While the What Next: TBD team spends some time with their families during the holidays, we revisit some of 2023’s biggest, strangest, and best stories. Regularly scheduled programming resumes in January.

Twitter’s “blue check” verification went from something you applied for, to something you could pay for, to something you had to pay for…to something that many celebrities wouldn’t even accept for free. Master of horror Stephen King told us he wouldn’t pay for a blue check, but he’s not going to fight it either—he just doesn’t really understand what’s going on. Does anyone at Twitter understand?

Guests: Alex Heath, deputy editor of The VergeJon Favreau, co-founder of Crooked Media, speechwriter for President Barack ObamaStephen King, author

Originally aired April 28th, 2023. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices