All Ears English Podcast – Episode 2529: “This Episode Is Spicy”

Hosts: Lindsay McMahon & Michelle Kaplan
Date: December 11, 2025

Episode Overview

This energetic episode delves into the evolving use of the word “spice” (and “spicy”) in American English, from its literal culinary meaning to fresh slang uses. Responding to a listener’s question, Lindsay and Michelle explore traditional and new ways to use “spice,” including emerging slang trends among younger speakers. Throughout, they highlight how colloquial English adapts, share fun examples, and branch out to related colorful expressions like “flair” and “flavor.”

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Listener Question: “It’s a Spice”

• [03:03] The episode centers on a listener’s confusion: “When my friend said, ‘it’s a spice,’ did he mean something exciting or interesting? Are there other ways to use the word?”
  • Hosts’ Reaction: Both Lindsay and Michelle admit they’re unfamiliar with the exact phrase “it’s a spice” as currently used, but acknowledge that such slang is always evolving, especially among younger speakers (Gen Z).
  • Quote:

    “I haven’t heard it like this…maybe this is something new that the young kids are saying.” – Michelle Kaplan [04:12]

2. Literal Uses of “Spice”

• [04:51] Lindsay clarifies how “spice” can refer to actual food ingredients (e.g., paprika, cardamom).
• [05:09] Friendly banter about favorite and least favorite spices:
  • “What is it? Annie? Annis.” – Lindsay
  • “Oh, anise…like licorice!” – Michelle [05:21]
  • Both dislike licorice-flavored spices.

3. “Spice” as Slang & Example Sentences

• [07:13] Michelle shares invented sample sentences for the slang use:
  • “Her fashion sense is a spice. I’m always curious to see what she’ll wear.”
  • “I have to tell you the news I heard. Trust me, it’s a spice.”
• Acknowledgement: The phrase feels experimental, not fully mainstream yet.

4. The Evolution of Slang

• [07:26]

  “We have to have new slang coming out all the time…kids don’t want to repeat the slang that their parents use.” – Lindsay McMahon [07:26]

• [07:33] Michelle shares a current youth fad: “the six, seven thing,” a meaningless but popular gesture among kids, illustrating how some slang truly has no direct meaning.

5. Real-Life Example: Blue Hair and “A Spice”

• [08:11] Lindsay jokes: “My husband dyed his hair blue. It’s a spice.”
  • Turns out, Michelle’s husband actually did this for a charity event!
  • “He did have it like that for a funeral…” – Michelle [08:45]
  • The phrase “he’s a spice in general, gotta love him,” reflects playful personalization of the slang. [08:56]

6. Comparing “Spice” to Other Modern Expressions

• [09:10]
  • “It’s kind of similar to when people say ‘it’s a vibe’ or ‘she’s a whole vibe’… It means it’s its own thing, out of the ordinary.” – Lindsay
  • Michelle shares how her daughter was described as “a vibe” by a friend.

7. Idiomatic Expressions with “Spice,” “Spicy,” “Flair,” and “Flavor”

• [11:19] Idiom: “Spice things up”
  • Making something more exciting or interesting.
  • “This is a great essay, but maybe we should spice it up with some personal stories.” – Lindsay [11:34]
• [11:54] “Spicy” as Adjective
  • Can describe challenging tasks, flirtatious topics, or someone’s sassy personality.
  • “Sometimes when I go to the gym, the coach will say, ‘Oh, those burpees were spicy.’” – Lindsay [12:13]
  • “Tell me everything. I need all the spicy details.” – Michelle [12:34]
• [12:39] “Juicy details” is similar to “spicy details,” meaning intriguing or scandalous information.
• [13:00] “Flair” (Pop Culture Reference)
  • Discussion of the movie “Office Space” and the need for “pieces of flair.”
  • “We have to recommend that movie to our listeners… it’s like a cultural icon of a movie.” – Lindsay [13:26]
  • “Flair” can mean adding special, creative touches to things (like decor), not just clothing.
• [14:45] “Flavor”
  • Can be literal or figurative: “We added some flavor to this speech with a few jokes.” – Lindsay [14:48]
  • Not just food related—“flavor” signifies uniqueness or personality in any context.

8. Role Play: Using All the Expressions

• [15:29 – 15:46] The hosts act out a conversation using all the key terms:
  • Michelle: “Oh, it was so much fun. Seriously, it was a spice.”
  • Lindsay: “Definitely. I love the decorations. The flair was amazing.”
  • Michelle: “Yes. So much flavor. I’m glad she spiced it up from last year.”
  • Lindsay: “Now tell me the spicy gossip about George.”
  • Michelle: “Okay, here goes.”

9. Discussion: Staying Current with Slang

• [15:54] Lindsay notes, “You should consult with a Gen Z-er,” and that slang’s generational nature means some expressions don’t cross age groups.
• [16:16] “I don’t know if I would necessarily use this around my Gen X friends and my older Millennial friends…” – Lindsay

10. Takeaways

• Spice, spicy, flair, flavor, vibe: all can make your English more colorful and “fun to speak” [15:20]
• Slang evolves rapidly and isn’t always universally understood. Use with awareness of audience.
• Related pop culture (like “Office Space”) still provides vocab and context for certain expressions.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On new slang:

  “Sometimes you just were like, I could never say that because I'd feel so ridiculous. But then sometimes… it does seep over into the different generations.” – Michelle [16:29]

• On describing a challenging workout:

  “The coach will say, ‘Oh, those burpees were spicy.’” – Lindsay [12:13]

• On cultural references:

  “If you want to see a movie that is still referenced culturally… go watch Office Space. It’s like a cultural icon of a movie.” – Lindsay [13:26]

• On the appeal of fun vocabulary:

  “It just makes it fun to speak English when we have fun words like this to use.” – Lindsay [15:20]

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 03:03 – Listener Question: “It’s a spice”
• 04:51 – Literal vs. slang use of “spice”
• 07:13 – Example slang sentences; hosts’ opinions
• 08:11 – Real-life: blue hair and “a spice”
• 09:10 – “Spice” and “vibe” compared
• 11:19 – Idioms: “spice things up”, “spicy”, “flair”, “flavor”
• 13:00 – Pop culture: “pieces of flair” in Office Space
• 15:29 – 15:46 – Role play with all expressions
• 16:16 – Generational use of slang

Summary Table: Expressions Covered

| Expression | Meaning / Use | Example from Episode | |---------------------|---------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------| | “It’s a spice” | (Emerging slang) It’s exciting, interesting, a stand-out| “Her fashion sense is a spice.” | | “Spice up” | Make something more lively, interesting | “Let’s spice it up with some personal stories.” | | “Spicy” | Challenging, intriguing, even flirtatious | “Those burpees were spicy.” / “Spicy details.” | | “Flair” | Flashy, creative touches; derived from pop culture | “Add some flair to this place.” | | “Flavor” | Added personality or depth, beyond just taste | “We added some flavor to this speech with jokes.” | | “Vibe” | Person, thing, or situation with a distinct energy | “She’s a whole vibe.” |

Final Thoughts

The episode blends linguistic curiosity, pop culture, and humor, illustrating both the importance and the fun of playing with English expressions. The hosts encourage listeners to try new slang, while remaining conscious of generational and context cues. Whether you’re “spicing up” your vocabulary or adding “flair” to an essay, embracing these expressions will enrich your American English conversations.