Stefan Fatsis, Josh Levin, and special guest Pablo Torre of Pablo Torre Finds Out are joined by Sports Illustrated’s Jon Wertheim to talk about the Ohio State wrestlers speaking out against their former coach Jim Jordan. They also discuss the journalism ethics brouhaha over the Braves’ Orlando Arcia lightly mocking the Phillies’ Bryce Harper. Finally, they assess the rivalry between NBA newsbreakers Adrian Wojnarowski and Shams Charania. Jim Jordan (4:22): He claims he knew nothing about Richard...
Oct 17, 2023•1 hr 12 min
On today’s episode, Rachelle Hampton and Candice Lim dive into the decades-long transformation of LinkedIn from a website for digital resumes to a social networking platform whose devotees have earned the name LinkedIn Lunatics. Founded in 2003 and sold to Microsoft for $26 billion in 2018, LinkedIn has become an inescapable feature of the job hunt. But while the site is ostensibly founded on professionalism, in recent years its fomented its own particular and peculiar brand of terminal onlinene...
Oct 14, 2023•44 min
HEY! HO! LET’S GO!! Is this chant: (a) a movement of disaffected hipsters, (b) walkup music for a baseball player, or (c) a really catchy bop? How about all of the above? The legendary New York nightclub CBGB was the birthplace of punk. But it was also the future of pop: the Ramones, Talking Heads, Patti Smith, Blondie. To varying degrees, these acts either became hitmakers, tried to reshape their music for the charts, or influenced generations of future multiplatinum stars. Honestly? Their musi...
Oct 14, 2023•1 hr 5 min•Ep. 180
The filmmaker behind HBO’s How To with John Wilson shares how his hobbies, like checking Craigslist ads obsessively, make him feel more deeply connected. Did you know we have a weekly email newsletter for the Death, Sex & Money community? Every Wednesday we send out a note from Anna, fascinating listener 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 at deat...
Oct 11, 2023•25 min•Ep. 417
On today’s episode, Rachelle Hampton and Candice Lim talk to writer Cyrena Touros about Dracula Daily, a newsletter that emails bite-sized passages from Bram Stoker’s 1897 novel to more than 235,000 readers. As an epistolary novel, Dracula is broken into letters written between May and November. Dracula Daily emails those letters to readers, who have now created a book club-like fandom rife with memes and sidebars about a guy stuck in a vampire’s castle. This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragl...
Oct 11, 2023•32 min
This week, the panel begins by reviewing The Wonderful World of Henry Sugar , Wes Anderson’s faithful adaptation of a 1977 Roald Dahl short story, that doubles as a sumptuous meta-commentary on the director’s exacting approach to his craft. Then, the three discuss The Super Models , Apple TV+’s docu-series that glossily chronicles the lives and careers of Naomi Campbell, Cindy Crawford, Christy Turlington, and Linda Evangelista, a.k.a. The It Girls of ‘90s fashion. Finally, they puzzle through a...
Oct 11, 2023•53 min
We’re back with a new batch of cultural mysteries! This season, Decoder Ring explores the decline of an awkward yet unforgettable rite of passage: slow dancing. And, how did millions of TV viewers miss the experimental art installation that was embedded in the 1990s primetime drama Melrose Place? Plus, stories about stretch limos, an ill-fated video game from the makers of Oregon Trail, and the enduring appeal of a controversial dating manual. Launching October 18, 2023. Subscribe wherever you l...
Oct 11, 2023•1 min
Stefan Fatsis and Josh Levin are joined by the Athletic’s Sabreena Merchant to talk about the WNBA Finals matchup between the Las Vegas Aces and the New York Liberty. Aaron Schatz of the FTN Network also joins to discuss the badness of the New England Patriots and whether Bill Belichick’s job is at risk. Finally, Defector’s Dave McKenna comes on for a conversation about swimmer Diana Nyad and the adversary committed to exposing her as a fraud. WNBA (3:31): Do the Liberty still have a chance to m...
Oct 10, 2023•1 hr 12 min
On today’s episode, Rachelle and Candice discuss if movies should be posted on TikTok, why eavesdroppers are turning brunch into an unsafe space, and how a scamming minister almost got away with alleged fraud. This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Daisy Rosario, Candice Lim and Rachelle Hampton. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Oct 07, 2023•48 min
Over the past 20 years, Adonis Williams has moved thousands of people in and out of New York City. With each move, he catches a glimpse of a life in transition. 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? E...
Oct 04, 2023•31 min•Ep. 416
This week, the panel begins by dissecting The Golden Bachelor , the latest spin-off of the classic reality TV series starring a 72-year-old bachelor searching for love amongst a group of women in their 60s, 70s, and 80s. Sincerity ensues… or does it? Then, the three return to the ‘80s to discuss A24’s re-release of Stop Making Sense , Jonathan Demme’s seminal 1984 Talking Heads concert movie that’s widely regarded as the apex of the genre. Finally, they investigate the celebrity apology video ae...
Oct 04, 2023•53 min
On today’s show, Rachelle and Candice are joined by Jessica Bennett and Susie Banikarim, the hosts of In Retrospect , a newly-launched podcast that explores pivotal moments from the ‘80s and ‘90s that shaped them. Bennett and Banikarim crack open the pages of their internet diary, revealing their first fandoms and the internet fights that still loom large in their memory. The four discuss the way that nostalgia shapes our current cultural moment and how it’s become the currency of the decade. Th...
Oct 04, 2023•41 min
Stefan Fatsis and Josh Levin are joined by Kevin Clark of ESPN to talk about Taylor Swift vs. the New York Jets and the Buffalo Bills’ rout of the Miami Dolphins. Ben Golliver of the Washington Post also comes on to evaluate the trade of superstar Damian Lillard to the Milwaukee Bucks. Finally, golf writer Shane Ryan discusses Team Europe’s blowout Ryder Cup win over the United States. NFL (3:31): Everyone (except Zach Wilson) wins when “Tayvis” hits New Jersey. NBA (25:31): Dame to the Bucks. J...
Oct 02, 2023•1 hr 13 min
On today’s episode, Rachelle and Candice dive into the latest mystery plaguing the internet—the unprecedented rise of podcaster Bobbi Althoff. Althoff launched The Really Good Podcast in April and since then has landed interviews with some of the biggest names in the entertainment industry, including Drake, Offset, Tyga, Lil Yachty and Shaq. But the admitted “master interviewer with weeks of experience” seemingly came out of nowhere, earning her industry plant accusations. This podcast is produc...
Sep 30, 2023•44 min
If an instrumental tops the charts, it’s probably an earworm: “Tequila.” “Wipeout.” “Dueling Banjos.” “The Hustle.” “Feels So Good.” “Chariots of Fire.” “Axel F.” You can probably whistle or hum several of those from memory. But do you remember the artists? All were one-hit wonders. By and large, instrumental hits throughout chart history were flukes. But there were exceptions: a trumpet player from Los Angeles who pretended to be Latin, made up a fake mariachi band, put sexy models on his album...
Sep 29, 2023•38 min•Ep. 178
Anna and Ellen Burstyn check in 9 years after they first spoke. Ellen talks about the relationships that make up her life in this moment, her dog, and finding novelty in the everyday. You can listen to the original interview here . Did you know we have a weekly email newsletter for the Death, Sex & Money community? Every Wednesday we send out a note from Anna, fascinating listener letters from our inbox, and updates from the show. Sign up at deathsexmoney.org/newsletter, and follow the show ...
Sep 27, 2023•20 min•Ep. 415
This week, Dana and Stephen are once again joined by Kat Chow, author of the memoir Seeing Ghosts . The panel begins by jumping into the ring with Cassandro , the oddly conflict-adverse biopic about the lucha libre superstar and exótico gay icon, Saúl Armendáriz, who is played terrifically by Gael García Bernal in a provocative, tour-de-force performance. Then, the trio wades into comedian–and future Daily Show host hopeful–Hasan Minhaj’s thorny web of lies with Slate staff writer, Nitish Pahwa,...
Sep 27, 2023•55 min
On today’s episode, Candice Lim and Rachelle Hampton are joined by Daisy Rosario to discuss the hottest show of the summer: Suits. The USA Network procedural follows a magnetic cast of law firm employees who bend the system, fire off quips in court and essentially, wear suits. Suits isn’t the most buzzy or exciting series out there, so how did a show that ended in 2019 experience a resurgence four years later? Since hitting Netflix in June, Suits has been the most-streamed title for 10 weeks and...
Sep 27, 2023•38 min
Stefan Fatsis is joined by writer and podcaster Spencer Hall to talk about a busy weekend in college football. The Ringer's Ben Lindbergh discusses Major League Baseball’s playoff races, and the future of Shohei Ohtani. Finally, Slate’s Nadira Goffe and Defector’s Dan McQuade assess the budding Taylor Swift-Travis Kelce relationship, and a new documentary about Kelce’s brother, Jason. College football (2:30): Deion Sanders’ Colorado Buffaloes finally lost, and badly. MLB (20:20): Are the Atlanta...
Sep 25, 2023•59 min
On today’s episode, Rachelle Hampton is joined by Alexia Fawcett, a PhD candidate in linguistics at UC Santa Barbara and Kendra Calhoun , an assistant professor of linguistic anthropology at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign. Calhoun and Fawcett wrote a presentation titled, “ They edited out her nip-nops: Linguistic innovation as textual censorship avoidance on TikTok ,” which explored both the ways in which and the reason behind why users have developed language like “unalived” and “...
Sep 23, 2023•38 min
We’re listening back to one of Anna’s favorite episodes, when actor Ellen Burstyn invited us into her apartment for a sprawling interview about her past and present. In next week’s episode, you’ll hear a new conversation between Anna and Ellen, recorded just a few weeks ago. But until then, you can also listen back to Ellen’s conversation with journalist and feminist icon Gloria Steinem on our show from 2016 here . Did you know we have a weekly email newsletter for the Death, Sex & Money com...
Sep 20, 2023•55 min•Ep. 414
On today’s episode, Rachelle Hampton is joined by Jane Marie , the host of the award-winning podcast The Dream which recently released it’s highly-anticipated third season all about life coaches. The two discuss the rise of life coaching and it’s connection to the MLM universe, how the internet has accelerated the life coach boom and what exactly the American Dream has to do with any of this. This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Daisy Rosario, Rachelle Hampton and Candice Lim. With...
Sep 20, 2023•39 min
This week, Stephen and Dana are joined by long-time friend of the pod and co-host of Slate’s Working podcast , June Thomas. The panel begins by puzzling over the return of Kenneth Branagh’s Hercule Poirot in A Haunting in Venice , the actor-director’s third Agatha Christie whodunit adaptation. Then, they dig into Jann Wenner’s disastrous New York Times interview with David Marchese in which the Rolling Stone co-founder manages to disgrace himself in almost every conceivable way. Finally, the tri...
Sep 20, 2023•54 min
Stefan Fatsis and Josh Levin are joined by the Wall Street Journal’s Jason Gay to talk about quarterback Aaron Rodgers’ (possibly) season-ending injury. Gay also discusses American cyclist Sepp Kuss’ historic grand tour win at the Vuelta a Espana and the controversy that preceded it. And finally, the Athletic’s Sabreena Merchant assesses the big storylines in the WNBA playoffs. Rodgers (2:22): Is it too soon to laugh about him doing his own research? Kuss (19:30): Should the cyclist’s team and h...
Sep 18, 2023•1 hr 12 min
On today’s episode, Rachelle Hampton and Candice Lim are joined by Jane Friedman , author of The Business of Being a Writer and the publisher of Hot Sheet , a newsletter about the publishing industry. The three discuss Friedman’s recent battle with AI-generated books that were being published and sold under her name on Amazon. Friedman published a blog about the saga titled “ I Would Rather See My Books Get Pirated Than This (Or: Why Goodreads and Amazon are Becoming Dumpster Fires) ” detailing ...
Sep 16, 2023•47 min
If an instrumental tops the charts, it’s probably an earworm: “Tequila.” “Wipeout.” “Dueling Banjos.” “The Hustle.” “Feels So Good.” “Chariots of Fire.” “Axel F.” You can probably whistle or hum several of those from memory. But do you remember the artists? All were one-hit wonders. By and large, instrumental hits throughout chart history were flukes. But there were exceptions: a trumpet player from Los Angeles who pretended to be Latin, made up a fake mariachi band, put sexy models on his album...
Sep 16, 2023•59 min•Ep. 177
Anna follows up with Sarah Short, the mom who became a surrogate to pay off debt. They discuss her divorce, starting her own business, and why this chapter of her life feels “freeing.” And if you're a Maria Bamford fan, Anna is interviewing her on stage in San Francisco on Saturday, October 14th, as part of City Arts & Lectures. You can get tickets to join them in person or watch remotely here: https://www.cityarts.net/event/maria-bamford-3/ Did you know we have a weekly email newsletter for...
Sep 13, 2023•33 min•Ep. 413
This week, Stephen and Dana are joined by guest host Kat Chow, journalist and author of the 2021 memoir Seeing Ghosts . The panel begins by wading through HELL , Chris Fleming’s new hour-long comedy special that’s both puzzling and delightfully goofy. Then, the three consider Astrakan , a deeply dark and unsettling first feature from director David Depesseville, and attempt to parse through the film’s (intentionally?) ambiguous messages. Finally, they conclude by discussing Rotten Tomatoes, the ...
Sep 13, 2023•49 min
On today’s show, Candice Lim and Rachelle Hampton are joined by Slate business and tech writer Nitish Pahwa to describe his recent piece on the deranged world of vintage fast-food training videos . In the depths of Youtube, videos from companies like McDonald’s, Hardee’s, and Jack in the Box depict a bygone era where employees were trained by animated burgers and celebrity cameos. This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Daisy Rosario, Rachelle Hampton and Candice Lim. Hosted on Acast....
Sep 13, 2023•38 min
Joel Anderson, Stefan Fatsis, and Josh Levin talk about Coco Gauff’s big breakthrough at the U.S. Open. They also discuss Texas’ win over Alabama, and whether the Longhorns are back, baby. Finally, the Washington Post’s Ben Golliver joins to assess Team USA’s non-medal-winning performance at the FIBA Basketball World Cup. Coco Gauff (2:48): Why her first grand slam victory felt so monumental. Texas-Alabama (26:50): Are the Longhorns rising up or is the Crimson Tide on the way down? FIBA World Cu...
Sep 12, 2023•1 hr 26 min
