A quick content warning. We discuss drag queen internet slang in this episode, including

one specific phrase serving the sea word, which means, if you haven't heard it, sort of effortlessly

and unapologetically exuding extreme self-expression or style. We actually misspeak and we repeat the phrase as

slaying the seawood instead of serving the seawood because we're old and uncool. And we have put

silent bleeps on the seawood, so it's probably fine if you've got four-year-olds around. But just

be aware that if you have 10-year-olds

listening to this, then there will be a conversation about adult language. Enjoy. Gide, humans.

Welcome to the safe space for dangerous ideas. And what a treat. Getting to sit down with one

of my intellectual heroes, the articulate, the courageous John McWhorter.

He's a columnist for the New York Times. He's also probably the most famous living linguist.

He teaches linguistics at Columbia University. He's written a ton of books, both about language and also about race.

He is frequently sort of betwi noir of both the left and also the right. The right

hates him for being so opposed to Trump. The left hates him for apparently not being on board

with every social justice maxim that he is supposed to mouth being a black American. He hosts a

delightful podcast called Lexicon Valley, which is about language.

He also sort of semi-co hosts the Glenn Show, which is Glenn Lowry's podcast, another black

academic, but someone who's much more conservative than John is, and listening to the two of them

wrestle with issues of politics and culture, both large and small, is a total delight. I have cherished

reading so many of John's books, both about language and also about race and the culture wars.

I particularly recommend his recent and most courageous book called Woke Racism,

how a new religion has betrayed America. He's been published in every august publication that you can possibly think of,

and I was delighted to see that he was scheduled to come to Sydney for a series of talks

...