The Real Housewife-ification of Congress; And, 25 years of being pilled by The Matrix

By Barton Girdwood,

Alexis Williams, Liam McBain, Corey Antonio Rose, Brittany Luse, Jessica Placzek, Veralyn Williams

Published May 24, 2024 at 9:21 AM EDT

Representatives Jasmine Crockett and Marjorie Taylor Greene.

Representatives Marjorie Taylor Greene and Jasmine Crockett exchanged heated words on the House floor. Greene commented on Crockett's eyelashes, and Crockett referred to Greene's body as "butch." We dive into the history of these two attacks, and look at what history the two representatives were pulling from — from misogynoir to transphobia. And what does this about what we want from our politicians?

Then, 'The Matrix' came out 25 years ago, and became an instant classic. It's a powerful story for both trans people and incels who "took the red pill." What makes the movie's core metaphor so widely appealing (and widely applicable)?

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Barton Girdwood

Alexis Williams

Liam McBain

Liam McBain (he/him) is an assistant producer on It's Been a Minute with Sam Sanders. He's interested in stories at the margins of culture.

Corey Antonio Rose

Brittany Luse

Brittany Luse is an award-winning journalist, on-air host, and cultural critic. She is the host of It's Been a Minute and For Colored Nerds. Previously Luse hosted The Nod and Sampler podcasts, and co-hosted and executive produced The Nod with Brittany and Eric, a daily streaming show. She's written for Vulture and Harper's Bazaar, among others, and edited for the podcasts Planet Money and Not Past It. Luse and her work have been profiled by publications like The New York Times, The New Yorker, Vulture, and Teen Vogue.

Jessica Placzek

Veralyn Williams

Veralyn Williams (she/her) is a Peabody and Edward R. Murrow award-winning journalist who has been asking hard questions about our world since she picked up her first microphone in 2004. Now she brings her skills (and ears) to her role as executive producer of programming at NPR.