This week, Sam is joined by Lovett or Leave It host and Crooked Media co-founder Jon Lovett to get into the week of culture: Taylor Swift's breakup with Matt Healy, Apple's dip into augmented reality with its Vision Pro, and the latest in the wild animal x drug movie collaboration space Crackcoon. We also hear about the culture that's haunting us: Vanderpump Rules' Tom Sandoval has single-handedly ruined white nail polish. Send us your culturegeist. What specific thing in the culture has haunted you recently? And why? Email a short voice memo to [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

‘Across the Spider-Verse’ was an animated feast, but many live-action, CGI-bloated summer blockbusters are visual mush. If you’re tired of lackluster computer-generated special effects, guess what? So are the artists who make them. They’re tired from long shifts and working paycheck to paycheck. VFX workers are some of the few Hollywood creatives who aren’t unionized, and they're scared to speak out against big studios for fear of being blacklisted. Today, Explained guest host Sean Rameswaram talks with New York Magazine’s Chris Lee about a race to the bottom for film quality and working conditions, and what it means to be “pixel f’d.” We also hear from a VFX worker who’s helping push to unionize the industry. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week, Today, Explained co-host Sean Rameswaram keeps our host chair warm while Sam is away. He's joined by Vulture TV critic Kathryn VanArendonk to figure out what kind of show Succession really was, whom it was for, and what to watch to fill the Succession-size hole in your heart. We also ask if Kathryn is into Ted Lasso ending, the return of the flip phone, and more. And we hear about the culture that's haunting us: Lana Del Rey losing her vape is as relatable as writing lyrics about soda. Send us your culturegeist. What specific thing in the culture has haunted you for days, weeks, or even years? And why? Email a short voice memo to [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Christy Carlson Romano was ubiquitous on the Disney Channel in the early 2000s, starring in ‘Even Stevens,’ ‘Kim Possible,’ and ‘Cadet Kelly.’  But after the roles stopped and the checks dried up, she lost money to psychics, struggled with family relationships, and grappled with addiction. Now she processes those experiences on her popular YouTube channel, with videos like “Why I Don't Talk to Shia LaBeouf.” She talks with Sam about overcoming her past, tapping into nostalgia to find new audiences, and advocating for changes in the entertainment industry for child actors. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week, Sam is joined by comedian Zach Zimmerman. We catch up on the writers' strike and ask for his opinions on the series finale of HBO's Succession, the streaming service formerly known as HBO Max (it's just Max now, thanks), standing ovations at the Cannes Film Festival, and more. We also chat about Zach's new book Is It Hot in Here (Or Am I Suffering for All Eternity for the Sins I Committed on Earth)? and the ways we might lose a religion, but find something better instead — a deeper relationship with our parents and a deeper understanding of ourselves. Plus: a round of "F*ck, Marry, Kill" with Adam, Eve, and Satan. And we remember the late Tina Turner from a moment in 2004: It was Oprah's birthday, but it was always Tina's party. Send us your culturegeist. What specific thing in the culture has haunted you for days, weeks, or even years? And why? Email a short voice memo to [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices