Overview of How Long Gone Episode 1009 with Samuel Hine
Chris Black and Jason Stewart spend this episode bouncing from their usual off-the-cuff banter into a long conversation with Samuel Hine, now at New York Magazine. The episode centers on fashion/media life, travel, suits and grooming, bathhouse culture, a recent New York Magazine men’s issue shoot, and Hine’s upcoming wedding planning. It’s equal parts style-world gossip, logistics talk, and classic How Long Gone absurdity.
Main Topics Covered
Opening banter and sponsor-heavy warmup
- The hosts joke about:
- using Yahoo Scout to “research” whether they should buy a boat
- accidentally typing “boar” instead of “boat”
- weather reports, layering, and the first cool days after summer humidity
- Shaq’s physique, “starter logs,” and other random body/fit jokes
- Multiple ad reads are woven throughout, including for:
- Midi Health
- IM8
- Canyon View Credit Union
- and the podcast’s own mock product/service riffs
Travel, airports, and medication routines
- A long stretch of conversation is about plane etiquette and travel behavior:
- middle seats vs. comfort plus
- people talking loudly on flights
- medication timing and needing to “set a base” with food
- Chris tells a story about a stylish older woman on a flight who seemed to need food to take medication properly.
- The hosts riff on the perks of being able to trade pills or make airplane seating more transactional.
Samuel Hine on hair, style, and office life
- Hine joins from the office, framed as part of the “severance” aesthetic.
- They talk about his hair:
- his forward/soft mullet style
- how the cut changed his life and likely improved his dating life
- the difference between a haircut that looks intentional vs. one that reads like a comb-over
- The conversation also covers:
- beards and stubble
- looking professional at work
- wearing suits regularly and building a wardrobe over time
- the pain of traveling with suits vs. checking a bigger bag
New York Magazine, newsroom culture, and lunch
- Hine describes the new environment at New York Magazine:
- a real newsroom feel
- editors, fact-checkers, designers, and art tables all working in real time
- an office culture closer to old-school magazine making
- He contrasts it with Condé Nast/GQ life and talks about:
- the office snacks and coffee setup
- going out for lunch near the Financial District
- places like Sweetgreen, Naya, and deli-style lunch spots
- They also discuss how New York Magazine feels local and global at the same time.
Time Shifter and long-haul flight survival
- Hine explains Time Shifter, an app he uses for jet lag and circadian rhythm management.
- The app tells him when to:
- sleep
- drink coffee
- wear sunglasses
- take melatonin
- Chris is skeptical, arguing that “real” long-haulers should tough it out rather than optimize everything with tech.
- Hine pushes back, saying it’s useful for avoiding the feeling that your body is dying during overseas work trips.
The men’s issue shoot, bathhouse, and Ryan McGinley
- A big chunk of the interview focuses on the New York Magazine men’s issue and a related event/photo show:
- shot at the Russian Turkish Baths in Manhattan
- organized around photographer Ryan McGinley
- involving models, the bathhouse setting, and a one-night gallery-style installation
- They describe:
- the sauna/cold plunge setup
- the logistics of hanging framed images in a steamy bathhouse
- McGinley’s team, who were apparently very capable and prepared
- There’s also mention of McGinley’s late-night working habits and the effort it took to shoot around the bathhouse’s hours.
Troy Sivan, nightlife, and “Twinks in Hell”
- The episode also touches on Troye Sivan’s music and the image of “Twinks in Hell,” tied to one of the bathhouse pieces.
- Jason recommends a track that sounds like The Sundays, which surprises Chris and helps him appreciate the album more.
- They jokingly discuss the concept of the “nightlife community” and what that term actually means.
Wedding planning and courthouse stress
- Hine is planning his wedding and talks through the stress of:
- getting a City Clerk courthouse appointment in New York
- dealing with bots, resellers, and limited Friday slots
- deciding whether to split couples at the reception
- seating chart chaos
- He emphasizes that the goal is to keep the wedding manageable while he’s also:
- starting a new job
- moving apartments
- balancing everything else happening in his life
- The hosts advise him to keep it simple and enjoy the day rather than obsessing over the details.
Notable Takeaways
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A good haircut can be life-changing. Hine and the hosts treat grooming as a genuine form of self-branding and career infrastructure.
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The old magazine world is still alive, but in a different form. Hine’s description of New York Magazine suggests a strong, collaborative editorial culture that still feels tactile and hands-on.
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Travel is a workplace problem, not just a lifestyle perk. The Time Shifter discussion shows how much travel strategy matters for people who work across time zones.
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The bathhouse shoot encapsulated the episode’s aesthetic. Steamy, stylish, slightly chaotic, and very New York.
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Wedding planning in New York is its own competitive sport. Even something as simple as a courthouse slot can become a high-stress logistical battle.
Fun/Offbeat Bits Worth Remembering
- “Boat” vs. “boar” via Yahoo Scout
- “Starter log” jokes about male body talk
- The woman on the plane who seemed to need food for medication
- “Twinks in Hell” as a title for a McGinley image
- The idea of a “nightlife community” as euphemistic industry slang
- The hosts imagining a bartering system for airplane seats and restaurant reservations
Overall
This episode is a classic How Long Gone mix of fashion-world insider talk, absurdist jokes, and practical life logistics. Samuel Hine comes across as thoughtful, stylish, and organized, while the hosts keep everything loose with jokes about boats, pills, suits, bathhouses, travel, and weddings. It’s most valuable for listeners interested in fashion media, New York culture, and the behind-the-scenes realities of editorial work and event production.