Sarah interrupts Madame Nancy in the middle of a seance, but hey, no better time for a podcast. After a brief discussion of their top five liquids (inspired by a recent interview with Malcolm Gladwell), they turn toward a 4000-word New York Times story about how Russian trolls might have influenced the implosion of the Women’s March. Nancy thinks the story whitewashes the leaders’ excesses and prejudices, particularly the anti-semitism of Linda Sarsour. Sarah finds the prospect of outside forces stoking civic discord legitimately worrisome, but both agree the Women’s March fell apart because of in-fighting over ideology, money, and mismanagement.
We turn toward a story in the Atlantic that argues against sex segregation in sports, making some head-scratching assertions about girls’ ability to compete with boys. Sarah thinks it’s yet another failure to balance equal opportunity with biological difference, while Nancy points out that even Serena Williams admitted to David Letterman she’d lose every game to tennis champ Andy Murray since men were faster and stronger — none of which makes women inherently inferior, since women have other assets. Have we mentioned we love breasts?
In the hot box this week: Crying in H Mart, a memoir that explores a complicated mother-daughter relationship and how food connects us, and Michael Moynihan chatting with Andy Warhol’s right-hand man, Bob Colacello.
Episode Notes:
Nancy’s battery-operated candles on Amazon (there are many varieties!)
Molly Lewis, “Oceanic Feeling”
“Malcolm Gladwell Only Drinks Five Liquids,” The Sporkful podcast
“How Russian Trolls Helped Keep the Women’s March Out of Lock Step,” by Ellen Barry (NYT)
“Is the Women’s March Melting Down?” by Leah McSweeney and Jacob Siegel (Tablet)
“Key Participant at Center of Women’s March Story Confirms Anti-Jewish Incident,” by Leah McSweeney and Jacob Siegel (Tablet)
“The Heartbreak of the 2019 Women’s March,” by Michelle Goldberg (NYT)
“The Sordid Saga of Hunter Biden’s Laptop,” by Andrew Rice and Olivia Nuzzi (New York)
“Separating Sports by Sex Doesn’t Make Sense,” by Maggie Mertens (Atlantic)
“Maternal Instinct Is a Myth That Men Created,” by Chelsea Conaboy (NYT)
Nancy and Sarah discuss the “myth” of the maternal instinct
“World Cup-winning US Women’s team suffer shock 5-2 defeat to FC Dallas’ U-15 boys academy side,” by Anthony Chapman (The Sun)
“Men’s tennis and women’s tennis are almost completely different sports,” Serena Williams
“The Biggest Dick in the World,” from Forty Bucks and a Dream: Stories of Los Angeles, being serialized by Nancy over on her Substack, Make More Pie
The Case Against the Sexual Revolution, by Louise Perry
“Louise Perry on the Sexual Revolution,” The Dishcast with Andrew Sullivan
Breasts: A Natural and Unnatural History, by Florence Williams
What’s in your hotbox?
Sarah: “Crying in H Mart,” personal essay by Michelle Zauner (New Yorker)
“‘Crying in H Mart’ Made Michelle Zauner a Literary Star. What’s Next?” by David Marchese (NYT)
Nancy: Michael Moynihan interviews Bob Colacello on The Fifth Column. Not yet a paid subscriber? You can do that here
Last minute late-night add: Nancy’s daughter Tafv appears as spirit girl in episode 9 of Reservation Dogs. Nancy would write more about this but for the weeping…
Outro song: “Be Sweet” by Japanese Breakfast
35. Women vs. Women! Girls Against Boys! It’s Cage Fight 2022 (with Russian Trolls)