ICYMI

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

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/icymiplusThanks Avast.com! Learn more about Avast One at Avast.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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

On today’s show, Rachelle is joined by Kia Miakka Natisse and Yowei Shaw, the hosts of NPR’s Invisibilia podcast. They discuss how they found themselves in the hosting chairs, the ways they spend their own time online, and the places podcasting and influencing intersect.This podcast is produced by Daniel Schroeder, Rachelle Hampton, and Daisy Rosario.Subscribe to Slate Plus at https://slate.com/icymiplus Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The early years of social media were a wild place where people weren’t really thinking about what they were posting, which is something the teenagers of the Bling Ring took advantage of when they started using celebrity gossip sites, Facebook, MySpace and Google Maps to target their famous victims. On today’s show, Rachelle is joined by Moises Mendez II to talk about the new Netflix documentary The Real Bling Ring: Hollywood Heist, which details this group’s tactics, crimes, and conflicting stories. Rachelle and Moises discuss how the internet played such an important role in these crimes, the chaos in the courtroom, and the desperation for attention these teens had.This podcast is produced by Daniel Schroeder, Rachelle Hampton, and Daisy Rosario.Subscribe to Slate Plus at slate.com/icymiplus Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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.Subscribe to Slate Plus at slate.com/icymiplus Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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/icymiplusThanks Avast.com! Learn more about Avast One at Avast.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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.Subscribe to Slate Plus at slate.com/icymiplus Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In 2015, Serial launched the case against Adnan Syed for the murder of Hae Min Lee in to the national conversation, but over the years the mistakes that show made continued to add up. Adnan Syed’s release from prison earlier this week would have been a great chance for the Serial team to admit their wrongs, but that was not the case.On today’s episode, Rachelle is joined by Daisy Rosario to talk about the impact Serial had on the culture, and the case itself. They speak with Rebecca Lavoie, a writer and host of Crime Writers On…, about what's missing from the podcast, the New York Times continuing to ignore its journalistic responsibilities, and how Serial is responsible for the current state of true crime culture.This podcast is produced by Daniel Schroeder, Rachelle Hampton, and Daisy Rosario.Subscribe to Slate Plus at slate.com/icymiplusEditor’s note: A previous version of this episode misstated that the phrase, “basically good guys,” was a direct quote from the Serial podcast. It was not and we should not have used the word quote in that instance. We would also like to acknowledge that we did not reach out to the Serial team for comment. This episode has been updated to make fixes relevant to those issues and to better clarify some of our points. We did not mean to imply that Serial had not reported out updates, but rather that we felt that information wasn’t easy to find. We did review the Serial website, transcripts, and show feed, though not as thoroughly as we should have. We regret our errors, and sincerely apologize to the Serial team. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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

Rachelle knows a lot about internet culture, but tech…not so much. On today’s episode, Rachelle asks Lizzie O’Leary (host of What Next, TBD) about the latest developments in art created by artificial intelligence and whether or not TikTok is listening, before helping clear up a question about a popular video trope.Subscribe to Slate Plus at slate.com/icymiplus Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Harry Styles has recently been in the news for saying some silly things and allegedly spitting on Chris Pine. On today’s episode, Rachelle is joined again by Nadira Goffe to talk through Harry’s wild history as an online character, what led us to recent events surrounding the new film Don’t Worry Darling, and why he might want to just stop talking and get back to work.This podcast is produced by Daniel Schroeder, Rachelle Hampton, and Daisy Rosario.Subscribe to Slate Plus at slate.com/icymiplus Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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

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.Subscribe to Slate Plus at slate.com/icymiplus Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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

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

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.Subscribe to Slate Plus at slate.com/icymiplus Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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 BendisSupport ICYMI and listen to the show with zero ads. Sign up to become a Slate Plus member for just $1 for your first month. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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