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On this week’s episode of the Waves, Hanna, Noreen, and June discuss CBS CEO Les Moonves, who faces allegations of sexual misconduct following an exposé in the New Yorker. Nearly two weeks later, he’s still in charge of the network. What sets Moonves apart from the Harvey Weinsteins of the world, and what does it mean for #MeToo as a movement if he remains in power? Next, tech reporter Sarah Jeong’s appointment to the New York Times’ editorial board sparked controversy after far-right pundits dug up past tweets deriding white people. The hosts discuss the tenor of the tweets, the Times’ response, and where the discourse can go from here. Finally, Jeff Bezos and Tim Cook are ushering in a new era of swole tech execs, and both Bezos and Mark Zuckerberg have recently changed up their style. Are the new looks (and their reception) a reflection of changing values, or are the billionaires just succumbing to the same basic standards as the rest of us?
Slate Plus: Is it sexist to set out to find women to put on statues? And who would the hosts most want to see honored?
Other items discussed on the show:
- “Les Moonves and CBS Face Allegations of Sexual Misconduct,” by Ronan Farrow, in the New Yorker
- “Why Les Moonves Is Still Running CBS (for Now),” by Constance Grady, in Vox
- “The Real Nightmare Behind CBS’s Moonves Theater,” by William D. Cohan, in Vanity Fair
- “Murphy Brown Creator on Moonves Allegations: ‘We Support the Investigation,’ ” by Debra Birnbaum, in Variety
- “Sarah Jeong, the New York Times, and the Gamergate School of Journalism,” by David Uberti in the Columbia Journalism Review
- “When Racism Is Fit to Print,” by Andrew Sullivan, in New York magazine
- “Andrew Sullivan Plays Himself, Proves ‘Racist’ Tweets by New York Times Hire Were Innocent,” by Taylor Link, in Salon
- “Jeff Bezos, Style Icon,” by Vanessa Friedman, in the New York Times,
- “Mark Zuckerberg’s Congressional Hearing Suit, Reviewed,” by Christina Cauterruci, in Slate
- “Is Tim Cook Swole?,” by Jacob Brogan, in Slate
- “The Podcast Bros Want to Optimize Your Life,” by Molly Worthen, in the New York Times
- “Paul Manafort’s Ostrich Vest and Cashmere Jeans—Crimes Against Fashion or Just Plain Crimes?,” by Christina Cauterruci, in Slate
Recommendations:
- June: The second season of American Public Media’s podcast In the Dark
- Hanna: The rhythm game Thumper and Pachinko, by Min Jin Lee
- Noreen: Conversations With Friends, by Sally Rooney
This podcast was produced by Veralyn Williams. Our production assistant is Alex Barasch.
The Waves plugs: Please remember to like our Facebook page. Send your emails to thewaves@slate.com. Tell us what we should cover in the next episode. Finally, our summer call-in show is coming up! If you have a question you’d like the hosts to answer, call (646) 907-9859 to leave us a voicemail.
