Vox Quick Hits

We're going to make this goodbye short and sweet: Vox Quick Hits is ending.  All of us from the Vox Culture Desk and the team at The Goods want to thank you for following our work and tuning in to Tell Me More, Ask a Book Critic, The Best Money I Ever Spent and What to Watch. You can still keep up with us on vox.com. Vox Quick Hits was made by... Hosts: Constance Grady Meredith Haggerty Rebecca Jennings Alanna Okun Emily Stewart Emily VanDerWerff Alissa Wilkinson Producers: Sofi Lalonde and Schuyler Swenson Senior Producer: Taylor Maycan Engineers: Paul Robert Mounsey Editors: Julia Rubin and Jen Trolio Executive Producer: Liz Kelly Nelson Thanks so much for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Everything you should have watched this summer as recommended — for the final time — by Vox's film critic Alissa Wilkinson (@alissamarie) and critic at large Emily VanDerWerff (@emilyvdw). Thanks for listening to What to Watch. If you enjoyed the show, please rate Vox Quick Hits ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ and leave a review on Apple Podcasts. Hosts: Alissa Wilkinson (@alissamarie) and Emily VanDerWerff (@emilyvdw) Producer: Taylor Maycan (@taylormaycan) Engineer: Melissa Pons (Hemlock Creek Productions) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Writer Gray Chapman tells us why a dinner of oysters, caviar, and champagne the night before she gave birth was the best $298 she ever spent.  Link to essay: https://www.vox.com/the-goods/22456529/best-money-birth-c-section-oysters-cocktail  Enjoyed this episode? Rate Vox Quick Hits ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ and leave a review on Apple Podcasts.   Subscribe for free. Be the first to hear the next episode of Vox Quick Hits by subscribing in your favorite podcast app. This episode was made by:  - Editor: Alanna Okun (@alanna) - Producer: Sofi LaLonde (@sofilalonde) - Engineer: Paul Robert Mounsey Support Vox Quick Hits by making a financial contribution to Vox! bit.ly/givepodcasts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

For our very last episode, a listener asked for books with disabled protagonists. Specifically, characters whose disability is not their defining trait. Ask a Book Critic will continue in text form, so don't stop sending your requests! Check out vox.com/ask-a-book-critic. Thank you for listening!  Constance recommends:  The Cormoran Strike books by Robert Galbraith Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo The Wolf Hall trilogy by Hilary Mantel Seamstress by Frances de Pontes Peebles   If you're looking for a book recommendation, you can email constance.grady@vox.com — and be sure to use the subject line “Ask a Book Critic.”    Enjoyed this episode? Rate Vox Quick Hits ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ and leave a review on Apple Podcasts.   Subscribe for free. Be the first to hear the next episode of Ask a Book Critic on Vox Quick Hits by subscribing in your favorite podcast app. Support Vox Quick Hits by making a financial contribution to Vox! bit.ly/givepodcasts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Writer Mae Rice goes to Starbucks every day. She tells us why she has no plans to stop. Link to essay: https://www.vox.com/the-goods/2019/4/9/18296792/starbucks-habit-millennials-money  Enjoyed this episode? Rate Vox Quick Hits ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ and leave a review on Apple Podcasts.   Subscribe for free. Be the first to hear the next episode of Vox Quick Hits by subscribing in your favorite podcast app. This episode was made by:  Editor: Alanna Okun (@alanna) Producers: Sofi LaLonde (@sofilalonde) Engineer: Cristian Ayala Support Vox Quick Hits by making a financial contribution to Vox! bit.ly/givepodcasts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

HBO's hit series The White Lotus takes the darkly comedic mind of creator Mike White and turns it loose on an elite resort in Hawaii. It's a very funny, very engrossing look at the global mega-rich, with phenomenal performances up and down the cast list. And you can watch all six episodes right now. Enjoyed this episode? Rate Vox Quick Hits ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ and leave a review on Apple Podcasts. Subscribe for free. Be the first to hear the next episode of Vox Quick Hits by subscribing in your favorite podcast app. What to Watch has new episodes every Friday. Support the show by making a financial contribution to Vox! bit.ly/givepodcasts Episode by:  - Hosts: Alissa Wilkinson (@alissamarie) and Emily VanDerWerff (@emilyvdw) - Producer: Taylor Maycan (@taylormaycan) - Engineer: Melissa Pons (Hemlock Creek Productions) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A listener asks for help with getting out of a reading rut. A voracious reader as a child, they now need some help falling in love with reading again. Vox Book Critic Constance Grady recommends big, grab-you-by-the-throat books to help us all rediscover our love of reading. Plus, hear some of Constance's conversation with Tamsyn Muir from their Vox Book Club Zoom event. Constance recommends: The Carry On series by Rainbow Rowell Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi The Shadow and Bone series by Leigh Bardugo Sorcery and Cecilia: Or, The Enchanted Chocolate Pot by Caroline Stevermer and Patricia Wrede Gideon the Ninth and Harrow the Ninth of the Locked Tomb series by Tamsyn Muir If you're looking for a book recommendation, you can email constance.grady@vox.com –  Be sure to use the subject line “Ask a Book Critic.”    Enjoyed this episode? Rate Vox Quick Hits ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ and leave a review on Apple Podcasts.   Subscribe for free. Be the first to hear the next episode of Ask a Book Critic on Vox Quick Hits by subscribing in your favorite podcast app. Support Vox Quick Hits by making a financial contribution to Vox! bit.ly/givepodcasts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Three movies and a TV show perfect for back-to-school season.  Alissa's picks: ‘Legally Blonde'  ‘Approaching the Elephant' Emily's picks:  ‘Community'  ‘To Have and To Be' Enjoyed this episode? Rate Vox Quick Hits ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ and leave a review on Apple Podcasts. Subscribe for free. Be the first to hear the next episode of Vox Quick Hits by subscribing in your favorite podcast app. What to Watch has new episodes every Friday. Support the show by making a financial contribution to Vox! bit.ly/givepodcasts Episode by:  - Hosts: Alissa Wilkinson (@alissamarie) and Emily VanDerWerff (@emilyvdw) - Producer: Taylor Maycan (@taylormaycan) - Engineer: Paul Robert Mounsey Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Writer Doree Shafrir explains why she and her husband spent $3,000 on dog training for their unruly yet deeply loved dog, Beau.  Link to essay: https://www.vox.com/the-goods/2019/7/9/20677946/doree-shafrir-dog-training-best-money Enjoyed this episode? Rate Vox Quick Hits ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ and leave a review on Apple Podcasts.   Subscribe for free. Be the first to hear the next episode of Vox Quick Hits by subscribing in your favorite podcast app. This episode was made by:  - Editor: Alanna Okun (@alanna) - Producers: Sofi LaLonde and Schuyler Swenson  - Engineer: Paul Robert Mounsey Support Vox Quick Hits by making a financial contribution to Vox! bit.ly/givepodcasts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

CODA is a heartwarming coming-of-age story about a teen, her dreams, and her deaf family. In theaters now and streaming on Apple TV+. What to Watch has new episodes every Friday. Support the show by rating Vox Quick Hits ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ and leaving a review on Apple Podcasts, or by making a financial contribution to Vox: bit.ly/givepodcasts     Episode by:  Hosts: Alissa Wilkinson (@alissamarie) and Emily VanDerWerff (@emilyvdw) Producer: Taylor Maycan (@taylormaycan) Engineer: Paul Robert Mounsey Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A listener asked for books that are mysterious, intriguing, and may or may not involve a murder. More specifically, books like The Secret History. Vox book critic Constance Grady gives four recommendations this week, including an entire genre. Plus, hear part of last year's Vox Book Club Zoom event about The Secret History with writer Nicole Cliffe. Constance recommends:  If We Were Villains by M. L. Rio The Likeness by Tana French Tam Lin by Pamela Dean Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo If you're looking for a book recommendation, you can email constance.grady@vox.com — and be sure to use the subject line “Ask a Book Critic.”    Enjoyed this episode? Rate Vox Quick Hits ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ and leave a review on Apple Podcasts.   Subscribe for free. Be the first to hear the next episode of Ask a Book Critic on Vox Quick Hits by subscribing in your favorite podcast app. Support Vox Quick Hits by making a financial contribution to Vox! bit.ly/givepodcasts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Summer vacation is top of mind here at What to Watch. Grab your flip flops, some popcorn (or perhaps a piña colada?) and pretend you're on holiday with one of these four fantastic films.  Enjoyed this episode? Rate Vox Quick Hits ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ and leave a review on Apple Podcasts. Subscribe for free. Be the first to hear the next episode of Vox Quick Hits by subscribing in your favorite podcast app. What to Watch has new episodes every Friday. Support the show by making a financial contribution to Vox! bit.ly/givepodcasts Episode by:  Hosts: Alissa Wilkinson (@alissamarie) and Emily VanDerWerff (@emilyvdw) Producer: Taylor Maycan (@taylormaycan) Engineer: Paul Mounsey  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Writer Deepa Lakshmin explains how spending $29 on a concert ticket – for a show she didn't even attend – taught her to love doing things alone. Link to essay: https://www.vox.com/2019/12/3/20991951/best-money-concert-ticket-solo-activities  Enjoyed this episode? Rate Vox Quick Hits ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ and leave a review on Apple Podcasts.   Subscribe for free. Be the first to hear the next episode of Vox Quick Hits by subscribing in your favorite podcast app. This episode was made by:  - Editor: Alanna Okun (@alanna) - Producers: Sofi LaLonde and Schuyler Swenson  - Engineer: Paul Robert Mounsey Support Vox Quick Hits by making a financial contribution to Vox! bit.ly/givepodcasts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A swashbuckling tale of adventure that feels dragged out of the mists of time, the new A24 film stars Dev Patel and is based on one of the most famous and important works of English literature: Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, a 14th-century Arthurian tale penned in Middle English that has inspired centuries of study, contemplation, and scholarly bickering.  Vox film critic Alissa Wilkinson explains why you should spend time in Gawain's world this weekend. The Green Knight is in select theaters starting July 30.  Read more about The Green Knight:  Alissa's review The magic, sex, and violence of the 14th-century poem behind The Green Knight by Vox's Constance Grady. Enjoyed this episode? Rate Vox Quick Hits ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ and leave a review on Apple Podcasts. Subscribe for free. Be the first to hear the next episode of Vox Quick Hits by subscribing in your favorite podcast app. What to Watch has new episodes every Friday. Support the show by making a financial contribution to Vox! bit.ly/givepodcasts Episode by:  Hosts: Alissa Wilkinson (@alissamarie) and Emily VanDerWerff (@emilyvdw) Producer: Taylor Maycan (@taylormaycan) Engineer: Paul Mounsey  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A caller asks for books that feel like The Wonder Years. Vox book critic Constance Grady recommends three books that are perfect for summer nostalgia. Plus, Constance discusses the “free narrative” of The Princess Bride in a clip from the Vox Book Club Zoom event. Constance recommends:  All Adults Here by Emma Straub Summer Sisters by Judy Blume The Princess Bride by William Goldman If you're looking for a book recommendation, you can email constance.grady@vox.com — and be sure to use the subject line “Ask A Book Critic.”    Enjoyed this episode? Rate Vox Quick Hits ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ and leave a review on Apple Podcasts.   Subscribe for free. Be the first to hear the next episode of “Ask a Book Critic” on Vox Quick Hits by subscribing in your favorite podcast app. Support Vox Quick Hits by making a financial contribution to Vox! bit.ly/givepodcasts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week: Sports! You had to know we were going to talk about sports, right? Yes, the long-overdue 2020 Tokyo Olympics are here. Get in the competitive spirit with these movies, TV shows, and episodes.  Fake It So Real  The Rookie  Nimrod Nation  Brockmire The Office - season 4, episodes 1 and 2  Battlestar Galactica - season 3, episode 9  Did you love something we recommended? Rate Vox Quick Hits ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ and tell us about it in a review on Apple Podcasts. Looking for a new show or movie? We can help! No request is too vague or too specific. We'll pair you with something perfect. Contact taylor.maycan@voxmedia.com. We read every email!  Subscribe for free. Be the first to hear the next episode of Vox Quick Hits by subscribing in your favorite podcast app. What to Watch has new episodes every Friday. Support the show by making a financial contribution to Vox! bit.ly/givepodcasts Episode by:  Hosts: Alissa Wilkinson (@alissamarie) and Emily VanDerWerff (@emilyvdw) Producer: Taylor Maycan (@taylormaycan) Engineer: Paul Robert Mounsey Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It seems reasonable to assume that food packaging saying the contents are expired indicates inedible food. You can trust the labels on what you buy in the grocery store, can't you? Except America's food label system isn't standardized, and it has very little to do with food safety. In other words, you could be tossing eggs and milk and other goods that are perfectly fine to eat. Vox's Alissa Wilkinson explains. Learn More:  Read Alissa's story here. This episode of Tell Me More was made by Host: Emily Stewart (@emilystewartm) Producer: Sofi LaLonde (@sofilalonde) Engineer: Melissa Pons (Hemlock Creek Productions)  Enjoyed this episode? Rate Vox Quick Hits⭐⭐⭐ ⭐⭐ and leave a review on Apple Podcasts. Or, even better, tell a friend!    What do you want to learn on Tell Me More? Send your requests and questions to tellmemore@voxmedia.com. We read every email!    Subscribe for free. Be the first to hear the next episode of Tell Me More by subscribing to Vox Quick Hits in your favorite podcast app. Support Vox Quick Hits by making a financial contribution to Vox! bit.ly/givepodcasts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

K-pop is hugely popular worldwide, and boy band BTS's “Dynamite” was virtually inescapable in 2020. And yet, the genre is hard to find on American radio. Despite K-pop's takeoff online in the US and all over the globe, radio DJs still find most of it too risky to play for a Top 40 audience. Aja Romano, a culture writer at Vox, explains why. Learn more:  Read Aja's story about K-pop and American radio here. While you're at it, check out Aja's BTS explainer.  And they made a K-pop playlist! Check it out on Spotify. Also, Explained has a Netflix episode on K-Pop!  This episode of Tell Me More was made by Host: Emily Stewart (@emilystewartm) Producer: Sofi LaLonde (@sofilalonde) Engineer: Paul Robert Mounsey Enjoyed this episode? Rate Vox Quick Hits⭐⭐⭐ ⭐⭐ and leave a review on Apple Podcasts. Or, even better, tell a friend!    What do you want to learn on Tell Me More? Send your requests and questions to tellmemore@voxmedia.com. We read every email!    Subscribe for free. Be the first to hear the next episode of Tell Me More by subscribing to Vox Quick Hits in your favorite podcast app. Support Vox Quick Hits by making a financial contribution to Vox! bit.ly/givepodcasts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Just like teen getting famous on TikTok over night, products are now going viral on the platform. Vox's in-house TikTok expert Rebecca Jennings explain how this phenomenon works, the relationship between influencers and brands, plus the inevitable pitfalls that come with a rapid rise to recognition. Learn More:  Read Rebecca's story here.  This episode of Tell Me More was made by:  Hosts: Rebecca Jennings(@rebexxxxa) Meredith Haggerty (@manymanywords) Producer: Schuyler Swenson Engineer: Paul Mounsey Enjoyed this episode? Rate Vox Quick Hits ⭐⭐⭐ ⭐⭐ and leave a review on Apple Podcasts. Or, even better, tell a friend!    Subscribe for free. Be the first to hear the next episode of Tell Me More by subscribing to Vox Quick Hits in your favorite podcast app. Support Vox Quick Hits by making a financial contribution to Vox! bit.ly/givepodcasts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Katherine Oung's mother says “I love you” with plates of cut fruit. Katherine say it with cups of coffee. The Best Money I Ever Spent is a personal essay series from The Goods about the purchases that changed our lives in ways big and small. This episode was produced by Schuyler Swenson, edited by Alanna Okun and mixed by Paul Mounsey. You can read Katherine's essay here. Enjoyed this episode? Rate Vox Quick Hits ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ and leave a review on Apple Podcasts. Subscribe for free. Be the first to hear the next episode of The Best Money I Ever Spent on Vox Quick Hits by subscribing in your favorite podcast app. Support Vox Quick Hits by making a financial contribution to Vox! bit.ly/givepodcasts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sometimes all you want to do on a sticky summer weekend is huddle up next to the air conditioner with a great, bingeable comedy. Emily VanDerWerff, Vox's critic at large, recommends three short-run TV comedies you can finish by Monday: We Are Lady Parts on NBC's Peacock, Mythic Quest on Apple TV+, and Feel Good on Netflix.  We're conducting an audience survey to better serve you. It takes about five minutes, and it really helps out the show. Please take our survey here: vox.com/survey Enjoyed this episode? Rate Vox Quick Hits ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ and leave a review on Apple Podcasts. Looking for a new show or movie? We can help! No request is too vague or too specific. We'll pair you with something perfect. Contact taylor.maycan@voxmedia.com. We read every email!  What to Watch has new episodes every Friday. Support the show by making a financial contribution to Vox! bit.ly/givepodcasts And be the first to hear the next episode of Vox Quick Hits by following us in your favorite podcast app. Episode by:  - Hosts: Alissa Wilkinson (@alissamarie) and Emily VanDerWerff (@emilyvdw) - Producer: Taylor Maycan (@taylormaycan) - Engineer: Melissa Pons, Hemlock Creek Productions Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In many parts of the world, insects are a regular part of people's diets. That's not the case in the United States, but perhaps it should be. Vox senior correspondent Dylan Matthews explains why eating bugs may be a more environmentally friendly alternative to eating meat, as well as what insect farming might look like. He also lays out why some people still have reservations about insect diets (beyond the ick factor), since we don't know whether insects feel significant pain. Learn More:  Read Dylan's story here.  And you can read more about sustainability and farming from the team at Future Perfect.  This episode of Tell Me More was made by:  Host: Emily Stewart (@emilystewartm)  Producer: Sofi LaLonde (@sofilalonde) Engineer: Paul Mounsey Enjoyed this episode? Rate Vox Quick Hits ⭐⭐⭐ ⭐⭐ and leave a review on Apple Podcasts. Or, even better, tell a friend!    Subscribe for free. Be the first to hear the next episode of Tell Me More by subscribing to Vox Quick Hits in your favorite podcast app. Support Vox Quick Hits by making a financial contribution to Vox! bit.ly/givepodcasts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

There's been a lot of pressure to become a better person during the pandemic — to pick up a new hobby, read more books, or learn a new language. And as life gets back to something like normal for many Americans, that pressure is coming around again. Some employers are reportedly asking job applicants about the "passion project" they pursued over the past 18 months. Even in social circles, there's a sense that you were supposed to have undertaken some form of self-improvement during the Covid-19 outbreak, instead of just surviving. Vox's Anna North dives into why some people still feel they were expected to treat the pandemic as an opportunity for growth. Learn more:  Read Anna North's pandemic productivity story here.  Vox senior reporter Constance Grady also wrote about pandemic productivity back in April 2020. This episode of Tell Me More was made by:  Host: Emily Stewart (@emilystewartm)  Producer: Sofi LaLonde (@sofilalonde) Engineer: Sofi LaLonde Enjoyed this episode? Rate Vox Quick Hits ⭐⭐⭐ ⭐⭐ and leave a review on Apple Podcasts. Or, even better, tell a friend!    Subscribe for free. Be the first to hear the next episode of Tell Me More by subscribing to Vox Quick Hits in your favorite podcast app. Support Vox Quick Hits by making a financial contribution to Vox! bit.ly/givepodcasts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nothing makes a corporation seem less evil than a shout-out to small business. Big companies love to talk about how much they support the little guys. But are they actually helping or harming and what can be done about their fraught relationship? Vox's Emily Stewart explains how companies like Uber and Facebook and Amazon use the reputation of small business for their own benefit and what we as consumers can do to actually save their smaller competitors. Read the full story:  https://www.vox.com/the-goods/22550608/how-big-business-exploits-small-business Enjoyed this episode? Rate Vox Quick Hits ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ and leave a review on Apple Podcasts.   Subscribe for free. Be the first to hear the next episode of Vox Quick Hits by subscribing in your favorite podcast app. This episode was made by:  - Hosts: Rebecca Jennings (@rebexxxa) Meredith Haggerty (@manymanywords) - Producer: Schuyler Swenson - Engineer: Paul Mounsey Support Vox Quick Hits by making a financial contribution to Vox! bit.ly/givepodcasts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week, Constance recommends novels about how being Extremely Online™ messes with our brains. Plus, hear Constance in conversation with Rumaan Alam about his book Leave the World Behind from Vox's Book Club Zoom event in June. Constance recommends: Self Care by Leigh Stein Fake Accounts by Lauren Oyler No One Is Talking About This by Patricia Lockwood Leave the World Behind by Rumaan Alam If you're looking for a book recommendation, you can email constance.grady@vox.com –  Be sure to use the subject line “Ask a Book Critic.”   Enjoyed this episode? Rate Vox Quick Hits ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ and leave a review on Apple Podcasts.   Subscribe for free. Be the first to hear the next episode of Ask a Book Critic on Vox Quick Hits by subscribing in your favorite podcast app. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Drive-in movie theaters have made a comeback — and today, we pretend we're at one. From horror to weird cult classics, we pick our dream drive-in flicks. Grab some popcorn and a giant soda and join us! Enjoyed this episode? Rate Vox Quick Hits ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ and leave a review on Apple Podcasts. Looking for a new show or movie? We can help! No request is too vague or too specific. We'll pair you with something perfect. Email our producer taylor.maycan@voxmedia.com. We read every email! Subscribe for free. Be the first to hear the next episode of Vox Quick Hits by subscribing in your favorite podcast app. What to Watch has new episodes every Friday. Support the show by making a financial contribution to Vox! bit.ly/givepodcasts Episode by: Hosts: Alissa Wilkinson (@alissamarie) and Emily VanDerWerff (@emilyvdw) Producer: Taylor Maycan (@taylormaycan) Engineer: Paul Mounsey Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Right-wing coffee shops are popping up across the country, proving yet again that America can make pretty much anything political. One sells blends such as “The Don” and “Sleepy Joe Decaf.” Another offers concealed-carry permit classes. Many have Donald Trump-themed decor and products. Reporter Luke Winkie discusses the MAGA coffee trend and why Republicans are looking for a conservative-leaning version of Starbucks. Learn More:  Read Luke's story on right-wing coffee here.  –  Tell Me More is hosted by Emily Stewart and produced by Sofi LaLonde. Enjoyed this episode? Rate Tell Me More ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ and leave a review on Apple    What do you want to learn about on Tell Me More? Send your requests and questions to tellmemore@voxmedia.com. We read every email! Podcasts.   Subscribe for free. Be the first to hear the next episode of Tell Me More by subscribing in your favorite podcast app. Support Tell Me More by making a financial contribution to Vox! bit.ly/givepodcasts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

When Max Ufberg and his girlfriend left New York for Pennsylvania at the beginning of the pandemic, they assumed it would be a quick trip. But as weeks became months, they splurged on a kayak and began to spend their downtime ambling through the very landscapes Max had once been so eager to leave behind. And he started to realize just how wrong he was about the place.  Read his essay here; https://www.vox.com/the-goods/2020/11/10/21556650/best-money-covid-19-moving-home-kayak Enjoyed this episode? Rate Vox Quick Hits ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ and leave a review on Apple Podcasts. Subscribe for free. Be the first to hear the next episode of Vox Quick Hits by subscribing in your favorite podcast app. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support Vox Quick Hits by making a financial contribution to Vox! bit.ly/givepodcasts This episode was made by:  Producers: Sofi LaLonde and Schuyler Swenson Editors: Alanna Okun and Taylor Maycan Engineer: Paul Mounsey Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The House of Representatives recently voted to make Washington, DC, the 51st state in the union, something many residents have wanted for a long time. Even though momentum is building, the bill probably isn't going anywhere in the Senate unless Democrats get rid of or change the filibuster rules. Vox policy reporter Jerusalem Demsas (@jerusalemdemsas) discusses what DC not being a state means for the people who live there as well as politics and polling around the issue. Learn more: Read Jerusalem's story on DC statehood here.  –– Tell Me More is hosted by Emily Stewart and produced by Sofi LaLonde. Enjoyed this episode? Rate Tell Me More ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ and leave a review on Apple Podcasts.   What do you want to learn about on Tell Me More? Send your requests and questions to tellmemore@voxmedia.com. We read every email!    Subscribe for free. Be the first to hear the next episode of Tell Me More by subscribing in your favorite podcast app. Support Tell Me More by making a financial contribution to Vox! bit.ly/givepodcasts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Summer of Soul revives the forgotten, groovy history of the 1969 Harlem Cultural Festival, a pivotal moment in Black culture sometimes dubbed “Black Woodstock.”  This massive concert series spanned multiple weekends and featured everyone from Sly and the Family Stone to Nina Simone to Stevie Wonder to Mahalia Jackson. But the footage of the festival sat in a basement for 50 years. Now it's been compiled into a documentary by director Ahmir Thompson — better known as Questlove, the drummer and frontman for the Roots — and the result is absolutely infectious. How to watch it: Summer of Soul is in theaters and streaming on Hulu. Read Alissa's review here: Enjoyed this episode? Rate Vox Quick Hits ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ and leave a review on Apple Podcasts. Looking for a new show or movie? We can help! No request is too vague or too specific. We'll pair you with something perfect. Contact taylor.maycan@voxmedia.com. We read every email!  Subscribe for free. Be the first to hear the next episode of Vox Quick Hits by subscribing in your favorite podcast app. What to Watch has new episodes every Friday. Support the show by making a financial contribution to Vox! bit.ly/givepodcasts Episode by:  Hosts: Alissa Wilkinson (@alissamarie) and Emily VanDerWerff (@emilyvdw) Producer: Taylor Maycan (@taylormaycan) Engineer: Melissa Pons (@melissapons1 — Hemlock Creek Productions: https://www.hemlockcreekprod.com/)  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A rumor has taken hold among some Republicans that President Joe Biden wants to curtail America's meat consumption — a rumor that, to be clear, isn't true. The White House has no plans to limit people to eating certain amounts of beef as part of its climate proposal. However, that doesn't mean meat has a positive impact on the environment. Food-related emissions, including those resulting from meat production, are a major contributor to climate change. Vox senior correspondent Zack Beauchamp debunks claims of Biden's burger crackdown — and discusses why we should be having a discussion about meat if we really want to save the planet. Learn more:  Read Zack's story about Biden's fake burger ban here. Season 3 of Future Perfect is about the meat industry. Listen to the trailer here. –– Tell Me More is hosted by Emily Stewart and produced by Sofi LaLonde. Enjoyed this episode? Rate Tell Me More ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ and leave a review on Apple    What do you want to learn about on Tell Me More? Send your requests and questions to tellmemore@voxmedia.com. We read every email! Podcasts.   Subscribe for free. Be the first to hear the next episode of Tell Me More by subscribing in your favorite podcast app. Support Tell Me More by making a financial contribution to Vox! bit.ly/givepodcasts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week, a caller from Chicago requests books that take a deep dive into world building and world destroying. Think apocalyptic fiction! Plus, hear Naomi Alderman talk about her book, The Power, as we revisit the Vox Book Club zoom event from April. For books about the end of the world, Constance recommends:  The Terra Incognita Trilogy by Ada Palmer Parable of the Sower by Octavia Butler A Canticle for Leibowitz by Walter M. Miller Jr. Learn More:  Find Constance and Naomi's book club conversation here. If you're looking for a book recommendation, you can email Constance Dot Grady at Vox dot com. Be sure to use the subject line “Ask A Book Critic.”    Enjoyed this episode? Rate Vox Quick Hits ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ and leave a review on Apple Podcasts.   Subscribe for free. Be the first to hear the next episode of Ask a Book Critic on Vox Quick Hits by subscribing in your favorite podcast app. Support Vox Quick Hits by making a financial contribution to Vox! bit.ly/givepodcasts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Flying wasn't a particularly enjoyable experience prior to the pandemic, and it certainly wasn't during it. But now, the experience is even worse as the air travel industry struggles to adjust to the influx of passengers eager to get back to the friendly skies. Terry Nguyen, a reporter at The Goods by Vox, explains. Learn more:  Read Terry's story about air travel here.  Tell Me More is hosted by Emily Stewart and produced by Sofi LaLonde. Enjoyed this episode? Rate Tell Me More ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ and leave a review on Apple  What do you want to learn about on Tell Me More? Send your requests and questions to tellmemore@voxmedia.com. We read every email! Podcasts. Subscribe for free. Be the first to hear the next episode of Tell Me More by subscribing in your favorite podcast app. Support Tell Me More by making a financial contribution to Vox! bit.ly/givepodcasts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Wrinkles have been the bane of aging women's skin since forever. A fear of growing older and physical signs of aging is at the core of a $200 billion dollar anti-aging skin care industry, but there's hope that this may start to change. Vox senior correspondent, Anna North, explains what's behind a growing movement to love the skin we're in, no matter what age. Read the full story: https://www.vox.com/22526590/wrinkles-skin-botox-aging-pandemic-filler Enjoyed this episode? Rate Vox Quick Hits ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ and leave a review on Apple Podcasts.   Subscribe for free. Be the first to hear the next episode of Vox Quick Hits by subscribing in your favorite podcast app. This episode was made by:  - Hosts: Rebecca Jennings (@rebexxxa) Meredith Haggerty (@manymanywords) - Producer: Schuyler Swenson - Engineer: Paul Mounsey Support Vox Quick Hits by making a financial contribution to Vox! bit.ly/givepodcasts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Fast cars! Explosions! Family! Outer space! The Fast & Furious franchise has a glorious new addition. In fact, F9 might be the most perfect Hollywood summer blockbuster ever made.  Read Alissa's review here. Read Emily's explainer of The Fast & Furious franchise here.  Enjoyed this episode? Rate Vox Quick Hits ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ and leave a review on Apple Podcasts. Looking for a new show or movie? We can help! No request is too vague or too specific. We'll pair you with something perfect. Contact taylor.maycan@voxmedia.com. We read every email!  Subscribe for free. Be the first to hear the next episode of Vox Quick Hits by subscribing in your favorite podcast app. What to Watch has new episodes every Friday. Support the show by making a financial contribution to Vox! bit.ly/givepodcasts Episode by:  Hosts: Alissa Wilkinson (@alissamarie) and Emily VanDerWerff (@emilyvdw) Producer: Taylor Maycan (@taylormaycan) Engineer: Melissa Pons, Hemlock Creek Productions Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The United States employed a suite of tools in the fight against Covid-19, albeit unevenly. Many states and cities put in place strict guidelines, including mask mandates, business shutdowns, and school closures. Others were more relaxed; some set restrictions, but only for a while. Vox's Dylan Scott discusses what did and didn't work in America's pandemic response, and why it's hard to even begin to figure it out. Learn more:  Read Dylan's story here.  Check out Vox's pandemic playbook, a look at how six countries handled the fight against Covid-19.   – Tell Me More is hosted by Emily Stewart and produced by Sofi LaLonde. Enjoyed this episode? Rate Tell Me More ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ and leave a review on Apple    What do you want to learn about on Tell Me More? Send your requests and questions to tellmemore@voxmedia.com. We read every email! Podcasts.   Subscribe for free. Be the first to hear the next episode of Tell Me More by subscribing in your favorite podcast app. Support Tell Me More by making a financial contribution to Vox! bit.ly/givepodcasts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Commuting by ferry — remember when we all used to commute? — gave The Goods Deputy Editor Meredith Haggerty cheap and easy access to a feeling mostly reserved for movie trailers. Read Meredith's essay here. Enjoyed this episode? Rate Vox Quick Hits ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ and leave a review on Apple Podcasts.   Subscribe for free. Be the first to hear the next episode of The Best Money I Ever Spent on Vox Quick Hits by subscribing in your favorite podcast app.   This episode was made by:  - Editor: Alanna Okun (@alanna) - Producers: Taylor Maycan (@taylormaycan), Schuyler Swenson and Sofi LaLonde - Engineer: Paul Mounsey Support Vox Quick Hits by making a financial contribution to Vox! bit.ly/givepodcasts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Think about everything you did yesterday. Now imagine how the day would have gone if you didn't have the internet. Access to the internet isn't as universal as you might think. Millions of Americans don't have access to broadband, because of either where they live or what they can afford. But there's another big, more insidious factor: politics. Vox senior reporter Emily Stewart (@emilystewartm) is here to discuss. References:  Rani wrote about low-income Americans' access to broadband. And Emily wrote about what it would take to get widespread internet access across the country. –– Enjoyed this episode? Rate Recode Daily ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ and leave a review on Apple Podcasts.   What do you want to learn about on Recode Daily? Send your requests and questions to recodedaily@recode.net. We read every email!    Subscribe for free. Be the first to hear the next episode of Recode Daily by subscribing in your favorite podcast app.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices This episode was made by:  Host: Rani Molla (@ranimolla) Producer: Sofi LaLonde (@sofilalonde) Engineer: Paul Mounsey Support Recode Daily by making a financial contribution to Vox! bit.ly/givepodcasts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It's been almost a decade since the idea of the “girlboss” emerged in the corporate world. And while the concept had feminist intentions, the conflation of feminism and capitalism has lead to its downfall. Senior culture writer, Alex Abad-Santos (@alex_abads) explains why we weren't wrong to hope that girlboss culture would change the workplace for the better, and why it ultimately failed. Read the full story: https://www.vox.com/22466574/gaslight-gatekeep-girlboss-meaning Enjoyed this episode? Rate Vox Quick Hits ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ and leave a review on Apple Podcasts. Subscribe for free. Be the first to hear the next episode of Vox Quick Hits by subscribing in your favorite podcast app. This episode was made by:  Hosts: Rebecca Jennings (@rebexxxa) Meredith Haggerty (@manymanywords) Producer: Schuyler Swenson Engineer: Melissa Pons (@melissapons1), Hemlock Creek Productions  Support Vox Quick Hits by making a financial contribution to Vox: bit.ly/givepodcasts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

June is Pride Month, a moment to celebrate the queer community and advocate for LGBTQ rights. But the politics of Pride are always thorny: who should participate, how, and what that means for the moment. This year, debates have centered around how much kink should be allowed at pride and, in places like New York, whether the police should be welcome. And there's a perpetual question of the corporatization of Pride — when Target and MasterCard are sponsoring parade floats, how radical is it? Alex Abad-Santos, a senior correspondent at Vox, lays out the conversation. Learn More:  Read Alex's story about the politics of pride here  Tell Me More is hosted by Emily Stewart and produced by Sofi LaLonde. Enjoyed this episode? Rate Tell Me More ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ and leave a review on Apple    What do you want to learn about on Tell Me More? Send your requests and questions to tellmemore@voxmedia.com. We read every email! Podcasts.   Subscribe for free. Be the first to hear the next episode of Tell Me More by subscribing in your favorite podcast app. Support Tell Me More by making a financial contribution to Vox! bit.ly/givepodcasts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A 68-year-old, retired grandmother wants to know: "Are there any reads about senior women having creative, life-altering adventures that don't heavily involve matriarchal family stuff? " It's a tough request considering the publishing industry hasn't demonstrated much interest in these types of stories. But Constance did some research, phoned a friend for help (her mom) and has three books to recommend. Enjoyed this episode? Rate Vox Quick Hits ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ and leave a review on Apple Podcasts. Subscribe for free. Be the first to hear the next episode of Vox Quick Hits by subscribing in your favorite podcast app. Support Ask a Book Critic by making a financial contribution to Vox! bit.ly/givepodcasts If you're looking for a book to read, email constance.grady@vox.com for a recommendation. Be sure to use the subject line “Ask A Book Critic.” And remember, the more specific you can be about the kind of book you're looking for, the better. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

There's no denying the housing market has been a little wild lately — home prices are soaring in many parts of the country, and the competition among buyers has people going to some pretty extreme lengths. The last time we saw such a frenzy in the housing market, about 15 years ago, it ended in a crash. Now, it's hard not to wonder whether the US economy is headed in the same direction, and whether skyrocketing prices will soon come back down to earth. Vox policy reporter Jerusalem Demsas explains whether America is seeing yet another housing bubble, and how to solve the problem. Learn More:  Read Jerusalem's story on housing here.  And Emily wrote about the crazy prices of lumber. We made an episode about it, too!  –– Tell Me More is hosted by Emily Stewart and produced by Sofi LaLonde. Enjoyed this episode? Rate Tell Me More ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ and leave a review on Apple    What do you want to learn about on Tell Me More? Send your requests and questions to tellmemore@voxmedia.com. We read every email! Podcasts.   Subscribe for free. Be the first to hear the next episode of Tell Me More by subscribing in your favorite podcast app. Support Tell Me More by making a financial contribution to Vox! bit.ly/givepodcasts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Whether or not you grew up watching the hit TV teen drama, Dawson's Creek, you are probably familiar with a gif of the titular Dawson, played by James Van Der Beek, sobbing all over the internet. Why did this become a thing and what was the backstory behind it's existence in the first place? Vox's Constance Grady interviewed showrunners, editors, and TV critics to find the answers. Read the full story: https://www.vox.com/culture/22364676/dawson-crying-gif-secret-history-dawsons-creek-legend Enjoyed this episode? Rate Vox Quick Hits  and leave a review on Apple Podcasts. Subscribe for free. Be the first to hear the next episode of Vox Quick Hits by subscribing in your favorite podcast app.This episode was made by:  - Hosts: Rebecca Jennings (@rebexxxa) Meredith Haggerty (@manymanywords) - Producer: Taylor Maycan, Schuyler Swenson - Engineer: Paul Mounsey Support Vox Quick Hits by making a financial contribution to Vox! bit.ly/givepodcasts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In the Heights, the new movie musical based on Lin-Manuel Miranda's hit Broadway debut, seems poised to be the movie of the summer. It's an electric, joyful celebration of the Latino community in New York City's Washington Heights neighborhood — and it will make you want to dance. If you haven't been back to the theaters yet, this is the movie to go see.  Read Alissa's review of In the Heights here. Enjoyed this episode? Rate Vox Quick Hits ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ and leave a review on Apple Podcasts. Looking for a new show or movie? We can help! Let us know the occasion or what you're in the mood for and we'll pair you with something perfect. Email taylor.maycan@voxmedia.com. We read every message!  Subscribe for free. Be the first to hear the next episode of Vox Quick Hits by subscribing in your favorite podcast app. What to Watch has new episodes every Friday. Support the show by making a financial contribution to Vox! bit.ly/givepodcasts Episode by:  Hosts: Alissa Wilkinson (@alissamarie) and Emily VanDerWerff (@emilyvdw) Producer: Taylor Maycan (@taylormaycan) Engineer: Paul Mounsey    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The former president was kicked off social media platforms such as Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube in the wake of the Capitol riots, and it's not clear when — or if — they're going to let him back on. There's been buzz about Trump starting his own platform, but he's had a hard time getting it off the ground thus far: The blog he launched in May folded in less than a month. In a way, Trump canceled himself. Shirin Ghaffary, a senior reporter at Recode, discusses life on the internet without the man who used to be one of its most ferocious voices Learn More:  Recode's Sara Morrison wrote about Trump shutting down his blog And Recode's Rebecca Heilweil wrote about Facebook's recent decision on Trump –– Tell Me More is hosted by Emily Stewart and produced by Sofi LaLonde. Enjoyed this episode? Rate Tell Me More ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ and leave a review on Apple    What do you want to learn about on Tell Me More? Send your requests and questions to tellmemore@voxmedia.com. We read every email! Podcasts.   Subscribe for free. Be the first to hear the next episode of Tell Me More by subscribing in your favorite podcast app. Support Tell Me More by making a financial contribution to Vox! bit.ly/givepodcasts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Picking up skating in your 30s and beyond, the trend stories tell us, signals some sort of desperation. You're either going through a midlife crisis or trying to hide one if you think that awkwardly rolling around on a wooden toy, risking a hospital visit the entire time, is a good idea.  Steve Rousseau considered all of this, and then decided not to worry about it. He bought a skateboard at the very start of the pandemic, and it's the best money he's ever spent.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

After a pandemic year of brands telling us “we're all in this together” and corporations calling their workers “heroes,” companies are ready to move on. Many businesses cut hazard pay long ago, even though the risks of Covid-19 remain, and firms are pushing their workers to get back to the office. Vox senior correspondent Anna North explores the way the pandemic changed the way we work, and whether we can — and should — go back. Learn more:  Read Anna's story on bosses moving past the pandemic here.  Find Emily's story on states cutting off unemployment insurance early here.  – Tell Me More is hosted by Emily Stewart and produced by Sofi LaLonde. Enjoyed this episode? Rate Tell Me More ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ and leave a review on Apple    What do you want to learn about on Tell Me More? Send your requests and questions to tellmemore@voxmedia.com. We read every email! Podcasts.   Subscribe for free. Be the first to hear the next episode of Tell Me More by subscribing in your favorite podcast app. Support Tell Me More by making a financial contribution to Vox! bit.ly/givepodcasts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Despite TikTok's promise of being the world's biggest algorithmically-driven talent show, you may have noticed that the app rewards...the same kinds of people. Rebecca Jennings explains why the TikToc to Hollywood pipelines doesn't always produce the most interesting or unique stars. Read the full story:  https://www.vox.com/the-goods/2021/5/18/22440937/tiktok-addison-rae-bella-poarch-build-a-bitch-charli-damelio-mediocrity Enjoyed this episode? Rate Vox Quick Hits ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ and leave a review on Apple Podcasts.   Subscribe for free. Be the first to hear the next episode of Vox Quick Hits by subscribing in your favorite podcast app. This episode was made by:  - Hosts: Rebecca Jennings (@rebexxxa) Meredith Haggerty (@manymanywords) - Producer: Schuyler Swenson - Engineer: Paul Mounsey Support Vox Quick Hits by making a financial contribution to Vox! bit.ly/givepodcasts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Drive-in movie theaters have made a comeback — and today, we pretend we're at one. From horror to weird cult classics, we pick our dream drive-in flicks. Grab some popcorn and a giant soda and join us! Enjoyed this episode? Rate Vox Quick Hits ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ and leave a review on Apple Podcasts. Looking for a new show or movie? Let us help! No request is too vague or too specific. We'll pair you with something perfect. Email our producer taylor.maycan@voxmedia.com. We read every email!   Subscribe for free. Be the first to hear the next episode of Vox Quick Hits by subscribing in your favorite podcast app. What to Watch has new episodes every Friday. Support the show by making a financial contribution to Vox! bit.ly/givepodcasts Episode by: Hosts: Alissa Wilkinson (@alissamarie) and Emily VanDerWerff (@emilyvdw) Producer: Taylor Maycan (@taylormaycan) Engineer: Paul Mounsey Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A lot of people felt overworked before the pandemic. Now, well, you can imagine. American work culture has become increasingly untenable for many people. It's basically impossible to keep up with the demands of work and the rest of life, which is especially true for parents, even when we're not living through a pandemic. The past year has exposed America's problem with work culture, and pushed working parents to their limits. Is there a way we can fix this? Vox's Anna North is here to explain. Learn More: Read Anna's story about work culture and pandemic parenting here. –– Tell Me More is hosted by Emily Stewart and produced by Sofi LaLonde. Enjoyed this episode? Rate Tell Me More ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ and leave a review on Apple    What do you want to learn about on Tell Me More? Send your requests and questions to tellmemore@voxmedia.com. We read every email! Podcasts.   Subscribe for free. Be the first to hear the next episode of Tell Me More by subscribing in your favorite podcast app. Support Tell Me More by making a financial contribution to Vox! bit.ly/givepodcasts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Books can feel like a plane ticket to a new part of the world you've never seen, a glimpse into a lifestyle or new way of being in the world. A caller from Chicago requests sprawling nonfiction books about a city and the characters in them. Constance recommends: Erik Larson's Devil in the White City Thomas Dyja's New York, New York, New York Conor Dougherty's Golden Gates Watch all of Constace's conversation with author N.K. Jemisin and The Great Cities trilogy at the vox book club here: https://www.vox.com/culture/2020/5/1/21242844/nk-jemisin-interview-the-city-we-became-vox-book-club If you're looking for a book recommendation, you can email Constance Dot Grady at Vox dot com. Be sure to use the subject line “Ask A Book Critic.”    Enjoyed this episode? Rate Vox Quick Hits ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ and leave a review on Apple Podcasts.   Subscribe for free. Be the first to hear the next episode of Ask a Book Critic on Vox Quick Hits by subscribing in your favorite podcast app. Support Vox Quick Hits by making a financial contribution to Vox! bit.ly/givepodcasts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices