Still Processing

Last fall, Nike released a groundbreaking ad featuring the former N.F.L. quarterback Colin Kaepernick. His kneeling protest, which started in 2016 as a response to police brutality, was reinterpreted by social media, celebrities and Nike itself to mean something that doesn’t always match the intention of his original protest. So what does it say that a multinational corporation has aligned itself with a social movement? And are we O.K. with this form of “Kaepitalism”? Discussed this week: " " (Marc Bain, Quartz, Aug. 1, 2017)

New year, new season. Kevin Hart. Ellen. Brett Kavanaugh. We live in an age of #SorryNotSorry, prevalent in our pop culture and woven into the fabric of our nation’s founding. But how can we grow into the people we want to become when we can’t acknowledge our mistakes and the effect that they've had on others? We invite you to start off 2019 with an apology. Discussed this week: Christine Blasey Ford’s ” (Brenda Lee, 1960)

Buckle up, babies. Still Processing returns on Thursday, January 10th.  

This week we pay our respects to the late, great Aretha Franklin. A legendary singer, writer, arranger, pianist, performer and more, Ms. Franklin channeled both the difficult and beautiful aspects of American culture to make the songs that have scored our lives. From her breakout hit “Respect,” to her performance of “Dr. Feelgood” at Fillmore West in San Francisco, to her rendition of “My Country, ’Tis of Thee” at former President Barack Obama’s first inauguration, she left a legacy of virtuosity and swagger that will live on — both online and off. We’ll be taking some time off, but you can expect us back in your headphones sometime in the fall. " " theme song (1988)

This week, we realize we have two black klansmen on our hands — one on the big screen in the form of Spike Lee's new film "BlacKkKlansman," and one on the small screen in the form of America's most notorious reality show villain turned ex-White House employee, Omarosa Manigault Newman. Both the film and person showcase black people infiltrating hostile white institutions and coming out the other side to tell us about it. We question, however, if the message they're bringing us was worth the journey. Discussed this week: "BlacKkKlansman" (directed by Spike Lee, 2018) "Unhinged: An Insider's Account of the Trump White House" (Omarosa Manigault Newman, Gallery Books, 2018) "The Apprentice" (NBC, 2004) "Donald J. Trump Presents The Ultimate Merger" (TV One, 2010) "The Bitch Switch: Knowing How to Turn It On and Off" (Omarosa Manigault-Stallworth, Phoenix Books, Inc., 2008)