Culture Gabfest

This week’s Spoiler Specials takes on Jurassic World: Dominion. Sam Adams, a senior editor at Slate, is joined by Slate’s features editor, Jeffrey Bloomer, to spoil the latest evolutionary stage of the Jurassic World series. True to the spirit of bringing something back from the past, the stars of Jurassic Park—Laura Dern, Jeff Goldblum, and Sam Neill—join the dinos and their JW counterparts Chris Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard. The cast is big, the predators are bigger, but the villains and plot lines raised more eyebrows than heart rates among our critics.  Note: As the title indicates, this podcast contains spoilers galore. Email us at spoilers@slate.com. Podcast production by Jasmine Ellis and Kristie Taiwo-Makanjuola. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this week’s episode of The Waves, Slate science editor and writer Shannon Palus is joined by freelance science journalist Eleanor Cummins to talk about plastics. Surgery that is. And all the physical and mental concerns that come with altering your body. They start out by talking about Eleanor’s recent piece on the health concerns of breast implants. Then they talk about VIP Syndrome, and how it’s coming for all of us.  In Slate Plus, is breast reduction surgery feminist? Recommendations: Shannon: Perfect Bars Eleanor: Cotopaxi gear.   Podcast production by Cheyna Roth with editorial oversight by Shannon Palus and Alicia Montgomery. Send your comments and recommendations on what to cover to thewaves@slate.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Over the past few months, musicians have been posting on TikTok about how their record labels are forcing them to make TikTok videos to promote their new music. On the show today, Rachelle and Madison look at what all these famous musicians like Charli XCX, Florence Welch, and Ed Sheeran are posting, why the music industry is so desperate for viral hits, and who we should feel sorry for in all of this. This podcast is produced by Daniel Schroeder, Rachelle Hampton, and Madison Malone Kircher. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, the panel begins by diving into the animated world of Chip ‘n Dale: Rescue Rangers. Then, they reflect on Norm Macdonald’s career and influence with his posthumous special Nothing Special. Finally, the panel enters Harry’s House as they are joined by Slate’s music critic Carl Wilson to discuss Harry Styles’ most recent album.   In Slate Plus, the panel discusses their ideal cultural mix. Email us at culturefest@slate.com. Endorsements Dana: In celebration of the late-great Prince’s birthday: his 1987 concert film Sign o’ the Times, which is finally available on streaming. Julia: Two things: one, the famous Hollywood Bowl venue; two: in honor of the 100th anniversary of the Bowl, the LA Times has put together a guide to the history of the Hollywood Bowl. Steve: An extraordinary memoir published posthumously in 1939 and written by Sebastian Haffner, a German man who witnessed the 1930s and the rise of Hitler, titled Defying Hitler: A Memoir. Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance

Joel Anderson, Stefan Fatsis, and Josh Levin assess the back-and-forth NBA Finals between the Warriors and Celtics. The New York Times’ Andrew Das also joins to talk about Ukraine’s loss to Wales in a World Cup playoff match. Finally, they discuss the Oklahoma softball juggernaut.   NBA Finals (3:09): How the Celtics took Game 1, and how the Warriors struck back.   Ukraine-Wales (25:00): An epic sporting event with global consequences.   Oklahoma softball (47:30): A deep dive on a remarkable dynasty.   Afterball (1:08:57): Josh on Coco Gauff, Iga Swiatek, Rafael Nadal, and tennis inevitability. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, Working producer Cameron Drews talks to Alex Sujong Laughlin, producer of the hit podcast Normal Gossip. In the interview, Alex explains what a producer does and talks about how important it is for producers to have creative input. Then she digs into the process behind Normal Gossip and shares how she and host Kelsey McKinney anonymize the gossip stories and make decisions about which details to tweak and which ones to keep.  After the interview, Cameron and co-host June Thomas talk more about what it’s like to be a podcast producer.  In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Alex shares her favorite and least favorite production tasks. She also tells a story about a listener email that she and Kelsey received.  Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to working@slate.com or give us a call at (304) 933-9675. If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get benefits like zero ads on any Slate podcast, bonus episodes of shows like Slow Burn and

The Mormon moms on TikTok are accused of “soft swinging,” or engaging in sexual acts with people other than their spouses while their spouses are in the room, and people cannot stop asking about it. On the show today, Madison and Rachelle talk about Liam Payne’s recent comments about his former One Direction bandmates, and then they’re back with High Speed Downloads about the Early American Youtube channel, and the drama surrounding the Mormon moms of TikTok. This podcast is produced by Daniel Schroeder, Rachelle Hampton and Madison Malone Kircher. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Like so much of pop culture, online culture is largely rooted in the work of Black and other marginalized people. Writer and activist Bridget Todd celebrates their stories on her podcast There Are No Girls on the Internet. On today’s episode of A Word, she joins Jason Johnson to talk about the challenge of preserving that history, and building communities for women, LGBTQ people, and Black folks in an increasingly hostile online world.  Guest: Bridget Todd, host of the “There Are No Girls on the Internet” podcast. Podcast production by Jasmine Ellis You can skip all the ads in A Word by joining Slate Plus. Sign up now at slate.com/awordplus for just $1 for your first month. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this week’s episode of The Waves, Slate senior producer Cheyna Roth is joined by Slate senior writer Mark Joseph Stern to talk about Michigan’s ballot initiative to save abortion rights in the state. They dig into the positives and negatives of going to the ballot, what we can learn from Ireland, and why, at the end of the day, you really need the courts. Mark also explains the one big thing that citizens can and should be doing to help secure abortion access.  In Slate Plus, is Ginny Thomas maintaining a career that directly conflicts with her Supreme Court Justice husband’s work feminist?  Mentioned in the Show: “The Ironic, Unintended Consequence of SCOTUS’s Plan to Overturn Roe” by Mark Joseph Stern Recommendations: Mark: The album Two Ribbons by Let’s Eat Grandma Cheyna: Everything by the band HAIM.    Podcast production by Cheyna Roth with editorial oversight by Shannon Palus and Alicia Montgomery .  Send your comments and recommendations on what to cover to thewaves@slate.com Learn more about you

On this edition of Working Overtime, hosts Isaac Butler and June Thomas hear from a listener who’s having trouble prioritizing his non-urgent tasks. With the help of some productivity metaphors and strategies, Isaac and June suggest ways to structure unstructured time and to break long-term projects down into bite-sized pieces.  Do you have a question about creative work? Call us and leave a message at 304-933-9675, or email us at working@slate.com. Podcast production by Kevin Bendis and Cameron Drews. If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get benefits like zero ads on any Slate podcast, bonus episodes of shows like Slow Burn and Big Mood, Little Mood—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on Working. Sign up now at slate.com/workingplus. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 produced by Daniel Schroeder, Rachelle Hampton, and Madison Malone Kircher. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 remembers the career of Ray Liotta. Email us at culturefest@slate.com. Endorsements Dana: The film Paris, 13th District, which is a light, French relationship movie where everyone has perfect sweaters, deep wine glasses, and engaging romantic arguments. Julia: A birdwatching app, Merlin. Which can now identify birds by shazaming its song to identify the bird species. Steve: Guardian book review from Anil Gomes, titled “Private Notebooks 1914–1916 by Ludwig Wittgenstein review—sex and logic,” about the first translation of famous philosopher’s notebooks in English. Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by

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.   Donaldson vs. Anderson (22:48): The deeper meaning behind a public war of words.   Pham vs. Pederson (44:43): How a fantasy football dispute spilled over to the baseball diamond.   Afterball (1:05:13): Josh on the “rebuilding year” as a (possibly) dying concept. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, host June Thomas talks to Jessamyn West, a librarian in rural Vermont who’s working to improve computer literacy and access to library services in her community. In the interview, Jessamyn explains her process for helping people to learn basic computer skills, like building a resume, setting up an online dating profile, or learning how to use a mouse. She also talks about her broader mission to make sure technology is intuitive and accessible to everyone who needs it.  After the interview, June and co-host Isaac Butler discuss mantras and understanding your strengths and weaknesses.  In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Jessamyn talks about her experience editing Wikipedia pages.  Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to working@slate.com or give us a call at (304) 933-9675. Podcast production by Cameron Drews. If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get benefits like zero ads on any Slate podcast, bonus episodes of shows like Slow

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 company, and what it reveals about the state of the influencer industry. Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 declaring he’s a hustler, baby…Timbaland bringing sexy back. Join host Chris Molanphy as he explains how these three supa-dupa fly Virginia Beach geniuses helped us get our freak on. For over two decades, they never left you without a dope beat to step to. Podcast production by Kevin Bendis. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week’s Spoiler Specials takes on Top Gun: Maverick. Film critic Dana Stevens is joined by Slate editor and writer Dan Kois to spoil the long awaited sequel, starring Tom Cruise and directed by Joseph Kosinski. Maverick is pressed into service, training a group of young pilots to carry out a dangerous strike in a rogue nation. But it soon becomes clear that only Maverick has the right stuff to lead the mission. Does Maverick fly high, or get grounded? Is Top Gun: Maverick better than the 1986 original?  Read Dana’s thoughts on the movie here. Note: As the title indicates, this podcast contains spoilers galore. Email us at spoilers@slate.com. Podcast production by Jasmine Ellis. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this week’s episode of The Waves, Slate senior editor for Jurisprudence Nicole Lewis is joined by Slate Money co-host, and correspondent for Axios, Emily Peck to talk about the economic implications of overturning Roe v. Wade. A leaked Supreme Court draft opinion shows the court has the votes to abolish the constitutional right to abortion, which Roe established in 1973. Our hosts dig into all the ways ending abortion will undermine women’s economic gains and participation in the workforce, including gains that conservatives champion - like low rates of teenage motherhood, stable homes and being able to work and provide for yourself. And finally, they look at how eliminating the right to an abortion would disproportionately impact poor women and women of color.  Mentioned in the Episode: “Overturning Roe Could Reverse Economic Gains” by Emily Peck “The Horrifying Implications of Alito’s Most Alarming Footnote” by Dahlia Lithwick  National Network of Abortion Funds In Slate Plus: Are Brazillian Butt Lifts

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 What It Was Like Being Investigated on the Internet” by Robert McCoy   Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder, Derek John, and Cheyna Roth Support ICYMI and listen to the show with zero ads. Sign up to become a Slate Plus member for just $1 for your first month. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices