Episode 261: How Funerals Became the New Social-Climbing Scene

When it comes to finding love, Gen Z is breaking up with dating apps. Fed up with swiping, they’re now looking to meet people in real life. Yet, as our colleague Paulina Prosnitz reports from New York, they want to do it in their own way. (Did we mention cornhole leagues?) Then, if you’re interested in another place to meet someone, here’s an idea: How about a funeral? As Katia Kulawick-Assante reports from Paris, in the Instagram age, funerals have become a scene for social climbing and Instagramming. And finally, there are two great books out about two titans of music: the composer John Williams, best known for being the man who has written the scores for so many Steven Spielberg movies, and Leopold Stokowski, who scored some of Walt Disney’s masterpieces. Our friend John Mauceri shares his thoughts.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

If you’re a fan of Curb Your Enthusiasm—and who isn’t?—you are surely a fan of Susie Essman, who played Susie Greene on the show. And this week she joins us with a rather Curb-like story about her encounter with Prince Andrew. Then our colleague James Wolcott discusses the return of perhaps the sharpest cultural and social satire going these days: South Park. And finally, Linda Wells remembers Giorgio Armani.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week, Nick Davies reveals his new findings about the phone-hacking scandal involving Rupert Murdoch that rocked the U.K. in the 2010s, and what it could mean for The Washington Post. Then Gracie Wiener tells us how Diaper Diplomacy has become social media’s new fixation. And finally, Carolina de Armas reports on the obsession of the summer: Bad Bunny’s residence in Puerto Rico.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week, Clara Molot reveals how Yale has managed to escape the wrath of Trump and his war on America’s universities. Then William D. Cohan has all the dirt and drama about how the 75 billionaires who take over Nantucket each summer are more than living up to expectations with their very bad behavior. And finally, Hayley Peppin joins us in a conversation about the newest trend in home design. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Donald Trump’s attack on Harvard has gotten a lot of headlines, but his skirmish with the University of Virginia has become a major political battleground between two possible presidential rivals, J. D. Vance and Virginia governor Glenn Youngkin. Greg Easley takes us inside his reporting. Then, speaking of politics, did you know that Gen Z has recast former president George W. Bush as America’s most lovable grandfather? It’s a trend that’s been dubbed “Bushcore,” and Carolina de Armas and Paulina Prosnitz break it down. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week, Cazzie David tells us how and why Gen Z has turned the marriage proposal into something completely stupid. Then Andrew Lownie discusses why Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson tried to kill his explosive new book about them—and what he reveals in it. And finally, Jonathan Mahler talks about how New York City in the late 1980s foreshadowed where the city is now, as it faces another dramatic choice about who will lead it.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week, Elena Clavarino reports from Italy on how a pasta king is in hot water thanks to his plans to build a Las Vegas–like spa at Lake Garda. Then Sarah Ditum looks at why viewers can’t quit reality-TV dating shows. And finally, Harold von Kursk has the incredible story of how a group of first-time crooks pulled off one of the most audacious heists ever, stealing $40 million worth of gold bars from a warehouse at Toronto’s Pearson International Airport. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week, Ashley Baker tells us what she learned reading the book on Gwyneth. Then Rich Cohen shares what he’s learned about Jennifer Dulos since writing his new book about her tragic murder. Later, George Kalogerakis looks at the biggest Attention Whores of the week. Who made the list? Take a guess! Then Ezra Chowaiki shares a wild tale from the art world, involving forged masterpieces and the Nazis (maybe); it’s a story that needs to be heard. And finally, Harold von Kursk reveals how a gang of thieves in Canada managed to steal millions in gold bars without firing a shot.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week, Stuart Heritage reports from the U.K. on why The Salt Path, the inspirational best-selling memoir by Raynor Winn, now seems to be a hive of untruths. Then, on the subject of deceit, J. Randy Taraborrelli, the author of a new book on John F. Kennedy, discusses why the former president spun so many lies—and why, in the last year of his life, he had a reckoning with himself. And finally, Linda Wells tells us everything we need to know about the latest in beauty and wellness.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week, author Jane Boon recounts her friendship with Matthew Pietras, a dashing, handsome fixture on the New York social scene who worked for the Soros family and whose life now seems to have been an enormous grift. Then Elena Clavarino reports from Italy on how some of the country’s most cherished artworks may in fact be smuggled Mafia booty. And finally, Clint Eastwood has dominated Hollywood for longer than most anyone else, all while containing countless contradictions. Shawn Levy has written a new biography of the 95-year-old director, and he shares his insights. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.