Best Slate Magazine Podcasts (2025)

1
ICYMI: Kate Mackz Can’t Outrun Politics 30:57

1d ago30:57

30:57

Kate Lindsay and Candice Lim check in with the “Caveman Skincare” method and they pour one out for Skype. Then, they dive into the internet controversy surrounding a TikTok running influencer and White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt. Kate Mackz is the host of a TikTok series called The Running Interview Show where she jogs with celebrities.…

1
Decoder Ring | Off-the-Wall Stories of Off-Label Use 54:01

2d ago54:01

54:01

Products often tell you exactly how they’re intended to be used. But why leave it at that? As a culture, we have long had a knack for finding ingenious, off-label uses for things. In this episode, we take a close look at a few examples of products that are ostensibly meant for one thing, but are better known for something else entirely. We explore …

1
Outward | Queer Travel Writing with Alden Jones 41:28

1d ago41:28

41:28

Outward’s Bryan Lowder and Christina Cauterucci talk to Alden Jones, editor of the new anthology, Edge of the World. With essays from Alexander Chee, Daisy Hernández, Edmund White, and more, the collection makes clear that queer travel writing isn’t just overdue—it’s transformative. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices…

1
Off-the-Wall Stories of Off-Label Use 54:01

2d ago54:01

54:01

Products often tell you exactly how they’re intended to be used. But why leave it at that? As a culture, we have long had a knack for finding ingenious, off-label uses for things. In this episode, we take a close look at a few examples of products that are ostensibly meant for one thing, but are better known for something else entirely. We explore …

1
How To Parent With a Disability 50:21

3d ago50:21

50:21

At least 10 percent of parents in the U.S. are disabled, but Andrea can’t seem to find parenting advice on disability and accessibility. On this episode of How To!, Carvell Wallace brings on Jessica Slice, author of the new book Unfit Parent: A Disabled Mother Challenges an Inaccessible World, to help Andrea reimagine parenthood. If you liked this …

1
What Next | Trump v. the Judiciary 30:56

4d ago30:56

30:56

Is the arrest of Milwaukee County Judge Hannah Dugan the start of Trump’s open war on judges? Guest: Jeremy Fogel, retired federal judge and executive director for the Berkeley Judicial Institute. Want more What Next? Join Slate Plus to unlock full, ad-free access to What Next and all your other favorite Slate podcasts. You can subscribe directly f…

1
ICYMI: The Harry Potter Fandom Faces Its Biggest Test 55:47

6d ago55:47

55:47

While J.K. Rowling celebrates a new UK ruling that classifies “women” as biologically female, casting for the upcoming HBO Max adaptation is underway. Which fans have stuck by the series despite the author’s views, and will others be able to resist the siren call of a brand new TV series? Candice Lim and Kate Lindsay welcome ICYMI’s new producer Vi…

1
Amicus | The Un-American Project 1:20:54

6d ago1:20:54

1:20:54

Whether it’s attempting to overturn birthright citizenship, effectively stripping citizenship from American children, or claiming Alien Enemy Act war powers under an imaginary invasion, Trump’s anti-immigrant moves are outlandishly unconstitutional. They are also being met with significant pushback from judges, even conservative ones. On this week’…

1
ICYMI: This Book Drama Gets Hotter in the DMs 34:13

8d ago34:13

34:13

Candice Lim and Kate Lindsay break down the drama surrounding an influencer’s new book that has kicked off a whole controversy before it’s even been released. Christina Najjar, better known as Tinx, has made a successful career as a TikTok influencer who doles out dating advice to her more than 1.5 million followers. Her new book is a summer beach …

1
What Next | Will HHS Survive RFK Jr? 28:40

9d ago28:40

28:40

At his first press conference as head of the Department of Health and Human Services, RFK Jr. gave a glimpse of what the department will look like under his leadership: a smaller overall budget, relitigating settled scientific questions. Guest: Kiera Butler, senior editor and reporter at Mother Jones and author of Raise: What 4-H Teaches Seven Mill…

1
Death, Sex & Money | The Patient and Cunning Work of Defending LGBTQ Rights with a Republican Supermajority 56:14

10d ago56:14

56:14

In West Virginia, Republicans hold one of the largest supermajorities in the country, and it’s growing. Just 11 Democrats — down from 14 last year — are in the 134-member Legislature. It's a political reality that isn't necessarily conducive to advancing LGBTQ rights. But that's Andrew Schneider's job. As head of Fairness West Virginia, Andrew has …

1
Living at Odds | 4. A Quiet Fight for LGBTQ Rights 57:15

10d ago57:15

57:15

Our series Living at Odds concludes with a special episode of Slate’s Death, Sex & Money. Host Anna Sale returns to her native West Virginia to talk with the state’s only full-time lobbyist for LGBTQ rights. Andrew Schneider of Fairness West Virginia has spent years cultivating working relationships with conservative allies in state and local gover…

1
Amicus | The Anti-Trump Cases That Have Changed The Game 1:15:19

13d ago1:15:19

1:15:19

As we approach President Trump’s 100th day in office (this time around) this Wednesday, Dahlia Lithwick checks in with one of the key architects of the litigation strategy that is successfully confounding the administration’s most exorbitant executive overreach. After almost 140 executive orders and scores of associated lawsuits, it’s hard to keep …

1
What Next: TBD | The Immigration Data Dragnet 31:47

14d ago31:47

31:47

One of DOGE’s goals is to get government data out of “silos” and make it more easily shared across departments. But there are good reasons for some data to be kept apart. Guest: Vittoria Elliot, WIRED reporter covering platforms and power. Want more What Next TBD? Subscribe to Slate Plus to access ad-free listening to the whole What Next family and…

1
Decoder Ring | How “Chicken Soup” Sold Its Soul 50:49

16d ago50:49

50:49

Chicken Soup for the Soul was the brainchild of two motivational speakers who preach the New Thought belief system known as the Law of Attraction. For more than 30 years, the self-help series has compiled reader-submitted stories about kindness, courage, and perseverance into easily digestible books aimed at almost every conceivable demographic: Ch…

1
How “Chicken Soup” Sold Its Soul 50:49

16d ago50:49

50:49

Chicken Soup for the Soul was the brainchild of two motivational speakers who preach the New Thought belief system known as the Law of Attraction. For more than 30 years, the self-help series has compiled reader-submitted stories about kindness, courage, and perseverance into easily digestible books aimed at almost every conceivable demographic: Ch…

1
Death, Sex & Money | Are Airline Pilots Allowed to Be Depressed? 54:32

17d ago54:32

54:32

To fly a plane, pilots must prove to the Federal Aviation Administration that they’re physically and mentally fit. But when it comes to mental health, the rules are complicated and, some say, outdated. Pilots who need antidepressants are limited to a short list of approved medications and must take a mandatory six-month leave. Even common diagnoses…

1
Living at Odds | 3. Making Amends for Ancestors 44:50

17d ago44:50

44:50

In the third installment of our series Living at Odds, How To!’s Courtney Martin examines what it’s like being in conflict with your family history. She talks with ancestors of the famous names in Plessy v. Ferguson, the Supreme Court decision that affirmed racial segregation in the U.S. as “separate but equal.” Later, researcher Kellie Farrish exp…

1
What Next | Why Did Big Law Fold So Easily? 29:48

18d ago29:48

29:48

Some of the nation’s biggest law firms have found themselves in Trump’s crosshairs and have pledged pro-bono legal service to maintain their security clearances and access to government buildings. Others, however, are trying to fight back. Guest: Ankush Khardori, attorney and former federal prosecutor in the US Justice Department. Want more What Ne…

1
Amicus | Playing Chicken With the Constitution 1:17:50

20d ago1:17:50

1:17:50

Ever since March 15, when three flights carrying hundreds of men who had been afforded zero due process left United States airspace and landed in El Salvador, American democracy has been hurtling toward an internal conflict that the federal judiciary would very much prefer to avoid, but just keeps getting more unavoidable. On this week’s Amicus pod…

1
Amicus | Playing Chicken With the Constitution 1:17:50

20d ago1:17:50

1:17:50

Ever since March 15, when three flights carrying hundreds of men who had been afforded zero due process left United States airspace and landed in El Salvador, American democracy has been hurtling toward an internal conflict that the federal judiciary would very much prefer to avoid, but just keeps getting more unavoidable. On this week’s Amicus pod…

1
What Next: TBD | The U.S. vs Meta 27:25

21d ago27:25

27:25

This week, the FTC and Meta began a trial to determine if—by adding Instagram and WhatsApp to its portfolio with Facebook over a decade ago—the company became a monopoly in social media. If Meta loses, it could be forced to split up, losing Instagram—and its substantial ad revenue. Guest: Paresh Dave, senior writer at WIRED. Want more What Next TBD…

1
What Next | Should Hospitals Drug Test New Moms? 31:04

21d ago31:04

31:04

In an ongoing opioid epidemic, hospitals drug testing new mothers and their babies has an intuitive logic. But applied unequally, rife with false positives, and prone to disrupting those important early weeks, is it a best practice? Guest: Shoshana Walter, investigative reporter for The Marshall Project Want more What Next? Join Slate Plus to unloc…

1
What Next | Should Hospitals Drug Test New Moms? 31:04

22d ago31:04

31:04

In an ongoing opioid epidemic, hospitals drug testing new mothers and their babies has an intuitive logic. But applied unequally, rife with false positives, and prone to disrupting those important early weeks, is it a best practice? Guest: Shoshana Walter, investigative reporter for The Marshall Project Want more What Next? Join Slate Plus to unloc…

1
What Next | When a State Tells Trump 'No' 30:41

22d ago30:41

30:41

In February, Donald Trump and Maine Governor Janet Mills got into a spat over Trump’s executive order on trans athletes, that ended with both parties tersely agreeing to meet in court. Since then, the Trump administration seems to be trying to make an example of the state—cutting off federal funding where it can. Guest: Callie Ferguson, investigati…

1
Outward | How The Gay Rights Movement Became Trans- Exclusionary 40:07

23d ago40:07

40:07

In this episode, Christina Cauterucci speaks with Zein Murib, Fordham professor and author of Terms of Exclusion: Rightful Citizenship Claims and the Construction of LGBT Political Identity, about the historical roots of the marginalization of trans and bi people in the gay rights movement. Zein, who recently wrote the Slate piece "Why Are Trans Pe…

1
Living at Odds | 2. An Education in Opposition 45:16

24d ago45:16

45:16

In the second installment of our series Living at Odds, former How To! host Amanda Ripley returns to talk with two public school officials in Tulsa, Oklahoma, who found themselves at loggerheads upon their very first meeting. Deborah and Stacey’s difficult working relationship continued until COVID-19 sparked some solidarity—and the two began to le…

1
What Next | Project 2025’s Plan for Your Family 30:54

25d ago30:54

30:54

Despite what Trump said on the campaign trail, his administration seems to be working right out of Project 2025, where the first goal is to “Restore the family as the centerpiece of American life—and protect our children.” What does this mean in action? It starts with a very specific type of “family.” Guest: David Graham, Atlantic staff writer and …

1
Amicus | A Lawyer’s Guide to Not Caving to the President 1:02:09

27d ago1:02:09

1:02:09

On this week’s Amicus, autocratic creep in high and low gear. In high gear: The Supreme Court finally issued its order in Kilmar Abrego Garcia’s case, requiring that the government “facilitates” Abrego Garcia’s return from the El Salvadoran prison to which he was illegally and accidentally reditioned, but also recognizing the limits on its authorit…

1
What Next | A Cancelled Actor Scripts His Comeback 29:27

30d ago29:27

29:27

Jonathan Majors was an actor on the rise—indie credits, prestige television, a Spike Lee joint, a superhero film. But all of that looked like it was over when Majors was found guilty of assault and harassment in 2023. Now Majors is back on the promotional circuit for the film “Magazine Dreams.” Is this evidence of the #MeToo movement’s waning power…

1
Decoder Ring | Spring Break Forever 50:08

30d ago50:08

50:08

The infamous annual ritual of spring break—where thousands of college students head to the same warm location and go crazy—can seem like it’s always been here. But it hasn’t. The spring break phenomenon is a holdover from midcentury teen culture that has endured by changing, just enough, to be passed from one generation to the next. In this episode…

1
Spring Break Forever 50:08

30d ago50:08

50:08

The infamous annual ritual of spring break—where thousands of college students head to the same warm location and go crazy—can seem like it’s always been here. But it hasn’t. The spring break phenomenon is a holdover from midcentury teen culture that has endured by changing, just enough, to be passed from one generation to the next. In this episode…

1
Outward | Planning San Francisco Pride in a Shifting Political Landscape with Suzanne Ford 43:54

30d ago43:54

43:54

Christina Cauterucci speaks with Suzanne Ford, executive director of San Francisco Pride, about the goals and challenges of organizing Pride this year amid the corporate retreat from LGBTQ+ issues. They discuss the current political climate, how corporate sponsorship shapes the event, and how to maintain visibility and safety without losing politic…

1
Amicus | Sneak Preview: The Supreme Court Just Gave The Trump Administration Everything It Wanted—Almost 6:52

1M ago6:52

6:52

Here’s a question for you. If you are scooped up by ICE (masked, covering badge numbers), then moved from one detention center to another in quick succession, before being hastily forced onto a flight to El Salvador where you are imprisoned in a “terrorism confinement center” beyond the jurisdiction of the United States –– at what point in that pro…

1
Death, Sex & Money | Scorpion Venom and Coffee Enemas Didn't Cure My Mother's Cancer 44:18

1M ago44:18

44:18

At a time when skepticism about conventional medicine has become even more mainstream, we’re revisiting a story about the causes and effects of that mistrust. Archie Matlow’s mother refused to get a surgery that could have saved her life, which led to her and Archie trying to love each other while bitterly at odds. You can listen to the full audio …

1
Living at Odds | 1. Two Partisans, One Corner 46:19

1M ago46:19

46:19

Living at Odds is a new How To! series about what’s holding us together when so much threatens to break us apart. In our first episode, host Courtney Martin talks with two street vendors who operated rivaling merch tents at the same busy intersection during the 2024 election. Steve hawked MAGA caps and Trump-branded pool floaties just a few feet aw…

1
Amicus | He Was Deported by Administrative Error. We Talked to His Lawyer. 54:45

1M ago54:45

54:45

The US government’s use of a prison in El Salvador as an extra-judicial due-process free black site has been rendered starkly visible by the story of one man they tried to disappear. On this week’s Amicus, Dahlia Lithwick interviews Simon Sandoval-Moshenberg, lawyer for Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia, a Maryland resident, husband and father, who was …

1
What Next | The Lives Ruined by Trump's Deportation Machine 34:57

1M ago34:57

34:57

Trump campaigned on deporting dangerous criminals, but in his administration’s haste to deliver on that promise, men with no criminal records or who are in the United States legally have been taken to a prison in El Salvador, which even the administration admits was a mistake. Guests: Jonathan Blitzer, staff writer at the New Yorker, author of Ever…

1
Culture Gabfest | Seth Rogen’s Love/Hate Letter to Hollywood 1:13:44

1M ago1:13:44

1:13:44

On this week’s show, the hosts discuss Apple TV’s latest ode (tragic comedy?) to the movie industry with The Studio. Then, they step up to the plate and take a swing at the baseball film Eephus. Finally, they invite Slate’s Rebecca Onion to discuss the new edition to Panem’s dystopia: Suzanne Collin’s Sunrise on the Reaping. Endorsements: Dana: A F…

1
What Next | How the Supreme Court Could Gut Planned Parenthood 31:49

1M ago31:49

31:49

On Wednesday, the Supreme Court is hearing oral arguments in Medina v. Planned Parenthood South Atlantic, a case that will determine whether South Carolina can cut Medicaid funding to Planned Parenthood. But with clear legal precedent stating that they can’t, how did this case even end up before the Supreme Court? And, given how far the court has g…

1
Outward | The New Lavender Scare with Christina Cauterucci 48:52

1M ago48:52

48:52

In this episode, Christina Cauterucci and Jules Gill-Peterson discuss Christina’s latest Slate article, The New Lavender Scare, which highlights the experiences of queer and trans federal employees grappling with the threat of retaliation, job loss, and a chilling political climate. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices…

1
What Next | How the Supreme Court Could Gut Planned Parenthood 31:49

1M ago31:49

31:49

On Wednesday, the Supreme Court is hearing oral arguments in Medina v. Planned Parenthood South Atlantic, a case that will determine whether South Carolina can cut Medicaid funding to Planned Parenthood. But with clear legal precedent stating that they can’t, how did this case even end up before the Supreme Court? And, given how far the court has g…

1
What Next | How the Supreme Court Could Gut Planned Parenthood 31:49

1M ago31:49

31:49

On Wednesday, the Supreme Court is hearing oral arguments in Medina v. Planned Parenthood South Atlantic, a case that will determine whether South Carolina can cut Medicaid funding to Planned Parenthood. But with clear legal precedent stating that they can’t, how did this case even end up before the Supreme Court? And, given how far the court has g…

1
What Next | Free Speech? Not If You’re A Foreign Student. 30:24

1M ago30:24

30:24

As video of federal agents stopping Tufts student Rumeysa Ozturk on the street and taking her away to be detained circulated on social media, people kept asking, “how could this happen here?” The answer involves organizations that claim to help the federal government identify and find activists, and victims whose rights to free speech and due proce…

1
How To Replace Your Tesla 42:25

1M ago42:25

42:25

Tesla owners are dumping their vehicles in protest of CEO Elon Musk—and driving down resale prices. On this episode of How To!, Courtney Martin talks with two soon-to-be-former owners—and with Patrick George, editor-in-chief of InsideEVs and co-host of the Plugged-In podcast. Patrick helps them figure out how to sell their Model Ys and find a ride …

1
What Next: TBD | This Is Your Brain On Ketamine 28:35

1M ago28:35

28:35

Ketamine has gone from a recreational psychedelic to an approved treatment, and it has caught on in Silicon Valley in a big way. Are the long-term effects of using ketamine—recreationally or therapeutically—sufficiently known? Are we witnessing them right now? Guest: Shayla Love, staff writer for the Atlantic. Want more What Next TBD? Subscribe to …

1
Amicus | Trump’s Plan To Put A Chokehold On Voting 1:15:45

1M ago1:15:45

1:15:45

The Trumpian inversion of reality was threaded into so many areas of the law and active litigation this week. Slate senior writer Mark Joseph Stern joins Dahlia Lithwick to discuss the apparent evaporation of judicial patience for Trump lawyers simultaneously claiming that a signal chat was not classified or subject to record preservation rules, AN…

1
Decoder Ring | How Books About Things That Changed the World… Changed the World 58:24

1M ago58:24

58:24

Look in the nonfiction section of any bookstore and you’ll find dozens of history books making the same bold claim: that their narrow, unexpected subject somehow changed the world. Potatoes, kudzu, soccer, coffee, Iceland, bees, oak trees, sand, chickens—there are books about all of them, and many more besides, with the phrase “changed the world” o…

1
Culture Gabfest: Netflix’s Incel Tragedy Adolescence 1:13:02

1M ago1:13:02

1:13:02

On this week’s show, Slate’s Rebecca Onion sits in for Julia. The team discusses Netflix’s current number 1 program Adolescence and what it says about how the descent into incel culture starts young. They then invite Chris Molanphy to talk about Lady Gaga’s new album, MAYHEM. They close out with a discussion on Trump's continued assault against DEI…

1
Culture Gabfest: Netflix’s Incel Tragedy Adolescence 1:13:02

1M ago1:13:02

1:13:02

On this week’s show, Slate’s Rebecca Onion sits in for Julia. The team discusses Netflix’s current number 1 program Adolescence and what it says about how the descent into incel culture starts young. They then invite Chris Molanphy to talk about Lady Gaga’s new album, MAYHEM. They close out with a discussion on Trump's continued assault against DEI…

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