Truck Nutz is a brand name for the dangling plastic testicles some people affix to the bumpers or hitches of their vehicles. Also sold as Bulls Balls, Your Nutz, and other brand names, these plastic novelties have a powerful symbolic charge and are often associated with a crass, macho, red state audience. But truck nuts are a surprisingly complicated signifier whose symbolic power is increasingly divorced from their real-world usage.On this episode, we talk to owners and users of truck nuts, investigate the origins of the accessories, and deconstruct the meaning of these oft-joked-about symbols. We’ll also take a tour of other novelty testicle products, including Bike Balls (testicular bike lights), Gunsticles (plastic testicles for guns), and Neuticles (prosthetic testicles for neutered pets), to better understand the maligned symbolism of truck nuts.Links and further reading on some of the things we discussed on the show: Ad for Monster Truck Nuts  Truck Nutz Prank Call  Elie Mystal’s writing on truck nuts for Above the Law  Austin Vasectomy in Austin Texas  This episode was written by Willa Paskin and edited and produced by Benjamin Frisch. Decoder Ring is produced by Katie Shepherd and Max Freedman. Evan Chung is our supervising producer.If you have any cultural mysteries you want us to decode, email us at DecoderRing@slate.com. Or you can also call us now at our new 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

Shawn Levy, author of "King of Comedy: The Life and Art of Jerry Lewis," dives into the controversial legacy of Lewis's infamous unrelease film, "The Day The Clown Cried." They discuss the bizarre premise of a clown in Auschwitz and its muted reception in cinema history. Levy analyzes the challenges Jerry faced in blending comedy with such a sensitive subject while reflecting on his career's rise and fall. The conversation also touches on the film's cult status and the ongoing intrigue it generates among film buffs.

You may never have thought very hard about scratch-off tickets, but that’s part of their power. They’re a form of gambling that’s simply a pedestrian part of American life. But not so long ago, they were risky and innovative, the killer app of their time and the must-play game of the state lottery. In this episode, Ian Coss, host of the new podcast series Scratch & Win, is going to walk us through the history of the scratch-off ticket: its invention, its popularization, and its connection to the explosion in gambling that’s now all around us. This episode of Decoder Ring was produced by Katie Shepherd. Decoder Ring is also produced by Willa Paskin, Evan Chung and Max Freedman. Derek John is Executive Producer. Merritt Jacob is Senior Technical Director.Scratch & Win is a production of GBH News. It is produced by Isabel Hibbard and Ian Coss and edited by Lacy Roberts. Its editorial supervisor is Jenifer McKim with support from Ryan Alderman. Mei Lei is the project manager, and the Executive Producer is Devin Maverick Robins.If you have any cultural mysteries you want us to decode, please email us at DecoderRing@slate.com. And you can also now call us at our Decoder Ring hotline — that number is 347-460-7281. We love hearing your ideas, and we especially enjoyed all the messages we got about our last episode on the ’90s swing craze. Keep ‘em coming! And even better, tell your friends to check us out.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

Explore the vibrant world of the '90s swing revival, from its surprising rise to its quick fall. Discover the underground scene that burst into the mainstream, complete with stunning performances like Big Bad Voodoo Daddy at the Super Bowl. Delve into the personal journeys of musicians and dancers, and the cultural impact of swing music on fashion and identity. Hear tales of nostalgia and commercialization that shaped this unforgettable era, revealing a movement that was more complex and cool than it often gets credit for.

Amanda Mull, a Senior reporter at Bloomberg Businessweek with a knack for consumer culture, dives into the fascinating world of storage containers. She discusses the emotional satisfaction from viral organization videos and the rise of plastic storage as a home décor trend. Mull connects Tupperware’s cultural legacy, shaped by Brownie Wise, to today's obsession with neatness. The conversation also touches on Tupperware’s decline, its transformation from a symbol of frugality to one of abundance, and how social media reshaped modern organizing ideals.

People often say that money can't buy you happiness. Sometimes, if you ask them to tell you more about it, they'll mention a famous 2010 study by Nobel Prize winners Daniel Kahneman and Angus Deaton. That study found that higher household income correlates with greater emotional well-being, but only up to around $75,000 a year. After that, more money didn't seem to matter.This was a famous study by two famous academics. The result stood for over a decade. And it feels good, right? Maybe the rich aren't so much happier than anyone else. But researchers have recently done a complete 180 on this idea. In 2021, psychologist Matt Killingsworth found nearly the opposite: That more money does correlate with more happiness. And that the relationship continues well beyond $75,000 per year.Today on the show: Does more money mean fewer problems? Two researchers with totally different takes come together to hammer out a better understanding of the relationship between money and happiness.This episode was hosted by Sally Helm and Nick Fountain. It was produced by Sean Saldana, Sam Yellowhorse Kesler, and Emma Peaslee. It was edited by Meg Cramer and fact-checked by Sierra Juarez. Engineering by Cena Loffredo. Alex Goldmark is Planet Money's executive producer. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This mailbag episode dives into intriguing cultural curiosities. Ever wondered why grocery stores keep live lobsters in tanks? Or how fruit snacks evolved from their gummy counterparts? The rise and fall of scented magazine ads sparks nostalgia, while the waterbed's inventor shares its quirky history. From lobsters' transformation from peasant fare to a luxury item, the conversation highlights ethical considerations and societal shifts, making this a delightful exploration of unexpected topics that provoke thought and laughter.

Dive into the quirky history of the mullet hairstyle, from its glam beginnings in the 1970s influenced by icons like David Bowie to its rise as a cultural punchline in the 1980s. Discover who coined the term 'mullet' and how it became part of hockey culture, all through engaging stories from proud mullet enthusiasts and clever insights. Explore the misunderstandings that surround this iconic style and laugh at the fascinating linguistic journey that binds fashion with identity.

In 1980, a variety show debuted on NBC called Pink Lady and Jeff. Its stars were a pair of Japanese pop idols known for catchy, choreographed dance numbers. Pink Lady was inescapable in Japan: selling millions of records, appearing on TV daily, and filling arenas. But their American TV show left audiences completely bewildered. Pink Lady and Jeff acquired legendary status as one of television’s most notorious bombs, a show that managed to kill off the entire variety show genre. Or at least—that’s how it’s been seen in America. But for the two women of Pink Lady, the show was something else. In this episode, Decoder Ring’s Evan Chung puts this so-called “megaflop” in the spotlight to find out what really went wrong.You’ll hear from Mie and Keiko Masuda of Pink Lady, their co-host Jeff Altman, head writer Mark Evanier, and legendary TV producer Sid Krofft of H.R. Pufnstuf fame.This episode was written and produced by Evan Chung. It was edited by Willa Paskin. Our translator was Eric Margolis. Decoder Ring is also produced by Max Freedman and Katie Shepherd, with help from Sofie Kodner. Derek John is Executive Producer. Merritt Jacob is Senior Technical Director.Special thanks to Kelly Killian, Lorne Frohman, Rowby Goren, Michael Lloyd, Cheyna Roth, Karin Fjellman, Cole delCharco, and Hannah Airriess.If you have any cultural mysteries you want us to decode, email us at DecoderRing@slate.comWant 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.Disclosure: A Bond Account is a self-directed brokerage account with Public Investing, member FINRA/SIPC. Deposits into this account are used to purchase 10 investment-grade and high-yield bonds. As of 9/26/24, the average, annualized yield to worst (YTW) across the Bond Account is greater than 6%. A bond’s yield is a function of its market price, which can fluctuate; therefore, a bond’s YTW is not “locked in” until the bond is purchased, and your yield at time of purchase may be different from the yield shown here. The “locked in” YTW is not guaranteed; you may receive less than the YTW of the bonds in the Bond Account if you sell any of the bonds before maturity or if the issuer defaults on the bond. Public Investing charges a markup on each bond trade. See our Fee Schedule. Bond Accounts are not recommendations of individual bonds or default allocations. The bonds in the Bond Account have not been selected based on your needs or risk profile. See https://public.com/disclosures/bond-account to learn more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Robin George Andrews, a science journalist and author of "How to Kill an Asteroid," dives into the fascinating world of planetary defense. He reveals how NASA is already tackling the threat of killer asteroids, making the fear of cosmic collisions a bit less daunting. Topics include the wild Chelyabinsk meteor incident, advancements in asteroid deflection strategies like the DART mission, and the cultural perceptions surrounding asteroid impacts. Andrews emphasizes the potential for technological hope in safeguarding Earth’s future.