

It's Been a Minute
NPR
Has it been a minute since you heard a thought-provoking conversation about culture? Brittany Luse wants to help. Each week, she takes the things everyone's talking about and, in conversation with her favorite creators, tastemakers, and experts, gives you new ways to think about them. Beyond the obvious takes. Because culture doesn't happen by accident.If you can't get enough, try It's Been a Minute Plus. Your subscription supports the show and unlocks a sponsor-free feed. Learn more at plus.npr.org/itsbeenaminute
Episodes
Mentioned books

Nov 28, 2023 • 45min
All The Only Ones: I can't wait
This podcast explores the challenges faced by trans youth today in accessing gender affirming care and the difficult decisions they have to make. It also looks at the experiences of historical trans youth in the 1960s. Highlights include the story of Christine Jorgensen, the discrimination faced by Donna, and the advocacy of a transgender athlete. The podcast concludes by envisioning a future where trans youth can feel empowered.

Nov 24, 2023 • 39min
Defending the Disney Adult; plus, what it takes to stand up for Black trans people
Disney recently celebrated its 100th birthday, so we're exploring a fandom that's kept the magic alive while also generating lots of online hate: Disney Adults. To break the phenomenon down, Brittany Luse chats with Rolling Stone senior writer and self-proclaimed Disney Adult, E.J. Dickson. Their conversation looks at the rise of Disney Adults, why they're so maligned and what the public may misunderstand about these superfans.Then, in honor of Trans Day of Remembrance, Brittany talks with influential Black trans activist Raquel Willis. They get into her new memoir, The Risk It Takes to Bloom, which looks at pivotal moments in her organizing journey alongside the movement for Black Lives and the rise of trans visibility in modern culture.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Nov 21, 2023 • 16min
How gratitude improves your relationships and your future
For the millions of Americans that celebrate Thanksgiving, it's a time when a lot of us reflect on the things and the people in our lives that we appreciate. But according to Dr. Laurie Santos, psychology professor at Yale and host of the podcast, The Happiness Lab, a practice of gratitude can improve our lives year-round. Host Brittany Luse chats with Dr. Santos about the surprising science of how gratitude can affect our brains — and how it leads us to be more generous with our future selves.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Nov 17, 2023 • 37min
The return of Andre 3000; plus, 'Rap Sh!t' puts the music industry on blast
As many male rappers seem to become more depressed or vindictive in their lyrics, the women of rap appear to be having all the fun. One show that captures this moment is Rap Sh!t on Max. Brittany sits down with the showrunner and writer, Syreeta Singleton. They discuss the complexities of navigating the rap game as a Black woman, the new social media landscape, and how rap and Rap Sh!t approach sexuality. Then, a conversation with Andre 3000. After 17 years, the rapper, producer, and instrumentalist is back with a new album, New Blue Sun. Notably, this album has no rapping and focuses on the artists passion for the flute. In honor of the occasion, host Brittany Luse passes the mic to NPR colleague and host, Rodney Carmichael. In this excerpt of their hour long interview, Rodney and Andre retrace the artist's journey from rapper to flautist, the beauty of aging, and why there should be more celebration in death.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Nov 14, 2023 • 24min
Pressing pause on 'Killers Of The Flower Moon' and rethinking Scorsese's latest
Martin Scorsese's Killers of the Flower Moon is everything an Oscar contender might be - long, epic, morally complicated and expensive. Yet, while many movie-goers left theaters moved, others called the film a problematic disaster. Today on the show, we hear what the movie got wrong and how it fits into a broader history of Native Americans on screen. To unpack this, Brittany Luse is joined by Robert Warrior, a literature and professor and an Osage Nation citizen, Liza Black, a Native American and Indigenous Studies professor and Cherokee Nation citizen, and Nancy Marie Mithlo, a gender studies professor and Fort Sill Chiricahua Warm Springs Apache citizen.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Nov 10, 2023 • 24min
Barbra Streisand says she's not a diva - she's a director
The season of the celebrity memoir is upon us. In just the past few months Britney Spears, Jada Pinkett Smith, Kerry Washington, and more have showered us with bombshells and revelations about their origin stories and private lives. Despite those heavy hitters and the crowded field they occupy, the celebrity memoir our host Brittany Luse coveted most is that of the singular Ms. Barbra Streisand. Brittany sits down with Barbra to talk about her new memoir, My Name is Barbra, her struggle to take creative control of her work, and what legacy she wants to leave behind.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Nov 7, 2023 • 24min
What restaurant trends tell us about the economy and culture
Exploring recent closures and controversies in the restaurant industry, rise of TikTok food critic Keith Lee and effects on restaurants, popularity of fancy burgers and fried chicken, significance of food trends and restaurant closures reflecting economic and cultural factors, analysis of restaurant trends and strategies.

Nov 3, 2023 • 22min
"The Gilded Age" and the trouble with American period pieces
The podcast discusses the allure of period dramas like 'The Gilded Age' and how they romanticize history. They also critique the show for its racial microaggression and lack of historical accuracy. The representation of black characters in the show is explored, comparing it to British adaptations. The chapter also touches on the similarities between gothic stories and Gilded Age viewers.

Oct 31, 2023 • 30min
What makes 'The Real Housewives' so addictive? (Classic)
It's a big week for fans of reality TV - it's Bravocon 2023. This year it's in Las Vegas – and while we couldn't make it to Vegas, we're revisiting what we learned from last year's Bravocon in New York. Host Brittany Luse and producer Liam McBain talked to fans, a producer, an academic and the Housewives themselves to understand what makes The Real Housewives peak culture – as in the #1 topic in the group chat – for so many people.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Oct 27, 2023 • 24min
It's Britney, bestseller!
Britney Spears just released one of the most hotly anticipated celebrity memoirs of the year, The Woman In Me. The book details her meteoric rise to fame, her family history, and her 13 year-long conservatorship. This week, host Britney Luse talks to the two best people to break it all down: Claire Parker and Ashley Hamilton, comedians and co-hosts of the Celebrity Memoir Book Club podcast. Together they look at what the princess of pop is trying to tell us, how she contextualizes her own story and how she doesn't seem to implicate the audience in her abuse.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy