Into It: A Vulture Podcast with Sam Sanders: Recent Episodes
Vulture & New York Magazine
Join host Sam Sanders as he guides you through the biggest pop culture stories, trends, and ideas we can’t stop thinking about. With help from Vulture friends and the occasional celebrity, Into It is answering all of the important questions. What summer blockbusters are worth your time? Do we really know Taylor Swift? What does the future of TV look like? New episodes drop every Tuesday and Friday. From Vulture and the Vox Media Podcast Network.
Rotten Tomatoes is the place you go when you want to figure out whether or not to see a movie. It aggregates reviews on its “Tomatometer” and tells you whether a film is “fresh” or “rotten.” But its math formula sucks, and it’s easily manipulated. New York Magazine’s Lane Brown did a deep investigation into how Rotten Tomatoes works and tells Sam all the ways studios game the ratings on Rotten Tomatoes, how Hollywood publicity now revolves around the site, and highlights how the whole system has incentivized one company to pay critics and apparently withhold their negative reviews from Rotten Tomato counts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
As Olivia Rodrigo releases Guts, we take stock of the singer-songwriter who seemed to come out of nowhere, fully realized as an artist, back in 2021. How did Olivia surprise us so much before, and can she repeat her success a second time? Sam chats with Lindsay Zoladz, pop music critic at The New York Times, about the dualities of Olivia Rodrigo: She's an artist who is both quiet and loud, young and old at heart, and a former Disney child star whose lyrics are a gut punch. We also trace her inspirations from Alanis Morisette to Taylor Swift and explore why we can't get enough of Olivia's music in a year that's seen the pop culture power of women and girls. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
For our first Into It Book Club pick, Sam talks to Brandon Taylor about his latest novel The Late Americans. Set in Iowa City, the book follows a group of lovers and friends who are navigating the world of art, love, sex... and graduate school. We also ask about the broader discourse around books today: In the age of #BookTok and Goodreads, what should readers expect from writers? And —for Brandon, in particular — what's the line between reviewing an author's published work and the author himself? ICYMI, Sam is guest hosting on Vox’s daily news show Today, Explained this week. Listen at https://bit.ly/texwsam. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Justin Bieber. Demi Levato. Ariana Grande. Idina Menzel. All are reportedly dropping their manager, Scooter Braun. He’s one of the biggest players in the music industry, and Taylor Swift apparently hates him enough for owning her masters to be rerecording all her old music. Sam Sanders talks it over with comedian and TV writer Jay Jurden. Also, Jay and Sam decide if they’re into the Suits renaissance and marvel at the return of the Fyre Festival. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
"A rap game Ferris Bueller." "Fun and life affirming." That's what Pitchfork called the buzziest mixtape of 2013: Chance the Rapper's Acid Rap. The mixtape launched Chance's career and put him alongside some of the biggest artists in hip-hop. To commemorate Acid Rap's 10-year anniversary, Sam chats with Chance about his time touring with Mac Miller, Donald Glover, Eminem, and Macklemore after the mixtape's release; his relationship with Kanye West; and how hip-hop — and his own view of politics — has changed in the decade since. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Forget Trump’s most recent indictment. We’re discussing three other big controversies this week: allegations that the white folks behind The Blind Side story were crooks rather than saviors, the lack of protections for reality stars (just see the recent episodes of Below Deck Down Under for an illustration), and the debate over whether Bradley Cooper’s prosthetic nose in an upcoming movie is antisemitic. Sam gets into all of it with writer R. Eric Thomas. They also discuss Eric’s new memoir, Congratulations, The Best is Over!, and how pop culture gives us access to big feelings. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
The CBS reality show Big Brother just entered its 25th season, making it one of the longest-running reality TV shows in history. But it's also one of the genre's weirdest: There are the edited episodes that air on CBS proper, but viewers are encouraged to creep on contestants via 24/7 live feeds; seasons almost always involve racism or misogyny (or both!); and the show often features games involving... slime? And yet the show gets killer ratings. To pin down the enduring appeal of Big Brother, Sam talks with Taylor Hale, the first Black woman to win the show, and Taran Armstrong, a man who literally watches the show for a living. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
A classic piece of American film dropped recently. It has everything: an epic battle, a giant boat, lawn furniture repurposed as weapons... and everyone's talking about it, including our guests this week: Jonquilyn Hill, host of Vox's The Weeds podcast, and Alex Abad-Santos, culture writer at Vox. They debate with Sam about who should direct an actual big screen version of the brawl. They also check in on how Jeopardy is dealing with the writers' strike (What is: The show is using old questions during tapings?) and pour one out for the creator of the "Cha Cha Slide" (RIP DJ Casper). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
We've been hearing a lot about artificial intelligence in TV and movies from both sides of the Hollywood strikes. Some actors and writers are afraid AI could replace them entirely. But how does AI work in the industry right now? And to what extent? Sam chats with VFX artist Ryan Laney about his work digitally replacing human faces — in the name of good. Then, Josh Glick, who studies AI and film at Bard College, lays out the fundamental truth many of us seem to forget: AI is already an integral part of the Hollywood machine. AI has de-aged Harrison Ford and Tom Cruise, provided language translation, and done all sorts of things in the Marvel Cinematic Universe — and it's not going anywhere. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Three of Lizzo’s former dancers sued her for alleged sexual harassment and creating a hostile work environment. How does this change how we feel about Lizzo — especially those inspired by her joyful, unapologetic persona and empowerment of plus-sized women of color? Sam welcomes his Vibe Check co-hosts Saeed Jones and Zach Stafford to talk it out. Then, as a palette cleanser: A game of Into It / Not Into It where they break down Cardi B’s mic throw, Justin Trudeau’s separation, and the resurrection of Bed Bath & Beyond from beyond the grave. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
At the end of Britney Spears’s conservatorship in November of 2021, most of her fans rejoiced. But conspiracy theories have a subset of #FreeBritney fans convinced she’s still not really free. They focus on what they see as oddities or glitches in some of her Instagram posts. Vox reporter Rebecca Jennings says there are even theories that Britney has been replaced with AI or a body double. Rebecca and Sam talk about her current piece for New York Magazine and get into the TikTok sleuthing of this extreme set of Britney fans, how the conspiracy theories mirror QAnon, and what Britney herself thinks about her fans’ actions. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
What is up right now with country music and race? There’s the controversy over Jason Aldean’s “Try That in a Small Town,” Morgan Wallen topping the charts despite previously being canceled for saying the n-word, and Luke Combs’ country cover of Tracy Chapman’s Fast Car – which is doing better than the original. Sam talks with writer, sociologist, and country fan Tressie McMillan Cottom. Tressie unpacks why mainstream country music is so, so white, how Black artists built the genre, and the gulf between the vibrant city of Nashville and the regressive politics of the “Nashville” music industry. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Bravo replaced the whole cast for the 14th season of The Real Housewives of New York City, but it almost doesn’t matter. “It’s about the franchise,” says Brian Moylan, who writes Vulture’s Housewives Institute Bulletin. There are, however, a handful of housewives that have had a lasting impact. A Housewife Mount Rushmore, if you will. Brian tells Sam why Teresa Giudice, Bethenny Frankel, NeNe Leakes, and Kyle Richards are the four faces on the mountaintop and why we owe so much of what we see on reality TV to the Housewives blueprint. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
It's Barbenheimer weekend and Sam is joined by none other than Who? Weekly hosts Bobby Finger and Lindsey Weber for our own doubleheader — of games. First, we break down the long list of Barbie merch collabs from Burger King to Progressive to Uno. Then, we discuss ABC's The Golden Bachelor and why it's never too late for love; social media influencers joining the Hollywood strikes; and the confusing yet popular TikTok trend of NPC livestreams. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Barbie (the doll) is more than 60 years old. But Barbie (the idea, the aesthetic, the cultural artifact) feels more current than ever. And yes, the highly anticipated Barbie movie is definitely a big part of that, but Barbiecore has been around way before the film was even a sparkle in Greta Gerwig's eye. Sam chats with The Cut's Danya Issawi about her first Barbie memories and the inescapable way that blonde hair, blue eyes, and pink outfits could define American girlhood. And we learn about the fashion history and influence of Barbie from historian Darnell Jamal Lisby: From Legally Blonde to Paris Hilton to Nicki Minaj, we're all just Barbie girls living in a Barbie world. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
It’s been more than 60 years since both the Writers Guild and the Screen Actors Guild have gone on strike at the same time. Sam chats with Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw about what the actors want and what the walkout will mean for Hollywood in the coming weeks and months. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
That recent scene in 'The Idol,' the one where the intimacy coordinator gets locked in a bathroom, was fully unrealistic. So what does an intimacy coordinator do? They choreograph intimacy scenes and help filmmakers not get canceled. What do they work on besides sex? Well anything involving nudity, including bodily functions and medical procedures. What do they bring to a set? Mints, strapless underwear, and a lot of tape. Sam chats with Intimacy Coordinator Adelaide Waldrop about the misconceptions that directors, producers and the public still have about this Hollywood role, even after it first gained attention following #MeToo. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
We're about halfway into 2023... but are we into it? Sam and Jay Jurden, comedian and writer on The Problem with Jon Stewart, take stock of the year thus far in pop culture: messy celebrity breakups, songs of the summer, the expanding cinematic universe of Mattel toys and dolls, the fall of Twitter, and more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
What better way to celebrate our nation's independence than with an episode about Miss Americana herself? We revisit our episode about Taylor Swift from the eve of her Midnights album release. What is the meaning of Taylor Swift? She's performed damsel in distress, but represents women's empowerment. She's a confessional artist, but is careful about how much she reveals. She's an adult, but is often still viewed as the teenager she used to be. Sam dives into the mythos and craft of Taylor Swift with NPR music critic Ann Powers about her place in history among the likes of Joni Mitchell, Bob Dylan, Adele, and Beyoncé. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
What led podcaster and Spotify executive Bill Simmons to call Prince Harry and Meghan Markle "grifters" following the news that Spotify wouldn't continue its reportedly $20 million deal with the couple? Sam asks Vulture critics Kathryn VanArendonk and Nicholas Quah whether the era of huge celebrity content deals is over. We also get into the improbably good second season of FX's The Bear and why it's so hard to make a beloved show even better. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Content creator and head of the Beyhive Kalen Allen is more than OK spending four thousand dollars on one ticket for Beyoncé’s Renaissance tour. 2023 feels like a big year for huge stadium tours for artists like Beyoncé, Taylor Swift, Bruce Springsteen, Ed Sheeran and more. But why are tickets so expensive, and how much are fans willing to put up with in order to go? Sam talks with music journalist Nate Rogers about why the touring industry might just be broken and what lawmakers and some artists are trying to do to fix it Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Samantha Irby knows what you think about the newer characters on ‘And Just Like That.’ She writes for the ‘Sex and the City’ reboot, which addressed critiques of the original series’ whiteness by introducing new, non-white friends. Reactions were mixed over how well they pulled it off the first season, and people especially hated the over-the-top character of Che Diaz. Sam Irby insists the writers were in on the joke. In time for the show’s season 2 premiere on Max, Sam and Sam talk about whether it’s possible to pull off “DEI-ification” without it being awkward and if ‘And Just Like That’ faces special scrutiny. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Sometimes before we have the language to describe ourselves, we have the culture in front of us to help — the movies, TV shows, and music we listened to and watched that's had a lasting impact. In honor of Pride Month, we ask three creatives about the culture that made them queer: writer, actor, and producer Lena Waithe; Tony Award-winning actor and singer Alex Newell; and writer and comedian Guy Branum. Plus, Sam shares his own story. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
The Flash is giving DC Comics its own multiverse, but its star is giving... controversy. Ezra Miller was once considered The Next Big Thing in Hollywood, but after a string of arrests and destructive behavior... where does that leave us? More importantly: Do we really need more superhero multiverses? And we chat about whether the best approach to HBO's The Idol is hate-watching it, and the mess of Netflix's The Ultimatum: Queer Love. Sam is joined by Vox senior correspondent Alex Abad-Santos to get into all of it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Netflix broke the TV mold in 2013 with ‘House of Cards.’ Now, the streaming wars may have broken TV altogether. There’s so much stuff, a lot isn’t good, it’s confusing to find, sometimes disappears entirely, and, as the writers on strike will tell you, people making it aren’t getting paid the same as they once were. Vulture’s Josef Adalian tells Sam about how the race to compete with Netflix destroyed TV as we knew it, twisted viewers' expectations, and may lead us back to the cable bundles we thought we left behind. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
This week, Sam is joined by Lovett or Leave It host and Crooked Media co-founder Jon Lovett to get into the week of culture: Taylor Swift's breakup with Matt Healy, Apple's dip into augmented reality with its Vision Pro, and the latest in the wild animal x drug movie collaboration space Crackcoon. We also hear about the culture that's haunting us: Vanderpump Rules' Tom Sandoval has single-handedly ruined white nail polish. Send us your culturegeist. What specific thing in the culture has haunted you recently? And why? Email a short voice memo to intoit@vulture.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Christy Carlson Romano was ubiquitous on the Disney Channel in the early 2000s, starring in ‘Even Stevens,’ ‘Kim Possible,’ and ‘Cadet Kelly.’ But after the roles stopped and the checks dried up, she lost money to psychics, struggled with family relationships, and grappled with addiction. Now she processes those experiences on her popular YouTube channel, with videos like “Why I Don't Talk to Shia LaBeouf.” She talks with Sam about overcoming her past, tapping into nostalgia to find new audiences, and advocating for changes in the entertainment industry for child actors.
Send us your culturegeist. What specific thing in the culture has haunted you for days, weeks, or even years? And why? Email a short voice memo to intoit@vulture.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Before his acquisition of Twitter, Elon Musk set his sights on another kind of media company: Thud. A longtime fan of The Onion — he once called it "the greatest publication in the history of all conscious beings, living or dead" — Elon helped two former Onion editors build a new satirical startup. But Elon pulled out of the company before its launch and Thud shuttered in 2019. So what happened? Sam chats with The Verge's Jake Kastrenakes about Elon's first foray into building his "intergalactic media empire" and what, if anything, it can reveal about his rule over Twitter.We also ask actress, comedian, and Scam Goddess podcast host Laci Mosley if she is into Meta hosting a Notorious B.I.G. VR concert. And we hear about the culture that's haunting us: Does will.i.am really believe you can catch amnesia?Send us your culturegeist. What specific thing in the culture has haunted you for days, weeks, or even years? And why? Email us a short voice memo at intoit@vulture.com.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
This year — and every year — we are grateful for family, friends, and celebrity memoirs. On this Thanksgiving, Sam chats with comedian Chelsea Devantez of the podcast Celebrity Book Club about the most memorable memoirs of 2022 — from Jennette McCurdy to Matthew Perry — and why the good ones will change your life. We also play a special holiday edition of "Into It/Not Into It" and ask Chelsea if she is into Jane Seymour inviting exes to Thanksgiving. Send us your culturegeist. We know you have one. What specific thing in the culture has haunted you for days, weeks, or even years? And why? Email us a short voice memo at intoit@vulture.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever has to do a lot of things: mourn the real and fictional loss of Chadwick Boseman, introduce a new Black Panther and other characters, move the ever-shifting Marvel Cinematic Universe forward, and — of course — be entertaining as an action-adventure movie. So why does it feel almost impossible — sacrilegious, even — to say that this sequel... doesn't quite hit? Sam talks it out with two critics who have very different takes: Vulture's Angelica Jade Bastien and The New York Times' Wesley Morris. Angelica says the movie trades on the power of representation while Wesley says its message is one of the most radical acts of mass capitalism he's ever seen. We also ask Angelica if she is into Billy McFarland of Fyre Festival fame trying to plan another event in the Bahamas. And we hear about the culture that's haunting us: Remember when Lindsay Lohan sent the Snapchat: "RIP John McCain feel better xoxo"? Send us your culturegeist. What specific thing in the culture has haunted you for days, weeks, or even years? And why? Email us a short voice memo at intoit@vulture.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
As Atlanta comes to a close after four seasons, it’s still hard to characterize the series. Was it comedy, drama, horror, satire? Whatever the word, the critically-acclaimed series was always weird, often brilliant, and sometimes divisive. Sam talks with Atlanta’s executive producer Stephen Glover about helping create the show with his brother Donald, the ideas that could only have come from a Black writers’ room, and provoking viewers to think about art. We also ask journalist and podcaster Daisy Rosario if she is into Kathy Griffin's late mother telling off Elon Musk on Twitter. And we hear about the culture that's haunting us: How can we ever find peace knowing there are a million things to watch, but we will never watch them all? Send us your culturegeist. What specific thing in the culture has haunted you for days, weeks, or even years? Email us a short voice memo at intoit@vulture.com. Also, sign up for Vulture’s Movies Fantasy League by Thursday, Nov. 10, for a chance to support your favorite films, earn rewards, and pit yourself against entertainment journalists, including Vulture staffers, and (people you once considered) friends! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Black Panther is back soon, but what do you actually need to know about the Marvel Cinematic Universe to be ready? And what if you don't care about the intricacies of Thanos or Dr. Strange's multiverse at all? Vox's Alex Abad-Santos catches Sam up on the MCU and explains that even if you don't care about the plot lines, you should care about Marvel's impact on the entertainment industry: "It's kind of like if you follow politics and you don't follow the Supreme Court. That's how big Marvel has become." We also ask comedian Vinny Thomas if he is into Rihanna's new single. And we hear about the culture that's haunting us: What do the casting directors of Love is Blind know that we don't when you have a Shane/Shaina and a Cole/Colleen situation in two consecutive seasons? Send us your culturegeist. What specific thing in the culture has haunted you for days, weeks, or even years? Email us a short voice memo at intoit@vulture.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Does seeing abortion on TV and film change the way people feel about it? You could argue that another big social issue — gay marriage — was helped by shows like Will & Grace and Ellen. Or that The Mary Tyler Moore Show and Murphy Brown helped normalize the idea of women in the workplace. Ahead of the midterms, Sam is wondering why more depictions of abortion onscreen haven't moved the needle on public opinion or access to abortion itself. Sam chats with Katori Hall about writing an abortion episode for her show P-Valley, which was based on the women's health organization at the heart of the case that overturned Roe v. Wade. Then, he talks with social scientist Steph Herold about the things onscreen abortions get wrong and the limits of representation. Send us your culturegeist. What specific thing in the culture has haunted you for days, weeks, or even years? Email us a short voice memo at intoit@vulture.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
What is the meaning of Taylor Swift? She's performed damsel in distress, but represents women’s empowerment. She’s a confessional artist, but is careful about how much she reveals. She's an adult, but is often still viewed as the teenager she used to be. On the eve of Midnights, Sam dives into the mythos and craft of Taylor Swift with NPR music critic Ann Powers about her place in history among the likes of Joni Mitchell, Bob Dylan, Adele, and Beyoncé. We also hear about the culture that's haunting us: Explain to us again why Bobby Cannavale's character in The Watcher wants to replace a Carrara marble countertop with butcher block? To make red sauce? Send us your culturegeist. What specific thing in the culture has haunted you for days, weeks, or even years? Email us a short voice memo at intoit@vulture.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
After five years, what happened to the #MeToo movement and Time's Up? The Hollywood advocacy group made a splash at the Golden Globes in 2018, but what's happened since? And did it really change anything? Sam chats with The Hollywood Reporter's Rebecca Keegan about the group's initial momentum from A-list actors and a barn burner of a speech from Oprah... and its eventual (inevitable?) implosion. We also ask if writer R. Eric Thomas is into Chris Pratt voicing Mario. And we hear about the culture that's haunting us: If Seth Green's neck could suddenly explode in an episode of Grey's Anatomy, what's to stop our necks from exploding at any second, too? Send us your culturegeist. What specific thing in the culture has haunted you for days, weeks, or even years? Email us a short voice memo at intoit@vulture.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Is there a way to make true crime ethically? At the very least, can we stop making serial killers hot? Sam chats with Vulture TV critic Jen Chaney about the criticism behind the hit Netflix show DAHMER — Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story and the rise of true crime as the latest IP. We also ask comedian Jay Jurden if he is into the new get-out-the-vote effort from Saucy Santana and Trina. And we hear about the culture that's haunting us: David Herskowitz is the Harry Styles of the Miami Boys Choir. Send us your culturegeist. What specific thing in the culture has been haunting you for days, weeks, or even years? Email us a short voice memo at intoit@vulture.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Bros has billed itself as the first gay romantic comedy made by a big Hollywood studio for theatrical release. But that billing brings a lot of pressure to represent the "queer community," speak to a straight audience, and make money. Sam chats with comedian Guy Branum, co-producer and co-star of Bros, about the compromises you can accept — and reject — in making a mainstream rom-com. We also ask if Guy is into Rihanna performing at the next Super Bowl Halftime Show. And we hear about the culture that's haunting us: Where's the comma in Don't Worry Darling? Send us your culturegeist. What specific thing in the culture has been haunting you for days, weeks, or even years? Email us a short voice memo at intoit@vulture.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Kim Kardashian is getting into venture capital, her shapewear company is worth billions, and her family's rebooted show The Kardashians is back for its second season on Hulu. And yet, Sam can't shake the feeling that Kim's power and relevance is fading. MJ Corey, creator of @kardashian_kolloquium, says Kim is in transition — not decline — and that her influence on the media landscape may soon become stronger than ever. We also ask friends of the show Bobby Finger and Lindsey Weber of Who? Weekly if they are into Adam Levine wanting to name his baby after an Instagram model who is not his wife. And we hear about the culture that's haunting us: Robyn's 2010 cover of Björk's "Hyperballad" is the perfect distillation of two very different artists. Send us your culturegeist. What specific thing in the culture has been haunting you for days, weeks, or even years? Email us a short voice memo at intoit@vulture.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Issa Rae is not just acting — she’s writing, producing, and running a whole media production company. In this live chat from the 2022 Code Conference, Issa talks with Sam Sanders and Kara Swisher about how she’s always known her audience — from her start as an internet creator to inking exclusive multimillion-dollar deals. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Why does the outrage over people of color cast in fantasies feel so predictable? Sam chats with associate professor Ebony Elizabeth Thomas, author of The Dark Fantastic: Race and Imagination from Harry Potter to The Hunger Games, about how fantasy writing in the Western world has become so entrenched in whiteness that the mere presence of a Black hobbit seems “shocking.” We also ask Abbi Jacobson and Chante Adams of A League of Their Own if they are into Cher calling Queen Elizabeth II a cow. And we hear about the culture that's haunting us: Dave Grohl watching Taylor Hawkins' son drumming to "My Hero" at a tribute concert is a scene straight out of a Pixar movie. Send us your culturegeist. What specific thing in the culture has been haunting you for days, weeks, or even years? Send us a short voice memo at intoit@vulture.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
A Strange Loop won this year's Tony Award for Best Musical, starring an all Black cast. But the show itself was partly inspired by three white women: Joni Mitchell, Tori Amos, and Liz Phair. Sam visits A Strange Loop on Broadway and sits down with its writer Michael R. Jackson to talk through Jackson's musical Holy Trinity (Joni as the Mother, Liz as the Daughter, and Tori as the Holy Ghost) and how they helped him embrace his own "Inner White Girl." We also ask Vulture's Rebecca Alter and our own Gaby Grossman if they are into the drama surrounding the Don't Worry Darling press tour. And we hear about the culture that's haunting us: If Euphoria won a Creative Arts Emmy for "Holding Out for a Hero" choreo, does that mean Lexi Howard is a Creative Arts Emmy winner, too? Send us your culturegeist. What specific thing in the culture has been haunting you for days, weeks, or even years? Send us a short voice memo at intoit@vulture.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Who had the song of the summer? Sam chats with Switched on Pop's Charlie Harding and Reanna Cruz about whose song (and album) is in the running: Beyoncé, Bad Bunny, Lizzo, or Kate Bush? We also ask Vibe Check co-hosts and friends of the show Saeed Jones and Zach Stafford if they're into J.Lo cutting dancers based on their astrological sign. And we hear about the culture that's haunting us: DJ Khaled is a "God Did" wind-up toy. Send us your culturegeist. What specific thing in the culture has been haunting you for days, weeks, or even years? Send us a short voice memo at intoit@vulture.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Some celebrities are born into financial safety. Others have to post sponcon. Sam chats with writer Kelsey McKinney about Sydney Sweeney's Instagram and what it means to have (or not have) family money in Hollywood. We also hold a celebrity liquor taste test with the staff of Vulture, which involves moderate to heavy drinking during a workday. And we hear about the culture that's haunting us: Singing "Somewhere That's Green" from Little Shop of Horrors at karaoke hits a little different when you're an adult living in New York. We'd love to hear from you. Email us at intoit@vulture.com with any questions, comments, or ideas. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Sam and New York Times columnist Tressie McMillan Cottom break down the hugely popular show Yellowstone and the ways it reflects our own identity politics. Which is all to say: It's complicated. We also play a game with Dinner Party newsletter writer Tirhakah Love and film critic Angelica Jade Bastien, and hear about the culture that's haunting us: Tessa Thompson is making a meal out of Westworld's hors d'oeuvre writing. We'd love to hear from you. Email us at intoit@vulture.com with any questions, comments, or ideas. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Can Hollywood ever just end a story? Sam chats with showrunner Damon Lindelof about his experiences on ABC's Lost and HBO's Watchmen and the pressures to keep a good thing going. We also play a game with Today, Explained hosts Sean Rameswaram and Noel King and hear about the culture that's haunting us: Was Paula Abdul really in a plane crash in the 1990s? We'd love to hear from you. Email us at intoit@vulture.com with any questions, comments, or ideas. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Everything Everywhere All at Once. Bodies Bodies Bodies. Moonlight. Midsommar. How did one movie studio seemingly become the darling of critics and fans alike? And when did we start stanning... companies? Sam chats with Vulture's Alison Wilmore and Nate Jones about the rise of A24. We also play a game with comedian Amber Ruffin and hear about the culture that's haunting us: We're in a Hot Yes Chef Summer. We'd love to hear from you. Email us at intoit@vulture.com with any questions, comments, or ideas. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Happy Beyoncé Week. As we await the release of Renaissance, Sam revisits how her surprise drop album in 2013 changed everything with longtime music journalist Danyel Smith. We also play a game with Vulture staffers and hear about the culture that's haunting us: Why did Bowling for Soup whitewash the 80s?
We'd love to hear from you. Email us at intoit@vulture.com with any questions, comments, or ideas. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Obsess better. Into It is Vulture’s guide to the pop culture we can’t stop thinking about. Hosted by Sam Sanders. New episodes drop every Thursday starting July 28th. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices