A welfare caseworker first told Ms. Pat she had a knack for turning painful stories into comedy. She was 20, fresh out of prison for selling drugs, and already in charge of six kids–some hers, some the children of family members who needed a safe place to stay. It would take 10 more years for Ms. Pat to get on stage at an open mic, but once she started, she didn’t stop. She now sells out shows and has starred in a BET+ sitcom based on her life for five seasons.In this episode, Ms. Pat talks about moving between economic classes and the lies she told to blend in, learning to manage money from her husband, and building the big, full house she never had growing up.Ms. Pat’s latest memoir is called Ms. American Dream: A Memoir of Making It, No Matter What.Podcast production by Zoe AzulayDeath, Sex & Money is produced by Slate! To support us and our colleagues, please sign up for our membership program, Slate Plus! Members get ad-free podcasts, bonus content on lots of Slate shows, and full access to all the articles on Slate.com. Sign up today at slate.com/dsmplus.And if you’re new to the show, welcome. We’re so glad you’re here. Find us and follow us on Instagram and you can find Anna’s newsletter at annasale.substack.com. Our new email address, where you can reach us with voice memos, pep talks, questions, critiques, is [email protected]. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The “blue tsunami” of the midterms swept Democrats into power in places they haven’t won in decades and decades. What will it take for the Dems to hold what they’ve won?Guests:Clare Malone and Galen Druke, co-hosts of the podcast “Still Counting.” Jim Newell, Slate’s senior politics writer and author of The Surge newsletter.Want more What Next? Subscribe to Slate Plus to access ad-free listening to the whole What Next family and across all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of our show page. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to get access wherever you listen.Podcast production by Evan Campbell, Madeline Thames-Ducharme and Patrick Fort.Paige Osburn is the senior supervising producer of What Next and What Next TBD. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Dire safety warnings and escalating security breaches have become a regular feature of the tech world’s breakneck race for A.I. dominance. Is there any way to avoid disaster?On this episode of Money Talks, host Elizabeth Spiers talks to Justin Hendrix of Tech Policy Press, about the importance of A.I. regulation and what effective tech safety policy looks like.Join Slate Plus to unlock weekly bonus episodes. Plus, you’ll access ad-free listening across all your favorite Slate podcasts. You can subscribe directly from the Slate Money show page on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Or, visit slate.com/moneyplus to get access wherever you listen. Podcast production by Jessamine Molli and Cheyna Roth. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As Democrats were routing their way through the midterms, Hakeem Jefferies said they were going to be focused on affordability, not on getting even. But corruption was a big issue for voters. What should the priorities be when the Democrats take control of Congress next January?Guests: Adam Smith, congressman from Washington’s 9th district and ranking member of the House armed services committee.JoAnna Mendoza, representative elect for Arizona’s 6th congressional district. Want more What Next? Subscribe to Slate Plus to access ad-free listening to the whole What Next family and across all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of our show page. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to get access wherever you listen.Podcast production by Evan Campbell, Madeline Thames-Ducharme and Patrick Fort.Paige Osburn is the senior supervising producer of What Next and What Next TBD. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On one of the biggest political nights of the year, audiences weren’t turning into traditional networks for their news. Instead, they were on YouTube and Twitch, where streamers like Hasan Piker dominated with up to over 200,000 concurrent viewers at once. While broadcasters like NBC, CBS, and CNN were also streaming their coverage online, they were fighting for attention amongst new media livestreamers—a shift that’s been happening for some time. On today’s episode, host Kate Lindsay is joined by Semafor Media editor and Mixed Signals co-host Max Tani to talk about how livestreaming is beginning to eclipse cable news, and how both are having to adapt.This podcast is produced by Vic Whitley-Berry, Daisy Rosario, and Kate Lindsay. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the wake of this week’s sweeping midterm rebuke of Donald Trump, Protect Democracy co-founder Ian Bassin joins Dahlia Lithwick to discuss how voters pushed back against authoritarianism—and how the country can turn that victory into lasting change. Bassin argues that congressional investigators must do more than expose corruption: They should preserve the evidence a future attorney general would need to recoup taxpayers’ money. As he explains, Trump’s pardons can’t shield ill-gotten gains. Later, the conversation turns to the Supreme Court’s response to election interference, the case for term limits for justices, and why repairing the Justice Department cannot mean turning a blind eye to abuses of power. Drawing on other countries’ struggles with authoritarianism, Dahlia and Ian consider whether this moment will usher in a revival of “small-d” democracy—and why the answer still depends on what the people do next.Want more Amicus? Join Slate Plus to unlock weekly bonus episodes with exclusive legal analysis. Plus, you’ll access ad-free listening across all your favorite Slate podcasts. You can subscribe directly from the Amicus show page on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Or, visit slate.com/amicusplus to get access wherever you listen. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, get to know Political Gabfest co-host John Dickerson, beyond his political analysis. In this special feed drop from NPR's Wild Card with Rachel Martin, John steps away from politics for a candid conversation about his childhood, his relationship with faith and what comes next after leaving CBS News.Using questions drawn from a deck of cards, Rachel invites John to reflect on the experiences and relationships that have shaped his life.For more conversations that go deeper than the usual interview, follow NPR's Wild Card with Rachel Martin on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify. You'll hear revealing conversations with guests including Michelle Obama, Harrison Ford, David Sedaris, Oprah Winfrey, Brené Brown, and more. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This Week: We saw the culmination of the $11.87 billion that was spent on political ads for the midterms. Felix Salmon, Elizabeth Spiers, and Emily Peck bring on Axios’ Sarah Fischer to explain where that money went and what role it played (or didn't play) in Tuesday's election. Then they turn their eyes to how the stock market is responding to the election and A.I. data center backlash. Finally, in a bit of counter-programming, they talk about how to make a bottle of scotch look as extravagant as its $36,000 price tag. In the Slate Plus episode: What's going on with right-wing media after a big blue wave?Want to hear that discussion and hear more Slate Money? Join Slate Plus to unlock weekly bonus episodes. Plus, you’ll access ad-free listening across all your favorite Slate podcasts. You can subscribe directly from the Slate Money show page on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Or, visit slate.com/moneyplus to get access wherever you listen. Podcast production by Jessamine Molli and Cheyna Roth. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Democrats wouldn’t let themselves believe the polls heading into Tuesday’s midterms, and Republicans didn’t seem all that worried about them either. But as returns started coming in Tuesday night, no one could believe their eyes.Guest: Molly Olmstead, Slate staff writer.This episode is member-exclusive. Listen to it now by subscribing to Slate Plus. By joining, not only will you unlock exclusive episodes of What Next —you’ll also access ad-free listening across all your favorite Slate podcasts. You can subscribe directly from the What Next show page on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Or, visit slate.com/whatnextplus to get access wherever you listen.Podcast production by Evan Campbell, Madeline Thames-Ducharme and Patrick Fort.Paige Osburn is the senior supervising producer of What Next and What Next TBD. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As an electoral issue during the midterms, artificial intelligence was tied up with money in politics, with industry and government in cahoots, and with data centers feeling forced into communities. It was a big winner for Democrats this year, and all of these—plus the implications for employment—are going to be bigger issues in 2028.Guest: Rob Flaherty, political strategist and founder of Tomorrow Together, a tech-focused political action committee.Want more What Next TBD? Subscribe to Slate Plus to access ad-free listening to the whole What Next family and across all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of our show page. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to get access wherever you listen.Podcast production by Evan Campbell, Madeline Thames-Ducharme, Patrick Fort and Micah Phillips.Paige Osburn is the senior supervising producer of What Next and What Next TBD. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.