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On this episode: Zak, Jamilah, and Elizabeth answer a question from a listener with an estranged mother-in-law who has a habit of sending gifts to her grandchildren accompanied by mean notes for her kids. But the issue has reached a new head, because a man in an unmarked car sat in the listener’s driveway for 15 minutes… before getting out and dropping off gifts.  We also go over triumphs and fails for the week… and then for Slate Plus, the hosts take ChatGPT’s parenting advice for a spin with some classic kid questions.   If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get an ad-free experience across the network and exclusive content on many shows—you’ll also be supporting the work we do here on Mom and Dad are Fighting. Sign up now at slate.com/momanddadplus to help support our work. Join us on Facebook and email us at momanddad@slate.com to ask us new questions, tell us what you thought of today’s show, and give us ideas about what we should talk about in future ep

On this week’s episode of The Waves, finding friends as an adult. Slate executive editor Susan Matthews is joined by author, comedian, and musician Lane Moore to talk about Moore’s new book You Will Find Your People. They dig into the necessity of healthy boundaries, letting go of old friendships that no longer serve you, and the importance of deep friendships that require work. In Slate Plus, unpacking celebrity friendships.   Podcast production by Cheyna Roth with editorial oversight by Daisy Rosario and Alicia Montgomery. Send your comments and recommendations on what to cover to thewaves@slate.com. If you liked this episode, check out: Make Movies Horney Again. If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get an ad-free experience across the network and exclusive content on many shows—you’ll also be supporting the work we do here on The Waves. Sign up now at slate.com/thewavesplus to help support our work. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adc

A self-described activist had late-stage, fallopian tube cancer. She didn’t live in one of the 11 jurisdictions that allows terminally-ill patients the choice to medically end their own lives. But rather than relocating, she argued Vermont’s residency restrictions were unconstitutional.  Guest: Lynda Bluestein, a 75-year-old woman seeking to end her life on her terms, who successfully sued Vermont over their residency requirement in their “Patient Choice At End of Life” law. If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get benefits like zero ads on any Slate podcast, bonus episodes of shows like Slow Burn and Amicus—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on What Next. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to help support our work. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today’s show, Rachelle is joined by Slate staff writer Nitish Pahwa for a mailbag episode. The two answer questions about Jojo Siwa’s rumored pregnancy, the fate of the music industry after an AI-generated Drake song went viral and the most recent instance of internet vigilantism. This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Rachelle Hampton and Daisy Rosario. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, host Julia Tuner is joined by guest-hosts Jamelle Bouie and Nadira Goffe. In the first segment, they discuss The Super Mario Bros. Movie, which currently tops the box office and stars Chris Pratt, Anya Taylor-Joy, and numerous other big stars. After that, the panel talks about Chimp Empire, a new Netflix nature series narrated by Mahershala Ali. Then they wrap things up with a conversation about A.I. music and the song Heart on My Sleeve, which sounds like a collaboration between Drake and The Weekend, but…isn’t.  Endorsements Jamelle Bouie: The 1971 film Carnal Knowledge, directed by Mike Nichols.  Nadira Goffe: Ackee and saltfish, a delicious Jamaican breakfast. Julia Turner: The 2011 documentary Sing Your Song about Harry Belafonte.  Questions? Comments? Email us at culturefest@slate.com  Production assistance by Yesica Balderama. Production by Cameron Drews.  Outro music: “What We Didn't Do” by Particle House. __ Slate Plus members get ad-free podcasts, a bonus segment in each episode of t

We bring you a special episode from Sidedoor, a podcast about the treasures that fill the vaults of the Smithsonian. This story is inspired by “Big Band,” a defining work by the painter LeRoy Neiman.  Neiman was a character, a cultural gadfly and an omnipresent artist who sat for decades right at the nexus of professional success, cultural ubiquity, and critical disregard. What made him so popular? What made him so disdained? And what can we learn from how he resolved this dissonance?  Sidedoor is produced by the Smithsonian with PRX.  The Sidedoor podcast team is Justin O'Neill, James Morrison, Stephanie De Leon Tzic, Ann Conanan, Caitlin Shaffer, Tami O'Neill, Jess Sadeq, Lara Koch, and Sharon Bryant. The show is mixed by Tarek Fouda and the theme song and episode music are by Breakmaster Cylinder.  Decoder Ring is produced by Willa Paskin and Katie Shepherd. Derek John is Executive Producer of Narrative Podcasts. Merritt Jacob is our Technical Director. Special thanks to Joel Meyer, the LeRoy Neiman a

Tucker Carlson has now completed the holy trinity of cable TV news: joining — and leaving — MSNBC, CNN, and now Fox News. Why did Fox oust him so abruptly? And how did he create a feedback loop that made Fox millions — and changed American politics forever? Guest: Nicole Hemmer, Director of the Rogers Center for the Study of the Presidency at Vanderbilt University. If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get benefits like zero ads on any Slate podcast, bonus episodes of shows like Slow Burn and Amicus—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on What Next. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to help support our work. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Danny Lavery welcomes Cyndie Spiegel, author of the book, Microjoys: Finding Hope (Especially) When Life is Not Okay. Lavery and Spiegel offer advice to someone who is uncomfortable bringing up financial privilege among their friend group. Another letter writer wants to sever ties with her mom, but there’s one complication. Also, Spiegel shares the inspiration behind her book, Microjoys. Need advice? Send Danny a question here. Email: mood@slate.com If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get an ad-free experience across the network and exclusive content on many shows—you’ll also be supporting the work we do here on Big Mood, Little Mood. Sign up now at Slate.com/MoodPlus to help support our work Production by Phil Surkis Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today’s episode of Hear Me Out… Kim, there’s people that are dying.  We can probably all agree that reality shows aren’t exactly peak TV. But there’s a time, a place, and an audience for pretty much everything. In a world where Love Is Blind’s chart-topping run is frequently described as brilliant and awful in the same breath, it’s easy to dismiss this stuff as a product of the social media era. But that’s not quite accurate. Culture critic and podcast host Kristen Meinzer joins us to talk all things trashy. She maintains that not everything we watch needs to be brain food… and that, in fact, the entertainment we hate to love and love to hate might be good for society after all.  Podcast production by Maura Currie You can skip all the ads in Hear Me Out by joining Slate Plus. Sign up now at slate.com/hearmeoutplus for just $15 a month for your first three months. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If you haven’t heard of ChatGPT, chances are you will soon. Maybe you’ve tried casually playing with the artificial intelligent chatbot. Maybe you’ve tried avoiding it. Or maybe ChatGPT is the new host of this podcast and you haven’t realized it yet. Either way, we’re on the precipice of a new, powerful technology. On this episode of How To!, co-hosts Carvell Wallace and Amanda Ripley join forces to talk through all things artificial intelligence. They bring on Kevin Roose, tech columnist for the New York Times and co-host of the Times’ podcast, Hard Fork. He will explain how AI chatbots work, how to use them for good, how they may be used for, well, not so good, and what you should do if it starts hitting on you.  If you liked this episode, check out: “How To Beat Hackers at Their Own Game.” Do you wonder how best to use your time? Send us a note at howto@slate.com or leave us a voicemail at 646-495-4001 and we might have you on the show. If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus.

“Stand Your Ground” laws have expanded across the country over the past 20 years, allowing people to use deadly force even when they could safely retreat from a perceived threat. But when someone shoots a person standing on their porch, or as they turn around in a driveway, or in a crowd, the claim that these laws exist for self-defense doesn’t seem to wash. Guest: Tamara Lave, professor of criminal law at the University of Miami and a former public defender. If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get benefits like zero ads on any Slate podcast, bonus episodes of shows like Slow Burn and Amicus—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on What Next. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to help support our work. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We explore the lives of people who are in love with their AI chatbots. Replika is a chatbot designed to adapt to the emotional needs of its users. It is a good enough surrogate for human interaction that many people have decided that it can fulfill their romantic needs. The question is whether these kinds of romantic attachments are real, illusory, or good for the people involved. Apps like Replika represent the future of love and sex for a subpopulation of people, so we discuss the ethics of the practice.  Host Barry Lam talks to philosophers Ellie Anderson and David Pena-Guzman of the Overthink podcast about what theories of love would say about these kinds of relationships. AI lovers include Alex Stokes and Rosanna Ramos. Original scoring by Aaron Morgan. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Stefan Fatsis and Josh Levin are joined by Slate’s Jack Hamilton to talk about Draymond Green, Dillon Brooks, and NBA villainy. Chicago White Sox announcer Jason Benetti also joins to discuss how to call a baseball game in the pitch-clock era. Finally, Talia Barrington comes on for a conversation about same-sex pairs in figure skating.   NBA villains (3:01): The basketball playoffs need bad guys.   Jason Benetti (24:39): “We are covering a different sport now.”   Same-sex pairs (47:10): Is figure skating ready for a monumental change?   Afterball (1:05:24): Stefan on the Athletics’ long history of threatening to move. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Evan Gershkovich is the first foreign journalist arrested in Russia as a spy since the Cold War. When the war in Ukraine began, Evan - like most journalists - left the country. But then, he went back. Why?   Guest: Drew Hinshaw, senior reporter at the Wall Street Journal If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get benefits like zero ads on any Slate podcast, bonus episodes of shows like Slow Burn and Amicus—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on What Next. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to help support our work. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode: Zak, Jamilah, and Elizabeth advise a listener who is fed up with her partner’s picky eating. His preferences have made it nearly impossible to meal prep, which he doesn’t help with. On top of that, he’s taken to complaining about the food in front of their kid.  Recommendations:  Jamilah: Cheetos’ Flamin’ Hot with Limón Elizabeth: Self-Compassion Workbook for Kids  Zak: Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get an ad-free experience across the network and exclusive content on many shows—you’ll also be supporting the work we do here on Mom and Dad are Fighting. Sign up now at slate.com/momanddadplus to help support our work. Join us on Facebook and email us at momanddad@slate.com to ask us new questions, tell us what you thought of today’s show, and give us ideas about what we should talk about in future episodes. You can also call our phone line: (646) 357-9318!  Podcast produced by Rose

Felix Salmon, Emily Peck, and Elizabeth Spiers are joined by Peter Kafka of Vox. They discuss episode five of the final season of HBO’s Succession, including a drug-fueled party, a very normal trip to Norway, and why the baguette may in fact be mightier than the bagel. Also, bags of blood. Really.  Check out how the Succession timeline (kind of) works.  If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get an ad-free experience across the network and an additional segment of our show every week. You’ll also be supporting the work we do here on Slate Money. Sign up now at slate.com/moneyplus to help support our work. Podcast production by Patrick Fort. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Weather apps can be frustrating. And with how much we rely on them to know if we should wear pants or shorts, they'll still leave you in the rain. But as the climate gets wilder, the questions of how to tell people what they need to know—and quickly—can be an issue of life or death. Guest: Charlie Warzel, staff writer at the Atlantic Daniel Swain, UCLA climate scientist   Host: Lizzie O'Leary If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get benefits like zero ads on any Slate podcast, bonus episodes of shows like Slow Burn and Dear Prudence—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on What Next TBD. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to help support our work. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, host Karen Han talks to stand-up comedian and writer Josh Gondelman, whose hour-long special People Pleaser is now available on multiple streaming platforms. In the interview, Josh explains how he compiled material for the special and created a logical flow of jokes. He also talks about his stage presence and what it was like to find his authentic voice as a comedian.  In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Karen and producer Cameron Drews discuss the ideas of “persona” and “voice” in creative work.  In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Josh shares what it’s like to write for shows like Last Week Tonight, Desus & Mero, and The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel.  Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to working@slate.com or give us a call at (304) 933-9675.   Podcast production by Cameron Drews.  If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get an ad-free experience across the network and exclusive content on many shows—you’ll also be supporting t

David Plotz talks with author Alexandra Petri about her new book, Alexandra Petri’s US History: Important American Documents. They discuss how to transform staid history documents into rollicking parodies, how Petri found her “voice” multiple times, and her grander ambitions for the book. Plus, Petri reads some choice selections. Tweet us your questions @SlateGabfest or email us at gabfest@slate.com. (Messages could be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.) Podcast production by Cheyna Roth. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today’s episode, Rachelle is joined by Alex Sujong Laughlin, a supervising producer and co-owner of Defector Media where she makes the podcast, Normal Gossip. Alex and Rachelle dive deep into the age-old debate over concert spoilers, a debate that’s been turbo-charged by TikTok where over 80 million people watched the first two nights of Taylor Swift's "Eras" The ease of finding a livestream of some of the most expensive concerts in the world raises the question: why go to a concert when you can go on TikTok? This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Rachelle Hampton and Daisy Rosario. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices