Slate Culture Feed

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.Jenna Karvunidis invented the gender reveal party, but now she has regrets. On this episode of Decoder Ring, we explore the pink and blue world of the gender reveal party, and how Jenna's small barbecue celebration turned into a global phenomenon that's gotten way out of control. We talk to psychologists, historians, critics, and business owners, to figure out why the gender reveal is having such a big, bizarre moment right now, and how we can best understand the strange power they hold over social media. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Angela worked in the collections industry for 15 years. Now, she's banned from the industry for life⁠—and is getting collection calls after falling behind on her own bills. We're still collecting your stories about the moments where race became a flashpoint in a friendship. Is there a conversation you had that you’re still thinking about? Something you couldn’t work through with a friend? Write us an email or record a quick voice memo and send it to deathsexmoney@wnyc.org Don't miss our weekly newsletter! Sign up at deathsexmoney.org/newsletter and we'll send you weekly audio picks, behind the scenes updates and letters from our listener inbox. Follow the show on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter @deathsexmoney.Got a story to share? Email us any time at deathsexmoney@wnyc.org. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Stephen Metcalf, Dana Stevens, and Julia Turner discuss Netflix's My Name is Dolemite, Apple TV+'s The Morning Show, and the mass resignations that took place at the website Deadspin with Slate's Tom Scocca.This episode is brought to you by Everlane. Check out your personalized collection today at everlane.com/culture.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Stefan Fatsis and Josh Levin are joined by former Deadspin staffers Megan Greenwell, Tom Ley, and Barry Petchesky to discuss the site’s demise and what caused it. Topics covered include the conflicts between writers, editors, and management; journalism and private equity; and how Deadspin evolved. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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 by Chris MolanphyFollow @cmolanphy on Twitter / https://www.twitter.com/cmolanphy  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

After a breast cancer diagnosis at 35, author Kate Pickert reflects on maintaining normalcy during treatment, why she didn't tell her daughter she was sick, and how she thinks about mortality now.Sign up for our newsletter at deathsexmoney.org/newsletter, and every Wednesday we'll send you podcast listening recommendations, listener letters from our inbox and updates from the show.Follow our show on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram @deathsexmoney. Got a story to share? Email us any time at deathsexmoney@wnyc.org. Support Death, Sex & Money today at deathsexmoney.org/donate. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Stefan Fatsis and Josh Levin are joined by the Ringer’s Ben Lindbergh to discuss the Astros’ massive World Series comeback. Deadspin’s Laura Wagner also joins to talk about Houston’s front office debacle, and the New Yorker’s Vinson Cunningham assesses Week 1 of the NBA season. World Series (03:37): How Houston turned it around and how Max Scherzer’s neck undid Washington. Astros front office (22:34): What the Astros’ arrogance reveals about the culture of baseball. NBA (39:22): Overreacting to the Warriors’ awful start, rookie Ja Morant’s star turn, and more. Afterballs (57:16): Stefan on the last gasps of segregation in baseball and Josh searches for a seven-game series without a home win. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In comedian Chris Garcia's new podcast, Scattered, he sets out to uncover the truth about his dad—a man who survived Castro’s labor camps only to lose his way in search of the American dream. Subscribe to our newsletter at deathsexmoney.org/newsletter and we'll send you weekly audio picks, behind the scenes updates and letters from our listener inbox. Follow the show on Twitter @deathsexmoney and Facebook at facebook.com/deathsexmoney.Email us any time at deathsexmoney@wnyc.org. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.