The host of this show has a fantastic delivery. Every podcast host should listen to her. This is how to voice a show. I wish there were more episodes, you can tell how much effort goes into each one. Great topics, love it.

I’ve listened to this from time to time, but the April 2025 episode on the history of spring break broke me. The host and her principal authority never ventured to any of the fabled spring break spots as students. They talk to all of one current student yo draw broad conclusions about how contemporary young people view and experience spring break; they openly say the spring breakers fly to beach destinations to escape cold weather — are they not familiar with American schools in the southeast who aren’t seeking a reprieve from winter? And there no mention of historical precedents of bacchanals, which might shed light on how spring break can be seen as a co stimulation of a centuries’ long desire for ego abandonment. I used to teach college writing; this is worthy of a C-.

Love it!

Willa forever ❤️

Most of my favorite podcasts are from Slate. This one in particular I always look forward to, and my always sad at the end when I’m reminded it is new every other week. I have yet to listen to one that I didn’t love.

I thought I would really like this show, but I don’t. I don’t think the writers or producers, or the presenters, take their topic as seriously as listener. Honestly, it is typical middle of the road slate podcast fare

But I can’t because Willa Paskin’s voice and intonation grates on my nerves. I’ve tried two separate episodes and bailed within 5 minutes.

This podcast is reducing itself to a vehicle for advertisement. Every 5 minutes the well woven story is jarringly interrupted.

Very interesting, love the show, but there are soo many ads! I know you probably can’t control that, but reading other reviews I know I’m not the only one feeling this way!

Wish more shows were like this.

Love the delightful rabbit holes you go into with this podcast. But it’s an American production so you need to keep your finger close to the fast-forward button to go over the many ads.

Always stops short of asking the right questions. It prefers to dispense little morsels of anecdote that facilitate light conversation rather than anything approaching pop cultural analysis. Which is fine, just frustrating at times.

Too many commercials - every 5 minutes, so I don’t listen anymore. Shame.

Interesting show, but seems to directly avoid engaging with the heart of topics at times, probably to avoid accusations of being “political.” It comes off as a little milquetoast and centrist, when I really wish it was more like “You’re Wrong About”. Case in point… how do you write an episode about HYSTERIA (literally comes from the word for uterus) without the episode being a serious discussion of misogyny, even in the episode description it does not mention that this term is gendered. Come on

Amazing show love each episode and I am left satisfied every time!

I’ve been listening to Decoder Ring for years now, on and off. The reason I qualify it is because for every fantastic episode, there’s one that I can’t get through. At its best, Decoder Ring is a savvy show that dives into pop cultural history, such as Chuck E. Cheese, Urkel, Columbo, Parmesan Cheese, and LeRoy Neiman. As the show progressed, however, it got overtaken by the cultural war. Suddenly we’re listening to episodes about how “The Dress” is actually about the country believing Trump’s lies. We get more stories about how pop culture is secretly racist/sexist/ableist and otherwise problematic. The most recent episode was about how good posture is secretly heteronormative and anti-Indigenous. I still respect the reporting that goes into the show, but there comes a point where it feels like an agenda has taken over the podcast.

I love the show… unfortunately it is unlistenable because of the number of ad breaks - it feels like 5 min of show at a time between ads.

I’ve been listening to Decoder Ring for well over a year now and I always learn something new, even becoming interested in topics I never paid attention to in the past. However, the Stuffed Animal episode was the first one that actually made me cry. The connections drawn between stuffed animals and actual creatures moving toward extinction was simultaneously inspiring and heartbreaking. Beautiful work, Willa and team! Keep it going as you always do.

This show is almost perfect, the only problem is that there are some people talking like 40% of the time. I come here to listen to ADS only and the show now has some hosts talking about some decoder ring. Please just stop talking and fill those boring talkie parts with MORE ADS PLEASE.

I certainly don't notice or have an issue with how Willa Paskin talks. "Vocal fry" was not something people were even aware of until podcasts began doing shows about it. It's a non-issue that people seem to find the need to point out now that it has become part of our lexicon. If it bothers you then you're spending too much effort looking for it.

Sometimes the stories are really interesting but in the end I don’t want to constantly fast forward through ads. They are out of control. Seriously.

Remember pop up video and how fun it was to just learn a bunch of stuff? This podcast does that with one topic. Learn a lot about one topic.

Listening to the episode on the banality of coffee shop decor, I realized that both presenters were speaking in a generic, affected style that I have heard a million times before. This could be their next episode, “Why are We such a Cliche?”

The host has an unlistenable voice. Her vocal fry is so harsh it’s like nails on a chalkboard and I often can’t make out the last word she says in every sentence. Shame because this podcast has very interesting topics. Get a new host who can speak properly and I’ll return to listening.

Would be a 5 if there weren’t 5 as breaks in a 30 minute show.

Poor Kyle’s voice must have been flattened by algorithms too? Love the show. Love the concept. Wild that someone with that voice would be on an audio format!!

New listener here - and I won’t be back. 2 commercial breaks in less than 9 minutes. I get that this is a business but come on. That’s so aggressive, and obnoxious even broadcast TV is less aggressive with advertising than that. You don’t give your listeners a chance to even get on board with your story the way you have your show structured around excessive ads in the first 10 minutes.

I just listened to a very interesting story about “OK Soda”, something I had never heard about before. I always learn something new from Decoder Ring!

Interesting topics. Please though, consider how your interviewee sounds before you decide to do a topic with them. Do not ever let Kyle Chayka on again. He is so so annoying to listen to. It was like listening to a painfully bad Andy Warhol impression. I couldn’t even finish the episode.

At times enlightening, strange, moving but always interesting and informative. This podcast is very well done.

I skipped a few episodes already because they didn’t interest me or I felt like they got off topic, but the gender reveal party episode was the clincher. It starts off talking about gender reveal parties, gender in America and how it has evolved, then just becomes a rant about gender fluidity. Also the part where they decide gender reveal parties are only for men because they exclude the pregnant woman, but also talk about how men don’t really have a celebration for this kind of thing? I just didn’t want to listen anymore. Stick to one topic per episode maybe?

Way too many jarring ads per episode. Ruins the flow of the podcast, which is a shame because the content is really interesting. I’d totally pay for ad-free, but holy cow TEN DOLLARS A MONTH (?!) is simply unaffordable for most folks. Imagine if we paid that much for each podcast we listened to, we’d only afford one show. And that’s just about the price of a whole streaming service!

I’ve been a long time listener to this wonderfully researched, well crafted, beautifully written/ intriguing podcast. However, I’m usually a rater not a reviewer. The hovercraft episode pulled at every string of my heart. A (hilarious/adorable) father trying to please/make his son’s dreams come true sent me over the edge to review. LOVED IT, thank you to Willa for including, and PLEASE Evan, make more content with your kind, sweet father…without the take over if his leaf blower!

The episode on “The Rules” is way conservative. I was shocked! The episode examines the real appeal of a book like this, which I appreciated—that is not wrong—but then did no thinking at *all* about the long-term cultural consequences of women radically changing their behavior to suit men’s whims—not to mention the implications of this way of thinking for (or even the *existence* of) non-binary or trans people! It also just seemed to assume the self-evident value of “getting married” (to someone, anyone). To top it off, it concludes with the idea that, yeah, following rigid patriarchal gender roles might disempower women and feed the oppressive institutions that harm all other groups besides cis men—but they just make things easy, you know? And that’s essentially okay. Like, what?! Do whatever you want in your own life, but to platform this viewpoint at this particular cultural moment, and to disseminate ideas with such reductive, short-sighted, and poorly outlined gender politics on the basis of “convenience”... it was just so disappointing. I really would suggest a major revision to this episode.

This is a fantastic podcast but I would advise you not to listen to The Curious Case of Colombo or maybe for it to be removed? What the heck was that even? I’m so confused… and it was a two parter? Whyyyyyyy omg I’m so sad

Great host, great production, and oh that theme music! Retro-tastic!!!

The topics are interesting and creative, but there’s a very strong political undertone to the vocabulary the host uses that comes off as fad-based virtue signaling. For example, coming from someone with partially Spanish & Mexican heritage, most people do not want to be called Latin-X. The Spanish language is feminine and masculine-based, even inanimate objects are detailed that way so it makes no sense to call people Latin X. I’m sure it comes from a caring place, of course, but I believe it’s a bit misguided.

Decoder Ring is one of my top podcasts. Love the host, the research, even the theme music. Willa is both scholarly and amusing.

I have multiple favorite episodes of this podcast. The Showbiz one and the mullet ones in particular are amazing. The mullet episode is better than any podcast about a derided hairstyle has any right to be. Anywayyyyy subscribe!

Interesting range of topics that are finely told. However, the pronunciation of the host can be a bit too guttural. I often have to take a break and resume another time so as to “release” the pressure built up in my head even if I only listen to them on speakers, not close to my ears. Some kind of voice training to relax the tautness would be much appreciated.

This is what the world needs

I was excited to listen to this episode but where are the funny catch phrases? Or, the memorable catch phrases besides the two you highlighted. There were millions that you never explored. You totally missed with this episode!

I love Decoder Ring! Willa is an excellent host and I am fascinated by the assortment of topics covered. I still think about the Tattoo Flash episode often (one of my high school gym teachers had a Tasmanian Devil tattoo on his calf and I think about it occasionally to this day). Highly recommended!

This could be a very good show if it weren’t for the host. She brings her politics into it too heavily for my taste. If she could tone it down a little bit I bet more people would listen

Just subscribe and listen!

This might be my favorite Decoder Ring episode of all times! Absolutely brilliant!

I absolutely adore this podcast and look forward to every one of their unique, thought provoking examinations of cultural quandaries if never even considered. My only complaint is that about every third episode there will be some strange issue where the audio glitches and skips forward and back by a few minutes, meaning you can miss some of the excellent storytelling. I wish this issue would get fixed, but it’s not enough to stop me from listeneing.

I would love to hear an episode on college campus architecture or indoor plants! The only reason for the one less star is that the ads for this podcast are odd (an injury lawyer?) and the polish of the editing is sometimes lacking (different volumes mid episode etc).

I can not put into words how much I love this podcast. I hang on to every word. I am going to deep dive into all the older podcasts. The research put into these mythologies is impressive. You get fact and not opinion. The host knows the difference. I love this.

I listen to this podcast because Willa Paskin does a phenomenal job and makes mildly interesting topics seem incredibly interesting! The episodes with the guest hosts and/or are cross promotion with other shows are often disappointing, as the other hosts tend not to have that same magic… The last two seasons are beginning to feel like a bait-and-switch🧐🧐More Willa Paskin please🙏