Slate Culture Feed

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.

André De Shields shares his wisdom from 50 years on the stage, and 76 years on this earth.You can find our original conversation from our Opportunity Costs series with Ramal Johnson here. Find out more at deathsexmoney.org/class.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.

“We Don’t Talk About Bruno,” the hit song from Disney’s Encanto, is sitting at No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 this week, and that’s all thanks to TikTok. On the show today, Madison and Rachelle talk about the songs from Encanto currently dominating the platform, and why people online seem to love to hate Lin-Manuel Miranda.Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder and Derek John.Correction: This podcast incorrectly stated that TikTok is included in the Billboard Hot 100 chart calculations, misnamed the song “Surface Pressure,” and misstated that it is sung by the oldest daughter (it's sung by the middle daughter). Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, Slate’s TV critic and host of the podcast Decoder Ring, Willa Paskin, and poet, essayist, podcast host, and author, Nichole Perkins, fill in for Dana and Julia. The panel begins by taking a spin with Julian Fellowes’ (creator of Downton Abbey) new show The Gilded Age. Then, the panel debates about Kenny G and the installment of the docuseries Music Box: Listening to Kenny G. Finally, the panel ponders Ted Gioia’s question: is old music killing new music?In Slate Plus, the panel discusses culture that they’ve changed their mind about over time—whether they’ve grown to like it or dislike it.Email us at [email protected]: The podcast Once Upon a Time… at Bennington College.Nichole: The collection of stories Vampires in the Lemon Grove: And Other Stories by Karen Russell.Steve: Ian MacDonald’s essay “Exiled From Heaven: The Unheard Message of Nick Drake.”Pre-order Dana’s book and buy a ticket to Dana and Isaac’s book event at The Strand (hosted by our very own Stephen Metcalf)!Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Nadira Goffe.Outro music is "Pike Place Market" by Rockin' For Decades.Slate Plus members get ad-free podcasts, a bonus segment in each episode of the Culture Gabfest, full access to Slate's journalism on Slate.com, and more. Sign up now at slate.com/cultureplus. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Stefan Fatsis and Josh Levin are joined by the Athletic’s Lindsay Jones to discuss the NFL playoffs. Then, Ben Proudfoot joins for a conversation about Lusia Harris, the subject of his documentary short “The Queen of Basketball.” Finally, they speak with Oliver Roeder about his book Seven Games.NFL (2:21): How did the Chiefs-Bills magic happen? Are Tom Brady and Aaron Rodgers done? Lusia Harris (30:12): The life and legacy of a basketball pioneer.Seven Games (50:24): How machines have changed our favorite games. Afterball (1:09:30): Josh and Stefan on Hang Up listeners’ goofy ideas to fix sports. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The name on every TikTokker’s lips is “West Elm Caleb,” a New York City twenty-something whose dating practices and history have come under major scrutiny, after women started posting videos about their negative experiences with him. Things quickly got out of control as more and more people got swept up in the gossipy drama. On today’s episode, Madison and Rachelle talk to some of the women who shared their own stories about dating Caleb online. Then, they discuss how this is a moment both about the power of women coming together to protect each other and the way that this collective’s motives can quickly turn south.Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder and Derek John. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jaimie Seaton got used to a lavish upper class lifestyle while married to her banker husband and living overseas. Then she got divorced, and her financial picture totally changed.This episode was part of our 2018 series Opportunity Costs: Money and Class in America. Find out more at deathsexmoney.org/class. Read Jaimie's essay for BuzzFeed 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.

AOL Instant Messenger launched 25 years ago, but at the time nobody understood exactly how important it would be in shaping the way we all interact online. On today’s show, Rachelle and Madison talk to AIM expert Caroline Moss about the early years of the platform, the playful shenanigans people got up to on there as teens, and how it led us to the world of always being online. Caroline hosts the podcast Gee Thanks, Just Bought It!Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder and Derek John. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, the panel begins by pondering Maggie Gyllenhaal’s directorial debut, The Lost Daughter. Then, the panel gushes about the fresh workplace comedy Abbott Elementary. Finally, the panel discusses everyone's latest obsession: the word game Wordle.In Slate Plus, the panel enters spoiler territory as they continue to puzzle out The Lost Daughter.Email us at [email protected]: An LA related endorsement: The Academy Museum (run by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences) which is mostly okay, but has a stellar show called The Path to Cinema: Highlights from the Richard Balzer Collection.Julia: Potentially the first worthy piece of pandemic art: the Gary Shteyngart novel Our Country Friends, set in an upstate NY country home as friends gather to wait out the pandemic.Steve: Israeli-born, Paris-based singer Keren Ann’s cover of “Hallelujah.” Also: a no longer on-the-fence, solid endorsement for HBO’s Succession.Pre-order Dana’s book and buy a ticket to Dana and Isaac’s book event at The Strand (hosted by our very own Stephen Metcalf)!Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Nadira Goffe.Outro music is "Self Made Woman" by Katharine AppletonSlate 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 NFL’s Super Wild Card Weekend. Then they talk about the rise of the Memphis Grizzlies’ Ja Morant. Finally, Defector’s Kalyn Kahler joins for a conversation about nepotism in NFL coaching. NFL (4:50): Do expanded playoffs mean worse games? Ja Morant (24:55): Was his block the best ever? Is he the NBA’s next superstar? Nepotism (44:54): How big of a problem is it, and can anything be done to fix it? Afterball (1:08:14): Josh, Joel, and Stefan on goofy ideas to fix sports. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Yellowjackets is a new series on Showtime about a team of high school girls who, while on a flight to a soccer game, crash in the Canadian wilderness. It follows their struggle for survival and how that experience shaped those who made it out of the woods alive. On today’s show, Madison and Rachelle sing their own personal Yellowjackets praises, explain why it’s the latest addition to the Puzzle Box TV canon, and discuss how Reddit is the best place for fandom communities—like the one that’s quickly formed around the show. Plus, people think the Queen of England is dead?Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder and Derek John. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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

The author and popular Peloton instructor tells me about running through trauma, changing careers, and how motherhood has changed how she values her time.Listen to our "Anthems of Change" playlist on Spotify.Are you subscribed to our newsletter? You should be! Every Wednesday, we send out podcast listening recommendations, your stories from our inbox, and behind-the-scenes updates from the show. Sign up at deathsexmoney.org/newsletter.Support Death, Sex & Money by becoming a monthly sustaining member. Sign up at deathsexmoney.org/donate. Got a story to share? Email us any time at [email protected]. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Empaths and the great book exchange pyramid scheme are filling up our feeds again. On the show today, Rachelle and Madison explain why every few months, posts circulate about a book exchange that sounds too good to be true, and why empaths aren’t really a thing—unless you’re in a science fiction story. Plus, they play Wordle!Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder and Derek John. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, author and co-host of Slate’s Working podcast, Isaac Butler fills in for Steve (pre-order Isaac's book!). First, the panel debates the merits of Adam McKay’s star-studded cautionary tale Don’t Look Up. Then, the panel is joined by film historian and journalist Mark Harris to outline the debt we owe to the late Sidney Poitier—a legend whom he speaks about in his book Pictures at a Revolution. Finally, the panel is joined by author and staff writer for the New Yorker, Kathryn Schulz, to discuss her new memoir Lost & Found.In Slate Plus, the panel lists some reboots and remakes that they actually would like to see.Email us at [email protected]: David Ehrlich’s, chief film critic for Indiewire, video montage countdown of the best films of 2021, an annual tradition he’s been doing for several years.Julia: The LEGO set “Flower Bouquet” (set #10280) which ingeniously replicates a bouquet using some creative LEGO pieces.Isaac: The novel I Am Not Sidney Poitier by Percival Everett.Pre-order Dana’s book and buy a ticket to Dana and Isaac’s book event at The Strand (hosted by our very own Stephen Metcalf)!Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Nadira Goffe.Outro music "I Want a Change" by The Big Let DownSlate 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.

Hey Hit Parade fans! Here's an episode from another show we think you’ll like. Slate's history podcast One Year introduces you to people and ideas that changed American history, one year at a time. The new season of One Year covers 1995, a year when homegrown terrorists attacked Oklahoma City and America went online. This episode is about “Macarena”—yes, that “Macarena,” the song and the dance that became the defining left-field pop happening of the mid-’90s. This bilingual song by a pair of Spaniards, and a couple of Miami DJs they’d never met, brought joy to millions, and it topped the charts for months, winding up Billboard’s No. 1 hit of 1996—over smashes by Mariah Carey, Boyz II Men and Celine Dion. And then, just as quickly, “Macarena” became a cultural pariah.If you like this episode, follow One Year wherever you get podcasts.One Year is produced by Josh Levin, Evan Chung, and Madeline Ducharme. Additional production help from Cheyna Roth. Mixing by Merritt Jacob.Slate Plus members get to hear more about the making of One Year. Get access to extra episodes, listen to the show without any ads, and support One Year by signing up for Slate Plus for just $1 right now. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Joel Anderson, Stefan Fatsis, and Josh Levin discuss Georgia’s win over Alabama in the college football title game. Then they break down the wild ride that was the Chargers-Raiders NFL regular-season finale. And tennis writer Ben Rothenberg helps unpack the saga of unvaccinated Novak Djokovic at the Australian Open.College football (2:44): How the Bulldogs took down the Tide. Chargers-Raiders (23:08): The game theory behind the crazy almost-tie. Djokovic (44:12): Why did an Australian court allow him to stay in the country? What’s next? Afterball (1:07:03): Stefan on the Sports Word of the Year. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Elmo has been filling up the TikTok and Twitter feeds these past few weeks with his unique pronunciations and feud with a pet rock. On today’s episode, Rachelle and Madison try to chart the arc of this recent virality, and explain why Elmo is a member of the Black community. They also watched Hype House on Netflix so you don’t have to.Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder and Derek John. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Huge Ma, founder of the website TurboVax, a.k.a. “Vax Daddy,” is running for office, and Taylor Swift has claimed 2022 as her own. On the show today, Madison and Allegra talk about how branding queen Taylor Swift is feeling 2022, and then Madison interviews Huge about creating TurboVax, how his online experiences have informed his campaign, and which Taylor Swift track is the theme of his campaign.Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder and Derek John. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, the panel begins by breaking down just what makes HBO’s pandemic series Station Eleven so successful with Slate’s senior managing producer of podcasts and co-host of Slate’s Working podcast, June Thomas. Next, the panel appreciates the legacy that writer Joan Didion left behind. Finally, the panel rehashes the 2021 edition of Slate’s Movie Club (including Dana’s list of the year’s best films) while discussing the future of film.In Slate Plus, the panel responds to Parul Sehgal’s article “The Case Against the Trauma Plot” in the New Yorker.Email us at [email protected]: The magical work of Swedish stop-motion animator Niki Lindroth von Bahr. Four of her animated shorts can be found on the Criterion Channel, but you can find one—The Burden—on Amazon Prime.Julia: A recipe for Italian rainbow cookies adapted by Bon Appétit from Rich Torrisi and Mario Carbone (of popular eateries Carbone and Torrisi Italian Specialties).Steve: First, his monster music playlist of mellow deep cuts, which includes work from Rickie Lee Jones’ great ‘81 album Pirates, particularly the song “Living It Up.” Second: Susan Tallman’s criticism for the New York Review of Books as a whole, but particularly her recent review of Jasper Johns titled “The House That Johns Built,” inspired by a Johns catalog titled Jasper Johns: Mind/Mirror.Podcast production by Asha Saluja. Production assistance by Nadira Goffe.Outro music is Freak Out! by Zorro.Slate Plus members get ad-free podcasts, a bonus segment in each episode of the Culture Gabfest, full access to Slate's journalism on Slate.com, and more. Sign up now at slate.com/cultureplus. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Joel Anderson, Stefan Fatsis, and Josh Levin discuss the College Football Playoff and bowl game opt-outs. ESPN’s Mechelle Voepel also joins for a conversation about Becky Hammon, who chose to leave the NBA to become the head coach of the WNBA’s Las Vegas Aces. Finally, they talk about the life and legacy of John Madden. College football (3:33): What are the sport’s real issues and what problems are imaginary? Hammon (25:15): Why didn’t she get a shot to run an NBA team? Is going to the WNBA the right move? Madden (48:11): How should the coach and announcer be remembered? Afterball (1:10:38): Joel on Marcus Williamson and what college football takes from Black athletes. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

From “woke bae” to “woke-a-cola,” the word woke has taken the internet and mainstream media by storm. But how many people who use the word actually know what it means? On today’s episode, Rachelle and Madison (but, really, mostly Rachelle) explain the decades-old origins of the word, and how its meaning has evolved as it’s gone from being sung as a call to “stay woke” by the likes of Erykah Badu and Childish Gambino to being wielded as a slur by the likes of Mike Huckabee.Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder, Derek John, and Jasmine Ellis.This episode was originally published on June 19, 2021. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In part 2 of this holiday episode of Hit Parade, Chris Molanphy dives deep into radio, streaming and Billboard chart data of some your favorite holiday hitmakers to compare their long legacies to the majority-merry ways they are consumed today. And none has been more condensed by Christmas than another artist who was once famous enough to go by her first name: Brenda. A ’60s chart dominator and double–Hall of Famer, Brenda Lee is now mostly known for that tune about Christmas tree rockin’. How did the legendary “Little Miss Dynamite” become Santa’s little helper? And will she ever pass Mariah and go back to No. 1?Podcast production by Asha Saluja.Sign up for Slate Plus now to get episodes in one installment as soon as they're out. You'll also get The Bridge, our trivia show and bonus deep dive. Click here for more info. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

"I want it, so I take it." A serial shoplifter explains why she steals, and how—and we hear about what's happened in her life since we first talked four years ago. Thanks to Tasbeeh Herwees for her help with this story. You can find Tasbeeh's article for GOOD Magazine about the shoplifting community on Tumblr here. To listen to our 2017 episode featuring your responses to Alice's story, click here. We have big fundraising goals to hit by the end of the year! Support Death, Sex & Money today and get your Savor Action Pack (our Death, Sex & Money tote bag and mug). Subscribe to our weekly email newsletter and we'll send you great audio recommendations, fascinating letters from our inbox and updates from the show. Sign up at deathsexmoney.org/newsletter.Follow the show on Twitter @deathsexmoney and Facebook at facebook.com/deathsexmoney. Email us any time at [email protected]. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It’s the final episode of the year, and a chance to look back at all the ways the internet has gone wrong in 2021. On today’s show, Rachelle and Madison invite Tracy Clayton and Josh Gwynn, hosts of the podcast Back Issue, to join them as they discuss all the trends, memes, and moments of 2021 internet that have no place cropping back up in 2022.Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder and Derek John. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, Steve, Dana, and Julia tackle some listener questions in our annual call-in show. Topics include: favorite pieces of art, culture their children introduced them to, and previous years’ endorsements that have become staples in the panel’s lives.In Slate Plus, the panel continues to field some stellar listener questions. Email us at [email protected] are no endorsements this week, but here are links to some of the things mentioned in the episode:Here’s Julia’s former (Dana approved) Cooks Illustrated blueberry muffin recipe endorsement that’s sourced from The New Best Recipe. Here’s her current favorite blueberry muffin recipe. Dana’s suggestions for content that might help with grief features Francois Couperin’s Leçons de Ténèbres. Some songs Steve would like played at his funeral include: Everything but the Girl’s cover of Captain Beefheart’s “My Head Is My Only House Unless It Rains;” Nina Simone’s version of “Who Knows Where the Time Goes;” Charles Mingus’s “Myself When I Am Real;” and The Go-Between’s “Cattle and Cane.” Julia’s picks include: Felix Mendelssohn’s “Op. 62 No.3” and Superchunk’s “Me & You & Jackie Mittoo.” Here’s Dana’s Spotify playlist of her picks.Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Nadira Goffe.Outro music is "Lonely Calling" by Arc De Soleil.Slate Plus members get ad-free podcasts, a bonus segment in each episode of the Culture Gabfest, full access to Slate's journalism on Slate.com, and more. Sign up now at slate.com/cultureplus. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Josh Levin and Joel Anderson are joined by ESPN’s Kevin Arnovitz to talk about Christmas Day in the NBA. Washington Post health reporter Dan Diamond also joins to discuss the past, present, and future of COVID in sports. Finally, Josh, Joel, and Stefan Fatsis interview Mitchell S. Jackson about his award-winning story on Ahmaud Arbery and running while Black. NBA (3:37): How did the Warriors and Suns leap to the top of the West? And how are teams dealing with all the positive tests? COVID (25:51): What should leagues be doing, and what will they do in 2022? Arbery (45:59): A discussion about the Pulitzer-winning story “Twelve Minutes and a Life.” Afterball (1:06:04): Josh on the Washington Post’s coverage of Daniel Snyder. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Martha Stewart loves to tell people on Instagram about the products she likes, but these posts look suspiciously like ads. On today’s episode, Madison and Rachelle scroll through Martha’s feed to look at all the things she raves about, talk about why she might be breaking the rules, and discuss how the social media advertising guidelines are much more flexible than we realize.Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder and Derek John. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Custer's Revenge is widely considered one of the worst video games ever made. Originally released as part of a series of Swedish Erotica-branded adult games for the Atari 2600, Custer's Revenge involves moving a pixelated General Custer across the screen to rape an Indigenous woman tied to a post. It's unfathomably racist, sexist, and un-fun to play. Today on Decoder Ring we tell the story of how Custer's Revenge came to be, the people who protested it, and the even stranger story of how the whole thing became a considered trolling operation. This is the final episode of our current season, but we'll be back in 2022.If you love the show and want to support us, consider joining Slate Plus. With Slate Plus you can get ad free podcasts, bonus episodes, and much more.Note: This episode has been edited to correct a misstatement about Women Against Pornography's aims. The group did not advocate the banning of pornography. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I share some of the advice, tools, movies, and TV shows that I savored in 2021. Looking for The Favorites File from Kendra Adachi? Find it here at The Lazy Genius Collective. If you're thinking about year-end giving, please consider donating to Death, Sex & Money. You'll be supporting the work we do here at the show, and the community we're building together. Donate now at deathsexmoney.org/donate.Sign up for our newsletter at deathsexmoney.org/newsletter, and every Wednesday we'll send you podcast listening recommendations, listener letters from our inbox and updates from the show.Follow our show on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram @deathsexmoney. Got a story to share? Email us any time at [email protected]. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Neopets, a kid-friendly site from the early 2000s that let users raise digital pets and play games with them, has fallen far from its peak popularity. The nostalgic luster of it also seems to be fading, following the site’s recent failed attempt at Neopet NFTs—not to mention its years-old, mostly broken user interface. On today’s show, Madison and Allegra look back at the happier times of Neopia past, discussing their early experiences on the site and exactly how it’s grown, or not, with the times. Then they interview concept artist Claire Hummel about her teenage years interning at the site, the creative freedom the staff used to have, and why nobody could ever get enough Neopoints to buy all those cool items.Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder and Derek John. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, the panel discusses Aaron Sorkin’s Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz biopic, Being the Ricardos. Next, the panel is joined by contributing writer for the New York Times, Jody Rosen, to make sense of Bruce Springsteen’s latest deal and the confusing world of music rights today. Finally, the panel is joined by Slate’s book critic Laura Miller to discuss her list of the best books (and audiobooks!) of 2021.In Slate Plus, the panel continues the discussion of music rights and how Taylor Swift changed the game with her re-recordings. Email us at [email protected]: A video of a series of pianist Bill Evans’s live performances over 11 years titled, Bill Evans Live ‘64 ‘75.Julia: The 2004 film Cellular which stars Chris Evans, Kim Bassinger, Jason Statham, William H. Macy, Jessica Biel, and more.Steve: A follow-up to the 8 hours of Get Back, one of the greatest works of cultural criticism: Revolution in the Head: The Beatles’ Records and the Sixties by Ian MacDonald. Also: Sufjan Stevens’s Christmas catalog, Songs for Christmas.Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Nadira Goffe.Outro music is "What Do You Want From Me" by 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 Slate’s Ben Mathis-Lilley talk about COVID running rampant through every sports league, again. Next, they discuss the end of Urban Meyer’s very brief career as an NFL coach. Finally, Joshua Neuman joins Stefan and Josh for a conversation about Kenny Washington, who broke the NFL’s color barrier a year before Jackie Robinson broke Major League Baseball’s. COVID (3:13): How should leagues and teams respond to the next wave of the pandemic? Urban Meyer (22:37): Why did the successful college coach flame out of the pros? Kenny Washington (41:25): Why isn’t the pioneering Black football player an American icon? Afterball (1:02:30): Stefan on the state of Scorigami. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This past week, Nancy Reagan trended for her alleged oral talents, and an orange cat named Jorts kept locking himself in a closet. On today’s episode, High Speed Downloads are back. Rachelle and Madison each deliver some rapid-fire information about Nancy Reagan’s blow job skills and why everyone is obsessed with Jorts the cat—and the woman who keeps slathering him in margarine. Then they speak to Kate Lindsay of the Embedded newsletter about how she got started with that project and her advice for healthy online living.Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder and Derek John. Support ICYMI and listen to the show with zero ads. Sign up to become a Slate Plus member for just $1 for your first month. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Bing. Nat. Dean. John and Paul. Darlene. Mariah. Ariana. Musicians so famous, with so many classic hits, you don’t even need their last names. Now here are a few more, with fewer hits: Vince Guaraldi. José Feliciano. Donny Hathaway. The Waitresses. What do all of these acts have in common? Years from now, each of them may be known primarily for a single holiday chestnut. In fact, in the streaming era, some of them already are consumed largely in December.In this holiday episode of Hit Parade, Chris Molanphy dives deep into radio, streaming and Billboard chart data to compare these acts’ long hitmaking histories to the majority-merry ways they are consumed today. And none has been more condensed by Christmas than another artist who was once famous enough to go by her first name: Brenda. A ’60s chart dominator and double–Hall of Famer, Brenda Lee is now mostly known for that tune about Christmas tree rockin’. How did the legendary “Little Miss Dynamite” become Santa’s little helper? And will she ever pass Mariah and go back to No. 1?Podcast production by Asha Saluja.Sign up for Slate Plus now to get episodes in one installment as soon as they're out. You'll also get The Bridge, our trivia show and bonus deep dive. Click here for more info. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Your stories about how navigating weight and body size inside a relationship has sometimes made your partnerships stronger...and sometimes broken them apart. Are you subscribed to our newsletter? You should be! Every Wednesday, we send out podcast listening recommendations, your stories from our inbox, and behind-the-scenes updates from the show. Sign up at deathsexmoney.org/newsletter.Support Death, Sex & Money by becoming a monthly sustaining member. Sign up at deathsexmoney.org/donate. 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 are excited to share an episode from One Year: 1995, a Slate podcast focused on telling a series of stories from 1995, ones which we may have forgotten or that merit reexamination. In “The Spot,” producer Evan Chung tells the story of what can be best described as the first internet soap opera.“The Spot” follows a small group of creators who, through a series of interconnected blog posts, inspired one of the earliest instances of online fandom. It’s a story about online creativity, parasocial relationships, and how not everything on the internet lasts forever—the exact sort of story that we’d feature on ICYMI if we’d been making this podcast in 1995.Find One Year: 1995 wherever you get you podcasts.Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder and Derek John. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Dana Stevens and Stephen Metcalf are joined by Isaac Butler to discuss Steven Spielberg’s new adaptation of West Side Story. Then Slate staff writer Heather Schwedel stops by to talk about And Just Like That, the “next chapter” in the lives of the characters from Sex and the City. And finally, they debate Vulture’s list of the “101 Best New York Movies Set in the Greatest City in the World” and add their own.Dana’s list:After HoursThe CameramanThe CrowdDo the Right ThingHester StreetMetropolitanThe Naked CityRosemary's BabyShadowsThe Taking of Pelham 1,2,3Steve’s list:The ApartmentAnnie HallDesperately Seeking SusanDog Day AfternoonDo the Right ThingKing of ComedySaturday Night FeverSweet Smell of SuccessWild StyleIn the Slate Plus segment, Steve and Dana answer a question from listener Colin, via his friend Ezra: Which city block would you take to a desert island, and why?Endorsements:Dana: Two books about New York City and the movies: Fun City Cinema, by Jason Bailey, and Celluloid Skyline, by James Sanders.Steve: The song “Watercolors,” from Between the Lines, by Janis Ian; and “Digging for Utopia,” Kwame Anthony Appiah’s review of David Graebner and David Wengrow’s recently published book The Dawn of Everything, in the New York Review of Books.Email us at [email protected] production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Nadira Goffe.Outro music is “Bloody Hunter” by Paisley Pink.Slate Plus members get ad-free podcasts, a bonus segment in each episode of the Culture Gabfest, full access to Slate's journalism on Slate.com, and more. Sign up now at slate.com/cultureplus. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.