Show Notes
What happens when internet fame doesn't make you feel any less alone? Musician and viral sensation bbno$ joins Talia Schlanger for the very first episode of That Said. With more than a billion streams and millions of followers, bbno$ has built a massive career online—but away from the memes and viral moments, he’s confronting questions about isolation, ambition, and what it means to be fulfilled. He talks candidly about loneliness, antidepressants, work-life balance, money, and what social media is doing to our mental health. He also reflects on the injury that changed the course of his life and ultimately led him to music. And for Article Club, Talia goes deeper on the topic of connection and talks to writer and researcher Jane Ruffino about her journey aboard a cable repair ship in the Atlantic Ocean. In her WIRED article, “Say Goodbye to the Undersea Cable That Made the Global Internet Possible” Jane explores the little-known world of the crews responsible for maintaining the vast network of undersea cables that carry much of the world’s internet traffic. Together, they discuss the invisible infrastructure that keeps us connected—and the people whose work makes modern life possible.
More from That Said with Talia Schlanger
Why are some of the world’s biggest boy bands choosing not to enter the Grammy Awards' new category for "Best Asian Pop Music Performance"? This week on That Said, Talia Schlanger explores K-pop’s global success, the artists who helped build it, and the debate over how that success is recognized.
This week, Talia Schlanger speaks with journalist and author Kathryn Jezer-Morton about her new book, The Story of Your Life: How Social Media Shapes the Way We Experience Everything. From the carefully constructed versions of ourselves we share online to the endless scroll that can leave us feeling inadequate, Kathryn examines how social media has changed the way we experience identity, comparison, and everyday life.
What do fathers pass down to their children—and what does it take to break the patterns we inherit?
A decade after The Tragically Hip's unforgettable final concert with Gord Downie, Rob Baker and Paul Langlois look back on one of the most emotional moments in Canadian music history. Freshly inducted into the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame, the band's longtime guitarists reflect on saying goodbye to their friend and bandmate Gord, the pressure and purpose of that final tour, and the enduring mystery of Gord's songwriting.
What does Survivor reveal about human nature — and what happens when reality TV becomes more real than we expect?