Age gaps & wage gaps: unpacking our Belichick-Hudson obsession
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What is the connection between age gaps and wage gaps?
Hello, hello. I'm Brittany Luce, and you're listening to It's Been a Minute from NPR, a show about what's going on in culture and why it doesn't happen by accident. This week, we're connecting the dots between double standards, the 18th century enlightenment, and the National Football League. I know, I know. How are all of these things connected? Well, we're going to find out with arts and entertainment reporter Char Jassel and Vox senior correspondent Alex Abad-Santos. Char, Alex, welcome to It's Been a Minute.
Hello, Brittany.
Thanks for having us. Hey, Brittany. Okay, one teeny tiny little question before I continue on. What's your love language?
My love language. Ashar, you look so purple. No, because it's really a little bit of all of them. But I love the acts of service because I've fallen for lovely and fluffy words. But I need the actions. You know, love is an action word, right? So it would be acts of service.
Why is the relationship between Belichick and Hudson so controversial?
Mm-hmm, mm-hmm, mm-hmm, mm-hmm. My love language is when anyone says, can I be a bitch for a second? And I'm like, yes.
I'm inclined to agree with that. Well, oh my gosh. This week, speaking of love languages, we got a pair of star-crossed lovers to rival Romeo and Juliet themselves, baby. If you don't know NFL Titan Bill Belichick, think of him like the Audra McDonald of football coaches. Audra has the most Tony Awards for acting. He's got the most Super Bowl wins. And after coaching the New England Patriots for 24 years, it seems like he might be ready to settle down with his 24-year-old girlfriend, Jordan Hudson. According to Belichick, they met on a plane in 2021, but went public with their relationship in 2024. Now, since getting together, Hudson has taken an active role in managing Belichick's career, from fielding media requests to shutting down nosy interview questions.
How did you guys meet?
Not talking about this.
No? No.
But here's the thing. Hudson is 24. Belichick is 73. That's almost 50 years between them. And with Hudson making moves like trademarking Belichick's iconic catchphrases, some people have been questioning her intentions, asking who has the power in this relationship and wondering whether Belichick is safe, lucky, or something else entirely. But All right, let's get into it. Let's get into it.
What historical context influences our views on relationships?
I mean, everybody's been talking about this. I wonder, Char, why is this relationship catching everyone's attention?
I think this relationship is catching everyone's attention because it is one of those things that's a tale as old as time. Like age gaps aren't anything new, right? I think of David Foster and Catherine McPhee. I think that this particular relationship is capturing the public's interest because she's so visible and involved in Bill Belichick's public facing life and seemingly his everyday like comings and goings. And I think that's what's got everybody captivated by this.
I think like a lot of the questions and a lot of the fascination between Bill Belichick and Jordan are like, what do they talk about? What does that relationship look like behind closed doors? And we all have this idealized view of like what marriage is supposed to look like and what love is supposed to look like. And it's just like that doesn't match up with what we see on paper. That doesn't match up with what we see on photos with this coupling.
I mean, many people speculate about this relationship, suggesting that Jordan is interested in Bill's wealth and power. You know, not necessarily his charm or good looks or magnetic personality. Even though Jordan herself calls Bill her twin flame, she's facing criticism for allegedly entering this relationship for personal gain. But we know that historically marrying for love was absolutely not the norm. That is a more recent development. People traditionally married to forge alliances and consolidate wealth. It wasn't until the Enlightenment in the 1700s that marrying for love started to become more and more acceptable in Western societies. So that leads me to this question.
Is it acceptable to partner for reasons other than love?
In this day and age, is it okay to marry or partner for reasons other than love?
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Chapters
6 chapters
1
What is the connection between age gaps and wage gaps?
0:03–1:09
2
Why is the relationship between Belichick and Hudson so controversial?
1:09–2:52
3
What historical context influences our views on relationships?
2:52–4:32
4
Is it acceptable to partner for reasons other than love?
4:32–6:06
5
How do public perceptions affect private relationships?
6:06–7:53
6
What role does societal expectation play in relationships?
7:53–15:32