Slate Culture

On this week’s show, Julia, Stephen, and Dana are reunited! The panel starts with Apple TV+’s new prestige offering, Your Friends and Neighbors, starring Jon Hamm. Then, they talk about A Minecraft Movie, already the most financially successful movie of the year. Finally, they bat around the purpose of, and responses to, the all-female Blue Origin flight that happened on Monday. In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, a conversation about The Pitt season finale. Email us at culturefest@slate.com. Endorsements: Dana: What Rough Beast, a new podcast from Gabfest’s own Stephen Metclaf, and for Trumpcast host Virginia Heffernan. Steve: Read something by poet and writer, Delmore Schwartz. Start here. Julia: John Mulaney’s Netflix talk show, Everybody's Live! Though, she does prefer the previous title, Everybody's in LA. Podcast production by Kevin Bendis. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Kate Lindsay and Candice Lim break down the controversy surrounding 30-year-old influencer Remi Bader, who was recently accused of lying to her audience for undergoing a procedure without telling them. Bader gained popularity on TikTok where she’d post “realistic” clothing hauls as a size 16 woman. Soon, she was heralded as a body positive influencer and the face of a movement she didn’t necessarily attach herself to. But when Remi started rapidly losing weight, her followers clocked it immediately. Not only were they feeling deceived, but they were also feeling somewhat betrayed, and finally, Remi came clean and admitted she underwent a weight loss surgery that was even more jarring and invasive than her followers speculated. This podcast is produced by Olivia Briley, Daisy Rosario, Candice Lim, and Kate Lindsay. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, Christina Cauterucci speaks with Zein Murib, Fordham professor and author of Terms of Exclusion: Rightful Citizenship Claims and the Construction of LGBT Political Identity, about the historical roots of the marginalization of trans and bi people in the gay rights movement. Zein, who recently wrote the Slate piece "Why Are Trans People Such an Easy Political Target? " breaks down how the movement’s focus on a narrow definition of identity left trans and bi people vulnerable to political attacks. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the second installment of our series Living at Odds, former How To! host Amanda Ripley returns to talk with two public school officials in Tulsa, Oklahoma, who found themselves at loggerheads upon their very first meeting. Deborah and Stacey’s difficult working relationship continued until COVID-19 sparked some solidarity—and the two began to learn more about each other. Later, Stacey would find herself defending the colleague she once wanted to oust. If you’re enjoying Living at Odds, check out these How To! episodes: How To Build Trust With Co-Workers and How To Help Teachers Thrive. Also check out Good Conflict for additional resources. Do you have a problem that needs solving? Send us a note at howto@slate.com or leave us a voicemail at 646-495-4001 and we might have you on the show. Subscribe for free on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you listen. This episode was produced by Rosie Belson and Maura Currie. Our technical director is Merritt Jacob, who composed original music for this series. Our supervising producer is Joel Meyer. Thank you to Sophie Summergrad for her help with this episode. Special thanks to The Hearthland Foundation, which provided funding for Living at Odds. Want more How To!? Subscribe to Slate Plus to unlock exclusive bonus episodes. Plus, you’ll access ad-free listening across all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe now on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of the How To! show page. Or, visit slate.com/howtoplus to get access wherever you listen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Kareem Rahma, host of the viral web series Subway Takes, says he’s been working since he was 14 and hasn’t really taken a break. In high school, he worked service jobs. In college, he bought and re-sold motorcycles, jeans, and whatever else he thought he could flip. This week on the show, Kareem explains why he’s had so many jobs, including posts at Vice and the New York Times, and he discusses the financial maneuvering that allowed him to pivot to comedy in his 30s. You can check out his podcast, Subway Takes Uncut, here. Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Death, Sex & Money is now produced by Slate! To support us and our colleagues, please sign up for our membership program, Slate Plus! Members get ad-free podcasts, bonus content on lots of Slate shows, and full access to all the articles on Slate.com. Sign up today at slate.com/dsmplus. And if you’re new to the show, welcome. We’re so glad you’re here. Find us and follow us on Instagram and you can find Anna’s newsletter at annasale.substack.com. Our new email address, where you can reach us with voice memos, pep talks, questions, critiques, is deathsexmoney@slate.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Hosts Alex Kirshner, Lindsay Gibbs, and Ben Lindbergh break down Rory McIlroy’s thrilling victory at the Masters on Sunday. Also on the show: a preview of the NBA playoffs, and an in-depth look at quarterback Nico Iamaleava’s messy split from the University of Tennessee. For Afterballs, Ben shares the introduction to his new narrative podcast, “Ella Black: Lost and Found,” the story of the first woman to write about baseball for a national publication, and how she disappeared mysteriously. On the bonus episode available exclusively for Slate Plus members, the panel discusses WNBA draft candidate Sedona Prince and the recent sexual assault allegations surrounding her. McIlroy (3:57): Completes a grand slam. NBA playoffs (20:44): Who will emerge in the West and can anyone topple the Celtics? Nico Iamaleava (36:16): The nasty school-player divorce. Afterballs (54:08): Ben previews his new show on a forgotten figure from baseball’s past. (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 favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe now on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of our show page, or visit slate.com/hangupplus to get access wherever you listen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode: Zak, Elizabeth and Lucy answer a question about a four-year-old who’s starting to dabble in classes and sports, and there’s a problem: she hates pretty much all of them, even though she asks to do it in the first place. Should they take a break or work on teaching this kid how to be coached? We’ll help this kid’s mom out and then check in and share what’s on our minds this week. Then, if you’re hanging out for the Slate Plus Playground, we’re talking about budgeting. If you’re not part of the Slate Plus community, we hope you’ll consider joining! Keep reading to learn how. Zak’s check-in: alternative gift and party chat (party, thrift, Costco) Elizabeth’s check-in: group project gripes Lucy’s check-in: preparing for the most un-quinceañera quinces EVER. Join us on Facebook and email us at careandfeedingpod@slate.com to ask us new questions, tell us what you thought of today’s show, and give us ideas about what we should talk about in future episodes. You can also call our phone line: (646) 357-9318. If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get to hang out with us on the Plus Playground every week for a whole additional grab-bag of content — and you’ll get an ad-free experience across the network. And you’ll also be supporting the work we do here on Care and Feeding. Sign up now at slate.com/careplus – or try it out on Apple Podcasts. Podcast produced by Maura Currie. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Candice Lim and Kate Lindsay dig deep into the Mel Robbins lore. The lawyer-turned-self-help-guru’s “let them theory” has taken over TikTok, encouraging people to let go when faced with situations or behaviors they cannot change. However, not only does “let them” remind the pair of another trendy (but problematic) self-help phrase, but it also might contribute to unhealthy social behaviors that, thanks to the internet, have resulted in a loneliness crisis for Gen Z. This podcast is produced by Daisy Rosario, Olivia Briley, Candice Lim, and Kate Lindsay. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It’s been nearly a decade since Rihanna released a studio album—and fans and critics alike have wondered when, if ever, a follow-up to 2016’s Anti might arrive. Which is ironic, because in her heyday, Rihanna was the most productive hitmaker on the charts. Churning out at least one album a year in the late aughts and early ‘10s, Rihanna’s approach to the charts was closer to early Motown or the Beatles than Beyoncé or Taylor. The result: the Barbadian pop deity scored more No. 1s than any 21st century artist, from “SOS” and “Umbrella” through “Diamonds” and “Work.” Join Chris Molanphy as he traces Rihanna’s journey from tropical tyro to commanding chart queen and explores how she found hits at a boundless pace. Podcast production by Kevin Bendis. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Guest Prudie Kristen Meinzer is joined by sports journalist and author Frankie de la Cretaz. Together, they answer questions about confronting your dad’s hoarding partner, moving forward after a fight with your mom, and dealing with a controlling fiancé. Want more Dear Prudence? Subscribe to Slate Plus to immediately unlock weekly bonus episodes. Plus, you’ll access ad-free listening across all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe now on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of our show page. Or, visit slate.com/prudie-plus to get access wherever you listen. This week’s podcast is produced by Maura Currie, Vic Whitley-Berry, and Daisy Rosario. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The same day Nintendo was officially introducing its latest console, Donald Trump was announcing his new global tariff plan. As a result, gamers were treated to an early preview of what a world bound up in tariffs would look like. Spoiler: It’ll probably cost you a lot more. Guest: Jason Koebler, a co-founder of 404 Media Want more What Next TBD? Subscribe to Slate Plus to access ad-free listening to the whole What Next family and all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of our show page. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to get access wherever you listen. Podcast production by Evan Campbell and Patrick Fort. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode: Zak, Elizabeth and Lucy are joined by Allison Price from the Care and Feeding web column. Together, they take a letter from a listener whose husband is terminally ill… and whose kids are old enough to understand. We’ll talk about how to approach this conversation with kids and how to stay afloat. And then, of course, we’ll circle up for a round of triumphs and fails. Join us on Facebook and email us at careandfeedingpod@slate.com to ask us new questions, tell us what you thought of today’s show, and give us ideas about what we should talk about in future episodes. You can also call our phone line: (646) 357-9318. If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get to hang out with us on the Plus Playground every week for a whole additional grab-bag of content — and you’ll get an ad-free experience across the network. And you’ll also be supporting the work we do here on Care and Feeding. Sign up now at slate.com/careplus – or try it out on Apple Podcasts. Podcast produced by Maura Currie. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this week’s show, Slate’s own Sam Adams sits in for Julia as they discuss the new Michelle Williams limited series “Dying for Sex,” about a woman who leaves her husband to experience a sexual awakening after receiving a breast cancer diagnosis. Then, the trio discuss the documentary “Secret Mall Apartment” about a group in Rhode Island who managed to keep an apartment in a busy mall for years in the early aughts. Finally, Carl Wilson joins for a conversation about the new album from Lucy Dacus of Boygenius fame. In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, the panel talks about art ripoffs and wonders who owns an idea. Email us at culturefest@slate.com. Endorsements: Dana: In tribute to Val Kilmer, this beautiful obituary by David Hudson via Criterion. Sam: Two endorsements: 1. Sarah Snook’s athletic performance in “The Picture of Dorian Gray” on Broadway. 2. The TikTok dance trend to the song Pop Muzik. Steve: The album Radio DDR by Sharp Pins. Steve recommends starting with the track, “Sycophant.” Bonus endorsement: Val Kilmer’s commentary on David Mamet Podcast production by Jessamine Molli. Production assistance by Sophie Summergrad, Cameron Drews, and Daisy Rosario. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jonathan Majors was an actor on the rise—indie credits, prestige television, a Spike Lee joint, a superhero film. But all of that looked like it was over when Majors was found guilty of assault and harassment in 2023. Now Majors is back on the promotional circuit for the film “Magazine Dreams.” Is this evidence of the #MeToo movement’s waning power, or is it more of the same from an industry that’s always eager for a man’s redemption story? Guest: CT Jones, culture writer at Rolling Stone Want more What Next? Join Slate Plus to unlock full, ad-free access to What Next and all your other favorite Slate podcasts. You can subscribe directly from the What Next show page on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Or, visit slate.com/whatnextplus to get access wherever you listen. Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, Ethan Oberman, and Rob Gunther. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The infamous annual ritual of spring break—where thousands of college students head to the same warm location and go crazy—can seem like it’s always been here. But it hasn’t. The spring break phenomenon is a holdover from midcentury teen culture that has endured by changing, just enough, to be passed from one generation to the next. In this episode we’re going from the beaches of Fort Lauderdale to Daytona, from the movie screen to the TV set, from MTV to Instagram reels, from its start to its surprisingly recognizable present, as we follow the evolving, self-reinforcing rite that is spring break. You’ll hear from former MTV staffers Doug Herzog, Salli Frattini, Alan Hunter, and Joe Davola, along with John Laurie, Kaylee Morris, and Slate writer Scaachi Koul. This episode was written by Willa Paskin and Katie Shepherd and produced by Katie. It was edited by Evan Chung, Decoder Ring’s supervising producer. Our show is also produced by Max Freedman. Merritt Jacob is Senior Technical Director. Thank you to Bob Friedman and Allan Cohen, producers of Spring Broke; David Cohn, Derreck Johnson, and Ivylise Simones. If you have any cultural mysteries you want us to decode, please email us at DecoderRing@slate.com, or leave a message on our hotline at 347-460-7281. Want more Decoder Ring? Subscribe to Slate Plus to unlock exclusive bonus episodes. Plus, you’ll access ad-free listening across all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe now on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of the Decoder Ring show page. Or, visit slate.com/decoderplus to get access wherever you listen. Sources for This Episode Koul, Scaachi. “From ‘Girls Gone Wild’ to ‘Your Body, My Choice’,” Slate, Dec. 13, 2024. Laurie, John. “Spring Break: The Economic, Socio-Cultural and Public Governance Impacts of College Students on Spring Break Host Locations,” University of New Orleans Dissertation, Dec. 19, 2008. Mormino, Gary R. Land of Sunshine, State of Dreams: A Social History of Modern Florida, University Press of Florida, 2008. Schiltz, James. “Time to Grow Up: The Rise and Fall of Spring Break in Fort Lauderdale,” The Florida Historical Quarterly, Fall 2014. Spring Broke, dir. Alison Ellwood, Bungalow Media + Entertainment, 2016. Thompson, Derek. “2,000 Years of Partying: The Brief History and Economics of Spring Break,” The Atlantic, March 26, 2013. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Kate Lindsay and Candice Lim break down the saga revolving around a fashion industry employee who got fired after posting a viral TikTok about whether or not influencers were boring. From the “Brokey” challenge to internet history-making GIFs, more and more people are getting fired because of social media. But is it fair — or even legal — for a company to fire someone just because they post online? And how much control should your job have over your social media? Plus, the emerging creator whose own job might be at risk after his followers flooded his employer’s phone lines. This podcast is produced by Olivia Briley, Daisy Rosario, Candice Lim, and Kate Lindsay. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Christina Cauterucci speaks with Suzanne Ford, executive director of San Francisco Pride, about the goals and challenges of organizing Pride this year amid the corporate retreat from LGBTQ+ issues. They discuss the current political climate, how corporate sponsorship shapes the event, and how to maintain visibility and safety without losing political urgency. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Living at Odds is a new How To! series about what’s holding us together when so much threatens to break us apart. In our first episode, host Courtney Martin talks with two street vendors who operated rivaling merch tents at the same busy intersection during the 2024 election. Steve hawked MAGA caps and Trump-branded pool floaties just a few feet away from Sandra, who sweetened her sales of Harris-Walz campaign shirts with free “Kamala candy.” After so many weeks on the same street corner, the pair negotiated an easy friendship—and even talked about politics. Then came Election Day. If you’re enjoying Living at Odds, check out these How To! episodes: How To Run for Office Without Being an A**hole and How To Talk Politics With Your Dad (Without Yelling) Pt 1 Do you have a problem that needs solving? Send us a note at howto@slate.com or leave us a voicemail at 646-495-4001 and we might have you on the show. Subscribe for free on Apple, Spotify or wherever you listen. This episode was produced by Maura Currie and Rosie Belson. Our technical director is Merritt Jacob and our supervising producer is Joel Meyer. Thank you to Sophie Summergrad for her help with this episode. Special thanks to The Hearthland Foundation, which provided funding for this series. Want more How To!? Subscribe to Slate Plus to unlock exclusive bonus episodes. Plus, you’ll access ad-free listening across all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe now on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of the How To! show page. Or, visit slate.com/howtoplus to get access wherever you listen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

At a time when skepticism about conventional medicine has become even more mainstream, we’re revisiting a story about the causes and effects of that mistrust. Archie Matlow’s mother refused to get a surgery that could have saved her life, which led to her and Archie trying to love each other while bitterly at odds. You can listen to the full audio piece Archie made here, and you can order their memoir, Dead Mom Walking, here. Also make sure to check out Archie’s New York Times piece, titled Why My Father Called Me Son, Daughter, He, She and It. Death, Sex & Money is now produced by Slate! To support us and our colleagues, please sign up for our membership program, Slate Plus! Members get ad-free podcasts, bonus content on lots of Slate shows, and full access to all the articles on Slate.com. Sign up today at slate.com/dsmplus. And if you’re new to the show, welcome. We’re so glad you’re here. Find us and follow us on Instagram and you can find Anna’s newsletter at annasale.substack.com. Our new email address, where you can reach us with voice memos, pep talks, questions, critiques, is deathsexmoney@slate.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Hosts Alex Kirshner, Lindsay Gibbs, and Ben Lindbergh discuss UConn’s return to the mountaintop of NCAA women’s hoops. Then they welcome journalist Lindsey Adler to talk about Tony Hawk and the potential for resurgent interest in vert skateboarding. Finally, they discuss if Rory McIlroy will ever win the Masters. On the bonus episode available exclusively for Slate Plus members, the panel talks about the business side of the 2025 women’s college basketball season. UConn (3:40): How they forced a South Carolina implosion. Tony Hawk (17:32): Can the Birdman save vert skateboarding again? Rory McIlory (45:35): Still elite, still incomplete. (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 favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe now on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of our show page, or visit slate.com/hangupplus to get access wherever you listen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices