The Cut ... for men
In a new format for Tasteland, hosts Daisy and Francis spoke to three expert guests about the state and future of men's media. We set out to discuss a notion posed by our first guest, John McDermott — that we need The Cut for men. Over three guest conversations, woven together here, we cover the business, output, and social implications of that position. John McDermott is a Los Angeles-based journalist covering arts, entertainment, business, and media, with bylines in The New York Times, WIRED, Esquire, the Chicago Tribune, and more. He was an early staff writer at MEL Magazine and previously covered the digital media industry at Digiday. Alana Hope Levinson is a features editor at WIRED and a writer and editor with deep roots in digital culture, gender, and longform journalism. She previously served as deputy editor at MEL Magazine, overseeing features and special projects, and spent five years running her own editorial consultancy before joining WIRED in late 2025. Chris Gayomali is a writer and editor currently serving as editor of SSENSE. He was previously articles editor at GQ — and before that, site editor of GQ.com — where he edited features and longform work. He also writes HEAVIES, a newsletter about health, wellness, and modern ways of feeling good. Finally, Chris is the host of a new podcast about steroids and the "Enhanced Games," SUPERHUMAN. Find a full, linked syllabus of all articles mentioned in this episode here. 00:00 We're Exploring the Future of Men's Media 03:09 The Need for Quality Men's Content 06:07 Woke and Men's Media 09:08 First-Person Narratives in Men's Magazine Writing 11:54 Masculinities in Modern Media 15:07 Social Media's Influence on Men 17:57 Male Representation in Publishing 20:50 The Intersection of Gender and Media Economics 23:57 Opportunities and Challenges Facing Men's Media 39:44 Consumption Patterns in Men's Media 42:30 How Media is Shaping Masculinity 45:49 Economic Anxiety and Male Identity 52:42 The Crisis of Male Identity and Radicalization 57:40 The Need for a New Narrative in Men's Media 01:01:20The Future of Media Consumption and Male Identity
