Slow Burn illuminates America’s most consequential moments, making sense of the past to better understand the present. Through archival tape and first-person... more
Pop culture is full of fictional bands singing songs purpose-made to capture a moment, a sound. This music doesn’t organically... more
Magazines have fallen on hard times – especially the weekly news, fashion, and celebrity mags that once dominated newsstands. The... more
In 1986, Andrew Wyeth was the most famous painter in America. He was a household name, on the cover of... more
Like a manager or an agent or a publicist, a stylist has become a kind of must-have accessory for well-dressed,... more
Thirty years ago, a new kind of soda arrived in select stores. Instead of crowing about how spectacular it was,... more
Hosted by Christina Cauterucci. Coming in May 2024. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
The eerie similarity of coffee shops all over the world was so confounding to Kyle Chayka that it led him... more
Before 1990, there had never been a documented case of a patient getting HIV from a health care worker. Kimberly... more
Robert Mapplethorpe was one of the most famous photographers in the world—and one of the most controversial. When his work... more
In March 1990, a story broke that shocked the nation: George H.W. Bush had banned broccoli from Air Force One.... more
A middle-aged single dad in Chicago was outraged by all the cigarette billboards popping up in Black communities. In 1990,... more
Pizza Hut’s adventure in the Soviet Union was unlike any restaurant opening before or since. It involved a fleet of... more
In 1992, a Minnesota-based software company known for its educational hit The Oregon Trail released another simulation-style game to school... more
From the moment it was released in 1995, The Rules was controversial.. Some people loved it—and swore that the dating... more
We receive a lot of fantastic show ideas from our listeners—and we’re grateful for each and every one. For our... more
In the mid-1990s, the prime time drama Melrose Place became a home to hundreds of pieces of contemporary art—and no... more
Judging from teen dramas on Netflix, the slow dance seems to be alive and well. But when you talk to... more
Ten years after the atomic bombing of Hiroshima, 25 women who’d been disfigured by the blast came to the United... more
Jonas Salk’s polio vaccine transformed America and the world in ways that seemed unimaginable. But in 1955, there was a... more
When Alaskans wanted their own mental-health facility, a rumor took hold all over America. This week, Evan Chung traces the... more
In the early days of television, women struggled to find their place. In 1955, they got it: forecasting the weather,... more
In 1955, the frontiersman Davy Crockett became the most famous man in America, more than a century after his death... more
The Cannon Street All-Stars dreamed of playing in the 1955 Little League World Series. Their biggest obstacle didn’t come on... more
Once you start listening for catchphrases in everyday life—you can’t stop hearing them. From the radio era’s “Holy mackerel!” to... more
When Slate’s Evan Chung was a kid, he was obsessed with a mysterious advertisement that ran for decades in the... more
Kissing—the romantic, sexual, steamy kind—is so ingrained in us that it just seems like a fact of life. Like breathing... more
Parmesan is a food—but it’s not just a food. Italy’s beloved cheese is often paired with a deep craving for... more
The mosh pit has a reputation as a violent place where (mostly) white guys vent their aggression. There’s some truth... more
Join host Joel Anderson and special guests for Slow Burn: Becoming Justice Thomas LIVE in D.C. (July 25, 2023 at... more
Anita Hill’s accusations launched urgent and heated conversations about racism and sexual harassment. They also stoked an anger in Clarence... more
When Clarence Thomas got nominated to the Supreme Court, his behavior during the 1980s would get put under a microscope.... more
Clarence Thomas went to Yale Law School because he thought it was a good fit for his left-wing politics. But... more
Growing up in Georgia, Clarence Thomas wanted to make his mark. His goal was to become his hometown’s first Black... more
Clarence Thomas is one of the most powerful figures in America today. Nearly every issue of national consequence has his... more
We pride ourselves on being grounded, rational beings, but flitting amongst us is a mystery: the Tooth Fairy. This flying... more
Parking is one of the great paradoxes of American life. On the one hand, we have paved an ungodly amount... more
We bring you a special episode from Sidedoor, a podcast about the treasures that fill the vaults of the Smithsonian.... more
Last week, we put on the proverbial raincoat and made like Columbo to investigate Peter Falk’s claim that he recorded... more
Not too long ago an old clip surfaced of Peter Falk on David Letterman, in which he told an intriguing... more
Hosted by Joel Anderson. Coming in May 2023. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
We’re really lucky to get a lot of listener emails, suggesting topics for the show. In this episode, we’re going... more
(This episode originally aired in March 2020.) The 1998 romantic comedy You’ve Got Mail, starring Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan, is... more
Ross Cellino and Steve Barnes were two Buffalo-based lawyers who became the literal poster-men for personal injury advertising. They poured... more
We bring you a special episode from the Articles of Interest podcast hosted by Avery Trufelman about the incredible reach... more
For this episode, a story from Slate senior producer Evan Chung about how Yanni, John Tesh and a number of... more
Slow Burn: Roe v. Wade has been named Apple Podcasts Show of the Year! We’re so honored by this award and... more
This episode is member-exclusive. Listen to it now by subscribing to Slate Plus. By joining, not only will you unlock... more
In 1942, federal officials targeted a group of Black Americans who were allegedly hoping for a Japanese invasion. They uncovered... more
For about two decades towards the end of the Victorian era, in the 1870s and 1880s, a large bustle-enhanced bottom... more
Six months after Pearl Harbor, Japan launched another attack on the United States. This time, Axis forces actually invaded, turning... more
In the history of viral images, #TheDress has got to be in the top 10. This unassuming photo of a... more
In March 1942, a new nightly radio show hit the American airwaves. The stated goal of Station Debunk was to... more
On Aug. 1, 1942, the nation’s recording studios went silent. Musicians were fed up with the new technologies threatening their... more
There were 1.8 million weddings in 1942, the most that had ever been recorded in a single year in American... more
At the beginning of World War II, the greatest threat to the American war effort wasn’t the Nazis or the... more
McGruff the Crime Dog arrived on the scene at the dawn of the 1980s, just as a firehose of anti-drug... more
McGruff the Crime Dog arrived on the scene at the dawn of the 1980s, just as a firehose of anti-drug... more
After Joe Mauri gets evicted from his New York apartment, he becomes a star in the USSR, the subject of... more
On May 16, 1986, a man with a bomb held an entire elementary school hostage in the tiny town of... more
In Seattle, a pack of voracious sea lions decimates the local fish population. When fireworks and an underwater air horn... more
Black residents of Indianola, Mississippi, were fed up with decades of separate-and-unequal classrooms. When a white outsider got hired as... more
Rumors about the legendary gangster Al Capone’s buried treasure transform an abandoned Chicago hotel into the center of the entertainment... more
This week, Evan Chung tells the story of the American teachers who competed for an unprecedented prize: a spot on... more
Basketball star Isiah Thomas had an audacious plan to transform Detroit: asking criminals to stay on the good side of... more
In the early 1930s, Mae West’s dirty talk and hip swiveling walk made her one of the biggest movie stars... more
When you think of an alien abduction, what do you picture? Humanoid creatures, medical experiments, lost memories retrieved through hypnosis?... more
Rod McKuen sold multiple millions of poetry books in the 60s and 70s. He released dozens of albums, was a... more
(While we work on the next season of Slow Burn we're showcasing Slate's other narrative podcasts, starting with a new... more
This episode is member-exclusive. Listen to it now by subscribing to Slate Plus. By joining, not only will you unlock... more
This episode is member-exclusive. Listen to it now by subscribing to Slate Plus. By joining, not only will you unlock... more
This episode is member-exclusive. Listen to it now by subscribing to Slate Plus. By joining, not only will you unlock... more
In 1970, 22-year-old Shirley Wheeler got an illegal abortion in Florida. When she refused to tell the police who performed... more
After the largest civil disturbance in American history, Los Angeles faced a daunting task. Dozens of people had been killed... more
On April 29, 1992, Los Angeles had erupted into chaos. Over the following days, thousands of people took to the... more
In March 1991, Black people in Los Angeles had seen the videotape of Rodney King being beaten. In November, they’d... more
A year after they were caught on tape beating Rodney King, four LAPD officers went on trial. None were convicted. How... more
This week, we're highlighting a few excerpts from this season's Slate Plus episodes—interviews with George Holliday, professor Edward Chang, L.A.... more
Rodney King never asked to be famous. The video that captured his beating at the hands of four LAPD officers... more
In 1991, Daryl Gates was the face of the LAPD. Over the course of his 13-year tenure as chief, he... more
In March 1991, the video of the Rodney King beating was national news. The LAPD was under intense scrutiny and... more
On the night of March 2nd, 1991, at a remote intersection just outside of L.A., four police officers surrounded an... more
In 1992, a jury failed to convict the four Los Angeles police officers who'd been captured on videotape beating Rodney... more
After Maria Rubio saw Jesus on a tortilla, her family got besieged by believers and gawkers and the national press.... more
Alex Haley’s Roots displayed the brutal realities of slavery to more than 100 million Americans. The book and mini-series also made a... more
America’s top weed evangelist and the nation’s drug czar shared the same goal: to loosen up the country’s marijuana laws.... more
Three stories from one day in August 1977. Elvis Presley dies, and the National Enquirer goes after the ultimate tabloid... more
Medical authorities said that Laetrile was dangerous quackery. It became a sensation anyway. Diana Green saw this drug made from... more
Mary Shane made history with the Chicago White Sox, becoming the first woman hired as a legitimate major-league baseball announcer.... more
Decoder Ring is Slate's show about cracking cultural mysteries. In each episode, host Willa Paskin takes a cultural question, object,... more
Slate's new podcast One Year and will introduce you to people and ideas that changed American history--one year at a... more
This episode is member-exclusive. Listen to it now by subscribing to Slate Plus. By joining, not only will you unlock... more
This episode is member-exclusive. Listen to it now by subscribing to Slate Plus. By joining, not only will you unlock... more
On Feb. 5, 2003, Secretary of State Colin Powell went to the United Nations to make the Bush administration’s closing... more
Four men in Congress—two from each party—helped determine whether President George W. Bush would be given the authority to invade... more
This week, we're highlighting a few excerpts from this season's Slate Plus episodes—interviews with Ann Curry, Slate writers and editors... more
In the year leading up the invasion, George W. Bush sketched his justification for the war: good vs. evil, us... more
To start a war of choice, you need a casus belli—a case for war. Why did the Bush administration settle... more
Just hours after 9/11, American decision makers had already started thinking about attacking Iraq. When the anthrax attacks began a... more
Eighteen years have passed since the United States invaded Iraq. It’s a war that killed hundreds of thousands of people... more
In 2003, the United States invaded Iraq without provocation. Most Americans supported the war—as did most politicians and intellectuals, both... more
We're excited to introduce you to I Spy, a production of Foreign Policy. Each week on I Spy, a former... more
A few excerpts from Season 4's bonus interviews, and a special Slow Burn announcement. Want more Slow Burn? Subscribe to Slate... more
This episode is member-exclusive. Listen to it now by subscribing to Slate Plus. By joining, not only will you unlock... more
This episode is member-exclusive. Listen to it now by subscribing to Slate Plus. By joining, not only will you unlock... more
David Duke wasn’t content being a state representative. He wanted to go national, and in 1990 he expanded his base... more
In 1989, a Black 12-year-old girl in New Orleans found the David Duke phenomenon, and Duke himself, hard to comprehend.... more
In 1989, David Duke got a foothold in American politics. To build on that victory, he’d have to fend off... more
David Duke dreamed of becoming the charismatic leader who’d bring racism to the masses. He tried to make that dream... more
In the first half of the 1980s, it looked like David Duke’s career as a professional racist was over. But... more
In the late 1980s and early 1990s, a white supremacist became an American political phenomenon. David Duke’s rise to power... more
A special edition of Slow Burn features Joel Anderson live on stage, with legendary producers Nashiem Myrick and Easy Moe... more
Slow Burn's Watergate season is now a TV docu-series, premiering Feb. 16 on Epix. Read more about it in this... more
Hey Slow Burn listeners. We have something special for you this week. It's an episode of Broken Record, a music podcast from Pushkin... more
Slate Plus members get a bonus episode of Slow Burn every week. This is a preview of the bonus episodes... more
This episode is member-exclusive. Listen to it now by subscribing to Slate Plus. By joining, not only will you unlock... more
This episode is member-exclusive. Listen to it now by subscribing to Slate Plus. By joining, not only will you unlock... more
In this episode: In the summer of 1996, Tupac Shakur seemed to be on the verge of a decision—about what... more
In this Slow Burn bonus episode, host Joel Anderson and producer Christopher Johnson discuss the growing feud between Tupac and... more
In this episode: Tupac claims—loudly, publicly, and with very little evidence—that he’s been sleeping with Faith Evans, Biggie’s estranged wife. Want... more
In this episode: Gangsta rap becomes a huge money maker. Civil rights activist C. Delores Tucker and conservative culture warrior... more
In this episode: Biggie releases “Who Shot Ya,” an instant hip-hop classic that Tupac takes as a personal affront. Tupac... more
In 1992, Ronald Ray Howard shot and killed Texas state trooper Bill Davidson. His lawyer argued he’d been driven to... more
On the first episode of Slow Burn’s third season: How a violent robbery severed Tupac’s friendship with Biggie Smalls and... more
In its first two seasons, Slow Burn looked back at two of the biggest stories of the late 20th century—the... more
Linda Taylor was a con artist, a kidnapper, maybe even a murderer. She was also America’s original “welfare queen,” the... more
A special edition of Slow Burn features Leon Neyfakh live on stage. In the second of two episodes, Leon was... more
A special edition of Slow Burn features Leon Neyfakh live on stage. In the first of two episodes, Leon was... more
This episode is member-exclusive. Listen to it now by subscribing to Slate Plus. By joining, not only will you unlock... more
Every week, Slate Plus members get a special episode of Slow Burn in which Leon Neyfakh talks to people connected... more
This episode is member-exclusive. Listen to it now by subscribing to Slate Plus. By joining, not only will you unlock... more
Some of the most withering criticism of Clinton came from a coalition of conservative activists whose political views were bound... more
Aside from Bill Clinton and Monica Lewinsky, the most pivotal player in the Clinton impeachment saga may have been Linda... more
What happened between Bill Clinton and Monica Lewinsky? Why did it happen? And what are we supposed to do about... more
When Bill Clinton went to Washington, rumors and accusations from his Arkansas past went with him. But even his most... more
In 1993, Bill and Hillary Clinton moved into the White House on a swell of optimism. In less than a... more
For 11 hours, Monica Lewinsky faced off against federal prosecutors who wanted her to help them take down the president... more
The saga of Bill Clinton’s impeachment is rich with forgotten characters, surprising subplots, and opportunities to reflect on just how... more
A special edition of Slow Burn features Leon Neyfakh live on stage in New York City. On April 19th, Leon... more
This episode is member-exclusive. Listen to it now by subscribing to Slate Plus. By joining, not only will you unlock... more
Slate Plus members get a bonus episode of Slow Burn every week. This week, we're releasing some samples of those... more
The saga of Bill Clinton’s impeachment is rich with forgotten characters, surprising subplots, and opportunities to reflect on just how much America... more