Slate Culture Feed

Slate Plus members get ad-free podcasts and bonus episodes of shows like Dear Prudence and Slow Burn.  Sign up now  to listen and support our work. How did the humble rubber duck become an icon of bath time? On this episode of Decoder Ring we talk to rubber duck experts, enthusiasts, and manufacturers to find out how the rubber duck evolved, why it's so appealing, and why there are thousands of th...

The  High Maintenance  star reflects on his childhood, what he's learned from his divorce, and why he's starting to smoke less weed. Looking for some TV recs? Here are five of my favorite High Maintenance episodes. I only picked from the last four seasons of HBO for ease in finding. The whole web series is amazing, which you can find here . "Dongle" (Season 3, Episode 7): A Puerto Rican man who ju...

This week on the Culture Gabfest, Stephen Metcalf, Julia Turner, and guest host and Slate staff writer Dan Kois talk about the film Spenser Confidential, starring Mark Wahlberg on Netflix. Next, they discuss Reply All ’s recent episode “ The Case of the Missing Hit .” Finally, the panel is joined by Dana Stevens to lay out how they approach culture during this time of quarantine. How much do we le...

Joel Anderson and Stefan Fatsis talk about the latest on the coronavirus and sports. They are joined by former NFL player Domonique Foxworth and former NFL executive Andrew Brandt to break down the league’s new labor deal. Hall of Fame soccer player Julie Foudy assesses the women’s national team’s equal-pay fight. Finally, they interview Tegan Hanlon of Alaska Public Media about the Iditarod sled-...

Anna and Kai Wright, host of WNYC's The United States of Anxiety podcast, take your calls about how the coronavirus is impacting your life, your relationships, and your plans—and how you're coping with it all.  You can find coronavirus tips and resources that we've compiled at  deathsexmoney.org/coronavirus , and you can listen to The United States of Anxiety wherever you get your podcasts, or at ...

In this mini-episode of Hit Parade, host Chris Molanphy is joined by Wesley Morris, Pulitzer Prize–winning critic, New York Times critic-at-large, and co-host of Still Processing . They discuss the most recent full-length episode of Hit Parade about the chart legacy of Whitney Houston, which was inspired in part by Wesley and his co-host Jenna Wortham’s analysis in Still Processing of Houston’s li...

Joel Anderson, Stefan Fatsis, and Josh Levin get together for an emergency podcast on the cascading shutdowns in the world of sports due to the coronavirus pandemic. They discuss which leagues have handled the crisis admirably and which haven’t and they talk about what to expect in the weeks and months to come. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We asked you why you're not having sex—right now, or ever. These are your stories.  How is the coronavirus impacting your life? How is it changing the way you think about your relationship to other people? Anna is taking your live calls this Friday, March 13, from 3-4pm Eastern (12-1pm Pacific) along with United States of Anxiety host Kai Wright. Call them up during that time at 844-745-8255.  Sup...

This week on the Culture Gabfest, Stephen Metcalf, Julia Turner, and guest host and Slate staff writer Dan Kois talk about Kelly Reichardt’s film First Cow. Next, they bring on Slate television critic Willa Paskin to discuss the latest episode of her podcast Decoder Ring, which dives into the real-life bookstore battle behind You’ve Got Mail . Finally, the panel dives into Molly Fischer’s feature...

Joel Anderson, Stefan Fatsis, and Josh Levin are joined by the Wall Street Journal’s Ben Cohen to talk about the latest on the coronavirus and sports. They also interview Cohen about his book  The Hot Hand: The Mystery and Science of Streaks . Finally, they assess a chaotic week in New York professional basketball.   Coronavirus (1:52):  When will our sense of American exceptionalism end and reali...

A listener talks about why he thought hiring sex workers could save his marriage⁠—while also knowing it could destroy it.  We're looking for your stories about climate change, and about what happens when you take a minute to slow down and force yourself to focus on it. What do you think about? How do you feel? And then, what happens next? Send a voice memo to deathsexmoney@wnyc.org .  Sign up for...

This week on the Culture Gabfest, Stephen Metcalf, Julia Turner, and guest host and Slate staff writer Dan Kois talk about the hit Netflix dating reality show Love Is Blind with Slate podcast producer Daniel Schroeder . Next, they discuss tomboys, jumping off of a recent New York Times op-ed . Finally, the panel takes on the coronavirus, analyzing the epidemic through various pieces of culture.  O...

Joel Anderson, Stefan Fatsis, and Josh Levin talk about the rise of Zion Williamson. They also discuss the legends and myths of the NFL’s scouting combine and assess how the spread of the coronavirus will affect sports around the world.   Zion (3:59):  Understanding   the might and charisma of the teenage NBA superstar.   NFL combine (19:49):  Is pro football’s annual scouting carnival actually us...

Slate Plus members get ad-free podcasts and bonus episodes of shows like Dear Prudence and Slow Burn.  Sign up now  to listen and support our work. The 1998 romantic comedy You've Got Mail starring Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan is about the brutal fight between an independent bookstore, The Shop Around the Corner, and Fox Books, an obvious Barnes & Noble stand-in. On this episode of Decoder Ring we e...

Eight years after her passing—and 35 years after the release of her debut album—Whitney Houston is about to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Predictably, some rock fans have carped that Houston doesn’t belong in the Hall. But they are not the only ones who, historically, have complained about Houston’s bona fides. In the ’80s, at the apex of her success, black fans complained that...

The comedian talks with me about what mental illness has taught her about managing money and allowing herself to be loved.  Maria's new comedy special is called  Weakness Is The Brand . Listen to This American Life   episode 261   to hear more about the Gottmans, the husband and wife psychologists Maria has turned to for marriage advice.   If you or someone you love is at risk of suicide, please g...

This week on the Culture Gabfest, Stephen Metcalf, Julia Turner, and guest host and Slate staff writer Dan Kois talk about Céline Sciamma’s Portrait of a Lady on Fire. Next, they discuss Taylor Swift’s documentary Miss Americana. Finally, the panel dives into “garbage language” a.k.a corporate buzzwords— unnecessary or effective ?  On the Slate Plus segment this week, the panel discusses a content...

Joel Anderson, Stefan Fatsis, and Josh Levin talk about the push for a 17-game NFL season and John Beilein’s short, tumultuous tenure with the Cleveland Cavaliers. Joseph Bien-Kahn also joins to discuss ultrarunner Jim Walmsley’s quest to qualify for the Olympic marathon. NFL (01:42):  The pros and cons of a longer professional football season. Beilein (17:31):  He was a great college basketball c...

After years of working as a physician, Ken Jeong quit to pursue acting. Then his wife was diagnosed with breast cancer, and he found himself needing to think like a doctor again. This episode was originally broadcast in 2015. Sign up for our newsletter by going to  deathsexmoney.org/newsletter , and every Wednesday we'll send you behind-the-scenes updates, podcast listening recommendations, and so...

This week on the Culture Gabfest, Stephen Metcalf is joined by two guests hosts: Sam Anderson, New York Times Magazine staff writer and author of Boom Time , and Dan Kois, Slate staff writer and author of How to Be a Family . First, the panel discusses The Assistant, the indie film with heavy Harvey Weinstein overtones. Next, they dive into Hulu’s reboot of High Fidelity, starring Zoë Kravitz. Fin...

Joel Anderson, Josh Levin, and special guest Lindsay Gibbs talk about the fallout from the Houston Astros’ sign-stealing scandal. They also discuss WNBA free agency and the rise of Oregon’s Sabrina Ionescu. Finally, they review the Netflix docuseries  Cheer . Astros (03:13):  What should we make of baseball players’ anger toward their Houston brethren? Women’s basketball (19:53):  What’s the deal...

In this mini-episode of Hit Parade, host Chris Molanphy is joined by Nathan Rabin, podcaster and writer of two books about “Weird Al” Yankovic. They discuss the most recent full-length episode of Hit Parade , a history of novelty songs on the Billboard charts culminating with the oeuvre of the most successful parody musician ever. Nathan shares the history of his Al fandom and eventual book-length...

I talk with the dancer and choreographer about the low-budget beginning of her prolific career, and about dealing with new physical limitations while creating new works in her late 70s. Send a Death, Sex & Money Valentine! Find episodes to send to your loved ones, as well as a special Valentine's e-card, at  deathsexmoney.org/valentine . Sign up for our newsletter by going to  deathsexmoney.or...

This week on the Culture Gabfest, Stephen Metcalf, Dana Stevens, and Julia Turner break down the Oscars and Bong Joon-ho’s historic win. Next, the discuss Star Trek: Picard with Slate associate editor and Trekkie Marissa Martinelli. Finally, they dive into a recent New York Times Magazine article on the way television imagines New York City.  On the Slate Plus segment this week, the fashion of the...

Joel Anderson, Stefan Fatsis, and Josh Levin talk about the opening weekend of the new XFL. They also discuss the Houston Rockets’ small-ball experiment and review ESPN’s new Michael Vick documentary. XFL (01:57):  Is the latest iteration of Vince McMahon’s NFL competitor built to last? Rockets (22:48):  Is playing super-duper small a smart idea, a desperate ploy, or a smart idea that’s also a des...