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There's been a lot of discourse about what “6 7” means, but what actually makes it meaningful?The “6 7" meme was everywhere this year, online and off. Scrolling through TikTok? You probably encountered it. Sitting in math class? Your teacher probably dreaded everyone shouting out the numbers when they came up in class. NPR intern Sanidhya Sharma investigated the phenomenon by going to schools and sitting down with experts. He's here now to report back to Brittany and get into why some memes aren't for everyone.Support Public Media. Join NPR Plus.Follow Brittany Luse on Instagram: @bmluseFor handpicked podcast recommendations every week, subscribe to NPR's Pod Club newsletter at npr.org/podclub.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy
Welcome to the third annual IBAMMYs Culture Awards Show, where we reflect and honor the best and worst cultural moments of the year.Brittany is joined by Sam Sanders, host of KCRW's The Sam Sanders Show, and Tre'vell Anderson, host of The Seated podcast. All three nominated a person or moment for each of the four categories. NPR's Culture Committee then voted on a winner. Today, we reveal the winners and losers of 2025 and run through the moments we want to remember or forget.This year's categories & nominees are:Word of the Year:"Slop""Clock it""Labubu"Villain of the Year:Sydney SweeneyGlinda the Good WitchBillionairesThe Candle in the Dark:PinkPantheressOne of Them DaysLinikerNot-on-My-Bingo Card:KPop Demon HuntersYolanda AdamsKaty PerryWho will win?(0:00) How will you look back on 2025?(2:30) The Word of the Year: Slop, Clock It, or Labubu?(7:51) Villain of the Year: Sydney Sweeney, Billionaires, Wicked Glinda?(18:07) What brought you joy this year?(23:23) Not-on-my-Bingo Card: Kpop Demon Hunters, Yolanda Adams, Katy PerrySupport Public Media. Join NPR Plus.Follow Brittany Luse on Instagram: @bmluseFor handpicked podcast recommendations every week, subscribe to NPR's Pod Club newsletter at npr.org/podclub.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy
Heated Rivalry - the hit HBO Max series - has it all: scintillating romance, hot guys, sports (kind of), and, most importantly, portrayals of gay love and sex that don't hold back. Steamy, sensual TV shows aren't new, but the Canadian series has captured the public's attention in a way that a show hasn't in a while. So, what's behind its cultural resonance? What does it mean that this gay romance was written by a woman? And why are straight women and gay men equally into the sex scenes?Michel Ghanem, TV critic and columnist of “Appointment Viewing” for The Cut, and Glen Weldon, co-host of NPR's Pop Culture Happy Hour, join the show to get into why we're all waiting for every new episode with bated breath. Support Public Media. Join NPR Plus.Follow Brittany Luse on Instagram: @bmluseFor handpicked podcast recommendations every week, subscribe to NPR's Pod Club newsletter at npr.org/podclub.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy
Are we spending too much on other people's weddings?Going to a friend's weddings can be so fun and meaningful… but it can also really hurt your wallet. A survey by LendingTree found that 31% of people who had been to a wedding in the past five years had accrued debt to attend. So what's driving up the cost of weddings for guests? And what makes it so hard to say no to these expenses?Brittany breaks it down with Allyson Rees, senior analyst at trend forecasting firm WGSN, and Annie Joy Williams, assistant editor at The Atlantic.Support Public Media. Join NPR Plus.Follow Brittany Luse on Instagram: @bmluseFor handpicked podcast recommendations every week, subscribe to NPR's Pod Club newsletter at npr.org/podclub.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy
More women than ever are choosing to raise their children by their self. Is it time to hit reset on what we mean by "family" in America?America has some deeply held prejudices toward single moms, but some studies show that 40% of babies in the U.S. are born to unmarried women. In this episode Brittany looks into the joy and challenges these women face - from freedom and agency to affordability and loneliness.Brittany is joined by Pallavi Gogoi, NPR's Chief Business Editor, and Danielle Elliot, writer and a single mother. You can read Pallavi's reporting here.Support Public Media. Join NPR Plus.Follow Brittany Luse on Instagram: @bmluseFor handpicked podcast recommendations every week, subscribe to NPR's Pod Club newsletter at npr.org/podclub.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy
Is location tracking building relationships? Or ruining them?Four in ten U.S. adults share their locations with at least one person. But while it's convenient – is it a violation of privacy? And who really needs to know where you are? We're getting into how location sharing became a norm, the pros and cons, and how to turn it off without making things weird.Brittany breaks it all down with Gina Cherelus, New York Times styles reporter and writer of their Third Wheel dating column, and Tatum Hunter, internet culture reporter at The Washington Post.Support Public Media. Join NPR Plus.Follow Brittany Luse on Instagram: @bmluseFor handpicked podcast recommendations every week, subscribe to NPR's Pod Club newsletter at npr.org/podclub.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy
Welcome back to The Football Pod Club - it's the second episode of our winter series, and we're delighted to have sat down for a brilliant chat with Padraic Joyce to chat about his phenomenal playing career, being an intercounty manager in 2026, and Galway's pursuit of Sam Maguire.CHAPTERS(00:30) - Padraic Joyce joins The Football Pod Club(02:00) - Killererin GAA - then and now, and the power of the club(12:00) - Captaining Ireland, AFL poachers, should International Rules return?(25:00) - Tralee Superstars and Sigerson Cup memories (32:00) - ‘98 & ‘01, Galway's breakthrough, ‘Johnno' and the barren years(44:00) - Being an intercounty manager - who Padraic learned from and Galway's journey(53:00) - All-Ireland final defeat in ‘24 and impact of the new rules in 2025.(01:03:00) - Secret sessions with uncle Billy before the 2004 County Final(01:06:00) - Paddy Joyce and his impact on his son, Padraic.(01:11:00) - 25 years on from Galway's last All-Ireland in 2001.All of that and so much more across our time with Padraic Joyce, recorded in Killererin GAA's clubhouse in North Galway at the start of November.The Football Pod Club on Off the Ball…in partnership with AIB. Proud supporters of the AIB All-Ireland club championships for men's football, hurling, ladies football and Camogie. Because we believe support is what gets you the life you're truly after.Keep an eye out for Episode 3 of the series, which drops on Wednesday, December 17th.Ep. 4 will be recorded and released in mid-January around the All-Ireland Club Finals - and as always, The Football Pod is available to watch on Off the Ball's YouTube for free and to listen in on ‘OTB GAA' and The Football Pod podcast feeds.
President Trump has vowed to seek retribution from his perceived political enemies and to reward his political allies. We discuss how that focus is playing out at the Justice Department, where career prosecutors and other civil servants are no longer calling the shots. How does this partisan shift affect major court cases, from redistricting in Texas to James Comey's prosecution?This episode: senior White House correspondent Tamara Keith, justice correspondent Carrie Johnson, and senior national political correspondent Mara Liasson.This podcast was produced by Casey Morell and Bria Suggs, and edited by Rachel Baye.Our executive producer is Muthoni Muturi.Listen to every episode of the NPR Politics Podcast sponsor-free, unlock access to bonus episodes with more from the NPR Politics team, and support public media when you sign up for The NPR Politics Podcast+ at plus.npr.org/politics.For handpicked podcast recommendations every week, subscribe to NPR's Pod Club newsletter at npr.org/podclub.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy
What does it mean to be an independent adult?More young adults live with their parents than in the past, and are also delaying the traditional markers of independent adulthood like marriage and childbirth. Roughly nine-in-ten parents say it's extremely or very important to them that their children be financially independent when they are adults, but are our cultural notions of financial independence changing? And are today's young adults prepared to handle the emotional challenges of adult life? To find out, Brittany is joined by Nancy Hill, Professor of Education and Developmental Psychologist at Harvard University, and Kathryn Jezer-Morton, writer for New York Magazine and The Cut.(0:00) What does it mean to be an adult?(4:46) Is Gen-Z "failing to launch" into adulthood?(10:32) The myths of unpaid duesSupport Public Media. Join NPR Plus.Follow Brittany Luse on Instagram: @bmluseFor handpicked podcast recommendations every week, subscribe to NPR's Pod Club newsletter at npr.org/podclub.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy
Are you searching for your next favorite podcast? With an endless queue of options, it can be hard to choose. That's where Lauren Gonzalez, co-writer of the Pod Club newsletter, can help. The Pod Club newsletter aims to cut through the clutter and help you decipher what's worth listening to. Sign up for the newsletter here: npr.org/podclub.Podcasts featured in this episode:It's Been A Minute: The key to thriving later in lifeLife Kit: Overwhelmed by your smartphone?Close All Tabs from KQEDSpooked: The Thin PlaceThroughline: Does America Need a Hero?Operation Night Cat from NHPRA Whole Other Country from Marfa Public RadioOur Common Nature from WNYCLearn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy
It's an incredibly painful thing to do, so why are some kids cutting their parents out of their lives?27% of Americans are estranged from at least one family member, and the term "no contact" is increasingly being used to describe estrangement between adult children and their parents. But is estrangement happening more often, or are we just more open to talking about it? And is our culture around family shifting? Brittany sits down with journalist Kui Mwai and Whitney Goodman, licensed marriage and family therapist and the host of the Calling Home podcast, to find out.This episode originally aired on December 17, 2024.Follow Brittany Luse on Instagram: @bmluseFor handpicked podcast recommendations every week, subscribe to NPR's Pod Club newsletter at npr.org/podclub.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy
Fighting with your family doesn't have to be a holiday tradition.The majority of Americans will celebrate Thanksgiving tomorrow. And while it's meant to be a time of family togetherness… sometimes, this holiday can make you never want to see your family again. To go or not to go? To fight or not to fight? Well, our friends at NPR's Life Kit have tips for how to answer these questions. Marielle Segarra, host of Life Kit, speaks with experts and identifies 12 strategies to keep your family dinner peaceful this year.Follow Brittany Luse on Instagram: @bmluseFor handpicked podcast recommendations every week, subscribe to NPR's Pod Club newsletter at npr.org/podclub.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy
Can you afford to pay two rents?Families across the country are asking that same question when it comes to childcare, as the yearly costs for daycare are becoming comparable to a year's rent in many places. How did childcare become so expensive, and how might everyone benefit if the government provided more support to parents? Professor of Sociology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison Jessica Calarco, and Senior Fellow at the Think Tank Capita Elliot Haspel are here to help Brittany find out. Follow Brittany Luse on Instagram: @bmluseFor handpicked podcast recommendations every week, subscribe to NPR's Pod Club newsletter at npr.org/podclub.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy
When the dream of buying a home seems unattainable, is it time to find a new dream? Or is there another option on the table?Bill Pulte, the director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency, or the FHFA, said the administration is “working on” a plan to introduce 50 year mortgage terms for homebuyers. But some Americans have already been working on their own plans towards homeownership… and it's not the ‘nuclear family' route. Brittany is joined by NPR chief economics correspondent Scott Horsley and NPR producer & author of The Other Significant Others: Reimaging Life with Friendship at the Center, Rhaina Cohen to get into the cult of homeownership in America. Together they search for a new outlook of what ‘adulthood' looks like.Follow Brittany Luse on Instagram: @bmluseFor handpicked podcast recommendations every week, subscribe to NPR's Pod Club newsletter at npr.org/podclub.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy
What's the difference between feeling unsafe and being unsafe?According to Gallup, about half of Americans see crime as being extremely or very serious. And there are a lot of very real threats out there to people's safety, but there's also a lot of fearful rhetoric that's more unfounded. While immigrants are less likely to commit crimes than U.S.-born citizens, and trans people are unlikely to commit mass shootings, fear of these groups is being weaponized against them. So how can we disentangle being unsafe and feeling unsafe – and better protect ourselves and each other? Brittany gets into it with Nicole Lewis, engagement editor at The Marshall Project, and Lex McMenamin, writer and editor.Follow Brittany Luse on Instagram: @bmluseFor handpicked podcast recommendations every week, subscribe to NPR's Pod Club newsletter at npr.org/podclub.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy
We're back with a new run of The Football Pod Club with AIB, and where better to start this four-episode series than a deep-dive with two of Kerry's All-Ireland Champions. Kerry Captain, Gavin White and their All-Star goalkeeper Shane Ryan joined Paddy, James and Tommy in Killarney for a chat about their lives in Gaelic Football, and their incredible 2025 season with the Kingdom. Enjoy!Chapters...(00:00) - Intro (01:30) - Club hopes and dreams, and a break in the off-season?(06:00) - Shane Ryan's soccer escapades and captain Gavin White.(12:00) - 2019 reflections, nearly stopping Dublin's five in-a-row. (15:00) - ‘The Reluctant Goalie' - Shane Ryan's year out from the Kerry camp.(20:00) - Growing as a Kerry footballer, Minors vs. Seniors debate.(27:00) - Kerry's 2025 journey and road to Sam(33:00) - New rules - space, kickouts, momentum.(38:00) - Inside Kerry's dressing room, recovering from defeat and the doubts.(45:00) - GAA fan culture and how the Kerry support rallied in Croke Park.(50:00) - Gavin White on ‘The Mon' and Killarney.(55:00) - Shane Ryan on Rathmore's All-Ireland run(01:00:00) - Quickfire GAA: Jack O'Connor, Sporting Heroes, Greatest thingThere's all of that and so much more across our hour with Shane and Gavin, recorded in Jimmy Briens bar in Killarney at the end of October.The Football Pod Club on Off the Ball…in partnership with AIB. Proud supporters of the AIB All-Ireland club championships for men's football, hurling, ladies football and Camogie. Because we believe support is what gets you the life you're truly after.Stay tuned for Episode 2 of the series, which will be released on Wednesday, December 3rd.Ep. 3 will be released on Wednesday, December 14th - as always, available to watch right here on Off the Ball's YouTube for free and to listen to on The Football Pod podcast feeds.
Have you talked to a parent recently? Are they...okay?From textbook bans to health food trends, there's a whole culture of fear and political propaganda that preys on new parents, convincing them that just buying this or just voting for that will keep their children safe. But how do you know if something is a moral panic or a legitimate concern?Brittany is joined by Karen Leick, author of Parents, Media and Panic through the Years, and Cynthia Wang, Clinical Professor of Management and Organizations at Northwestern University to sift through the differences.Follow Brittany Luse on Instagram: @bmluseFor handpicked podcast recommendations every week, subscribe to NPR's Pod Club newsletter at npr.org/podclub.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy
No disrespect, but...when President Trump threw a Great Gatsby-themed party for Halloween, it kind of missed the point of the book. And, it's not just Trump. A quick search online, and you'll see a lot of people increasingly misinterpreting other famous books. Are people just bad at reading? Are we just laying our own biases on top of classic texts? Or is something else going on?Andrew Limbong, host of NPR's Book of the Day, and writer-critic Princess Weekes join Brittany to dissect novel interpretations of literary fiction. They look at what these re-interpretations say about our current moment: from what we want from a book to how books lose meaning online.(0:00) Why 'The Great Gatsby' gets misread(6:07) How 'Lord of the Rings' became a Christian Nationalist text(12:46) Literary Interpretation vs. Media Literacy(16:34) The rise of BookTok(19:28) The consequence of missing the point of a bookFollow Brittany Luse on Instagram: @bmluseFor handpicked podcast recommendations every week, subscribe to NPR's Pod Club newsletter at npr.org/podclub.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy
Have you picked up a couple weights recently? Started walking, or jogging, or doing pilates? So have a lot of other people. You see the fitness Instagram accounts and gym tips all over TikTok, but how does exercise culture fit into our broader culture? And how does more enthusiasm for exercise square with the focus on fitness in our politics? Brittany gets into it with Jonquilyn Hill, host of Vox's Explain it to Me podcast, and Shelly McKenzie, author of Getting Physical: the Rise of Fitness Culture in America.Follow Brittany Luse on Instagram: @bmluseFor handpicked podcast recommendations every week, subscribe to NPR's Pod Club newsletter at npr.org/podclub.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy
The word "fascism" is being thrown around a lot right now. Does it capture our current cultural and political moment?Nearly 50% of Americans have associated President Trump with "fascism." Trump himself has used the word against his own opponents. Others have used the word to denounce skinny-tok as "body fascism." But why are Americans so willing to use the word? And is its ubiquity making it lose its meaning? In this episode, Brittany is joined by Nicholas Ensley Mitchell, a professor of education and policy at the University of Kansas. He explains how Black Americans mapped the blueprint for fighting fascism in America, and questions whether the word "fascism" fits our current moment.Follow Brittany Luse on Instagram: @bmluseFor handpicked podcast recommendations every week, subscribe to NPR's Pod Club newsletter at npr.org/podclub.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy
Spanish artist and musical chameleon Rosalía released her latest album, Lux, today. The single, "Berghain," seems like a return to form. Operatic vocals, grand instrumentals, beautiful visuals -- the album is primed for critical praise. But for those who are hyperaware of Rosalia's transformations -- from flamenco songstress to Afro-Caribbean queen -- they have other questions about this evolution. Brittany is joined by writer-critics Bilal Qureshi and Michelle Santiago Cortés to unpack Rosalía's “church girl era,” and the complicated nuances of Latinidad in music.Follow Brittany Luse on Instagram: @bmluseFor handpicked podcast recommendations every week, subscribe to NPR's Pod Club newsletter at npr.org/podclub.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy
Does your phone feel like a blessing or a burden? Either way, there's probably a lot you can learn from new phone bans. Many K-12 students are going phone-free - but not by choice. In over half the country, there are now restrictions on cellphone possession and use in class. The goal is to increase student focus and enhance learning...but when you think about school shootings, phones have been a big part of parents' safety plans for their kids. So are phone bans the best solution? And what do these policies teach all of us about the role phones play in our lives?Brittany is joined by David Figlio, professor of economics at the University of Rochester, and Kathy Do, Assistant Project Scientist at University of California Los Angeles to find out.Follow Brittany Luse on Instagram: @bmluseFor handpicked podcast recommendations every week, subscribe to NPR's Pod Club newsletter at npr.org/podclub.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy
What does ‘socialism' mean to a generation that grew up with COVID… not the Cold War? How have the compounding effects of college protests, financial insecurity, and student loan debt shaped a culture? This is… The ABCs of the Culture Wars. For the next few weeks, Brittany breaks down the history, subtext, and evolving meanings of the buzzwords you hear all over the news and social media. Today we're talking about the S-word: Socialism. And why the word has gained new meaning for a younger generation looking for relief. Brittany is joined by Axios senior politics reporter Holly Otterbein and head of Teen Vogue's politics section, Lex McMenamin.Follow Brittany Luse on Instagram: @bmluseFor handpicked podcast recommendations every week, subscribe to NPR's Pod Club newsletter at npr.org/podclub.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy
For longtime fans of this show, here's a name you know: Sam Sanders. Before Brittany, Sam was the host of It's Been A Minute, and recently Brittany ran into Sam at an event. The two got to talking and came up with an an idea...what if Brittany came on Sam's new show, KCRW's The Sam Sanders Show? And then...what if they brought all of you longtime IBAM fans the podcast multiverse event of the season to this feed?!That's how we got here. In this special bonus episode, Sam, Brittany, and Tre'vell Anderson rank the best spooky season films of all time and talk through their pop culture hot takes. Follow Brittany Luse on Instagram: @bmluseFor handpicked podcast recommendations every week, subscribe to NPR's Pod Club newsletter at npr.org/podclub.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy
What can we all learn from stories of men trying to find friends...and failing?Men in real life - and in the movies - are trying to figure out how to be friends. There's been a lot of talk alleging lonely men are the cause of cultural tensions, and Hollywood has caught on (despite a similar number of women saying they are lonely, too!). Several films this year depict how society leads men into fraught, messy friendships. So, what can we all learn from toxic (or good!) friendships between men?Brittany is joined by NPR arts and culture reporter Neda Ulaby and IndieWire awards editor Marcus Jones to dig into it.Follow Brittany Luse on Instagram: @bmluseFor handpicked podcast recommendations every week, subscribe to NPR's Pod Club newsletter at npr.org/podclub. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy
What do Hollywood awards, AI tools, and podcast data have in common? They're all changing the game. Today, we jump into the Golden Globes' new “Best Podcast” category and why many insiders are calling it a cash grab. We unpack Oxford Road's report showing niche shows outperforming big names and what that means for indie creators. We also highlight new tech shaking up production, including Riverside's latest upgrades, Adobe's YouTube Shorts integration, and Zoom's new P4 Next. Plus, we look at NPR's newest discovery tool and what it reveals about the future of podcast growth. Episode Highlights: [02:12] Upcoming Podcast Evaluation[05:11] Podcast Statistics and Trends[07:25] Top Podcasts and Categories[10:01] Podcasting Events and Workshops[13:10] Riverside Platform Updates[23:17] NPR's Pod Club and Other News[27:58] Podcast Promotion in Cinemas[29:26] Trailer Review: Solar from Kurt Co Media[32:24] Golden Globes Controversy: Best Podcast Category[38:28] Zoom P4 Next: Portable Podcast Rig[44:35] Adobe and YouTube Shorts Collaboration[52:24] Spotify Adds Video to Apple TV AppLinks & Resources: Join The Empowered Podcasting Facebook Group:www.facebook.com/groups/empoweredpodcastingProtect Your Podcast:https://podnews.net/event/protect-your-podcastOptimizing Podcast Content for AI Search Recommendations: https://bit.ly/4oGsTA3Podfest: https://podfestexpo.com/Riverside New Features: https://youtu.be/L6qtTdWUjTcDitch The Bleeps: https://bit.ly/3Lba7m0NPR Podclub: https://www.npr.org/newsletter/pod-clubPodnews:www.podnews.netYouTube Shorts Incorporates Adobe Video Editing Tools: https://engt.co/3LdWRwPRiverside:https://www.riverside.fm/?via=0676daMeetup & Matchup Event Use Code PMC for Free Admission: https://luma.com/70o0siax?fbclid=IwRlRTSANu5KpleHRuA2FlbQIxMAABHs2zzrFQtJG8TAeo26IYWWRCFOxaNtDenhmFnf7bUaevUr2RlVNYHLUphHVY_aem_M-Feu20DYvKZG2ycOVW8xQRemember to rate, follow, share, and review our podcast. Your support helps us grow and bring valuable content to our community.Join us LIVE every weekday morning at 7 am ET (US) on Clubhouse: https://www.clubhouse.com/house/empowered-podcasting-e6nlrk0wOr Join us on Chatter: https://preview.chattersocial.io/group/98a69881-f328-4eae-bf3c-9b0bb741481dLive on YouTube: https://youtube.com/@marcronickBrought to you by iRonickMedia.com Please note that some links may be affiliate links, which support the hosts of the PMC. Thank you!--- Send in your mailbag question at: https://www.podpage.com/pmc/contact/ or marc@ironickmedia.comWant to be a guest on The Podcasting Morning Chat? Send me a message on PodMatch, here: https://www.podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/1729879899384520035bad21b
Is it a bad thing to be a "capitalist?" Why is the word being used as a diss?And how do Americans' shifting attitudes towards it show up in your discourse and your favorite movies?This is… The ABCs of the Culture Wars. For the next few weeks, Brittany breaks down the history, subtext, and evolving meanings of the buzzwords you hear all over the news and social media. Today we're talking about the C-word: Capitalism. And why the word is increasingly divisive in politics and culture.Brittany is joined by NPR political correspondent Danielle Kurtzleben and writer & editor Morgan Jerkins.Follow Brittany Luse on Instagram: @bmluseFor handpicked podcast recommendations every week, subscribe to NPR's Pod Club newsletter at npr.org/podclub.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy
Why is there so much Nazism in the news? And when does a "joke" become hate speech?Politico broke a story last week featuring what it said were leaks from a Telegram group chat that included Young Republican National Federation leaders. These chats made headlines for reportedly racist and pro-Nazi messaging. But this is not the only story in the news about people in politics engaging with Nazi rhetoric. Is it happening more often? And is this kind of thing just a “joke”? Brittany is joined by Odette Yousef, domestic extremism correspondent for NPR, and Gene Demby, co-host of NPR's Code Switch, to get into it.(0:00) Young Republicans group chat screenshots go viral...(3:40) Where's the line between joking and hate speech?(5:56) Is Nazi talk more common, or are we just more aware of it?(10:29) Why white adults are considered "kids" even in their 30s(14:45) Are there consequences for spreading hate? And what you can do about it.(19:41) 'Wait, What?' - a pop culture trivia game(23:29) Responding to listener comments :)Follow Brittany Luse on Instagram: @bmluseFor handpicked podcast recommendations every week, subscribe to NPR's Pod Club newsletter at npr.org/podclub.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy
Do you want to know the secret to making deeper friendships? Throw a dinner party.You'll feel less lonely, take care of people you love, and find out what's really going on in your community. Dinner parties are sort of a lost art, and our notions of what makes a worthy dinner party are being warped by social media. We're here with tips on how to throw one without feeling self-conscious.Brittany is joined by two dinner party experts: architecture & design journalist Carly Olson and chef & writer Garrett Schlichte. They discuss the pitfalls and pleasures of modern dinner parties, including how to host one without breaking the bank. Follow Brittany Luse on Instagram: @bmluseFor handpicked podcast recommendations every week, subscribe to NPR's Pod Club newsletter at npr.org/podclub. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy
Do you ever feel like the internet just doesn't work as well as it used to? Or maybe you wish you could go back to the old internet? Where your search queries actually served you what you wanted, and your feeds weren't overrun by ads? Well, it's not just you - the internet IS getting worse, and platforms are getting harder to leave. But how did we get here? Journalist and tech activist Cory Doctorow joins Brittany to lay out why in his new book, Enshittification: Why Everything Suddenly Got Worse and What to Do About It.Follow Brittany Luse on Instagram: @bmluseFor handpicked podcast recommendations every week, subscribe to NPR's Pod Club newsletter at npr.org/podclub.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy
Love it or hate it, your favorite pop star is a person and a product. How much are you willing to pay?Taylor Swift's latest album, The Life of a Showgirl, smashed records for first week album sales. This was in part due to all the different limited-edition variants that went on sale; some for only 24 hours. Talk about pressuring your fans! Is this business strategy fan service, or fan exploitation? Where's the line? Brittany sits down with Stephen Thompson, host for NPR Music and Pop Culture Happy Hour, and Ann Powers, NPR music critic and correspondent, to get into the life of a business woman, why they think Swift had to make this album, and whether or not it's worth the cost.Read Ann's (mostly positive) review of The Life of a Showgirl.(0:00) Is Taylor exploiting her fans? Yes and No!(3:08) Taylor's business strategy isn't hers alone...(6:11) Why Taylor is a proxy for all our rage(10:43) Why vinyl sales in general have skyrocketed(13:46) How the charts impact the music industry (15:50) Why Taylor Swift HAD to make 'The Life of a Showgirl'(18:15) Does greed make bad art?(21:00) Responding to your comments :)Follow Brittany Luse on Instagram: @bmluseFor handpicked podcast recommendations every week, subscribe to NPR's Pod Club newsletter at npr.org/podclub.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy
Sometimes the harshest critic is the one in your head. What if instead you had faith in yourself, and what you're making?It's a familiar, paralyzing fear that not only keeps you from creating your best work, but can also make you question your own worth. Novelist Brandon Taylor knows this fear intimately. And in his new book, 'Minor Black Figures,' his characters - maybe just like you - are tortured by harsh online criticism from random keyboard warriors, and their own inner saboteurs. In this episode, Brandon joins Brittany to talk through the "double consciousness" of creating art today, and what it means to have faith as an artist.Follow Brittany Luse on Instagram: @bmluseFor handpicked podcast recommendations every week, subscribe to NPR's Pod Club newsletter at npr.org/podclub.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy
NPR's Pop Culture Happy Hour asked Brittany to go to the movies and bring them her thoughts on The Rock's new movie, The Smashing Machine. She fulfilled the assignment and more.In this special bonus episode, Brittany, Pop Culture Happy Hour's Aisha Harris, Code Switch's Gene Demby, and NPR contributor Reanna Cruz get into The Rock's attempt at capital-A acting. Is Dwayne Johnson going to get an Oscar, or is the movie an all-around skip? You can listen to more episodes of NPR's Pop Culture Happy Hour here.Follow Brittany Luse on Instagram: @bmluseFor handpicked podcast recommendations every week, subscribe to NPR's Pod Club newsletter at npr.org/podclub.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy
There's his trend on social media of using code words for different topics so you can trick the algorithm from categorizing your content in a certain way. What do you think? Is this a form of censorship? Or...are algorithm categorizations a way of protecting users from seeing too much violent or aggressive content? Well, whatever side of the debate you fall on, Code Switch's B.A. Parker and Gene Demby are going to show you how this so-called ALGO-speak or algorithm-speak shapes your beliefs in conscious and unconscious ways. You can listen to more episodes of NPR's Code Switch here. Follow Brittany Luse on Instagram: @bmluseFor handpicked podcast recommendations every week, subscribe to NPR's Pod Club newsletter at npr.org/podclub.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy
Does a college degree get you anything these days? Some people say no, but the reality is far more complicated. About 19 million people are going to college right now. But one recent poll from Gallup shows that the percentage of Americans who view college as very important is at an all time low, dropping from 75% in 2010 to 35% now. Those who say it's not very important increased from 4% to 24% in the same time period. This is a pretty dramatic change that goes beyond ballooning costs.Brittany chats with Elissa Nadworny, an education correspondent for NPR, and Kathryn Palmer, reporter for Inside Higher Ed, to get into what's behind this changing perception – what politics has to do with it – and whether college is still worth it.Follow Brittany Luse on Instagram: @bmluseFor handpicked podcast recommendations every week, subscribe to NPR's Pod Club newsletter at npr.org/podclub.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy
Black women's unemployment rate is hovering at 6.7% — higher than the rate for white workers. Is it a sign the broader economy could sour? These economists say yes.Black women are the 'canary in the economic coal mine,' says Anna Gifty Opoku-Agyeman. She's the author of The Double Tax: How Women of Color are Overcharged and Underpaid. Brittany speaks to Anna and Ofranama Biu, chief economist and senior research director at the Maven Collaborative, about why Black women's unemployment is on the rise and why this trend could be a troubling sign for the rest of the country.Follow Brittany Luse on Instagram: @bmluseFor handpicked podcast recommendations every week, subscribe to NPR's Pod Club newsletter at npr.org/podclub.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy
Recreational ketamine use is on the rise. But why are some people using it to dissociate in the club? Ketamine – a dissociative anesthetic – is illegal without a prescription and can potentially be harmful. Yet, it has had a massive rise in recreational use over the past decade. One study found that use increased by 81.8% from 2015 to 2019 and rose another 40% from 2021 to 2022. What is driving the illicit drug's sudden popularity? And is it's dissociative properties indicative of our times? Brittany chats with P.E. Moskowitz, a journalist and author of Breaking Awake: A Reporter's Search for a New Life, and a New World, Through Drugs, which explores our national mental health and drug use crises, and Benjamin Breen, associate professor of history at UC Santa Cruz, who specializes in the histories of science, medicine and drugs and is the author of the book, Tripping on Utopia. Together they investigate why ketamine is showing up in more people's social lives.Warning: this episode contains discussion of illegal drugs and drugs use and may not be suitable for all listeners. For more information on the science of ketamine, check out NPR's Short Wave podcast.Follow Brittany Luse on Instagram: @bmluse For handpicked podcast recommendations every week, subscribe to NPR's Pod Club newsletter at npr.org/podclub. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy
A gunman was killed in a shootout with police after he drove his truck into a Michigan church during Sunday services, opened fire inside, and set the building on fire, the FBI is still search for answers about his motive. President Trump is set to meet with Democratic leaders at the White House as a government shutdown looms and health care funding remains a key sticking point. And President Trump meets with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House to discuss a new U.S.-backed ceasefire plan for the war in Gaza. Want more comprehensive analysis of the most important news of the day, plus a little fun? Subscribe to the Up First newsletter.And for more content from everything NPR makes and the work of our member stations all around the country, join the POD CLUB newsletter at NPR.orgToday's episode of Up First was edited by Russell Lewis, Dana Farrington, Kate Bartlett, Mohamad ElBardicy and Alice Woelfle.It was produced by Ziad Buchh, Nia Dumas and Lindsay TottyWe get engineering support from Neisha Heinis. And our technical director is Stacey Abbott.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy
AI is the future, but how is its infrastructure impacting your air, water, and utilities bills today? You asked, and Brittany delivered. Many of you wrote in asking about artificial intelligence's environmental impact. Brittany and Evan Halper, a business and energy reporter for The Washington Post, answer your questions and so much more. Like, is AI causing your energy bills to go up? Are tech companies tricking communities into building data centers? And how do you ethically use AI when you know it impacts nature? This is the final episode in our AI + U series. You can check out past episodes (Can you trust the information AI gives you? Or How AI slop is clogging you brain) further down in this feed. Follow Brittany Luse on Instagram: @bmluse For handpicked podcast recommendations every week, subscribe to NPR's Pod Club newsletter at npr.org/podclub. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy
The Christian rapture didn't happen as predicted, but a lot of you still feel like we're living in end times. Why is that?Right now - from religion to climate change to doomsday prepping - there's a lot of talk about the end of the world. And, yeah, there was a lot of joking (and some believing) this week that the rapture would happen, but this all points to a broader feeling a lot of us have: that something has to change. But what?In this episode, Brittany is joined by culture writer Joshua Rivera and national writer for Religion News Service Bob Smietana. They answer those questions and get into why the rapture is so appealing to Christians and non-Christians alike. And how Christian beliefs about the end of days are seeping into all of our minds.Follow Brittany Luse on Instagram: @bmluseFor handpicked podcast recommendations every week, subscribe to NPR's Pod Club newsletter at npr.org/podclub.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy
If more and more young people are dying of colorectal cancer, why aren't we talking about it? Is it because we're too ashamed of our bodies?Rates of colorectal cancer are rising, especially for people under 50. But it's hard to raise awareness for a cancer that a lot of us find hard to talk about. In a recent essay for The Cut, writer Laurie Abraham described her experience of colon cancer, which included a lot of embarrassment. Talking about your bowel movements is...not fun. Can you relate?Today, Brittany is joined by Laurie and Dr. Kimmie Ng, Co-Director of the Colon and Rectal Cancer Center at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, to get into the cultural shame around how we talk about colon cancer - and how that extends to a lack of funding and research.Follow Brittany Luse on Instagram: @bmluseFor handpicked podcast recommendations every week, subscribe to NPR's Pod Club newsletter at npr.org/podclub.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy
After Grok's MechaHitler gaffe this summer, and President Trump's executive order to, "strip AI models of ‘ideological agendas," Brittany wondered, "how much influence does AI already have on our minds?" This is AI + U. Each Monday this month, Brittany explores how we're already seeing the impacts of AI. Artificial Intelligence has become a constant in ways we can and can't see… and for the next few weeks we're zeroing in on how AI affects our daily lives.In this episode, The Argument's Kelsey Piper and NPR correspondent Bobby Allyn join Brittany to discuss what transparency looks like for artificial intelligence and what we actually want from this rapidly developing technology. Follow Brittany Luse on Instagram: @bmluseFor handpicked podcast recommendations every week, subscribe to NPR's Pod Club newsletter at npr.org/podclub.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy
The U.S. immigration detention system is spread out across federal facilities, private prisons, state prisons, and county jails. It's grown under both Democratic and Republican presidents. And it's been offered up as a source of revenue for over a century, beginning with the first contracts between the federal government and sheriffs along the Canadian border.Guests:Brianna Nofil, assistant professor of history at The College of William and Mary author of The Migrant's Jail: An American History of Mass IncarcerationTo access bonus episodes and listen to Throughline sponsor-free, subscribe to Throughline+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org/throughline.Love podcasts? For handpicked recommendations every Friday, subscribe to NPR's Pod Club here.If you want to learn more about the history of Cuban migration to the U.S. and the Mariel Boatlift, check out season 2 of White Lies.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy
There comes a time in every woman's life that we don't talk about enough: menopause. And reframing it may be the key to unlocking a more fulfilling life for women of all ages.In this episode, Brittany teams up with WNYC's Radiolab to answer your questions about the ubiquitous and unknown. Brittany, Radiolab senior correspondent Molly Webster, and contributing editor Heather Radke answer your questions: why don't we talk about menopause? Why should you start talking about it early in life? And why is post-menopause potentially the greatest time in a woman's life? All these answers and more come from an unexpected place...our mammal relatives, orcas.Follow Brittany Luse on Instagram: @bmluseFor handpicked podcast recommendations every week, subscribe to NPR's Pod Club newsletter at npr.org/podclub.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy
We've got six must-hear songs to add to our running list of the year's best tracks, including some shredding from The Beths, a gorgeous solo piano piece from Dustin O'Halloran, sublime jazz from Nicholas Payton and more.Featured artists and songs:1. The Beths: “No Joy,” from ‘Straight Line Was A Lie'2. Nate Smith & Saje: “Big Fish,” from ‘Live Action'3. Dustin O'Halloran: “Gold” (Single)4. Dara Star Tucker: “Pure Imagination,” from ‘Time Wouldn't Wait'5. Grumpy: “Crush,” from ‘Piebald'6. Nicholas Payton (with Esperanza Spalding and Karriem Riggins): “Let It Ride,” from ‘Triune'Weekly reset: A late-summer day at the playgroundEnjoy the show? Share it with a friend and leave us a review on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.Questions, comments, suggestions or feedback of any kind always welcome: allsongs@npr.orgSign up for the Pod Club newsletter: www.npr.org/podclubLearn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy
How did you respond to the assassination of Charlie Kirk? Many mourned or called for revenge. Others pointed to Kirk's extreme, bigoted statements as justification. But how do those reactions impact how the American public will metabolize another instance of gun violence? Brittany is joined by Abené Clayton, a gun violence reporter for The Guardian, to get into how Kirk's assassination fits into the broader narrative of political violence and how Kirk's own statements about guns will shape the coming political discourse.Follow Brittany Luse on Instagram: @bmluseFor handpicked podcast recommendations every week, subscribe to NPR's Pod Club newsletter at npr.org/podclub.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy
There's a new man in town: the "performative male." Is he trying to trick you into thinking he's open-minded, or does he really like reading books and drinking matcha? We're breaking down what's gender performance and what's gender manipulation.In this episode, Brittany is joined by Manny Fidel, host of No Such Thing, and James Factora, staff writer for Them. They get into what makes a "performative male" and why criticism of them is a sign that some liberals are guilty of gender policing.Follow Brittany Luse on Instagram: @bmluseFor handpicked podcast recommendations every week, subscribe to NPR's Pod Club newsletter at npr.org/podclub.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy
The Conjuring: Last Rites winds down the story of the demon-hunting couple loosely based on Ed and Lorraine Warren, played by Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga. They battle one last threat: a house in Pennsylvania that contains a haunted mirror and a terrified family. The Conjuring franchise has generated billions of dollars across many films and spinoffs full of hauntings, demonic possession, and creepy dolls. But does this film have a new story to tell?Follow Pop Culture Happy Hour on Letterboxd at letterboxd.com/nprpopcultureFor handpicked podcast recommendations every week, subscribe to NPR's Pod Club newsletter at npr.org/podclubLearn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy
The Florida detention center, "Alligator Alcatraz," may close, but what can you learn from its short but impactful run?First, the name echoes old Southern American racist tropes and adapts them for a modern audience. Second, its casually playful name is a blueprint for other detention centers popping up across the United States. But what does this all add up to?In this episode, Brittany, freelance journalist Asher Elbein, and Miami Herald race and identity reporter Raisa Habersham unpack the racist trope of alligators in Florida and how the joke-ified name of the facility dehumanizes its inmates.For handpicked podcast recommendations every week, subscribe to NPR's Pod Club newsletter at npr.org/podclub.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy