Why is it that we can tell someone “I’m totally fine!” and they instantly know we’re not? Gestures, facial expressions, tone of voice, and other subtle nonverbal cues play a huge role in how we connect with one another. In this episode, host Charles Duhigg explores how we communicate without words, including a deep dive into the visual and tonal cues embedded in one of the biggest sitcoms of all time, The Big Bang Theory. He talks with Dr. Dustin York, a professor at Maryville University who stu...
Mar 18, 2025•29 min•Ep. 2
Why are some people able to talk with just about anyone—about almost anything? One answer may lie in the questions we ask—and how deeply we ask them. Stick with us here… In this episode, host Charles Duhigg examines why deep questions are so powerful and how to ask them in everyday life. He talks to Nick Epley, psychology professor at the University of Chicago and lifelong researcher of deep questions. And we catch up with Mandy Len Catron, 10 years after she wrote the viral New York Times artic...
Mar 18, 2025•32 min•Ep. 1
In this episode, Rachelle Hampton and Candice Lim are joined by writer, comedian and Glamorous Trash host Chelsea Devantez to break down this watershed year of celebrity memoirs. The trio crowns the best and the worst titles, dissect what separates a good memoir from a great one, and reveal the shocking figure who has appeared in way more memoirs than you’d expect. This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Daisy Rosario, Candice Lim and Rachelle Hampton. Learn more about your ad choices...
Dec 28, 2023•47 min
On this week’s episode of The Waves, we say goodbye by contemplating a key word of the podcast - feminism. Slate senior producer Cheyna Roth and original Waves host June Thomas discuss what feminism means, the historical problems with the word, who should get to call themselves feminist, and so much more. Endorsements and Discussed in Episode: A Place of Our Own by June Thomas Between Two Wars by Cheyna Roth In Defense of Lean In Feminism on The Waves We Were Once a Family by Roxanna Asgarian Wh...
Dec 21, 2023•40 min
On this week’s episode of The Waves, why can’t the feminists all get along? Slate senior producer Cheyna Roth is joined by Danielle Kurtzleben, NPR political correspondent and author of the Substack, This F**king Job. They dig into what went wrong with Sheryl Sandberg’s book Lean In, why it wasn’t all completely wrong, and how to stop giving anti-feminists the ammo they need to attack. In Slate Plus: We’re talking May December! If you liked this episode, check out: We See Dead Girls Podcast prod...
Dec 14, 2023•30 min
On this week’s episode of The Waves, we’re bringing out the dead girls. Everywhere you look in popular culture there seems to be a new movie, TV show or true crime documentary detailing the mystery of yet another woman’s death. At least, that was how author and guest Alice Bolin saw things when she wrote her book Dead Girls in 2018. She sits down with Slate senior producer Cheyna Roth to unpack what has - and hasn’t - changed in dead girl culture (from Twin Peak’s Laura Palmer to our persistent ...
Dec 07, 2023•36 min
On this final episode of our Golden Bachelor recap episode of The Waves, Gerry’s makes his decision but maybe loses the audience along the way. Podcast production by Brandon Nix and Cheyna Roth 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 experience across the network and exclusive content on many s...
Dec 02, 2023•26 min
On this week’s episode of The Waves, with the emergence of streaming more Americans are becoming fans of Japanese anime. Within that media, viewers can see wide ranges of LGBTQ+ representation and gender presentation that often isn’t found in American animation. But like American media, not all of these representations are as nuanced as they should be. Host Vic Whitley-Berry is an avid anime fan, and they sit down with journalist Princess Weekes on femme representation in Japanese anime. In Slat...
Nov 30, 2023•35 min
Hot flashes, fatigue, and vaginal dryness were some of Katie’s first clues that her body was changing. Half the population will experience menopause, yet misinformation still abounds—with doctors ill-prepared to talk to patients about this major life transition. On this episode of How To!, journalist Susan Dominus joins us to share the knowledge she gained from working on her viral magazine piece, “Women Have Been Misled About Menopause.” She explains why women’s pain has been ignored for so lon...
Nov 23, 2023•49 min
On this week’s episode of The Waves, Gerry’s down to two women and two potential fantasy suites. How sweet do things actually get? Podcast production by Vic Whitley-Berry and Cheyna Roth 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 experience across the network and exclusive content on many shows—yo...
Nov 17, 2023•39 min
On this week’s episode of The Waves, we’re digging into the Bravo network. From Below Deck to Selling Sunset to Vanderpump Rules, the Bravo TV network is a reality television behemoth that has made millions on the backs of its female cast members. But is it actually good for women? ICYMI founding host Rachelle Hampton and culture writer Shamira Ibrahim discuss the current Bravo era, how much of Bravo belongs to famous producer Andy Cohen, why cast members can’t rely on a reunion to tell their st...
Nov 16, 2023•40 min
On this week’s episode of The Waves, we get the first Women Tell All episode of The Golden Bachelor. Waves recap co-hosts Cheyna Roth and Laura Stassi have some thoughts for Gerry. Podcast production by Vic Whitley-Berry and Cheyna Roth 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 experience across ...
Nov 10, 2023•43 min
On this week’s episode of The Waves, what’s it like to be an indie musician? Slate senior producer Cheyna Roth is joined by singer and songwriter Dessa. They dig into her newest album and how she has benefited from and been hurt by being a woman in the music industry. Later in the show they explore the breakup song - and all the gendered expectations that go along with writing one. In Slate Plus: What do a dentist, neuroscientists, and puppeteers all have in common? They’ve worked with Dessa. If...
Nov 09, 2023•39 min
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 03, 2023•33 min
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 02, 2023•43 min
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 27, 2023•38 min
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 26, 2023•48 min
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 20, 2023•52 min
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 19, 2023•39 min
On this week’s episode of The Waves recapping The Golden Bachelor, we find Gerry in his feelings…again. Slate Senior Supervising Producer Daisy Rosario and Dating While Gray Host Laura Stassi give their thoughts on the third episode of Gerry’s journey to finding love and all the tears that go along with it. 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 ...
Oct 13, 2023•50 min
On this week’s episode of The Waves: the case for taking a sabbatical. Host TK Dutes speaks with author and former television writer Patty Lin on her latest book End Credits: How I Broke Up With Hollywood. Lin worked in some of the most notable writers' rooms like Friends, Freaks and Geeks, Desperate Housewives and Breaking Bad. But when she hit a breaking point, she made a big change and stopped working for an entire year. After that? Her relationship with work–and everything else–transformed. ...
Oct 12, 2023•40 min
Join Slate senior producer Cheyna Roth and Laura Stassi, host of the Dating While Gray podcast as they unpack Gerry Turner’s journey to find love. It’s episode two and the remaining women are moving into the mansion…complete with bunk beds. Cheyna and Laura talk about Gerry’s bland one-on-one date, the cringe-inducing group date, whether Gerry could get serious with a divorcee, and much more. Podcast production by Vic Whitley-Berry and Cheyna Roth with editorial oversight by Daisy Rosario and Al...
Oct 06, 2023•36 min
On this week’s episode of The Waves, Slate Senior Supervising Producer of Audio, Daisy Rosario can’t get toxic female bosses out of her head. She’s joined by Noelle Crooks, author of the new book, Under the Influence and former employee of one Rachel Hollis, so she knows a lot about bad workplaces. They discuss the insidious nature of saying your workplace is “like a family,” why an office dance party is a BAD thing, and how some powerful women leverage their minority status for ill. In Slate Pl...
Oct 05, 2023•35 min
On this special episode of The Waves, Slate’s Lizzie O’Leary and Alex Sammon talk about Sen. Dianne Feinstein’s legacy and what her death means for Senate Democrats and the whole party going forward. Further Reading: Dianne Feinstein’s Death Instantly Creates Two Big Problems to Solve If you liked this episode, check out: Why All the First Ladies Want to Be Jackie O. Podcast production by Vic Whitley-Berry and Cheyna Roth with editorial oversight by Alicia Montgomery and Daisy Rosario. Send your...
Sep 29, 2023•24 min
It’s our first Golden Bachelor recap episode! Join Slate senior producer Cheyna Roth and Laura Stassi, host of the Dating While Grey podcast as they unpack Gerry Turner’s journey to find love. They discuss who had the cringiest entrance, whether Gerry is really ready for love (and the drama), and just how ageist some parts of the show are. Podcast production by Cheyna Roth with editorial oversight by Daisy Rosario and Alicia Montgomery. Send your comments and recommendations on what to cover to ...
Sep 29, 2023•40 min
On this week’s episode of The Waves, Host Kat Chow turns to Afghanistan, two years since the chaotic withdrawal of U.S. troops from the country. She speaks with reporter Tanvi Misra, who recently published an article with Politico following a family trapped in immigration limbo at a U.S. embassy in Doha, Qatar. Tanvi also explains how the U.S. immigration process singles out women and marginalized genders. Further reading: They Thought Their Sick Little Girl Would Be Safe in America. Then It Den...
Sep 28, 2023•48 min
On this week’s episode of The Waves, Host Kat Chow welcomes back author and science journalist Rachel E. Gross to talk about the misogynist origins of many names and diagnoses in the female reproductive system. Gross is the author of Vagina Obscura: An Anatomical Voyage and the New York Times column Body Language. In Slate Plus: Rachel E. Gross’s thoughts on the documentary Every Body about intersex people If you liked this episode, check out: The Vagina et Al., an interview with Rachel E. Gross...
Sep 21, 2023•44 min
On this week’s episode of The Waves, Host Kat Chow dives into the public divorce of actress Sophie Turner and pop artist Joe Jonas. But we’re not so much getting into the actual divorce, more the way tabloid news is covering it and leaning into some seriously sexist tropes. As news spread about the marriage’s end, articles immediately started speculating as to who was at fault, and tabloids reported using anonymous sources saying Turner was more focused on partying and going out, leaving Jonas a...
Sep 14, 2023•31 min
On this week’s episode of The Waves, it’s rush time! Host Kat Chow is diving deep into the #BamaRush phenomenon that has taken over the internet recently. She’s joined by professor and New York Times columnist Tressie McMillan Cottom to talk about her recent article, “In Alabama, White Tide Rushes On” They dig into the very specific “type” of college student that joins the Alabama sorority, the race and gender implications of the Greek “Machine” and the cuteness of it all. Fighter Reading: Our A...
Sep 07, 2023•41 min
On this week’s episode of The Waves, we’re talking about The Kiss. Scaachi Koul is joined by Women’s World Cup reporter for The Athletic and freelance sports reporter, Tamerra Griffin to talk about Spanish Soccer President, Luis Rubiales forcibly kissing player Jennifer Hermoso after Spain’s FIFA Women’s World Cup final win. They dig into the internal strife that was already going on within the Spanish team, Rubiales’s history of alleged misconduct, where the sport can go from here, and more. In...
Aug 31, 2023•37 min
