Are We Living Through A "Great Romance Slump"?
About The Episode
September 4th, 2026
Jeremy Siegel guests-hosts live from the Boston Public Library. Here’s what’s on The Curiosity Desk:
First up, it's our misfit news panel In Case You Missed It. We’ll talk about a Cambridge reverend suing the MBTA over his slow experience on the Red Line, the end of Chicken Shop Date, and whether Allston Christmas has jumped the shark. Guests are Boston Globe metro transportation reporter Diti Kohli and GBH’s Renuka Balakrishnan. Boston rapper & portrait artist Nick Shea is this week's bonus ICYMI guest, reacting to a 311 call made about his doodle on an abandoned mattress in Back Bay.
Then, Jeremy talks about the state of modern dating – and if we’re truly living through a “great romance slump” – with Atlantic columnist Faith Hill. Afterwards, We check in with GBH Reporter Liz Neisloss about the Lindsay Clancy Trial.
We round out our show with Elizabeth Barnes from the Massachusetts Division of Crop and Pest Services. She talks about damage wrought by the invasive spotted lanternfly, and why you should feel comfortable squishing 'em.
