1 month ago
125
Arts|5 Podcasts for the Constantly Online
https://www.nytimes.com/2024/08/10/arts/podcasts-internet-influencers-tiktok.html
You have a preview view of this article while we are checking your access. When we have confirmed access, the full article content will load.
As the internet continues to alter every aspect of our lives, these shows explain the latest TikTok trends, celebrity in the social media age and more.
Aug. 10, 2024, 5:02 a.m. ET
Doing things online is now such second nature — whether banking, dating or work meetings — that it’s easy not to notice it at all, just as scrolling TikTok or X has become a kneejerk response to moments of boredom or social awkwardness. But the internet’s integral, and always evolving, role in our culture is worth paying attention to.
These five podcasts offer a range of perspectives on online life, exploring everything from the latest memes and TikTok trends, to the changing nature of celebrity in the social media age and the predatory industry that exists around influencers.
‘ICYMI’
This twice-weekly series from Slate features wide-ranging conversations about what’s trending in every corner of the internet — or, to quote its own mission statement, conversations that “gaze deep into the online abyss, and tell you what’s gazing back.” Until recently, the show was co-hosted by Rachelle Hampton and Candice Lim (Hampton departed in June, with no replacement yet announced). The affable duo gamely mined the depths of platforms like Tumblr and the fan fiction haven Archive of Our Own for inspiration. Recent subjects have included the questionable ethics of the “therapist influencer,” the bizarre rise of A.I. obituary scams on Google, and how the spicy tennis drama “Challengers” briefly consumed the internet.
Starter episode: “The internet History of Ayo Edebiri”
‘Who? Weekly’
Along with redefining just about every aspect of modern life, the rise of smartphones and social media has transformed celebrity culture, giving rise to a new subgenre of public figure who previously would have had no access to exposure. In their long-running podcast, the writers Bobby Finger and Lindsey Weber define this species as “Whos,” in contrast to the A-list “Thems” we all recognize, and deliver “everything you need to know about the celebrities you don’t.” The fuzziness of the Who definition is part of the fun, but a few common themes have emerged over the show’s eight-year run: Notes app apologies are a Who red flag, as is shilling products through social media “sponsored content.” Snarky and incisive without being mean spirited, each episode of “Who? Weekly” has Finger and Weber breaking down the “who-iest” news and antics from the week, serving as good-natured guides through the surreal and chaotic world of influencers, YouTube stars and D-listers.
