Best Random With Sam And Nate Podcasts (2025)

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Care & Feeding | Help! Is My Kid Talking Enough? 30:20

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12h ago30:20

30:20

On this episode: Lucy Lopez, Elizabeth Newcamp, and Zak Rosen are joined by Sydney Bassard from The Listening SLP to dig into everything you need to know about hearing loss, practical speech, language, and literacy with your kids. But first, Lucy weighs in on the great flower girl controversy. Podcast production by Cheyna Roth. Join us on Facebook …

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ICYMI | Who TF Is Grammy-Nominated Alex Warren? 43:45

1d ago43:45

43:45

On today’s episode host Kate Lindsay is joined by Yahoo News senior entertainment writer, Kelsey Weekman, to answer the question on everyone’s lips: Who is Alex Warren and why is every store playing his music? The Hype House OG is nominated for Best New Artist at the Grammys, and is part of a growing wave of musicians making “secular praise music.”…

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Culture Gabfest: The Creator of Breaking Bad is Back—with Polite Zombies Edition 1:03:36

2d ago1:03:36

1:03:36

On this week’s show, Steve, Dana, and Julia merge their consciousnesses—so to speak—to reflect on Pluribus, the latest television saga from Breaking Bad creator Vince Gilligan. In this unlikely body snatchers/sci-fi mashup, Rhea Seehorn plays a woman intent on saving the world from… eternal happiness? What exactly it needs saving from—or if it need…

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How To! | Take Charge of Home Repair (with Sam Sanders and Mercury Stardust) 32:36

3d ago32:36

32:36

In the second half of How To!’s wide-ranging conversation about home improvement, gender, sexuality, and much more, journalist Sam Sanders and author Mercury Stardust (aka The Trans Handy Ma’am) talk with co-host Carvell Wallace about a truly daunting idea: skipping the contractors—and doing the work yourself. This episode is available to Slate Plu…

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Death, Sex & Money | Raising A Country Musician Through Swagger and Psychosis 1:07:22

3d ago1:07:22

1:07:22

Country musician Luke Bell had swagger, talent, and a career on the rise, opening for Willie Nelson and Dwight Yoakam. Then mental illness took over. His mother Carol shares what it was like raising Luke, the fine line between his bold personality and paranoid delusions, and navigating his years of homelessness and psychosis before his death at 32.…

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Hang Up | Mamdani and the Knicks 1:03:32

3d ago1:03:32

1:03:32

Hosts Alex Kirshner, Lindsay Gibbs, and Ben Lindbergh are joined by Knicks superfan and X-Ray Vision host Jason Concepcion for a discussion on Zohran Mamdani’s Knicks fandom and the team’s presence in the mayoral race. The panel turns to yet another major betting scandal – this time in Major League Baseball. Later, journalist Nathan Fenno joins to …

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Care & Feeding | How Safe is Your House? 38:11

3d ago38:11

38:11

On this episode: Lucy Lopez, Elizabeth Newcamp, and Zak Rosen are doing a deep dive on child safety at home. They bring on expert Holly Choi from Safe Beginnings to talk about the most dangerous parts of your home, tips for safety classes, why those de-choking devices aren’t worth your money, and more. But first, it’s mailbag time! We read EVERY em…

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ICYMI: The Internet Has A Gambling Problem 52:09

6d ago52:09

52:09

On today’s episode host Kate Lindsay is joined by Manny Fidel, culture writer and cohost of the No Such Thing podcast, to explain how gambling took over the internet. A recent betting scandal not only exposed the chokehold that gambling has on the sports industry, but opened up a larger conversation about how everything on the internet is influence…

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What Next: TBD | The Nick Fuentes Problem 25:23

7d ago25:23

25:23

Nick Fuentes—an openly antisemitic, openly racist, openly sexist type who once was persona non grata in all but the unseemliest of online spaces—sat down with former Fox News star Tucker Carlson this week, setting off a debate between the “whoa whoa whoa, we’re not Nazis over here” branch of conservatives and the “well now, hold on a minute” wing. …

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Care & Feeding | When a Good Idea Turns Into a Fail 44:27

8d ago44:27

44:27

On this episode: Lucy Lopez, Elizabeth Newcamp, and Zak Rosen dig into a listener letter that hits close to home for Elizabeth. A military mom wants to know how specific she should be with her kids about her spouse’s upcoming deployment. They commiserate, and offer suggestions for how to keep the absent spouse involved even while they are away. But…

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Decoder Ring | Cozy Autumn Mysteries 55:01

9d ago55:01

55:01

Autumn may have more cozy signifiers than any other season—though we all have our own favorites. Maybe for you it’s sweater weather, football games, spooky season, apple picking, leaf peeping, or mainlining candy corn. Whatever it is, in today’s episode we’re looking closely at three of these autumnal staples. First, we get to the bottom of a recur…

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ICYMI | The Alarm Clock That Woke Up #DemonTok 48:50

9d ago48:50

48:50

On today’s episode host Kate Lindsay is joined by Slate contributing editor Angelina Mazza to explain why Christian creators are throwing away their Hatch alarm clocks. The company’s Halloween commercial was so spooky that it was accused of having “demonic ties,” and now people are claiming they hear voices coming out of the device. The question is…

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Culture Gabfest: Lily Allen’s Revenge Tour Edition 58:20

9d ago58:20

58:20

On this week’s show, Steve, Dana, and Julia pull up proverbially barstools at Sardi’s to discuss Richard Linklater’s latest film Blue Moon, which is about one night in the life of Broadway lyricist Lorenz Hart. As played by a transformed Ethan Hawke, Hart is witty, needy, and totally captivating. Next, they travel Down Cemetery Road by way of a con…

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How To! | Talk to Contractors (With Sam Sanders and Mercury Stardust) 49:35

10d ago49:35

49:35

Sam Sanders is many things: journalist, podcaster, pop-culture obsessive, and a familiar voice from public radio. He’s also ”quite possibly the world's most hesitant homeowner.” Sam wants to fix up the house he recently bought, but three things are holding him back: First, he doesn’t have a clue where to start. Second, he’s not very handy. And thir…

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Death, Sex & Money | After SNL, Ego Nwodim Has Her Weekends Back 52:50

10d ago52:50

52:50

This September when SNL announced its season 51 cast, Ego Nwodim made the cut. Then, just days later, she announced on social media that she was leaving the show. "The hardest part of a great party is knowing when to say goodnight," she wrote. In this episode, she talks about learning to trust her body when making big decisions, growing up in a fam…

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Hang Up | A World Series for the Ages 1:19:29

10d ago1:19:29

1:19:29

Hosts Alex Kirshner, Lindsay Gibbs, and Ben Lindbergh discuss what was possibly the greatest World Series of all time. Then they’re joined by Matt Brown, the publisher of Extra Points, to break down the competing Republican and Democratic proposals that could reshape the future of college sports. Finally, the Hang Up podfather Josh Levin returns to…

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Care & Feeding | Everything You Need to Know About Homeschooling 44:12

11d ago44:12

44:12

On this episode: Lucy Lopez, Elizabeth Newcamp, and Zak Rosen dig into homeschooling kids. They bring on special guest Julie Bogart from Brave Writer to dig into the history and current day trends of homeschooling, who should homeschool and who shouldn't, why people choose to homeschool, and so much more! Join us on Facebook and email us at careand…

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ICYMI: Can The Internet Save Animation? 43:20

13d ago43:20

43:20

On today’s episode, host Kate Lindsay is joined by producer Vic Whitley-Berry, whose favorite animated shows like Hazbin Hotel have been funded by the internet—not big studios. In fact, as major studios consolidate and cut resources for animation, platforms like Patreon and YouTube are keeping the genre afloat. If we don’t continue to support indep…

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Hit Parade | If You Love Sting, Set Him Free Edition Part 2 55:27

14d ago55:27

55:27

Walk into any store or flip on a radio, and you’ll probably hear the Police’s “Every Breath You Take” sooner or later. Thanks to that ubiquity, the swooning, menacing megahit’s songwriter—Sting—is a very wealthy man. Now his former bandmates, Stewart Copeland and Andy Summers, are suing Sting over who deserves to profit from “Breath” and other Poli…

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What Next: TBD | Inside the Goonerverse 29:52

14d ago29:52

29:52

One legacy of the internet is the millions of subcultures that it helps flourish. Another is pornography—and lots of it. At a “gooner meet-up,” the two collide. Guest: Daniel Kolitz, author of “⁠⁠The Goon Squad⁠⁠” for Harper’s Magazine. Want more What Next TBD? Subscribe to Slate Plus to access ad-free listening to the whole What Next family and al…

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Care & Feeding | When Alcoholism Impacts the Children In Your Life 40:04

15d ago40:04

40:04

On this episode: Lucy Lopez, Elizabeth Newcamp, and Zak Rosen have a tough listener question about what to do when a relative is an alcoholic and don’t think the environment is safe for the relative’s kid. To answer this question, they’re joined by Lisa Smith from Parallel Recovery. They unpack how to set real boundaries with family members without…

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ICYMI | Halloween Used to Be Fun Online 45:20

16d ago45:20

45:20

On today’s episode, host Kate Lindsay is joined by Jonquilyn Hill, host of Vox’s Explain It To Me podcast. The pair chat about how the internet used to celebrate Halloween, from spooky Twitter display names to Snapchat filters, and why no one wants to be earnest online anymore. However, today’s internet is still filled with plenty of scary stuff, w…

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Culture Gabfest: Netflix Goes Nuclear with A House of Dynamite Edition 1:03:08

16d ago1:03:08

1:03:08

On this week’s show, Dana is joined by fellow movie critics Amy Nicholson of The Los Angeles Times and Slate’s Sam Adams for an all-film edition of the Gabfest. First up, they enter A House of Dynamite, Kathryn Bigelow’s tense procedural about a nuclear catastrophe. Whether or not this grim thriller has any spark is up for debate. Next, they step i…

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What Next | Where Sports Betting Got Us 29:45

17d ago29:45

29:45

Last week, the FBI indicted more than 30 people in a series of NBA gambling scandals. The sports leagues are promising drastic action – but with everyone from the states to the owners getting rich off legal sports gambling, is the game rigged? Guest: Jay Willis, editor-in-chief of Balls and Strikes. Want more What Next? Subscribe to Slate Plus to a…

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How To! | Stop Snoring 29:37

17d ago29:37

29:37

Andrew Zaleski couldn’t stop snoring. Fed up, he did what any good journalist would do: He started digging. On this episode of How To!, Andrew tells Courtney Martin about his investigation into sawing logs, his experiments with anti-snoring devices, and what he learned from sleep experts while reporting his recent story for Slate. Episodes Mentione…

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Death, Sex & Money | Her Boyfriend Was Killed in a Random NYC Attack. Right-Wing Trolls Mocked Her. 53:43

17d ago53:43

53:43

In the early-morning hours of October 2, 2023, progressive activist and organizer Ryan Carson was stabbed and killed by a stranger on a Brooklyn sidewalk. His girlfriend Claudia Morales—who witnessed the crime, attempted CPR, and dialed 911—quickly became the target of sensationalist online posting. Internet trolls falsely claimed that she didn’t c…

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Hang Up | The NBA’s Growing Gambling Affair 58:52

17d ago58:52

58:52

Hosts Alex Kirshner, Lindsay Gibbs, and Ben Lindbergh discuss the federal indictments of NBA players and coaches for gambling incidents and how the ubiquity of online betting plays a role.. Then the panel is joined by the host of the Ringer’s F1 podcast, Megan Schuster, to discuss the excitement and drama heading into the final stretch of the Formu…

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Care & Feeding | My Kid is Saying 6-7…Can I Say It Too? 43:53

18d ago43:53

43:53

On this episode: Lucy Lopez, Elizabeth Newcamp, and Zak Rosen are joined by ICYMI host Kate Lindsay to discuss viral slang like “67” and “41” and what it all means. They unpack the difference between “bro” and “bruh” (it’s huge!), why the harmless bit of brain rot might actually be good for kids, and more! Later, they discuss a listener's question:…

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ICYMI | TwitchCon’s Sexual Harassment Problem 50:40

20d ago50:40

50:40

On today’s episode, host Kate Lindsay is joined by writer and streamer Laura Kate Dale to talk about what happened to Emiru at this year’s TwitchCon. The streamer was assaulted during a meet-and-greet, after a number of female streamers had already dropped out of the convention in fear for their safety. What is it about TwitchCon that makes creator…

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Care & Feeding | “It’s Not Easy!” Parenting After a Bad Fight. 46:07

22d ago46:07

46:07

On this episode: Lucy Lopez, Elizabeth Newcamp, and Zak Rosen have a triple…fail. Lucy clapped back to her teen, Elizabeth said the thing to her kids she promised she never would, and Zak is now dealing with injuries from a bike accident. Then, they get a listener triumph with a game-ified way of doing chores and earning allowance. The ‘Rents dig i…

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ICYMI | The Streamer and the Shock Collar 42:11

23d ago42:11

42:11

On today’s episode, host Kate Lindsay is joined by Slate staff writer Luke Winkie to talk about Twitch streamer Hasan Piker, who some viewers have accused of shocking his dog on his livestream. Winkie spent time with Piker and his dog, Kaya, for Slate earlier this year, and helps debunk the misinformation currently being spread by cloutchasers and …

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Decoder Ring | The Red String Board Conspiracy 51:21

23d ago51:21

51:21

There’s a ubiquitous prop in just about every police procedural and conspiracy thriller: a cork board pinned with documents, newspaper clippings, and Polaroid photos, all connected by a web of red string. They go by many names, including pin boards, string boards, evidence boards, investigation walls, conspiracy walls, and walls of crazy. These boa…

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Culture Gabfest Slate Plus Preview: Jad Abumrad Inquires How We Make the Gabfest 6:10

23d ago6:10

6:10

This is a special preview of this week's Slate Plus episode. To get the full episode, another one like it every single week, and unlimited reading on Slate.com, subscribe to slate plus at Slate.com/cultureplus and help us keep the lights on. When you have Jad Abumrad in the studio, you don’t let him leave without squeezing as much quality audio fro…

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Culture Gabfest: Guillermo del Toro Can Take Frankenstein Off His Bucket List Edition 1:11:59

23d ago1:11:59

1:11:59

On this week’s show, Dana, Steve, and Julia step into the gothic, visually rich world of Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein. It’s been years in the making, gorgeously rendered, and stars the always compelling Oscar Isaac and Jacob Elordi, but it’s up for debate if something like a soul emerges from del Toro’s mad machinations. Next, author and journ…

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How To! | Survive Getting Fired 43:21

24d ago43:21

43:21

If you recently lost your job—or think you might lose it soon—Laura Brown and Kristina O'Neill are here to help! On this episode of How To!, Carvell Wallace talks to the authors of All the Cool Girls Get Fired about what to do when you get the ax—and how to turn termination into a real opportunity. If you liked this conversation, check out the Slat…

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Death, Sex & Money | How a Former Polygamist “Sister Wife” Learned to Love Monogamy 1:01:20

24d ago1:01:20

1:01:20

Christine Brown Woolley grew up in Utah with a dad and two moms, in a polygamist community called the Apostolic United Brethren. When she became an adult, she joined a polygamist marriage as a third wife, helped raise more than a dozen kids, and became co-star of the TLC reality show Sister Wives. Fast forward to 2025, and she has left her marriage…

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Hang Up | Nate Silver and the NFL's Year of Parity 1:26:01

24d ago1:26:01

1:26:01

Hosts Alex Kirshner, Lindsay Gibbs, and Ben Lindbergh are joined by Nate Silver, founder of FiveThirtyEight and Silver Bulletin, to discuss his new NFL prediction model “ELWAY” and what it reveals about an unpredictable football league. Later in the show, OG Hang Up host Stefan Fatsis returns to talk about his new book on the dictionary, “Unabridge…

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Care & Feeding | Is Gaming Taking Over Boys’ Lives? 37:40

25d ago37:40

37:40

On this episode: Friend of the show Jamilah Lemieux tackles helping kids get a better night's sleep. She’s joined by gentle sleep coach Macall Gordon. They discuss what to do with “live-wire kids”, how to avoid burnout when trying to get your kid to sleep, why we need to stop blaming parents for kid sleep issues, and more. But first, Care and Feedi…

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What Next: TBD | Why Bands Are Leaving Spotify 21:02

26d ago21:02

21:02

Paying a fraction of a penny per stream and diminishing the value of music were bad enough for Xiu Xiu, but when Spotify owner Daniel Ek announced an investment in a German defense contractor, they decided it was time to take the music back. Guest: Jamie Stewart, musician in the band Xiu Xiu. Want more What Next TBD? Subscribe to Slate Plus to acce…

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ICYMI | Candice Lim Logs Off 48:20

27d ago48:20

48:20

On today’s episode, hosts Candice Lim and Kate Lindsay celebrate Candice’s three years at ICYMI, and send her off onto her next chapter. They talk Dan and Phil’s hard launch, Connor Franta and Troye Sivan’s Instagram beef, and the major predictions Candice has for the internet in 2026. Get more of ICYMI with Slate Plus! Join for exclusive bonus epi…

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Gabfest Reads | The Radical Fund That Rewired American Progress 30:45

27d ago30:45

30:45

Emily Bazelon talks with Yale law professor John Witt about his new book The Radical Fund: How a Band of Visionaries and a Million Dollars Upended America. They explore the remarkable story of the Garland Fund—a small 1920s foundation that bankrolled early work by A. Philip Randolph, and others who would go on to shape the civil rights and labor mo…

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Hit Parade | If You Love Sting, Set Him Free Edition Part 1 1:07:23

27d ago1:07:23

1:07:23

Walk into any store or flip on a radio, and you’ll probably hear the Police’s “Every Breath You Take” sooner or later. Thanks to that ubiquity, the swooning, menacing megahit’s songwriter—Sting—is a very wealthy man. Now, his former bandmates, Stewart Copeland and Andy Summers, are suing Sting over who deserves to profit from “Breath” and other Pol…

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What Next: TBD | Inside the MAGA Content Mill 27:00

28d ago27:00

27:00

As Trump throws out journalists and outlets that report anything negative about him, he’s limiting access to a group of right-wing influencers who work to further his agenda. Guest: Makena Kelly, tech and politics writer for WIRED. Want more What Next TBD? Subscribe to Slate Plus to access ad-free listening to the whole What Next family and all you…

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Care & Feeding | Make My Kid Eat, Please! 49:12

29d ago49:12

49:12

On this episode: Lucy Lopez, Elizabeth Newcamp, and Zak Rosen are tackling picky eating. They’re joined by Jennifer Anderson from Kids Eat In Color to talk about helping kids navigate diet culture, how to tell if your kid is a “normal” picky eater or a problematic picky eater, why you shouldn’t try to sneak foods into foods they like, and more! But…

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ICYMI | Stop Trying To Make A.I. Trendy 42:20

30d ago42:20

42:20

Candice Lim and Kate Lindsay get into tech’s latest effort to turn A.I. into a status symbol. Anthropic has been pushing “Thinking” caps into the trendy streets of New York. OpenAI has been handing out awards for power users akin to YouTube subscriber plaques. But one of the worst offenders is Friend, a $129 wearable necklace that spent a million d…

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Culture Gabfest: Channing Tatum on the Lam Edition 1:03:39

1M ago1:03:39

1:03:39

On this week’s episode, Julia and Steve are joined by guest host Rebecca Onion to admire and puzzle over the magnetic appeal of Channing Tatum in Roofman. Does the beloved hunk’s captivating performance ground Derek Cianfrance’s tonally odd film? Next, the hosts take another step into Tim Robinson’s cringey, paranoid, comedy looking glass with his …

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Hang Up | How the Ceasefire Keeps Israel in European Soccer 1:07:40

1M ago1:07:40

1:07:40

Hosts Alex Kirshner, Lindsay Gibbs, and Ben Lindbergh are joined by the Times’s Martyn Ziegler to explain the ripple effects of the Gaza ceasefire on UEFA and Israeli soccer. Then, The New York Times sports reporter Ken Belson joins to unravel the continued drama surrounding Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl halftime show and the backdoor dealings of NFL owne…

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How To! | Harness Your Anger 47:13

1M ago47:13

47:13

Contemporary women are primal-screaming and hitting rage rooms, but are these really the solutions to our personal and political anger? On this episode of How To!, Courtney Martin talks with Soraya Chemaly, journalist and author of Rage Becomes Her: The Power of Women’s Anger, about her own recent upsurge of anger. Soraya explains how to identify, …

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Death, Sex & Money | Nick Offerman's Principled Hypocrisy 52:15

1M ago52:15

52:15

In the new movie Sovereign, actor Nick Offerman plays an extremist who doesn’t believe in the legitimacy of the Federal government. In real life, Nick comes from a small-town political family. His father is the mayor of Minooka, Illinois, and his uncle is on the village board. In this episode Nick talks about choosing roles, how he’s different from…

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ICYMI | Podcaster Theo Von Is A Manosphere Mystery 48:16

1M ago48:16

48:16

On today’s episode, hosts Candice Lim and Kate Lindsay are joined by culture writer Aja Romano to try to make sense of Theo Von. Von was one of the podcasters credited with helping Donald Trump win the election, but in recent months, he’s deviated from the administration when it comes to his views on ICE raids and the war in Gaza. Who is Theo Von, …