It's Been a Minute with Sam Sanders

Are we in an economic crisis? It’s a question that prompted Pulitzer Prize-winning data journalist and illustrator Mona Chalabi to pitch her first book, Ten Lives: How What We Have Shapes Who We Are. It chronicles the economic lives of Americans -- from the mega wealthy to those living paycheck-to-paycheck -- over a six year period. She even digs into her own financial life. From the economic highs of inheritances and professional success to the lows of divorces and lawsuits, Mona chats with Brittany about how economic insecurity affects us all. Support public media with NPR+ and enjoy perks for over 25 podcasts like this one. This show’s perks include sponsor-free listening. Learn more at plus.npr.org. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy

Does private equity turn restaurants into zombified husks of their former selves? From the Crumbl and Insomnia cookie empires, to some of our country's most enduring chains like Dunkin and Panera, private equity is getting its hands in a lot of food chains. And some consumers are actively avoiding places that are private equity backed – expecting high prices, low quality, and an unsettling sameness to the food. But what's behind all the private equity money in these food chains? And what makes the hate of it so personal? To get into it, Brittany is joined by Alaina Demopoulos, daily features writer at the Guardian, and Courtney E. Smith, founder and owner of the independent food and culture site Ravenous. (00:00) Why some are spooked by private equity in food (2:04) Bagels, cookies, and Panera: what private equity involvement looks like (06:22) The soulless private equity aesthetic (10:15) Why restaurants are attractive to private equity - despite thin margins (13:17) Why do some people take private equity involvement so personally? For more episodes about food culture, check out: Bacteria is taking over the food pyramid Is the internet choosing your food? It's healthy to eat your feelings. Here's why. Support public media with NPR+ and enjoy perks for over 25 podcasts like this one. This show’s perks include sponsor-free listening. Learn more at plus.npr.org. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy

Has Gen Z changed how we think about independents? It's no secret that Americans are politically divided, as faith in political parties erodes. In the past, so-called "independent" voters were likely shifting between Democrats and Republicans. But now, especially Gen-Z, are pushing in new directions, far from the center. In this episode, we explore how "independent" became a rallying cry for change on the left and the right. Support public media with NPR+ and enjoy perks for over 25 podcasts like this one. This show’s perks include sponsor-free listening. Learn more at plus.npr.org. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy

Who do you trust to help you make decisions about your sexual health? In the absence of widespread public health campaigns and high-profile narratives in TV and film about HIV prevention, Gen Z is turning to their chatbots of choice to help them make decisions regarding their sexual health. While some call it innovative, is there something that gets missed when the hard conversations about safety and pleasure become a digital feedback loop? Brittany is joined by Jerrell K.L. Hardnett, Associate Director of Education and Advocacy at GLAAD, and Dr. Samantha Hill, Associate Professor of Pediatrics at Emory University to find out. Want more episodes on AI's influence on culture? You might be suffering from AI brain fry Generative AI's race problem Support public media with NPR+ and enjoy perks for over 25 podcasts like this one. This show’s perks include sponsor-free listening. Learn more at plus.npr.org. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy

What makes a great Tiny Desk concert? For NPR’s Tiny Desk Creative Director Bobby Carter, success means making space for an artist's creativity within the show’s strict technical parameters -- no speakers, no in-ear monitors, no amplification. It’s a tough space to master, but after 14 years of producing shows, Bobby Carter knows what works. He loves when artists adapt to the space and “you get these little moments where you get a piece of their personality.” This week Brittany chats with him about his favorite shows, his dream guests, and the future of Tiny Desk. Support public media with NPR+ and enjoy perks for over 25 podcasts like this one. This show’s perks include sponsor-free listening. Learn more at plus.npr.org. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy

Non-consensually posted intimate images can devastate women – and beget male bonding. The burner accounts on X loosely grouped into the “burnerverse” started by bonding over college sports – but soon took a darker turn when some of them began trying to make salacious rumors or non-consensual intimate images of young women and their names go viral. Ej Dickson investigated the burnerverse for Wired, profiling one of these women who were doxxed – and found links between these burner accounts and college fraternities. But what makes misogyny such a potent tool for men’s bonding? And with laws against non-consensually distributed intimate images in all 50 states – how is it still happening at scale? To talk more about the culture that supports this kind of harassment and the structures that keep it in place, Brittany is joined by Ej Dickson, senior culture writer at wired, and Dr. Mary Anne Franks, professor at the George Washington University Law School and president of the Cyber Civil Rights Initiative. Support public media with NPR+ and enjoy perks for over 25 podcasts like this one. This show’s perks include sponsor-free listening. Learn more at plus.npr.org. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy

As our climate crisis continues to unfold, who gets to keep the lights on? On August 11th, a derecho hit northwest Indiana, and the predominantly Black city of Gary was left without power for 14 days… which makes it one of the longest power outages in modern US history, according to Electric Choice. As more and more reports of outages and struggling infrastructure come out of these seasonal storms, it made Brittany wonder: How does where we live - or even certain attitudes about where we live - affect the quality of service we get? To answer that question, Jenae Barnes, health and environment reporter, and Shalanda Baker, Professor of Environment and Sustainability; Vice Provost for Sustainability and Climate Action at the University of Michigan join the show. Jenae and Shalanda walk Brittany through how our aging power grid - coupled with climate change, the strain of new technologies, and a lack of investment - exposes the systemic shortcomings that very well might leave all of us in the dark. NIPSCO’s full message to their customers here. Support public media with NPR+ and enjoy perks for over 25 podcasts like this one. This show’s perks include sponsor-free listening. Learn more at plus.npr.org. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy

She's America's sweetheart, but she just might be America's superhero as well. The American cheerleader has become one of the nation's most cemented symbols of femininity, girlhood, and youthful power. But how does paying attention to the real life experiences of cheerleaders tell a different story about America's history of education, race, and gender? Brittany is joined by Dr. Natalie G. Adams, editor of The Cheer Reader, and contributor Dr. Amira Rose Davis to find out. Interested in more conversations on sports and gender? Check out these episodes: Would you let your kids play football? The strange politics of Pilates Support public media with NPR+ and enjoy perks for over 25 podcasts like this one. This show’s perks include sponsor-free listening. Learn more at plus.npr.org. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy

We’re in an era where everyone can be a celebrity. And that’s okay! For the past ten years, Bobby Finger and Lindsey Weber, hosts of the podcast Who? Weekly, have dissected the celebrity landscape. From the declining power of A-List celebrities to the rising power of influencers, the duo have investigated how fame and power have shifted over the last decade. They’ve asked the question: ‘Who gets to be famous?’ And discovered, ‘ well, nowadays, anyone.’ I Want to Be Famous: When Everybody and Nobody Is a Celebrity is their new book where they explore what they've learned about the ephemeral nature of fame, celebrity, and our collective obsession with reality television. Support public media with NPR+ and enjoy perks for over 25 podcasts like this one. This show’s perks include sponsor-free listening. Learn more at plus.npr.org. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy

Census data about race can be incredibly important – but we might lose it. The Trump administration has proposed to stop asking people in the U.S. about their race and ethnicity in the upcoming 2030 census. But what's the point of getting rid of these questions? And what makes the narratives around our nation's demographics so fraught? To get into it, Brittany is joined by Russell Contreras, senior race and justice reporter at Axios, and Hansi Lo Wang, a correspondent at NPR who covers voting rights and the census. For more episodes about policy and culture, check out: Bacteria is taking over the food pyramid Is your city shaped by yuppie taste? Don't get got by big MILK (00:00) Understanding the Trump administration's census proposal (02:58) Will the government stop collecting data on race? (05:34) What we use race data for (10:04) The proposal to stop counting some non-citizens in the census (14:42) How shifting categories might change census data (20:52) Who's afraid of America's changing demographics? Support public media with NPR+ and enjoy perks for over 25 podcasts like this one. This show’s perks include sponsor-free listening. Learn more at plus.npr.org. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy

Palestinians are challenging the narrative one story at a time. Editor-in-Chief of The Key, Sara Yasin, wants us to rethink what she calls ‘it’s complicated' journalism. As more young people are exposed to the destruction in Gaza -- outside of traditional media outlets -- Sara wanted to provide a space where Palestinians can speak freely about what’s going on around them. Enter: The Key, an online publication that focuses on “analysis, interviews, essays, reviews and reportage about Palestine.” Sara joins the show to get into The Key, what ‘fairness’ looks like for mainstream media in this moment, and how power informs framing. Support public media with NPR+ and enjoy perks for over 25 podcasts like this one. This show’s perks include sponsor-free listening. Learn more at plus.npr.org. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy

Some of life's hardest lessons are learned in high school. In Jocelyn Bioh's Broadway play, School Girls; or, the African Mean Girls Play, the ladies of Aburi Girls' Boarding School live these hard lessons through their friendships, feuds, and the upcoming Miss Ghana 1986 beauty pageant. But what does a play about teenagers in the 80s have to tell us about gossip, girlhood, and how it feels to not be chosen for reasons out of your control? Brittany is joined by playwright Jocelyn Bioh and director Whitney White to find out. Want more conversations on theater and culture? Check out these episodes: 'Cats: The Jellicle Ball' gets 10s across the board Has Broadway lost its way? Tony nominee Jocelyn Bioh puts braiders centerstage Cole Escola literally changes history in 'Oh, Mary!' Support public media with NPR+ and enjoy perks for over 25 podcasts like this one. This show’s perks include sponsor-free listening. Learn more at plus.npr.org. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy

Author Mary H.K. Choi is obsessed with her mom. New York Times bestselling author, Mary H.K Choi, is known for her young adult novels Emergency Contact and Yolk. But her latest novel, Pool House, is for adults, and details the relationship between a Korean-American D-list actress in her 40s and her 20-year old daughter, who’s always lived in her mother’s shadow. Today’s chat is all about families – how they change, how they don’t, and why we keep on loving the ones who hurt us the most. Support public media with NPR+ and enjoy perks for over 25 podcasts like this one. This show’s perks include sponsor-free listening. Learn more at plus.npr.org. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy

There are deep roots behind the latest entry into public noise. It’s a now-common scenario: you’re using public transit, or waiting at the airport, or dining in a restaurant, when you hear the tinny music and computerized voice-overs of someone scrolling TikTok – no headphones. This aggravated All Things Considered producer and writer Manuela López Restrepo enough to look into it. And what she found was a rich history of how public noise works in our culture: who is allowed to make (or avoid it), who gets punished – and the companies that seem to get off scot-free. Manuela shares her reporting with Brittany and they dive deep into the politics and policy of noise. For more episodes about culture and civic life, check out: Is your neighborhood riddled with dog poop? The safety and power of knowing your neighbors Is your city shaped by yuppie taste? Support public media with NPR+ and enjoy perks for over 25 podcasts like this one. This show’s perks include sponsor-free listening. Learn more at plus.npr.org. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy

Social media has made it easy for everyone to give their opinion...so why do people hate critics? To answer that question Brittany is joined by Lovia Gyarkye, culture editor at Hammer and Hope, a magazine dedicated to Black culture and politics. Lovia’s spent the bulk of her career researching, reflecting, and writing about the films, artists, and celebrities we’ve come to love. And in that process, she’s found ways to embrace curiosity and skepticism, two essential parts of being a critic. Today on the show, Lovia defines what being a critic means for her, the ‘thinking’ problem so many of us face, and the power of giving something your sustained attention. Support public media with NPR+ and enjoy perks for over 25 podcasts like this one. This show’s perks include sponsor-free listening. Learn more at plus.npr.org. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy

How do you know what's safe to eat? You don't. And after a summer full of food recalls from lettuce to blueberries and even jalapeños, a regular trip to the grocery store can start to feel like a dangerous game. But how are the flaws in our food safety system creating issues beyond what we choose to grab in the produce aisle? To find out, Brittany is joined by Eric Schlosser, author of Fast Food Nation: The Dark Side of the All-American Meal. Want more episodes on food, access, and power? Check these out: The politics of hunger Think the Medicaid cuts don't affect you? Think again. You can read Eric's piece, "Should We Be Afraid of Our Food?" in the Atlantic. Support public media with NPR+ and enjoy perks for over 25 podcasts like this one. This show’s perks include sponsor-free listening. Learn more at plus.npr.org. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy

Who's afraid of a horny movie? According to Bobbi Miller, culture critic and host of Culture Kitsch, horny movies pique our carnal curiosities. Sometimes there's an overall horny show like Heated Rivalry or movie like Wicker. Other times, you have elements of horniness present, in movies like Sinners, The Handmaiden, and In the Mood for Love. But it seems like on the whole, Hollywood is still shying away from horny-forward art, even though romance adaptations are exploding in popularity. So what’s going on here? And why it is hard to find these horny depictions onscreen? Support public media with NPR+ and enjoy perks for over 25 podcasts like this one. This show’s perks include sponsor-free listening. Learn more at plus.npr.org. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy

Recipes online seem to have all become… kind of the same. They're described in lots of words that end in y – creamy, jammy, lemony – and they tend to use lots of globally sourced pastes like miso, gochujang and harissa. The luscious photos and videos that accompany them border on erotic. But how did this become the norm? What has the internet done to our palates – and what do today's tastes say about us? To find out, Brittany is joined by Ruby Tandoh, cookbook writer and the author of All Consuming: Why We Eat the Way We Eat Now. (00:00) Why online recipes all seem the same (01:59) What shapes our tastes? (03:28) How food influencers capture your attention (06:53) 'Twist culture': why there's miso in everything (09:30) American food is inescapable (13:03) The roots of 'silly little drink' culture (16:58) How algorithms drive orthorexic food ideas (19:20) The rise of ultra-processed 'healthy' foods (24:47) The politics of cooking and performative homemaking For more episodes about food culture and how we eat, check out: It's healthy to eat your feelings. Here's why. Is your city shaped by yuppie taste? The heavy weight of diet culture Support public media with NPR+ and enjoy perks for over 25 podcasts like this one. This show’s perks include sponsor-free listening. Learn more at plus.npr.org. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy

Got first date jitters? Maybe your siblings are already starting drama ahead of the holidays? Or perhaps you need tips on supporting a friend through a hard time? You’re in good hands, because starting on Monday, September 28th to Wednesday September 30th, from 1pm-2pm ET, Brittany will be hosting a pop-up show called Please Advise, where she'll be giving advice LIVE on WNYC. But first, Brittany’s getting advice on how to give advice. NPR Embedded producer and author of The Other Significant Others: Reimagining Life with Friendship at the Center, Rhaina Cohen joins the show to share her expertise. Because knowing when to chime in with advice -- versus biting your tongue and lending an ear instead -- is an artform, and Rhaina has some insight on it all. You can listen to Brittany on Please Advise at WNYC.org. Support public media with NPR+ and enjoy perks for over 25 podcasts like this one. This show’s perks include sponsor-free listening. Learn more at plus.npr.org. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy

For nearly twenty years, chef, author, and actor Carla Hall has taught us to cook from the heart across both screen and stage. Beyond culinary arts, her career path has spanned diverse fields such as accounting and modeling. Today, Carla joins the show to discuss how to navigate your next move with confidence, whether in your career or in the kitchen. Carla's cookbook, Carla Bakes: Sweet, Savory, and from the Heart, is available now. Want more conversations about food and culture? Check out these episodes: A taste of Black Appalachia Your Dinner Party toolkit Support public media with NPR+ and enjoy perks for over 25 podcasts like this one. This show’s perks include sponsor-free listening. Learn more at plus.npr.org. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy

Attachment theory is having a moment online. It’s the concept that the relationship we have with our parents directly impacts how we relate to and interact with others, especially people we’re in relationships with. Are we anxious? Are we avoidant? Can this be the reason we keep getting our hearts broken? We’re joined by friend of the podcast and our guide to the modern dating world, NPR producer Manuela Lopez Restrepo; Dr. Marisa G. Franco, author of Worth: The New Science of Self Esteem and Secure Attachment; and Tatum Hunter, journalist and content creator, to understand the science behind attachment theory and what everybody keeps getting wrong. Support public media with NPR+ and enjoy perks for over 25 podcasts like this one. This show’s perks include sponsor-free listening. Learn more at plus.npr.org. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy

Are neutrals dominating your color palette? Our world is looking kind of gray. Not the trees, the grass or the sky – but the cars, the buildings, the houses, and the decor and appliances in them. Neutrals dominate – like the famous “Millennial gray.” There are a lot of reasons, both structural and cultural, why color is leaching out of some of our most important and most expensive possessions – but what do we think our colors say about us? And what role does color play in our lives today? To get into it, Brittany is joined by Amogh Dimri, assistant editor at The Atlantic and the writer of a piece about “the color recession,” and Katy Kelleher, a writer, editor, and author of the book The Ugly History of Beautiful Things. (00:00) What does the color recession look like? (02:26) How American cities lost their color (06:26) Who's really picking 'Millennial gray'? (08:28) What color choices say about class (13:15) Why color might be scary (20:33) Finding the freedom to be colorful For more episodes on tastes, design and material culture, check out: Fashion isn't art. It's something more. The ugly truth of America's expensive homes The hard work of having "good taste" Support public media with NPR+ and enjoy perks for over 25 podcasts like this one. This show’s perks include sponsor-free listening. Learn more at plus.npr.org. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy

In 1966, the federal government commissioned a massive survey aimed at solving educational inequality. Instead, the explosive Coleman Report unleashed a 60-year debate over race, resources, and what education in America is actually for. This is the story of how the report came together… and the policy whirlwind that followed. Guests: Victoria Cain, Associate Professor of History, Northeastern University Thomas Kane, Walter H. Gale Professor of Education and Economics, Harvard University Support public media with NPR+ and enjoy perks for over 25 podcasts like this one. This show’s perks include sponsor-free listening. Learn more at plus.npr.org. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy

Are we living in a Baddies Revolution? We just might be. Over the past few years, the Zeus Network franchise Baddies has steadily grown in virality, capturing dozens of young people on camera as they party, promote clubs, and most of all, fight each other. But where do shows like Joseline's Cabaret and Baddies USA sit in the long history of Reality TV, and what can they tell us about what young people feel is possible for themselves? To find out, Brittany is joined by Dr. Donnetrice C. Allison, professor and chair of the department of Africana studies at Stockton University. Want more conversations at the intersection of labor and entertainment? Check out theses episodes: Would you let your kids play football? Has Broadway lost its way? Support public media with NPR+ and enjoy perks for over 25 podcasts like this one. This show’s perks include sponsor-free listening. Learn more at plus.npr.org. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy

The summer of 2026 turned into the summer of predictive markets. Polymarket and Kalshi, two of the largest betting platforms in the US, expanded their marketing to reach users everywhere. And they seem to be actively pursuing women customers — highlighting bets on who'd win Love Island USA to who'd attend the Taylor Swift Travis Kelce wedding. To discuss this phenomenon, we’re talking with Nancy Walecki, staff writer at The Atlantic and Lauren McCarthy, business reporter at The New York Times, to understand how predictive markets are catering to women, and what it all means. Support public media with NPR+ and enjoy perks for over 25 podcasts like this one. This show’s perks include sponsor-free listening. Learn more at plus.npr.org. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy

Is this a new era for American Muslims? American Muslims are building their own cultural institutions – New York Magazine and The Guardian have reported on flourishing ecosystems of cafes, magazines, dance nights, meetups and readings for Muslims and/or people with heritage from the SWANA region. And on a political level, Muslims like Minnesota Representative Ilhan Omar and New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani have become prominent faces of the left. On the one hand, this swell of Muslims coming up in politics and building cultural institutions is not surprising – there are over 4 million Muslims in America. On the other hand, this shift is pretty significant given how deeply Islamophobia and racism are rooted in our culture. So what's changed for American Muslims in recent years, and what’s stayed the same? What does it mean that Muslims are accruing a little more political and cultural capital now, and that non-Muslims are noticing? To get deeper into it, Brittany is joined by Dr. Donna Auston, cultural anthropologist, and Dr. Tazeen Ali, scholar of Islam in America and associate professor of religion and politics at Washington University in St. Louis. (00:00) Is this a new era for American Muslims? (02:19) From family joints to Instagrammable coffee shops (11:11) The Muslim faces of the progressive movement (14:51) Systemic Islamophobia in America (20:35) How race shapes Muslim communities (27:04) Shifting views on Gaza amidst persistent Islamophobia Support public media with NPR+ and enjoy perks for over 25 podcasts like this one. This show’s perks include sponsor-free listening. Learn more at plus.npr.org. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy

The genre made for lovers doesn't seem to respect the very fanbase it’s engineered to woo. When Mankaprr Conteh interviewed R&B artist Isaia Huron, she imagined a thoughtful if not a bit complicated conversation about the difficult woman at the center of his latest album, Mr. Lovebomb. What she got was something else entirely. Huron went on to tell Mankaprr that he has no empathy for women and that it's problematic that women believe they deserve everything. This conversation was later turned into Mankaprr’s piece for Hammer & Hope magazine: “Is This What R&B Sounds Like When You Don’t Respect Women?” Huron’s casual misogyny in a genre like R&B raised more questions than answers. Today on the show, journalist and 2026–2027 Knight-Wallace Arts Journalism Fellow at the University of Michigan Mankaprr Conteh, joins Brittany to break down Huron’s surprising comments, ‘vibes based chauvinism,’ and the state of R&B today. Support public media with NPR+ and enjoy perks for over 25 podcasts like this one. This show’s perks include sponsor-free listening. Learn more at plus.npr.org. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy

Is the fantasy of football worth the potential price? That's what football athletes, fans and doctors are asking after a new study published in late August revealed that from a sample of athletes who played at least one NFL game in their careers and who died between 2016 and 2021, a minimum of around 25% -- that's one in every four of those players -- had a brain condition called CTE upon their death. But what do these findings really mean for one of the world's most lucrative sports leagues, and how might our cultural ideas about football be creating blind spots for us when we consider the risks of the game? To find out Brittany is joined by Gene Demby, co-host of NPR’s Code Switch, and LZ Granderson, host of the LZ Granderson Show podcast, and op-ed columnist at the LA Times. Want more episodes at the intersection of labor, entertainment, and pop culture? Check these out: Has Broadway lost its way? People are struggling financially. Even on TV. Support public media with NPR+ and enjoy perks for over 25 podcasts like this one. This show’s perks include sponsor-free listening. Learn more at plus.npr.org. If you or someone you know may be considering suicide, contact the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline by dialing 9-8-8, or the Crisis Text Line by texting HOME to 741741. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy

Has the era of optimization finally reached a fever pitch? Veneers, perfect minimalist home decor, and even eye whitening drops are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the many ways we can ‘optimize’ our lives. But at what cost? And how did we even get to this point? To understand this trend we’re talking with Bloomberg Business Week Senior Writer Amanda Mull, who wrote The Optimization Backlash Has Begun, to understand how optimization has become the name of the game online and why it’s starting to wear thin. Support public media with NPR+ and enjoy perks for over 25 podcasts like this one. This show’s perks include sponsor-free listening. Learn more at plus.npr.org. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy

"Be vulnerable." "We love your authenticity." "Bring your full self to work." Sound familiar? In this episode from our friends at Code Switch, B.A. Parker chats with Jodi-Ann Burey, author of Authentic: The Myth of Bringing Your Full Self to Work, about why you should absolutely NOT do those things at work — especially if you're a Black woman. For more episodes on how we work, check out: Who really counts as ‘working class’? You might be suffering from AI brain fry How the grindset broke your brain Support public media with NPR+ and enjoy perks for over 25 podcasts like this one. This show’s perks include sponsor-free listening. Learn more at plus.npr.org. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy

You are what you wear… or are you? In her new podcast, Philosophy Club, host Avery Trufelman -- who also hosts the fashion podcast Articles of Interest -- tries to answer that question and more by getting back to basics. Each week, she and her co-host, Derek Guy -- fashion critic who many know as "The Menswear Guy" -- read philosophers, theorists, and writers who have built the foundation for our modern-day discourse about fashion, consumption, and more. Avery joins the show to define what fashion philosophy is and how it impacts the way we present ourselves in everyday life. Support public media with NPR+ and enjoy perks for over 25 podcasts like this one. This show’s perks include sponsor-free listening. Learn more at plus.npr.org. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy

Has there been a decline in "masculine" men? Some women on Tiktok seem to believe so. The phrase, "Who's gonna be the boys?" has been used online to refer to all the mundane things men are doing that could be described as feminine: wearing earrings, having a skin care routine, and even eating a banana, to name a few. But what does this online question about the alleged absence of masculine men say about our society’s expectations of men? And how might these expectations be causing problems for us all? To explore these questions, Brittany talks with Shar Jossell, entertainment journalist and culture critic, and George M. Johnson, author of All Boys Aren't Blue and the upcoming memoir, And If I Die Before I Wake. Looking for more conversations about gender and pop culture? Check out these episodes: The truth about men on the 'down low' Testosterone doesn't equal masculinity. Support public media with NPR+ and enjoy perks for over 25 podcasts like this one. This show’s perks include sponsor-free listening. Learn more at plus.npr.org. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy

Carla Lalli’s latest cookbook wants you to eat your feelings. After the end of her decades-long marriage, Lalli -- the former Bon Appétit editor whose cooking videos and cookbooks made her one of the internet's favorite chefs -- knew she had to do one thing: write about it. What emerged is Food is a Feeling, a collection of stories and recipes processing this moment in her life. From figuring out a meal for two to deconstructing the ‘guilt’ behind ‘guilty pleasures,’ Carla joins the show to get into the pleasure of making, eating, and enjoying one of life’s most delicious necessities. Support public media with NPR+ and enjoy perks for over 25 podcasts like this one. This show’s perks include sponsor-free listening. Learn more at plus.npr.org. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy

Does everyone need their own lawnmower? For a lot of people, living with your spouse and kids in a standalone house with a white picket fence is, more or less, the American dream. But people aren’t as likely to get married and have kids as they used to – and buying a house is more unattainable than ever. But even for those who don't share this particular American dream, alternatives -- like living alone or with roommates you don't really talk to -- can sometimes feel alienating, or like a last resort. But the proponents of communal living say things can be different. Communal living can look like co-living – where people choose to live with others in one house or building – or co-housing – which is a community built around a group of houses. They are intentional communities where people build shared lives together – and they don't have to be blood-related or romantically involved. All Things Considered producer Jordan-Marie Smith wanted to know – what might be driving people to live communally? And can communal living be seen as a viable, first choice adult living situation? Jordan-Marie shares her reporting with Brittany on what she found out. For more episodes on culture and how we build our lives, check out: To be or not to be a parent The safety and power of knowing your neighbors How to survive a millennial midlife crisis Support public media with NPR+ and enjoy perks for over 25 podcasts like this one. This show’s perks include sponsor-free listening. Learn more at plus.npr.org. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy

What would it look like to have all of your needs met? That’s the question filmmaker Shatara Michelle Ford’s asks in their film, Dreams in Nightmares. As three Black queer friends take to the road to search for the fourth member of their group, they navigate the ups and downs of love, identity, and what it means to truly feel seen. Shatara joins the show to break down how Dreams in Nightmares went from an idea about the Wim Wenders film Paris, Texas to a journey of self-discovery. Support public media with NPR+ and enjoy perks for over 25 podcasts like this one. This show’s perks include sponsor-free listening. Learn more at plus.npr.org. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy

Would you go back to college? What if it looked less like four years of textbooks and cram sessions, and more like five days of non-stop streaming and content creation? That's the vision that Twitch megastreamer Kai Cenat had for his second annual Streamer University, where budding content creators descended on a liberal arts campus to learn how to be the best streamers they can be. But what does the success of Streamer University say about the creator economy and where our attention is headed? To find out, Brittany is joined by Rebecca Jennings, features writer for New York Magazine and Alyssa Mercante senior reporter at Digiday. Want more on social media and culture? Bite-sized shows are taking over the internet The questionable new ways to surveil your friends Support public media with NPR+ and enjoy perks for over 25 podcasts like this one. This show’s perks include sponsor-free listening. Learn more at plus.npr.org. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy

How do you convince people to read more novels? You could ask author Jason Reynolds for a start. The acclaimed author of young adult novels, Look Both Ways, Long Way Down, and Ghost joins host Brittany Luse to discuss the lessons in empathy, friendship and hope that novels can inspire in all readers. He says, “In one book, everybody can change. In 300 pages, every character that you've met has become a new character by the end, and so what might you do in thirty days, let alone thirty years? ” What's the last book that changed you? Support public media with NPR+ and enjoy perks for over 25 podcasts like this one. This show’s perks include sponsor-free listening. Learn more at plus.npr.org. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy

Microdramas are taking over the internet. But are they art – or products? The Double Life of My Billionaire Husband. Break Me, Princess. Married the Mafioso I Saved. These are all titles of microdramas that are taking the internet by storm. In case you haven’t heard, microdramas are often campy shows with short, minute-long episodes. The first few episodes get posted to social media for free, but viewers must go to another site where they can pay to watch the whole thing. And a lot of people do. It's an industry that started in China and is already worth several billions of dollars – so Hollywood is getting in on it. Issa Rae’s microdrama called Screen Time got nearly 75 million views in its first week, and now, Peacock, Fox, and Disney are producing their own. But this microdrama boom raises a few questions: who are these stories for, and what makes them so popular? And is the microdrama a new art form – or is it solely a product? Brittany is joined by Chang Che, a freelance writer who wrote about microdramas for The New Yorker, and Xochitl Gonzalez, author and contributor at The Atlantic, who wrote about them there. (00:00) The rise of the microdrama (03:14) Hollywood lacks chemistry - microdramas have that in spades. (07:32) Who are microdramas for? (11:33) Are microdramas art - or products? (16:46) Are marginalized actors and writers being shunted into microdramas? (20:47) The AI boom in microdramas For more episodes on what we’re watching and why, check out: People are struggling financially. Even on TV. Abortion access is limited. Is Hollywood to blame? Why Gen Z is movie-maxxing Support public media with NPR+ and enjoy perks for over 25 podcasts like this one. This show’s perks include sponsor-free listening. Learn more at plus.npr.org. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy

Sepideh Moafi wants you to get raw with your emotions. Season 2 of HBO Max’s original series, The Pitt, brings a new doctor into the fold: Dr. Baran Al-Hashimi. An Iranian-Iraqi attending physician, she brings empathy and discipline into the chaotic ER that viewers have come to love. While she ruffled some feathers at first, her commitment to her fellow doctors and patients has made her a fan favorite. That’s all thanks to Sepideh. Her performance as Dr. Baran Al-Hashimi has earned her an Emmy nomination for outstanding supporting actress in a drama series. The nomination makes her the first Iranian woman and the first woman of Middle Eastern or SWANA - Southwest Asian, North African - descent to get nominated in the category. Sepideh joins the show to unpack how her journey as an opera singer and a human rights advocate led her to this historic moment. Support public media with NPR+ and enjoy perks for over 25 podcasts like this one. This show’s perks include sponsor-free listening. Learn more at plus.npr.org. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy

It seems like no one on Broadway is happy. Actors are buckling under the weight of the eight-show week, producers aren't making their money back, and audiences are getting tired of paying astronomical ticket prices to see celebrities on stage. Is Broadway in danger of taking its final bow? To find out, Brittany is joined by Broadway sensitivity specialist Ann James, and entertainment lawyer and business journalist Marc Hershberg. Want more about the intersection of Broadway and culture? Check out these episodes: 'Cats: The Jellicle Ball' gets 10s across the board Tony nominee Jocelyn Bioh puts braiders centerstage Support public media with NPR+ and enjoy perks for over 25 podcasts like this one. This show’s perks include sponsor-free listening. Learn more at plus.npr.org. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy

The cultural supremacy of the influencer seems to be waning. For nearly a decade, they’ve become a fount of cultural commerce, affecting how to live, what to buy, and who to follow for advice. But a backlash – against everything from expensive shopping hauls to the very persona that built an influencer's brand – is leaving many questioning their cultural relevance. So what’s going on with influencers – or better yet – who’s going to replace them? To understand this cultural shift, we’re chatting with Ira Madison III, host of The Feedback with Ira Madison, to figure out what happens when the influencers lose influence. Support public media with NPR+ and enjoy perks for over 25 podcasts like this one. This show’s perks include sponsor-free listening. Learn more at plus.npr.org. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy

Have some people forgotten how to behave at music festivals? Summer is peak music festival season, and that means many of us are braving huge crowds and sweltering heat to see a bunch of artists we love in one place. But is there a decline in social decorum in these concert settings? From using phones to being in the front row to navigating crowds, our friends at Pop Culture Happy Hour are sharing personal and passionate takes about music festival etiquette. For more episodes on culture and social etiquette, check out: How should we behave online? The social etiquette of sharing location Is your neighborhood riddled with dog poop? Support public media with NPR+ and enjoy perks for over 25 podcasts like this one. This show’s perks include sponsor-free listening. Learn more at plus.npr.org. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy

Welcome to the age of ‘Broke TV.’ It seems like the days of prestige TV shows about the wealthy elite have been replaced by the vocal majority: the downwardly mobile. New Yorker TV critic, Inkoo Kang, noticed that her favorite shows so far this year all focused - in some respect - on the people whose lives have been financially squeezed beyond recognition by the very elite we used to enjoy watching. Building resentment about the shrinking middle class, a hopeless job market, and few political pathways towards change has made our entertainment reflect a devastating reality back to us. Inkoo joins the show to break down how we got to this point and the fine line between entertainment and catharsis on screen. You can read Inkoo’s article, ‘Welcome to the Age of Broke TV’, here. Support public media with NPR+ and enjoy perks for over 25 podcasts like this one. This show’s perks include sponsor-free listening. Learn more at plus.npr.org. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy

Do you have what it takes to be "High-T?" Service members are about to find out, as Defense secretary Pete Hegseth announced that the military will be screening men for low testosterone, a hormone found in both women and men that supports bone mass development, red blood cell production, energy levels, and more. It's an important marker of overall health in men, but will it push the United States military to the 'leading edge of lethality' as promised by Hegseth? To get into the facts and fictions around testosterone, Brittany is joined by NPR health correspondent Will Stone, and Dr. Helen Bernie, Director of Sexual and Reproductive Medicine and associate professor of urology at Indiana University. Want more on gender and health? Check out these episodes: Boundaries, bodies, and better sex The key to thriving later in life: menopause Support public media with NPR+ and enjoy perks for over 25 podcasts like this one. This show’s perks include sponsor-free listening. Learn more at plus.npr.org. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy

What does it mean to be ‘working class’? It’s a term that we hear often (especially around election time), but more specifically, who are we actually talking about? According to labor economist Kathryn Anne Edwards, host of the Optimist Economy podcast (@optimist_economy), the working class is a group of people who have the least amount of pay, benefits, and protections in the labor market. In this week’s episode of It’s Been a Minute, host Brittany Luse chats with Kathryn about what economists, politicians, and everyday people get wrong about the working class. Support public media with NPR+ and enjoy perks for over 25 podcasts like this one. This show’s perks include sponsor-free listening. Learn more at plus.npr.org. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy