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On this week’s show, Dana, Steve and guest host Nitish Pahwa summon their critical superpowers to assess Marvel’s Fantastic Four: First Steps. Can the charms of Pedro Pascal and company mixed with a Jetsons-style retrofuturism energize this long-troubled comic book IP? They discuss. Next, they’re joined by Euny Hong, author of The Birth of Korean Cool: How One Nation Is Conquering the World Through Pop Culture, to unpack why KPop Demon Hunters is such a record-breaking hit. Finally, they revisit a little town called South Park to talk about the long-running animated series’ latest episode which brutally satirizes President Trump. In an exclusive Slate Plus bonus episode, the panel takes a look at the confusing messaging in advertisements for A.I. products. Endorsements: Nitish - The music of the late, great musical satirist and mathematician Tom Lehrer, who recently passed. His archive is available for free at tomlehrersongs.com. Steve - The great spy thriller The Spy Who Came In From The Cold by John le

Trans rights and access to health care have been under attack on the state level for years, but the second Trump administration and the Supreme Court have accelerated a chilling effect at clinics across the country. Guest: Grace Byron, author of “The Grim State of Trans Health Care” and “The Bureaucratic Nightmares of Being Trans Under Trump” for the New Yorker.  Want more What Next? Subscribe to Slate Plus to access ad-free listening to the whole What Next family and across all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of our show page. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to get access wherever you listen. Podcast production by Ethan Oberman, Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, and Rob Gunther. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Psssst. You didn’t hear this from me, but gossiping—can be good for you! … our series on embracing your inner antihero wraps—for now—with a guilty pleasure: gossiping. Normal Gossip host (and beloved former Slatester) Rachelle Hampton sits down with How To!’s Carvell Wallace to dish on the right way to gossip, the link between whisper networks and safety, and the importance of leaving no receipts.  This conversation concludes—for now!—our miniseries on embracing your inner antihero. Check out our episodes on How To Get Sweet, Sweet Revenge and How To Be an Ethical Hater.  Do you have a problem that needs solving? 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. Subscribe for free on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you listen. The show is produced by Rosemary Belson, with Kevin Bendis. Our technical director is Merritt Jacob and our supervising producer is Joel Meyer. This episode was produced by Sophie Summergrad. Get more of How To! with Slate Plus!

N.D. Austin is not an event planner. He designs experiences, which he says are supposed to leave you feeling transformed. He’s designed hundreds over the years, from secret sewer speakeasies to coming-of-age rituals on deserted islands, to funeral board games that guide people through decades of memories. In this episode, Anna talks to skateboarding legend Tony Hawk about an experience N.D. designed for Tony’s office that mended friendships on a homemade train. And N.D. tells Anna how growing up in a doomsday cult in Alaska sparked his obsession with performance, ritual and generosity.   Podcast production by Zoe Azulay. Thank you also to Jeremy S. Bloom and Stefan Zeniuk. Death, Sex & Money is now produced by Slate! To support us and our colleagues, please sign up for our membership program, Slate Plus! Members get ad-free podcasts, bonus content on lots of Slate shows, and full access to all the articles on Slate.com. Sign up today at slate.com/dsmplus. And if you’re new to the show, welcome. We’re so

Hosts Alex Kirshner, Ben Lindbergh, and Lindsay Gibbs speak with ESPN senior NFL reporter Kalyn Kahler on the secrets, scandals, and leadership implosion plaguing the NFL Players Association ahead of labor negotiations. They also discuss the historic induction of Ichiro Suzuki in the National Baseball Hall of Fame and the death of Hulk Hogan. On the bonus episode available exclusively for Slate Plus members, the panel reviews the new movie Happy Gilmore 2. NFLPA (2:59): Behind the scenes of the leadership meltdown. Ichiro(25:10): The first Japanese MLB position player joins the Hall of Fame. Hulk Hogan (45:28): The wrestling giant’s life, death, and embarrassing embrace of bigotry. (Note: time codes are only accurate for Slate Plus members, who listen ad-free.) Get more Hang Up and Listen with Slate Plus! Join for weekly bonus episodes of Hang Up and Listen and ad-free listening on all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe from the Hang Up and Listen show page on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, or vi

In May, after Trump announced a thorough regime of tariffs, supply chain experts warned that Americans would be looking at empty shelves by the end of June. But here we are in late July and the stores still seem fully stocked. So what happened? Guest:  Justin Wolfers, professor of economics at the University of Michigan Want more What Next? Subscribe to Slate Plus to access ad-free listening to the whole What Next family and across all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of our show page. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to get access wherever you listen. Podcast production by Ethan Oberman, Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, and Rob Gunther. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode: Zak shares a surprising lesson from his kid about being the family comedian. Elizabeth reflects on traveling in places that clearly weren’t built with kids in mind. And Lucy’s become a pickleball obsessive—thanks to a wholesome family showdown. Then: A listener's question about toxic positivity opens up a conversation on how to create space for kids to feel what they feel, without trying to fix or reframe everything. And on Slate Plus, we’re sharing our favorite books and movies for talking to kids about their emotions. Join us on Facebook and email us at careandfeedingpod@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. If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get to hang out with us on the Plus Playground every week for a whole additional grab-bag of content — and you’ll get an ad-free experience

There’s an entire economy devoted to seeing what products are trending—clothing, skin care, even Greek Islands—and delivering you a cheaper knock-off to buy.  Guest: Mia Sato, reporter for The Verge Want more What Next TBD? Subscribe to Slate Plus to access ad-free listening to the whole What Next family and all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of our show page. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to get access wherever you listen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week: The redditors have found a fresh batch of meme stocks. Felix Salmon, Elizabeth Spiers, and Emily Peck examine the so called DORK stocks – Krispy Kreme (DNUT), Opendoor (OPEN), Rocket Mortgage (RKT) and Kohl’s (KSS) among others – and what this resurgence of meme stocks says about the state of the market. Then, the Trump administration’s laissez-faire attitude toward financial regulation has encouraged a return of crypto ventures like Polymarket to the US. The hosts discuss this sea change and whether this lack of oversight will lead to a financial crisis. And finally, CBS says its cancellation of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert is purely a financial decision despite coinciding with Paramount's settlement with number one Stephen Colbert hater Donald Trump. Was the decision all political, all financial, or all of the above? In the Slate Plus episode: The Summer Reads Edition Want to hear that discussion and hear more Slate Money? Join Slate Plus to unlock weekly bonus episodes. Plus, you’ll acce

Candice Lim and Kate Lindsay investigate the disappearance of SylvanianDrama. The creator behind the account gained millions of followers for role-playing salacious narratives with the fuzzy Calico Critters children’s toys, but a copyright lawsuit from the brand itself has threatened the future of the account. Fans of SylvanianDrama are in an uproar, but the story isn’t black and white. Instead, it’s a warning for all of us about how personal posts online could end up paying professional consequences. Get more of ICYMI with Slate Plus! Join for exclusive bonus episodes of ICYMI and ad-free listening on all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe from the ICYMI show page on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Or, visit slate.com/icymiplus for access wherever you listen. This podcast is produced by Daisy Rosario, Vic Whitley-Berry, Candice Lim, and Kate Lindsay. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Civil rights are under attack. The Supreme Court seems to have its sights set on the Voting Rights Act. The Trump administration, meanwhile, is taking every issue to the court knowing that it will never have to face accountability there. And with states like Texas considering unpopular redistricting plans, the administration may never face it at the ballot box either. Put more bluntly, many of our elected officials are operating with a perceived immunity from accountability of any sort. This week Dahlia spoke about the deleterious effects of these actions on voting rights with Maya Wiley, president and CEO of The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights. They discuss the damage done to our civil rights by the current Department of Justice, and what we can learn about accountability from recent developments in the Jeffrey Epstein scandal.  Want more Amicus? Join Slate Plus to unlock weekly bonus episodes with exclusive legal analysis. Plus, you’ll access ad-free listening across all your favorite Slat

Was the Late Show too unprofitable, or too political? Guest: Eric Deggans, NPR TV critic and media analyst, Knight Chair, Journalism and Media Ethics, Washington & Lee University. Want more What Next TBD? Subscribe to Slate Plus to access ad-free listening to the whole What Next family and all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of our show page. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to get access wherever you listen. Podcast production by Evan Campbell and Patrick Fort. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When Kendrick Lamar took the Super Bowl halftime stage in 2025 and had the stadium chanting along to “Not Like Us,” it was clear: Diss tracks had gone stratospheric. The Kendrick vs. Drake beef echoes legendary rap rivalries like Biggie vs. Tupac and Jay-Z vs. Nas—but diss tracks stretch back through a century of American pop to the Tin Pan Alley era. Vaudeville singer Eddie Cantor, James Brown, John Lennon, Carly Simon, Kool Moe Dee, Lauryn Hill, and countless other artists have all tapped the hitmaking power of a personal grudge. Step this way and join Chris Molanphy as he traces the history of answer records, diss tracks, and rap beefs that shaped the charts—and the culture. Get more Hit Parade with Slate Plus! Join for monthly early-access episodes, bonus episodes of "The Bridge," and ad-free listening across all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe directly from the Hit Parade show page on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Or, visit slate.com/hitparadeplus to get access wherever you listen. Podcast produ

This week, Emily Bazelon, John Dickerson, and David Plotz discuss the latest developments in the Epstein files saga, how Supreme Court decisions under John Roberts have dramatically expanded Trump’s power, and whether the Texas Republicans’ redistricting plan will tip the map redder, or backfire. For this week’s Slate Plus bonus episode, Emily, John, and David discuss what they are enjoying reading, watching, and cooking so far this summer.   In the latest Gabfest Reads, David talks with Carl Hiaasen about his new book, Fever Beach, a political satire for the Trump Era.   Email your chatters, questions, and comments to gabfest@slate.com. (Messages may be referenced by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.)   Podcast production by Cheyna Roth   Research by Nora Moses   Want more Political Gabfest? Join Slate Plus to unlock weekly bonus episodes. Plus, you’ll access ad-free listening across all your favorite Slate podcasts. You can subscribe directly from the Political Gabfest show page on App

This week, a listener faces an agonizing parenting dilemma: Their beloved dog is old and undergoing risky surgery—and they’re not sure how honest to be with their child about what might happen. Should you keep things upbeat and hopeful? Or give your kid a soft landing pad in case the worst comes true? The hosts unpack how to talk about death when it’s still a maybe, not a certainty. Then in triumphs and fails, Lucy dives a little too deep into her daughter’s love life, Zak regrets letting the kids watch something not-so-age-appropriate, and Elizabeth dials in with travel tales from Mongolia. Join us on Facebook and email us at careandfeedingpod@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. If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get to hang out with us on the Plus Playground every week for a whole additional grab

What does it change to call Israel’s assault on Gaza a “genocide”? Guest:  Omer Bartov, Dean's Professor of Holocaust and Genocide Studies at Brown University and author of the op-ed, “I’m a Genocide Scholar. I Know It When I See It.” Another article mentioned in this episode: “The Need to Forget” by Yehuda Elkana Want more What Next? Subscribe to Slate Plus to access ad-free listening to the whole What Next family and across all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of our show page. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to get access wherever you listen. Podcast production by Ethan Oberman, Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, and Rob Gunther. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If Trump follows through and successfully shuts down the Department of Education, what does America stand to lose?  Guest:  Laura Meckler, national education writer for The Washington Post and author of Dream Town: Shaker Heights and the Quest for Racial Equity. Want more What Next? Subscribe to Slate Plus to access ad-free listening to the whole What Next family and across all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of our show page. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to get access wherever you listen. Podcast production by Ethan Oberman, Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, and Rob Gunther. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Kate Lindsay and Candice Lim break down everything that’s happened since a software CEO was caught in a suspicious position with his co-worker at a Coldplay concert. From Chris Martin’s viral dialogue to the dearth of content emerging from this story, they run through the tenets of a monocultural moment and debunk the misinformation that has transpired alongside this scandal. Get more of ICYMI with Slate Plus! Join for exclusive bonus episodes of ICYMI and ad-free listening on all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe from the ICYMI show page on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Or, visit slate.com/icymiplus for access wherever you listen. This podcast is produced by Vic Whitley-Berry, Daisy Rosario, Candice Lim, and Kate Lindsay. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Outward is going on a little summer break, in the meantime we’re leaving you with a delightfully queer episode of Slate’s Hit Parade with Chris Molanphy: Little Richard was rock ‘n’ roll’s flamboyant architect. Lesley Gore sang that no one owned her. Sylvester was a gender-fluid icon who helped define disco. Freddie Mercury made rock operatic, and George Michael demanded freedom. What all of these LGBTQ artists had in common was bold hitmaking—and fear of being fully out of the closet. For decades, queer acts topped the charts while cloaking their true identities and paving the way for today’s more openly queer stars. For Pride Month, join Chris Molanphy as he traces the hidden history of queer hitmakers on the charts—including those that managed to be both out and No. 1, right up through our modern age of Lil Nas X and Chappell Roan. It’s a celebration of these artists’ quest to feel… mighty real. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Disinfect your groceries and mind the 5G, on this week’s show Steve, Dana, and guest host Sam Adams dive into the dread-inducing world of Ari Aster’s Eddington. Starring Joaquin Phoenix and Pedro Pascal, the neo-Western explores the conspiracy-brained, mentally unstable summer of 2020 when COVID brews unrest in a small town. Like said town, the panel is divided. Next, they talk about why one of the biggest selling musical acts of all time has been both a national treasure and a forever punchline in their discussion of the documentary Billy Joel: And So It Goes. Finally, they take on what CBS’s decision to cancel the Late Show with Stephen Colbert means for both late night TV and democracy itself with New York Times TV critic James Poniewozik. In an exclusive Slate Plus bonus episode, the panel shares their feelings about phone location sharing. Email us at culturefest@slate.com.  Endorsements: Dana: The best use of a Billy Joel song in a soundtrack: "Carded and Discarded," episode 7 of Freaks and Geeks: