Tasteland

This week Daisy and Francis are joined by versatile writer and editor, Paula Mejía. Paula specializes in arts and culture journalism and is currently a leading contributor at Dirt. __ Paula Instagram Twitter/X Website __ Other references Francis' brand sillage piece Paula's Barnes and Noble piece __ Timestamps 00:00 Introducing Paula Mejía 00:28 Festival experiences 03:40 Coachella emergency dental 07:15 The best and worst of Coachella 12:16 Flower crowns out, assless chaps in 14:36 Spa day festival hack 18:15 Hot Topic and the evolution of subculture 25:58 Embrace the spoilers 30:48 The power in mischief in brand collabs 36:26 The revival of the bookstore 43:46 Facebook marketplace is the place 45:30 The role of festivals in social connections 50:06 County fair community nostalgia 53:09 The corporatization of modern life __ Our intro song, Night Life, is written by Nakisso Peralta and performed by Chillers.

This week Daisy and Francis talk to travel and hospitality writer, Colin Nagy. Colin is also the co-creator of the newsletter 'Why is this interesting?' Colin: https://x.com/CJN Why is this interesting?: https://www.interesting.us 00:00:00 Long live the girl moss 00:04:08 The podcast mic and illusion of authority 00:06:20 Credibility laundering: How to industry plant yourself 00:11:01 Blockchain taste formalization 00:13:51 Abstract theories applied to the blockchain 00:16:43 Who gets to decide how we remember? 00:27:10 Language, Culture, and Their Role in Shaping LLMs 00:33:01 Media literacy and factchecking LLMs 00:42:32 New money's impact on hospitality and experiences 00:48:00 Memorable and personal hospitality experiences 00:52:55 The social contract is broken: Degrading manners in society __ Our intro song, Night Life, is written by Nakisso Peralta and performed by Chillers.

This week Daisy and Francis are joined by Phillip Jackson and Brian Lange from the Future Commerce podcast. What is the future of art in an AI world? Do we need more friction in our lives? Should AI feel shame? Listen to Future Commerce: https://www.futurecommerce.com/episodes 00:00 Introduction to Phil and Brian 01:46 Blank launch party 05:52 OpenAI’s Studio Ghibli marketing ploy 11:45 All that we’re left with is aura 19:27 The value of the art is the creator 25:00 Losing control of the environment art is observed 29:29 Our shitty robot future 36:14 An Industrial Revolution for the minds 39:23 Online shopping can diminish creativity 51:50 The future of mobility is textiles 55:28 Cultural change requires calamity 01:01:47 Has frictionless gone too far? __ Our intro song, Night Life, is written by Nakisso Peralta and performed by Chillers.

This week Daisy and Francis are joined by Kori Fuerst, co-founder of Retrospekt, a consumer electronics company specialising in reviving retro tech for a new generation. Retrospekt: https://retrospekt.com 00:00 Introducing Kori and Restrospekt 02:35 Awkward police encounters 06:12 Defaulting to the classic 08:09 The unique Retrospekt office space 11:14 Retro collaborations and IP licensing 14:53 Transitioning from hobby to business 22:28 Challenges with repairing newer tech 23:57 Pop cultures effect on retro tech hype 27:05 The rise of digicams and the 2000's aesthetic 29:22 Today's future retro tech 37:27 Late 80's tech is the most accessible for refurbishment 39:43 Dream retro tech collabs 45:36 The natural draw to analogue and tactile interfaces 51:29 The experience of film photos 55:10 Balancing scale and sustainability in retro tech __ Our intro song, Night Life, is written by Nakisso Peralta and performed by Chillers.

This week Daisy and Francis are joined by Trey Taylor, Gen Z consumer expert who has recently pivoted into the world of fragrances and just launched their perfume brand Serviette. Trey Taylor: https://x.com/treytylor Serviette: https://serviette.nyc/pages/about?srsltid=AfmBOorQMQdp9fVeRd_vV-aXXIsRid3t8o2z9NL0ZZU19-3ZWsdFridM 00:00 Introducing Trey and Serviette 00:55 The symbiotic relationship between oral and written culture 04:00 Serviette launch party 09:08 The art and struggle of perfume creation 14:07 The monopolization of fragrance 22:16 Bartering and trading culture with the fragrance world 25:23 The role of contrast in color and scent 31:13 Selling a lifestyle: Marketing an aspiration 39:10 Taste is defined by perception, not possession 45:34 The challenges of online perfume shopping 54:45 Using taste to create something valuable Our intro song, Night Life, is written by Nakisso Peralta and performed by Chillers.

This week Daisy and Francis are joined by Charlie Baker, editor of The Fence, a quarterly print magazine (and weekly newsletter) focused on life in the UK and Ireland. The Fence: https://www.the-fence.com Capital Letter: https://thefencecapitalletter.substack.com/ 00:00 Introducing Charlie Baker and The Fence 01:51 The value exchange of a podcast appearance 07:48 The Fence's unique and historic office space 13:41 The Capital Letter: London's only newsletter 20:52 Cultural exchange between the US and UK is growing 23:47 Increasing London pub coverage 27:54 London's entrepreneurial energy is rising 29:26 Did ye hear mammy died? 32:50 Defining the quintessential Fence story 36:06 The most important job of an editor 41:00 Publishing is an act of optimism 47:39 The loneliness of leadership Our intro song, Night Life, is written by Nakisso Peralta and performed by Chillers.

This week Daisy and Francis are joined by cultural strategist, designer and art director, Edmond Lau. Edmond is known for his "luxury memes" and his recent coining of the term "dark mode shift". Follow Edmond LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/atelieredmondlau/ X: https://x.com/nstlgiaxpress 00:00 The rise of LinkedIn 07:23 An outsider's perspective on NYC culture 15:05 Edmond's unique career arc 20:09 Creating digital profiles of personal taste 28:28 The dark mode shift and ambiguous grief 42:09 The evolving insecurities of the yuppies 49:41 Taste has lost its meaning 55:36 Defining luxury Our intro song, Night Life, is written by Nakisso Peralta and performed by Chillers.

There's no guest this week, which gives Daisy and Francis the chance to discuss why people hate Renoir, the simultaneously growing and eroding types of media literacy, SEO arbitrage, and why we need pay people to build beautiful things. 00:00 The five things we did this week 02:38 The nuances of art deaccessioning 08:48 Why Francis has stopped sports betting 11:14 Different types of media literacy and their current state 14:36 The need for working-class media 24:28 The death of content website investing 35:08 Islands and empires in the creator economy 38:19 The dynamics of young lonely men 44:48 The future of labor in America Our intro song, Night Life, is written by Nakisso Peralta and performed by Chillers.

This week Daisy and Francis are joined by Katherine Dee, a reporter and internet culture writer since 2018. She's here to discuss the evolution of e-girls, their cultural significance, and the changing landscape of media and online identity. Katherine's X: https://x.com/default_friend Katherine's Substack: https://substack.com/@defaultfriend 00:00:00 Unique art museum experiences 00:04:15 Defining e-girls and their evolution 00:10:50 Shifting media forms and declining media literacy 00:19:55 The anti-woke movement is an entertainment genre 00:27:07 Dolphin accelerationism 00:31:00 The ethics of interacting with AI 00:39:37 Internet history must always be an oral history 00:50:28 The loss of quality local news 00:57:41 The normie internet and subterranean internet split Our intro song, Night Life, is written by Nakisso Peralta and performed by Chillers.

Daisy and Francis are joined by Jad Esber, founder and CEO of Koodos Labs, a product and research company focused on the next generation of the internet. Koodos Labs is the creator of Shelf. Shelf: www.shelf.im Jad: https://x.com/Jad_AE 00:00 Night Life 02:20 Daisy smells like a donut 08:33 Inverting the internet's personal data model 14:47 Understanding the concept of data gravity 19:56 The algorithms influence on interpersonal relationships 30:53 Shelf: Your aggregator for taste 39:00 The difficulties of tracking physical media consumption 44:01 Connecting through shared media consumption 50:40 The balance of friction and meaningful engagement Our intro song, Night Life, is written by Nakisso Peralta and performed by Chillers.

Daisy and Francis are joined by art critic, curatorial consultant, and writer Tatum Dooley. She is the founder and editor of the newsletter Art Forecast. They discuss the balance of art and business, the importance of artist-first thinking, and the impact of social media on artistic identity. Art Forecast: https://artforecast.substack.com/ 00:00 Controversial college mascot rebrand 07:23 The spectrum of artistry to entrepreneurship 13:30 Rebranding for global recognition 16:09 2025 trend predictions in the art world 22:26 The power of the studio visit 25:46 Balancing mentorship and free consulting 30:31 The complexities of royalties in the art market 32:26 Demonstrating the artist first approach 36:34 Artistic identity and social media 44:57 The right way to do criticism Our intro song, Night Life, is written by Nakisso Peralta and performed by Chillers.

This week Daisy and Francis are joined by Josh Zoerner, founder of Night Gallery, to discuss the creative process behind their collaborative book, Notes, a tribute to the humble iPhone note. Buy Notes: https://nightgallery.metalabel.com/notes 00:00 Introducing Josh and the NOTES book 05:20 Fan of the band 09:19 Music is how we decorate time 12:46 The emotional connection to past notes 21:15 Thematic elements in t-shirt drops 27:19 Iconic collaborations and recognition from idols 32:01 The creative process of books vs clothing 36:58 The weight of past generations 43:59 Running from the American experience 48:34 Nature, ecology, and the human experience 53:35 Merch is dead Our intro song, Night Life, is written by Nakisso Peralta and performed by Chillers.

This week Daisy and Francis are joined by Mike Pepi to discuss his book Against Platforms: Surviving Digital Utopia. They explore the definitions and implications of platforms in the digital age and the concept of techno-utopianism. Buy Mike's book: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/761644/ Mike Pepi: https://www.mikepepi.com/writing 00:00:00 Introducing Mike Pepi and defining platforms 00:05:06 Techno-utopianism in the history of western tech 00:13:23 Platform equilibrium; no growth is death 00:21:45 Tech platforms are not a tool 00:26:09 The unintended consequences of the techno-fix 00:29:48 "You are the media now" 00:33:03 AI submission and the devaluation of labor 00:39:39 Daisy's experience bullying Chat-GPT 00:45:08 The post-human vision of the 22nd century 00:47:59 The beauty in pluralism 00:52:20 The infinite treadmill of critique 00:54:30 When content is free, labor is free 00:57:37 Envisioning the future of new institutions

This week Francis and Daisy welcome writer and researcher Greta Rainbow. They discuss the evolving landscape of food journalism, the impact of digital art through the Glance Back browser extension, and the relationship between technology and personal identity. Glance Back piece: https://lareviewofbooks.org/article/my-machine-and-me/ Greta: https://x.com/gertsofficial 00:00 Introducing Greta 01:15 The changing landscape of food journalism 06:09 The internet is for making friends 08:21 Glance Back: Your relationship with your computer 14:43 Balancing privacy and risk of contemporary storage 17:47 The evolution of our relationship with tech 27:19 The future of alt-lit in a changing internet 34:34 Scenes are shortcuts for attention 39:52 How we spend our days is how we spend our life 43:33 The role of visibility in the digital age 46:59 Nobody is cool on the internet

This week Daisy and Francis are joined by Emily Sundberg, creator of the popular business newsletter Feed Me. They explore the theme of specialness in modern life, discussing how technology, communication, and social interactions have evolved and impacted our sense of intimacy and connection. Feed Me: https://www.readfeedme.com/ 00:00 Introducing Emily and Feed Me 01:40 Nothing Feels Special Anymore 04:28 Texting's Effect on Communication and Intimacy 10:10 The Relationship Between Friction and Specialness 15:03 The Balance of Responsibility for Social Collapse 18:12 The Intention Behind Special Experiences 25:26 Feed Me: Preserving Specialness at Scale 30:12 The Degradation of Faith in Language 33:21 The Crisis of Truth and Consensus 37:29 The Democratization of Writing in the Digital Age 46:22 Adjusting to Success in the Media Industry 52:26 You Can't Spill the Special Sauce

2025 is kicking off with another mailbag episode of Tasteland. Daisy and Francis are answering your questions about whether smoking is cool again, what sucks the most, and sharing their synesthesia wrapped. 00:00 Happy New Year 01:44 Is Smoking Cool Again? 09:12 Media That Shapes Your Worldview and Opinions 15:27 Podcasts and Personal Connections 17:58 Navigating Creative Output and Information Diets 22:07 Feedback Mechanisms in Digital Media 28:47 Synesthesia Wrapped: Purplest Movie of the Year 36:11 What Sucks the Most? Elon Musk and The Passage of Time 38:28 Francis' Best and Worst Instagram Creators of 2024

For this Christmas Day episode of Tasteland, Daisy and Francis are reaching into their sack of questions sent in by you, the listeners. Gas station orders, apple picking, hypergamy and more. 00:00 Seasons Greetings and Gas Station Eatings Overrated or Underrated 04:33 Restaurants and Queueing Culture 10:00 Alo Yoga, Working For Yourself, Baja Blast 11:07 The M Train, Apple Picking, Annie Ernaux 13:17 Hypergamy and The Cast of Challengers 15:01 Talking About Your Mental Health and Accidental Bronson 17:01 Flats: The Shoe and the Wing, Post Post Alt Lit 18:45 Parasocialailty and Legal Weed 22:12 Cured Meats and Long Meals 24:58 Dune 2 and IMAX 29:12 Natural Fibers and Karl Ove Knausgård 34:00 Watching Soccer and Works in Translation 36:00 Fernet and Coke, Metro North, Randomly Texting Your Friends Other Mailbag Questions 39:24 Today's Breakfast and Fit Check

Josh Citarella is an artist, writer, podcaster, and researcher who is best-known for his work researching online Gen Z political extremism. He’s the founder of Do Not Research, a non-profit artist community. He’s currently a dozen episodes into Doomscroll, an in-person video talkshow exploring online culture and politics. Email your questions to [email protected] to be featured in our upcoming mailbag episode. Doomscroll: https://www.youtube.com/@doomscrollpodcast Joshua: https://x.com/JoshuaCitarella 00:00 Contribute to the Mailbag 01:03 Introducing Joshua and His Work 03:30 The Modern Genres of Accelerationism 08:38 Joining Destiny on the Bridges Podcast 13:50 What is a Contrarian Status Quo Defender? 17:19 Redesigning Social Media to Model the Post Office 22:54 The Increasing Uncertainty of Contemporary Storage 27:02 The Need for a 21st Century Envelope 30:11 Not Identifying as a Journalist 35:57 The Role of the Manifesto in Gen Z Political Identity 42:57 The Political Drift Over Time 49:03 The Growth of Doomscroll

This week Daisy and Francis are joined by DJ, producer, founder, renaissance man Trevor McFedries. Email your questions to [email protected] to be featured in our upcoming mailbag episode. 00:00:00 Ask Tasteland 00:03:41 Introducing Trevor McFedries 00:07:26 The State of Social Media and Creator Payouts 00:13:08 The Impact of Current Events on Social Media 00:18:57 Populism and the Search for Common Ground 00:24:36 The Nature of Violence and Change 00:31:14 Techno-Optimism vs. Techno-Pessimism 00:37:04 Network Spirituality and the Tech Community 00:46:04 The Gold Rush of Content Creation 00:50:02 The Search for Meaning in Content Capital

This week Francis and Daisy are joined by longtime magazine writer and sports gambling expert, David Hill. Read David's piece, Sportsbook Nation: https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-sports/sports-betting-law-draftkings-fanduel-1235158334/ David's website: https://www.davidhillonline.com/ 00:00 Introducing David and His Work 05:15 The Rise of Sports Betting 10:08 The Evolution of Betting Markets and Technology 16:42 Regulatory cChallenges and Consumer Protection 21:12 Advertising and Market Competition in Sports Betting 27:30 The Dynamics of Online Gambling 35:25 Is Profitability a Priority for Sports Betting Companies 42:48 The Tax Implications of Being a Bad Gambler 44:42 Chasing the Steam: Strategies in Sports Betting 45:37 There's More to the Story 51:36 The Future of Online Gambling

This week we're talking worker-owned media with people from three of our favorite worker-owned publications — Defector, Hell Gate, and 404 Media. They're very transparent about what it takes to run a modern, subscription-based media business — it's a great conversation. This is from our live pod earlier this month in support of the National Writers Union's legal fund for media workers. You can still donate here: https://www.zeffy.com/en-us/fundraising/donate-to-the-media-freelancers-legal-fund 00:00:00 Introducing guests 00:04:30 The Business of Worker Owned Media 00:06:30 The Biggest Trials and Errors of Being a Founder 00:11:19 The Media Landscape's Monetization Uncertainty 00:19:13 The Future of Public Funding for Local News 00:21:59 The Diverse Ad Tolerance of Audiences 00:28:56 Audience Taste Shift Post Election 00:35:37 The Messaging Behind Different Payment Options 00:43:52 Making Editorial Choices as a Writer-Owner 00:50:02 Saturation in the Creator Economy 00:59:24 Transparency and Accountability in Worker Owned Media Q&A From Audience 01:02:02 Content Creators Creating Competition? 01:06:09 The Value of Print Media 01:11:08 Expanding Ownership to Readers 01:13:34 Final Thoughts

This week Daisy and Francis are joined by Ben Leventhal, co-founder of Eater, Resy and, most recently, Blackbird. Blackbird: https://www.blackbird.xyz 00:00 Introducing Ben Leventhal and Blackbird 07:19 The Evolution of Restaurant Criticism 15:28 Defining New York's Definitive Restaurants 21:07 The Future of Dining Experiences 30:54 Friction in Dining Culture 35:11 Barriers to Restaurants' Adoption of Blackbird 36:31 Newly Learnt Consumer Insights 38:00 The Desire to Expand Beyond Restaurants 40:00 The Blockchain's Role in Identity and Payments 46:21 Ben's Best Meal of the Fall 48:38 Content Evolution and Future Plans

This week Daisy and Francis are joined by Lauryn Menard, CEO and co-founder of Gob, a compostable, plastic-free, mycelium-based earplug company. Gob: https://www.gob.earth/ Tickets for the NWU event: https://dirrrt.fyi/paywriters 00:00 Introducing Lauryn, Gob and its Mission 02:03 The Concept of Friction in Modern Consumerism 06:20 Designing with End-of-Life in Mind 11:32 Scaling Production and Sustainability 15:07 The Role of Tesla in Green Marketing 19:38 Navigating the B2B and B2C Landscape 22:26 Branding and Marketing Positioning 26:19 Innovations in Mycelium Materials 29:34 Supply and Demand in Mycelium Production 34:15 The Identity of a Founder in the Bay Area 38:27 The Future of Sustainable Products 44:17 Envisioning the 22nd Century 49:01 Exploring New Biomaterials 51:05 Teaching Biomaterials and Student Innovations

This week, Daisy and Francis welcome journalists Teddy Brown and Emily Shugerman. Teddy recently covered Zyn and its masculine political symbolism for the New York Times, while Emily explored direct-to-consumer women’s health brands for The Guardian. Teddy's article: https://www.nytimes.com/2024/10/31/style/zyn-nicotine-pouch-masculinity.html Emily's article: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/oct/30/birth-control-contraception-branding-abortion-roe-v-wade?CMP=share_btn_url 00:00 Introducing our guests 01:48 Exploring Masculinity and Political Symbolism in Zyn 06:04 The Role of Brands and Marketing in Masculinity 08:58 Cultural Associations and Gender Dynamics of Zyn 11:52 The Impact of Online Communities and Vernacular 16:15 Election Context and the Masculinity Crisis 19:04 Conclusion and Future Considerations 21:01 The Impact of Zyn, Vaping and Tobacco Trends 23:21 Women’s Health and Direct-to-Consumer Brands 29:23 The Role of Marketing in Women’s Health 35:34 The Challenges of Accessing Healthcare 40:53 The Intersection of Healthcare and Consumerism 45:50 Conclusion

This week Daisy and Francis are joined by graphic designer David Rudnick to discuss the evolution of album covers, digital solipsism and the imagery behind Megalopolis. Tickets for the event: https://dirrrt.fyi/paywriters David's Strelka talk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ejp4AvetSA 00:00:00 Introducing David Rudnick and his work 00:01:10 Raising Funds for Freelancers and Worker-Owned Media 00:03:40 The Future of Journalism and Media Impartiality 00:08:52 Exploring the Intersection of Literature and Graphic Design 00:10:33 David's Journey to Ghent and His Studio Practice 00:18:03 The Value of Small, Sustainable Design Studios 00:24:58 The Evolution of Album Art in Design 00:28:14 The Impact of Digital Primacy on Visual Culture 00:37:17 The Dangers of Cultural Solipsism and Customization 00:46:22 Exploring Architectural Narratives in Film 01:03:09 The Myth of Immortality in Storytelling 01:09:11 Confronting Death in Modern Society

This week Daisy and Francis are joined by Aliza Abarbanel, co-founder and editor of Cake Zine, a food-centric physical publication that is described as "a hedonistic exploration of history, pop culture, literature, and art through sweets." 00:00 Intro to Cake Zine and the Shift From Print to Digital Media 02:30 The Role of NY Mag in Media Representation 05:53 Tina Brown and the Evolution of Substack 10:00 Playboy's Business Challenges and Future Directions 12:00 Welcome Aliza - Dessert After Dark 17:24 The Benefits and Challenges of Print Media 21:06 Defining a Piece of Cake Zine 22:52 The Unique Approach of Cake Zine 25:54 Understanding the Economics of Indie Publications 29:26 Navigating the Attention Economy Trap 31:17 The Role of Events in Building Community 36:00 The Value of Collecting Magazines 38:33 Mushrooms in the Middle 41:03 The Community in Food Culture vs. Media Culture 45:44 Dreams of a Physical Space 48:06 Balancing Passion and Profession 49:39 Podcasting Insights and Experiences, Also Zodiac Signs 55:24 Final Rapid Fire Questions

This week on Tasteland we are joined by Elise Pepple, the Executive Director of KRTS Marfa Public Radio. 00:00 Intellectual Property and Collaboration in Journalism 04:35 Music Consumption in the Digital Age 06:54 Introducing Elise Pepple of Marfa Public Radio 11:03 The Salt Institute and Public Radio Training 13:13 Elise's Early Career in Alaska and StoryCorps 15:40 The Attraction of Remote Locations 17:20 Community Building Through Public Radio 25:18 The Mission of Public Radio 28:28 The Broadcast Area of Marfa Public Radio 31:24 Impactful Local Reporting 35:03 The Funding and Support of Marfa Public Radio 38:01 The Role of NPR Studios 43:01 Elise's Role on the NPR Board 46:03 Camaraderie Among Radio Station Directors 51:16 The State of Radio Today

This week Daisy and Francis are joined by fragrance evaluator and perfume expert Bibi Prival to discuss the science behind crafting smells, the evolution of fragrance and making sense of different scents. 00:00 Bibi Prival and her journey into the world of fragrance 05:00 The importance of smell in education 06:41 The secretive nature of the fragrance industry 08:59 Losing your sense of smell as a perfumer 10:13 Making the jump from fragrance marketing to evaluation 15:00 The impact of TikTok of fragrance culture 17:36 Francis' first fragrance experiences 21:16 Bibi's gateway into the fragrance world 25:06 Internet culture and fragrance 28:10 The evolution of fragrance marketing 32:46 Fragrance and Frenchness - the roots of fragrance 36:28 The link between smells and core memories 42:48 The day to day of a fragrance evaluator 46:11 The technique of a professional smelling 49:08 Francis loves dirt 51:43 Bibi's top 3 fragrance ingredients 55:07 The impact of celebrities of the fragrance world

This week Daisy and Francis explore the evolution of magazine consumption, the impact of digital media on traditional publishing, and the future of advertising in a rapidly changing landscape. 00:00 The evolution of magazine consumption 06:09 The digital shift in media 12:22 The future of advertising and content creation 14:26 Creators responsibility to their audience 16:21 Media becoming a luxury product 20:13 Defining the modern magazine 25:34 The role of taste in media 28:50 The carcinization and Balkanization of media 34:03 The impact of photography and AI within magazines 38:09 The missionaries and mercenaries of the media founders 48:13 The post-literacy age is here

This week Daisy and Francis are joined by Joe Weisenthal (@TheStalwart), one half of Bloomberg's Odd Lots Podcast and one of the biggest names in finance-Twitter. 00:00 Welcoming Joe Weisenthal, our favourite financial poster 02:00 The beard is natures mew 04:02 How working in different mediums shapes your view 10:05 The impact of the Fed rate cuts on startups and everyday people 14:52 The Gen X/Y/Z litmus tests 16:29 Is symbolism behind a quarter of a percent 21:10 The horseshoe of Lina Khan’s popularity 26:52 The triumph of the yuppies — where have all gone? 30:18 The modern divergence of political and cultural power 31:48 Restaurants are the new nightclubs 34:49 The evolving view on ‘selling out’ 37:30 Is the populism pendulum swinging back? 39:04 The fundamental similarities between country music and Christmas songs 40:43 Picking apart Industry, and loving it 46:08 Gambling and the thrill of losing 48:25 The light in the dark of Industry 51:04 The devolution of twitter, half a million tweets later

Today we chat with Ty Haney, founder of Outdoor Voices and now Try Your Best (TYB), a community rewards platform for brands and fans to connect and grow together, and Joggy, a clean, planet-based energy drink. TYB here: tyb.xyz 00:00 Sports fan culture and suffering 02:36 The Big Dig and its impact on Bostonians 05:39 Gen-Z has regrets 10:42 Introducing Ty Haney and her ventures 14:46 TYB and the gamification of community building 16:58 Transitioning from physical and digital startups 25:19 Why Web3? 26:54 Evolving the Web3 onboarding process 29:52 The role of exclusivity in a community 36:33 The importance of data in brand engagement 38:50 Revenue models and brand partnerships 39:46 The demographics of TYB users 40:43 The evolving status of a Paris Hilton collectible 45:45 Becoming a valued community member 48:41 Maintaining exclusivity as a community grows 52:32 Founder Mode reactions 58:26 Mistakes made and lessons learned

This week Francis and Daisy are joined by Mickey Down and Konrad Kay, the writers of HBO's 'Industry'. We take a peek into the writers room and learn about the inspiration behind the show, the intricacies of character development and why they decided to switch things up for season 3. 00:00 Why do people buy merch? 07:00 The writers of HBO's Industry: Mickey Down and Konrad Kay 15:12 This would not work in America 30:00 What makes a TV show prestige? 34:32 No one knows what's going on 45:40 Improving as writers 52:51 The worst song, again

Daisy and Francis are joined by Charles Broskoski aka Cab, co-founder of are.na, to discuss his recent essay 'Here for the Wrong Reasons. Here for the Wrong Reasons: https://www.are.na/editorial/here-for-the-wrong-reasons 00:00 Adjust your frame 04:05 Writing is the hardest thing in the world 08:58 Taste nodes 12:24 Entering the are.na 30:05 I wanna talk about AI 34:35 Sharing nodes 44:38 Just be yourself, optimally

For Tasteland's fifth episode, Francis and Daisy dig into modern "cozytech," cozy hardware, discuss the worst songs ever, and open up to each another about how tall they are. 00:00 Tasteland height reveal 03:37 The price of a lobster roll 07:37 The best car crash song 15:29 The age of cozytech 37:33 Very demure, very trademarked 41:23 There we land!

This week we're joined by Casey Lewis, editor of the After School newsletter and host of the brand new After School podcast. 00:00 Karaoke songs and Insta Reels 05:50 Casey Lewis from After School 10:27 Newsletters are oversaturated? 14:10 Make way for the edfluencers? 20:54 Casey's new podcast - After School 27:33 Such a counter culture aesthetic 36:30 Tumblr is for amateurs

Episode 3. This week, we chat music festival curation, what choice of font says about AI brands, being a completist vs. a completionist, and Anthony Bourdain starter packs are cursed. 00:00 Intro 02:00 Are music festivals just a branding opportunity? 06:26 A decade of Spotify 07:46 Completionist vs Completist 10:00 Bad Waitress - Choosing stories to publish 15:52 Anthony Bourdain starter pack 19:20 What is "lifestyle"? 25:59 Esperanto soccer team 32:16 Friendly A.I. font 41:33 Stock market panic

Tasteland returns for its second week with Daisy and Francis discussing the sexy economy of independent journalism, letting people enjoy things, and airport sushi. 00:00 Daisy's FWB Fest Talk 08:56 "Let people enjoy things" 14:42 The legacy of The Village Voice 23:53 Funding local journalism 33:04 Francis is on the farm 36:51 Farmland smuggling 42:00 Doing it for the story 43:27 What is FWB Fest?

Welcome to Tasteland! This week Daisy and Francis delve into media slop, Earth Room dates and taste moats. 00:00 TikTok vs Reels addiction 02:19 Slop and dirt 08:08 What is Tasteland? 14:05 The taste economy 28:41 Learning taste growing up on a farm 31:26 Best and worst Reels we saw this week 39:57 Earnestness vs. irony (can you like anything ironically?)