explainer
The Non Sports Fan's Guide to Donald Sterling
Jordan Sargent · 04/28/14 02:47PMYou've probably heard about Donald Sterling by now, even if you have no idea who Blake Griffin might be. Sterling, the billionaire owner of the NBA's Los Angeles Clippers, has been the biggest story in America after a leaked tape revealed him telling his girlfriend not to publicly associate with black people. But this is a messy and tangled controversy, and we're here to unravel it for you.
This Chart of U.S. Vets' Postwar Killings Doesn't Tell the Whole Story
Adam Weinstein · 04/08/14 02:46PMHow Fred Phelps and the Westboro Baptists Are Christians, Explained
Adam Weinstein · 03/20/14 05:30PMNew Awesome Conspiracy Theory: Obama Giving Away the Internet to China
Adam Weinstein · 03/18/14 10:15AMThe Ukraine Crisis, Explained By Unnamed Officials
Adam Weinstein · 03/03/14 11:30AMHow Venezuela Became a "Warzone"
Adam Weinstein · 02/20/14 01:45PMDid the "Craigslist Murderers" Kill 22 People for a Satanic Cult?
Adam Weinstein · 02/17/14 04:41PMWhat You Should Know About the Abuse Allegations Against Woody Allen
Sarah Hedgecock · 01/13/14 07:45PMLast night at the Golden Globes, the legendary director and writer Woody Allen was presented with the Cecil B. DeMille lifetime achievement award. Everyone applauded–except for Allen's former family. "[D]id they put the part where a woman publicly confirmed he molested her at age 7 before or after Annie Hall?" Allen's son Ronan Farrow wondered sarcastically.
What the Hell Is This Chris Christie Bridge Scandal? An Explainer
Jordan Sargent · 01/11/14 12:38PMWhat Is Duck Dynasty and What Does It Have to Do With a Man's Anus?
Taylor Berman · 12/19/13 01:18PMYou, my fellow godless, sarcastic, coastal elites, may recently have heard something about a reality TV show called Duck Dynasty. Specifically, one of its main cast members said some homophobic and racist shit that earned him an indefinite suspension from the show. The controversy, of course, has generated stupid reactions the usual idiots. But let's go back a step, because you're probably thinking to yourself, "What the fuck is a Duck Dynasty?" Let me explain.
This Week in 'Million-Dollar' Biblical Archaeology Lawsuits: A Breakdown
Mallory Ortberg · 02/03/13 02:35PMSimcha Jacobovici, the Canadian documentary director who claimed in 2011 to have found two of the nails used to crucify Jesus, is suing archaeologist Joe Zias for libel. There are few things more enjoyable than fights between academics, particularly when one of the academics is being accused of pandering and sensationalism. The blog posts fly thick and fast, the Change.org petitions sing with wounded intellectual pride ("we the undersigned simply and collegially request that Mr. Jacobovici abandon his lawsuit"), and everyone gets a chance to play.
Why Are Dogs Racist? Canine Experts Speak
Hamilton Nolan · 01/03/13 12:15PMDogs: why are they so racist? You know the type: prancing along as merry as can be until a human of a certain skin tone walks by, and then—bang!—all the barking and snarling and biting. It's been a source of uncomfortable comedy for years. Some dogs are just racist. But why? We turned to the real live dog psychology experts to find out.
What The Hell Just Passed? The Senate Fiscal Cliff Deal Explained
MTanzer · 01/01/13 12:59PMA Ferry, a Three-Wheel ATV, Suge Knight and Slap Fights: Recapping Katt Williams' Terrorization of the West Coast
Jordan Sargent · 12/13/12 11:08PMComedian Katt Williams was once one of the funniest people on the planet. Now, he's in a very bad place. Yesterday, a judge in Seattle issued two warrants after Williams failed to show up to court there. This was just the latest event in a protracted timeline of highly ridiculous incidents, many of which have ended in Williams' arrest. Let's look at all that Williams has done to terrorize the West Coast this holiday season.
Popped a Molly and Confused About Sweating? Trinidad James, Explained
MTanzer · 12/09/12 03:27PMIn 2012, it's very possible for a rapper to get signed to a major label after the success of just one viral hit song — for evidence of that, one needs only to look at artists like Azealia Banks or Kreayshawn. But a new rapper, Trinidad James, has burst on to the scene in the last few weeks armed with a single that has some catchy lines about "molly" and "sweating."
What in the Internet World Is Cyber Monday Anyways? A Guide
MTanzer · 11/25/12 12:54PMYour Guide to RapGenius.com, the Controversial Rap Lyrics Site That Just Landed a $15 Million Investment
Jordan Sargent · 10/18/12 08:53PMThis month's world-changing tech innovation: a rap lyrics website. Lyric-annotation site RapGenius.com just landed a $15 million investment, leading to a press blitz this week as tech and entertainment sites rushed to profile the three kids who are going to change the game. But why'd they land so much money? And why are so many rap fans and critics shaking their heads? Here's our guide.
Just Because You Don't Like a Study Doesn't Mean It Is Wrong
Hamilton Nolan · 07/16/12 01:54PMLast week, the blog world picked up an LA Times news story about a scientific study that had just been published in an academic journal, Communication, Culture and Critique. The title of the study: "Women (Not) Watching Women: Leisure Time, Television, and Implications for Televised Coverage of Women's Sports."