Planet Money
Planet Money

Betty Boop, Excel Olympics, Penny-isms: Our 2026 Valentines

February 13, 2026

AI Summary

5 min read

🎙️ The Speakers & Context

  • The Format: Host-led discussion in a Valentine's Day special format, with segments from multiple Planet Money team members sharing "Valentines" to beloved ideas, tools, and innovations.
  • The Key Players:
    • Kenny Malone: Lead host and producer, driving the public domain theme with trademark expert Jennifer Jenkins (professor/lawyer, curator of Public Domain Day list).
    • Jess Jang: Senior Supervising Editor, spotlights Excel championships.
    • Alexei Horowitz-Ghazi: Reporter, praises Uniqlo's RFID self-checkout.
    • Erica Barris: Co-host, defends the penny's cultural endurance.
    • Nick Fountain: Co-host, highlights 404 Media's data journalism.
  • The Vibe: Playful, nerdy affection—celebrating quirky efficiencies and cultural artifacts amid economic whimsy.

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What you'll learn

  • 1 (00:00) **🎙️ Introduction: Jennifer Jenkins**
  • 2 (02:31) **Public Domain Day List**
  • 3 (06:32) **Excel Championships Reporting**
  • 4 (11:47) **Uniqlo Self-Checkout**
  • 5 (16:51) **Betty Boop Economics Puns**
  • 6 (20:10) **Love for the Penny**
  • 7 (25:28) **Investigative Data Journalism**

+ Full timestamped outline available in the app

Show Notes

Book tour event details and ticket info here.

An iconic cartoon character liberated from copyright, journalism from the world of competitive spreadsheeting, a controversial piece of US currency. Each year the Planet Money team dedicates an episode to the things we simply love and think you, our audience, will also love.

In this year’s Valentine’s Day episode:


Download THE OFFICIAL Planet Money valentine here.

Pre-order the Planet Money book and get a free gift. / Subscribe to Planet Money+ 

Listen free: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, the NPR app or anywhere you get podcasts.

Facebook / Instagram / TikTok / Our weekly Newsletter.

This episode of Planet Money was hosted by Kenny Malone. It was produced by James Sneed with help from Sam Yellowhorse Kesler, fact-checked by Sierra Juarez, engineered by Cena Loffredo & Kwesi Lee, and edited by our executive producer Alex Goldmark.

See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and
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