Slate Conversations

This week, host Isaac Butler talks to actor Arian Moayed, who played Stewy on the hit HBO series Succession and more recently played Torvald Helmer in a production of A Doll’s House on Broadway. In the interview, Arian talks about his early career in theater and the valuable acting techniques that he learned in college. He also discusses his experiences playing unlikeable characters, his pivot from stage to screen, and the overwhelming amount of feedback that actors receive. [NOTE: This interview was recorded before the SAG-AFTRA Union began its strike.] After the interview, Isaac and co-host June Thomas discuss the benefits and downsides of high-intensity creative work.In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Arian explains how he got the hang of Succession’s unique tone. Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to working@slate.com 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 an ad-free experience across the network and exclusive content on many shows—you’ll also be supporting the work we do here on Working. Sign up now at slate.com/workingplus to help support our work. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, Damon Young (a writer, critic, and a self-proclaimed “professional black person”) joins Prudie (Jenée Desmond-Harris) to answer letters from readers who are obsessing about their lackluster high school tennis careers, their awkward interaction with their crushes, and whether participation in civil war reenactments is a dating deal breaker. If you want more Dear Prudence, join Slate Plus, Slate’s membership program. Jenée answers an extra question every week, just for members. This week she answers a question about what to do when a grandparent food-polices a toddler. Go to Slate.com/prudieplus to sign up. It’s just $15 for your first three months. Podcast production by Se’era Spragley Ricks and Daisy Rosario, with help from Maura Currie. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this week’s episode of The Waves, drag queens are under attack and being labeled bad for families and kids. But RuPaul’s Drag Race and Drag Race All Stars contestant Mrs. Kasha Davis is making people rethink the American Dream. She sits down with Slate senior supervising producer, Daisy Rosario to talk about the real life inspiration for the character of Mrs. Kasha Davis, her new music video showcasing the importance of Drag Story Hour, and why more people need to see happy queer families like hers. In Slate Plus: Recap of episode 7 of HBO’s And Just Like That…If you liked this episode, check out: Why Barbie Lives OnPodcast production by Cheyna Roth with editorial oversight by Daisy Rosario and Alicia Montgomery.Send your comments and recommendations on what to cover to thewaves@slate.com.If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get an ad-free experience across the network and exclusive content on many shows—you’ll also be supporting the work we do here on The Waves. Sign up now at slate.com/thewavesplus to help support our work. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today’s episode of Hear Me Out… safety on. July sees the most accidental shootings involving children of any month on the calendar — but there’s not really a month where these tragedies don’t happen. So put aside your feelings on gun control for a moment and consider: how, in the world we live in right now, can we protect children from their own curiosity? Our guest, author Yehuda Remer, argues that teaching kids what guns can do — and how they can keep themselves safe — is the best solution.*NOTE*: Slate reached out to Everytown for comment regarding allegations that they “skew” data. At the time of this publication, we have not received a response — but we’ll update you if and when we do.  If you have thoughts you want to share, or an idea for a topic we should tackle, you can email the show: hearmeout@slate.comPodcast production by Maura CurrieYou can skip all the ads in Hear Me Out by joining Slate Plus. Sign up now at slate.com/hearmeoutplus for just $15 a month for your first three months. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Every year J. and her parents fly thousands of miles, meeting in the middle for their family vacation. A vacation that often leads to shouting and tears. J. and her father have a rocky relationship. Little disagreements often lead to her dad yelling and dredging up the past. It would be easy, in theory, to cut off the relationship before it got even more toxic. But J. wants to make it work. The question is, how? On this episode of How To!, host Carvell Wallace brings on Nibarna Kannathasan, a psychotherapist who has helped people navigate tricky intergenerational conflict, especially when factoring migration and differing cultural expectations. She helps J. parse what she really wants from her father and figure out a way to start down that road while protecting herself along the way. If you liked this episode, check out: How To Walk Away From an Impossible Parent.Do you have a question we can help you solve? Send us a note at howto@slate.com or leave us a voicemail at 646-495-4001 and we might have you on the show. Subscribe for free on Apple, Spotify or wherever you listen.Podcast production by Derek John, Rosemary Belson, Kevin Bendis, and Jabari Butler.If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get an ad-free experience across the network and exclusive content on many shows—you’ll also be supporting the work we do here on How To!. Sign up now at slate.com/howtoplus to help support our work. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, guest-host Nate Chinen talks to Maria Schneider, winner of multiple Grammy Awards for her big band jazz compositions, including the song “Sue (Or in a Season of Crime),” which she composed with David Bowie. In the interview, Maria discusses her two mentors Gil Evans and Bob Brookmeyer and the wisdom that helped her find her voice as an artist. She also talks about her tools for composing, what it means to “trust your enthusiasm,” and her unforgettable collaboration with David Bowie. After the interview, Nate and co-host Isaac Butler explain how to respect the inner logic of your work. They also talk about how artists can borrow wisdom from other art forms.In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Maria explains why most of her music isn’t available on streaming services. Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to working@slate.com 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 an ad-free experience across the network and exclusive content on many shows—you’ll also be supporting the work we do here on Working. Sign up now at slate.com/workingplus to help support our work. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, Jessica Valenti (a feminist columnist and author) joins Prudie (Jenée Desmond-Harris) to answer readers’ letters about whether it’s okay to ghost friends who don’t respect your reproductive choices, how to deal with a spouse who is a slob, and when to tell your kids you’ve had an abortion. If you want more Dear Prudence, join Slate Plus, Slate’s membership program. Jenée answers an extra question every week, just for members. This week she answers a question about what to do when a grandparent food-polices a toddler. Go to Slate.com/prudieplus to sign up. It’s just $15 for your first three months. Podcast production by Se’era Spragley Ricks and Daisy Rosario, with help from Maura Currie. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this week’s episode of The Waves, it’s all about Barbie. Slate senior producer Cheyna Roth sits down with M.G. Lord, author of Forever Barbie and co-host of “LA Made: The Barbie Tapes” from LAist and So Cal Public Radio. They discuss the history of the Barbie doll and how she’s managed to endure, how Barbie might actually be feminist, and what the new Greta Gerwig movie gets right about Barbie.  In Slate Plus: Episode 6 of our And Just Like That…recap.If you liked this episode check out Is The Wedding Dress Dead? Podcast production by Cheyna Roth with editorial oversight by Daisy Rosario and Alicia Montgomery.Send your comments and recommendations on what to cover to thewaves@slate.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today’s episode of Hear Me Out… a spoonful of sugar helps the trade protectionism go down.The Farm Bill is up for renewal this year — and there’s a chorus of voices now, as in years past, saying it’s time we stop favoring domestic sugar.The U.S. has subsidized American sugar producers for almost as long as we’ve been a republic, but the current system is very complicated… and very costly for the average consumer. Some argue that it’s closer to a cartel than it is a regulatory model.Colin Grabow, research fellow at the Cato Institute, joins us to argue for the end of the U.S. sugar program.You can find Celeste’s other podcast, Big Sugar, wherever you listen to podcasts.If you have thoughts you want to share, or an idea for a topic we should tackle, you can email the show: hearmeout@slate.comPodcast production by Maura CurrieYou can skip all the ads in Hear Me Out by joining Slate Plus. Sign up now at slate.com/hearmeoutplus for just $15 a month for your first three months. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, Josh Gondleman (author, producer, and stand-up comedian) joins Prudie (Jenée Desmond-Harris) to answer readers’ dilemmas about workplace coffee runs, unwanted birthday gifts, pets who steal food—and husbands who react really strangely when that happens. If you want more Dear Prudence, join Slate Plus, Slate’s membership program. Jenée answers an extra question every week, just for members. This week she answers a question about what to do when a grandparent food-polices a toddler. Go to Slate.com/prudieplus to sign up. It’s just $15 for your first three months. Podcast production by Se’era Spragley Ricks and Daisy Rosario, with help from Brandon Nix. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices