On this week’s show, the panel is joined by Jamelle Bouie (New York Times Opinion columnist and Friend of the Pod) to discuss Deadpool & Wolverine , Marvel’s R-rated superhero flick starring Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman that’s dominating at the box office. Then the four assess the onslaught of Kamala Harris memes sweeping the internet right now and the role social media will play in this year’s upcoming election. Finally, Julia, Dana, and Steve puzzle over Eno , a new documentary chronicli...
Jul 31, 2024•1 hr 2 min
On today’s episode, Candice Lim and Slate culture writer Nadira Goffe break down the allegations surrounding YouTuber and podcaster Cody Ko. In May, fellow YouTuber Tana Mongeau alleged that Ko had sex with her when she was 17 and he was 25. While covered by outlets such as Rolling Stone , the controversy did not pick up steam until commentary YouTuber D’Angelo Wallace posted a 15-minute video investigating Mongeau’s claims and mapping out Ko’s history of burying controversies. Since then, Ko ha...
Jul 31, 2024•46 min
If you’re lucky, it’s possible you’ve never thought much about sitting. It’s just something your body does, like breathing or sleeping. But in the last decade or so, sitting has stepped into the spotlight, as a kind of villain. In today’s episode, Slate’s Dan Kois tells us about his radical experiment to go without sitting for an entire month. Then to understand why sitting is under attack we look back at an earlier posture panic around slouching, and explore the role of hostile architecture. Th...
Jul 31, 2024•35 min
During the 1988 Summer Olympics, diver Greg Louganis was competing under extreme pressure. In the preliminary round, he split his head open on the diving board, got stitched up, and decided to stay in the competition. He was also carrying a secret that only a few people knew: six months before the Olympics began, Greg learned that he was HIV positive. Despite those obstacles, Greg went on to win gold in both the 3-meter springboard and 10-meter platform events, thrilling viewers and cementing hi...
Jul 30, 2024•39 min
Joel Anderson, Morgan Campbell, and Stefan Fatsis discuss the Dream Team’s opening-game win at the Paris Olympics. Gymnastics writer Rebecca Schulman joins to assess whether a calf injury might derail Simone Biles’ quest for redemption. And, the Games’ first scandal: Canadian soccer Spygate. Dream Team (4:53): Led by Kevin Durant and LeBron James, Team USA crushed Nikola Jokic and Serbia it its Olympics opener. Gymnastics (18:26): How severe is the calf injury that left Simone Biles limping and ...
Jul 29, 2024•51 min
Candice Lim is joined by Slate writer Luke Winkie to break down the curiously indefinable “Zynternet.” Substack writer Max Read coined and defined the term as “a broad community of fratty, horndog, boorishly provocative” (mostly) men in their 20s and 30s who obsess over college sports, light domestic beers and Zyn nicotine pouches. On today’s episode, ICYMI asks who the “Zynternet” is performing for and whether its rise is a backlash against brat summer. This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragl...
Jul 27, 2024•36 min
“Summer in the City.” “I Feel the Earth Move.” “Bette Davis Eyes.” “Whoomp! There It Is.” “Get Lucky.” “Espresso.” What do these big summer hits all have in common? None of them was Billboard’s official Song of the Summer. Wait…there’s an official Song of the Summer? Isn’t that something that just happens organically? Every year, it seems everybody has an opinion on this musical national pastime. But the Hot 100 often tells a different story. For every “Light My Fire,” “Bad Girls,” “Crazy in Lov...
Jul 27, 2024•56 min•Ep. 208
On this week’s show, the panel gets swept up by Twisters , and begins by discussing director Lee Isaac Chung’s standalone sequel starring Glen Powell and Daisy Edgar-Jones. (For the record, the original 1996 disaster flick, Twister , is a near-perfect, Gabfest-approved comfort watch ). Sure, Chung’s reboot isn’t as weird as the original, and the modern-day renderings of completely plausible natural disasters are alarming, but Twisters did what it was supposed to do: deliver a good, generic summe...
Jul 24, 2024•57 min
Candice Lim is joined by Patrick Hosken to discuss the downfall and disappearance of MTV News. In May 2023, Paramount Global laid off 25 percent of its workforce, which included MTV News staffers like Hosken. A year later, Hosken had a new job at Rochester’s CITY Magazine when he clicked on his own MTV News articles and discovered they were gone because the website had been taken down. On today’s episode, Hosken describes the emotional journey of getting laid off, watching decades of music journ...
Jul 24, 2024•35 min
From a young age, James T. Morrison used drugs to help him feel better. He started with pills that were prescribed to him–medications like Xanax and Klonopin–but he soon moved on to basically whatever he could get his hands on. In this episode, James discusses his experience with substance use disorder, housing instability, and the criminal justice system. At a time when public officials and policy experts are debating ways to address the overdose crisis in the U.S., James discusses what humane ...
Jul 23, 2024•46 min
Joel Anderson, Josh Levin, and the CBC’s Morgan Campbell check in on the WNBA at the halfway point of a historic season. They also talk about ESPN’s list of the 100 greatest pro athletes of the 2000s. Finally, they interview Rose Eveleth about their podcast Tested , on the history of sex testing in sports. WNBA (4:19): What’s the story with the new TV deal? How did the WNBA All-Stars beat the Olympic team? 100 greatest athletes(18:45): What’s wrong with ESPN’s list? Are we falling into a trap by...
Jul 22, 2024•55 min
Today, we’re bringing you an episode from our friends and colleagues over at What Next: TBD . Guest host, Cheyna Roth is joined by Ash Nelson , journalist and author of “ The Lost Art of the DVD Extra ” for Slate. The two discuss the downsides of the streaming era are coming into focus for movie fans—uncontrollable, changing libraries; lower fidelity; lack of extras and features. Can all of these be solved with a return to physical media? Podcast production by Evan Campbell, Patrick Fort, and Ch...
Jul 20, 2024•21 min
Lawn ornaments are everywhere—but for something so ubiquitous, they’re also mysterious. What’s the person with the flamingo or the gargoyle in their yard trying to say—and why do they want to say it so publicly? From the garden-variety to the not so common, the adorable to the odious—lawn ornaments speak volumes, without saying a word. In this episode, we travel from Germany to England and back home to look at the history and meaning behind three specific lawn ornaments: the garden gnome, the la...
Jul 17, 2024•45 min
On this week’s show, the panel begins by dissecting Longlegs , director Osgood Perkin’s viral horror movie starring Nicolas Cage that’s sweeping the box office. Aided by a clever marketing campaign, Longlegs is undoubtedly the summer’s “you gotta see it” horror flick, but does the Silence of the Lambs copycat live up to the hype? Then, the three jump (or is it herkie?) into Greg Whiteley’s latest docuseries, America’s Sweethearts: Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders , which follows the Texan squad from ...
Jul 17, 2024•1 hr
Candice Lim is joined by Bloomberg Businessweek reporter Amanda Mull, whose pieces investigate your favorite big-box stores , the cult of exercise and the girlboss economy. They dive into Mull’s internet diary, which includes her golden rule for arguing online, her most beloved @dril tweets and why she’s changed her mind on Peloton. This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Daisy Rosario and Candice Lim. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....
Jul 17, 2024•30 min
San Francisco mayor London Breed grew up learning again and again about the dangers of drugs and addiction. She lived in public housing in the city in the 1980’s and saw friends and family members in her community get hooked, get sick, and sometimes pass away. Fast forward to now, and San Francisco is seeing sky-high overdose numbers (though they’re down a bit from last year), and the city has earned a reputation for being in disarray. Mayor London Breed faces a tough reelection campaign this fa...
Jul 16, 2024•50 min
Copa America (7:03): A security breakdown outside the stadium marred Argentina’s 1-0 win over Colombia. U.S. soccer ( 21:19): Will a big-name European replace Gregg Berhalter? Crossword puzzles (34:26): An interview about the art of solving crosswords really fast. (Note: time codes are only accurate for Slate Plus members, who listen ad free.) Want more Hang Up and Listen? Subscribe to Slate Plus to immediately unlock weekly bonus episodes. Plus, you’ll access ad-free listening across all your f...
Jul 15, 2024•1 hr
Candice Lim is joined by Slate culture writer Nadira Goffe to play a game of High Speed Downloads, where they get 60 seconds to break down an internet story they’re obsessed with. From the rapidly rising star of the “ Hawk Tuah girl ” to the awkward BET Awards moment involving Taraji P. Henson and TikTok star Keith Lee, they also give some advice on what to do if you catch someone cheating on your next flight. This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Daisy Rosario and Candice Lim. Host...
Jul 13, 2024•33 min
“Summer in the City.” “I Feel the Earth Move.” “Bette Davis Eyes.” “Whoomp! There It Is.” “Get Lucky.” “Espresso.” What do these big summer hits all have in common? None of them was Billboard’s official Song of the Summer. Wait…there’s an official Song of the Summer? Isn’t that something that just happens organically? Every year, it seems everybody has an opinion on this musical national pastime. But the Hot 100 often tells a different story. For every “Light My Fire,” “Bad Girls,” “Crazy in Lov...
Jul 13, 2024•56 min•Ep. 207
On this week’s show, June Thomas (co-host of Slate’s Working podcast and the author of A Place of Our Own ) sits in for Julia Turner. The panel first explores The Bear , now in its third season, and questions whether Christopher Storer’s beast has become too self-aware. Then, they discuss Fancy Dance , a profoundly moving film by Native writer-director Erica Tremblay starring Lily Gladstone that’s equal parts road movie, crime procedural, and family drama. Finally, the trio dives deep into their...
Jul 10, 2024•59 min
Candice Lim is joined by Slate business and tech writer Nitish Pahwa to break down two stories surrounding artificial intelligence in fashion and advertising. They explore Baggu’s recent collaboration with Collina Strada, which used an A.I. tool in their designs and possibly went against both brands’ commitment to sustainability. Then, they discuss the internet’s reaction to a bad Toys R Us commercial that was made almost entirely with A.I. software. But first, why was Twitter riled up over a Mi...
Jul 10, 2024•36 min
Carvell Wallace’s brilliant new memoir Another Word for Love has been rightfully praised for its passages about childhood trauma, about apologies and forgiveness, and about the healing power of love. But the book also features some important lessons about sex, consent, and the ways popular culture can send the wrong messages about both of those things. This week on the show, Carvell digs into those lessons and the experiences that changed him forever, including his first encounters with Shakespe...
Jul 09, 2024•49 min
Joel Anderson, Josh Levin, and the Ringer’s Bryan Curtis talk about Klay Thompson’s move to Dallas and whether there will ever be another NBA dynasty. They also check in on the state of sports media TV rights, and they welcome Texas and Oklahoma to the SEC. Klay to Dallas (2:38): Is the Golden State breakup what the NBA wants? Sports media rights (19:08): Will the money keep on flowing forever? SEC expansion (33:28): The huge positives and glaring negatives of conference realignment. (Note: time...
Jul 08, 2024•47 min
Candice Lim is joined by TIME culture reporter Moises Mendez II for the five-year anniversary of Tati Westbrook’s “ BYE SISTER ” video, a 43-minute long confessional about her then-friend and fellow beauty YouTuber James Charles. What started as a hair care vitamin sponsorship gone wrong, then became a video accusing Charles of using his fame to coerce straight men into sex. This led Charles and controversial beauty influencer Jeffree Star to enter the chat, but the damage was done and no party ...
Jul 06, 2024•36 min
On this week’s show, Dan Kois (author of Vintage Contemporaries and the upcoming Hampton Heights ) and Laura Miller (Slate’s books and culture columnist and author of The Magician’s Book ) fill in for Julia and Dana. The panel is first joined by Carl Wilson, Slate’s music critic and the author of Let’s Talk About Love , to parse through I Am: Celine Dion , a new documentary on Prime Video. Directed by Oscar-nominated director Irene Taylor, I Am: Celine Dion chronicles the French Canadian singer’...
Jul 03, 2024•55 min
Candice Lim and Slate culture writer Nadira Goffe excavate and preserve the internet history of Ayo Edebiri, a star in the making whose Letterboxd reviews should be crystallized in amber. They break down her best internet moments and discuss Edebiri’s social media presence since The Bear , from her dedication to Ireland to the fan-shipping that has percolated into real-life speculation. This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Daisy Rosario and Candice Lim. Hosted on Acast. See acast.c...
Jul 03, 2024•43 min
Axolotls. Narwhals. Llamas. Sloths. Every few years, it seems like American kids and parents collectively decide they cannot get enough of a creature that makes teddy bears seem impossibly quaint. In today’s episode we’re going to swim after the axolotl, as it takes us to some far-flung and unexpected places, to understand how it came to rule the stuffed animal kingdom. Though the answer absolutely has to do with parents eager to please their children at the gift shop, it's bigger than that. The...
Jul 03, 2024•36 min
Since the #MeToo movement, the presence of intimacy coordinators have become more common on movie and TV sets. In this episode, Elle McAlpine the intimacy coordinator for many projects including Poor Things and Baby Reindeer , talks about what her job entails, from choreographing the perfect orgasm to navigating tricky workplace dynamics. Podcast production by Zoe Azulay Death, Sex & Money is now produced by Slate! To support us and our colleagues, please sign up for our membership program, ...
Jul 02, 2024•40 min
Stefan Fatsis and Joel Anderson talk to the New Yorker’s Louisa Thomas about the 55th pick in last week’s NBA draft: LeBron James’ son, Bronny. Plus, Joel and Josh Levin interview Wil Aaron about racism in baseball in the decades after Jackie Robinson. Bronny James (3:33) : LeBron James wanted to play with his kid in the NBA. Will that be good for Bronny? Wil Aaron (20:54) : Hank Aaron’s cousin on his frustrating years in minor-league baseball. Afterball (54:06) : Stefan on Turkey vs. Türkiye at...
Jul 01, 2024•1 hr 4 min
On today’s episode, ICYMI says so long, farewell to Rachelle as she departs for a new adventure. First, Candice allows her to update her internet diaries, then they run through fan-favorite moments and Rachelle’s greatest hits. Finally, we hear from friends of the podcast on what Rachelle’s run has meant to ICYMI. 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....
Jun 29, 2024•33 min
