Suzy Badaracco, a food trend forecaster and founder of Culinary Tides, dives into the remarkable journey of the Pumpkin Spice Latte, which has captivated taste buds for 21 years. The discussion reveals how this beloved drink symbolizes nostalgia, femininity, and broader cultural themes. They explore the $500 million pumpkin spice industry and its ties to identity and seasonal enjoyment. Badaracco even draws fascinating parallels between culinary trends and crime scene investigations, highlighting the hidden depths of what we consume.

Join POLITICO Congress reporter Sarah Ferris and Capital B News' Brandon Tensley as they break down the struggles of 'The Squad' in Congress after recent electoral defeats, exploring the significant influence of pro-Israel PACs on progressive candidates. They also dive into the Democratic Party's internal divisions and the implications for future politics. Later, actor Colman Domingo shares insights on his film 'SING SING,' which highlights the transformative power of theater for incarcerated individuals, touching on themes of masculinity and community.

Pendarvis Harshaw, a KQED reporter and host of Rightnowish, teams up with fellow KQED journalist Olivia Allen-Price from Bay Curious to engage in a spirited debate about cultural icons in San Francisco. They tackle the impact of blue jeans, born from the Gold Rush, and the significance of California wine in shaping regional identity. The duo also highlights the legacies of Harvey Milk, MC Hammer, and Maya Angelou, culminating in an engaging vote that celebrates the Bay Area's rich cultural tapestry.

Kyra Miles and Jacob Aloi, reporters from Minnesota Public Radio, dive into a lively cultural debate centered on Minneapolis-St. Paul. They discuss the global impact of the Peanuts franchise and its characters, especially Snoopy, while exploring the significance of local icons like Dayton's department store and Betty Crocker. The conversation extends to Dungeons & Dragons, highlighting Dave Arneson's influence and the game’s role in fostering personal connections. They also touch on the activism spurred by figures like Darnella Frazier and the cultural legacy of Prince.

Ever since Minnesota governor and Democratic vice-presidential nominee Tim Walz called Republicans "weird," we've seen other Democrats embrace this name-calling strategy and deploy it in interviews and in memes online. We've also seen Republicans lobbing the "weird" moniker right back at Democrats. To get into how "weird" this all is, Brittany chats with NPR culture reporter Andrew Limbong and NPR political correspondent Danielle Kurtzleben about this new political strategy and redefining "normalcy" in 2024.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Now that we're in the dog days of summer, host Brittany Luse wants to know - do we have a song of the summer this year? According to NPR Music reporter Sidney Madden and NPR Music host, writer and editor Stephen Thompson, there isn't one song - but many songs. "We are more disparate than ever, that's why it's hard to chart a single song right now," said Sidney. "It's more like choose your own adventure." So - we're choosing our own adventure today and discussing the many contenders for song of the summer - and hearing why each song tells us something a little different about our cultural moment. Want to be featured on IBAM? Record a voice memo responding to Brittany's question at the end of the episode and send it to ibam@npr.org.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Ever since Vice President Kamala Harris entered the presidential race, things changed. Her campaign almost immediately started framing the election as: Harris, the former prosecutor - vs. Trump the felon. And that word - "felon" - is one that our friends over at NPR's Code Switch have been thinking a lot about since former President Trump was convicted of 34 counts back in May. In this episode, Code Switch co-hosts B.A. Parker and Gene Demby chop it up with the comedian Arif Shahid, who performs under the name Felonious Munk, to talk about what it means for him to carry this reference to his felony conviction so publicly. Then, Gene talks to Josie Duffy-Rice, a writer who focuses on the criminal justice system, to look at the ways "felon" sticks to people long after their sentences end. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

From the attempted assassination of former President Trump, to President Biden dropping out of the election, and VP Kamala Harris stepping up... The news these past few weeks has been buck wild. And the energy online is similarly unhinged. But what do most people get wrong when they try to interpret the latest explosion of political memes? And what do these posts actually say about how people are processing major events? And are there consequences to just posting through it? Host Brittany Luse is joined by Tatum Hunter, consumer tech reporter at The Washington Post, and Kyle Chayka, staff writer at The New Yorker, to discuss what meaning could possibly be gleaned from the meme madness.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

It seems like there are countless streamers these days – there's Netflix, Hulu, Disney Plus, Max, Peacock, Roku, just to name a few. Still, success and profit remain elusive to even some of the biggest in the biz. However there is one smaller streamer that seems to have found a path to prosperity: Dropout. In this encore episode, IBAM host Brittany Luse sat down with Dropout CEO Sam Reich earlier this year to find out how his company is forging a path to success in a successful market, all while revamping the gameshow format. The pair also play a little gameshow game. Want to be featured on IBAM? Record a voice memo responding to Brittany's question at the end of the episode and send it to ibam@npr.org.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

This is the first year the Olympics have gender parity between men's and women's teams - but does it mean gender equity? ESPN writer Katie Barnes and Rose Eveleth, host of NPR and CBC's Tested, join Brittany to discuss the barriers that women athletes still face - from men-only categories to women-only sex testing. And later - in recent years, you may have noticed some new behemoths prowling the streets of America: giant trucks. The sheer size of them has sparked policy debates – many are so big that it's not possible to see a child crossing directly in front of them, and there's been a spike in pedestrian deaths. Brittany is joined by Angie Schmitt, author of Right of Way, to chat about why these big trucks are so popular and what they say about our cultural anxieties.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy