Culture Gabfest

Anna talks to writer Ada Calhoun, author most recently of the novel Crush, about a married woman succumbing to extramarital temptation (she wrote it while she herself was separating from her husband) and then to comedian Rosebud Baker about her new Netflix comedy special, The Mother Lode, which is all about late-stage pregnancy and early motherhood. This episode was recorded live at On Air Fest in New York City on February 20th.  Death, Sex & Money is now produced by Slate! To support us and our colleagues, please sign up for our membership program, Slate Plus! Members get ad-free podcasts, bonus content on lots of Slate shows, and full access to all the articles on Slate.com. Sign up today at slate.com/dsmplus. And if you’re new to the show, welcome. We’re so glad you’re here. Find us and follow us on Instagram and you can find Anna’s newsletter at annasale.substack.com. Our email address, where you can reach us with voice memos, pep talks, questions, critiques, is deathsexmoney@slate.com. Learn more about y

Hosts Alex Kirshner, Lindsay Gibbs, and Ben Lindbergh discuss the ACC Tournament and the storied college basketball rivalry between UNC, Duke, and NC State. While once-mighty UNC and NC State navigate challenging seasons, Duke looks poised for a title run with Cooper Flagg at the helm. Later, sports writer Neil Paine joins the show to discuss NHL trade deadline drama, and to reflect on the closure of the data-driven news site FiveThirtyEight. On the bonus episode available exclusively for Slate Plus members, Neil Paine sticks around to break down the NASCAR Cup series debut of Katherine Legge. Triangle College Basketball (2:55): The state of North Carolina’s powerhouse teams in the ACC NHL Trade Deadline (20:19): The Hurricanes’' surprising trade to Dallas of star Mikko Rantanen RIP 538 (42:07): Farewell to the analytical news and sports site that was about more than number crunching. (Note: time codes are only accurate for Slate Plus members, who listen ad-free.) Want more Hang Up and Listen? Subscribe

On this episode: Jamilah, Zak and Elizabeth answer a question from someone who’s not a parent — and not even a stepmom, yet! This member of the Slate Parenting Facebook group is dating a single mom and wondering how to make meeting the kids and joining the family as seamless as possible. We’ll help her out and then check in and share what’s on our minds this week. Then, if you’re hanging out for the Slate Plus Playground, we're talking about how to handle it when your kid is being an un-fun butthead. If you’re not part of the Slate Plus community, we hope you’ll consider joining! Keep reading to learn how. Jamilah’s check-in: gig hunting. Elizabeth’s check-in: island time.  Zak’s check-in: sick season.   Join us on Facebook and email us at careandfeedingpod@slate.com to ask us new questions, tell us what you thought of today’s show, and give us ideas about what we should talk about in future episodes. You can also call our phone line: (646) 357-9318. If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for

They were three Harris-supporting women, from across the country, all married to Trump-supporting men—and they were all contemplating divorce. Guest: Scaachi Koul, Slate senior writer who wrote about women considering leaving their husbands over their support for Donald Trump and the author of Sucker Punch.   Want more What Next? Join Slate Plus to unlock full, ad-free access to What Next and all your other favorite Slate podcasts. You can subscribe directly from the What Next show page on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Or, visit slate.com/whatnextplus to get access wherever you listen. Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, Ethan Oberman, and Rob Gunther. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Candice Lim and Kate Lindsay have been tracking the many influencers “coming out” as Republicans, as well as what they all have in common: their makeup. Bad eyeliner aside, this new cast of conservative creators are younger, trendier, and ditching the typical influencer hub of Los Angeles for Nashville. With Republican influencers looking a lot different than they did five years ago, Candice and Kate break down what this could mean for the influencing industry as a whole. This podcast is produced by Alexandra Botti, Daisy Rosario, Candice Lim, and Kate Lindsay. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Guest Prudie Kristen Meinzer is joined by Real Housewives alumna and Humble Brag podcast host Crystal Kung Minkoff. Together, they answer questions about feeling conflicted over an ex living their best life post-divorce, navigating a friendship after someone breaks the other’s trust, and asking for financial help. Want more Dear Prudence? Subscribe to Slate Plus to immediately unlock weekly bonus episodes. Plus, you’ll access ad-free listening across all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe now on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of our show page. Or, visit slate.com/prudie-plus to get access wherever you listen. This week’s podcast is produced by Maura Currie, Vic Whitley-Berry, and Daisy Rosario. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode: Elizabeth and Jamilah talk about building a village. Our listener wants to create a community of parents and kids who hang out and trust each other. The question is: how intentional do you have to be, here? And after that discussion, we’ll of course circle up for a round of triumphs and fails. Join us on Facebook and email us at careandfeedingpod@slate.com to ask us new questions, tell us what you thought of today’s show, and give us ideas about what we should talk about in future episodes. You can also call our phone line: (646) 357-9318. If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get to hang out with us on the Plus Playground every week for a whole additional grab-bag of content — and you’ll get an ad-free experience across the network. And you’ll also be supporting the work we do here on Care and Feeding. Sign up now at slate.com/careplus – or try it out on Apple Podcasts. Podcast produced by Maura Currie. Learn more about your ad choices. Vis

On this week’s show, no amount of star power can save a “screamingly stupid show.” (Sorry, Robert De Niro et al.)  With Sam Adams—Slate Senior Editor and Staff Writer—sitting in for Dana, the team talks about the Netflix political thriller series Zero Day. Then they remember the career of Gene Hackman and end with their thoughts about this Atlantic article on navigating optimism during times of crisis. Endorsements: Julia: Moist Peanut Butter Cake Recipe from Cakes By MK Steve: The savage suburbia of Helen Garner: ‘I wanted to dong Martin Amis with a bat’ by Sophie Elmhirst for The Guardian Sam: Doppelganger: A Trip into the Mirror World by Naomi Klein (Again! After Julia endorsed it last week.) Podcast production and research by Vic Whitley-Berry. Email us at culturefest@slate.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Candice Lim and Kate Lindsay check in on Meghan Markle’s current relationship with the internet. First, they give their takes on With Love, Meghan, a Netflix lifestyle show created by and starring the Duchess of Sussex that brings her old, new, and famous friends into her Montecito lifestyle. Then, culture critic and Daily Fail host Kristen Meinzer joins to take a bigger look at how Meghan and Harry’s relationship with the public, the media, and themselves has changed in the last five years. This podcast is produced by Alexandra Botti, Daisy Rosario, Candice Lim, and Kate Lindsay. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week on Outward, host Christina Cauterucci talks to historian Rebecca Scofield about the new book, Slapping Leather: Queer Cowfolx at the Gay Rodeo. From rhinestone-studded chaps to the hard-won battles for inclusion, they explore how queer cowboys and cowgirls carved out space in the rodeo circuit, the gender politics at play in this community, and how the AIDS crisis shaped its trajectory. Plus, they dig into the current resurgence of cowboy aesthetics in queer culture and pop culture at large. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Interviews are a time-honored way to elicit intimate insights from public figures and people in power. But at a moment when so much history is being denied or even deleted, interviewing family members and elders can be an important way to document their lives—and understand more about ourselves. On this episode of How To!, Carvell Wallace brings on Sam Fragoso, host of the podcast Talk Easy. Sam explains what he’s learned from hundreds of longform celebrity interviews, and how he applied those lessons to sit-downs with his parents. If you liked this episode check out: The Art of the On-Mic Interview or How To Ace an Interview Do you have a problem that needs solving? Send us a note at howto@slate.com or leave us a voicemail at 646-495-4001 and we might have you on the show. Subscribe for free on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you listen. How To is produced by Rosemary Belson, with Kevin Bendis. Our technical director is Merritt Jacob and our supervising producer is Joel Meyer. Want more How To!? Subscribe to

Since the inauguration in January, we’ve been getting emails and voice recordings from people whose lives have been thrust into uncertainty due to changes made by the Trump administration. Many federal workers and people who rely on federal money have lost their jobs. Others feel vulnerable and uncertain.  This week, we’ll hear from a range of people who’ve been affected, from an IRS attorney who’s been a target of Elon Musk’s DOGE efforts to an army sergeant who could very likely be forced out of her post because she’s trans.  Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Death, Sex & Money is now produced by Slate! To support us and our colleagues, please sign up for our membership program, Slate Plus! Members get ad-free podcasts, bonus content on lots of Slate shows, and full access to all the articles on Slate.com. Sign up today at slate.com/dsmplus. And if you’re new to the show, welcome. We’re so glad you’re here. Find us and follow us on Instagram and you can find Anna’s newsletter at annasale.substack.com. Ou

Hosts Alex Kirshner, Lindsay Gibbs, and Ben Lindbergh dive into the inclusion and implications of robotic officiating in the NFL and MLB. They also discuss the retirement of basketball all-time great, Diana Taurasi. Finally, they talk about a right-wing proposal for a steroid-fueled sports league. For Afterballs, Alex remembers the careers of Czech hockey superstar Jaromir Jagr as well as the beloved voice of the Pittsburgh Penguins, Mike Lange, who died last month. On the bonus episode available exclusively for Slate Plus members, the panel discusses the popular NBA parody Twitter account, NBACentel. Robo Refs (3:15): Robots will be used to scrutinize calls in both baseball and football. Diana Taurasi (21:49): The basketball icon steps away after twenty-plus years. Let 'em Juice (37:46): The bizarre proposal from Donald Trump Jr. and friends for a steroid-acceptable sports league. (Note: time codes are only accurate for Slate Plus members, who listen ad-free.) Want more Hang Up and Listen? Subscribe to

On this episode: Lucy, Zak and Elizabeth think about summer break. There’s a budding conversation in the Slate Parenting Facebook group about the life skills we should have kids work on over the summer – think shoe-tying, kitchen stuff, and riding a bike. We’ll share some of the Facebook Group’s ideas, and some stuff we’re going to work on. We’ll also check in and share what’s on our minds this week. Then, if you’re hanging out for the Slate Plus Playground, we're talking about gentle parenting… and more specifically, the movement to ditch it.  If you’re not part of the Slate Plus community, we hope you’ll consider joining! Keep reading to learn how. Lucy’s check-in: thoroughly “in it.” Elizabeth’s check-in: the great shoe caper. Zak’s check-in: don’t go to every birthday party. Join us on Facebook and email us at careandfeedingpod@slate.com to ask us new questions, tell us what you thought of today’s show, and give us ideas about what we should talk about in future episodes. You can also call our phone l

Why is it that we can tell someone “I’m totally fine!” and they instantly know we’re not? Gestures, facial expressions, tone of voice, and other subtle nonverbal cues play a huge role in how we connect with one another.  In this episode, host Charles Duhigg explores how we communicate without words, including a deep dive into the visual and tonal cues embedded in one of the biggest sitcoms of all time, The Big Bang Theory.  He talks with Dr. Dustin York, a professor at Maryville University who studies nonverbal communication and worked in public relations for Barack Obama’s 2008 presidential campaign. He also sits down with Dave Goetsch, a co-executive producer and longtime writer for The Big Bang Theory, and journalist Jessica Radloff, who wrote an exhaustive book about the show.  This Slate miniseries dives into the art and science of meaningful conversations, inspired by Duhigg’s bestselling book, Supercommunicators.  Supercommunicators was produced by Sophie Summergrad and Derek John, who also did the

To celebrate the end of awards season, Candice Lim and Kate Lindsay pay tribute to the true heroes behind Hollywood’s most talented stars: their fan accounts. While Club Chalamet’s lore is deep enough to deserve its own biopic, a number of internet moments and figures were responsible for the success—and downfall—of this year’s nominees. The pair explain it all, and the creator behind fuckyeahdanielradcliffe.tumblr.com is finally unmasked… This podcast is produced by Alexandra Botti, Daisy Rosario, Candice Lim, and Kate Lindsay. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Guest Prudie Kristen Meinzer is joined by writer and YouTube essayist Princess Weekes.  Together, they answer questions about reconciling with a daughter after a huge fight, navigating toxic inlaws and making boundaries with selfish parents. Want more Dear Prudence? Subscribe to Slate Plus to immediately unlock weekly bonus episodes. Plus, you’ll access ad-free listening across all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe now on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of our show page. Or, visit slate.com/prudie-plus to get access wherever you listen. This week’s podcast is produced by Maura Currie, Vic Whitley-Berry, and Daisy Rosario. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the late 1980s, the English synth-pop duo Pet Shop Boys dominated the U.K. pop charts and staged an invasion of the American charts. Years later, founding member Neil Tennant dubbed this streak of creative and commercial supremacy the group’s “imperial phase”—a term that eventually caught on among music critics and pop fans. So, what does it take for an artist to achieve imperial dominance? Why might Fleetwood Mac in the 1970s or The Weeknd in the 2010s qualify, while Cher or Lizzo don’t quite fit the bill? Are there rules for imperial phases? Hit Parade’s Chris Molanphy says yes—he’s got chart rules for determining when an artist is at peak imperiality. And he says Madonna’s late ’80s streak of hits might be the ultimate imperial phase. Join Chris as he dissects the most regal artists across the decades, defining what makes them imperial—and he walks hit by hit through Madonna’s biggest phase, which may remain unmatched. Podcast production by Kevin Bendis. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megap

On this episode: Elizabeth, Lucy and Zak are talking about estrangement. We got a really thoughtful question from a listener whose four-year-old is starting to ask questions about why one of his grandparents isn’t in the picture. And with kids that age, the questions just keep coming… even on topics like this, that are really hard to explain. Elizabeth recommended the following resources:  A Family Is A Family Is A Family by Sara O’Leary  The Not So Friendly Friend: How to Set Boundaries for Healthy Friendships by Christina Furnival Adult Children of Emotionally Immature Parents by Lindsay Gibson  The Estranged Heart And after that discussion, we’ll of course circle up for a round of triumphs and fails — and we’ll also share some amazing thoughts you shared about going to DC. Join us on Facebook and email us at careandfeedingpod@slate.com to ask us new questions, tell us what you thought of today’s show, and give us ideas about what we should talk about in future episodes. You can also call our

In 1972, Jerry Lewis—the actor and filmmaker known for slapstick comedies like The Nutty Professor—took the biggest risk of his career when he decided to make a drama called The Day The Clown Cried, about a circus clown who ends up in Auschwitz. This could have been a landmark as one of the first portrayals of the Holocaust in American cinema. Instead, it became a different kind of landmark: allegedly, one of the worst movies ever. The Day The Clown Cried was never released, and only a handful of people have ever seen it. But the unbelievable concept alone has been enough to make this lost movie a holy grail for curious film buffs. In this episode of Decoder Ring, producer Max Freedman traces how The Day The Clown Cried became such a legendary disaster, why it’s impossible to see, and whether it actually deserves its rotten reputation. You’ll hear from comedian Patton Oswalt; Shawn Levy, author of King of Comedy: The Life and Art of Jerry Lewis; Henry Gonshak, author of Hollywood and the Holocaust; Chuck Dent