Slate Magazine

You’d think workplace Halloween celebrations would be enjoyable: It’s a holiday centered around costumes and candy, after all. And many offices do manage to make Halloween a good time. Sometimes, though, things go awry.

As we near the end of October, I’ve got another Hit Parade—“The Bridge” episode to share (link in the comments), following up our U2 episode. I’m delighted to welcome back friend, colleague and esteemed critic Stephen Thomas Erlewine to dive deeper on the Irish quartet. Tom reviewed literally all of U2’s studio albums for AllMusic and has thought a lot about the unusual chemistry that has kept them aloft for nearly five decades. Tom says the band couldn't exist with Bono, and he, in turn, needs them to carry off his rock-star visions. I even pinned Tom down on his U2 top five—you’ll be fascinated to learn where he places their maligned disc ??????. Plus, trivia—we have a former Jeopardy! contestant this month—and a next-episode preview that prepares us for an anxious November by saying a little prayer for you. ???????? LINK: https://lnkd.in/eX__4KvF

I talked to Rachel Bloom about, death, dogs, and trees that smell like [redacted]

On your knees, boy: My new Hit Parade episode is about those four Irish lads with the devout hearts, big mouths, messianic moves and long roster of hits. So…how *did* U2 do it? Pivoting from the earnest ’80s to the sardonic ’90s, then back again in the 21st century, Bono and the boys outlasted new wave, college rock, grunge and electronica to remain chart-toppers into the era of teenpop and hip-hop. All the while, they were both cool and cringe, getting away with stuff that would have felled other bands…well, until they tried to shove an album onto your iPhone. (I have a theory about that, too.) Am I buggin’ you? I don’t mean to bug ya, but join me as I consider why, for about four-plus decades, we can’t live with or without U2. ???????????? LINK: https://lnkd.in/etYzQTaS

Even if you’d never set foot on one of its planes, Spirit Airlines has already done more for you than you know. https://lnkd.in/grxTcADT

Before he ran Fox News, Roger Ailes launched a very different kind of channel. When that dream got snatched away from him, Ailes went on a revenge mission—and made a connection with Rupert Murdoch. Listen to Slow Burn: The Rise of Fox News now:

When the Fox News Channel launched in 1996, critics called it disorganized, incompetent, and laughably inept. But, during the 2000 election, it captivated the nation – and just maybe changed the fate of American democracy. Listen to Slow Burn: The Rise of Fox News now: https://lnkd.in/gqdG5nEz

This is what it sounds like when pop’s fly: Hit Parade is back from our late-summer break, and the new episode is about the hits of 1984, which has been called “Pop’s Greatest Year.” Four decades ago, a confluence of factors—the comeback of dance music, the peak of MTV, the Second British Invasion and the emergence of metal and hip-hop—made the radio a great place to be in the year of Prince and Bruce, Madonna and Cyndi, Tina and Lionel, VH and DD. I dissect eight reasons why 1984 was awesome for pop fans and walk through all 20 of the year’s No. 1 hits, from “Jump” to “Hello,” “Karma Chameleon” to “Caribbean Queen,” “Let’s Go Crazy” to “Like a Virgin.” Join me as we travel back to a year when rain was purple, feet were loose, the reflex was a lonely child and girls just wanted to have fun. ???????? LINK: https://lnkd.in/eBKgcKQS

I wrote about The Last Republican, which suggests that the road to healing a broken nation might run through Hot Tub Time Machine.

COMING SEPTEMBER 18: Slow Burn: The Rise of Fox News, hosted by Josh Levin. The series explores how a cable news channel became a cultural and political force—and how a whole bunch of people rose up to try and stop it. Follow Josh as he takes you back to the crucial inflection point in American history between 2000 and 2004 when Fox News first surged to power. Hear from the hosts, reporters, and producers who built Fox News, many who’ve never spoken publicly. Hear from the political operatives, journalists, and comedians who went after Fox News and tried to mock it into submission. And hear from Fox’s victims, who are still coming to terms with how a cable news channel upended their lives. Follow now to listen: https://lnkd.in/gwAZbYCk