logo
episode-header-image
Jun 2023
53m 27s

When you can't separate art from artist

Vox
About this episode

What do we do when an artist we love does something monstrous? Constance Grady, a culture writer at Vox, talks with Claire Dederer, the author of Monsters: A Fan’s Dilemma. They discuss how to reckon with the facts and feelings of consuming art by someone who's done something bad, if it's possible to separate the art from the artist, and what responsibility — if any — comes with being a fan.

Host: Constance Grady, (@constancegrady), culture and gender writer

Guest: Claire Dederer, author of Monsters: A Fan’s Dilemma 

References: 


Enjoyed this episode? Rate The Gray Area ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ and leave a review on Apple Podcasts.

Subscribe for free. Be the first to hear the next episode of The Gray Area. Subscribe in your favorite podcast app.

Support The Gray Area by making a financial contribution to Vox! bit.ly/givepodcasts

This episode was made by: 

  • Engineer: Patrick Boyd
  • Editorial Director, Vox Talk: A.M. Hall

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Up next
Jun 30
If AI can do your classwork, why go to college?
What’s the point of college if no one’s actually doing the work? It’s not a rhetorical question. In the age of AI, it's incredibly easy for students to offload their assignments. AI tools can write essays, make study guides, and even complete whole assignments. So what is the poi ... Show More
59m 21s
Jun 16
Is Trump winning?
We’re nearly six months into Donald Trump’s second term as president, and a lot of us are still trying to figure out what that actually means. Not just politically. But culturally. What kind of country are we living in? And what kind of future are we heading toward? In today’s ep ... Show More
52m 31s
Jun 9
A right-wing economist makes his case
For decades, the American right has stayed on brand: the economy. Low taxes. Free markets. Deregulation. Those have been the buzzwords for more than half a century. But that doctrine is now being challenged by other conservatives who envision a future in which America’s trade def ... Show More
1h 8m
Recommended Episodes
Feb 2020
How to record sex, with podcaster Kaitlin Prest. Plus: fashion month explained by a trend forecaster
Award-winning podcaster Kaitlin Prest (of The Heart and Mermaid Palace) is one of the most innovative people making audio today. She chats with Lilah about sex, power and the grey areas around consent—as well as how her collective of queer anarchist outsiders climbed to the top o ... Show More
59m 22s
Jun 2021
The death of ‘girlboss’ | What's the Story?
It’s been almost a decade since the idea of the “girlboss” emerged in the corporate world. And while the concept had feminist intentions, the conflation of feminism and capitalism has lead to its downfall. Senior culture writer, Alex Abad-Santos (@alex_abads) explains why we were ... Show More
14m 4s
Nov 2023
Working It presents: How to master the art of schmoozing
While the Life and Art team takes a break for Thanksgiving, we’re sharing an episode of Working It, the FT’s workplace podcast hosted by Isabel Berwick. Here’s what it’s about: Do you ever find yourself lost for words? Or maybe you have too much to say? This week’s episode featur ... Show More
21m 46s
Apr 2023
The Artist Who Was Both Loved and Disdained
We bring you a special episode from Sidedoor, a podcast about the treasures that fill the vaults of the Smithsonian. This story is inspired by “Big Band,” a defining work by the painter LeRoy Neiman.  Neiman was a character, a cultural gadfly and an omnipresent artist who sat for ... Show More
37m 12s
Jun 2023
11x01: Don't Answer The Phone
Stories in this episode:  - The Campaign, by Z - The Spirits Told Him We Had to be Together, by Sara - He Was Scouting Us, by Rachel - Tom's Knife, by Anonymous - It Wasn't A Test, by Jenny - Unknown Caller After 3am, by Gabriella - What Did You Say to Me?, by Betty Kross - When ... Show More
50m 56s
Oct 2023
Episode 97: Grey Alien in My Room
Stories in this episode: - Premonitions, by split09 - My Experience from Years Ago, by dtg1980 - Is Mind Control Real? by rodandtodd - I Used to See Things, by Lonely-Teaching-1913 - The Woman With No Face, by Professional-Date824 - A Shadow on the Road, by Pepper-Peacock - The W ... Show More
39m 14s
Nov 2022
Episode 8: Sex and The City: Bringing Fashion to the Masses
In celebration of its HBO revival, Sarah Jessica Parker, Cynthia Nixon, and stylist Patricia Field reflect on how Sex and the City created one of the most eclectic, glamorous, aspirational, and enchanting ensembles in television history. The series introduced the world to four in ... Show More
38m 40s
Apr 2022
Episode 4 - every black person
Dru is livid at Gina for posting an interview without her knowledge and breaking the internet. Their phones start ringing. They couldn’t leave, but now they can’t stay. a hit dog will holler is written by Inda Craig-Galván. It is produced and directed by Gisele Regatão. Mixing an ... Show More
40m 6s
May 2023
Sanctuary Is No Fifty Shades of Grey
This week, Slate’s senior editor Rebecca Onion fills in for Julia. The panel begins by examining Sanctuary, a claustrophobic BDSM thriller starring Margaret Qualley and Christopher Abbott. Then, they debate Freevee’s hard-to-define “reality” series Jury Duty. Finally, Dana and St ... Show More
56m 26s