On this week’s episode of The Waves, we’re talking about the Women’s World Cup and why you should be watching it (even if sometimes it’s a little tricky to find). Slate senior supervising producer Daisy Rosario is joined by investigative sports journalist Jessica Luther with a Waves guide to the cup. They discuss what players to look for, why nationalism can sometimes trump misogyny, Megan Rapinoe’s retirement, and why the US women’s soccer team is so good. In Slate Plus: Episode 5 of our And Ju...
Jul 13, 2023•39 min
For this week’s episode of Working Overtime, hosts June Thomas and Isaac Butler peel back the layers of great art. Whether it’s books, movies, essays, or paintings, creative work can be broken apart and used as inspirational ammunition for your own output. Through dog-earing novels, overloading a Notes app, or treating yourself to an ‘Artist Date,’ there are countless ways to consume creativity and store it for your own work. Do you have a question about creative work? Leave a message at (304) 9...
Jul 13, 2023•29 min
This week, we're airing an encore presentation of our interview with Hannah Bos and Paul Thureen, writers and creators of the HBO series Somebody Somewhere , which just finished airing its second season on HBO. In the interview, Hannah and Paul discuss their close collaborative relationship and share some of the creative practices they developed with their theater company, The Debate Society. Then they talk about the development and writing process behind Somebody Somewhere, which is set in rura...
Jul 09, 2023•53 min
Danny Lavery welcomes Halle Kiefer, a Senior ComedyWriter at Crooked Media, and Alison Leiby, a New York based comedian. Together, Kiefer and Leiby host Crooked Media’s weekly horror film podcast, Ruined. Lavery, Kiefer and Leiby offer advice to someone who’s rapidly approaching burn-out at work. Another letter writer is wondering what to do about their therapist, which has started to feel unsafe. Plus, a lightning round letter about how to talk about yourself with new friends without giving up ...
Jul 04, 2023•46 min
This week, host Isaac Butler talks to musician Peter One, whose recent album Come Back to Me is his first in more than three decades. In 1985, he and musician Jess Sah Bi released the album Our Garden Needs Its Flowers , which was a big hit in Peter’s home country of the Ivory Coast and bolstered his reputation around the world. In the interview, Peter discusses his songwriting process for Come Back to Me and explains what it’s been like to re-connect with his fanbase and to find new admirers of...
Jul 02, 2023•46 min
For this week’s episode of Working Overtime, hosts June Thomas and Isaac Butler address the dread of slumps and how they can affect any creative career. Whether it’s breaking down your project into tiny parts, treating yourself, or simply moving on to a new career altogether, there are many ways to escape a slump. They also dig into the pangs of professional jealousy and how to let it go. Do you have a question about creative work? Leave a message at (304) 933-9675 or email us at working@slate.c...
Jun 29, 2023•30 min
This week, guest-host Nate Chinen talks to Ayodele Casel, an award-winning tap dancer and one of the choreographers for Funny Girl on broadway. In the interview, Ayodele explains how she progressed quickly in the mid to late 90’s even though she didn’t take up tap dancing until college. She also discusses her award-winning film Chasing Magic and her one-woman show While I Have the Floor , in which she dances to the rhythms of her own spoken word performance. After the interview, Nate and co-host...
Jun 25, 2023•50 min
On today’s episode, Rachelle and Candice are joined by Eater senior reporter Bettina Makalintal to discuss t he rise of private chef content on TikTok. Specifically, the three discuss the now-yearly spectacle of chefs creating content about their summer sojourns to the Hamptons to cook for their wealthy clients. A form pioneered by Meredith Hayden, a.k.a @wishbonekitchen , Hamptons private chef content is now a phenomenon eagerly awaited by a section of TikTok viewers who call it their Super Bow...
Jun 21, 2023•40 min
This week, host June Thomas talks to Taliah Lempert, an artist who specializes in paintings and prints of bicycles. In the interview, Taliah tells the story of how she first discovered a passion for riding bikes and then painting their likeness. She also explains how she’s been able to turn her artistic practice into a satisfying full-time career. After the interview, June and co-host Isaac Butler talk about getting into a creative “flow” and embracing your art as your “life’s work.” In the excl...
Jun 18, 2023•44 min
For this week’s episode of Working Overtime, hosts June Thomas and Isaac Butler discuss a listener’s query about how much importance one should grant ‘working on oneself.’ They share their different methods of pausing for self reflection, such as a quarterly, personal check-ins, mulling over problems that peers frequently encounter, and envisioning an ideal future. Do you have a question about creative work? Leave a message at (304) 933-9675 or email us at working@slate.com . Podcast production ...
Jun 15, 2023•28 min
Amy and Sarah are high school English teachers who both want to quit the classroom, but for very different reasons. Amy has over 200 students, and tensions between teachers and parents are on the rise so she’s “beyond burned out.” Whereas Sarah has been teaching for over a decade and is itching for a change. On this episode of How To!, the second in a two-part series, co-host Amanda Ripley is joined by Daphne Gomez , a former teacher who’s now CEO of Teacher Career Coach. (She also hosts the Tea...
Jun 13, 2023•40 min
This week, Working producer Cameron Drews gets a masterclass in interviewing from Sam Fragoso, host of the Talk Easy podcast. They discuss in-person vs remote interviews, the importance of follow-up questions, and what it means to capture “an honest snapshot” of the guest. After the interview, Cameron and co-host June Thomas discuss the role of good taste and anxiety in creative work. In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Sam talks about collaborating with his producers and participating in post-...
Jun 11, 2023•54 min
Weeks into the Hollywood writers strike, and there’s no sign of a settlement. WGA members say that studio chiefs are using artificial intelligence, streaming, and other methods to undervalue their work. And a wealth of already produced content, along with the misconception that writers are well paid, could minimize sympathy from fans. On today’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson is joined by Eric Haywood. He’s a board member of the Writers Guild of America, and a creative whose work has been seen...
Jun 09, 2023•28 min
Today there are about four million teachers in America, and nearly a third of them are thinking about leaving their jobs. It has become harder to be a teacher in the U.S. due to a lack of resources, political meddling, and teacher shortages, to name a few reasons. On this episode of How To!, the first in a two-part series, co-host Amanda Ripley talks with two teachers, Sarah and Amy, and Daphne Gomez , a former teacher and now the founder and CEO of Teacher Career Coach. They discuss challenges ...
Jun 06, 2023•34 min
This week, host June Thomas talks to Ellen Hart, a mystery author who’s been active since the late 80’s and who is most famous for the long-running Jane Lawless series. In the interview, Ellen talks about her early career as a chef and explains why (and how) she pivoted to writing. Then she explains why, after so many years of heavy output, she’s deciding to write less and less, and both she and June reckon with the dreaded “R” word (retirement!). After the interview, June and co-host Isaac Butl...
Jun 04, 2023•49 min
Felix Salmon, Emily Peck, and Elizabeth Spiers talk about the ongoing WGA strike, the latest news on the Fed’s fight against inflation, and how CEOs are courting Chinese business while staying in America’s good graces. In the Plus segment, movie theaters are trying everything to get you back into the cinema, including booze and gourmet food. If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get an ad-free experience across the network and an additional segment...
Jun 03, 2023•55 min
For this week’s episode of Working Overtime, hosts June Thomas and Isaac Butler speak with Jaime Green , author of The Possibility of Life , about her experiences publishing her first book. Whether it's the repetitive promotional interviews or the countless rounds of revisions, the process of publishing a book can be surreal and exhausting. Luckily, as Green recounts, the support of a creative community and praise from strangers can make it all worthwhile. Do you have a question about creative w...
Jun 01, 2023•36 min
This week, host Isaac Butler talks to actor Sarah Goldberg, who plays Sally on the hit HBO show Barry . In the interview, Sarah discusses her training at The London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art and the important lessons she learned there. Then she digs into the role of Sally and discusses her first impressions of the role, the many dimensions of the character, and her ability to access powerful emotions for certain scenes. After the interview, Isaac and co-host June Thomas talk about the em...
May 28, 2023•51 min
How Twitter’s new CEO Linda Yaccarino finds herself on the edge of “the glass cliff”: when a woman is sent in to fix a big mess. Guest: Vittoria Elliot , reporter for Wired, covering platforms and power If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get benefits like zero ads on any Slate podcast, bonus episodes of shows like Slow Burn and Dear Prudence—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on What Next TBD. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to h...
May 26, 2023•24 min
This week, host Isaac Butler talks to Liz Stokes and Jon Pearce, who make up half of the New Zealand indie rock band The Beths. In the interview, Liz and Jon walk through their songwriting process step-by-step, from initial riffs and lyrics to their complex vocal harmonies and guitar solos. They also explain why the bridge is often the hardest part of a song to write. After the interview, Isaac and co-host June Thomas discuss why songwriting sometimes feels like magic. In the exclusive Slate Plu...
May 21, 2023•49 min
From the coffee shop to the salon to the grocery store, Americans feel like they’re being prompted and prodded for tips more than ever—and they’re starting to resent it. Guest: Kelly Phillips Erb , tax and law reporter for Forbes. If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get benefits like zero ads on any Slate podcast, bonus episodes of shows like Slow Burn and Dear Prudence—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on What Next TBD. Sign up now at...
May 21, 2023•32 min
For this week’s episode of Working Overtime, hosts June Thomas and Karen Han answer one listener’s question about promoting their work. They also discuss how social media isn’t always ideal but it can still be an easy way to spread the word about your business and creative endeavors. Do you have a question about creative work? Leave a message at (304) 933-9675 or email us at working@slate.com . Podcast production by Kevin Bendis and Cameron Drews. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphon...
May 18, 2023•22 min
On today’s episode of Hear Me Out… if you need a Chief Diversity Officer, you’ve already failed. Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) trainings are reaching ubiquity in pretty much every American workplace. There’s no doubt that discrimination, harassment and sequestering — on the basis of sex, sexuality, gender, race, age — all of that exists. The question becomes what to do about it. And there’s an argument to be made that the trainings and buzzwords might be doing more to make workplaces wor...
May 16, 2023•33 min
This week, host Karen Han talks to Hannah Yim and Justine Won, subtitle translators for the YouTube channel SBS Animal Farm . The channel features cute animal videos with Korean subtitles, which Hannah and Justine adapt for an English-speaking audience. In the interview, they discuss the challenges of translating Korean slang and other culturally specific language into English. They also discuss their fast-paced workflow and what it’s like to get feedback from YouTube commenters. After the inter...
May 14, 2023•50 min
For this week’s episode of Working, host June Thomas interviews Danish actor Connie Nielsen on her latest role as the famed author Karen Blixen. Nielsen has an expansive career starring in such films as Gladiator, Wonder Woman , and Brothers , but this latest role in The Dreamer returns her to her Danish roots. Later in the episode co-host Karen Han joins for a discussion about making sacrifices for art and finding time for books in a busy world. Do you have a question about creative work? Leave...
May 07, 2023•52 min
When television and screenwriters went on strike in 2007, Netflix had just started offering the option to stream content. This week, the Writer’s Guild of America went on strike to update pay structures for the streaming era—and to get ahead of A.I. and the changes it may bring. Guests: Michelle Dean , television writer and journalist Anousha Sakoui , entertainment industry writer for the Los Angeles Times If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get ...
May 05, 2023•30 min
On today’s show, Rachelle is joined by Wailin Wong, Darian Woods and Adrian Ma, the hosts of NPR’s daily economics podcast The Indicator from Planet Money. They discuss The Indicator’s recent five-part series on the $15 billion influencer industry that delves into where all that money is going—and where it’s not. They dive deep into the rise of the industry and how it emerged out of the economic precarity of the 2008 recession. They also talk through the astonishing fact that according to some s...
May 03, 2023•40 min
Willy and Heidi were both gig workers for Shipt, the fast-delivery app for groceries or same-day shopping. In 2020, they both realised: the pay algorithm had changed. Now, they couldn’t tell what a job would pay, or whether it would earn or lose them money. Instead of just taking it, they decided to fight back. In the gig economy, companies like Shipt, Instacart, and UberEats all use black box pay algorithms to try and get workers to accept gigs but hide information from them to do so. Early in ...
May 02, 2023•55 min•Season 6Ep. 4
This week, host Isaac Butler talks to opera singer Ryan Speedo Green, who is currently starring in the show Champion at the Metropolitan Opera in New York City. In the interview, Speedo shares the meticulous pre-show routine that allows him to portray the real-life boxer Emile Griffith in Champion . He also discusses the research that went into the role, the unique genre-bending qualities of Champion , and his specialization in opera and opera alone. After the interview, Isaac and co-host June T...
Apr 30, 2023•50 min
This week, host Karen Han talks to stand-up comedian and writer Josh Gondelman, whose hour-long special People Pleaser is now available on multiple streaming platforms. In the interview, Josh explains how he compiled material for the special and created a logical flow of jokes. He also talks about his stage presence and what it was like to find his authentic voice as a comedian. In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Karen and producer Cameron Drews discuss the ideas of “persona” and “voice” in cr...
Apr 23, 2023•52 min
