Still Processing
158 episodes - English - Latest episode: over 1 year ago - ★★★★★ - 8.8K ratingsWesley Morris and J Wortham are working it out in this weekly show about culture in the broadest sense. That means television, film, books, music — but also the culture of work, dating, the internet and how those all fit together.
Listen to this podcast in New York Times Audio, our new iOS app for news subscribers. Download now at nytimes.com/audioapp
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Episodes
We Have a Theory About Oprah
January 18, 2018 09:00 - 46 minutes - 44.8 MBThe wait is finally over - we’re back for Season 3! This week, we look at the movie “Proud Mary” starring Taraji P. Henson as a jumping off point for the cultural moment that black women are having right now in pop culture. We run through a brief history of black women in movies and television and consider those who built the foundation for this moment. From Hattie McDaniel to Dorothy Dandridge to Whoopi Goldberg to Halle Berry, we consider what all of this means for how we discuss Oprah’s (...
We Back! (On Thursday)
January 16, 2018 23:18 - 1 minute - 3.53 MBThe wait is (almost) over: Jenna and Wesley will be back with a new season of "Still Processing" starting Thursday, Jan. 18th. It’s O.K. to cry, even if you’re wearing glitter.
We Are Tired of Sexual Harassment (and Sequels) | Season Finale
October 12, 2017 08:30 - 40 minutes - 39 MBIt’s our season finale! We’ve spent our second season keeping a critical eye on the unreality of America and dissecting the systems of power that uphold the status quo. Last week, a series of news articles reported that Harvey Weinstein, one of the most powerful movie producers in Hollywood, has been accused of sexually harrassing women for decades. Twitter is ablaze with other women and men sharing their own stories of sexual misconduct at the hands of the powerful, spawning conversations a...
We Get Biracial
October 05, 2017 08:45 - 52 minutes - 50.1 MBFor months, the two of us have been trying to figure out a way to have a conversation about the experience of being biracial. This week we just go for it. First, we talk about the cultural and historical suspicion America still has of black-white interracial romantic relationships. It gives us an excuse to revisit the reason ‘‘Get Out’’ has been one of the year’s major movies: It articulates the previously inarticulable about race. Then we consider the offspring of interracial coupling — whe...
We Take a Knee
September 28, 2017 08:00 - 34 minutes - 33.2 MBAnother day, another rant from Donald Trump. This time, the president took aim at Colin Kaepernick, the former San Francisco 49ers quarterback who spent the majority of last season sitting or kneeling during the national anthem to draw attention to police brutality and racial injustice. Trump’s remarks — that the owners of football teams should fire anyone who followed suit — prompted a nationwide demonstration the following Sunday from players and team owners who knelt or linked arms. We ta...
We Assess the Outrage over "Bodega" and Mother!
September 21, 2017 08:00 - 42 minutes - 40.3 MBLast week, a Silicon Valley startup called Bodega instigated an internet meltdown after a Fast Company profile made the company’s intentions clear. “Eventually, centralized shopping locations won’t be necessary, because there will be 100,000 Bodegas spread out, with one always 100 feet away from you,” said Paul McDonald, a co-founder, who used to work at Google. The outrage made moral sense. “Bodega” is name that’s asking for trouble, especially with people who frequent them. The outrage is ...
We Bow Down to Rihanna and Venus
September 14, 2017 08:55 - 40 minutes - 39.1 MBLast week, we witnessed two extraordinary events: Venus Williams playing some of the best tennis in the last decade of her career (she lost in the U.S. Open, but with grace and style), and the rollout of Rihanna's new cosmetics line, Fenty Beauty, which was splashier than the launch of the new iPhone X. We learned something unexpected from both. Venus showed us what it means to lose, and yet somehow remain undefeated, and the Rihanna event gave us insight into the economy of social media “in...
We Debate NPR’s Greatest Albums by Women
September 07, 2017 08:55 - 40 minutes - 38.8 MBLast month, NPR published a list of the 150 greatest albums by women. The list was debated. It was discussed. There were alternative lists of 150 additional albums not on the NPR list. But quibbling with the particulars misses an important concern about what it means to argue for a women-only canon. This week we discuss why it takes an all-women team at NPR to celebrate women musicians, and why women are glaringly missing from lists determined by both genders. We also revisit the song of the...
We Debate NPR’s Greatest Albums by Women
September 07, 2017 08:55 - 40 minutes - 36.9 MBLast month, NPR published a list of the 150 greatest albums by women. The list was debated. It was discussed. There were alternative lists of 150 additional albums not on the NPR list. But quibbling with the particulars misses an important concern about what it means to argue for a women-only canon. This week we discuss why it takes an all-women team at NPR to celebrate women musicians, and why women are glaringly missing from lists determined by both genders. We also revisit the so...
We Have a Chappelle Show
August 31, 2017 08:58 - 56 minutes - 53.6 MBThis summer, Dave Chappelle returned to the stage for an ambitious, monthlong residency at Radio City Music Hall in New York. We saw the show independently, on separate nights. What we witnessed inspired us to dedicate an entire episode to the legacy of Chappelle’s comedy as he works to re-establish his place in American culture. But much has shifted in the decade since Chappelle, through his much-loved TV show, “Chappelle’s Show,” brilliantly explored how black people are represented and mi...
We Care For Ourselves and Others in Trump’s America
August 24, 2017 12:53 - 48 minutes - 45.9 MBThe events of the last few weeks have shown us that we are fully living in Trump's America, with a president who is slow to condemn the actions of white supremacists. The realization has been exhausting. This week, we take a step back to think about what the political moment is doing to our emotional and physical states. We discuss our routines of self-care — and investigate the origins of the phrase, and why it feels overused and even a little cliche. We also talk to Dr. Matthew Steinfeld, ...
We Grieve Charlottesville
August 15, 2017 20:48 - 29 minutes - 28.6 MBWhat happened in Charlottesville, Va., over the weekend was the largest public melee during a presidential administration that includes men with white nationalist ties. Three people were killed, dozens of people were injured and the country was thrown into a state of anguish and shock. The show was on vacation, but we came back early to do a special episode about Charlottesville. We talk about why the violence there isn’t surprising, what it means to remove totems of the American Confederacy...
We Discuss: Who Owns Stories About Blackness?
August 03, 2017 09:55 - 47 minutes - 45.8 MBIt’s been a summer of outrage over the question of who can tell stories about black history and black pain. We reckon with this question by examining Kathryn Bigelow’s film "Detroit," Dana Schutz's painting “Open Casket” and the recently announced new project from the "Game of Thrones" showrunners, an HBO drama called "Confederate." Without promising any answers, we also ask: Do stories about the American black experience belong to all Americans? Are there any criteria by which white creator...
We’re Freaking Out About O.J. and Girls Trip
July 27, 2017 09:58 - 39 minutes - 36 MBThe country was barely on the other side of a period of deep thought about the cultural meaning of O.J. Simpson, and then last week we found out that O.J. will be a free man this October. We explore the vexing empathy that racism toward him inspires in us. Second, we can’t believe how much fun we had watching "Girls Trip"! Comedies starring black women – in which they aren’t the butt of the joke – are virtually non-existent. We cheer the movie for giving us four fun, sexual black wo...
We’re Freaking Out About O.J. and Girls Trip
July 27, 2017 09:58 - 39 minutes - 37.9 MBThe country was barely on the other side of a period of deep thought about the cultural meaning of O.J. Simpson, and then last week we found out that O.J. will be a free man this October. We explore the vexing empathy that racism toward him inspires in us. Second, we can’t believe how much fun we had watching "Girls Trip"! Comedies starring black women – in which they aren’t the butt of the joke – are virtually non-existent. We cheer the movie for giving us four fun, sexual black women witho...
We Pick Science Fiction for Mitch McConnell
July 20, 2017 09:58 - 36 minutes - 35 MB2017 feels sort of like the End Times, and we’re leaning into science fiction TV shows and movies to imagine the outcome of our current political and geological climate. If science fiction functions as a cautionary tale, offering lessons in morality and asking us to consider our relationship with technology, what should our country’s leaders be watching? We discuss “War for the Planet of the Apes,” in which highly intelligent apes and plague-riddled humans battle for control of the Earth. Th...
We Get Bodied Talking Jay-Z and Beyoncé
July 13, 2017 08:44 - 52 minutes - 49.9 MB“4:44” is Jay-Z’s first album since Beyoncé turned their marital trouble into a masterpiece called "Lemonade." On “4:44,” Jay-Z expresses regret for his infidelity and ruminates on the socioeconomic state of black America. The album is knotty and contradictory, especially when compared with the psychological clarity of "Lemonade." We spend the episode unpacking “4:44” as a work unto itself, and also in the context of “Lemonade.” We also discuss why the survival and performance of Jay-Z and B...
We Seek “Authentic” BBQ
July 06, 2017 09:58 - 42 minutes - 41 MBIt’s barbecue season! But let’s be clear: We aren’t talking about throwing burgers and veggies on a grill. We’re talking about the rich culinary tradition of slow-cooking meat over a dirt pit, a cuisine cultivated by enslaved Africans in the American South. We both live in Brooklyn, where barbecue is gentrifying as quickly as our neighborhoods. To talk through our feelings, we invited two Southern food experts on the show: John Thomas Edge Jr., the author of “The Potlikker Papers,” and Nicol...
We Revive Tupac and Side-Eye Sofia Coppola
June 29, 2017 09:58 - 41 minutes - 39.4 MBWhat responsibility does a movie have to the details of history? In Sofia Coppola’s new film, “The Beguiled,” a remake of Don Siegel’s 1971 psychological thriller set in the American South during the Civil War, she omits a key character from the original film: a slave woman named Hallie. Is Coppola’s omission a correction of history or an act of artistic cowardice? Speaking of history and responsibility: We take a look at “All Eyez on Me,” which tells the story of the brief but remarkable li...
We Celebrate Gay Pride — The Highs and Lows
June 22, 2017 10:00 - 47 minutes - 45.4 MBJune is Gay Pride month: four weekends of parades, pageantry, and partying, all over the country. But now, a year after the Pulse nightclub shooting, people are asking whether Pride celebrations are sufficiently black, political and confrontational. We talk about the joy we feel during Pride, while also recognizing the limits of the parade and the gay rights movement in general. We also reckon with the racism in gay life, and where that leaves the two of us.
We Said, He Said, She Said
June 15, 2017 09:58 - 36 minutes - 35.2 MBIn a live-stream to promote her new album, “Witness,” Katy Perry put on an elaborate performance, giving a series of confessional interviews about her cultural missteps. We analyze all the reasons this was an experiment gone terribly wrong. We then turn to a much more sinister attempt by a celebrity to reshape his image by performing for the public: Bill Cosby pretending he is Cliff Huxtable at his trial for the sexual assault of Andrea Constand. The cross-examining of Constand strangely rem...
We Watch 'Wonder Woman' and Do a Taxonomy of the Summer Jam
June 08, 2017 09:58 - 44 minutes - 42.6 MBSummer is here, and so are the superhero movies and hit pop songs that define the season. We discuss the politics of “Wonder Woman,” the first female-fronted and female-directed superhero blockbuster. We also search for the definitive summer jam of 2017 and try to define what makes a great summer song along the way.
We Love the Beach, We Hate the Beach
June 01, 2017 09:58 - 34 minutes - 33.3 MBLast week, the Baywatch franchise returned — this time on the big screen — with Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and Zac Efron leading a cast of tan, muscled lifeguards. But the film isn’t just a goofy romp; it presents the beach as a place of danger that needs to be patrolled, raising questions about who beaches are for. Jenna spends as much time at the beach as she can, while Wesley has always resisted going. As they try to untangle why that is, they discuss the history of American beaches and Am...
We're Going Black(er) AKA Dear Woke People
May 25, 2017 09:58 - 52 minutes - 49.9 MBIn the last 30 years, blackness has migrated from the margins of American popular culture to its center. Right now, a bounty of television, movies, and music engages with the question of how people signal to each other that they’re down with blackness. And it isn't just white people doing the signaling. It's black people too, albeit in a different way. We’ll dig into Netflix’s new show “Dear White People,” and television and film from the 1980s and 1990s and try to understand: what does it m...
We Watch Trump TV with Emily Nussbaum
May 18, 2017 09:58 - 38 minutes - 37.2 MBDonald Trump has changed the way we watch TV, whether it’s the reality show within the White House, or the scripted dramas we can’t help but compare to our political situation. New Yorker television critic Emily Nussbaum joins us to analyze what Trump's persona in "The Apprentice" might tell us about how he wields power as president, and to talk about how living in Trump’s America changes the way we watch political television, including shows like "The Leftovers" and "The Handmaid’s Tale."
We Will Always Love You, Whitney Houston
May 11, 2017 10:00 - 51 minutes - 49.3 MBIt has been five years since Whitney Houston died. She was one of the biggest pop stars of her time and a glorious singer — but we don’t properly remember her for that. Instead, she is considered a tragic figure who sacrificed herself to drugs and her marriage. This week, we felt a reappraisal of Houston was in order. It’s a chance to argue that the music is much more important than any of the scandal. So we listen to some of her best recordings and live performances. And yes, we walk throug...
We Feud About “Feud”
May 04, 2017 10:00 - 42 minutes - 40.6 MBThe ruthlessness of Silicon Valley companies like Uber is out of control, but why do we expect more from the tech industry than from corporations like McDonalds or Exxon Mobil? We also discuss the bloody rivalry between the big-screen queens Joan Crawford and Bette Davis, as depicted in Ryan Murphy’s FX drama “Feud,” and whether the show defies stereotypes or perpetuates them.
We Feud About “Feud”
May 04, 2017 10:00 - 42 minutes - 38.7 MBThe ruthlessness of Silicon Valley companies like Uber is out of control, but why do we expect more from the tech industry than from corporations like McDonalds or Exxon Mobil? We also discuss the bloody rivalry between the big-screen queens Joan Crawford and Bette Davis, as depicted in Ryan Murphy’s FX drama “Feud,” and whether the show defies stereotypes or perpetuates them.
We Relive the Oscars with Barry Jenkins
April 27, 2017 10:01 - 47 minutes - 45.1 MBA conversation with the director of "Moonlight" about his cinematic style, his forthcoming adaptation of Colson Whitehead’s "Underground Railroad," his love of science fiction and, yes, that crazy night at the Academy Awards.
We Listen to Kendrick Lamar & Talk to Valerie Jarrett
April 20, 2017 10:25 - 40 minutes - 38.6 MBWe discuss Kendrick Lamar’s new album, “DAMN.,” and listen closely to “XXX,” one of our favorite tracks. Is his latest project a breakup with America, or with an older version of himself? Then we speak to Valerie Jarrett, a former White House adviser, about what she and the Obamas have in store.
We Go To S-Town
April 13, 2017 10:45 - 40 minutes - 39.4 MBWe’re back! And we’re picking up right where we left off: thinking about “Get Out.” Jordan Peele’s instant classic is the lens through which we’re seeing everything these days, from the hit podcast “S-Town” to that Kendall Jenner Pepsi ad the internet will never let us forget. We've got a grand theory about how it all connects.
Season Finale with Jordan Peele | Episode 26
March 02, 2017 11:59 - 42 minutes - 41.1 MBWe’re not over what happened at the Oscars on Sunday. You probably aren’t either. But we’re ready to move onto next year’s Oscars, where we fully expect to see “Get Out,” currently the No. 1 movie in America. We talk to its writer and director, Jordan Peele, about carving out space in the horror genre, how to deal with your liberal white friends and what it’s like to ask an actor to play a racist. Then, before the show takes month-long hiatus, we meditate on what we’ve learned doing Still Pr...
Oscars Preview with A.O. Scott | Episode 25
February 23, 2017 10:56 - 56 minutes - 53.6 MB“La La Land” is probably going to win a lot of Oscars on Sunday. Perhaps even for best picture. But it’s O.K. Truly. We are joined by A. O. Scott, a chief film critic for The New York Times, to discuss our predictions and preferences for the Academy Awards. Since it’s the last week of Black History Month, we talk about a few of our favorite moments from the past week. And we play another round of Did They Vote for Trump? This time it’s the “Roseanne” edition.
Beyoncé to Baldwin and Back Again | Episode 24
February 16, 2017 11:15 - 34 minutes - 33.3 MBIt’s been five days, and we’re still trying to make sense of Beyoncé’s loss at the Grammys. It’s been 50 years, and we’re still learning from James Baldwin. The new Baldwin documentary “I Am Not Your Negro” touched both of us, and this week we interview its director Raoul Peck about why the Oscar-nominated film is so invigorating in this moment. Then we bring on our pal and New York Times food reporter Tejal Rao to talk about something we all need these days: comfort food. To take our survey...
The Women of “Girls” | Episode 23
February 09, 2017 14:12 - 41 minutes - 40 MBHBO’s “Girls” begins its final season this Sunday, and we discuss the show’s legacy before Jenna sits down for a live conversation with Lena Dunham, Allison Williams, Zosia Mamet and Jemima Kirke. They talk about the show’s early lack of diversity, why “Silicon Valley” gets off easy and what it’s like to have the public completely conflate a person and the character she plays. Plus: We debate whether deleting your Uber account actually has an impact and play a new game called “Did This Perso...
‘You Only Leave Home When Home Won’t Let You Stay’ | Episode 22
February 02, 2017 11:00 - 59 minutes - 56.8 MBWe speak to three friends: Habab, a Muslim woman born in Sudan who was nearly detained after landing home at Dulles International Airport in Virginia this weekend; Rukmini Callimachi, our colleague who covers terrorism for The Times and immigrated to America at the age of 10; and Armida Lizarraga, a Peruvian who gives a history lesson on her country’s slide from democracy to dictatorship under Alberto Fujimori. Plus: our tips for how best to take a break this week.
Wesley and Jenna’s Existential Fears | Episode 21
January 26, 2017 11:36 - 45 minutes - 43.2 MBIt’s 50 degrees in New York in January, 2016 was the warmest year ever— and the words “climate change” no longer exist on whitehouse.gov. Time for a call to self-proclaimed climate hawk Eric Holthaus, co-host of the podcast “Our Warm Regards,” to give us some context about what this moment means for the planet. Next we talk about “Split,” the No. 1 movie in America, and the twist in M. Night Shyamalan’s career. Finally, Jenna tells Wesley whether or not Alexa is the future.
Show Me the (Read) Receipts! | Episode 20
January 19, 2017 11:39 - 46 minutes - 44.8 MBWe start by debating one of the great questions of our time: should you or should you not use read receipts on your text messages? Jenna feels strongly one way, Wesley the exact opposite. So we call our pal Juliet Litman, managing editor of The Ringer, for a third opinion. Next, we consider the significance of shows like “The OA” and “Search Party” and what they mean for how young people are depicted on screen in 2017. Finally, Wesley takes a breath and says goodbye to President Obama.
Batman vs. Joker | Episode 19
January 12, 2017 11:40 - 44 minutes - 43 MBWe take a deep breath after President Obama’s farewell speech and talk about his future as the ultimate black dad. Next we call up our friend and New York Times media columnist Jim Rutenberg to help us make sense of the latest on Donald Trump’s relationship with Russia, “fake news” and the media’s role in reporting it all. To top it off, we revisit highlights from the Golden Globes, share our thoughts on “Hidden Figures” — not “Hidden Fences” — and consider the lasting impact of Meryl Streep...
‘The Perfect Movie for Our Time’ | Episode 18
January 05, 2017 11:47 - 46 minutes - 44.3 MBWe’re kicking off 2017 with a movie speed round to prepare for this weekend’s Golden Globes. We talk through our feelings about “La La Land,” “Fences” and a couple of the other films we saw over the holidays that made us laugh, cry — and sometimes cringe. Plus: Wesley serenades Mariah Carey after her New Year’s Eve debacle and we offer some cultural intentions for 2017.
The Kanye-thon | Episode 17
December 29, 2016 14:36 - 42 minutes - 41 MBThis week we devote the entire episode to one question: What is happening with Kanye West?
The Lives They Lived | Episode 16
December 22, 2016 11:47 - 59 minutes - 56.3 MBThis week, it’s our turn to take a look back on 2016 and share our picks for the most cultural moments that will stick with us. But before we do that, Ilena Silverman, an editor at The New York Times Magazine, joins us to talk about the people remembered in the magazine’s annual last issue of the year, “The Lives They Lived.” We also give one last listener some DIY gift advice.
Best of 2016 with Bill Simmons, Heben Nigatu, Tracy Clayton and Ezra Edelman | Episode 15
December 15, 2016 11:41 - 1 hour - 62.6 MBThis week on the show we're talking to some of our favorite people on Earth about the culture from 2016 — the movies, the music, the moments — that will stick with them. We've got Bill Simmons, CEO of the Ringer; Ezra Edelman, director of "OJ: Made in America"; and Heben Nigatu and Tracy Clayton, the hosts of BuzzFeed's "Another Round." Plus, we answer a voicemail from a very special listener.
Beyoncé vs. Adele? No Contest | Episode 14
December 08, 2016 11:50 - 40 minutes - 39 MBGood news: Jenna’s back! And in the wake of this week’s Grammy nominations, she’s here to say that no matter how desperate the internet may be for a Beyoncé and Adele rivalry, it’s just not a competition. Next, New York Times tech reporter Mike Isaac helps explain what Facebook’s attempt to enter China means for the service and our lives. Finally, we help a listener solve a holiday gift dilemma.
Obama’s Last Cultural Statement | Episode 13
December 01, 2016 12:48 - 32 minutes - 31.8 MBJenna is off road-tripping across Southern Africa, so this week Wesley reunites with Alex Pappademas, his old co-host on Grantland’s podcast “Do You Like Prince Movies?” Wesley explains why he found President Obama’s final Medal of Freedom Ceremony to be the most emotional cultural moment of the year, then he and Alex imagine the people who will be honored by President Trump. One artist they hope won't be on the list: the Weeknd, who after some debate Wesley and Alex decide is a phony.
The Brilliance of Kerry James Marshall | Episode 12
November 24, 2016 11:40 - 30 minutes - 29.5 MBJoin our field trip to The Met Breuer, the Metropolitan Museum’s new space in New York dedicated to contemporary art, where we give you an audio tour of the painter Kerry James Marshall’s astonishing retrospective. We also have picks for movies to see this weekend. “Almost Christmas” is a film for the whole family; “The Handmaiden” is more of a solo midnight show.
How to Survive Thanksgiving | Episode 11
November 17, 2016 11:14 - 30 minutes - 29.7 MBTo nourish your souls this week, we’re serving up some serious comfort food live from the kitchen of the New York Times food editor Sam Sifton. Sam literally wrote the book on Thanksgiving, and he walks us through how to make the perfect gravy, his tips for carving the turkey and his most important rules for the meal. And because this year’s Thanksgiving is going to be different for many families, we talk about how to navigate postelection tensions and practice radical acceptance. Plus: the ...
The Reckoning | Episode 10
November 10, 2016 04:26 - 48 minutes - 46 MBThrough tears, and with the help of our oracle Margo Jefferson, we begin to process the election of Donald J. Trump.
Dancing in the Moonlight | Episode 9
November 03, 2016 10:13 - 46 minutes - 44.1 MBTo combat the stresses of an election we want to end and the onset of winter, we’re offering a whole episode dedicated to things that make us feel good. We talk to the Times film critic A.O. Scott about “Moonlight,” a movie everyone agrees is perfect. We celebrate “A Seat at the Table,” Solange’s lusciously spare new album, in which she comes into her own as an artist. And we end with a few tips from Jenna on how to survive not only the next week but maybe the rest of your life.
Nudity Clause | Episode 8
October 27, 2016 10:19 - 45 minutes - 43.6 MBThis week we’re talking about penises. Specifically, penises on the big screen. There are more and more of them, but the penises deemed safe enough to see tend to be white ones. We talk about the role of black penises and black sexuality in popular culture. Plus, Jenna puts Barack Obama’s digital legacy in perspective, and then our boss, Jake Silverstein, joins us to discuss the one thing we never got from the president.