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Slow Burn illuminates America’s most consequential moments, making sense of the past to better understand the present. Through archival tape and first-person interviews, the series uncovers the surprising events and little-known characters lurking within the biggest stories of our time.Want more Slow Burn? Join Slate Plus to unlock full, ad-free access to Slow Burn and your other favorite Slate po... more

PublishesTwice monthlyEpisodes321Founded8 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
HistorySociety & CultureDocumentary

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Artwork for Slow Burn

Latest Episodes

When Eyes Wide Shut opened in the summer of 1999, it was widely considered a disappointment. This final film from legendary director Stanley Kubrick had been sold as an erotic thriller, and potentially even a peek into the real sex lives of its then-... more

The delicious, healthful prune has long had a cross to bear: It’s best known for making people poop. In the late 1990s, the California Prune Board set out on a quixotic mission to amend this sales-flattening reputation. It would attempt to rechristen... more

Three weeks ago, U.S. Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum shared an unusual tweet: a cartoon image of himself with his arm draped around a giant, anthropomorphized lump of coal. This piece of coal has big googly eyes and a smudge of a nose, and is ... more

It’s a weird time for culture. There is more of it than ever before, it’s more accessible than ever before, but so little of it feels original. New movies are based on old stories, new songs are recycling old hooks, and fashion trends are cycling so ... more

Key Facts

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Recent Guests

Dazzling Dave Schulte
National yo-yo master and inductee into the Yo-Yo Hall of Fame
Episode: Decoder Ring | Mailbag: Yo-Yos, Sandboxes, and Encores
Alexandra Lange
Critic and author of The Design of Childhood
Episode: Decoder Ring | Mailbag: Yo-Yos, Sandboxes, and Encores
Steve Dworman
Creator and president of Videomate
Episode: Decoder Ring | “Videomate: Men” (Encore)
Julie Furman
Former employee of Great Expectations, dating service
Episode: Decoder Ring | “Videomate: Men” (Encore)
Dawoon Kang
Co-founder and co-CEO of Coffee Meets Bagel
Coffee Meets Bagel
Episode: Decoder Ring | “Videomate: Men” (Encore)
Andrea Silenzi
Host of Longest Shortest Time
Longest Shortest Time
Episode: Decoder Ring | “Videomate: Men” (Encore)
Samantha King
Professor in the School of Kinesiology and Health Studies at Queen's University in Kingston, Ontario, Canada
Queen's University
Episode: Decoder Ring | How Protein Muscled Its Way to the Top
Gavin Weedon
Associate Professor in the sociology of Sport, Health and the Body at Nottingham Trent University
Nottingham Trent University
Episode: Decoder Ring | How Protein Muscled Its Way to the Top
Richard Watt
Professor of dental public health at University College London
Episode: Decoder Ring | The Bad-Mouthing of British Teeth

Hosts

Willa Paskin
Host of the show, producer, and primary interviewer with a focus on historical analysis and cultural context.
Joe Pickett
Co-creator of Found Footage Festival; contributor to show with archival and cultural insight.

Reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars from 30.1k ratings
  • Bad music and weird noises track

    Jeez I wish producers would stop with the fake music bed and stupid weird noises in the second track behind the speaking voices. It is so awful.

    Ruins great content. Totally.

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    Anita - R
    United States3 months ago
  • Just stop.

    Radical left wing propaganda.

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    MylissaR
    United States5 months ago
  • Good info, bad access

    I listened to the LA riots season first and it had a ton of good info, I really enjoyed it. Don’t even bother with the watergate season unless you’re subscribed to slate plus, they literally don’t end the story they start unless you pay for it.

    Apple Podcasts
    3
    Sun_Sprout
    United States6 months ago
  • Hit and Miss

    I was recommended season one of this show by a good friend of mine and found it excellent, but found season two to be a drop off in quality so I gave it up. I recently noticed that the topic of season ten was of personal interest to me and decided to try it again.

    After listening to all of the episodes, I have to say that I didn’t feel like it lived up to what it billed itself out as. Why does so much of the season spend so much time talking about the Democrat response to Fox News? It’s definit... more

    Apple Podcasts
    3
    M.literovich
    Canada7 months ago
  • Nixon and Duke seasons so good!

    There’s something wonderful about viewing history and social trends through the prism of flesh-and-blood (and often very flawed) people. To my surprise, the David Duke season was my favorite so far. I knew next to nothing about him aside from what I learned during Trump’s first run. I’m hoping the Clarence Thomas one captivates me in the same way. The more topical seasons are solid but lack the same wow factor.

    Apple Podcasts
    4
    From Taipei, with Love
    United States9 months ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Listeners also comment on paywalls and membership models affecting access to content beyond basic episodes.
Fans often commend the host's interviewing depth and the breadth of expert perspectives, while critics point to editing and narrative structure as areas for refinement.
Overall, the show is praised for its rigorous historical storytelling and deep archival work, though some listeners critique audio quality and pacing in certain seasons.
There are tensions highlighted by listeners who perceive a political bias, with debates about editorial choices and framing in controversial topics.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Apple Podcasts
#89
United States/History
Apple Podcasts
#128
United Kingdom/History
Apple Podcasts
#227
Canada/History
Apple Podcasts
#173
Australia/History
Apple Podcasts
#183
France/History
Apple Podcasts
#95
New Zealand/History

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Decoder Ring | Mailbag: Yo-Yos, Sandboxes, and Encores
Q: How did the encore evolve from when it first was started as a norm a long time ago to now where it feels like just a charade that everyone is kind of doing for no reason?
The encore evolved from being spontaneous demands from audiences in opera performances to pre-planned rituals in concerts due to marketing needs and audience expectations, making it feel less authentic over time.
Decoder Ring | “Videomate: Men” (Encore)
Q: What happened to video dating?
It struggled with the balance between vulnerability and control, ultimately falling out of favor despite being a theoretically great idea for connecting people.
Decoder Ring | Mailbag: Drug Names, Cow Abductions, and the “Ass-Intensifier”
Q: Why are prescription drug names so bonkers?
The naming of pharmaceuticals is complex due to the need for names to be pronounceable, distinct, and legally available as trademarks.
Decoder Ring | Spring Break Forever
Q: What is Spring Break like now compared to in the past?
According to Kaylee, the Spring Break experience feels smaller and more manageable today, with multiple destinations rather than one centralized location.
Decoder Ring | Truck Nutz (Encore)
Q: What is your perception of truck nuts?
Tyler Sherman, who has had truck nuts on his vehicle for years, finds them humorous and part of a joke rather than a serious symbol of masculinity.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
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Household Income
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Frequently Asked Questions About Slow Burn

What is Slow Burn about and what kind of topics does it cover?

This show focuses on long-form explorations of defining moments in American history, using archival material and first-person accounts to illuminate how past events shaped the present. Recent seasons containerizes topics from media evolution and political scandals to social movements, with a penchant for deep-dive storytelling, historical context, and critical analysis of institutions. Listeners can expect rigorous research, multiple viewpoints, and guest experts that span historians, journalists, and subject-matter scholars, all aimed at unpacking how narratives are built around controversial moments.

A standout aspect is the show's ability to connect complex political and cultural shifts to everyday life, often through fresh archival tap... more

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Which podcasts are similar to Slow Burn?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Slow Burn:

1. Fiasco
2. Throughline
3. Decoder Ring
4. What Next | Daily News and Analysis
5. This American Life

How many episodes of Slow Burn are there?

Slow Burn launched 8 years ago and published 321 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact Slow Burn?

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What guests have appeared on Slow Burn?

Recent guests on Slow Burn include:

1. Dazzling Dave Schulte
2. Alexandra Lange
3. Steve Dworman
4. Julie Furman
5. Dawoon Kang
6. Andrea Silenzi
7. Samantha King
8. Gavin Weedon

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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