Alex Lauer, InsideHook Journalist Profile

Articles

In Defense of Delicious, Guilt-Free, Totally Fake Meat

1 week ago | insidehook.com | Alex Lauer

America is in love with animal flesh again. I’ll be sticking with Impossible, Beyond and my local plant-based purveyor, thanks. I love a good burger. The best one I’ve eaten in recent memory was devoured on Memorial Day alongside hearty scoops of potato salad, just like thousands of other Americans across the country.
“The Wheel of Time” vs. Too Big to Fail TV

1 month ago | insidehook.com | Alex Lauer

Earlier this month, a date was finally set for the latest TV expansion of Game of Thrones. I’m not talking about the next season of House of the Dragon, which has yet to announce a release despite the second season wrapping up almost a year ago. No, George R. R. Martin’s fantasy world is getting a third TV spinoff in the form of A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, which is officially coming to HBO in 2026. Even more adaptations are in development.
How I Work: Yeti’s Bill Neff on the Vulnerability of Being a Beginner

1 month ago | insidehook.com | Alex Lauer

The head of marketing at the outdoor gear giant chats about how fly fishing taught him that lesson, and reveals the “kiss of death” that plagues his nighttime routine Nota bene: All products in this article are independently selected and vetted by InsideHook editors.
Yeti’s Bill Neff Believes in the “Vulnerability of Being a Beginner”

1 month ago | sfgate.com | Alex Lauer

InsideHook: Looking back on when you started at Yeti a decade ago, what were your expectations going in and what’s been the most surprising thing about the growth of the company? Bill Neff: When I moved down here, I always knew what Yeti could go do, so I’m not actually all that surprised where we are as a business. I’m probably more surprised with where I am in the company. The fact that a decade into it that I’d be leading the marketing department, that was not a goal.
The Dumbest Way to Accelerate the Water Crisis

1 month ago | insidehook.com | Alex Lauer

When most people talk about artificial intelligence replacing humans, they tend to lean toward relatively benign situations or those far in the future. Sure, AI might replace some jobs, but maybe that will lead to universal basic income. Then there’s the dystopian argument — AI could turn on us! — but most people don’t take that seriously, at least not yet. But what if I told you that the threat posed by AI isn’t just urgent, it’s exacerbating a crisis for a resource that’s vital to human life?
Meet Dez Duron, Successor to Sinatra, Tormé and Bublé

1 month ago | insidehook.com | Alex Lauer

Want to know what the future holds? You need to meet the people building it. In our series Who’s Next, we profile rising stars of culture, tech, style, wellness and beyond. “Flop.” “DOA.” “The show is absolutely in trouble.” In the weeks leading up to the opening of Maybe Happy Ending, a new Broadway musical about two robots going on an adventure, the rumor mill spun furiously. Anonymous users filled message boards with gossip about an early closing, a financial disaster.
Just When You Thought Amazon Couldn't Get Worse

2 months ago | insidehook.com | Alex Lauer

Amazon is obsessed with creating its own consumer holidays. They piggyback on the standard ones, like Black Friday and Cyber Monday, of course, but their own creations are constantly multiplying: Prime Day, Prime Big Deal Days, the Big Spring Sale, Amazon Pet Day — I could go on. Last year, they introduced a new one: the Amazon Book Sale. It was held near the end of May with the stated mission of “[inspiring] customers to read more.” Well, hard to argue with that.
The Best (and Most Controversial) Cars at the New York Auto Show

2 months ago | insidehook.com | Alex Lauer

The auto show is far from dead. On Friday, the New York Auto Show opens to the public for a 10-day extravaganza of exhibits, test drives, panels and even commemorative coins to mark its 125th anniversary.
Hello Tariffs, Goodbye Entry-Level Cars

2 months ago | insidehook.com | Alex Lauer

Before the pandemic struck, American buyers had dozens of options if they wanted to buy a new car for under $20,000. Heck, you could even buy a shiny Nissan Versa sedan for under $14,000. Today? The Versa, the most affordable new car in the U.S., is the only one you can buy for less than $20,000, and it might not stay that way for long.
The Novel That Can Bridge the Gap Between Gen X, Millennials and Gen Z

Mar 27, 2025 | insidehook.com | Alex Lauer

On the surface, Holly Brickley’s “Deep Cuts” is an ode to indie sleaze. Underneath is a nostalgia bomb that spares no one. Nota bene: All products in this article are independently selected and vetted by InsideHook editors. If you buy something, we may earn an affiliate commission.