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Employee of the Month — Society & Culture
Employee of the Month

We spend most of our time working, so what does it take to (mainly) love what you do? How do even the most gifted, talented, intelligent, ambitious, disciplined, imaginative, inventive, and lucky people develop their point of view, find meaning, serve a greater good, deal with work place politics, rejection, finances, boredom, red tape, logistics, and creative roadblocks? What are the perks or enjoyable about forging your own path? Catie Lazarus and her guests delve into beauty, banality and absurdity of work, jobs, and labor.

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Copyright: © Catie Lazarus

Latest Episodes:

Zadie Smith on pot, Prince, plotlessness, and plagiarism Mar 23, 2017

Show notes

I selfishly don't want Zadie Smith to quit her day job, but the famed novelist could easily moonlight as a singer. The author of the critically acclaimed, best-selling novels White Teeth, The Autograph Man, On Beauty, NW, and, most recently, Swing Time shared her insight on plagiarism, plots, outlines, and publishing. A regular contributor to The New Yorker and The New York Review of Books, she has written about everything from Brexit to Key & Peele to her late father. She once flirted with being a cabaret singer, and once you hear our interview, which was recorded live at Joe's Pub at The Public Theater, you'll know why. It was a pleasure and privilege to speak with Zadie about publishing, awards, critics, and to hear her and Lady Rizo sing "Lady and the Tramp."

Join Slate Plus to unlock full, ad-free access to Employee of the Month and the rest of your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe directly from the Employee of the Month show page on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Or visit slate.com/employeeplus to get access wherever you listen.

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The Yes Men on Trump, Barbie, and Bird Dogging Mar 15, 2017

Show notes

Do The Yes Men know how to beat Trump at his own game? The media savvy duo Jacques Servin and Igor Vamos gained fame in 1990’s for their lefty political pranks, which led to multiple documentaries, cult following of like-minded activists, and, most important, corporations taking notice. They exposed Dow Chemical for failing to compensate thousands of victims of their oil spill in Bhopal, India. More recently, The Yes Men created a parody NRA website offering to deliver “life-saving firearms” to “poor urban centers,” which led the NRA to shut down 38,000 affiliate websites. We spoke about exercising our democratic rights to resist, stand up, and survive.

Join Slate Plus to unlock full, ad-free access to Employee of the Month and the rest of your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe directly from the Employee of the Month show page on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Or visit slate.com/employeeplus to get access wherever you listen.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Emel Mathlouthi sings on hope in face of struggle Mar 08, 2017

Show notes

To celebrate International Women's Day, check out Emel Mathlouthi, who has been called the "Voice of the Arab Spring." After her song went viral during the Arab Spring in Egypt, she performed at the Nobel Peace Prize Concert in 2015. While the Tunisian singer lives in exile in New York, Emel is currently on a world tour with her latest album Ensen. Hear a song from her new album, which she recorded live at Joe's Pub at The Public Theater on Employee of the Month and check out our earlier interview when Emel first arrived. Our next live taping is Thursday, March 16th with an all female line-up of powerhouses- Zadie Smith, Lady Rizo, and Judy Gold. Enjoy. Hope her voice inspires you to use your own.

Join Slate Plus to unlock full, ad-free access to Employee of the Month and the rest of your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe directly from the Employee of the Month show page on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Or visit slate.com/employeeplus to get access wherever you listen.

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SARAH JONES on so-called actor Meryl Streep, quitting college, and our Revolution Mar 01, 2017

Show notes

A gifted character actor, Sarah Jones could be on SNL. Instead, chose to take her brilliantly funny embodiments of humans you know, maybe even you, to tackle poverty, prostitution, and now, "pussy grabbing." She reveals what it was like to work with Meryl Streep on Jones's Tony and Obie Award-winning show Bridge and Tunnel. Her latest show Sell/Buy/Date is a must see. We also spoke about Meryl Streep, Gil Scott-Heron, and Alan Alda, who I interviewed at the same live taping, so check out that Employee of the Month interview as well.

Join Slate Plus to unlock full, ad-free access to Employee of the Month and the rest of your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe directly from the Employee of the Month show page on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Or visit slate.com/employeeplus to get access wherever you listen.

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ALAN ALDA on dogs, death, and doctor poses. Feb 23, 2017

Show notes

Alan Alda insists, "Empathy can be taught," It is comforting to hear, although hard to imagine how a certain orange hued politician might learn how to empathize with, or, at least, respect immigrants, refugees, women, LGBTQ, or anyone who isn't him. Wait, do I mean Alan Alda the actor? Yup. Best known for starring in M*A*S*H, as well as stealing scenes in Crimes and Misdemeanors, West Wing, 30 Rock, and Horace and Pete, Alda is also a science geek. He teamed up with Stony Brook University to create the Alan Alda Center for Communicating Science, where he teaches. Alda shares what he learned working with doctors and scientists, which he also wrote about in his forthcoming book 'IF I UNDERSTOOD YOU, WOULD I HAVE THIS LOOK ON MY FACE?' We also chatted about his work with comedians Louie C.K., Woody Allen, Stephen Wright, and death. If you see Alan Alda, please tell him my dog is alive and well.

Join Slate Plus to unlock full, ad-free access to Employee of the Month and the rest of your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe directly from the Employee of the Month show page on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Or visit slate.com/employeeplus to get access wherever you listen.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

LESLIE GOSHKO on leaving and finding Jesus on and off Broadway Feb 08, 2017

Show notes

One of the finest, funniest storytellers Leslie Goshko shared tales you have never heard before but will leave you laughing from crying or crying from laughing so hard. While New York claims her as a go to favorite scene stealer, be it as an actor, musician, cabaret star, storyteller or writer, she hails from the Midwest and maintains their renowned humility. In a business which offend rewards far less fascinating, fearless folks, Leslie Goshko is a must see. Really? Listen to our interview, and you tell me.

Join Slate Plus to unlock full, ad-free access to Employee of the Month and the rest of your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe directly from the Employee of the Month show page on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Or visit slate.com/employeeplus to get access wherever you listen.

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SUAD AMIRY, Syrian-Palestinian, on diaspora, dyslexia, dogs, and mother-in-laws Feb 06, 2017

Show notes

SUAD AMIRY is an architect and e founder of RIWAQ: Center of Architectural Conservation in Ramallah, Palestine. While spending 42 days under siege with her mother-in-law in Ramallah in 2002, Amiry started writing e-mails to a friend, who recommend she turn her adventures it into a book. The result was her debut memoir “Sharon and My Mother-in-Law,” which became critically acclaimed, translated in nineteen languages, and was released by Random House in 2006. She has continued to write about Palestinian life under occupation, including, “Nothing to Lose But Your Life" and "Gold Slept Here." We spoke about why architects are often dyslexics, part-time husbands are the best, Palestinians are never heard, and why mothers-in-law and dogs unite us all.

Join Slate Plus to unlock full, ad-free access to Employee of the Month and the rest of your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe directly from the Employee of the Month show page on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Or visit slate.com/employeeplus to get access wherever you listen.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

J. Period on Jesse Williams, Norman Lear, DJ Jazzy Jeff, and America Divided Jan 26, 2017

Show notes

In this follow up interview, Hamilton Mixtape's Creator Lin-Manuel Miranda and Roots to Tribe Called Quest's go-to DJ and mixtape producer J. Period explains what exactly a DJ does, what sets him apart, and why Dj Jazzy Jeff really is a prince. He also reveals how, after working with Norman Lear, he got tapped to do music for the series America Divided. Most recently, J. Period teamed up with Jesse Williams, a former teacher, and heartthrob on Grey's Anatomy who blew away audiences with his socially astute and galvanizing speech at the BET Awards. Williams and J. Period are releasing Rise Up!, offering musical inspiration that is necessary now more than ever.

Join Slate Plus to unlock full, ad-free access to Employee of the Month and the rest of your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe directly from the Employee of the Month show page on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Or visit slate.com/employeeplus to get access wherever you listen.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

HAMILTON MIXTAPE'S to Lauryn Hill's secret weapon is J. Period Jan 19, 2017

Show notes

Hailed as a “music guru” by Rolling Stone and Questlove to Tribe Called Quest’s go to DJ and producer, J.PERIOD pioneered a way to tell stories through music and distill, celebrate and contextualize legendary musicians. The result is that the very musicians he creates a mixtape of seek out his lens on their own work. Theoretically, a baby can theoretically DJ, at least, that is what cloyingly obnoxious, upscale Tribeca DJ school claims, but J. Period took the craft to a form a high art. Having worked with Grammy legends, such as Kanye West, Mary J. Blige, Lauryn Hill, Common and The Roots, J. Period recently went mainstream producing, alongside Questlove and Pulitzer and Tony winning genius Lin-Manuel Miranda the album HAMILTON MIXTAPES. It is the number one album and J. Period oversaw the production and arrangement. He also has developed, written, and produced over 50 mixtapes and his own album, celebrating ten years as an international DJ, comes out in 2017.

Join Slate Plus to unlock full, ad-free access to Employee of the Month and the rest of your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe directly from the Employee of the Month show page on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Or visit slate.com/employeeplus to get access wherever you listen.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

PHOEBE ROBINSON talks Broad City, Dicks & WNYC Jan 11, 2017

Show notes

If you went to a career counselor, they might claim comedy is a dreamy career. It is. It is also a hard one. But on paper, comedy sounds fun! But it is notoriously competitive, and great comics from Louis CK to Seinfeld will say it takes years to truly find one's voice. So how do you earn enough to survive to even figure out whether a career is possible? How do you break into a world that is overwhelmingly white, hetero and male? The comedy world has rapidly been evolving over the past decade, so I wanted to hear from a comedian who is riding that wave and a trailblazer herself. Comedian Phoebe Robinson spoke about how she stuck with it, even when she thought she should quit and her massive career break. Robinson is best known for co-hosting with The Daily Show Correspondent Jessica William's 2 Dope Queens on New York public radio station's WNYC.

Join Slate Plus to unlock full, ad-free access to Employee of the Month and the rest of your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe directly from the Employee of the Month show page on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Or visit slate.com/employeeplus to get access wherever you listen.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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