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The Waves: It’s OK to Hate Your Spouse (Sometimes) Mar 02, 2023

Show notes

On this week’s episode of The Waves, Slate senior editor Shannon Palus talks with Heather Havrilesky about the divine tedium of marriage. They discuss Heather’s book, Foreverland and the explosive response the book initially got (especially when Heather called her husband “a heap of laundry”). Later in the show, they dig into what to do when your husband is truly being a little bit of a patriarchal jerk.

In Slate Plus, a behind the scenes look at what goes into writing the Ask Polly column.

Podcast production by Cheyna Roth and Tori Dominguez 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 Women’s History Month by helping Macy’s on their mission to fund girls in STEM. Go to macys.com/purpose to learn more.

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

ICYMI: Selena Gomez Loves Logging Off Mar 01, 2023

Show notes

On today’s episode, Rachelle Hampton is joined by Time’s Moises Mendez II to talk about Selena Gomez’s internet history. They look at her early days on YouTube, discuss her tumultuous relationship with Justin Bieber, and explain why TikTok has blown up with commentary on the recent feud between Gomez and Justin’s wife, Hailey Bieber.

This podcast is produced by Daniel Schroeder, Rachelle Hampton, and Daisy Rosario.

Subscribe to Slate Plus at http://slate.com/icymiplus

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Culture Gabfest: Party Down Parties Again Mar 01, 2023

Show notes

This week, Dana, Julia, and Stephen begin by talking about the return of the Starz comedy Party Down. Then they discuss Andrea Riseborough’s Oscar-nominated performance in To Leslie. Finally, NPR’s Aisha Harris joins to chat about the newest entries to the Black Film Canon; a collaboration between Slate and NPR.

In Slate Plus, the panel talks about the controversial changes to Roald Dahl’s books.

Email us at culturefest@slate.com.

Endorsements:

Dana: Nathan Hiller’s article ‘The End of the English Major’ in The New Yorker.

Julia: Art But Make It Sports on Instagram

Stephen: ‘Are You Sure’ by Willie Nelson from The Demos Project: Volume One

Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Yesica Balderrama.

Outro music: "Backwards" by Staffan Carlen.

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 Culture Gabfest. Sign up now at Slate.com/cultureplus to help support our work.

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Hang Up: Scandal in Alabama Feb 28, 2023

Show notes

Stefan Fatsis and Josh Levin are joined by Joseph Goodman of AL.com to talk about the murder roiling the Alabama basketball program. They’re also joined by Jeremy Woo to discuss his Sports Illustrated cover story on French basketball phenom Victor Wembanyama. Finally, CNBC’s Alex Sherman comes on for a conversation about the death of regional sports networks.

Alabama (5:08): Why is star freshman Brandon Miller still playing?

Wembanyama (27:42): Insidethe media rollout of the next NBA superstar.

RSNs (48:41): Is the sports TV business model dead?

Afterball (1:11:59): Stefan on a century of complaints about slow baseball games.

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Working: The Two Brothers Who Changed Video Games Forever Feb 26, 2023

Show notes

This week, host Isaac Butler talks to Tarn and Zach Adams, two brothers who’ve been continually crafting and updating the video game Dwarf Fortress for two decades. In the interview, Tarn and Zach discuss the earliest versions of the game, which were available online for free in the early 2000’s and served as an important influence for games like The Sims and Minecraft. Tarn and Zach also discuss the intricate details of the game and the gigantic number of narrative possibilities that players can experience. After years of tinkering, the “fortress mode” of the game is finally available for purchase, and “adventurer mode” won’t be far behind.

After the interview, Isaac and co-host Karen Han talk about what happens when a project starts to evolve into something unexpected.

In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Tarn and Zach explain how Dwarf Fortress ended up in the Museum of Modern Art.

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.

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ICYMI: North West Is TikTok’s New Queen Feb 25, 2023

Show notes

On today’s episode, Rachelle Hampton is joined by WAMU’s Aja Drain to discuss North West’s TikTok presence. They talk about how North got started on the app like going live without her mother’s permission, the controversies that’ve bubbled up around her TikTok account, and what makes her so different from the other kids posting online.

This podcast is produced by Daniel Schroeder, Rachelle Hampton, and Daisy Rosario.

Subscribe to Slate Plus at http://slate.com/icymiplus

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Hit Parade: A Little Love and Some Tenderness Edition Part 2 Feb 25, 2023

Show notes

One of the most improbable blockbuster successes of the ’90s was Hootie and the Blowfish: a South Carolina bar band fronted by a Black lead singer that played jangly alt-pop. That singer, Darius Rucker, built a career that’s one of a kind. Rucker’s tastes growing up were eclectic, as were the influences on his young bandmates. Their Cracked Rear View album took a year to catch on, but then it dominated the charts.

The story gets more interesting after Hootie fell off: Darius Rucker’s career is a prime example of how chart success is a product of musical trend. First, Rucker tried to become a neo-soul star. Then he tried his hand at country music, even though Nashville had not produced a major Black solo star since Charley Pride.

Join Chris Molanphy as he traces this improbable journey—the role Rucker’s band played in mainstreaming alt-rock, Rucker’s effort to find a genre to call home, and how he finally became a chart-conqueror again..

Podcast production by Kevin Bendis.

Make an impact this Black History Month by helping Macy’s on their mission to fund UNCF scholarships for HBCU students. Go to macys.com/purpose to learn more.

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

A Word: Ranching, Racism, and Rumors Feb 24, 2023

Show notes

Courtney and Nicole Mallery claim that their dream of ranching in Colorado has become a nightmare because of racist neighbors and hostile police. Their case grabbed national attention after videos of Courtney Mallery’s arrest went viral. On today’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson is joined by Ezekiel Walker of The Black Wall Street Times, who is covering the case. They talk about the controversy surrounding the Freedom Acres Ranch, and how the dispute echoes more than a century of stories of Black land loss.

Guest: Ezekiel Walker, senior editor of The Black Wall Street Times

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 $1 for your first month.

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Dear Prudence: Sister Wants Me to Be Her Surrogate. Help! Feb 24, 2023

Show notes

In this episode, Prudie (Jenée Desmond-Harris) is tackling questions about text etiquette, whether or not to allow children at a wedding, and weighing the heavy decision of surrogacy for a sibling.

Slate’s own Rachelle Hampton (host of ICYMI) joins dole out some words of wisdom.

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 Kayla Lattimore and Daisy Rosario. Production help from Se’era Spragley Ricks.

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The Waves: What Ballet’s Best Choreographer Destroyed Feb 23, 2023

Show notes

On this week’s episode of The Waves, Slate senior editor Rebecca Onion is joined by Erika Lentz, host of the podcast The Turning to discuss the impact of ballet culture and the legacy of George Balanchine on dancers of all levels.

In Slate Plus, how ballerinas and nuns have more in common than you think.

Podcast production by Cheyna Roth and Tori Dominguez with editorial oversight by Daisy Rosario and Alicia Montgomery.

Send your comments and recommendations on what to cover to thewaves@slate.com.

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