973. Jess Walter

Volume 49 of Brad & Mira For the Culture...Mira accidentally names her PTSD "Darrell"...a complete recap of the Bezos-Sanchez wedding in Venice, Italy...the proud tastelessness...the spectacular tackiness...Leo tries desperately to hide...Brad's Fashion Corner..and more... *** ⁠⁠⁠⁠Otherppl with Brad Listi⁠⁠⁠⁠ is a weekly podcast featuring in-depth interviews with today's leading writers. Available where podcasts are available: ⁠⁠⁠⁠Apple Podcasts⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠, etc. Subscribe to ⁠⁠⁠⁠Brad Listi’s email newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠. ⁠⁠⁠⁠Support the show on Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠Merch⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠  ⁠⁠⁠⁠TikTok⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠Bluesky⁠⁠⁠⁠ Email the show: letters [at] otherppl [dot] com The podcast is a ⁠⁠⁠⁠proud affiliate partner of Bookshop⁠⁠⁠⁠, working to support local, independent bookstores. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Lynn Steger Strong is the author of the novel The Float Test, available from Mariner Books. Lynn's other novels include Flight, Want, and Hold Still. Her nonfiction has appeared in The New York Times, Time, Harper’s Bazaar, Los Angeles Times, The Paris Review, The Cut, New York Magazine, and elsewhere. She teaches writing at Princeton and Columbia University. *** ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Otherppl with Brad Listi⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ is a weekly podcast featuring in-depth interviews with today's leading writers. Available where podcasts are available: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Apple Podcasts⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, etc. Subscribe to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Brad Listi’s email newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Support the show on Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Merch⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Bluesky⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Email the show: letters [at] otherppl [dot] com The podcast is an ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠affiliate partner of Bookshop⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, working to support local, independent bookstores. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Character Study, Vol. 16. 'Character Studies' is a new series on the podcast featuring interviews with 'civilians'—ordinary adult humans of all ages and backgrounds, talking with Brad about their lives, anonymously. In Vol. 16, a conversation with Kirsten, 40, a pen and ink artist from Pittsburgh, PA. *** ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Otherppl with Brad Listi⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ is a weekly podcast featuring in-depth interviews with today's leading writers. Available where podcasts are available: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Apple Podcasts⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, etc. Subscribe to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Brad Listi’s email newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Support the show on Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Merch⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TikTok⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Bluesky⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Email the show: letters [at] otherppl [dot] com The podcast is a ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠proud affiliate partner of Bookshop⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, working to support local, independent bookstores. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Volume 48 of Brad & Mira For the Culture...fast zombies with erect penises...Jeff and Lauren take Venice...foam parties, Gatsby parties, the ritual humiliation of elites...Emma Thompson's prostate crusade...Scarlet Johansson can't stop mouth-kissing her gay co-star...and more... *** ⁠⁠⁠Otherppl with Brad Listi⁠⁠⁠ is a weekly podcast featuring in-depth interviews with today's leading writers. Available where podcasts are available: ⁠⁠⁠Apple Podcasts⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠, etc. Subscribe to ⁠⁠⁠Brad Listi’s email newsletter⁠⁠⁠. ⁠⁠⁠Support the show on Patreon⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠Merch⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠Twitter⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠  ⁠⁠⁠TikTok⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠Bluesky⁠⁠⁠ Email the show: letters [at] otherppl [dot] com The podcast is a ⁠⁠⁠proud affiliate partner of Bookshop⁠⁠⁠, working to support local, independent bookstores. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jess Walter is the author of the novel So Far Gone, available from Harper Books. It is the official June pick of the Otherppl Book Club. Walter is the author of seven previous novels, including the bestsellers The Cold Millions and Beautiful Ruins, the National Book Award Finalist The Zero, and Citizen Vince,winner of the Edgar Award for best novel. His short fiction, collected in The Angel of Romeand We Live in Water, has won the O. Henry Prize, the Pushcart Prize and appeared three times in Best American Short Stories. He lives in his hometown of Spokane, Washington. *** ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Otherppl with Brad Listi⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ is a weekly podcast featuring in-depth interviews with today's leading writers. Available where podcasts are available: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Apple Podcasts⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, etc. Subscribe to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Brad Listi’s email newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Support the show on Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Merch⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Bluesky⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Email the show: letters [at] otherppl [dot] com The podcast is an ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠affiliate partner of Bookshop⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, working to support local, independent bookstores. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Character Study, Vol. 15. 'Character Studies' is a new series on the podcast featuring interviews with 'civilians'—ordinary adult humans of all ages and backgrounds, talking with Brad about their lives, anonymously. In Vol. 15, a conversation with Rebecca, 35, a human being from Richmond, Virginia. *** ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Otherppl with Brad Listi⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ is a weekly podcast featuring in-depth interviews with today's leading writers. Available where podcasts are available: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Apple Podcasts⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, etc. Subscribe to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Brad Listi’s email newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Support the show on Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Merch⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TikTok⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Bluesky⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Email the show: letters [at] otherppl [dot] com The podcast is a ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠proud affiliate partner of Bookshop⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, working to support local, independent bookstores. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Volume 47 of Brad & Mira For the Culture. 💥 Weird AI-Generated Episode Summary In this sleep-deprived yet fully charged episode, Brad and Mira dive into a chaotic mix of meditation-induced existential crises, protest politics, the cultural significance of Sabrina Carpenter’s new album art, and the strange allure of Scrotox. They discuss the absurdity of performative wokeness, the hypocrisies of pop culture outrage, and why no one actually cares about what scrotums look like. Along the way, they cover: The perils of insomnia and overmeditating LA protest sign culture and property damage politics Angry Adam's transformation into Anguished Adam Jack Black at a protest—and the ethics of celebrity selfie requests IKEA cosplay and River’s obsession with big-box stores Sabrina Carpenter's new record (Man’s Best Friend), her controversial album art, and what it really says about sexuality and pop culture Feminism, purity politics, and whether women need to tailor their art for dumb men The supply-and-demand logic of porn and whether Gen Z is too scandalized by sex The Bravo show The Valley, Zach Wickham’s scrotox procedure, and the aesthetics of Botoxed balls The ethics of kink in pop culture and why Mira thinks a Bugs Bunny in drag is more sexually provocative than Sabrina Carpenter Kanye West's recent stint in rehab and cryptic tweets about no longer being a Nazi It’s raw, unruly, and refreshingly unfiltered—exactly what you’ve come to expect from Brad & Mira. Sabrina Carpenter – singer, subject of album controversy Taylor Swift Jennifer Lopez Britney Spears Madonna Jack Black Paul Newman RFK Jr. Pete Doherty Phil Donahue The Meat Puppets The Minutemen Gigi Allen Kanye West Bianca Censori – Kanye’s wife The Balance Clinic – rehab facility in Spain The Valley – Bravo reality show Zach Wickham – reality star, known for his hairline and scrotox Jax Taylor, Kristen Doute – Vanderpump Rules alumni Seal – singer of Kiss from a Rose Minecraft: The Movie Otherppl podcast Newman's Own The Painted Turtle Camp, Hole in the Wall Gang Camp Reconsider your opinion on Sabrina Carpenter. Is she offensive—or just doing clever branding? Think about your relationship with porn. Does it affect how you interpret art or interact sexually? Google Zack Wickham’s hairline. You will not be disappointed. Watch The Valley if you dare. Make a protest sign that says “Scrotox for All.” Then burn it. “Jesus Christ liked to have his hair pulled by Mary Magdalene, I believe.” – Brad “It’s like when Bugs Bunny is in drag.” – Mira “He kind of looks like a scrotum with Botox in it.” – Mira, about RFK Jr. “If you really want to provoke people, you should be pissing on the album cover.” – Brad “Porn didn’t invent choking. People wanted it, so porn delivered.” —Mira *** ⁠⁠⁠Otherppl with Brad Listi⁠⁠⁠ is a weekly podcast featuring in-depth interviews with today's leading writers. Available where podcasts are available: ⁠⁠⁠Apple Podcasts⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠, etc. Subscribe to ⁠⁠⁠Brad Listi’s email newsletter⁠⁠⁠. ⁠⁠⁠Support the show on Patreon⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠Merch⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠Twitter⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠  ⁠⁠⁠TikTok⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠Bluesky⁠⁠⁠ Email the show: letters [at] otherppl [dot] com The podcast is a ⁠⁠⁠proud affiliate partner of Bookshop⁠⁠⁠, working to support local, independent bookstores. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

S. A. Cosby is the author of the novel King of Ashes, available from Flatiron Books. Cosby is a New York Times bestselling writer from southeastern Virginia. He is the author of All the Sinners Bleed, which was on more than forty Best of the Year lists, including Barack Obama’s, as well as Edgar Award finalist Razorblade Tears and Los Angeles Times Book Prize winner Blacktop Wasteland. He has also won the Anthony Award, ITW Thriller Award, Barry Award, Macavity Award, BCALA Award, and Audie Award and has been longlisted for the ALA Andrew Carnegie Medal for Excellence. *** ⁠⁠⁠⁠Otherppl with Brad Listi⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ is a weekly podcast featuring in-depth interviews with today's leading writers. Available where podcasts are available: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Apple Podcasts⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, etc. Subscribe to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Brad Listi’s email newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Support the show on Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Merch⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Bluesky⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Email the show: letters [at] otherppl [dot] com The podcast is an ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠affiliate partner of Bookshop⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, working to support local, independent bookstores. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Character Study, Vol. 14. 'Character Studies' is a new series on the podcast featuring interviews with 'civilians'—ordinary adult humans of all ages and backgrounds, talking with Brad about their lives, anonymously. In Vol. 14, a conversation with David, 44, a graduate student from London. *** ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Otherppl with Brad Listi⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ is a weekly podcast featuring in-depth interviews with today's leading writers. Available where podcasts are available: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Apple Podcasts⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, etc. Subscribe to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Brad Listi’s email newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Support the show on Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Merch⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TikTok⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Bluesky⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Email the show: letters [at] otherppl [dot] com The podcast is a ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠proud affiliate partner of Bookshop⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, working to support local, independent bookstores. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Volume 46 of Brad & Mira For the Culture...the Gestapo police state insanity in LA...hunting a nude and terrified Stephen...Katie Perry's album fail is causing "tension"....the perils of the "Hollywood fake passionate love affair marketing scheme"...Tom Cruise at 100...Harrison Ford's ageless libido...and more... *** ⁠⁠Otherppl with Brad Listi⁠⁠ is a weekly podcast featuring in-depth interviews with today's leading writers. Available where podcasts are available: ⁠⁠Apple Podcasts⁠⁠, ⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠, ⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠, etc. Subscribe to ⁠⁠Brad Listi’s email newsletter⁠⁠. ⁠⁠Support the show on Patreon⁠⁠ ⁠⁠Merch⁠⁠ ⁠⁠Twitter⁠⁠ ⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠  ⁠⁠TikTok⁠⁠ ⁠⁠Bluesky⁠⁠ Email the show: letters [at] otherppl [dot] com The podcast is a ⁠⁠proud affiliate partner of Bookshop⁠⁠, working to support local, independent bookstores. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices