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Episodes

What Next: Mitt Romney Reflects, Regrets, and Retires

As Mitt Romney heads into retirement, is the idea of a moderate Republican being retired as well? Guest: McKay Coppins, staff writer at The Atlantic, author of Romney: A Reckoning 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. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to help support our work. Learn...

Nov 06, 202334 min

The Waves: The Golden Bachelor Recap - Hometowns Will Always Be Cringey

On this week’s episode of The Waves, Gerry visits the hometowns of the last 3 women standing on The Golden Bachelor. Unlike hometown dates in the past, Gerry isn’t meeting the parents. Instead, he’s getting to know the women’s kids and their grandkids. But it doesn’t make the hometown dates any less cringe. Slate Senior Producer Cheyna Roth and Dating While Gray host Laura Stassi recap the episode. Podcast production by Cheyna Roth and Vic Whitley-Berry with editorial oversight by Daisy Rosario ...

Nov 05, 202333 min

A Word: A F—ing Funny Lady

**THIS EPISODE CONTAINS REPEATED PROFANITY, AND MAY NOT BE APPROPRIATE FOR ALL LISTENERS.** Leslie Jones got her big break, joining the cast of Saturday Night Live, at the age of 47. She says that the long wait for stardom meant that she knew her worth and how to stand up for herself, even when the stakes were high. On today’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson is joined by Leslie Jones to discuss her new book, “Leslie Fucking Jones: A Memoir.” Guest: Comedian Leslie Jones Podcast production by Ah...

Nov 05, 202334 min

The Waves: Penis Politics

On this week’s episode of The Waves, the next presidential election is one year away and we are entering a storm of macho man politics. Slate senior producer Cheyna Roth is joined by NPR politics reporter Danielle Kurtzleben to talk about why men keep talking about their manly-men bonafides, how that affects women trying to be in politics, and more. More From Danielle and Mentioned in the Episode: All the Things I Wish Someone Had Told Me Before I Gave Birth by Danielle Kurtzleben The Race I Wil...

Nov 05, 202343 min

What Next TBD: Sam Bankman-Fraud

Sam Bankman-Fried was found guilty on seven charges of wire fraud, conspiracy and money laundering and is facing a 110-year sentence. Cryptocurrency, itself, has lost an ambassador, a lot of value, and quite a bit of credibility. Guest: Nitish Pahwa, associate business and tech writer covering the trial for Slate. 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 P...

Nov 04, 202331 min

Slate Money: The Crypto Crimes of Sam Bankman-Fried

Felix Salmon, Emily Peck, and Elizabeth Spiers tackle the verdict in the Sam Bankman-Fried trial and a lawsuit against realtors. They also discuss the UAW contract negotiations and how it will affect car manufacturers in the rest of the United States. 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 of our show every week. You’ll also be supporting the work we do here on Slate Money. Sign ...

Nov 04, 20231 hr

Amicus: The Right to Bear Arms and Terrorize Your Partner

Next week, the Supreme Court will hear arguments in one of the most significant—and potentially deadly—cases of the term - United States v Rahimi. The case, a follow on from New York State Rifle & Pistol Association Inc. v. Bruen, has the potential to weaponize the court’s Second Amendment extremism against victims of domestic abuse and protect adjudicated abusers. Dahlia Lithwick is joined by gun safety advocate Shannon Watts, founder of Moms Demand Action, to find out the potential real li...

Nov 04, 202346 min

Political Gabfest: Could Nikki Haley Actually Win?

This week, Emily Bazelon, John Dickerson, and David Plotz discuss Nikki Haley’s progress and Ron DeSantis’s stagnation in Iowa, Donald Trump’s testimony in New York, and Dean Phillips’s campaign in New Hampshire; the first social-media cases of the term at the Supreme Court; and Ours Was the Shining Future: The Story of the American Dream with author David Leonhardt. And you can be a part of the show: submit your Conundrum at slate.com/conundrum. Here are some notes and references from this week...

Nov 04, 20231 hr 1 min

What Next TBD: Biden Goes After AI

Biden’s executive order on A.I. indicates his administration is taking it seriously. Does it go far enough? Guest: Cecilia Kang, covering technology and policy for the New York Times. 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 help support our wor...

Nov 03, 202332 min

What Next: Can Hamas Actually Be Destroyed?

What does the history of Hamas tell us about where the Israel-Palestine conflict could go from here? Guest: Mohammed Hafez, professor who studies Islamist movements, political militancy, and violent radicalization at the Naval Postgraduate School and author of Why Muslims Rebel and Suicide Bombers in Iraq: The Strategy and Ideology of Martyrdom. 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...

Nov 02, 202329 min

What Next: How to Catch an Insurrectionist

The FBI was overwhelmed trying to ID people who stormed the Capitol on January 6th. An online group picked up the slack and helped catch hundreds of rioters. Guest: Ryan Reilly, Justice reporter at NBC News, and author of Sedition Hunters: How January 6th Broke the Justice System. 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 t...

Nov 01, 202326 min

What Next: Can Threat Assessment Stop Mass Shootings?

After mass shootings, one refrain becomes, “We don’t need gun control to treat a mental health problem.” But in a case like the mass shooting in Lewiston, Maine, there were mental health interventions and red flags raised by the military and the shooter’s family. Why didn’t it work—and what’s a better way forward? Guest: Mark Follman, national affairs editor at Mother Jones and the author of Trigger Points: Inside the Mission to Stop Mass Shootings in America. Learn more about your ad choices. V...

Oct 31, 202325 min

What Next: What Survived in Lahaina, Maui

In early August, wildfire tore across West Maui. Months later, the tourism economy is struggling to get back to speed, while residents remain displaced. Guest: U’i Kahue, cultural practitioner and the co-owner of Maui Grown 808, LLP. 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. Sign up now at ...

Oct 30, 202323 min

A Word: Sidelined by Racism?

The NFL is a multi-billion dollar business, with a player population that’s more than 60 percent African American. Yet the league’s owners, leadership, and reporters don’t reflect that diversity. In his role as an NFL Media journalist, Jim Trotter repeatedly questioned officials, including NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, about the league’s lack of diversity. After he lost his job, Trotter filed a lawsuit, claiming racial discrimination and retaliation. On today’s episode of A Word, Trotter joins...

Oct 29, 202339 min

The Waves: The Golden Bachelor Recap - WTH, Gerry?!

On this week’s episode of The Waves, Golden Bachelor Gerry is rapidly approaching hometown dates and needs to narrow the pool down to three. To get there, we have a passionate one-on-one date and a high-stakes group date. Slate senior producer Cheyna Roth and Dating While Gray host Laura Stassi give their thoughts. Podcast production by Cheyna Roth and Vic Whitley-Berry with editorial oversight by Daisy Rosario and Alicia Montgomery. Send your comments and recommendations on what to cover to the...

Oct 29, 202338 min

The Waves: Get on the WNBA Train Already!

On this week’s episode of The Waves, the Las Vegas Aces beat the New York Liberty to win their second WNBA championship in a row. But more impressive is that they played in front of one of the biggest crowds to ever attend a WNBA game. Slate senior supervising producer Daisy Rosario is joined by sports journalist and founder of the Power Plays newsletter Lindsay Gibbs to unpack the recent surge in popularity for women’s sports, why you should make an effort to support women’s basketball, and mor...

Oct 29, 202348 min

What Next TBD: SBF Takes the Stand

The man at the center of it all takes the stand in his own defense—but what’s left to say? Guest: Nitish Pahwa, associate business and tech writer covering the trial for Slate. 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 help support our work. Lear...

Oct 28, 202325 min

Slate Money: Why Dimes Shouldn’t Exist

Felix Salmon, Elizabeth Spiers and Emily Peck talk about the latest GDP numbers and why people still feel bad about the economy. They also break down two big fossil fuel mergers, and Felix explains why dimes shouldn’t exist. 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 of our show every week. You’ll also be supporting the work we do here on Slate Money. Sign up now at slate.com/moneypl...

Oct 28, 202349 min

Amicus: Watching Trump Shrink in Court

On this week’s show, Dahlia Lithwick is joined by Slate’s Jurisprudence Editor, Jeremy Stahl. Jeremy is also the lucky person tasked with helming Slate’s coverage of the many many criminal and civil trials of Donald J Trump and Amicus listeners can expect to hear a lot from Jeremy over the next year. After a week of big news across a number of the former President’s courtroom battles, Jeremy gives us a survey of the legal landscape and some vital pointers about what really matters, what’s nonsen...

Oct 28, 202353 min

Political Gabfest: The “Live from Madison!” Edition

This week, Emily Bazelon, John Dickerson, and David Plotz take the show on the road and gab live with Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers; discuss the new Speaker of the House Mike Johnson; and review the former lawyers and Chief of Staff who will testify against Donald Trump. Here are some notes and references from this week’s show: City Cast Madison podcast and Madison Minutes newsletter Jennifer Rubin for The Washington Post: “Wisconsin Dems’ big wins for the rule of law might be an inflection poin...

Oct 28, 20231 hr 23 min

What Next TBD: Self-Driving Cars Crash Into Reality

In August, California regulators voted to allow self-driving car companies like Cruise and Waymo to expand their operations and start offering robotaxi services. After a litany of questionable behaviors ranging from the annoying to terrifying, the California DMV has suspended Cruise’s permits, effective immediately. Is this just a temporary setback, or is the driverless future further off than it looked just a few months ago? Guest: David Zipper, visiting fellow at the Harvard Kennedy School If ...

Oct 27, 202329 min

What Next: How Extremists Won the Speaker Fight

Is new House Speaker Mike Johnson a palatable face on the same hard-right politics? Guest: Tim Miller, political consultant and writer. 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. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to help support our work. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone...

Oct 26, 202325 min

ICYMI: A Former School Shooter is a TikTok Star. Should He Even Be Allowed Online?

On today’s episode, Rachelle Hampton and Candice Lim dive into the saga of Jon Romano. At the age of 16, Romano walked into his high school with a shotgun in an attempt, he says, to commit law-enforcement-assisted suicide. Though no one was killed in the ensuing violence, a teacher was shot and injured. Romano pled guilty to attempted murder and reckless endangerment. He served 17 years in prison and was released in 2020. Since his release, he’s been a public advocate for mental health reform an...

Oct 25, 202349 min

What Next: The State Dept. Official Who Quit Over Israel

Why one State Department official who worked in weapons transfers quit over America’s policy towards Israel and Gaza—and what that says about U.S. policy in the Middle East. Guest: Josh Paul, former State Department official working in arms transfers to foreign powers, who resigned on Oct. 18. 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...

Oct 25, 202326 min

Hear Me Out: You Don’t Need to Post About Israel and Palestine

On today’s episode of Hear Me Out… when silence is violence. The war in Israel and Palestine is a rapidly-evolving situation – and one that’s bringing up a lot of emotions for a lot of people. Couple that with the flood of mis-and-disinformation on social media, and “to post or not to post” becomes an extremely loaded question. Are you ever required to speak up on social media? Even if you don’t know the whole story? And if you elect not to say anything, is that inherently choosing a side — and ...

Oct 24, 202340 min

What Next: Why We Still Don’t Have a Speaker of the House

Weeks after Kevin McCarthy was ousted, Republicans are still scrambling to elect a new Speaker of the House. After failed runs by Steve Scalise and Jim Jordan, the candidate pool keeps growing. Who is in the running now, and will anyone be able to snag the 217 votes needed? Guest: Joseph Zeballos-Roig, Congress reporter at Semafor. 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 Sl...

Oct 24, 202324 min

What Next: Abortion Providers in the Line of Fire

Before the new abortion clinic even opened in Casper, Wyoming, it was set ablaze. But to the clinic’s founder, property damage and violence aren’t new. Guest: Julie Burkhart, founder of Wellspring Health Access 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. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus ...

Oct 23, 202328 min

The Waves: The Golden Bachelor Recap - The ‘D Word’

On this week’s episode of The Waves, Gerry says the D Word: Divorce. Laura Stassi, host of Dating While Gray, and Slate Senior Supervising Producer Daisy Rosario recap the fourth episode of The Golden Bachelor. Podcast production by Vic Whitley-Berry with editorial oversight by Daisy Rosario and Alicia Montgomery. Send your comments and recommendations on what to cover to thewaves@slate.com. If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get an ad-free expe...

Oct 22, 202352 min

A Word: Courting a Voting Rights Disaster

Supreme Court watchers are concerned that the Justices are poised to make racial gerrymandering all but impossible to prove. This comes after the Court recently heard arguments in the case of Alexander v. the South Carolina State Conference of the NAACP. On today’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson is joined by Brandon Tensley, national political reporter for Capital B News. They discuss the South Carolina voters who are directly impacted by the case, and what it could mean for voting rights arou...

Oct 22, 202328 min

The Waves: On The Golden Bachelor, Reality Dating Matures…But Does It Really?

On this week’s episode of The Waves, Laura Stassi is back in the host seat. Laura, host of the podcast Dating While Gray, still can’t get over what the heck is going on in 72-year-old Gerry Turner’s love life. Gerry is the first lead for The Bachelor spinoff The Golden Bachelor. While Gerry and the group of women vying for his heart are seniors over 65 years old, many of the age-old Bachelor franchise tropes are still being put to use. What is it about reality TV dating that forces the stakes to...

Oct 22, 202339 min
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