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David Plotz, Emily Bazelon and John Dickerson discuss the response to the Uvalde shooting, Biden’s plan for student loan forgiveness, and a bunch of ignored subpoenas.  Here are some notes and references from this week’s show: Jillian Peterson and James Densley, interviewed by Melanie Warner for Politico: “ Two Professors Found What Creates a Mass Shooter. Will Politicians Pay Attention? ” Here’s...

On this episode: Zak and Elizabeth are joined by Scott Hershovitz, author of the book Nasty, Brutish and Short: Adventures in Philosophy with My Kids and the director of the Law and Ethics Program and professor of law and philosophy at the University of Michigan. They discuss why you shouldn’t shy away from big questions, how to foster open mindedness in teens, and perhaps the biggest question of...

After a mass shooting, gun manufacturers follow a set playbook—they offer “thoughts and prayers,” go quiet, and wait for the bump in sales driven by fear of new gun restrictions. The company Daniel Defense’s products were used in Uvalde and in the 2017 mass shooting in Las Vegas. Do they have a responsibility for how they market their rifles—or how their weapons are used? Guest: Todd C. Frankel is...

Since it started over six weeks ago, the court battle between Johnny Depp and Amber Heard has been impossible to escape online. On today’s show, Rachelle and Madison look at the troubling ways people are discussing the trial, the cottage industry of lawyers reacting to the trial, and the stakes that have been lost in the breathless coverage and endless meme-ing of Heard and Depp. This podcast is p...

In 1970, 22-year-old Shirley Wheeler got an illegal abortion in Florida. When she refused to tell the police who performed the procedure, she was arrested and charged with manslaughter. In the months that followed, she’d be prosecuted and publicly condemned. She’d also become the unlikely face of the fight for reproductive rights. Want more Slow Burn? Subscribe to Slate Plus to immediately access...

This week, the panel begins by re-visiting the Top Gun academy with Top Gun: Maverick . Then, the panel is joined by critic and author Jason Bailey to assess the career of George Carlin , presented in the two-part documentary George Carlin’s American Dream . Finally, the panel discusses the defamation trail of Johnny Depp and Amber Heard that is gripping the media.  In Slate Plus, the panel rememb...

This month, in honor of Pride, we’re going to be bringing you an Outward episode every week. You’ll still get the biggie on June 22, with Pride and Provocations, the Gay Agenda, and all the usual fun, but we’re also going to supply some shorter snacks of gay goodness every Wednesday. We’ve got some great things lined up--interviews, coverage of the big queer summer movie, and of course reflections...

If you want to understand the way inequality is baked into the systems and structures all around us, examining the pay equity issue in U.S. soccer is a pretty good place to start. But after a six-year battle, the U.S. Women’s National Team struck an agreement with U.S. Soccer, ensuring equal pay for equal work for the men’s and women’s teams — another victory for a team that doesn’t take no for an...

Josh Levin and Joel Anderson are joined by Jack Hamilton to discuss the Warriors-Celtics NBA Finals matchup. Bradford William Davis then joins to talk about Josh Donaldson’s suspension for calling Tim Anderson “Jackie” and Tommy Pham slapping Joc Pederson for allegedly cheating in fantasy football.   NBA (2:53):  What the rise of the Warriors and the Celtics says about pro basketball team-building...

Following the shooting in Uvalde, we talked to a Texas reporter who has covered mass shootings for five years. The Lone Star state remains a GOP strong-hold, which means Texas Republicans tailor their messaging and legislation to avoid being primaried from the right. This impacts how gun laws are written and how mental health is instead elevated, leaving both underserved. Guest: Lauren McGaughy, i...

What can current surveillance infrastructure tell us about online privacy after the fall of Roe?  Guest: Lily Hay Newman Host: Lizzie O'Leary Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

John Dickerson talks with author Elif Batuman about coming of age as a college student in the 1990’s, and the similarities between herself and her main character in Either/Or, the sequel to The Idiot.  Tweet us your questions  @SlateGabfest  or email us at  gabfest@slate.com . (Messages could be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.) Podcast production by Cheyna Roth Hosted on Aca...

Earlier this month, Bobbi Brown’s new foundation line blew up on TikTok thanks to some rather ungenerous videos from beauty influencers. In an effort to defend her new Jones Road line, Brown took to TikTok and filmed her own response, rocketing the drama into the TikTok mainstream. On today’s show, Madison and Rachelle dig through the drama to explain why this isn’t just a story about one makeup c...

This week, Felix Salmon , Emily Peck , and Elizabeth Spiers talk to David Gelles of the New York Times about his new book The Man Who Broke Capitalism: How Jack Welch Gutted the Heartland and Crushed the Soul of Corporate America—and How to Undo His Legacy . They discuss the infamous former CEO of GE and his lasting negative effect on the American corporate landscape.  In the Plus segment: More wi...

In light of the Uvalde school shooting, we’re rebroadcasting a special audio presentation from Amicus that originally aired in 2018. Dahlia Lithwick spoke to three educators who survived gun violence at their schools. Heather Martin was a student at Columbine during the 1999 mass shooting; Mary Ann Jacob was library clerk at Sandy Hook at the time of the 2012 shooting; and Ken Yuers was a teacher...

What was in the water in Virginia Beach? Starting in the ’90s and peaking in the ’00s, Pharrell Williams, Timothy “Timbaland” Mosley and Missy Elliott—friends and family from the Tidewater Region—made nerdy pop normal on the charts. Their productions whirred, gurgled, pinged and rumbled—the handiwork of studio geeks—while their lyrics embraced the freaky: Missy demanding that you work it…Pharrell...

Is El Salvador heading for default after going all in on crypto? Guest: Anna-Cat Brigida Host: Lizzie O'Leary Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Is El Salvador heading for default after going all in on crypto? Guest: Anna-Cat Brigida Host: Lizzie O'Leary Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Here are some notes and references from this week’s show: Kate McGee and Jolie McCullough for The Texas Tribune: “ Confronted with mass shootings, Texas Republicans have repeatedly loosened gun laws ” Bruce Leshan for WUSA9: “ Other countries have been hit by school shootings – and done something ”  Carl Hulse for The New York Times: “ How Congress Passed an Assault Weapons Ban in 1994 ”  Rebecca...

On this episode: Zak and Elizabeth are joined by Scott Hershovitz, author of the book Nasty, Brutish and Short: Adventures in Philosophy with My Kids and the director of the Law and Ethics Program and professor of law and philosophy at the University of Michigan.  They answer a question from a father who doesn’t know how to answer his curious daughter’s constant questions about everything from the...

The school shooting in Uvalde, Texas was the deadliest since the massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut nearly a decade ago. Today, we’re re-airing an interview with a parent who lost her child at Sandy Hook and went on to channel her grief into activism. In February, she and a group of other Sandy Hook families announced a $73 million settlement with Remington Arms , for...

Teachers across the country share their feelings about their profession, burnout, and how they're holding up at the end of another difficult pandemic school year. Hear more from Lillian in our episode "Skin Hunger: Part 1," here. Did you know we have a weekly email newsletter for the Death, Sex & Money community? Every Wednesday we send out podcast listening recommendations, fascinating letter...

On today’s episode, it’s mailbag time!  Rachelle and Madison answer listener questions on a very important Haley Kiyoko relationship status update, if the Apple Health app is also selling your biological data, and – shudder – whether there is a new Couch Guy. Plus, Madison herself has a very important question about resizing your jeans.     Mentioned in the Show: “ I’m the TikTok Couch Guy. Here’s...

This week, the panel begins by discussing A24’s newest horror/thriller film from Alex Garland Men . Then, the panel jumps back in time with the reboot of Canadian comedy troupe Kids in the Hall . Finally, the panel is joined by contributing writer for the New York Times, Jody Rosen, to discuss his newest book Two Wheels Good: The History and Mystery of the Bicycle .   In Slate Plus, the panel spoi...

More than a million people have died of COVID in America, and infection rates across the country are climbing again. But public officials seem reluctant to enact mask mandates or lockdowns this time around.  Doctors and scientists who work in public health are hoping that “harm reduction” techniques, which were developed to treat addiction and chronic illnesses, can tamp down this latest wave. Gue...