Culture & The Arts

  • 400. How to Hate Taxes a Little Bit Less

    Every year, Americans short the I.R.S. nearly half a trillion dollars. Most ideas to increase compliance are more stick than carrot — scary letters, audits, and penalties. But what if we gave taxpayers a chance to allocate how their money is spent, or even bribed them with a thank-you gift?

  • Discredited Nincompoop Nunes Is (Slightly) Vindicated

    On the Gist, the problem with democracies.In the interview, Benjamin Wittes of the Brookings Institution and Lawfare is on the phone with Mike today to talk about Devin Nunes’ memo from 2017 in light of the recent Inspector General’s report. What did Nunes get right and wrong? And was it enough to let us stop calling him a nincompoop?In the spiel, McKinsey and Pete Buttigieg. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  • Bell Wars

    The two biggest handbell companies in the world have been locked in a feud for decades. Why? | Subscribe to our weekly newsletter here.

  • Reheat Offender

    This week, Reheat Offender. Brandy files suit against her husband Shaun. Brandy believes leftovers should be consumed in a particular order. Shaun doesn’t always want to eat the leftovers according to Brandy’s schedule. Who’s right? Who’s…

  • Meek Mill - Trauma

    Meek Mill is a rapper from Philadelphia. He’s put out four albums. His most recent, Championships, debuted at #1 on the charts, and was nominated for a Grammy for Best Rap Album. Back in 2007, He was arrested on a gun charge at the age of 19, and over the last eleven years, he was sent to prison four times for parole violations. But in July 2019, based on evidence of alleged police corruption, the Pennsylvania Superior Court threw out his conviction, and the parole violation that had led to his most recent time in prison, a five-month sentence. It was soon after Meek Mill was released that this song, “Trauma,” was created. He took inspiration from his experiences in prison, and his early life in Philadelphia. In this episode, Meek Mill and Don Cannon, who produced the track, break down how the whole thing came together. songexploder.net/meek-mill Right now, Radiotopia is holding its annual fundraiser. You can help support Song Exploder and the network that makes it possible. Make your mark. Go to Radiotopia.fm to donate today.

  • The “Pentagon Papers” Of Our Time

    On Monday, the Washington Post released the fruits of a three-year investigative effort: the “Afghanistan Papers,” a once-secret internal government history of a deadly, costly, and ultimately futile entanglement. The hundreds of frank, explosive intervi

  • Short Stuff: Whisky or Bourbon?

    What’s the difference between whisky and bourbon? We’ll tell you if you care to listen. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

  • Lea Michele, Orville Peck and more 11/12/2019 [Ful

    Actor and singer Lea Michele talks about her new Christmas album, her love for Alanis Morissette and how singing Uninvited on Glee led to a magical moment. Our books columnist Jael Richardson shares her holiday book picks for 2019. Mac DeMarco shares his gateway to the music of Japanese rock icon, Haruomi Hosono. The mysterious masked country music star known as Orville Peck performs live in the q music studio.