There is no bigger cultural story right now than the romance between NFL superstar Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift. The reaction to their relationship has been so extreme that parody is almost indiscernible from reality. It’s a potent mix of celebrity culture, sports, and extreme politics. 
Audie brings together Cari Champion and Anne Helen Petersen, to dissect why all of this is happening. Why have Travis and Taylor generated a supernova of fans, haters, and overwhelming scrutiny? 
Cari Champion is the host of the podcast Naked with Cari Champion and former anchor of ESPN’s SportsCenter. 
Anne Helen Petersen is the author of Culture Study on Substack, and the host of the Culture Study podcast. 
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Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce: Cultural Supernova

Each week on The Assignment, host Audie Cornish pulls listeners out of their digital echo chambers to hear from the people whose lives intersect with the news cycle. From the sex work economy to the battle over what’s taught in classrooms, no topic is off the table. Listen to The Assignment every Monday and Thursday.

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News Commentary

What's driving the current conversation around polyamory? How do people fall into it? What are the misconceptions about how it works? And what do you do if you find yourself at the crossroads of considering a polyamorous relationship? Audie asks Kevin Patterson, author of Love's Not Color Blind: Race and Representation in Polyamorous and Other Alternative Communities and sex therapist Dr. Lexx Brown-James. 
Share your thoughts or questions with us - we'd love to hear from you! Text or send a voice memo to: 202-854-8802. 
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Polyamory Is Having a Moment

This week, both President Biden and former president Trump will head to the US-Mexico border, underscoring just how central immigration policy has become to this year’s election. CNN’s Priscilla Alvarez covered immigration during the Trump administration and now covers the Biden White House. She and Audie talk about Biden and Trump at the border this week, and how Texas Governor Greg Abbott has successfully elevated the border issue by bussing over 100,000 undocumented migrants to northern cities as part of his “Operation Lone Star.”
Read more from Priscilla and National Political Reporter Eric Bradner: Gov. Greg Abbott’s border tactics force Democrats to confront migrant crisis in their own backyards
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Biden, Trump, and the Border Crisis

American politicians are responsible for some of the wildest scandals in the history of our country.  
CNN Anchor and Chief Washington Correspondent Jake Tapper looks back on six of the most iconic political controversies of the modern era in his new series United States of Scandal with Jake Tapper.  
Audie and Jake talk about what motivates politicians to break the rules, why they think they won’t get caught, and how the public’s reaction to these moral and legal mishaps has changed over the years. 
Watch United States of Scandal with Jake Tapper here, and catch it on TV, it airs on Sundays, at 9pm ET/PT on CNN.  
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Jake Tapper on American Political Scandal

Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis pushed back hard after having her personal life dragged into the spotlight. Lawyers for Donald Trump are trying to dismiss her from the Georgia election subversion case she brought against the former president. They argued that she and Nathan Wade, the special prosecutor she hired to lead the case, engaged in an improper romantic relationship which financially benefitted her.
Audie chats with journalist George Chidi about the hearing and what’s next for Willis. Chidi is a politics and democracy reporter for The Guardian, based in Atlanta. Chidi himself was subpoenaed in this case after exposing the Republican fake electors plot. Chidi was in the courtroom for Willis’s testimony, and he paints an audio courtroom sketch of this jaw-dropping moment.
George Chidi is co-host of the podcast King Slime: The Prosecution of Young Thug and YSL.
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Where Does Fani Willis Go From Here?

The landscape of workplace etiquette has undergone a seismic shift in the wake of the pandemic. Gen Z entered the workforce and influenced already evolving social norms, from the dilemma of camera on or off, to the choice between calling or texting, and the blurred lines between what constitutes professional attire. Audie talks with Kate Zabriskie, the founder of Business Training Works, about the change in modern workplace norms. 
We're diving deeper into the ever-evolving landscape of workplace etiquette, especially with Gen Z stepping into the forefront. Whether you're a seasoned pro or new to the workforce, we want to hear from you. Share your thoughts or questions. Text or send a voice memo to: 202-854-8802. 
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Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce: Cultural Supernova

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