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Lonnae O'Neal, a senior writer for ESPN/Andscape and author of "Bibb Country," joins for a lively discussion on navigating personal dilemmas. They tackle everything from how to address a friend's husband's awkward comments to the emotional fallout of attending a high school reunion. Boundaries in friendships are a hot topic, especially when one friend needs space. The episode also delves into sensitive family dynamics, including a listener's concerns about a father’s new friend during a mother's illness. Insightful and compassionate advice abounds!

Sheera Frenkel, a tech reporter for the New York Times, dives into the controversial role of Palantir in government data management. They discuss the troubling implications of consolidating sensitive information, juxtaposing the U.S. system with those in Russia and China. Frenkel highlights employee concerns about privacy and data ethics, especially regarding the company's connections to the Trump administration. The conversation raises essential questions about national security versus individual rights in the era of big data.

This week’s discussion dives into Elon Musk's unexpected role in the Republican debates over the Big Beautiful Bill. The group delves into the looming threats against judicial independence as Trump's travel bans stir controversy. They analyze the fallout from these policies, including their social implications and the targeting of countries. Alongside heavier topics, they sprinkle in personal anecdotes about cocktail-making, blending serious political analysis with lighter moments.

Mark Joseph Stern, a legal analyst, discusses pivotal Supreme Court decisions impacting discrimination and workplace rights. He delves into Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson's stand on reverse discrimination, while Justice Sonia Sotomayor reinforces church-state separation in her ruling on Catholic charities. The conversation reveals strategies employed by the court's liberal justices and concerns about the future implications of recent rulings on workplace protections. The analysis also highlights the rising trend of dismissed cases potentially connected to ambitious former clerks.

Dive into the delightful chaos of parenting as hosts share personal anecdotes and humorous challenges. Learn about executive functioning with tips for better organization using planners and calendars. Discover strategies for managing time and minimizing decision fatigue, all while fostering mindfulness. The discussion also covers bedtime battles and quirky adventures like maid cafes, reflecting on the emotional journey of parenthood. Join in the fun as they navigate family chaos and celebrate triumphs, making parenting a relatable and entertaining experience.

In this discussion, Mark Betancourt, a DC-based freelance reporter specializing in immigration, sheds light on the unsettling story of an Ethiopian woman tortured by her government, now facing forced deportation. The conversation dives into the chilling suspension of asylum rights in the U.S., particularly for those escaping torture. Betancourt highlights the systemic obstacles within the immigration process, the evolving asylum policies, and the stark realities faced by lawyers and asylum seekers in a landscape marred by confusion and fear.

Isaac Saul, executive editor of Tangle and author of personal essays on Zionism, shares his transformative journey from a secular American Jew to a committed Zionist. He discusses the impact of ongoing violence on the perception of Zionism, particularly among younger generations. The conversation delves into the complexities of identity, empathy for Palestinians, and the humanitarian crisis in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Saul reflects on how personal experiences and societal pressures shape beliefs in this fraught landscape.

Kate Lindsay and Candice Lim break down the wedding weekend heard round TikTok starring one of r/NYCInfluencerSnark’s main characters. Jazmyn Smith (better known as @justjazzzyidk) got married after a year-long engagement that was rife with criticism surrounding her relationship, her fiancé’s financial status, and more. But instead of burying the wedding, she brought her followers along by posting in real time, creating TikTok spreadsheets, and having her assistant run her account while she got married. So why are her haters still mad? Plus, how an influencer sued another content creator for stealing their “sad beige” aesthetic, and why the lawsuit sounds a lot like the plot of Ingrid Goes West. This podcast is produced by Vic Whitley-Berry, Daisy Rosario, Candice Lim, and Kate Lindsay. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Decoder Ring is marking its 100th episode this year. To celebrate, we’re revisiting our very first episode from 2018, which asks: What happened to the laugh track? For nearly five decades, the laugh track was ubiquitous, but beginning in the early 2000s, it fell out of sitcom fashion. What happened? How did we get from The Beverly Hillbillies to 30 Rock? In this episode we meet the man who created the laugh track, which originated as a homemade piece of technology, and trace that technology’s fall and the rise of a more modern idea about humor. With the help of historians, laugh track obsessives, the showrunners of One Day at a Time and the director of Sports Night, this episode asks if the laugh track was about something bigger than laughter. You can read more in Willa’s article “The Man Who Perfected the Laugh Track” in Slate. Links and further reading on some of the things we discussed on the show: Interview with Ben Glenn II on the history of the laugh track in McSweeney’s See a Charlie Douglas Laff Box on Antiques Roadshow More of Paul Iverson’s work restoring laugh tracks and inserting them into new shows The sitcom One Day at a Time Friends without a Laugh Track by Sboss “The Okeh Laughing Record” Tommy Schlamme and Aaron Sorkin’s Sports Night This episode was written by Willa Paskin. It was produced and edited by Benjamin Frisch, who also created the episode art. Decoder Ring is produced by Katie Shepherd, Max Freedman, and our supervising producer Evan Chung. If you have any cultural mysteries you want us to decode, email us at DecoderRing@slate.com, or leave a message on the Decoder RIng hotline at 347-460-7281. We love to hear any and all of your ideas for the show.  Want more Decoder Ring? Subscribe to Slate Plus to unlock exclusive bonus episodes. Plus, you’ll access ad-free listening across all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe now on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of the Decoder Ring show page. Or, visit slate.com/decoderplus to get access wherever you listen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this week’s show, longtime hosts Julia, Stephen, and Dana are all together in-person to talk about Mountainhead, the new HBO Max movie from Jesse Armstrong, creator of Succession. Then, they dig into the new Amazon Prime series Overcompensating. Finally, they talk about the new PR junket, full of spicy food and odd quizzes, inspired by this Vulture article by Nicholas Quah.  Endorsements: Dana: The Pulitzer Prize winning book, The Swerve: How the World Became Modern by Stephen Greenblatt.  Julia: Restauranteur Keith McNally’s memoir, I Regret Almost Everything.  Stephen: Sarah Beckwith’s piece in The New Yorker, “Returning to the Scene of My Brutal Rape.” and the novel 2666 by Roberto Bolaño. Podcast production by Benjamin Frisch. Want more Culture Gabfest? Subscribe to Slate Plus to unlock weekly bonus episodes. Plus, you’ll access ad-free listening across all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe now on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of the Culture Gabfest show page. Or, visit slate.com/cultureplus to get access wherever you listen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices