Before his acquisition of Twitter, Elon Musk set his sights on another kind of media company: Thud. A longtime fan of The Onion — he once called it "the greatest publication in the history of all conscious beings, living or dead" — Elon helped two former Onion editors build a new satirical startup. But Elon pulled out of the company before its launch and Thud shuttered in 2019. So what happened? Sam chats with The Verge's Jake Kastrenakes about Elon's first foray into building his "intergalactic media empire" and what, if anything, it can reveal about his rule over Twitter. We also ask actress, comedian, and Scam Goddess podcast host Laci Mosley if she is into Meta hosting a Notorious B.I.G. VR concert. And we hear about the culture that's haunting us: Does will.i.am really believe you can catch amnesia? Send us your culturegeist. What specific thing in the culture has haunted you for days, weeks, or even years? And why? Email us a short voice memo at intoit@vulture.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This year — and every year — we are grateful for family, friends, and celebrity memoirs. On this Thanksgiving, Sam chats with comedian Chelsea Devantez of the podcast Celebrity Book Club about the most memorable memoirs of 2022 — from Jennette McCurdy to Matthew Perry — and why the good ones will change your life. We also play a special holiday edition of "Into It/Not Into It" and ask Chelsea if she is into Jane Seymour inviting exes to Thanksgiving. Send us your culturegeist. We know you have one. What specific thing in the culture has haunted you for days, weeks, or even years? And why? Email us a short voice memo at intoit@vulture.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever has to do a lot of things: mourn the real and fictional loss of Chadwick Boseman, introduce a new Black Panther and other characters, move the ever-shifting Marvel Cinematic Universe forward, and — of course — be entertaining as an action-adventure movie. So why does it feel almost impossible — sacrilegious, even — to say that this sequel... doesn't quite hit? Sam talks it out with two critics who have very different takes: Vulture's Angelica Jade Bastien and The New York Times' Wesley Morris. Angelica says the movie trades on the power of representation while Wesley says its message is one of the most radical acts of mass capitalism he's ever seen. We also ask Angelica if she is into Billy McFarland of Fyre Festival fame trying to plan another event in the Bahamas. And we hear about the culture that's haunting us: Remember when Lindsay Lohan sent the Snapchat: "RIP John McCain feel better xoxo"? Send us your culturegeist. What specific thing in the culture has haunted you for days, weeks, or even years? And why? Email us a short voice memo at intoit@vulture.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

As Atlanta comes to a close after four seasons, it’s still hard to characterize the series. Was it comedy, drama, horror, satire? Whatever the word, the critically-acclaimed series was always weird, often brilliant, and sometimes divisive. Sam talks with Atlanta’s executive producer Stephen Glover about helping create the show with his brother Donald, the ideas that could only have come from a Black writers’ room, and provoking viewers to think about art. We also ask journalist and podcaster Daisy Rosario if she is into Kathy Griffin's late mother telling off Elon Musk on Twitter. And we hear about the culture that's haunting us: How can we ever find peace knowing there are a million things to watch, but we will never watch them all? Send us your culturegeist. What specific thing in the culture has haunted you for days, weeks, or even years? Email us a short voice memo at intoit@vulture.com. Also, sign up for Vulture’s Movies Fantasy League by Thursday, Nov. 10, for a chance to support your favorite films, earn rewards, and pit yourself against entertainment journalists, including Vulture staffers, and (people you once considered) friends! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Black Panther is back soon, but what do you actually need to know about the Marvel Cinematic Universe to be ready? And what if you don't care about the intricacies of Thanos or Dr. Strange's multiverse at all? Vox's Alex Abad-Santos catches Sam up on the MCU and explains that even if you don't care about the plot lines, you should care about Marvel's impact on the entertainment industry: "It's kind of like if you follow politics and you don't follow the Supreme Court. That's how big Marvel has become." We also ask comedian Vinny Thomas if he is into Rihanna's new single. And we hear about the culture that's haunting us: What do the casting directors of Love is Blind know that we don't when you have a Shane/Shaina and a Cole/Colleen situation in two consecutive seasons? Send us your culturegeist. What specific thing in the culture has haunted you for days, weeks, or even years? Email us a short voice memo at intoit@vulture.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Does seeing abortion on TV and film change the way people feel about it? You could argue that another big social issue — gay marriage — was helped by shows like Will & Grace and Ellen. Or that The Mary Tyler Moore Show and Murphy Brown helped normalize the idea of women in the workplace. Ahead of the midterms, Sam is wondering why more depictions of abortion onscreen haven't moved the needle on public opinion or access to abortion itself. Sam chats with Katori Hall about writing an abortion episode for her show P-Valley, which was based on the women's health organization at the heart of the case that overturned Roe v. Wade. Then, he talks with social scientist Steph Herold about the things onscreen abortions get wrong and the limits of representation. Send us your culturegeist. What specific thing in the culture has haunted you for days, weeks, or even years? Email us a short voice memo at intoit@vulture.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What is the meaning of Taylor Swift? She's performed damsel in distress, but represents women’s empowerment. She’s a confessional artist, but is careful about how much she reveals. She's an adult, but is often still viewed as the teenager she used to be. On the eve of Midnights, Sam dives into the mythos and craft of Taylor Swift with NPR music critic Ann Powers about her place in history among the likes of Joni Mitchell, Bob Dylan, Adele, and Beyoncé. We also hear about the culture that's haunting us: Explain to us again why Bobby Cannavale's character in The Watcher wants to replace a Carrara marble countertop with butcher block? To make red sauce? Send us your culturegeist. What specific thing in the culture has haunted you for days, weeks, or even years? Email us a short voice memo at intoit@vulture.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

After five years, what happened to the #MeToo movement and Time's Up? The Hollywood advocacy group made a splash at the Golden Globes in 2018, but what's happened since? And did it really change anything? Sam chats with The Hollywood Reporter's Rebecca Keegan about the group's initial momentum from A-list actors and a barn burner of a speech from Oprah... and its eventual (inevitable?) implosion. We also ask if writer R. Eric Thomas is into Chris Pratt voicing Mario. And we hear about the culture that's haunting us: If Seth Green's neck could suddenly explode in an episode of Grey's Anatomy, what's to stop our necks from exploding at any second, too? Send us your culturegeist. What specific thing in the culture has haunted you for days, weeks, or even years? Email us a short voice memo at intoit@vulture.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Is there a way to make true crime ethically? At the very least, can we stop making serial killers hot? Sam chats with Vulture TV critic Jen Chaney about the criticism behind the hit Netflix show DAHMER — Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story and the rise of true crime as the latest IP. We also ask comedian Jay Jurden if he is into the new get-out-the-vote effort from Saucy Santana and Trina. And we hear about the culture that's haunting us: David Herskowitz is the Harry Styles of the Miami Boys Choir. Send us your culturegeist. What specific thing in the culture has been haunting you for days, weeks, or even years? Email us a short voice memo at intoit@vulture.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Bros has billed itself as the first gay romantic comedy made by a big Hollywood studio for theatrical release. But that billing brings a lot of pressure to represent the "queer community," speak to a straight audience, and make money. Sam chats with comedian Guy Branum, co-producer and co-star of Bros, about the compromises you can accept — and reject — in making a mainstream rom-com. We also ask if Guy is into Rihanna performing at the next Super Bowl Halftime Show. And we hear about the culture that's haunting us: Where's the comma in Don't Worry Darling? Send us your culturegeist. What specific thing in the culture has been haunting you for days, weeks, or even years? Email us a short voice memo at intoit@vulture.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Kim Kardashian is getting into venture capital, her shapewear company is worth billions, and her family's rebooted show The Kardashians is back for its second season on Hulu. And yet, Sam can't shake the feeling that Kim's power and relevance is fading. MJ Corey, creator of @kardashian_kolloquium, says Kim is in transition — not decline — and that her influence on the media landscape may soon become stronger than ever. We also ask friends of the show Bobby Finger and Lindsey Weber of Who? Weekly if they are into Adam Levine wanting to name his baby after an Instagram model who is not his wife. And we hear about the culture that's haunting us: Robyn's 2010 cover of Björk's "Hyperballad" is the perfect distillation of two very different artists. Send us your culturegeist. What specific thing in the culture has been haunting you for days, weeks, or even years? Email us a short voice memo at intoit@vulture.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Issa Rae is not just acting — she’s writing, producing, and running a whole media production company. In this live chat from the 2022 Code Conference, Issa talks with Sam Sanders and Kara Swisher about how she’s always known her audience — from her start as an internet creator to inking exclusive multimillion-dollar deals. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Why does the outrage over people of color cast in fantasies feel so predictable? Sam chats with associate professor Ebony Elizabeth Thomas, author of The Dark Fantastic: Race and Imagination from Harry Potter to The Hunger Games, about how fantasy writing in the Western world has become so entrenched in whiteness that the mere presence of a Black hobbit seems “shocking.” We also ask Abbi Jacobson and Chante Adams of A League of Their Own if they are into Cher calling Queen Elizabeth II a cow. And we hear about the culture that's haunting us: Dave Grohl watching Taylor Hawkins' son drumming to "My Hero" at a tribute concert is a scene straight out of a Pixar movie. Send us your culturegeist. What specific thing in the culture has been haunting you for days, weeks, or even years? Send us a short voice memo at intoit@vulture.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A Strange Loop won this year's Tony Award for Best Musical, starring an all Black cast. But the show itself was partly inspired by three white women: Joni Mitchell, Tori Amos, and Liz Phair. Sam visits A Strange Loop on Broadway and sits down with its writer Michael R. Jackson to talk through Jackson's musical Holy Trinity (Joni as the Mother, Liz as the Daughter, and Tori as the Holy Ghost) and how they helped him embrace his own "Inner White Girl." We also ask Vulture's Rebecca Alter and our own Gaby Grossman if they are into the drama surrounding the Don't Worry Darling press tour. And we hear about the culture that's haunting us: If Euphoria won a Creative Arts Emmy for "Holding Out for a Hero" choreo, does that mean Lexi Howard is a Creative Arts Emmy winner, too? Send us your culturegeist. What specific thing in the culture has been haunting you for days, weeks, or even years? Send us a short voice memo at intoit@vulture.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Who had the song of the summer? Sam chats with Switched on Pop's Charlie Harding and Reanna Cruz about whose song (and album) is in the running: Beyoncé, Bad Bunny, Lizzo, or Kate Bush? We also ask Vibe Check co-hosts and friends of the show Saeed Jones and Zach Stafford if they're into J.Lo cutting dancers based on their astrological sign. And we hear about the culture that's haunting us: DJ Khaled is a "God Did" wind-up toy. Send us your culturegeist. What specific thing in the culture has been haunting you for days, weeks, or even years? Send us a short voice memo at intoit@vulture.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Some celebrities are born into financial safety. Others have to post sponcon. Sam chats with writer Kelsey McKinney about Sydney Sweeney's Instagram and what it means to have (or not have) family money in Hollywood. We also hold a celebrity liquor taste test with the staff of Vulture, which involves moderate to heavy drinking during a workday. And we hear about the culture that's haunting us: Singing "Somewhere That's Green" from Little Shop of Horrors at karaoke hits a little different when you're an adult living in New York. We'd love to hear from you. Email us at intoit@vulture.com with any questions, comments, or ideas. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sam and New York Times columnist Tressie McMillan Cottom break down the hugely popular show Yellowstone and the ways it reflects our own identity politics. Which is all to say: It's complicated. We also play a game with Dinner Party newsletter writer Tirhakah Love and film critic Angelica Jade Bastien, and hear about the culture that's haunting us: Tessa Thompson is making a meal out of Westworld's hors d'oeuvre writing. We'd love to hear from you. Email us at intoit@vulture.com with any questions, comments, or ideas. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Can Hollywood ever just end a story? Sam chats with showrunner Damon Lindelof about his experiences on ABC's Lost and HBO's Watchmen and the pressures to keep a good thing going. We also play a game with Today, Explained hosts Sean Rameswaram and Noel King and hear about the culture that's haunting us: Was Paula Abdul really in a plane crash in the 1990s? We'd love to hear from you. Email us at intoit@vulture.com with any questions, comments, or ideas. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Everything Everywhere All at Once. Bodies Bodies Bodies. Moonlight. Midsommar. How did one movie studio seemingly become the darling of critics and fans alike? And when did we start stanning... companies? Sam chats with Vulture's Alison Wilmore and Nate Jones about the rise of A24. We also play a game with comedian Amber Ruffin and hear about the culture that's haunting us: We're in a Hot Yes Chef Summer. We'd love to hear from you. Email us at intoit@vulture.com with any questions, comments, or ideas. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Happy Beyoncé Week. As we await the release of Renaissance, Sam revisits how her surprise drop album in 2013 changed everything with longtime music journalist Danyel Smith. We also play a game with Vulture staffers and hear about the culture that's haunting us: Why did Bowling for Soup whitewash the 80s? We'd love to hear from you. Email us at intoit@vulture.com with any questions, comments, or ideas. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Obsess better. Into It is Vulture’s guide to the pop culture we can’t stop thinking about. Hosted by Sam Sanders. New episodes drop every Thursday starting July 28th. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices