The Kennedys are the first family that comes to mind when Americans consider homegrown, pseudo-royal dynasties. From Joe to John and Jackie, they have been elevated to a mythical cultural status. But is it possible that they share more in common with another prominent American family, the Kardashians? Today, Brittany is joined by MJ Corey, author of Dekonstructing the Kardashians: A New Media Manifesto, to find out how these two American 'royal' families share a cultural Krown.

Want more about famous families and the narratives they spin? Check out these episodes:

Inside the Michael Jackson legacy industrial complex
Melania Trump?s multi-million dollar ?infomercial?

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Many millennials either are already in their 40s or are staring them down. Are they having a midlife crisis?

As this generation enters midlife, their lives look really different from their parents' lives: Millennials are more educated and have a higher median net worth, but the generation is also more unequal than previous generations, has higher debt and has lower rates of homeownership and marriage. How does that all shape what millennial midlife crises are starting to look like?

Brittany finds out with Vox senior correspondent Alex Abad-Santos, who recently wrote an article about the millennial midlife crisis, and Sara Srygley, research associate at the Population Reference Bureau.

This episode originally aired on June 20, 2025.

For more episodes about the forces shaping Millennials? lives, check out:

You're not broken - the job market is.

Enough is enough. Is it time to leave America?

The ugly truth of America's expensive homes

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The MET Gala 2026 was eclipsed by its own sponsors, making the event feel out of touch and out of fashion.

Beyoncé made her first MET Gala appearance in ten years. Rihanna showed up (very late). And there were many incredible fashion moments: from Emma Chamberlain to Nicole Kidman to Lena Dunham. But the whole affair was overshadowed by the sponsorship of Jeff and Lauren Sánchez Bezos. Plus, other tech billionaires, Mark Zuckerberg and Sergey Brin, made their MET Gala debuts. All calling into question...what is this event (and art) really for?

To get into it, NPR Music's Anamaria Sayre is joined by culture critic Marjon Carlos and culture writer Shelton Boyd-Griffith. Together they rate the best and worst of fashion's biggest night and explain why the MET Gala feels like it's in decline.

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The MET Gala 2026 is already off to a controversial start, and no one has even shown up yet.

That's because Anna Wintour has been buddying up with a certain billionaire, Jeff Bezos, and his wife, Lauren Sánchez Bezos. The couple are the lead sponsors of this year's gala. To be clear, the wealthiest people have always been involved with fashion's biggest night, but this year some folks feels its more in the spotlight - at a time when many Americans feel like life is getting more and more unaffordable. 

Brittany is joined by culture critic Marjon Carlos and culture writer Shelton Boyd-Griffith to lay out the stakes of this year's MET Gala - from the billionaires to the best dressed.

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The Jackson family and estate have joined forces to give us another biopic of Michael Jackson's life. Michael doesn't tell us anything new about the King of Pop, but it has had the biggest opening weekend of a music biopic ever. From Whitney Houston to Freddie Mercury, why do these posthumous biopics always seem to fall flat, and what do decades of Jackson family drama say about how we reckon with the complicated figures in pop culture and our own lives? Brittany talks with Aisha Harris, critic and co-host of NPR's Pop Culture Happy Hour, to find out.

Want more deep dives on the legacies of pop culture icons? Check out these episodes:
Jesse Jackson & the end of the civil rights superhero
Marilyn Monroe was more than just 'Blonde'

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The slur disappeared but is once again popular to use on and offline. What's up with that?

Over the past few years, the R-word - a term for disabled people that otherwise left the cultural lexicon - has been popping up more and more. It is the rare slur that goes out of vogue and makes a resurgence, particularly among young men. It's return may also have larger implications that affect policy, culture, and how we treat each other.

Disability advocate Imani Barbarin joins the show to break down how ableism can take root in casual conversation, and why words matter.

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Is the American fashion industry making a conservative turn?

Despite her modeling past, fashion-obsessed First Lady Melania Trump has not graced the cover of Vogue during President Trump?s tenure. And that?s not necessarily surprising? Anna Wintour, the global editorial director of American Vogue, is a longtime advocate for the Democrats.

But there?s definitely been a shift. That?s why it?s been so curious to see Trump associate Lauren Sánchez Bezos on the digital cover of Vogue. And it was definitely peculiar to see longevity-obsessed venture capitalist Bryan Johnson and looksmaxxing influencer Clavicular walking the runway. Is the American fashion industry making a conservative turn? Or is this just business as usual?

To answer this question, Brittany is joined by Pulitzer Prize winning critic, Robin Givhan. From fashionable First Ladies to President Trump?s favorite shoes - Robin gets into how fashion, politics, and our desire for relatability collide in the court of public opinion. 

Want more about fashion? Check out these episodes:
Fast fashion vs. Trump: why women may pay more in the tariff wars
The MET Gala is tonight, and it's already historic. Here's why.

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Is polyamory about more than just how many partners you have?

According to a YouGov survey from 2023, on a scale of zero being completely monogamous and six being completely non-monogamous, one third of Americans put their answer somewhere above zero. And there are a lot of different types of non-monogamy, but one of those types ? polyamory ? has been in the discourse as of late. The polyamory that writer Lindy West describes in her new book, Adult Braces, has spawned a thousand takes: her path to polyamory was admittedly kind of dicey, and it spawned discussion about what polyamory means. Polyamory can stand in for a set of political beliefs, class associations and other signifiers that have nothing to do with how many partners one has. But why does a choice about relationship structures feel so weighty, and why can't anyone be normal about it?

To discuss, Brittany is joined by Christopher M. Gleason, lecturer of American history at Georgia State University and the author of American Poly, a book about the history of polyamory in America.

(00:00) Lindy West and polyamory panic
(02:41) Polyamory's surprising political origins
(07:02) Can polyamory "fix" relationships?
(12:41) Misconceptions about polyamory (and why it has so many haters)


For more episodes about relationships, check out:
What really counts as "cheating?"
The joy of breaking up with dating apps
Me and my partner don't see eye-to-eye about AI. Now what?

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Do you feel poor every time you turn on Bravo television?

You're not alone - the beautiful homes of the rich and famous showcased on reality TV shows from Keeping Up with the Kardashians to the Real Housewives of Atlanta are meant to be something of a fantasy for audiences everywhere. But what are the housing realities behind the glitz and glamour? And how are your favorite reality TV stars shaping your own ideas of home and stability? To find out, Brittany is joined by Jack Balderrama Morley, author of Dream Facades: The Cruel Architecture of Reality TV, and Liam Dillon, staff writer at Politico who covers housing in California.

Want more about cultural deep dives into Reality TV?

Check out these episodes:

Is this the end of reality TV?
The molten center of 'The Real Housewives' multiverse

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Are men ashamed of their porn habits?

The majority of men consume porn, and most use it for masturbation, but two thirds of men under 25 think porn should be harder to access, according to research from the Survey Center on American Life. There's a broader discussion now among some men about the role of porn and masturbation in their lives ? and manosphere figures like Andrew Tate and Hamza Ahmed are urging their listeners to stop watching it. Some men are cutting it out entirely: they congregate on Reddit pages like r/pornfree or use porn addiction alleviation apps like Quittr and Fortify. But what do men think watching porn says about them? And is this just ?purity culture for boys?? 

Brittany is joined by Rebecca Jennings, features writer at New York Magazine who wrote a piece about anti-porn men, and Scott Burnett, assistant professor of African Studies and Women's Gender and Sexuality Studies at Penn State University, who has published research about men's anti-masturbation trends. 

(00:00) Why are (some) men turning against porn?
(03:49) Gen Z men and shame around porn
(11:18) "Real sex with real women": how anti-porn men view women
(14:30) The fear of losing control to porn addiction
(19:15) Is this just "purity culture for boys?"
(22:27) Desire can be embarrassing - but maybe that's okay

For more episodes about gender, sexuality, and internet culture, check out:
The price women pay for being online
The joy of breaking up with dating apps
Gen Z is afraid of sex ? and for good reason

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The internet was built off women's labor. Will it ever pay them back?

From the creation of Google Images to the overlooked - or criminalized - digital labor of sex workers, the internet has been built on the intellect, image, and likeness of women. So where does that leave us in a rapidly changing digital environment where algorithms, AI, and even beauty filters distort our reality?

To answer these questions, Brittany is joined by artist and UCLA professor Mindy Seu. Her books, Cyberfeminism Index and A Sexual History of the Internet, uncover the desire at the foundation of the internet's inception and how the exploitation of marginalized creators has consequences for us all.

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Pilates is great. Why are people being weird about it?

Pilates is an exercise that has been around for a long time ? around a hundred years ? but it?s just now coming into vogue in a big way. According to the Sports and Fitness Industry Association report from 2025, Pilates is the fastest growing form of individual exercise in the United States: participation jumped by nearly 40% since 2019. And it?s gotten pretty big on social media.

But there's something interesting happening with that social media content ? sometimes, it seems less about the actual exercise and way more about what doing Pilates says about who you are as a woman. And of course, anyone can do Pilates, but on social media, there is a strong emphasis on it being for "girls" (and being for specific kinds of girls). So why is some questionable baggage getting attached to Pilates? And why can't we be normal about exercise in general?

Brittany is joined by Madeline Leung Coleman, features writer at New York Magazine, who wrote a piece about why Pilates keeps getting people up in arms.

(00:00) How Pilates became popular
(02:21) Pilates got a hot makeover
(04:10) Does Pilates really reduce inflammation?
(08:29) The 'sculpt' body ideal (why celebrities are so thin and muscular now)
(11:19) The real benefits of Pilates
(14:43) Why (some) dudes are obsessed with finding a Pilates wife
(21:39) Can we ever be normal about exercise?

For more episodes about health, exercise and culture, check out:
Is tech making us too obsessed with our bodies?
The Swoletariat: a history of leftist fitness
Exercise is more important than ever

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Across the country, Evangelicals are facing a moral dilemma -- is supporting government actions in line with their religious beliefs?

The answer shows a rift in Evangelical communities, as government officials like Speaker of the House Mike Johnson and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth use scripture to justify war and deportation.

To parse through these questions of God and country, Brittany is joined by NPR Religion correspondent Jason DeRose, and Reverend Dr. Gabriel Salguero, president and founder of the National Latino Evangelical Coalition and pastor of the Gathering Place in Orlando, Florida.

(00:00) The Evangelical Dilemma: do the Trump Administration's actions line up with the Bible?
(06:29) How the Trump Administration uses the Bible for political messaging. Is it Christian, though?
(15:29) What is the line between church and state? And who decides?
(20:06) The Evangelical belief that American Christians are under siege

For more on belief and politics, check out these episodes:
The not-so-secret lives of Mormon women
Is Christianity cool again?

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When you can bet on anything, everything changes. 

Unlike sports betting, prediction markets like Polymarket and Kalshi give users the freedom to bet on anything that comes to mind. Will Lady Gaga sing at the Super Bowl? What words will Trump say in his next speech? Or worse? the assassination of a world leader.

Those bets - which are illegal - is what has prediction markets in hot water and lawmakers hustling to put guardrails on the industry. It?s also what today?s guest predicted in our 2026 predictions episode at the top of the year. 

NPR?s Bobby Allyn returns to the show to unpack the wild west of prediction markets and what the unfettered access to this market could do to us as a culture.

Want more? Check out these IBAM episodes:
2026 Predictions: Beyoncé retires, AI busts, Democrats lift weights
Get rich or die trying: how sports betting is changing our love of the game

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What makes someone a star nowadays? And why does every generation of humans crave to celebrate them?

For decades, Hollywood has promoted a carefully curated ideal of aspirational talent, beauty, and intrigue. But in 2026, it feels like that power is in the hands of the one thing that alleges to know us best: the algorithm. Now computer programs hold more power in shaping who is famous and what we all are fed as aspirational ideals: from who is a star to what our bodies should look like. Enter the algorithm body.

In this episode, host Brittany Luse is joined by Christiana Mbakwe Medina, screenwriter and host of the Pop Syllabus podcast. They get into the evolving nature of fame and why Christina thinks the thin body ideal is out and the sculpted body ideal is in.

Want more about tech, beauty, and cultural cache? Check out these IBAM episodes:
The morbid lifelessness of modern beauty
Peptides & the pursuit of the "perfect" body

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Is AI in the workplace lightening your load...or frying your brain?

Researchers at Boston Consulting Group and the University of California, Riverside coined the term "AI brain fry" to describe ?mental fatigue that results from excessive use of, interaction with, and/or oversight of AI tools beyond one's cognitive capacity.? In other words, doing too much with A.I.
There's something kind of comically tragic about the idea that these tools that were meant to lighten our loads seem to be doing the opposite for some. But beyond the psychic damage, there's a lot in this brain fry idea that points to how we work with AI: for example, with all the managing it needs, is turning us all into bosses? And is this really the future of work?

Brittany is joined by John Herrman, tech columnist for New York Magazine, to get into the ins and outs of AI brain fry.

(00:00) Who gets "AI brain fry"
(05:34) The strange incentives behind more AI-powered output
(09:30) Is working with AI simulating management?
(12:42) How AI chat tools challenge workplace boundaries
(16:18) The anxious future of work with AI

For more episodes about AI and modern life, check out:
Me and my partner don't see eye-to-eye about AI. Now what?
The hard work of having "good taste"
You're not broken - the job market is.

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With everything going on in the world, it makes sense that some of us want to check out. But at what cost?

In this episode, host Brittany Luse is dissecting our current obsession with numbing ourselves to the moment and tuning out. This so-called ?numb girl? attitude and aesthetic is defined by detachment, irony, and a world weary cynicism. Think the "Gen Z pout," "expressionless Botox chic,? a deadpan voice, or selfies with a vacant gaze. Of course, It appears effortless and nonchalant, but it?s highly curated and self-aware ? it?s the perfect mask for avoiding humiliation in a world that is always there to judge you. But is avoiding the pain of the world good for us?

Brittany is joined by writer Rayne Fisher-Quann aka Internet Princess and freelance cultural critic Sophie Lou Wilson to get into why all the cool girls are dissociating and what we lose when we numb ourselves to the world around us.

(0:00) News fatigue, detachment, & irony are cooler than ever
(5:02) Gucci runways to political nihilism: numbness went mainstream
(10:15) Lobotomy Chic: an ironic joke turned beauty trend
(14:57) The privilege of dissociating. Who can afford to disconnect?
(18:08) Is numbness a form of feminist resistance?
(20:15) How to un-numb and reconnect with humanity

This episode contains mentions of suicide. If you or someone you know may be considering suicide or is in crisis, call or text 9 8 8 to reach the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.

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Have you seen ADHD content pop up in your feeds? Are you getting a lot of it?

In the past few years, there's been a surge in the number of adults diagnosed with ADHD, and at the same time more and more people online are going viral with "signs" that you might have it too. Whether with our doctors or friends, we're all talking a lot more about adult ADHD. Is this a perfect storm of online content leading to more diagnoses? Or is there more to the story?

Brittany is joined by culture journalist Kelli Maria Korducki, who wrote about this for The Guardian, and Manvir Singh, assistant professor of anthropology at UC Davis, to get into it.

This episode originally aired on April 25, 2025.

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After dominating television screens for decades, has reality TV gone into decline?

Secret Lives of Mormon Wives cast member Taylor Frankie Paul has been a controversial figure for some time now, but the latest allegations surrounding the star - and the subsequent cancellation of her season of The Bachelorette - have caused viewers to ask: how far is too far for reality TV? With ratings on the decline and networks desperate to keep audiences coming back, reality TV has taken some drastic turns to remain relevant.

To get into all this Rebecca Jennings, features writer for New York Magazine, joins the show to unpack the drama surrounding Taylor Frankie Paul and the state of reality TV at large.

(0:00) Who's being exploited more on reality TV?
(03:36) Unpacking Taylor Frankie Paul's controversial reality TV journey
(09:27) ABC's risky bet on Taylor Frankie Paul as 'The Bachelorette'
(18:29) Navigating the line between 'messy' and 'dark' on reality TV
(21:25) How reality TV fandom has changed
(25:37) Finding unexpected value in reality TV drama
(29:23) The need for better vetting and ethics in reality TV casting
(33:33) Official statements from Taylor Frankie Paul and Dakota Mortensen

Want more about reality TV? Check out these IBAM episodes:
Our love lives have gone full Love Island.
Dating skills vs. dating gimmicks in 'Love on the Spectrum'

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Do you and your loved ones see eye-to-eye... about AI?

There?s been a lot of discourse about age gaps and wage gaps ? but there?s a new kind of gap rocking relationships: AI gaps. For example, when a couple isn't on the same page about when and how to use it, or even how AI becomes an unwelcome third wheel in a relationship. And this is big for some couples ? but this also can be an issue in some friendships and family dynamics, too. So what does AI usage say about what people value? And are conflicts around AI becoming proxies for deeper issues in relationships?

Brittany chats with Jenny Singer, a freelance culture writer who wrote about this for The Washington Post, and Heather Kelly, a freelance reporter who focuses on how technology affects daily life.

(00:00) Can using AI be an ick?
(03:35) When AI becomes an unwelcome third in your relationship
(07:41) Why Americans are pessimistic about AI - but might use it anyway
(13:08) What AI usage might say about our values
(18:06) Strategies for bridging the AI divide in relationships

For more episodes about modern dating, check out:
"Girl Math" does not add up to financial freedom
The unbearable fear of being cheated on
The joy of breaking up with dating apps

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We have officially wrapped Quarter 1 of 2026. That means it's time to gather the pop culture C-suite and take stock of the best and worst of culture this year...so far.

Host Brittany Luse is your Pop Culture CEO, and she's joined by esteemed members of the C-suite, Joan Summers and Matthew Lawson, co-hosts of the Eating for Free podcast, to recap the last three months in an official Pop Culture Quarterly Review. What have been the major cultural achievements and setbacks so far this year? And in the Pop Culture Boardroom, who will emerge as the MVP?

Want more bird's eye views of pop culture? Check out these episodes.
The Best & Worst Moments of 2025
2026 Predictions: Beyoncé retires, AI busts, Democrats lift weights

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Does 2026 belong to "Wasians?"

Actor Hudson Williams (Heated Rivalry) and Olympic gold medalist Alysa Liu recently became household names very quickly. And people are talking about the rising stars beyond just their talents: they?re talking about Liu?s and Williams? race. Both are half-Asian, half-white, also known as ?Wasian? ? and some have dubbed this past season ?Wasian winter.? But why are Wasians a topic of conversation now, and what does this discussion say about how attitudes around some mixed race identities have changed?

Brittany is joined by Mika Ellison, intern for It?s Been a Minute and Life Kit, to get into the geopolitical and cultural forces around the ?Wasian fixation.?

(00:00) Unpacking the 'Wasian Fixation'
(04:38) Geopolitical forces behind Wasians in culture
(09:53) From 'Hapa' to 'Wasian'
(13:38) What does a Wasian story look like?
(19:53) The evolution of mixed discourse
(23:04) Is 'Wasian' a good term?

For more on Heated Rivalry, check out: What's so hot about Heated Rivalry?
For more on identity and the internet, check out: Think you have ADHD? Here's why so many of us are saying yes.

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Sorry but...the "Girl Math" is not adding up.

And by "Girl Math" we mean the class fantasies of young women; the dream of achieving financial freedom by being frivolous with finances (because 'I'm just a girl!')... and rely entirely on their husband or partner (with no backup plan!).

You see these fantasies peddled in romance novels, divorce memoirs, and, of course, tradwife content. According to Chelsea Fagan, author and CEO of The Financial Diet, these are all part of our culture's obsession with class fantasies. While we may believe much of our social and romantic desires are solely rooted in love, Chelsea wants to encourage women especially to interrogate their financial status and future.

Brittany is joined by Chelsea to answer the question: is it really love if you don?t have the financial ability to come and go as you please?

(0:00) Unpacking the infantilization of "girl math" and women's financial fantasies
(1:58) Financial fantasy brain rot: relying on a wealthy man
(05:18) How 'Just Getting Good' got started
(08:55) How 'Just Getting Good' debunks financial myths
(12:05) How romance novels peddle regressive class fantasies
(17:28) How fictional fantasies bleed into real life
(24:55) How voluntary financial ignorance harms women
(30:32) Building relationships with financial clarity and equity

Want more on financial fantasies or relationships? Check out these IBAM episodes:
Money can make or break your relationship
The embarrassing truth of dating men

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Is fanfiction mainstream now?

If you are anywhere near fan spaces online, you?ve probably seen people talking about fanfiction. And it's also behind some of the biggest books of the last decade ? some of the publishing industry's greatest hits are fanfic adaptations. But even as fanfic seeps into the mainstream, there?s a battle inside fanfic communities over whether it should be kept private ? and a larger culture war brewing over what gets published and who?s reading it. 

Brittany gets into the gendered, economic, and cultural forces pushing fanfiction to the fore with Ashley Reese, writer, cultural commentator and fanfic veteran, and Eli Cugini, culture writer, Ph.D. student and author of a Defector article called ?Fanfiction?s Total Cultural Victory.?

Want to hear more about the state of literacy? Check out these episodes: 
Have we lost the art of reading?
Yes, romance & fantasy novels are political.
Books vs. Brain Rot: why it's so hard to read

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Do you think you have good taste?

Having a good sense of taste is something like a cultural badge of honor: the result of hard work understanding what you find beautiful and why it moves you. Silicon Valley tech bros are latching onto taste as a new buzzword, and some are even suggesting that their products can give you a fast track to refining your own taste.

Brittany is joined by Kyle Chayka, staff writer at The New Yorker, and Kate Wagner, architecture critic at The Nation, to find out whether or not taste can be created from terabytes of AI data. You can read Kyle's piece, titled, 'Why Tech Bros Are Now Obsessed with Taste' in The New Yorker.

Want more about Tech and Culture? Check out these episodes:
The false promise of a tech job.
Can you trust AI search results?

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There's a new beauty trend in town: why are women trying to look...lifeless?

Today?s guest, Jessica DeFino - beauty reporter, critic, and author of the FLESH WORLD Substack - says contemporary glamorization of anti-aging products and long dead icons like Caroline Bessette Kennedy all fall within a macabre beauty trend, what she calls ?the morgue gaze.? Ageless, poreless, lifeless beauty inspiration keeps consumers coming back for more numb, frozen aesthetics - forever. Jessica joins host Brittany Luse to break down what the morgue gaze is and why we?re so fascinated with the beauty of lifelessness.

(0:00) The Resurgence of Carolyn Bessette and the 'Morgue Gaze'
(2:03) Aesthetic Immortality: Unpacking the Morgue Gaze's Appeal
(5:49) From Mannequin Skin to Cadaver Fat: The Rise of Lifeless Beauty
(9:41) Billionaire Longevity: Transhumanism, AI, and the Undead Future
(12:59) The Dissociative Pout
(17:58) The Inescapable Grip of Beauty Culture

Want more about beauty? Check out these IBAM episodes: 
The beauty industry has an Epstein problem
Looksmaxxing is teaching men that pretty hurts.
Peptides & the pursuit of the "perfect" body

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Everyone has to make the decision to have or not have kids. There are good reasons for both.

Are you sick of dating? Terrified of how expensive everything is? Frustrated with America's so-called social safety net? Horrified by the state of healthcare? If you answered yes to any of these, you might be one of the many people deciding to go childfree.

Host Brittany Luse is joined by Sarah McCammon, Senior Fellow at Third Way, and Emma Gannon, author of the novel Olive, to explore the reasons people feel like life might be better without a child -- and how that impacts everyone.

(0:00) Why women choose to go childfree
(1:53) The economic & ideological responses to declining birth rates
(6:01) Pushing back against negative assumptions of childfree women
(10:39) How to deal with society's judgment of family size and choice
(17:33) How childfree women shape modern society
(25:45) How culture and policy lag behind women's expectations of life
(31:02) What true childbearing freedom looks like for everyone

Want to hear more about modern womanhood? Check out these episodes: 
Enough is enough. Is it time to leave America?
Why are people freaking out about the birth rate?
The myth of modern "adulthood"

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Why is the government obsessed with whole milk?

In January, the USDA account on X posted a picture, possibly AI generated, of President Trump with a milk mustache. The caption was, ?Drink up America. #DrinkWholeMilk.? Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. posted what seems to be an AI video that shows him being transported to a nightclub when he drinks milk. The caption is, ?when you take that first sip of whole milk.? Whole milk is also at the top of the new food pyramid. But what?s all this for? How do we make sense of this push for whole milk, especially when milk has some unsavory ideological associations?

Brittany gets into it with Yasmin Tayag, staff writer for The Atlantic who covers science and the future of food, and Andrea Freeman, Second Century Chair Professor of Law at Southwestern Law School and author of the book Ruin Their Crops on the Ground: The Politics of Food in the United States from the Trail of Tears to School Lunch.

Want more about modern health? Check out these episodes:
Were Americans actually healthier in the past?
The difference between losing weight & being "healthy" 
Is tech making us too obsessed with our bodies?

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What happens when tech billionaires control the media you consume?

With the help of his father, Paramount CEO David Ellison's purchase of Warner Bros. Discovery has gained him a roster of franchises and networks, from Looney Tunes to CNN. But the sale hasn't come without serious concerns, from data privacy to the rising costs of streaming services to what this means for workers in the entertainment industry.

Brittany is joined by Mandalit Del Barco, NPR culture correspondent, and David Folkenflik, NPR media correspondent, to cut through the corporate drama and figure out what this deal means for all of us.

(0:00) Why Brittany thinks you should be interested in the Paramount/Warner Bros deal
(4:12) How this deal will impact journalism and what you watch on TV
(7:19) Who are the Ellisons? And what's their relationship to Trump?
(11:49) Why cuts to the entertainment industry impact the entire country
(16:45) Who really controls American culture: the people or the rich & powerful?

Interested in more TV conversations? Check out these episodes:
Sinners vs. One Battle After Another: who should win Best Picture?
Melania Trump?s multi-million dollar ?infomercial?

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It's easier than ever to cheat and to catch a cheater, but is that a good thing?

For example, there are apps and social media groups dedicated to outing a cheater. But what if that paranoia about cheating is actually hurting our relationships? And on top of that, definitions of "cheating" vary widely. How do you decide for yourself what really counts as cheating? And what's really fueling our fear of being cheated on?

Brittany is joined by Kathryn Jezer-Morton, writer of the Brooding column from The Cut, and Shannon Keating, freelance culture journalist, to get to the bottom of why fear of infidelity haunts our culture and our dating lives.

Want more about modern dating? Check out these episodes:
The embarassing truth of dating men
Is he a good guy? Or is he manipulating you?

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The Epstein Files have revealed social and financial relationships throughout the beauty industry - and a toxic veneration for youth. Is it time for the public to reckon with what the powerful tell us is and isn't "beautiful?" 

Host Brittany Luse wonders: can society let go of decades old obsession with youthfulness? Luckily, Jessica DeFino, reporter, critic, and author of the FLESH WORLD substack, joins the show to answer that question and unpack how we?ve made beauty our God.

(0:00) How the beauty industry shows up in the Epstein Files
(3:24) Why the language of "self-care" is hypocritical post-Epstein
(6:06) The beauty industry's obsession with youth
(11:55) The secular religion of beauty
(19:59) America's Next Top Model & the internalization of beauty standards
(24:30) Tyra Banks & the power you lose in pursuit of power

Correction, March 19, 2026
A previous version of this episode incorrectly said that the 1970s tagline ?because innocence is sexier than you think? was used to promote Maybelline products. It was used in advertisements for Love?s Baby Soft products.

Want more about beauty and power? Check out these IBAM episodes:
"Looksmaxxing" is teaching men that pretty hurts.
Peptides & the pursuit of the "perfect" body
The privilege of being "skinny"

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All this health tracking might not be actually very...healthy.

There's a lot of evidence that health tracking can be good for us. Studies have shown that fitness trackers are effective at increasing physical activity, and can pretty accurately detect issues like arrhythmia. And now they're getting a promotional boost from some very influential people: Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr., and doctor and wellness influencer Casey Means ? President Trump's nominee for surgeon general and founder of Levels Health, a company that analyzes data from continuous glucose monitors. But even as health wearables have benefits ? how do they fit into the Make America Healthy Again vision for health? What does all this data really do for us ? and who else could access it?

Brittany is joined by Adam Clark Estes, senior technology correspondent at Vox, and Lindsay Gellman, a freelance journalist who reports on health and business, to get into it.

Want more about modern health? Check out these episodes:
Were Americans actually healthier in the past?
The difference between losing weight & being "healthy" 
Exercise is more important than ever

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Yes, young men are in crisis, but young women are too. Why aren't we talking about it?

Over the past two years, statistics about men's mental health, educational advancement, and financial well-being have made headlines. And, in turn, sparked an industry of organizations, pundits, and others ringing the alarm about men, particularly young men, being in crisis. But, the data shows young women are struggling at the same rates in most categories. In this episode we're looking at broader data ? across genders ? to see if it paints a more accurate picture of what's going on and to understand why when one gender suffers...all genders do.

Brittany is joined by Faith Hill, staff writer at the Atlantic, and Dr. Meg Jay, clinical psychologist and author of the Twentysomething Treatment to unpack the unspoken crisis women are facing.

Interested in more conversations about modern adulthood? Check out these episodes:
The myth of modern "adulthood"
The political power of Gen Z women
Make America Male Again?

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The stakes feel especially high for this year's top Oscars prize.

It feels like every few years there are two films that really set the tone for where American culture is headed. In 2017: it was Moonlight versus La La Land. In 2019: it was Green Book versus BlackKKlansman. And now, in 2026: it?s Sinners versus One Battle After Another. And there?s one question that host Brittany Luse has at the top of her mind: How do these films capture what it means to live in this moment? And how does the conversation surrounding them become so contentious?

Host Brittany Luse is joined by Nadira Goffe, staff writer of culture at Slate, and Robert Daniels, associate editor at rogerebert.com to unpack the discourse taking the internet by storm.

Interested in other episodes about cultural critique? Check these out:
Pop culture has a 'bean soup problem'
Yes, romance & fantasy novels are political.
What's so hot about Heated Rivalry?

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A "pathetic man" is the guy who gets you to take care of him, because he's purposefully not taking care of himself.

These are the men who lean into the hardships of modern manhood...and expect women to sooth their pain. They're popping up in our TV shows, social media feeds, and real lives. So much so that Tiktoker Josh Lora (aka tellthebeees) has declared 2026 the year of pathetic men. 

Host Brittany Luse and Josh raise a toast to the men who lean into the ways patriarchy and masculinity have failed them?maybe too much.

(0:00) What is a "pathetic man?" And how does he manipulate people?
(4:18) How to spot a "pathetic man" in pop culture and real life
(8:52) How men ask others to support him...rather than supporting himself
(15:18) Why society is primed to excuse men's behavior
(18:46) Pathetic men are the logical evolution of soft boys and baby girls
(24:06) Women are in crisis too...so why do struggling men get all the attention?

Interested in other episodes about modern dating? Check these out:
"The End of Men" by Hanna Rosin
The Embarrassing Truth of Dating Men
Is he a good guy? Or is he manipulating you?

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Are Americans actually becoming less healthy?

That?s an idea that Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has been repeating for a while now. While there are some nuggets of truth in that ? on the whole, American life expectancy has gone up a lot in Kennedy?s lifetime. So why does a backward-looking narrative serve his agenda? And what would actually move the needle forward on improving Americans? health?

Brittany is joined by NPR health policy correspondent Selena Simmons-Duffin to get into the nuances of what ?healthy? means.

Want more about modern health? Check out these episodes:
The difference between losing weight & being "healthy"
Exercise is more important than ever
Sex is pleasurable. It should feel safe too.

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As the old vanguard of civil rights leaders pass, who will fill the void?

Last month, the world lost a titan in the struggle for civil rights: the Reverend Jesse Jackson Sr. His style of leadership is deeply familiar: masculine, charismatic, and inspiring. But is that archetype of the modern Moses-style social justice leader still as salient as it once was? And if not, what would does that mean for civil rights organizing moving forward? We're getting into why it all starts with you and your communities.

Brittany is joined by Dr. Marcus Lee, assistant professor of African American studies at Princeton University, and Dr. Kellie Carter Jackson, the chair of Africana Studies at Wellesley College, to find out.

Interested in more conversations about civil rights and protest? Check out these episodes:
The biggest threat to Trump? Ordinary people.
Is The Squad dead? Cori Bush on the future of progressive politics

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Politically "independent" used to mean you were moderate. Not anymore. 

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. 

Danielle Kurtzleben guest hosts with Elena Moore, a political reporter for NPR, and Dr. Omar Ali, a professor of African American political history at UNC & author of In the Balance of Power: Independent Black Politics and Third Party Movements in the United States.

Want more episodes on political culture? Check out these episodes:
Woke is BACK! ...really?
MAGA has a DEI policy. Just ask Nicki Minaj.
The Swoletariat: a history of leftist fitness

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Can you afford to get married? Or get a divorce?

Nothing sets the internet on fire more than the fantasy of finding a partner (usually a man) to pay for your lifestyle. We?re here to put those fires out: dating across class is rare (we will explain why) and financial differences can hurt the partner who has less. Plus, with more women becoming the breadwinners, are women actually the new power partners?

Brittany is joined by Wailin Wong, Business and Economics journalist and co-host of The Indicator from Planet Money, and Reema Khrais, host of Marketplace?s This is Uncomfortable (which just had a BRAND NEW season drop. Check it out!)

(0:00) The explicit and implicit ways money shows up in dating
(6:49) Why marriage is a GOOD financial investment
(12:10) Why marriage is a BAD financial investment
(20:13) Dating someone wealthier than you is harder than you think
(37:54) Will women surpass men as the breadwinners?

Want more episodes on dating and finances? Check out these episodes:
Is marriage worth it? Single women say no.
Want to date a rich man? It's harder than you think.
Your date gave you 'The Ick?' That might be a YOU problem.

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If the apps aren't working for you, don't stress ? there?s a different way to date.

Dating apps have quickly become a fixture of modern dating. They do work for a lot of people ? but many are also dissatisfied with the endless swiping and paywalled features. With the apps so ubiquitous, is it still possible to date offline? Or have dating apps made some people too scared of face-to-face rejection?

Brittany is joined by Manuela López-Restrepo, All Things Considered producer and writer, to get into her offline dating journey ? and what she?s learned along the way.

(0:00) Are you fed up with dating apps? Us too!
(4:48) The dating app paradox: who makes money when you swipe...
(15:09) How dating apps change what rejection feels like
(23:05) A trip to a real life singles night (will Manuela find a date?)

Want more about modern dating? Check out these episodes:
The embarrassing truth of dating men
It's never too late to find a good relationship. Here's proof.
Your date gave you 'The Ick?' That might be a YOU problem.

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Who gets to be "hot" in America? And, at what cost?

Some young men are pushing beauty boundaries with guidance from an online trend that's been making headlines: looksmaxxing. Looksmaxxing celebrates intense fitness & skincare routines, extreme body modification, and notably Eurocentric features as the holy grail of modern beauty, but who gets locked out of looksmaxxing when "Chad" is the gold standard? And how painful is it to pursue perfection that's skin deep?

Brittany is joined by Jason Parham, senior writer at WIRED covering internet culture, online dating, and the future of sex.

(0:00) What is "Looksmaxxing" and why it went mainstream
(2:15) How politics influence who gets to be "attractive"
(7:10) Eugenics and the backlash to Black looksmaxxers
(13:28) Why pursuing beauty standards leaves you feeling lonely
(18:43) How to redefine beauty and feel more confident in your body

Interested in more conversations about body politics and beauty standards? Check out these episodes:
MAGA has a DEI policy. Just ask Nicki Minaj.
The privilege of being "skinny"

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Why is the culture so obsessed with men on the down low?

To some, they're a secret, sexy symbol. To others, they're carriers of diseases and lies. What is the truth about men who live their sexual lives 'on the DL', and what does our culture's recurring fascination with them say about how society treats men whose sexualities don't fit into neat boxes? Brittany is joined by Dr. Jeffrey McCune, author of Sexual Discretion: Black Masculinity and the Politics of Passing, and Kai Wright - a journalist and host for the Guardian who has been writing about sexual politics for the last 30 years.

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Is it time to rethink our food delivery habits?

According to data from the National Restaurant Association, around 60% of both millennials and Gen Z say food delivery is an essential part of their lifestyles. But are the steep prices ? and occasional guilt ? worth the convenience? Brittany is joined by NPR Life Kit producer Margaret Cirino, who recently scaled her food delivery habits way back, to discuss why so many have come to rely on it and what a different path could look like.

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Social media could fundamentally shift our understanding of what is and isn't "addictive."

Tech companies are back in court...and likely will be for a while. A wave of lawsuits allege that platforms - like Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, TikTok and Snapchat - are addictive and harmful, especially to children. These cases could change platform regulations and this country's interpretation of what counts as "addiction."

Brittany is joined by NPR correspondent Shannon Bond, and Dr. Carl Erik Fisher, addiction psychiatrist and author of The Urge: Our History of Addiction, to find out what these court cases mean for our relationships with social media - and how social algorithms are fundamentally reshaping our understanding of "addiction."

(0:00) Is social media bad for your mental health?
(1:54) What people are taking social media platforms to court
(7:27) How social media is changing what counts as "addiction"
(15:01) Behavioral vs. Substance addiction
(18:11) How to change your relationship to social media
(23:21) Systemic interventions for social media use

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Is veganism in its flop era?

There was a time when veganism ? or plant-based food ? seemed to be in ascendency: from the early 2010s when Beyoncé adopted a plant-based diet to its height in 2020, when the retail market for plant-based meat made over a billion dollars in sales. And then? things started getting a little more? meaty. From protein-maxxing to the new food pyramid, the culture seems to have shifted. But what does the plant-based food flop era say about our culture, how we think about our food, and how we feel about our future? Special guest host Danielle Kurtzleben, NPR political correspondent, discusses with writer Rachel Sugar, who wrote a piece on the boom and bust of veganism for New York Magazine, and Mark Bittman, long-time food journalist and former New York Times columnist who has written about veganism since the early 2010s.

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Translation tech has improved a lot. So why learn a language?

A lot of people around the world speak English. For those who don?t, AirPods offer live translation ? and Google Translate can fill in gaps, too. So as English-speakers, why learn a second language? Well, it?s hard ? but translation can miss a lot of cultural understanding. Brittany is joined by Emily Kwong, co-host of NPR?s science podcast Short Wave, to explore why putting your brain through learning a new language offers surprising benefits and opportunities for connection.

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Is the far-right in its rainbow coalition era?

We're seeing quite a few examples in the culture that may suggest so: from Nicki Minaj's recent pivot to the MAGA right, to the videos of DHS agents of color making violent arrests, it feels like the far-right is making more space for people of color to find platforms and power. But how does a multicultural right-wing movement square with the politics of the President? Brittany is joined by Axios senior race and justice reporter Russell Contreras to understand the world of multiracial MAGA.

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Learn to code, they said! And then the layoffs started happening...

The tech industry is hemorrhaging jobs. According to one estimate, there have been over 700,000 tech workers laid off since 2022. But there was once a time when ?learn to code? was the advice de rigueur for laid-off workers, and a lot of resources went into teaching kids computer science. So if a cushy position in tech isn?t a ?good? job anymore? what is? Brittany discusses this with Rya Jetha, tech culture reporter for the San Francisco Standard, and Natasha Singer, technology reporter for The New York Times and author of the upcoming book Coding Kids: Big Tech's Battle to Remake Public Schools.

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Bad Bunny's Super Bowl performance had a clear message for his fans and his haters. 

The pop star's show was a colorful and vibrant vision of Puerto Rican culture and heritage, from a real life wedding to boxing matches - and even a surprise cameo from Ricky Martin. Against a backdrop of widespread immigration crackdowns and targeted rhetoric, Bad Bunny centered joy as an act of resistance - and as a space for all people in North and South America to unite. 

Brittany is joined by Pop Culture Happy Hour cohost Stephen Thompson, music and entertainment critic Reanna Cruz, and Alana Casanova-Burgess, host of La Brega podcast, to understand the version of America that Bad Bunny wants us to live in.

(0:00) Bad Bunny's performance was one of the all time greats
(03:04) The key moments: the parade of nations to Ricky Martin & Lady Gaga
(08:11) The story and world that Bad Bunny was building
(12:33) Weddings and joy as acts of resistance
(16:14) The Grammy, Liam Conejo Ramos, and what the moment meant
(23:57) Bad Bunny's radical politics vs. the NFL's politics

For more on Bad Bunny, check out this deep dive into his latest album: Bad Bunny & the battle for Puerto Rico

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Is Melania Trump's new film a documentary? Fan service? Or propaganda?

The Amazon funded $40 million-$75 million film, follows the first lady as she prepares for her husband's second inauguration. But, it's finely manicured editing and it's fabricated storylines obscure reality - much like the Trump administration's broader media strategy. So what's the point?

Brittany sits down with NPR Senior Arts Critic Bob Mondello, and Vulture Movie Critic Alison Willmore. They examine the wardrobe changes, opulent decor, and even Amazon?s financial support of the movie and break down what this film tells us ? and doesn?t tell us ? about the first lady.

(00:00) The Melania Documentary Review: Airless, High Heels, Shiny
(03:07) Melania Trump is staging the scenes of her life
(06:06) Melania is in control - and rewriting history
(13:10) Is Trump's documentary propaganda or fan service?
(17:34) Amazon, Jeff Bezos, and the Trump family business

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