Slow Burn

Episodes page 1 of 5

1. Season 1 Trailer: Watergate

   17 Nov 2017 · 2:42 · Trailer

   It took two years for the Watergate scandal to unfold—for a break-in at the Democratic Party's headquarters to go from a weird little caper to a constitutional crisis that brought down a president. What was it like to…

2. Watergate | 1. Martha

   28 Nov 2017 · 24 min · S1 E1

   People called her crazy, and to be fair she must have seemed crazy. But she was onto something. How Martha Mitchell, the celebrity wife of one of Nixon’s closest henchmen, tried to blow the whistle on Watergate—and…

3. Watergate | 2. The Defeat of Wright Patman

   5 Dec 2017 · 29 min · S1 E2

   In 1973, the Senate Watergate hearings gripped the nation. But the first congressional hearings on the scandal took place a year earlier—and featured an angry Texan shouting at four empty chairs. Want more Slow Burn?…

4. Watergate | 3. A Very Successful Cover-Up

   12 Dec 2017 · 5:38 · S1 E3

   Woodward and Bernstein, Walter Cronkite, and a host of other journalists tried to make people care about Watergate in the run-up to the 1972 election. They totally failed. This episode is member-exclusive. Listen to…

5. Watergate | 4. Lie Detectors

   19 Dec 2017 · 8:29 · S1 E4

   How a folksy segregationist senator, a team of young investigators, and a few whistleblowers staged the hearings that made Watergate must-see TV. Want more Slow Burn? Join Slate Plus to unlock full, ad-free access to…

6. Watergate | 5. True Believers

   2 Jan 2018 · 6:20 · S1 E5

   At a bar in Queens, and in the Senate offices, Nixon's supporters stood with him long after it was clear his hands were dirty. How did they rationalize their position? And what, finally, made them waver? This episode…

7. Watergate | 6. Rabbit Holes

   9 Jan 2018 · 7:01 · S1 E6

   Why were so many Americans ready to believe conspiracy theories after Watergate? How did those beliefs help trigger Nixon‘s downfall? And given what we know about Watergate—what separates a conspiracy theory from just…

8. Watergate | 7. Saturday Night

   16 Jan 2018 · 6:42 · S1 E7

   What did Richard Nixon do when he felt the walls closing in? How did the country respond? And what did it feel like when people finally got to hear those tapes? This episode is member-exclusive. Listen to it now by…

9. Extra, Extra

   23 Jan 2018 · 22 min · Bonus

   Slate Plus members get a bonus episode of Slow Burn every week. This week, we're releasing some samples of those episodes—interviews with people with a unique perspective on Watergate. Next week: The end. Find out…

10. Watergate | 8. Going South

    30 Jan 2018 · 6:05 · S1 E8

    What had to happen for the Watergate scandals to end Richard Nixon’s career? And was his downfall inevitable? In the final episode of Slow Burn’s first season, Leon Neyfakh assesses the president’s desperate final…

11. Watergate | Live in New York

    22 May 2018 · 51 min · Bonus

    A special edition of Slow Burn features Leon Neyfakh live on stage in New York City. On April 19th, Leon was joined by Bob Woodward, Virginia Heffernan, Gail Sheehy, Mary DeOreo and Marc Lackritz to discuss Trump,…

12. Season 2 Trailer: The Clinton Impeachment

    23 Jul 2018 · 3:01 · Trailer

    The saga of Bill Clinton’s impeachment is rich with forgotten characters, surprising subplots, and opportunities to reflect on just how much America has changed over the past 20 years. Whether you’re well-versed in the…

13. The Clinton Impeachment | 1. Deal or No Deal

    8 Aug 2018 · 35 min · S2 E1

    For 11 hours, Monica Lewinsky faced off against federal prosecutors who wanted her to help them take down the president and threatened her with decades in jail. Want more Slow Burn? Subscribe to Slate Plus to…

14. The Clinton Impeachment | 2. There There

    15 Aug 2018 · 41 min · S2 E2

    In 1993, Bill and Hillary Clinton moved into the White House on a swell of optimism. In less than a year, the new administration was mired in a sea of scandals: Travelgate, Filegate, Nannygate, and, most…

15. The Clinton Impeachment | 3. Cred

    22 Aug 2018 · 8:27 · S2 E3

    When Bill Clinton went to Washington, rumors and accusations from his Arkansas past went with him. But even his most dedicated political enemies couldn't predict where their efforts would lead. This episode is…

16. The Clinton Impeachment | 4. Alone, Together

    29 Aug 2018 · 7:53 · S2 E4

    What happened between Bill Clinton and Monica Lewinsky? Why did it happen? And what are we supposed to do about the fact that the whims and impulses of individual men can—and constantly do—alter the course of history?…

17. The Clinton Impeachment | 5. Tell-All

    12 Sep 2018 · 7:03 · S2 E5

    Aside from Bill Clinton and Monica Lewinsky, the most pivotal player in the Clinton impeachment saga may have been Linda Tripp—an ordinary person who made extraordinary choices that precipitated the entire crisis. In…

18. The Clinton Impeachment | 6. God Mode

    19 Sep 2018 · 9:10 · S2 E6

    Some of the most withering criticism of Clinton came from a coalition of conservative activists whose political views were bound up with their faith. The influence of the Christian right within the Republican Party had…

19. The Clinton Impeachment | 7. Bedfellows

    26 Sep 2018 · 7:21 · S2 E7

    Today it’s conventional wisdom that all feminists hypocritically turned their backs on Monica Lewinsky. In fact, the scandal provoked an intense debate within the feminist movement about sex, power, and consent. For…

20. The Clinton Impeachment | Secret Tracks

    3 Oct 2018 · 29 min · Bonus

    Every week, Slate Plus members get a special episode of Slow Burn in which Leon Neyfakh talks to people connected with the Clinton impeachment saga. This week, we’re presenting excerpts from those bonus episodes,…

21. The Clinton Impeachment | 8. Move On

    10 Oct 2018 · 7:36 · S2 E8

    Juanita Broaddrick told Ken Starr’s team of prosecutors that Bill Clinton had raped her in 1978. Her story wasn’t included in the Starr Report—but members of congress found out about it anyway, and had to decide how it…

22. Slow Burn Live: Keyholes

    28 Nov 2018 · 52 min

    A special edition of Slow Burn features Leon Neyfakh live on stage. In the first of two episodes, Leon was joined in by Ruth Marcus and Rick Perlstein to explore lingering questions about the Clinton legacy. Plus, a…

23. Slow Burn Live: The Kingdom and the Power

    5 Dec 2018 · 51 min

    A special edition of Slow Burn features Leon Neyfakh live on stage. In the second of two episodes, Leon was joined in by Emily Bazelon, Wesley Morris, Dan Savage, and Andi Zeisler to explore lingering questions about…

24. Introducing The Queen

    4 Jun 2019 · 23 min · Bonus

    Linda Taylor was a con artist, a kidnapper, maybe even a murderer. She was also America’s original “welfare queen,” the villain Ronald Reagan needed to create a vision of a country being taken advantage of by its…

25. Season 3 Trailer: Biggie and Tupac

    24 Oct 2019 · 2:02 · Trailer

    In its first two seasons, Slow Burn looked back at two of the biggest stories of the late 20th century—the Watergate scandal and the impeachment of Bill Clinton. Season three of the show tackles another: the murders of…

26. Biggie and Tupac | 1. Against the World

    30 Oct 2019 · 29 min · S3 E1

    On the first episode of Slow Burn’s third season: How a violent robbery severed Tupac’s friendship with Biggie Smalls and sparked a bicoastal beef that consumed the world of hip-hop. In November 1994, while on trial…

27. Biggie and Tupac | 2. Cops on My Tail

    6 Nov 2019 · 31 min · S3 E2

    In 1992, Ronald Ray Howard shot and killed Texas state trooper Bill Davidson. His lawyer argued he’d been driven to murder by the music he’d been playing in his car: a dubbed copy of Tupac Shakur’s first album,…

28. Biggie and Tupac | 3. What's Beef?

    13 Nov 2019 · 7:54 · S3 E3

    In this episode: Biggie releases “Who Shot Ya,” an instant hip-hop classic that Tupac takes as a personal affront. Tupac calls out Biggie and Puffy in a jailhouse interview. And the Death Row and Bad Boy crews start…

29. Biggie and Tupac | 4. Against Those Thugs

    20 Nov 2019 · 6:22 · S3 E4

    In this episode: Gangsta rap becomes a huge money maker. Civil rights activist C. Delores Tucker and conservative culture warrior Bill Bennett launch a crusade against offensive lyrics. And hip-hop divides black…

30. Biggie and Tupac | 5. Wrath of a Menace

    27 Nov 2019 · 9:39 · S3 E5

    In this episode: Tupac claims—loudly, publicly, and with very little evidence—that he’s been sleeping with Faith Evans, Biggie’s estranged wife. Want more Slow Burn? Subscribe to Slate Plus to immediately access all…

31. Biggie and Tupac | Plus: "East vs. West"

    30 Nov 2019 · 13 min · S3 E5 · Bonus

    In this Slow Burn bonus episode, host Joel Anderson and producer Christopher Johnson discuss the growing feud between Tupac and Biggie and the role of Faith Evans. Then, you’ll hear an extended interview with Larry…

32. Biggie and Tupac | 6. Til Somebody Kills You

    4 Dec 2019 · 10 min · S3 E6

    In this episode: In the summer of 1996, Tupac Shakur seemed to be on the verge of a decision—about what kind of career he wanted to have, and what kind of life he wanted to live. And then he went to Las Vegas. Want…

33. Biggie and Tupac | 7. To Live and Die in LA

    11 Dec 2019 · 6:42 · S3 E7

    In this week's episode: After Tupac’s murder: Revenge killings in Compton, a day of atonement in Harlem, and Biggie Smalls risks everything by going back to Cali. This episode is member-exclusive. Listen to it now by…

34. Biggie and Tupac | 8. Dead Wrong

    18 Dec 2019 · 7:56 · S3 E8

    Questions have swirled around the murders of Tupac Shakur and Biggie Smalls ever since their deaths. Who killed them, and why? How come no one was ever charged in either case? Is Tupac still alive and hiding out…

35. Biggie and Tupac | Epilogue: Got a Story to Tell

    20 Dec 2019 · 10 min · S3 E9 · Bonus

    Slate Plus members get a bonus episode of Slow Burn every week. This is a preview of the bonus episodes released this season:—interviews with Slow Burn host Joel Anderson and producer Christopher Johnson about the…

36. Announcement: Slow Burn's Watergate Season on TV

    14 Feb 2020 · 0:41

    Slow Burn's Watergate season is now a TV docu-series, premiering Feb. 16 on Epix. Read more about it in this interview with host Leon Neyfakh. Need to set up your Slate Plus feed? If you subscribed through Slate.com,…

37. Live: Party & Bullshit

    18 Mar 2020 · 17 min · S3 E9

    A special edition of Slow Burn features Joel Anderson live on stage, with legendary producers Nashiem Myrick and Easy Moe Bee, and Reverend Conrad Tillard, known in the 90s as "The Hip Hop Minister." Plus, a story from…

38. Season 4 Trailer: David Duke

    8 Jun 2020 · 0:57 · Trailer

    In the late 1980s and early 1990s, a white supremacist became an American political phenomenon. David Duke’s rise to power and prominence—his election to the Louisiana legislature, and then his campaigns for the U.S.…

39. David Duke | 1. White Knight

    10 Jun 2020 · 45 min · S4 E1

    In the first half of the 1980s, it looked like David Duke’s career as a professional racist was over. But the former Ku Klux Klan leader had a comeback plan: He was going to keep quiet about his most hateful…

40. David Duke | 2. Robe and Ritual

    17 Jun 2020 · 47 min · S4 E2

    David Duke dreamed of becoming the charismatic leader who’d bring racism to the masses. He tried to make that dream a reality by seizing on America’s most powerful symbol of white supremacist terror. On the second…

41. David Duke | 3. The Nazi and the Republicans

    24 Jun 2020 · 6:46 · S4 E3

    In 1989, David Duke got a foothold in American politics. To build on that victory, he’d have to fend off a Republican official determined to bring him down. In the third episode of our series: the people who tried to…

42. Cold Call

    1 Jul 2020 · 21 min

    In 1989, a Black 12-year-old girl in New Orleans found the David Duke phenomenon, and Duke himself, hard to comprehend. So she called Duke on the phone to ask him some questions. In this Slow Burn interlude: how a…

43. David Duke | 4. A Silent Army

    8 Jul 2020 · 11 min · S4 E4

    David Duke wasn’t content being a state representative. He wanted to go national, and in 1990 he expanded his base of white voters to try to attain that goal. In Episode 4 of Slow Burn: How David Duke made himself a…

44. David Duke | 5. The Road to Hell

    15 Jul 2020 · 6:57 · S4 E5

    This episode is member-exclusive. Listen to it now by subscribing to Slate Plus. By joining, not only will you unlock exclusive Slow Burn episodes, but you’ll also access ad-free listening across all your favorite…

45. David Duke | 6. A Concerned Citizen

    22 Jul 2020 · 9:16 · S4 E6

    This episode is member-exclusive. Listen to it now by subscribing to Slate Plus. By joining, not only will you unlock exclusive Slow Burn episodes, but you’ll also access ad-free listening across all your favorite…

46. Extra: What We Can Learn From 1991

    29 Oct 2020 · 30 min · Bonus

    A few excerpts from Season 4's bonus interviews, and a special Slow Burn announcement. Want more Slow Burn? Subscribe to Slate Plus to immediately access all episodes of Slow Burn (and your other favorite Slate…

47. Season 5 Trailer: The Road to the Iraq War

    15 Apr 2021 · 2:07 · Trailer

    In 2003, the United States invaded Iraq without provocation. Most Americans supported the war—as did most politicians and intellectuals, both liberal and conservative. Today, it’s universally considered a disaster.…

48. The Road to the Iraq War | 1. The Exile

    21 Apr 2021 · 47 min · S5 E1

    Eighteen years have passed since the United States invaded Iraq. It’s a war that killed hundreds of thousands of people and destroyed America’s credibility on the world stage. How much can that war be traced to one…

49. The Road to the Iraq War | 2. Terror

    28 Apr 2021 · 43 min · S5 E2

    Just hours after 9/11, American decision makers had already started thinking about attacking Iraq. When the anthrax attacks began a month later, those ideas went into overdrive. Did Iraq have anything to do with…

50. The Road to the Iraq War | 3. Mushroom Clouds

    5 May 2021 · 41 min · S5 E3

    To start a war of choice, you need a casus belli—a case for war. Why did the Bush administration settle on weapons of mass destruction as their case for war? And how did they make that case to the American people?…