Slate Culture Feed

Latest Episodes:

ICYMI: We Tried TikTok’s Disgusting Vinegar “Coke” Jun 11, 2022

Show notes

On today’s episode, Rachelle and Madison dabble in some TikTok approved ASMR. Later they’re joined by Vice Senior Staff Writer, Anna Merlan, for an interview about political ads and the left leaning campaigns that pay influencers to produce policy based content - despite TikTok’s stringent rules.

Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder, Madison Malone Kircher, Rachelle Hampton, and Kevin Bendis

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Spoiler Specials: Jurassic World: Dominion Jun 10, 2022

Show notes

This week’s Spoiler Specials takes on Jurassic World: Dominion. Sam Adams, a senior editor at Slate, is joined by Slate’s features editor, Jeffrey Bloomer, to spoil the latest evolutionary stage of the Jurassic World series. True to the spirit of bringing something back from the past, the stars of Jurassic Park—Laura Dern, Jeff Goldblum, and Sam Neill—join the dinos and their JW counterparts Chris Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard. The cast is big, the predators are bigger, but the villains and plot lines raised more eyebrows than heart rates among our critics.

Note: As the title indicates, this podcast contains spoilers galore.

Email us at spoilers@slate.com.

Podcast production by Jasmine Ellis and Kristie Taiwo-Makanjuola.

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The Waves: The Hidden Cost of Breast Implants Jun 09, 2022

Show notes

On this week’s episode of The Waves, Slate science editor and writer Shannon Palus is joined by freelance science journalist Eleanor Cummins to talk about plastics. Surgery that is. And all the physical and mental concerns that come with altering your body. They start out by talking about Eleanor’s recent piece on the health concerns of breast implants. Then they talk about VIP Syndrome, and how it’s coming for all of us.

In Slate Plus, is breast reduction surgery feminist?

Recommendations:

Shannon: Perfect Bars

Eleanor: Cotopaxi gear.

Podcast production by Cheyna Roth with editorial oversight by Shannon Palus and Alicia Montgomery.

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

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ICYMI: The Musician TikTok Hostage Crisis Jun 08, 2022

Show notes

Over the past few months, musicians have been posting on TikTok about how their record labels are forcing them to make TikTok videos to promote their new music. On the show today, Rachelle and Madison look at what all these famous musicians like Charli XCX, Florence Welch, and Ed Sheeran are posting, why the music industry is so desperate for viral hits, and who we should feel sorry for in all of this.

This podcast is produced by Daniel Schroeder, Rachelle Hampton, and Madison Malone Kircher.

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Culture Gabfest: Harry Styles: Your Mom's Favorite Hottie Jun 08, 2022

Show notes

This week, the panel begins by diving into the animated world of Chip ‘n Dale: Rescue Rangers. Then, they reflect on Norm Macdonald’s career and influence with his posthumous special Nothing Special. Finally, the panel enters Harry’s House as they are joined by Slate’s music critic Carl Wilson to discuss Harry Styles’ most recent album.

In Slate Plus, the panel discusses their ideal cultural mix.

Email us at culturefest@slate.com.

Endorsements

Dana: In celebration of the late-great Prince’s birthday: his 1987 concert film Sign o’ the Times, which is finally available on streaming.

Julia: Two things: one, the famous Hollywood Bowl venue; two: in honor of the 100th anniversary of the Bowl, the LA Times has put together a guide to the history of the Hollywood Bowl.

Steve: An extraordinary memoir published posthumously in 1939 and written by Sebastian Haffner, a German man who witnessed the 1930s and the rise of Hitler, titled Defying Hitler: A Memoir.

Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Nadira Goffe.

"Stone Cookies" by Dusty Decks.

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Hang Up: Soccer in a Time of War Jun 07, 2022

Show notes

Joel Anderson, Stefan Fatsis, and Josh Levin assess the back-and-forth NBA Finals between the Warriors and Celtics. The New York Times’ Andrew Das also joins to talk about Ukraine’s loss to Wales in a World Cup playoff match. Finally, they discuss the Oklahoma softball juggernaut.

NBA Finals (3:09): Howthe Celtics took Game 1, and how the Warriors struck back.

Ukraine-Wales (25:00): An epic sporting event with global consequences.

Oklahoma softball (47:30): A deep dive on a remarkable dynasty.

Afterball (1:08:57): Josh on Coco Gauff, Iga Swiatek, Rafael Nadal, and tennis inevitability.

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Working: How Normal Gossip Producer Alex Sujong Laughlin Helps Shape the Podcast Jun 05, 2022

Show notes

This week, Working producer Cameron Drews talks to Alex Sujong Laughlin, producer of the hit podcast Normal Gossip. In the interview, Alex explains what a producer does and talks about how important it is for producers to have creative input. Then she digs into the process behind Normal Gossip and shares how she and host Kelsey McKinney anonymize the gossip stories and make decisions about which details to tweak and which ones to keep.

After the interview, Cameron and co-host June Thomas talk more about what it’s like to be a podcast producer.

In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Alex shares her favorite and least favorite production tasks. She also tells a story about a listener email that she and Kelsey received.

Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to working@slate.com or give us a call at (304) 933-9675.

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 Big Mood, Little Mood—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on Working. Sign up now at slate.com/workingplus.

Thanks Avast.com!

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ICYMI: Are the Mormon TikTok Moms Really Swingers? Jun 04, 2022

Show notes

The Mormon moms on TikTok are accused of “soft swinging,” or engaging in sexual acts with people other than their spouses while their spouses are in the room, and people cannot stop asking about it. On the show today, Madison and Rachelle talk about Liam Payne’s recent comments about his former One Direction bandmates, and then they’re back with High Speed Downloads about the Early American Youtube channel, and the drama surrounding the Mormon moms of TikTok.

This podcast is produced by Daniel Schroeder, Rachelle Hampton and Madison Malone Kircher.

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A Word: Black to the Future Online Jun 03, 2022

Show notes

Like so much of pop culture, online culture is largely rooted in the work of Black and other marginalized people.Writer and activist Bridget Todd celebrates their stories on her podcast There Are No Girls on the Internet. On today’s episode of A Word, she joins Jason Johnson to talk about the challenge of preserving that history, and building communities for women, LGBTQ people, and Black folks in an increasingly hostile online world.

Guest: Bridget Todd, host of the “There Are No Girls on the Internet” podcast.

Podcast production by Jasmine Ellis

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The Waves: Abortion on the Ballot Jun 02, 2022

Show notes

On this week’s episode of The Waves, Slate senior producer Cheyna Roth is joined by Slate senior writer Mark Joseph Stern to talk about Michigan’s ballot initiative to save abortion rights in the state. They dig into the positives and negatives of going to the ballot, what we can learn from Ireland, and why, at the end of the day, you really need the courts. Mark also explains the one big thing that citizens can and should be doing to help secure abortion access.

In Slate Plus, is Ginny Thomas maintaining a career that directly conflicts with her Supreme Court Justice husband’s work feminist?

Mentioned in the Show:

“The Ironic, Unintended Consequence of SCOTUS’s Plan to Overturn Roe” by Mark Joseph Stern

Recommendations:

Mark: The album Two Ribbons by Let’s Eat Grandma

Cheyna: Everything by the band HAIM.

Podcast production by Cheyna Roth with editorial oversight by Shannon Palus and Alicia Montgomery .

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

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