Into It: A Vulture Podcast with Sam Sanders · Vulture & New York Magazine

Jada & Will Deserve an Oscar for Their Marriage Performance

October 13, 2023·33 min·3 clips

Jada Pinkett Smith reveals she and Will Smith have been separated since 2016, unraveling years of public drama.

Sam Sanders hosts this episode with guests Tracy Thomas from The Stacks podcast and Chelsea Devantez from Glamorous Trash. They analyze major pop culture stories through their "Into It or Not Into It" game. The first topic is Jada Pinkett Smith's revelation that she and Will Smith have been separated since 2016. The hosts discuss how this reframes past public dramas like the "entanglement" with August Alsina and Chris Rock's Oscar slap. Tracy Thomas appreciates the "Black excellence nonsense," while Chelsea Devantez critiques the strategic use of their marriage for content. They reference Will Smith's memoir story about throwing Jada an elaborate, unwanted birthday party. The conversation questions whether the couple still lives together and if financial or contractual reasons prevent an official divorce. A surprising claim is that Chris Rock once asked Jada out after hearing divorce rumors. The hosts debate if Will Smith's slap was defending a business partner rather than a wife. Next, they unanimously reject a potential *Seinfeld* reboot, with Tracy suggesting Donald Glover as a new Jerry Seinfeld. They also dismiss reboots for *Monk*, *Frasier*, and *The Office*, noting *The Office*'s humor wouldn't work today. The final segment critiques Drake's new album *For All the Dogs* and his recent behavior. They mention his display of collected bras from tour and a $50,000 gift to a fan to "stunt" on an ex. Drake's lyrics diss Rihanna and Esperanza Spalding, who beat him for a Grammy over a decade ago. The hosts reference critic Joe Budden's comments and Drake's response bragging about owning a 767 airplane. Tracy connects Drake's rhetoric to the late Kevin Samuels, calling it "anti-woman" and "minstrel show" behavior. The episode maintains a conversational, humorous, and critical tone with rapid-fire banter between three experienced podcasters. Listeners who enjoy dissecting celebrity drama and cultural debates with sharp, comedic commentary will love this episode. Those seeking serious analysis or who are tired of discussions about the Smiths or Drake might want to skip it.

As heard by us

A funny, fast pop-culture roundtable that turns big weekly stories into sharper questions.

Sam Sanders uses the episode to sort through a few big pop-culture stories from the week, and the result is a quick, funny roundtable about fame, casting, and the kind of self-made drama culture talk cannot seem to resist.

Read the full review in PlayNext →

Why you'd press play

Want a loose pop-culture catch-up that turns into Seinfeld reboot chatter?

Read the full recommendation in PlayNext →

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