Death, Sex & Money
Slate Podcasts
Anna Sale explores the big questions and hard choices that are often left out of polite conversation.Get more Death, Sex & Money with Slate Plus! Join for exclusive bonus episodes of DSM and ad-free listening on all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe from the Death, Sex & Money show page on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Or, visit slate.com/dsmplus to get access wherever you listen. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Episodes
Mentioned books
May 12, 2026 • 54min
Death, SNAKES & Money
Tim Friede, a self-taught experimenter who deliberately exposed himself to snake venoms to help create better antivenom. He recounts why he pursued immunity, the risks and near-death moments of decades of self‑experimentation, and how his blood later fueled research toward a universal antivenom. Short, strange, and unsettling stories about sacrifice, obsession, and scientific boldness.
13 snips
May 5, 2026 • 55min
Kara Swisher on the Rich Guys Trying to Live Forever
Kara Swisher, veteran tech journalist and podcaster known for tough Silicon Valley coverage, digs into the billionaire drive to defy aging. She traces longevity fads, critiques unequal access to experimental treatments, and wrestles with AI avatars, family mortality, and what truly sustains health. Short, sharp stories and sharp skepticism.
Apr 28, 2026 • 55min
The Thrills and Heartbreaks of Being a Funk Rock Pioneer
Chris Dowd, founding Fishbone multi-instrumentalist and songwriter, reflects on life as a funk-rock pioneer. He recounts the band’s genre-smashing rise, a chaotic SNL peak, his close friendship with Jeff Buckley, a long struggle with alcoholism after loss, leaving and later rejoining the band, and what touring feels like now.
Apr 21, 2026 • 49min
Rick Steves Says Travel is the Antidote to Fear
Rick Steves, travel writer and TV host known for guidebooks and PBS shows, reflects on decades of international travel. He recounts filming in Iran to humanize people, the formative Hippie Trail trips, how travel challenges fear and reshapes politics, and how hardships on the road inspired his hands-on philanthropy. Short, candid stories about solitude, family travel tips, and creative giving round out the conversation.
6 snips
Apr 14, 2026 • 57min
Why I Paid OnlyFans Models to Read ‘Margo’s Got Money Troubles’
Rufi Thorpe, novelist who writes about single motherhood, addiction, and sex work, discusses her book Margo's Got Money Troubles and its TV adaptation. She explains why OnlyFans became central to the story and how she researched it by joining the site and even paying creators for interviews. The conversation touches on motherhood, addiction in her life, authenticity in research, and finding stability.
Apr 7, 2026 • 44min
Doree Shafrir On The Out Of Control IVF Train
Doree Shafrir, journalist and author who publicly documented her IVF journey, shares her roller-coaster fertility story. She recounts sudden medical urgencies, shocking costs and mounting debt. She talks about the emotional toll of failed transfers, the relief of eventual pregnancy, and hard choices about embryos and expanding the family.
Mar 31, 2026 • 47min
A Court Settlement Made Me a Millionaire. I’ve Barely Touched the Money.
Natalie, a former USC student who survived sexual abuse by a campus gynecologist, received a multimillion-dollar settlement and shares the emotional and financial fallout. She describes how the payout felt complicated and ‘tainted.’ She talks about deciding between lump sum and structured payments, using funds for therapy, and why she’s barely spent any of it.
4 snips
Mar 24, 2026 • 1h 8min
A Career Change? In This Economy?
Luke Peterson, a Minnesota farmer-turned-entrepreneur who built a regenerative farm from scratch. Ed Zitron, a tech writer and ex-PR founder who analyzes industry shifts and AI. Sophia Chang, a former music manager turned life coach and mentor for women of color. They discuss timing and safety for pivots. Practical ways to subsidize transitions. Reframing networking as community.
11 snips
Mar 17, 2026 • 51min
AI Confessions: A Chatbot Ended My Marriage
Dr. Zach Stein, developmental psychologist and philosopher of education who studies AI psychological harms, joins to discuss how chatbots can hijack human attachment. Short, punchy segments explore AI-induced changes in language and belief, chatbots fostering intense bonds, and the concept of attachment hacking. The conversation covers risks, subtle relationship erosion, and where helpful chatbot use might still fit.
6 snips
Mar 10, 2026 • 45min
AI Confessions: A Chatbot Saved My Life
Ofra Obejas, a retired therapist with 20 years in play therapy, shares her experiment using AI for clinical insight. She recounts an AI moment that named caregiving and burnout patterns. They discuss how chatbots offer immediate reassurance, compete with paid therapy, and can sometimes validate one-sided views in relationships.
