Dolly Parton might be the last thing Americans agree on. In this episode, we talk to Will Bonfiglio, the WashU lecturer behind a wildly popular college course on Dolly, about how the country icon became a cultural unifier across politics, class, gender, and generations. From Dollywood to “9 to 5” to her million-dollar vaccine donation, this is a conversat ... Show More
Jul 10
The Smart Woman’s Guide to Escaping Into Reality TV With Kate Casey
Reality television isn’t just escapism—it’s a sociological goldmine. In this episode, Reality Life host Kate Casey breaks down why the smartest people she knows are watching Love Undercover, Jury Duty, and The Keepers. Plus: the archetype of the aspiring influencer, what Mariska ... Show More
46m 14s
Jul 8
Friend Breakups Will Stick With You Forever
We don’t have rituals for breaking up with friends. Romantic breakups come with scripts—we know how to mourn them, process them, even joke about them. But when a friendship falls apart, we’re left in a strange cultural vacuum. I still think about the women I’ve lost as friends mo ... Show More
40m 11s
Jul 6
Sunday Nice Things: Mental Health Rewritten
Mental Health Rewritten, is a recently released nonfiction narrative podcast tackling stigma in mental health head on. Host Dominic Lawson and his guests are challenging narratives around sex, suicide, and cultural identity. Here's the first episode, which covers sex addiction an ... Show More
1h 3m
Dec 2019
How to Win Friends and Influence People
Kristen and Jolenta are back for Season 6, and they are trying something new! For this season, the ladies take us on a historical romp through self-help history by living by a classic self-help book from each decade. To kick things off, they live by one of the best-selling books ... Show More
50m 25s
Nov 2024
408 Joe Rogan Experience Review of JD Vance Et al.
Useful links to books related to the episodes: Hillbilly Elegy: A Memoir of a Family and Culture in Crisis by JD Vance https://amzn.to/48ztT22 (Amazon) Explores Vance’s early life, family, and cultural background, offering context for his perspectives on politics and society. Cyn ... Show More
47m 28s
Aug 2020
How to Make Dolly Parton Cry with Shima Oliaee
Samara chats with the award-winning reporter and producer of Dolly Parton’s America about ALL the delicious behind-the-scenes on the hit pod series with Jad Abumrad, plus finding her own voice on the mic, the superpower of being okay with being hated, and how to land a kickass mo ... Show More
1h 4m
May 16
Whitney Houston Hologram: The Zombification of an Icon | There Are No Girls on the Internet
This episode is part of a feed swap with our friend podcast There Are No Girls On The Internet, hosted by Bridget Todd. She is an expert on tech culture, and on her show she has fun, thought provoking conversations about the ways technology shapes our lives. If you enjoy this epi ... Show More
39m 36s
Oct 2024
Sharon McMahon: “America’s Government Teacher,” Hope for Better Things
Friends, today’s episode is a powerhouse! We’ve got Sharon McMahon, aka “America’s Government Teacher,” bringing some serious wisdom from her new book, "The Small and the Mighty." Even the drafters of the Constitution worried about chaos, but they hoped for better things—and Shar ... Show More
1h 10m