Hosts Alex Kirshner , Ben Lindbergh , and Lindsay Gibbs discuss the 4-hour Jake Paul and Mike Tyson boxing circus. They also talk about changes in regional sports networks, the next chapter in the Chiefs-Bills rivalry, plus an Afterball from Alex on the Winnipeg Jets. On the Bonus episode, available exclusively for Slate Plus members, the panel gets into the NBA’s continued love of three-pointers. Paul vs. Tyson (2:54): How the main event duped so many viewers. FanDuel takes on RSNs (25:18): How...
Nov 19, 2024•1 hr 7 min
Candice Lim is joined by Dazed senior writer Laura Pitcher to discuss her piece , “Meet the people using ChatGPT as their therapist.” Since ChatGPT’s public release in late 2022, there has been a growing reliance on the artificially intelligent chatbot in people’s everyday lives. TikTok users are talking about the way they use ChatGPT as their therapist, their best friend, their life organizer, and more. But is reliant, daily use of an AI service worth possible consequences such as climate chang...
Nov 16, 2024•36 min
You know her honorific: Queen of Soul. And heavy is the head that wears the crown. In her lifetime, Aretha Franklin didn’t just want to be revered. She wanted hits. But Franklin made pop come to her, not the other way around. When showtunes and standards didn’t work in the ’60s, Aretha switched to gritty R&B and gospel harmonies—and started topping the charts. When she recorded a live album in a church in the ’70s, it became her best-seller. When the MTV era changed the game in the ’80s, she...
Nov 15, 2024•55 min•Ep. 218
On this week’s episode, the hosts tackle A Real Pain, writer-director Jesse Eisenberg’s tale of two cousins (played by himself and Kieran Culkin) who travel to Poland to honor their late grandmother and, in the process, come to understand their family’s history through a new lens. Then, the three drop into the lush, sumptuous world of Like Water for Chocolate , Max’s new six-part limited series adapted from Laura Esquivel’s best-selling novel (which later became a critically acclaimed and inter...
Nov 13, 2024•1 hr 6 min
Candice Lim is joined by Slate culture writer Nadira Goffe to play a game of High Speed Downloads, where they each get 60 seconds to break down an internet story they’re obsessed with. On today’s episode, they’re breaking down the Instagram comment that may affect Nicole Scherzinger’s Tony Awards chances, and the wild memes that struck the Moo Deng-iverse post-election. But first, Nadira and Candice share their two most recent celebrity encounters. This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ric...
Nov 13, 2024•33 min
In 2021, we released an episode called The Weight of Love , where listeners shared stories about weight, body size, and how those factors affect their romantic relationships. Fast-forward to 2024, and weight loss drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy have complicated these issues even further. This week, listeners share stories and questions about dating, romance, sex, and self-love in the Ozempic era, and we’ve assembled a panel of experts to respond. Ronald Young Jr. is the host of Weight For It , a p...
Nov 12, 2024•1 hr 14 min
Hosts Alex Kirshner , and Ben Lindbergh are joined by Matt Brown of Extra Points for a discussion of how unified Republican control of the government could allow the NCAA to roll back college athletes’ newly won empowerment. They also talk about the NFL’s international aspirations, possible MLB off-season moves, plus a baseball-crosswords Afterballs. On the Bonus episode, available exclusively for Slate Plus members, Ben and Alex chat about MLS and Lionel Messi’s first playoffs. Trump and the NC...
Nov 12, 2024•1 hr 20 min
Candice Lim is joined by Slate’s business and tech writer Nitish Pahwa, to discuss the internet history of Derek Guy, better known as @DieWorkwear on Twitter. Back in 2022, Elon Musk acquired Twitter, leading to major consequences for everyone’s timelines. One of those consequences was the unexpected boosting of Derek Guy, which led to his Twitter account reaching more than 1 million followers. Pahwa interviewed Guy back in 2023 , and he returns to ICYMI to talk about Guy’s persona on the phone ...
Nov 09, 2024•40 min
On this week’s show, Extremely Musical Friend of the Pod (EMFOP) Chris Molanphy joins to memorialize pop’s Renaissance Man, Quincy Jones, who passed away on November 3, 2024. The legendary producer worked with every star under the sun, including Ray Charles, Aretha Franklin, and Chaka Khan, and created the best-selling album in history. (“Thriller,” maybe you’ve heard of it?) Then, the trio mulls over Conclave , a sumptuous new film by director Edward Berger ( All Quiet on the Western Front ) a...
Nov 06, 2024•1 hr 7 min
On today’s episode, Candice Lim is joined by Slate culture writer Nadira Goffe to share their favorite TikToks, tweets, and internet icons of late. They’ll discuss construction workers going viral and the newest Abbott Elementary guest star to inspire fan edits galore. But first, they discuss the peculiarity of People Magazine’s Sexiest Man Alive rollout and which categories caused the most confusion online. This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Daisy Rosario and Candice Lim, with p...
Nov 06, 2024•33 min
The fear that the Earth could be destroyed by a killer asteroid is an anxiety that pops up all the time in fiction and is grounded in fact. But funnily enough—actually being pancaked by a giant space rock? Not something you need to spend a whole lot of time worrying about! And that’s because a bunch of NASA scientists and engineers are already worried about it for us. In this episode, science journalist Dr. Robin George Andrews tells us the story of NASA’s first-ever mission to defend the planet...
Nov 06, 2024•36 min
From an early age, Alynda Segarra saw the people they loved grind it out in an American system that offered them little reward. Their father, a musician and Vietnam War veteran, suffered from PTSD, and their aunt and uncle, with whom they lived, were stretched beyond their means. Alynda decided they would take a different path: drop out of school, hop trains, and form a band. "I just thought I should take a bunch of risks in [my family's] honor," Alynda told Anna. In 2024, Hurray for the Riff Ra...
Nov 05, 2024•44 min
Hosts Alex Kirshner , Lindsay Gibbs , and Ben Lindbergh talk about the dominant Dodgers, why NCAA coaches are hiring lobbyists, election gambling, and the return of Afterballs! On the Bonus episode exclusively for Slate Plus members, the hosts get into esports, and gaming star FAKER's fifth League of Legends World Championship. World Series (4:47): The Dodgers were good. The Yankees were bad. Olympic Sports (19:23): a group of collegiate Olympic sports coaching associations hired lobbying firm F...
Nov 05, 2024•59 min
Candice Lim is joined by Pop Culture Debate Club host Ronald Young Jr. to reveal their favorite fictional presidents of film, television, and the internet. Twitter, Tumblr, and Facebook were historically platforms rife with presidential meme content. Since the 2016 election, however, there seems to have been a shift in the way the internet talks — or doesn’t talk — about the commander-in-chief. On today’s episode, ICYMI is recollecting the best rom-com presidents, the best action hero presidents...
Nov 02, 2024•42 min
Candice Lim and Slate culture writer Nadira Goffe dissect the drama surrounding country singer Zach Bryan and his breakup with Barstool Sports personality Brianna “Chickenfry” LaPaglia. On October 22, Bryan announced via Instagram Story that he had split from LaPaglia, which did not surprise certain corners of Reddit who had been discussing alleged Raya profiles and recent ominous podcast comments. But multiple online communities were praying for the downfall of this relationship, asking: How mu...
Oct 30, 2024•50 min
On this week’s show, Slate senior editor Rebecca Onion sits in for Julia Turner. First, the hosts examine Dahomey , an audacious new documentary by acclaimed filmmaker Mati Diop ( Atlantics .) With a one hour, eight minute run time, Dahomey is an incredibly rich text in a very small package, and contemplates the repatriation of 26 royal treasures plundered from the Kingdom of Dahomey as they journey back to their homeland, which now lies within the Republic of Benin. Then, the three dive into N...
Oct 30, 2024•54 min
This week, author and podcaster Kendra Adachi explains how she took perfectionism and strict time-management way too far and was forced to radically change her ways. Her new book is called The Plan: Manage Your Time Like a Lazy Genius , and it aims to be what most time-management books aren’t: flexible, kind, and applicable to people with busy schedules and loved ones to care for. To learn more about Kendra’s 13 Lazy Genius principles, check out this episode of her podcast: 13 Principles That Wi...
Oct 29, 2024•45 min
Hosts Alex Kirshner , Lindsay Gibbs , and Ben Lindbergh examine the notable silence from major sports stars on this year’s presidential election. They also discuss Michael Jordan's legal battle against NASCAR, plus the first week of the NBA regular season. In the Bonus episode exclusively for Slate Plus subscribers, the panel reflects on the life and legacy of Fernando Valenzuela and his impact on the Dodgers. A lack of political endorsements (2:48): LeBron remains quiet with one week remaining ...
Oct 28, 2024•55 min
Candice Lim is joined by Meghan Keane, the founder of NPR’s Life Kit and the author of Party of One: Be Your Own Best Life Partner . We’re approaching “cuffing season,” a viral term that demarcates those colder months when everyone in your life suspiciously couples up. While it’s bred a whole economy of cozy, staying in vlogs and soft (or hard) launches, what happens to those who choose not to cuff up this season — or ever? On today’s episode, we’re talking about what it really means to choose y...
Oct 26, 2024•44 min
U2 have millions of admirers—and haters: from the fans who regard them as rock’s conscience, to the cynics who blanch at lead singer Bono’s self-importance. Here’s the thing: U2 want to play to both crowds. They know why the haters can’t stand them. After a decade of earnestness in the ’80s, Bono, The Edge, Adam Clayton and Larry Mullen called BS on themselves, rebooting their sound and image for the ’90s age of irony. This shouldn’t have worked. Instead, U2 became as big as ever, and kept scori...
Oct 25, 2024•53 min•Ep. 216
Candice Lim is joined by Slate culture writer Nadira Goffe and Teen Vogue associate editor Aiyana Ishmael to break down the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show , which came back last week after six years away. The lingerie brand’s once-iconic show featured performances from Cher, Tyla, and LISA, but its return has begged the question: who is the show for, and what does it say about the body positivity movement right now. But first, the panel dissects the alleged insurance fraud attempt that recently ...
Oct 23, 2024•49 min
On this week’s show, the panel falls for Anora , a new movie from writer-director Sean Baker ( Tangerine , The Florida Project ) that’s as arrestingly tender as it is sexy, funny, and unpredictable. The whirlwind Cinderella story won the Palme d’Or at Cannes this year, and will likely become an Oscar frontrunner due to its star-making performances and humanistic depiction of life on the margins and sex work. One host calls it “the best American movie in the past 25 years.” Then, the three discus...
Oct 23, 2024•52 min
There is a prominent bird in the 2000 film Charlie’s Angels that makes absolutely no sense. This so-called Pygmy Nuthatch doesn’t look or sound like it should, or live where the characters say it does. The bird is so elaborately wrong that it has haunted the birding community, including Slate’s very own Forrest Wickman, for almost a quarter of a century. In this episode, Forrest embarks on a wild goose chase: Why can’t hundreds of filmmaking professionals with a $100 million budget accurately po...
Oct 23, 2024•45 min
When he was 11 years old, actor Haley Joel Osment was nominated for an Oscar. His resume was already long and impressive, but his role as Cole Sear in M. Night Shyamalan’s psychological thriller The Sixth Sense cemented him as an acting prodigy and a big star. Money, fame, and accolades rapidly flew in his direction. But Osment managed to avoid a lot of the common hurdles that early fame can bring. This week, he talks to Anna Sale about the many factors that led to his relatively smooth child st...
Oct 22, 2024•41 min
Alex Kirshner , Lindsay Gibbs , and Ben Lindbergh talk about the New York Liberty’s victory over the Minnesota Lynx in the WNBA Finals. They also get into Tom Brady’s controversial new ownership stake in the Las Vegas Raiders, and the World Series picture. In the Bonus episode exclusively for Slate Plus subscribers, the panel discusses University of Virginia men’s basketball coach Tony Bennett’s retirement announcement. WNBA Finals (10:02): The Liberty bring home the glory Tom Brady (32:38): The...
Oct 21, 2024•1 hr 8 min
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. On today’s episode, they’re breaking down the massive drama surrounding former RIIZE member Seunghan, the most famous missing cake in New York City, and why “in the clerb , we all fam.” This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Daisy Rosario and Candice Lim, with production assistance from Alexandra Botti. Hos...
Oct 19, 2024•42 min
Guest host Daisy Rosario is joined by Slate’s own Luke Winkie. They talk about Luke’s brief experimentation with the Sardine Fast, a fad diet made popular by a YouTuber. Plus, a chat about Brat Autumn in NY’s place for making relationships “IG official.” This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Daisy Rosario and Candice Lim. Alexandra Botti helped produce this episode. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....
Oct 16, 2024•32 min
On this week’s show, Julia and Stephen are joined by Slate writer and senior editor, Sam Adams. Why do we tell fictional stories about real people? The panel ponders this question as they discuss two biopics: The Apprentice and Saturday Night . The Apprentice is an uncanny portrait of Donald Trump, a young striver under the tutelage – and spell – of his mentor, Roy Cohn. But does the film offer any new information or ideas? Saturday Night , on the other hand, is the often obnoxious tale of the ...
Oct 16, 2024•1 hr 2 min
Alex Kirshner , Lindsay Gibbs , and Ben Lindbergh discuss Cleveland Browns QB Deshaun Watson and his historically bad start, the sports-wide expansion of playoff seasons, and the latest on the MLB postseason. On the Bonus episode exclusively for Slate Plus members, the hosts talk about Jessica Campbell, the first woman to coach in the NHL. Deshaun Watson (3:22): The very bad Browns QB Playoff Expansion (23:14): Regular and postseasons continue to grow longer MLB (39:17): Baseball is fun again? (...
Oct 15, 2024•54 min
Anna talks to PJ Vogt, host of the podcast Search Engine , about his distinct writing and interviewing style. Then we share one of our favorite episodes of Search Engine, which poses the question: When do you know it's time to stop drinking? In that episode, you'll hear PJ talk to A.J. Daulerio, who writes a newsletter and hosts a podcast about recovery called The Small Bow . He also writes an addiction advice column for Slate called Ask A.J . Death, Sex & Money is now produced by Slate! To ...
Oct 15, 2024•1 hr 18 min
