Slate Culture Feed

In West Virginia, Republicans hold one of the largest supermajorities in the country, and it’s growing. Just 11 Democrats — down from 14 last year — are in the 134-member Legislature. It's a political reality that isn't necessarily conducive to advancing LGBTQ rights. But that's Andrew Schneider's job. As head of Fairness West Virginia , Andrew has spent a decade as the only full-time lobbyist at...

Hosts Alex Kirshner , Lindsay Gibbs , and Ben Lindbergh talk about the NFL Draft and the media’s response leading up to its most shocking picks. Ben provides his April baseball rundown, and later, the panel is joined by The Entertainment Strategy Guy for an interview about major media buyers’ feelings about F1. On the bonus episode available exclusively for Slate Plus members, the panel discusses...

J.D. Vance killed the Pope. Demi Lovato keeps their twin Poot locked in the basement. Lea Michele still can’t read. These things, unfortunately, aren’t true, and are instead just some of the inside jokes the internet has decided to collectively agree on over the years. In this episode, Candice Lim and Kate Lindsay break these internet lies down, and ask: Why do we make these jokes, and what happen...

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 B...

On this week’s show, Julia, Stephen, and Dana are together and talk about Sinners with Slate Culture Writer Nadira Goffe.  Then, they talk about a new animated series from Ramy Youssef called #1 Happy Family USA . Finally, they take a listener's suggestion and listen to a few episodes of the new podcast, Good Hang with Amy Poehler .  In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Nadira rejoins the panel to...

Chicken Soup for the Soul was the brainchild of two motivational speakers who preach the New Thought belief system known as the Law of Attraction. For more than 30 years, the self-help series has compiled reader-submitted stories about kindness, courage, and perseverance into easily digestible books aimed at almost every conceivable demographic: Chicken Soup for the Teenage Soul , Chicken Soup for...

Candice Lim and Kate Lindsay run through the lows of Coachella, before breaking down a lawsuit against one of the festival’s most visible e-commerce brands, Revolve. Earlier this month, Revolve was hit with a $50 million class-action lawsuit accusing them of deceiving more than 1 million customers using social media marketing tactics. The lead plaintiff named three influencers as co-defendants, sa...

To fly a plane, pilots must prove to the Federal Aviation Administration that they’re physically and mentally fit. But when it comes to mental health, the rules are complicated and, some say, outdated. Pilots who need antidepressants are limited to a short list of approved medications and must take a mandatory six-month leave. Even common diagnoses like anxiety or depression can trigger reviews th...

Hosts Alex Kirshner , Lindsay Gibbs , and Ben Lindbergh preview the NHL playoffs. Can the Maple Leafs or Jets finally break a Canadian Cup curse? The panel also give their NFL draft predictions, and discuss Paige Bueckers  joining the Dallas Wings and Unrivaled. For Afterballs, Ben does a deep dive into how last-minute timeouts have (and have not) led to MLB pitcher injuries, and what became of th...

Candice Lim and Kate Lindsay check back in now that states have begun passing laws that supposedly crack down on family vlogging and child influencers. While a new Utah law requires family vloggers to put money away for their kids, it misunderstands almost everything about how being a creator works. Without politicians who understand social media leading these bills, they could end up posing a thr...

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 exclusiv...

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 necessa...

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...

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 fir...

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, t...

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 B...

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...

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 t...

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 onl...

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 me...

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...

Candice Lim picked the wrong time to become a fan of  Emergency Intercom , the podcast hosted by former Viners Enya Umanzor and Drew Phillips. However, it makes her the perfect person to explain the recent backlash to her co-host Kate Lindsay. Emergency Intercom has longtime listeners threatening to quit after an out-of-touch joke about Greta Thunberg revealed a larger frustration with the hosts b...

Candice Lim and Slate culture writer Nadira Goffe play High Speed Downloads and recap the most pressing stories on their timelines. In one minute or less, they’ll explain the internet’s rising support of Snow White star Rachel Zegler . They also discuss some massive developments in a story involving one of South Korea’s hottest actors and the untimely death of a Korean actress. But first, they rec...

On this week’s show, the hosts discuss Apple TV’s latest ode (tragic comedy?) to the movie industry with The Studio . Then, they step up to the plate and take a swing at the baseball film Eephus . Finally, they invite Slate’s Rebecca Onion to discuss the new edition to Panem’s dystopia: Suzanne Collin’s Sunrise on the Reaping . Endorsements: Dana: A French Village Podcast Steve: “Personal Responsi...

Alongside life's darkest moments there often are moments of absurdity that make us laugh.  In this episode, from a live San Francisco comedy festival in January, Anna and guests talk about the special kind of comedy born of something sad. Comedians Guy Branum and Carl Tart share stories of writing a sitcom about Zoom-era social relationships. Chanel Miller, author of Know My Name , talks about cop...