ICYMI

On today’s show, we’re joined by Nicky Woolf, the host  Fur and Loathing,  a new investigative podcast which attempts to solve the decade-old cold case of a chemical attack at the 2014 Midwest Furfest convention. From their show description, “It’s a journey that will bring [Woolf] face-to-face with the challenges this vibrant, often misunderstood subculture faces–including the far-right extremists...

On today’s episode, Rachelle is joined by Slate staff writer and friend of the show, Nadira Goffe. The two revisit last year’s episode breaking down the  Tarte brand trip that took over TikTok  now that one of the main stars of that debacle, Fannita Legett, is once again TikTok’s main character This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Daisy Rosario, Candice Lim and Rachelle Hampton. Need...

Rachelle Hampton and Candice Lim are joined by Anna Sale, the host of  Death, Sex & Money , to dive into her internet diary. After her podcast jumped to Slate, Sale took a month off and plugged into her surroundings, starting with her local library. Since its return,  Death, Sex & Money  has dived into  diagnosed sociopaths ,  botox in Appalachia  and the  magic of mushrooms . But as Sale...

Today, we’re revisiting one of our favorite episodes from September 2022 about TikTok Shop. In the episode, Rachelle and Candice are joined by sustainable stylist and fashion educator  Lakyn Carlton  to discuss TikTok Shop — a new feature that lets users purchase products without ever leaving the app. TikTok Shop is a modern day QVC, where merchants can shell products they’ve made — or are authori...

On today’s show, Rachelle is joined by internet culture writer and reporter Kate Lindsay whose recent Bustle article  “My Therapist is a TikTok Star”  explores the complicated dynamics that emerge when patients run into their therapists online. This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Daisy Rosario, Candice Lim and Rachelle Hampton. Need to set up your Slate Plus feed? If you subscribed...

Candice Lim is joined by Yowei Shaw (former co-host of NPR’s  Invisibilia)  to discuss her new podcast  Proxy , which takes listeners through the psychological aftermath of a layoff, starting with Shaw’s own layoff from NPR. In March 2023, the public radio institution laid off approximately 10 percent of its staff, resulting in the cancellation of  four podcasts , including  Invisibilia.  Shaw, al...

On today’s show, Rachelle is joined by Aisha Harris, co-host of NPR’s Pop Culture Happy Hour and author of  Wannabe:   Reckonings With the Pop Culture That Shaped Me . The two discuss  Jerrod Carmichael Reality Show , the latest venture from the comedian behind the Emmy-award winning stand-up special  Rothanial.  In contrast,  Reality Show  has been greeted with  a mixed critical reception  but bo...

Rachelle and Candice dive into their mutual obsession: the  Selling Sunset  subreddit . Across seven seasons, the Netflix reality show has taken viewers into a glamorous and over-the-top real estate agency in Los Angeles. Aside from selling mansions, the show’s most successful endeavor has been its online community, built on social media platforms like Reddit. r/SellingSunset has more than 250,000...

The second and final installment of our two part collab with Never Post!   Mike talks with mis- and disinformation researcher Joan Donovan about the line between gossip and conspiracy; then Candice and Rachelle join Mike to talk about what it feels like swimming in the wide open sea of monocultural event discourse. Also: C-SPAN’s earliest internet memories! Become a Never Post member at  https://w...

This week, ICYMI and the  Never Post podcast  are collaborating on two episodes surrounding 2024’s biggest internet monocultural moment: Kate Middleton’s disappearance. It’s been more than a month since Kate  announced  she’d started preventative chemotherapy treatments following a cancer diagnosis. Which means it’s also been just over a month since  conspiracy theories  about the princess ran ram...

On today’s show, Rachelle and Candice join the rest of the internet in yapping about Luca Guadagnino’s  Challengers  which features Zendaya as tennis prodigy Tashi Duncan and her paramours, Art (Mike Faist) and Patrick (Josh O’Connor). In a spoiler-filled discussion, they dive deep into the scenes, needle drops and press tour moments that have kept social media abuzz. This podcast is produced by S...

Rachelle Hampton and Candice Lim walk through the drama surrounding Foxtrot, an upscale cafe and mini market that abruptly closed all of its locations on April 23. Despite its popularity and over $100 million raised, Foxtrot’s sudden shutdown shocked employees and devoted customers who expressed their outrage and sadness on  TikTok . Then, they discuss the rumors surrounding Outdoor Voices, the ex...

On today’s episode, Rachelle and Candice answer a listener's question about “Dr.” Natalya Toryanski, an influencer with almost a quarter of million of followers on TikTok who tune into her satirical videos mimicking a prototypical “ bland influencer .” Our listener writes, “I have to believe that at least a major percentage of her content is intentional parody/satire; but then I have moments where...

On today’s episode, Steffi Cao explains Roblox to Rachelle. Cao, a culture writer with bylines at The Atlantic, Fast Company, Forbes, BuzzFeed and more, recently wrote about  Roblox’s new attempt  to venture outside of kids’ gaming. This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Daisy Rosario, Candice Lim and Rachelle Hampton. Need to set up your Slate Plus feed? If you subscribed through Slat...

On today’s episode, Rachelle and Candice answer listener questions about the rapid rise of  Donghua Jinlong,  a Chinese company that manufactures glycine. Over the past few weeks, paradoxically  deadpan   and impassioned   videos   about the   high quality  of Donghua Jinlong’s products have taken over TikTok. Are teens actually consuming industrial grade chemicals? Or is something even weirder ha...

Candice Lim is joined by  We Signed An NDA  co-host Ann Maddox, who you may know as Tom Sandoval’s former personal assistant. In March 2023, Maddox was teaching improv to a middle school in Japan when she found out Sandoval and his then-girlfriend Ariana Madix had split. At first, Maddox assumed this was simply routine tabloid fodder, which often plagued her employers as long-time cast members on ...

Candice Lim is joined by Slate culture writer Nadira Goffe to discuss their takeaways from Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV, a documentary series that details the toxic work environment, child abuse and disturbing events that occurred on the set of creator Dan Schneider’s shows. Schneider was the mind behind some of Nickelodeon's most-watched programming including All That , The Amanda Show...

Why scam obituaries are edging out earnest ones, with the help of artificial intelligence and an adept Google game. Guest:  Mia Sato , reporter for The Verge. Want more What Next TBD? Subscribe to Slate Plus to access ad-free listening to the whole What Next family and across all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of our show page. Sig...

Candice Lim and Rachelle Hampton dive into the internet history of Casey Frey, a dancer, comedian and internet icon who recently appeared on a Twitter-trending episode of  Abbott Elementary.  Frey was a Vine star who managed to transfer his audience to YouTube and Instagram, where he posted his  most popular video  in 2019. It found a second life during the pandemic when stuck-at-home fans made pa...

On today’s Internet Diary, Rachelle is joined by Rebecca Jennings, Vox’s senior correspondent covering social platforms and the creator economy. The two discuss Jennings’ recent pieces on why everyone loves  NYT Connections  and how  self-promotion became the internet’s lingua franca . This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Daisy Rosario, Candice Lim and Rachelle Hampton. Need to set u...

Rachelle Hampton and Candice Lim ask their most pressing questions about the bipartisan bill that would require TikTok’s parent company to sell the app or face a ban on all devices in the U.S. While the bill is not expected to become law anytime soon, it’s led to children crying on voicemails to their senators and TikTok creators preparing for the loss of their businesses, communities and collecti...

On today’s show, Rachelle is joined by  writer and reporter Gaby Del Valle  to discuss the rapid, contested rise of model-turned-influencer Nara Smith.  Described by Rolling Stone as the  “hot, young tradwife making everyone on the internet mad”, Nara’s elaborate homemade meals, hot husband and two young children are sending spectators into a tizzy as they debate whether or not she’s trying to con...

Candice Lim is joined by internet culture reporter Morgan Sung to run through the five messiest moments that have wracked the knitting and crocheting communities. From the controversial acrylic vs. natural wool debate to knitfluencers overcharging their followers, they’ll recall their own first knitting experiences and how covering the internet has drawn them back to yarn crafts. But first, Rachel...

Rachelle and Candice catch up on Matthew Koma, the husband of singer/actress Hilary Duff, who got a vasectomy and documented his post-op Valium spiral on Instagram. Then, they give an update on  Gypsy Rose Blanchard , who wiped her public Instagram and TikTok accounts after her parole officer allegedly warned that she might get in trouble and go back to jail. This podcast is produced by Se’era Spr...

On today’s episode, Rachelle Hampton is joined by Jonquilyn Hill, the host and reporter of Vox’s policy and politics podcast  The Weeds . The two reunite to discuss the most recent season of Netflix’s  Love is Blind.  Following an unmemorable season and  a disastrous attempt at a live reunion , the sixth installment of the reality dating show finally managed to re-capture the magic that made the s...