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Slow Burn

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  Slate Podcasts  

In the early 1970s, the future of abortion in America was far from settled. Roe v. Wade would change everything, though few knew it at the time. For the seventh season of Slate’s Slow Burn, host Susan Matthews explores the path to Roe—a time when more Republicans than Democrats supported abortion rights. You’ll hear the forgotten story of the first woman ever to be convicted of manslaughter for having an abortion, the unlikely Catholic power couple who helped ignite the pro-life movement, and a rookie Supreme Court justice who got assigned the opinion of a lifetime.

In the early 1970s, the future of abortion in America was far from settled. Roe v. Wade would change everything, though few knew it at the time. For the seventh season of Slate’s Slow Burn, host Susan Matthews explores the path to Roe—a time when more Republicans than Democrats supported abortion rights. You’ll hear the forgotten story of the first woman ever to be convicted of manslaughter for having an abortion, the unlikely Catholic power couple who helped ignite the pro-life movement, and a rookie Supreme Court justice who got assigned the opinion of a lifetime.

 

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#102

One Year: 1942 - The Black-Japanese Axis

In 1942, federal officials targeted a group of Black Americans who were allegedly hoping for a Japanese invasion. They uncovered a plot that included stockpiles of weapons and secret passwords—but was any of it true? This week, Joel Anderson tells the story of a shadowy organization in East St. Louis, Illinois, the group’s mysterious leader, and an alleged conspiracy against America during World War II. This episode of One Year was produced by Evan Chung, Sophie Summergrad, Sam Kim, Joel Anderson, Sol Werthan, and Josh Levin. Derek John is executive producer of narrative podcasts and Merritt Jacob is senior technical director. Slate Plus members get to hear more about the making of One Year. Get access to extra episodes, listen to the show without any ads, and support One Year by signing up for  [Slate Plus] (https://slate.com/oneyearplus)  for just $15 for your first three months. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit [megaphone.fm/adchoices] (https://megaphone.fm/adchoices) ... Read more

23 Nov 2022

40 MINS

40:56

23 Nov 2022

#101

Decoder Ring: The Butt and the Bustle

For about two decades towards the end of the Victorian era, in the 1870s and 1880s, a large bustle-enhanced bottom was the height of fashion. In this episode we explore how it’s connected to today’s big booty craze. We look at the bustle’s history with a curator fascinated by old undergarments; consider the various theories about its popularity with the author Heather Radke; and then hone in the tragic story of Sarah Baartman. The bustle may be old-fashioned, but it still has a lot to tell us about race, sex, power and how much people know, or let themselves know, about what they put on everyday. We hear from [Heather Radke] (https://twitter.com/hradke) , author of [Butts: A Backstory] (https://www.amazon.com/Butts-Backstory-Heather-Radke-ebook/dp/B09JPH9LCQ) , as well as [Kristina Haughland] (http://antiquesandfineart.com/articles/article.cfm?request=240) , [Janell Hobson] (https://janellhobson.com/) , [Pamela Scully] (http://wgss.emory.edu/home/people/biography/scully-pamela.html) , and [Maria Garcia. ] (https://twitter.com/nopalitamami?lang=en) This podcast was written by Willa Paskin, who produces Decoder Ring with Katie Shepherd. This episode was edited by Andrea Bruce. Derek John is Slate’s Executive Producer of Narrative Podcasts. Merritt Jacob is Senior Technical Director. If you haven’t please yet, subscribe and rate our feed in Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. And even better, tell your friends. If you’re a fan of the show, I’d love for you to sign up for Slate Plus.   Slate Plus members get to listen to Decoder Ring without any ads. Their support is also crucial to our work. So please go to [Slate.com/decoderplus] (http://slate.com/decoderplus) to join Slate Plus today. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit [megaphone.fm/adchoices] (https://megaphone.fm/adchoices) ... Read more

22 Nov 2022

46 MINS

46:38

22 Nov 2022

#100

One Year: 1942 - When Internment Came to Alaska

Six months after Pearl Harbor, Japan launched another attack on the United States. This time, Axis forces actually invaded, turning the Aleutian Islands into a battleground. What the country did next, in the name of “protecting” Alaska’s indigenous people, is a shameful chapter of the war. And it’s one the nation has never fully reckoned with. This episode of One Year was produced by Evan Chung, Sophie Summergrad, Sam Kim, Sol Werthan, and Josh Levin. Derek John is senior supervising producer of narrative podcasts and Merritt Jacob is senior technical director. Slate Plus members get to hear more about the making of One Year. Get access to extra episodes, listen to the show without any ads, and support One Year by signing up for  [Slate Plus] (https://slate.com/oneyearplus)  for just $15 for your first three months. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit [megaphone.fm/adchoices] (https://megaphone.fm/adchoices) ... Read more

17 Nov 2022

42 MINS

42:15

17 Nov 2022

#99

Decoder Ring: The Truth About #TheDress

In the history of viral images, #TheDress has got to be in the top 10. This unassuming photo of a party dress kicked off a global debate when people realized they were seeing it completely differently. Is it black and blue, or white and gold? In today’s episode, we’ll talk to someone who was there when the photo was first taken, and the BuzzFeed writer whose post briefly broke the internet. Then we go down the optical rabbit hole with a neuroscientist who’s been studying the The Dress for years. What does it reveal about the nature of truth? This podcast was written by Willa Paskin, who produces Decoder Ring with Katie Shepherd. This episode was edited by Andrew Adam Newman. Derek John is Slate’s senior supervising producer of narrative podcasts. Merritt Jacob is senior technical director. We’ll hear from [Paul Jinks] (https://mobile.twitter.com/meatybeefy01) , [Cates Holderness] (https://twitter.com/catesish) , [Pascal Wallisch] (https://as.nyu.edu/faculty/pascal-wallisch.html) , and [David McRaney] (https://www.davidmcraney.com/) author of the book [How Minds Change] (https://www.davidmcraney.com/howmindschangehome) . Here’s the [optical illusion of the strawberries] (https://pbs.twimg.com/media/C5piDuZUwAEZl00?format=jpg&name=900x900) mentioned in the episode and created by [Professor Akiyoshi Kitaoka] (https://www.ritsumei.ac.jp/~akitaoka/index-e.html) . If you haven’t please yet, subscribe and rate our feed in Apple, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. And even better, tell your friends. If you’re a fan of the show, I’d love for you to sign up for Slate Plus.    Slate Plus members get to listen to Decoder Ring — and every other Slate podcast — ad-free. Their support is also crucial to our work. So please go to [Slate.com/decoderplu] (http://slate.com/decoderplus) s to join Slate Plus today. Check out Remote Works  [here] (https://link.chtbl.com/remoteworks?sid=podcast.decoderring) . Learn more about your ad choices. Visit [megaphone.fm/adchoices] (https://megaphone.fm/adchoices) ... Read more

15 Nov 2022

38 MINS

38:18

15 Nov 2022

#98

One Year - 1942: The Info Wars of World War II

In March 1942, a new nightly radio show hit the American airwaves. The stated goal of Station Debunk was to correct all the lies getting tossed around about America’s involvement in the war. But the real story was a whole lot stranger and more devious than it appeared. One Year is produced by Evan Chung, Sophie Summergrad, Sam Kim, and Josh Levin. Derek John is senior supervising producer of narrative podcasts and Merritt Jacob is senior technical director. Slate Plus members get to hear more about the making of One Year. Get access to extra episodes, listen to the show without any ads, and support One Year by signing up for  [Slate Plus] (https://slate.com/oneyearplus)  for just $15 for your first three months. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit [megaphone.fm/adchoices] (https://megaphone.fm/adchoices) ... Read more

10 Nov 2022

48 MINS

48:59

10 Nov 2022

#97

One Year: 1942 - The Day the Music Stopped

On Aug. 1, 1942, the nation’s recording studios went silent. Musicians were fed up with the new technologies threatening their livelihoods, so they refused to record until they got their fair share. This week, Evan Chung explores one of the most consequential labor actions of the 20th century, and how it coincided with an underground revolution in music led by artists like Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie. One Year is produced by Evan Chung, Sophie Summergrad, Sam Kim, and Josh Levin. Derek John is senior supervising producer of narrative podcasts and Merritt Jacob is senior technical director. Slate Plus members get to hear more about the making of One Year. Get access to extra episodes, listen to the show without any ads, and support One Year by signing up for  [Slate Plus] (https://slate.com/oneyearplus)  for just $15 for your first three months. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit [megaphone.fm/adchoices] (https://megaphone.fm/adchoices) ... Read more

03 Nov 2022

57 MINS

57:16

03 Nov 2022

#96

One Year: 1942 - The Year Everyone Got Married

There were 1.8 million weddings in 1942, the most that had ever been recorded in a single year in American history. But how many of them would last? 98-year-old Millie Summergrad tells the story of one that did: her own. And a pair of brothers explain what it was like to grow up inside the busiest chapel in Yuma, Arizona—the wedding capital of the United States. One Year is produced by Evan Chung, Sophie Summergrad, Sam Kim, and Josh Levin. Derek John is senior supervising producer of narrative podcasts and Merritt Jacob is senior technical director. Slate Plus members get to hear more about the making of One Year. Get access to extra episodes, listen to the show without any ads, and support One Year by signing up for  [Slate Plus] (https://slate.com/oneyearplus)  for just $15 for your first three months. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit [megaphone.fm/adchoices] (https://megaphone.fm/adchoices) ... Read more

27 Oct 2022

44 MINS

44:33

27 Oct 2022

#95

One Year: 1942 - The Most Hated Man in America

At the beginning of World War II, the greatest threat to the American war effort wasn’t the Nazis or the Japanese—it was runaway inflation. The man in charge of stopping it was the country’s “price czar,” Leon Henderson. In 1942, he controlled how much coffee ordinary people could drink and how many tires they could buy. Those rules made him a nationwide villain. But would they save the country? One Year is produced by Evan Chung, Sophie Summergrad, Sam Kim, and Josh Levin.  Derek John is senior supervising producer of narrative podcasts and Merritt Jacob is senior technical director. Slate Plus members get to hear more about the making of One Year. Get access to extra episodes, listen to the show without any ads, and support One Year by signing up for Slate Plus for just $15 for your first three months. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit [megaphone.fm/adchoices] (https://megaphone.fm/adchoices) ... Read more

20 Oct 2022

47 MINS

47:01

20 Oct 2022

#94

Decoder Ring: McGruff Takes a Bite Out of Crime Pt. 2

McGruff the Crime Dog arrived on the scene at the dawn of the 1980s, just as a firehose of anti-drug PSAs was inundating the youth of America. These messages didn’t always work as intended—but they did work their way into the long term memories of the kids who heard them.  In the second episode of our [two-part series] (https://slate.com/podcasts/decoder-ring/2022/10/mcgruff-and-the-afterlife-of-psas) on the weird world of PSAs and very special episodes, we look at how the McGruff Smart Kids Album influenced everything from straight-edge hardcore to a couple’s wedding playlist. We’ll hear from [Sarah Hubbard] (https://twitter.com/sprightlysound) , [Dan Danger] (https://twitter.com/tinymediaempire) , [Joseph Cappella] (https://www.asc.upenn.edu/people/faculty/joseph-n-cappella-phd) , [David Farber] (https://history.ku.edu/people/david-farber) , Mike Hawes, [Robin Nelson] (https://www.puppetsinc.com/) , [Daisy Rosario] (https://twitter.com/RunDMR) , and [Tatiana Peralta] (https://twitter.com/PeRalta_PRt) . This podcast was written by Willa Paskin, who produces Decoder Ring with Katie Shepherd. This episode was edited by Jamie York. Derek John is Slate’s Sr. Supervising Producer of Narrative Podcasts. Merritt Jacob is Sr. Technical Director. Thank you to Tatiana Peralta, Ari Merkin, Wendy Melillo, Dan McQuade, Dale Mantley, Larissa Zargeris, Dave Bledsoe, Larre Johnson, Duane Poole, Eric Greenberg, Charles and Karen Rosen, and Jennifer Holland, Orla Mejia, Andres Martinez and everyone else at the Rutgers library who helped me listen to some old cassette tapes.  A few things that were helpful in working on this piece: [How McGruff and the Crying Indian Changed America: A History of Iconic Ad Council Campaigns] (https://www.amazon.com/McGruff-Crying-Indian-Changed-America/dp/1588343936) by Wendy Melillo, [Taking a Bite out of Crime: the Impact of the National Citizens Crime Prevention Media Campaign] (https://www.amazon.com/Taking-Bite-Out-Crime-Prevention/dp/0803959893) by Garrett J O’keefe and others, and “ [This McGruff Drug Album Might As Well Be By Weird Al,] (https://defector.com/this-mcgruff-drug-album-might-as-well-be-by-weird-al/) ” by Dan McQuade for Defector Media. You can hear Daniel Danger’s McGruff cover album in it’s entirety or you can purchase it [here] (https://xcrimedogx.bandcamp.com/album/1984-1986) . And lastly, if you are interested in hearing the full McGruff educational program or any of Puppet Productions productions they are available for purchase at puppetsinc.com, part of a company that Rob Nelson still runs. If you have any cultural mysteries you want us to decode, email us at [DecoderRing@slate.com] (mailto:DecoderRing@slate.com) If you love the show and want to support us, consider joining [Slate Plus] (http://slate.com/decoderplus) . With Slate Plus you get ad-free podcasts, bonus episodes, and total access to all of Slate’s journalism. Check out Remote Works  [here] (https://link.chtbl.com/remoteworks?sid=podcast.decoderring) .  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit [megaphone.fm/adchoices] (https://megaphone.fm/adchoices) ... Read more

12 Oct 2022

47 MINS

47:24

12 Oct 2022

#93

Decoder Ring: McGruff Takes a Bite Out of Crime Pt. 1

McGruff the Crime Dog arrived on the scene at the dawn of the 1980s, just as a firehose of anti-drug PSAs was inundating the youth of America. These messages didn’t always work as intended—but they did work their way into the long term memories of the kids who heard them.  In the first of two episodes, we take a look at PSAs and their strange afterlife through the lens of a trench-coat wearing bloodhound and his bizarre, yet catchy anti-drug songs. We’ll talk to [Dan Danger] (https://twitter.com/tinymediaempire) , [Sherry Nemmers] (https://www.sherrynemmers.com/bio) , [Joseph Cappella] (https://www.asc.upenn.edu/people/faculty/joseph-n-cappella-phd) , [David Farber] (https://history.ku.edu/people/david-farber) , Mike Hawes and [Robin Nelson] (https://www.puppetsinc.com/) to discover how the McGruff Smart Kids Album came to exist in the first place. This podcast was written by Willa Paskin. Decoder Ring is produced by Willa Paskin and Katie Shepherd. We had production help from Sam Kim.  Editing by Jamie York and Derek John, Slate’s Sr. Supervising Producer of Narrative Podcasts. Merritt Jacob is Sr. Technical Director. Thank you to [Wendy Melillo] (https://www.amazon.com/McGruff-Crying-Indian-Changed-America/dp/1588343936) , Dan McQuade, Dale Mantley, Larissa Zargeris, Daisy Rosario, Drew Bledsoe, Larre Johnson, Duane Poole, Ari Merkin, Charles and Karen Rosen and Eric Greenberg.  If you have any cultural mysteries you want us to decode, email us at [DecoderRing@slate.com] (mailto:DecoderRing@slate.com) If you love the show and want to support us, consider joining [Slate Plus] (http://slate.com/decoderplus) . With Slate Plus you get ad-free podcasts, bonus episodes, and total access to all of Slate’s journalism. Check out Remote Works  [here] (https://link.chtbl.com/remoteworks?sid=podcast.decoderring) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit [megaphone.fm/adchoices] (https://megaphone.fm/adchoices) ... Read more

04 Oct 2022

37 MINS

37:48

04 Oct 2022

#92

One Year - 1986: The Man From Fifth Avenue

After Joe Mauri gets evicted from his New York apartment, he becomes a star in the USSR, the subject of a documentary about the injustices of capitalism. But this Cold War icon was using the Soviets just as much as they used him. One Year is produced by Evan Chung, Sophie Summergrad, Sam Kim, Madeline Ducharme, and Josh Levin. Mixing by Merritt Jacob. Derek John is Sr. Supervising Producer of Narrative Podcasts and Merritt Jacob is Sr. Technical Director. Slate Plus members get to hear more about the making of One Year. Get access to extra episodes, listen to the show without any ads, and support One Year by signing up for Slate Plus for just $15 for your first three months. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit [megaphone.fm/adchoices] (https://megaphone.fm/adchoices) ... Read more

29 Sep 2022

58 MINS

58:06

29 Sep 2022

#91

One Year - 1986: The Miracle of Cokeville

On May 16, 1986, a man with a bomb held an entire elementary school hostage in the tiny town of Cokeville, Wyoming. Yet instead of becoming victims of unimaginable tragedy, all of the hostages in this predominantly Mormon community survived. But how? This week, Evan Chung explores what—or who—saved the children of Cokeville. One Year is produced by Evan Chung, Sophie Summergrad, Sam Kim, Madeline Ducharme, and Josh Levin.  Derek John is Sr. Supervising Producer of Narrative Podcasts and Merritt Jacob is Sr. Technical Director. Slate Plus members get to hear more about the making of One Year. Get access to extra episodes, listen to the show without any ads, and support One Year by signing up for Slate Plus for just $15 for your first three months. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit [megaphone.fm/adchoices] (https://megaphone.fm/adchoices) ... Read more

22 Sep 2022

1 HR 07 MINS

1:07:06

22 Sep 2022

#90

One Year - 1986: Herschel vs. the Blubber Busters

In Seattle, a pack of voracious sea lions decimates the local fish population. When fireworks and an underwater air horn don’t scare away the whisker-y mammals, bureaucrats and scientists are faced with a thorny question: Who decides which creatures get to live, and which have to die? One Year is produced by Evan Chung, Sophie Summergrad, Sam Kim, Madeline Ducharme, and Josh Levin.  Derek John is Sr. Supervising Producer of Narrative Podcasts and Merritt Jacob is Sr. Technical Director. Slate Plus members get to hear more about the making of One Year. Get access to extra episodes, listen to the show without any ads, and support One Year by signing up for Slate Plus for just $15 for your first three months. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit [megaphone.fm/adchoices] (https://megaphone.fm/adchoices) ... Read more

15 Sep 2022

51 MINS

51:35

15 Sep 2022

#89

One Year - 1986: A Boycott in Mississippi

Black residents of Indianola, Mississippi, were fed up with decades of separate-and-unequal classrooms. When a white outsider got hired as school superintendent, they decided to take a stand. This week, Joel Anderson tells the story of how their boycott of white businesses transformed the community and captivated the nation. One Year is produced by Evan Chung, Sophie Summergrad, Sam Kim, Madeline Ducharme, and Josh Levin. Mixing by Merritt Jacob. Derek John is Sr. Supervising Producer of Narrative Podcasts and Merritt Jacob is Sr. Technical Director. Slate Plus members get to hear more about the making of One Year. Get access to extra episodes, listen to the show without any ads, and support One Year by signing up for Slate Plus for just $15 for your first three months. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit [megaphone.fm/adchoices] (https://megaphone.fm/adchoices) ... Read more

08 Sep 2022

59 MINS

59:18

08 Sep 2022

#88

One Year - 1986: The Mystery of Al Capone’s Vaults

Rumors about the legendary gangster Al Capone’s buried treasure transform an abandoned Chicago hotel into the center of the entertainment universe. Will Geraldo Rivera’s excavation on live TV turn up money, skeletons, or nothing at all? One Year is produced by Evan Chung, Sophie Summergrad, Sam Kim, Madeline Ducharme, and Josh Levin.  Derek John is Sr. Supervising Producer of Narrative Podcasts and Merritt Jacob is Sr. Technical Director. Slate Plus members get to hear more about the making of One Year. Get access to extra episodes, listen to the show without any ads, and support One Year by signing up for Slate Plus for just $15 for your first three months. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit [megaphone.fm/adchoices] (https://megaphone.fm/adchoices) ... Read more

01 Sep 2022

1 HR 03 MINS

1:03:04

01 Sep 2022

#87

One Year - 1986: The Ultimate Field Trip

This week, Evan Chung tells the story of the American teachers who competed for an unprecedented prize: a spot on the January 1986 launch of the Space Shuttle Challenger. Three of the finalists describe the grueling selection process and the tragedy that killed one of their own. One Year is produced by Evan Chung, Sophie Summergrad, Sam Kim, Madeline Ducharme, and Josh Levin.  Derek John is Sr. Supervising Producer of Narrative Podcasts and Merritt Jacob is Sr. Technical Director. Slate Plus members get to hear more about the making of One Year. Get access to extra episodes, listen to the show without any ads, and support One Year by signing up for Slate Plus for just $15 for your first three months. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit [megaphone.fm/adchoices] (https://megaphone.fm/adchoices) ... Read more

25 Aug 2022

1 HR 00 MINS

1:00:51

25 Aug 2022

#86

Slow Burn presents: One Year - 1986: No Crime Day

Basketball star Isiah Thomas had an audacious plan to transform Detroit: asking criminals to stay on the good side of the law for 24 hours. Would “No Crime Day” set the city on a new path, or was it a recipe for failure? One Year is produced by Evan Chung, Sophie Summergrad, Sam Kim, Madeline Ducharme, and Josh Levin. Mixing by Merritt Jacob. Slate Plus members get to hear more about the making of One Year. Get access to extra episodes, listen to the show without any ads, and support One Year by signing up for Slate Plus for just $15 for your first three months. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit [megaphone.fm/adchoices] (https://megaphone.fm/adchoices) ... Read more

18 Aug 2022

55 MINS

55:59

18 Aug 2022

#85

Decoder Ring: The “Sex” Scandal That Made Mae West

In the early 1930s, Mae West’s dirty talk and hip swiveling walk made her one of the biggest movie stars in America. But before West hit the big-screen, she was prosecuted for staging not one, but two scandalous plays. In this episode, we look at how West honed her persona when she was under the bright lights of Broadway and the flashbulbs of the tabloids — and briefly behind bars. More than a century later, her career arc offers a blueprint on how to survive a scandal…and maybe even come out ahead. This episode relied heavily on a lot of archival material and innumerable books: [When I’m Bad, I’m Better: Mae West, Sex and American Entertainmen] (https://www.ucpress.edu/book/9780520210943/when-im-bad-im-better) t by Marybeth Hamilton; [When Brooklyn was Queer ] (http://www.hughryan.org/when-brooklyn-was-queer) by Hugh Ryan; Lillian Schlissel’s introduction to [Three Plays by Mae West] (https://www.routledge.com/Three-Plays-by-Mae-West-Sex-The-Drag-and-Pleasure-Man/Schlissel/p/book/9780415909334) , [ Mae West: a biography by George Eells ] (https://www.amazon.com/Mae-West-George-Eells/dp/068800816X) and Stanley Musgrove; [Mae West: An Icon in Black and White] (https://www.amazon.com/Mae-West-Icon-Black-White/dp/0195161122) by Jill Watts;   [Becoming May West ] (https://www.amazon.com/Becoming-West-Emily-Wortis-Leider/dp/0306809516) by Emily Wortis Leider; [Gay New York ] (https://www.amazon.com/Gay-New-York-Culture-1890-1940/dp/0465026214) by George Chauncey;   [Mae West, She Who Laughs Last,] (https://www.amazon.com/Mae-West-American-Biographical-History/dp/0882958917) by June Sochen: [Goodness Has Nothing to Do with It] (https://www.amazon.com/Goodness-had-nothing-Autobiography-West/dp/B0007DQI9M) by Mae West; and Linda Ann Losciavo’s play “Courting Mae West” and her blog, which you can find at [Maewest.blogspot.com] (https://maewest.blogspot.com/) .  This episode of Decoder Ring was written by Willa Paskin. It was produced by Willa Paskin and Katie Shepherd. Derek John is Sr. Supervising Producer of Narrative Podcasts. Merritt Jacob is our Technical Director. Thank you to Benjamin Frisch for this topic.  If you have any cultural mysteries you want us to decode, email us at [DecoderRing@slate.com] (mailto:DecoderRing@slate.com) If you love the show and want to support us, consider joining [Slate Plus] (http://slate.com/decoderplus) . With Slate Plus you get ad-free podcasts, bonus episodes, and total access to all of Slate’s journalism. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit [megaphone.fm/adchoices] (https://megaphone.fm/adchoices) ... Read more

16 Aug 2022

46 MINS

46:13

16 Aug 2022

#84

Decoder Ring: The First Alien Abductees

When you think of an alien abduction, what do you picture? Humanoid creatures, medical experiments, lost memories retrieved through hypnosis? That narrative was largely unknown until Betty and Barney Hill went public about their own alien abduction in the 1960s. Betty Hill’s niece, [Kathleen Marden] (http://kathleen-marden.com/) , recounts how the story went viral and her aunt and uncle became unwitting celebrities. Then professors [Susan Lepselter] (https://www.haujournal.org/index.php/hau/article/view/hau2.2.006) , [Chris Bader] (https://www.chapman.edu/our-faculty/christopher-bader) , [Joseph O. Baker] (https://www.etsu.edu/cas/sociology/facultystaff/bakerjo.php) and [Stephanie Kelley-Romano ] (https://www.bates.edu/rhetoric-film-screen-studies/faculty/kelley-romano-stephanie/) explain how the Hills’ alien abduction changed science fiction forever. Thanks to [Eric Molinsky] (https://www.imaginaryworldspodcast.org/about) for bringing us this story that originally aired on his terrific podcast [Imaginary Worlds] (https://www.imaginaryworldspodcast.org/) . Eric’s got a lot more stories like this one so subscribe wherever you listen.  Decoder Ring is written by Willa Paskin and produced by Willa Paskin and Katie Shepherd. Derek John is Sr. Supervising Producer of Narrative Podcasts. Merritt Jacob is our Technical Director. If you have any cultural mysteries you want us to decode, email us at [DecoderRing@slate.com] (mailto:DecoderRing@slate.com) If you love the show and want to support us, consider joining [Slate Plus] (http://slate.com/decoderplus) . With Slate Plus you get ad-free podcasts, bonus episodes, and total access to all of Slate’s journalism. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit [megaphone.fm/adchoices] (https://megaphone.fm/adchoices) ... Read more

09 Aug 2022

41 MINS

41:06

09 Aug 2022

#83

Decoder Ring: The Most Famous Poet No One Remembers

Rod McKuen sold multiple millions of poetry books in the 60s and 70s. He released dozens of albums, was a regular on late night, and was even nominated for an Oscar. So, how did the most salable poet in American history simply disappear? On today’s episode, Slate writer Dan Kois went searching for Rod McKuen, a famous poet who isn’t so famous anymore. We’ll hear from Stephanie Burt, Mike Chasar and Barry Alfonso, author of Rod’s biography [A Voice of the Warm] (https://www.amazon.com/Voice-Warm-Life-Rod-McKuen/dp/161713709X) . Along the way, Dan meets Andy Zax, a guy who, like him, was bewildered by this forgotten star—until he became an accidental fan, and then somehow the only person keeping Rod McKuen’s flame alive. This episode of Decoder Ring was written by Dan Kois and edited by Willa Paskin. It was produced by Willa Paskin and Katie Shepherd. Derek John is Sr. Supervising Producer of Narrative Podcasts. Merritt Jacob is our Technical Director. If you have any cultural mysteries you want us to decode, email us at [DecoderRing@slate.com] (mailto:DecoderRing@slate.com) . If you love the show and want to support us, consider joining [Slate Plus] (http://slate.com/decoderplus) . With Slate Plus you get ad-free podcasts, bonus episodes, and total access to all of Slate’s journalism. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit [megaphone.fm/adchoices] (https://megaphone.fm/adchoices) ... Read more

02 Aug 2022

48 MINS

48:12

02 Aug 2022

#82

Slow Burn presents: Decoder Ring - The Mall is Dead (Long Live the Mall)

(While we work on the next season of Slow Burn we're showcasing Slate's other narrative podcasts, starting with a new season of Decoder Ring.) What do we lose if we lose the mall? 70 years into their existence, these hulking temples to commerce are surprisingly resilient and filled with contradictions. In this episode, [Alexandra Lange] (https://www.alexandralange.net/) , the author of the new book [Meet Me at the Fountain: an Inside History of the Mall] (https://www.bloomsbury.com/us/meet-me-by-the-fountain-9781635576023/) walks us through the atriums, escalators, and food courts of this singular suburban space. We also hear from mall-goers whose personal experiences help us make sense of this disdained yet beloved, disappearing yet surviving place. This episode of Decoder Ring was written by Willa Paskin and produced by Willa Paskin and Katie Shepherd. Derek John is Sr. Supervising Producer of Narrative Podcasts. Merritt Jacob is our Technical Director. If you have any cultural mysteries you want us to decode, email us at [DecoderRing@slate.com] (mailto:DecoderRing@slate.com) If you love the show and want to support us, consider joining [Slate Plus] (http://slate.com/decoderplus) . With Slate Plus you get ad-free podcasts, bonus episodes, and total access to all of Slate’s journalism. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit [megaphone.fm/adchoices] (https://megaphone.fm/adchoices) ... Read more

26 Jul 2022

50 MINS

50:36

26 Jul 2022

#81

S7 Ep. 4: Roe Against Wade

Harry Blackmun wasn’t Richard Nixon’s first choice to fill a vacancy on the Supreme Court. But after Blackmun was confirmed, he got the assignment of a lifetime: writing the majority opinion in Roe v. Wade. His approach to that case would have consequences he never imagined. Season 7 of Slow Burn is produced by Susan Matthews, Samira Tazari, Sophie Summergrad, and Sol Werthan. Derek John is Sr. Supervising Producer of Narrative Podcasts. Editorial direction by Josh Levin, Derek John, and Johanna Zorn. Merritt Jacob is our Technical Director. Our theme music is composed by Alexis Cuadrado. Artwork by Derreck Johnson based on a photo provided by Robert Wheeler. The season’s reporting was supported by a grant from the  [International Women’s Media Foundation’s] (http://iwmf.org/)  Howard G. Buffett Fund for Women Journalists. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit [megaphone.fm/adchoices] (https://megaphone.fm/adchoices) ... Read more

22 Jun 2022

1 HR 04 MINS

1:04:47

22 Jun 2022