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Culture

The entertainment and cultural moments that define our society.

How dudes with podcasts became the kings of the election
CultureMember Exclusive

A field guide to the podcasts that dominated the 2024 campaign trail, from Theo Von to Call Her Daddy’s Alex Cooper.

By Aja Romano
How dudes with podcasts became the kings of the election
CultureMember Exclusive

A field guide to the podcasts that dominated the 2024 campaign trail, from Theo Von to Call Her Daddy’s Alex Cooper.

By Aja Romano
What Beyoncé’s “Freedom” can tell you about Kamala HarrisWhat Beyoncé’s “Freedom” can tell you about Kamala Harris
Culture

Why do we care so much about campaign songs?

By Kyndall Cunningham
Dumped? Divorced? Time to go viral. Dumped? Divorced? Time to go viral. 
Culture

The new incentives of turning your pain into art.

By Rebecca Jennings
Clowns are back for Halloween, but this time, they’re … cute?Clowns are back for Halloween, but this time, they’re … cute?
CultureMember Exclusive

Something’s funny about Halloween costumes this year.

By Rebecca Jennings and Alex Abad-Santos

The latest in Culture

Is this really Venom’s last dance?Is this really Venom’s last dance?
Culture

Is the alien symbiote — and his best buddy Tom Hardy — really saying goodbye?

By Alex Abad-Santos
From the ex-Abercrombie CEO to Diddy, what’s behind the rise in sex trafficking cases?From the ex-Abercrombie CEO to Diddy, what’s behind the rise in sex trafficking cases?
Culture

More high-profile figures are being accused of sex trafficking. It’s not a coincidence.

By Kyndall Cunningham
There’s no such thing as healthy lunchmeatThere’s no such thing as healthy lunchmeat
Even Better

But you don’t have to go cold turkey on your cold turkey. We can help.

By Keren Landman, MD
Why food recalls are everywhere right nowWhy food recalls are everywhere right now
Food

Contaminated food from McDonald’s, Boar’s Head, and more is making Americans sick.

By Ellen Ioanes and Li Zhou
Why do the ugly fashion trends from our youth keep coming back?Why do the ugly fashion trends from our youth keep coming back?
Explain It to MeMember Exclusive

A reader is horrified by the return of mom jeans. What’s happening?

By Rebecca Jennings
There’s something off about this year’s “fall vibes”There’s something off about this year’s “fall vibes”
CultureMember Exclusive

Autumn is being eaten by a deluge of AI slop.

By Rebecca Jennings
How the wealthy are redrawing the world mapHow the wealthy are redrawing the world map
Future PerfectMember Exclusive

A new book explores the world of tax havens and techno-utopias, and asks if they can be used for good.

By Joshua Keating
The chaos, conspiracy theories, and controversy surrounding Liam Payne’s deathThe chaos, conspiracy theories, and controversy surrounding Liam Payne’s death
Culture

Everything we (actually) know about Liam Payne’s death.

By Kyndall Cunningham and Aja Romano
The new burnout generationThe new burnout generation
LifeMember Exclusive

Grind culture has come for the teens.

By Anna North
Trump impressions are mostly bad. The Apprentice pulls it off.Trump impressions are mostly bad. The Apprentice pulls it off.
CultureMember Exclusive

In the new movie, Sebastian Stan’s Trump is built of grievance and gilding.

By Constance Grady
For some evacuation defiers, Hurricane Milton is a social media goldmineFor some evacuation defiers, Hurricane Milton is a social media goldmine
Culture

They didn’t listen to Hurricane Milton evacuation orders. Then they posted through it.

By Alex Abad-Santos
Creativity as a spiritual practiceCreativity as a spiritual practice
Audio
The Gray Area

Laraaji — ambient musician and onetime actor and comic — on laughter, surrender, and transcending the thinking mind.

By Sean Illing
So, what was the point of John Mulaney’s live Netflix talk show?So, what was the point of John Mulaney’s live Netflix talk show?
Culture

Everybody’s in LA’s week-long stint is over. It still might point toward the streamer’s future — and the comedian’s.

By Aja Romano
Are humans the only ones that can be creative?Are humans the only ones that can be creative?
Audio
The Gray Area

Essayist and author Meghan O’Gieblyn on the meaning of art in the age of artificial intelligence.

By Sean Illing
“1 woke teen vs. 20 Trump supporters”: The new age of viral political videos“1 woke teen vs. 20 Trump supporters”: The new age of viral political videos
Culture

Viral debate videos have become inescapable online.

By Kyndall Cunningham
The resurgence of the r-wordThe resurgence of the r-word
CultureMember Exclusive

Disability advocates spent a decade campaigning against the slur. Now it’s coming back.

By Constance Grady
The one horrifying story from the new Menendez brothers doc that explains their whole caseThe one horrifying story from the new Menendez brothers doc that explains their whole case
CultureMember Exclusive

The Menendez murders seemed inexplicable. They’re not anymore.

By Aja Romano
Let’s get divorced
Relationships

An exploration of divorce and its impact on our culture.

By Vox Staff
Am I less likely to get a divorce than my parents?Am I less likely to get a divorce than my parents?
Explain It to Me

Millennials are less likely to get divorced than their parents. Why?

By Jonquilyn Hill
How “Divorce him!” became the internet’s de facto relationship advice
The Highlight

Most men are walking red flags, according to TikTok.

By Rebecca Jennings
What if we celebrated divorces more like weddings?
The Highlight

Divorced people deserve gifts and parties too.

By Whizy Kim
Why do divorced guys dress like that? 
The Highlight

The aggressively, brutally companionless divorced guy aesthetic.

By Alex Abad-Santos
The real reason cheese is yellowThe real reason cheese is yellow
Play
Video

Cheese is yellow, milk is white. What’s going on here?

By Edward Vega
Why absolutely everyone is obsessed with Moo DengWhy absolutely everyone is obsessed with Moo Deng
Science

(And wait until you hear about Pesto the penguin.)

By Li Zhou
The Rings of Power and the trouble with orc babiesThe Rings of Power and the trouble with orc babies
Culture

Tolkien himself couldn’t figure out the morality of orcs. Amazon’s Lord of the Rings prequel is trying anyway.

By Caitlin PenzeyMoog
Wait, why is Dr Pepper so popular now?Wait, why is Dr Pepper so popular now?
MoneyMember Exclusive

How the proudly weird beverage became the second-most popular soda in America.

By Whizy Kim
Ta-Nehisi Coates’s troubled American conscienceTa-Nehisi Coates’s troubled American conscience
CultureMember Exclusive

The acclaimed writer takes on another intractable problem.

By Constance Grady
The miserable, utterly charmless razzle-dazzle of Joker: Folie à Deux The miserable, utterly charmless razzle-dazzle of Joker: Folie à Deux 
CultureMember Exclusive

What if you made a musical version of My Cousin Vinny, but it was awful?

By Alex Abad-Santos
Saturday Night Live’s nostalgia is ruining the jokeSaturday Night Live’s nostalgia is ruining the joke
CultureMember Exclusive

Prepare for a 50th anniversary season full of self-mythologizing.

By Rebecca Jennings
Love Is Blind: DC sadly doesn’t feel like DC Love Is Blind: DC sadly doesn’t feel like DC 
Culture

The Netflix reality dating show’s latest season is light on Hill staffers and politics, but thankfully heavy on dating monsters.

By Alex Abad-Santos
Megalopolis is an incoherent mess. Maybe you should see it anyway.Megalopolis is an incoherent mess. Maybe you should see it anyway.
CultureMember Exclusive

Francis Ford Coppola’s CGI ball of optimism, explained as best we can.

By Aja Romano
7 questions — and zero conspiracy theories — about the allegations against Sean “Diddy” Combs7 questions — and zero conspiracy theories — about the allegations against Sean “Diddy” Combs
Culture

Everything we know about the growing case against the music mogul.

By Lavanya Ramanathan and Anna North
Ask A Book Critic: I want a murder mystery that happens somewhere pretty
The HighlightMember Exclusive

Plus short stories to dip into when life gets busy, and small-town longings.

By Constance Grady
The egregious missteps of Ryan Murphy’s new Menendez brothers dramaThe egregious missteps of Ryan Murphy’s new Menendez brothers drama
CultureMember Exclusive

Monsters could have been a nuanced look at abuse. Instead, it’s sleazy tabloid drama.

By Aja Romano
The NFL’s head trauma problem isn’t going awayThe NFL’s head trauma problem isn’t going away
Sports

Concussions — and Brett Favre’s Parkinson’s diagnosis — are putting a spotlight on head trauma.

By Li Zhou
How bad is inflammation really?How bad is inflammation really?
Even Better

Doctors explain how to tell the truth from social media BS.

By Keren Landman, MD
MTV’s nostalgia problem, explained by The Challenge MTV’s nostalgia problem, explained by The Challenge 
Culture

The network has lost its way. So has its biggest franchise.

By Kyndall Cunningham
The yellow school bus is in troubleThe yellow school bus is in trouble
LifeMember Exclusive

The disappearance of bus service is hurting kids around the country.

By Anna North
The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives is really about coworkers who hate each otherThe Secret Lives of Mormon Wives is really about coworkers who hate each other
CultureMember Exclusive

Why is Utah the epicenter of reality TV?

By Alex Abad-Santos and Rebecca Jennings
The biggest joke in Ellen DeGeneres’s new Netflix special The biggest joke in Ellen DeGeneres’s new Netflix special 
Culture

The comedian and former talk show host wants to girlboss her way to sympathy.

By Alex Abad-Santos