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Political Gabfest: One Thing Even Trump Won’t Do Apr 24, 2025

Show notes

This week, Emily Bazelon and David Plotz are joined by Henry Blodget to discuss the financial and political fallout from the President’s threats to fire Fed Chair Powell and subsequent retreat; a Supreme Court case over free exercise of religion that could have broad implications; and why Trump stands by Hegseth after Signalgate Part 2.

For this week’s Slate Plus bonus episode, Emily and David are joined by Henry Blodget to discuss the weird and somewhat terrifying AI experiment he conducted for his Substack Regenerator.

In the latest Gabfest Reads, John talks with author Maggie Smith about her new book, Dear Writer: Pep Talks & Practical Advice for the Creative Life.

Email your chatters, questions, and comments to gabfest@slate.com. (Messages may be referenced by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.)

Research by Emily Ditto

Want more Political Gabfest? Join Slate Plus to unlock weekly bonus episodes. Plus, you’ll access ad-free listening across all your favorite Slate podcasts. You can subscribe directly from the Political Gabfest show page on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Or visit slate.com/gabfestplus to get access wherever you listen.

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Care & Feeding | My Son’s Girlfriend’s Mom Is Toxic Apr 24, 2025

Show notes

On this episode: Zak, Elizabeth and Lucy answer a letter about parenting a kid through a toxic relationship… and more specifically, a girlfriend’s toxic mom. Our letter-writer is trying to balance respecting her son’s first serious relationship with wanting to protect him from some really nasty behavior.

And after that, of course, we’ll circle up for a round of triumphs and fails.

Join us on Facebook and email us at careandfeedingpod@slate.com to ask us new questions, tell us what you thought of today’s show, and give us ideas about what we should talk about in future episodes. You can also call our phone line: (646) 357-9318.

If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get to hang out with us on the Plus Playground every week for a whole additional grab-bag of content — and you’ll get an ad-free experience across the network. And you’ll also be supporting the work we do here on Care and Feeding. Sign up now at slate.com/careplus – or try it out on Apple Podcasts.

Podcast produced by Maura Currie.

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What Next | The Flight Attendant Who Wants You to Go on Strike Apr 24, 2025

Show notes

The Trump administration’s actions on immigration and firing the federal workforce have drawn condemnation from all sorts of unions—from building trades to graduate students. What happens when labor speaks as one?

Guest: Sara Nelson, international president of the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA, AFL–CIO.

Want more What Next? Join Slate Plus to unlock full, ad-free access to What Next and all your other favorite Slate podcasts. You can subscribe directly from the What Next show page on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Or, visit slate.com/whatnextplus to get access wherever you listen.

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

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What Next | Fed Up! Apr 23, 2025

Show notes

Why Trump wants to ouster his own appointee, Jerome Powell, from the Fed chair—and why the rest of the world is rooting for Powell to stay put.

Guest: Liz Hoffman, Semafor’s business and finance editor, host of Semafor’s World Economy Summit, and author of Crash Landing: The Inside Story of How the World’s Biggest Companies Survived an Economy on the Brink.

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

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ICYMI: The $50M Revolve Lawsuit and Sponcon Literacy Apr 23, 2025

Show notes

Candice Lim and Kate Lindsay run through the lows of Coachella, before breaking down a lawsuit against one of the festival’s most visible e-commerce brands, Revolve. Earlier this month, Revolve was hit with a $50 million class-action lawsuit accusing them of deceiving more than 1 million customers using social media marketing tactics. The lead plaintiff named three influencers as co-defendants, saying they didn’t disclose that Revolve paid them for sponsored posts and had she known the posts were sponsored, she would not have purchased clothing from them. Does this case have merit, which past influencers have gotten in trouble for similar mistakes, and what does it say about our sponcon literacy today?

This podcast is produced by Vic Whitley-Berry, Daisy Rosario, Candice Lim, and Kate Lindsay.

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Culture Gabfest | Is Sinners Hollywood’s Salvation? Apr 23, 2025

Show notes

On this week’s show, Julia, Stephen, and Dana are together and talk about Sinners with Slate Culture Writer Nadira Goffe.

Then, they talk about a new animated series from Ramy Youssef called #1 Happy Family USA. Finally, they take a listener's suggestion and listen to a few episodes of the new podcast, Good Hang with Amy Poehler.

In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Nadira rejoins the panel to go deep on Sinners.

Email us at culturefest@slate.com.

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Decoder Ring | How “Chicken Soup” Sold Its Soul Apr 23, 2025

Show notes

Chicken Soup for the Soul was the brainchild of two motivational speakers who preach the New Thought belief system known as the Law of Attraction. For more than 30 years, the self-help series has compiled reader-submitted stories about kindness, courage, and perseverance into easily digestible books aimed at almost every conceivable demographic: Chicken Soup for the Teenage Soul, Chicken Soup for the Grandma’s Soul, Chicken Soup for the Golfer’s Soul, and on and on. Since 1993, these books have sold more than 500 million copies worldwide, becoming the best-selling non-fiction book series of all time.

But in recent years, the company has become many other things that seem lightyears away from inspirational publishing: a line of packaged foods, a DVD kiosk retailer, and a meme stock. In this episode, with the help of journalist Amanda Chicago Lewis, we tell the story of how this feel-good brand went from comfort food to junk.

This episode was written by Willa Paskin and Max Freedman and produced by Max. It was edited by Evan Chung, Decoder Ring’s supervising producer. Our show is also produced by Katie Shepherd. Merritt Jacob is Senior Technical Director. Special thanks to Rachel Strom.

If you have any cultural mysteries you want us to decode, please email us at DecoderRing@slate.com, or leave a message on our hotline at 347-460-7281.

Want more Decoder Ring? Subscribe to Slate Plus to unlock exclusive bonus episodes. Plus, you’ll access ad-free listening across all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe now on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of the Decoder Ring show page. Or, visit slate.com/decoderplus to get access wherever you listen.

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What Next | Ciao Papa Apr 22, 2025

Show notes

Preaching for empathy and compassion, Pope Francis at times felt like a dramatic change in the Catholic Church. Did he succeed? Can you even answer that question before you know who his successor will be?

Guest: David Gibson, director of the Center on Religion and Culture at Fordham University

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

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Living at Odds | 3. Making Amends for Ancestors Apr 22, 2025

Show notes

In the third installment of our series Living at Odds, How To!’s Courtney Martin examines what it’s like being in conflict with your family history. She talks with ancestors of the famous names in Plessy v. Ferguson, the Supreme Court decision that affirmed racial segregation in the U.S. as “separate but equal.” Later, researcher Kellie Farrish explains how reparative genealogy can unlock family history that’s been lost or erased—and bring together descendants of enslaved people and their enslavers into conversations about the past, present, and future.

If you’re enjoying Living at Odds, check out this How To! episode: How To ‘Do the Work’ of Racial Justice.

Do you have a problem that needs solving? Send us a note at howto@slate.com or leave us a voicemail at 646-495-4001 and we might have you on the show. Subscribe for free on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you listen.

This episode was produced by Maura Currie and Rosie Belson. Our technical director is Merritt Jacob, who composed original music for this series. Our supervising producer is Joel Meyer. Thank you to Dahlia Lithwick of Amicus and Sophie Summergrad for their help with this episode.

Special thanks to The Hearthland Foundation, which provided funding for Living at Odds.

Want more How To!? Subscribe to Slate Plus to unlock exclusive bonus episodes. Plus, you’ll access ad-free listening across all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe now on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of the How To! show page. Or, visit slate.com/howtoplus to get access wherever you listen.

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Hang Up | The Angstiest Stanley Cup Yet? Apr 22, 2025

Show notes

Hosts Alex Kirshner, Lindsay Gibbs, and Ben Lindbergh preview the NHL playoffs. Can the Maple Leafs or Jets finally break a Canadian Cup curse? The panel also give their NFL draft predictions, and discuss Paige Bueckers joining the Dallas Wings and Unrivaled.

For Afterballs, Ben does a deep dive into how last-minute timeouts have (and have not) led to MLB pitcher injuries, and what became of the long-forgotten pitcher Dick Windbigler.

On the bonus episode available exclusively for Slate Plus members, the panel discusses longtime College GameDay broadcast Lee Corso’s retirement.

NHL Playoffs (2:00): Can Canada finally do it?

NFL Draft (19:31): Where will Shadeur Sanders land?

Paige Bueckers (36:30): The UConn star is ready for the pros.

Afterballs (57:38): Remember Dick Windbigler

(Note: time codes are only accurate for Slate Plus members, who listen ad-free.)

Want more Hang Up and Listen? Subscribe to Slate Plus to immediately unlock weekly bonus episodes. Plus, you’ll access ad-free listening across all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe now on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of our show page, or visit slate.com/hangupplus to get access wherever you listen.

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