Josh Gondelman isn’t just a comedian and maybe the nicest person on the planet — he’s also an elected council member of the Writers Guild of America-East. Josh talks to Sam about the potential writers’ strike, and then gets his thoughts on AI-produced Drake songs, Kelly Ripa’s new cohost, and Netflix’s botched attempt at live programming.

We also hear about the culture that's haunting us: Despite airing for several seasons, our cultural memory of 'The Magic School Bus' only allows us to remember two plot lines — going inside a body or going to outer space.

Send us your culturegeist. What specific thing in the culture has haunted you for days, weeks, or even years? And why? Email a short voice memo to intoit@vulture.com.

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When did the rise of spoiler culture begin? And what should the modern-day rules of spoiler etiquette be? Sam traces back the evolution of spoilers with Vulture critics Jen Chaney and Kathryn VanArendonk from the days of Charles Dickens to The National Lampoon to ABC's Lost to that very big episode of HBO's Succession. Why do we get so upset about spoilers? How can we embrace them instead? And why did it take Sam a whole second viewing to realize you-know-who was dead the whole time? (Here's your obligatory: There be spoilers ahead.)

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This week, Sam is joined by Normal Gossip host Kelsey McKinney and producer Alex Sujong Laughlin. We dive into the things they're into (a song by Jess Williamson is perfect for your Sad Girl Playlist, and we explore the cinematic universe of Lofi Girl) and ask for their thoughts on Taylor Swift's breakup with Joe Alwyn, a Baby Shark podcast, and more.

We also hear about the culture that's haunting us: Did you know there's a drunk driving PSA at the end of the original Broadway cast recording of Hairspray?

Send us your culturegeist. What specific thing in the culture has haunted you for days, weeks, or even years? And why? Email a short voice memo to intoit@vulture.com.

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Just in time for the finale of ‘RuPaul’s Drag Race,’ season 9 winner Sasha Velour joins Sam to talk about the political push to criminalize drag, the long history of the art form, and her drag transformation from Wicked Witch of the West to Gollum. Her new book is called ‘The Big Reveal: An Illustrated Manifesto of Drag.’

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This week, Sam is joined by Vox's Alex Abad-Santos and Rebecca Jennings for the latest on the effort to ban TikTok in the U.S. (and, in the process, break one of The Cut's rules-etiquette-rules.html">modern etiquette rules by describing TikToks). We also ask if they're into the new Barbie movie trailer, fading Taylor Swift merch, a Moana remake, and more.

And we hear about the culture that's haunting us: Have you ever thought about Party Down's proximity to the future of our nation's democracy?

Send us your culturegeist. What specific thing in the culture has haunted you for days, weeks, or even years? And why? Email us a short voice memo at intoit@vulture.com.

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Sam can't get enough of HBO's Succession. The phrase "fuck off" has turned into a term of endearment among his friends. But he can't put his finger on why so many love it at a kill-their-first-born level of devotion. As the show draws to a close, Sam chats with writer and Succession scholar Hunter Harris to figure out why a show about miserable white people still resonates so much for so many people.

Send us your culturegeist. What specific thing in the culture has haunted you for days, weeks, or even years? And why? Email us a short voice memo at intoit@vulture.com.

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This week, Sam is joined by Vulture's Jesse David Fox, host of Good One: A Podcast About Jokes, and Vulture critic Kathryn VanArendonk. We dive into the things they're into (the current season of The Simpsons is somehow among the best ever, and Gwyneth Paltrow's ski crash trial is very much like an episode of The Good Fight) and ask for their opinions on Questlove directing a remake of The Aristocats, a potential new chapter for The Bachelor, and more.

We also hear about the culture that's haunting us: What crimes are we willing to overlook if Celine Dion indeed had nights of endless pleasure, more than any laws allow?

Send us your culturegeist. What specific thing in the culture has haunted you for days, weeks, or even years? And why? Email us a short voice memo at intoit@vulture.com.

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At the heart of two big intellectual property disputes are three titans of pop culture: Black Eyed Peas, Andy Warhol, and Prince. Also: unicorn poop. Both cases could have huge implications when it comes to what constitutes “fair use” of another artist’s work. Sam talks with Slate’s Supreme Court reporter Mark Joseph Stern about why the Black Eyed Peas are going after a toy company’s dancing unicorn commercial, and why Andy Warhol’s silkscreen of a Prince photograph has made its way to the Supreme Court.

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This week, a game of hosts: We ask NPR's All Things Considered host Ari Shapiro and CNN's The Assignment host Audie Cornish if they're into the return of HBO's Succession, the new NYC tourism campaign, Sofia Coppola's daughter trying to charter a helicopter from New York to Maryland to see a camp friend, and more.

We also hear about the culture that's haunting us: Does "good times, noodle salad" mean nothing to you?

Send us your culturegeist. What specific thing in the culture has haunted you for days, weeks, or even years? And why? Email us a short voice memo at intoit@vulture.com.

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Swarm is about a Beyoncé superfan who defends her idol’s honor to the death... as in, by literally committing murder. (The new Amazon Prime Video show isn’t actually about Beyoncé, it’s about Ni’Jah — a fictional pop star who also just happens to have a fervent online fandom called “the Swarm," is married to an incredibly famous rapper, was involved in an elevator incident, once got bit in public, etc. etc.) Janine Nabers created the show with Atlanta’s Donald Glover. Sam and Janine talk about why she was so excited to create a show about a Black female serial killer… and how in the world Amazon’s legal team approved the multitude of similarities to Beyoncé and her fandom.

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