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It's Been a Minute Has it been a minute since you heard a thought-provoking conversation about culture? Brittany Luse wants to help. Each week, she takes the things everyone's talking about and, in conversation with her favorite creators, tastemakers, and experts, gives you new ways to think about them. Beyond the obvious takes. Because culture doesn't happen by accident.

If you can't get enough, try It's Been a Minute Plus. Your subscription supports the show and unlocks a sponsor-free feed. Learn more at plus.npr.org/itsbeenaminute
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Has it been a minute since you heard a thought-provoking conversation about culture? Brittany Luse wants to help. Each week, she takes the things everyone's talking about and, in conversation with her favorite creators, tastemakers, and experts, gives you new ways to think about them. Beyond the obvious takes. Because culture doesn't happen by accident.

If you can't get enough, try It's Been a Minute Plus. Your subscription supports the show and unlocks a sponsor-free feed. Learn more at plus.npr.org/itsbeenaminute

Most Recent Episodes

"Are you surprised?" Three Black women react to the election

One of the winning "I voted" stickers in Michigan's 2024 "I voted" sticker contest. Katelyn Stouffer-Hopkins/Michigan Dept of State hide caption

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Katelyn Stouffer-Hopkins/Michigan Dept of State

"Are you surprised?" Three Black women react to the election

What's surprising about Trump returning to the White House? For Brittany Luse, Pop Culture Happy Hour's Aisha Harris, and NPR's Alana Wise there isn't much to be surprised about. Three Black women and journalists mull over how this moment is business as usual from where they sit.

"Are you surprised?" Three Black women react to the election

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The hot mom rom-com phenomenon

The hot mom rom-com boom is happening all over film this year. Alisha Wetherill/Prime, Courtesy of Prime/Tina Rowden/Netflix, Courtesy of Netflix hide caption

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Alisha Wetherill/Prime, Courtesy of Prime/Tina Rowden/Netflix, Courtesy of Netflix

The hot mom rom-com phenomenon

It's Election Day, but instead of focusing on politics, we decided to do something a little lighter for the occasion: we're looking at this year's hot mom rom-com boom. Host Brittany Luse is joined by New York Magazine features writer Rachel Handler to get a little deeper into three movies from this genre: A Family Affair, The Idea of You, and Between the Temples. They discuss how hot moms on screen have changed, but why movies like these often still feel behind the times.

The hot mom rom-com phenomenon

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America's Next Top Scapegoat; plus, Inside the Black Manosphere

A voter is offered an "I voted" sticker after casting their ballot at the early vote location. LOGAN CYRUS/AFP via Getty Images hide caption

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LOGAN CYRUS/AFP via Getty Images

America's Next Top Scapegoat; plus, Inside the Black Manosphere

The 2024 presidential candidates are making their closing arguments. While VP Harris is focused on the economy and abortion rights, Donald Trump has doubled down on anti-immigrant and anti-trans attack ads. This week, Brittany invites Translash's Imara Jones and NPR immigration correspondent Sergio Martínez-Beltrán to understand what deeper fears these attack ads are stoking.

America's Next Top Scapegoat; plus, Inside the Black Manosphere

Listen · 39:18
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Onscreen cannibalism and our hunger for love

Sebastian Stan in Fresh - a fresh take on the meat market of dating. Courtesy of Hulu hide caption

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Courtesy of Hulu

Onscreen cannibalism and our hunger for love

For the third and final installment of our Trilogy of Terror series, host Brittany Luse turns her attention to the ultimate taboo: cannibalism. Cannibalism stories have gotten big recently: it's in The Last of Us, Society of the Snow and Yellowjackets. She's joined by NPR Arts Desk reporter Neda Ulaby to dig deeper into three cannibalism films. They break down how versatile the trope is, what it says about how we consume – and how we love.

Onscreen cannibalism and our hunger for love

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The Billboard Hot 100's doom loop; Plus, a new kind of true crime story

Shaboozey's "A Bar Song (Tipsy)" has been at #1 for 15 nonconsecutive weeks. Paras Griffin/Getty Images for BET hide caption

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Paras Griffin/Getty Images for BET

The Billboard Hot 100's doom loop; Plus, a new kind of true crime story

The same songs are sitting at the top of the music charts longer than ever, and that has Brittany Luse wondering, are our listening habits stuck in a doom loop? Brittany chats with NPR music editor Stephen Thompson to get to the bottom of the top of the charts.

The Billboard Hot 100's doom loop; Plus, a new kind of true crime story

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Kylie Minogue's tips for staying on top

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Getty Images

Kylie Minogue's tips for staying on top

Kylie Minogue is having a capital-M moment, and Brittany sits down in studio with the pop star to talk about how to keep reaching new heights in a career full of peaks.

Kylie Minogue's tips for staying on top

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The false promise of climate havens; plus, the 'help' in horror

Residents fill up sandbags in Tampa ahead of Hurricane Milton's landfall in Florida, October 2024. (Photo by Saul Martinez/Getty Images) hide caption

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(Photo by Saul Martinez/Getty Images)

The false promise of climate havens; plus, the 'help' in horror

Extreme weather is becoming more frequent. Now some towns that were touted as "safe" are seeing hurricanes, floods or heat waves. This week, host Brittany Luse is joined by NPR climate solutions reporter Julia Simon and NPR culture reporter Chloe Veltman to understand misconceptions around "climate havens" and what it means to preserve culture in the face of the climate crisis.

The false promise of climate havens; plus, the 'help' in horror

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Sasha Colby takes us to Drag college

Drag performer Sasha Colby. Jon Kopaloff/Getty Images hide caption

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Jon Kopaloff/Getty Images

Sasha Colby takes us to Drag college

Sasha Colby is your favorite drag queen's favorite drag queen. That's because she's one of the most decorated and influential drag queens working today - she's Chappell Roan's inspiration, a Miss Continental winner and a RuPaul's Drag Race winner.

Sasha Colby takes us to Drag college

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Is the free speech debate dead? Plus, the devil!

A pro-Palestinian protester uses a bullhorn during a demonstration in front of Sproul Hall on the UC Berkeley campus on April 22, 2024 in Berkeley, California Justin Sullivan/Getty Images hide caption

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Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

Is the free speech debate dead? Plus, the devil!

In anticipation of more pro-Palestinian protests, many college administrators rolled out new rules this fall that include getting pre-approval for posting flyers or hosting demonstrations. Brittany is joined by UC Irvine sociology professor David S. Meyer, who studies social movements and public policy, and Chronicle of Higher Education reporter Kate Hidalgo Bellows. They discuss the changes on campuses and how they tie into debates over free speech.

Is the free speech debate dead? Plus, the devil!

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