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It's Been a Minute Has it been a minute since you heard a thought-provoking conversation about culture? Brittany Luse wants to help. Each week, she takes the things everyone's talking about and, in conversation with her favorite creators, tastemakers, and experts, gives you new ways to think about them. Beyond the obvious takes. Because culture doesn't happen by accident.

If you can't get enough, try It's Been a Minute Plus. Your subscription supports the show and unlocks a sponsor-free feed. Learn more at plus.npr.org/itsbeenaminute
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Has it been a minute since you heard a thought-provoking conversation about culture? Brittany Luse wants to help. Each week, she takes the things everyone's talking about and, in conversation with her favorite creators, tastemakers, and experts, gives you new ways to think about them. Beyond the obvious takes. Because culture doesn't happen by accident.

If you can't get enough, try It's Been a Minute Plus. Your subscription supports the show and unlocks a sponsor-free feed. Learn more at plus.npr.org/itsbeenaminute

Most Recent Episodes

Dating skills vs. dating gimmicks in 'Love on the Spectrum'

Love on the Spectrum US participant Dani Bowman on a date. Courtesy of Netflix hide caption

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Courtesy of Netflix

Dating skills vs. dating gimmicks in 'Love on the Spectrum'

One of Brittany's latest TV obsessions has been Netflix's Love on the Spectrum. It's a reality series that follows several autistic adults as they wade through the dating pool, guided by relationship coach Jennifer Cook. Brittany sits down with Jennifer to unpack how her own experience with autism informs the advice she gives.

Dating skills vs. dating gimmicks in 'Love on the Spectrum'

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The backlash against protests; plus, how OJ Simpson changed media forever

A pro-Palestinian demonstrator during a 'Strike for Gaza' protest in Los Angeles, California. OJ Simpson trial. Mario Tama/Getty Images; Vince Bucci/AFP via Getty Images/Getty Images hide caption

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Mario Tama/Getty Images; Vince Bucci/AFP via Getty Images/Getty Images

The backlash against protests; plus, how OJ Simpson changed media forever

Earlier this week, pro-Palestinian protestors blocked traffic on highways and bridges in San Francisco, Chicago, New York and Seattle. On that same day, the Supreme Court made it incredibly difficult to protest in a lot of the American South. In this episode, host Brittany Luse looks at the state of protest in America. She sits down with Sandhya Dirks, an NPR reporter who covers race and identity, and Elizabeth Blair, a senior arts reporter at NPR. Together, they discuss shifting attitudes towards protest as well as new anti-protest legislation. Then, they play a game of But Did You Know?

The backlash against protests; plus, how OJ Simpson changed media forever

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An argument for the art of whistling

Molly Lewis, photographed by Shervin Lainez Shervin Lainez hide caption

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Shervin Lainez

An argument for the art of whistling

Some of us whistle while we work, but what happens when your work is whistling? This week, host Brittany Luse is joined by professional whistler, Molly Lewis. Lewis' catalogue spans across the film and music industries, from features on the Barbie soundtrack to performances alongside Karen O. From NPR's New York Bureau, Brittany sits down with Lewis to talk about the world of competitive whistling, how she hones a craft many people see as fidgeting, and why older generations are more likely to whistle. This episode also features a special live performance with songs from Lewis' new album, On The Lips.

An argument for the art of whistling

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The car culture wars; plus, the problem with child stars

What's behind the EV culture war? Plus, former child stars including Drake Bell come forward about abuse in 'Quiet on Set.' FREDERIC J. BROWN/AFP via Getty Images/Mark Mainz/Getty Images hide caption

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FREDERIC J. BROWN/AFP via Getty Images/Mark Mainz/Getty Images

The car culture wars; plus, the problem with child stars

President Biden has been pushing new regulations to promote electric vehicle production to combat the climate crisis — and former president Trump is using those regulations as a talking point against Biden. To break down how cars became the latest weapons in the culture wars, host Brittany Luse is joined by NPR's transportation correspondent Camila Domonoske and Dan Brekke, a reporter and editor at KQED in San Francisco who covers transit. Together, they talk about why Americans are so invested in their cars — and how cars became more than just a policy battle.

The car culture wars; plus, the problem with child stars

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Boots with the spurs: 'Cowboy Carter' and the need for validation
Blair Caldwell/Parkwood Entertainment/Courtesy of the artist

Boots with the spurs: 'Cowboy Carter' and the need for validation

Grab your cowboy hat, and saddle up that horse, because Beyoncé's highly anticipated album, Cowboy Carter is here. So far, the album has spurred praise, criticism, and questions about what the actual goal of this project is and how it fits into the Renaissance trilogy. To get into all of that, Brittany joined NPR's Pop Culture Happy Hour to discuss whether this foray into country is an exercise in experimentation or industry validation.

Boots with the spurs: 'Cowboy Carter' and the need for validation

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Is DEI a slur now? Plus, control & basketball

Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott and the Dartmouth men's basketball team. Adam Gray/Getty Images; Rob Carr/Getty Images/Getty Images hide caption

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Adam Gray/Getty Images; Rob Carr/Getty Images/Getty Images

Is DEI a slur now? Plus, control & basketball

Following the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore last week, the city's 39 year old mayor, Brandon Scott, a Black man, stepped out to address the crisis. Hours later, a tweet went viral calling Scott a "DEI Mayor." To which Brittany and her guests, NPR's Gene Demby and Alana Wise, say "wait what?" The three dig into the racism lurking under the surface of this kind of rhetoric.

Is DEI a slur now? Plus, control & basketball

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The hidden costs of hair braiding
Emma McIntyre/Getty Images/MICHAEL KAPPELER/AFP via Getty Images

The hidden costs of hair braiding

This week, we're revisiting an exploration of hair braiding gone wrong. Online, women looking to get box braids have gone viral with their complaints about confusing pricing structures, minimal care, and poor customer service. Brittany Luse chats with public historian and YouTuber Jouelzy to get an overview of the tension. Then, Jessica Poitras, legislative counsel for the Institute of Justice, joins the show to talk about the legal roadblocks many hair braiders face in setting up their businesses. And later, Brittany is joined by stylist Tyré Rimple to discuss the hidden costs behind braiding. This segment first aired last summer.

The hidden costs of hair braiding

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Harvard's TikTok strategy; plus, Shirley Chisholm, the coalition diva

A hand holding a phone displaying the Tik Tok logo; U.S. Congresswoman Shirley Chisholm Dan Kitwood/Getty Images/Ed Tilly/The State Media Company hide caption

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Dan Kitwood/Getty Images/Ed Tilly/The State Media Company

Harvard's TikTok strategy; plus, Shirley Chisholm, the coalition diva

TikTok has come under fire for its addictive algorithm and for being a place where misinformation spreads. But still, there is one institution that thinks TikTok actually has the potential to be a source of good in our world: Harvard. To be more specific, it's the Harvard Chan Center for Health Communication.

Harvard's TikTok strategy; plus, Shirley Chisholm, the coalition diva

Listen · 38:49
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'Love Lies Bleeding' and the fear and allure of strong women

Katy O'Brian and Kristen Stewart star in Love Lies Bleeding. Zoey Kang/A24 hide caption

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Zoey Kang/A24

'Love Lies Bleeding' and the fear and allure of strong women

Erotic thrillers are meant to be sexy, bloody, and fun. The best of them also deal with shifts in culture that people are anxious about: Fatal Attraction was about the threat of working single women, and Basic Instinct got into bisexual panic. A hot new erotic thriller takes on women's strength and capacity for rage: Love Lies Bleeding is an 80's fantasia of big muscles and big hair with steamy sexy scenes and thrilling plot twists. It follows the story of a bodybuilder named Jackie, played by Katy O'Brian, who falls madly in love with gym manager Lou, played by Kristen Stewart. Host Brittany Luse sat down with Katy O'Brian to talk about strong women and the fantasy of wielding the rage that lurks just under the surface.

'Love Lies Bleeding' and the fear and allure of strong women

Listen · 12:58
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The case for bad accents; plus, rectifying the ubiquity of bad sex
Three Lions/Getty Images/BFA/Alamy

The case for bad accents; plus, rectifying the ubiquity of bad sex

Dune: Part Two is a marvel of cinematic wonder. Amongst all the chatter around the cinematography and lore, Brittany also noticed that there was a particular fascination with Austin Butler's accent. Butler is no stranger to a distinctive voice - he was Elvis after all. But the discourse around what makes a good or bad accent made Brittany want to revisit a conversation with New York Times reporter Kyle Buchanan. In this interview from last year, Kyle makes the case that bad accents make movies more fun.

The case for bad accents; plus, rectifying the ubiquity of bad sex

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