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Working: Rebecca Lavoie on Her Podcasting “Side Hustle” Oct 24, 2021

Show notes

This week, host June Thomas talks to Rebecca Lavoie, who oversees podcasts at New Hampshire Public Radio and who has a “side” hustle as host and producer of Crime Writers On..., These Are Their Stories, and several other podcasts. Rebecca explains why her supposed side-gig has expanded into a much bigger enterprise, and how she makes that work.

After the interview, June and co-host Isaac Butler talk about how Rebecca gets it all done and the “grass is always greener” issue of being on staff versus being a freelancer in creative fields.

Podcast production by Jessamine Molli.

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ICYMI: Is TikTok Giving Teen Girls Tics? Oct 23, 2021

Show notes

Why have so many young women developed tic disorders during the course of the pandemic? Well, apart from the obvious pandemic-related stressors, TikTok could be a big part of it. On today’s episode, Rachelle and Madison talk to science journalist Maddie Bender about her report for Vice unpacking this medical mystery. They discuss the correlation between exposure to Tic Tok, a subculture on TikTok where influencers share videos of their tic-related symptoms, and the rise of young women who have developed tic-like behaviors. Though social media could be a trigger for this phenomenon, they’ll discuss if TikTok could also be a part of the solution.

Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder, Derek John, and Samira Tazari.

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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The Waves: Why Being the Chef on a Yacht Could Drive Anyone to Yell “Eat My Cooter!” Oct 21, 2021

Show notes

On this week’s episode of The Waves, Slate news director Susan Matthews and Waves producer Cheyna Roth talk about one of the most popular reality TV shows: Below Deck. First, they share why they love it even though it is...a bit problematic, and then they bring on Rachel Hargrove, the chef from Seasons 8 and 9. Hargrove dishes on what it’s really like to be behind the camera, the backlash she received after her first season, working in the male-dominated yachting industry, and how yachts and their kitchen are making more room for women.

In Slate Plus: More from Susan and Cheyna’s chat with Rachel. They talk about what you don’t see on television and get Rachel’s thoughts on the upcoming season of Below Deck.

Recommendations

Susan: The HBO and BBC series I May Destroy You.

Cheyna: Setting your parents up with Spotify.

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: We Interviewed the Pug With No Bones Oct 20, 2021

Show notes

Is it a bones day or a no bones day? That’s the question that’s swept across TikTok, thanks to Noodle the pug. Each morning, owner Jonathan Graziano wakes up and checks if his geriatric pug has bones or not, a helpful way of predicting what sort of day we’re all going to have. On today’s episode, Madison and Rachelle interview Jonathan (and Noodle) about his sudden viral fame, how Noodle is handling such celebrity, and exactly what it means to have a no bones day.

Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder and Derek John.

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Culture Gabfest: I’ll Be Your Mirror Oct 20, 2021

Show notes

This week, Steve and Dana are joined by Karen Han.First,Slate’s music critic Carl Wilson chimes in to discuss Todd Haynes’s new The Velvet Underground documentary, which he wrote beautifullyabout for Slate. Next, the panel (minus Dana) is joined by Slate staff writerRebecca Onion to review Mike Flanagan’s newest Netflix horror series, Midnight Mass—which she also wrote lovingly about.Finally, the panel (minus Dana) is joined by Vulture senior editor and host of the Good One podcast,Jesse David Fox, to discuss the Dave Chappelle controversy.

In Slate Plus, the panel discusses media they loved when they were younger that they have since outgrown.

Email us at culturefest@slate.com.

Endorsements

Dana: The book equivalent of Todd Haynes’s documentary, the first oral history Dana ever read and still one of the best she’s ever read to this day: Edie: American Girl by Jean Stein and George Plimpton. The oral history tells the story of actress and model Edie Sedgwick completely through testimony from people that were there, without any interstitial material.

Karen: New World, the Korean crime drama film from Park Hoon-jung that stars Squid Game’s Lee Jung-jae. The film features Lee as an undercover cop who is tasked with infiltrating the mob, but ends up caught between two worlds. It also stars a slew of great Korean actors including Hwang Jung-min and Song Ji-hyo.

Steve: First, Netflix’s series The Chestnut Man, a dark, taught crime drama which takes place in Copenhagen. Then, a whole genre of YouTube videos taking you from raw audio of rehearsal to mastertape of Elvis’s songs, including “And The Grass Won’t Pay No Mind”—though, Neil Diamond’s version of that one is better.

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

Outro music is “I’ll Be Your Mirror” by The Velvet Underground.

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Succession: "Weevils in the Flour Sack" Oct 18, 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 the series premier, Felix Salmon and Emily Peck are joined by Janine Gibson, assistant editor of Financial Times to talk about Geri's glass cliff promotion, who might be going to jail, and all the best one liners.

Podcast production by Cheyna Roth.

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Working: How Alessandro Nivola Became Dickie Moltisanti in The Many Saints of Newark Oct 17, 2021

Show notes

This week, host Isaac Butler talks to actor Alessandro Nivola, who recently starred in the Sopranos prequel The Many Saints of Newark. In the interview, Alessandro discusses his early career as a theater actor and shares a piece of wisdom he got from Robert De Niro about memorizing lines. Then he digs into the process of becoming a believable 1970’s tough guy in Many Saints.

After the interview, Isaac and co-host June Thomas discuss line memorization and the joys of being part of a “scene.”

In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Alessandro shares how he’s able to tap into powerful emotions in scenes that call for it.

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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ICYMI: The TikTok Salmon Bowl Can’t Save Us Oct 16, 2021

Show notes

Emily Mariko’s salmon rice bowl video has taken TikTok by storm, with fans praising its deliciousness and even claiming that her video helped heal their relationship with food. On this episode of ICYMI, Rachelle and Madison figure out where this story fits into the diet culture conversation and explain how the reaction to Mariko’s dish is about much more than just the ingredients she’s using. Of course, they weren’t about to talk about a viral recipe without trying it, so the hosts took to the kitchen to find out whether it really lives up to the hype.

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.

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Hit Parade: I Write Sins, Not Tragedies, Part 1 Oct 16, 2021

Show notes

“Punk happened, past tense.” That’s what Boomer-era critics and true-believer punks told the younger generations. Punk’s whole reason for being was rejecting the mainstream. But punk wasn’t just a movement—it was also a genre. And 20 years after it first emerged, punk went from underground to overground, dominating the radio for the first time.

In this episode of Hit Parade, Chris Molanphy traces how punk traveled from Sid Vicious to strip mall, through the lineage of ’90s bands Green Day, Offspring and Blink‑182, and ’00s emo artisans Fall Out Boy, Panic! at the Disco and their skinny-jeans-wearing, smarty-pants contemporaries. From the CBGB era to the current Billboard Hot 100, punk is no historical artifact—it’s still morphing and adapting. And for all its supposed opposition to convention, the dirty little secret is: Punk has always been catchy.

Podcast production by Asha Saluja with help from Rosemary Belson.

We have a special announcement! This year is the 25th anniversary of Slate. And for a limited time, we’re offering our annual Slate Plus membership at $25 off. As a Slate Plus member, you'll get to hear every Hit Parade episode in full, the day it arrives; plus Hit Parade—“The Bridge,” our bonus episodes, with guest interviews, deeper dives on our episode topics, and pop-chart trivia. Plus, you’ll get no ads on any Slate podcast, unlimited reading on the Slate site, and member-exclusive episodes and segments. This offer lasts until October 31st, so sign up now at slate.com/hitparadeplus.

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Spoiler Specials: Midnight Mass Oct 15, 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 senior editor Sam Adams is joined by Laura Miller, a books and culture columnist for Slate, to spoil the new Mike Flanagan miniseries Midnight Mass.

Riley Flynn returns to his home on an offshore fishing village to find that the local priest has been replaced by a newcomer. The arrival of the magnetic Father Paul Hill brings religious fervor to the town, along with mystery and monstrosity.

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

Email us at spoilers@slate.com.

Podcast production by Cleo Levin and Asha Saluja

Hosts

Sam Adams is a Slate senior editor. You can read his review here.

Laura Miller is a books and culture columnist for Slate.

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