Next month we’re starting a whole new season of shows! Yes, in March! We’re thrilled. While we’re getting ready, we selected four of our favorite past episodes for you to enjoy. This first one is about one of the greats: Aretha Franklin. A singer, writer, arranger, pianist, performer and more, Ms. Franklin channeled both the difficult and beautiful aspects of American culture to make the songs that have scored our lives. She left a legacy of virtuosity and swagger that will live on — both online...
Feb 04, 2021•55 min•Ep 123•Transcript available on Metacast With the election (nearly) resolved, we have a moment to step back and look at what fantasies our country is built upon. From the role of president, to the threat of another civil war to the soul of the country itself, we’re all harboring some kind of fantasy that we should probably interrogate.
Nov 12, 2020•32 min•Ep 122•Transcript available on Metacast With a monumental election on the horizon, we want to bring up a few recent events that show some sort of truth amid the confusion. From the NBA bubble to the fly in Mike Pence’s hair to HBO's “Lovecraft Country”, these are moments that point us beyond the present, to be our best and greatest selves. Discussed this week: “ Scandal ” (Season 4, Episodes 9-12, ABC, 2015) The N.B.A. bubble The vice-presidential debate (Oct. 7, 2020) “ Lovecraft Country ” (Episode 7, HBO, 2020) Sun Ra More Sun Ra Ev...
Oct 29, 2020•37 min•Ep 121•Transcript available on Metacast “Hamilton” is back in the mix, but the flavor has changed from beloved historical blockbuster to “wait, that’s what this is?” Elsewhere, in new works like “Baited,” on Instagram Live, and “I May Destroy You,” on HBO, Black women are getting personal in ways that are expanding our palates for discomfort. Discussed this week: “ Hamilton ” (written by Lin-Manuel Miranda, Disney+, 2020) “ Baited ” on Instagram Live Ziwe Fumudoh “ I May Destroy You ” (written by Michaela Coel, HBO, 2020) Native Land ...
Jul 23, 2020•37 min•Ep 120•Transcript available on Metacast When Quaker decided to take Aunt Jemima off the red pancake box after 131 years, did it also try to scrub the legacy she represents? And what sort of compensation is appropriate — and to whom — from a brand that maintained that image in public for so long? Discussed this week: “ Aunt Jemima Brand to Change Name and Image Over ‘Racial Stereotype’ ” (Tiffany Hsu, The New York Times, June 2020) “ Aunt Jemima: I’se in Town, Honey ” (Jim Crow Museum of Racist Memorabilia at Ferris State University) “...
Jul 16, 2020•34 min•Ep 119•Transcript available on Metacast Excerpts from our June 12 live event, where we caught up about the uprisings and resurgence of the Black Lives Matter movement. This is the first of three special summer episodes. Discussed this week: Jenna Wortham and Wesley Morris in a live New York Times event (June 12, 2020) “ ‘Cops,’ Long-Running Reality Show That Glorified Police, Is Canceled ” (The New York Times, June 2020) “ LEGO Pulls Back Police Playset Affiliate Marketing Amid George Floyd Protests ” (ToyBook, June 2020) “ NASCAR Say...
Jul 09, 2020•26 min•Ep 118•Transcript available on Metacast In our final episode from our living rooms, we visit the dystopia of “Westworld” and the utopia of “Hollywood” to see if we can glean anything about what might be in store on the other side of this pandemic — and about who we want to be. Discussed this week: “ Westworld ” (HBO, 2016-20) “ Hollywood ” (Netflix, 2020) Ryan Murphy “ The Stepford Wives ” (directed by Frank Oz, 2004) “ The Stepford Wives ” (directed by Bryan Forbes, 1975) The Motion Picture Production Code of 1930 “ Love Jones ” (dir...
May 14, 2020•39 min•Ep 117•Transcript available on Metacast Covid-19 isn't "the great equalizer" – except when it comes to making us need our devices more than ever. Screens have revealed superstars as civilians, and turned sitcom grouches into teddy bears. Basically: We’re ready to be more open with one another. Discussed this week: “ Take Me to the World: A Sondheim 90th Birthday Celebration ” (Broadway.com) “ The ‘Credibility Bookcase’ Is the Quarantine’s Hottest Accessory ” (Amanda Hess, The New York Times) Randy Rainbow’s YouTube Channel “ A Parks a...
May 07, 2020•40 min•Ep 116•Transcript available on Metacast "Fetch the Bolt Cutters" is Fiona Apple's master class in channeling frustration and anger into what can only be called wisdom. Also, we hear from listeners all over the planet, sharing how they are taking care of the people in their lives. Discussed this week: " Fetch the Bolt Cutters " (Fiona Apple, 2020) Fiona Apple on the VMAs in 1997 " Regret " (Fiona Apple, "The Idler Wheel Is Wiser than the Driver of the Screw and Whipping Cords Will Serve You More than Ropes Will Ever Do", 2012) " Crimin...
May 01, 2020•35 min•Ep 115•Transcript available on Metacast We’re trying something new this week. We want you to watch a movie with us, and not just any movie, but the 2004 superhero bomb “Catwoman,” starring two of our favorites: Halle Berry and Sharon Stone. We’ve got fun facts, some questions and a little bit of, um, cattiness. Discussed this week: Catwoman Halle Berry Sharon Stone Benjamin Bratt Alex Borstein Pitof...
Apr 23, 2020•2 hr 45 min•Ep 114•Transcript available on Metacast Activists stood up against the AIDS epidemic in the 1980s and 1990s, but the tools they used to make themselves heard are unavailable during our coronavirus pandemic. Still, many of that era’s strategies and warning signs seem alarmingly relevant now. Discussed this week: “ How to Survive a Plague ” (directed by David France, 2012) ACT UP New York “ How ACT UP Remade Political Organizing in America ” (David France, The New York Times, April, 2020) “ ‘A Tragedy Is Unfolding’: Inside New York’s Vi...
Apr 16, 2020•33 min•Ep 113•Transcript available on Metacast Lions, and tigers and barely suppressed glee at criminal weirdos, oh my! What has big personalities, big issues and big cats? Netflix’s hit streaming show “Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem and Madness.” We explore what the show says about America’s unique relationship to freedom. Discussed this week: “ Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem and Madness ” (Netflix, 2020) “ Blue Caprice ” (directed by Alexandre Moors, 2013) “ The Wire ” (HBO, 2002-08) “ Breaking Bad ” (AMC, 2008-13) “ O.J.: Made In America ” (ESPN,...
Apr 09, 2020•39 min•Ep 112•Transcript available on Metacast Not all reboots deserve to exist. Lots of them aren’t even things we want. But the new "High Fidelity" on Hulu is the reboot we didn’t know we needed. Discussed this week: Barack Obama’s Twitter Cardi B’s Twitter and Instagram " Celebrity Culture is Burning " (Amanda Hess, 2020) " Oprah Talks Covid-19 " (Apple TV+, 2020) Britney’s Instagram " High Fidelity " (directed by Stephen Frears, 2000) " High Fidelity " (Hulu, 2020)...
Apr 02, 2020•40 min•Ep 111•Transcript available on Metacast From our living rooms to yours, “Still Processing” is back. During this unprecedented time in our lives, we talk routines, dreams and what’s on our screens — or at least what will be on our screens. Because screens are all we have left. Discussed this week: “ Darn That Dream ” (Dinah Washington, 1954) The Brian Lehrer Show (WNYC) Working out with Mr. and Mrs. Muscle “ Ra Ma Da Sa ” (Amanbir Singh, 2017) The Wiz (directed by Sidney Lumet, 1978) High Fidelity (Hulu, 2020)...
Mar 26, 2020•31 min•Ep 110•Transcript available on Metacast New episodes coming March 26! You’ve got a lot of time on your hands, and so do we. Let's spend it together
Mar 21, 2020•2 min•Transcript available on Metacast We examine how HBO’s series “Watchmen” and Bong Joon Ho’s film “Parasite” bring to light the hidden histories that shape our modern lives. Discussed this week: “ Parasite ” (directed by Bong Joon Ho, 2019) “ Watchmen ” (HBO, 2019) “ White Flights: Race, Fiction, and the American Imagination ” (Jess Row, 2019) “ In the Wake: On Blackness and Being “ (Christina Sharpe, 2016) We're going on hiatus, but we'll be back in your ears in early 2020!...
Nov 07, 2019•45 min•Ep 108•Transcript available on Metacast California’s new legislation allowing college athletes to make money off endorsements. One step forward. The backlash against victims who came forward in the wake of #MeToo. Two steps back. Does big, sustainable change have to feel like grasping at straws? Discussed this week: “ California Tells the N.C.A.A. to Share, and It Pitches a Fit. ” (Michael Powell, The New York Times, Oct. 4, 2019) “ The Toll of Me Too. ” (Rebecca Traister, The Cut, Sept. 30, 2019)...
Oct 31, 2019•38 min•Ep 107•Transcript available on Metacast We revisit "Fight Club" on the 20th anniversary of its release, and consider how the trope of the "psychobro" is showing up onscreen — in the new blockbuster “Joker” and HBO’s critically acclaimed series “Succession” — and off. Discussed this week: " The Unbearable Bradness of Being " (Chris Heath, Rolling Stone, Oct. 28, 1999) " Fight Club " (directed by David Fincher, 1999) " Joker " (directed by Todd Phillips, 2019) " Succession " (HBO, 2019) " Whistleblower Explains How Cambridge Analytica H...
Oct 24, 2019•43 min•Ep 106•Transcript available on Metacast Jennifer Lopez is having a triumphant 2019. From her Motown tribute at the Grammys to the success of “Hustlers” to the announcement that she’ll be performing at the Super Bowl halftime show, she seems to be enjoying the fruits of her labor from about three decades in show business. So we want to know: is Jennifer Lopez finally getting her due? Discussed this week: “ How Jennifer Lopez’s Versace Dress Created Google Images ” (Rachel Tashjian, GQ, Sept. 20, 2019) “ Hustlers ” (directed by Lorene S...
Oct 17, 2019•44 min•Ep 105•Transcript available on Metacast We'll be back with a new episode next Thursday, October 17th.
Oct 10, 2019•56 sec•Transcript available on Metacast Comedy is changing. Dave Chappelle’s latest Netflix comedy special, " Sticks & Stones ," makes us wonder if he can keep up. Discussed this week: " Dave Chappelle: Sticks & Stones " (Netflix, 2019) " Aziz Ansari: Right Now " (Netflix 2019) " A Black Lady Sketch Show " (HBO, 2019) " My Favorite Shapes " (HBO, 2019) " Ramy Youssef: Feelings " (HBO, 2019)...
Oct 03, 2019•41 min•Ep 103•Transcript available on Metacast We’re in love with MTV’s dating-reality TV show “Are You the One?” Discussed this week: Jenna Wortham. " How Queer People Brought Some Actual Reality to Dating-Reality TV " (The New York Times Magazine, Aug. 28, 2019) Wesley Morris. " Rom-Coms Were Corny and Retrograde. Why Do I Miss Them so Much? " (The New York Times Magazine, April 24, 2019) " Are You the One? " (MTV, Season 8, 2019)...
Sep 26, 2019•37 min•Ep 102•Transcript available on Metacast How "Old Town Road" gave us hope without making us cringe, and became our song of the year. Discussed this week: Joe Coscarelli, Alexandra Eaton, Will Lloyd, Eden Weingart, Antonio de Luca and Alicia DeSantis. " Diary of a Song — ‘Old Town Road’: See How Memes and Controversy Took Lil Nas X to the Top of the Charts " (The New York Times, May 10, 2019) Jon Caramanica. " The Short Rise and Long Tail of Lil Nas X " (The New York Times, Jun. 26, 2019) Jade Jolie " Shut Up & Sing " (directed by Barba...
Sep 19, 2019•40 min•Ep 101•Transcript available on Metacast Remember that beer test? It’s not enough. That’s why this election season, we bring you: Still Processing’s Rubric for Leadership and Democratic Excellence. Discussed this week: Astead Herndon, Jon Caramanica and Jon Pareles. " What Do Rally Playlists Say About the Candidates? " (The New York Times, Aug. 19, 2019) Clara Guibourg and Helen Briggs. " Climate change: Which vegan milk is best? " (BBC News, Feb. 22, 2019) The AP reporter Alexandra Jaffe’s post on Twitter that Senator Kamala Harris dr...
Sep 12, 2019•32 min•Ep 100•Transcript available on Metacast Still Processing will be back in your ears on Thursday, September 12th.
Sep 04, 2019•1 min•Transcript available on Metacast We dissect Jordan Peele’s new psychological thriller, “Us,” and discuss the film’s central question (WITHOUT SPOILERS): Are any of us ever truly free from the past? Also, we’re going on a short hiatus. Happy spring, and we’ll be back in your ears soon. Discussed this week: “ Us ” (directed by Jordan Peele, 2019) “ Suspiria ” (directed by Dario Argento, 1977) “ The People Under the Stairs ” (directed by Wes Craven, 1991) “ It Follows ” (directed by David Robert Mitchell, 2014) “ White Is for Witc...
Mar 28, 2019•31 min•Ep 98•Transcript available on Metacast We celebrate Whoopi Goldberg from her days as a boundary-pushing stand-up comedian in the early ’80s to her current role as professional curmudgeon on “The View.” Discussed this week: “ Whoopi Goldberg ” (Ottessa Moshfegh, Garage magazine: Issue 16, Feb. 19, 2019) “ Whoopi Goldberg: Direct From Broadway ” (directed by Thomas Schlamme, 1985) “ The Color Purple ” (directed by Steven Spielberg, 1985) “ Jumpin’ Jack Flash ” (directed by Penny Marshall, 1986) “ Burglar ” (directed by Hugh Wilson, 198...
Mar 21, 2019•40 min•Ep 97•Transcript available on Metacast We chat with David Wallace-Wells, climate columnist for New York Magazine, about the limits of individual consumption choices and the necessity of political action to combat climate change. Discussed this week: “The Uninhabitable Earth: Life After Warming” (David Wallace-Wells, 2019)
Mar 14, 2019•31 min•Ep 96•Transcript available on Metacast HBO’s “Leaving Neverland” — a two-part documentary that focuses on the stories of two men, James Safechuck and Wade Robson, who allege that Michael Jackson sexually abused them as children — prompts us to wrestle with our love for and discomfort with the pop star. We examine how Jackson seemed to have been culturally exonerated, and we ask what to do with a man whose artistic reach is so profound that “canceling” him — an imperfect way of dealing with problematic artists to begin with — might no...
Mar 07, 2019•40 min•Ep 95•Transcript available on Metacast The Jussie Smollett investigation has captured America’s attention — and ours. We take a look at the support for as well as the doubts about Smollett’s claims, and try to make sense of the charge that Smollett staged his own attack. In an era in which personal trauma and victimhood are often leveraged for cultural capital, we consider the long-term repercussions of the Smollett case. Discussed this week: “ Jussie Smollett Timeline: Mystery Remains as Actor Is Charged With Faking His Assault ” (S...
Feb 28, 2019•42 min•Ep 94•Transcript available on Metacast 
