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Spoiler Specials: House of Gucci Nov 26, 2021

Show notes

On the Spoiler Specials podcast, Slate critics discuss movies, the occasional TV show, and, once in a blue moon, another podcast, in full spoiler-filled detail. This week, Slate movie critic Dana Stevens is joined by Slate staff writer Heather Schwedel and New Yorker staff writer Rachel Syme to spoil the latest movie from Ridley Scott, House of Gucci.

When Patrizia Reggiani (Lady Gaga), a woman whose glamor belies her working-class lifestyle, meets Maurizio Gucci (Adam Driver) at a party, she senses an opportunity for something more. The film follows their romance as it grows, and then morphs into something more sinister.

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

To listen to Spoiler Specials and other Slate podcasts with zero ads, read unlimited articles on Slate.com, and support Slate’s journalism, sign up for Slate Plus now.

Email us at spoilers@slate.com.

Podcast production by Cleo Levin.

Hosts

Dana Stevens is Slate’s movie critic. You can read her review here.

Heather Schwedel is a Slate staff writer.

Rachel Syme is a New Yorker staff writer.

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A Word: Cooking for the Culture Nov 26, 2021

Show notes

The holidays bring out the chef in many of us. For Vallery Lomas, stress-baking through her final year of law school laid the foundation for a career as a chef, and a victory in the Great American Baking Show. This week, she joins host Jason Johnson this week to talk about her unlikely path to celebrity chef status, and her new book Life is What You Bake It.

Guest: Vallery Lomas, cookbook author, recipe developer, and creator at @foodieinnewyork on Instagram

Podcast production by Ahyiana Angel and Jasmine Ellis

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The Waves: Why Women Are in Charge of Leftovers Nov 25, 2021

Show notes

On this week’s episode of The Waves, Slate staff writer Rebecca Onion is joined by leftovers expert and cookbook author Tamar Adler, author of An Everlasting Meal: Cooking with Economy and Grace, to talk about what to do with all your excess food. They start out by discussing why dealing with leftovers has historically fallen on women and the division of labor in their own homes. Then they shift gears and give ideas for new dishes to transform your leftovers into—from the gravy to the cranberry sauce.

In Slate Plus, Rebecca and Tamar talk about whether cooking for a date and “engagement chicken” is feminist.

Recommendations:

Rebecca: Mowing, instead of raking, your leaves.

Tamar: Making cleaning part of your work schedule and watching videos during your home exercise class.

Podcast production by Cheyna Roth with editorial oversight by Susan Matthews and June Thomas.

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

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ICYMI: An ICYMI Friendsgiving Spectacular Nov 24, 2021

Show notes

So much has happened on the internet in 2021, from Bernie in his mittens to the big boat stuck in the Panama Canal. On today’s episode, Rachelle and Madison are joined at the Friendsgiving table by Buzzfeed’s Elamin Abdelmahmoud and Autostraddle’s Christina Grace Tucker to discuss the funniest, craziest, and horniest things to come across their feeds this year.

Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder and Derek John.

Support ICYMI and listen to the show with zero ads. Sign up to become a Slate Plus member for just $1 for your first month.

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Culture Gabfest: Hello, It's Me Again Nov 24, 2021

Show notes

This week, Steve and Dana are joined byNew York Times columnist and Slate graduate Jamelle Bouie. First, the panel discusses the Richard Williams—father of tennis phenoms Venus and Serena Williams—biopic, starring Will Smith, King Richard. Next, the panel is joined by Slate music critic Carl Wilson as they break down Adele’s latest emotional rollercoaster, 30. Finally, the panel dives into a new comic book, The Department of Truth.

In Slate Plus, the panel discusses their Thanksgiving culinary festivities.

Email us at culturefest@slate.com.

Endorsements

Dana: An Adele related endorsement, a clip that went viral from the British TV series An Audience With... on ITV, where famous people perform for an audience of other famous people who then ask the performer questions. In this clip, Adele reunited with her former English Teacher, Ms. McDonald.

Jamelle: The Apple TV+ adaptation of Isaac Asimov’s Foundation trilogy.

Steve: The all-time greatest/worst endorsement was in 2014 when John Swansburg endorsed the TV show Cheers. To do John Swansburg one better, Steve endorses The Beatles, more specifically the slant way to get at their greatness, an infamous bootleg that’s been circulating for decades, The Esher Demos. Also: Rachel Cusk, a genius novelist.

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

Outro music is "Did I Make You Wait" by Staffan Carlen.

Slate Plus members get ad-free podcasts, a bonus segment in each episode of the Culture Gabfest, full access to Slate's journalism on Slate.com, and more. Sign up now at slate.com/cultureplus.

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Decoder Ring: You Just Lost The Game Nov 23, 2021

Show notes

When you think about the game, you lose the game. When you lose the game you must declare that you have lost the game, causing all others in your vicinity to also lose the game. That’s it, that’s the game.

The game is mind game that trades on a quirk of human psychology, and is so intensely viral that it went from a college science fiction club in-joke to an endemic mind virus in only a few decades. If you’re a bit older and already know about the game, you likely learned about it in the aughts, but the game continues to spread through social media, most recently on TikTok, where the game became a meme over lockdown. On this episode, we examine the game to figure out how it works, where it came from, and the curious psychology that powers its viral nature.

Note: A version of this episode was originally released as a secret bonus to our 2018 episode “The Incunabula Papers”, but this is its official public release. The episode has been updated with new voice over, sound design, and minor story changes to bring it up to date in 2021.

If you love the show and want to support us, consider joining Slate Plus. With Slate Plus you can get ad free podcasts, bonus episodes, and much more.

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Slate Money Succession: "Clown Town" Nov 22, 2021

Show notes

Slate Money is obsessed with Succession, HBO's wonderful drama about the lives of the superrich Roy family. So, every Monday, we'll be discussing the previous night's episode with spoiler-filled glee. For Episode 6, Felix Salmon and Emily Peck are joined byjournalist, author and Godmother of Slate Money Succession, Taffy Brodesser-Akner to talk about Soy Boys, the fascists, and Tom’s diner regiment in preparation for prison.

Podcast production by Cheyna Roth.

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Working: Writer Oliver Burkeman on the Dangers of Obsessive Time Management Nov 21, 2021

Show notes

This week, host June Thomas talks to Oliver Burkeman, author of the book Four Thousand Weeks: Time Management for Mortals. In the interview, Oliver shares his philosophy of time management, which hinges on the finite nature of life. He also discusses his previous experience as a “productivity geek” and explains some of the dangers of obsessive time management.

After the interview, June and co-host Isaac Butler discuss their own approaches to organization and productivity.

In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Oliver talks about the benefits (and drawbacks) of group activities.

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 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.

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Hit Parade: Be the One to Walk in the Sun, Part 1 Nov 20, 2021

Show notes

Thirty-five years ago, in the fall of 1986, women with rock foundations and pop sensibilities were doing quite well on the charts. Three acts in particular were drawing sizable attention—and they were all singing on the same album: Cyndi Lauper’s True Colors, which featured backing vocals by the Bangles and ’Til Tuesday’s Aimee Mann.

It turns out these women had more than that brief coincidence in common. Lauper, Mann and the Bangles came up at the same postpunk, new-wave moment in ’80s pop. And they fought many of the same battles: record-label machinations…a media that stoked rivalries, whether or not they existed…and a sexist music industry that repeatedly underestimated their skills. In this Hit Parade episode, Chris Molanphy recounts how these women emerged from distinctive rock scenes––from punk-era New York and Boston, to L.A.’s Paisley Underground—then outgrew them. They found critical and commercial acclaim and remain influential decades later, in a variety of media, from Hollywood to Broadway. What forces were they up against, and how did they fight to define themselves?

Podcast production by Asha Saluja.

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ICYMI: How a Harry Potter Fanfic Took Over the Internet Nov 20, 2021

Show notes

The realm of fan fiction is a wild, magical place to be, especially if that fan fiction is set at Hogwarts. On today’s episode, Rachelle and Madison talk about All the Young Dudes, an extensive Harry Potter fan fiction that has inspired a fandom all its own, and just how that fandom came to be. But first, they chat about National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) and spend time listening to the first line of some listeners’ NaNoWriMo novels.

Podcast production by Jasmine Ellis, Daniel Schroeder, and Derek John.

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