PODCAST · society
Vox Quick Hits
by Vox
A bite-sized daily podcast from the Culture and The Goods teams at Vox that goes wherever our (and your!) pop culture and consumerism curiosities take us. Hear the stories behind the news and trends, get personal about purchases, and find your next book or binge watch. New episodes daily, Monday to Friday. Each 15 minutes or less.
Episodes
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A quick goodbye (and thank you!)
We’re going to make this goodbye short and sweet: Vox Quick Hits is ending. All of us from the Vox Culture Desk and the team at The Goods want to thank you for following our work and tuning in to Tell Me More, Ask a Book Critic, The Best Money I Ever Spent and What to Watch. You can still keep up...
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What you should have watched this summer | What to Watch
Everything you should have watched this summer as recommended — for the final time — by Vox's film critic Alissa Wilkinson (@alissamarie) and critic at large Emily VanDerWerff (@emilyvdw). Thanks for listening to What to Watch. If you enjoyed the show, please rate Vox Quick Hits ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ and leave a...
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Cocktails and caviar before my C-section | The Best Money I Ever Spent
Writer Gray Chapman tells us why a dinner of oysters, caviar, and champagne the night before she gave birth was the best $298 she ever spent. Link to essay: https://www.vox.com/the-goods/22456529/best-money-birth-c-section-oysters-cocktail Enjoyed this episode? Rate Vox Quick Hits ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ and leave…
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How to find yourself in a book | Ask a Book Critic
For our very last episode, a listener asked for books with disabled protagonists. Specifically, characters whose disability is not their defining trait. Ask a Book Critic will continue in text form, so don’t stop sending your requests! Check out vox.com/ask-a-book-critic. Thank you for listening!...
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$20,000 on Starbucks | The Best Money I Ever Spent
Writer Mae Rice goes to Starbucks every day. She tells us why she has no plans to stop. Link to essay: https://www.vox.com/the-goods/2019/4/9/18296792/starbucks-habit-millennials-money Enjoyed this episode? Rate Vox Quick Hits ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ and leave a review on Apple Podcasts. Subscribe for free. Be the...
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Welcome to The White Lotus | What to Watch
HBO’s hit series The White Lotus takes the darkly comedic mind of creator Mike White and turns it loose on an elite resort in Hawaii. It’s a very funny, very engrossing look at the global mega-rich, with phenomenal performances up and down the cast list. And you can watch all six episodes right...
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Help me love reading again | Ask a Book Critic
A listener asks for help with getting out of a reading rut. A voracious reader as a child, they now need some help falling in love with reading again. Vox Book Critic Constance Grady recommends big, grab-you-by-the-throat books to help us all rediscover our love of reading. Plus, hear some of...
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Back to school | What to Watch
Three movies and a TV show perfect for back-to-school season. Alissa’s picks: ‘Legally Blonde’ ‘Approaching the Elephant’ Emily’s picks: ‘Community’ ‘To Have and To Be’ Enjoyed this episode? Rate Vox Quick Hits ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ and leave a review on Apple Podcasts. Subscribe for free. Be the first to hear…
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$3,000 on dog training | The Best Money I Ever Spent
Writer Doree Shafrir explains why she and her husband spent $3,000 on dog training for their unruly yet deeply loved dog, Beau. Link to essay: https://www.vox.com/the-goods/2019/7/9/20677946/doree-shafrir-dog-training-best-money Enjoyed this episode? Rate Vox Quick Hits ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ and leave a review…
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CODA | What to Watch
CODA is a heartwarming coming-of-age story about a teen, her dreams, and her deaf family. In theaters now and streaming on Apple TV+. What to Watch has new episodes every Friday. Support the show by rating Vox Quick Hits ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ and leaving a review on Apple Podcasts, or by making a financial...
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The sex, drugs, and murder reading list | Ask a Book Critic
A listener asked for books that are mysterious, intriguing, and may or may not involve a murder. More specifically, books like The Secret History. Vox book critic Constance Grady gives four recommendations this week, including an entire genre. Plus, hear part of last year’s Vox Book Club Zoom…
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Vacation mode on | What to Watch
Summer vacation is top of mind here at What to Watch. Grab your flip flops, some popcorn (or perhaps a piña colada?) and pretend you're on holiday with one of these four fantastic films. Enjoyed this episode? Rate Vox Quick Hits ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ and leave a review on Apple Podcasts. Subscribe for free. Be…
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A ticket for a concert I never went to | The Best Money I Ever Spent
Writer Deepa Lakshmin explains how spending $29 on a concert ticket – for a show she didn’t even attend – taught her to love doing things alone. Link to essay: https://www.vox.com/2019/12/3/20991951/best-money-concert-ticket-solo-activities Enjoyed this episode? Rate Vox Quick Hits ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ and…
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The Green Knight is brilliant — and baffling | What to Watch
A swashbuckling tale of adventure that feels dragged out of the mists of time, the new A24 film stars Dev Patel and is based on one of the most famous and important works of English literature: Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, a 14th-century Arthurian tale penned in Middle English that has…
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The Wonder Years, but make it books | Ask A Book Critic
A caller asks for books that feel like The Wonder Years. Vox book critic Constance Grady recommends three books that are perfect for summer nostalgia. Plus, Constance discusses the “free narrative” of The Princess Bride in a clip from the Vox Book Club Zoom event. Constance recommends: All Adults...
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Gold medal-worthy movies and TV | What to Watch
This week: Sports! You had to know we were going to talk about sports, right? Yes, the long-overdue 2020 Tokyo Olympics are here. Get in the competitive spirit with these movies, TV shows, and episodes. Fake It So Real The Rookie Nimrod Nation Brockmire The Office - season 4, episodes 1 and 2...
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Expired food is a myth | Tell Me More
It seems reasonable to assume that food packaging saying the contents are expired indicates inedible food. You can trust the labels on what you buy in the grocery store, can't you? Except America’s food label system isn’t standardized, and it has very little to do with food safety. In other…
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K-pop is everywhere but on the radio | Tell Me More
K-pop is hugely popular worldwide, and boy band BTS’s “Dynamite” was virtually inescapable in 2020. And yet, the genre is hard to find on American radio. Despite K-pop’s takeoff online in the US and all over the globe, radio DJs still find most of it too risky to play for a Top 40 audience. Aja...
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TikTok made me buy it | Tell Me More
Just like teen getting famous on TikTok over night, products are now going viral on the platform. Vox’s in-house TikTok expert Rebecca Jennings explain how this phenomenon works, the relationship between influencers and brands, plus the inevitable pitfalls that come with a rapid rise to...
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A Keurig that brought me closer to my mom | The Best Money I Ever Spent
Katherine Oung’s mother says “I love you” with plates of cut fruit. Katherine say it with cups of coffee. The Best Money I Ever Spent is a personal essay series from The Goods about the purchases that changed our lives in ways big and small. This episode was produced by Schuyler Swenson, edited…
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Comedies you can watch in a weekend | What to Watch
Sometimes all you want to do on a sticky summer weekend is huddle up next to the air conditioner with a great, bingeable comedy. Emily VanDerWerff, Vox's critic at large, recommends three short-run TV comedies you can finish by Monday: We Are Lady Parts on NBC’s Peacock, Mythic Quest on Apple…
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The pros and cons of eating bugs | Tell Me More
In many parts of the world, insects are a regular part of people’s diets. That’s not the case in the United States, but perhaps it should be. Vox senior correspondent Dylan Matthews explains why eating bugs may be a more environmentally friendly alternative to eating meat, as well as what insect...
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The myth of pandemic productivity | Tell Me More
There’s been a lot of pressure to become a better person during the pandemic — to pick up a new hobby, read more books, or learn a new language. And as life gets back to something like normal for many Americans, that pressure is coming around again. Some employers are reportedly asking job...
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How big business exploits small business | Tell Me More
Nothing makes a corporation seem less evil than a shout-out to small business. Big companies love to talk about how much they support the little guys. But are they actually helping or harming and what can be done about their fraught relationship? Vox’s Emily Stewart explains how companies like…
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Our brains never log off the internet | Ask a Book Critic
This week, Constance recommends novels about how being Extremely Online™ messes with our brains. Plus, hear Constance in conversation with Rumaan Alam about his book Leave the World Behind from Vox’s Book Club Zoom event in June. Constance recommends: Self Care by Leigh Stein Fake Accounts by...
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Let's all go to the drive-in | What to Watch
Drive-in movie theaters have made a comeback — and today, we pretend we’re at one. From horror to weird cult classics, we pick our dream drive-in flicks. Grab some popcorn and a giant soda and join us! Enjoyed this episode? Rate Vox Quick Hits ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ and leave a review on Apple Podcasts. Looking…
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MAGA, but for coffee | Tell Me More
Right-wing coffee shops are popping up across the country, proving yet again that America can make pretty much anything political. One sells blends such as “The Don” and “Sleepy Joe Decaf.” Another offers concealed-carry permit classes. Many have Donald Trump-themed decor and products. Reporter...
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A kayak that made me appreciate where I come from | The Best Money I Ever Spent
When Max Ufberg and his girlfriend left New York for Pennsylvania at the beginning of the pandemic, they assumed it would be a quick trip. But as weeks became months, they splurged on a kayak and began to spend their downtime ambling through the very landscapes Max had once been so eager to leave...
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The 51st state | Tell Me More
The House of Representatives recently voted to make Washington, DC, the 51st state in the union, something many residents have wanted for a long time. Even though momentum is building, the bill probably isn’t going anywhere in the Senate unless Democrats get rid of or change the filibuster rules....
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Questlove made the music documentary of the summer | What to Watch
Summer of Soul revives the forgotten, groovy history of the 1969 Harlem Cultural Festival, a pivotal moment in Black culture sometimes dubbed “Black Woodstock.” This massive concert series spanned multiple weekends and featured everyone from Sly and the Family Stone to Nina Simone to Stevie…
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No, Biden isn’t coming for your burger | Tell Me More
A rumor has taken hold among some Republicans that President Joe Biden wants to curtail America’s meat consumption — a rumor that, to be clear, isn’t true. The White House has no plans to limit people to eating certain amounts of beef as part of its climate proposal. However, that doesn’t mean…
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Apocalypse books, now! | Ask A Book Critic
This week, a caller from Chicago requests books that take a deep dive into world building and world destroying. Think apocalyptic fiction! Plus, hear Naomi Alderman talk about her book, The Power, as we revisit the Vox Book Club zoom event from April. For books about the end of the world…
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Air travel sucks now | Tell Me More
Flying wasn’t a particularly enjoyable experience prior to the pandemic, and it certainly wasn’t during it. But now, the experience is even worse as the air travel industry struggles to adjust to the influx of passengers eager to get back to the friendly skies. Terry Nguyen, a reporter at The…
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Don’t fear the wrinkle | What's the Story?
Wrinkles have been the bane of aging women's skin since forever. A fear of growing older and physical signs of aging is at the core of a $200 billion dollar anti-aging skin care industry, but there’s hope that this may start to change. Vox senior correspondent, Anna North, explains what’s behind…
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Fast, Furious, and a helluva good time | What to Watch
Fast cars! Explosions! Family! Outer space! The Fast & Furious franchise has a glorious new addition. In fact, F9 might be the most perfect Hollywood summer blockbuster ever made. Read Alissa’s review here. Read Emily’s explainer of The Fast & Furious franchise here. Enjoyed this episode? Rate…
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Did mask mandates and school closures make a difference? | Tell Me More
The United States employed a suite of tools in the fight against Covid-19, albeit unevenly. Many states and cities put in place strict guidelines, including mask mandates, business shutdowns, and school closures. Others were more relaxed; some set restrictions, but only for a while. Vox’s Dylan...
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The simple joys of the NYC ferry | The Best Money I Ever Spent
Commuting by ferry — remember when we all used to commute? — gave Meredith Haggerty, co-deputy editor of The Goods, cheap and easy access to a feeling mostly reserved for movie trailers. Read her essay here. Enjoyed this episode? Rate Vox Quick Hits ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ and leave a review on Apple Podcasts....
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Why the internet is a luxury | Tell Me More
Think about everything you did yesterday. Now imagine how the day would have gone if you didn’t have the internet. Access to the internet isn’t as universal as you might think. Millions of Americans don’t have access to broadband, because of either where they live or what they can afford. But...
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The death of ‘girlboss’ | What's the Story?
It’s been almost a decade since the idea of the “girlboss” emerged in the corporate world. And while the concept had feminist intentions, the conflation of feminism and capitalism has lead to its downfall. Senior culture writer, Alex Abad-Santos (@alex_abads) explains why we weren’t wrong to hope...
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Cops, kink, and Pride | Tell Me More
June is Pride Month, a moment to celebrate the queer community and advocate for LGBTQ rights. But the politics of Pride are always thorny: who should participate, how, and what that means for the moment. This year, debates have centered around how much kink should be allowed at pride and, in…
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The adventures of cool old ladies | Ask a Book Critic
A 68-year-old, retired grandmother wants to know: "Are there any reads about senior women having creative, life-altering adventures that don’t heavily involve matriarchal family stuff? " It's a tough request considering the publishing industry hasn't demonstrated much interest in these types of...
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A housing bubble? | Tell Me More
There’s no denying the housing market has been a little wild lately — home prices are soaring in many parts of the country, and the competition among buyers has people going to some pretty extreme lengths. The last time we saw such a frenzy in the housing market, about 15 years ago, it ended in a...
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The enduring legacy of Dawsoncrying.gif | Tell Me More
Whether or not you grew up watching the hit TV teen drama, Dawson’s Creek, you are probably familiar with a gif of the titular Dawson, played by James Van Der Beek, sobbing all over the internet. Why did this become a thing and what was the backstory behind it’s existence in the first place?…
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“In the Heights” rocks! | What to Watch
In the Heights, the new movie musical based on Lin-Manuel Miranda’s hit Broadway debut, seems poised to be the movie of the summer. It’s an electric, joyful celebration of the Latino community in New York City’s Washington Heights neighborhood — and it will make you want to dance. If you haven’t...
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Where on the internet is Donald Trump? | Tell Me More
The former president was kicked off social media platforms such as Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube in the wake of the Capitol riots, and it’s not clear when — or if — they’re going to let him back on. There’s been buzz about Trump starting his own platform, but he’s had a hard time getting it off...
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Learning to skateboard in my 30s | The Best Money I Ever Spent
Starting to skateboard in your 30s and beyond, the trend stories tell us, signals some sort of desperation. You’re either going through a midlife crisis or trying to hide one if you think that awkwardly rolling around on a wooden toy, risking a hospital visit the entire time, is a good idea.…
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Corporate America is over the pandemic | Tell Me More
After a pandemic year of brands telling us “we’re all in this together” and corporations calling their workers “heroes,” companies are ready to move on. Many businesses cut hazard pay long ago, even though the risks of Covid-19 remain, and firms are pushing their workers to get back to the…
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Why everyone’s favorite TikTok stars are boring | What's the Story?
Despite TikTok’s promise of being the world’s biggest algorithmically-driven talent show, you may have noticed that the app rewards...the same kinds of people. Rebecca Jennings explains why the TikToc to Hollywood pipelines doesn’t always produce the most interesting or unique stars. Read the…
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Let's all go to the drive-in | What to Watch
Drive-in movie theaters have made a comeback — and today, we pretend we’re at one. From horror to weird cult classics, we pick our dream drive-in flicks. Grab some popcorn and a giant soda and join us! Enjoyed this episode? Rate Vox Quick Hits ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ and leave a review on Apple Podcasts. Looking…
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The problem with work is work | Tell Me More
A lot of people felt overworked before the pandemic. Now, well, you can imagine. American work culture has become increasingly untenable for many people. It's basically impossible to keep up with the demands of work and the rest of life, which is especially true for parents, even when we’re not...
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
A bite-sized daily podcast from the Culture and The Goods teams at Vox that goes wherever our (and your!) pop culture and consumerism curiosities take us. Hear the stories behind the news and trends, get personal about purchases, and find your next book or binge watch. New episodes daily, Monday to Friday. Each 15 minutes or less.
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