It's Been a Minute

There's been a common theme swirling throughout the culture wars: from gun policy, to drag bans, to talking about race - the innocence of children is always at the center of discussion. This week, we're exploring the ideas and systems around childhood. We learn why we first drew the line between child and adult, why the line is so jagged and what implications this has on our lives today. We hear f...

Virginia Sole-Smith is an author, writer and host of the podcast Burnt Toast — and her work focuses on our relationship to food and fat. Her latest book, Fat Talk: Parenting in the Age of Diet Culture is based on one simple idea: it's okay and normal for kids to be fat. "What fat kids need is to know that we see them, we accept them, and we know they are worthy of respect, safety, and dignity," sh...

Grammy-nominated singer Emily King is a master architect of love songs: her dreamy pop-infused music has provided the soundtrack to many romances. This week, she's opening up about how she baked a fresh heartbreak into the sound of her latest album, Special Occasion . She's writing through her pain, shaking the shame around being honest and dealing with vulnerability hangovers. You can follow us o...

The prince of pranks, Eric André, changed the comedy landscape with his long running series on Adult Swim, The Eric Andre Show . After a 3-year hiatus, the show is back. Brittany Luse sits down with André to talk about the new season, his pranks on Amber Rose and Jaleel White, and why his humor seems to always flip the script of figures of authority and create heroes out of average joes. You can f...

It's finally summer! And what better way to celebrate than to pick up a juicy book on a nice day? Romance authors Bolu Babalola and Emily Henry join host Brittany Luse to give their recommendations for great summer reads. Plus, they play a dating game featuring literary hotties. You can follow us on Twitter @NPRItsBeenAMin and email us at ibam@npr.org . See pcm.adswizz.com for information about ou...

This week, host Brittany Luse chats with author and culture critic Brandon Taylor about his latest novel, The Late Americans . The book is set in Iowa City and follows several characters pursuing love, art and the promise of prosperity. They discuss what's so American about The Late Americans , and how it's a departure from what's currently seen as fashionable in fiction. You can follow us on Twit...

This week, the world went into mourning after losing the Goddess of Rock n' Roll: Tina Turner. Veteran music journalist and Shine Bright author, Danyel Smith, joins Brittany Luse to unpack Tina's powerful performances and her role as an architect of rock. They also dig into the obstacles the star overcame, her smart strategies and the lessons she has for us on resilience, peace and happiness. You...

We're in a motorsports moment: Fast X just dropped, Rosalía is popularizing the motomami aesthetic and now it's time for the Monaco Grand Prix. This is the biggest weekend in Formula 1 racing, a sport that's seen an explosion of popularity in the United States. This episode, Brittany welcomes Vox deputy editor and F1 superfan Izzie Ramirez to talk about how new fans are revving up geopolitical con...

Author and one of NPR's beloved hosts, Elise Hu , joins Brittany Luse to talk about her new book: Flawless: Lessons in Looks and Culture from the K-Beauty Capital. For Elise, what started as a professional move to Seoul turned into a long-term interest in beauty culture and the societal demand to look flawless. Elise and Brittany talk about the high price of South Korea's lookism, how the governme...

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration could approve certain psychedelic drugs for treatment of PTSD within the next few years, but what does this mean for Black people who suffer from Racial Trauma? Host Brittany Luse talks with the host of Truth Be Told , Tonya Mosley , about the latest season of her podcast exploring the healing potential of psychedelics. They talk about the latest studies, the...

It has been one year since a white supremacist drove to a predominantly Black neighborhood with an AR-15 style rifle and murdered 10 people and injured 3 others. NPR's Embedded podcast has followed a cheerleading troop over the past year to understand how the mass shooting changed the community. This week, Brittany brings you the first episode in their multi-part series. You can follow us on Twitt...

Since releasing one of the most critically acclaimed albums in 2022, pop titan Beyoncé has withheld the visuals for almost a year. NPR Senior Culture editor Bilal Qureshi went to the first stop on the Renaissance World Tour and joins producer Corey Antonio Rose to reveal one of the most highly anticipated musical secrets. Then, journalist Tre'vell Anderson takes host Brittany Luse through a ground...

Host Brittany Luse revisits her 2022 conversation with the legendary DJ Honey Dijon . As one of the only Black trans DJs playing the biggest venues in the world, she's not only become an icon of the scene, but an arbiter of the culture. It's no surprise that Beyoncé tapped Honey for her biggest album yet, Renaissance . Brittany and Honey talk house music's Black roots, the evolution of the club sc...

Brittany Luse talks to Padma Lakshmi about the second season of her series Taste The Nation . They get into what is "American food" from apple pies (spoiler: nothing in an apple pie is from here) to daal and pancakes. Then Brittany sits down with the hosts of the new investigative podcast Think Twice . Jay Smooth and Leon Neyfakh dive into the history of Michael Jackson to show how he controlled h...

Yesterday was the first Monday in May, which meant we were inundated with pics of the Met Gala. The theme this year: Karl Lagerfeld, the late controversial fashion designer who led the house of Chanel for years. In this episode, host Brittany Luse sits down with fashion editor and journalist Marjon Carlos . They separate the winning looks from the losing ones, break down the Lagerfeld legacy and p...

A big strike might be coming to Hollywood. That's because the Writer's Guild of America - the union that protects screenwriters - is pushing back against what they see as unfair wages. NPR's Linda Holmes explains why we as viewers should care. Plus, Brittany talks with Dr. Orna Guralnik . Orna is the lead therapist on Showtime's docuseries Couples Therapy, and her and Brittany discuss how to bridg...

New York Congressman George Santos has been embroiled in controversy since the day he stepped into office in November. The New York Times and other publications have reported that much of the Republican lawmaker's alleged resume – from where he went to college to his supposed time at Goldman Sachs – cannot be backed up with evidence. In this episode, rather than dig into what is true or false, hos...

While hip hop has a history of anti-establishment and progressive politics, hip hop media is taking an increasingly conservative turn. Host Brittany Luse is joined by Rolling Stone staff writer Andre Gee to discuss one of the most influential current stars of hip hop media — DJ Akademiks — and what his conservative provocations and visibility say about changes in the rap landscape. Later, Brittany...

From our friends at Louder Than a Riot , a look back at the origins of Miami's wildest rap icon, Trina Rockstar. Her vivacious vibes and ruthless bars helped flip the script on the double standard that women in the industry often faced. This episode looks at the unwritten rules that continue to shape hip-hop – specifically rule number four: "It ain't trickin' if you got it." See pcm.adswizz.com fo...

This week, host Brittany Luse is joined by UC Berkeley Law professor Khiara Bridges to connect the dots between the recent legal battles over the abortion pill mifepristone and our constitutional right to privacy. Then, Linda Holmes of NPR's 'Pop Culture Happy Hour' stops by to chat about the television episode that still has our group chats in a chokehold, and how it eloquently captured the way w...

Tracee Ellis Ross is an icon. From playing the premiere Black bachelorette, Joan Carol Clayton, on Girlfriends to becoming America's mom as Bow Johnson on Black-ish , she's spent the past two decades portraying a paragon of Black womanhood on screen. More recently, Tracee's turned her focus toward uplifting the stories of real people – on her Hulu documentary Hair Tales , and with her new podcast,...

In reality TV, bringing the drama used to mean making it big. But these days, it doesn't seem to pay to be the mean girl. B.A. Parker , co-host of NPR's 'Code Switch,' joins Brittany Luse to explore the end of reality TV's villain era and the state of the influencer economy. Then, we dive into the psyche behind Academy Award-nominee Steven Yeun 's latest character in Netflix's 'Beef.' He and Britt...

The AI revolution has come for our love lives. Millions around the world are now in relationships with chatbots who can text, sext and – for a fee – talk to you on the phone and have 'in-person' interactions via augmented reality. Host Brittany Luse tries the AI companion app Replika for herself – and discusses the experience with The Cut's Sangeeta Singh-Kurtz , who's spent the past year covering...

It's not just you – the constant texts, calls, emails and DMs from scammers are invading so many of our lives. And when the scams are successful, there's often no recourse at all. So how do we protect ourselves from these schemers? Host Brittany Luse talks first to Laci Mosley , host of a podcast called 'Scam Goddess,' about how even a scam queen can become a victim. Then, Brittany chats with Susa...

If you're more than a casual observer on the interwebs, you've probably heard the term, "chronically online" – someone who knows the ins and outs of viral trends, memes and memorable moments. But sometimes you can get too deep in the Matrix. That's why our new segment, Chronically Online , is here to find the balance. To kick it off, host Brittany Luse chats with Buzzfeed News internet reporter St...