TLDR
A weekly podcast featuring short, surprising stories about the internet.
Episodes
Podcast: TLDR: #49 - Do URL Believe in Magic?
What happens when you buy a magic spell on Etsy? [more inside]
Podcast: TLDR: #48 -- Art Critics Love Us On Yelp
Brian Droitcour is a professional art critic, and a Yelp user. In 2012 he started using the popular review site to post his reactions to galleries and museums, using a distinctly un-art world-y voice. This week, Brian sits down with TLDR to talk about art, online criticism, parties and his unusual project.
Podcast: TLDR: #47 - JebBushforPresident.com
A look at a pair of unlikely domain squatters. [more inside]
Podcast: TLDR: #46 - Episode 45 Redux
The last episode of TLDR was titled "Quiet, Wadhwa." It concerned a man named Vivek Wadhwa, but we did not ask him for comment. The episode was later removed.
This week we look at the controversy we've become a part of and our role in it.
To read Amelia Greenhall's original blog post, titled "Quiet, Ladies. @wadhwa is speaking," click here. To read Greenhall's post-podcast removal follow up, titled "I wrote about Vivek Wadhwa and you'll never guess what happened next!," click here. To read Vivek Wadhwa's rebuttal of episode #45 on Venture Beat, titled "My response to the podcast that unfairly attacked me," click here. To read Vivek Wadhwa's other response to the situation on South Asia Mail, titled "Perils of becoming a public figure," click here. To read Gawker and Gizmodo's coverage of the situation, click here and here. [more inside]
Podcast: TLDR: #45 - Quiet, Wadhwa.
Amelia Greenhall is a woman who works in tech. She's a designer, the executive director of Double Union, co-founder of Model View Culture, and the publisher of the literary journal Open Review Quarterly. But when a major outlet needs a quote about women in tech, they don't usually turn to Amelia. Or to any woman. They call on Vivek Wadhwa. Amelia explains how Wadhwa came to be the go-to pundit on people like her -- and why his expertise is so problematic. [more inside]
Podcast: TLDR: #44 - Prostitute Laundry
Charlotte Shane writes a TinyLetter called Prostitute Laundry, writing frankly and lyrically about her feelings, her relationships, her body and her sex lives -- both personal and professional. This week TLDR looks into women writing personal, voice-driven newsletters, sitting down with Charlotte, as well as writer Meaghan O'Connell, to talk about the kind of writing that you want delivered straight to your inbox.
Podcast: TLDR: #16 - *WIN A MILLION DOLLAR MANSION FROM YOUR HOME COMPUTER*
"Sweepers" are people who spend their free time entering hundreds of online sweepstakes -- the contests most of us skip because we're sure they're all scams. It turns out, we're wrong. Some people win big. [more inside]
Podcast: TLDR: #42 - GodTube
When Will Rogers discovered GodTube.com, he was bothered by the idea of Christians segregating themselves from the larger cultural conversation. So he set out to start a dialogue. Meredith talks to Will about his GodTube.com videos, what he wanted to communicate, and the people he met.
Podcast: TLDR: #43 - Hey Ladies
If you've ever been a bridesmaid, in a sorority, or just been friends with two or more women, you have probably received an off-the-wall planning email or two. Caroline Moss and Michelle Markowitz have been parodying these chains for The Toast since August 2013, in a series called Hey Ladies. This week on TLDR, the cast of Hey Ladies Live comes together to show us how much effort goes into organizing one, simple St. Patrick's Day on the town.
Thanks for listening. You can find Caroline and Michelle on Twitter, as well as the rest of the cast. If you like our show, please subscribe and review us on iTunes, or wherever you get your podcasts. You can also follow Meredith and TLDR on Twitter.
Podcast: TLDR: #41 - Tell Me How To Live My Life
Susan Miller, proprietor of Astrology Zone, is the biggest name in internet astrology. Her fans are many and devoted, and among them are both Meredith and Laura Mayer (this week's co-investigator). This week marks Miller's 19th year reading the stars online. Meredith and Laura look into her enduring appeal with the help of Emily Gould, Jon Methven, and Kate McKean.
Thanks for listening. Emily, Jon, and Kate are all on Twitter. If you like our show, please subscribe and review us on iTunes, or wherever you get your podcasts. You can also follow Laura, Meredith and TLDR on Twitter. [more inside]