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On today’s episode of Spectacular Vernacular, Nicole and Ben talk about how the capital of Ukraine has become a linguistic hot take. They also interview Jessi Grieser, a professor at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville about her new book, The Black Side of the River: Race, Language, and Belonging in Washington D.C. And finally, we bring on a listener for some wordplay. We hope you’re good at figuring out analogies. You could win a year’s membership to Slate Plus. Do you have any language questions or fun facts to share? Email us at [email protected].   Produced by Jasmine Ellis and Asha Saluja Here are some notes and references from this week’s show: New York Times: “How Do You Say Kyiv? It Can Be Hard for English Speakers”  NPR “Kyiv or Kiev? Why people disagree about how to pronounce the Ukrainian capital’s name”  Jessi Grieser: The Black Side of the River: Race, Language, and Belonging in Washington, D.C.  “Bad Analogies” on Twitter Subscribe to Slate Plus. It’s only $1 for the first month. To lea

Last week we learned about using the four different styles of humor to your advantage, and who makes a good target for a joke. But what if you read the room wrong and absolutely bomb? On this episode of How To!, the second in a two-part series, we resume our conversation with Naomi Bagdonas, co-author of Humor, Seriously!, and Michael Terry, the most hilarious hedge fund guy we’ve ever met. They swap stories about office jokes that fell flat, how to navigate a suddenly tense situation and what to do if your humor accidentally offends someone (especially your boss).  If you liked this episode, check out “How To Be Funny” with comedian Gary Gulman.  If you want to discover your own humor style, take the test on Naomi and Jennifer’s website.  Do you have a joke that killed at the office, or totally bombed? Send us a note at [email protected] or leave us a voicemail at 646-495-4001. Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now at slate.com/howtoplus. Learn more about your ad choices.

Stefan Fatsis, Josh Levin, and special guest Louisa Thomas of the New Yorker discuss the NFL’s conference championship games and Tom Brady’s (probable) retirement. Then, they talk about Rafael Nadal’s record-setting Australian Open victory. Finally, Grant Wahl joins Josh and Stefan to assess the U.S. men’s national soccer team’s frigid loss to Canada. NFL (2:32): How did the Chiefs blow it? Is Joe Burrow as charismatic as he thinks he is?    Tennis (26:32): How Nadal staged the best comeback of his career. U.S. men’s soccer (45:49): Why can’t the U.S. score? Could they miss the World Cup? Afterball (1:06:49): Josh and Stefan celebrate the winner of Hang Up’s goofy sports idea contest. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

No one is happy with the way this year’s Winter Olympics are unfolding. Athletes are frustrated with China’s excessive pandemic precautions. Diplomatic tensions are rising. Are the second COVID games on thin ice?  Guest: Henry Bushnell, features writer for Yahoo Sports. If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get benefits like zero ads on any Slate podcast, bonus episodes of shows like Slow Burn and Dear Prudence—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on What Next. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to help support our work. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, Stoya and Rich answer a letter from a man who’s just made a new sexual discovery about himself. Then they hear from a woman who’s feeling judged for her boundaries. Guest: Ryan Scoats Mentioned in the episode: ‘I don’t mind watching him cum’: Heterosexual men, threesomes, and the erosion of the one-time rule of homosexuality. Understanding Threesomes by Ryan Scoats *** Slate Plus members get another episode of the How to Do It podcast every Monday. Sign up for Slate Plus now for just $1. Read the How to Do It column on Slate here. If you’re in need of sex advice from Stoya and Rich, write in here or leave a voicemail at ‪(347) 640-4025 and we may use it on the show. Remember, it’s anonymous—and nothing is too embarrassing! Production by Chau Tu. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, host Karen Han talks to comedy writer Karen Chee, who works as a writer and performer for Late Night With Seth Meyers. In the interview, Chee discusses her early work writing humor pieces for the New Yorker before landing a job writing for the Golden Globes. Then she breaks down her joke-writing process for Late Night, which involves generating dozens of setups and punchlines every day.  After the interview, Karen Han and co-host June Thomas discuss the challenges of producing a large volume of work under a tight deadline.  In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Chee talks about her taste in movies. Then she shares more secrets from the Late Night writers' room.  Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected] or give us a call at (304) 933-9675. Podcast production by Cameron Drews. If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get benefits like zero ads on any Slate podcast, bonus episodes of shows like Slow Burn and Big Mood,

In the past few weeks, Britney Spears has been posting all sorts of Notes App screenshots about how hurt she is by what her sister is saying on her press tour while promoting her new book Things I Should Have Said, by Jamie Lynn Spears. On the show today, Madison and Rachelle read the tweets, and the whole book, so you don’t have to. They talk about the origins of this fight, what’s caused it to resurface, and why a lot of this really has to do with their childhoods. Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder and Derek John. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, Felix Salmon and Emily Peck are joined by reporter for The Wall Street Journal, Vipal Monga. They discuss the implications of the continued pumping of oil at one of the world’s dirtiest oil patches, how Canada’s housing situation compares with the U.S. and why ‘old’ music is suddenly so popular now. In the Plus segment: The latest on Fintech. Mentioned In the show:  “One of the World’s Dirtiest Oil Patches Is Pumping More Than Ever” by Vipal Monga   “Big Hot Sauce Wants More Hot Sauce” by Austin Carr  Email: [email protected] Podcast production by Cheyna Roth Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As Justice Stephen Breyer announces his intention to step down from the Supreme Court, Dahlia Lithwick is joined by Judge Nancy Gertner to discuss why now, what now, and who now. Judge Gertner is a former federal judge, member of the White House’s Supreme Court Reform Commission, Harvard Law professor … and she’s known Justice Breyer for decades. They discuss what’s changed on the court and wax nostalgic about Justice Breyer and Justice Scalia’s Muppet stadium tour.  In our Slate Plus segment, Dahlia Lithwick is joined by Slate’s own Mark Joseph Stern to dig into some of the nastier commentary around possible nominees for Justice Breyer’s seat, and to figure out what the rest of the term might look like in light of this week’s news.  Sign up for Slate Plus now to listen and support our show. Podcast production by Sara Burningham. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In part two of our deep dive into Daryl Hall & John Oates' genre-defying streak on the pop charts, Chris Molanphy argues they were also more cutting-edge than you may realize, essentially inventing their own form of cross-racial new wave after spending the ’70s trying everything: rock, R&B, folk, funk, even disco. At their Imperial peak in the early ’80s, Hall and Oates commanded the pop, soul and dance charts while still getting played on rock stations. And decades later, when the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame ignored them, it was Black artists—rappers and soul fans—who pushed them in. Join Chris Molanphy for a dissection of the Philly duo who invented “rock ’n soul” and made their dreams come true. Sign up for Slate Plus now to get episodes in one installment as soon as they're out. You'll also get The Bridge, our trivia show and bonus deep dive. Click here for more info.    Podcast production by Asha Saluja. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ten years ago, IBM made a gamble. Through a monumental advertising and PR campaign, it promised that its AI technology–Watson–would transform the health care industry as we know it. A decade and billions of dollars later, Watson Health is being sold for parts.  What went wrong with IBM’s “moonshot?” And what does Watson’s failure tell us about the promise of AI for health care? Guest: Casey Ross, national technology correspondent for STAT Host: Lizzie O’Leary Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For decades, it has a running joke that Black characters were the first to die in horror movies. But movies like Nia DaCosta’s Candyman and Jordan Peele’s Get Out are rewriting the script, and creating horror villains and heroes who represent the real Black experience. On today’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson is joined by Tananarive Due, an award-winning author and producer who teaches Black Horror and Afrofuturism at UCLA, to discuss the past and future of Black horror.   Guest: Tananarive Due, award-winning author, and producer who teaches Black Horror and Afrofuturism at UCLA Podcast production by Jasmine Ellis You can skip all the ads in A Word by joining Slate Plus. Sign up now at slate.com/awordplus for just $1 for your first month. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

John, Emily and David discuss Justice Breyer’s retirement. They are joined by Anne Applebaum to talk about what global moves may be coming to address threats to Ukraine, and The Gist’s Mike Pesca covers a round robin of the week's news. Here are some notes and references from this week’s show: The Authority of the Court and the Peril of Politics, by Stephen Breyer  Anne Applebaum for The Atlantic: “The Bad Guys Are Winning” The Gist Slow Burn: Watergate Station Eleven, by Emily St. John Mandel  Station Eleven series on HBO Max The Way We Live Now, by Anthony Trollope Here’s this week’s chatter: Emily: Vauhini Vara for Believer Magazine: “Ghosts”; This American Life: “The Ghost in The Machine” John: Dylan Matthews for Vox: “Can Giving Parents Cash Help With Babies’ Brain Development?” David: Tiffany Lukk for Mpls.St.Paul Magazine: “Where to Go Dog Sledding in Minnesota”; Nicole Wetsman for The Verge: “CDC Emails Show That Vaccine Cards Are Supposed To Fit In Your Wallet: The Covid-19 Cards Do Not F

On this week’s episode: Zak, Jamilah, and Elizabeth debate if there's proper etiquette when asking if a kid is vaccinated. Plus, they have some ideas for how to smoothly handle the interaction if the answer is no. Then, they take on the case of the annoying neighbor. Should you tell the kid to buzz off if he can’t play nice? On Slate Plus, secrets, secrets are no fun… but are they outright bad?  Recommendations: Jamilah recommends Budsies. Elizabeth recommends the Buddha Board. Zak recommends creating photo albums. Join us on Facebook and email us at [email protected] to ask us new questions, tell us what you thought of today’s show, and give us ideas about what we should talk about in future episodes.  Podcast produced by Rosemary Belson. Slate Plus members get a bonus segment on MADAF each week, and no ads. Sign up now at slate.com/momanddadplus to listen and support our work. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, Justice Stephen G. Breyer is expected to announce his plan to retire from the Supreme Court at the end of its term this summer. Breyer’s signal comes after a year-long pressure campaign from the political left and others anxious to ensure that Democrats control who replaces the court’s most senior liberal justice.  Guest: Mark Joseph Stern, who covers courts and the law for Slate. If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get benefits like zero ads on any Slate podcast, bonus episodes of shows like Slow Burn and Dear Prudence—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on What Next. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to help support our work. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For this edition of Working Overtime, hosts June Thomas, Isaac Butler, and Karen Han discuss the pomodoro technique, which involves breaking work into timed intervals and taking breaks in between those intervals. In their conversation, they talk about the benefits of taking breaks and using timers, but they also underscore the importance of creative momentum. Could the pomodoro technique actually disrupt the flow of certain tasks? If you have creative techniques or strategies to share, or if you’d like some advice from June, Isaac, and Karen, send us an email at [email protected] or leave a message at (304) 933-9675.  Podcast production by Cameron Drews. If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get benefits like zero ads on any Slate podcast, bonus episodes of shows like Slow Burn and Big Mood, Little Mood—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on Working. Sign up now at slate.com/workingplus. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this week’s episode of The Waves, Slate podcast producer Cheyna Roth is joined by author Danielle Friedman. Friedman’s new book Let’s Get Physical explores the history of women’s exercise, and how some old attitudes still linger. They talk about the double bind women have faced when it comes to exercising, the “uterus myth,” and where we’re at with anti-fatness and inclusivity in exercise.   In the Slate Plus segment: Are yoga pants feminist?  Recommendations: Cheyna: YouTube yogi Yoga With Adriene.  Danielle: Watching movies from the 1930s. Especially Jewel Robbery.   Podcast production by Cheyna Roth with editorial oversight by Susan Matthews and June Thomas.  Send your comments and recommendations on what to cover to [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“We Don’t Talk About Bruno,” the hit song from Disney’s Encanto, is sitting at No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 this week, and that’s all thanks to TikTok. On the show today, Madison and Rachelle talk about the songs from Encanto currently dominating the platform, and why people online seem to love to hate Lin-Manuel Miranda. Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder and Derek John. Correction: This podcast incorrectly stated that TikTok is included in the Billboard Hot 100 chart calculations, misnamed the song “Surface Pressure,” and misstated that it is sung by the oldest daughter (it's sung by the middle daughter). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, Slate’s TV critic and host of the podcast Decoder Ring, Willa Paskin, and poet, essayist, podcast host, and author, Nichole Perkins, fill in for Dana and Julia. The panel begins by taking a spin with Julian Fellowes’ (creator of Downton Abbey) new show The Gilded Age. Then, the panel debates about Kenny G and the installment of the docuseries Music Box: Listening to Kenny G. Finally, the panel ponders Ted Gioia’s question: is old music killing new music? In Slate Plus, the panel discusses culture that they’ve changed their mind about over time—whether they’ve grown to like it or dislike it. Email us at [email protected]. Endorsements Willa: The podcast Once Upon a Time… at Bennington College. Nichole: The collection of stories Vampires in the Lemon Grove: And Other Stories by Karen Russell. Steve: Ian MacDonald’s essay “Exiled From Heaven: The Unheard Message of Nick Drake.” Pre-order Dana’s book and buy a ticket to Dana and Isaac’s book event at The Strand (hosted by our very own Stephen Metca

The odds of a Russian invasion of Ukraine are increasing, with thousands of Russian troops stationed near the two countries' border. Vladimir Putin is set on ensuring Ukraine gives up its ambitions to join NATO and the European Union, and it’s unclear how much he’s willing to risk to meet that objective.  How far will the Russian leader go to get what he wants? Is there any way to end the standoff without violence? Guest: Amy Mackinnon, national security and intelligence reporter at Foreign Policy. If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get benefits like zero ads on any Slate podcast, bonus episodes of shows like Slow Burn and Dear Prudence—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on What Next. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to help support our work. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices