Slate Culture Feed

If you’re an essential worker who isn't able to stay home, we want to know what’s on your mind right now and what’s helping you. Record a voice memo and send it to deathsexmoney@wnyc.org. And if you are staying at home right now—we have an assignment for you too. Not subscribed to our newsletter yet? Sign up at deathsexmoney.org/newsletter. And follow our show on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram @deathsexmoney. Got a story to share? Email us any time at deathsexmoney@wnyc.org. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jason Isbell was a restless guitarist. Amanda Shires was a fiddler who turned his life around. In 2014, they were a year into marriage, and discovering that sobriety and success come with new challenges.Want more? Here are a few other conversations from our archive featuring Jason Isbell and Amanda Shires: Live from the Internet: Jason Isbell, Amanda Shires & You: The couple took listener calls along with Anna about relationships, faith and music. Jason Isbell & Will Welch: Somebody Needs Me: Jason guest hosts Death, Sex & Money, and talks with his best friend and GQ Editor in Chief Will Welch about sobriety and mental health. What Rockstars And Sober People Already Know About Quarantine: Jason talks with Anna from his home in Nashville during the COVID-19 pandemic, about how coming on and off of tours has helped prepare him for sobriety in quarantine, and about the music he and Amanda are listening to right now. And if you're looking for our Jason Isbell-inspired quarantine Spotify playlist, here it is. Subscribe to our newsletter at deathsexmoney.org/newsletter. And consider becoming a sustaining member of Death, Sex & Money by donating here: deathsexmoney.org/donate. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

"It's bringing me back to early recovery....I have to think about the things that keep me sober for right now, because we have no idea what tomorrow is going to look like." Not subscribed to our newsletter yet? Sign up at deathsexmoney.org/newsletter. And follow our show on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram @deathsexmoney. Got a story to share? Email us any time at deathsexmoney@wnyc.org.And here's that Spotify playlist we promised you in the episode, with some of the songs Jason mentioned that he and Amanda are listening to during their self-quarantine.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week on the Culture Gabfest, Dana Stevens rejoins Stephen Metcalf and Julia Turner from her book leave for a few segments. First, Steve and Dana chat with Slate’s books and culture columnist Laura Miller about The Plot Against America. Next, Steve, Dana, and Julia talk about the power of walking, particularly in this time of quarantine, and the literary history that precedes the activity. Finally, Steve and Julia chat with Slate staff writer Dan Kois about the 1996 film Big Night, a delicious comfort watch.On the Slate Plus segment this week, the panel checks in with each other about how they’re doing during this time of quarantine. Podcast production by Jessamine Molli. Production assistance by Rachael Allen. Outro Music: “Higher Love” cover from Kygo & Whitney Houston EndorsementsDana: “Kasha is the new nutmeg.”Patti LuPone’s basement tours.Julia: “Higher Love,” the Whitney Houston and Kygo remix.Steve: “Buh Black Snake in New England,” by Benjamin Anastas in Oxford American.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Joel Anderson, Stefan Fatsis, and Josh Levin talk about Tom Brady’s move from New England to Tampa Bay. They also discuss the increasing calls to postpone the Olympics. Finally, they interview rugby announcer Nick Heath, who has taken to providing commentary on ordinary life events.Tom Brady (02:02): Did the Patriots disrespect the legendary quarterback? What can we expect of his tenure with the Bucs? Olympics (20:38): Why has the International Olympic Committee been so slow to understand the reality of the global coronavirus pandemic?Life commentary (35:19): How a play-by-play commentator adapted to a world without sports.Afterballs (54:50): Joel on claiming unearned national championships and Josh on the fake games played by the 1982 Saints. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, you've been helping us build a Pandemic Tool Kit. Now we want to see it in action! Pick something to do from the kit this weekend and send in your field reports from your activities of choice—pictures, voices memos, emails, whatever—to deathsexmoney@wnyc.org by Monday morning. We’ll share how we're all putting this tool kit to use in our newsletter.Not subscribed to our newsletter yet? Sign up at deathsexmoney.org/newsletter. We're sending them out a few times a week right now. Follow our show on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram @deathsexmoney. Got a story to share? Email us any time at deathsexmoney@wnyc.org. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Slate Plus members get ad-free podcasts and bonus episodes of shows like Dear Prudence and Slow Burn. Sign up now to listen and support our work.How did the humble rubber duck become an icon of bath time? On this episode of Decoder Ring we talk to rubber duck experts, enthusiasts, and manufacturers to find out how the rubber duck evolved, why it's so appealing, and why there are thousands of them lost at sea. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The High Maintenance star reflects on his childhood, what he's learned from his divorce, and why he's starting to smoke less weed.Looking for some TV recs? Here are five of my favorite High Maintenance episodes. I only picked from the last four seasons of HBO for ease in finding. The whole web series is amazing, which you can find here."Dongle" (Season 3, Episode 7): A Puerto Rican man who just arrived in New York starts work on a road crew and starts a flirtation with his bodega guy."Googie" (Season 2, Episode 6): The Guy is recovering home after a bike injury after smoking a lot of pot and streaming a lot of television, he goes out for a walk."M.A.S.H." (Season 3, Episode 1): A wake brings together a collection of people upstate, who join together in an inspired music jam. "Adelante" (Season 4, Episode 6): An encounter with ex in an Uber pool, and a dental hygienist goes on a date with a patient and then returns to her home in the Bronx."Scromple" (Season 2, Episode 5): The Guy and his ex-wife run into each other in a hospital.Sign up for our newsletter by going to deathsexmoney.org/newsletter, and every Wednesday we'll send you behind-the-scenes updates, podcast listening recommendations, and some pretty incredible listener letters from our inbox.Follow our show on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram @deathsexmoney. Got a story to share? Email us any time at deathsexmoney@wnyc.org. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week on the Culture Gabfest, Stephen Metcalf, Julia Turner, and guest host and Slate staff writer Dan Kois talk about the film Spenser Confidential, starring Mark Wahlberg on Netflix. Next, they discuss Reply All’s recent episode “The Case of the Missing Hit.” Finally, the panel is joined by Dana Stevens to lay out how they approach culture during this time of quarantine. How much do we lean into escapism? On the Slate Plus segment this week, the panel takes on Steve’s own “missing hit” mystery.Podcast production by Jessamine Molli. Production assistance by Rachael Allen. Outro Music: Lost Something in the Hills" by Sibylle Baier.EndorsementsDana: Colour Green by Sibylle Baier.Dan: The “Sondheim at 90” package by the New York Times. The album Side by Side by Sondheim. Julia: The poem “My Heart Leaps Up” by William Wordsworth.Steve: Always Narrating: The Making and Unmaking of Umberto Eco by Costica Bradatan in the Los Angeles Review of Books. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Joel Anderson and Stefan Fatsis talk about the latest on the coronavirus and sports. They are joined by former NFL player Domonique Foxworth and former NFL executive Andrew Brandt to break down the league’s new labor deal. Hall of Fame soccer player Julie Foudy assesses the women’s national team’s equal-pay fight. Finally, they interview Tegan Hanlon of Alaska Public Media about the Iditarod sled-dog race.Coronavirus (02:25): The reality of life without sports has set in.NFL (16:37): Did the players get fleeced by the owners?Women’s soccer (37:52): The U.S. Soccer Federation argued that “indisputable science” proved that its World Cup-winning women’s team was inferior to men.Iditarod (52:36): As the rest of the sports world ground to a halt, the Iditarod mushes on across Alaska. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.