Working

On this episode, Adam Davidson of the New York Times Magazine talks to stand-up comedian Brooke Van Poppelen. She explains what it’s like to have to be funny all of the time, how to prepare for gigs, and whether this is good time to be a female comic. In a Slate Plus extra, listen to a clip of Van Poppelen’s recent set at The Bell House in Brooklyn. If you're not a member, enjoy bonus segments and interview transcripts from Working, plus other great podcast exclusives. Start your 2-week free trial at slate.com/workingplus. Our sponsors today: Casper, an online retailer of premium mattresses for a fraction of the price. Get $50 toward any mattress purchase by visiting casper.com/working and using the promo code "Working." And: Stamps.com, where you can buy and print U.S. postage for any letter or package. For a no-risk trial and a $110 bonus offer, go to Stamps.com, click on the microphone, and enter the promo code "Working." Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this installment of Slate's podcast about work, host Adam Davidson talks with midwife Karen Jefferson about her work providing labor and delivery services in the comfort of people's homes.  Jefferson discusses how she entered midwifery and what it's like to provide prenatal, postnatal, and delivery services in New York City.   In a Slate Plus extra, Jefferson talks about maintaining a professional relationship with patients, despite the intimacy of her job. If you're not a member, enjoy bonus segments and interview transcripts from Working, plus other great podcast exclusives. Start your 2-week free trial at slate.com/workingplus. Our sponsors today: Stamps.com, where you can buy and print official U.S. postage for any letter or package using your own computer and printer. For a no-risk trial and a special $110 bonus offer, visit their site and use the promo code "Working." Also: Citrix GoToMeeting. Hold a meeting with anyone from the convenience of your computer, smartphone, or tablet. Get a free 30 day trial at GoToMeeting.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this installment of Slate's podcast about work, host Adam Davidson of NPR's Planet Money and the New York Times Magazine talks with singer-songwriter Sarah Quintana about her life on the New Orleans music scene.  Quintana discusses growing up amid the city's deep and wide musical heritage, her evolution away from jazz favorites into original compositions, and her Kickstarter campaign (which you should really check out).  And in a Slate Plus extra, Sarah talks about American Idol. If you're not a member, enjoy bonus segments and interview transcripts from Working, plus other great podcast exclusives. Start your 2-week free trial at slate.com/workingplus  Our sponsors today: Stamps.com, where you can buy and print official U.S. postage for any letter or package using your own computer and printer. For a no-risk trial and a special $110 bonus offer, visit their site and use the promo code "Working." Also: Harry's, featuring great razors, blades, and shaving products. For $5 off your first purchase, go to Harrys.com and use the promo code "Working."  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this installment of Slate’s podcast about work, host Adam Davidson talks with mother-and-son duo Monica and Kicker Kalozdi about their New Orleans-based business, Kalencom Corp. They discuss how they design, manufacture, and distribute a wide variety of products including toddler potties, diaper bags, and men’s briefcases. The Kalozdis walk Davidson through the process of choosing overseas manufacturing and explain why it is hard for small American businesses to survive without some international outsourcing. For an extended version of this interview and the transcript, join Slate Plus! Members receive bonus material, exclusive podcasts, and more. Start your two-week trial at slate.com/workingplus   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The president of the New York Customs Brokers talks about his 37 years of experience in the importing business, and how the industry has changed.You can find out more at MailChimp.com.  For an extended version of this interview and the transcript, join Slate Plus! Members also get bonus segments, exclusive podcasts, and more. Start your two-week trial at slate.com/workingplus.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this installment of Slate's podcast about work, host Adam Davidson of NPR's Planet Money and the New York Times Magazine talks with his brother in law, Tony Banbury, who also happens to be a high-ranking official at the United Nations.    As the assistant secretary general for field support, Banbury is responsible for making sure the UN's peacekeeping and political missions around the world have the necessary personnel, supplies, food, and even helicopters   He talks to Davidson about dividing his time behind a desk at the Secretariat in New York and in crisis situations around the world, such as the recent Ebola outbreak in Africa and the 2010 earthquake in Haiti.   Thanks to this week's sponsor, Mailchimp. More than 7 million business around the world use MailChimp to send email newsletters. Plus, MailChimp distributes hats for cats and small dogs. You can find out more at MailChimp.com.   For an extended version of this interview (featuring Banbury's experience in the Central African Republic) and the transcript, join Slate Plus! Members also get bonus segments, exclusive podcasts, and more. Start your two-week trial at slate.com/workingplus   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this installment of Slate's podcast about work, host Adam Davidson of NPR's Planet Money and the New York Times Magazine talks with veteran bail bondsman Ira Judelson.  "I am the bank for people that get incarcerated," Judelson says, describing the complexity of his job in simple terms. "I am, on the street, a legal loan shark. I bail people out. I put up their bond to get them out of jail." Judelson discusses his daily routine, the role that trust plays in his work relationships, and the famous clients that inspired the newspaper stories that adorn his office wall, including Dominique Strauss-Kahn, Ja Rule, Robert Durst, and Lindsay Lohan. Judelson gives Davidson a tour of that wall, defends his use of a flip phone, explains how he earns a living from posting bail bonds, and reveals his passion project, an app he's developing called JammedUp that helps people who get, well, jammed up. Thanks to this week's sponsor, Mailchimp. More than 7 million business around the world use MailChimp to send email newsletters. Plus, MailChimp distributes hats for cats and small dogs. You can find out more at MailChimp.com. For an extended version of this interview and the transcript, join Slate Plus! Members also get bonus segments, exclusive podcasts, and more. Start your two-week trial at slate.com/workingplus Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Slate's podcast about work returns with host Adam Davidson talking to writer, director, and producer Adam McKay about collaborating with Will Ferrell, co-founding Funny or Die, and McKay's three different daily routines. Thanks to this week's sponsor, Mailchimp. More than 7 million business around the world use MailChimp to send email newsletters. Plus, MailChimp distributes hats for cats and small dogs. You can find out more at MailChimp.com. For an extended version of this interview and the transcript, join Slate Plus! Members also get bonus segments, exclusive podcasts, and more. Start your two-week trial at slate.com/workingplus Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Adam Davidson of NPR's Planet Money and the New York Times Magazine explains what's on tap for the second season of Slate's Working podcast. Know someone we should interview for the show? Email us at working@slate.com Listen to our archives and learn more about our guests on our show page.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Slate’s Podcast About Work Explores How a Principal Deals With Angry Parents, Standardized Tests, and Low-Income Middle School Students. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices