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What Next: Haiti’s Power Vacuum Mar 18, 2024

Show notes

With gangs controlling much of the capital and the prime minister out of office, what is Haiti’s path to stability? What role should the international community play?

Guest: Harold Isaac, independent journalist in Haiti.

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Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Madeline Ducharme, Anna Phillips, Paige Osburn, and Rob Gunther.

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Working: From Corporate Job to Broadway Playwright Mar 17, 2024

Show notes

This week, host Ronald Young Jr. talks to Bekah Brunstetter, a TV writer and playwright whose most recent project is the new Broadway musical version of The Notebook. In the interview, Bekah discusses her early career journey, when she was juggling a corporate job with her playwriting passion. She also talks about breaking into TV writing and working on the hit drama This is Us. And finally, she digs into her work on The Notebook and explains what it was like to adapt the classic rom-com.

After the interview, Ronald and co-host June Thomas talk about receiving feedback, establishing routines, and choosing the correct creative tools for your project.

In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Bekah shares the plot of the first play she ever wrote. Then she and Ronald talk about their experiences growing up in religious households and the impact it had on their cultural diets.

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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What Next TBD: When Private Equity Gets in to Health Care Mar 17, 2024

Show notes

Private equity firms have been buying up doctors’ offices and hospitals around the country. But if profits are the primary goal, what happens to the cost and quality of healthcare for patients?

Guest: Gretchen Morgenson, senior financial reporter for the NBC News Investigative Unit and co-author of “These Are the Plunderers: How Private Equity Runs—and Wrecks—America”

Want more What Next TBD? Subscribe to Slate Plus to access ad-free listening to the whole What Next family and all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of our show page. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to get access wherever you listen.

Podcast production by Evan Campbell, Patrick Fort, and Anna Phillips.

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Political Gabfest Reads: How Tana French Uses Genre Tropes to Tell Great Human Stories Mar 16, 2024

Show notes

Emily Bazelon talks with author Tana French about her new book, The Hunter. They discuss the different perspectives French uses throughout her books, how French happened into writing mysteries, writing as an outsider to Ireland, and more.

Tweet us your questions @SlateGabfest or email us at gabfest@slate.com. (Messages could be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.)

Podcast production by Cheyna Roth.

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Amicus: Who Gets to Lie Online? Mar 16, 2024

Show notes

While all eyes and brains are on what SCOTUS thinks about making Trump emperor-king, a lesser known case will be heard Monday that could have a huge impact on how social media can (or cannot) keep election workers safe this year. Murthy v. Missouri arrives at the high court as the result a lawsuit filed by the attorneys general of Missouri and Louisiana, along with a group of social media users—including some doctors and right-wing commentators—who argued that officials in the Biden administration censored their online speech about COVID-19, the 2020 election, among other issues The plaintiffs don’t claim that the administration directly silenced their speech. Instead, they argue that, by working with social media companies to limit the spread of misinformation, the government unlawfully chilled the free expression of their ideas.

Gowri Ramachandran serves as deputy director in the Brennan Center’s Democracy program.The amicus brief filed by her team from the Brennan Center in Murthy draws the Justices attention to another aspect of election disinformation. Ramachandran explains to host Dahlia Lithwick that combating election disinformation has always been important, but it is especially critical now, as election workers struggle to keep on top of voting issues.

Later in the show for Slate plus subscribers, Mark Joseph Stern joins to talk about the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals taking a swing at teens’ access to contraception, and a new effort to combat the scourge of judge-shopping.

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ICYMI: Reddit is the Real Host of “Love is Blind” Mar 16, 2024

Show notes

On today’s episode, Rachelle Hampton is joined by Jonquilyn Hill, the host and reporter of Vox’s policy and politics podcast The Weeds. The two reunite to discuss the most recent season of Netflix’s Love is Blind. Following an unmemorable season and a disastrous attempt at a live reunion, the sixth installment of the reality dating show finally managed to re-capture the magic that made the show’s initial premise so enticing. How’d they do it? By taking their cues from the sleuths, skeptics and superfans that inhabit the Love is Blind subreddit which boasts over 1 million followers.

This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Daisy Rosario, Candice Lim and Rachelle Hampton.

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Slate Money: Work is Mid 🤷‍♀️ Mar 16, 2024

Show notes

This week: Americans don’t care as much about work. They have better things to do. Felix Salmon, Emily Peck, and Elizabeth Spiers discuss the prospect of a four-day workweek and what it could mean for the economy. Also: How Liquid Death made water rad as hell, and the uncertain fate of TikTok in America. In the Plus segment: Tanning is back! Producer Cheyna Roth joins the hosts to discuss the rising popularity of tanning salons and self-tan products.

If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get an ad-free experience across the network and an additional segment of our regular show every week. You’ll also be supporting the work we do here on Slate Money. Sign up now at slate.com/moneyplus to help support our work.

Podcast production by Jared Downing and Cheyna Roth.

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Hit Parade: Gotcha Covered Edition Part 1 Mar 16, 2024

Show notes

Cover songs once had a simple playbook: Artists would faithfully rerecord a song—note for note and word for word. They might modernize the instrumentation. If they were feeling radical, they’d punch up the vocals a bit.

Now it’s hard to say what a cover is anymore. If Ariana Grande turns “My Favorite Things” into “7 Rings,” does that qualify? When Drake says he’s “Way 2 Sexy,” is he covering Right Said Fred?

The recent chart success of “Fast Car”—country star Luke Combs’ very traditional take on Tracy Chapman’s folk classic—has reinvigorated interest in cover songs. Sometimes, isn’t just remaking the song as-is enough?

Join Chris Molanphy as he explains the chart considerations and artistic motivations that rebooted the cover song, and whether a straight-up remake will ever top the Hot 100 again. We’re long past the days of “Twist and Shout,” “Venus” and “I’ll Be There.”

Podcast production by Olivia Briley.

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What Next TBD: Is TikTok Cooked This Time? Mar 15, 2024

Show notes

TikTok’s connection to the Chinese government has been a Washington talking point since the Trump administration, but earlier this month lawmakers in the House introduced a bill requiring the app’s parent company to either divest the company into American hands—or be banned.

Guest: Emily Baker-White, technology reporter and senior writer at Forbes.

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A Word: Black Country Renaissance Mar 15, 2024

Show notes

Beyoncé has announced that the second act of Renaissance will be a country album. “Cowboy Carter” is set for release at the end of March, Women’s History Month. Beyoncé has already made history as the first Black woman to top the country charts with “Texas Hold ‘Em,” and recently received Dolly Parton’s blessing to cover her classic song, Jolene.

While Beyoncé may seem to be breaking new ground, much of country music has always been rooted in African American culture, and Black women have been singing country for decades. On today’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson is joined by DePaul University Professor Francesca Royster, the author of Black Country Music: Listening for Revolutions. They talk about the history of Black women in country music, the racial tension that has kept many African American fans away from the genre, and whether this moment represents a new era for Black country artists.

Guest: Professor Francesca Royster, author of Black Country Music: Listening for Revolutions

Podcast production by Kristie Taiwo-Makanjuola

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