Death, Sex & Money

Anna Sale explores the big questions and hard choices that are often left out of polite conversation.

About the Show

Anna Sale explores the big questions and hard choices that are often left out of polite conversation.

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  • Anna Sale is the creator and host of Death, Sex & Money, the podcast about “the things we think about a lot and need to talk about more.” After debuting at the top of the iTunes chart in 2014, Death, Sex & Money was named the #1 podcast of the year by New York Magazine in 2015. Anna won a Gracie for best podcast host in 2016 and the show won the 2018 Webby and 2021 Ambie for best interview show.

Call It a “Midlife Awakening”

Anna talks to writer Ada Calhoun and comedian Rosebud Baker about some of life’s big transitional moments: motherhood, divorce, and following crushes.
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Drop Everything and Watch This Music Documentary

Anna discusses a revelatory new film about Sly and the Family Stone with the film’s producer Joseph Patel.

From Uncertainty to Total Chaos, Your Stories About the New Trump Term

Listeners share how big changes at the top are impacting their everyday lives.
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Bonus: An Ode to Public Service

Tommy Tomlinson talks about his late brother-in-law, a municipal worker who was known around town for being Mr. Fix-It.

I Was Ready to Write About My Domestic Abuser—Then Lawyers Said No.

Comedian Chelsea Devantez talks about a core experience with an abusive ex-partner, and how she managed to tell her story while having to redact some of the details.

Manhood: It’s Complicated

Listeners share stories about what it means to be a man, as norms continue to shift.

After Sobriety, Chasing Goosebumps Instead of Highs

Poet and novelist Kaveh Akbar explains how he balances a life full of obsessions.
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Bonus: Is Addiction a Disease or a Choice?

Anna talks to an addiction medicine specialist about what the latest research reveals about why people start using drugs and how to support them if they do.

The “Chest-Clenching Fear” of My Ex-Husband’s Jan. 6 Commutation

Tasha Adams was relieved when her ex-husband, Stewart Rhodes, received an 18-year sentence for his involvement in the January 6 Capitol riots. Then Trump won again.
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Why I Narrated an Audiobook About a Green Energy Fight

Anna talks to author Amy Gamerman about a battle for land and autonomy out west.

The Kind of Man a Bullied Boy Becomes

Comedian Gary Gulman talks about getting pushed around by his older brothers, his working class upbringing, and his commitment to being kind.

Babygirl Director Wants Women Not to Suppress Their Beast

Filmmaker Halina Reijn discusses her new erotic thriller, her childhood in a rural commune, and the tension between our wild and civilized selves.
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What Was Girls Gone Wild Really For?

Slate’s own Scaachi Koul discusses her deep reporting on the now disgraced porn company.

 Paid to Care: When Class, Power, and Caregiving Collide

When you’re hired to take care of someone, you’re their friend, guardian, and confidant—and also none of those things.
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Bonus: More Estrangement Confessions

 In this mailbag bonus episode, your raw voice memos about estrangement.

Paid to Care: The Magic, and Mess, of Care Work

Nannies, home health aides, and other professional caregivers share the emotional and economic reality of being paid to care.

Love Actually: Real Romance Stories From Mahershala Ali, Jane Fonda, and More

Some of our favorite guests share true stories about the many manifestations of love.

Should You Divulge a Disability in Your Dating Profile?

Slate’s How To podcast helps a listener who has multiple sclerosis to figure out the best ways to present himself on the apps.
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The Best Karaoke Songs For This Moment

Anna joins Slate’s daily news podcast What Next to talk about the catharsis of loud singing.

Chaz Ebert on Loss, Intuition and Her ‘Cougar’ Group Chat

Ten years after sharing her ongoing conversations with movie critic Roger Ebert following his death, his widow, Chaz, updates us on grief, dating, and her sharp, intuitive sense.
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Bonus: Our Favorite Cultural Artifacts from 2024

A show-and-tell of our favorite culture moments from this year.

Betting on America: Two Gamblers, One Presidential Election

In this episode, we talk to two men who gambled on the presidential election: “Mike,” a Latino Democrat who bet $10,000 on Kamala Harris winning, and Jordan, a white conservative who risked $60,000 on Trump’s victory.

From Social Work to Improv to the Best Show on HBO

Actor Jeff Hiller talks about his urge to help others, his unusual knack for improv comedy, and his role on HBO’s wonderful series Somebody Somewhere.
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Bonus: Heather Havrilesky on The Transcendent Power of Low-Stakes Art

Forget waiting for a lightning strike of genius. The true rewards come in the slow, steady grind.

Why I Chose Estrangement

Your stories of going no contact with family and friends.

How a Betrayed Spouse Became an Infidelity Expert

Therapist Lauren LaRusso explains how a betrayal in her own marriage led to a lot of reflection…and a whole new career path.
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Divorce is Illegal in My Country. Here’s How I Escaped My Marriage.

“I felt like I didn’t even have an identity.”

Will He Still Love Me When I’m Off Ozempic?

Listeners ask questions and share stories about dating, relationships, and self-love in the Ozempic era.
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A Body-Positive Educator Contends With Her Eating Disorder

“I tend to feel like an imposter.”

A Celebration (and Critique) of American Freedom

Alynda Segarra (AKA Hurray for the Riff Raff) saw their loved ones grind it out in an American System that offered them little reward. They decided to take a different path.

The Making and Unmaking of a Productivity Perfectionist

Author Kendra Adachi explains why she no-longer adheres to the self-help industry’s impossible standards.