The Flu, Chief Wahoo, and Female Pain
Past Present Episode 117
In this episode, Niki, Natalia, and Neil debate the flu, the fate of the Cleveland Indians’ mascot Chief Wahoo, and the normalization of female pain.
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Homeschooling, Government Shutdowns, and Tide Pods
Past Present Episode 116
In this episode, Natalia, Neil, and Niki debate the role of homeschooling in an abuse case in California, the recent government shutdown, and why people are eating Tide Pods on social media.
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Tonya Harding, Prison Book Bans, and the Clinton-Lewinsky Scandal
Past Present Episode 115
In this episode, Neil, Natalia, and Niki debate Tonya Harding’s comeback, book bans in prison, and the 20th anniversary of the Bill Clinton-Monica Lewinsky scandal.
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Alt-Right Asian Fetish, Temporary Protected Status, and Raw Water
Past Present Episode 114
In this episode, Niki, Natalia, and Neil debate the Asian fetish of some alt-right white nationalists, President Trump’s plan to revoke protections for Salvadorans, and the raw water craze.
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African-American Intellectuals, Southern Democrats, and LaCroix Sparkling Water
Past Present Episode 113
In this episode, Natalia, Niki, and Neil discuss a feud between African-American intellectuals Cornel West and Ta-Nehisi Coates, the electoral prospects for southern Democrats, and why LaCroix Sparkling Water has become an obsession.
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Working On The Work of Working Out
A history of fitness in America
“You don’t want to be an aerobics instructor forever, do you?” Condescending and incredulous, the Rolling Stone journalist played by John Travolta asks this question of Jessie (Jamie Lee Curtis), his costar and L.A. fitness queen in the 1985 film Perfect. Jessie’s celebrity in the superficial, slightly louche, SoCal workout scene is portrayed as ...
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“Cat Person,” Black Maternal Mortality, and Elf on the Shelf
Past Present Episode 112
In this week's episode, Neil, Niki, and Natalia debate the viral New Yorker short story “Cat Person”, the disproportionately high maternal death rate among black women, and the Elf on the Shelf phenomenon.
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Etiquette Books, a Royal Engagement, and National Monuments
Past Present Episode 111
In this episode, Natalia, Niki, and Neil debate the resurgence of etiquette books, the announcement of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s royal engagement, and President Trump’s decision to limit the size of two national monuments.
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Time Inc., Massage Envy, and Net Neutrality
Past Present Episode 110
In this episode, Natalia, Neil, and Niki debate the purchase of Time Inc. by the Meredith Corporation, sexual assault claims at a chain of massage spas, and net neutrality.
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#MeToo and the Massage Envy Scandal
Looking Back and Beyond
Nearly thirty years later, Massage Envy, the largest massage franchise in the world, has been hit with 180 charges of sexual assault and prosecuting attorney Adam Horovitz sounded a similar note: “An inordinate amount of people are attracted to massage therapy because of sexual interest … there’s opportunity in the ...
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Bill Clinton, the NYC Subway, and GOP’s Tax Plan
Past Present Episode 109
In this episode, Niki, Neil, and Natalia debate the recent reckoning with Bill Clinton’s legacy, the state of the New York City subway, and the new tax reform measure.
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Liz Smith, Interracial Friendships, and Roy Moore
Past Present Episode 108
In this episode, Niki, Natalia, and Neil debate Liz Smith and the history of gossip columns, whether interracial friendships are possible, and evangelical responses to Roy Moore’s pedophilia scandal.
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