Slate Culture Feed

Latest Episodes:

Hear Me Out: Less Porn, More Sex Tapes Aug 01, 2023

Show notes

On today’s episode of Hear Me Out… let’s get it on.

Whether you watch porn or not — admit it, or not — adult entertainment shapes the way we think about sex, gender, and power.

Our guest today argues that porn is an industry, but it’s also a genre, and it’s much closer to fantasy than it is to reality. But if we abandoned porn and replaced it with watching real people have real sex, we might not just shake off taboos; we might also become better lovers, and better people, too.

Cindy Gallop, CEO of MakeLoveNotPorn, joins us.

If you have thoughts you want to share, or an idea for a topic we should tackle, you can email the show: hearmeout@slate.com

Podcast production by Maura Currie

You can skip all the ads in Hear Me Out by joining Slate Plus. Sign up now at slate.com/hearmeoutplus for just $15 a month for your first three months.

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

Hang Up: The Biggest Contract in NBA History Jul 31, 2023

Show notes

Josh Levin and Stefan Fatsis are joined by the Washington Post’s Chuck Culpepper to talk about big wins for Colombia and Australia at the Women’s World Cup. Alex Kirshner of Slate and the Split Zone Duo podcast also joins to discuss whether NFL running backs should go on strike and the Celtics’ Jaylen Brown getting the biggest NBA deal ever.

Women’s World Cup (2:40): The scene in the stadium when Australia thrashed Canada.

NFL running backs (21:34): What can they do to get more respect and more cash?

Big-money deals (42:47): Is there any amount of money that’s too much for a pro athlete to make?

Afterball (1:02:22): Stefan on the world Scrabble championships in Las Vegas.

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

Working: A Succession Actor on Playing Unlikeable Characters Jul 30, 2023

Show notes

This week, host Isaac Butler talks to actor Arian Moayed, who played Stewy on the hit HBO series Succession and more recently played Torvald Helmer in a production of A Doll’s House on Broadway. In the interview, Arian talks about his early career in theater and the valuable acting techniques that he learned in college. He also discusses his experiences playing unlikeable characters, his pivot from stage to screen, and the overwhelming amount of feedback that actors receive.

[NOTE: This interview was recorded before the SAG-AFTRA Union began its strike.]

After the interview, Isaac and co-host June Thomas discuss the benefits and downsides of high-intensity creative work.

In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Arian explains how he got the hang of Succession’s unique tone.

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 an ad-free experience across the network and exclusive content on many shows—you’ll also be supporting the work we do here on Working. Sign up now at slate.com/workingplus to help support our work.

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

Future Tense Fiction: Could a Robot Be Your Dog’s Best Friend? Jul 29, 2023

Show notes

On this month’s episode of Future Tense Fiction, host Maddie Stone talks to Andrew Silverman about his short story “Furgen.”

Tucker, the story’s canine protagonist, is the center of his owner Caro’s world. When Caro buys an A.I.-enabled dog trainer that promises to help both her and Tucker live their best lives, everything starts to fall into place—the A.I. takes care of Tucker when he’s sick, trains him to walk without a leash, and even helps Caro get a girlfriend. But as Tucker’s bond with the A.I. deepens, optimizing for their best lives starts to mean something much different than what Caro originally had in mind.

After the story, Maddie asks Andrew about how his own experiences as a dog owner—and a pediatric neurologist—influenced the story. Plus, Maddie talks with canine behavioral scientist Clive Wynne, who wrote a response essay to Andrew’s story, about whether a dog could really fall in love with a robot.

Guests: Andrew Silverman is a pediatric neurologist and the author of “Furgen.”

Clive Wynne is a professor of psychology and director of the Canine Science Collaboratory at Arizona State University. He is also the author of Dog Is Love: Why and How Your Dog Loves You.

Story read by Peggy O’Neal

Podcast production by Tiara Darnell

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

ICYMI: The Girls Are Not All Right Jul 29, 2023

Show notes

On today’s episode, Rachelle and Candice reach into the ICYMI mailbag to answer why TikTokers are pretending to be video game characters, how a city girl became an anti-feminist prairie wife, and why snacktime is getting an obnoxious rebrand.

This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Daisy Rosario, Candice Lim and Rachelle Hampton.

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

Hit Parade: Lenny on Mars Edition Part 2 Jul 28, 2023

Show notes

What do Lenny Kravitz, a hitmaker primarily in the ’90s and ’00s, and Bruno Mars, a 2010s–20s hitmaker, have in common? It turns out, a lot: Each man has a wide-ranging ethnic and musical background, with early exposure to unusual sides of showbiz. Each has scored hits in a variety of styles. They are admirers of each other’s work and have even performed live together.

But the main thing Lenny and Bruno have in common is their skill—some might say habit—of borrowing tropes and styles from hitmakers of the past. Kravitz from the very start of his career emulated the rock stylings of his heroes, like John Lennon and Sly Stone. And Bruno Mars—talk about an Unorthodox Jukebox: His career has been a parade of hits whose sound has spanned from the Police to Rick James to Michael Jackson.

Are they cultural appropriators, or genius style chameleons? Join Chris Molanphy as he chronicles two premier pop stylists of the last 30 years who wore genres like costumes and rebooted oldies into modern hits. Don’t believe them? Just watch.

Podcast production by Kevin Bendis.

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

A Word: The Rise of Post-Obama Racism Jul 28, 2023

Show notes

For some, the election of Barack Obama signified hope. For others, it intensified hate. But what role did mainstream political rhetoric play in fueling subsequent violent racially charged incidents? On today’s episode of A Word, guest host Ahyiana Angel is joined by Wesley Lowery, journalist and author of American Whitelash: A Changing Nation and the Cost of Progress. Lowery details how he used first-hand reporting and historical analysis to explore the role of race in politics and the new wave of racial division in our society.

Podcast production by Ahyiana Angel.

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

Dear Prudence: My Boyfriend Hid His Hobby From Me—Civil War Reenactments. Help! Jul 28, 2023

Show notes

In this episode, Damon Young (a writer, critic, and a self-proclaimed “professional black person”) joins Prudie (Jenée Desmond-Harris) to answer letters from readers who are obsessing about their lackluster high school tennis careers, their awkward interaction with their crushes, and whether participation in civil war reenactments is a dating deal breaker.

If you want more Dear Prudence, join Slate Plus, Slate’s membership program. Jenée answers an extra question every week, just for members. This week she answers a question about what to do when a grandparent food-polices a toddler.

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 Maura Currie.

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

Mom & Dad: Raising Kids In a Barbie World Jul 27, 2023

Show notes

On this episode: Zak and Jamilah are joined by Lucy Lopez, host of the Mamacita Rica podcast, to talk about all things Barbie. Whether you played with Barbies as a kid — or are weighing whether to let your kids have them now — the summer blockbuster movie is certainly giving us a lot to talk about. Extra Listening: Why Barbie Lives On

They also discuss their week of triumphs and fails including summer camp blues, confident fashion choices, and finding more family time. On Slate Plus: Can traveling with little kids be easier or should they be left behind?

Join us on Facebook and email us at momanddad@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 an ad-free experience across the network and exclusive content on many shows—you’ll also be supporting the work we do here on Mom and Dad are Fighting. Sign up now at slate.com/momanddadplus to help support our work.

Podcast produced by Rosemary Belson and Maura Currie.

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

The Waves: How a Drag Queen Recreated the American Dream Jul 27, 2023

Show notes

On this week’s episode of The Waves, drag queens are under attack and being labeled bad for families and kids. But RuPaul’s Drag Race and Drag Race All Stars contestant Mrs. Kasha Davis is making people rethink the American Dream. She sits down with Slate senior supervising producer, Daisy Rosario to talk about the real life inspiration for the character of Mrs. Kasha Davis, her new music video showcasing the importance of Drag Story Hour, and why more people need to see happy queer families like hers.

In Slate Plus: Recap of episode 7 of HBO’s And Just Like That…

If you liked this episode, check out: Why Barbie Lives On

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.

If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get an ad-free experience across the network and exclusive content on many shows—you’ll also be supporting the work we do here on The Waves. Sign up now at slate.com/thewavesplus to help support our work.

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

Our TOPPODCAST Picks

Follow Us

Stay Connected

Related Podcasts

Links

Stay Connected