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Thirst Aid Kit: That Sturdy Feeling ft. Driadonna Roland Oct 31, 2019

Show notes

Happy Halloween! This week there are no tricks, and only BIG OLE TREATS thanks to the top tier selection of Thirst Objects gathered. We asked our friend, writer and covert thirst-bucket Driadonna Roland to help us break down the dudes that make her weak in the knees… We started on Baldwin’s Beale Street with Stephan (StePHOINE) James, pivoted to the Boardwalk for Bobby ‘something’s about to go down’ Cannavale and traversed the Jabari kingdom for Winston ‘dem thighs!’ Duke. Fanfic Wars was a mixed bag of thirst as usual — don’t forget to vote for your fave drabble!

As usual, you can follow us on Twitter @ThirstAidKit. Nichole is @tnwhiskeywoman and Bim is @bimadew. Our music is by Tanya Morgan. You can find show notes, gifs and so much more on our Tumblr at thirstaidkitpodcast.tumblr.com. Send us your (short!) thirsty drabbles by emailing thirstaidkit@slate.com.

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Hit Parade: Lost and Lonely Edition Oct 31, 2019

Show notes

If you were an angsty American teenager in the 1980s—whether in real life, or in a John Hughes movie—the rock you loved probably came from the United Kingdom, complete with droning vocals, brooding lyrics, goth hair, and black nail polish. The Cure, Siouxsie and the Banshees, Bauhaus, Joy Division/New Order, the Smiths: All these U.K. postpunk acts were hard-pressed to score American hits in the first half of the ’80s—the era of fun-loving New Romantic bands like Duran Duran. But to Gen X teens, Robert Smith, Siouxsie Sioux, and Morrissey were icons.

By the end of the decade, however, these bands became American hitmakers, especially after Billboard launched the music bible’s first alternative rock chart. Depeche Mode sold out a California stadium. New Order dominated dancefloors. The Smiths’ Johnny Marr became a guitar god, Morrissey an MTV crush object. And finally, in 1989, the Cure—dark, doomy, and moody as ever—were challenging Janet Jackson for the top of the Billboard Hot 100. Just in time for Halloween, Hit Parade tells the story of how spooky, spidery, U.K. mope-rock became chart-conquering pop.

Podcast production by Justin D. Wright.

Hosted byChris Molanphy

Follow @cmolanphy on Twitter / https://www.twitter.com/cmolanphy

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Culture Gabfest: Hail Satan Oct 30, 2019

Show notes

Julia Turner, Dana Stevens, and Stephen Metcalf discuss the horror classic Rosemary's Baby, the TV show Modern Love, and Morrissey's political legacy with the LA Times' Randall Roberts. In Slate Plus: The Marvel vs. Scorsese kerfuffle.

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Spoiler Specials: Jojo Rabbit Oct 25, 2019

Show notes

On the Spoiler Special podcast, Slate critics discuss movies, the occasional TV show, and, once in a blue moon, another podcast, in full spoiler-filled detail. This week, Forrest Wickman, Sam Adams and Dan Kois discuss Jojo Rabbit. Taika Waitit’s Nazi spoof takes a comedic look at how people, even children, get caught up in movements fueled by hateful ideology. But does the comedic lens allow for sympathization? As a young member of Hitler Youth nearing the end of WWII, Jojo Betzler, invents an imaginary friend... Hitler. What happens when Jojo discovers a Jewish girl hiding in his family home? And how does Jojo navigate those challenging his ideology and the imminent fall of Nazi Germany?

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Thirst Aid Kit: Stern Men and Power Femmes with Nicole Cliffe Oct 24, 2019

Show notes

Buttoned Up. Taciturn. No-Nonsense. We all know the magnetism of a stern man, and how it compels thirst. Writer, benevolent internet queen and genteel bisexual lady Nicole Cliffe joined us to discuss her many thirsts, both real and fictional — from her formative crush on Gillian Anderson as Dana Scully on The X Files to Mindhunter’s Bill Tench. We also made a stop at the door of stoic-but-filled-with-rage KGB agent Ilya Kuryakin (played by Armie Hammer) in The Man From U.N.C.L.E. Last but not least, we explored the flinty charm of 1920s-but-modern Detective Inspector Jack Robinson from Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries. Both our drabbles are caretaking masterpieces, if we do say so ourselves.

You can follow us on Twitter @ThirstAidKit. Nichole is @tnwhiskeywoman and Bim is @bimadew. Our music is by Tanya Morgan. You can find show notes, gifs and more on our Tumblr at thirstaidkitpodcast.tumblr.com. Don’t forget to send us your drabbles by emailing thirstaidkit@slate.com. And you can leave us a voicemail at our new phone number, (510) 9-THIRST.

Be safe out there, thirst-buckets… undo your top button and get to it!

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Culture Gabfest: Voice Like a Jangly Bell Oct 23, 2019

Show notes

Stephen Metcalf, Dana Stevens, and Julia Turner discuss the film Pain and Glory with Slate's June Thomas, the podcast Dolly Parton's America, and the Slate profile of Lauren Gunderson, the most popular playwright in America, with author Dan Kois. In Slate Plus: cats vs. dogs.

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Slate Money: Succession: Bonus Episode With Gerri! Oct 21, 2019

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. In this extra special bonus episode, J. Smith-Cameron, aka Queen Gerri herself, and the New York Times Magazine’s Taffy Brodesser-Akner join Felix and Emily to discuss which of her lines were actually improvised, how she reacted to the Roman/Gerri storyline, what kinds of storylines and scenes were cut from the season, and more insights and hilarious tidbits from the show.

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Spoiler Specials: Parasite Oct 18, 2019

Show notes

On the Spoiler Special podcast, Slate critics discuss movies, the occasional TV show, and, once in a blue moon, another podcast, in full spoiler-filled detail. This week, Dana Stevens, Forrest Wickman and Inkoo Kang discuss Parasite. With Hitchcock-like quality, Bong Joon-ho plays with the audience in the upstairs / downstairs dive into economic inequality. The Kims, stuck on their low social rung jump at the opportunity to latch onto an affluent family. But how long can they keep the ruse up? What will they do to keep up the charade?

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Thirst Aid Kit: Mark-Paul Gosselaar Can Catch It Oct 17, 2019

Show notes

We never wanted a hall pass for Zack Morris but our thirst for Mark-Paul Gosselaar grew from a tiny acorn into a mighty oak — JUST LIKE HE DID. From Pitch to the Passage, we explore what makes MPG the MVP: is it the well-groomed beard? The thick thighs? Or maybe the fact that he’s starred opposite so many black women and girls that’s got our foofs a-tingle…

This week on Fanfic Wars, MPG saves Nichole, relaxes with Bim after a fan convention. Plus [REDACTED] as usual.

Follow us on Twitter @ThirstAidKit. Nichole is @tnwhiskeywoman and Bim is @bimadew. Find show notes, gifs, and links on our Tumblr at thirstaidkitpodcast.tumblr.com. Share your drabbles with us there or email them to us at thirstaidkit@slate.com. Our music is by Tanya Morgan. Thirst responsibly — wear shinpads!

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Culture Gabfest: Claggy Sponge Oct 16, 2019

Show notes

Dana Stevens, Stephen Metcalf, and Julia Turner discuss the Breaking Bad movie El Camino, The Great British Baking Show, and the streaming wars and the future of television. In Slate Plus, the panel discuss the work of critic Harold Bloom who died this week with professor Al Filreis.

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