Culture Gabfest

Felix Salmon, Emily Peck, and Elizabeth Spiers are joined by graphic designer Michael Bierut to recap the fourth episode of the last season of HBO’s Succession. The family attends Logan’s wake where big moves are made. Someone gets a surprising phone call. And where did that piece of paper come from? If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get an ad-free experience across the network and an additional segment of our show every week. You’ll also be supporting the work we do here on Slate Money. Sign up now at slate.com/moneyplus to help support our work. Podcast production by Patrick Fort. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, host June Thomas talks to drag queen, author, and activist Lil Miss Hot Mess. In the interview, LMHM explains the origins of her drag persona and drag name and discusses the skills she had to build up early in her career. Then she discusses her work with Drag Story Hour and talks about what it means for drag to be simultaneously more mainstream and constantly under attack. Finally, she discusses her two children's books, The Hips on the Drag Queen Go Swish, Swish, Swish and If You’re a Drag Queen and You Know It.  After the interview, June and co-host Isaac Butler talk about the importance of playfulness and humor in creative work.  In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, LMHM talks about the current hostile political climate and her feud with senator Maro Rubio.  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 m

Felix Salmon, Emily Peck, and Elizabeth Spiers go over China’s expanding role in the international debt market. They discuss a new problem with the American mortgage system, and dive into the wild world of the collectibles market. In the Plus segment, Rupert Murdoch’s email divorce. If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get an ad-free experience across the network and an additional segment of our show every week. You’ll also be supporting the work we do here on Slate Money. Sign up now at slate.com/moneyplus to help support our work. Podcast production by Patrick Fort. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For the third installment of Internet Diaries, Rachelle is joined by 21-year-old cultural critic and internet essayist Rayne Fisher-Quann, who has amassed a devoted following on TikTok, Substack, Instagram and Twitter. The two discuss Fisher-Quann’s online work around leftism, feminism, mental illness, along with her ethics of posting and how she resists brandification even as her star continues to rise. This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Rachelle Hampton and Daisy Rosario. Make an impact this Earth Month by helping Macy’s on their mission to bring more parks to more people across the country. Go to macys.com/purpose to learn more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Before 1964, British bands couldn’t get anywhere on the U.S. charts. Then suddenly, after a certain Fab Four broke, they were everywhere. By 1965, they had locked down our Top 10. In 1981, a new generation of U.K. acts armed with synthesizers were largely shut out of the Hot 100 once again. But then a new video channel called MTV changed the game—helped by some very pretty men in dapper suits. By 1983, half of the U.S. Top 40 had a British accent. What did these two movements have in common, besides screaming fans and impressive hair? Join Chris Molanphy as he dissects these two bloodless coups that rebooted our hit parade. These Invasions were about as easy as a nuclear war. Podcast production by Kevin Bendis. Make an impact this Earth Month by helping Macy’s on their mission to bring more parks to more people across the country. Go to macys.com/purpose to learn more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The deadline for filing taxes this year is April 18th, and tax season brings on anxiety in lots of Americans. For Black folks, a lack of intergenerational wealth often means fewer contacts and networks that can offer guidance on taxes. On today’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson is joined by Washington Post personal finance columnist Michelle Singletary to talk about some of the tax challenges that disproportionately affect the Black community, last minute filing tips, and how to plan now for a better tax time next year. Guest: Michelle Singletary, Washington Post personal finance columnist and author of “What To Do With Your Money When Crisis Hits: A Survival Guide.”   Podcast production by Kristie Taiwo-Makanjuola You can skip all the ads in A Word by joining Slate Plus. Sign up now at slate.com/awordplus for $15 for your first three months. Make an impact this Earth Month by helping Macy’s on their mission to bring more parks to more people across the country. Go to macys.com/purpose to learn more. Lea

In this episode, Bomani Jones (host of HBO’s Game Theory With Bomani Jones and The Right Time With Bomani Jones) joins Prudie (Jenée Desmond-Harris) to answer questions from letter writers about workplace socializing, friends who are no longer likable people, and youth football. If you want more Dear Prudence, you should join Slate Plus, Slate’s membership program. Jenée answers an extra question every week, just for members. Go to Slate.com/prudieplus to sign up. It’s just $15 for your first three months.  Podcast production by Se’era Spragley Ricks and Daisy Rosario, with help from Brandon Nix. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this week’s episode of The Waves - the freelancing side of acting with Marvelous Mrs. Maisel actress Caroline Aaron. Slate senior supervising producer Daisy Rosario is joined by Caroline Aaron - a familiar face in movies for over forty years, if not a household name. They discuss building a life with an unstable career path, how women’s stories are done a disservice in film and television, and how Caroline’s show The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel seeks to overturn all of that.  In Slate Plus, Caroline discusses working with strong women like Amy Sherman Palladino and Nora Ephron.   Podcast production by Cheyna Roth with editorial oversight by Daisy Rosario and Alicia Montgomery. Send your comments and recommendations on what to cover to thewaves@slate.com. Make an impact this Earth Month by helping Macy’s on their mission to bring more parks to more people across the country. Go to macys.com/purpose to learn more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Not too long ago an old clip surfaced of Peter Falk on David Letterman, in which he told an intriguing tale about recording a special Cold War message for Romanian state television. The clip went viral and got our attention — but was it actually true? Did a fictional American detective really help quell a communist revolt? We donned the proverbial raincoat and started sleuthing—at which point Falk’s late night anecdote cracked open into an intricate geopolitical saga that stretches from DC to Bucharest; from a Los Angeles hotel room to the palatial estate of a despot. It’s a story that involves dueling ideologies, dozens of diplomats, and millions of viewers. It’s an honest-to-goodness cold war caper about American soft power behind the iron curtain, and it’s so involved it’s going to take two episodes to solve.   This podcast was written by Willa Paskin, who produces Decoder Ring with Katie Shepherd. This episode was edited by Joel Meyer. Derek John is Slate’s executive producer of narrative podcasts. Merrit

On today’s episode, Rachelle is joined by Alex Kantrowitz, the writer behind the Big Technology newsletter and podcast. The two discuss the recent changes to Twitter Blue and how paying for Twitter might be a joke, it won’t be for other platforms like Instagram and TikTok. As paid verification models become de rigueur in a bid to woo content creators, what will that mean for the average social media user? Is this all just a giant protection racket? Or is it platforms catering to the people who actually create content for them? This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Rachelle Hampton and Daisy Rosario. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, Slate’s Rebecca Onion joins Julia and Stephen to talk about the Nike shoe story, Air. Then they discuss the new Netflix series Beef. Finally, Slate’s Carl Wilson joins to chat about the first full album by supergroup Boygenius. In Slate Plus, the panel talks about leftovers and food waste, inspired by Tamar Adler's book The Everlasting Meal Cookbook. Email us at culturefest@slate.com. Endorsements:  Rebecca: The new memoir Don’t Call Me Home by Alexandra Auder. Julia: Julia is endorsing the activity that is googling things with your kids, as inspired by her family’s deep dive into the history of Fanta while on vacation. Stephen: Jazz pianist Brad Mehldau’s album Your Mother Should Know: Brad Mehldau Plays The Beatles Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Yesica Balderrama. Outro music: "Jenny's Alright" by OTE. __ Make an impact this Earth Month by helping Macy’s on their mission to bring more parks to more people across the country. Go to macys.com/purpose to learn mo

When Justin’s mom was diagnosed with cancer, he knew he wanted to keep talking to her after she died. So together they made an AI version of her, training it on her speech patterns and memories. Now he is scaling his findings so that anyone can continue their relationships with loved ones after their deaths. Justin even believes this can one day lead to digital immortality. Grief experts are only now dealing with bereaved people who create digital versions of their loved ones. We look at what they say about the phenomenon, and what philosophers think about whether the best AI version of a person can actually be them. Guests include Alexandra Salmon, Justin Harrison, CEO of You, Only Virtual, Dr. Mary-Frances O’Connor, and Dr. Debra Bassett. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Stefan Fatsis and Josh Levin are joined by ESPN’s Kevin Pelton to talk about what went wrong for the Dallas Mavericks and to preview the NBA postseason. Slate’s Jim Newell also joins to discuss Jon Rahm’s Masters win. Finally, they speak with LJ Rader about his Twitter and Instagram accounts Art But Make It Sports.   NBA (4:20): Why did the Mavs lose on purpose? And how is the Western Conference shaping up?   Masters (24:31): What the year’s first major means for LIV and the future of golf.   Art But Make It Sports (44:35): Sports photos + paintings = mash-up magic.   Afterball (1:03:30): Stefan on the baseball Hall of Famer who lived in his childhood home. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Felix Salmon, Emily Peck, and Elizabeth Spiers are joined by Slate’s Lizzie O’Leary to go over the shocking third episode of the last season of HBO’s Succession. Are Tom and Shiv going to get back together? What was in the “Logistics” folder? And was Connor’s wedding actually nice?  If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get an ad-free experience across the network and an additional segment of our show every week. You’ll also be supporting the work we do here on Slate Money. Sign up now at slate.com/moneyplus to help support our work. Podcast production by Patrick Fort and Ben Richmond.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, host Isaac Butler talks to writer John Cotter, whose new memoir Losing Music tells the story of a mysterious illness that degraded John’s hearing and caused periods of vertigo. In the interview, John explains how writing became a necessary tool that helped him make sense of his illness and his changing world.  After the interview, Isaac and co-host June Thomas discuss how creative practices can change drastically as people get older and their lives change. They also expand on a writing tip that Isaac mentions in his interview with John.  In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, John talks about how his teaching informs his writing and vice versa.  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.  __ Make an impact this Earth Month by helping Macy’s on their mission to bring more parks to more people across the country. Go to macys.com/purpose to learn more. Learn more about your ad choices. Vis

Slate Money hosts Felix Salmon, Emily Peck and Elizabeth Spiers talk about the podcasting economy and if the bubble has burst—or if it will soon. They also talk about Anthony Scaramucci’s hedge fund troubles, and a story about how to win at roulette.  In the Plus segment: The implications of Supreme Court Justice Thomas’ ties to a billionaire, and the broader politicization of the American judicial system. If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get an ad-free experience across the network and an additional segment of our show every week. You’ll also be supporting the work we do here on Slate Money. Sign up now at slate.com/moneyplus to help support our work. Podcast production by Patrick Fort, with technical assistance from Ben Richmond. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today’s episode, Rachelle Hampton is joined by Terry Nguyen, a culture writer and critic and staff writer for the digital culture newsletter Dirt. The two discuss Angela White, better known as Blac Chyna, who has taken to Instagram to document the process of her cosmetic surgery reversal. She’s been met with near universal praise which raises the question: are we entering a new plastic surgery era where less is more? If we are, what does that mean for the IG baddie of yore? And what does it mean for the increasing amounts of Americans who are receiving cosmetic surgery? This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Daniel Schroeder, Daisy Rosario and Rachelle Hampton. Make an impact this Earth Month by helping Macy’s on their mission to bring more parks to more people across the country. Go to macys.com/purpose to learn more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, Danny Lavery (a former Prudie and host of Slate’s Big Mood, Little Mood) joins Prudie (Jenée Desmond-Harris) to recount his time as Prudie and answer questions from people dealing with unwanted crochet gifts, wedding dilemmas, and parents who think they are potential school shooters. If you want more Dear Prudence, you should join Slate Plus, Slate’s membership program. Jenée answers an extra question every week, just for members. Go to Slate.com/prudieplus to sign up. It’s just $15 for your first three months.  Podcast production by Se’era Spragley Ricks and Daisy Rosario, with help from Brandon Nix. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

While TikTok’s parent company, Bytedance, is fighting to keep its flagship app from being banned in the United States, it’s also pushing a new app into the marketplace—Lemon8. One part Pinterest, one part Instagram and a dash of its sister app, Lemon8 is most likely saddled with the same security concerns that led lawmakers to consider banning TikTok. Guest: Sapna Maheshwari, business reporter for the New York Times. Host: Lizzie O’Leary 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 Dear Prudence—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on What Next TBD. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to help support our work. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Folklorist and Harlem Renaissance author Zora Neale Hurston made her hometown of Eatonville, Florida famous in her writing, including her novel Their Eyes Were Watching God. But her fame hasn’t saved the town from the pressures that many African American communities have endured: a population fighting poverty, government indifference, and developers that want to scoop up the land to build housing that current residents can’t afford. On today’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson is joined by Aallyah Wright, a reporter with Black news non-profit Capital B, who has written about the town’s recent success in resisting developers, and its hopes for the future. Guest: Capital B reporter Aallyah Wright Podcast production by Kristie Taiwo-Makanjuola You can skip all the ads in A Word by joining Slate Plus. Sign up now at slate.com/awordplus for just $15 a month for your first three months. Make an impact this Earth Month by helping Macy’s on their mission to bring more parks to more people across the country. Go to