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Jamal Michel
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Jamal Michel

Jamal Michel

Jamal Michel is a freelance writer whose work focuses on video game culture, entertainment and the stories in between them. He is currently a member of the Life Kit and It's Been a Minute teams.

Story Archive

Friday

The love and longing of Luther Vandross; Plus Grammy nominee Samara Joy
Raymond Boyd/Getty Images; Paul Natkin/Getty Images; Michael Loccisano/Getty Images for Jazz At Lincoln Center; Noam Galai/Getty Images for Jazz At Lincoln Center

It's Been a Minute

The love and longing of Luther Vandross; Plus Grammy nominee Samara Joy

From "A House Is Not A Home" to "The Glow of Love," Luther Vandross' music has become a staple for weddings, family reunions and graduations. While Luther changed the sound of R&B, brought ballads to epic new heights and influenced countless musicians, he somehow doesn't have the same icon status as some of his collaborators and contemporaries like Whitney Houston or Aretha Franklin.

The love and longing of Luther Vandross; Plus Grammy nominee Samara Joy

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Friday

Saying goodbye to Pikachu and Ash, plus how Pokémon changed media forever
NPR

It's Been a Minute

Saying goodbye to Pikachu and Ash, plus how Pokémon changed media forever

It's the end of an era. After more than 25 years, The Pokémon Company is closing the book on the adventures of Ash Ketchum and Pikachu. To celebrate the cultural impact of this dynamic duo – and of the Pokémon franchise – Brittany Luse sits down with actor Sarah Natochenny, who's voiced Ash since 2006. Sarah talks about growing up with a character who stays 10 years old, and how fans have been the lifeblood of the show. Then, Brittany sits down with Dexter Thomas, VICE News correspondent and Japanese culture critic, and Daniel Dockery, author of Monster Kids: How Pokémon Taught a Generation to Catch Them All. They explore how Pokémon transformed gaming and children's TV in the U.S. and became one of the biggest media franchises in the world.

Saying goodbye to Pikachu and Ash, plus how Pokémon changed media forever

Listen · 37:59
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Tuesday

Oscar nominee Stephanie Hsu is everywhere, all at once
Allyson Riggs/A24

It's Been a Minute

Oscar nominee Stephanie Hsu is everywhere, all at once

Everything Everywhere All at Once is the critical darling of the 2023 awards season. The film is up for 11 Oscars, including a Supporting Actress nomination for breakout star, Stephanie Hsu. Hsu, who played Joy Wang AKA Jobu Tupaki in the film, started her career in experimental theater, which eventually led her to meet the directors of Everything Everywhere All at Once. Stephanie joined host Brittany Luse to chat about her comedic roots, the freedom of nihilism, and how the film has brought intergenerational healing to the stars.

Oscar nominee Stephanie Hsu is everywhere, all at once

Listen · 23:43
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Friday

One of Grindr's favorite podcasts; plus, art versus AI
Yuichiro Chino/Getty Images, Karla Ortiz, Tuck Woodstock

It's Been a Minute

One of Grindr's favorite podcasts; plus, art versus AI

It's in our homes and in our pockets, and now artificial intelligence is in our art. The runaway rise of AI generator apps has sparked hot debate around the technology's impact on creative industries. Brittany Luse talks to Karla Ortiz, an artist who's part of a new lawsuit against a group of companies that use AI to generate images. Ortiz gives her take on why it's important to regulate this technology, and why everyone – not just artists – has a stake in the issue. Then, Brittany talks to Tuck Woodstock, host of the 'Gender Reveal' podcast, about the show's five-year mark and how we can all talk about gender in more informed ways.

One of Grindr's favorite podcasts; plus, art versus AI

Listen · 43:21
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Friday

Curls and courage with Michaela Angela Davis and Rep. Cori Bush
Mike Harrington/Getty Images; Hulu; Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images; Gilbert Flores/Variety via Getty Images

It's Been a Minute

Curls and courage with Michaela Angela Davis and Rep. Cori Bush

For Black women, hair is about so much more than beauty. It can affect how they're treated and what opportunities are available to them. It's tied to history, identity and politics. And though many Black women and girls now embrace their natural curls, Black hair is still a site of discrimination. In this episode, Brittany Luse talks to two women fighting to change that: Rep. Cori Bush (D-Mo.), who has been pushing for a federal law against race-based hair discrimination, and Michaela Angela Davis, whose docuseries "The Hair Tales" is meant to inspire Black women to celebrate their crowning glories.

Curls and courage with Michaela Angela Davis and Rep. Cori Bush

Listen · 29:01
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Thursday

Wednesday

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