Vox Quick Hits
288 episodes - English - Latest episode: almost 3 years ago - ★★★★ - 41 ratingsA bite-sized daily podcast from the Culture and The Goods teams at Vox that goes wherever our (and your!) pop culture and consumerism curiosities take us. Hear the stories behind the news and trends, get personal about purchases, and find your next book or binge watch. New episodes daily, Monday to Friday. Each 15 minutes or less.
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Episodes
Corporate America is over the pandemic | Tell Me More
June 08, 2021 09:00 - 15 minutesAfter a pandemic year of brands telling us “we’re all in this together” and corporations calling their workers “heroes,” companies are ready to move on. Many businesses cut hazard pay long ago, even though the risks of Covid-19 remain, and firms are pushing their workers to get back to the office. Vox senior correspondent Anna North explores the way the pandemic changed the way we work, and whether we can — and should — go back. Learn more: Read Anna’s story on bosses moving past the pandemi...
Why everyone’s favorite TikTok stars are boring | What's the Story?
June 07, 2021 09:00 - 10 minutesDespite TikTok’s promise of being the world’s biggest algorithmically-driven talent show, you may have noticed that the app rewards...the same kinds of people. Rebecca Jennings explains why the TikToc to Hollywood pipelines doesn’t always produce the most interesting or unique stars. Read the full story: https://www.vox.com/the-goods/2021/5/18/22440937/tiktok-addison-rae-bella-poarch-build-a-bitch-charli-damelio-mediocrity Enjoyed this episode? Rate Vox Quick Hits ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ and leave a review ...
The problem with work is work | Tell Me More
June 03, 2021 09:00 - 9 minutesA lot of people felt overworked before the pandemic. Now, well, you can imagine. American work culture has become increasingly untenable for many people. It's basically impossible to keep up with the demands of work and the rest of life, which is especially true for parents, even when we’re not living through a pandemic. The past year has exposed America’s problem with work culture, and pushed working parents to their limits. Is there a way we can fix this? Vox’s Anna North is here to explain...
Books that explore cities | Ask A Book Critic
June 02, 2021 09:00 - 9 minutesBooks can feel like a plane ticket to a new part of the world you’ve never seen, a glimpse into a lifestyle or new way of being in the world. A caller from Chicago requests sprawling nonfiction books about a city and the characters in them. Constance recommends: Erik Larson’s Devil in the White City Thomas Dyja’s New York, New York, New York Conor Dougherty’s Golden Gates Watch all of Constace’s conversation with author N.K. Jemisin and The Great Cities trilogy at the vox book club here: ...
Books that explore cities (feat. N.K. Jemisin) | Ask A Book Critic
June 02, 2021 09:00 - 9 minutesBooks can feel like a plane ticket to a new part of the world you’ve never seen, a glimpse into a lifestyle or new way of being in the world. A caller from Chicago requests sprawling nonfiction books about a city and the characters in them. Constance recommends: Erik Larson’s Devil in the White City Thomas Dyja’s New York, New York, New York Conor Dougherty’s Golden Gates Watch all of Constace’s conversation with author N.K. Jemisin and The Great Cities trilogy at the vox book club here: ...
It’s about to be a Thigh Guy Summer | What's the Story?
June 01, 2021 17:43 - 8 minutesYou may have noticed that shorts are getting shorter, legs are the new abs, and it’s now socially acceptable to thirst over men with huge thighs on the internet. Vox senior culture reporter, Alex Abad-Santos (@alex_abads) explains why this summer is all about men’s thighs and why we should care. Read Alex’s story here. Enjoyed this episode? Rate Vox Quick Hits ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ and leave a review on Apple Podcasts. Subscribe for free. Be the first to hear the next episode of Vox Quick Hits by subscribing...
Our go-to comfort shows | What to Watch
May 28, 2021 09:00 - 12 minutesWe’ve all got one: a go-to comfort watch — that show or movie you can always turn to for a pick-me-up. This week on What to Watch, we share ours. Vox’s film critic Alissa Wilkinson is hooked on HBO’s Selena + Chef, critic at large Emily VanDerWerff can always count on Star Trek (especially Deep Space Nine), and senior producer Taylor Maycan explains her longtime love of CBS’s Survivor. What to Watch is a Vox Quick Hits exclusive series. New episodes every Friday. Hosts: Alissa Wilkinson (...
A billionaire, a cryptocurrency, and a disaster in India | Tell Me More
May 27, 2021 09:00 - 12 minutesCrypto philanthropy is a burgeoning field, and one with lots of unique complications. Take the case of Vitalik Buterin, the programmer who co-founded the cryptocurrency ethereum, and his recent donation to a charity in India to help respond to the Covid-19 crisis there. He gave $1.5 billion in cryptocurrency, including $1 billion in a memecoin called Shiba Inu coin. And, well, that gift didn’t work out as planned. Former Recode senior reporter Teddy Schleifer discusses what happened with Bute...
Spanish lessons during the Trump presidency | The Best Money I Ever Spent
May 26, 2021 09:00 - 8 minutesLanguage and identity are tightly intertwined. Which is why for Latina writer Maria Theresa Hart, conquering the Spanish language was something she’s tried to achieve since childhood. When Trump was elected in 2016, she decided to double down on her commitment. Read Maria’s essay here: https://www.vox.com/the-goods/2020/8/4/21348704/spanish-classes-latina-trump-america-english This episode was made by: Writer: Maria Theresa Hart Editor: Alanna Okun Producers: Schuyler Swenson, Sofi LaLo...
So are the Olympics happening or what? | Tell Me More
May 25, 2021 09:00 - 14 minutesThe 2020 Olympics in Tokyo are getting a second chance in 2021 after being postponed due to the pandemic. But whether they should is an open question. Japan is in the midst of a Covid-19 surge, and polls show a majority of its citizens don’t want the games to happen. If there is an outbreak at the Olympics, it’s not just that athletes and coaches could be sickened; they also risk taking the virus home. Prime Minister Suga Yoshihide has a lot riding on the event, and Japan and the Internationa...
Book publishing’s existential crisis | What's the Story?
May 24, 2021 09:00 - 13 minutesThere’s an ongoing reckoning happening in the book publishing industry. Younger staff at publishing houses like Simon & Schuster and Hachette are starting to organize a protest their company’s decisions to publish books by controversial figures, from Mike Pence to Woody Allen. And it’s forcing the industry to ask itself some really tough questions about it’s role as a huge platform and financial resource for authors. Vox book critic Constance Grady joins the show to shed some light on book de...
“Hacks” will have you laughing out loud | What to Watch
May 21, 2021 09:00 - 10 minutesJean Smart (the living legend and multiple Emmy winner) plays Deborah Vance, a famous comedian whose glory days are behind her. Deborah’s agent has a suggestion for her: Hire a younger comedy writer named Ava (Hannah Einbinder) to help spice up her material. Smart and Einbinder’s chemistry and performances take “Hacks” from a showbiz comedy to something with broader appeal. It’s a show that’s interested in the ways women in male-dominated industries are constantly one mistake away from havi...
Cancel culture, canceled | Tell Me More
May 20, 2021 09:00 - 12 minutesYou probably think you know what cancel culture is, but do you really? The term “cancel culture” has become a trope on Twitter and Fox News, with people constantly decrying someone or something is unfairly being canceled — Dr. Suess, Ellen DeGeneres, July Fourth. But a lot of people misunderstand what cancel culture is, or at least what it was supposed to be: a way to hold powerful people accountable. Vox internet culture reporter Aja Romano joins to discuss what cancel culture means in theor...
Books with twist endings (feat. Susan Choi) | Ask a Book Critic
May 19, 2021 09:00 - 9 minutesA caller writes “I love a good plot twist. Bonus if the plot isn’t a murder or cfrime.” Vox book critic, Constance Grady gives some recs and shares an excerpt of her conversation with Susan Choi, author of Trust Exercise, from the Vox Book Club. Constance recommends: Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein The Nickle Boys by Colson Whitehead Trust Exercise by Susan Choi Watch Susan Choi’s full conversation with Constance here: https://www.vox.com/culture/22163906/susan-choi-trust-exercise-i...
Buy now, pay later...but read the fine print | What's the Story?
May 17, 2021 09:00 - 10 minutesThanks to Afterpay and Klarna, it’s easier than ever to buy in installments. Now, the model is coming for necessities. The buy now pay later concept isn’t new, but as startups make it more popular, what might be the unforeseen consequences, and why might Americans be particularly susceptible to going into more and more debt? Terry Nguyen wrote about this for The Goods. Read the full story: https://www.vox.com/the-goods/2021/5/11/22429014/buy-now-pay-later-pandemic-expansion Enjoyed this epi...
One of 2021’s best shows | What to Watch
May 14, 2021 09:00 - 10 minutesThis weekend, Vox critic-at-large Emily VanDerWerff and film critic Alissa Wilkinson recommend you dive into the first few episodes of Amazon Prime Video’s 10-episode miniseries The Underground Railroad. Directed by Moonlight director Barry Jenkins, the series adapts Colson Whitehead’s award-winning novel about a young woman escaping slavery by traveling on a literal underground railroad, with a train and everything. The series is a mesmerizing adaptation of a wonderful novel, and it’s one ...
The great lumber shortage of 2021 | Tell Me More
May 13, 2021 09:00 - 15 minutesLumber mania is sweeping North America. Prices are skyrocketing, and lumber supplies are scarce. It’s making building or renovating a home more expensive and has turned a stick of wood into a hot commodity at places like Home Depot and Lowe’s. The internet has taken notice of America’s lumber frenzy and has turned it into a bit of a meme on places like TikTok and Twitter. Paul Jannke, principal at Forest Economic Advisors, explains the current supply-demand crunch going on in lumber and wheth...
Aubrey Gordon’s travel talisman | The Best Money I Ever Spent
May 12, 2021 09:00 - 10 minutesIf you haven’t been fat, you might not know what it’s like to fly as a fat person. To walk past rows of passengers who meet your face with dread, disgust, or fear. To hear your body loudly derided in your presence. To be removed from a flight and required to rebook, sometimes without a refund, and nearly always without legal recourse. This week on The Best Money I Ever Spent, Aubrey Gordon, the writer behind ‘Your Fat Friend’ and the co-host of the Maintenance Phase, explains how a simple d...
“Asian American” | Tell Me More
May 11, 2021 09:00 - 11 minutesThe term “Asian American” applies to more than 50 ethnic groups and people who speak upwards of 100 languages. While it’s served Asian Americans to build political power, it’s also left many people feeling marginalized and erased. Lumping such a diverse group together masks the different ways people experience the economy, culture, and society. The Indian American experience is quite different from, say, the Burmese American experience. Vox reporter Li Zhou discusses the inadequacy of the ter...
The enduring legacy of Dawsoncrying.gif | What's the Story?
May 10, 2021 09:00 - 13 minutesWhether or not you grew up watching the hit TV teen drama, Dawson’s Creek, you are probably familiar with a gif of the titular Dawson, played by James Van Der Beek, sobbing all over the internet. Why did this become a thing and what was the backstory behind it’s existence in the first place? Vox’s Constance Grady interviewed showrunners, editors, and TV critics to find the answers. Read the full story. Enjoyed this episode? Rate Vox Quick Hits ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ and leave a review on Apple Podcasts. Subs...
Live. Watch. Pose | What to Watch
May 07, 2021 15:57 - 9 minutesVox critic-at-large Emily VanDerWerff and film critic Alissa Wilkinson recommend FX’s groundbreaking series Pose, which recently started its third and final season. The show dramatizes the lives of members of New York City’s drag ball community in the late 1980s and early ’90s. It’s a fundamentally warm and optimistic celebration of found family, but it’s also not afraid to look at the terrible things that can happen to queer people in our culture, particularly during that time period. Season...
The housing boom, but for renters | Tell Me More
May 06, 2021 09:00 - 10 minutesTell Me More is Vox Quick Hits exclusive series, hosted by Vox reporter Emily Stewart and produced by Sofi LaLonde. America’s high-flying housing market might mean you’ll be renting forever — or, at least, for quite some time. Housing prices have soared during the pandemic as people have rushed to buy homes to escape cities and secure space for themselves and their families. Big companies have scooped up houses as well, sometimes outcompeting would-be homebuyers. As a result, more people may...
Under-the-radar library books | Ask a Book Critic
May 05, 2021 09:00 - 5 minutesA caller from Austin, TX wants to check out some books from her local library, but is finding that many titles are on hold. Vox book critic, Constance Grady recommends some under the radar hits that will likely be available a local public library. Constance recommends: To Say Nothing of the Dog by Connie Willis Cakes and Ale by William Somerset Maugham The Mere Wife by Maria Dahvana Headley Friday Black by Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah If you are looking for a book recommendation, you can ema...
Moderna Mafia vs. Pfizer Pham vs. J&JHive | What's the Story?
May 03, 2021 09:00 - 9 minutesLet’s be clear: All the available vaccines are worth taking and public health officials have avoided comparing them, because the best coronavirus vaccine is whichever one you can get. But that hasn’t stopped people from inventing their own perceptions about what it means to be part of the Moderna Mafia or the Pfizer Pham. Vox contributor Luke Winkie (@luke_winkie) explains why we do this. Read the story. Enjoyed this episode? Rate Vox Quick Hits ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ and leave a review on Apple Podcasts. Sub...
Too old for Disney, too young for The CW | What to Watch
April 30, 2021 09:00 - 16 minutesWe’ve been hunkered down at home for more than a year and, for many families, that’s meant finding common ground in viewing habits. This week on What to Watch, Vox film critic Alissa Wilkinson and critic at large Emily VanDerWerff help Stasi, a California mom with two tweens (ages 10 and 12). Stasi says it has been tough to find things to watch as a family — the options are either too juvenile or too mature, and very few hit that sweet spot right in middle. So she wants to know: What should ...
Fashion's environmental impact isn't 100% known. That's dangerous. | One Good Answer
April 28, 2021 09:00 - 12 minutesQuestionable facts and numbers plague the conversation around sustainability and fashion, and that makes the industry harder to regulate. Sustainable fashion expert and journalist Alden Wicker found out why and how the average person can help. Read Alden’s full story here. - Enjoyed this episode? Rate Vox Quick Hits ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ and leave a review on Apple Podcasts. - Looking for a new show or movie? Let us help you find it! No request is too vague or specific. Email [email protected]. W...
Should hot spots get more vaccines? | Tell Me More
April 26, 2021 09:01 - 10 minutesFor months, the primary tools we had to combat Covid-19 outbreaks were testing, distancing, and masks. Now there’s a new and highly effective tool: vaccines. Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has asked the White House for more vaccines and resources to address the state’s Covid spike. Thus far, the Biden administration is sticking to its plan of distributing vaccines according to population, whatever case rates in certain areas may be. Vox senior correspondent German Lopez (@germanrlopez) discus...
8 Oscar Best Picture nominees. 7 films worth watching. | What to Watch
April 23, 2021 18:29 - 16 minutesFilm critic Alissa Wilkinson and critic-at-large Emily VanDerWerff do an epic speed run through the eight films nominated for Best Picture at the Oscars (Sunday, April 25, on ABC). In this Best Picture Battle Royale, Alissa and Emily go head to head and each make a case for four films — why these films deserve to win Best Picture and why you should watch them before the big night. (Spoiler alert: Not all of them are worth your time!) Read more about the nominees: Judas and the Black Messia...
8 Oscar Best Picture nominees. 7 films worth watching.
April 23, 2021 18:29 - 16 minutesFilm critic Alissa Wilkinson and critic-at-large Emily VanDerWerff do an epic speed run through the eight films nominated for Best Picture at the Oscars (Sunday, April 25, on ABC). In this Best Picture Battle Royale, Alissa and Emily go head to head and each make a case for four films — why these films deserve to win Best Picture and why you should watch them before the big night. (Spoiler alert: Not all of them are worth your time!) Read more about the nominees: Judas and the Black Messia...
A plan to protect the planet | Today, Explained in 10
April 23, 2021 18:00 - 15 minutesOr at least 30 percent of it. Support this show by making a financial contribution to Vox! bit.ly/givepodcasts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Bonus: The Super League | Worldly
April 23, 2021 14:00 - 10 minutesTwelve of Europe’s richest soccer teams tried, and failed, to create their own elite tournament in a naked money grab. Worldly’s Alex Ward, arguably Vox’s top soccer fan, explains why the move angered basically everyone and the scheme failed — for now. References: Alex wrote an explainer on the Super League and how the fans killed it. Support Worldly by making a financial contribution to Vox! bit.ly/givepodcasts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
How Nigeria explains the climate crisis | Worldly
April 23, 2021 09:01 - 12 minutesIn a very special Earth Month episode, Zack, Jenn, and Alex use Nigeria as a case study to uncover the deep reasons why it’s so hard for the world to quit fossil fuels. Nigeria is a country deeply threatened by climate change, but it’s also one with a major oil industry that hopes to lift millions out of poverty — a feat that has never been done without some degree of reliance on dirty energy. The team explains how these barriers affect the prospects for mitigating climate change in both Nige...
Is nuclear energy good or bad? | Today, Explained in 10
April 22, 2021 23:22 - 15 minutesListen to the Atlantic’s Robinson Meyer explain the arguments and then decide for yourself. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
The complicated history of wildlife conservation | Vox Conversations in 10
April 22, 2021 18:00 - 10 minutesVox environmental reporter Benji Jones talks with journalist and author Michelle Nijhuis about her book Beloved Beasts: Fighting for Life in an Age of Extinction. They talk about the history of the conservation movement and its many characters, the standout successes and ugly truths, and why, even with millions of species under threat, there's still reason to hope. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
A HEPA filter for my parents | The Best Money I Ever Spent
April 22, 2021 14:00 - 8 minutesHighlighting Earth Week with an essay by London-based writer Grace Linden about the $219 air filter she bought her parents after the historic fires in California and the pandemic. Read Grace's essay here. Enjoyed this episode? Rate Vox Quick Hits ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ and leave a review on Apple Podcasts. Subscribe for free. Be the first to hear the next episode of Vox Quick Hits by subscribing in your favorite podcast app. This episode was made by: Editor: Alanna Okun (@alanna) Producer: Schuyler Swens...
It’s electric! | Today, Explained in 10
April 21, 2021 23:44 - 12 minutesNorway has lapped the world in adopting electric vehicles. Christina Bu explains how they did it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Books for a gardening novice | Ask a Book Critic
April 21, 2021 16:00 - 7 minutesIn the spirit of Earth Week, Vox book critic, Constance Grady shares some favorite books that inspired her to start her own garden: reads about what makes gardens look good and what emotional needs they can provide for us. Constance recommends: Down to Earth by Monty Don Essential Earthman by Henry Mitchell “The Rosary” an essay from How to Write an Autobiographical Novel by Alexander Chee If you are looking for a book recommendation, you can email Constance Dot Grady at Vox dot com. Be s...
What can we learn from South Korea's pandemic response? | The Weeds
April 21, 2021 13:00 - 8 minutesVox's Dylan Scott joins Matt and Dara to talk about South Korea's response to Covid-19. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
The case for climate optimism | Today, Explained in 10
April 20, 2021 23:19 - 15 minutesIn 2019, David Wallace-Wells wrote a book called The Uninhabitable Earth. Just two years later, he’s feeling hopeful — thanks to the world’s biggest polluters. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
The blunt truth about weed farms | Tell Me More
April 20, 2021 09:01 - 12 minutesThe environmental cost of growing marijuana is quite a bit higher than you might think, especially when growing indoors. America’s legal marijuana production industry consumes enough electricity to power nearly 100,000 homes every year. According to one estimate, if Colorado would shift all of its marijuana production to outdoors, it would reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 1.3 percent annually. Dharna Noor (@dharnanoor), a staff writer at Earther, discusses the surprising environmental i...
Peanut butter and jellyfish | Today, Explained in 10
April 19, 2021 23:52 - 12 minutesAnd other items from the lunch menu of 2050. Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Welcome to the age of Big Shroom | What's the Story?
April 19, 2021 16:00 - 7 minutesIt feels like mushrooms are everywhere these days, but why? Vox culture reporter Terry Nguyen explains why mushrooms are super versatile, and how the fungi took over food, wellness, and (of course) drugs. Read Terry’s story here. Enjoyed this episode? Rate Vox Quick Hits ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ and leave a review on Apple Podcasts. Subscribe for free. Be the first to hear the next episode of Vox Quick Hits by subscribing in your favorite podcast app. Support Vox Quick Hits by making a financial contribution t...
Will the superpowers unite on climate? | Tell Me More
April 19, 2021 13:20 - 12 minutesThe United States and China play leading roles in the global response to climate change: Together, they account for 43 percent of global carbon dioxide emissions. And it’s not just actions within their borders that matter; they are highly influential in the world, too. Many industrialized countries look to the US for cues on climate action, and many developing countries look to China. Jariel Arvin (@jarielarvin), a fellow at Vox, discusses what the US and China are doing on climate, including...
America awaits a verdict | Today, Explained in 10
April 16, 2021 23:49 - 10 minutesArguments in the trial of Derek Chauvin have wrapped after a brutal week for policing in America. Minnesota Public Radio’s Jon Collins shares his reporting from Minneapolis. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
The strangest environmental film you’ll ever see | What to Watch
April 16, 2021 16:00 - 12 minutesPerhaps the oddest film about the environment that you’ll ever see is Darren Aronofsky’s Mother!, a movie that layers metaphors and symbols into one very weird tale. Vox film critic Alissa Wilkinson and critic at large Emily VanDerWerff dig into what the film means and why you should watch it. Read Alissa’s review of Mother! here. Enjoyed this episode? Rate Vox Quick Hits ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ and leave a review on Apple Podcasts. Looking for a new show or movie? Let us help you find it! No request is too...
America is finally leaving Afghanistan | Worldly
April 16, 2021 09:01 - 8 minutesZack, Jenn, and Alex talk about President Joe Biden’s announcement that all remaining US troops will withdraw from Afghanistan by September 11, 2021 — the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks that launched the war. They discuss what the US withdrawal means for the near-term future of Afghanistan, why Biden finally made the tough call that his predecessors couldn’t (or wouldn’t), and what that decision tells us about how Biden sees the future of US military engagement abroad. Learn more about ...
The Echo Park eviction | Today, Explained in 10
April 15, 2021 23:58 - 10 minutesThe recent police crackdown on a tent camp in Los Angeles has left the city divided. One thing everyone agrees on is the dire need for lasting solutions to the growing homelessness crisis in the United States. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
How to replace everything in the industrialized world | Vox Conversations in 10
April 15, 2021 15:00 - 11 minutesClimate writer and Vox contributor David Roberts talks with Jessika Trancik, Associate Professor at the Institute for Data, Systems, and Society at M.I.T. They discuss many aspects of the vast undertaking to remake our world in response to the realities of climate change. They survey the technologies and innovations that are being deployed in this effort, and talk about what sorts of policy initiatives would be best-suited for the road ahead. While we might feel like our future will be full o...
The viral ghosts of long Covid | Unexplainable
April 15, 2021 14:16 - 4 minutesScientists don’t understand why so many people suffer from Covid-19 symptoms for months, well after they stop testing positive. But that’s just the start of the mystery. There are other diseases that cast these long shadows, and they point to a major blind spot in medicine. For more, go to http://vox.com/unexplainable It’s a great place to sign up for our newsletter, view show transcripts, and read more about the topics on our show. Also, email us! [email protected] We read every email. S...
Gaetzgate | Today, Explained in 10
April 14, 2021 22:43 - 10 minutesVox’s Andrew Prokop explains Florida Congressman Matt Gaetz’s sex scandal. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices