Slate Money
Slate Podcasts
A weekly roundup of the most important stories from the worlds of business and finance, hosted by Felix Salmon.Want more Slate Money? Subscribe to Slate Plus to 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 https://slate.com/moneyplus to get access wherever you listen. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Episodes
Mentioned books
Mar 31, 2026 • 44min
The Illusion of ‘America’s Next Top Model’
Bridget Armstrong, audio journalist and senior producer who hosts the podcast Curse of: America's Next Top Model, digs into how the show billed itself as a career springboard but often delivered spectacle instead. She breaks down staged shoots, restrictive contracts, exploitation stories, and how producers shaped racist and sensational narratives. The conversation contrasts Top Model’s promises with the harsh realities behind the cameras.
25 snips
Mar 28, 2026 • 47min
Trade or Treason?
Suspicious oil and stock futures trades flash just before a major presidential post, prompting talk of insider information and who could access it. A surprising court ruling finds major tech companies liable for design-linked harms. OpenAI abruptly shutters its consumer video tool Sora, sparking debate over deepfakes, IP risk, and a pivot to enterprise monetization.
9 snips
Mar 27, 2026 • 29min
Money On Film: Spirited Away
Nadira Goff, a culture writer who analyzes film and storytelling, digs into Spirited Away with sharp cultural and economic lenses. She explores the bathhouse as an exploitative workplace. She discusses No Face as speculative chaos and the river god’s cleansing as environmental critique. She highlights names, identity, and Chihiro’s coming-of-age journey.
Mar 24, 2026 • 27min
Money On Film: Materialists
A lively dive into a romantic comedy that centers on a millionaire matchmaker and a complicated love triangle. They probe how money shapes dating choices and whether romance is overstated. Conversations hit matchmaking ethics, prenups, and how films simplify assortative mating and class dynamics. The hosts critique thin character work and missed chances to show real NYC dating nuance.
23 snips
Mar 21, 2026 • 48min
Are the Billionaires Smothering HBO?
A fast-paced look at how a Middle East war sent oil prices spiking and rattled central bank decisions. A deep dive into megamergers, massive CEO payouts, and whether billionaire dealmaking is eroding a once-iconic premium TV brand. A skeptical take on a high-profile art unmasking and why the reveal may have been overhyped.
Mar 20, 2026 • 28min
Money On Film: Margin Call
A rewatch of Margin Call digs into overleveraged banks and the risky world of mortgage-backed securities. Conversations map characters from top executives to junior analysts and the moral tensions between self-interest and responsibility. The show highlights the film’s cramped, conference-room portrait of Wall Street and the quiet power of risk teams ignored until crisis.
10 snips
Mar 17, 2026 • 41min
Money Talks: Boilerplate Land Mines
Mitu Gulati, a UVA law professor who studies contract law and hidden boilerplate hazards. He walks through how unread, copied clauses become legal landmines. Stories range from pari-passu fights in sovereign debt to surprise powers in ISDA and Treasury wording. The conversation highlights how stale language and changing norms create unexpected legal firepower.
50 snips
Mar 14, 2026 • 48min
A.I. Is a Hyperobject
Paul Ford, technologist and journalist who co-founded an AI services firm, explains why A.I. feels like a diffuse force touching everything. He discusses vibe coding and how small organizations can get custom AI help. Conversation covers rapid disruption, risks of concentrated power, military uses, and where human craft still matters.
20 snips
Mar 7, 2026 • 41min
The Burger CEOs Are Beefing
They unpack how a conflict in Iran is reshaping currency flows and Dubai’s safe-haven reputation. They dig into the Pentagon’s growing reliance on AI and the tensions around which vendors power modern warfare. They laugh about a viral fast-food PR moment and even test-eat a gigantic burger to see how earned media turns a gaffe into marketing gold.
14 snips
Mar 3, 2026 • 41min
Money Talks: ‘Industry’ Insanity
Anna Szymanski, Reuters editor and former Slate Money host, brings finance expertise. Hillary Frey, Slate’s editor-in-chief, offers cultural and editorial perspective. They dissect Kit Harington’s Henry Muck, class and privilege in the series, Eric Tao’s tragic fall, Yasmin’s manipulative arc, short selling as narrative, and the show’s real-world echoes and visual style.
