Ep. 130: Magazine Girl

This week, Sam is joined by Ezra Marcus, New York magazine writer and trusted male correspondent from the entrepreneurial underworld, for a discussion about the shadow economy, the crisis of masculinity, and his latest article on the lit world of Chrome Hearts resale. They chat Chrome Hearts millionaires, OnlyFans empires, middle school day traders, Gen Z’s search for moral order, NeeDoh playground economics, the lost spirit of rap music, and more! Links: The Chrome Hearts Hustle by Ezra Marcus, The Cut The Porn Addicts Who Tried to Rescue the Camgirls by Ezra Marcus, The Cut How Everything Became Gambling by Max Read, The New York Times Magazine Andrew Tate’s Empire of Abuse by Heidi Blake, The New Yorker Pimp: Story of My Life by Iceberg Slim 764 Yung Lean on Subway Takes The New TikTok Aesthetic is ‘Ball Hog’ by Samuel Hine, The Cut Chrome Hearts Tags by Lil Uzi Vert Rogue Garms Kids day trading on the school bus, TikTok 6th graders networking on LinkedIn, TikTok

In this edition of Study Break, we discuss the abhorrent kayfabe of Drake’s new “goth GF” courtship, the steamy, naturalistic Ryan McGinley portfolio that kicked off New York’s inaugural men’s style issue, and the incoming wave of dark technocrat dramas— Aaron Sorkin’s The Social Reckoning, Luca Guadagnino’s Artificial, Nathan Fielder’s You Can See Everything— and the risks of filmmakers drawing the map over the territory. We also get into Taylor Swift’s perplexingly jolly ode to getting picked and how the viral Western Mass lesbian bar discourse echoes three centuries of New England Puritan covenant culture. Links: 20 WOMEN VS DRAKE | 20 V 1 Lin Lamar aka Pinkchyu on Instagram “Perky Goth” on TVTropes.com “We Can Tell You Have Low Social Power” by Breanna on Labyrinth of Art via Substack “Sombr’s ‘Sex’ Belt Was His Idea” by Eileen Cartter in GQ 2hollis - Sex (Music Video) “Reggie Watts Is a Prominent Ketamine Advocate. Was It His Ex’s ‘Undoing’?” by Cheyenne Roundtree in Rolling Stone Nymphet Alumni Ep. 86: Deadheads and Dark Hippie-ism “The Boys in the Baths” by Ryan McGinley for New York’s Men’s Style issue “The Chrome Hearts Hustle” by Ezra Marcus for The Cut “The Robert Pattinson and Skyler Gisondo Interview” by Slushy Noobz on YouTube The Social Reckoning dir. Aaron Sorkin (Trailer) Artificial dir. Luca Guadanigno (Trailer) You Can See Everything dir. Nathan Fielder, Lance Oppenheim (Trailer) Lost Weekend by Phoebe Bridgers AI-generated steel coil safety song “I’m a Swiftie and even I think these new songs are terrible” by Poppie Platt in The Telegraph 300SkullsAndCounting & Jenny Sparks - The Ballad of St. Nick’s Park (Music Video) Chiddy Bang - Opposite Of Adults (Music Video) “Greenfield lesbian bar Last Ditch faces mask-rule backlash” by Annalisa Quinn in The Boston Globe

This week, Biz is joined by Madeline Porsella and Mabel Capability Taylor of Mandylion Press to get to the bottom of what really happened in the 19th century… From Victorians’ obsession with clothing to why the bohemian weirdo authoresses of the 1800s were actually a bit basic.

In this episode, we examine the aesthetic of the Dictator’s Wife, a 20th century archetype of conspicuous luxury, scary elegance, and icy detachment. We catalog the aesthetic’s signatures, from exotic furs and bulletproof coiffs to monochrome coordination and maximalist millinery. We consider how rigidly controlled femininity functions as armor and propaganda and survey the historical canon: Imelda Marcos’s infamous wardrobe, Elena Ceaușescu’s ugly-chic vanity crashouts, Asma al-Assad’s Vogue-approved Euro minimalism, and more. We also relate these issues to America’s current political climate, including the “edifice complex” ravaging our nation’s capitol, Melania's beleaguered glam squad, and the gilded tyranny of Mar-a-Lago glamour. Links: Image board Cardi B dictator’s wife meme Cardi B by Szilveszter Makó for Vogue Arabia Rama Duwaji by Szilveszter Makó for The Cut “Fashion Twitter is mad Daniel Roseberry Dressed a MAGA heiress.” by Louis Pisano on Substack Louis Pisano’s “Couture & Corruption” series on TikTok Lady Macbeth monologue from Act 1, Scene 5 of Macbeth “Shoes, furs and hypocrisy: Why we love to hate despots' wives” by Rebecca Seales in BBC News Bond villain nationality masterlist “Womanliness as a Masquerade” by Joan Riviere “Women Behind the Throne” by Camille Paglia MAGA women research by Style Analytics on TikTok The Kingmaker (2019) dir. Lauren Greenfield Generation Wealth by Lauren Greenfield Imelda (2003) dir. Ramona S. Diaz “5 Shopping Sprees So Wild, They Made History” by Maureen O’Connor in New York Eva Peron Rainbow Tour of Europe cover story for Time Santa Evita by Tomás Eloy Martínez “Behind Mugabe’s fall: Gucci Grace versus the Crocodile” by Norimitsu Onishi in The Sydney Morning Herald “The Vanity Cult of Elena Ceausescu – Hated Wife of Romania’s Dictator” by Matthew Gaskill in Vintage News “Ceausescu sale: Everything must go” (auction report) by Kate Connolly in The Guardian “The Party that Toppled a Dynasty and Changed the Middle East Forever” by Jeff Zhou in Young Diplomats Society “Asma al-Assad: A Rose in the Desert” by Joan Juliet Buck in Vogue “Syrian first lady Adma Al-Assad’s outfits” by Aya Lowe in Monocle “How China Fell in Love with Syria’s First Lady” in Worldcrunch “Armour of Couture” by Szilveszter Makó in Vogue Hong Kong Gucci Spring/Summer 2026 “La Famiglia” portrait campaign by Catherine Opie Melania Trump’s “I Really Don’t Care. Do U?” Zara jacket

In this edition of Study Break, we discuss the coiffed Californian camp of Ryan Murphy’s The Shards, KATSEYE’s continued reign as the queens of sensory overload brainrot pop, and a new cast of nominatively absurd figures including Igby Rigney, Stella Lefty, Chanty Beluga, and Nimrod Workman. We also ponder Ella Langley as the new poster girl of American alt-lite, and we consider the uncomfortable indignity of life after fleeting virality as illustrated by Jools Lebron and the Love Island USA cast. Perhaps most importantly, we pause to mourn the loss of American Founding Mother and universal aphorist Dolly Parton :( Links: Dolly Parton and her parents sing “In the Pines” (1976) “Evening Shade” by Dolly Parton Dolly Parton last health update vide on Instagram TikTok #searchfordolly audition videos (exhibit A, exhibit B) “How ‘The Shards’ Blew Up at HBO — and Ended Up in Ryan Murphy’s Hands” by Benjamin Svetkey in The Hollywood Reporter Kaia Gerber and Homer Gere shot by Steven Meisel for Vogue September 2026 Cover Story Kaia Gerber prompts BBL accusations in Alaïa F/W 2026 Kaia Gerber says she had an exorcism performed on her with a didgeridoo Nymphet Alumni Ep. 6: The Milf-ification of Billie Eilish (Emergency Roundtable) First look of Billie Eilish as Esther Greenwood on the set of The Bell Jar dir. Sarah Polley Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone Official Teaser from HBO Max “Happee Birthdae Harry” merch in the Harry Potter Japan Store Poppi x RushTok x Love Island USA (exhibit A, exhibit B) Jools Lebron original GoFundMe video and her Jeffree Star read KATSEYE (캣츠아이) – “Hootie Frutti” (Official Music Video) KATSEYE choreographer Grant Gilmore on TikTok GUI GUI on Instagram Ella Langley –“Be Her” (Official Music Video) Ella Langley’s Shiner beer collab party trick Ella Langley feat. “Stayin’ Alive” by the Bee Gees “The Untold Story of Sierra Ferrell: Train-Hopping to Stardom” on YouTube Stella Lefty – “Boston” Review in Pitchfork (“Stick Season” obsession evidence) Coal miner, union activist, and singer Nimrod Workman performs the traditional Appalachian folk song “Oh Death” A woman named “Chanty Beluga” introduces herself at a pool party Evan Lazarus in defense of Chanty Beluga Bodacious Humphrey Williams Cristiano Ronaldo and Georgina Rodríguez’s wedding shot by Juergen Teller for Vogue