Best Slate Magazine Podcasts (2024)

1
What Next TBD | A.I. Goes Nuclear 30:28

11m ago30:28

30:28

Decades ago, Three Mile Island was shut down after a near catastrophic nuclear meltdown. So why is Microsoft paying over a billion dollars to open it back up? Guest: Matt Reynolds, senior writer at Wired 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. S…

1
BEST OF THE GIST: Terror Edition 31:17

36m ago31:17

31:17

Each weekend on Best Of The Gist, we listen back to an archival Gist segment from the past, then we replay something from the past week. This weekend, we listen back to Mike’s 2016 interview with Chad Millman, author of The Detonators: The Secret Plot to Destroy America and an Epic Hunt for Justice about the first major act of foreign terrorism on …

1
Slate Money: Why Were the Striking Dockworkers Unpopular? 59:49

4m ago59:49

59:49

This week: the Longshoremen’s strike is over, and economic disaster has been averted. Felix Salmon, Emily Peck, and Elizabeth Spiers discuss the strike, sketchy union leader Harold Daggett, and how the White House put its thumb on the scales to help cut a deal. Also: OpenAI just had a $6.6 billion investment round, but the company is bleeding losse…

1
Amicus | What We’re Watching This New Supreme Court Term 54:00

2h ago54:00

54:00

Democracy had a pretty rough ride at the Supreme Court last term. Presidents have criminal immunity now! Agency experts aren’t the experts anymore! Sure, you can convert that rifle into an automatic weapon! And guess what? More horrors await us this term. But we are not going to spend this last episode before the start of a new term dispassionately…

1
ICYMI: How Reddit Turned HBO’s Industry Into Appointment TV 45:46

1d ago45:46

45:46

Candice Lim is joined by Slate producer Madeline Ducharme to break down the third season of HBO’s Industry. Created by Mickey Down and Konrad Kay, the show stars Myha’la, Marisa Abela, and Harry Lawtey as three young finance workers obsessed with getting ahead. The show has not always been a ratings hit, but this season brought in record viewership…

1
Why Were the Striking Dockworkers Unpopular? 59:49

2h ago59:49

59:49

This week: the Longshoremen’s strike is over, and economic disaster has been averted. Felix Salmon, Emily Peck, and Elizabeth Spiers discuss the strike, sketchy union leader Harold Daggett, and how the White House put its thumb on the scales to help cut a deal. Also: OpenAI just had a $6.6 billion investment round, but the company is bleeding losse…

1
ICYMI: How Reddit Turned HBO’s Industry Into Appointment TV 45:46

2h ago45:46

45:46

Candice Lim is joined by Slate producer Madeline Ducharme to break down the third season of HBO’s Industry. Created by Mickey Down and Konrad Kay, the show stars Myha’la, Marisa Abela, and Harry Lawtey as three young finance workers obsessed with getting ahead. The show has not always been a ratings hit, but this season brought in record viewership…

1
Funny You Should Mention - Nimesh Patel 1:03:20

11h ago1:03:20

1:03:20

Funny You Should Mention Episode One: Nimesh Patel. Over his career Nimesh Patel has gone from a comedian who wants to make points and jokes to a purely joke-oriented comic. He’s somewhat of the prefect comedian to kick off this series which looks at comedy routines as if they were an argument or an Op-ed. Nimesh has actually written Op-Eds for the…

1
Dear Prudence | My Widowed Dad Is Now The “Other Woman.” Help! 48:54

1d ago48:54

48:54

In this episode, it’s a Slate three-for-one as Cheyna Roth and Candice Lim join our Guest Prudie (Nadira Goffe) to answer letters from readers about what to do when your partner keeps spontaneously changing your dinner plans, how you should handle the fact that your father is the “other woman” in his new relationship, and how to handle your brother…

1
A Word: Latinos for Trump…for Real 37:32

1d ago37:32

37:32

The majority of Latino voters have historically backed Democrats. But former President Donald Trump has polled very strongly around Latino Americans, despite villifying immigrants from Latin America. And several high profile leaders of the American far right are Latino. On today’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson discusses the issue with Paola Ramo…

1
Dear Prudence | My Widowed Dad Is Now The “Other Woman.” Help! 48:54

1d ago48:54

48:54

In this episode, it’s a Slate three-for-one as Cheyna Roth and Candice Lim join our Guest Prudie (Nadira Goffe) to answer letters from readers about what to do when your partner keeps spontaneously changing your dinner plans, how you should handle the fact that your father is the “other woman” in his new relationship, and how to handle your brother…

1
A Word: Latinos for Trump…for Real 37:32

1d ago37:32

37:32

The majority of Latino voters have historically backed Democrats. But former President Donald Trump has polled very strongly around Latino Americans, despite villifying immigrants from Latin America. And several high profile leaders of the American far right are Latino. On today’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson discusses the issue with Paola Ramo…

1
What Next TBD: Helene Proves Nowhere is Safe 27:42

1d ago27:42

27:42

In the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, the idea of a climate haven has been upended. And as the climate change gets worse every year, fewer places will be safe from its devastation. Guest: Sarah Kaplan, Washington Post climate reporter covering humanity's response to a warming world. Keith Campbell, managing editor at the Asheville Watchdog Want mor…

1
Wisconsin By A Whisker, Arizona By An Iota 43:17

3d ago43:17

43:17

Amy Walter, Editor-in-Chief of The Cook Political Report, is here with the news that you knew but didn't know how very true it was—the Presidential race is very, very close. As in, a one percent Harris advantage in the swing states overall. Plus, Jack Smith re-writes his legal brief, making the case that Trump interfered in the 2020 election, but T…

1
Political Gabfest: JD Vance's Damning Non-Answer 56:04

1d ago56:04

56:04

This week, Jamelle Bouie of The New York Times joins John Dickerson and David Plotz to discuss the vice-presidential debate between Gov. Tim Walz and Sen. JD Vance; the deadly conflict between Israel and Iran with Nathan Guttman of Israeli public television; and the federal indictment of New York City Mayor Eric Adams. For this week’s Slate Plus bo…

1
How Do I Raise Jewish Kids Right Now? 51:27

1d ago51:27

51:27

On this episode: Zak and Elizabeth are joined by Rachel Riskind, a longtime listener and mom to three Jewish kids. Together, they’ll commemorate Rosh Hashanah by reflecting on how to raise Jewish kids in the complicated world of 2024. Our community had a ton of questions and stories to share on everything from Gaza to fasting to how to explain to t…

1
Care & Feeding: How Do I Raise Jewish Kids Right Now? 51:27

1d ago51:27

51:27

On this episode: Zak and Elizabeth are joined by Rachel Riskind, a longtime listener and mom to three Jewish kids. Together, they’ll commemorate Rosh Hashanah by reflecting on how to raise Jewish kids in the complicated world of 2024. Our community had a ton of questions and stories to share on everything from Gaza to fasting to how to explain to t…

1
Care & Feeding: How Do I Raise Jewish Kids Right Now? 51:27

1d ago51:27

51:27

On this episode: Zak and Elizabeth are joined by Rachel Riskind, a longtime listener and mom to three Jewish kids. Together, they’ll commemorate Rosh Hashanah by reflecting on how to raise Jewish kids in the complicated world of 2024. Our community had a ton of questions and stories to share on everything from Gaza to fasting to how to explain to t…

1
What Next: Experts Feared a Wider War. It's Finally Here 31:04

2d ago31:04

31:04

With Israel sending airstrikes on Lebanon and deflecting missiles from Iran, the war has become what experts feared: a regional conflict. How much more will the fighting spread? Guest: Shane Harris, intelligence and national security reporter for the Washington Post. Want more What Next? Subscribe to Slate Plus to access ad-free listening to the wh…

1
Knucklehead Of State 45:19

2d ago45:19

45:19

The stakes for debates are pretty low when the Vice Presidency is the office in question, but J.D. Vance seems to have said better sounding words than Tim Walz, according to most reactions. Putting in a word for Walz—or at least a warning against Vance—is our guest Democratic strategist and analyst Jess McIntosh, who is here to assess the Vice Pres…

1
Well, Now: What It’s Really Like to Take Ozempic 55:49

3d ago55:49

55:49

GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic, WeGovy, Mounjaro and others revolutionized weight loss and chronic weight management. But what does it feel like for the patients who take them? On this week’s episode of Well, Now Kavita and Maya talk with journalist and author Johann Hari. Over the course of a year, Johann dived into the research and history behind GLP-1…

1
Well, Now: What It’s Really Like to Take Ozempic 55:49

3d ago55:49

55:49

GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic, WeGovy, Mounjaro and others revolutionized weight loss and chronic weight management. But what does it feel like for the patients who take them? On this week’s episode of Well, Now Kavita and Maya talk with journalist and author Johann Hari. Over the course of a year, Johann dived into the research and history behind GLP-1…

1
Well, Now: What It’s Really Like to Take Ozempic 55:49

3d ago55:49

55:49

GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic, WeGovy, Mounjaro and others revolutionized weight loss and chronic weight management. But what does it feel like for the patients who take them? On this week’s episode of Well, Now Kavita and Maya talk with journalist and author Johann Hari. Over the course of a year, Johann dived into the research and history behind GLP-1…

1
Culture Gabfest: Demi Moore Gives Substance to The Substance 55:34

3d ago55:34

55:34

On this week’s show, the hosts are joined by a very special fourth panelist: Wesley Morris, a critic at The New York Times and the host of The Wonder of Stevie, a new podcast on Audible. First, the quartet explores The Substance, a lurid, monstrous body horror flick by writer-director Coralie Fargeat. Demi Moore stars as Elisabeth Sparkle, a fading…

1
Culture Gabfest: Demi Moore Gives Substance to The Substance 55:34

3d ago55:34

55:34

On this week’s show, the hosts are joined by a very special fourth panelist: Wesley Morris, a critic at The New York Times and the host of The Wonder of Stevie, a new podcast on Audible. First, the quartet explores The Substance, a lurid, monstrous body horror flick by writer-director Coralie Fargeat. Demi Moore stars as Elisabeth Sparkle, a fading…

1
ICYMI: Revisiting the Internet’s Hottest—and Messiest—Club 52:47

3d ago52:47

52:47

With all the Diddy news coming out, it's time to revisit this episode where Rachelle is joined by Nadira Goffe to dive into the firestorm engulfing two 2024 interviews on Shannon Sharpe’s delightfully dishy podcast Club Shay Shay. Katt Williams and Mo’Nique sat down with Sharpe in separate three-hour-long interviews that have set the internet ablaz…

1
ICYMI: Revisiting the Internet’s Hottest—and Messiest—Club 52:47

3d ago52:47

52:47

With all the Diddy news coming out, it's time to revisit this episode where Rachelle is joined by Nadira Goffe to dive into the firestorm engulfing two 2024 interviews on Shannon Sharpe’s delightfully dishy podcast Club Shay Shay. Katt Williams and Mo’Nique sat down with Sharpe in separate three-hour-long interviews that have set the internet ablaz…

1
What Next: Vance and Walz Debate 31:08

3d ago31:08

31:08

The second, and likely final, debate of this presidential election was between JD Vance and Tim Walz, two Midwestern men with two very different visions of what government should do—and perhaps what America is. Guest: David Faris, politics professor at Roosevelt University and contributing writer for Slate. Want more What Next? Subscribe to Slate P…

1
Amicus | Sneak Preview: The RFK Jr Ballot Mess in North Carolina Was Just the Beginning 11:30

3d ago11:30

11:30

State Supreme Courts are vital to the functioning of American democracy. They are also where voting rights are enforced or eviscerated. This is especially true of North Carolina’s State Supreme Court, a battleground court in a battleground state. On a special bonus episode of Amicus, Dahlia Lithwick and Mark Stern (your Amicus Plus dream team) are …

1
Outward: Surviving Hate and Finding Joy as a Trans Teen with Nico Lang 46:28

3d ago46:28

46:28

Outward hosts Bryan Lowder and Christina Cauterucci sit down with reporter and author Nico Lang to chat about their new book ‘American Teenager: How Trans Kids Are Surviving Hate and Finding Joy in a Turbulent Era’. Nico’s book is a vivid and moving portrait of eight trans and nonbinary teenagers across the country, following their daily triumphs, …

1
Slow Burn: The Rise of Fox News - Ep. 3: The Other Guy’s Hamburger 57:09

3d ago57:09

57:09

For a decade and a half, CNN was peerless and ambitious, and it understood its place in the world. At least, it thought it did—until Fox News burst onto television screens. Could CNN save itself by becoming conservative or by going tabloid? And how would CNN and Fox respond when September 11 made the news more important than ever? Want more from Sl…

1
Slow Burn: The Rise of Fox News - Ep. 3: The Other Guy’s Hamburger 57:09

3d ago57:09

57:09

For a decade and a half, CNN was peerless and ambitious, and it understood its place in the world. At least, it thought it did—until Fox News burst onto television screens. Could CNN save itself by becoming conservative or by going tabloid? And how would CNN and Fox respond when September 11 made the news more important than ever? Want more from Sl…

1
For Israel, Tactics Are Strategy 45:23

3d ago45:23

45:23

As Iran officially entered the war against Israel this morning, launching just short of 200 ballistic missiles at numerous Israeli targets, pundits continued to praise Israel's tactics but question its strategy. The thing is, the tactics ("kill enemy") and strategy ("win war") seem pretty aligned. Also on the show, Washington Post Opinion columnist…

1
Death, Sex & Money: My Secret Life as a Hoarder 50:56

4d ago50:56

50:56

Elizabeth* has a secret life as a hoarder. None of her colleagues or family members know that her apartment is filled to the brim with garbage bags, discarded hobbies and beautiful writing paper. Instead, she hosts an anonymous podcast detailing her struggles and efforts to declutter. In this episode, she talks to Anna about her complicated relatio…

1
Death, Sex & Money: My Secret Life as a Hoarder 50:56

4d ago50:56

50:56

Elizabeth* has a secret life as a hoarder. None of her colleagues or family members know that her apartment is filled to the brim with garbage bags, discarded hobbies and beautiful writing paper. Instead, she hosts an anonymous podcast detailing her struggles and efforts to declutter. In this episode, she talks to Anna about her complicated relatio…

1
Money Talks: It’s Time to Work Less 48:41

4d ago48:41

48:41

For this Money Talks, it’s time to turn the rat race into a rat walk on the beach. Brigid Schulte, author of Over Work: Transforming the Daily Grind in the Quest for a Better Life, speaks with Emily Peck about America’s toxic relationship with labor in which employees at all levels are underpaid, under-rested, and over-hustled. They discuss what Am…

1
Money Talks: It’s Time to Work Less 48:41

4d ago48:41

48:41

For this Money Talks, it’s time to turn the rat race into a rat walk on the beach. Brigid Schulte, author of Over Work: Transforming the Daily Grind in the Quest for a Better Life, speaks with Emily Peck about America’s toxic relationship with labor in which employees at all levels are underpaid, under-rested, and over-hustled. They discuss what Am…

1
What Next: How To Debate JD Vance, From His Last Opponent 30:55

4d ago30:55

30:55

How Tim Ryan looks back on debating JD Vance in the 2022 Ohio Senate race—and how he would coach Tim Walz to win. Guest: Tim Ryan, former representative from Ohio who lost a Senate race to JD Vance in 2022. 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 podca…

1
How To!: Care for an Aging Parent 53:44

4d ago53:44

53:44

The How To! hosts love helping listeners find the answers they need. But sometimes a host needs help, too. On this episode, Courtney Martin and her brother, Chris, open up about how their father’s dementia has led them to upend their own lives in order to become his caregivers. To help Courtney and Chris talk through what comes next, Carvell Wallac…

1
How To!: Care for an Aging Parent 53:44

4d ago53:44

53:44

The How To! hosts love helping listeners find the answers they need. But sometimes a host needs help, too. On this episode, Courtney Martin and her brother, Chris, open up about how their father’s dementia has led them to upend their own lives in order to become his caregivers. To help Courtney and Chris talk through what comes next, Carvell Wallac…

1
Hang Up: It’s the Postseason. Almost. 1:04:13

4d ago1:04:13

1:04:13

Split Zone Duo’s Alex Kirshner, Power Plays’ Lindsay Gibbs, and the Ringer’s Ben Lindbergh get into playoff talk, first MLB and then the WNBA. Later, they talk about the seemingly impossible task of filling Nick Saban’s shoes at Alabama. On the bonus episode exclusively for Slate Plus members, they discuss the White Sox's historic implosion. MLB (2…

1
Hang Up: It’s the Postseason. Almost. 1:04:13

4d ago1:04:13

1:04:13

Split Zone Duo’s Alex Kirshner, Power Plays’ Lindsay Gibbs, and the Ringer’s Ben Lindbergh get into playoff talk, first MLB and then the WNBA. Later, they talk about the seemingly impossible task of filling Nick Saban’s shoes at Alabama. On the bonus episode exclusively for Slate Plus members, they discuss the White Sox's historic implosion. MLB (2…

1
It’s the Postseason. Almost. 1:04:13

4d ago1:04:13

1:04:13

Split Zone Duo’s Alex Kirshner, Power Plays’ Lindsay Gibbs, and the Ringer’s Ben Lindbergh get into playoff talk, first MLB and then the WNBA. Later, they talk about the seemingly impossible task of filling Nick Saban’s shoes at Alabama. On the bonus episode exclusively for Slate Plus members, they discuss the White Sox's historic implosion. MLB (2…

1
Israel Ponders A "Winnable" War 45:55

4d ago45:55

45:55

For years, the standard thinking was that the ongoing standoff between Israel and its enemies was "no win." Hamas was entrenched. Hezbollah was well-armed. But now, in the wake of a series of massively successful attacks that cut down Hezbollah leadership, and with Iran seeming to be disinclined to counterattack, that thinking is changing. We're jo…

1
My Mom’s Obsessed With My Baby 48:50

5d ago48:50

48:50

On this episode: Elizabeth, Lucy and Zak help a member of the Slate Parenting Facebook group who’s struggling with wrangling her new baby… and the baby’s very clingy new grandma. Grandma’s struggled with loneliness and is-over-the-moon about the baby. But is it time to set some boundaries? And how many photos is too many? We also check in on what’s…

1
Care & Feeding: My Mom’s Obsessed With My Baby 48:50

5d ago48:50

48:50

On this episode: Elizabeth, Lucy and Zak help a member of the Slate Parenting Facebook group who’s struggling with wrangling her new baby… and the baby’s very clingy new grandma. Grandma’s struggled with loneliness and is-over-the-moon about the baby. But is it time to set some boundaries? And how many photos is too many? We also check in on what’s…

1
Care & Feeding: My Mom’s Obsessed With My Baby 48:50

5d ago48:50

48:50

On this episode: Elizabeth, Lucy and Zak help a member of the Slate Parenting Facebook group who’s struggling with wrangling her new baby… and the baby’s very clingy new grandma. Grandma’s struggled with loneliness and is-over-the-moon about the baby. But is it time to set some boundaries? And how many photos is too many? We also check in on what’s…

1
What Next: Will Eric Adams Cost the Dems the House? 28:13

5d ago28:13

28:13

The federal indictment of Eric Adams is just the latest in a long line of embarrassing blow-ups, scandals, and unforced errors by the New York Democrats. Can they pull themselves together and deliver for the national party this time? Guest: Ross Barkan, journalist, essayist, and contributing writer to many places, including Slate, the Nation, and t…

1
Care & Feeding: My Mom’s Obsessed With My Baby 48:50

5d ago48:50

48:50

On this episode: Elizabeth, Lucy and Zak help a member of the Slate Parenting Facebook group who’s struggling with wrangling her new baby… and the baby’s very clingy new grandma. Grandma’s struggled with loneliness and is-over-the-moon about the baby. But is it time to set some boundaries? And how many photos is too many? We also check in on what’s…

1
What Next TBD: American Life is a Highway 26:56

6d ago26:56

26:56

America is caught in a vicious cycle of trying to alleviate traffic by expanding and building more highways, only for them to clog right up with more cars. How do you beat the traffic? Guest: David Zipper, Senior Fellow at the MIT Mobility Initiative who writes about transportation policy. Want more What Next TBD? Subscribe to Slate Plus to access …

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