Second Thought

This week, Kylie Jenner shocked the crowd at the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show by strutting down the runway in a $50 million bra.  The undergarment was covered in over 4,000 diamonds, with a 75.54-carat centerpiece; but Jenner’s critics say she isn’t a “real model,” and didn’t deserve it. This week on Second Thought, Suzy and Dan explain why Kylie is the only model who worked her way onto that stage—and why the entire sultry showcase is a cover-up for what’s really going on in the world this week.  Then, they move on to some of the day’s darker stories—like the ad company offering luxury trips to the Strait of Hormuz, and the ghost haunting a brewery in the Hudson Valley. Plus: The bodyguards becoming male doulas, the Big Chocolate conspiracy, and call-ins from two very special strangers. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, there’s one major conflict dominating the news—and it’s not the diesel debate, or the tense midterm races, or the war in Ukraine. Instead, the world has its eyes on the smackdown between pop star Kelly Clarkson, and a Brooklyn curiosity shop called Art of Play.  On Saturday, Clarkson made a viral post claiming that she walked into the store and tried to buy a $15,000 automaton bird off the wall—only to be rejected and “looked at as if I couldn’t afford it.” Art of Play responded saying the item simply wasn’t for sale, and accused Clarkson of using her platform to launch "asymmetric social warfare” against their small business.  Who’s the true victim here—and why can’t we look away from this strange celebrity scandal? This week on Second Thought, Michael Moynihan, host of The Fifth Column and The Moynihan Report, joins Suzy and Dan to break down the story.  Plus: Why The Social Reckoning sucks, Tobey Maguire weds his ex-wife to a real-life Nigerian billionaire, how modern restaurants became surveillance states, and more.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Last week, social media influencer Alix Earle went viral for admitting that she’s never read a book—despite graduating from the University of Miami with a business degree . Predictably, the internet pounced on her, but Suzy and Dan disagree. In this week’s episode of Second Thought, the two break down the virtue of staying in your lane, and explain why Alix’s time is better spent filming makeup tutorials than slogging her way through Faulkner.  Then, they move on to some of the biggest scandals overseas this week—like the Russian lab that may have just restarted the plague, the Los Angeles real estate agent caught spying for China, and why Dolly Parton’s nephew is arming militias in Haiti.  Plus: Gillian Anderson scolds her fans. Elon Musk’s harem seeks revenge. And so much more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Last week, Taylor Swift released four brand-new songs—and the public immediately panned them. What happened to the world’s biggest pop star, and what are we to make of her latest pivot? This week on Second Thought, Swift expert Matthew Jordan sits down with Suzy Weiss and Dan Ahdoot to break down all you need to know about The Life of a Showgirl: Encore Edition, and what the response reveals about her fandom. Then, Suzy and Dan move on to another groundbreaking pivot in popular culture—this time from Sydney Sweeney, who may soon be converting to Judaism. Suzy explains why the bodacious actress would make a fine Jew, and why her conversion would mark the tribe’s greatest acquisition since Ruth.  Plus: a rogue Waymo hits the farmers market. Barbie’s big-nose scandal. And a dose of tough love for the mask-wearing lesbians in Massachusetts.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We all know dating is broken. Or at the very least, brutal. From endless swiping on dating apps to scrolling social media, modern courtship looks nothing like it used to—and our relationships, or lack thereof, are suffering for it.  But how do we get things back on track? Serena Kerrigan has gone on over 50 virtual first dates to find out—and she’s just written a book called Let’s F*cking Date that lays out all the answers. Her thesis is simple: Banish cynicism; keep dating. Today, she joins Suzy and Dan to talk about what went wrong with our love lives, and how to win the dating game. Her advice? Become “the prize.” Whether you’re looking for your soul mate or simply trying to preserve your relationship, Serena’s advice is a fresh dose of the tough love you need.  Then, Serena, Suzy, and Dan weigh in on the dating stories of the season—like the women mothering their boyfriends, the techies using an AI assistant to help them flirt at the bar, the rise in divorce rings, and more.  Plus: engagement rings with lab-grown diamonds, who should pay for dinner, and Serena’s one-sentence solution to Suzy’s and Dan’s dating dilemmas. *** The Free Press earns a commission from any purchases made through all book links in this article. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices