Slate Culture Feed

Anna talks to psychology professor and researcher Dr. Craig Rodriguez-Seijas, about his work studying bias in mental health diagnostics, and takes listener calls about how a diagnosis has shaped their sense of identity, for better or worse. Plus, Aneri Pattani, Senior Correspondent at Kaiser Health News, explains what investments the Biden administration is making toward mental health.Find resources here (https://www.wnycstudios.org/podcasts/deathsexmoney/articles/hold-mental-health-resources).Hold On will be in your podcast feeds all month long, but you can also listen live on your local public radio station or stream it at wnyc.org/radio on Thursday, May 18th at 8p ET.Did you know we have a weekly email newsletter for the Death, Sex & Money community? Every Wednesday we send out podcast listening recommendations, fascinating letters from our inbox, and updates from the show. Sign up at deathsexmoney.org/newsletter, and follow the show on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.Got a story to share? Email us at [email protected]. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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]: Dana: The vibes-based playlists on Matthew Perpetua’s YouTube channelJulia: Amityville: An Origin Story on MGM+ and Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One | The Biggest Stunt in Cinema History (Tom Cruise)Stephen: See Feist live if you have the opportunity.Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Kat Hong.Outro music: "Bloody Hunter" by Paisley Pink__Make an impact this Asian American & Pacific Islander Heritage Month by helping Macy’s on their mission to fund APIA Scholars. Go to macys.com/purpose to learn more. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On today’s episode, Rachelle is joined again by Nadira Goffe for a sequel to their August 2022 episode “What is A Clean Girl?” The two dive deep into TikTok’s latest favorite fashion trend: quiet luxury, or stealth wealth. The aesthetic’s adherents posits that rich people don’t dress in ostentatious labels, but instead communicate their wealth through brands like Brunello Cucinell, Loro Piana and The Row. Quiet luxurists point to figures like the Roy family from HBO’s Succession and Gwyneth Paltrow at her recent trial as examples of stealth wealth. But the trend, like it’s “old money” predecessor, is built on a fundamental misunderstanding of fashion, classism and racism.This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Rachelle Hampton and Daisy Rosario.Make an impact this Asian American & Pacific Islander Heritage Month by helping Macy’s on their mission to fund APIA Scholars. Go to macys.com/purpose to learn more. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Josh Levin and Stefan Fatsis are joined by the Washington Post’s Ben Golliver to discuss the 76ers’ Game 7 loss to the Celtics and other NBA playoff storylines. Meg Rowley of FanGraphs also joins to assess the terrible Oakland A’s and the excellent Tampa Bay Rays. Finally, the New York Times’ Sarah Lyall talks about reporting on the Westminster Dog Show. NBA (3:26): How Philly blew it and what to look for in the conference finals. Baseball (30:15): Are the A’s one of the worst teams in history? Dogs (52:13): How a breed few people have heard of won Best in Show. Afterball (1:08:41): Stefan on Joe Kapp, NFL labor pioneer. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Anna takes calls from teenagers, and people who love teenagers, about adolescent mental health, along with psychologist Dr. Lisa Damour.Find resources here (https://www.wnycstudios.org/podcasts/deathsexmoney/articles/hold-mental-health-resources).Hold On will be in your podcast feeds all month long, but you can also listen live on your local public radio station on Thursdays at 8p ET.Did you know we have a weekly email newsletter for the Death, Sex & Money community? Every Wednesday we send out podcast listening recommendations, fascinating letters from our inbox, and updates from the show. Sign up at deathsexmoney.org/newsletter, and follow the show on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.Got a story to share? Email us at [email protected]. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On today’s show, Rachelle is joined by ICYMI favorite, Nadira Goffe to talk about the makeup meltdown that’s taken over TikTok. The two dissect a Miami F1 brand trip sponsored by Tarte Cosmetics that ended in multiple apology videos and a promise by Tarte CEO Maureen Kelly to make her brand’s creator program more equitable. They dive deep into Tarte’s less than inclusive history and explain how exactly Pyrex got involved.This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Rachelle Hampton and Daisy Rosario.Make an impact this Asian American & Pacific Islander Heritage Month by helping Macy’s on their mission to fund APIA Scholars. Go to macys.com/purpose to learn more. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the ’90s, U.K. rock was by Britons, for Britons. The music of the U.K. indie, Madchester and shoegaze scenes fused together into a new wave of guitar bands with punk energy, laddish lyrics and danceable grooves. They called it Britpop.In the motherland, Britpop set the charts alight: Blur faced off against Oasis. Pulp poked fun at the class system. Suede sold androgyny, and Elastica repackaged ’70s art-punk as ’90s pop. But with rare exception, these hits didn’t translate in America. There was no Third British Invasion in the ’90s—with the exception of that one inscrutable Oasis song about a “Wonderwall.”Why did Britpop fire up Old Blighty and flop with the Yanks? Join Chris Molanphy as he tries to define Britppop—was it a scene? a sound? a movement?—and explains how the music boomed and busted faster than a cannonball.Podcast production by Kevin Bendis.Make an impact this Asian American & Pacific Islander Heritage Month by helping Macy’s on their mission to fund APIA Scholars. Go to macys.com/purpose to learn more. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Anna takes calls from mental health professionals along with psychiatrist Dr. Kali Cyrus, and you offer your tips for accessing care.Find resources here (https://www.wnycstudios.org/podcasts/deathsexmoney/articles/hold-mental-health-resources).Hold On will be in your podcast feeds all month long, but you can also listen live on your local public radio station or stream it at wnyc.org/radio on Thursday, May 11th and Thursday, May 18th starting at 8p ET.Did you know we have a weekly email newsletter for the Death, Sex & Money community? Every Wednesday we send out podcast listening recommendations, fascinating letters from our inbox, and updates from the show. Sign up at deathsexmoney.org/newsletter, and follow the show on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.Got a story to share? Email us at [email protected]. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On today’s episode, Rachelle is joined by the co-host of NPR’s Throughline podcast, Ramtin Arablouei, who recently did an episode about the history of public contrition from the Salem witch trials to the infamous notes app apology. The two discuss how the internet turbo-charged the commodification of apologies, the cynicism it’s led to and where we go from here.This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Rachelle Hampton and Daisy Rosario. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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.htmlEmail us at [email protected]: Dana: Newsreels from the UCLA Film & Television ArchiveJulia: The Ultimate L.A. BookshelfStephen: Jan Lisiecki - Chopin: Complete NocturnesPodcast 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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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

Josh Levin and Slate’s Jack Hamilton and Ben Mathis-Lilley discuss Nikola Jokic’s tiff with Suns owner Mat Ishbia and Kevin Durant’s quest for a third title. They also talk about Alabama’s head baseball coach getting fired in a sports gambling scandal. Finally, they assess Bronny James’ decision to go to USC. NBA (3:11): The subplots and plot twists of the Suns-Nuggets Western Conference semis. Gambling (24:58): The NCAA and the pro sports leagues are walking a thin line with legalized betting. Bronny (47:50): What his decision to play college basketball says about the sport and his future prospects. Afterball (1:05:00): Josh and Jack on gun violence, sports, and the three Virginia football players who were killed in November. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On today’s show, Rachelle is joined by Hannah Jackson, the culture writer and reporter behind the recent Cut article “Meet the People Working Three Jobs to Afford Erewhon.” The two discuss how Erewhon transformed from a humble Boston market stall into what Jackson described as a “a luxury-wellness behemoth.” They dive deep into the culture cache that shopping at Erewhon offers to people from Hailey Bieber to a 20-something aspiring wellness content creator.This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Rachelle Hampton and Daisy Rosario.Make an impact this Asian American & Pacific Islander Heritage Month by helping Macy’s on their mission to fund APIA Scholars. Go to macys.com/purpose to learn more. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Anna and Micah Loewinger, correspondent for On the Media, travel to Montana to talk to Tasha Adams about her decades-long marriage with Stewart Rhodes, founder of the far-right Oath Keepers. Plus, Tasha sits down with Kelly Jones, ex-wife of far-right radio host Alex Jones, and they compare notes on their marriages, and reflect on their secret text exchanges from 2018, when Tasha was plotting her escape from Stewart with her six kids.Subscribe to On the Media to hear Micah's episode about testifying in the Stewart Rhodes criminal trial. That's out later this month. And for more Tasha, check out the podcast This is Uncomfortable from Marketplace. They did a series with Tasha, and her oldest child Dakota, that dropped last fall. Did you know we have a weekly email newsletter for the Death, Sex & Money community? Every Wednesday we send out podcast listening recommendations, fascinating letters from our inbox, and updates from the show. Sign up at deathsexmoney.org/newsletter, and follow the show on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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]: Dana: The 2010 National Theatre production of Hamlet starring Rory Kinnear. Julia: L.A. Times’ The Wide Shot newsletter to help you stay informed about the WGA strike.Stephen: The HBO series High Maintenance. (And, via Dana, the original web series.) Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Yesica Balderrama.Outro music: "Champions Day" by Lupus Nocte.__Make an impact this Asian American & Pacific Islander Heritage Month by helping Macy’s on their mission to fund APIA Scholars. Go to macys.com/purpose to learn more. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On today’s show, Rachelle is joined by Wailin Wong, Darian Woods and Adrian Ma, the hosts of NPR’s daily economics podcast The Indicator from Planet Money. They discuss The Indicator’s recent five-part series on the $15 billion influencer industry that delves into where all that money is going—and where it’s not. They dive deep into the rise of the industry and how it emerged out of the economic precarity of the 2008 recession. They also talk through the astonishing fact that according to some surveys, almost 1 out of every 4 Gen Z-er wants to be an influencer.This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Daisy Rosario and Rachelle Hampton.Make an impact this Asian American & Pacific Islander Heritage Month by helping Macy’s on their mission to fund APIA Scholars. Go to macys.com/purpose to learn more. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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

Stefan Fatsis and Josh Levin are joined by the Washington Post’s Ben Golliver to talk about the Warriors’ Game 7 win over the Kings. The Toronto Star’s Bruce Arthur also joins to discuss the Bruins’ NHL playoffs flop and the Maple Leafs’ historic first-round victory. Finally, Extra Points’ Matt Brown assesses Deion Sanders’ gutting of the Colorado football team. Warriors-Kings (3:26): How Steph willed the defending champs to victory. NHL (6:08): Another year, another regular-season juggernaut that won’t win the title. Colorado football (48:50): Are Deion Sanders’ roster cuts immoral? Afterballs (1:11:20): Stefan on a Penn basketball star in the transfer portal and Josh on the time a German soccer club signed the entire Cuban national team. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On today’s episode, Rachelle is joined by Sarah Marshall, writer, critic and host of the You’re Wrong About and You Are Good podcasts. The two discuss Marshall’s recent You’re Wrong About episode about Napster, the ill-fated peer-to-peer file sharing app that helped create the internet as we know it. They dive deep into the moral and ethical quandaries around pirating content in an age where corporations can disappear content from streaming services at a second’s notice.This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Rachelle Hampton and Daisy Rosario. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Before 1964, British bands couldn’t get anywhere on the U.S. charts. Then suddenly, after a certain Fab Four broke, they were everywhere. By 1965, they had locked down our Top 10.In 1981, a new generation of U.K. acts armed with synthesizers were largely shut out of the Hot 100 once again. But then a new video channel called MTV changed the game—helped by some very pretty men in dapper suits. By 1983, half of the U.S. Top 40 had a British accent.What did these two movements have in common, besides screaming fans and impressive hair? Join Chris Molanphy as he dissects these two bloodless coups that rebooted our hit parade. These Invasions were about as easy as a nuclear war.Podcast production by Kevin Bendis.Make an impact this Earth Month by helping Macy’s on their mission to bring more parks to more people across the country. Go to macys.com/purpose to learn more. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Voiceover artist and journalist Bernie Wagenblast shares her journey to coming out as a trans woman.Listen to our episode with Jane Fonda here: https://www.wnycstudios.org/podcasts/deathsexmoney/episodes/death-and-divorce-gave-jane-fonda-strengthDid you know we have a weekly email newsletter for the Death, Sex & Money community? Every Wednesday we send out a note from Anna, fascinating listener letters from our inbox, and updates from the show. Sign up at deathsexmoney.org/newsletter, and follow the show on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.Got a story to share? Email us at [email protected]. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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

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

We bring you a special episode from Sidedoor, a podcast about the treasures that fill the vaults of the Smithsonian. This story is inspired by “Big Band,” a defining work by the painter LeRoy Neiman. Neiman was a character, a cultural gadfly and an omnipresent artist who sat for decades right at the nexus of professional success, cultural ubiquity, and critical disregard. What made him so popular? What made him so disdained? And what can we learn from how he resolved this dissonance? Sidedoor is produced by the Smithsonian with PRX. This episode of Sidedoor was produced by Lizzie Peabody, Justin O’Neill, and James Morrison with help from Stefanie De Leon Tzic. The editorial team includes Ann Conanan, Caitlin Shaffer, Tami O’Neill, Jess Sadeq, Lara Koch, and Sharon Bryant. The show is mixed by Tarek Fouda and the theme song and episode music are by Breakmaster Cylinder.Decoder Ring is produced by Willa Paskin and Katie Shepherd. Derek John is Executive Producer of Narrative Podcasts. Merritt Jacob is our Technical Director.Special thanks to Joel Meyer, the LeRoy Neiman and Janet Byrne Neiman Foundation, especially Tara Zabor, Dan Duray, Heather Long, and Janet Neiman. Also thank you to the team at the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History: Stephanie Johnson, Ken Kimery, Theo Gonzalvez, Eric Jentsch, John Troutman, Krystal Klingenberg, Valeska Hilbig, and Laura Duff. Thank you to Smithsonian Folkways Recordings for contributing music for this episode, and also to the Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra. If you haven’t yet, please subscribe and rate our feed in Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. And even better, tell your friends.If you’re a fan of the show, sign up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get to listen to Decoder Ring without any ads. Their support is also crucial to our work. So please go to Slate.com/decoderplus to join Slate Plus today. Decoder Ring is now available on YouTube. Listen here: http://y2u.be/D8cLqWAffJ8 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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

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

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]: Dana: Sir John Soane’s Museum in London. Sam: The Voyager by Jenny LewisStephen: 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 CarlenSlate 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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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

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

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

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

Before 1964, British bands couldn’t get anywhere on the U.S. charts. Then suddenly, after a certain Fab Four broke, they were everywhere. By 1965, they had locked down our Top 10.In 1981, a new generation of U.K. acts armed with synthesizers were largely shut out of the Hot 100 once again. But then a new video channel called MTV changed the game—helped by some very pretty men in dapper suits. By 1983, half of the U.S. Top 40 had a British accent.What did these two movements have in common, besides screaming fans and impressive hair? Join Chris Molanphy as he dissects these two bloodless coups that rebooted our hit parade. These Invasions were about as easy as a nuclear war.Podcast production by Kevin Bendis.Make an impact this Earth Month by helping Macy’s on their mission to bring more parks to more people across the country. Go to macys.com/purpose to learn more. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The writer talks about longing to fall in love, his life with mental illness, and why adulthood is underrated. This episode originally aired in 2018, and contains a description of suicidal ideation. If you find yourself in a moment of crisis like John did and need to talk with someone, the National Suicide Prevention Hotline is 988. They're open 24/7—please ask for help.Did you know we have a weekly email newsletter for the Death, Sex & Money community? Every Wednesday we send out a note from Anna, fascinating listener letters from our inbox, and updates from the show. Sign up at deathsexmoney.org/newsletter, and follow the show on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.Got a story to share? Email us at [email protected]. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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]: 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 BeatlesPodcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Yesica Balderrama.Outro music: "Jenny's Alright" by OTE.__Make an impact this Earth Month by helping Macy’s on their mission to bring more parks to more people across the country. Go to macys.com/purpose to learn more. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On today’s episode, Rachelle is joined by Alex Kantrowitz, the writer behind the Big Technology newsletter and podcast. The two discuss the recent changes to Twitter Blue and how paying for Twitter might be a joke, it won’t be for other platforms like Instagram and TikTok. As paid verification models become de rigueur in a bid to woo content creators, what will that mean for the average social media user? Is this all just a giant protection racket? Or is it platforms catering to the people who actually create content for them?This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Rachelle Hampton and Daisy Rosario. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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

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

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

Decoder Ring is back with a new season of cultural mysteries to crack. We'll kick things off with a proper Cold War caper....did Peter Falk, star of the old TV show Columbo, really team up with the U.S. Government to help quell a communist revolution in Romania? Next, we'll get behind the wheel to investigate why it's so hard to park our cars—even though we’ve built so much parking. Finally, with an assist from my kids, we'll take a closer look at a magical being that remains surprisingly free from commercialization: the Tooth Fairy.You can hear these episodes and more on the new season of Decoder Ring. Launching April 12, 2023. Subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Your stories about the beloved – and complicated – movies you saw that taught you about sex.Did you know we have a weekly email newsletter for the Death, Sex & Money community? Every Wednesday we send out a note from Anna, fascinating listener letters from our inbox, and updates from the show. Sign up at deathsexmoney.org/newsletter, and follow the show on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.Got a story to share? Email us at [email protected]. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On today’s episode, Rachelle Hampton is joined by Justin Richmond, co-host of the music podcast Broken Record and host of the new podcast Started From the Bottom. The two discuss what, if anything, has changed with the online ticketing giant Ticketmaster since ticket sales for Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour dominated headlines. How did Ticketmaster come to account for 70% of the ticketing and live event market? Now that it does, what responsibility do artists have to their fans to keep ticket prices accessible? Can real lasting change be made to system that most agree is broken?This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Daisy Rosario, Daniel Schroeder and Rachelle Hampton.Make an impact this Earth Month by helping Macy’s on their mission to bring more parks to more people across the country. Go to macys.com/purpose to learn more. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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]: 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 SaundersPodcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Yesica Balderrama.Outro music is: "Last Sunday" by OTE__Make an impact this Earth Month by helping Macy’s on their mission to bring more parks to more people across the country. Go to macys.com/purpose to learn more. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Stefan Fatsis and Josh Levin are joined by the Athletic’s Sabreena Merchant to discuss LSU’s victory over Iowa in the women’s NCAA Tournament. Tennis player Matija Pecotic also joins to talk about how he went from a full-time job to victory on the pro tour. Finally, Jody Avirgan discusses his podcast Good Sport and whether sports debate shows are hurting America. Women’s NCAA Tournament (6:44): The on-court battles and the off-court controversies. Pecotic (31:00): The star of one of the sports world’s best underdog stories tells all. Sports debate shows (54:12): What has Stephen A. Smith wrought? Afterball (01:15:30): Josh on some recent remembrances of Zelmo Beaty. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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

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

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]: Dana: Lorraine Hunt sings HandelNadira: The app and website Music LeagueStephen: “The Trails of the Young: A Semester” by Mary GaitskillPodcast 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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Anna first talked with disability rights activist Alice Wong in 2020 about self-advocacy, as well as how she manages money, Medicaid, and her and her parents' futures. But after a health crisis, Alice shared an update.You can read more of Alice’s recent essays in Teen Vogue (https://www.teenvogue.com/story/alice-wong-hospitalization-crowdfunding-community), for CNN (https://www.cnn.com/2023/02/22/opinions/caregiver-advocacy-legislation-wong-ctrp/index.html), and on the Disability Visibility Project’s website (https://disabilityvisibilityproject.com/2022/08/07/my-icu-summer-a-photo-essay/).Did you know we have a weekly email newsletter for the Death, Sex & Money community? Every Wednesday we send out a note from Anna, fascinating listener letters from our inbox, and updates from the show. Sign up at deathsexmoney.org/newsletter, and follow the show on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.Got a story to share? Email us at [email protected]. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Stefan Fatsis and Josh Levin are joined by the Athletic’s Sabreena Merchant to talk about Iowa women’s basketball star Caitlin Clark. The Washington Post’s Chuck Culpepper also joins to assess the most surprising men’s Final Four ever. Finally, Tom Haberstroh of Meadowlark Media discusses the vitriol directed at NBA referees. Clark (2:50): The secrets of the Iowa point guard’s success. Men’s tourney surprises (26:33): Miami? San Diego State? Florida Atlantic?!? NBA refs (44:20): Who’s responsible for all the rancor? Afterball (1:07:20): Stefan on the Princeton basketball team’s not-so-sad Sweet Sixteen defeat. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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

Alecia Moore was so fearless, they put an exclamation point in her name. Pink—a.k.a. P!nk—was full of bravado from the moment she broke at the turn of the millennium, singing a frothy style of teen pop&B. She was promoted as ethnically ambiguous and sold to white and Black audiences as a sassy Total Request Live starlet. She even joined an all-star remake of “Lady Marmalade.”But Pink felt misrepresented, even Missundaztood—so she recorded an album by that name, fusing rock guitar, dance beats and filter-free lyrics. She called out shiftless boyfriends, other pop stars, even the president of her record label in the lyrics of her hits, becoming the pop fan’s rock star.Join Chris Molanphy as he explains how Pink defined her own genre fusing punk attitude and soaring melodies into 21st-century self-empowerment music. She made herself into a rock star, simply by calling herself one. Who knew?Podcast production by Kevin Bendis.Make an impact this Women’s History Month by helping Macy’s on their mission to fund girls in STEM. Go to macys.com/purpose to learn more. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.