Ilona Granet was a New York art-scene fixture who won the praise of the art world when she put up anti-harassment street signs in lower Manhattan in the mid- 1980s. Her career seemed like a sure thing, but three decades on, and so much more art later, it still hasn’t materialized, even as her contemporaries are now hanging in museums. This episode is not about the familiar myth of making it, but the mystery of not making it. What happens, to an artist—to anyone—when they’re good enough, but that...
Jul 06, 2021•55 min
Black dance creators on TikTok are sick of white influencers stealing their work without credit. Now, they have collectively refused to choreograph dance challenges for the app’s latest trendy hit, Megan Thee Stallion’s new song, “Thot Shit.” On today’s episode, Rachelle and Madison discuss the origins of this strike, the ineptitude of white dancers trying to create their own dances for the song, and how empty TikTok is without these Black creators. Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder and Der...
Jul 03, 2021•27 min
In Part 2 of this episode of Hit Parade, Chris Molanphy continues his analysis of when singing became central to rap music. Rap has always been musical. But back in the day, rappers generally, well, rapped: talked in cadence over a beat. Fans judged MCs primarily by their rhymes and rhythms, not their melodies. Now? Rappers are mostly singers: MCs from Drake to DaBaby slip seamlessly in and out of melody. Some hits that appear on Billboard’s Rap charts feature literally no rapping. When did this...
Jul 02, 2021•1 hr 7 min•Ep. 98
This week Dana and Steve are joined by Slate staff writer Karen Han. First, the panel discusses the movie Zola . Next, they talk about the British sitcom We Are Lady Parts . Finally, the panel is joined by Seth Stevenson, the host of Slate’s Thrilling Tales of Modern Capitalism, to discuss the past, present, and future of HBO. In Slate Plus, the panel talks about Conan O'Brien's departure from late night TV. Email us at culturefest@slate.com Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assist...
Jun 30, 2021•50 min
On today’s episode, Rachelle and Madison are joined by Buzzfeed’s Scaachi Koul to discuss her recent piece, “ Why Bo Burnham, Jenna Marbles, and Shane Dawson All Logged Off. ” They talk about the cesspool that is YouTube fandom, how precisely Bo Burnham articulates the problems of constant internet consumption, and the three ways logging off may be possible: deleting your content, apologizing a lot, and getting a Netflix special. Plus, a short explanation of the online phrase touch some grass . ...
Jun 30, 2021•27 min
If you love the show and want to support us, consider joining Slate Plus. With Slate Plus you can binge the whole season of Decoder Ring right now, plus ad free podcasts, bonus episodes, and much more. On this episode, we explore the misunderstood history of Muzak, formerly the world’s foremost producers of elevator music. Out of the technological innovations of World War I, Muzak emerged as one of the most significant musical institutions of the 20th century, only to become a punching bag as th...
Jun 29, 2021•41 min
Joel Anderson, Stefan Fatsis, and Josh Levin discuss NFL player Carl Nassib’s historic announcement. They also talk about the key players and storylines in the NBA conference finals. Finally, they assess the Week in Sports Idiocy. Nassib (1:55): The significance of an active NFL player coming out. NBA (24:09): What Giannis Antetokounmpo and Trae Young have in common. Week in Sports Idiocy (42:19): The Tour de France and the College World Series were prime idiot-spotting territory. Afterball (56:...
Jun 28, 2021•1 hr 6 min
On Wednesday, Britney Spears spoke in court against her current conservatorship, which began in 2008. In recent years, fans have speculated that Spears was being controlled against her will by her father through this conservatorship, and started the #FreeBritney movement in an attempt to break her out of it. On today’s episode, Madison and Rachelle break down the history of Spears’ conservatorship, the conspiracy theories that arose around #FreeBritney, and what the pop star’s statement changes....
Jun 26, 2021•28 min
Miguel Llapa's mother was told her son wouldn't live past age 2 because of a health condition. Now, he's going to college — and yearns for independence on his own terms. Support Death, Sex & Money today at deathsexmoney.org/donate . Check out our Game Changer series conversation with BMX rider Chelsea Wolfe here . If you're new here, check out our starter kit of some of our favorite episodes. And subscribe to our weekly email newsletter! Every Wednesday we send out podcast listening recommen...
Jun 23, 2021•33 min•Ep. 310
This week Dana and Steve are joined by Slate staff writer Karen Han. First, the panel discusses the Pixar movie Luca. Next, they talk about the first two episodes of Marvel’s TV show Loki. Finally, the panel is joined by Willa Paskin and Benjamin Frisch, the host and producer of Slate’s Decoder Ring podcast, to discuss the making of the new season. In Slate Plus, the panel talks about whether seeing movies in the theater is a tradition worth preserving. Email us at culturefest@slate.com Podcast ...
Jun 23, 2021•57 min
What do Chloe Bailey, Nina Simone, and Vice President Kamala Harris have to do with one another? We’re here to help you figure that out. On today’s episode, Rachelle and Madison talk about how a cover of Simone’s “Feeling Good” turned into a story that ultimately felt anything but . But first, they examine Rachel Lindsay’s recent comments about the Bachelor franchise . Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder, Derek John, and Jasmine Ellis. Support ICYMI and listen to the show with zero ads. Sign ...
Jun 23, 2021•30 min
To say that hydration is an invention is only a slight exaggeration. Back in the 1970’s and ‘80s, no one carried bottled water with them, but by the ‘90s it was a genuine status object. How did bottled water transform itself from a small, European luxury item to the single largest beverage category in America? It took both technological innovation, but even more importantly it took savvy marketing from brands like Gatorade and Perrier to turn the concept of hydration, and dehydration into proble...
Jun 22, 2021•33 min
Joel Anderson, Stefan Fatsis, and Josh Levin discuss NBA injuries, Kevin Durant’s heroics, and Ben Simmons’ struggles. Slate’s Mark Joseph Stern also joins to assess the Supreme Court’s decision in NCAA v. Alston . Finally, David Epstein talks about distance runner Shelby Houlihan, who claims her positive drug test came from eating a burrito. NBA (3:14): What does the data say about NBA injuries? And what happened to the Nets and Sixers? Alston v. NCAA (24:13): Does this week’s unanimous ruling ...
Jun 21, 2021•1 hr 16 min
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 Marcus Garvey to being sung 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 S...
Jun 19, 2021•27 min
Let’s be clear: Rap has always been musical. But back in the day, rappers generally, well, rapped: talked in cadence over a beat. Fans judged MCs primarily by their rhymes and rhythms, not their melodies. Now? Rappers are mostly singers: MCs from Drake to DaBaby slip seamlessly in and out of melody. Some hits that appear on Billboard’s Rap charts feature literally no rapping. When did this change? In this episode of Hit Parade, Chris Molanphy walks through the history of hip-hop—from Gil Scott-H...
Jun 18, 2021•50 min•Ep. 96
Talking with kids about death. Telling family that you've fallen in love with a man in prison. Breaking up with a longtime friend. Today: the hardest conversations you've ever had. If you've got a hard conversation that you've been waiting to have, and need a push to do it, we want to hear about it for an upcoming series we're working on. Send a voice memo or an email to deathsexmoney@wnyc.org. Support Death, Sex & Money today at deathsexmoney.org/donate . If you're new here, check out our s...
Jun 16, 2021•27 min•Ep. 309
This week Dana and Steve are joined by Monica Castillo, arts and culture reporter for Colorado Public Radio, to discuss In the Heights. Next, Atlantic staff writer Sophie Gilbert comes on to talk about HBO’s Hacks. Finally, Dana and Steve dive into Liz Phair’s new album, Soberish , with the expertise of Slate music critic Carl Wilson. In Slate Plus, Dana, Steve, and Carl talk about Gen X musicians and how they’re aging gracefully—or not. Email us at culturefest@slate.com Podcast production by Ca...
Jun 16, 2021•58 min
On today’s episode, Madison is joined by producer Daniel Schroeder to talk about people accusing Billie Eilish of queerbaiting on Instagram. They then discuss the way TikTok seems to be replacing Craigslist as the spot for finding missed connections—but are the videos real? To find out, Madison interviews Val and Kaycie , two women who had a serendipitous encounter on a rooftop bar, only to lose touch before being reconnected via TikTok. Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder & Derek John. S...
Jun 16, 2021•26 min
Welcome to a brand new season of Decoder Ring! On this episode, we investigate the wild world of soap operas through the lens of one legendary, decades-long, ripped-from-the-headlines storyline. The rape of Marty Seabrook dared to combine the melodrama of soaps with a serious examination of sexual assault, and over time morphed from an award-winning story about believing victims into a redemption arc for the rapist at its heart. This is the story of those who made it happen: the producers, actor...
Jun 15, 2021•49 min
Joel Anderson, Stefan Fatsis, and Josh Levin discuss Danish soccer player Christian Eriksen’s collapse at the UEFA European Championship. Stephanie Apstein of Sports Illustrated also joins to talk about baseball pitchers slathering the ball with goo. Finally, Stefan and Josh interview Jon Wertheim about Glory Days , his new book on sports in 1984. Eriksen (2:14): The agony of waiting to see if the soccer star was OK. Sticky stuff (22:28): What will baseball’s powers that be do about the game’s l...
Jun 14, 2021•1 hr 9 min
On today’s episode, Rachelle and Madison explain the latest drama surrounding online provocateur Trisha Paytas. They recap Paytas’ history online, how they’re connected to David Dobrik’s Vlog Squad, and why their podcast Frenemies is in predictable turmoil. Then, two new High Speed Downloads, first on the grifting of internet chef Darius Williams (aka @DariusCooks) and then on the woman who got arrested for disguising herself as her daughter and going to school in her place. Podcast production b...
Jun 12, 2021•26 min
The Japanese Breakfast musician talks about writing her memoir, Crying in H Mart , why she's moving on from making art about grief and loss, and what's bringing her joy these days. Listen to Japanese Breakfast's latest album, "Jubilee," here , and check out her Crying in H Mart Spotify playlist here . Are you new to our show? Check out our starter kit of some of our favorite episodes. And subscribe to our weekly email newsletter! Every Wednesday we send out podcast listening recommendations, fas...
Jun 09, 2021•35 min•Ep. 308
This week Dana is joined by Slate senior editor Sam Adams and Vulture critic Kathryn VanArendonk. First, the panel discusses the HBO mini-series Mare of Easttown. Next, they talk about Bo Burnham’s Netflix special Inside. Finally, Dana and Sam dive into the recent Amazon-MGM deal. In Slate Plus, the panel talks spoilers galore about Mare of Easttown . Email us at culturefest@slate.com . Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Rachael Allen. Outro Music: "On the Keys of Stee...
Jun 09, 2021•58 min
On today’s episode, Rachelle finds out that Madison is an anthro-paul-ogist. Internet star Logan Paul faced off against Floyd Mayweather in a boxing match this weekend, so Madison takes Rachelle through the troubling origins of the Paul brothers, how they’ve been able to maintain their internet fame across multiple platforms despite a series of serious allegations, and why this fight is nothing more than a money-making publicity stunt. Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder and Derek John. Suppo...
Jun 09, 2021•27 min
Joel Anderson, Stefan Fatsis, and Josh Levin are joined by Sam Anderson to discuss Kevin Durant and the Brooklyn Nets. They also discuss the U.S. men’s national team’s win over Mexico and the retirement of Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski. Durant (01:52): What makes him unique among NBA superstars. Soccer (21:44): Is the U.S. men’s national team’s latest victory meaningful or meaningless? Coach K (42:06): Understanding the legacy of a college basketball legend. Afterball (61:06): Josh on Mike Krzyzews...
Jun 07, 2021•1 hr 9 min
On today’s show, Madison and Rachelle have a short discussion of the recent beekeeper drama on TikTok. Then, they’re joined by Bobby Finger and Lindsey Weber , hosts of the Who Weekly? podcast, to discuss Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez getting back together. They talk about what it was like when the pair first got together in the early 2000s, why it feels so exciting to see these two stars indulge again in their past romance, and how Bennifer 3.0 will play in a new era of social media gossip. Po...
Jun 05, 2021•26 min
In this guest hosted episode, the Oscar-winning actor interviews the Blindspotting co-creator about growing up a "knucklehead," finding a creative partner, and avoiding jealousy. This episode was part of our 2019 Maternity Leave Lineup. Find all of our past guest hosted episodes at deathsexmoney.org. Are you new to our show? Check out our starter kit of some of our favorite episodes. And subscribe to our weekly email newsletter! Every Wednesday we send out podcast listening recommendations, fasc...
Jun 02, 2021•33 min•Ep. 307
This week Steve is joined by Slate senior editor Allegra Frank and Slate staff writer Karen Han. The group first discusses Cruella , starring Emma Stone. Next, they discuss the television adaption of Colson Whitehead’s novel The Underground Railroad. Finally, the group is joined by Slate’s Hit Parade host Chris Molanphy to dive into Olivia Rodrigo’s breakout album Sour. In Slate Plus, the panel shares their experiences going back to movie theaters. Email us at culturefest@slate.com . Podcast pro...
Jun 02, 2021•58 min
On today’s episode, Madison and Rachelle examine a case of mistaken identity. One of TikTok’s best features is its algorithm, which specializes in surfacing videos seemingly tailor-made for the user. That is, until the algorithm gets an idea about the user that’s very, very wrong. They discuss why TikTok is convinced Madison is an ex-Mormon and Rachelle is a Marvel fanatic, and then field a number of listener voicemails about all the hilarious and sometimes alarming ways TikTok has gotten them w...
Jun 02, 2021•24 min
Joel Anderson, Stefan Fatsis, and Josh Levin talk about what Naomi Osaka’s French Open withdrawal reveals about athletes and mental health and athletes and the press. They also discuss the spate of atrocious fan behavior in NBA arenas, and Rebecca Schuman joins for a conversation about Simone Biles’ latest feat of gymnastics excellence. Osaka (2:20) : How the controversy over her French Open comments played out, and what comes next. NBA (25:44) : Has fan behavior reached a new low or are we just...
Jun 01, 2021•1 hr 11 min
