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Willa Paskin @willapaskin

Host of @Slate's Decoder Ring podcast

Joined March 2008
  • Tweets 4,346
  • Following 1,260
  • Followers 14,552
65 Photos and videos
Willa Paskin retweeted
June Thomas@junethomas
30 Jul 2025
I still can’t believe I got to make an episode of Decoder Ring on my favorite topic : teeth! Specifically, why do Americans bad-mouth British teeth? podcasts.apple.com/us/podcas…

The Bad-Mouthing of British Teeth

Podcast Episode · Decoder Ring · July 30, 2025 · 47m

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Lol x.com/ApplePodcasts/status/1…

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@ApplePodcasts
29 Apr 2025
Seven years ago, @willapaskin began asking questions and (thankfully) never stopped. 🔎 Happy anniversary to the cultural investigative show, Decoder Ring from @Slate. apple.co/DecoderRing
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Willa Paskin retweeted
Forrest Wickman@ForrestW
23 Oct 2024
For months, I’ve been investigating a heinous crime: the wrongest bird in the history of cinema. Today I finally release the results of my investigation. (🧵) slate.com/podcasts/decoder-r…

The Wrongest Bird in Cinema History

A movie scene most fowl: how Charlie’s Angels hatched a baffling bird.

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In these serious times, Decoder Ring asked @ForrestW to go on a serious investigation: How did the 2000 film Charlie's Angel's F*@k up its bird so badly????? slate.com/podcasts/decoder-r…

The Wrongest Bird in Cinema History

A movie scene most fowl: how Charlie’s Angels hatched a baffling bird.

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nothing in the world makes the impossible cost of doing local reporting—from City Hall to the sports desk— more stark than the only truly thriving American newspaper refusing to do it anymore
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Compelled to come out of TV critic retirement for Brenda slate.com/culture/2024/07/sh…

Shannen Doherty Made 90210. It Never Stopped Following Her Around.

Her death, at 53, is tragic, but at least she survived us.

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i think if i were really brave i would do an episode on... why men have turned sitting on the toilet into a 30 minute ritual
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So square my only incognito pages are New York Magazine links (and I pay for New York Magazine)
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Willa Paskin retweeted
Susan Matthews@susanematthews
22 May 2024
it's so good ! listen and also — if you don't yet subscribe to Slate Plus, do it for this! not only does membership support this kind of (incredibly labor intensive, meaningful) work, you will get the first 5 episodes this week and the final 2 next week ! x.com/Slate/status/179329194…

Slate
@Slate
22 May 2024
1/ OUT NOW: Slow Burn Season 9: Gays Against Briggs Host @c_cauterucci explores one of the most consequential civil rights battles in American history: the first-ever statewide vote on gay rights. 🎧link.chtbl.com/yxMeVIiA
Slow Burn cover art: a powerful image of a street protest with signs like "Help Stop Briggs" and "No! On the Briggs Initiative" with an activist in the center under the "Slow Burn" artwork with their fist in the air.

ALT Slow Burn cover art: a powerful image of a street protest with signs like "Help Stop Briggs" and "No! On the Briggs Initiative" with an activist in the center under the "Slow Burn" artwork with their fist in the air.

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Latest Decoder Ring is a fantastic, searing, vulnerable, smart, moving one from @katie_shep about the fat suit, its history, prevalence, persistence and all around wtf-ness. It'll stay with you. slate.com/podcasts/decoder-r…

The Fat Suit Reveals What We Really Think About Fatness

It’s an embodiment of all our cultural hang-ups about fat people.

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Willa Paskin retweeted
Laura Nahmias@nahmias
15 May 2024
Extremely NYC specific story: Central Park is introducing new pizza box shaped recycling bins so people can recycle their pizza boxes, in an effort to stem the rat tide nbcnewyork.com/news/local/ny…

Central Park introduces new pizza box recycling bin to curb rats

New Yorkers eat a lot of pizza. They eat so much pizza that the dish warrants its own recycling bin. Ahead of the summer season, Central Park now has a pizza box recycling bin in a busy area adjacent...

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New Decoder Ring: @dadjmi and @butlerwills, the playwright and composer of the new play Stereophonic, came and talked to us all about how to make (dope) music for a fake band. This one sounds real good! slate.com/podcasts/decoder-r…

How Stereophonic Made Real Music for a Fake Band

Playwright David Adjmi and Will Butler, formerly of the band Arcade Fire, walk us through how they made the sound of the ’70s.

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THIS IS THE LOCAL NEWS WE NEED westsiderag.com/2024/04/16/u…

UWS’ Absolute Bagels Line Changes Direction

The Absolute Bagels line formulating from south of the door, opposed to its longtime north of the door. Photo Credit:

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Not to be all teacher teacher but I think just about anyone interested in magazines and/or who works in media will learn something they did not know about the business from the latest Decoder Ring slate.com/podcasts/decoder-r…

Can the “Bookazine” Save Magazines?

Why single issues dedicated to Robert Redford, Taylor Swift, and K-pop are dominating the checkout aisle.

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Just a couple decades ago stylists were rare—and secretive. Now, well, you know. @trufelman told us how it all changed: it involves Hollywood getting pissy with French couture, Joan Crawford's shoulder pads, Joan & Melissa Rivers and us laughing slate.com/podcasts/decoder-r…

How Stylists Came to Rule the Red Carpet

Melissa Rivers wants some credit for the lucrative job of celebrity stylists.

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Willa Paskin retweeted
Avery Trufelman@trufelman
13 Mar 2024
What exactly does a Celebrity Stylist do? And where does this job come from? It was a surprising answer. And it involved talking to the one and only Melissa Rivers. I was so honored to make this story with @willapaskin and @Slate on Decoder Ring! articlesofinterest.substack.…
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Willa Paskin retweeted
Slate Podcasts 🎧
@SlatePodcasts
4 Mar 2024
We are so excited to have Decoder Ring featured in Times Square this week. Thank you to @PlayMorePods! You can hear new stories ad-free every week on @PlayMorePods, where you can find Decoder Ring and all your Slate favorites without the ads! 🎧 music.amazon.com/podcasts/2f…
Image of Times Square billboard that reads "Cracking cultural mysteries at Slate" on a pink background with Decoder Ring's cover art to the right.

ALT Image of Times Square billboard that reads "Cracking cultural mysteries at Slate" on a pink background with Decoder Ring's cover art to the right.

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Willa Paskin retweeted
Katie Rayford@katie_rayford
4 Dec 2023
"@willapaskin knows the secret potential of trivial cultural phenomena: If not a window into the soul of a society, per se, then a good yarn to share at a cocktail party." Thanks to @nytimes & @uugwuu for naming Decoder Ring a best podcast of 2023! nytimes.com/2023/12/04/arts/…

Best Podcasts of 2023 (Published 2023)

The cream of the crop this year includes stalwarts like “Decoder Ring” as well as a new comedy series (Amy Poehler as a gleefully unhinged couples therapist).

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just died of envy nytimes.com/2023/11/27/arts/…

Nom Nom Nom. What’s the Deal With Cookie Monster’s Cookies? (Published 2023)

If you have ever wondered what the “Sesame Street” Muppet is really eating, we have the answer.

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Last Decoder Ring of the year is a good one, about a forgotten video game and a past that's never really past slate.com/podcasts/decoder-r…

In 1992, a Video Game Tried to Teach Black History. It Didn’t Go Well.

The fate of a computer game about the Underground Railroad is a reminder that teaching Black history has always been fraught. (Originally published 11/15/2023, 6:00:00 AM)

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