Decoder Ring
Decoder Ring is the show about cracking cultural mysteries. In each episode, host Willa Paskin takes a cultural question, object, or habit; examines its history; and tries to figure out what it means and why it matters.
1
The Secret Life of Lawn Ornaments
Gnomes, flamingos, and lawn jockeys—every garden decoration has a message for us.
44 min
2
Stuffed Animals Gone Wild
American kids and parents can’t get enough of creatures that make teddy bears seem impossibly quaint.
36 min
3
Sex, Lies, and Hockey Pucks
How a salacious rumor about the Vancouver Canucks has haunted one woman for 30 years.
33 min
4
Captain Planet to the Rescue
In 1990, the environmental superhero Captain Planet swooped onto TV screens.
39 min
5
Why Are We Still Using Fat Suits?
The fat suit is so much more than prosthetics. It’s an embodiment of all our cultural hang-ups about fatness.
32 min
6
How the Jalapeño Lost Its Heat
For more than a century, Americans have been obsessed with Mexican food – and changed it.
29 min
7
From ‘The Last Archive’: Building an Automatic ...
53 min
8
Making Real Music for a Fake Band
The Broadway show ‘Stereophonic’ on how to construct the sound of the ’70s.
37 min
9
Can the “Bookazine” Save Magazines?
Why is there a magazine all about Robert Redford in the CVS checkout lane?
33 min
10
Andrew Wyeth's Secret Nudes (Encore)
Why did America’s favorite artist hide 240 pieces of artwork from his wife?
50 min
11
Why Stylists Rule the Red Carpet
Avery Trufelman and Melissa Rivers on what the fashion police hath wrought.
38 min
12
The Gen X Soda That Was Just "OK"
Thirty years ago, OK Soda arrived in select stores and offered up a fizzy irony.
39 min
13
Why Do So Many Coffee Shops Look the Same?
Algorithms are shaping our world, even down to latte art.
29 min
14
2024 Teaser
1 min
15
The Forgotten Video Game About Slavery
In 1992, the company behind The Oregon Trail tried to simulate Black history. It did not go well.
43 min
16
The Dating Manual Unlike Any Other
The Rules became a controversial bestseller and sparked instant debate. But was the advice any good?
33 min
17
Mailbag: The Recorder, Limos, and “Baby on Boar...
We answer your questions about the ubiquitous musical instrument, ‘80s automotive luxury, and more.
36 min
18
When Art Pranksters Invaded Melrose Place
In the mid-1990s, an artist collective smuggled its provocative work onto the set of the hit TV show.
37 min
19
The Fast Decline of the Slow Dance
The rise and fall of an awkward rite of passage.
41 min
20
Fall 2023 Teaser
1 min
21
Think Catchphrases Are Dead? Eat My Shorts.
Bless up: It’s a whole episode about “Doh!”, “Dealbreaker!” and “Did I do that?”
36 min
22
The Quest for a Homemade Hovercraft
With his scouting days long over, a Slate producer enlists his dad for one last merit badge.
38 min
23
A Brief History of Making Out
Is deep kissing a universal human behavior?
32 min
24
What's Really Going On Inside a Mosh Pit?
The etiquette, science and enduring appeal of a concertgoing ritual.
29 min
25
The Great Parmesan Cheese Debate
Is a Wisconsin version more authentic than its beloved Italian counterpart?
40 min