Slate Culture Feed

You might have seen a bot on Twitter tweeting out facetuned versions of anybody you could think of, like Robert Pattinson or Mrs. Doubtfire, and wondered where they’re all coming from. On today’s episode, Rachelle and Madison explain this weird trend, known as yassification, and why it might already be over. Plus, the the return of High Speed Downloads on Shailene Woodley defending her boyfriend Aaron Rodgers, and a neverending feud between Vin Diesel and the Rock.If you’d like to see some yassified photos, head to @ICYMI_pod on Twitter.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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, Steve and Dana are joined by writer extraordinaire Karen Han. First, the panel discusses Rebecca Hall’s adaptation of Nella Larsen’s novel, Passing. Next, the panel dives into The Shrink Next Door. Finally, the panel talks about People’s 2021 Sexiest Man Alive, Paul Rudd.In Slate Plus, the panel answers a classic time travel question.Email us at culturefest@slate.com.EndorsementsDana: Rebecca Hall’s amazing performance in the 2016 film Christine, about news reporter Christine Chubbuck. Karen: Swedish artist Agnes’s new album Magic Still Exists. Specifically her song “Here Comes the Night.”Steve: First, the entire discography of Devonté Hynes aka Blood Orange—more recently, his work on the soundtrack for Passing. Second, Nick Lowe and Daryl Hall doing a marvelous acoustic version of Lowe’s hit from the ‘70s “Cruel to Be Kind.”Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Nadira Goffe.Outro music is “Edge of Life” by OTE.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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Rats live wherever people live, with one exception: the Canadian province of Alberta. A rat sighting in Alberta is a major local event that mobilizes the local government to identify and eliminate any hint of infestation. Rat sightings makes the local news. Alberta prides itself on being the sole rat-free territory in the world, but in order to achieve this feat, it had to go to war with the rat. On this episode of Decoder Ring we recount the story of how Alberta won this war, through accidents of history and geography, advances in poison technology, interventionist government policy, mass education programs, rat patrols, killing zones and more. The explanation tells us a lot about rats and a lot about humans, two species that are more alike than we like to think.  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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Stefan Fatsis and Josh Levin are joined by Grant Wahl to talk about the U.S. men’s national team’s dominant win over Mexico. Stefan, Josh, and Joel Anderson then discuss how ESPN’s Adam Schefter covered a domestic abuse allegation against Vikings running back Dalvin Cook. Finally, they look into the war of words between the NBA’s Morris twins and Jokic brothers. USA-Mexico (3:36): Is the USMNT’s big win a sign that the rivalry has shifted? Schefter (22:20): The journalistic sins of ESPN’s lead NFL insider. Morris vs. Jokic (48:10): What makes a good sibling Twitter basketball beef? Afterball (1:06:20): The groundbreaking 1960 documentary on NFL linebacker Sam Huff. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Taylor Swift just released her version of the 2012 album Red, but if you’d asked her fandom what was coming the answers would’ve included all sorts of red-string conspiracy theories. On today’s episode, resident Swiftie Madison takes Rachelle down Taylor’s rabbit hole, explaining her origins as a MySpace teen, the easter eggs she has and hasn’t hidden, and how her savvy engagement with fans demonstrates just how much she’s mastered the online medium.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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the U.S., nearly 200,000 people die every year from accidental injuries. But what happens when you cause one of those accidents—and you survive?We're looking for our next intern! Is it you? To find out more about eligibility and to apply, go to wnyc.org/careers.If you're not already subscribed to our newsletter, sign up! Every Wednesday, we send out podcast listening recommendations, your stories from our inbox, and behind-the-scenes updates from the show. Sign up at deathsexmoney.orgGot a story to share? Email us any time at deathsexmoney@wnyc.org. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Companies don’t want you to know this, but there are lots of helpful tips hidden in plain sight, you just have to be willing to read the fine print. On the show today, Madison and Rachelle talk about all the terms of service secrets TikToker Erika Kullberg has been sharing with her followers, whether these tricks actually work, and exactly who might have to deal with our return and exchange demands.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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, Steve and Dana are joined by New York Times columnist and Slate graduate Jamelle Bouie. First, the panel discusses Marvel’s most recent big picture, Eternals—which Dana reviewed for Slate. Next, the panel gives an update on their feelings about HBO’s hit TV show Succession, which is currently in its third season. Finally, the panel explores the controversy involving Critical Race Theory.In Slate Plus, the panel discusses Jamelle’s new podcast Unclear and Present Danger.Email us at culturefest@slate.com.EndorsementsDana: Something small, but in hopes to find the entire thing: this 2 minute clip of Welsh actor Michael Sheen performing a segment of Welsh poet Dylan Thomas’s drama Under Milk Wood.Jamelle: Norman Jewison’s classic 1987 film Moonstruck, starring Cher and Nicolas Cage, which is currently in the Criterion Collection.Steve: A slightly odd endorsement of a book review. Peter Salmon’s article for Prospect Magazine, titled “Boo to the Boo-Hurrahs: how four Oxford women transformed philosophy,” is a review of Benjamin J. B. Lipscomb’s novel The Women Are Up to Something: How Elizabeth Anscombe, Philippa Foot, Mary Midgley, and Iris Murdoch Revolutionized Ethics. The book and review discuss the female-led movement to take on the male consensus in philosophy during the 1930s and ‘40s which saw the world as value free.Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Nadira Goffe.Outro music is “Self Made Woman” by Katharine Appleton.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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the summer of 1986, both Time Magazine and Newsweek ran blockbuster cover stories on the same subject: a secret cache of provocative, intimate paintings by Andrew Wyeth, one of America's most famous artists. These paintings were completed over fifteen years and all featured the same, often-nude model named Helga, and had been hidden from his wife and the public for 15 years. The implication was obvious: Wyeth had been having an affair with this woman. But just as the story was breaking in Time and Newsweek, it began to unravel, and something even stranger and more complex emerged.On this episode we examine the story of these secret paintings, the backlash to that story, and question if, maybe, that backlash was itself overdrawn. This is the first episode of our winter season. 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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Joel Anderson, Stefan Fatsis, and Josh Levin discuss Aaron Rodgers’ claims about vaccination and how the Packers and the NFL should deal with him. They also talk about ESPN’s investigation into Phoenix Suns owner Robert Sarver. Finally, the Washington Post’s Candace Buckner joins for a conversation about the fashion choices of NBA coaches. Rodgers (2:52): What his interview about COVID and vaccines revealed about the Packers quarterback. Sarver (26:26): How will the NBA handle allegations of racism and misogyny against one of its owners? NBA coach fashion (48:22): Should we lament the rise of the quarter-zip and the demise of the suit? Afterball (1:08:37): Josh on Jameis Winston, Drew Brees, and the athletes we support, tolerate, and disdain. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.