This week on The Waves, a special episode from Slate's podcast How To! When Leslie landed her dream engineering job right out of college, she was elated but also worried she was a tad unqualified—even though she has the skills and expertise. Since then imposter syndrome has reared its ugly head on a regular basis. Besides being the youngest in her department, she’s one of the only women and the only person of color, which has made things even more isolating. On this episode of How To!, host Aman...
Apr 20, 2023•42 min
This week, host June Thomas talks to drag queen, author, and activist Lil Miss Hot Mess. In the interview, LMHM explains the origins of her drag persona and drag name and discusses the skills she had to build up early in her career. Then she discusses her work with Drag Story Hour and talks about what it means for drag to be simultaneously more mainstream and constantly under attack. Finally, she discusses her two children's books, The Hips on the Drag Queen Go Swish, Swish, Swish and If You’re ...
Apr 16, 2023•52 min
On this week’s episode of The Waves - the freelancing side of acting with Marvelous Mrs. Maisel actress Caroline Aaron . Slate senior supervising producer Daisy Rosario is joined by Caroline Aaron - a familiar face in movies for over forty years, if not a household name. They discuss building a life with an unstable career path, how women’s stories are done a disservice in film and television, and how Caroline’s show The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel seeks to overturn all of that. In Slate Plus, Carolin...
Apr 13, 2023•31 min
This week, host Isaac Butler talks to writer John Cotter, whose new memoir Losing Music tells the story of a mysterious illness that degraded John’s hearing and caused periods of vertigo. In the interview, John explains how writing became a necessary tool that helped him make sense of his illness and his changing world. After the interview, Isaac and co-host June Thomas discuss how creative practices can change drastically as people get older and their lives change. They also expand on a writing...
Apr 09, 2023•54 min
Emily is a successful career and executive coach in Ohio, who has done well finding clients through word-of-mouth. But in order to expand her business she knows she has to up her online marketing game. The only catch? She is terrified of social media. On this episode of How To!, co-host Amanda Ripley brings in Suzy Wagner, president of Brand & Buzz . Suzy has some surprising advice for creating a social media strategy that cuts through the noise while being realistic and authentic to yoursel...
Apr 04, 2023•42 min
This week, host Karen Han talks to artist and ornithologist Isaiah Scott, whose popular Instagram account features vibrant photos, illustrations, and information about birds. In the interview, Isaiah talks about his process for organizing bird-watching hikes in his community and his mission to make bird-watching more welcoming. He also discusses the growing community of Black bird enthusiasts and his effort to bring more style and fun to the birding hobby. After the interview, Karen and co-host ...
Apr 02, 2023•47 min
This week, Felix Salmon , Emily Peck , and Elizabeth Spiers are joined by Kevin Delaney, co-founder of Charter. They discuss the layoffs that have swept across multiple industries, and if letting workers go actually solve the issues CEOs say they are. They also take a look at how work has changed during the pandemic, digging into how middle managers have the worst jobs, and how having too many meetings sucks. In the Plus segment: Who does the radical candor system actually help? If you enjoy thi...
Apr 01, 2023•1 hr
Baltimore is one of many aging American cities that is plagued with both a lack of affordable housing, and a surplus of vacant homes. But a local non-profit is addressing both those issues, and teaching community members to rebuild their neighborhoods one house at a time. On today’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson is joined by Shelley Halstead, who founded Black Women Build in Baltimore. Guest: Shelley Halstead, founder of Black Women Build Podcast production by Ahyiana Angel You can skip all t...
Mar 31, 2023•23 min
On a recent workday, Pauline woke up and logged into her computer from home … only to find an email saying she was being laid off — effective immediately. She and her entire team, many of them working remotely, instantly lost access to all of their company accounts. Pauline was shell-shocked, hurt, and wondering what to do next. In the wake of massive tech layoffs, it’s a story that’s now all-too familiar. On this episode of How To!, host Carvell Wallace brings in Susan Peppercorn , a career coa...
Mar 28, 2023•40 min
This week, producer Cameron Drews talks to the legendary children’s musician Raffi Cavoukian, who’s best known for songs like “Baby Beluga” and “Bananaphone.” In the interview, Raffi discusses his pivot to kids music in the mid-’70s and the creative choices that went into one of his most beloved albums, Singable Songs for the Very Young . He also talks about his decision not to market directly to kids, his climate activism, and a philosophy he developed called “Child Honoring.” After the intervi...
Mar 26, 2023•54 min
This week, host Isaac Butler talks to Suzan-Lori Parks, a Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright whose most recent project is a musical theater adaptation of the 1972 Jamaican crime film The Harder They Come . In the interview, Suzan-Lori shares her flexible approach to adaptation and, more specifically, how she was able to deepen the original story of The Harder They Come while honoring the original. She also talks about the unique challenges of adapting a movie into a stage musical. After the inter...
Mar 19, 2023•52 min
When Leslie landed her dream engineering job right out of college, she was elated but also worried she was a tad unqualified—even though she has the skills and expertise. Since then imposter syndrome has reared its ugly head on a regular basis. Besides being the youngest in her department, she’s one of the only women and the only person of color, which has made things even more isolating. On this episode of How To!, host Amanda Ripley brings on Dr. Jessica Esquivel , physicist, advocate for marg...
Mar 14, 2023•43 min
This week, host Karen Han talks to sommelier Miguel de Leon, who currently works as the wine director for Pinch Chinese in New York City. In the interview, Miguel explains that his job is less about defining obscure tasting notes and more about curating experiences and telling stories. He also talks about the exclusionary nature of the wine world and his efforts to make that world more accessible to everyone. After the interview, Karen and co-host Isaac Butler discuss how to be more welcoming to...
Mar 12, 2023•51 min
On this week’s episode of The Waves, Slate culture writer Nadira Goffe is joined by film producer and Stay Gold Features founder Daniela Taplin Lundberg to discuss the challenges of film production and the importance of movies that tell women’s stories, even when they seem too risky to make. In Slate Plus, Nadira and Daniela talk about their favorite (surprisingly) feminist movies. Podcast production by Cheyna Roth and Tori Dominguez with editorial oversight by Daisy Rosario and Alicia Montgomer...
Mar 09, 2023•33 min
This week, host June Thomas talks to Sian Heder, who wrote and directed the Oscar-winning film CODA and now works on the Apple TV Plus series Little America , which tells stories that are based on real immigrant experiences. In the interview, Sian discusses the success of CODA and shares what it was like to win an Oscar. Then she digs into her work on Little America and discusses the challenges and joys of telling other people’s stories. In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Sian talks about grow...
Mar 05, 2023•55 min
It’s official, Season 3 of The Relentless is coming to a close. But before we wrap, we've got one final episode with advice to help you move fearlessly in business and beyond. We begin with an inspiring conversation with Amory Wooden, chief marketing officer at Anywhere Brands. Amory shares her best professional advice, from how she combines her passion for creativity with her love of data to how she stays focused on what matters most. Then, we bring it all home with Jessie Hoff, broker and owne...
Mar 03, 2023•29 min
This week, host Isaac Butler talks to Tarn and Zach Adams, two brothers who’ve been continually crafting and updating the video game Dwarf Fortress for two decades. In the interview, Tarn and Zach discuss the earliest versions of the game, which were available online for free in the early 2000’s and served as an important influence for games like The Sims and Minecraft . Tarn and Zach also discuss the intricate details of the game and the gigantic number of narrative possibilities that players c...
Feb 26, 2023•51 min
On this week’s episode of The Waves, Slate senior editor Rebecca Onion is joined by Erika Lantz, host of the podcast The Turning to discuss the impact of ballet culture and the legacy of George Balanchine on dancers of all levels. In Slate Plus, how ballerinas and nuns have more in common than you think. Podcast production by Cheyna Roth and Tori Dominguez with editorial oversight by Daisy Rosario and Alicia Montgomery. Send your comments and recommendations on what to cover to thewaves@slate.co...
Feb 23, 2023•31 min
Joey is a young creative living in Australian who can’t decide which hat to wear. Should it be songwriting, skateboarding, acting, or should he focus more on his day job as a retail clerk? Fitting everything in during the week seems impossible and he feels guilty when he can’t cross everything off his checklist. On this episode of How To!, co-host Amanda Ripley brings in journalist Oliver Burkeman , the author of 4000 Weeks: Time Management for Mortals . He explains how he too once wanted to do ...
Feb 21, 2023•43 min
This week, host Karen Han talks to actor, director, and writer Tim Blake Nelson, who just came out with his first novel, City of Blows . In the interview, Tim explains why he decided to reference real life events–like the #MeToo movement and COVID–in a fictional story about Hollywood. He also talks about the challenges of writing fictional prose and offers some useful wisdom about writing in general. After the interview, Karen and co-host June Thomas discuss the best ways to juggle multiple proj...
Feb 19, 2023•49 min
Awards season can be a frustrating moment for Black writers in Hollywood, when even their most successful shows and films are frequently overlooked. Rodney Barnes has built a thriving career by telling stories of Black life, from “Everybody Hates Chris,” to “The Boondocks,” to “Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty.” On today’s episode of A Word, he joins Jason Johnson to discuss the challenges and rewards of his rise as a screenwriter and producer. His latest work is a graphic novel, “ B...
Feb 17, 2023•32 min
This week, host June Thomas talks to Chase Joynt and Morgan M. Page, co-writers of the new documentary Framing Agnes , which Chase also directed and appears in. The film depicts, through reenactments, conversations with trans patients who were part of a UCLA gender study in the 1950’s. It also features interviews with trans actors who portray the patients and multiple conversations between Chase, Morgan, and others about how to tell trans stories farily. In their interview with June, Chase and M...
Feb 12, 2023•44 min
On this week’s episode of The Waves, Slate supervising producer Daisy Rosario is joined by stand-up comic Blaire Postman to discuss their journeys as women with ADHD, from receiving a diagnosis to the many ways it affects their everyday lives. In Slate Plus, how Blaire navigated living with ADHD in the pandemic-era social media boom of all things ADHD content. Podcast production by Cheyna Roth and Tori Dominguez with editorial oversight by Daisy Rosario and Alicia Montgomery. Send your comments ...
Feb 09, 2023•36 min
Keith prides himself on being a good dad to his three sons. But in a post-pandemic world with looming student debt and uncertain opportunities, the future can be really scary. He’s especially worried about his middle son Ben, an introvert who doesn't know what to do after he graduates high school this year. On this episode of How To! host Carvell Wallace brings on Rebecca Lavoie . She’s a versatile podcaster and former co-host on Slate’s parenting show Mom and Dad are Fighting . She’s also a rec...
Feb 07, 2023•40 min
This week, host Isaac Butler talks to V.V. Ganeshananthan, author of the book Brotherless Night , which takes place during the Sri Lankan Civil War and was recently featured on the cover of the New York Times Book Review . In the interview, Ganeshananthan discusses her experience in journalism school and explains how it laid the foundation for her fiction writing. Then she talks about the unique POV of Brotherless Night , the book’s multi-decade writing process, and the careful research that all...
Feb 05, 2023•52 min
On this week’s episode of The Waves, Slate senior editor Rebecca Onion is joined by NPR political reporter Danielle Kurtzleben to unpack all the fears that come with pending motherhood. They unpack Danielle’s brilliant Substack piece, “A Professional Lady Correspondent Stares Down Motherhood,” their fears of “cool moms” and…the possible merits of ”lean in feminism.” Heavy emphasis on the possible. In Slate Plus, how Danielle navigated covering abortion post-Roe while pregnant. Podcast production...
Feb 02, 2023•39 min
Yuzuha has been interviewing people for six years. She’s a journalist based in Japan who writes about business and technology but has dreamed of working in broadcast, interviewing people for an audience. Her first challenge is coming sooner than she expected. Yuzuha was asked to moderate a panel at a big conference in Tokyo. She wants to know how to speak with confidence, capture an audience, and ensure her questions get answered without putting on a fake persona. On this episode of How To!, Ama...
Jan 31, 2023•41 min
This week, host Karen Han talks to Yoon Sung, an urgent care doctor in Los Angeles who decided to pivot to the culinary arts…while continuing to be a physician. In the interview, Yoon talks about what his two jobs have in common, how he balances both careers, and how he fell into his latest gig as the pastry chef at Hanchic . After the interview, Karen and co-host Isaac Butler discuss the role of “service” in creative work and the decision to do work that makes you happy. In the exclusive Slate ...
Jan 29, 2023•42 min
This week, host June Thomas talks to poet Chip Livingston, who recently compiled a collection of letters titled, Love, Loosha: The Letters of Lucia Berlin and Kenward Elmslie . It documents the friendship between the writer Lucia Berlin, who is now well-regarded for her short stories but was underappreciated during her lifetime, and the poet and librettist Kenward Elmslie. In the interview, Chip shares how he put the collection together and talks about his personal relationships with both Berlin...
Jan 22, 2023•55 min
This week, host Isaac Butler talks to Ali Slagle, a recipe developer for the New York Times cooking section and author of the book I Dream of Dinner (so You Don't Have To) . In the interview, Ali shares where her ideas for recipes come from and her trial-and-error process for getting them just right. She also talks about her commitment to convenience and explains what it was like to develop recipes for her book that require only a handful of ingredients and take 45 minutes or less to prepare. Af...
Jan 15, 2023•52 min
