Slow Burn: Season 8 Trailer – Becoming Justice Thomas

Slate Podcasts | May 17, 2023

Episode Overview

This trailer introduces Season 8 of Slate’s acclaimed "Slow Burn" series, titled "Becoming Justice Thomas." Host Joel Anderson outlines the central question at the heart of the season: Who is Clarence Thomas? Through archival clips, first-person interviews, and the perspectives of those who know him best, the season promises to trace the unlikely journey of Thomas—from a radical, disillusioned college student in rural Georgia to his transformation into the most conservative justice on the U.S. Supreme Court.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

The Enigma of Clarence Thomas

• The episode sets up Thomas’s story as deeply paradoxical, described as “almost Shakespearean.”
• Key questions are posed about his identity:
  "Members of this committee have asked, who is the real Clarence Thomas? What is the real Clarence Thomas? Which is the real Clarence Thomas?" (00:08)
• The unique ideological trajectory is highlighted:
  "He was closely aligned with Malcolm X and the most liberal of ideology. And that is a puzzle." (00:16)
  Thomas himself responds, challenging the notion that he's an enigma.

  “I don’t know that I would call myself an enigma. I’m just Clarence Thomas.” — Clarence Thomas (00:25)

Radicalization: Left and Right

• The trailer examines how formative experiences in white-dominated spaces can shape Black leaders in divergent ways:

  "If having an experience in predominantly white spaces, particularly traumatic it experience can radicalize you to the left, then it certainly can radicalize you to the right." — Narrator (00:50)

• The podcast aims to explore how Thomas’s own experiences led to a profound conservative shift.

Voices from Thomas’s Past

• Listeners are promised insights from Thomas’s closest family, friends, and political mentors.
• Dramatic moments from the Anita Hill hearings are teased, including the high-profile accusation coined as "a high-tech lynching."

  “We had the lights turned way down low and he said to me, Jack, do you know what this is? It’s a high-tech lynching.” — Political Mentor (01:11)

Manipulation and Agency

• A female acquaintance of Thomas suggests he may have been unknowingly manipulated:

  "He would say, I'm their guy. I don't think he ever realized that he was being manipulated. I don't think he realizes it now." (01:20)

The Broader Impact

• The season will not only revisit Thomas's origins and rise but will investigate how his vision has impacted the American public—"whether we like it or not." (01:31)
• Host Joel Anderson acknowledges the divided audience the subject will bring:

  "So look, when I talk about Clarence Thomas, there are gonna be two groups of listeners and neither one are gonna like what I say. So my question to you is, why am I doing this interview?" — Joel Anderson (01:35)

Forgiveness and Unresolved Grievances

• The trailer’s parting exchange references ongoing tensions with political figures like Joe Biden:

  "Did you ever forgive Joe Biden for that?
  Yeah, I had to forgive him. I never forget. No." (01:54)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “Who is the real Clarence Thomas? What is the real Clarence Thomas? Which is the real Clarence Thomas?” (00:08)
• “He’s this almost like Shakespearean figure.” (00:13)
• “He was closely aligned with Malcolm X and the most liberal of ideology. And that is a puzzle.” (00:16)
• “I’m just Clarence Thomas.” — Clarence Thomas (00:25)
• “If...traumatic experience can radicalize you to the left, then it certainly can radicalize you to the right.” (00:50)
• “It's a high-tech lynching.” — Political Mentor (01:11)
• “I don’t think he ever realized that he was being manipulated. I don’t think he realizes it now.” (01:20)
• “There are gonna be two groups of listeners and neither one are gonna like what I say.” — Joel Anderson (01:35)
• “Did you ever forgive Joe Biden for that?
  Yeah, I had to forgive him. I never forget. No.” (01:54)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 00:08 — Series of questions about Thomas’s true self; presentation of his multifaceted persona.
• 00:25 — Clarence Thomas responds to the question of being an enigma.
• 00:50 — Discussion on radicalization via experiences in white spaces.
• 01:11 — “High-tech lynching” moment from Thomas’s mentor.
• 01:20 — Insights from women who knew Thomas before his Supreme Court tenure.
• 01:31 — Host summarizes the show’s scope and challenge.
• 01:54 — Brief exchange regarding forgiveness towards Joe Biden.

Conclusion

The trailer for "Becoming Justice Thomas" sets the stage for a nuanced, deeply reported series that will attempt to unravel the complexities of Justice Clarence Thomas—from radical to conservative icon—while promising to challenge listeners across the ideological spectrum. The season debuts May 31, encouraging audiences to explore one of the Supreme Court’s most controversial and consequential figures.