Slate Culture Feed

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.

This week, the panel begins by discussing Hulu’s new biopic Pam & Tommy. Then, they dive into the Academy Award-record breaking animated Danish film Flee. Finally, the panel discusses Jennifer Senior’s popular article for The Atlantic, “It’s Your Friends Who Break Your Heart” about friendships as you age.In Slate Plus, the panel takes inspiration from the Scriptnotes podcast and ponders what aspects of other languages they would want to borrow for English.Email us at [email protected]: Charter Books in Rhode Island.Julia: An update on her preferred digital clock, per Twitter request.Steve: Thomas Nagel’s article—“What is rude?”—for the London Review of Books which is a review of Benjamin J. B. Lipscomb’s novel The Women Are Up to Something: How Elizabeth Anscombe, Philippa Foot, Mary Midgley, and Iris Murdoch Revolutionized Ethics.Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Nadira Goffe.Outro music is "If Only I Was a Poet" by Staffan 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 talk about the Rams’ Super Bowl win over the Bengals. They’re also joined by David Epstein to discuss the decision to allow Kamila Valieva to skate in the Olympics. Finally, they assess the mega-trade between the Nets and 76ers. Super Bowl (3:36): How Aaron Donald and Cooper Kupp led the Rams to victory. Valieva (23:13): Why is the 15-year-old competing after testing positive for a banned substance? NBA (45:20): Who won the James Harden for Ben Simmons swap? Afterball (1:04:27): Joel on Sherman Lewis, who never got the chance to be an NFL head coach. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

TikTok doesn’t know you better than you know yourself, even if you think it does. On the show today, Rachelle and Madison talk about two different ways the app leads people down dangerous paths. First, they discuss the recent uptick in posts and advertisements focused on diagnosing mental and physical health issues, and how it’s so easy to convince yourself that you’re suffering from whatever malady TikTok has presented. Then, they discuss the tragic death of Miss USA 2019 Cheslie Kryst, who died by suicide last week, and the alarming development of TikTokkers convincing themselves that there was some nefarious conspiracy behind it. Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Elvis impersonator Brendan Paul marries as many as 75 people a day in the Las Vegas wedding chapel he owns. But while his portrayal of Elvis generally leans into kitsch, his view on The King's life goes deeper. "A lot people go, 'I bet you wish you were Elvis,'" he told me. "And I always go, 'Not really.'"This episode is a collaboration with Condé Nast Traveler and their new love and travel series. Read more about Brendan and find other essays about love and travel here.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.

Shailene Woodley and Aaron Rodgers might not be the most expected pairing, until you look at their willingness to embrace conspiracy nonsense. On the show today, Rachelle and Madison and joined by Vulture’s Rachel Handler to discuss her recent piece, “What Do Aaron Rodgers and Shailene Woodley ‘Agree to Disagree’ About?” They talk about the history of weird beliefs these two celebrities have, how it’s no longer fun to believe in conspiracy theories, and why these two should just log off.Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, Culture Gabfest is coming to you live from The Strand Bookstore in NYC for a special event! In this live taping, Steve interviews Dana about her new book (Camera Man: Buster Keaton, the Dawn of Cinema, and the Invention of the Twentieth Century) and Isaac Butler about his new book (The Method: How the Twentieth Century Learned to Act).In Slate Plus, Dana and Isaac answer some questions from the audience.Email us at [email protected] production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Nadira Goffe. Thanks to Jason Stack for this great photo!Outro music is "Spinning the Wheels" by Dusty Decks.Slate Plus members get ad-free podcasts, a bonus segment in each episode of the Culture Gabfest, full access to Slate's journalism on Slate.com, and more. Sign up now at slate.com/cultureplus. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Joel Anderson, Stefan Fatsis, and Josh Levin are joined by the New York Times’ John Branch to discuss Chinese-American skier Eileen Gu. They also talk about Brian Flores’ lawsuit against the NFL and ponder the 76ers’ Ben Simmons problem and the Nets’ various conundrums. Eileen Gu (6:02): What to make of her decision to represent China at the Beijing Games. Flores (23:40): Can anything change the NFL’s hiring practices? NBA (43:15): Should we sympathize with Ben Simmons? Can the Nets turn it around? Afterball (1:04:42): Joel on Jim Brown, Syracuse basketball player. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Last month, a Tennessee school board voted to ban Art Spiegelman’s graphic novel about the Holocaust, Maus, from their eighth grade curriculum. This caused Maus to experience the "Streisand effect." On the show today, Rachelle and Madison explain the origins of the Streisand effect as an online phenomenon, how it helped Maus’ recent sales skyrocket, and why this short-term publicity isn’t really the solution to bans like these.Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder and Derek John. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Rihanna is having a baby, and Romance Twitter is furious. On today’s show, High Speed Downloads are back! Madison and Rachelle will zoom through all the important news about Rihanna’s baby bump reveal and Romance Twitter’s toxic reaction to an innocuous tweet. Then, they explain exactly what’s going on with podcast host Joe Rogan over at Spotify, and why it’s so difficult for platforms to part ways with their big personalities.Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder and Derek John. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, the panel is first joined by author and co-host of Slate’s Working podcast, Isaac Butler, to discuss the new Joel Coen rendition of The Tragedy of Macbeth. (Buy Isaac’s new book!) Then, the panel is joined by author and Slate correspondent, Justin Peters, to explain the phenomena of Joe Rogan and the recent Spotify controversy. Finally, the panel discusses the decision to rebrand the famous advertising characters of the Mars candy M&M’s.In Slate Plus, the panel answers listener questions about culture’s relationship to climate change.Email us at [email protected]: An episode of the public radio show On the Media from WNYC called “Humans, Being.”Julia: The endorsement: the Chez Panisse Vegetables cookbook from Alice Waters, owner of the famous California restaurant Chez Panisse. And a request for listeners to send in their favorite salad dressing recipes.Steve: The song “Sweet Baby” by Prince and The New Power Generation.Buy Dana’s book, Isaac’s book, and a ticket to Dana and Isaac’s book event at The Strand (hosted by our very own Stephen Metcalf)!Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Nadira Goffe.Outro music is "Blue Nights and Yellow Days" by Matt Large.Slate Plus members get ad-free podcasts, a bonus segment in each episode of the Culture Gabfest, full access to Slate's journalism on Slate.com, and more. Sign up now at slate.com/cultureplus. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Stefan Fatsis, Josh Levin, and special guest Louisa Thomas of the New Yorker discuss the NFL’s conference championship games and Tom Brady’s (probable) retirement. Then, they talk about Rafael Nadal’s record-setting Australian Open victory. Finally, Grant Wahl joins Josh and Stefan to assess the U.S. men’s national soccer team’s frigid loss to Canada.NFL (2:32): How did the Chiefs blow it? Is Joe Burrow as charismatic as he thinks he is? Tennis (26:32): How Nadal staged the best comeback of his career.U.S. men’s soccer (45:49): Why can’t the U.S. score? Could they miss the World Cup?Afterball (1:06:49): Josh and Stefan celebrate the winner of Hang Up’s goofy sports idea contest. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the past few weeks, Britney Spears has been posting all sorts of Notes App screenshots about how hurt she is by what her sister is saying on her press tour while promoting her new book Things I Should Have Said, by Jamie Lynn Spears. On the show today, Madison and Rachelle read the tweets, and the whole book, so you don’t have to. They talk about the origins of this fight, what’s caused it to resurface, and why a lot of this really has to do with their childhoods.Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder and Derek John. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In part two of our deep dive into Daryl Hall & John Oates' genre-defying streak on the pop charts, Chris Molanphy argues they were also more cutting-edge than you may realize, essentially inventing their own form of cross-racial new wave after spending the ’70s trying everything: rock, R&B, folk, funk, even disco. At their Imperial peak in the early ’80s, Hall and Oates commanded the pop, soul and dance charts while still getting played on rock stations. And decades later, when the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame ignored them, it was Black artists—rappers and soul fans—who pushed them in.Join Chris Molanphy for a dissection of the Philly duo who invented “rock ’n soul” and made their dreams come true.Sign up for Slate Plus now to get episodes in one installment as soon as they're out. You'll also get The Bridge, our trivia show and bonus deep dive. Click here for more info. Podcast production by Asha Saluja. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.