Slate Culture Feed

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]: 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_oJulia: 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 SoleilSlate 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.

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:Cutting edge : Gillette's journey to global leadershipKing C. Gillette, the man and his wonderful shaving deviceSatisfaction Guaranteed: The Making of the American Mass MarketDecoder 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] 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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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

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

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

"Sex is a much more copacetic and enjoyable experience when it is about the experience rather than results."This is the third episode of a three-part series about ED and Viagra. If you missed the previous episodes, about relationships impacted by ED and the origin story of Viagra, go back and take a listen.Are you new here? Make sure to subscribe to Death, Sex & Money so you don't miss any new episodes.Sign up for our weekly newsletter at deathsexmoney.org/newsletter, and follow the show on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.Got a story to share? Email us any time at [email protected]. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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

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

Decoder Ring is coming back with a new season featuring a whole new set of questions…and some good surprising answers. Like, how did razors come to have such a ridiculous amount of blades on them? Did one line from Paul Giammati in the movie Sideways really change Americans’ wine buying habits? And why is our understanding of method acting wrong?You can hear these episodes and more on the new season of Decoder Ring. Launching April 19, 2022. Subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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

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

How Welsh coal miners and a pants-dropping presentation eventually led to the invention of Viagra. If you missed the first episode in our Hard series, go back and take a listen. And look out for the finale next week, when we meet people for whom Viagra opened up a deeper conversation about their bodies and what it means to have good sex. Are you new here? Make sure to subscribe to Death, Sex & Money so you don't miss any new episodes.Sign up for our weekly newsletter at deathsexmoney.org/newsletter, and follow the show on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.Got a story to share? Email us any time at [email protected]. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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

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]: 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 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.

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

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

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

In the first episode of a three part series, we focus in on people’s intimate lives and relationships that have been impacted by both erectile dysfunction—and Viagra—in ways that the cheeky public conversation about the drug has never quite captured. Come back next week for the wild story of how Viagra came to be, as we go back in time to tell the story of how medicine, science, money and marketing collided to create a Viagra explosion. Are you new here? Make sure to subscribe to Death, Sex & Money so you don't miss any new episodes.Sign up for our weekly newsletter at deathsexmoney.org/newsletter, and follow the show on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.Got a story to share? Email us any time at [email protected]. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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]: 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 OTESlate 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.

Joel Anderson, Stefan Fatsis, and Josh Levin discuss the top storylines from the men’s NCAA tournament, and they’re joined by the Athletic’s Chantel Jennings for a conversation about the women’s tournament. Finally, they talk about the Cleveland Browns’ trade for Deshaun Watson. NCAA men (3:07): TCU’s heartbreaking loss, Cinderella Saint Peter’s, and more. NCAA women (24:34): Why are there more upsets all of a sudden? And has the NCAA really made its tourneys more equitable? Deshaun Watson (48:23): What should we make of the robust market for a quarterback who’s been accused of sexual misconduct? Afterball (1:05:24): Josh on Wordle variants for sports fans. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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

The acclaimed playwright tells me why she left theater for a few years, and how quitting her day job and making an investment in herself helped her return. 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 any time at [email protected]. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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

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

Joel Anderson and Josh Levin are joined by the Ringer’s Bryan Curtis to discuss Tom Brady’s unretirement and other huge quarterback news. Alex Kirshner also joins to discuss March Madness storylines and Falcons wide receiver Calvin Ridley’s suspension for betting on NFL games. Quarterbacks (3:36): Brady back to Tampa, Russell Wilson to Denver, Deshaun Watson to … somewhere. March Madness (23:20): What to watch out for in the men’s and women’s tournaments. NFL and gambling (47:03): Football, betting, and “the integrity of the game.” Afterball (1:09:06): Joel on the history of conference basketball tournaments. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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

Struggling to make a decision about your relationship? Panelists Heather Havrilesky, George Civeris and Tuck Woodstock take on your questions about everything from infidelity to gender transitions to getting married.Listen to the Straightiolab episode on cheating here, and the Live in NYC episode of Gender Reveal here.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 any time at [email protected]. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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

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

Joel Anderson, Stefan Fatsis, and Josh Levin are joined by Yahoo’s Hannah Keyser to discuss the Major League Baseball lockout. They also talk about WNBA star Brittney Griner’s detention in Russia and assess the spectacle of Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski’s final home game. Baseball (3:28): When will the lockout end? What’s at stake? Griner (23:16): Why was she in Russia in the first place, and what comes next for her and women’s basketball? Coach K (46:35): Was this the perfect regular-season ending to his illustrious career? Afterball (1:07:57): Stefan on Sports Illustrated’s profile of Lia Thomas and the anti-trans, anti-Thomas backlash. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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

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

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]: 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 OTESlate 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.

Stefan Fatsis, Josh Levin, and the New Yorker’s Vinson Cunningham discuss the sports world’s reaction to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. They also talk about LeBron James’ plan to play alongside his son Bronny. And ESPN’s Katie Barnes joins Stefan and Josh for a conversation about trans swimmer Lia Thomas. Russia (2:33): What’s happened so far and what should come next. Bronny (24:25): Is LeBron putting too much pressure on his son? How good is Bronny anyway? Lia Thomas (49:47): The UPenn swimmer is setting records amid controversy over whether she should be eligible to compete against other women. Afterball (1:14:00): Josh on yet another basketball problem that the Elam Ending fixes. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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

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

I talk with producer Ian Coss about the many divorces in his family, and how learning about them inspired his podcast Forever is a Long Time.Listen to Forever is a Long Time here, and find The Experiment's SPAM series here.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 any time at [email protected]. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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

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]: 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 PinkSlate 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.

Joel Anderson, Stefan Fatsis, and Josh Levin are joined by Slate’s Justin Peters for an Olympics wrap-up. They also discuss the Wisconsin-Michigan handshake line scuffle. Finally, Slate’s Alex Kirshner joins to talk about Saudi Arabia’s efforts to start a new golf tour. Olympics (3:01): Were there any bright spots during these dark Winter Games? Handshake fight (24:18): Why did things escalate? Should Juwan Howard have been suspended? Saudi golf (47:00): How a plan to disrupt pro golf fell apart. Afterball (1:08:23): Josh revisits his thoughts on Ben Simmons and mental health. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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

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

You've heard Lisa Fischer singing backup vocals for everyone from the Rolling Stones to Beyoncé. But after decades of touring with rock stars, Fischer lives in a far more humble reality.Find our Breakup Survival Guide here.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 any time at [email protected]. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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