Slate Magazine Daily Podcast

On The Gist, is Sherrod Brown annoying? In the interview, Matt Green is on a yearslong mission to walk all the streets of New York City—and Jeremy Workman filmed him doing many of them for a documentary, The World Before Your Feet. Alongside Workman and executive producer Jesse Eisenberg, Green talks about Staten Island’s ordinary charm, the odd street-naming conventions of Queens, and how a life of perpetual walking makes dating pretty hard.  In the Spiel, PETA.  This episode is brought to you by Helix, a new kind of DNA testing. Try today for a deep discount at helix.com/gist.

Emily Bazelon, John Dickerson and David Plotz discuss the legacy of George H.W. Bush, the power-grab by Wisconsin Republicans, and election fraud in North Carolina. Join Slate Plus! Members get bonus segments, exclusive member-only podcasts, and more. Sign up for a free trial today at www.slate.com/gabfestplus. Twitter: @SlateGabfest Facebook: facebook.com/Gabfest Email: [email protected] Show notes at slate.com/gabfest

Why is contemporary culture obsessed with how well-endowed men are and yet in classical art men are so small? Kurt Andersen unravels the mystery with a classics scholar, Andrew Lear. Stacey Rose is a playwright, but when she’s not working to take audiences’ breath away on stage, she’s doing the opposite in her day job: she’s a respiratory therapist. And finally, a Studio 360 holiday tradition in the making — a Christmas-themed radio drama based on a short story by Kurt Andersen. This episode is brought to you by the following advertisers: LinkedIn Talent Solutions. For $50 off your first job post, go to linkedin.com/STUDIO360.  American Express. Don’t do business without it. Helix, a new kind of DNA testing. Try today for a deep discount at helix.com/studio360. 

Rebecca Lavoie, Carvell Wallace, and Gabriel Roth discuss whether to confront an overprotective daycare, how to make sure your kids aren't "the mean ones", Triumphs and Fails, "endorsements" and more. This episode is brought to you by the following advertisers: M. Gemi. For $50 off your first pair of shoes, go to mgemi.com/MOMANDDAD. Gobble, for $50 off your first box, go to gobble.com/momanddad. American Express, don’t do business without it.

This week on The Waves, Christina is joined by Georgetown University professor Marcia Chatelain and Vice President at the National Network to End Domestic Violence, Latifa Lyles. First, they discuss the phenomenon of instagram influencers “blackfishing” their followers. Then they share their thoughts on gender reveal parties. Lastly, they talk about the new HBO documentary Say Her Name: The Life and Death of Sandra Bland. Podcast production by Danielle Hewitt. Research assistance by Alex Barasch. We’re doing a winter “Is It Sexist?” Call-in show! Leave voicemail at (646) 907-9859 and and your question may be answered on the show! This episode is brought to you by the following advertisers: Simple Contacts, to save $20 off your first order, go to simplecontacts.com/WAVES and use the promo code WAVES. The New Yorker, get 12 issues for $6 and a free tote bag when you go to newyorker.com/waves.  Helix, a new kind of DNA testing. Try today for a deep discount at helix.com/waves. 

Virginia Heffernan tackles the history of Trump-Russia ties with Seth Abramson, author of “Proof of Collusion” and an arbiter of curatorial journalism. Virginia poses questions for Seth from Twitter, including a speed round examining the role of women whitewashing Trump, the prospective futures of Ivanka Trump and Michael Flynn, and the best and worst case scenarios for Trump at this point.

On The Gist, stop wishing Jews happy holidays if Hanukkah has already passed. How do you explain wit? James Geary attempted to answer that question with his new book, Wit’s End: What Wit Is, How It Works, and Why We Need It, but quickly found that the only way to write about comedy is to write comedy. He joins us to discuss the difficulties of examining this subject, the various types of wit, and why Buster Keaton is a master of the form. In the Spiel, eulogies are the best part of any funeral, particularly a president’s. 

On today’s show, hosts April Glaser and Will Oremus discuss the news that Tumblr will soon be banning all adult content on its site -- this in response to some instances of child pornography that got it suspended from Apple’s App Store. Hundreds of thousands of Tumblr users are upset, and the plan appears to be backfiring. Then we’re excited to bring you a pair of interviews today, with two people who have emerged as leading critics of Facebook—one from the outside, and one from within, right before he left the company. We’ll talk first with former Facebook employee Mark S. Luckie about what he calls Facebook’s “black people problem.” Those words came from a memo that he wrote shortly before leaving the company last month, and which he published to the world after he left. Then we’ll talk with someone who’s been thinking through problems at Facebook for many years--and recently discovered that his organization was also a target of the company’s controversial “opposition research” PR campaign. Rashad Robinson is the president of Color of Change, a progressive civil rights group that was among several nonprofits Facebook tried to discredit by highlighting their ties to the liberal financier George Soros. In the wake of that story, Robinson met last week with Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg. 8:15 - Interview with Mark Luckie 16:00 - Interview with Rashad Robinson 35:20 - Don’t Close My Tabs Don’t Close My Tabs: The New York Times: Philippine Journalist, a Thorn to Duterte, Turns Herself In to Face Charges Twitter: Natasha Vianna Podcast production by Max Jacobs If Then plugs: You can get updates about what’s coming up next by following us on Twitter @ifthenpod. You can follow Will @WillOremus and April @Aprilaser. If you have a question or comment, you can email us at [email protected]. If Then is presented by Slate and Future Tense, a collaboration among Arizona State University, New America, and Slate. Future Tense explores the ways emerging technologies affect society, policy, and culture. To read more, follow us on Twitter and sign up for our weekly newsletter. Listen to If Then via Apple Podcasts, Overcast, Spotify, Stitcher, or Google Play.

In this episode of The Good Fight, Yascha Mounk talks to Helen Pluckrose, editor of Areo Magazine and one of the perpetrators of the “Sokal Squared” hoax, about her opposition to the postmodern turn of parts of the left, whether a form of liberal universalism is feasible, and how to call out the shortcomings of the left without becoming a tool of the right.. Email: [email protected] Twitter: @Yascha_Mounk This podcast was made in collaboration with New America. Podcast production by John T. Williams. This episode is brought to you by the following advertisers: Express VPN, take back your Internet privacy today. Find out how you can get 3 months free at expressvpn.com/goodfight. 

A special edition of Slow Burn features Leon Neyfakh live on stage. In the second of two episodes, Leon was joined in by Emily Bazelon, Wesley Morris, Dan Savage, and Andi Zeisler to explore lingering questions about the Clinton legacy.  Plus, Clara Jeffery discusses Hillary Clinton. 

Julia Turner, Stephen Metcalf, and Dana Stevens discuss the film Support the Girls, the LeCarre TV adaptation Little Drummer Girl, and the saga of a writer at Thrillist who may or may not have killed a great burger joint. This episode is brought to you by the following advertisers: SimpliSafe, protect your home today with twenty-four seven monitoring for just fifteen dollars a month, visit simplisafe.com/culture.  Slack, the collaboration hub for work. Learn more at Slack.com. 

On The Gist, a “tariff man” sing-along! Then, Maria Konnikova is back for another round of “Is That Bullshit?” She and Mike discuss the cigar-shaped space object (known as ‘Oumuamua) picked up by astronomers last year. Was it an alien vehicle, or just another flying rock? In the Spiel, Mike proudly backs the Slate stance: George H.W. Bush’s service dog probably wasn’t mourning him. This episode is brought to you by the following advertisers:  Slack, the collaboration hub for work. Learn more at Slack.com. Helix, a new kind of DNA testing. Try today for a deep discount at helix.com/gist.

Prudence is joined this week by Chris Randle, a New York based writer who came here from Canada. He's written for places like Hazlitt, The New York Times Magazine, Pitchfork, and Real Life. Together, they dig into letters about how to handle a brother who is weirded out because he’s dating your ex, how to decide if you should you help someone in your friends circle who’s not actually your friend, what to do about a boyfriend who is always testing you and questioning your commitment, how to handle your husband’s teenage cousin who has a crush on you, what actions to take with a husband who monetarily supports his mother and sister instead of contributing to your household, how to handle your grad school social anxiety and still get some work done. Slate Plus members will hear Prudie and Chris discuss a letter writer who is wondering how to stop paying a friend’s way whenever they socialize. Not yet a member? Sign up at Slate.com/PrudiePod. Email: [email protected] Production by Phil Surkis

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to live to be 100? How about 150? Life-extending technology may not be accessible today, but is it possible that something as simple as exercise could reverse the aging process right now? In this episode, we explore the aging process on a personal and scientific level. Host Sara Ivry talks to Katherine Beiers who, at age 86, regularly runs road races and recently finished her fourteenth marathon. Dr. Roberta Gottlieb, head of the Gottlieb Laboratory at Cedars Sinai Hospital in Los Angeles also joins the conversation. She is investigating the relationship between our cells and longevity, with a focus on the phenomenon of “autophagy” (cells reviving themselves). Subscribe to Life Effects via Apple Podcasts, Overcast, Google Play, Stitcher, or wherever you get your shows. The individual(s) who have written and created the content in and whose images appear in the articles, profiles, podcasts and videos from the Life Effects program may have been paid by Teva Pharmaceuticals for their contributions.  This content represents the opinions of the contributor and does not necessarily reflect those of Teva Pharmaceuticals. Similarly, Teva Pharmaceuticals does not review, control, influence or endorse any content related to the contributor's websites or social media networks. All content on the Life Effects website is intended for informational and educational purposes and should not be considered medical advice or recommendations. Consult a qualified medical professional for diagnosis and before beginning or changing any treatment regimen?. NPS-US-NP-00369 NOVEMBER 2018

Mae West was the biggest new star in Hollywood in 1933, thanks to two hit films she co-wrote and starred in as a sexually implicit, wisecracking broad who romanced a young Cary Grant. In Hollywood Babylon, Anger credits West’s abrupt decline in movies to a coordinated conspiracy organized by William Randolph Hearst and carried out by the Hays Office. Today we’ll explore West’s background, her history of pushing the censors past the limits of legality, and the truth of her lightning-fast rise in Hollywood and somewhat slower descent back to earth. 

On The Gist, in doing less than his son did in the Middle East, George H.W. Bush did better. In the interview, Wild Wild Country was one of the year’s most riveting documentaries. But one of its sources, journalist Les Zaitz, argues that it pulls punches on the cult that overtook a small town in Oregon, committed the biggest bioterror attack in American history, and had designs to assassinate its critics. In the Spiel, taking stock of George H.W. Bush’s legacy. This episode is brought to you by Merrill Lynch. Get started today at ML.com/you.

Stefan Fatsis and Josh Levin are joined by ThinkProgress’ Lindsay Gibbs to discuss the Kansas City Chiefs’ decision to cut Kareem Hunt. The New York Times’ Marc Tracy also joins to talk about Alabama’s comeback win in the SEC title game and Sports Illustrated’s Grant Wahl helps assess Gregg Berhalter, the new head coach of the U.S. men’s soccer team. Kareem Hunt (3:19): The NFL clearly screwed up its investigation into Hunt’s offseason incidents. But what’s a better way to investigate off-field conduct? Alabama (22:51): Backup quarterback Jalen Hurts led the Crimson Tide to victory. Should he be celebrated for his decision not to transfer? Gregg Berhalter (42:20): U.S. Soccer’s hiring process was awful, but how will Berhalter be as a coach? Afterballs (57:27): Stefan on Mongolian knuckle-bone shooting and Josh on the worst season ever by an NFL quarterback. This episode is brought to you by the following advertisers:  Simple Contacts. To save $20 off your first order, go to simplecontacts.com/HANGUP and use the promo code HANGUP.  Helix, a new kind of DNA testing. Try today for a deep discount at helix.com/hangup. 

Jennifer Aniston’s story had it all: Heartbreak, secrecy, sex, betrayal. But what it also had was a new kind of tabloid: Us Weekly and its copycats. Brad Pitt leaving Jennifer Aniston for Angelina Jolie would have been a huge Hollywood scandal no matter when it happened, but it became an even bigger one because it was turbocharged by these tabloids. Almost 15 years later, the tabloid In Touch ran an issue with the headline “Brad Stuns Jen! Marry Me again!”  What is going on? How is it still going on? Why is it still going on?  This is the last episode of Decoder Ring for 2018. See you in the new year. 

Seth Stevenson talks to Kickee Pants CEO Aerin Nicole about her search for the perfect baby clothes material. In their conversation, Nicole talks about scouting for a bamboo-based textile, her line of gender-free baby clothes, and what it’s like when celebrities like Kim Kardashian post photos of their children wearing Kickee Pants.  This episode is brought to you by Merrill Lynch. Get started today at ML.com/you.

When you walk through an exhibition at MoMA, every step you take is part of deliberate design that takes you from piece to piece in just the right way. And it all starts with a dollhouse-like version the gallery and teeny tiny art replicas called “chips”. In this episode, Jordan talks to to Lana Hum (Director) and Mack Cole-Edelsack (Senior Design Manager) of MoMA’s Exhibition Design & Production Department. Lana and Mack talk about what it’s like to take the big ideas of curators and artists and turn them into reality. You can email us at [email protected]. Podcast production by Jessamine Molli. This episode is brought to you by the following advertisers:  Merrill Lynch. Get started today at ML.com/you. American Express. Don’t do business without it. Citrix. Start working smarter today at citrix.com/slate. 

A conversation about clothing, instinct, and finding high art in everyday life that touches on Jackie O, Kandinsky, and the Bauhaus. In this episode of Dialogues,Nicholas Fox Weber—cultural historian and executive director of The Josef and Anni Albers Foundation—is paired with acclaimed British fashion designer Sir Paul Smith. The two are brought together on the occasion of a major retrospective of Anni Albers’s work, currently on view at Tate Modern, London, to discuss Smith’s new knitwear collection inspired by her textiles. Their shared admiration for the art of Anni and Josef Albers drives an eclectic conversation about abstraction, aesthetics, and the tactile nature of design. Anni Albers is on view at Tate Modern, London, through January 27, 2019. Listen to Paul Smith discuss his interest in the life and work of Anni Albers at Tate Modern on Saturday, November 17, at 3 PM. For more information, visit tate.org.uk/whats-on/tate-modern/exhibition/anni-albers/paul-smith-on-anni-albers. Subscribe to Dialogues via Apple Podcasts, Overcast, Google Play, Stitcher, or wherever you get your shows. For more of what’s to come on Dialogues, listen to our trailer or visit davidzwirner.com/podcast.

GM’s plant closures, Carlos Ghosn in hot water, Trump trash-talking the Fed, and whether or not we should care about Apple & Microsoft’s Market Cap with Felix Salmon, Anna Szymanski, and Emily Peck. In the Slate Plus segment, Felix, Anna, and Emily discuss new data on gender pay disparity. Email: [email protected]:@felixsalmon, @Three_Guineas, @EmilyRPeck Production by Max Jacobs. Listen to Slate Money via Apple Podcasts, Overcast, Spotify, Stitcher, or Google Play.

On The Gist, should people be let go for one bad idea? 30 for 30 has been a hugely successful documentary series in both video and audio form for ESPN. Jody Avirgan sits at its podcast helm with a new season covering stories like Jose Canseco’s steroid use, the 2003 World Series of Poker, and Japanese baseball player Hideo Nomo trying to join the Major League. He also hosts FiveThirtyEight’s political podcast, offering fresh and smart insight wherever he can. Avirgan joins us today to talk the difference of the audio documentary medium, how soon after events documentaries can be made, and what stories they almost told this season. In the Spiel, the very legal and very cool Donald Trump. This episode is brought to you by the following advertisers: Exchanges, a podcast from Goldman Sachs. Listen today wherever you get your podcasts. I Travel For, a new podcast that explores what inspires us to travel. Listen and subscribe today at https://apple.co/2DPEWJE. Helix, a new kind of DNA testing. Try today for a deep discount at helix.com/gist.

In this Trumpcast Plus preview, Virginia Heffernan talks to Craig Unger, author of House of Trump, House of Putin, about Semion Mogilevich, Trump Tower and money laundering, and the odd connection with Chabad.

This week on Spoiler Specials, Sam Adams discusses The Ballad of Buster Scruggs with the author of "The Coen Brothers: This Book Really Ties the Films Together", Adam Nayman. Podcast production by Danielle Hewitt. This episode is brought to you by the following advertisers: I Travel For, a new podcast that explores what inspires us to travel. Listen and subscribe today at https://apple.co/2DPEWJE. Helix, a new kind of DNA testing. Try today for a deep discount at helix.com/hanngup. 

From a very young age, Britney Spears seemed destined for stardom. The kid from Louisiana had landed a role on the revived Mickey Mouse Club and styled herself as a belter of power ballads. But to score her first No. 1 hit, Spears would team up with an introverted Swedish songwriter named Max Martin. He was trying to write American R&B and instead, through Britney and her high-school dance formations, created a new template for über–American teen-pop. This month, we go inside the Stockholm music factory—and its decades-long history, from ABBA to Ace of Base—that gave rise to a new generation of millennial pop, from the Backstreet Boys and *N Sync to Robyn and Taylor Swift. Email: [email protected] This episode is brought to you by the following advertisers: Slack, the collaboration hub for work. Learn more at Slack.com. I Travel For, a new podcast that explores what inspires us to travel. Listen and subscribe today at https://apple.co/2DPEWJE. American Express. Don’t do business without it.

On The Gist, cows are beef, even if they’ve reached internet fame. In the interview, Steven Caple Jr. watched everything from Jean-Claude Van Damme movies to street-fight videos before directing Creed II, the latest film in the Rocky franchise. He joins The Gist to talk about how to shoot a fight scene, his favorite Rocky villains, and Michael B. Jordan’s rising star. In the Spiel, Michael Cohen squeals, and we all learn once again that President Trump does not, sadly, tell it like it is. This episode is brought to you by Merrill Lynch. Get started today at ML.com/you.

Emily Bazelon, David Plotz, and John Dickerson discuss the mounting number of liars being investigated by Mueller, President Trump’s confrontation with the courts over the border, and the lawsuit challenging the Trump Administration’s plans to add a citizenship question to the census. Join Slate Plus! Members get bonus segments, exclusive member-only podcasts, and more. Sign up for a free trial today at www.slate.com/gabfestplus. Twitter: @SlateGabfest Facebook: facebook.com/Gabfest Email: [email protected] Show notes at slate.com/gabfest This episode is brought to you by Helix, a new kind of DNA testing. Try today for a deep discount at helix.com/gabfest. 

Kurt-ain call — a show about what goes into making great theater. First, a look at Alan Jay Lerner on the centennial of his birth. The lyricist for “My Fair Lady,” “Gigi” and “Camelot” was as complicated as he was talented. Then Jack Viertel, the theater impresario, gives Kurt a master class on all the elements of successful musical theater that audiences will recognize but may not have had a name for — like the “I want” song. Finally, Lynn Nottage’s Pulitzer-winning play “Sweat” about factory workers reeling from layoffs won over New York audiences. So how’d it go over when its New York cast toured the production in the Rust Belt? This episode is brought to you by Helix, a new kind of DNA testing. Try today for a deep discount at helix.com/studio360. 

Carvell, Rebecca, and Gabe are joined by Noel Murray to discuss Slate’s new package on family games: the best, the worst, and more, including Rebecca’s spirited defense of the game Clue. Then, is a mother-in-law’s insistence on saying dinner prayers with atheist kids grounds for a confrontation? Plus, watching your kids fail creatively, a laundry-based triumph, and watching swim lesson money swirl down the drain. In Slate Plus, another installment in Rebecca’s continuing family saga.  This episode is brought to you by American Express. Don’t do business without it.

This week on The Waves, Hanna, June and Noreen discuss the Instagram savvy of incoming freshman congresswomen. Them, why have many young people been suddenly drawn to traditional dress. Finally they discuss the new Hulu original show The Bisexual. Podcast production by Danielle Hewitt. Research assistance by Alex Barasch. We’re doing a winter “Is It Sexist?” Call-in show! Leave voicemail at (646) 907-9859 and and your question may be answered on the show! This episode is brought to you by Helix, a new kind of DNA testing. Try today for a deep discount at helix.com/waves. 

Virginia Heffernan gets into the gritty details with A.G. of indie podcast Mueller, She Wrote about everything from Paul Manafort to Oleg Deripaska. Also explored: Russian oligarchy ties, Viktor Yanukovych, and Marina Butina. Further reading links highly recommended!

On The Gist, the Nancy Pelosi nonstory (spoiler alert: she’s going to win the speakership) is distracting us from the Trump administration’s latest misdeeds. In the interview, Kim Brooks received 100 hours of community service in 2011 for leaving her son alone in a car during a quick errand. Then she connected with other parents who’d been policed by their community in harmful ways. Do Americans worry so much about the safety of children that they’re blind to common sense? Brooks explores this, and the dangers of involving the police too quickly, in her new book, Small Animals: Parenthood in the Age of Fear. In the Spiel, no, the missionary to North Sentinel Island did not deserve to die, and it’s appalling to suggest he did. This episode is brought to you by Helix, a new kind of DNA testing. Try today for a deep discount at helix.com/gist.

This episode of Whistlestop travels back to December 16, 1981 when President Ronald Reagan signs Executive Order 12335, creating the National Commission on Social Security Reform. Whistlestop is Slate's podcast about presidential history. Hosted by Political Gabfest host John Dickerson, each installment will revisit memorable moments from America's presidential carnival. Love Slate podcasts? Listen longer with Slate Plus! Members get bonus segments, ad-free versions, exclusive podcasts and more. Start your two-week free trial at slate.com/podcastplus. Email: [email protected].  Podcast production by Jocelyn Frank. Research by Brian Rosenwald and Elizabeth Hinson

In the final episode of Standoff, our narrative miniseries on the story of Ruby Ridge, host Ruth Graham recaps the prosecution of Randy Weaver and Kevin Harris, and explores how the story of the standoff became legendary among the modern far right. Slate Plus members get a bonus episode of Standoff each week. Sign up for Slate Plus at slate.com/standoff.

On today’s show, hosts April Glaser and Will Oremus discuss the ongoing fallout at Facebook over the company’s decision to hire a conservative PR firm to surface opposition research in order to attack Facebook’s nonprofit critics by highlighting their funding ties to the liberal financier George Soros, playing into an untrue and anti-Semitic popular right wing trope. As internal and external turmoil continues to rile major American technology companies, their employee are organizing for serious change. Hosts dig into what that’s accomplished so far and what continued employee pressure and mounting labor actions means down the line. Then, an interview with Antonio Regalado, a senior editor at the MIT Technology Review, on a story he broke Sunday night: the very first gene-edited babies were born this month in China. The trio discuss the history of gene-editing technology and the debate about using it on humans. To some, gene-editing is a form of medicine, like a vaccination. To others, it’s a form of enhancement. How easy is this to do? And will we have a future where the health of tomorrow’s children, or those whose parents can afford it, will be determined before their children are even born? 14:13 - Interview with Antonio Regalado32:02 - Don’t Close My Tabs Don’t Close My Tabs: The New Yorker: Exploding Mojitos: The First “Sonic Attacks” Targeting American Diplomats in Cuba May Have Taken Place Thirty Years Ago The New York Times: A Business with No End Podcast production by Max Jacobs If Then plugs: You can get updates about what’s coming up next by following us on Twitter @ifthenpod. You can follow Will @WillOremus and April @Aprilaser. If you have a question or comment, you can email us at [email protected]. If Then is presented by Slate and Future Tense, a collaboration among Arizona State University, New America, and Slate. Future Tense explores the ways emerging technologies affect society, policy, and culture. To read more, follow us on Twitter and sign up for our weekly newsletter. Listen to If Then via Apple Podcasts, Overcast, Spotify, Stitcher, or Google Play. 

A special edition of Slow Burn features Leon Neyfakh live on stage. In the first of two episodes, Leon was joined in by Ruth Marcus and Rick Perlstein to explore lingering questions about the Clinton legacy.  Plus, a story from the season 2 cutting room floor. This episode is brought to you by Transferwise. Check them out today at Transferwise.com/SLOWBURN

Julia Turner, Dana Stevens, and Stephen Metcalf discuss the Coen Bros. new film The Ballad of Buster Scruggs, HBO's Elena Ferrante adaptation My Brilliant Friend, and the art of adaptation. This episode is brought to you by the following advertisers: Everlane, premium clothing essentials made with the finest materials, without the traditional markups. To get a special offer exclusive to our listeners, visit everlane.com/culture. Slack, the collaboration hub for work. Learn more at Slack.com. I Travel For, a new podcast that explores what inspires us to travel. Listen and subscribe today at https://apple.co/2DPEWJE.

On The Gist, Cindy Hyde-Smith is on the MAGA wagon.  In the interview, the U.S. has long been the global leader in military spending. But is that enough to guarantee victory in a war against Russia, China, or both? Aaron Mehta covers the Pentagon for Defense News and has written about a bipartisan commission’s new report on America’s readiness for big conflicts. In the Spiel, terrible arguments obscuring bad ideas. This episode is brought to you by Merrill Lynch. Get started today at ML.com/you.

Prudence is joined this week by Sophie Bee, a writer, speaker, nightlife promoter, and activist. She has written about film, music, queerness, and sex work. She is an organizer with Support Ho(s)e, a Chicago and New York City based collective advocating for sex worker rights. Together, they tackle letters about what to do when your ex-wife tells your daughter that you are to blame for their divorce, how to handle being sober around your drinking buddies, what to do when your sister says she’ll harm herself if you continue to contact your mother, how to handle your teenage students lack of fact checking, what to do when your mother continues contact with your abusive ex-husband.  Slate Plus members will hear Prudie and Sophie discuss a letter writer who is wondering what actions to take with a boss who’s implemented a “no pooping” policy, and another letter about what to do when your knowledge of who’s cheating could destroy close friendships. Not yet a member? Sign up at Slate.com/PrudiePod. Email: [email protected] by Phil Surkis

Our speech is becoming more childlike, but not for the reasons you think. Join Slate Plus! Members get bonus segments, exclusive member-only podcasts, and more. Sign up for a free trial today at www.slate.com/podcastsplus. Twitter: @lexiconvalley Facebook: facebook.com/LexiconValley Email: [email protected]

One day at school in the early 1990s, Shane McCrae watched a TV movie about teen suicide. The first half was all exactly what you would have expected: cheesy platitudes, heroic teachers, and feathery haircuts. Then, a character quoted the poetry of Sylvia Plath. “I don't want to be hyperbolic, but it did feel like a kind of an electric shock,” McCrae remembers. “I had never heard anything like it. I never had a feeling like that.” That day, he wrote eight poems at school. Then he took the bus home and wrote some more. From there, McCrae dived deeper into Plath’s life, checking out a book of her poems from the library and never returning it. Today, McCrae is a professional poet. And even though Plath is no longer his “central poet,” she remains his emotional and creative bedrock. We talked to McCrae to learn how a long-dead, white, East Coast writer known for her depressing verse gave purpose and uplift to a young black teenager living in suburban Oregon. This podcast was produced by Justin Glanville for Studio 360.

For a special Giving Tuesday episode of the show, Seth talks to Aria Finger, CEO and “Chief Old Person” of DoSomething. Finger talks about why she’s spent her whole career at a non-profit, what it’s like to be a grown-up trying to reach young people, and about the misconceptions we hold about today’s youth. For one thing, the best place to find them isn’t on social media... This episode is brought to you by Merrill Lynch. Get started today at ML.com/you.

On The Gist, Danielle Pletka’s thoughts on climate change and Saudi Arabia. In the interview, the Republican Party’s voter suppression isn’t the result of philosophy or values—it just helps them win. In making the fight over voting rights public, Democrats have two advantages: It’s obviously the right thing to do, and it would help them compete up and down the ballot. Our guest Dave Weigel writes The Trailer, a newsletter on electoral politics for the Washington Post. In the Spiel,  the crisis of credible conservative commentators. This episode is brought to you by the following advertisers: SimpliSafe, protect your home today with twenty-four seven monitoring for just fifteen dollars a month, visit simplisafe.com/gist. Merrill Lynch. Get started today at ML.com/you.

Stefan Fatsis and Josh Levin are joined by SB Nation’s Spencer Hall to discuss Texas A&M’s seven-overtime win over LSU. Joshua Robinson of the Wall Street Journal also joins to talk about the chaos in Argentina surrounding a soccer match between Boca Juniors and River Plate. And Jim Newell assesses The Match between Phil Mickelson and Tiger Woods. College overtime (1:23): Football players are not built to run around for seven extra periods. Also, 146 points is a lot of points. Copa Libertadores (18:29): What is it about soccer in Argentina that makes violence such an enduring part of the sport, and is there anything anyone can do to fix it? Tiger vs. Phil (33:57): “The Match” was a debacle. What will sports leagues and sports executives learn from it? Afterballs (50:11): Stefan on Olivier Giroud’s meaty French forehead and Josh on the Battle of the Bones trophy. This episode is brought to you by Helix, a new kind of DNA testing. Try today for a deep discount at helix.com/hangup. 

Seth Stevenson talks to Betterment CEO Jon Stein about the democratization of financial services. In the interview, Stein talks about the role he feels financial companies should play in treating investors fairly, about Betterment’s preparedness for a potential market crash, and his thoughts about offering so-called alternative investments – like maritime debt and weather futures – to the everyday saver.  This episode is brought to you by Merrill Lynch. Get started today at ML.com/you.

The next person taking us inside life at MoMA is Sarah Meister, a curator in the museum’s Department of Photography. Sarah’s work ranges from pitching exhibits, tracking down and acquiring pieces to writing those words on the wall that let you know what makes that work special.  This episode is brought to you by the following advertisers:  Merrill Lynch. Get started today at ML.com/you. American Express. Don’t do business without it.

Emily Mortimer, star of Mary Poppins Returns and Lovely & Amazing, talks to Catie Lazarus about merkins, The Sex Pistols, work wife Dolly Wells and babysitter/husband Alessandro Nivola. Dolly Wells, best known for Bridget Jones Diary and HBO’s Doll and Em, offer a sneak peak of what they’re working on next. This episode is brought to you by the following advertisers: Citrix. Start working smarter today at citrix.com/employee. Helix, a new kind of DNA testing. Try today for a deep discount at helix.com/employee. 

Slate Money nerds out about sovereign debt in the past (Ecuador, Argentina, Greece), present (Venezuela, Puerto Rico), and future (Italy) with Felix Salmon, Anna Szymanski, Mitu Gulati, and Lee Buchheit. In the Slate Plus segment, Felix, Anna, Lee, and Mitu discuss the contentious court case between Russia and Ukraine. Email: [email protected]:@felixsalmon, @Three_Guineas, @EmilyRPeck Production by Max Jacobs. Listen to Slate Money via Apple Podcasts, Overcast, Spotify, Stitcher, or Google Play.

Dahlia Lithwick is joined by Ted Boutrous, who represented CNN and Jim Acosta in their case against the White House. Jim Acosta’s “hard pass” or permanent press pass, was revoked by the Trump administration after Acosta clashed with the President at a November 7th news conference. Dahlia Lithwick and Ted Boutros examine questions of due process and free speech thrown up by the case. Please let us know what you think of Amicus. Join the discussion of this episode on Facebook. Our email is [email protected]. This episode is brought to you by the following advertisers: SimpliSafe, protect your home today with twenty-four seven monitoring for just fifteen dollars a month, visit simplisafe.com/amicus. Simple Contacts. To save $20 off your first order, go to simplecontacts.com/AMICUS and use the promo code AMICUS.