Slate Culture Feed

This week, Steve and Dana are joined by New York Times columnist and Slate graduate Jamelle Bouie. First, the panel discusses the Richard Williams—father of tennis phenoms Venus and Serena Williams—biopic, starring Will Smith, King Richard . Next, the panel is joined by Slate music critic Carl Wilson as they break down Adele’s latest emotional rollercoaster, 30 . Finally, the panel dives into a ne...

When you think about the game, you lose the game. When you lose the game you must declare that you have lost the game, causing all others in your vicinity to also lose the game. That’s it, that’s the game.  The game is mind game that trades on a quirk of human psychology, and is so intensely viral that it went from a college science fiction club in-joke to an endemic mind virus in only a few decad...

Stefan Fatsis and Josh Levin are joined by the New Yorker’s Vinson Cunningham to talk about Peng Shuai and the future of sports in China. Next, they discuss the resurgent Golden State Warriors. Finally, they review the movie  King Richard . Peng Shuai (2:03):  Will the Peng case lead the WTA to pull out of China?   Warriors (24:35):  How Steph Curry’s squad got its mojo back. King Richard  (42:42)...

Thirty-five years ago, in the fall of 1986, women with rock foundations and pop sensibilities were doing quite well on the charts. Three acts in particular were drawing sizable attention—and they were all singing on the same album: Cyndi Lauper’s True Colors, which featured backing vocals by the Bangles and ’Til Tuesday’s Aimee Mann. It turns out these women had more than that brief coincidence in...

The realm of fan fiction is a wild, magical place to be, especially if that fan fiction is set at Hogwarts. On today’s episode,  Rachelle  and  Madison  talk about  All the Young Dudes , an extensive Harry Potter fan fiction that has inspired a fandom all its own, and just how that fandom came to be. But first, they chat about National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) and spend time listening to th...

You might have seen a bot on Twitter tweeting out facetuned versions of anybody you could think of, like Robert Pattinson or Mrs. Doubtfire , and wondered where they’re all coming from. On today’s episode, Rachelle and Madison explain this weird trend, known as yassification, and why it might already be over. Plus, the the return of High Speed Downloads on Shailene Woodley defending her boyfriend...

This week, Steve and Dana are joined by writer extraordinaire Karen Han. First, the panel discusses Rebecca Hall’s adaptation of Nella Larsen’s novel , Passing . Next, the panel dives into The Shrink Next Door. Finally, the panel talks about People’s 2021 Sexiest Man Alive, Paul Rudd. In Slate Plus, the panel answers a classic time travel question. Email us at culturefest@slate.com . Endorsements...

Rats live wherever people live, with one exception: the Canadian province of Alberta. A rat sighting in Alberta is a major local event that mobilizes the local government to identify and eliminate any hint of infestation. Rat sightings makes the local news. Alberta prides itself on being the sole rat-free territory in the world, but in order to achieve this feat, it had to go to war with the rat....

Stefan Fatsis and Josh Levin are joined by Grant Wahl to talk about the U.S. men’s national team’s dominant win over Mexico. Stefan, Josh, and Joel Anderson then discuss how ESPN’s Adam Schefter covered a domestic abuse allegation against Vikings running back Dalvin Cook. Finally, they look into the war of words between the NBA’s Morris twins and Jokic brothers.   USA-Mexico (3:36):  Is the USMNT’...

Taylor Swift just released her version of the 2012 album Red, but if you’d asked her fandom what was coming the answers would’ve included all sorts of red-string conspiracy theories. On today’s episode, resident Swiftie Madison takes Rachelle down Taylor’s rabbit hole, explaining her origins as a MySpace teen, the easter eggs she has and hasn’t hidden, and how her savvy engagement with fans demons...

In the U.S., nearly 200,000 people die every year from accidental injuries. But what happens when you cause one of those accidents—and you survive? We're looking for our next intern! Is it you? To find out more about eligibility and to apply, go to wnyc.org/careers. If you're not already subscribed to our newsletter, sign up! Every Wednesday, we send out podcast listening recommendations, your sto...

Companies don’t want you to know this, but there are lots of helpful tips hidden in plain sight, you just have to be willing to read the fine print. On the show today, Madison and Rachelle talk about all the terms of service secrets TikToker Erika Kullberg has been sharing with her followers, whether these tricks actually work, and exactly who might have to deal with our return and exchange demand...

This week, Steve and Dana are joined by New York Times columnist and Slate graduate Jamelle Bouie. First, the panel discusses Marvel’s most recent big picture, Eternals —which Dana reviewed for Slate . Next, the panel gives an update on their feelings about HBO’s hit TV show Succession , which is currently in its third season . Finally, the panel explores the controversy involving Critical Race Th...

In the summer of 1986, both Time Magazine and Newsweek ran blockbuster cover stories on the same subject: a secret cache of provocative, intimate paintings by Andrew Wyeth, one of America's most famous artists. These paintings were completed over fifteen years and all featured the same, often-nude model named Helga, and had been hidden from his wife and the public for 15 years. The implication was...

Joel Anderson, Stefan Fatsis, and Josh Levin discuss Aaron Rodgers’ claims about vaccination and how the Packers and the NFL should deal with him. They also talk about ESPN’s investigation into Phoenix Suns owner Robert Sarver. Finally, the Washington Post’s Candace Buckner joins for a conversation about the fashion choices of NBA coaches.   Rodgers (2:52):  What his interview about COVID and vacc...

Earlier this month, Mark Zuckerberg announced that Facebook was rebranding to become Meta, shifting the company’s focus away from the single social media platform to some sort of amorphous, “embodied internet” concept. Khabane Lame , TikTok’s second biggest star right now, got tapped to do some spon-con for the rebrand, appearing in a video alongside Zuckerberg on Instagram. On today’s episode, Ra...

A listener we're calling Jack wants to tell his dad that a passion for firearms is no longer something they share.  We're looking for our next intern! Is it you? To find out more about eligibility and to apply, go to wnyc.org/careers. If you're not already subscribed to our newsletter, sign up! Every Wednesday, we send out podcast listening recommendations, your stories from our inbox, and behind-...

This week, Steve and Dana are joined by Slate’s music critic Carl Wilson. First, the panel reviews Edgar Wright’s newest psychological horror film Last Night in Soho— which Dana reviewed for Slate . Next, the panel discusses the newest album in over 40 years from the legendary Swedish music group ABBA, titled Voyage. Finally, the panel is joined by host of Slate’s Hit Parade podcast (and Rock and...

As the Real Housewives of Potomac wraps its latest season, it’s clear how essential the cast’s social media presences are when trying to understand the dynamics at play on the show. On today’s episode, Rachelle and Madison talk to culture writer and critic Shamira Ibrahim about how the series has grown increasingly dependent on online drama, and how social media can be a useful tool for following...

Joel, Anderson, Stefan Fatsis, and Josh Levin discuss the ouster of Joel’s old football coach, TCU’s Gary Patterson. They also talk about how the NBA’s new rules are changing pro basketball. Finally, the New York Times’ Kevin Draper joins for a conversation about the Chicago Blackhawks’ cover-up of an alleged sexual assault. TCU (3:06):  Why was it time for Gary Patterson to go? Who does Joel want...

For this special Halloween episode, you’re in for a handful of treats. Rachelle and Madison reveal their Halloween costumes and talk about what scares and bugs them on the internet this spooky season. They’ll discuss listener-submitted Vines, tweets, and Tumblr posts that are iconic Halloween internet staples, including the viral song “Spooky Scary Skeletons." We’ll dive deep into the origins of t...

In Part 2 of this episode of Hit Parade, Chris Molanphy traces the lineage of ’90s bands like Green Day, Offspring and Blink‑182 to their descendants in ’00s emo artisans Fall Out Boy, Panic! at the Disco and their skinny-jeans-wearing, smarty-pants contemporaries.   Podcast production by Asha Saluja with help from Rosemary Belson. We have a special announcement! This year is the 25th anniversary...

Five current and former food service workers reflect on their career changes and the future of their industry since the start of the pandemic. For more from Cara, Lesely, and on navigating child care in the pandemic, listen to last year's episode here . If you're not already subscribed to our newsletter, sign up! Every Wednesday, we send out podcast listening recommendations, your stories from our...

We’re debuting our new segment, “Wormhole,” with this fascinating look into the phenomenon of the viral mukbang YouTuber and drama magnet, Nikocado Avocado . On today’s episode, Rachelle and Madison invite their internet obsessive colleague and senior producer of Slate’s Decoder Ring, Benjamin Frisch , to discuss who this infamous extreme eating content creator is, and why the internet is convince...

This week, Steve and Dana are joined by Slate senior editor Allegra Frank. First, senior producer of Slate’s Decoder Ring podcast, Benjamin Frisch, chimes in to review the sci-fi megafilm Dune . Next, the panel discusses Netflix’s Maid . Finally, the panel dives into the IATSE strike, and the tragic death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the set of Rust , involving the actor Alec Baldwin. In...