Student Loans, ‘Command Z,’ Race in Shakespeare, How to Find (And Vet) A Potential Roommate (Summer in the City)

All Of It with Alison Stewart | Aug 22, 2023

For transcripts, see individual segment pages.

On September 1, the U.S. Department of Education's pandemic student loan relief will expire, meaning millions will need to begin paying their student loans again. Many may have gotten used to not having to worry about student loans, at least temporarily, and the increase in payments may change how you plan your budget, social plans, and financial future. Travis Hornsby, founder of Student Loan Planner, and Lauryn Williams, a consultant for Student Loan Planner, joins to help us think through paying student loans and take your calls.

“Command Z” is a new series from writer Kurt Andersen and director Stephen Soderbergh, released as a surprise last month and available to stream only on Soderbergh’s website. The series follows three people living in a post-apocalyptic near-future, who are recruited by the digital simulacrum of a billionaire CEO played by Michael Cera, to change the events of 2023 and undo the present disaster. Soderbergh and Andersen join us to talk about the series, whose proceeds go to Children’s Aid and the Boston University Center for Antiracist Research.

From "Othello" to "The Merchant of Venice," Shakespeare's plays often contain both nuanced and offensive portrayals of race. A new book from author and scholar Farah Karim Cooper examines the role of race in Shakespeare's work. It's titled, The Great White Bard: How to Love Shakespeare While Talking About Race. Cooper joins us to discuss.

One part of living in New York City is finding roommates, particularly around this time of year. Not everyone can count on having a friend or family member around to move into an apartment, so often times a random roommate is the solution. However, how to go about finding a new roommate you don't know as well can be tricky and intimidating. Evelyn Battaglia, contributing writer for Brick Underground, has written a few pieces this summer about the roommate search, and she joins to give some tips on the search process, and take your calls.
 
*This episode is guest-hosted by Kousha Navidar.

 

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