What was supposed to be a celebration of music and the city of Houston turned deadly at Travis Scott’s Astroworld festival earlier this month. Ten people died after a crowd surge, and hundreds more were injured. Inevitably, people are looking for someone to blame — and Travis Scott is the most obvious target. But it’s more complicated than you might think. 

You’ll hear from:

Joey Guerra, music critic for the Houston Chronicle            

J. Christopher Hamilton, entertainment attorney, author and professor at Syracuse University

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Skimm'd by Senior Producer and Host Bridget Armstrong. Produced by Alaisha Key.  

Engineered by Andrew Callaway. TheSkimm’s senior director of audio is Graelyn Brashear.

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For years, the #FreeBritney movement has put a spotlight on the conservatorship pop princess Britney Spears has been living under for more than a decade. In a scathing testimony earlier this year, Spears made it clear that she wants out of the legal arrangement. This week, a judge may deliver a decision about the conservatorship that could change Britney Spears’ future and the way we think about disability rights. 

You’ll hear from:

Bianca Betancourt, culture editor for Harper's Bazaar

Brittany Spanos, senior writer for Rollingstone

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Skimm'd by Senior Producer and Host Bridget Armstrong. Produced by Alaisha Key.  

Engineered by Andrew Callaway. TheSkimm’s senior director of audio is Graelyn Brashear.

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Reggaeton superstar J Balvín is in hot water over the video for his song "Perra." Critics say its portrayal of Afro-Latino people as dogs is racist and demeaning. J Balvín apologized and removed the video, but the controversy is stirring up a debate about long-standing racism and colorism in Latinx entertainment. After that, we’ve got all the details on a royal wedding that’s sparked protests in Japan.

You’ll hear from:

Isabela Raygoza - Latin music curator for Soundcloud. Freelance music critic.

Michelle Lee,The Washington Post's Tokyo bureau chief, covering Japan and the Koreas.

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Skimm'd by Senior Producer and Host Bridget Armstrong. Produced by Alaisha Key. Engineered by Andrew Callaway. TheSkimm’s senior director of audio is Graelyn Brashear.

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There’s a lot happening at Netflix. Its South Korean show “Squid Game” became a surprise hit, and then it sparked controversy with a Dave Chappelle special many of its own employees called out as transphobic. “The Closer” and “Squid Game” might not seem to have much in common — other than being the most talked about things on Netflix right now. But they both represent big swings for the world’s biggest streaming platform, and it’s not clear if they’re going to be home runs.

You’ll hear from:

Zoe Schiffer, senior reporter at The Verge covering labor and workplace organizing.

Sharon Kwon, therapist, psychiatric social worker, writer, & mental health advocate. 

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Skimm'd by Senior Producer and Host Bridget Armstrong. Produced by Alaisha Key. Engineered by Andrew Callaway. TheSkimm’s senior director of audio is Graelyn Brashear.

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Our obsession with space travel has always gone hand in hand with pop culture. And now that space is more accessible than ever, Hollywood has its sights set on a new, way more expansive studio.

You’ll hear from:

Dr. Teasel Muir Harmony, curator of the Apollo Spacecraft Collection, professor at Georgetown University and author of Apollo to the Moon: A History in 50 Objects.  

Swapna Krishna, journalist covering space, tech, and pop culture at outlets such as Engadget, StarTrek.com, The Verge, and more. Co-host of the podcast Desi Geek Girls. 

Eric Kohn, New York–based Executive Editor & Chief Critic at IndieWire. 

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Skimm'd by Senior Producer and Host Bridget Armstrong. Produced by Alaisha Key. Engineered by Andrew Callaway. TheSkimm’s senior director of audio is Graelyn Brashear.

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Nicki Minaj still has the kind of starpower that can hijack a news cycle with a few tweets. Has she been using it to silence the voice of a woman her husband was arrested for assaulting? 

You’ll hear from:

Dr. Jameta Barlow, community health psychologist and an assistant professor of writing at The George Washington University

Carmen Alvarez, the bookstagrammer behind the @tomesandtextiles Instagram page. She recommends “Gods of Jade and Shadow” by Silvia Moreno-Garcia.

Donna Johnson, the bookstagrammer behind the @thisbrownegirlreads community and Instagram page. She recommends “Daughters of the Stone” by Dahlma Llanos-Figueroa.

Check out more of theSkimm’s Hispanic Heritage Month book recs here. 

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Skimm'd by Senior Producer and Host Bridget Armstrong. Produced by Alaisha Key, with special help from Luke Vargas, and Ciara Long. Engineered by Andrew Callaway. TheSkimm’s head of audio is Graelyn Brashear.

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A PSA for the pop-culture obsessed: If you’re wading into this sea of TikTok videos, internet outrage, and celebrity news, you’re gonna want to bring us along. Welcome to Pop Cultured with theSkimm — the show that breaks down the stories you can’t stop thinking about. Coming October 12, with fresh episodes every Tuesday.

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