bloods will make it back out of the jungle?
Plus: Dana and Aisha break down Spike Lee’s employment of numerous film techniques, including an innovative use of four different aspect ratios.
You can read Sam Adams’ review here.
You can read Matthew Dessem’s piece on the aspect ratios here.
You can also read Matthew Dessem’s piece on the real story behind the landmine scene here.
If you want to hear more analysis of Da 5 Bloods, listen to Slate’s Culture Gabfest here.
Note: As the title indicates, this podcast contains spoilers galore.
Email us at [email protected].
Podcast production by Rosemary Belson.
Slate Plus members get ad-free podcasts and access to exclusive shows like Dana Stevens’ classic movies podcast Flashback. Sign up now to listen and support our work.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
We always had an eye on John Boyega, but for a slew of reasons conditions never quite felt… right. Until now. Now we want to talk about how he’s grown his hair, has been unburdened by a Disney contract, and is finally experiencing the kind of glow up that comes with learning from your mistakes and being given room to grow into your Yoruba destiny.
Plus! Fanfic Wars makes its triumphant post-hiatus return, and Nichole’s entry is a straight up murder attempt. Damn.
In our Thirst Ais Kit Plus segment this week, we’re talking about a ‘One Time Fancy’ and this time it’s… Kumail Nanjiani. We saw The Lovebirds on Netflix, and now we kinda… sorta… almost? fancy him. It’s a confusing time, y’all.
As usual, you can follow us on Twitter @ThirstAidKit. Our music is by Tanya Morgan. You can find show notes, and more on our Tumblr at thirstaidkitpodcast.tumblr.com. Don’t forget to send us your drabbles by emailing [email protected].
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
On this week’s episode, Steve, Dana, and Julia are joined by Jamelle Bouie to talk about the toppling of statues across the country. Then, the panel talks about Spike Lee’s latest film Da 5 Bloods. Finally, they discuss Julia’s comfort-watch pick: Center Stage.
In Slate Plus, the hosts discuss the postponement of the Oscars to 2021.
Other items discussed in the show:
The Slate podcast series Reconstruction, hosted by Jamelle Bouie and Rebecca Onion
This Twitter thread on the history of Mount Rushmore
“‘First Cow’ for best picture? A critic’s guide to the Oscars if movie theaters don’t reopen in 2020,” by Justin Chang in the Los Angeles Times
Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Rachael Allen.
Outro Music: Self Made Woman by Katharine Appleton
Endorsements
Dana: Jamelle Bouie’s newsletter.
Julia: Waterproof UNO, the card game.
Steve: Hilary Mantel’s Wolf Hall.
The French spy thriller The Bureau.
Slate Plus members get a bonus segment on the Culture Gabfest each episode, and access to exclusive shows like Dana Stevens’ classic movies podcast Flashback. Sign up now to listen and support our work.
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Host Isaac Butler talks to novelist Mira Jacob about the process of writing her comic book memoir, Good Talk. They discuss what it was like for Mira to switch mediums, how the constraints of that medium helped her tell her story, and why it’s so hard to share personal details with a large audience.
After the interview, Isaac and co-host Rumaan Alam talk about how fatherhood has helped them get more work done.
Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected].
And 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 Working. It’s only $35 for the first year, and you can get a free two-week trial. Sign up now to help support our work.
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Jason Mantzoukas? In the virtual Thirst studio? We did it for you! We decided to come back with a bang, and there’s none bangier than Mr M. Let’s see. We discovered Jason’s love for romcoms, dogs, and … Bim! Is this the start of something beautiful? Listen to find out.
Slate Plus members get a bonus segment on Thirst Aid Kit each week. Sign up now to listen and support our show.
In this week’s Slate Plus segment, we were inspired by the dichotomy of Jason Mantzoukas’ incredibly organized closet and the wild characters he often plays to think about our fave buttoned-up men on TV — Inspector Murdoch (Murdoch Mysteries), Rick Grimes (The Walking Dead)—and how they only really let loose in front of the people they love.
Our music is by Tanya Morgan. You can find show notes, gifs, and so much more on our Tumblr at thirstaidkitpodcast.tumblr.com. Remember, you can send us your own (short) drabbles by emailing [email protected].
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Host Rumaan Alam chats with comedy writer and performer Cole Escola, who’s known for his roles on Hulu’s Difficult People and truTV’s At Home With Amy Sedaris as well as his sketch comedy videos on YouTube. In the interview, Cole talks about his new special Help! I’m Stuck!, which he filmed alone in his apartment and released on YouTube. He also discusses his comedic influences and talks through what it means for his work to have a gay sensibility.
Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected].
Podcast production by Cameron Drews.
And 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 Working. It’s only $35 for the first year, and you can get a free two-week trial now at slate.com/workingplus
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On the Spoiler Special podcast, Slate critics discuss movies, the occasional TV show, and, once in a blue moon, another podcast, in full spoiler-filled detail. We have a very special episode this week! Sam Adams is joined by Laura Miller to discuss the new Hunger Games prequel, The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes. Suzanne Collins’ new novel explores President Snow’s origin and descent into one dimensional villainy seen in the Hunger Games trilogy. The story departs from the YA dystopian genre that Collins’ trilogy helped shape. The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes is a more sophisticated, philosophical examination of human nature and the battle of nature versus nurture. How does Coriolanus Snow regain the power and money his family lost during the war? What is his role in the spectacularization of the Hunger Games? What can The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes teach readers about the realities of living in a surveillance state?
You can read Laura Miller’s review here.
You can also read Lara Miller’s explanation of the unusual names in The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes here.
Slate Plus members get ad-free podcasts and access to exclusive shows like Dana Stevens’ classic movies podcast Flashback. Sign up now to listen and support our work.
You can also check out past Spoiler Specials, and you can subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts. Note: As the title indicates, spoilers galore.
Email us at [email protected].
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In 2003, the word "metrosexual", meaning a well-groomed heterosexual man, exploded all over the English lexicon. It invaded the news, TV, and even American politics. On this episode of Decoder Ring we explore the origins of the metrosexual, and how trend forecasters, marketers, David Beckham, Sex and the City, and Queer Eye for the Straight Guy helped make the metrosexual possible.
Slate Plus members get ad-free podcasts and bonus episodes of shows like Dear Prudence and Slow Burn. Sign up now to listen and support our work.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
On this week’s episode, Steve, Dana, and Julia are joined by Lauren Michele Jackson to discuss her recent piece in Vulture, “What Is an Anti-Racist Reading List For?” Then, the panel talks about cop shows during this current moment, jumping off of a recent article in the Washington Post by Alyssa Rosenberg that argues these procedurals that tend to glorify the police should be canceled. Finally, they discuss the power of citizen-shot videos of police brutality that are widely shared on social media.
In Slate Plus, the hosts discuss the New York Times’s decision to publish an op-ed by Sen. Tom Cotton and what the fallout means for newsrooms today.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Rachael Allen.
Outro Music: Cheap Flights by Dylan Sitts
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This week host June Thomas learns about all the work that goes into making YouTube food videos. Her guest is online cook Adam Ragusea, who explains how he was able to monetize something that started as a fun side project. He also offers tips on how to make engaging videos that get to the point and respect the audience’s intelligence and time. Then, he talks about how he overcame the awkwardness of speaking directly into a camera lens.
Send your questions about creativity, and any other feedback, to [email protected]
And 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 Working. It’s only $35 for the first year, and you can get a free two-week trial now at slate.com/workingplus
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This week, host Isaac Butler talks to documentary theater makers Jessica Blank and Erik Jensen, whose plays include The Exonerated, about the criminal justice system, and Coal Country, about the Upper Big Branch mine disaster in West Virginia. Blank and Jensen explain how documentary theater works, from interviews with subjects to a live performance where actors perform interview excerpts verbatim.
After the interview, Isaac and co-host June Thomas discuss why documentary theater is such a great way to communicate important information to an audience.
Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected].
Podcast production by Cameron Drews.
And 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 Working. It’s only $35 for the first year, and you can get a free two-week trial now at slate.com/workingplus
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
On the Spoiler Special podcast, Slate critics discuss movies, the occasional TV show, and, once in a blue moon, another podcast, in full spoiler-filled detail. This week, Slate’s Sam Adams is joined by Willa Paskin and Rachelle Hampton to spoil The Lovebirds, a romantic comedy starring Issa Rae and Kumail Nanjiani. Leilani (Issa Rae) and Jibran (Kumail Nanjiani) are a couple on the brink of a break up when they find themselves caught up in a murder mystery.
You can read Sam Adam’s review here.
You can read Rachelle Hampton’s investigation into how ripped Kumail was during The Lovebirds here.
You can read Cornelia Channing’s milkshake investigation here.
Note: As the title indicates, this podcast contains spoilers galore.
Slate Plus members get ad-free podcasts and access to exclusive shows like Dana Stevens’ classic movies podcast Flashback. Sign up now to listen and support our work.
Email us at [email protected].
Podcast production by Rosemary Belson.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
A special Hit Parade announcement: Like many media organizations at the moment, Slate is getting hit pretty hard by what's going on with the economy in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. We want to continue doing our work, providing you with all our great podcasts, news and reporting, and we simply cannot do that without your support. So we're asking you to sign up for Slate Plus, our membership program. It's just $35 for the first year, and it goes a long way to supporting us in this crucial moment.
As part of this effort, we're going to be making Full Hit Parade episodes available to Slate Plus members only. To listen to the episode in full, and episodes in future months, you'll need to become a Slate Plus member. This is the best way to support our show and our work, and we hope you will pitch in if you can. Your membership will also give access to everything on Slate.com, you'll get ad-free versions of this and other shows, and you'll get bonus segments and bonus episodes of other Slate podcasts. Plus, once you become a member, you can sign up to do trivia with Chris Molanphy on Hit Parade—“The Bridge” episodes. Please sign up today at slate.com/hitparadeplus. We thank you for your support.
On this preview episode: Outkast is inarguably one of the most important acts in hip hop and pop music history, but their impressive chart runs, and the brand of Atlanta hip hop they championed, was far from inevitable. This is the story of Outkast and how they established Atlanta as a major center of hip hop culture in the United States while racking up some of the most unexpected hits in the history of popular music.
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This week on the Culture Gabfest, Stephen Metcalf, Dana Stevens, and Julia Turner discuss Mindy Kaling’s new television show Never Have I Ever. Next, they talk about Twitter beefs in the time of COVID-19—from Alison Roman to Lana del Rey. Finally, the panel dives into Steve’s comfort watch for this week: Out of Sight.
On the Slate Plus segment this week, Dana and Steve try Sudoku for the first time, as inspired by this recent captivating video.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Rachael Allen.
Outro Music: Woke by SINY
Endorsements
Dana: Anne V. Coates’s interview on Out of Sight.
Charlotte Brontë’s Villette, especially as an audiobook.
Julia: “The Miracle Sudoku” video, as discussed in our Plus segment.
“How to Make Wylie Dufresne’s Incredibly Creamy Scrambled Egg Sandwich,” by Wylie Dufresne, as told to Emma Wartzman in Bon Appétit.
Steve: “The Painting Behind the Door,” by Emily Benedek in Tablet magazine.
Singer Laura Marling’s breaking down her guitar chords on social media.
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Host Rumaan Alam talks about art curation with Sheena Wagstaff, who leads the Metropolitan Museum's program of modern and contemporary art for the Met Breuer and the Met Fifth Avenue. First they discuss the curator’s role of deciding which works of art are culturally important. Then Wagstaff makes her case for why people should see art in person and why it’s such a tragedy that no one is able to see the Met Brauer’s current exhibition of works from prolific German painter Gerhard Richter.
Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected].
Podcast production by Cameron Drews.
And 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 Working. It’s only $35 for the first year, and you can get a free two-week trial now at slate.com/workingplus
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This month, Christina admits to creating a quarantine bubble, and she talks with Bryan and Rumaan about why she felt comfortable joining her friends in this way and why our community seems better-equipped than others to figure out how to make such micro-communities work. Then they discuss two new documentaries on Netflix, A Secret Love and Circus of Books, and unpack how these films tried and failed to reckon with the depths of their subjects while still stirring some warm feelings along the way.
This podcast was produced by Daniel Schroeder.
Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now.
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Host June Thomas digs into the craft of acting with Alison Wright, who portrayed Martha on The Americans and now plays Ruth on the new TNT adaptation of Bong Joon-ho’s 2013 movie Snowpiercer (which itself was based on the French graphic novel Le Transperceneige). Wright explains how she developed Ruth’s unique accent in Snowpiercer, how she utilizes the tools of Method acting to tap into emotions on stage, and why she thinks Daniel Day-Lewis and Meryl Streep are such impressive actors.
Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected].
And 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 Working. It’s only $35 for the first year, and you can get a free two-week trial now at slate.com/workingplus
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
On the Spoiler Special podcast, Slate critics discuss movies, the occasional TV show, and, once in a blue moon, another podcast, in full spoiler-filled detail. This week, Slate’s Sam Adams, Matthew Dessem, and Daniel Schroeder spoil Hollywood. Ryan Murphy and co-creator Ian Brennan reimagine a more inclusive golden-age of filmmaking. While the first couple episodes of the Netflix series stay relatively grounded in reality, the series takes a sharp right turn into self-serving fantasy by simplifying the fight for equality and progress within Hollywood.
You can read Sam Adam’s review here.
You can read Matthew Dessem’s Fact Versus Fiction here.
Note: As the title indicates, this podcast contains spoilers galore.
Email us at [email protected].
Podcast production by Rosemary Belson.
Slate Plus members get ad-free podcasts and access to exclusive shows like Dana Stevens’ classic movies podcast Flashback. Sign up now to listen and support our work.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
This week on the Culture Gabfest, Stephen Metcalf, Dana Stevens, and Julia Turner discuss the Hulu adaption of Sally Rooney’s Normal People. Next, they talk about John Krasinski’s Some Good News. Finally, the panel dives into Dana’s comfort watch for this week: In a Lonely Place.
On the Slate Plus segment this week, the panel is joined by Jody Rosen to talk about the music and legacy of Little Richard. Sign up for Slate Plus at Slate.com/cultureplus
Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Rachael Allen.
Endorsements:
Dana: Spike Lee’s short film about New York City.
Julia: The Donut Hole in La Puente, Calif., a trip inspired after reading “Drive-throughs and drive-ins were fading. Coronavirus made them a lifeline” by Carolina A. Miranda in the Los Angeles Times.
Steve: Nick Lowe performing “(What’s So Funny ‘Bout) Peace, Love, and Understanding” as part of Rolling Stone’s “In My Room” series. Also, Nick Lowe’s “I Read A Lot.”
Plus, check out Madison Cunningham’s “Dry As Sand.”
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Rebecca Black's music video for Friday was Youtube's most watched video of 2011, thrusting the thirteen-year-old Rebecca into a very harsh spotlight. Dubbed "The Worst Music Video Ever Made" Friday was an almost universal object of derision. This is the story of how Friday came to be, and how nearly a decade after it went viral, it sounds so different than it did back then.
Slate Plus members get ad-free podcasts and bonus episodes of shows like Dear Prudence and Slow Burn. Sign up now to listen and support our work.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
This week, host Isaac Butler talks to crime novelist and TV writer Megan Abbott, who describes her creative-writing rituals, her go-to story structure, and the challenges of adapting one of her novels for television.
After the interview, Isaac and co-host Rumaan Alam talk about the surprising origins of the terms story beat and character beat.
Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected].
Podcast production by Cameron Drews
And 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 Working. It’s only $35 for the first year, and you can get a free two-week trial now at slate.com/workingplus
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This week, host Rumaan Alam talks to TV and movie director DeMane Davis about what a working director really does. According to Davis, it requires a huge amount of collaborative problem-solving. Davis traces her journey from advertising copywriter to filmmaker and explains the importance of making art with a purpose.
After the interview, Rumaan and co-host June Thomas discuss their takeaways from the interview, including the importance of being nice to your collaborators.
Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected]
Podcast production by Cameron Drews
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
A special Hit Parade announcement: Like many media organizations at the moment, Slate is getting hit pretty hard by what's going on with the economy in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. We want to continue doing our work, providing you with all our great podcasts, news and reporting, and we simply cannot do that without your support. So we're asking you to sign up for Slate Plus, our membership program. It's just $35 for the first year, and it goes a long way to supporting us in this crucial moment.
As part of this effort, we're going to be making Full Hit Parade episodes available to Slate Plus members only. To listen to the episode in full, and episodes in future months, you'll need to become a Slate Plus member. This is the best way to support our show and our work, and we hope you will pitch in if you can. Your membership will also give access to everything on Slate.com, you'll get ad-free versions of this and other shows, and you'll get bonus segments and bonus episodes of other Slate podcasts. Plus, once you become a member, you can sign up to do trivia with Chris Molanphy on Hit Parade—“The Bridge” episodes. Please sign up today at slate.com/hitparadeplus. We thank you for your support.
On this preview episode of the show: Billy Joel’s first Top 40 hit, way back in 1974, was “Piano Man,” and the nickname stuck. But for a guy who became famous sitting behind 88 keys, few of his biggest hits are really piano songs. In fact, on all three of his No. 1 hits on the Billboard Hot 100, keyboards are not the primary instrument. This is the story of Billy Joel's hits, and the pastiches he crafted to stay on top of the charts.
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This week on the Culture Gabfest, Stephen Metcalf, Dana Stevens, and Julia Turner break down the Netflix miniseries Unorthodox. Next, they bring on Jesse David Fox, Vulture writer and host of the Good One podcast, to talk about the state of comedy today. Finally, the panel dives into Julia’s comfort watch pick for this week: the iconic and hilarious Airplane!
On the Slate Plus segment this week, the panel discusses how their fitness routines have changed in quarantine.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Rachael Allen.
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This week, June Thomas talks with opera singer Jamie Barton. Barton is a critically acclaimed American mezzosoprano who performs at major opera houses all around the world and maintains an active social media presence that serves as a hub for conversations about body positivity, diet culture, social justice issues, and LGBTQ rights, You can hear her on Studio 360 and watch her on YouTube.
They talk about what it really means to travel as an opera singer. Barton explains the challenges of being responsible for providing your own tools for the work you do, and how she’s collaborating online with other artists during the current pandemic.
Afterward, June and Isaac Butler discuss what they found most surprising about the interview and answer their very first listener question, about working with an editor.
Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected].
Podcast production by Morgan Flannery.
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We’re going on hiatus! But before we go…we spend a little time with our favorite TV couples from our quarantine binge rewatches… you know, the ones that make us blush or sigh or yearn. So shoutout to Leslie and Ben from Parks & Rec, the original nerdy love match as well as Ruby and Stan from Good Girls, the couple that makes major sacrifices for their family. And from New Girl, a twofer: Nick & Jess, of course, but also Schmidt and Cece, whose love affair was perfectly breadcrumbed across seasons.
Slate Plus members get a bonus segment on Thirst Aid Kit each week. Sign up now to listen and support our show.
In this week’s Slate Plus, it’s the TRIUMPHANT return of dear friend of the show, Gena-mour Barrett (@smilegena). She’s filthy and hilarious and so we brought her back to talk a little more about the animated characters she thinks are hot: Thanos (WHY, GENA!), and Guy, the “dark-skinned bison” from BoJack Horseman. Plus, we give her a new toon-boo to lust after too.
Follow us on Twitter @ThirstAidKit. Our music is by Tanya Morgan. You can find show notes, gifs and so much more on our Tumblr at thirstaidkitpodcast.tumblr.com. You can send us your own (short) drabbles or adoring fanmail at [email protected].
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
This week on the Culture Gabfest, Stephen Metcalf, Dana Stevens, and Julia Turner discuss Hulu’s historical drama Mrs. America. Next, they bring on Slate music critic Carl Wilson to break down Fiona Apple’s latest album “Fetch the Bolt Cutters.” Finally, the panel discusses Steve’s favorite movie of all time: Local Hero.
On the Slate Plus segment this week, the panel takes on quarantine cookery.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Rachael Allen.
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This week, host Isaac Butler talks with the jazz composer, arranger, and orchestrator Miho Hazama. Hazama’s latest album Dancer in Nowhere was nominated for a Grammy award.
Miho talks to Isaac about how her grandfather presented her with a Wikipedia article about cyclic numbers and how that became one of the biggest influences for her new album.
Afterward, Isaac and June Thomas talk about what they found most striking about the interview, what they miss about regular day-to-day life, and how having a sense of community informs their own creativity.
Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected].
Podcast production by Morgan Flannery.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
A special Hit Parade announcement: Like many media organizations at the moment, Slate is getting hit pretty hard by what's going on with the economy in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. We want to continue doing our work, providing you with all our great podcasts, news and reporting, and we simply cannot do that without your support. So we're asking you to sign up for Slate Plus, our membership program. It's just $35 for the first year, and it goes a long way to supporting us in this crucial moment.
As part of this effort, we're going to be making Hit Parade episodes available to Slate Plus members only. This will begin with the full-length episode coming on April 30. To listen to that episode in full, and episodes in future months, you'll need to become a Slate Plus member. This is the best way to support our show and our work, and we hope you will pitch in if you can. Your membership will also give access to everything on Slate.com, you'll get ad-free versions of this and other shows, and you'll get bonus segments and bonus episodes of other Slate podcasts. Plus, once you become a member, you can sign up to do trivia with Chris Molanphy on Hit Parade—“The Bridge” episodes.
Please sign up today at slate.com/hitparadeplus. We thank you for your support.
In this mini-episode of Hit Parade, originally aired on Facebook as part of Slate Live’s Q-Tip Mondays series. host Chris Molanphy is joined by Eduardo Cepeda, music editor at Remezcla. They discuss the most recent full-length episode of Hit Parade about the history of Latin pop on the Billboard charts. Eduardo tells Chris about balancing his fandoms for mainstream American music with his family’s Spanish-language music in his younger years, and offers a critical lens to the Anglophone crossover attempts of the stars of the turn-of-the-millennium Latin pop boomita. Then Eduardo gives Chris a brief history of reggaeton, and shares his current artists to watch within the genre.
Next, Chris quizzes a Slate Plus listener with some music trivia, and the contestant turns the tables with a chance to try to stump Chris with a question of his own. Then, Chris teases the upcoming full-length episode of Hit Parade, which will look at the career of piano man and master of pastiche Billy Joel.
Podcast production by Asha Saluja.
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On the Spoiler Special podcast, Slate critics discuss movies, the occasional TV show, and, once in a blue moon, another podcast, in full spoiler-filled detail. This week, Slate podcast producer Daniel Schroeder and Slate staff writer Rachelle Hampton discuss Netflix’s new reality dating show: Too Hot to Handle. Ten attractive contestants are thrown together on an island to compete over a $100,000 prize. To win the money, they need to form bonds that are more than skin deep. The catch is they can’t have any sexual contact - even with themselves - for the remainder of “the retreat.” For every sexual encounter, the group loses money out of the prize pot. Can the sexy singles restrain themselves, even when workshops and drama challenges their resolve?
You can read Rachelle Hampton’s review here.
Slate Plus members get ad-free podcasts and access to exclusive shows like Dana Stevens’ classic movies podcast Flashback. Sign up now to listen and support our work.
Note: As the title indicates, this podcast contains spoilers galore.
Email us at [email protected].
Podcast production by Rosemary Belson.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
For a long time, it’s felt like superpowers only went to lantern-jawed white men… but if we urge you to consider two up-and-coming Thirst Objects: Yahya Abdul-Mateen II — who started his comic book adaptation career as a villain in Aquaman before donning the blue paint of Watchmen’s Dr Manhattan — and Simu Liu, who went from Toronto car rental outfit in Kim’s Convenience to “master of kung fu” Shang-Chi in the upcoming Marvel movie. Sure, representation matters etc but it’s important to note that these two are tall drinks of water and we want several sips.
Slate Plus members get a bonus segment on Thirst Aid Kit each week. Sign up now to listen and support our show.
In this week’s Slate Plus, we’re joined by multi-hyphenate award-winning author and editor Roxane Gay, tackling Channing Tatum in ‘Explain Yourself’... Roxane is working on a couple projects with Channing, and the thing is, we’re already kinda onboard, so it’s more of a ‘tell us more” than “tell us why.” It’s a good time.
Follow us on Twitter @ThirstAidKit. Our music is by Tanya Morgan. You can find show notes, gifs and so much more on our Tumblr at thirstaidkitpodcast.tumblr.com. Remember, you can send us your own (short) drabbles by emailing [email protected].
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
This week on the Culture Gabfest, Stephen Metcalf, Dana Stevens, and Julia Turner analyze the latest way to watch television: Quibi. Next, they bring on Slate music critic Carl Wilson to talk about the legacy of the late songwriter John Prine. Finally, the panel dives into The Talented Mr. Ripley, Dana’s comfort watch pick for this week.
Slate Plus members get a bonus segment on the Culture Gabfest each week, and access to exclusive shows like Dana Stevens’ classic movies podcast Flashback. Sign up now to listen and support our work.
On the Slate Plus segment this week, the panel discusses Saturday Night Live’s recent “at home” show.
Outro Music: 'Apocalypse' by Cigarettes After Sex
Podcast production by Jessamine Molli. Production assistance by Rachael Allen.
Endorsements
Dana: John Dickerson’s interview with John Prine from February 2019.
Julia: Jim Dale’s audiobook narration of the Harry Potter series—except for his voice of Hermione.
Steve: The Lucksmiths. Again.
The music of Cigarettes After Sex.
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This week, host Rumaan Alam talks with the multitalented artist Maira Kalman. Kalman is an illustrator, writer, artist, and designer known for her playful and witty illustrations in children's books like Fireboat and Why We Broke Up as well as her work for the New York Times and the New Yorker.
They talk about what the perfect day of work looks like for the artist, how to stay creative in times of crisis, and her latest project: an illustrated edition of The Autobiography of Alice B. Toklas.
Afterward, Rumaan and Isaac Butler talk about the ways in which they’re trying to remain creative. Rumaan has been watching the Met’s release of “Nightly Met Opera Streams,” a free series of encore Live in HD presentations streamed on the company website, and Isaac recommends picking up a copy of the book And Then You Act: Making Art in an Unpredictable World, by theater director Anne Bogart to combat creative roadblocks during this time of great uncertainty.
Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected].
Podcast production by Morgan Flannery.
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Shazad Latif and Manny Montana have paid their dues and it’s time to give them the recognition they deserve. From Spooks to Penny Dreadful to Star Trek: Discovery, Shazad has shown he has the range. But it’s as Ash Tyler that his vulnerability and yearning leave us utterly captivated. Manny Montana has been working his way to Good Girls since 2008, and his character Rio is worth the wait. Manny makes Rio vibrate with barely-controlled passion, keeping us on the edge of our seats. Yes, Shazad and Manny are thirst-worthy, but they’re both incredibly talented as well, and we’re ready to watch their stars rise.
Slate Plus members get a bonus segment on Thirst Aid Kit each week. Sign up now to listen and support our show.
In this week’s Slate Plus, Bim leads “Explain Yourself,” as she tries to convince Nichole, notorious for her love of a long-haired man, to give sexy bald men a chance. With such compelling evidence as Boris Khodjoe, Sir Patrick Stewart, Corey Stoll, and more, can Bim win her case?
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How did poop get cute? On this episode of Decoder Ring we trace the rise of cute poop from the original Japanese poop emoji to more modern poop toys which rely on the Youtube algorithm to get seen and sold.
Slate Plus members get ad-free podcasts and bonus episodes of shows like Dear Prudence and Slow Burn. Sign up now to listen and support our work.
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This week on the Culture Gabfest, Stephen Metcalf, Dana Stevens, and Julia Turner are joined by Jen Agg to talk about the fate of the restaurant industry. Next, they bring on New York Times Magazine contributing writer Jody Rosen to discuss the passing of Adam Schlesinger. Finally, the panel dives into Julia’s favorite movie and comfort watch—Sneakers.
Slate Plus members get a bonus segment on the Culture Gabfest each week, and access to exclusive shows like Dana Stevens’ classic movies podcast Flashback. Sign up now to listen and support our work.
On the Slate Plus segment this week, the panel discusses their results to the Statistical "Which Character" Personality Quiz.
Podcast production by Jessamine Molli. Production assistance by Rachael Allen.
Outro Music: “All Kinds of Time” by Fountains of Wayne
Endorsements
Jody: The singer Bill Withers, particularly his albums Naked & Warm and ’Justments.
Jonathan Cecil’s audiobook reading of P.G. Wodehouse’s Uncle Fred in the Springtime.
Dana: Interview with Better Call Saul’s Rhea Seehorn on the Ringer podcast “The Watch.”
Julia: “Nutmeg” from A Colbert Christmas: The Greatest Gift of All!
Steve: The songwriter Marty Donald of The Lucksmiths found here in Steve’s Spotify playlist.
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Welcome to the revamped Working. We’re pivoting to creativity! New hosts Rumaan Alam, Isaac Butler, and June Thomas will be talking to writers, musicians, designers, YouTubers, and other people with creative jobs about how they spend their days.
This week, June talks with author Veronica Roth, who wrote the first draft of her novel Divergent when she was a senior at Northwestern University. She had sold more than 32 million books by the time she was 26, and next week, at the ripe old age of 31, she’ll publish her seventh novel, Chosen Ones.
They talked about identifying your natural writing style, how to find the perfect person to offer feedback on your work, and making the switch from writing YA fiction. You’ll also hear how Kate Winslet helped her create more believable villains.
Afterward, Rumaan and Isaac talk about their own experiences with the workshopping process and the readers whose feedback they trust most—for Rumaan that’s Lynn Steger Strong, author of Hold Still; for Isaac that’s Sally Franson, author of A Lady’s Guide to Selling Out, and Catherine Nichols.)
Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected].
Podcast production by Morgan Flannery.
And 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 Working. It’s only $35 for the first year, and you can get a free two-week trial now at slate.com/workingplus
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On the Spoiler Special podcast, Slate critics discuss movies, the occasional TV show, and, once in a blue moon, another podcast, in full spoiler-filled detail. This week, Sam Adams is joined by Slate’s Television Critic Willa Paskin to spoil Netflix’s hit documentary series Tiger King. The hit series is an increasingly sordid tale of wild characters conning each other out of zoos. The show’s standout character is Joe Exotic, whose charisma and personality are made for reality television. He has a long time feud with Carole Baskin, who runs the nonprofit Big Cat Rescue and is actively trying to shut private zoos down. Will Carole succeed? What happens when Joe tries to hire someone to murder Carole? And when will anyone focus on the questionable conditions forced on the big cats?
You can read Sam Adams’ review here and his story about the artists behind Joe Exotic’s music here.
You can read Willa Paskin’s piece about Carole Baskin here.
Note: As the title indicates, this podcast contains spoilers galore.
Slate Plus members get ad-free podcasts and access to exclusive shows like Dana Stevens’ classic movies podcast Flashback. Sign up now to listen and support our work.
Email us at [email protected].
Podcast production by Rosemary Belson.
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We’ve all been sheltering in place for some time now, which has given us ample time to think about who our ideal quarantine buddies would be. Who would our Thirst Buckets like to be holed up with in a cabin made for two? The Thirst Object field was diverse: constant TB-favourite Tessa Thompson came up, as did Crazy Rich Asians star Henry Golding, Westworld’s Rodrigo Santoro, and even Jidenna’s sweet musical stylings (among other things)... No drabbles this week but Nichole and Bim also revealed their own choices for optimal quarantine activities. A fun time is had by all!
In this week’s Slate Plus, we draw your attention to men’s forearms aka the modern equivalent of a delicate Victorian ankle — is there a body part more laden with meaning? A revealed forearm, tanned, hairy, lightly-veined and solid… it does things to a person, you know?
Slate Plus members get a bonus segment on Thirst Aid Kit each week. Sign up now to listen and support our show.
Follow us on Twitter @ThirstAidKit. Our music is by Tanya Morgan. You can find show notes, gifs and so much more on our Tumblr at thirstaidkitpodcast.tumblr.com. Remember, you can send us your own (short) drabbles by emailing [email protected].
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This week on the Culture Gabfest, Stephen Metcalf is joined by Slate senior editor Sam Adams and Slate podcast producer Daniel Schroeder discuss the wildness of Tiger King. Then, Steve teams back up with Dana Stevens and Julia Turner to talk about one of his favorite comfort watches: Paddington 2. Finally, the panel analyzes celebrity in the age of coronavirus by exploring the two recent telethons respectively hosted by Elton John and James Corden.
On the Slate Plus segment this week, the panel discusses Bob Dylan’s newest song.
Slate Plus members get a bonus segment on the Culture Gabfest each week, and access to exclusive shows like Dana Stevens’ classic movies podcast Flashback. Sign up now to listen and support our work.
Podcast production by Jessamine Molli. Production assistance by Rachael Allen.
Outro Music: "The One I Love (Belongs to Somebody Else)" by Julie London
Endorsements
Dana: The singer Julie London
Julia: Hoosker Doosker Tug of War game
Steve: “They Survived the Spanish Flu, the Depression and the Holocaust,” by Ginia Bellafante in the New York Times
“A Star in a Stoneboat,” by Robert Frost
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Hit Parade takes you back to the turn of the millennium when, for a couple of years, it seemed like a Latin pop star was topping Billboard’ Hot 100 every few weeks: Ricky Martin. Jennifer Lopez. Enrique Iglesias. Marc Anthony. Carlos Santana. Shakira. This wave of Latin crossover was hard-fought and a long time coming—from “La Bamba” to “Macarena,” Spanish-language hits in the 20th century had been treated like novelties by record buyers and radio programmers.
The Latin boom of 1999 changed all that—but did it go far enough? How did we get from the slick Spanglish of “Livin’ la Vida Loca” to the Spanish-first success of “Despacito” and “Mi Gente”? And how did Ritchie Valens and João Gilberto prepare America for J.Lo and Shakira triumphing at the Super Bowl?
Podcast production by Justin D. Wright.
Slate Plus members get ad-free podcasts and bonus episodes of shows like Dear Prudence and Slow Burn. Sign up now to listen and support our work.
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On the Spoiler Special podcast, Slate critics discuss movies, the occasional TV show, and, once in a blue moon, another podcast, in full spoiler-filled detail. This week, Slate staffers Marissa Martinelli, Daniel Schroeder, and Megan Kallstrom spoil Star Trek: Picard, which picks up years after Admiral Jean-Luc Picard has separated from Starfleet over ideological differences. The Star Trek legend has retreated into retirement on Earth when the daughter of an old friend—the android Data—shows up, leading Picard to amass a new crew to track down her sister before sinister forces beat him to it.
You can read Marissa Martinelli’s review here.
You can read Megan Kallstrom’s piece here.
Note: As the title indicates, this podcast contains spoilers galore.
Email us at [email protected].
Slate Plus members get ad-free podcasts and access to exclusive shows like Dana Stevens’ classic movies podcast Flashback. Sign up now to listen and support our work.
Podcast production by Rosemary Belson.
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Maddie and David. Will and Alicia. Ichabod and Abbie. Brennan and Booth. Moonlighting, The Good Wife, Sleepy Hollow, and Bones all showed us the magic of UST-- unresolved sexual tension. In most of these examples, we got the kissing (and more) we’d been craving, and these television shows knew how to string us along until we thought we’d die from longing. That’s the hallmark of a job well done-- transferring the desire of a show’s leading couple to its audiences. In this episode dedicated to ultimate UST, we talk about what works and what doesn’t; what happens when the resolution is everything we could want… and when we’re denied.
Slate Plus members get a bonus segment on Thirst Aid Kit each week. Sign up now to listen and support our show.
In this week’s Slate Plus, it’s Nichole’s turn in the court of ‘Explain Yourself’. She breaks down her attraction to Irish crooner Hozier, but Bim is a hard juror to convince.
Follow us on Twitter @ThirstAidKit. Our music is by Tanya Morgan. You can find show notes, gifs and so much more on our Tumblr at thirstaidkitpodcast.tumblr.com. Remember, you can send us your own (short) drabbles by emailing [email protected].
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This week on the Culture Gabfest, Dana Stevens rejoins Stephen Metcalf and Julia Turner from her book leave for a few segments. First, Steve and Dana chat with Slate’s books and culture columnist Laura Miller about The Plot Against America. Next, Steve, Dana, and Julia talk about the power of walking, particularly in this time of quarantine, and the literary history that precedes the activity. Finally, Steve and Julia chat with Slate staff writer Dan Kois about the 1996 film Big Night, a delicious comfort watch.
On the Slate Plus segment this week, the panel checks in with each other about how they’re doing during this time of quarantine.
Podcast production by Jessamine Molli. Production assistance by Rachael Allen.
Outro Music: “Higher Love” cover from Kygo & Whitney Houston
Endorsements
Dana: “Kasha is the new nutmeg.”
Patti LuPone’s basement tours.
Julia: “Higher Love,” the Whitney Houston and Kygo remix.
Steve: “Buh Black Snake in New England,” by Benjamin Anastas in Oxford American.
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Flashback is usually available only to Slate Plus members. Sign up now to listen to the archive and future episodes.
In the new episode of Flashback, movie critics Dana Stevens and K. Austin Collins discuss the psychological drama What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? (1962), directed by Robert Aldrich.
Other titles mentioned in the episode:
Sunset Boulevard (1950), directed by Billy Wilder
Limelight (1952), directed by Charlie Chaplin
All About Eve (1950), directed by Joseph L. Mankiewicz
Singing in the Rain (1952), directed by Gene Kelly
Gypsy (1962), directed by Mervin LeRoy
Mommie Dearest (1981), directed by Frank Perry
Feud (2017), created by Ryan Murphy
Parachute Jumper (1933), directed by Alfred E. Green
Sadie McKee (1934), directed by Clarence Brown
Psycho (1960), directed by Alfred Hitchcock
Witness for the Prosecution (1957), directed by Billy Wilder
The Magnificent Ambersons (1942), directed by Orson Welles
Hush…Hush, Sweet Charlotte (1964), directed by Robert Aldrich
What Ever Happened to Aunt Alice? (1969), directed by Lee H. Katzin and Bernard Girard
Kiss Me Deadly (1955), directed by Robert Aldrich
Three Days of the Condor (1975), directed by Sydney Pollack
Comments or suggestions? Email us at [email protected]
Production by Chau Tu.
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Slate Plus members get ad-free podcasts and bonus episodes of shows like Dear Prudence and Slow Burn. Sign up now to listen and support our work.
How did the humble rubber duck become an icon of bath time? On this episode of Decoder Ring we talk to rubber duck experts, enthusiasts, and manufacturers to find out how the rubber duck evolved, why it's so appealing, and why there are thousands of them lost at sea.
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‘Thirst In The Covid-19 Era’ could well be the title of this episode or an academic paper in the year 2050 — but we’re not doing that! No, we decided to dip into our inbox to take on some of the burning thirst queries from our wonderful listeners. It was a mailbag of… many tastes. Drabbles about musicians Raphael Saadiq and Hozier, Large Boy Adam Driver, and Lee Pace on a farm? Plus we did our best to provide alternative thirsts in a bumper Thirst Sommelier segment that covered tastes as diverse as Magnum PI and 90s era Ralph Fiennes. YOU’RE WELCOME.
Slate Plus members get a bonus segment on Thirst Aid Kit each week. Sign up now to listen and support our show.
In this week’s Slate Plus segment, we break down A Clean Plate, that is the significance of a man’s appetite in popular culture. From Cool Hand Luke to Phantom Thread, what does a man’s hunger tell us, if anything, about the type of person he is?
Follow us on Twitter @ThirstAidKit. Our music is by Tanya Morgan. You can find show notes, gifs and so much more on our Tumblr at thirstaidkitpodcast.tumblr.com. Remember, you can send us your own (short) drabbles by emailing [email protected].
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In this episode, host Julie Gurner talks to a fascinating mentor-mentee pair who have become successful collaborators in the culinary world: Chef and Restaurateur Gavin Kaysen and Executive Chef Chris Nye.
Gavin Kaysen is a two-time James Beard Award-winning chef and owner of Soigné Hospitality Group. When he was starting his career in New York City, Gavin worked under world-renowned chef Daniel Boulud who became his mentor. He went on to spend seven years as Boulud’s Executive Chef and Director of Culinary Operations. Gavin continued that tradition of mentorship with Chris Nye, who he met when Chris was working the line at Café Boulud. Today, Kaysen helps the next generation of young chefs as one of the founders of Ment’or, a leading nonprofit organization devoted to inspiring culinary excellence in young professionals.
Whether you’re paired up through a program or your partnership forms organically, a mentor-mentee relationship can be an invaluable professional asset. A mentor can be the guide who jumpstarts your ambition, sharpens your focus, and nudges you to take a risk. Alternately, a mentee can inspire an industry veteran with fresh perspectives and surprising insights. And like any relationship, success requires work, communication, and dedication from both parties.
Download and subscribe to The Relentless on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, TuneIn, Overcast, or wherever you listen.
This paid podcast is produced by Slate Studios and Century 21 Real Estate.
© 2020 Century 21 Real Estate LLC. All rights reserved. CENTURY 21®, the CENTURY 21 Logo and C21® are registered marks owned by Century 21 Real Estate LLC. Century 21 Real Estate LLC fully supports the principles of the Fair Housing Act and the Equal Opportunity Act. Each office is independently owned and operated. This material may contain suggestions and best practices that you may use at your discretion. The opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the individuals featured and not necessarily of Century 21 Real Estate.
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This week on the Culture Gabfest, Stephen Metcalf, Julia Turner, and guest host and Slate staff writer Dan Kois talk about the film Spenser Confidential, starring Mark Wahlberg on Netflix. Next, they discuss Reply All’s recent episode “The Case of the Missing Hit.” Finally, the panel is joined by Dana Stevens to lay out how they approach culture during this time of quarantine. How much do we lean into escapism?
On the Slate Plus segment this week, the panel takes on Steve’s own “missing hit” mystery.
Podcast production by Jessamine Molli. Production assistance by Rachael Allen.
Outro Music: Lost Something in the Hills" by Sibylle Baier.
Endorsements
Dana: Colour Green by Sibylle Baier.
Dan: The “Sondheim at 90” package by the New York Times.
The album Side by Side by Sondheim.
Julia: The poem “My Heart Leaps Up” by William Wordsworth.
Steve: Always Narrating: The Making and Unmaking of Umberto Eco by Costica Bradatan in the Los Angeles Review of Books.
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On the Spoiler Special podcast, Slate critics discuss movies, the occasional TV show, and, once in a blue moon, another podcast, in full spoiler-filled detail. This week, Slate Senior Editor Sam Adams is joined by Slate Staff Writer Rebecca Onion to spoil Contagion, Steven Soderbergh’s 2011 pandemic movie. Not dissimilar to the coronavirus, the fictional virus, MEV-1, started off transferring from infected animals to humans. MEV-1 infected Gwyneth Paltrow’s character on a work trip. Then she traveled back to the Midwest, spreading the virus. Can the institutions in charge find a vaccine before the virus decimates society?
You can read Rebecca Onion’s piece about the lessons to take from Contagion here.
You can read Sam Adams’ interview with the screenwriter here.
Note: As the title indicates, this podcast contains spoilers galore.
Email us at [email protected].
Slate Plus members get ad-free podcasts and access to exclusive shows like Dana Stevens’ classic movies podcast Flashback. Sign up now to listen and support our work.
Podcast production by Rosemary Belson.
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This week on the Culture Gabfest, Stephen Metcalf, Julia Turner, and guest host and Slate staff writer Dan Kois talk about Kelly Reichardt’s film First Cow. Next, they bring on Slate television critic Willa Paskin to discuss the latest episode of her podcast Decoder Ring, which dives into the real-life bookstore battle behind You’ve Got Mail. Finally, the panel dives into Molly Fischer’s feature in the Cut on the millennial aesthetic.
On the Slate Plus segment this week, the panel discusses the cancellation of Woody Allen’s memoir.
Podcast production by Jessamine Molli. Production assistance by Rachael Allen. Additional production help by Rosemary Belson.
Outro Music: "Party All The Time" by Eddie Murphy
Other items discussed on the show:
“I Made the Oily Cakes From First Cow,” by Dan Kois in Slate.
“Bookstores That Live Only in the Mind,” by Dan Kois in the New York Times.
Endorsements
Dan: The March Badness bracket of songs.
Julia: Print out your cooking recipes.
Steve: “Reading Richard Rorty in Tehran” by Samuel Thrope in the Nation.
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On the Spoiler Special podcast, Slate critics discuss movies, the occasional TV show, and, once in a blue moon, another podcast, in full spoiler-filled detail. This week, Forrest Wickman is joined by Sam Adams and Marissa Martinelli to discuss Onward. Ian and Barley Lightfoot are elf brothers in a modernized magical realm. On Ian’s birthday he receives a gift that will allow him and his older brother to bring back their father for a day. But the spell goes wrong and they are left with half a dad. Can Ian and Barley work together to find the Phoenix Gem and make their father whole before the day is over?
You can read Sam Adams’ article about the movie’s “exclusively gay moment” here.
Note: As the title indicates, spoilers galore.
Email us at [email protected].
Slate Plus members get ad-free podcasts and access to exclusive shows like Dana Stevens’ classic movies podcast Flashback. Sign up now to listen and support our work.
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This week’s guest was once in her underwear on a billboard in Brooklyn, but that’s the least of her accomplishments. Writer and podcast host Ashley C. Ford joined us in the studio to talk about her most pressing Thirst Objects: Chris Pine, Sam Elliott, and Marshawn Lynch. Our conversation was full of laughs, “yeeks” (that’s buttcheeks to the rest of us), American beef, and how a healthy disregard for authority is super hot. It got so good that we decided to forgo Fanfic Wars for bonus thirsting you won’t want to miss.
Slate Plus members get a bonus segment on Thirst Aid Kit each week. Sign up now to listen and support our show.
In this week’s Slate Plus segment, we’re talking about the importance of physical touch. From parental hugs to romantic clutches, we discuss the significance of hands: their size and placement, how a grasp can signal tenderness or dominance, care and support. We also cover the delicate issue of cleanliness.
Our music is by Tanya Morgan. You can find show notes, gifs, and so much more on our Tumblr at thirstaidkitpodcast.tumblr.com. Remember, you can send us your own (short) drabbles by emailing [email protected].
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This week on the Culture Gabfest, Stephen Metcalf, Julia Turner, and guest host and Slate staff writer Dan Kois talk about the hit Netflix dating reality show Love Is Blind with Slate podcast producer Daniel Schroeder. Next, they discuss tomboys, jumping off of a recent New York Times op-ed. Finally, the panel takes on the coronavirus, analyzing the epidemic through various pieces of culture.
On the Slate Plus segment this week, the panel discusses a New York Times op-ed from an editor whose ex-boyfriend is now dating Lady Gaga.
Podcast production by Jessamine Molli. Production assistance by Rachael Allen. Additional production help by Rosemary Belson.
Outro Music: 'Shattered & Hollow' by First Aid Kit
Endorsements
Dan: The graphic memoir Tomboy by Liz Prince.
Pitchfork’s Sunday Reviews.
Julia: The viral video where a camera falls from an airplane…
Steve: “No Ghost in the Machine” by Mark Halpern in the American Scholar.
The album Stay Gold by First Aid Kit.
Hosts
Stephen Metcalf
Julia Turner
Dan Kois
Social Media
@slatecultfest on Twitter
https://twitter.com/slatecultfest
@slateculturepodcasts on Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/slateculturepodcasts/
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The 1998 romantic comedy You've Got Mail starring Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan is about the brutal fight between an independent bookstore, The Shop Around the Corner, and Fox Books, an obvious Barnes & Noble stand-in. On this episode of Decoder Ring we explore 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.
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Eight years after her passing—and 35 years after the release of her debut album—Whitney Houston is about to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Predictably, some rock fans have carped that Houston doesn’t belong in the Hall. But they are not the only ones who, historically, have complained about Houston’s bona fides. In the ’80s, at the apex of her success, black fans complained that Houston was courting white pop fans too eagerly, and forgetting her roots in gospel and R&B.
On the charts, by contrast, Whitney Houston’s achievements are indisputable. But they also might be underrated. Houston’s chart records offer a window into exactly how she crossed over…and whether she deserved the backlash. In this episode, Chris Molanphy walks step by step through Whitney’s storied chart records—including a couple that have gone unheralded—that help explain why she was a seminal, singular figure among black female crossover stars, from Aretha and Diana to Beyoncé.
Podcast production by Justin D. Wright.
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Nichole is ill this week, but there could be no better Thirst Object to rouse her from her sickbed than Glasgow-born actor James McAvoy! We looked into McAvoy’s uncanny knack for matching intense vulnerability with deeply attractive stoicism to make for an irresistible presence. Whether he’s playing a defiant but insecure Cyrano on stage or coming into his own in roles in Atonement, Wanted, or the X-Men films, James slakes all thirsts: slender or bulked up, au naturel or putting on an accent, blockbuster or indie project. And we can’t seem to look away.
Slate Plus members get a bonus segment on Thirst Aid Kit each week. Sign up now to listen and support our show.
On Slate Plus, it’s another installment of Explain Yourself, in which we speak to Vulture staff writer and frequently outrageous thirsty tweeter Hunter Harris about the distinct (but entirely resistible to us!) allure of Adam Driver. In essence: he’s A Large Boy! And people—including Hunter—like Large Things. :eyes emoji:
Our music is by Tanya Morgan. You can find show notes, gifs and so much more on our Tumblr at thirstaidkitpodcast.tumblr.com. Remember, you can send us your own (short) drabbles by emailing [email protected].
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
This week on the Culture Gabfest, Stephen Metcalf, Julia Turner, and guest host and Slate staff writer Dan Kois talk about Céline Sciamma’s Portrait of a Lady on Fire. Next, they discuss Taylor Swift’s documentary Miss Americana. Finally, the panel dives into “garbage language” a.k.a corporate buzzwords—unnecessary or effective?
On the Slate Plus segment this week, the panel discusses a contentious subject—whether Leonardo DiCaprio was already a star before Titanic?
Podcast production by Jessamine Molli. Production assistance by Rachael Allen. Additional production help by Rosemary Belson.
Outro Music: 'The Man' by Taylor Swift
Endorsements
Dan: Reading Hilary Mantel’s Wolf Hall and Bring Up the Bodies before The Mirror & the Light, the third book in the trilogy, is released March 10.
Julia: Golden State by Ben H. Winters.
Steve: “Reading Sade in the Age of Epstein” by Mitchell Abidor in The New York Review of Books.
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This is an episode of our advice show How To! with Charles Duhigg.
Lorenzo is a dental student with big dreams—of becoming a rock star. Lorenzo plays a mean guitar at open mic night, but there’s one thing holding him back: He doesn’t know how to write his own songs. In this episode of How To!, we bring in master songwriter Ben Folds, former frontman of Ben Folds Five, and author of A Dream About Lightning Bugs: A Life of Music and Cheap Lessons. Many of those lessons are about how anyone can unlock their creativity. Ben breaks down his own music, and tinkers with Lorenzo’s attempt at writing a break-up song. He tells him to embrace cliché, then slip in something unexpected. Also, switch the first lyric with the second. Will it work?
Do you have a problem that needs a creative solution? Send us a note at [email protected].
Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now.
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On the Spoiler Special podcast, Slate critics discuss movies, the occasional TV show, and, once in a blue moon, another podcast, in full spoiler-filled detail. This week, Marissa Martinelli and Heather Schwedel discuss Emma. Though certainly not the first adaptation of Jane Austen’s novel, director Autumn de Wilde’s film humanizes the familiar characters and departs at times from the source material to bring a certain freshness to this comedy. Will Emma’s meddling still result in matchmaking errors? How far does she have to go to right her wrongs? And what’s with the inopportune nosebleed?
You can read Marissa Martinelli’s review here.
Note: As the title indicates, spoilers galore.
Email us at [email protected].
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Clive Owen: is he dangerous or is he the love of our lives? As someone wise once asked, why not both? When Clive steps into a scene, we don’t know if he’s about to deliver a soul-stealing kiss or a scathing takedown, but we move to the edge of our seats to catch every second of it. From Chancer to Closer, Sin City to The Knick, and beyond, Clive’s demanding presence brings us to our knees, and we find we’re quite all right with that.
Slate Plus members get a bonus segment on Thirst Aid Kit each week. Sign up now to listen and support our show.
On Slate Plus, we discuss the erotic fixation on the extended leg of a woman. Using scenes from Carmen Jones, Boomerang, From Dusk Till Dawn, and Something New, we examine the power play found in women’s feet—and areas north.
Our music is by Tanya Morgan. You can find show notes, gifs, and so much more on our Tumblr at thirstaidkitpodcast.tumblr.com. If the spirit moves you, send us your own drabbles by emailing [email protected].
Follow us on Twitter @ThirstAidKit. Bim is @bimadew and Nichole is @tnwhiskeywoman.
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This week on the Culture Gabfest, Stephen Metcalf is joined by two guests hosts: Sam Anderson, New York Times Magazine staff writer and author of Boom Time, and Dan Kois, Slate staff writer and author of How to Be a Family. First, the panel discusses The Assistant, the indie film with heavy Harvey Weinstein overtones. Next, they dive into Hulu’s reboot of High Fidelity, starring Zoë Kravitz. Finally, the panel breaks down the work of Jenny Odell, including her book How to Do Nothing and her recent Paris Review essay “The Myth of Self-Reliance.”
On the Slate Plus segment this week, the panel discusses Dan Kois’s recent Slate story on a New Zealand fantasy masterpiece—an article that catalyzed the book’s publication in the U.S.
Podcast production by Jessamine Molli. Production assistance by Rachael Allen. Additional production help by Rosemary Belson.
Outro Music: ‘Lonely World’ by Moses Sumney
Endorsements
Dan: The writing of Charles Portis, including True Grit and Norwood.
Sam: John Cage’s performance of “Water Walk” on “I’ve Got a Secret” in 1960 (as Jenny Odell recommends).
Steve: Seeing Parasite a second time.
“The Professor of Denial” by Amanda J. Crawford in The Chronicle of Higher Education.
Moses Sumney’s Aromanticism
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On the Spoiler Special podcast, Slate critics discuss movies, the occasional TV show, and, once in a blue moon, another podcast, in full spoiler-filled detail. This week, Dana Stevens is joined by June Thomas and Dan Kois to discuss Portrait of a Lady on Fire. Marianne is hired to paint Héloïse’s wedding portrait. But Héloïse can’t know she’s being painted. As the two grow closer, will Marianne come clean? Will their feelings affect the painting that’s supposed to be sent to Héloïse’s potential husband? What happens when the job is finished?
You can read Dana Stevens’ review here.
You can read Matthew Dessem’s piece about the film’s music here.
Note: As the title indicates, spoilers galore.
Email us at [email protected].
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Blair Underwood is a multi-generational snack: he’s been hot for so long, it’s kind of unreal. He’s currently starring on Broadway in A Soldier’s Play, so he popped into the studio to talk about that—and plenty more besides: Why he loves playing bad guys, navigating and negotiating your worth, and the most disturbing fanmail of his career. Plus we asked him about putting on a watch … :eyes emoji:
Slate Plus members get a bonus segment on Thirst Aid Kit each week. Sign up now to listen and support our show.
On Slate Plus this week, we talk about one specific “Premium Thirst Item”: the white oxford shirt. If you grew up at a certain point in time, you’ll know what that shirt means, especially when worn by a woman the morning after. We explore what it signifies in culture, how it came to mean all that, and why we think it’s hot.
Our music is by Tanya Morgan. You can find show notes, gifs, and so much more on our Tumblr at thirstaidkitpodcast.tumblr.com. If the spirit moves you, send us your own drabbles by emailing [email protected].
Follow us on Twitter @ThirstAidKit. Nichole is @tnwhiskeywoman and Bim is @bimadew.
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This week on the Culture Gabfest, Stephen Metcalf, Dana Stevens, and Julia Turner break down the Oscars and Bong Joon-ho’s historic win. Next, the discuss Star Trek: Picard with Slate associate editor and Trekkie Marissa Martinelli. Finally, they dive into a recent New York Times Magazine article on the way television imagines New York City.
On the Slate Plus segment this week, the fashion of the Oscars.
Podcast production by Jessamine Molli. Production assistance by Rachael Allen.
Outro Music: Eminem Performs 'Lose Yourself' at Oscars 2020
Endorsements
Dana: Bong Joon Ho’s Oscar acceptance speeches, as Dana wrote about in her recent Slate piece “Bong Joon-ho’s Oscar Night Had All the Genre-Bending Twists of His Movies.”
Julia: “Chasing Colombia’s ‘cocaine hippos’” by Peter Rowe in the Los Angeles Times.
Steve: “The Seriousness of George Steiner” by Adam Gopnik in the New Yorker.
“An Evening With George Steiner (1929-2020)” by Kinton Ford in n+1.
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When Peter Mac was young, he found solace from his troubles in the voice of Judy Garland. He's now been a Judy Garland impersonator for 17 years. On this episode of Decoder Ring we explore the special valence that Judy Garland has for queer people, the history of female impersonation on stage, and what the future might hold for Judy as an icon.
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Somehow, Penn Badgley’s turn as sneering killer Joe Goldberg on Netflix’s You has recently made him the internet’s sort-of boyfriend… but our interest in Penn is older and more complex than that! We went deep on what makes his sly looks to camera so compelling, the power of a deep voice, and why Nichole’s powerless against his general “stop motion Christmas puppet” energy.
On Slate Plus, we introduce a brand new segment, “Explain Yourself.” This week, we’re joined by podcast king (Pineapple Studios’ Unhappy Hour) and all around excellent person Matt Bellassai as we ask him to explain his long term Thirst Object, Harry Styles
Follow us on Twitter @ThirstAidKit. Bim is @bimadew and Nichole is @tnwhiskeywoman. Our music is by Tanya Morgan. You can find show notes, gifs and so much more on our Tumblr at thirstaidkitpodcast.tumblr.com. If the spirit moves you, send us your own drabbles by emailing [email protected].
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
This week on the Culture Gabfest, Stephen Metcalf, Dana Stevens, and Julia Turner dive into Ford v Ferrari before the Oscars this weekend. Next, they discuss Netflix’s reality show The Circle with Slate’s editorial director—and Circle-enthusiast—Laura Bennett. Finally, they analyze the controversy surrounding Jeanine Cummins’s American Dirt with Los Angeles Times staff writer Daniel Hernandez.
On the Slate Plus segment this week, the panel discusses Super Bowl ads with Slate’s Justin Peters.
Podcast production by Jessamine Molli. Production assistance by Rachael Allen.
Outro Music: ‘The Circle Theme (Netflix)’ by Patrizio Knight
Hosts
Stephen Metcalf, Dana Stevens, and Julia Turner
Endorsements
Dana: “‘Jojo Rabbit’ Captures the Horror and Absurdity of our Trumpian Moment,” by Masha Gessen in The New Yorker.
Julia: The Good Wife.
Steve: Cheer (specifically, La’Darius’s brother’s face).
“The Money Behind Trump’s Money,” by David Enrich in The New York Times Magazine.
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When Harriet Beecher Stowe wrote an exposé of Lord Byron's incestuous affair in 1869, it nearly destroyed The Atlantic Monthly, and threw the reputations of two literary icons into chaos. This is a story about 18th century scandal, cancel culture, and Bad Literary Men, that isn't so different from how these stories play out in our own time.
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Sped-up voices. Wacky instruments. Songs about cavemen, bathtubs, bikinis and mothers-in-law. From the very birth of rock-and-roll, novelty songs were essential elements of the hit parade. Right through the ’70s—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 round-the-clock hits on regimented radio playlists.
Until one perm-headed, mustachioed, accordion-playing parodist who called himself “Weird” rebooted novelty hits for the new millennium. A video jokester before YouTube, he just might have ushered in the age of the meme. So join Hit Parade this month as we walk through the history of novelty hits on the charts—most especially if M.C. Escher is your favorite M.C.
Podcast production by Justin D. Wright.
Follow @cmolanphy on Twitter
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From Lost to Hawaii Five-O, Daniel Dae Kim is all talent and cheeky smiles. He joins the hosts of Thirst Aid Kit to discuss the premiere of Blast Beat, what it’s like to be discarded for Keanu Reeves and Randall Park, being trapped on the Lost island, and what it means to see himself as a Thirst Object.
You may know Kendrick Sampson’s leading man looks from HBO’s Insecure but he’s been in all your faves too: The Vampire Diaries, How To Get Away With Murder, The Flash, the list goes on. He joins the hosts of Thirst Aid Kit to talk his new movie, Miss Juneteenth, as well as what it’s like working with some of Hollywood’s most influential women.
Slate, in collaboration with Dropbox, presents Thirst Aid Kit live, a podcast centered on pop culture and how it shapes desire. Join hosts and creative collaborators Bim Adewunmi and Nichole Perkins to dig deep into the various ways women express their thirst through illuminating and hilarious conversations with some of the leading creators at the festival.
Follow us on Twitter @ThirstAidKit. Bim is @bimadew and Nichole is @tnwhiskeywoman. Our music is by Tanya Morgan. You can find show notes, gifs and so much more on our Tumblr at thirstaidkitpodcast.tumblr.com. If the spirit moves you, send us your own drabbles by emailing [email protected].
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This week on the Culture Gabfest, Stephen Metcalf, Dana Stevens, and Julia Turner untangle the oddity that is Jojo Rabbit, discuss whether Netflix’s sport docu-series Cheer lives up to the hype, and talk to Slate’s music critic Carl Wilson about this year’s Grammys.
On the Slate Plus segment this week, the panel discusses Kobe Bryant and the reactions to his death.
Podcast production by Jessamine Molli. Production assistance by Rachael Allen.
Outro Music: Lizzo's "Cuz I Love You" & "Truth Hurts" 2020 Grammy Performance
Endorsements
Dana:
‘Gigi Bryant Was a Great Basketball Player’ by Josh Levin
Julia:
‘The Rise of the Dancefluencer’ by Makeda Easter
Steve:
‘The Myth of Self-Reliance’ by Jenny Odell
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In the new episode of Flashback, movie critics Dana Stevens and K. Austin Collins discuss the psychological thriller The Silence of the Lambs (1991), directed by Jonathan Demme.
Flashback is available in full only to Slate Plus members. Sign up now to listen to the rest of this episode and all the others.
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This week on the Culture Gabfest, Stephen Metcalf, Dana Stevens, and Julia Turner dive into Honeyland, Tamara Kotevska and Ljubomir Stefanov’s Academy Award-nominated documentary following a beekeeper in Macedonia. Next, they chat about Jeopardy! The Greatest of All Time. Finally, Slate’s Laura Miller joins the panel to discuss Jia Tolentino’s Trick Mirror and the role—and critiques—of the modern female essayist.
On the Slate Plus segment this week, the panel discusses Oscar nominations.
Podcast production by Jessamine Molli. Production assistance by Rachael Allen.
Outro Music: The Futureheads’ cover of Kate Bush’s “Hounds of Love.”
Hosts
Stephen Metcalf, Dana Stevens, and Julia Turner
Endorsements
Dana:
Jia Tolentino’s Trick Mirror audiobook.
Julia:
Jenny Odell’s How to Do Nothing.
Steve:
Ian Rankin’s “Inspector Rebus” book series.
The Futureheads’ cover of Kate Bush’s “Hounds of Love.”
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Stephen Metcalf, Dana Stevens, and June Thomas discuss Sam Mendes' film 1917, the new installment in the UP documentary series, 63 UP, and the British royal phenomenon that has become known as Megxit.
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On the Spoiler Special podcast, Slate critics discuss movies, the occasional TV show, and, once in a blue moon, another podcast, in full spoiler-filled detail. This week, Sam Adams is joined by Benjamin Frisch, Rachelle Hampton and Daniel Schroeder to discuss The Witcher, Netflix’s popular new show about a monster hunter. This show isn’t the first adaptation from Andrzej Sapkowski’s work; video games based on The Witcher have been released starting in 2007. Geralt of Rivia (Henry Cavill) is a monster hunter with supernatural powers. But, what exactly is a witcher? How will the Law of Surprise bring people together? Will Geralt ever find the girl in the forest who he is destined to find? And what kind of transformation comes at the cost of removing one’s womb?
You can also check out past Spoiler Specials, and you can subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts. Note: As the title indicates, spoilers galore.
Email us at [email protected].
Hosts
Sam Adams is a Slate senior editor and the editor of Slate’s culture blog, Brow Beat.
Benjamin Frisch is the producer of Slate's Culture Gabfest and the author of the graphic novel The Fun Family.
Rachelle Hampton is a Slate editorial assistant.
Daniel Schroeder is a Slate podcast producer and freelance writer.
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This week on the Culture Gabfest, Stephen Metcalf, Dana Stevens, and Julia Turner dive into Little Women, writer-director Greta Gerwig’s adaption—perhaps the best adaption yet—of Louisa May Alcott’s novel that follows the lives of the four March sisters. Next, they discuss the risky jokes, heartfelt speeches, and weird red carpet looks of this year’s Golden Globes. Finally, they chat about The Movie Club, Slate’s annual conversation among film critics led by Dana about this year in film.
On the Slate Plus segment this week, the panel spoils the ending to Little Women.
Endorsements
Dana:
Atlantics, a Cannes Grand Prix-winning film by French-Senegalese director Mati Diop, streaming on Netflix.
Julia:
A withdrawal of a previous endorsement—the book The Power of the Dog by Don Winslow—because of its sexist treatment of women.
The Marvel supervillain M.O.D.O.K.
Steve:
The German-Austrian comedy-drama Toni Erdmann, directed, written, and co-produced by Maren Ade. Available for rent on Amazon Prime.
Outro Music: It’s Romance by Alexandre Desplat from the Little Women Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
Podcast production by Jessamine Molli. Production assistance by Rachael Allen.
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On the Spoiler Special podcast, Slate critics discuss movies, the occasional TV show, and, once in a blue moon, another podcast, in full spoiler-filled detail. This week, Sam Adams and Marissa Martinelli discuss Cats, the movie adaptation of Andrew Lloyd Webber's musical, which was based on poems by T.S. Eliot. Many jokes have been made about Tom Hooper’s Cats, mostly stemming from the “digital fur technology.” After the premiere, Universal Pictures released an updated version with “some improved visual effects.” But the 1981 musical wasn’t free from criticism either - yet it was still a hit. Does the movie adaptation have more of a plot? Does the star-studded cast add to the many cat introductions? Which cat at the jellicle ball will be picked for another life? And what exactly does jellicle mean?
You can read Marissa Martinelli’s review here.
You can read Dana Stevens’ review here.
You can read Violet Kim interview with Cats’ ‘feline movement expert’ here and read the investigation into how many times the Cats in Cats Say “Cats” here.
You can also check out past Spoiler Specials, and you can subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts. Note: As the title indicates, spoilers galore.
Email us at [email protected].
Hosts
Sam Adams is a Slate senior editor and the editor of Slate’s culture blog, Brow Beat.
Marissa Martinelli is a Slate assistant editor.
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Dana Stevens hosts a selection of a few of our favorite Slate Plus bonus segments, offering them to our regular listeners for the first time. You'll hear Steve, Julia and Dana talk about the new live action CATS, discuss impactful nonfiction with Slate's Laura Miller, remember critic Harold Bloom, and decipher what went wrong with Jill Abramson's Merchants of Truth.
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Stephen Metcalf, Dana Stevens, and Julia Turner take listener call-in questions, including what books, music, and beverages they would take to a well-appointed Alpine cabin and much, much more.
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On the Spoiler Special podcast, Slate critics discuss movies, the occasional TV show, and, once in a blue moon, another podcast, in full spoiler-filled detail. This week, Dana Stevens and Rachel Syme discuss Little Women. Arriving just in time for Christmas, Greta Gerwig plays with the March sisters’ timeline while staying true to Amy, Jo, Beth and Meg’s adventures. Will they find their own ways? Will Jo (Saoirse Ronan) end up with Laurie (Timothée Chalamet)? What comes of Jo’s writing?
You can read Dana Stevens’ review here.
You can also check out past Spoiler Specials, and you can subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts. Note: As the title indicates, spoilers galore.
Email us at [email protected].
Hosts
Dana Stevens is Slate’s movie critic.
Rachel Syme is a writer in Brooklyn.
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Welcome to The Authority, Slate’s deep dive into the world(s) of HBO’s His Dark Materials. Each week, Slate’s scholars of experimental theology Dan Kois and Laura Miller discuss the new HBO series and Philip Pullman’s original trilogy. This week, they’re discussing the season finale, “Betrayal.” Plus, a closer look at New Line’s 2007 attempt to film The Golden Compass with Nicole Kidman and Daniel Craig. Why did that movie fail so badly?
Join the conversation:
Email: [email protected]
Dan Kois on Twitter: @dankois
Laura Miller on Twitter: @magiciansbook
Podcast production by Phil Surkis, with engineering assistance from Melissa Kaplan and Asha Saluja.
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OIn this special bonus episode of Outward, Bryan and a guest panel of multigenerational gay men devote a whole hour to The Inheritance, a seven-hour, two-part play by Matthew Lopez that won many awards for its recent run in London and is currently dominating discussions on Broadway. There will be spoilers!
While it’s length, ambition, and engagement with the AIDS crisis have invited comparisons to Tony Kushner’s “gay fantasia on national themes” Angels in America, The Inheritance’s driving concern is a bit more personal: If gay men think of ourselves as a community spanning generations, what happens when a huge swath of that community is lost to plague, the survivors deeply traumatized, and younger cohorts must therefore come of age and figure out what it means to be gay in the wake of a tragedy that shapes everything around us? Borrowing a line from E.M. Forester’s Howard’s End, on which the play is based, The Inheritance desperately wants gay men to “connect” across age and loss — but is that kind of connection really possible?
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Music fans in 2019 are gobsmacked that the No. 1 song in America is not only a Christmas song but a 25-year-old recording: Mariah Carey’s holiday perennial “All I Want for Christmas Is You.” Even more amazingly, it’s the first Christmas song to top Billboard’s Hot 100 in 61 years, since “The Chipmunk Song” in December 1958. This leads to so many “whys”: Why were there no Christmas No. 1s for six decades? Why didn’t ’60s, ’70s and ’80s holiday classics like “Christmas (Baby Please Come Home),” “Feliz Navidad” and “Last Christmas” become Hot 100 hits? Why did Carey’s classic not chart in 1994, when it was released—and why did it only start charting in the 2010s and seem to get more popular every year this decade?
In this special holiday edition of Hit Parade we answer all of these questions, and explain how virtually everything had to change about the music business for Mariah’s Christmas chestnut to reach No. 1: from Billboard chart rules, to digital music technologies, to even the tragic passing of a fellow music diva. It all combined to give Carey her incredible 19th No. 1 on the Hot 100—just one chart-topper away from the Beatles.
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On the Spoiler Special podcast, Slate critics discuss movies, the occasional TV show, and, once in a blue moon, another podcast, in full spoiler-filled detail. This week, Dana Stevens is joined by Forrest Wickman, Sam Adams and Marissa Martinelli to discuss Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. Director J.J. Abrams seemed committed to fan service; even if it made the final episode of the Skywalker saga worthy of some eyerolls. Well, committed to fans - except those shipping Poe and Finn - despite the film touting the franchise's first same-sex kiss. With the final battle looming, will Rey discover who she really is? Will she be persuaded by Kylo Ren to join the dark side? Or will they join forces? And how does ‘forcetiming’ play into all of this?
You can read Sam Adams’ review here.
You can also check out past Spoiler Specials, and you can subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts. Note: As the title indicates, spoilers galore.
Email us at [email protected].
Hosts
Dana Stevens is Slate’s movie critic.
Forrest Wickman is Slate’s culture editor.
Sam Adams is a Slate senior editor and the editor of Slate’s culture blog, Brow Beat.
Marissa Martinelli is a Slate assistant editor.
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What a year 2019 has been! After a 9-month hiatus, Thirst Aid Kit found a new home at Slate and we had much to catch up on— so much so that we weren’t able to get to as many listener-submitted drabbles or Thirst Sommelier requests as we wanted. In this episode, we correct that oversight by answering some questions from our tumblr page, helping a couple of Thirst Buckets find a new Nick Miller from New Girl and a new Nicholas Braun (aka Cousin Greg of Succession) to crush on, and by reading some drabbles about Chris Evans, Frank Ocean, and Chris Pang. We also highlight some key moments in thirst: Manny Jacinto’s infamous jawline, Keanu Reeves’ Renaissance, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II’s everything, Chris Evans’ knitwear in Knives Out, plus Adam Driver and Harry Styles. Thank you to all of our listeners, old and new, for lusting out loud with us. We’ll be back in the new year, and until then, stay thirsty!
Follow us on Twitter @ThirstAidKit. Bim is @bimadew and Nichole is @tnwhiskeywoman. Our music is by Tanya Morgan. You can find show notes, gifs and so much more on our Tumblr at thirstaidkitpodcast.tumblr.com. You can make use of our Thirst Sommelier service by calling and leaving a BRIEF message at (510) 984 4778. That’s (510) 9-THIRST. We also love fanfic — send us your drabbles (along with your pronouns) and we might read them out on the show! We’re at [email protected].
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Stephen Metcalf, Dana Stevens, and Julia Turner talk to TV critic Willa Paskin about the state of the medium, discuss Mariah Carey's surprise Christmas number one hit, and discuss the Peloton ad that has the internet atwitter.
This episode is brought to you by Everlane. Check out your personalized collection today at everlane.com/culture.
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Welcome to The Authority, Slate’s deep dive into the world(s) of HBO’s His Dark Materials. Each week, Slate’s scholars of experimental theology Dan Kois and Laura Miller discuss the new HBO series and Philip Pullman’s original trilogy. This week, they’re discussing episode 7, “The Fight To The Death,” in which Lyra travels to Svalbard and meets lofur Raknison, the ruler of the panserbjørne.
Join the conversation:
Email: [email protected]
Dan Kois on Twitter: @dankois
Laura Miller on Twitter: @magiciansbook
Podcast production by Phil Surkis, with engineering assistance from Melissa Kaplan.
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On the Spoiler Special podcast, Slate critics discuss movies, the occasional TV show, and, once in a blue moon, another podcast, in full spoiler-filled detail. This week, Dana Stevens, Jeffrey Bloomer and Heather Schwedel discuss Uncut Gems.
Howard Ratner (Adam Sandler), owner of a small jewelry store in Manhattan, racked up a gambling debt while the rest of his life is collapsing. He’s trying to avoid creditors when his shop receives an illegal gem from Ethiopia. This rock, Ratner thinks, is his ticket out of debt. He temporarily trades Kevin Garnett, of the Boston Celtics, the rock for Garnett’s NBA Championship. Ratner pawns the ring to bet on the championship game. Will The Celtics win? Will Garnett get his ring back? Will Ratner finally get out of debt?
You can read Dana Stevens’ review here.
You can also check out past Spoiler Specials, and you can subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts. Note: As the title indicates, spoilers galore.
Email us at [email protected].
Podcast Production by Rosemary Belson.
Hosts
Dana Stevens is Slate’s movie critic.
Jeffrey Bloomer is a Slate senior editor. He edits and writes for the human interest and culture sections.
Heather Schwedel is a Slate staff writer.
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Does Randall Park know what he does to us? We only ask because whether it’s performing a classic prank as Asian Jim on The Office or punching Keanu Reeves in Always Be My Maybe, Randall keeps showing us he’s one to watch, whether on network TV, in lesser known indie films, or in superhero franchises. He’s an “overnight” success only if you typically sleep for 15 years a night — and the result is he leaves his fingerprint on every script he touches. Plus he’s got the cutest smile, the warmest eyes, and that low key ‘grown man heat’ we’ll never get tired of. PS: Get ready for Fanfic Wars. This one’s a banger. You’ve been warned!
Follow us on Twitter @ThirstAidKit. Bim is @bimadew and Nichole is @tnwhiskeywoman. Our music is by Tanya Morgan. You can find show notes, gifs and so much more on our Tumblr at thirstaidkitpodcast.tumblr.com. You can make use of our Thirst Sommelier service by calling and leaving a BRIEF message at (510) 984 4778. That’s (510) 9-THIRST. We also love fanfic — send us your drabbles (along with your pronouns) and we might read them out on the show! We’re at [email protected].
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Stephen Metcalf, Dana Stevens, and Julia Turner discuss The Marriage Story, speak with author Simon Doonan about the death of the department store window display, and debate whether social media killed our sense of time - and the 2010s as a decade.
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Welcome to The Authority, Slate’s deep dive into the world(s) of HBO’s His Dark Materials. Each week, Slate’s scholars of experimental theology Dan Kois and Laura Miller discuss the new HBO series and Philip Pullman’s original trilogy. This week, they’re discussing episode 6, “The Daemon-Cages”, in which Lyra sees firsthand what they’re up to at Bolvanger. Plus: a closer look at intercision.
Join the conversation:
Email: [email protected]
Dan Kois on Twitter: @dankois
Laura Miller on Twitter: @magiciansbook
Podcast production by Phil Surkis, with engineering assistance from Rosemary Belson.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Nick Spark fell down a rabbit hole tracking down the origins of Murphy’s Law, the ubiquitous phrase that says “If it can go wrong, it will go wrong”. On this episode of Decoder Ring, we follow Nick on his journey while taking a few detours of our own to find out how Murphy’s Law was [maybe] born out of the rocket sled experiments of the dawning jet age. We talk to Nick, hear some of the recordings he collected during his own research, plus talk to researchers who are skeptical of Nick’s hypothesis, all to try and find out how an obscure engineering aphorism spread to world-conquering philosophical observation.
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On the Spoiler Special podcast, Slate critics discuss movies, the occasional TV show, and, once in a blue moon, another podcast, in full spoiler-filled detail. This week, Dana Stevens and Sam Adams discuss Noah Baumbach’s Marriage Story. Charlie and Nicole have decided to end their marriage. Now they need to figure out how to get a divorce. Can they keep the proceedings civil or will it escalate to a fraught situation as divorce lawyers pit them against each other? Will Charlie have to uproot his life to maintain custody? What will happen to the kid? At the end of the divorce, will they even be able to remember why they fell in love in the first place?
You can read Dana Stevens’ review here.
You can also check out past Spoiler Specials, and you can subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts. Note: As the title indicates, spoilers galore.
Email us at [email protected].
Podcast Production by Rosemary Belson.
Hosts
Dana Stevens is Slate’s movie critic.
Sam Adams is a Slate senior editor and the editor of Slate’s culture blog, Brow Beat.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
This episode is brought to you by Everlane. Check out your personalized collection today at everlane.com/momanddad.
On this week’s episode: Dan, Jamilah, and guest host Katherine Goldstein answer listener questions from a parent looking for ways to enjoy family visits and a neighbor who is worried for the kids next door who were left behind. For Slate Plus, what should you NOT say to someone expecting twins. Sign up for Slate Plus here.
Recommendations:
Jamilah recommends matching outfits with your kid.
Katherine recommends Shrinky Dinks as a creative way to pass a few hours.
Dan recommends That Was Awkward: The Art and Etiquette of the Awkward Hug from Emily Flake.
Join us on Facebook and email us at [email protected] to tell us what you thought of today’s show and give us ideas for what we should talk about in future episodes. Got questions that you’d like us to answer? Call and leave us a message at 424-255-7833.
Podcast produced by Rosemary Belson.
Hosts
Jamilah Lemieux is a writer, cultural critic, and communications strategist based in California.
Dan Kois is an editor and writer at Slate. He’s the author of How to Be a Family and the co-author of The World Only Spins Forward.
Katherine Goldstein is a journalist as well as the creator and host of The Double Shift, a reported, narrative podcast about a new generation of working mothers.
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Wyatt Cenac knows funny. You may have heard him in everything from Bojack Horseman to Archer and Bob’s Burgers. He was a writer for King of the Hill, a correspondent on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, and starred in Barry Jenkins’ first full-length feature film Medicine for Melancholy. He’s also starred in his own stand-up specials, one of which, Wyatt Cenac: Brooklyn, was nominated in 2015 for Best Comedy Album (Grammy’s). Like we said, this man knows his funny.
Follow us on Twitter @ThirstAidKit. Bim is @bimadew and Nichole is @tnwhiskeywoman. Our music is by Tanya Morgan. You can find show notes, gifs and so much more on our Tumblr at thirstaidkitpodcast.tumblr.com. You can make use of our Thirst Sommelier service by calling and leaving a BRIEF message at (510) 984 4778. That’s (510) 9-THIRST. We also love fanfic — send us your drabbles (along with your pronouns) and we might read them out on the show! We’re at [email protected].
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Stephen Metcalf, Dana Stevens, and Julia Turner discuss Knives Out, speak with New York Times columnist Jamelle Bouie about Watchmen, and remember Clive James with Adam Gopnik.
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Welcome to The Authority, Slate’s deep dive into the world(s) of HBO’s His Dark Materials. Each week, Slate’s scholars of experimental theology Dan Kois and Laura Miller discuss the new HBO series and Philip Pullman’s original trilogy. This week, they’re discussing episode 5, “The Lost Boy,” which cuts back and forth between Lyra’s adventures with the Gyptians, and the introduction of the character of Will Parry. Plus: a closer look at the alethiometer.
Recommended reading: His Dark Materials Illuminated
You can also read Laura’s Slate piece on Francis Yates here.
Join the conversation:
Email: [email protected]
Dan Kois on Twitter: @dankois
Laura Miller on Twitter: @magiciansbook
Podcast production by Phil Surkis, with engineering assistance from Rosemary Belson.
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On the Spoiler Special podcast, Slate critics discuss movies, the occasional TV show, and, once in a blue moon, another podcast, in full spoiler-filled detail. This week, Dana Stevens and Forrest Wickman discuss Knives Out, the whodunnit from Rian Johnson. Renowned crime novelist Harlan Thrombey’s death following his 85th birthday party sparks a twisted hunt for the murderer. The suspects: his own family. Can celebrity detective Benoit Blanc (Daniel Craig) pin down Thrombey’s eccentric family intent on avoiding suspicion. What happens when they find out Harlan’s personal nurse, Marta, will receive his fortune? And what role does ICE have in a potential motive?
You can read Dana Stevens’ review here.
You can also check out past Spoiler Specials, and you can subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts. Note: As the title indicates, spoilers galore.
Email us at [email protected].
Podcast Production by Rosemary Belson.
Hosts
Dana Stevens is Slate’s movie critic.
Forrest Wickman is Slate’s culture editor.
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On this week’s episode: Dan and Jamilah are live from the Miami Book Fair where they are joined by Pamela Paul, author of How to Raise a Reader and Adam Mansbach, author of Fuck, Now There Are Two of You. This week the hosts discuss scaring their kids with inappropriate books and making the most out of children with different schedules.
For Slate Plus, the hosts discuss if parenting really is harder nowadays—or do we just hear more about the trials and tribulations in books, blogs or even, ahem, podcasts… Sign up for Slate Plus here.
Recommendations:
Jamilah recommends non-traditional Thanksgiving dinner.
Dan recommends game-ifying Christmas stockings.
Pamela recommends Lucy Knisley’s book You Are New.
Adam recommends the book Laugh Lines: Forty Years Trying to Make Funny People Funnier.
Join us on Facebook and email us at [email protected] to tell us what you thought of today’s show and give us ideas for what we should talk about in future episodes. Got questions that you’d like us to answer? Call and leave us a message at 424-255-7833.
Podcast produced by Rosemary Belson.
Hosts
Dan Kois is an editor and writer at Slate. He’s the author of How to Be a Family and the co-author of The World Only Spins Forward.
Jamilah Lemieux is a writer, cultural critic, and communications strategist based in Brooklyn, New York.
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The thing about Jake Johnson is: so. many. people. fancy. him! Is it because he legitimately looks like a guy you might bump into at your neighbourhood bar? Or is it because he serves up a specifically appealing mix of gruff, grumpy heat (with truly *superb* onscreen kiss abilities!) that just makes you want to join him on the sofa and rail at modern life? We discuss his many forms and charms, from New Girl, to Into the Spider-Verse via Easy etc. We also have a couple of original drabbles that might make you sweat a little.
Follow us on Twitter @ThirstAidKit. Nichole is @tnwhiskeywoman, and Bim is @bimadew. Our music is by Tanya Morgan. You can find show notes, gifs and so much more on our Tumblr at thirstaidkitpodcast.tumblr.com. Send us your own short drabbles! We’re at [email protected].
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All decades of pop music swing between trends and fads—but the 2010s was swingier than most. From the maximalist EDM of the early ’10s to the downbeat hip-hop of the late ’10s, the pop pendulum oscillated more widely than you may remember. The same decade that gave us Adele’s stately balladry, Katy Perry’s electro-froth and Taylor Swift’s country-to-pop crossover also gave us the Weeknd’s bleary indie-R&B and Drake’s moody rap. And Bieber—so. Much. Bieber.
With just weeks to go before the end of 2019, Hit Parade walks through the last decade of the Hot 100, year by year, and asks: What was that? Arguably, what drove pop in the ’10s wasn’t just the production sounds of dance music or hip-hop but the technologies we used to consume music, as the shift from downloads to streams changed the contours of chart success. And in the end, one multigenre queen navigated these shifts better than most, finding pop love in a hopeless place.
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Julia Turner and Stephen Metcalf talk with guests about Gogglebox, a show that lets you watch Brits watch TV, Bon Appetit's "Gourmet Makes" on YouTube, and the best nonfiction books of the past 25 years.
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Welcome to The Authority, Slate’s deep dive into the world(s) of HBO’s His Dark Materials. Each week, Slate’s scholars of experimental theology Dan Kois and Laura Miller discuss the new HBO series and Philip Pullman’s original trilogy. This week, they’re discussing Episode 4, “Armour,” in which Lyra meets Lee Scoresby and Iorek Byrnison. Plus a deep dive into the mysteries of the Magisterium, with a little Milton and Blake thrown in for good measure.
You can also read Dan’s piece about Lee and Iorek here.
Join the conversation:
Email: [email protected]
Dan Kois on Twitter: @dankois
Laura Miller on Twitter: @magiciansbook
Podcast production by Phil Surkis, with engineering assistance from Rosemary Belson.
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On the Spoiler Special podcast, Slate critics discuss movies, the occasional TV show, and, once in a blue moon, another podcast, in full spoiler-filled detail. Sam Adams and Marissa Martinelli spoil Frozen 2. Weird things keep happening in the kingdom of Arendelle resulting from a generations long standoff. Elsa and Anna figure out what is happening by retracing family history. Meanwhile, Elsa keeps hearing a call that may help her understand not only her powers, but the root of the fued. Can Elsa make it north on her own? Plus, a nihilistic Olaf, magic wardrobe changes and poor proposal planning.
You can read Sam Adams’ review here.
You can also check out past Spoiler Specials, and you can subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts. Note: As the title indicates, spoilers galore.
Email us at [email protected].
Podcast production by Rosemary Belson.
Hosts
Sam Adams is a Slate senior editor and the editor of Slate’s culture blog, Brow Beat.
Marissa Martinelli is a Slate assistant editor.
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On this week’s episode: Dan, Jamilah, and guest host Elizabeth Newcamp answer listener questions from a mom who is contemplating telling her son he was unplanned before his father tells him. And a guide to making friends with other parents. How can you make the leap from school yard acquaintances to actual friends? For Slate Plus, the hosts reminisce about amusement parks memories. Can parents actually have fun? Or is it all about the kids? Sign up for Slate Plus here.
Recommendations:
Elizabeth recommends the U.S National Park Service’s Junior Ranger Program.
And in a stunning moment of unplanned host telepathy - Jamilah and Dan recommend the same thing: creating special handshakes with your kiddos.
Join us on Facebook and email us at [email protected] to tell us what you thought of today’s show and give us ideas for what we should talk about in future episodes. Got questions that you’d like us to answer? Call and leave us a message at 424-255-7833.
Podcast produced by Rosemary Belson.
Hosts
Dan Kois is an editor and writer at Slate. He’s the author of How to Be a Family and the co-author of The World Only Spins Forward.
Jamilah Lemieux is a writer, cultural critic, and communications strategist based in Brooklyn, New York.
Elizabeth Newcamp is a traveling mother of three boys who chronicles her misadventures at Dutch, Dutch, Goose!
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It’s difficult to separate ‘Joshua Jackson the actor’ from ‘Pacey Witter the character’ but we managed it in this episode! He may have captured our teen hearts but we’re also interested in what he’s been up to since then, on TV and on stage: Fringe, The Affair, When They See Us, Children of a Lesser God… Joshua brings a preternaturally mature persona that makes our eyes shine and our [REDACTED} tingle.
Follow us on Twitter @ThirstAidKit. Bim is @bimadew and Nichole is @tnwhiskeywoman. Our music is by Tanya Morgan. You can find show notes, gifs and so much more on our Tumblr at thirstaidkitpodcast.tumblr.com. If the spirit moves you, send us your own drabbles by emailing [email protected].
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Dana Stevens, Julia Turner, and Stephen Metcalf are live in at the Granville Island Stage in Vancouver to discuss The Irishman, Schitt's Creek, and creepy ads that follow you around. In Slate Plus: Questions from the live audience.
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Welcome to The Authority, Slate’s deep dive into the world(s) of HBO’s His Dark Materials. Each week, Slate’s scholars of experimental theology Dan Kois and Laura Miller discuss the new HBO series and Philip Pullman’s original trilogy. This week, they’re discussing Episode 3, “The Spies,” with a closer look at the relationship between Lyra and the Gyptians.
Join the conversation:
Email: [email protected]
Dan Kois on Twitter: @dankois
Laura Miller on Twitter: @magiciansbook
Podcast production by Phil Surkis, with engineering assistance from Melissa Kaplan.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
On the Spoiler Special podcast, Slate critics discuss movies, the occasional TV show, and, once in a blue moon, another podcast, in full spoiler-filled detail. This week, Sam Adams and Matthew Dessem spoil Doctor Sleep. Dan Torrance is now an adult. But he’s still majorly affected by what happened in Overlook Hotel. He unites with a girl who has a strong shining, which makes them both a target of a cult looking to feed on their steam. Can Dan and Abra fend off Rose The Hat? And will another round with the ghosts at the Overlook Hotel make Dan a dull boy?
You can read Sam Adams’ review here.
Note: As the title indicates, this podcast contains spoilers galore.
Email us at [email protected].
Podcast production by Rosemary Belson.
Hosts
Sam Adams is a Slate senior editor and the editor of Slate’s culture blog, Brow Beat.
Matthew Dessem is Brow Beat’s nights and weekends editor and the author of a biography of screenwriter and director Clyde Bruckman.
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On this week’s episode: Dan, Jamilah, and guest host Greg Lavallee answer listener questions from a parent whose daughter is afraid of the water and a mom who needs a response strategy for a disrespectful kiddo. For Slate Plus, the hosts strategize date night. Are microdates the solution to a busy schedule? Or is it worth the effort of hiring a babysitter to go out? Sign up for Slate Plus here.
Recommendations:
Jamilah recommends a newfangled entertainment destination… a place where you could spend hours without spending any money…. The MALL.
Greg recommends Shashibo, a mesmerizing magnetic puzzle.
Dan recommends Boom Blast Stix for little kids and Telestrations for bigger ones.
Join us on Facebook and email us at [email protected] to tell us what you thought of today’s show and give us ideas for what we should talk about in future episodes. Got questions that you’d like us to answer? Call and leave us a message at 424-255-7833.
Podcast produced by Rosemary Belson.
Hosts
Dan Kois is an editor and writer at Slate. He’s the author of How to Be a Family and the co-author of The World Only Spins Forward.
Jamilah Lemieux is a writer, cultural critic, and communications strategist based in Brooklyn, New York.
Greg Lavallee is the director of technology at Slate.
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Dana Stevens, Julia Turner, and Stephen Metcalf are live in Los Angeles to discuss Parasite with the LA Times critic Justin Chang, happiness in the modern world, and Dickinson from Apple TV+, with showrunner Alena Smith.
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You know it, you see it: there’s something about Lakeith. It’s there in Atlanta, in Get Out, in Someone Great… the list goes on. It’s actually many things — ace acting ability, a bucketload of confident, quirky charm, and a presence that belies his slight and lovely frame, all in a relatively short career so far. We wade through all these thirst-inducing attributes, as well as what it means to fancy a Thirst Object when they’ve messed up… We also have a reader drabble about an old TAK fave, as well as our own new Lakeith-centric fanfic. It’s a good day to be thirsty, pals.
Follow us on Twitter @ThirstAidKit. Bim is @bimadew and Nichole is @tnwhiskeywoman. Our music is by Tanya Morgan. You can find show notes, gifs and so much more on our Tumblr at thirstaidkitpodcast.tumblr.com. Send us your own drabbles! We’re at [email protected].
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The Authority is Slate’s deep dive into the world(s) of HBO’s His Dark Materials. Each week, Slate’s scholars of experimental theology Dan Kois and Laura Miller discuss the new HBO series and Philip Pullman’s original trilogy. This week, they’re discussing Episode 2, The Idea of North”, studying the relationship between Lyra and Mrs. Coulter, and a closer look at daemons.
Join the conversation:
Email: [email protected]
Dan Kois on Twitter: @dankois
Laura Miller on Twitter: @magiciansbook
Podcast production by Phil Surkis, with engineering assistance from Melissa Kaplan.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
On the Spoiler Special podcast, Slate critics discuss movies, the occasional TV show, and, once in a blue moon, another podcast, in full spoiler-filled detail. Marissa Martinelli, Inkoo Kang and Heather Schwedel spoil Last Christmas. Emilia Clarke’s character, Kate, is a walking disaster. She’s working as Santa’s elf when she meets Henry Golding’s character, Tom, who tries to help her get back on her feet. He’s charming and handsome. And has a good heart. Something they both share. But what’s Tom’s real motive? Why does Kate’s heart feel funky? And what does Brexit have to do with any of this?
You can read Inkoo Kang’s review here.
You can also check out past Spoiler Specials, and you can subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts. Note: As the title indicates, spoilers galore.
Email us at [email protected].
Podcast Production by Rosemary Belson.
Hosts
Marissa Martinelli is a Slate assistant editor.
Inkoo Kang is a staff writer in Slate’s culture department. She writes about movies, television, and more.
Heather Schwedel is a Slate staff writer.
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This episode is brought to you by Everlane. Check out your personalized collection today at everlane.com/momanddad.
On this week’s episode: Jamilah, Dan and guest host Ezekiel answer listener questions from a mom whose ex-husband’s abrupt move may upend her living arrangements. And the hosts strategize how they’ll survive Elsa’s new big song in Frozen 2 with Slate’s Ruth Graham. For Slate Plus, the hosts advise parents on how to talk to kids about big social issues, like climate change and racism. Sign up for Slate Plus here.
Recommendations:
Jamilah recommends improving with your kids, which is fun and free.
Ezekiel recommends The Lorax movie - the 1972 version only.
Dan recommends The Authority, a new podcast where Dan and Slate’s Laura Miller break down His Dark Materials.
Join us on Facebook and email us at [email protected] to tell us what you thought of today’s show and give us ideas for what we should talk about in future episodes. Got questions that you’d like us to answer? Call and leave us a message at 424-255-7833.
Podcast produced by Rosemary Belson.
Hosts
Jamilah Lemieux is a writer, cultural critic, and communications strategist based in Brooklyn, New York.
Dan Kois is an editor and writer at Slate. He’s the author of How to Be a Family and the co-author of The World Only Spins Forward.
Ezekiel Kweku is a writer based in the San Francisco Bay Area. He’s also a politics editor at New York Magazine‘s Daily Intelligencer.
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We say Sudeikis, you say Mantzoukas, let's call the whole thing off! Yes, it's a 'two for one' deal on this week's episode, in which we examine two funnymen named Jason and figure out their very distinct and very different brands of sex appeal. Sudeikis is all charm in a bottle and Mantzoukas has his wildman persona, and yet both satisfy our varied thirsts.
Finally! We have the return of Thirst Sommelier and this time we’re helping someone find a suitable replacement for Shia LaBeouf, “good boy-bad man.” Fanfic Wars gets cozy and, of course, silly. With these two Thirst Objects, how could it not?
As usual, you can follow us on Twitter @ThirstAidKit. Nichole is @tnwhiskeywoman and Bim is @bimadew. Our music is by Tanya Morgan. You can find show notes, gifs and so much more on our Tumblr at thirstaidkitpodcast.tumblr.com. Don’t forget to send us your drabbles by emailing [email protected].
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Jenna Karvunidis invented the gender reveal party, but now she has regrets. On this episode of Decoder Ring, we explore the pink and blue world of the gender reveal party, and how Jenna's small barbecue celebration turned into a global phenomenon that's gotten way out of control. We talk to psychologists, historians, critics, and business owners, to figure out why the gender reveal is having such a big, bizarre moment right now, and how we can best understand the strange power they hold over social media.
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Stephen Metcalf, Dana Stevens, and Julia Turner discuss Netflix's My Name is Dolemite, Apple TV+'s The Morning Show, and the mass resignations that took place at the website Deadspin with Slate's Tom Scocca.
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Welcome to The Authority, Slate’s deep dive into the world(s) of HBO’s His Dark Materials. Each week, Slate’s scholars of experimental theology Dan Kois and Laura Miller discuss the new HBO series and Philip Pullman’s original trilogy. This week, they’re discussing the series premiere; weighing in on the show’s three primary characters, Lyra, Mrs. Coulter, and Lord Asriel; and going in-depth about the complex relationship between Jordan College and the Magisterium.
Join the conversation:
Email: [email protected]
Dan Kois on Twitter: @dankois
Laura Miller on Twitter: @magiciansbook
Podcast production by Phil Surkis, with engineering assistance from Rosemary Belson.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
On the Spoiler Special podcast, Slate critics discuss movies, the occasional TV show, and, once in a blue moon, another podcast, in full spoiler-filled detail. This week, Dana Stevens, Forrest Wickman and Sam Adams discuss the sixth installment in the Terminator series, Terminator: Dark Fate. Despite the sequels in between, T6 picks up where Terminator 2: Judgment Day left off. Sarah Connor is back and joined in the fight against Terminators by a Rev-9, a technologically advanced human and, of course, Arnold Schwarzenegger’s terminator. But will James Cameron’s return be enough to revitalize this nostalgic franchise? Or are audiences ready to say “hasta la vista” to the Terminator?
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If you were an angsty American teenager in the 1980s—whether in real life, or in a John Hughes movie—the rock you loved probably came from the United Kingdom, complete with droning vocals, brooding lyrics, goth hair, and black nail polish. The Cure, Siouxsie and the Banshees, Bauhaus, Joy Division/New Order, the Smiths: All these U.K. postpunk acts were hard-pressed to score American hits in the first half of the ’80s—the era of fun-loving New Romantic bands like Duran Duran. But to Gen X teens, Robert Smith, Siouxsie Sioux, and Morrissey were icons.
By the end of the decade, however, these bands became American hitmakers, especially after Billboard launched the music bible’s first alternative rock chart. Depeche Mode sold out a California stadium. New Order dominated dancefloors. The Smiths’ Johnny Marr became a guitar god, Morrissey an MTV crush object. And finally, in 1989, the Cure—dark, doomy, and moody as ever—were challenging Janet Jackson for the top of the Billboard Hot 100. Just in time for Halloween, Hit Parade tells the story of how spooky, spidery, U.K. mope-rock became chart-conquering pop.
Podcast production by Justin D. Wright.
Hosted by Chris Molanphy
Follow @cmolanphy on Twitter / https://www.twitter.com/cmolanphy
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Happy Halloween! This week there are no tricks, and only BIG OLE TREATS thanks to the top tier selection of Thirst Objects gathered. We asked our friend, writer and covert thirst-bucket Driadonna Roland to help us break down the dudes that make her weak in the knees… We started on Baldwin’s Beale Street with Stephan (StePHOINE) James, pivoted to the Boardwalk for Bobby ‘something’s about to go down’ Cannavale and traversed the Jabari kingdom for Winston ‘dem thighs!’ Duke. Fanfic Wars was a mixed bag of thirst as usual — don’t forget to vote for your fave drabble!
As usual, you can follow us on Twitter @ThirstAidKit. Nichole is @tnwhiskeywoman and Bim is @bimadew. Our music is by Tanya Morgan. You can find show notes, gifs and so much more on our Tumblr at thirstaidkitpodcast.tumblr.com. Send us your (short!) thirsty drabbles by emailing [email protected].
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Julia Turner, Dana Stevens, and Stephen Metcalf discuss the horror classic Rosemary's Baby, the TV show Modern Love, and Morrissey's political legacy with the LA Times' Randall Roberts. In Slate Plus: The Marvel vs. Scorsese kerfuffle.
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On the Spoiler Special podcast, Slate critics discuss movies, the occasional TV show, and, once in a blue moon, another podcast, in full spoiler-filled detail. This week, Forrest Wickman, Sam Adams and Dan Kois discuss Jojo Rabbit. Taika Waitit’s Nazi spoof takes a comedic look at how people, even children, get caught up in movements fueled by hateful ideology. But does the comedic lens allow for sympathization? As a young member of Hitler Youth nearing the end of WWII, Jojo Betzler, invents an imaginary friend... Hitler. What happens when Jojo discovers a Jewish girl hiding in his family home? And how does Jojo navigate those challenging his ideology and the imminent fall of Nazi Germany?
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Buttoned Up. Taciturn. No-Nonsense. We all know the magnetism of a stern man, and how it compels thirst. Writer, benevolent internet queen and genteel bisexual lady Nicole Cliffe joined us to discuss her many thirsts, both real and fictional — from her formative crush on Gillian Anderson as Dana Scully on The X Files to Mindhunter’s Bill Tench. We also made a stop at the door of stoic-but-filled-with-rage KGB agent Ilya Kuryakin (played by Armie Hammer) in The Man From U.N.C.L.E. Last but not least, we explored the flinty charm of 1920s-but-modern Detective Inspector Jack Robinson from Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries. Both our drabbles are caretaking masterpieces, if we do say so ourselves.
You can follow us on Twitter @ThirstAidKit. Nichole is @tnwhiskeywoman and Bim is @bimadew. Our music is by Tanya Morgan. You can find show notes, gifs and more on our Tumblr at thirstaidkitpodcast.tumblr.com. Don’t forget to send us your drabbles by emailing [email protected]. And you can leave us a voicemail at our new phone number, (510) 9-THIRST.
Be safe out there, thirst-buckets… undo your top button and get to it!
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Stephen Metcalf, Dana Stevens, and Julia Turner discuss the film Pain and Glory with Slate's June Thomas, the podcast Dolly Parton's America, and the Slate profile of Lauren Gunderson, the most popular playwright in America, with author Dan Kois. In Slate Plus: cats vs. dogs.
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Slate Money is obsessed with Succession, HBO’s wonderful drama about the lives of the superrich Roy family, so every Monday we’ll be discussing the previous night’s episode with spoiler-filled glee. In this extra special bonus episode, J. Smith-Cameron, aka Queen Gerri herself, and the New York Times Magazine’s Taffy Brodesser-Akner join Felix and Emily to discuss which of her lines were actually improvised, how she reacted to the Roman/Gerri storyline, what kinds of storylines and scenes were cut from the season, and more insights and hilarious tidbits from the show.
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On the Spoiler Special podcast, Slate critics discuss movies, the occasional TV show, and, once in a blue moon, another podcast, in full spoiler-filled detail. This week, Dana Stevens, Forrest Wickman and Inkoo Kang discuss Parasite. With Hitchcock-like quality, Bong Joon-ho plays with the audience in the upstairs / downstairs dive into economic inequality. The Kims, stuck on their low social rung jump at the opportunity to latch onto an affluent family. But how long can they keep the ruse up? What will they do to keep up the charade?
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We never wanted a hall pass for Zack Morris but our thirst for Mark-Paul Gosselaar grew from a tiny acorn into a mighty oak — JUST LIKE HE DID. From Pitch to the Passage, we explore what makes MPG the MVP: is it the well-groomed beard? The thick thighs? Or maybe the fact that he’s starred opposite so many black women and girls that’s got our foofs a-tingle…
This week on Fanfic Wars, MPG saves Nichole, relaxes with Bim after a fan convention. Plus [REDACTED] as usual.
Follow us on Twitter @ThirstAidKit. Nichole is @tnwhiskeywoman and Bim is @bimadew. Find show notes, gifs, and links on our Tumblr at thirstaidkitpodcast.tumblr.com. Share your drabbles with us there or email them to us at [email protected]. Our music is by Tanya Morgan. Thirst responsibly — wear shinpads!
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Dana Stevens, Stephen Metcalf, and Julia Turner discuss the Breaking Bad movie El Camino, The Great British Baking Show, and the streaming wars and the future of television. In Slate Plus, the panel discuss the work of critic Harold Bloom who died this week with professor Al Filreis.
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On the Spoiler Special podcast, Slate critics discuss movies, the occasional TV show, and, once in a blue moon, another podcast, in full spoiler-filled detail. This week, Willa Paskin and Sam Adams spoil El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie. After a relatively successful series finale, will El Camino be just as satisfying for Breaking Bad fans? Picking up where the series ended, Jesse Pinkman (Aaron Paul) is free and trying to figure out his next move. But after everything can Jesse truly start over?
You can also check out past Spoiler Specials, and you can subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts. Note: As the title indicates, spoilers galore.
Email us at [email protected].
Podcast Production by Rosemary Belson.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Unless you’ve been living under a rock you’ll have heard all the #ThirstDiscourse about Fleabag’s Hot Priest — and we’re here to peel back his cassock and reveal what lies beneath… We also look at his forebear, Sidney Chambers AKA the Sexy Vicar of Grantchester, solvin’ crimes, breakin’ hearts and listenin’ to smoky jazz. Plus, a quick rundown of the other sexy clergy of our youth and beyond. There’s also our usuals: [REDACTED], super-steamy Fanfic Wars, in which Nichole tries to teach Hot Priest something new ::eyes emoji::
As usual, you can folllow us on Twitter @ThirstAidKit. Nichole is @tnwhiskeywoman and Bim is @bimadew. Our music is by Tanya Morgan. You can find show notes, and more on our Tumblr at thirstaidkitpodcast.tumblr.com. Feel free to confess your sins… we mean send us your drabbles by emailing us at [email protected].
Thirst responsibly: Hot Priest is watching...
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Julia Turner, Stephen Metcalf, and Dana Stevens discuss the film Joker, Transparent's musical finale episode, and the question of Gwyneth Paltrow with critic Wesley Morris.
Producer's Note: You’ve probably noticed that this feed now features a lot of Slate culture podcasts beyond just our show. We’ve heard that some of you would prefer to get just the Culture Gabfest in your feed. If that’s you, Slate has created a new feed that should meet your needs. You can find it by searching for “Culture Gabfest” in Apple Podcasts, or Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.
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In the early 1990's Bart Simpson became a breakout star while also becoming a target in the culture war, culminating in president George HW Bush speaking out against The Simpsons as an example of a degenerate American family. Today on Decoder Ring we try and figure out why the H-E double hockey sticks people were so worked up about Bart Simpson by examining the great underachiever t-shirt controversy, bootleg Bart merchandise, the rise of the religious right, and more.
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Slate Money is obsessed with Succession, HBO’s wonderful drama about the lives of the superrich Roy family, so every Monday we’ll be discussing the previous night’s episode with spoiler-filled glee. This week, Felix Salmon and Emily Peck are joined by Lizzie O’Leary and John Collins to speculate on the “blood sacrifice”, analyze Roman’s newfound competency and reveal which Roy Family member they are.
‘Shiv Roy’s Turtlenecks Will Destroy You’ by Emilia Petrarca
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On the Spoiler Special podcast, Slate critics discuss movies, the occasional TV show, and, once in a blue moon, another podcast, in full spoiler-filled detail. This week, Dana Stevens, Forrest Wickman and Sam Adams discuss Joker. Though this bleak origin story is a departure from the traditional DC superhero movies, Arthur Fleck’s (Joaquin Phoenix) descent from mentally ill clown to murderous villain is clichéd and uncomfortable to watch. But is it just one bad day that leads Arthur down this path? Or is it a consequence of broken system failing to help someone in need?
This show is sponsored by Cloud 10 Click Here to Download: The Daily Popcast with Lance Bass
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If you like your comedy packaged in a bundle of silly, offbeat joy, then this week’s Thirst Object should appeal. We’re talking about Oscar-nominated director, writer and actor Taika Waititi. The lesser-spotted New Zealand silver-haired fox knows that going through the funny bone is the best way to our hearts — and brings a child-like glee to filmmaking that makes us want to go on an adventure with him.
Plus! We have Fanfic Wars, in which Nichole goes on a frightfest, and Bim enjoys baked goods. And we kick things off with a [REDACTED] to wet the whistle. ::eyes emoji::
Follow us on Twitter @ThirstAidKit. Nichole is @tnwhiskeywoman and Bim is @bimadew and. Find show notes, fanfic, and more on our Tumblr at thirstaidkitpodcast.tumblr.com. Share your drabbles with us there or email them to us at [email protected]. Our music is by Tanya Morgan. Thirst responsibly — don’t forget to wear headphones!
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Stephen Metcalf and Dana Stevens discuss the new Judy Garland biopic Judy with Slate's Sam Adams, Netflix's Unbelievable with Slate's Inkoo Kang, and welcome Simon Doonan back to the show to discuss his new book about the art and history of drag. In Slate Plus, more from the conversation with Simon Doonan.
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Slate Money is obsessed with Succession, HBO’s wonderful drama about the lives of the superrich Roy family, so every Monday we’ll be discussing the previous night’s episode with spoiler-filled glee. This week, Felix Salmon and Emily Peck are joined by Sarah Ellison and Gabe Roth to discuss Kendall’s new lady, the plot against Rhea and, of course, “Ken WA”.
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In the mid-1980s, Janet Jackson broke away from her world-famous, hit-making family and, with her Control album, rebooted both her career and pop style in the New Jack Swing era. The challenge was following it up—and Jackson and her producers, Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, didn’t make it easy on themselves.
In 1989, they produced an ambitious album with a portentous title: Janet Jackson’s Rhythm Nation 1814. But what could have been Control, Part 2 instead was a visionary LP that reinvented the socially conscious album from the era of Marvin Gaye for the ’90s, and envisioned what pop would eventually sound like in the 21st century. Rhythm Nation was a smash, generating more hits—and bigger hits—than any album in history. In fact, if Jackson and her label hadn’t pulled their punches with one final radio single, she could have set an all-time Billboard chart record that would have overshadowed any of the Jackson family’s historic achievements.
Podcast production by Chris Berube.
HostChris Molanphy
Follow @cmolanphy on Twitter / https://www.twitter.com/cmolanphy
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We’re back, thirst-buckets! We were away for nine months, gestating this thirst baby, and now we have returned… and named it Dan Levy! The co-creator and showrunner of the Emmy-nominated comedy Schitt’s Creek is our Thirst Object, and we have lots to talk about: his forever-coiffed hair, his intense eyebrows (inherited from his equally lushly-follicled father Eugene), his smirk, that makes us want to share secrets with him… We talk about how he actively creates a world in which homophobia is acknowledged but not made central to identity, and how kindness is the greatest aphrodisiac on earth. Yes, even greater than Keanu’s hair flop.
We also did a quick rundown of what we missed during our hiatus: America’s Ass™, the eyebrows, and cheekbones of Crazy Rich Asians, and what the heck sweater-wearing Hulk would be allowed to get away with, were he to ask…
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Julia Turner, Dana Stevens, and Stephen Metcalf discuss the movie Ad Astra, the HGTV show A Very Brady Renovation and George Packer's piece in The Atlantic "When the Culture War Comes for Our Kids".
Plus: The Emmys.
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Slate Money is obsessed with Succession, HBO’s wonderful drama about the lives of the superrich Roy family, so every Monday we’ll be discussing the previous night’s episode with spoiler-filled glee. This week, Felix Salmon and Emily Peck are joined by Lydia Polgreen of HuffPost and her wife Candace Feit.
They discuss the extremely watchable horribleness of Caroline, Logan and Rhea’s mysterious relationship and the reasoning behind of Candace’s tweet claiming that Succession is “the queerest show on tv (without any queer storylines)”.
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On the Spoiler Special podcast, Slate critics discuss movies, the occasional TV show, and, once in a blue moon, another podcast, in full spoiler-filled detail. This week, June Thomas and Seth Stevenson discuss Downton Abbey--the movie. It’s been four years since viewers visited the upstairs or downstairs of Downton. Much to our critics’ delight, seemingly nothing has changed, save for Lady Mary’s hairdo. As Downton Abbey prepares for the royal visitors, quips fly and schemes are afoot. But will the servants clash with the unsavory, arrogant royal retainers? And will Downton survive the visit with its dignity intact?
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Julia Turner, Dana Stevens, and Stephen Metcalf discuss the movie Hustlers, Ken Burns' PBS documentary about country music with Slate's Carl Wilson, and the saga of Caroline Calloway in The Cut. In Slate Plus, the panel discusses the life and work of photographer Robert Frank with Slate's Fred Kaplan.
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Slate Money is obsessed with Succession, HBO’s wonderful drama about the lives of the superrich Roy family, so every Monday we’ll be discussing the previous night’s episode with spoiler-filled glee. This week, Felix Salmon and Emily Peck are joined by Taffy Brodesser-Akner of the New York Times. They discuss Rhea’s role in the whole succession question, the meaning of “Argestes” and the many reasons to love Gerri.
Why Isn’t Anyone Talking About Roman’s Quirky Sits on Succession? by Megh Wight
Let’s Talk About the Clothes on “Succession” by Rachel Syme
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Dana Stevens, Julia Turner, and Stephen Metcalf discuss the new Netflix streamer American Factory, Lana Del Ray's new album with Slate's Carl Wilson, and talk to Dana about her recent residency at a nunnery in Idaho. In Slate Plus, the panel discuss their fantasy residencies.
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Slate Money is obsessed with Succession, HBO’s wonderful drama about the lives of the superrich Roy family, so every Monday we’ll be discussing the previous night’s episode with spoiler-filled glee. This week, Felix Salmon and Emily Peck are joined by Jacob Weisberg, former editor of Slate, and Katie Baker of The Ringer.
'It's a Woman's World: The True Heroes of Succession" by Katie Baker
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Jeffrey Bloomer, Laura Bradley, and Jack Hamilton discuss It: Chapter Two. They talk about the movie’s opening anti-gay hate crime, all the bizarre changes to the adult lives of the Losers’ Club, and whether Bill Hader really has a shot at an Oscar. Jack, Slate’s resident Stephen King scholar, also explains why the author’s work is suddenly ubiquitous again.
Podcast production by Phil Surkis
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This episode of How to Raise a Parent is all about the incredible things adults can achieve when we reconnect with the creativity that comes so naturally in childhood — the sense of pure possibility that seems to become diluted as we age. We’re looking to kids for creative guidance as we tap back into the vibrant imaginations and sense of play that fills and fuels childhood. To help us explore this unadulterated creativity, we talked to Danielle Krysa, an artist, author, blogger, graphic designer, and mom, and Tom Sturges, a music executive, author, teacher, and father.
Download and listen to How to Raise a Parent wherever you listen:
Stitcher
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Head here to learn more about this episode of How to Raise a Parent.
This paid podcast is produced by Slate Studios and DairyPure®.
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Stephen Metcalf and June Thomas are joined by a rotating third chair including Julia Turner, Heather Schwedel, and Benjamin Frisch to discuss Showtime's On Becoming a God In Central Florida, ESPN's The Sterling Affairs, and Taylor Swift's new album, Lover. In Slate Plus the panel discusses sports and their relationship to being a fan.
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Slate Money is obsessed with Succession, HBO’s wonderful drama about the lives of the superrich Roy family, so every Monday we’ll be discussing the previous night’s episode with spoiler-filled glee. This week, Felix Salmon and Emily Peck are joined by Slate’s own Allison Benedikt.
Follow: @felixsalmon, @Three_Guineas,@abenedikt
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Are you tired of hearing how awe-inspiring the Woodstock Music and Art Fair was 50 years ago for 400,000 lucky hippies in Bethel, New York? Imagine how the people of 1969 felt—specifically the millions who couldn’t go. Yet, in the age before YouTube and social media, the rest of America did catch Woodstock fever—weeks, months, even a year or more later—and they made stars out of many of the performers. By 1970, not only was the Woodstock movie dominating the box office; the soundtrack album and a constellation of Woodstock stars were crushing the Billboard charts.
This month’s Hit Parade offers a new take on Woodstock: To understand its legacy, you have to look at the charts long after August 1969. Chris Molanphy counts down 10 acts—some of them music legends, some of them short-lived hitmakers—who were materially boosted by the festival: from a guy hanging out backstage who got shoved onstage by desperate show organizers; to the band who loathed the whole experience yet saw their albums reach new chart heights; to the young man who arrived with no discography but kicked off one of the longest hitmaking careers in rock history.
Podcast production by Chau Tu.
Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now.
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This week Stephen Metcalf and Julia Turner are joined by guest host and pop culture aficionado Isaac Butler to discuss the cinematic ode to The Boss, Blinded By The Light. Then they dive into why they love the wacky, unique vibes of AMC’s Lodge 49. And finally, discuss the 25 year old phenomenon that is Friends and why the show’s popularity doesn’t seem to be waning any time soon.
And in Slate Plus, the subtle art of the ice cream order.
Links:
“The Dud Abides” By Laura Miller
"Attractive People Being Funny While Doing Amusing and Sometimes Romantic Things" by Willa Paskin
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Slate Money is obsessed with Succession, HBO’s wonderful drama about the lives of the
superrich Roy family, so every Monday we’ll be discussing the previous night’s episode
with spoiler-filled glee. This week, Felix Salmon and Emily Peck are joined by Slate’s
resident Succession stan, June Thomas.
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This week on Spoiler Specials, Sam Adams, Inkoo Kang and Nitish Pahwa spoil Blinded By the Light. How does it compare to past Gurinder Chada fare? Is the movie overstuffed? Does it really want to be a full fledged musical? Listen to them discuss!
Podcast production by Danielle Hewitt. Engineering by Asha Saluja.
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June Thomas, Benjamin Frisch, and Rachelle Hampton discuss Richard Linklater's Where'd You Go Bernadette, HBO's A Black Lady Sketch Show, and Slate's list of the 25 most important characters of the past 25 Years with Forrest Wickman. In Slate Plus, the panel adds their own picks to the important characters list.
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Slate Money is obsessed with Succession, HBO’s wonderful drama about the lives of the superrich Roy family, so every Monday we’ll be discussing the previous night’s episode with spoiler-filled glee. This week, Felix Salmon and Emily Peck are joined by Ryan McCarthy - who, as the former Editor in Chief of Vice, has a slightly personal connection to this episode.
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Stephen Metcalf, Aisha Harris, and Gabriel Roth discuss Jennifer Kent's new film The Nightingale, Amazon's streaming show The Boys, and the work of Toni Morrison with Sarah J. Jackson, professor at the Annenberg School for Communication at the University of Pennsylvania.
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Slate Money is obsessed with Succession. So we're going to be recapping and discussing the latest episode of Season 2 every week.
For the season premiere, Felix Salmon and Emily Peck are joined by journalist Edmund Lee to talk about the real world counterparts to the characters, proper yachting attire, and all the best Kendall Roy insults.
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Why is the ice cream truck business so bananas? On this episode of Decoder Ring we find out via three seperate stories about the strange world of ice cream trucks—about the first ever ice cream trucks in China, the ongoing ice cream wars of Manhattan, and the life of an ice cream family in Brooklyn.
Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now.
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On the Spoiler Special podcast, Slate critics discuss movies, the occasional TV show, and, once in a blue moon, another podcast, in full spoiler-filled detail. In this week’s episode, Forrest Wickman and Sam Adams discuss the first ever Fast & Furious spin-off, Hobbs & Shaw. Are Hobbs and Shaw really that different? Exactly how many tow trucks equal one helicopter? Why did The Rock need someone to throw him a t-shirt before the final fight scene?
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Stephen Metcalf, Julia Turner, and Dana Stevens discuss the new film The Farewell, Netflix's glass-blowing show Blown Away, and the life of legendary theater director Hal Prince with Isaac Butler. In Slate Plus, Steve explains why he left Twitter. Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now.
We're looking for a new production assistant! This is a paid, part-time position based in our office in Brooklyn, NY. Send an email with an attached resume and cover letter to [email protected] with the subject line "production assistant".
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On the Spoiler Special podcast, Slatecritics discuss movies, the occasional TV show, and, once in a blue moon, another podcast, in full spoiler-filled detail. In this week’s episode, Dana Stevens, Inkoo Kang and Mathew Dessem spoil Once Upon A Time in Hollywood. Will this really be Tarantino’s second to last movie? Is Cliff Booth a total Kato Kaelin? And what’s that ending all about? Listen to discuss!
You can also check out past Spoiler Specials, and you can subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts. Note: As the title indicates, each installment contains spoilers galore.
Email: [email protected]
Podcast production by Jessamine Molli.
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Stephen Metcalf, Dana Stevens, and Julia Turner discuss Tarantino's Once Upon a Time In Hollywood, Netflix's The Great Hack documentary, and a piece about chronic lyme disease in The Cut. In Slate Plus: Once Upon a Time In Hollywood spoilers. Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now.
We're looking for a new production assistant! This is a paid, part-time position based in our office in Brooklyn, NY. Send an email with an attached resume and cover letter to [email protected].
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This month, Hit Parade explores the legacy of songs by The Beatles topping the charts...without The Beatles. This is the story of how a discarded Beatles song, a superstar vanity cover, and a bizarre disco medley managed to top the charts with Beatles songwriting credits, but without the fab four.
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Stephen Metcalf, Julia Turner, and Dana Stevens discuss the new version of Disney's The Lion King with the New York Times's Aisha Harris, the social media app TikTok with Slate's Daniel Schroeder, and the TV series about Roger Ailes, The Loudest Voice. In Slate Plus: the panel discusses the new trailer for the film CATS. Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now.
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This week on Spoiler Specials, Dana Stevens, Sam Adams and Daniel Schroeder spoil Midsommar. What’s the least lame way to pronounce the title of the movie? Is the film too similar to Hereditary? Is the plot too telegraphed? Listen to them discuss!
Podcast production by Danielle Hewitt. Engineering by Merritt Jacob.
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Stephen Metcalf, Dana Stevens, and Julia Turner discuss the film Peterloo, the newly-streaming classic anime Neon Genesis Evangelion with Slate's Benjamin Frisch, and the legacy of Mad Magazine with Slate's Dan Kois.
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Over the last half century the decorative pillow has been crowding out our sitting and sleeping spaces, multiplying across our beds and couches decade by decade. For some, decorative pillows are a fun design accent, for others a symbol of useless overconsumption. Today on Decoder Ring we explore the world of the decorative pillow to try and figure out why they've become so ubiquitous and what they tell us about our homes, interior design, and the way we develop our tastes.
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This week on Spoiler Specials, Sam Adams, Inkoo Kang and Alex Barasch spoil Spider: Far From Home. Does Jake Gyllenhaal make for a good villain? How does the movie’s depiction of high school stack up? Where does the MCU got from now? Listen to them discuss!
Podcast production by Danielle Hewitt. Engineering by Cameron Drews.
This episode is sponsored by Anchor. Anchor is a Spotify-owned company that makes it easy for anyone to make a podcast, for free. Get started at www.anchor.fm/start.
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Julia Turner, Dana Stevens, and Stephen Metcalf discuss the film Midsommar, the life and work of the bossa nova progenitor João Gilberto with critic Nate Chinen, and the end of life-hacking with Slate's Laura Miller.
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Julia Turner, Stephen Metcalf, and Dana Stevens are joined by Chris Molanphy to discuss the song of the summer and our annual summer strut playlist. You can find our full playlist on Spotify, as well as a shortlist of songs selected on the show.
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This week on Spoiler Specials, Sam Adams, Inkoo Kang and Chris Molanphy spoil Yesterday. What’s wrong with the movie’s vision of the 2019 music landscape? What was Eleonor Rigby about again? Who’s the best Beatle? Listen to them discuss!
Podcast production by Danielle Hewitt. Engineering by Merritt Jacob.
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Musical theater is one of America’s greatest cultural products—and in the mid–20th century, it also dominated the Billboard charts, from My Fair Lady to West Side Story. But the rise of rock and roll in the ’60s sidelined showtunes on the radio. And even when Broadway tried to rock—from Hair to Jesus Christ Superstar—a new generation grew wary of characters breaking into song (unless they were animated mermaids, teapots or lions). And yet, in the 21st century, Broadway music has staged a cultural comeback: taking over our movie screens, making shows out of jukebox hits, and raising a new generation to believe they can rap like Hamilton and Lafayette. In this Tonys month, Hit Parade dances down the Great White Way to chronicle the tangled history of the Broadway musical on the pop charts.
Email: [email protected]
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Dana Stevens, Julia Turner, and Stephen Metcalf discuss The Day the Music Burned with Jody Rosen, about the massive loss of master tapes from historically important record labels due to fire, then CBS's The Good Fight with Vulture's Mark Harris, and Sally Rooney's novel Normal People.
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This week on Spoiler Specials, Dan Kois, Forrest Wickman and Marissa Martinelli spoil Toy Story 4. What’s the logic of the Toy Story Universe? As we ask of all sequels, does this one deserve to exist? Does the movie succeed as a rom-com?
Podcast production by Danielle Hewitt. Engineering by Merritt Jacob.
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When a band member leaves to go solo, usually it means the band’s best days are over. That’s what everybody thought when Peter Gabriel left Genesis in the ’70s. Except not only did the band survive—fronted by drummer-turned-singer Phil Collins, they got bigger. Then Collins went solo…except he didn’t ditch Genesis. In fact, his success made them bigger—one of the definitive pop bands of the 1980s, as Collins’s monstrous drum sound took over pop music. By mid-decade, current and former members of Genesis—even side projects from its guitarists—were all competing head-to-head on the Billboard charts. On Hit Parade, we explore the knotty family tree of Genesis, the unlikeliest group ever to become a Hot 100 juggernaut.
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Stephen Metcalf, Willa Paskin, and Marissa Martinelli discuss Big Little Lies season two, the movie The Last Black Man in San Francisco, and The Sims 4, with Slate's Dawnthea Price.
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This week on Spoiler Specials, Dana Stevens, Inkoo Kang and Sam Adams spoil Late Night starring Mindy Kaling and Emma Thompson. What do they make of the movie’s take on “diversity hires”? What exactly happened to Hugh Dancy’s character? What did they think of the Slate name check? Listen to them discuss!
Podcast production by Danielle Hewitt. Engineering by Merritt Jacob.
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The Culture Gabfest is live from The High Line in New York City to discuss the movie Late Night with Inkoo Kang, the life and work of Dr. John with Chris Molanphy, and King Lear with Isaac Butler.
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The King was an animatronic lounge singer who performed in Chuck E. Cheese locations in the 1980's and early 90's, but then he disappeared. The King was a victim of a conflict known as the pizza wars, when Chuck E. Cheese faced off against its rival, Showbiz Pizza for pizza arcade supremacy. The foot soldiers in the pizza war were the animatronic bands that staffed each location—including The King. This episode is a chronicle of the pizza war, with the founder of Chuck E. Cheese, Nolan Bushnell, it's rival, Showbiz Pizza's Aaron Fechter, the people who designed the characters and animatronics, and the people who continue loving these characters, like Jared Sanchez, who continue to create work with these once discarded creatures.
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This week on Spoiler Specials, Marissa Martinelli, Inkoo Kang and Heather Schwedel spoil Always Be My Maybe starring Ali Wong and Randall Park. What is the movie’s stance on food authenticity? What did they think of the Keanu cameo? Is it weird that Netflix references Netflix in its own movies?
Podcast production by Danielle Hewitt. Engineering by Merritt Jacob.
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Dana Stevens and Stephen Metcalf are joined by a rotating third chair of Slatesters to discuss Rocketman with Forrest Wickman, HBO's Chernobyl with Sam Adams, and the podcast Headlon: Running From COPS with Inkoo Kang.
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This week on Spoiler Specials, Marissa Martinelli, Inkoo Kang and Heather Schwedel spoil the Amazon Prime Original series Fleabag. Is the hot priest really that hot? Should there be a season 3? Is the show deserving off all of the hype? All that and more, in spoiler filled detail.
Podcast production by Danielle Hewitt. Engineering by Cameron Drews.
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Stephen Metcalf, Julia Turner, and Dana Stevens discuss the movie Booksmart, what it's like to lose 250 thousand dollars on Who Wants to Be a Millionaire on the occasion of its cancelation with Slate's Justin Peters, and Dana's new podcast Flashback with K. Austin Collins. In Slate Plus: the panel picks their favorite TV show endings.
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This week on Spoiler Specials, Dana Stevens, Jeffrey Bloomer and Christina Cauterucci spoil Olivia Wilde’s directorial debut Booksmart. Does the movie push to teen comedy genre forward? Is the high school depicted in the film realistic? How accurate are the queer characters in the film? Listen to them discuss!
Podcast production by Danielle Hewitt. Engineering by Merritt Jacob.
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Dana Stevens, Julia Turner, and Stephen Metcalf discuss the new, third film in the John Wick saga, the second season of Amazon's Fleabag, and the New York Times package on generation X and the concept of generations as a useful metric. In Slate Plus, the panel each recommend a piece of gen X art.
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In the second episode of Flashback, movie critics Dana Stevens and K. Austin Collins discuss the 1970 film Wanda, directed by Barbara Loden.
This podcast will soon be available for Slate Plus members only. Visit slate.com/flashback to sign up and subscribe now.
Production by Chau Tu.
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This week on Spoiler Specials, Sam Adams, Forrest Wickman, and Matthew Dessem discuss the action movie John Wick III. Does the laughable extremism of the violence in the movie, excuse the actual violence in the movie? Are stunt dogs really that talented or was that CGI? What was that ending and does it even matter?
Podcast production by Danielle Hewitt.
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Julia Turner, Stephen Metcalf, and Dana Stevens discuss the movie Long Shot, Netflix's new series Dead to Me, and the legacy of camp and the MET Gala with Slate's Bryan Lowder.
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This week on Spoiler Specials, June Thomas is joined by podcast producers, Daniel Schroeder and Benjamin Frisch to discuss Pokémon: Detective Pikachu. The hosts share their extensive knowledge of the Pokémon universe as they try to break down to lore for Pokémon newbies. They also share their thoughts on the Pokémon world as depicted in the movie and why plot doesn't really make much sense.
Podcast production by Danielle Hewitt.
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Julia Turner, Stephen Metcalf, and Isaac Butler discuss the new documentary Knock Down the House about women competing in Democratic primaries, the new animated sitcom Tuca and Bertie, and then Father of the Bride, the new album from Vampire Weekend with critic Carl Wilson. In Slate Plus, Dana calls in to talk about her time at the San Fransisco Silent Film Festival.
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Julia Turner, Stephen Metcalf, and Dana Stevens discuss Avengers: Endgame with Marvel-ologist Jamelle Bouie, the FX series Fosse/Verdon, and the dispute between Hollywood writers and agents with the screenwriter and Scriptnotes co-host John August.
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Videomate: Men is a VHS tape released in 1987 featuring 60 single men pitching themselves as dates to women on the other side of the TV screen, who could connect to these eligible bachelors from the comfort of their homes. In retrospect, Videomate: Men is bizarre and hilarious, 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 1970's, 80's, and 90's to find out why video dating once seemed like the future, and if that future is still yet to come.
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This week on Spoiler Specials, Dana Stevens is joined by Forrest Wickman and New York Times columnist Jamelle Bouie to discuss Avengers: End Game. How does movie Thanos differ from comic book Thanos? We know the “de-snappening” is coming, but how do they pull it off? Was this a satisfying end game?
Podcast production by Danielle Hewitt.
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Spin̈al Tap was right: Death sells. When musical icons die, their songs and albums climb the charts all over again—sometimes, a legendary artist even scores his or her only No. 1 hit. In this very special episode recorded live from the Museum of Pop Culture in Seattle, Hit Parade pours one out for the legends who topped the charts from beyond the grave. Chris is joined by some of America’s top music writers to discuss the unusual circumstances that brought everyone from Otis Redding to Janis Joplin, John Lennon to Kurt Cobain, Biggie Smalls to Prince to the top of the charts after their untimely passings.
Email: [email protected]
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Stephen Metcalf, Dana Stephens, and the New York Times' Aisha Harris discuss Beyonce's Homecoming documentary, Jordan Peele's new Twilight Zone, and the Mueller Report at literature with Marie Claire's Karen Schwartz.
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This week on Spoiler Specials, Marissa Martinelli, Daniel Schroeder and Rachelle Hampton discuss After, the teen romance film based off of One Direction fan fiction. Where, exactly, was this movie set? Can we be sure half of the script wasn’t made by a text generator? How does the movie compare to its predecessors like Twilight?
Podcast production by Danielle Hewitt. Engineered by Merritt Jacob.
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Dana Stevens, Stephen Metcalf, and Dan Kois discuss the fire at Notre Dame cathedral with New Yorker staff writer Lauren Collins, the new animated film Missing Link, and the saga of country/hip hop mega-hit Old Town Road with Slate's Chris Molanphy.
This episode is brought to you by Everlane. Check out your personalized collection today at everlane.com/culture.
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In this latest episode of Slate’s weekly Game of Thrones podcast, Sam Adams, June Thomas, and Dan Kois recap the season 8 premiere, “Winterfell.” The three chat about all the reunions, Dany’s faults, Cersei’s war strategy, whether the Night King is actually a good leader, and the Worst Person in Westeros.
To subscribe to the Game of Thrones TV Club and follow all of Slate's Game of Thrones coverage, visit slate.com/gameofthrones.
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This week on Spoiler Specials, Marissa Martinelli, Inkoo Kang and Heather Schwedel review Little. They talk the logistics of body switching movies, the zany fashion choices and Marsai Martin’s star power.
Podcast production by Danielle Hewitt. Engineered by Merritt Jacob.
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Stephen Metcalf, Julia Turner, and Dana Stevens discuss the stunning film Diane, FX's What We Do in the Shadows, and the debut album by Billy Eilish: WHEN WE ALL FALL ASLEEP, WHERE DO WE GO?.
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This week on Spoiler Specials, Sam Adams and Marissa Martinelli review Shazam! Where does this movie fit into the larger DC comic universe? What ever happened to Justice League 2? Also, what was that post credits scene about? Listen to them discuss!
Podcast production by Danielle Hewitt. Engineered by Merritt Jacob.
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Julia Turner and Dana Stevens are joined by The Atlantic film critic and co-host of the Blank Check podcast David Sims to discuss Tim Burton's remake of Dumbo, the life and work of Agnès Varda, and the social media kerfuffle over "St. Louis style" sliced bagels.
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When you think of Stevie Wonder’s legendary career, what chart-toppers come to mind? “Superstition,” right? Maybe “I Wish”? Okay, but what about the start of his career, on the Motown of the ’60s? You may not know that Wonder had only one Hot 100 No. 1 in his first decade—as “Little” Stevie Wonder—and it was truly exceptional, as in bizarre: a semi-improvised live recording of a “12 Year-Old Genius” refusing to leave a Chicago stage and say goodnight. Here’s the story of “Fingertips, Part 2,” and the years that launched a true pop icon. Wonder’s imperial run of classic, chart-topping, Grammy-dominating ’70s albums had their seeds in the joyous virtuosity, and fierce independence, on display in his very first hit.
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Julia Turner, Dana Stevens, and Willa Paskin discuss Jordan Peele's new film Us, Hulu's comedy series Shrill, and the bestselling book Dreyer's English with the author, Benjamin Dreyer.
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Truck Nutz are a brand name for the dangling plastic testicles some people affix to the bumper or hitch of their vehicle. Also known as Bull’s 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 Nutz are a surprisingly complicated signifier, one whose symbolic power is increasingly divorced from their real-world usage.
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This week on Spoiler Specials, Dana Stevens and Vanity Fair film critic, K Austin Collins discuss Us. They discuss why we should embrace the films imperfections, how this movie wants to be unpacked, and Lupita Nyong’o’s masterful performance.
Podcast production by Danielle Hewitt. Engineered by Merritt Jacob.
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Dana Stevens, Isaac Butler, and Benjamin Frisch discuss HBO's documentary The Inventor about the Theranos scandal, the meteoric rise of Rupaul's Drag Race, and Netflix's awkward attempt at branding itself in the wake of cancelling the beloved show One Day at a Time.
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Julia Turner, Dana Stevens, and Stephen Metcalf discuss the blockbusting Captain Marvel, Hulu's girl-puberty comedy Pen15, and the article Guilty with Seth Stevenson, about Seth coming to terms with being part of jury that convicted a man who didn't deserve it. In Slate Plus, Seth and the panel discuss their own personal experiences on a jury.
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Dana Stevens, Marissa Martinelli and Jonathan Fischer spoil the latest Marvel movie, Captain Marvel.
Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder
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Stephen Metcalf, Julia Turner, and Dana Stevens break our usual format to do an in-depth discussion of the HBO documentary Leaving Neverland by director Dan Reed about two men allegedly abused by Michael Jackson. First the panel discuss the documentary, then are joined by Slate writer Christina Cauterucci to discuss how the film treats the victims for good and ill, and then discuss the future of Jackson's musical legacy with Slate music critic Carl Wilson.
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In just a couple of years, Creedence Clearwater Revival generated one of the most amazing runs of hits in
American pop history: from “Proud Mary” to “Green River,” “Bad Moon Rising” to “Travelin’ Band.”
Reportedly, they even outsold the Beatles in America in 1969. But for all their success with those John
Fogerty–penned classics, CCR never held the No. 1 spot on the Hot 100. All of those hits were No. 2s: a
dubious Billboard chart record they hold to this day, for most No. 2s without a No. 1. True, it was the late ’60s,
and CCR had the bad luck to be competing with such chart titans as Paul Simon and Sly Stone…but
sometimes they were held back by No. 1 songs that are barely remembered today. In this episode of Hit
Parade, we break down the sequence of events that relegated CCR—a future first-ballot Rock and Roll Hall of
Fame band—to the charts’ permanent runner-up slot.
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Julia Turner, Dana Stevens, and Stephen Metcalf discuss the Oscars ceremony and its various controversies, Comedy Central's new show The Other Two, and how letter boards took over Instagram and our visual culture.
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Baby Shark is an megaviral YouTube video, an unstoppable earworm, a top 40 hit, a Eurodance smash, a decades old campfire song, and the center of an international copyright dispute. This month on Decoder Ring we explore the strange history and conflicted future of the song, what makes it so catchy, and how it came to be.
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In this week’s episode, Marissa Martinelli is joined by Slate culture intern Aja Hoggatt and Slate staff write Heather Schwedel to discuss Isn’t It Romantic. Was this movie even a parody? When did we first realize that that was not Chris Hemsworth? Is this going to be the new way of the rom-com? Listen to them discuss!
Podcast Production by Danielle Hewitt.
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Stephen Metcalf, Dana Stevens, and K. Austin Collins discuss the film Bohemian Rhapsody, the bonkers true crime documentary Abducted in Plain Sight, and the death of the Mars rover Opportunity.
To skip our spoiler segment on Abducted in Plain Sight, skip ahead to timecode 41:15.
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In this week’s episode, Willa Paskin is joined by Dana Stevens and Rachel Syme to discuss the Netflix original series Russian Doll. What does this show have to say about New York City? Would the show still work without Natasha Lyonne? Will we watch the second season? Listen to them discuss!
Podcast production by Danielle Hewitt.
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Dana Stevens, Julia Turner, and Stephen Metcalf discuss the film If Beale Street Could Talk, the TV phenomenon The Masked Singer with The Gist's Mike Pesca, and finally they deconstruct "The Stew"—the viral recipe that's seemingly everywhere.
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This week on Spoiler Specials, Dana Stevens, Inkoo Kang and Forrest Wickman discuss Lego Movie 2:The Second Part. Is there any logic to the Lego universe? What does the movie have to say about toxic masculinity? And what was WNBA superstar Sheryl Swoopes doing there? Listen to them discuss below.
Podcast production by Danielle Hewitt.
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For over a decade, Brett Johnson was a cyber criminal, a scammer, and a con man, but now he's a good guy, helping companies stop people like who he used to be. His story is the stuff of a prestige TV anti-hero drama, but real life is more complicated than a story.
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Julia Turner, Dana Stevens, and Stephen Metcalf discuss the Oscar-nominated film Vice, the Netflix streamer Sexual Education, and what to make of Netflix's "ratings" numbers with Slate TV critic and the host of Decoder Ring, Willa Paskin.
This episode is brought to you by Capterra. Try it today, for free, at Capterra.com/CULTURE.
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A Star Is Born, the movie Hollywood can’t stop remaking, is a fairy-tale about the American dream factory. But it has also, always, been a reflection of the woman in the lead role—and the latest version stars a woman who has been playing a role for more than a decade: Stefani Germanotta, a.k.a. Lady Gaga. When Gaga scored her first No. 1 hit, “Just Dance,” 10 years ago this month, critics thought her fame might be short-lived. But
Gaga had a lot to say about The Fame, and within a year she had shifted the sound of the Top 40 in her electro-pop direction. And then, in the mid-2010s, she shifted her own sound, belting out pop standards for everyone from Tony Bennett to Julie Andrews. What happens if this shape-shifter pivots from Grammys to Oscars? And what will that say about the themes of A Star Is Born: artifice, authenticity and agency?
This episode is brought to you by Slack, the collaboration hub for work. Learn more at Slack.com.
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Dana Stevens, Julia Turner, and Sam Adams discuss the dueling Fyre Festival documentaries on Netflix and Hulu with Slate writer Shannon Palus, Glenn Close best actress vehicle The Wife, and the 2019 Academy Award Nominations.
This episode is brought to you by Slack, the collaboration hub for work. Learn more at Slack.com.
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This week on Spoiler Specials, Sam Adams teams up with Slate Senior Editor Jeffrey Bloomer and the Editor in Chief of Screen Crush, Matt Singer to discuss the new M. Night Shyamalan movie, Glass. This is the third film in a trilogy that began with Unbreakable in 2000 and picked up again in 2016’s Split. The premise of all three movies is that comic-book-like superheroes live among us and have for centuries, but they keep a low profile and sometimes don’t even know they have powers. Does this film have the power to sway the favor of Sam, Jeffrey and Matt? This show gives you the power to find that out!
Podcast production by Phil Surkis
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Julia Turner, Dana Stevens, and Stephen Metcalf discuss the Golden Globs-conquering film Green Book with Vanity Fair's K. Austin Collins, Netflix's Tidying Up with Marie Kondo, and the art of the pan and the state of the bad review in criticism.
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This week on Spoiler Specials, Sam Adams and Vulture staff writer Kathryn Van Arendonk discuss the new Black Mirror interactive episode “Bandersnatch”. Do we really want interactive content from Netflix? Is there a base version of “Bandersnatch”? Does Black Mirror have to always assume the worst possible outcome? Make the decision and listen to them discuss!
Podcast production by Danielle Hewitt.
This episode is brought to you by Slack, the collaboration hub for work. Learn more at Slack.com.
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This is Life Effects, a podcast from Slate Studios and Teva Pharmaceuticals. In this episode, we enter the world of caregivers: the relatives and close friends who step up when sick family members need support. Often, it’s a full-time job, so it's not surprising that these caregivers can end up neglecting their own health.
Host Sara Ivry discusses this dilemma with guests Kate Schrock and Dr. Sandy Butler. In a rapid turn of events, Kate Schrock became a single mom raising a newborn and the primary caregiver to her ailing mother. Sara and Kate are also joined by Dr. Sandy Butler, a professor in the School of Social Work and a Resident Scholar at the Center on Aging at the University of Maine. Her primary focus is the health needs and social welfare experiences of low-income women.
The individual(s) who have written and created the content in and whose images appear in the articles, profiles, podcasts and videos from the Life Effects program may have been paid by Teva Pharmaceuticals for their contributions. This content represents the opinions of the contributor and does not necessarily reflect those of Teva Pharmaceuticals. Similarly, Teva Pharmaceuticals does not review, control, influence or endorse any content related to the contributor's websites or social media networks. All content on the Life Effects website is intended for informational and educational purposes and should not be considered medical advice or recommendations. Consult a qualified medical professional for diagnosis and before beginning or changing any treatment regimen. NPS-US-NP-00369 NOVEMBER 2018
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Julia Turner, Dana Stevens, and Stephen Metcalf discuss the court farce The Favourite, the awards frontrunner Roma, and the year in movies and Slate's Movie Club.
This episode is brought to you by Slack, the collaboration hub for work. Learn more at Slack.com.
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Dana Stevens hosts a selection of a few of our favorite Slate Plus bonus segments, offering them to our regular listeners for the first time. You'll hear Steve, Julia and Dana on being reunited with favorite childhood books, the great book vs. movie debate, the pain of writing a book with Sam Anderson, and whether to power through a book you don't like with Willa Paskin.
This episode is brought to you by Doctors Without Borders. Donate today at doctorswithoutborders.org.
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This week on Spoiler Specials, Dan Kois and TV editor at the New York Times, Aisha Harris, discuss Mary Poppins Returns. How does the film stack up to the original? How bad is Lin Manuel-Miranda’s cockney accent? Is there a bigger conspiracy behind Julie Andrews declining to cameo? Listen to them discuss!
Podcast production by Danielle Hewitt.
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Stephen Metcalf, Julia Turner, and Dana Stevens gather around the holiday hearth to answer listener questions in our annual call-in special! They answer questions about hobbies, British imports (with guest June Thomas), how having children has changed their cultural diet, and much more. Due to some technical difficulties, we connected to Julia for the introduction and first question on a phone line before restoring her regular recording setup.
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In the UK, the No. 1 song the week of Christmas is a big deal. The media breathlessly covers the contest, and there are even wagers placed on what song will reach the top of the charts as pop stars and record labels jockey for position. While there are patterns to the kinds of songs that tend to do well in this perennial sweepstakes, often the winner is a fluke: Everything from Queen to the Flying Pickets to Bob the Builder has taken the crown. It was even parodied in the smash British Christmas comedy film Love, Actually—and one year in the late aughts, the British public rebelled en masse against a music-TV impresario, making a statement with the unlikeliest Christmas topper ever. But in an age when songs sell less than they stream, and hits tend to snowball, will the sun set on the fluky British Christmas No. 1 empire?
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Dana Stevens, Stephen Metcalf, and Julia Turner discuss the movie Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, reappraise the Christmas film classic Love, Actually, and the year in TV.
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This week on Spoiler Specials, Dana Stevens discusses The Favourite with Washington Post columnist, Alexandra Petri.
Podcast production by Danielle Hewitt.
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Julia Turner, Stephen Metcalf, and Dana Stevens discuss Ralph Breaks the Internet, the Netflix documentary Dogs and the use of cliches in speech and writing.
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Julia Turner, Stephen Metcalf, and Dana Stevens discuss the film Support the Girls, the LeCarre TV adaptation Little Drummer Girl, and the saga of a writer at Thrillist who may or may not have killed a great burger joint.
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Jennifer Aniston’s story had it all: Heartbreak, secrecy, sex, betrayal. But what it also had was a new kind of tabloid: Us Weekly and its copycats. Brad Pitt leaving Jennifer Aniston for Angelina Jolie would have been a huge Hollywood scandal no matter when it happened, but it became an even bigger one because it was turbocharged by these tabloids. Almost 15 years later, the tabloid In Touch ran an issue with the headline “Brad Stuns Jen! Marry Me again!” What is going on? How is it still going on? Why is it still going on?
This is the last episode of Decoder Ring for 2018. See you in the new year.
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This week on Spoiler Specials, Sam Adams discusses The Ballad of Buster Scruggs with the author of The Coen Brothers: This Book Really Ties the Films Together, Adam Nayman.
Podcast production by Danielle Hewitt.
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From a very young age, Britney Spears seemed destined for stardom. The kid from Louisiana had landed a role on the revived Mickey Mouse Club and styled herself as a belter of power ballads. But to score her first No. 1 hit, Spears would team up with an introverted Swedish songwriter named Max Martin. He was trying to write American R&B and instead, through Britney and her high-school dance formations, created a new template for über–American teen-pop. This month, we go inside the Stockholm music factory—and its decades-long history, from ABBA to Ace of Base—that gave rise to a new generation of millennial pop, from the Backstreet Boys and *N Sync to Robyn and Taylor Swift.
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Julia Turner, Dana Stevens, and Stephen Metcalf discuss the Coen Bros. new film The Ballad of Buster Scruggs, HBO's Elena Ferrante adaptation My Brilliant Friend, and the art of adaptation.
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Julia Turner returns with Stephen Metcalf and Dana Stevens to discuss the film Widows, The British import The Bodyguard on Netflix, and the life and work of William Goldman and what the role of screenwriter means today.
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This week on Spoiler Specials, Dan Kois and Jeffrey Bloomer discuss the second installment of Fantastic Beasts franchise, Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald.
Podcast production by Danielle Hewitt.
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Dana Stevens, Stephen Metcalf, and Laura Bennett discuss the Melissa McCarthy vehicle Can You Ever Forgive Me?, Netflix's filthy but heartfelt puberty cartoon Big Mouth, and the death of Stan Lee with Slate's Jamelle Bouie.
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Dana Stevens and Stephen Metcalf are joined by The Atlantic's David Sims, host of the podcast Blank Check to discuss the two new Orson Welles projects on Netflix, Robyn's new album Honey, and the concept of the "blank check" in the film industry.
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This week on Spoiler Specials Dana Stevens and Sam Adams discuss Luca Guadagnino's remake of Suspiria.
Podcast Production by Danielle Hewitt.
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In a special bonus Halloween episode of Spoiler Specials, Sam Adams, Jeffrey Bloomer and Christina Cauterucci discuss the 11th installment in the Halloween franchise.
Podcast production by Danielle Hewitt
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On this spooky scary edition of the show: Dana Stevens, Stephen Metcalf, and Isaac Butler discuss the new Halloween reboot, Netflix's Haunting of Hill House, and the absence of women in horror film direction.
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Ong's Hat, or The Incunabula Papers, is a conspiracy theory that arose on the early internet. Combining cutting edge science, mysticism, and obvious hokum, it intrigued thousands of people who tried to find out what it all meant. Today we uncover the secrets of Ong's Hat, the man behind it, and the new art form it inadvertently birthed. Check out our showpage at slate.com/culture/decoder-ring
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②
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In Hit Parade’s “Def Jams Edition,” we told you about rap’s first wave in the ’80s. But in this sequel (don’t believe the hype!) we enter the ’90s with still no No. 1 rap hits on the Hot 100—even though the music was starting to dominate both streets and stores: from conscious rappers like Public Enemy, to gangstas like N.W.A, to left-field innovators like De La Soul. It would take Billboard rebooting its charts in 1991 tallying
record sales more accurately than ever with SoundScan data—for rap to get a fair shake on the charts. That boosted a new wave of crossover acts, from P.M. Dawn to Arrested Development to Sir Mix-a-Lot. But rap’s elders were not entirely thrilled at these new chart-toppers…and some rappers literally bum-rushed the show.
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Stephen Metcalf, Julia Turner, and Dana Stevens discuss the new movie First Man, the Netflix streamer Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat, and Slate's New American Songbook with culture editor Forrest Wickman,
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This week on Spoiler Specials, Assistant Editor Marissa Martinelli, Editorial Assistant Rachelle Hampton and Culture writer Inkoo Kang discuss The Hate U Give, the movie starring Amandla Stenberg based on the best selling novel by Angie Thomas.
This episode is brought to you by I Travel For, a new podcast that explores what inspires us to travel. Listen and subscribe today at https://apple.co/2DPEWJE.
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③ Dana Stevens, Julia Turner, and Stephen Metcalf discuss the new film Private Life, then are joined by Slate's Gabriel Roth to discuss the legacy of Doctor Who and its new season starring Jodie Whitaker, and finally a reading of Kanye West at the White House.
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Julia Turner, Dana Stevens, and Stephen Metcalf discuss the film A Star is Born, the TV documentary America to Me, and bring critic Wesley Morris into the studio to discuss his New York Times Magazine piece "The Morality Wars" about the state of art criticism.
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In Episode 1 of I Travel For, producer and culinary explorer Otis Gray eats, drinks, and forages his way across Great Britain. From the cultural smorgasbord of London’s Borough Market to an Indian pub in Birmingham to mushroom hunting in the woods of Hereford, Otis’ flavorful journey is guided by the recommendations and generosity of local Brits.
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Stephen Metcalf, Julia Turner, and Dana Stevens discuss Jim Carrey and Michel Gondry's new show Kidding, the CBC podcast Uncover: Escaping NXIVM, and the purpose and practice of dad jokes.
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Hotel Art used to be one of the ultimate symbols of bad taste, it was often ugly, kitschy, and strange. Today, the art you find in a hotel is far less likely to be the result of one individual's poor taste, and much more likely to have passed through an entire industry designed to help place art into hotels. Hotel art is now almost universally pleasant, if anodyne. How did this happen?
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Those falsettos, those white suits, those toothy smiles: You think you know the Bee Gees. But their story goes back much further than the ’70s, and it’s full of twists. From their roots as an eclectic harmony band in Australia and their first wave of Beatlesque fame, through their domination of the disco revolution and their years as an punchline, the Bee Gees stayed alive because of the Gibb brothers’ harmonies and especially their impeccable songs. This month, Hit Parade traces the influence of the brothers Gibb on virtually every popular genre, from pop to R&B, rock to easy-listening, country to…yes, even hip-hop.
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Julia Turner, Dana Stevens, and Gabriel Roth discuss the new season of the podcast Serial, the recent spate of post-#metoo essays by disgraced men, and the Amazon show Forever.
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What’s it like to be the woman at the helm of one of the most beloved contemporary TV comedies? On the first episode of Women in Charge, Julia Turner, editor-in-chief of Slate and cohost of the Culture Gabfest, talks to Aline Brosh McKenna, the co-creator, showrunner, and head writer of Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, about day-to-day life making a hit TV show. McKenna speaks about how she went about forming a team she can rely on and an environment in which everyone can succeed.
Subscribe to Women in Charge via Apple Podcasts, Overcast, Spotify, Google Play, Stitcher, or wherever you get your shows.
Podcast production by Jessica Jupiter.
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In this week's Slate senior editor Jeffrey Bloomer, Slate critic Inkoo Kang and assistant editor Marissa Martinelli discuss the Paul Feig mystery-thriller A Simple Favor. Which suit did Blake Lively wear best? Is the answer all of them? Were there even other people in this movie?
All that and more on Slate's Spoiler Specials.
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Stephen Metcalf, Dana Stevens, and Sam Anderson discuss Paul Feig's new film A Simple Favor, Sam's book Boom Town, and the delightful tradition of New York Post headlines inspired by "Beat the Meatles".
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Dana Stevens, Julia Turner, and Stephen Metcalf discuss the screen-based film Searching, Ariana Grande's album Sweetener, and the life and work of Burt Reynolds.
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Stephen Metcalf, Julia Turner, and Dana Stevens discuss Spike Lee's BlacKkKlansman, NBC's Making It, and the fire and incredible loss at the national museum in Brazil with Mauricio Santoro of the State University of Rio de Janeiro.
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Julia Turner, Stephen Metcalf, and Dana Stevens discuss the film Eighth Grade, the maligned TV series Insatiable with June Thomas, and Kelly Marie Tran's op ed about social media harassment.
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Paper dolls were a ubiquitous part of children’s lives for decades, and then mostly disappeared. David Wolfe was a boy growing up in the 1950’s, with paper dolls as his primary means of accessing a world of glamour and beauty that he didn’t see at home in Ohio. He’d go on to a career in fashion, guided by his paper dolls, just as paper dolls were falling out of fashion themselves, replaced by Barbies and other plastic dolls. This episode is about paper dolls, and their surprising connections to fashion, nostalgia, queerness, and David’s extraordinary career. Producer Benjamin Frisch co-hosts the show to explore the story.
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Julia Turner, Inkoo Kang, and Isaac Butler discuss the film Crazy Rich Asians, the TV show Younger, and what, exactly, is up with Elon Musk.
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Usually in this feed, you get Culture Gabfest. This week, we’re bringing you something a little different. A co-production between Target and Slate Studios, this is Coffee & Crayons, a podcast about navigating the highs and lows of back to school time. It’s a series of conversations full of insights and advice to help families thrive during tricky transitions. In this episode, Join host Mallory Kasdan as she talks with Joy Cho, founder and creative director of Oh Joy!, about encouraging kids to be creative and helping them express their individuality.. If you like what you hear, subscribe to Coffee and Crayons wherever you get your podcasts.
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June Thomas, Stephen Metcalf, and Dana Stevens discuss the TV BBC and Amazon show A Very English Scandal, the HBO film The Tale, and the work of Aretha Franklin with Jody Rosen.
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Slate culture editor Forrest Wickman, Slate staff writer Inkoo Kang, and New York TimesCulture Desk assistant TV editor Aisha Harris spoil Spike Lee’s BlacKkKlansman.
Podcast production by Danielle Hewitt.
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Dana Stevens, Stephen Metcalf, and Laura Bennett discuss Boots Riley's film Sorry to Bother You, HBO's TV drama Succession, and the summer of grifters and our fascination with scam artists.
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Stephen Metcalf, Julia Turner, and Dana Stevens discuss Mission Impossible: Fallout, the video game Fortnite, and a NYT Magazine profile of Gwyneth Paltrow and GOOP.
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What are the real reasons people go on reality TV? This episode follows the story of Ann Hirsch and Cathy Nardone, two women cast on VH1’s “Frank the Entertainer...In a Basement Affair”, a show about an adult man looking for love—while living in his parent’s basement. How did one performance artist and one accidental performance artist make it onto the show? And how did they behave once they made it there? Their story highlights the ways that reality television distorts narratives, obscures intentions and stereotypes women, yet is still irresistible to audiences and performers alike.
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Dana Stevens and June Thomas spoil Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again.
Podcast production by Danielle Hewitt and Daniel Schroeder.
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Guest performers have existed since, literally, the beginning of the pop charts—the first Billboard No. 1 hit had a featured vocal by Frank Sinatra. Throughout the rock era, some very starry guests have helped out with hits by everyone from the Beatles to Carly Simon to Chaka Khan. But for a long time, those guests received no credit at all. Today, their names are all over the pop charts. On this episode, we trace the evolution of the guest performer, from Mick Jagger to Bobby Brown to Cardi B.
Email: [email protected]
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It's our annual summer strut episode where we crowdsource the best songs for strutting around town from an exhaustive playlist curated by our listeners. In summer strut tradition, the panel is joined by pop chart-watcher and host of Slate's Hit Parade podcast Chris Molanphy to have a discussion about the song of the summer, followed by the formal summer strut list of picks: excavating a diverse crop of songs, from pop to acid jazz to hip-hop infused house, to lost disco classics.
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Stephen Metcalf, Julia Turner, and Dana Stevens discuss the film "Leave No Trace", Sacha Baron Coen's new show "Who is America?" and plastic straw bans as an agent of change and/or useless virtue signaling.
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Christina Cauterucci, Veralyn Williams and Lena Wilson spoil the second season of The Handmaid's Tale.
Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder and Shasha Léonard.
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In the second part of our two-part episode about the B-52’s and R.E.M.—the bands that put Athens, Georgia on the map, and helped define new-wave rock in the early ’80s—we trace how they transformed themselves from hipsters to hitmakers. One band waited years to graduate from an indie label to the majors. The other almost quit after an AIDS-related tragedy, before their pop breakthrough. By the end of the ’80s, their hits—from “Orange Crush” to “Stand,” “Channel Z” to “Love Shack”—brought them squarely into the mainstream, just as “alternative rock” was coming to define a new sound for the ’90s.
Email: [email protected]
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Julia Turner, Dana Stevens, and Stephen Metcalf discuss the summer blockbuster Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom, the appeal of the Netflix cooking-failure show Nailed It, and Scarlett Johansson's casting as a trans man, with Slate's Evan Urquhart.
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Dana Stevens, Stephen Metcalf, and Julia Turner discuss the new documentary about Mr. Rogers: Won't You Be My Neighbor?, the Netflix comedy special Nanette, and the World Cup, with Mike Pesca.
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The B-52’s and R.E.M. don’t sound all that much like each other. One group were avatars of kitsch, fusing punk, girl-group and garage rock—even Yoko Ono—into a retro-nuevo style all their own. The other group were mysterious, elliptical, often indecipherable, but they reinvented jangly guitar and classic-rock influences to make a new kind of New Wave. Together, this pair of distinctive bands helped make Athens, Georgia the epicenter of alternative cool in the ’80s and ’90s. In part one of this two-part episode of Hit Parade, we present the story of how the B-52’s and R.E.M. created a scene out of a college town—and became the most prominent queer-friendly, gender-fluid bands of their era.
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Willa Paskin, Sam Adams, Jonathan Fischer and Rachelle Hampton spoil the second season of Westworld.
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Dana Stevens, Stephen Metcalf, and Julia Turner Discuss Brad Bird's The Incredibles 2, the 30 For 30 podcast series about Bikram yoga, and the re-emergence of astrology with production assistant Daniel Schroeder.
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Decoder Ring is a podcast about cracking cultural mysteries. Every month host Willa Paskin,Slate’s TV critic, takes on a cultural question, object, idea, or habit and speak with experts,historians and obsessives to try and figure out where it comes from, what it means and why it Matters.
Today: The clown has existed in various forms for thousands of years, what changed and made us suspect and fear them? The modern birthday clown is a very recent invention, by going back into the history of clowns and clowning we see that clowns are far more complex and capable of far more expression than the kids entertainment of Bozo and Ronald McDonald. How those complex figures transformed into obligatorily sunny commercial mascots may also explain why they are increasingly seen as sinister today.
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Stephen Metcalf, Isaac Butler, and Laura Miller discuss the horror film Hereditary, the return of The Staircase with Rebecca Lavoie, and Isaac's Shakespeare podcast Lend Me Your Ears.
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Lend Me Your Ears is a six-part podcast miniseries exploring how Shakespeare’s works have shaped our modern views on politics. Each month, host Isaac Butler will dig into a different Shakespeare play to explore how Shakespeare was responding to his current events, and how they map onto our own.
In this first episode, Lend Me Your Ears is looking at one of Shakespeare’s most accessible works: Julius Caesar. Why was the Bard so fascinated with the fall of the Roman Republic? Why do we tend to turn to this play when we worry about society’s future? How have contemporary theater makers reinvented Shakespeare’s version of the story for their audiences, especially in troubled political times?
Subscribe to Lend Me Your Ears on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.
Slate Plus members get a bonus episode of Lend Me Your Ears every month. Learn more at slate.com/shakespeare
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Dana Stevens, Rachel Syme, and Lena Wilson spoil Hereditary.
Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder
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Julia Turner, Dana Stevens, and Stephen Metcalf discuss the movie Ocean's 8, the theory and practice of Instagram Stories, and the legacy of Anthony Bourdain with the New Yorker's Helen Rosner.
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Marissa Martinelli, Aisha Harris, Inko Kang, and Carmen Russo spoil Ocean's 8.
Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder
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Dana Stevens, Julia Turner, and Stephen Metcalf are live at S&S Farm Brewery in Nassau, NY for a secret summer getaway show. They discuss the c-word, the film Book Club, and perform an impromptu book club with the audience on Phillip Roth's The Ghost Writer. Plus, music by Red Headed Stranger and Franz Nicolay.
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Who gets to decide if Sherlock Holmes is gay? For over a century, fans of Sherlock Holmes have been analyzing, debating, and creating new texts with Arthur Conan Doyle’s characters. Decoder Ring explores the Johnlock Conspiracy, a fan theory about the BBC TV show Sherlock, positing the inevitability of a gay romance between Sherlock Holmes and Dr. John Watson. With interviews from historians, journalists, and fans at the heart of this controversial idea, this episode explores this theory, how it played out in the real world, and whether this kind of fandom is a meaningful way of interacting with fiction.
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Marissa Martinelli, June Thomas, Veralyn Williams and Lena Wilson spoil 13 Reasons Why.
Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder
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Dana Stevens, Julia Turner, and Stephen Metcalf discuss the film First Reformed, the podcast My Favorite Murder with production assistant Daniel Schroeder, and the redemption of Tucker Max with Slate's Laura Bennett.
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Even before the launch of MTV, the music video has been making pop songs buzzworthy. And since the early ’80s, it has transformed also-rans into hitmakers—from the Buggles and Duran Duran to Peter Gabriel and a‑ha. But until the early 2010s, watching a video didn’t count on the Billboard charts. That all changed thanks to YouTube—and the biggest immediate beneficiary from the addition of video to the charts was a rising pop star, incubated on the Disney Channel, but looking to change her image. Miley Cyrus was born into hitmaking, line-dancing, multimedia royalty, and she used video titillation—and even the social site Chatroulette—to top the charts. But what did all that provocation mean for…y’know, the music? And how is video still making hits—including the song that’s No. 1 this very week in 2018? Chris Molanphy explains it all.
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Forrest Wickman, Marissa Martinelli, and Sam Adams spoil Solo: A Star Wars Story.
Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder.
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Stephen Metcalf, Dana Stevens, and Julia Turner discuss the royal wedding with Simon Doonan, the death of author Tom Wolfe with Laura Miller, and the way TV shows survive cancelation by examining Brooklyn Nine Nine.
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Julia Turner is here to present the new podcast from The Gist's Mike Pesca, about the great "what-ifs" in sports. "What If I Hadn’t Written That Fan Letter to Dan Majerle in April 1993?", Jesse Eisenberg asks, revisiting a painful chapter of his youth when his beloved Phoenix Suns lost to the Chicago Bulls in the final seconds of Game 6 of the 1993 NBA Finals. Wracked by guilt at the possibility that his fan letter to the Suns’ Dan Majerle proved a fatal distraction, he imagines an alternate reality where he never put pen to paper. NBA legends Charles Barkley and Michael Jordan also make an appearance. Then there's a bonus conversation between Mike and Jesse.
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Forrest Wickman, Marissa Martinelli and Sam Adams spoil Deadpool 2.
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Dana Stevens, Sam Adams discuss the new film The Rider with Inkoo Kang, Childish Gambino's song and video for This Is America with Aisha Harria, and Jia Tolentino's New Yorker piece "The Promise of Vaping and the Rise of Juul" with Lena Wilson.
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Stephen Metcalf, Julia Turner, and Dana Stevens, discuss the new film Tully with Slate's Willa Paskin, who sticks around to talk about her new podcast Decoder Ring and the history of the laugh track, and finally: are you a brand? Should you be one?
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Julia Turner is here to introduce you to the new show from Slate's TV Critic Willa Paskin. Decoder Ring: the show about cracking cultural mysteries. Subscribe here to get episodes as soon as they're ready.
Every episode we’ll take on a cultural object, idea, or habit and speak with experts, historians and obsessives to try to figure out where it comes from, what it means and why it matters. Why do we get so invested in fictional romances? What does it mean to wear a baseball hat backwards? Why do we clap? What do people think about all day? Decoder Ring explores questions and topics you didn't know you were curious about.
In our first episode, we ask: What happened to the laugh track? For nearly five decades, it was ubiquitous, but beginning in the early 2000s, it fell out of sitcom fashion. What happened? How did we get from Beverly Hillbillies to 30 Rock? 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, we wonder if the laugh track was about something bigger than laughter.
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Julia Turner, Dana Stevens, and Stephen Metcalf discuss the Netflix documentary series Wild, Wild, Country, the flap over the White House Correspondents Dinner, and nooks and crannies of Youtube subculture with Slate's Justin Peters.
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Bon Jovi are many things: platinum-selling, chart-topping and now, Hall of Fame–inducted. That angers music critics, who have been slagging off this band of hard-rock prom kings since the 1980s. Among the haters is Hit Parade host Chris Molanphy, who has loathed Bon Jovi since high school. But even he can’t deny it: Bon Jovi are hugely influential. In the wake of their Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction, Chris puts aside his animus to explain how the biggest band in hair metal have remained strangely relevant—thanks to their deathless hits, their album sales and, more recently, their influence on a certain hair-metal-loving Swedish pop producer.
Email: [email protected]
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Dana Stevens, Jonathan Fischer, and Forrest Wickman spoil Avengers: Infinity War.
Production by Daniel Schroeder
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Stephen Metcalf, Julia Turner, and Dana Stevens discuss the new BBC America series Killing Eve, the film from Lynne Ramsay, You Were Never Really Here, and ask themselves: "should we delete Facebook?"
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Stephen Metcalf, Dana Stevens, and Julia Turner discuss the hit horror film A Quiet Place, the new adaptation of Howard's End on the BBC and Starz, and Barbara Ehrenreich's essay: "Why I'm Giving Up On Preventative Care".
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Dana Stevens, Julia Turner, and Willa Paskin discuss the return of ABC's Roseanne, Kacey Musgraves' album Golden Hour with Slate's Carl Wilson, and Molly Ringwald's essay in the New Yorker: "What About 'The Breakfast Club'?"
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Dana Stevens, Laura Hudson, Dawnthea Price, and Forrest Wickman spoil Ready Player One.
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Dana Stevens, Christina Cauterucci, and Sam Adams discuss the new Steven Spielberg film Ready Player One, HBO's new assassination comedy series Barry, and the Cannes Film Festival's decision to ban Netflix films from competing in the festival.
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In 1998, Madonna was at a career crossroads. After dominating the ’80s with hits like “Like a Virgin” and “Open Your Heart,” she spent the first half of the ’90s wavering between roles as a provocateur (Erotica, Sex) and adult-contemporary balladeer (“I’ll Remember,” “Take a Bow”). That’s when she took a sharp left turn, working with producers and deejays in the burgeoning electronica scene. If it even was a scene: The very term “electronica” was a music-business confection, and by 1997 it was more hype than hit. But the result of Madonna’s experiment—her acclaimed ’98 album Ray of Light—was not only one of her biggest smashes ever. It also helped turn electronic music into viable pop. Email: [email protected]
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Dana Stevens, Dan Kois, and Isaac Butler discuss the revival of Tony Kushner's Angels in America which recently arrived on Broadway, The World Only Spins Forward, the oral history of Angels in America, and the film Love, Simon with Slate's Alex Barasch.
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Dana Stevens, Forrest Wickman, and Inkoo Kang spoil Wes Anderson's Isle of Dogs.
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Julia Turner, Dana Stevens, and Gabriel Roth discuss Armando Iannucci's new film The Death of Stalin about the power struggle's in the days after Stalin's death in 1953 Soviet Russia, NBC's new musical series Rise about a high school drama director, and the power or lack thereof of Twitter metrics and if we'd be better off without them.
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Susan Matthews, Dan Engber, Jacob Brogan, Kirsten Berg and Alex Barasch sit down for a science-filled spoiler special all about Blue Planet II.
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Stephen Metcalf, Julia Turner, and Dana Stevens celebrate the 10th anniversary of the show live at The Bell House in Brooklyn New York. They discuss the film A Wrinkle in Time, go deep on the cultural significance of color, and are quizzed on past segments of the show by Hit Parade's Chris Molanphy.
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Dana Stevens, Aisha Harris and Forrest Wickman spoil A Wrinkle in Time, discussing how it translate from book to screen, if children will actually like it, and what the deal is with that flying lettuce.
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Dana Stevens, Julia Turner, and Stephen Metcalf discuss this year's Oscar ceremony, the surprise hit film "Game Night", and Daniel Engber's Slate cover story "Against the Octopus" with the author.
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Dana Stevens, Inkoo Kang and Marissa Martinelli spoil Annihilation, discussing what's behind the Shimmer, how DNA works, and the weird Annihilation noise.
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Julia Turner, Stephen Metcalf, and Dana Stevens discuss The Florida Project as part of the run-up to the Oscars, the hit podcast Atlanta Monster, and New York Magazine's article Worst Roommate Ever by William Brennan. Please fill out the Slate podcast survey at slate.com/podcastsurvey
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Watching this year’s Grammy Awards, it’s clear hip-hop is the dominant genre in popular music. But back in the ’80s, it was an influential but still underground style looking fora place on the charts and some mainstream respect. That is, until Run-DMC met Aerosmith. This month, how some out-of-favor ’70s rockers teamed up with the top crew in rap to remake an old hit—in the process, opening lanes for a trio of punks-turned-MCs, and a witty hip-hop lothario. We’re still feeling the reverberations today.
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Aisha Harris, Jamelle Bouie and Veralyn Williams spoil Black Panther.
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Stephen Metcalf, Dana Stevens, and Willa Paskin discuss Black Panther with Carvell Wallace, the return of Queer Eye with Bryan J. Lowder, and the state of the New York Times op-ed page.
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Dana Stevens, Stephen Metcalf, and Isaac Butler discuss the film BPM, the TV show Babylon Berlin, and the recent discovery of a new source for Shakespeare's texts.
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Stephen Metcalf, Julia Turner, and Dana Stevens discuss the film Phantom Thread, take a trip to the Met to learn about artist David Hockney, and follow up on Bullet Journaling with Slate's June Thomas.
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Dana Stevens, Julia Turner and Stephen Metcalf discuss the Oscar nominations and Google's Arts and Culture app with Represent's Aisha Harris as part of a show taped live at the Sundance Film Festival, presented by Dropbox. Then a discussion of the Sundance jury-prize winning documentary Three Identical Strangers, and endorsements recorded 'round the table at the ski chalet.
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Sometimes record executives and even the musicians themselves get it totally, completely wrong: thinking that throwaway, wacky song was destined for a single’s B-side, only to find it’s actually the No. 1 hit—from the Beatles to Beyoncé. At our first-ever live Hit Parade—recorded at The Bell House in Brooklyn, New York— host and trivia-meister Chris Molanphy and special guest Ted Leo break down some of the most improbable chart-toppers of all time.
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Willa Paskin and Inkoo Kang spoil Steven Soderbergh's new series Mosaic.
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Dan Kois, Bryan Lowder and June Thomas fill in for the regular crew this week. First they discuss The Assassination of Gianni Versace, then the critically-acclaimed Paddington 2, and finally they have a conversation about the current state of Drag.
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Stephen Metcalf, Dana Stevens, and Julia Turner discuss Steven Spielberg's movie "The Post", Netflix's "The End of the F***ing World", and Facebook's new algorithm changes with Slate's If/Then podcast host Will Oremus.
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Slate's TV critic Willa Paskin, tech and culture writer Inkoo Kang, and Browbeat editor Sam Adams spoil the newest season of Black Mirror.
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Dana Stevens, Stephen Metcalf, are joined by Slate book critic Laura Miller to discuss the film The Shape of Water, The Golden Globes, and explore what sleep is.
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Dana Stevens, Stephen Metcalf, and Julia Turner discuss the film Three Billboards Outside Ebbing Missouri, Errol Morris's Wormwood, and Slate's 2017 Movie Club.
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On the Billboard Hot 100, two can be the loneliest number. While having a No. 1 song can define an artist’s career, there’s far less glory in finishing one spot shy of the top slot. Yet some No. 2 hits have gone on to become classics. This month, Chris Molanphy looks at three songs that still loom large in our culture: “Shop Around” by the Miracles; “We Got the Beat” by the Go-Gos; and “Since U Been Gone” by Kelly Clarkson.
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Dana Stevens and Rachel Syme spoil Paul Thomas Anderson's Phantom Thread, and discuss all the clothes, tensions, and mushrooms that make up this film.
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Stephen Metcalf, Julia Turner, and Dana Stevens answer listener questions about which piece of culture they would forever delete from the universe, how to raise adopted kids, their relationship to cooking, list-making and more.
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Dana Stevens, Julia Turner, and Stephen Metcalf discuss Star Wars: The Last Jedi, the app HQ Trivia with Slate's Forrest Wickman, and the life and death of memes and memetics generally. Plus, the panel learns about Milkshake Duck.
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On this week's episode, Forrest Wickman and Sam Adams join Dana Stevens in spoiling Star Wars: The Last Jedi. They tackle who Rey's parents are, the real abilities of a Jedi, and porgs.
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Julia Turner, Steven Metcalf, and Dana Stevens discuss the new film I, Tonya, Amazon's The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel with Slate's TV Critic Willa Paskin, and The New Yorker's short story Cat Person.
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Dana Stevens, Julia Turner, and Stephen Metcalf discuss James Franco's The Disaster Artist with Slate's Forrest Wickman, the cult film The Room with producer Benjamin Frisch, and Fiona the hippo and celebrity animals.
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On this Spoiler Special, Dana Stevens sits down with Sam Adams to spoil The Shape of Water.
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Dana Stevens, Julia Turner, and Stephen Metcalf discuss the new film Call Me By Your Name, Spike Lee's Netflix series She's Gotta Have It with Aisha Harris, and The Polybius Conspiracy with Jacob Brogan.
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Donna Summer was a hitmaker for two decades and a dancefloor deity for more than three. Her collaborations with Giorgio Moroder and Pete Bellotte were formative in dance, electronic and rock music, influencing everyone from David Bowie and Blondie to Madonna and Moby. But the rock establishment was stinting in its appreciation—whether at Comiskey Park in 1979, or the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in the 2000s. This month, we examine how Summer became the Queen of Disco…and how she transcended that role altogether.
Email: [email protected]
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Julia Turner, Dana Stevens, and Stephen Metcalf discuss NBC's The Good Place, the death of Charles Manson with podcaster Karina Longworth, and Dan Pashman's problem with Thanksgiving programming.
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Three women who spoke out about Harvey Weinstein—Alice Evans, Katherine Kendall, and Tomi-Ann Roberts—sit down together with Slate’s editor-in-chief, Julia Turner, to discuss the movement they helped start, whether it’s gone too far, and whether there could ever be a satisfying apology.
For a transcript of this conversation, go to Slate.com.
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Slate movie critic Dana Stevens and Slate senior editor Jonathan Fischer spoil the latest installment in the DC universe, Justice League.
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Dana Stevens, Julia Turner, and Stephen Metcalf discuss the new film adaptation of Murder on the Orient Express, Louie CK's sexual abuse with Willa Paskin, and a new translation of Homer's The Odyssey with classicist Emily Wilson.
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Dana Stevens, June Thomas and Seth Stevenson discuss Greta Gerwig's new film Lady Bird, the Margaret Atwood TV adaptation Alias Grace, and the new HBO documentary about Rolling Stone.
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Dana Stevens, Dan Kois, and Jonathan Fischer spoil Marvel and Taika Waititi's Thor: Ragnarok.
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Stephen Metcalf, Dana Stevens, and Julia Turner discuss the Joan Didion documentary The Center Will Not Hold, the return of Will & Grace with Daniel Schroeder, and what to make of the continued sexual harassment and abuse allegations toppling men in power.
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In 2004, Prince joined Tom Petty onstage at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony for what is now regarded as the institution’s greatest live performance. They were both first-ballot inductees—but their similarities go much deeper. On this month’s Hit Parade, we track the surprising parallels between two artists gone far too soon: from their fights with the music industry to their hits across genres and generations—and even the songs they gave to Stevie Nicks. Petty and Prince were category-defying, label-infuriating, and among the best pop songwriters of the late 20th century.
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Stephen Metcalf, Dana Stevens, and Julia Turner discuss Netflix's Mindhunters, Post Malone's hit song Rockstar with Hit Parade's Chris Molanphy, and the criticism surrounding the site Rotten Tomatoes by film creators.
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Slate TV critic Willa Paskin, Brow Beat nights and weekends editor Matthew Dessem, and managing producer of Slate podcasts June Thomas discuss the fourth and final season of AMC's Halt and Catch Fire. Warning: This podcast contains spoilers. Lots of spoilers.
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Stephen Metcalf, Julia Turner, and Dana Stevens discuss Noah Baumbach's film The Meyerowitz Stories (New and Selected), the true-crime parody American Vandal, and the New York Times Magazine's article about teenage anxiety.
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Stephen Metcalf, Dana Stevens and Isaac Butler discuss Denis Villeneuve's Blade Runner 2049, catch up on Amazon's streaming hit Transparent, and discuss the sexual assault allegations against Hollywood super-producer Harvey Weinstein.
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On this episode of Represent, host Aisha Harris, Black Girl Nerds contributor Jacqueline Coley, Vulture writer Alex Jung, and Turner Classic Movies host Tiffany Vazquez talk representation in the new and returning TV shows this fall-- with a bit of debate, a pop quiz, and predictions.
For links on what we discuss check out our show page.
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Production by Veralyn Williams
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Slate movie critic Dana Stevens, culture editor Forrest Wickman, and Brow Beat editor Sam Adams discuss Blade Runner 2049, directed by Denis Villeneuve and starring Ryan Gosling and Harrison Ford. Warning: This podcast contains spoilers. Lots of spoilers.
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Julia Turner, Stephen Metcalf, and Dana Stevens discuss the new film Battle of the Sexes, the life and work of Tom Petty with Hit Parade's Chris Molanphy, and the mind of John McPhee with The New York Times Magazine's Sam Anderson.
Segments:
Battle of the Sexes: 2:25
Tom Petty: 20:16
John McPhee: 38:36
Endorsements: 55:43
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Ever since the ’60s, the recording industry emphasized the album over the single. By the ’80s, they were milking as many hits as possible from an album to convince you to buy it—from Thriller to Hysteria.
But in the ’90s, labels changed tactics and tried to kill retail singles—promoting hits to radio that you could only buy on full-length albums. Why? They wanted consumers to shell out for more profitable CDs. As a result, musicians ranging from MC Hammer and Vanilla Ice, to Pearl Jam and Alanis Morissette, to Chumbawamba and Lou Bega became multiplatinum-selling artists. The industry’s ploy paid off, but it also created consumer resentment as people grew tired of paying nearly $20 to acquire one song.
Here’s the story of how the recording industry toyed with consumers and chart fans, and how the internet struck back.
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Dana Stevens and Stephen Metcalf discuss the new film mother! with Slate's Jack Hamilton, Ken Burns Vietnam documentary series with Willa Paskin, and the art of theme park caricatures with producer Benjamin Frisch.
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The Slate Culture Gabfest is brought to you by the Platinum Card from American Express. There’s a world of experiences waiting to open up with the Platinum Card. Backed by the services and security of American Express.
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Slate movie critic Dana Stevens, culture editor Forrest Wickman, and Brow Beat editor Sam Adams discuss Mother!, directed by Darren Aronofsky and starring Jennifer Lawrence and Javier Bardem. Warning: This podcast contains spoilers. Lots of spoilers.
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Dana Stevens, Julia Turner and Stephen Metcalf are live in Toronto to discuss Justin Trudeau as dreamboat meme factory, the critical under-recognition of Joni Mitchell with critic Carl Wilson, and the film Mudbound with director Dee Rees.
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On this week’s Slate Culture Gabfest, Laura Bennett, Gabriel Roth, and Seth Stevenson discuss Bachelor in Paradise, a campy spin-off of the Bachelor franchise, and explore the sexual misconduct allegations directed at cast members on the show. Next, they talk about the third installment in the Trip film series, The Trip to Spain, starring Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon. Finally, the gabbers discuss David Simon’s new HBO series The Deuce set in 1970s New York City, depicting prostitution and the rise of pornography.
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Dana Stevens and Slate culture writers Aisha Harris and Sam Adams discuss It, director Andy Muschietti’s take on the Stephen King novel, starring Bill Skarsgard and a host of young actors. WARNING: This podcast contains spoilers. Lots of spoilers.
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Stephen Metcalf, Dana Stevens, and Julia Turner discuss the 40th anniversary re-release of Close Encounters of the Third Kind, whether Taylor Swift represents Trump-era art with critic Jody Rosen, and fan fiction with Laura Miller.
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Dana Stevens, Stephen Metcalf, and Isaac Butler discuss the social media satire Ingrid Goes West, Adult Swim's Rick and Morty, and Dolly Parton's Dixie Stampede with Aisha Harris.
The Slate Culture Gabfest is brought to you by Boll and Branch. Right now, get 50 dollars off your first set of sheets plus free shipping by going to BollandBranch.com and using promo code culture.
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Julia Turner, Dana Stevens and June Thomas discuss Steven Soderbergh's new film Logan Lucky, the eclipse with Atlas Obscura's David Plotz, and speech on the internet after Charlottesville.
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Studio 360 With Kurt Andersen is one of public radio's most venerable--and most wonderful--shows. Slate recently welcomed the Studio 360 team to our New York office and their fabulous podcast to our fold, Take a listen to their latest show.
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Dana Stevens, Aisha Harris, and Julia Turner discuss HBO's Insecure with Slate's Veralyn Williams, the classic film Dr. Strangelove, and the Vulture article: "The Toxic Drama on YA Twitter" with Slate's Laura Miller.
The Slate Culture Gabfest is brought to you by Sun Basket. Sun Basket sends organic, non-GMO ingredients right to your door, so you can skip the grocery store and prepare meals in just 30 minutes! Choose from Paleo, Gluten-Free, Lean & Clean, and Vegetarian options. Go to SUN BASKET dot com slash CULTURE today and get 50% off your first order! SUN BASKET dot com slash CULTURE.
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Dana Stevens, Julia Turner and Stephen Metcalf discuss The Public Theater's new production of Hamlet starring Oscar Isaac, Netflix's Friends From College, and the maligned genre of prog rock with Dave Weigel.
The Culture Gabfest is brought to you by the Platinum Card from American Express. There’s a world of experiences waiting to open up with the Platinum Card. Backed by the services and security of American Express.
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Dana Stevens, Julia Turner, and Stephen Metcalf discuss Christopher Nolan's new film Dunkirk, the musical podcast 36 Questions, and sellouts with musician and writer Franz Nicolay.
The show is brought to you by the Platinum Card from American Express. There’s a world of experiences waiting to open up with the Platinum Card. Backed by the services and security of American Express.
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In the mid-1980s, “Do They Know It’s Christmas?” and “We Are the World” gathered dozens of the biggest stars in music to put on a show for a good cause. The two songs spawned imitators, but today, the charity megasingle is a relic of pop music’s past, except around the holidays. This month, we examine how good intentions, pique, excess, and vanity led to the rise and fall of the do-gooder celebrity pop song.
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Jamelle Bouie, Dana Stevens, and Stephen Metcalf discuss War For the Planet of the Apes, the Netflix film Okja and the ethics of meat eating, and the state of comedy under Trump.
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In this full-episode preview of the fifth episode of Slate's Conspiracy Thrillers Movie Club, Sam Adams is joined by Matt Zoller Seitz, the editor in chief of RogerEbert.com and TV critic for New York, to talk about The Parallax View. They discuss the film’s famous brainwashing scene and the Kuleshov effect, the strange character of protagonist Joe Frady, and what makes a true paranoid thriller.
To listen to the full episode and learn more about this Slate Plus members-only Movie Club, visit Slate.com/thrillers.
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Dana Stevens, Julia Turner, and Stephen Metcalf discuss Edgar Wright's new film Baby Driver, Jay Z's album 4:44 with Slate's Jack Hamilton, and David Brooks' infamous sandwich column.
The Slate Culture Gabfest is brought to you by the Platinum Card from American Express. There’s a world of experiences waiting to open up with the Platinum Card. Backed by the services and security of American Express.
And by the AT&T original series Mr. Mercedes, based on the bestselling Stephen King novel. Mr. Mercedes premieres August 9th at 8 PM eastern/pacific on Audience Network. Watch it on DIRECTV or DIRECTV NOW. Learn more at att.net/mrmercedes.
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In this jumbo-sized summer strut special, Stephen Metcalf, Julia Turner, Dana Stevens, and Chris Molanphy discuss the songs of the summer and our annual summer strut playlist. Find the playlist at slate.com/culturefest or facebook.com/culturefest.
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Stephen Metcalf, Julia Turner, and Dana Stevens discuss Sophia Coppola's new film The Beguiled, the Netflix documentary Get Me Roger Stone, and the 10th anniversary of the iPhone.
The Slate Culture Gabfest is brought to you by Open Account, a podcast that gets personal about making, losing and living with money. Created by Umpqua Bank and hosted by SuChin Pak, download and subscribe to Open Account wherever you get your podcasts.
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And by University of California Press, publishers of Nonstop Metropolis: A New York City Atlas by Rebecca Solnit & Joshua-Jelly Schapiro. Explore New York’s hidden histories, wherever books are sold.
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When Elton John came out as bisexual in 1976, it was a really big deal. It was covered on the evening news. There were angry letters and a decline in sales. And for a generation of queer musicians, like George Michael, it was a lesson: Be careful what you reveal about your sex life to the public. On this episode, we look at the friendship, collaboration, and chart rivalry of the two British icons, who collided on the Billboard Hot 100 for one week in 1988—and later topped the chart together.
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Julia Turner, Dana Stevens and Steven Metcalf discuss Netflix's wrestling comedy GLOW, Lorde's album Melodrama with critic Carl Wilson, and Mattel's Ken Doll reboot and if/why it's so funny.
The Slate Culture Gabfest is brought to you by Sun Basket, delivering fresh, organic ingredients and quick, healthy recipes to your door. Choose from Paleo, Gluten-Free, Vegetarian, and Family options. Find out more at SunBasket.com/culture
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Stephen Metcalf, June Thomas, and Christina Cauterucci discuss the new horror film It Comes at Night, the TNT Niecy Nash vehicle Claws, and Beth Ditto's new album Fake Sugar.
The Culture Gabfest is brought to you by Lexus.Experience the first-ever 5.0 liter, V8 LC 500 with 10-speed Direct-Shift transmission and the first-ever Multistage Hybrid LC 500h. Experience Amazing.
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Dana Stevens, Stephen Metcalf, and Isaac Butler discuss the HBO documentary Mommy Dead and Dearest with journalist Michelle Dean, the Julius Caesar controversy at Shakespeare in the Park, and the philosophy storytelling podcast Hi-Phi Nation.
The Slate Culture Gabfest is brought to you by I’M DYING UP HERE on Showtime, the new drama series from Jim Carrey that centers around a group of young comedians hoping to make it big in the 1970s L.A. comedy scene. Don’t miss new episodes Sundays at 10/9 Central only on SHOWTIME. Download the SHOWTIME App now to start your free trial.
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Stephen Metcalf, Julia Turner, and Dana Stevens are live from Sydney with performances and a discussion with Courtney Barnett, plus Wonder Woman and cultural stereotyping with Michael Williams, director of The Wheeler Centre.
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Julia Turner, Stephen Metcalf, and Dana Stevens are in Sydney Australia for the first of two Australian live shows! They discuss the film Baywatch, The novel and tv series The Handmaid's Tale, and the state of arts criticism with pulitzer-winning critic Sebastian Smee.
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In episode two, Chris Molanphy takes a look at the historic week the Beatles swept the entire Billboard Top Five. You can see that chart right here. It’s a feat that’s never been repeated. But the Fab Four’s total domination of the pop charts was both a reflection of their massive popularity and a huge screwup by their American record label. Here’s the story of how Capitol Records nearly sabotaged the biggest rock band of all time. Join Slate Plus! Members get bonus segments, exclusive member-only podcasts, and more. Sign up for a free trial today at Slate.com/gistplus.
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In this first episode of Slate's Conspiracy Thrillers Movie Club, Sam Adams talks with Mark Harris, journalist and author of Five Came Back, about The Manchurian Candidate, a tale of brainwashing, war, and politics that first made it on-screen in 1962 and was then re-made in 2004, with each reflecting the crises of their time.
Learn more about the Conspiracy Thrillers Movie Club at slate.com/thrillers
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Forrest Wickman, Aisha Harris, and Laura Bennett discuss Showtime's revival of Twin Peaks, the first black woman to star on The Bachelorette, and the Atlantic cover story, My Family's Slave.
The Slate Culture Gabfest is brought to you by Winc. Get wines that are tailored to your palate delivered right to your door! Go to TryWinc.com/CULTURE and you’ll receive 20 dollars off your first order, plus complimentary shipping.
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And by Showstopper, a new podcast from Spotify. Showstopper answers the question “how did that awesome song end up in that great show?” Listen to Showstopper and your favorite music on the Spotify mobile app for free now.
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Stephen Metcalf, Julia Turner, and Dana Stevens discuss Netflix's Anne of Green Gables reboot Anne With an E, the face-changing app FaceApp, and Caity Weaver's GQ profile of Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson.
The Slate Culture Gabfest is brought to you by Boll and Branch. Right now, get 50 dollars off your first set of sheets plus free shipping by going to BollandBranch.com and using promo code CULTURE.
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Dana Stevens, Stephen Metcalf, and John Swansburg discuss the new Starz series American Gods, the book Killers of the Flower Moon with author David Grann, and Dove's "Real Beauty" bottle campaign.
The Slate Culture Gabfest is brought to you by Lexus. Experience the first-ever Lexus LC. With a 5.0-liter V8, 10-speed Direct-Shift transmission and near-perfect weight distribution, it’s a feat of amazing. The LC 500 and LC 500 Hybrid. Experience Amazing.
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Dana Stephens, Stephen Metcalf, and Julia Turner discuss the work of the late Jonathan Demme, the new film Tramps with director Adam Leon, and Bret Stephens' recent New York Times op-ed about climate change.
The Slate Culture Gabfest is brought to you by Rocket Mortgage from Quicken Loans. When it comes to the big decision of choosing a mortgage lender, work with one that has your best interests in mind. Use Rocket Mortgage for a transparent, trustworthy home loan process that’s completely online at QuickenLoans.com/Culture
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In this debut episode, Chris Molanphy tells the story of “Red, Red Wine”: a song written in the 1960s by a certain journeyman singer-songwriter who loves a Hot August Night. Improbably, it became a reggae song, before the ’60s were even over—and then, even more improbably, in the 1980s it was transformed into a lilting, toasting reggae-pop global smash. And it would have been a flop in America if it hadn’t been for an enterprising deejay, who ignored the record labels and picked his own hits. With this song, he even started a two-year fad and a radio mutiny.
Make sure you never miss an episode of Hit Parade. Subscribe to the Culture Gabfest wherever you get your podcasts!
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Julia Turner, Dana Stevens, and Stephen Metcalf are joined at the Hamilton Theater in Washington D.C. by Face the Nation's John Dickerson and Slate's Jamelle Bouie to talk Fate of the Furious, Bob Dylan's singing voice, and their favorite Washington D.C. movies.
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Stephen Metcalf, Julia Turner, and Dana Stevens discuss the new documentary Five Came Back with creator Mark Harris, the end of the show Girls with The New Yorker's Jia Tolentino, and the United Airlines fiasco with Laura Miller.
The Slate Culture Gabfest is brought to you by Rocket Mortgage from Quicken Loans. When it comes to the big decision of choosing a mortgage lender, work with one that has your best interests in mind. Use Rocket Mortgage for a transparent, trustworthy home loan process that’s completely online at QuickenLoans.com/Culture
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Dana Stevens, Julia Turner, and Stephen Metcalf discuss the new Anne Hathaway film Colossus, Andy Daly's Comedy Central sitcom Review, and Pepsi's recent ad controversy.
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Stephen Metcalf, Julia Turner, and special guest David Plotz of the Slate Political Gabfest discuss the new podcast S-Town, the film Ghost in the Shell with Represent host Aisha Harris, and the controversy surrounding Vice President Pence and his self-imposed rules around women.
Culture Gabfest is brought to you by Boll and Branch. Right now, get 50 dollars off your first set of sheets plus free shipping by going to BollandBranch.com and using promo code culture.
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June Thomas, Willa Paskin, and Laura Miller discuss Disney's live-action Beauty and the Beast and To Walk Invisible, the new drama about the Brontë sister, plus an interview with Alison Wright of The Americans, Feud, and her recent Broadway debut, Sweat.
Culture Gabfest is brought to you by Texture. Texture lets you stay up to date with your favorite magazines...all in one place. Right now, get a 14-day FREE TRIAL when you sign up by going to Texture.com/culture.
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Julia Turner, Gabriel Roth, and Willa Paskin discuss the new film Personal Shopper, the legacy of Chuck Berry with the New York Times Magazine's Jody Rosen, and the sale of Us Weekly with the hosts of the podcast Who Weekly.
The Slate Culture Gabfest is brought to you by Rocket Mortgage from Quicken Loans. When it comes to the big decision of choosing a mortgage lender, work with one that has your best interests in mind. Use Rocket Mortgage for a transparent, trustworthy home loan process that’s completely online at QuickenLoans.com/culture
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Stephen Metcalf, Jamelle Bouie and Isaac Chotiner discuss the new X-Men spinoff Logan, the new album 50-Song Memoir by The Magnetic Fields with critic Carl Wilson, and Phoebe Maltz Bovy's article in The New Republic: "The Perils of Privilege".
The Slate Culture Gabfest is brought to you by Boll and Branch. Right now, get 50 dollars off your first set of sheets plus free shipping by going to BollandBranch.com and using promo code culture.
And by Showstopper, a new podcast from Spotify. Showstopper answers the question “how did that awesome song end up in that great show?” Listen to Showstopper and your favorite music on the Spotify mobile app for free now.
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Julia Turner, Stephen Metcalf and Dana Stevens discuss George Orwell's classic novel 1984, Ryan Murphy's new show Feud about Bette Davis and Joan Crawford, and pop culture's current obsession with sleep.
The Slate Culture Gabfest is brought to you by ThirdLove, the lingerie brand using real women’s measurements to design better-fitting bras. Try one of their best-selling bras for free for 30 days by visiting thirdlove.com/culture.
And by Rocket Mortgage from Quicken Loans. When it comes to the big decision of choosing a mortgage lender, work with one that has your best interests in mind. Use Rocket Mortgage for a transparent, trustworthy home loan process that’s completely online at QuickenLoans.com/culture.
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Julia Turner, Dana Stevens and Stephen Metcalf discuss Jordan Peele's horror film Get Out with Aisha Harris, the Oscars, and the new season of the BBC's Planet Earth.
The Slate Culture Gabfest is brought to you by ThirdLove, the lingerie brand using real women’s measurements to design better-fitting bras. Try one of their best-selling bras for free for 30 days by visiting thirdlove.com/culture.
And byThe Americans, an FX Original Series. This season will draw you closer to the unanswered questions and confrontations you’ve been waiting for. The Americans premieres Tuesday, March 7th at 10PM on FX. For more information, visit FXNetworks.com.
And by Squarespace. Start building your website today! Go to Squarespace.com and use offer code culture to get 10 percent off your first purchase of a website or domain.
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Julia Turner, Stephen Metcalf, and Dana Stevens discuss HBO's Big Little Lies with TV critic Willa Paskin, Martin Scorsese's latest film Silence, and the new podcast Missing Richard Simmons.
The Slate Culture Gabfest is brought to you by Boll and Branch. Right now, get 50 dollars off your first set of sheets by going to BollandBranch.com and using promo code culture.
And by by Rocket Mortgage from Quicken Loans.When it comes to the big decision of choosing a mortgage lender, work with one that has your best interests in mind. Use Rocket Mortgage for a transparent, trustworthy home loan process that’s completely online at QuickenLoans.com/culture
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Dana Stevens, Julia Turner, and Stephen Metcalf discuss the cartoon phenomenon Steven Universe with intern Daniel Schroeder, SNL and political satire with the Political Gabfest's Emily Bazelon, and The Trump Fiction project with author Ben H Winters.
The Slate Culture Gabfest is brought to you by Texture. Texture lets you stay up to date with your favorite magazines...all in one place. Right now, get a 14-day FREE TRIAL when you sign up by going to Texture.com/culture.
And by Care.com, the world’s largest digital marketplace for finding and managing family care. Learn how you can save 30 percent off a Care.com Premium membership AND receive a 15 dollar credit by visiting Care.com/culture
And by the hit SHOWTIME Original Series BILLIONS, starring Emmy winners Damian Lewis and Paul Giamatti. BILLIONS returns Sunday, February 19th with new episodes every Sunday at 10/9 central. Download the SHOWTIME app now to start your free trial.
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Slate's Dana Stevens, Stephen Metcalf, and Julia Turner discuss the CW's new Archie adaption Riverdale, David Mackenzie's Oscar-nominated film Hell or High Water, and this year's Super Bowl ads with Seth Stevenson.
The Slate Culture Gabfest is brought to you by ThirdLove, the lingerie brand using real women’s measurements to design better-fitting bras. Try one of their best-selling bras for free for 30 days by visiting thirdlove.com/CULTURE.
And by Rocket Mortgage from Quicken Loans. When it comes to the big decision of choosing a mortgage lender, work with one that has your best interests in mind. Use Rocket Mortgage for a transparent, trustworthy home loan process that’s completely online at QuickenLoans.com/CULTURE.
And by the hit SHOWTIME Original Series BILLIONS, starring Emmy winners Damian Lewis and Paul Giamatti. BILLIONS returns Sunday, February 19th with new episodes every Sunday at 10/9 central. Download the SHOWTIME app now to start your free trial.
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Stephen Metcalf, Dana Stevens, Julia Turner, and Slate’s culture editor Laura Bennett discuss the film Elle, NBC's This Is Us, and The Mary Tyler Moore Show.
Culture Gabfest is brought to you by Boll and Branch. Get 50 dollars off your first set of sheets by going to BollandBranch.com and using promo code culture.
And byThirdLove, the lingerie brand using real women’s measurements to design better-fitting bras. Try one of their best-selling bras for free for 30 days by visiting thirdlove.com/culture.
And by Casper, an online retailer of premium mattresses. Get 50 dollars toward any mattress purchase by going to Casper.com/cultureand using the promo code culture.
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Stephen Metcalf, Dana Stevens, Julia Turner, and guests discuss the film Hidden Figures, Oscar nominations, and whether or not it's ok to punch a Nazi.
Culture Gabfest is brought to you by LifeAfter. What happens to our digital lives when we’re gone? LifeAfter, a new series from GE Podcast Theater and Panoply, the creators of last year’s award-winning The Message, explores these very questions. Listen and download LifeAfter wherever you find your podcasts.
And Texture. Texture lets you stay up to date with your favorite magazines...all in one place. Right now, get a 14-day FREE TRIAL when you go to Texture.com/culture.
And by the SHOWTIME Original Series HOMELAND, starring Claire Danes. Relentlessly fighting the government’s abuse of power here at home, Carrie Mathison is at odds with former allies. HOMELAND returns with new episodes every Sunday at 9 PM. Download the SHOWTIME app now to start your free trial.
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Dana Steven, Stephen Metcalf and Sam Anderson discuss HBO's new show The Young Pope, the film A Monster Calls directed by J. A. Bayona, and Neanderthals Were People, Too from The New York Times Magazine.
The Slate Culture Gabfest is brought to you by Rocket Mortgage from Quicken Loans. When itcomes to the big decision of choosing a mortgage lender, work with one that has yourbest interests in mind. Use Rocket Mortgage for a transparent, trustworthy home loanprocess that’s completely online at QuickenLoans.com/culture.
And by LifeAfter. What happens to our digital lives when we’re gone? LifeAfter, a newseries from GE Podcast Theater and Panoply, the creators of last year’s award-winningThe Message, explores these very questions. Listen and download LifeAfter whereveryou find your podcasts.
And by the SHOWTIME Original Series HOMELAND, starring Claire Danes. Relentlesslyfighting the government’s abuse of power here at home, Carrie Mathison is at odds withformer allies. HOMELAND returns with new episodes every Sunday at 9 PM. Downloadthe SHOWTIME app now to start your free trial.
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Slate's Stephen Metcalf, Dana Stevens, and Julia Turner discuss Netflix's new sci-fi show The OA, the film Fences with UCLA professor and playwright Dominic Taylor, and then whether hard times make for great art.
The Slate Culture Gabfest is brought to you by Boll and Branch. Get 50 dollars off your first set of
sheets by going to BollandBranch.com and using promo code culture.
And by ThirdLove, the lingerie brand using real women’s measurements to design
better-fitting bras. Try one of their best-selling bras for free for 30 days by visiting
thirdlove.com/culture.
And by LifeAfter. What happens to our digital lives when we’re gone? LifeAfter, a new
series from GE Podcast Theater and Panoply, the creators of last year’s award-winning
The Message, explores these very questions. Listen and download LifeAfter wherever
you find your podcasts.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Julia Turner, Stephen Metcalf, and Dana Stevens discuss the new film musical La La Land, the Oscar-contender Manchester By the Sea with John Swansburg, and the best movies of the year in Slate's movie club.
The Slate Culture Gabfest is brought to you ThirdLove, the lingerie brand using real women’s measurements to design better-fitting bras. Try one of their best-selling bras for free for 30 days by visiting thirdlove.com/culture.
And by LifeAfter. What happens to our digital lives when we’re gone? LifeAfter, a new series from GE Podcast Theater and Panoply, the creators of last year’s award-winning The Message, explores these very questions. Listen and download LifeAfter wherever you find your podcasts.
And by Rocket Mortgage from Quicken Loans. When it comes to the big decision ofchoosing a mortgage lender, work with one that has your best interests in mind. UseRocket Mortgage for a transparent, trustworthy home loan process that’s completely online at QuickenLoans.com/culture.
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Dana Stevens, Julia Turner, Steven Metcalf and Dear Prudence's Mallory Ortberg come together around the podcast fire to answer your advice questions in our yearly call-in holiday special. Topics include poems for suitors, father-daughter dances, foreign name pronunciation and much more.
The Slate Culture Gabfest is brought to you by Rocket Mortgage from Quicken Loans. Rocket Mortgage brings the mortgage process into the twenty-first century with an easy online process. Check out Rocket Mortgage today at QuickenLoans.com/culture.
And by LifeAfter. What Happens to our digital lives when we’re gone? LifeAfter, a new series from GE Podcast Theater and Panoply, the creators of last year’s award-winning The Message, explores those very questions. Listen and download LifeAfter wherever you find your podcasts.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Dan Kois, Dana Stevens, and Stephen Metcalf discuss the new Star Wars spin-off Rogue One, TBS's mystery millennial comedy Search Party, and Stevie Wonder and Slate's Wonder Week with Slate's pop critic Jack Hamilton.
The Slate Culture Gabfest is brought to you by Rocket Mortgage from Quicken Loans. Rocket Mortgage brings the mortgage process into the twenty-first century with an easy online process. Check out Rocket Mortgage today at QuickenLoans.com/culture.
Andby Wordpress.com. More bloggers use Wordpress.com than any other platform. And now, for the first time ever, Wordpress.com offers you your own dot-blog domain. Hurry to Wordpress.com now and use promo code PODCAST for 15-percent off your custom dot-blog domain.
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Dana Stevens, Laura Miller, and Stephen Metcalf discuss the new biopic Jackie with Browbeat editor Sam Adams, the Netflix show 3%, and Laura Miller's piece for Slate, "Do Video Games Make Us More Cruel?"
The Slate Culture Gabfest is brought to you by Casper. Get the great night’s sleep you deserve. For 50 dollars toward any mattress purchase, just go to Casper.com/culture and use promo code culture.
And by Audible. Get a free audiobook with a 30-day trial today by signing up at Audible.com/culture.
And by Seedling. Give the kid in your life a unique gift that inspires creativity. Go to Seedling.com and use promo code culture for 10 dollars off your purchase of 30 dollars or more.
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Julia Turner, Dana Stevens, and Stephen Metcalf discuss the new film The Edge of Seventeen, The new album from A Tribe Called Quest, We Got it From Here...Thank You For Your Service with guest Jody Rosen, and Julia Turner's Slate cover story, The Stunt Presidency.
The Slate Culture Gabfest is brought to you by Wordpress. More bloggers use Wordpress than any other platform. And now, for the first time ever, Wordpress.com offers you your own dot-blog domain. Hurry to Wordpress.com now and use promo code PODCAST for 15-percent off your custom dot-blog domain.
And by Harry’s. Their limited edition holiday shave set makes a great gift for anyone. Go to Harrys.com and order by December 9th to get free shipping. Enter promo code culture at checkout for 5 dollars off.
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Stephen Metcalf, Julia Turner, and Dana Stevens discuss Moana, the new animated film from Disney, the return of Gilmore Girls with Seth Stevenson, and Nathan Heller's article in the New Yorker, "If Animals Have Rights, Should Robots?".
The Slate Culture Gabfest is brought to you by Seedling. For gifts that encourage kids to explore their creativity, just go to Seedling.com. Enter code culture for 10 dollars off your purchase of 30 dollars or more.
And by Blue Apron. Blue Apron’s meal kits are delivered right to your door, and make cooking at home easy. Get your first THREE meals FREE by going to BlueApron.com/culture.
And by InterContinental Hotels & Resorts. Take a multi-sensory journey into the InterContinental life, and discover the Empathy stories where you learn about other cultures and expand your own life simultaneously. Download the Empathy audio stories on iTunes.
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Julia Turner, Dana Stevens, and Stephen Metcalf discuss the booing of Mike Pence at a performance of Hamilton, the new sci-fi movie hit Arrival, and TruTV's man on the street comedy game show Billy on the Street.
The Slate Culture Gabfest is brought to you by LifeAfter. What Happens to our digital lives when we’re gone? LifeAfter, a new series from GE Podcast Theater and Panoply, the creators of last year’s award-winning The Message, explores those very questions. Listen and download LifeAfter wherever you find your podcasts.
And by Audible. Get a free audiobook with a 30-day trial today by signing up at Audible.com/culture.
And by Harry’s. Go to Harrys.com right now to get a limited edition holiday shave set while supplies last, and use promo code culture for 5 dollars off. Free shipping ends December 9th, so act now!
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Stephen Metcalf, Julia Turner and Dana Stevens discuss their feelings in the aftermath of the election, the art we use to take solace in dark times with Slate writers Jamelle Bouie and Bryan Lowder, and how to think about Trump and Hitler with Slate contributor and historian Ron Rosenbaum.
The Slate Culture Gabfest is brought to you by Rocket Mortgage from Quicken Loans. Rocket Mortgage brings the mortgage process into the twenty-first century with an easy online process. Check out Rocket Mortgage today at QuickenLoans.com/culture.
And by Boll and Branch. For luxury bedding at a low price, go to BollandBranch.com and use promo code culture for 50 dollars off a set of sheets.
And by InterContinental Hotels & Resorts. Take a multi-sensory journey into the InterContinental life, and discover stories that will excite your curiosity by going to Intercontinental.com/life.
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Stephen Metcalf, Dana Stevens and June Thomas discuss Netflix's new show The Crown, about the early reign of Queen Elizabeth II, Loving, the new film about the couple at the center of the Loving Vs. Virginia case with gabfest producer Benjamin Frisch, and Making Gay History, the new podcast from writer Eric Marcus chronicling figures from the early struggle for gay rights.
The Culture Gabfest is brought to you by Rocket Mortgage from Quicken Loans. Rocket Mortgage brings the mortgage process into the twenty-first century with an easy online process. Check out Rocket Mortgage today at QuickenLoans.com/culture.
And by Away. For premium quality luggage that’s affordable and makes traveling a breeze, visit awaytravel.com/culture. Use promo code culture and you’ll get 20 dollars off your order.
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Stephen Metcalf, Julia Turner, Dana Stevens, Aisha Harris, and Will Oremus discuss ABC's hit drama Designated Survivor, Netflix's new documentary 13th, and the death of Vine, the 6-second video platform.
Culture Gabfest is brought to you by Blue Apron. Blue Apron’s meal kits are delivered right to your door, and make cooking at home easy. Get your first THREE meals FREE by going to BlueApron.com/culture.
And by Boll and Branch. For luxury bedding at a low price, go to BollandBranch.com and use promo code culture for 50 dollars off your first set of sheets.
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Stephen Metcalf, Dana Stevens, and Julia Turner discuss Barry Jenkins' new film Moonlight, Bob Dylan's Nobel Prize and subsequent snub, and taste test Soylent, the tech world's attempt at food disruption.
The Slate Culture Gabfest is brought to you by Audible. Get a free audiobook with a 30-day trial today by signing up at Audible.com/culture.
And by Money Mind, a new podcast from Prudential. Learn how to financially plan for every stage of life. Download and subscribe to Money Mind wherever you find your podcasts, and learn more at Slate.com/MoneyMind.
And by Stitch Fix. Get custom looks delivered right to your door that are handpicked by your very own personal stylist to fit your budget and taste. Give Stitch Fix a try this fall by going to StitchFix.com.
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Dana Stevens, Julia Turner, and guest Karina Longworth of the the podcast You Must Remember This are live in Santa Monica to discuss Nate Parker's new film Birth of a Nation, W.D. Griffith's 1915 film The Birth of a Nation, and their favorite Hollywood films about Hollywood.
The Slate Culture Gabfest is brought to you by the new film Denial. From the screenwriter of The Hours and The Reader comes the true story of one woman’s court battle for historical truth against a Holocaust denier. Starring Rachel Weisz and Tom Wilkinson. Denial: Playing everywhere Friday.
And by Boll and Branch. For luxury bedding at a low price, go to BollandBranch.com and use promo code culture for 50 dollars off your first set of sheets.
And by Stitch Fix. Get custom looks delivered right to your door that are handpicked by your very own personal stylist to fit your budget and taste. Give Stitch Fix a try this fall by going to StitchFix.com.
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Stephen Metcalf, Dana Stevens, and guest host Gabriel Roth discuss the new Netflix Documentary Amanda Knox, Jack Hamilton discusses his new book Just Around Midnight: Rock and Roll and the Racial Imagination about how rock and roll became white, and the mystery and unmasking of Rachel Brewson.
We want you to tell us about the podcasts you enjoy, and how often you listen to them. So we created a survey that takes just a couple of minutes to complete. If you fill it out, you'll help Panoply to make great podcasts about the things you love. And things you didn’t even know you loved. To fill out the survey, just go to megaphone.fm/survey
The Slate Culture Gabfest is brought to you by Harry’s. Get the smooth shave you’ve been wanting! When you sign up for a shave plan at Harrys.com, use promo code culture to get their Free Trial Set, plus their post-shave balm.
And by Money Mind, a new podcast from Prudential. Learn how to financially plan for every stage of life. Download and subscribe to Money Mind wherever you find your podcasts, and learn more at Slate.com/MoneyMind.
And by Stitch Fix. Get custom looks delivered right to your door that are handpicked by your very own personal stylist to fit your budget and taste. Give Stitch Fix a try this fall by going to StitchFix.com.
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Stephen Metcalf, Dana Stevens, Julia Turner, and guests discuss the new HBO show Westworld, Bruce Springsteen's memoir, Born To Run, and the unmasking of author Elena Ferrante.
We want you to tell us about the podcasts you enjoy, and how often you listen to them. So we created a survey that takes just a couple of minutes to complete. If you fill it out, you'll help Panoply to make great podcasts about the things you love. And things you didn’t even know you loved. To fill out the survey, just go to www.megaphone.fm/survey
Culture Gabfest is brought to you by Blue Apron. Blue Apron’s meal kits are delivered right to your door, and make cooking at home easy. Get your first THREE meals FREE by going to BlueApron.com/culture.
And by Boll and Branch. For luxury bedding at a low price, go to BollandBranch.com and use promo code culture for $50 off your first set of sheets.
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Stephen Metcalf, Dana Stevens, and Julia Turner discuss the Amazon show Fleabag, Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie's divorce, and they talk with Slate culture writer Aisha Harris about race and the history of American Girl dolls.
Culture Gabfest is brought to you by Audible, with an unmatched selection of audiobooks, original audio shows, news, comedy, and more. Get a free audiobook with a 30-day trial at Audible.com/story.
And by Money Mind, a new podcast from Prudential. Learn how to financially plan for every stage of life. Download and subscribe to Money Mind wherever you find your podcasts, and learn more at Slate.com/MoneyMind.
And by Casper. Get the great night’s sleep you deserve. For $50 toward any mattress purchase, just go to Casper.com/culture and use promo code culture.
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Bob Dylan's "Blowin' in the Wind" (1963) and Sam Cooke's "A Change is Gonna Come" (1964): In the first episode of our new Pop, Race, and the ’60s Slate Academy, Slate pop critic Jack Hamilton talks to Barry Shank, author of The Political Force of Musical Beauty, about two immensely famous protest songs. Where did Dylan get the melody for “Blowin’ in the Wind”? What makes “A Change Is Gonna Come” so beautiful? And why is Dylan perhaps the most written-about musician of his era while Cooke has been neglected?
The first episode of this Slate Academy is being made available as a special preview. To hear the rest of the series, sign up for Slate Plus at slate.com/popacademy.
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Stephen Metcalf, Dana Stevens, and Laura Miller discuss the summer horror-movie hit Don't Breathe. They also dive into the new season of High Maintenance -- now on HBO -- with Slate's TV critic Willa Paskin, and talk about how the rise of the internet helped create Harry Potter mega fandom.
The Slate Culture Gabfest is brought to you by Rocket Mortgage from Quicken Loans. Rocket Mortgage brings the mortgage process into the twenty-first century with an easy online process. Check out Rocket Mortgage today at QuickenLoans.com/culture.
And by Boll and Branch. For luxury bedding at a low price, go to BollandBranch.com and use promo code culture for $50 off your first set of sheets.
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Stephen Metcalf, Julia Turner, Dana Stevens, and guests discuss Donald Glover's new show Atlanta; how landmark scientific studies are being debunked more and more frequently; and they take a look back at Nicole Holofcener's beloved 90s film Walking and Talking.
Culture Gabfest is brought to you by Casper. Get the great night’s sleep you deserve. For $50 toward any mattress purchase, just go to Casper.com/culture and use promo code Culture.
And by Placemakers, a new Slate podcast made possible by JPMorgan Chase. This podcast tells the stories of neighborhoods, businesses, and nonprofits that are working together to move their communities forward. Download and subscribe to Placemakers wherever you get your podcasts.
And by SeatGeek. Get a $20 rebate on your first order of game or concert tickets by downloading the SeatGeek app and using promo code culture in the Settings tab.
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Stephen Metcalf, Julia Turner, and Dana Stevens discuss Amazon's pilot TV show I Love Dick, bad songs, and what a dismal summer at the box office means for the movie industry.
Culture Gabfest is brought to you by Rocket Mortgage from Quicken Loans. Rocket Mortgage brings the mortgage process into the twenty-first century with an easy online process. Check out Rocket Mortgage today at QuickenLoans.com/culture.
And by Boll and Branch. For luxury bedding at a low price, go to BollandBranch.com and use promo code culture for 50 dollars off your first set of sheets.
And by Blue Apron. Blue Apron’s meal kits are delivered right to your door, and make cooking at home easy. Get your first THREE meals FREE by going to BlueApron.com/culture.
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Stephen Metcalf, Julia Turner, Dana Stevens, and guests discuss Werner Herzog's documentary Lo and Behold, Reveries of the Connected World; how Michelangelo's David could crumble at any moment; and what it takes to make a great children's book.
The Slate Culture Gabfest is brought to you by Placemakers, a new Slate podcast made possible by JPMorgan Chase. This podcast tells the stories of neighborhoods, businesses, and nonprofits that are working together to move their communities forward. Download and subscribe to Placemakers wherever you get your podcasts.
And by Audible. Get a free audiobook with a 30-day trial today by signing up at Audible.com/culture.
And by Green Chef. Their organic meal kits make it easy to cook healthy and feel great about where your food comes from. Get four free meals with your first order when you sign up at GreenChef.com/culture.
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Dana Stevens, Dan Kois, and Jessica Winter discuss the end of Gawker, the animated film Kubo and the Two Strings, and their favorite cultural depiction of vacations.
Culture Gabfest is brought to you by Boll and Branch. For luxury bedding at a low price, go to BollandBranch.com and use promo code culture for free shipping and 20 percent off your entire order.
And by Audible. Get a free audiobook with a 30-day trial today by signing up at Audible.com/culture.
And by Rocket Mortgage from Quicken Loans. Rocket Mortgage brings the mortgage process into the twenty-first century with an easy online process. Check out Rocket Mortgage today at QuickenLoans.com/culture.
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Stephen Metcalf, Julia Turner, and Dana Stevens are live from Steve's porch this week and answer listeners' calls.
The Slate Culture Gabfest is brought to you by Placemakers, a new Slate podcast made possible by JPMorgan Chase. This podcast tells the stories of neighborhoods, businesses, and nonprofits that are working together to move their communities forward. Download and Subscribe to Placemakers wherever you get your podcasts.
And by Audible, with an unmatched selection of audiobooks, original audio shows, news, comedy, and more. Get a free audiobook with a 30-day trial at Audible.com/story.
And by Green Chef. Their organic meal kits make it easy to cook healthy and feel great about where your food comes from. Get four free meals with your first order when you sign up at GreenChef.com/culture.
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Stephen Metcalf, Julia Turner, and Dana Stevens are live from Edith Wharton's estate The Mount in the Berkshires this week to discuss the film Idiocracy and its relevancy to this year's presidential race, why people take pilgrimages to authors homes, and how technology is trying so hard to infantilize us.
Culture Gabfest is brought to you by Rocket Mortgage from Quicken Loans. Rocket Mortgage brings the mortgage process into the twenty-first century with an easy online process. Check out Rocket Mortgage today at QuickenLoans.com/culture.
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Stephen Metcalf, Julia Turner, and Dana Stevens discuss the Netflix series Stranger Things, the Harry Potter play "Harry Potter and the Cursed Child," and the case against the media by the media.
Culture Gabfest is brought to you by Boll and Branch. For luxury bedding at a low price, go to BollandBranch.com and use promo code culture for free shipping and 20 percent off your entire order.
And by Placemakers, a new Slate podcast made possible by JPMorgan Chase. This podcast tells the stories of neighborhoods, businesses, and nonprofits that are working together to move their communities forward. Download and Subscribe to Placemakers wherever you get your podcasts.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Stephen Metcalf, Julia Turner, and Dana Stevens talk about their Summer Strut picks for 2016 with Slate music writer Chris Molanphy.
Culture Gabfest is brought to you by Open Account, a podcast that gets personal about making, losing, and living with money. Created by Umpqua Bank and hosted by SuChin Pak, download and subscribe to Open Account wherever you get your podcasts.
And by Green Chef. Their organic meal kits make it easy to cook healthy and feel great about where your food comes from. Get four meals free with your first order when you go to GreenChef.com/culture.
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Stephen Metcalf, Julia Turner, and Dana Stevens discuss the Ghostbusters reboot, Pokemon Go, and Chuck Close.
Culture Gabfest is brought to you by Club W. Get $20 off your first order of wine now by going to ClubW.com/culture.
And by Boll and Branch. For luxury bedding at a low price, go to BollandBranch.com and use promo code culture for free shipping and 20 percent off your entire order.
And by Rocket Mortgage from Quicken Loans. Rocket Mortgage brings the mortgage process into the twenty-first century with an easy online process. Check out Rocket Mortgage today at QuickenLoans.com/culture.
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Stephen Metcalf, Dana Stevens, and guests discuss HBO's series Night Of, the Iranian director Abbas Kiarostami, and the flap over actresses and plastic surgery.
The Slate Culture Gabfest is brought to you by Audible, with an unmatched selection of audiobooks, original audio shows, news, comedy, and more.
And by Open Account, a podcast that gets personal about making, losing, and living with money. Created by Umpqua Bank and hosted by SuChin Pak, download and subscribe to Open Account wherever you get your podcasts.
And by Green Chef, a new food delivery service that makes cooking easy—with consciously sourced healthy recipes and organic ingredients. Get four free meals with your first order when you go to GreenChef.com/culture.
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Stephen Metcalf, Dana Stevens, and guests discuss the film The BFG, the beefcake noir television show Animal Kingdom, and Facebook's new algorithm.
Culture Gabfest is brought to you by Club W. Get $20 off your first order of wine now by going to ClubW.com/culture.
And by eero, the world’s first whole-home wifi system. Get FREE overnight shipping by going to eero.com/culture and at checkout enter promo code culture.
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Stephen Metcalf, Dana Stevens, and Julia Turner discuss Independence Day: Resurgence, Angels in America, and Judith Butler.
The Slate Culture Gabfest is brought to you by BollandBranch.com, offering luxury bedding at affordable prices. Order right now and they'll give you 20 percent off, plus free shipping. Get sheets, towels, blankets, duvet covers, and more at BollAndBranch.com and use the promo code CULTURE.
And by the new podcast Dog Smarts. Each episode features leading researchers and academics that tackle questions of language, memory, intelligence, and even love as they pertain to our dogs. Subscribe to Dog Smarts on iTunes now.
And by Rocket Mortgage from Quicken Loans. Rocket Mortgage’s completely online process lets you get a custom mortgage solution wherever and whenever you want. Check out Rocket Mortgage today at QuickenLoans.com/culture.
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Stephen Metcalf, Dana Stevens, and Laura Bennett discuss the latest Pixar film Finding Dory James Corden's Carpool Karaoke, and UnReal Season 2.
The Slate Culture Gabfest is brought to you by the new podcast Dog Smarts. Each episode features leading researchers and academics that tackle questions of language, memory, intelligence, and even love as they pertain to our dogs. Subscribe to Dog Smarts on iTunes now.
And by Rocket Mortgage from Quicken Loans. Rocket Mortgage takes the frustrations out of getting a mortgage by letting you safely share your financial information with the touch of a button. Get approved online in minutes at QuickenLoans.com/culture.
And by Tictail, a social shopping marketplace. Go to tictail.com/culture to create your profile and discover independent brands around the world.
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Julia Turner, Stephen Metcalf, and Dana Stevens discuss the ESPN's documentary "OJ: Made in America", men's fashion with Simon Doonan, and Dana weighs in on the topics she missed.
The Slate Culture Gabfest is brought to you by BollandBranch.com, offering luxury bedding at affordable prices. Order right now and they'll give you 20 percent off, plus free shipping. Get sheets, towels, blankets, duvet covers, and more at BollAndBranch.com and use the promo code CULTURE.
And by Audible, with an unmatched selection of audiobooks, original audio shows, news, comedy, and more. Get a free audiobook with a 30-day trial at Audible.com/culture.
And by Harry's, the shaving company that offers German-engineered blades, well-designed handles, and shipping right to your door. Visit Harrys.com for $5 off your first purchase with the promo code CULTURE.
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Julia Turner, Stephen Metcalf, and Dana Stevens discuss Maria Bamford's Netflix series Lady Dynamite, the film Popstar, and Paul Simon's latest album and his career.
The Slate Culture Gabfest is brought to you by the new podcast Dog Smarts. Each episode features leading researchers and academics that tackle questions of language, memory, intelligence, and even love as they pertain to our dogs. Subscribe to Dog Smarts on iTunes now.
And by Harry's, the shaving company that offers German-engineered blades, well-designed handles, and shipping right to your door. Visit Harrys.com for $5 off your first purchase with the promo code CULTURE.
And by Open Account, a podcast that gets personal about making, losing, and living with money. Created by Umpqua Bank and hosted by SuChin Pak, download and subscribe to Open Account wherever you get your podcasts.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Stephen Metcalf, Julia Turner, and The New York Times' Wesley Morris discuss the buddy cop romp film The Nice Guys, television's classless void, and Slate's list of the 50 greatest films by black film directors.
The Slate Culture Gabfest is brought to you by Casper, an online retailer of premium mattresses for a fraction of the price. All Casper mattresses come with free delivery and returns within a 100-day period. Right now, get 50 dollars toward any mattress purchase by visiting Casper.com/culture and using the promo code CULTURE.
And by the new podcast Dog Smarts. Each episode features leading researchers and academics that tackle questions of language, memory, intelligence, and even love as they pertain to our dogs. Subscribe to Dog Smarts on iTunes now.
And by Open Account, a podcast that gets personal about making, losing, and living with money. Created by Umpqua Bank and hosted by SuChin Pak, download and subscribe to Open Account wherever you get your podcasts.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Stephen Metcalf, Julia Turner, and Laura Miller discuss the film Neighbors 2, AMC's bloodlusty show Preacher, and debate whether adverbs are the enemy of good writing.
The Slate Culture Gabfest is brought to you by BollandBranch.com, offering luxury bedding at affordable prices. Order right now and they'll give you 20 percent off, plus free shipping. Get sheets, towels, blankets, duvet covers, and more at BollAndBranch.com and use the promo code CULTURE.
And by TrackR, a coin-sized device that locates misplaced keys, wallets, bags, computers—anything in seconds. Make losing things, a thing of the past. Get 30 percent off your first TrackR device by going to TheTracker.com and using the promo code CULTURE.
And by Open Account, a podcast that gets personal about making, losing, and living with money. Created by Umpqua Bank and hosted by SuChin Pak, download and subscribe to Open Account wherever you get your podcasts.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Stephen Metcalf, Julia Turner, and Laura Miller discuss Whit Stillman's film "Love & Friendship," Radiohead's latest album, and the British TV show "Scott And Bailey" and comfort food television.
The Slate Culture Gabfest is brought to you by Audible.com, with more than 250,000 audiobooks and spoken-word audio products. Get a free 30-day trial and a free audiobook at Audible.com/culture.
And by Tictail, a social shopping marketplace. Go to tictail.com/culture to create your profile and to see a selection of our favorite products.
And by Rocket Mortgage from Quicken Loans. Rocket Mortgage brings the mortgage process into the twenty-first century with a fast, easy, and completely online process. Check out Rocket Mortgage today at QuickenLoans.com/culture.
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Stephen Metcalf, Julia Turner, and Laura Miller discuss the film Key and Peele's first feature film Keanu, whether iTunes is a dinosaur that deserves extinction and men's book clubs.
The Slate Culture Gabfest is brought to you by BollandBranch.com, offering luxury bedding at affordable prices. Order right now and they'll give you 20 percent off, plus free shipping. Get sheets, towels, blankets, duvet covers, and more at BollAndBranch.com and use the promo code CULTURE.
And by Tracker, a coin-sized device that locates misplaced keys, wallets, bags, computers—anything in seconds. Make losing things, a thing of the past. Get 40 percent off your first Tracker device by going to TheTracker.com and using the promo code CULTURE.
And by Tictail, a social shopping marketplace. Go to tictail.com/culture to create your profile and to see a selection of our favorite products.
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Stephen Metcalf, Dan Kois, and June Thomas discuss the film The Meddler, the AMC television show The Night Manager, and why Trump is best understood as a terrifying product of his generation.
The Slate Culture Gabfest is brought to you by Club W, leading the "grape to glass" wine revolution. Answer just six simple questions at ClubW.com and their algorithm will create a Palate Profile just for you. Get wine delivered directly to your door, perfectly customized to match your taste. For $20 off your first order--with free shipping on orders of 4 bottles or more--go to ClubW.com/culture.
And by ScoreBig. Did you know that 40 percent of all live event tickets go unsold? ScoreBig works directly with your favorite teams and artists to get those unsold seats at huge savings. Go to ScoreBig.com right now, click on the microphone and enter the promo code CULTURE. You’ll save an extra 20 dollars off your first ticket purchase.
And by Tictail, a social shopping marketplace. Go to tictail.com/culture to create your profile and to see a selection of our favorite products.
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Stephen Metcalf, Julia Turner, and June Thomas discuss Prince, Beyoncé's Lemonade, and the television show The Girlfriend Experience.
The Slate Culture Gabfest is brought to you by BollandBranch.com, offering luxury bedding at affordable prices. Order right now and they'll give you 20 percent off, plus free shipping. Get sheets, towels, blankets, duvet covers, and more at BollAndBranch.com and use the promo code CULTURE.
And by Tracker, a coin-sized device that locates misplaced keys, wallets, bags, computers—anything in seconds. Make losing things, a thing of the past. Get 40 percent off your first Tracker device by going to TheTracker.com and using the promo code CULTURE.
And by Care.com, the world’s largest digital marketplace for finding and managing family care. Right now you can save 30 percent off a Care.com Premium membership AND receive a 15 dollar credit when you subscribe at Care.com/culture.
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Stephen Metcalf, Julia Turner, and Dan Kois discuss the latest incarnation of The Jungle Book, the HBO movie Confirmation, and the future of NPR.
The Slate Culture Gabfest is brought to you by FUN HOME, winner of five Tony Awards including Best Musical. The Associated Press calls this groundbreaking production, “The best of what Broadway can do.” Get tickets at FunHomeBroadway.com.
And by The Haters, the hilarious road-trip novel about music and friendship, by Jesse Andrews—New York Times bestselling author and screenwriter of the Sundance award–winner Me and Earl and the Dying Girl. Find The Haters at AbramsBooks.com/thehaters.
And by Green Chef, a new food delivery service that makes cooking easy—with consciously sourced healthy recipes and organic ingredients. Get four free meals with your first order when you go to GreenChef.com/culture.
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Stephen Metcalf, Julia Turner, and Dana Stevens talk with Rob Delaney the co-creator and co-star of the Amazon show Catastrophe and then discuss Gay Talese and the legendary Merle Haggard.
The Slate Culture Gabfest is brought to you by Audible.com, with more than 180,000 audiobooks and spoken-word audio products. Get a free 30-day trial and a free audiobook at Audible.com/culture.
And by ScoreBig. Did you know that 40 percent of all live event tickets go unsold? ScoreBig works directly with your favorite teams and artists to get those unsold seats at huge savings. Go to ScoreBig.com right now, click on the microphone and enter the promo code CULTURE. You’ll save an extra 20 dollars off your first ticket purchase. That’s ScoreBig.com, promo code CULTURE.
And by The Haters, the hilarious road-trip novel about music and friendship, by Jesse Andrews—New York Times bestselling author and screenwriter of the Sundance award–winner Me and Earl and the Dying Girl. Find The Haters at AbramsBooks.com/thehaters.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Stephen Metcalf, Julia Turner, and Dana Stevens are live at the SVA Theater in New York City and discuss Richard Linklater's latest film "Everybody Wants Some!!", Amazon's Echo device, and what four figures they would carve into a cultural Mt. Rushmore.
The Slate Culture Gabfest is brought to you by BollandBranch.com, offering luxury bedding at affordable prices. Order right now and they'll give you 20% off, plus free shipping. Get sheets, towels, blankets, duvet covers, and more at BollAndBranch.com and use the promo code CULTURE.
And by The Haters, the hilarious road-trip novel about music and friendship, by Jesse Andrews—New York Times bestselling author and screenwriter of the Sundance award–winner Me and Earl and the Dying Girl. Find The Haters at AbramsBooks.com/thehaters.
And by Green Chef, a new food delivery service that makes cooking easy—with consciously sourced healthy recipes and organic ingredients. Get four free meals with your first order when you go to GreenChef.com/culture.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
The Culture Gabfest is going to be late this week because of its awesome live show in New York City.
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Stephen Metcalf, Julia Turner, and Dana Stevens discuss Batman v Superman with Slate's Jamelle Bouie, TBS' Full Frontal with Samantha Bee, and bro out with The New York Times' writer Wesley Morris.
The Slate Culture Gabfest is brought to you by BollandBranch.com, offering luxury bedding at affordable prices. Order right now and they'll give you 20 percent off, plus free shipping. Get sheets, towels, blankets, duvet covers, and more at BollAndBranch.com and use the promo code CULTURE.
And by Roku and HBO NOW. Roku players offer the biggest selection of streaming channels, like HBO NOW. Learn more and try HBO NOW free for one month by going to roku.com/gab.
And by ScoreBig. Did you know that 40 percent of all live event tickets go unsold? ScoreBig works directly with your favorite teams and artists to get those unsold seats at huge savings. Go to ScoreBig.com right now, click on the microphone and enter the promo code CULTURE. You’ll save an extra 20 dollars off your first ticket purchase. That’s ScoreBig.com, promo code CULTURE.
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Julia Turner, Stephen Metcalf, and Laura Miller discuss the animated film about police brutality Zootopia, WGN America's Underground, and our obsession with revealing the identities of artists who want to maintain their privacy. Is our curiosity justified or predatory?
The Slate Culture Gabfest is brought to you by The Great Courses Plus, a new video service with more than 5,000 lectures. As a member, you can watch as many lectures as you want, anytime, on any device. For a limited time, Culture Gabfest listeners can watch The Fundamentals of Photography—for free—by visiting TheGreatCoursesPlus.com/culture.
And by Roku and HBO NOW. Roku players offer the biggest selection of streaming channels, like HBO NOW. Learn more and try HBO NOW free for one month by going to roku.com/gab.
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Stephen Metcalf, Julia Turner, and Dana Stevens discuss the horror sequel 10 Cloverfield Lane, Fred Kaplan's latest book "Dark Territory: The Secret History of Cyber War," and the significance of names with The New York Times' Jody Rosen.
The Slate Culture Gabfest is brought to you by BollandBranch.com, offering luxury bedding at affordable prices. Order right now and they'll give you 20 percent off, plus free shipping. Get sheets, towels, blankets, duvet covers, and more at BollAndBranch.com and use the promo code CULTURE.
And by Roku and HBO NOW. Roku players offer the biggest selection of streaming channels, like HBO NOW. Learn more and try HBO NOW free for one month by going to roku.com/gab.
And by Tracker. Make losing things a thing of the past. Get 40 percent off your first Tracker device by going to TheTracker.com and using the promo code CULTURE.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Stephen Metcalf, Julia Turner, and Dana Stevens discuss Kendrick Lamar's untitled unmastered, work-life balance, and the story of the eradication of the original Ku Klux Klan.
The Slate Culture Gabfest is brought to you by The Great Courses Plus, a new video service with more than 5,000 lectures. As a member, you can watch as many lectures as you want, anytime, on any device. And for a limited time, Culture Gabfest listeners can watch The Fundamentals of Photography—for free—by visiting TheGreatCoursesPlus.com/culture.
And by Club W, leading the "grape to glass" wine revolution. Answer just six simple questions at ClubW.com and their algorithm will create a Palate Profile just for you. Get wine delivered directly to your door, perfectly customized to match your taste. For 50 percent off your first order, go to ClubW.com/culture.
And by Amazon. Detective Harry Bosch is back on the new season of Amazon’s Original Series Bosch, based on the best selling novels by Michael Connelly. Stream the new season on March 11th on Amazon Prime Video.
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Stephen Metcalf, Julia Turner, and Dana Stevens discuss The Oscars, small talk, and interview photographer Gregory Crewdson about his work and latest show "Cathedral of the Pines."
The Slate Culture Gabfest is brought to you by Carbonite. Keep your digital files safe this year—protect your photos, music, and documents with automatic cloud backup from Carbonite. Try it free without a credit card at Carbonite.com, and use the offer code CULTURE to get two free bonus months if you decide to buy.
And by Warby Parker, a new concept in eyewear. Warby Parker makes buying glasses online easy, risk-free and most of all, enjoyable. Visit warbyparker.com/cultural to begin your free home try-on experience today.
And by Audible.com, with more than 180,000 audiobooks and spoken-word audio products. Get a free 30-day trial and a free audiobook at Audible.com/culture.
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Julia Turner, Dana Stevens, and Stephen Metcalf discuss the Netflix series Love, the Oscar nominated documentary Amy, and cultural criticism.
The Slate Culture Gabfest is brought to you by The Great Courses Plus, a new video service with more than 5,000 lectures. For a limited time, listeners of the Culture Gabfest can watch one of the most popular courses—The Everyday Gourmet: Rediscovering the Lost Art of Cooking—for free. Just visit TheGreatCoursesPlus.com/culture.
And by BollandBranch.com, the company that makes luxury bedding affordable. Order right now and they'll give you 20 percent off, plus free shipping. Get sheets, towels, blankets, duvet covers, and more at BollAndBranch.com and use the promo code CULTURE.
And by A&E’s hit series Bates Motel. Catch the new season when it returns Monday March 7th at 9 p.m. Eastern Time on A&E.
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Stephen Metcalf, Dana Stevens, and Forrest Wickman discuss the new HBO series Vinyl about New York City's 70s music scene, the gentle indie feature Brooklyn, and Kanye's latest album the Life of Pablo.
The Slate Culture Gabfest is brought to you by Carbonite. Keep your digital files safe this year—protect your photos, music, and documents with automatic cloud backup from Carbonite. Try it free without a credit card at Carbonite.com, and use the offer code CULTURE to get two free bonus months if you decide to buy.
And by Audible.com, with more than 180,000 audiobooks and spoken-word audio products. Get a free 30-day trial and a free audiobook at Audible.com/culture.
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Stephen Metcalf, Julia Turner, and Dana Stevens discuss the Coen brothers latest movie Hail Caesar!, Beyonce's Formation video with New York Times' Wesley Morris and the 2016 Superbowl ads with Slate's Seth Stevenson.
The Slate Culture Gabfest is brought to you by The Great Courses Plus, a new video service with more than 5,000 lectures. As a member, you can watch as many lectures as you want on any device. And for a limited time, listeners of the Culture Gabfest can watch one of the most popular courses—The Everyday Gourmet: Rediscovering the Lost Art of Cooking—for free. Just visit TheGreatCoursesPlus.com/culture.
And by Casper, an online retailer of premium mattresses for a fraction of the price. Casper mattresses come with free delivery and returns within a 100-day period. And get 50 dollars toward any mattress purchase by visiting Casper.com/culture and using the promo code CULTURE.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Julia Turner, Dana Stevens, and New York Times' Wesley Morris discuss the biographical drama American Crime Story: The People v. OJ Simpson, the film Room, and Rihanna's new album.
The Slate Culture Gabfest is brought to you by The Great Courses Plus, a new video learning service with more than 5,000 lectures. For a limited time only, listeners of the Culture Gabfest can stream one of the most popular courses—The Everyday Gourmet: Rediscovering the Lost Art of Cooking—for free. Just visit TheGreatCoursesPlus.com/culture.
And by BollandBranch.com, the company that makes luxury bedding affordable. Order right now and they'll give you 20 percent off, plus free shipping. Get sheets, towels, blankets, duvet covers, and more at BollAndBranch.com and use the promo code CULTURE.
And by Club W, leading the "grape to glass" wine revolution. Answer just six simple questions at ClubW.com and their algorithm will create a Palate Profile just for you. Get wine delivered directly to your door, perfectly customized to match your taste. For 50 percent off your first order, go to ClubW.com/culture.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Julia Turner, Dana Stevens, and Laura Miller discuss The Oscars diversity problem, Trevor Noah's vesrion of The Daily Show, and the Oscar-nominated film Carol. The Slate Culture Gabfest is brought to you by Carbonite. Keep your digital files safe this year—protect your photos, music, and documents with automatic cloud backup from Carbonite. Try it free without a credit card at Carbonite.com, and use the offer code CULTURE to get two free bonus months if you decide to buy. And by BollandBranch.com, the company that makes luxury bedding affordable. Get the nicest sheets you've ever owned for about half the price of what stores are charging. Order right now and they'll give you 20 percent off your order, plus free shipping. Go to BollAndBranch.com and use the promo code CULTURE. And by Audible.com, with more than 180,000 audiobooks and spoken-word audio products. Get a free 30-day trial and a free audiobook at Audible.com/culture.
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Julia Turner, Dana Stevens, and June Thomas discuss the film 45 Years, the BBC America TV series London Spy, and "The Trials of Alice Goffman" with Slate's Leon Neyfakh. The Slate Culture Gabfest is brought to you by BollandBranch.com, the company that makes luxury bedding affordable. Get the nicest sheets you've ever owned for about half the price of what stores are charging. Order right now and they'll give you 20 percent off your order, plus free shipping. Go to BollAndBranch.com and use the promo code CULTURE. And by Club W, leading the "grape to glass" wine revolution. Answer just six simple questions at ClubW.com and their algorithm will create a Palate Profile just for you. Get wine directly to your door, perfectly customized to match your taste. For 50 percent off your first order, go to ClubW.com/culture.
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Dana Stevens, Julia Turner, and Aisha Harris discuss David Bowie's legacy, Quentin Tarantino's latest film Hateful Eight, and the true crime documentary Making A Murderer. The Slate Culture Gabfest is brought to you by the 21st Annual Critics' Choice Awards. Tune in live January 17th at 8pm EasternTime/5pm Pacific to see who in film and TV takes the top prizes. Only on A&E. And by Carbonite. Keep your digital files safe this year—protect your photos, music, and documents with automatic cloud backup from Carbonite. Try it free without a credit card at Carbonite.com, and use the offer code CULTURE to get two free bonus months if you decide to buy.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Dana Stevens, Laura Miller, and Mike Pesca discuss the film The Revenant, Marie Kondo's latest book for wannabe neat freaks, and whether profanity exposes a worldview. The Slate Culture Gabfest is brought to you by BollandBranch.com, the company that makes luxury bedding affordable. Get the nicest sheets you've ever owned for about half the price of what stores and boutiques are charging. Order right now and they'll give you $50 off a set of sheets, plus free shipping. Go to BollAndBranch.com and use the promo code CULTURE. And by Club W, leading the "grape to glass" wine revolution. Answer just six simple questions at ClubW.com and their algorithm will create a Palate Profile just for you. Get wine directly to your door, perfectly customized to match your taste. For 50 percent off your first order, go to ClubW.com/culture. And by the 21st Annual Critics' Choice Awards. Tune in live January 17th at 8pm Eastern Time/5pm Pacific to see who in film and TV takes the top prizes. Only on A&E.
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Stephen Metcalf, Julia Turner, and Dana Stevens discuss Star Wars VII: The Force Awakens and answer listener questions. The Slate Culture Gabfest is brought to you by Prudential's 40/40 Vision, a multimedia microsite exploring what life - and the future - looks like to today's 40-somethings. Hear what inspires real people, the hopes they have for tomorrow, and much more. See yourself in their stories at slate.com/4040vision/family. And by Making A Murderer, an unprecedented new documentary that takes viewers inside a high-stakes criminal case where reputation is everything and things are never as they appear. All episodes are now streaming, only on Netflix.
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Stephen Metcalf, Dana Stevens, and Laura Miller discuss the best TV, books, and movies of 2015. The Slate Culture Gabfest is brought to you by Prudential’s 40/40 Vision, a multimedia microsite exploring what life—and the future—looks like to today’s 40-somethings. Hear what inspires real people, the hopes they have for tomorrow, and much more. See yourself in their stories at slate.com/4040vision/family.
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Stephen Metcalf, Julia Turner, and Dana Stevens discuss the movie The Big Short, the hit musical Hamilton, and whether scholarly work be less and not more accessible. The Slate Culture Gabfest is brought to you by Club W, leading the "grape to glass" wine revolution. Answer just six simple questions at ClubW.com and their algorithm will create a Palate Profile just for you. Get wine directly to your door, perfectly customized to match your taste. For 20 percent off your first order, go to ClubW.com/culture. And by BollandBranch.com, the company that makes luxury bedding affordable. Get the nicest sheets you've ever owned for about half the price of what stores and boutiques are charging. Order right now and they'll give you 20 percent off your entire order plus free shipping. Go to BollAndBranch.com and use the promo code CULTURE.
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Stephen Metcalf, Julia Turner, and Dana Stevens discuss the latest cinematic adaptation of Macbeth, Bill Murray's Netflix Christmas special "A Very Murray Christmas," and Katy Waldman’s recent Slate exploring the cultural narratives that underscore (and misinterpret) anorexia. The Slate Culture Gabfest is brought to you by Shari's Berries. Fresh berries dipped in chocolate—starting at just $19.99—are a great holiday gift. Go to berries.com and use the promo code CULTURE and double your berries for just 10 dollars more. And by Club W, leading the "grape to glass" wine revolution. Answer just six simple questions at ClubW.com and their algorithm will create a Palate Profile just for you. Get wine directly to your door, perfectly customized to match your taste. For 50 percent off your first order, go to ClubW.com/culture. And by Harry's, the shaving company that offers German-engineered blades, well-designed handles, and shipping right to your door. Visit Harrys.com for $5 off your first purchase with the promo code CULTURE.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Stephen Metcalf, Julia Turner, and Dana Stevens discuss the Rocky reboot Creed, the atypical Marvel TV series Jessica Jones, and whether we should regulate our internet addiction. The Slate Culture Gabfest is brought to you by Harry's, the shaving company that offers German-engineered blades, well-designed handles, and shipping right to your door. Visit Harrys.com for $5 off your first purchase with the promo code CULTURE. And by Braintree. Looking to set up payments for your business? Braintree gives your app or website a payment solution that accepts just about every payment method with one simple integration. Plus, we’ll give you your first $50,000 in transactions feefree. To learn more, visit BraintreePayments.com/culture. And by The Message, an original science fiction podcast from Panoply and GE Podcast Theater. All of Season 1 is available now, so listen and find out why a 70-year-old alien recording seems to be killing people. Search for The Message on iTunes.
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Stephen Metcalf, Julia Turner, and Dan Kois discuss the film Spotlight, the Philip K. Dick novel-turned-TV show The Man in the High Castle, and a Westboro Baptist woman's Twitter conversion with author Adrian Chen. The Slate Culture Gabfest is brought to you by Prudential’s 40/40 Vision, a multimedia microsite exploring what life—and the future—looks like to today’s 40-somethings. Hear what inspires real people, the hopes they have for tomorrow, and much more. See yourself in their stories at slate.com/4040vision/family. And by The Message, an original science fiction podcast from Panoply and GE Podcast Theater. All of Season 1 is available now, so listen and find out why a 70-year-old alien recording seems to be killing people. Search for The Message on iTunes.
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Live from Town Hall in New York City, Slate's Culture Gabfest is joined by the Political Gabfest and Hang Up and Listen to discuss the growing threat of ISIS, Aziz Ansari's Master of None, and the Russian doping scandal. Plus, an interview with Hamilton cast members Leslie Odom Jr. and Daveed Diggs. The Slate Culture Gabfest is brought to you by Club W, leading the "grape to glass" wine revolution. Answer just six simple questions at ClubW.com and their algorithm will create a Palate Profile just for you. Get wine directly to your door, perfectly customized to match your taste. For 50 percent off your first order, go to ClubW.com/culture. And by The Message, a new podcast series from GE Podcast Theater. Join Slate Plus! Members get bonus segments, exclusive member-only podcasts, and more. Sign up for a free trial today at www.slate.com/gabfestplus. Twitter: @SlateCultFest Facebook: facebook.com/culturefest Email: [email protected]
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Stephen Metcalf, Julia Turner, and Dana Stevens discuss the latest Steve Jobs biopic, virtual reality and Facebook's Oculus Rift technology, and whether subtlety in art sucks. The Slate Culture Gabfest is brought to you Club W, leading the "grape to glass" wine revolution. Answer just six simple questions at ClubW.com and their algorithm will create a Palate Profile just for you. Get wine directly to your door, perfectly customized to match your taste. For 50 percent off your first order, go to ClubW.com/culture. And by the American Heart Association, which is urging lawmakers to save physical education. The average school gets just $764 every year for phys ed. Go to heart.org/LetThemPlay to learn more and take action. And by The Message, a new podcast series from GE Podcast Theater.
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Stephen Metcalf and Dana Stevens discuss the career of Elvis Costello on the heels of his recent memoir, "Unfaithful Music & Disappearing Ink" with Slate's Carl Wilson, Drake's viral Hotline Bling video with Slate's Leon Neyfakh, and Adele's anticipated album 25 with Slate's Chris Molanphy. The Slate Culture Gabfest is brought to you by Harry's, the shaving company that offers German-engineered blades, well-designed handles, and shipping right to your door. Visit Harrys.com for $5 off your first purchase with the promo code CULTURE. And by Braintree. Looking to set up payments for your business? Braintree gives your app or website a payment solution that accepts just about every payment method with one simple integration. Plus, we’ll give you your first $50,000 in transactions feefree. To learn more, visit BraintreePayments.com/culture. And by the American Heart Association, which is urging lawmakers to save physical education. The average school gets just $764 every year for Physical Education. Go to heart.org/LetThemPlay to learn more and take action.
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Stephen Metcalf, Julia Turner, and Dana Stevens discuss CW's musical comedy Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, whether NASA has discussed a super alien race with Slate's Bad Astronomer Phil Plait, and the digitally annotated Bartleby the Scrivener with Slate's Andrew Kahn. The Slate Culture Gabfest is brought to you by Prudential’s 40/40 Vision, a multimedia microsite exploring what life—and the future—looks like to today’s 40-somethings. Hear what inspires real people, the hopes they have for tomorrow, and much more. See yourself in their stories at slate.com/4040vision/family. And by Club W, leading the "grape to glass" wine revolution. Answer just six simple questions at ClubW.com and their algorithm will create a Palate Profile just for you. Get wine directly to your door, perfectly customized to match your taste. For 50 percent off your first order, go to ClubW.com/culture. And by The Message, a new podcast series from GE Podcast Theater. Subscribe to "The Message" here.
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Stephen Metcalf, Dana Stevens, and Laura Miller discuss Spielberg's Cold War Movie "Bridge of Spies," Kathryn Schultz’s recent New Yorker takedown of Henry David Thoreau, and whether the lecture still has a place in the college classroom. The Slate Culture Gabfest is brought to you by Club W, leading the "grape to glass" wine revolution. Answer just six simple questions at ClubW.com and their algorithm will create a Palate Profile just for you. Get wine directly to your door, perfectly customized to match your taste. For 50 percent off your first order, go to ClubW.com/culture. And by the Great Courses, offering a series of lectures about food, including Essential Secrets of Spices in Cooking, Making Healthy Food Taste Great, Baking Pastries and Desserts, and Making Great Meals in Less Time. Order any one of these Everyday Gourmet courses for only $9.95 for a limited time at TheGreatCourses.com/culture. And by The Message, a new podcast series from GE Podcast Theater. Subscribe to "The Message" here.
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Stephen Metcalf, Julia Turner, and Dana Stevens discuss Rahmin Bahrani's latest film 99 Homes, our identity obsession with Wesley Morris, and Dana Stevens's travelogue meditation about her recent trip to Japan. The Slate Culture Gabfest is brought to you by Whispersync for Voice, an Amazon and Audible innovation. Add narration to more than 60,000 Kindle bestsellers and popular titles. Read on your tablet and when it's time to go, pick up where you left off by switching to audio and listening on your phone. Learn more about Whispersync for Voice by visiting amazon.com/culturefest. And by Beech Nut Organics. At Beech Nut, homemade is their inspiration. It’s not baby food. It’s real food for babies—real organic fruits and vegetables, and nothing more. Nobody else makes food for babies this way! Beech Nut Organics are now available at Target. Go to BeechNutGabFest.com and enter to win a year's worth of food.
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Stephen Metcalf, Julia Turner, and Dana Stevens discuss the blockbuster science movie The Martian, Fox's standout fall TV show The Grinder, and whether Hamlet is fat. The Slate Culture Gabfest is brought to you by Braintree. Looking to set up payments for your business? Braintree gives your app or website a payment solution that accepts just about every payment method with one simple integration. Plus, we’ll give you your first $50,000 in transactions fee free. To learn more, visit BraintreePayments.com/culture. And by Beech Nut Organics. At Beech Nut, homemade is their inspiration. It’s not baby food. It’s real food for babies—real organic fruits and vegetables, and nothing more. Nobody else makes food for babies this way. Beech Nut Organics are now available at Target. Go to BeechNutGabFest.com and enter to win a year’s worth of food. And by the Great Courses, offering a series of lectures about food, including Essential Secrets of Spices in Cooking, Making Healthy Food Taste Great, Baking Pastries and Desserts, and Making Great Meals in Less Time. Order any one of these Everyday Gourmet courses for only $9.95 for a limited time at TheGreatCourses.com/culture.
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Stephen Metcalf, Julia Turner, and Dana Stevens discuss ABC's How To Get Away Murder with Slate's TV critic Willa Paskin. Plus, we're joined by Jody Rosen, the critic at large for "T" the style magazine of The New York Times, to talk about Ryan Adams and his cover of Taylor Swift's "1989" album. And Dan Pashman, former Gabfest producer and current host of WNYC's The Sporkful, chimes in to chat pumpkin spice lattes. The Slate Culture Gabfest is brought to you by OPEN ACCOUNT, a podcast series created by SuChin Pak and Umpqua Bank. OPEN ACCOUNT explores, through honest and sometimes comical interviews, our uncomfortable silence around money. OPEN ACCOUNT is available now on iTunes. And by Beech Nut Organics. At Beech Nut, homemade is their inspiration. It’s not baby food. It’s real food for babies—real organic fruits and vegetables, and nothing more. Nobody else makes food for babies this way! Beech Nut Organics are now available at Target. Go to BeechNutGabFest.com and enter to win a year’s worth of food.
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Stephen Metcalf, Julia Turner, and Dana Stevens are live in Chicago this week and discuss the film Black Mass, the sketch comedy of Second City, and the cultural phenomenon known as Donald Trump. The Slate Culture Gabfest is brought to you by Open Account, a podcast series created by SuChin Pak and Umpqua Bank. Open Account explores, through honest and sometimes comical interviews, our uncomfortable silence around money. Open Account is available now on iTunes.
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Stephen Metcalf, Julia Turner, and Dana Stevens discuss the FXX anti-romantic comedy "You're the Worst," Stephen Colbert's late night debut, and whether it's OK to be a Luddite.
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Dana Steves, Willa Paskin, and Seth Stevenson discuss FX CEO John Landgraf’s recent remarks about how there is “simply too much television” available today, Bill Hader and Fred Armisen IFC mockumentary series Documentary Now, and Google's new logo with Slate's Will Oremus. The Slate Culture Gabfest is sponsored by Warby Parker, a new concept in eyewear. Warby Parker makes buying glasses online easy, risk-free and most of all, enjoyable. Get free three-day shipping on your final frame choice when you go to warbyparker.com/cultural. And by Harry's, the shaving company that offers German-engineered blades, well-designed handles, and shipping right to your door. Visit Harrys.com for $5 off your first purchase with the promo code CULTURE.
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Stephen Metcalf, Dana Stevens, and Slate's Laura Miller discuss Narcos, Netflix original series about the Medellín drug cartel, Jonathan Franzen's new book Purity, and the refusal of some first-year students at Duke to read Allison Bechdel’s Fun Home. The Slate Culture Gabfest is brought to you by Braintree. If you’re working on a mobile app and searching for a simple payments solution, check out Braintree. With one simple integration, you can offer your customers every way to pay. Period. To learn more, and for your first $50,000 in transactions fee-free, go to www.braintreepayments.com/culture And by Next Issue, the mobile app that lets you tap directly into the world's most popular magazines, anywhere, using your phone or tablet. Dive deeper into Vogue, People, Esquire, Time, and more, with interactive content for a richer reading experience. Right now, try Next Issue out for free at www.nextissue.com/culture.
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Julia Turner and June Thomas discuss the film Diary of a Teenage Girl with Slate's Laura Miller, the Walking Dead pre-quel, Fear of Walking Dead with Slate's Mike Vuolo, and the Ashley Madison hack with Slate's Amanda Hess.
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Stephen Metcalf and Julia Turner discuss the HBO mini-series Show Me A Hero based on a landmark housing integration case with Slate's Jamelle Bouie, the N.W.A biopic Straight Outta Compton with Slate's John Swansburg, and Amazon work culture with Slate's Allison Benedikt.
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Stephen Metcalf, Julia Turner, and Seth Stevenson discuss Netflix's Wet Hot American Summer reboot, the David Foster Wallace biopic End of Tour with Slate's Jessica Winter, and the morals of air conditioning.
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Stephen Metcalf, Julia Turner, and Dana Stevens discuss the Mission Impossible franchise's latest installment, Rogue Nation, girl squads with Slate's Katy Waldman, and the problem of country music for people who don't like country with Carl Wilson. The Slate Culture Gabfest is brought to you by Braintree. If you’re working on a mobile app and searching for a simple payments solution, check out Braintree. With one simple integration, you can offer your customers every way to pay. To learn more, and for your first $50,000 in transactions fee-free, go to braintreepayments.com/culture And by Volvo. Experience the Wonder of Summer. Have a month’s payment on Volvo and spend your summer doing the things that matter to you. Plus get up to five years full coverage, including wear and tear. Go to volvocars.com/us.
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Stephen Metcalf, Julia Turner, and Dana Stevens discuss The Look of Silence, filmmaker Joshua Oppenheimer's companion to his 2012 documentary The Act of Killing. Also, Slate's national correspondent, Will Saletan, talks about GMOs and fearmongering. Plus, how will What Pet Should I Get? affect the legacy of Dr. Seuss? Read Dana's review of The Look of Silence and her interview with Oppenheimer. And, read Will Saletan's article about GMOs. In our Slate Plus bonus segment: What's your alienating hobby? If you're not a member, enjoy ad-free podcasts, exclusive content, and much more when you sign up at slate.com/cultureplus.
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Stephen Metcalf, Julia Turner, and Dana Stevens discuss Amy Schumer's debut film Trainwreck, the cyberpunk thriller Mr. Robot on USA Network, and the latest dustup at Gawker. The Slate Culture Gabfest is sponsored by the Great Courses, offering engaging audio and video lectures taught by top professors. Courses like "The Every Day Gourmet: Rediscovering the Lost Art of Cooking." Right now, get up to 80 percent off the original price when you visit thegreatcourses.com/culture. And by Volvo. Experience the Wonder of Summer. Have a month’s payment on Volvo and spend your summer doing the things that matter to you. Plus get up to five years full coverage, including wear and tear. Go to volvocars.com/us
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Stephen Metcalf, Julia Turner, and Dana Stevens discuss the TV show Catastrophe, the Grateful Dead with Slate's John Swansburg, and the book The Next Next Level with author Leon Neyfakh. The Slate Culture Gabfest is sponsored by Harry's, the shaving company that offers German-engineered blades, well-designed handles, and shipping right to your door. Visit Harrys.com for $5 off your first purchase with the promo code CULTURE. And by Braintree. If you’re working on a mobile app and searching for a simple payments solution, check out Braintree. With one simple integration, you can offer your customers every way to pay. Period. To learn more, and for your first $50,000 in transactions fee-free, go tobraintreepayments.com/culture And by the Great Courses, offering engaging audio and video lectures taught by top professors. Courses like "The Every Day Gourmet: Rediscovering the Lost Art of Cooking." Right now, get up to 80 percent off the original price when you visit thegreatcourses.com/culture.
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Stephen Metcalf, Dana Stevens, and Slate's Mike Pesca discuss Magic Mike XXL, the Nina Simone documentary "What Happened, Miss Simone?", and whether the American actor is in decline. Slate's Culture Gabfest is sponsored by Boll & Branch, making luxury bedding affordable and convenient to order from home. Right now, get $50 off a set of sheets, plus free shipping, when you go to www.bollandbranch.com and use the promo code CULTURE.
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Julia Turner, Dana Stevens, and Slate's Chris Molanphy discuss the Brian Wilson biopic Love and Mercy, the songs of summer (or not), and reveal their favorite summer struts for 2015.
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Stephen Metcalf, Julia Turner, and Dana Stevens discuss Pixar's latest film Inside Out, the art of currency design, and tour the new Whitney Museum with curator Scott Rothkopf. Slate's Culture Gabfest is sponsored by Squarespace. Start building your website today at Squarespace.com. Enter offer code CULTURE at checkout to get 10% off. Squarespace. Build it Beautiful. And by the Great Courses, offering engaging audio and video lectures taught by top professors. Courses like "The Fundamentals of Photography." Right now, get up to 80 percent off the original price when you visit greatcourses.com/culture. And by Boll and Branch, making luxury bedding affordable and convenient to order from home. Boll and Branch sheets are made from organic cotton that's fair-trade certified. Right now, get $50 off a set of sheets, plus free shipping, when you go to bollandbranch.com and use the promo code CULTURE.
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Stephen Metcalf, Dana Stevens, and June Thomas discuss the Hollywood's latest reboot of Jurassic World, the legacy of Ornette Coleman with Slate's Fred Kaplan, and interview the United States' new poet laureate Juan Felipe Herrera. Slate Culture Gabfest is sponsored by: Braintree. With one simple integration, you can offer your customers every way to pay. Period. To learn more, and for your first $50,000 in transactions fee-free, go to braintreepayments.com/culture And By: Tastebud, a new mobile app that lets you share and discover movies, music, books, TV shows, podcasts and apps. Ask friends for specific recommendations or simply share your current obsessions. Go to tastebudapp.co And By: The Great Courses, celebrating their 25th Anniversary, with over 500 courses including History, Literature, Psychology, Better Living, and more. Watch or Listen with DVDs, CDs, streaming, digital downloads or with The Great Courses apps. The Great Courses created a Special, limited time offer for Culture Gabfest listeners Order from 8 of their bestselling courses – including: The Fundamentals of Photography at Up to 80% off the original price. Don’t wait: go to thegreatcourses.com/CULTURE
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Stephen Metcalf, Julia Turner, and Dana Stevens discuss the film Spy starring Melissa McCarthy, Lifetime's fictional reality tv show UnReal, and finally guest Dan Kois joins to talk about his recent visit to the Clickhole writers’ room. Our sponsors: Tastebud, a new mobile app that lets you share and discover movies, music, books, TV shows, podcasts and apps. Ask friends for specific recommendations or simply share your current obsessions. Go to tastebudapp.co. And: Audible.com, who has more than 180,000 audiobooks and spoken-word audio products. Get a free audiobook of your choice at www.audiblepodcast.com/culture. Also: Birchbox Man. Gentlemen, with all the challenges you tackle each day, looking sharp shouldn’t have to be one of them. That’s why for $20 a month, Birchbox Man will ship you a lineup of gear and grooming essentials—from style upgrades to shaving supplies—directly to your doorstep. So head over to Birchbox.com and use promo code CULTURE to get 100 Birchbox points with the purchase of your subscription. That’s $10 to spend towards your new favorite products.
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Stephen Metcalf and Dana Stevens are joined by Emily Bazelon to talk about Laura Kipnis and Title IX, Rebecca Onion to discuss whether generation titles are bogus, and Carl Wilson to talk about Jim O'Rourke's new album Simple Songs. This episode of Slate's Culture Gabfest is brought to you by Braintree. If you’re working on a mobile app and searching for a simple payments solution, check out Braintree. With one simple integration, you can offer your customers every way to pay. Period. To learn more, and for your first $50,000 in transactions fee-free, go to braintreepayments.com/culture. The Culture Gabfest is also sponsored by Volvo. Experience the Wonder of Summer. Have a month’s payment on Volvo and spend your summer doing the things that matter to you. Plus get up to five years full coverage, including wear and tear. Go to volvocars.com/us. The Culture Gabfest is also sponsored by Harry's. Go to Harrys.com now and Harry’s will give you $5 off your Father’s day set with the promo code CULTURE. Order by June 17th to get your set in time for Father’s Day. That's Harrys.com and enter coupon code CULTURE at check out for $5 off. Harry’s—a shave good enough to give.
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Stephen Metcalf, Julia Turner, and Dana Stevens discuss M. Night Shyamalan's TV show Wayward Pines, the webcam app Periscope, and whether nerd culture is dumbing down cinema with Slate's Jamelle Bouie. This episode is brought to you by Squarespace. Start building your website today at Squarespace.com. Enter offer code CULTURE at checkout to get 10% off. Squarespace—Build it Beautiful. This episode of The Culture Gabfest is brought to you by The Netflix Original Documentary Series - Chef's Table which offers viewers the opportunity to go inside the lives and kitchens of six of the world's most renowned, international culinary talents. This series is directed by David Gelb the creator of Jiro Dreams of Sushi. All episodes now streaming on Netflix.
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Stephen Metcalf, Julia Turner, and Dana Stevens discuss George Miller's Mad Max remake and the Mad Men finale with Slate's Jessica Winter and John Swansburg. The Slate Culture Gabfest is sponsored by NatureBox, shipping tasty and guilt-free snacks right to your door. With over 100 flavors to choose from, you’ll never get bored of snacking again. Try NatureBox for free by going to naturebox.com/culture. That’s naturebox.com/culture. And by the Netflix Original Documentary Series - Chef's Table. Go inside the lives and kitchens of six of the world's most renowned, international culinary talents. This series is directed by David Gelb the creator of Jiro Dreams of Sushi. All episodes now streaming on Netflix.
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Stephen Metcalf, Julia Turner, and Dana Stevens discuss David Letterman’s impending retirement from The Late Show and his 33-year legacy as a late night host with Slate's Jessica Winter, the British science fiction thriller film Ex Machina, and the Tonight Show spinoff Lip Sync Battle. The Slate Culture Gabfest is sponsored by Harry's, the shaving company that offers German-engineered blades, well-designed handles, and shipping right to your door. Visit Harrys.com for $5 off your first purchase with the promo code "Culture." And by the Netflix Original Documentary Series - Chef's Table. Go inside the lives and kitchens of six of the world's most renowned, international culinary talents. This series is directed by David Gelb the creator of Jiro Dreams of Sushi. All episodes now streaming on Netflix. And by NatureBox, shipping tasty and guilt-free snacks right to your door. With over 100 flavors to choose from like Asiago & Cheddar Cheese Crisps, Pistachio Power Clusters and Big Island Pineapple, you’ll never get bored of snacking again. Try NatureBox for free by going to naturebox.com/culture. That’s naturebox.com/culture.
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Stephen Metcalf, Julia Turner, and Dana Stevens discuss the Kurt Cobain documentary Montage of Heck, the lure of boxing with Seth Stevenson, and Dad Bods. The Slate Culture Gabfest is sponsored by Selma, the Academy Award winning film now available on Blu-ray combo pack and DVD. Selma tells the incredible true story of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s historic effort to ensure voting rights for all Americans, from Paramount Pictures and rated PG-13. And by The Honest Company, featuring safe products for your family and home. Purchase your first bundle by Mother's Day and receive a free soy candle worth $20. Go to FreeHonest.com and use the promo code "culture." That's FreeHonest.com and the promo code "Culture."
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Stephen Metcalf, Julia Turner, and Dan Kois discuss Masterpiece Theater's sumptuous version of Wolf Hall, Bruce Jenner's interview with Diane Sawyer about his decision to become a woman, and whether the much loved avocado should become extinct.
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Stephen Metcalf, Julia Turner, and Mike Pesca discuss the Iranian film About Elly, Gwyneth Paltrow's Goopy SNAP challenge, and movie trailers. Our sponsor this week is The Honest Company, featuring responsible and safe household products you can trust. Get a free gift worth $20 when you purchase your first bundle before Mother's Day. Go to Honest.com and use the promo code CULTURE. Love Slate podcasts? Listen longer with Slate Plus! Members get bonus segments, ad-free versions, exclusive podcasts and more. Start your 2-week free trial at slate.com/cultureplus
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Stephen Metcalf, Julia Turner, and Dana Stevens discuss Noah Baumbach's latest film "While We're Young," the annotation website Genius with Slate's Katy Waldman, and the post-Civil War paths of Grant and Lee with Slate's Jamelle Bouie.
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Stephen Metcalf, Julia Turner, and Dana Stevens discuss the Fast and Furious movie franchise, casting director Allison Jones, and the culture of public shaming on the internet.
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Stephen Metcalf, Julia Turner, and Dana Stevens discuss the film White God, fading charm with Simon Doonan, and go on a karaoke crawl with Slate's Dan Kois.
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Stephen Metcalf, Julia Turner, and Dana Stevens discuss the HBO documentary It's Me, Hilary, Jacob Rubin's Slate piece on the art of celebrity impressions, and Laura Kipnis' essay about teacher-student relationships, "Sexual Paranoia Strikes Academe." Join Julia and other Slatesters for a Mad Men premiere party, April 5 at the Bell House in Brooklyn. Doors at 9 p.m. RSVP here, with special benefits for Slate Plus members. Our sponsors this week: RetailMeNot, the digital coupon app that offers thousands of coupons from 55,000 stores. To get an invite to download the invite, text "CULTURE" to 42767. And, PBS, presenting Wolf Hall on Masterpiece. Starring Mark Rylance, this historical drama for a modern audience revolves around Thomas Cromwell, the brilliant power broker who served England's King Henry VIII. Wolf Hall airs Sunday, April 5 at 10/9 central. Love Slate podcasts? Listen longer with Slate Plus! Members get bonus segments, ad-free versions, exclusive podcasts and more. Start your 2-week free trial at slate.com/cultureplus
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Julia Turner, Dana Stevens, Jessica Winter discuss the "Blurred Lines" jury verdict with Slate contributor Chris Molanphy, Snapchat Discover with Slate's Will Oremus, and alternative titles.
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Dana Stevens, June Thomas, and Dan Kois discuss Netflix's Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, television opening credits, and whether it's stupid decision to get an MFA.
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Stephen Metcalf, Julia Turner, and Dana Stevens discuss FOX's new TV show The Last Man on Earth, Knausgaard's travel writing, and the fuss about the dress.
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Stephen Metcalf, Julia Turner, and Dana Stevens along with Carl Wilson review the Oscars, Bjork's latest album, and weigh in on the audiophile debate. Our sponsors today: Netflix, presenting season three of House of Cards. Starring Kevin Spacey and Robin Wright. All episodes available on Friday, Feb. 27. And by the new ABC drama American Crime, from the Oscar-winning screenwriter of 12 Years a Slave. Catch the series premiere on Thursday, March 5 on ABC. Love Slate podcasts? Listen longer with Slate Plus! Members get bonus segments, ad-free versions, exclusive podcasts and more. Start your 2-week free trial at slate.com/cultureplus
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Stephen Metcalf, Julia Turner, and Dana Stevens discuss 50 Shades of Grey, the legacy of Jon Stewart with Slate's Jamelle Bouie, and misogny on the red carpet.
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Stephen Metcalf, Julia Turner, and Dana Stevens discuss Breaking Bad's much anticipated spinoff Better Call Saul, Damien Chazelle’s film Whiplash, and the ethics surrounding the release of Harper Lee’s new book, Go Set a Watchman.
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Stephen Metcalf, Julia Turner, and Dana Stevens discuss the film Foxcatcher and its Best Picture Oscar snub, Sleater-Kinney's latest album with music writer Jack Hamilton, and the best of the worst Super Bowl ads with Seth Stevenson. Help us make our podcasts even better! Take Slate's listener survey at to slate.com/survey
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Stephen Metcalf, Julia Turner, and Dana Stevens discuss the film American Sniper, Jonathan Chait's article "Not a Very P.C. Thing to Say," and get a report from Sundance from Slate's Forrest Wickman and Aisha Harris.
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In which Julia explains that we were delayed by this week's storm, and we'll post the show a little later on Wednesday.
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Stephen Metcalf, Julia Turner, and Dana Stevens discuss the film The Imitation Game, HBO's Togetherness, and Celine's new It Girl, Joan Didion.
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Stephen Metcalf, Julia Turner, and Dana Stevens discuss the Martin Luther King, Jr. biopic Selma, the culture of protest in today's internet world, and Merriam Webster's updated online edition with Slate writer Stefan Fatsis.
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Stephen Metcalf, Julia Turner, and Dana Stevens discuss the biopic of the great Victorian painter J.M.W. Turner, the TV show Empire, and D'Angelo's Black Messiah.
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Stephen Metcalf, Julia Turner, and Dana Stevens visit the studio of composer Nicholas Britell to hear his musical interpretations of their theme song desires and then choose a new theme song for the show.
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Stephen Metcalf, Julia Turner, and Dana Stevens discuss the Sony Pictures hack, Hollywood film franchises, and favorite Christmas movies.
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Dana Stevens, Julia Turner, and David Haglund discuss Chris Rock's latest movie Top Five, the Seven Wonders of the Modern World with Slate's Daniel Gross, and what the lumbersexual says about masculinity. Visit our sponsors: Blue Bottle Coffee at Home (bluebottlecoffee.com/redeem), promo code Culture. Harrys.com (harrys.com), promo code Culture. CreativeBug.com (creativebug.com), promo code Culture.
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Stephen Metcalf, Julia Turner, and Dana Stevens take a field trip to MoMA to see the Henri Matisse exhibit, discuss the film Wild, and reveal the best second novels you'll read this year.
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Julia Turner and her dad, Robert, take Dana Stevens and Stephen Metcalf on a tour of Boston and its infamous mega-construction project, the Big Dig. This extra was recorded on the 2014 National Gabfest Tour made possible by Acura.
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Stephen Metcalf, Julia Turner, and Dana Stevens discuss the dark British satire Black Mirror, our obsession with cultural obsessions, and the decline of TV comedy with Slate critic Willa Paskin. Sponsored by: Blue Bottle Coffee, an Oakland, California-based specialty coffee roaster dedicated to getting the most delicious coffee to anyone who asks for it. Try their new Blue Bottle at Home service. Go to bluebottlecoffee.com/redeem, and enter the promo code "Culture".
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Stephen Metcalf, Julia Turner, and Dana Stevens take a spin around Los Angeles with native Angeleno (and Slate's executive producer of podcasts) Andy Bowers at the wheel.
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Stephen Metcalf, Julia Turner, and Dana Stevens discuss the Cosby scandal with Grantland writer Wesley Morris, the legacy of director Mike Nichols, and the cultural things the Gabbers are thankful for this year.
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Culturefest joins the Political Gabfest and Hang Up and Listen, onstage at the Music Hall of Williamsburg with emcee Dan Kois, for a blockbuster show in front of a live audience. Show notes at www.slate.com/culturefest.
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Stephen Metcalf, Julia Turner, and Dana Stevens discuss the film Interstellar, Lisa Kudrow's comeback TV series "The Comeback," and London taxi drivers' test The Knowledge with writer Jody Rosen.
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Slate critics Stephen Metcalf, Julia Turner, and Dana Stevens discuss the shapeshifting Taylor Swift's latest incarnation with Slate music critic Carl Wilson, the documentary film about The New York Review of Books, 50 Year Argument, and Hollaback's viral video on catcalling.
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Slate critics Stephen Metcalf, Julia Turner, and Dana Stevens discuss the Edward Snowden documentary CitizenFour with Fred Kaplan, the camp TV comedy Jane the Virgin, and the human cost of protecting us from the Internet with Adrian Chen.
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Slate critics Stephen Metcalf, Julia Turner, and Dana Stevens discuss the new Alejandro González Iñárritu film Birdman and revel in the absurdity of "Sexiest Woman Alive" features. They also talk poetry with former U.S. poet laureate Robert Pinsky. Show notes at www.slate.com/culturefest.
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Slate critics Stephen Metcalf, Julia Turner, and Dana Stevens discuss This American Life's wildly popular spinoff show Serial, talk with Dan Pashman about his book Eat More Better, and debate Zadie Smith's essay about New York.
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In a special live show in Los Angeles, Slate critics Stephen Metcalf, Julia Turner, and Dana Stevens try to bridge the gulf between West Coast culture creators and East Coast critics. The Gabbers talk with actors Jenny Slate and Natasha Lyonne; Scriptnotes podcast hosts and screenwriters John August and Craig Mazin, and debate the movie Gone Girl.
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Slate critics Stephen Metcalf, Julia Turner, and Dana Stevens take a tour the Jeff Koons exhibit at the Whitney Museum with curator Scott Rothkopf, and discuss the myth of the self-made man with Slate's John Swansburg.
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Slate critics Stephen Metcalf and Julia Turner discuss U2 with Slate music writer Carl Wilson, the ignored world of competitive chess with Seth Stevenson, and Shonda Rhimes and representation with Slate's TV critic Willa Paskin.
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Slate critics Stephen Metcalf, Julia Turner, and Dana Stevens discuss A.O Scott's article which asks, "Who or what killed adulthood?", fingerprint words, and whether Apple Watch is the beginning of our wearable future.
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Slate critics Stephen Metcalf, Julia Turner, and Dana Stevens answer listeners calls from the Slate retreat at Mohonk Mountain.
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On this week's Culture Gabfest, Stephen Metcalf, Julia Turner, and David Haglund discuss Whit Stillman's Amazon pilot "The Cosmopolitans," the online gaming and spectator sport TV channel Twitch.tv, and whether it's good to be against the against article. You can leave a question for next week's show on our voicemail: 725-222-FEST.
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On this week's Culture Gabfest, Julia Turner, John Swansburg, and David Haglund discuss FXX's Simpson's marathon, the independent twist-filled romance The One I Love, and the Ice Bucket Challenge craze.
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On this week's Slate Culture Gabfest, Slate critics Dana Stevens, Julia Turner, and guest Dan Kois discuss the film The Giver, ironic misandry, and the makings of a memorable movie soundtrack.
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Slate critics Dana Stevens, Julia Turner, and guest John Swansburg discuss the inestimable actor and comedian Robin Williams' career, Cinemax's the turn-of-the-century hospital drama The Knick, and the weather.
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Slate critics Steve Metcalf, Julia Turner, and Dana Stevens discuss Marvel's latest franchise movie Guardians of the Galaxy, whether plagiarism is that big of a deal, and the intricacies of writing a new Gabfest theme song with composer Nick Britell.
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Slate critics Julia Turner, Dana Stevens, and Dan Kois discuss the Nathan Fielder's absurd advice on his Comedy Central TV show "Nathan For You," Blake Lively's lifestyle website Preserve, and the surprising literary power of children's books.
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Slate critics Stephen Metcalf, Julia Turner, and Dana Stevens discuss the dark and violent sequel Dawn of the Apes, whether potato salad caused Kickstarter to jump the shark, and the timelessness of Weird Al Yankovic.
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Slate critics Stephen Metcalf, Julia Turner, and Dana Stevens discuss Richard Linklater's new movie Boyhood, whether E!'s plastic surgery reality show Botched actually has a moral universe, and whether Tinder is as female-friendly as it bills itself to be with outgoing intern Anna Shechtman.
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Slate critics Stephen Metcalf, Dana Stevens, and guest June Thomas discuss the action blockbuster and political allegory film Snowpiercer, the campy and catty British TV import Vicious, and David Brooks tells us that we should all strive to be deep.
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Slate critics Stephen Metcalf, Julia Turner, and guest John Swansburg discuss the rom com spoof They Came Together, the rapturously dark HBO show "The Leftovers," and The Onion's new clickbait parody website Clickhole.
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Slate critics Stephen Metcalf, Julia Turner, and Dana Stevens discuss ABC Family's radical TV show The Fosters with Slate's June Thomas, the ethics of landmark conservation, and the results of this year's listener callout for summer songs that will make you strut your stuff.
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Slate critics Stephen Metcalf, Julia Turner, and Dana Stevens discuss if the movie 22 Jump Street is too self aware to be any good, whether poetry can go mainstream, and how to predict your song of the summer with Slate's Chris Molanphy.
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Slate critics Stephen Metcalf, Julia Turner and Dana Stevens discuss the film Obvious Child, a movie that is radically blase about abortion, whether adults should be embarrassed to read Young Adult literature, and the case for bringing Home Economics back to the classroom.
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Slate critics Julia Turner, Dana Stevens, and Mike Pesca discuss Disney's Sleeping Beauty re-make "Maleficent," faking cultural literacy, and NY magazine's music critic Jody Rosen joins the gabbers to discuss "Oh, You Kid," what he deems the "first ever dirty pop song."
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Slate critics Julia Turner, Dana Stevens, and Dan Kois discuss HBO's new film The Normal Heart, commencement speeches, and the new 9/11 Memorial Museum.
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Slate critics Julia Turner, Dana Stevens, and June Thomas discuss Showtime's heady Gothic series Penny Dreadful, Chipotle's move to serve literature along with its burrito bowls, and net neutrality with Slate's David Auerbach.
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Slate critics Julia Turner, Dana Stevens, and David Haglund discuss the unexpectedly gripping real-time car ride movie Locke, the philosophical cartoon hit Adventure Time, and Cubed: A Secret History of the Workplace by Nikil Saval.
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Slate critics Stephen Metcalf, Julia Turner, and Dana Stevens are live in Montreal this week as part of the 16th Blue Metropolis Montreal International Literary Festival. This week the gabbers discuss the Canadian Sci-Fi thriller Orphan Black, the film Hateship Loveship which is an adaptation Alice Munro’s short story, and Slate’s Carl Wilson joins the gabbers to talk about using Celine Dion as a measuring stick for taste.
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Slate critics Stephen Metcalf, Julia Turner, and Dana Stevens discuss French economist Thomas Picketty and his intellectual blockbuster, "Capital in the Twenty-First Century," comedian John Oliver's weekly fake-news show, and spring cleaning with Slate's Bryan Lowder.
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Slate critics Stephen Metcalf, Julia Turner, and Dana Stevens discuss Scarlett Johansson as a man-eating femme fatale in the arthouse horror flick "Under the Skin," the legacy of Gabriel Garcia Marquez with journalist and critic Paul Berman, and why you won't see derp in Gawker's new style guide.
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Slate critics Stephen Metcalf, Julia Turner, and guest Gabber Jacob Weisberg discuss Stephen Colbert's move to late night television, chat with author Adam Begley about the legacy of John Updike, and then it's a Guggenheim field trip to check out the exhibit, "Italian Futurism, 1909-1944: Reconstructing the Universe."
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Slate critics Stephen Metcalf, Julia Turner, and Dana Stevens discuss Errol Morris' study of Donald Rumsfeld in his latest documentary "The Unknown Known," HBO's tech industry send up "Silicon Valley," and why faster isn't necessarily better when it comes to reading.
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Slate critics Stephen Metcalf, Julia Turner, and Dana Stevens discuss Darren Aronofsky's Hollywood version of Noah's Ark, how fame changes friendship in HBO's Doll & Em, and the TV recap website "Television Without Pity" going dark.
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Everyone's a guest this week on the Culture Gabfest with Slate's Mike Pesca, John Swansburg, and Jessica Winter filling in for our usual hosts. The guest gabbers discuss the movie Muppets Most Wanted and what the Muppets mean to kids in 2014. Next, it's High Maintenance a fictional web series that follows a pot dealer into clients' homes, and lastly the effects of e-payments on tipping.
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Slate critics Stephen Metcalf, Julia Turner, and Dana Stevens discuss FX's Cold War era throwback television show The Americans, whether Amazon is ruining literature, and the matriculation of trigger warnings into the college classroom.
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En liten tjänst av I'm With Friends. Finns även på engelska.