This week, Julia and Steve welcome guest host Sam Adams to deconstruct the aggravating, yet strangely charming, table tennis phenom on the make that is Marty Supreme. Played with “BDE off-the-charts” (Steve’s words) by Timothée Chalamet, the unceasingly shameless hustler may just be an avatar for our age.

Speaking of avatars, we can’t avoid discussing Avatar: Fire and Ash, the latest installment of James Cameron’s immersive mega-franchise. Once again, the big blue folks peopling Pandora drew boku bucks at the box office… but do the Avatar films have any “cultural impact”? And what does “cultural impact” even mean? New Yorker staff writer Michael Schulman steps into the cultural cage match to debate this long-simmering internet argument.

On this week’s bonus episode for Slate Plus subscribers, the hosts take up a listener question about “cultural bran muffins,” the bits of culture you know would be good for you if only you could get them down. The hosts confess their bran secrets.

Endorsements

Steve: The essay "Two Pins and a Lollipop" about Judy Garland by Bee Wilson in the London Review of Books.

Sam: The album Penthouse by the band Luna, particularly the song  "Chinatown."

Julia: Slate's beloved annual tradition Movie Club which for its 2025 edition gathers film critics Bilge Ebiri, Alison Wilmore, Justin Chang, and our very own Dana Stevens for a rollicking exchange about the year in film.

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Email us your thoughts at culturefest@slate.com. 

Podcast production by Benjamin Frisch. Production assistance by Daniel Hirsch.

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In the waning moments of 2025, Julia, Dana, and Steve say goodbye to the year that was with a beloved annual end-of-year tradition… our listener call-in show! And you delivered some great queries, dear listeners. 

The hosts tackle questions about everything ranging from under-dramatized historical eras to Wuthering Heights to wedding registry etiquette. They also zoom out to grapple with a fundamental philosophical question underlying this whole show’s existence and take a cue from Las Culturistas Bowen Yang and Matt Rogers for some Schimpfen und Toben.

No endorsements this week. But for listeners in the New York area, don’t miss Steve when he joins Booker Prize-finalist Ben Markovitz for a conversation about his new novel The Rest of Our Lives on January 5, 2026 at the Upper West Side Barnes & Noble.

For Slate Plus subscribers, the hosts delight in answering an additional listener question in an exclusive bonus episode. They share their ideal cultural outings with their co-hosts.

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Email us your thoughts at culturefest@slate.com. 

Podcast production by Benjamin Frisch. Production assistance by Daniel Hirsch.

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On this week’s show, Steve, Dana, and Julia pull up proverbially barstools at Sardi’s to discuss Richard Linklater’s latest film Blue Moon, which is about one night in the life of Broadway lyricist Lorenz Hart. As played by a transformed Ethan Hawke, Hart is witty, needy, and totally captivating.

Next, they travel Down Cemetery Road by way of a conversation about the new conspiracy series starring Emma Thompson and Ruth Wilson based on a novel by Mick Heron of Slow Horses fame. Finally, they turn to a piece of real estate that may forever live in infamy as “The Pussy Palace” thanks to Lily Allen’s brutally honest and stunningly well-crafted album West End Girl.

On an exclusive bonus episode for Slate Plus subscribers, the hosts take up the issue of biographical pictures—aka biopics— and Slate’s recent package Portrait Mode about the ubiquitous film genre.   

Endorsements:

Dana: Lily Allen’s song “The Fear”— to listen to and perform at karaoke.

Julia: A boule of chocolate sourdough bread from the bakery of Milo & Olive in Los Angeles. 

Steve:  Roberto Bolaño's novella By Night in Chile and Ella Fitzgerald singing “Bewitched, Bothered, and Bewildered” on the album Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Rodgers & Hart Song Book.  

Email us your thoughts at culturefest@slate.com. 

Podcast production by Benjamin Frisch. Production assistance by Daniel Hirsch.

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On this week’s show, the panel returns to 1985 and reviews The Greatest Night in Pop, Netflix’s star-studded documentary about how “We Are the World” (a charity single performed by USA for Africa, a supergroup comprised of the most popular artists not only of the time, but arguably, ever) came to be and the legendary night it was recorded. Although it features cameos from Michael Jackson, Lionel Richie, Diana Ross, Paul Simon, Tina Turner, Cyndi Lauper, and more, the documentary manages to be quite modest in its ambition. Then, the three discuss Rustin, director George C. Wolfe’s biopic about Bayard Rustin, an advisor to Martin Luther King Jr. whose legacy has often been glossed over. Rustin stars a fantastic Colman Domingo as its titular lead and is a celebratory example of the importance of telling gay/queer stories with queer creatives above and below the line of production. Finally, it’s the Slate True-Crime Canon! Cheyna Roth, contributor to the Canon and author of Between Two Wars: A True Crime Collection: Mysterious Disappearances, High-Profile Heists, Baffling Murders, and More joins to break down the monstrous endeavor. 

(Roth’s other book is Cold Cases: A True Crime Collection)

In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, the panel discusses Super Bowl LVIII and analyzes the advertisements, Usher’s half-time performance, and the Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce love story at the center of it all. 

Email us at culturefest@slate.com. 

Outro music: "Self Made Woman" by Katharine Appleton

Endorsements:

Dana: Her perfect plane movie, Dumb Money, which features a superstar cast that’s always in-sync. 

Julia: Small Mercies by Dennis Lehane, an “all-consuming tale of revenge, family love, festering hate, and insidious power, set against one of the most tumultuous episodes in Boston’s history.” 

Steve: A liquidus piano album by Mary Lou Williams, Zodiac Suite. The 1945 album seamlessly mixes classical and jazz influences throughout 12 pieces, each named for a different astrological sign. 

Podcast production by Jared Downing. Production assistance by Kat Hong. 

Hosts

Dana Stephens, Julia Turner, Stephen Metcalf

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On this week’s show, Extreme Friends of the Pod and co-authors of The World Only Spins Forward, Isaac Butler and Dan Kois, fill in for Dana Stevens and Julia Turner. The hosts begin by dissecting The Zone of Interest, filmmaker Jonathan Glazer’s audacious movie about the Holocaust that’s told through the lens of Nazi commandant Rudolf Höss and his wife Hedwig as they live their somewhat ordinary lives in a compound outside of Auschwitz. The film has garnered both praise and severe critique from critics, many of whom are split on Glazer’s detached aesthetic and imaginative approach to depicting genocide. The Zone of Interest has racked up five Oscar nominations, including Best Picture and Best Director. Then, the three dive into Nyad, the (maybe?) true story of marathon swimmer Diana Nyad, as she attempts to swim unassisted from Cuba to Florida. Annette Bening stars in the titular role alongside Jodie Foster, both of whom are up for Oscars (Best Actress and Best Supporting Actress, respectively). Finally, what is a good director, anyway? What does it look like, what does it mean, and is there a difference between producing, screenwriting, and directing – or is it some strange amalgamation of all three? These questions come from a listener, Emily, and the panel attempts to answer them. 

In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, the panel discusses their film preferences while airborne, inspired by David Mack’s essay for Slate, “What Makes a Perfect ‘Plane Movie’?”

Email us at culturefest@slate.com. 

Outro music: "Pull Me Out" by Mike Stringer.

Endorsements:

Isaac: Dheepan (2015), an exquisitely directed movie from filmmaker Jacques Audiard. In it, three Tamil refugees must pose as a family to flee war-torn Sri Lanka but land in a Paris suburb blighted by drugs. 

Dan: For anyone in or heading to New York, check out Cole Escola’s play “Oh Mary!” The comedian stars as a miserable, suffocated Mary Todd Lincoln and takes place in the weeks leading up to Abraham Lincoln’s assassination. (You can also find Escola’s episode of Slate’s Working podcast here.) 

Steve: Rebecca Solnit’s meditation on the Bay Area, loneliness, and the human impulse towards succession: “In the Shadow of Silicon Valley” for the London Review of Books. 

Podcast production by Cameron Drews and Jared Downing. Production assistance by Kat Hong. 

Hosts

Isaac Butler, Dan Kois, Stephen Metcalf

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

From our friends at Life and Art, a culture podcast of the Financial Times:

This week, we return to an old comfort classic: the 2003 Nancy Meyers romcom Something’s Gotta Give, starring Diane Keaton and Jack Nicholson. In it, two middle-aged people fall in love, but only after one heart attack, two younger lovers, some unexpected midnight pancakes and ample bickering. Does the movie still work today? How has the way we depict aging in film changed? And do we miss Nancy Meyers movies? Joining host Lilah Raptopoulos is comedian Negin Farsad, host of the podcast Fake the Nation, and FT senior corporate finance correspondent Eric Platt. This is one of his favourite movies.

https://podcasts.apple.com/lu/podcast/life-and-art-from-ft-weekend/id1179847741

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On this week’s show, Slate culture writer Nadira Goffe and Sam Sanders, host of Vibe Check fill in for Dana Stevens and Julia Turner. The hosts begin with a subversively brilliant Oscar contender, American Fiction, which is Cord Jefferson’s adaptation of Percival Everett’s 2001 novel Erasure. The filmmaker’s debut racked up five Oscar nominations, including Best Picture, and stars Jeffrey Wright as Thelonius “Monk” Ellis, a frustrated writer, in this heartfelt family melodrama encased in biting satire. (Catch Sam’s conversation with Cord Jefferson here.) Then, the three tread into familiar territory and dissect In the Know, Mike Judge’s (Beavis and Butthead, Silicon Valley, King of the Hill) latest show on Peacock which satirizes the world of public radio, specifically NPR, through the stop-motion animated lens of its third most-popular host, Lauren Caspian (voiced by Zach Woods). Finally, Oscar season is officially upon us, and with Oscar nominations, comes invariably, Oscar snubs. The panel explores this year’s nominees, and who may or may not have gotten the short end of the stick. 

In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, the panel discusses a fun interactive from The New York Times, “The Menu Trends That Define Dining Right Now.” 

Email us at culturefest@slate.com. 

Outro music: “Bloody Hunter” by Paisley Pink

Endorsements:

Sam: An album he loves and owns on vinyl, Chameleon (1976) by the American singing trio Labelle. It’s pure R&B funk dazzle. 

Nadira: A threefold music endorsement: Midnight Dancer (1979) by the Philly soul group Silk, Spotify’s “create radio” function, and a compilation of Barbara Ackland’s greatest hits. 

Steve: A gorgeous, lofi home recording of Sandy Denny singing her classic, “Who Knows Where the Time Goes.” 

Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Kat Hong. 

If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get an ad-free experience across the network and exclusive content on many shows. You’ll also be supporting the work we do here on the Culture Gabfest. Sign up now at Slate.com/cultureplus to help support our work.

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On this week’s show, Jamelle Bouie (Opinion columnist at The New York Times) sits in for Julia Turner. The hosts first begin with a trip to Ennis, a fictional Alaskan town at the heart of True Detective: Night Country, and review the fourth installment of the HBO Max anthology series. There’s a new showrunner at the helm, Issa López, who brings a desperately needed fresh take on the Lovecraftian True Detective format, along with the series’ two leads, played by Jodie Foster and Kali Reis. Then, the three dissect Origin, director Ava DuVernay’s ambitious feature film adapted from the nonfiction book Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents by the American journalist Isabel Wilkerson. In the film, we accompany Wilkerson (played by Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor) as she develops her theory of formalized subordination based on race in America through the lens of the caste system. Finally, Pitchfork, the rockstar’s digital paradise and essential music review site, announced that it would be laying off most of its senior staff and be folded into fellow Condé Nast publication, GQ. What does that mean for both Pitchfork and the future of music criticism? Slate’s music critic, Carl Wilson, joins to discuss. 

In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, it’s the 25th anniversary of The Sopranos, and the panel discusses the series’ incredible legacy along with what it means for the stories of Tony, Dr. Melfi, Carmela, and more, to hit a quarter of a century. 

Email us at culturefest@slate.com. 

Outro music: “Ruins” by Origo.

Endorsements:

Dana: Blood in the Machine: The Origins of the Rebellion Against Big Tech by Brian Merchant, a nonfiction book about the “all-but-forgotten class struggle that brought nineteenth-century England to its knees.”

Jamelle: G-Man: J. Edgar Hoover and the Making of the American Century, historian Beverly Gage’s biography of FBI director J. Edgar Hoover.

Steve: Two reviews of Elon Musk, Walter Isaacson’s biography of the SpaceX/Tesla CEO: “Ultra Hardcore” by Ben Tarnoff for The New York Review and “Very Ordinary Men” by Sam Kriss for The Point. 

Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Kat Hong. 

If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get an ad-free experience across the network and exclusive content on many shows. You’ll also be supporting the work we do here on the Culture Gabfest. Sign up now at Slate.com/cultureplus to help support our work.

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On this week’s show, Nadira Goffe sits in for Julia Turner. The hosts first begin by exploring an updated cult classic: Mean Girls, the movie musical version of the Broadway show based on the iconic 2004 film. The 2024 iteration stars Reneé Rapp as Regina George and Angourie Rice as Cady Heron. Then the three head to 17th century Edo-era Japan and review Blue Eye Samurai, an animated Netflix series about an ambiguously gendered, half-Japanese, half-white samurai (voiced by Maya Erskine) hell-bent on exacting revenge on the man responsible for their “monstrous” existence. Finally, consider the plight of January, a recent New York Times essay implores. The panel debates the merits of America's least-loved month and whether they agree with the assertion that the first 31 days of the year are the best. 

In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, the panel discloses what books to read for self-reinvention, including Letters to a Young Poet and Nadira’s favorite Toni Morrison work. The conversation is based on Chelsea Leu’s piece for The Atlantic, “What to Read If You Want to Reinvent Yourself.” 

Email us at culturefest@slate.com. 

Outro music: “Lonely Calling” by Arc De Soleil

Endorsements:

Nadira: Embracing her tradition of endorsing music favorites, Nadira’s been loving Depression Cherry by Beach House, the indie duo’s 2015 studio album that’s dreamy, surreal, and comforting, and Cynthia Erivo’s sensational cover of “Alfie,” performed live at the Kennedy Center Honors for 2023 honoree Dionne Warwick. 

Dana: At the onset of every year, Dana chooses a mammoth book assignment for herself, and in 2024, that book was Middlemarch by George Eliot. She especially enjoys listening to the audiobook while hiking, which is narrated by the English actress Juliet Stevenson. 

Steve: Steve learned to Travis pick on the guitar! Thanks to a wonderful YouTube tutorial by Mike’s Music Method for the song “Blues Run the Game” by Jackson C. Frank. (And maybe if enough listeners request it, he might perform it for us…)

Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Kat Hong. 

If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get an ad-free experience across the network and exclusive content on many shows. You’ll also be supporting the work we do here on the Culture Gabfest. Sign up now at Slate.com/cultureplus to help support our work.

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On this week’s show, the hosts are first joined by Slate’s Heather Schwedel to discuss Anyone But You, a paper-thin adaptation of Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing, starring Sydney Sweeney and Glen Powell, whose combined good looks and star wattage aren’t enough to save the flimsily written rom-com. (Although, despite the film’s rocky start, it’s become a sleeper smash at the box-office.) Then, the panel explores Hayao Miyazaki’s The Boy and the Heron (which premiered under the name, How Do You Live?, in Japan), a beautiful and astoundingly thematic film made by one of the world’s greatest living animators, as he reflects on his life, work, and the nature of creation. Finally, the Golden Globes returned on Sunday, January 7th. The hosts ask: with a beefed up voting body and new network home, did the disgraced awards show manage to overcome its many scandals and untarnish its reputation? 

In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, the panel answers a listener question from Scott: are there any movies, TV shows, novels, books, albums, etc., that impacted you at a pivotal time in your life (not necessarily childhood) that you will not revisit due to the fact that it may not hold up? 

Email us at culturefest@slate.com. 

Outro music: “I Want a Change” by The Big Let Down

Endorsements:

Dana: Inspired by his incredible essay in The Intelligencer last week, Dana endorses Tom Scocca’s Substack, Indignity, which covers internet culture, the distortions of fame and identity, nature, the weather, daily news, and more. 

Julia: Do you use the right salt when you cook? The best fancy salt, according to Julia, is Carmargue Fleur de Sel, an exceptional French salt that comes in a sweet little tub with a cork lid. 

Steve: The earlier works of Dave Brubeck, one of the greatest jazz artists of all time, particularly the albums Interchanges ‘54 and Jazz Goes to College. Steve made a short playlist of his favorites, which can be found here. 

Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Kat Hong. 

If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get an ad-free experience across the network and exclusive content on many shows. You’ll also be supporting the work we do here on the Culture Gabfest. Sign up now at Slate.com/cultureplus to help support our work.

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On this week’s show, the hosts begin by jumping into the fantastical world of Wonka, a prequel to Roald Dahl’s enduring novel that explores the origins of its famously impish character, Willy Wonka, portrayed here by a wide-eyed, sugary sweet Timothée Chalamet. The musical film, directed by Paul King (Paddington, Paddington 2) isn’t the kind of movie you want to pick on–it undoubtedly has a warm heart–but has the effect of watching a lucrative homework assignment. Then, the three switch gears and review Maestro, a biopic (if you can even call it that) about one of America’s greatest cultural luminaries and public educators, Leonard Bernstein. Directed by and starring Bradley Cooper as “Lenny,” the film explores Bernstein’s complicated marriage with Felicia Montealegre (played spectacularly by Carey Mulligan) and the couple’s struggle to balance Lenny’s public genius with his life as a closeted gay man. (For more on Cooper’s prosthetic nose, read Mark Harris’ comprehensive essay for Slate, “The Bradley Cooper ‘Jewface’ Controversy Isn’t Really About That Nose.”) Finally, the panel is led by ringmaster extraordinaire, Dana Stevens, through Slate’s 2023 Movie Club, an annual digital roundtable featuring conversations between prominent film critics and writers as they look back through a year in film. This year, Bilge Ebiri (film critic for New York Magazine and Vulture), entertainment writer Esther Zuckerman, and film historian Mark Harris contribute, along with features from Nadira Goffe, Sam Adams, and the project’s editor, Dan Kois. 

In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, the panel embraces a post-holiday theme and discusses memorable gifts: their favorites and the ones that got away, inspired by a recent episode from the podcast Scriptnotes. 

Email us at culturefest@slate.com.

Outro music: “Spinning the Wheels” by Dusty Decks

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This week, we revisit one of our favorite episodes of 2023! The panel begins by examining Barbie, Greta Gerwig’s hot pink, record-breaking movie about the iconic Mattel doll. Then, the trio dives into Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer, which chronicles the life of the “Father of the Atomic Bomb,” and explores whether the film achieves its aims. Finally, they are joined by Slate’s Chris Molanphy to discuss the controversy behind country singer Jason Aldean’s latest song, “Try That In A Small Town.”

In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, the panel is once again joined by Chris Molanphy to discuss all things Summer Strut. With the annual show just weeks away, the four pull back the curtain to detail their processes, weird observations, and more.

Email us at culturefest@slate.com.

Endorsements:

Dana: In line with her theme of the week, “Yay movies and go, go, go to the theater,” Dana highly recommends Theater Camp, a delightful film by Ben Platt and Molly Gordon.

Julia: Yotam Ottolenghi’s recipe for zucchini pasta with crispy capers and pistachios isn’t the sort of thing Julia would normally endorse (for one, it’s extremely laborious and you will need to fry individual basil leaves), but it’s vegan, a showstopper, and completely worth it.

Stephen: In honor of the late singer, Stephen recommends two Tony Bennett albums: “The Tony Bennett/Bill Evans Album” (1975) and “Tony Bennett at Carnegie Hall” (1962).

Outro music: “Last Sunday” by OTE.

Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Kat Hong.

If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get an ad-free experience across the network and exclusive content on many shows. You’ll also be supporting the work we do here on the Culture Gabfest. Sign up now at Slate.com/cultureplus to help support our work.

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This week, it’s the yearly call-in episode! Steve, Dana, and Julia dive into questions submitted by Culture Gabfest listeners. 

Outro music: “Forbidden Love” by OTE

Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Kat Hong. 

If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get an ad-free experience across the network and exclusive content on many shows. You’ll also be supporting the work we do here on the Culture Gabfest. Sign up now at Slate.com/cultureplus to help support our work.

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On this week’s show, Dana is joined by fellow movie critics Amy Nicholson of The Los Angeles Times and Slate’s Sam Adams for an all-film edition of the Gabfest. First up, they enter A House of Dynamite, Kathryn Bigelow’s tense procedural about a nuclear catastrophe. Whether or not this grim thriller has any spark is up for debate.

Next, they step into the raucous party of Hedda Gabler in Nia DaCosta’s Henrik Ibsen adaptation Hedda, starring Tessa Thompson as the scheming hostess. Finally, they examine the documentary The Perfect Neighbor which offers an alarming portrait of one Florida community compiled primarily through police body cam footage.

In an exclusive Slate Plus bonus episode, the movie talk continues with an all-spoiler special about all three films.

Endorsements

Amy: The Man in the Tuskhut, an animatronic, AI theater piece by the writer and director Jason Woliner.

Sam: The band Belly’s album Star and the play Liberation by Bess Wohl.

Dana: Spike Jonze’s music video of Bjork’s cover of “It’s Oh So Quiet.”

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This week, the panel is joined by Slate writer and senior editor Sam Adams to dissect Poor Things, director Yorgos Lanthimos' horny, steampunk Frankenstein tale about Bella Baxter (played by Emma Stone), a pregnant woman who commits suicide then is brought back to life by a brilliant scientist (Willem Dafoe), with an eccentric caveat: She now has the brain of her unborn fetus. Then, the three remember Norman Lear, the late television pioneer and American icon who died at the age of 101 and who was responsible for ushering in a new era of character-driven, comedic, topical, and morally serious TV with hit sitcoms like All in the Family, The Jeffersons, Maude, and One Day at a Time. Finally, they are joined by Slate’s books and culture columnist, Laura Miller, who shares her top ten books of the year, and along with Dana, discusses the joys and challenges of year-end listmaking. 

In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, the panel reunites with Sam Adams to spoil Poor Things, detailing what is arguably the film’s weakest portion: the final ten minutes. 

We’re also accepting submissions to our yearly call-in show, where Dana, Julia, and Stephen answer questions from Culture Gabfest listeners. Get in touch! Submit a question by calling (260) 337-8260 or emailing us at culturefest@slate.com. The deadline to submit is Wednesday, December 13. 

Outro music: “The Red Light Special” by Matt Large

Endorsements:

Dana: It’s clear that Norman Lear was working in the heyday of television title sequences. And although Dana may have been born a bit late to catch All in the Family in real time, what she remembers are the theme songs. So, go on YouTube and call yourself up some of the most indelible introductory sequences (All in the Family, Good Times, One Day at a Time, The Jeffersons, etc.) and you’ll have a good time. 

Julia: An endorsement that doubles as a one-item gift guide. If you would like to give someone a fancy, overpriced, but delicious-smelling body wash, Julia has found the best one: NO Green by Corpus, a luxurious plant-based cleanser with notes of bergamot, pink lemon, orange blossom, and cardamom. Snap it up if you have some last-minute gifts to buy. 

Steve: A quote by Søren Kierkegaard, gifted to Stephen by his eldest daughter: “Should philosophy, among its other conceits, imagine that someone might actually want to follow its precepts in practice, a curious comedy would emerge.” (Fear and Trembling, 1843.) 

Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Kat Hong. 

If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get an ad-free experience across the network and exclusive content on many shows. You’ll also be supporting the work we do here on the Culture Gabfest. Sign up now at Slate.com/cultureplus to help support our work.

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This week, the panel begins by exploring Renaissance: A Film by Beyoncé with Slate culture writer (and Beyhive stan) Nadira Goffe. The renowned pop diva’s theatrical debut works both as a well-oiled concert documentary as well as a surprisingly heartfelt deconstruction of Knowles’ previously impenetrable image of perfection. Then, the three consider Todd Haynes’ May December, an emotionally curious, tonally dissonant study of life’s gray areas starring Natalie Portman, longtime collaborator Julianne Moore, and Charles Melton. Loosely based on the real-life relationship between Mary Kay Letourneau and Vili Fualaau, Haynes (and screenwriter Samy Burch) questions Hollywood’s penchant for sensationalizing tragedy and the ways humans interact with each other. Finally, they are joined by EEFOP (Exceedingly Exceptional Friend of the Pod), Slate writer Dan Kois to discuss Dr. Seuss’s How the Grinch Lost Christmas!, a posthumous sequel to Theodor Geisel’s iconic 1957 children’s book, How the Grinch Stole Christmas! The original IP has been marketed and re-imagined within an inch of its life – but does new author Alastair Heim invoke any of the source materials’ sincerity or deeper meaning? 

In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, the panel answers a listener question from Timothy: “When reading for pleasure, how do you choose what to read next?” 

We’re also accepting submissions to our yearly call-in show, where Dana, Julia, and Stephen answer questions from Culture Gabfest listeners. Get in touch! Submit a question by calling (260) 337-8260 or emailing us at culturefest@slate.com.

Outro music: “Spinning the Wheels” by Dusty Decks

Endorsements:

Dana: A two-part endorsement that goes together like wine and cheese: If I Should Fall from Grace with God, the third studio album by Irish folk-rock band The Pogues, and “Shane MacGowan Leaves the Astral Plane,” a wonderful essay by Amanda Petrusich at The New Yorker, which memorializes the late frontman. Don’t know where to start with The Pogues’ catalog? Dana recommends “A Rainy Night in Soho.” 

Julia: Drawing inspiration from this episode’s children’s book segment, Julia endorses the Little Blue Truck series (written by Alice Schertle and illustrated by the late Jill McElmurry) alongside her favorite Theodor Geisel work, Hunches and Bunches. “It’s the Beyoncé of Dr. Seuss books.” 

Steve: Paris is Burning, which pairs beautifully with Beyoncé’s Renaissance. Jennie Livingston’s landmark 1990 documentary is one of the most moving films Stephen has ever seen, and provides a vibrant snapshot of New York City’s drag-ball scene in the ‘80s. 

Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Kat Hong. 

If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get an ad-free experience across the network and exclusive content on many shows. You’ll also be supporting the work we do here on the Culture Gabfest. Sign up now at Slate.com/cultureplus to help support our work.

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This week, Dana and Julia are joined by Jamelle Bouie, Opinion columnist at The New York Times and co-host of Unclear and Present Danger. The panel begins by diving into Ridley Scott’s Napoleon, a visually sumptuous biopic starring Joaquin Phoenix that attempts to chronicle the legendary historical figure’s life and reduce him to human size, yet fails to do so within its 2 ½ hour runtime. Then, the three jump into Scott Pilgrim Takes Off, a new eight-part animated Netflix series that offers an alternate version of its protagonist, Scott Pilgrim (who was first depicted in Bryan Lee O'Malley’s series of graphic novels then later in Edgar Wright’s cult classic film, Scott Pilgrim vs. The World), and reunites much of the movie’s brilliant original cast. Finally, they discuss André 3000’s New Blue Sun, a transcendent ambient album laced with flute-base soundscapes that on its face seems like a complete departure from the rapper’s previous work in Outkast, but actually depicts a piece of him that’s been present in his music all along.  

In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, the panel takes advantage of Jamelle’s baking prowess and discusses best practices and tips in the kitchen, before turning to the eternal, all-important question: When you bake, do you use a measuring scale? And if so, why?   

We’re also accepting submissions to our yearly call-in show, where Dana, Julia, and Stephen answer questions from Culture Gabfest listeners. Get in touch! Submit a question by calling (260) 337-8260 or emailing us at culturefest@slate.com.

Outro music: “By the Riverside” by Lindsey Abraham

Endorsements:

Jamelle: The 4K restoration of one of his favorite movies, The Fugitive (1993), starring Tommy Lee Jones and Harrison Ford. It’s an underrated and beautiful Chicago movie. 

Julia: A deep cut from her personal Summer Strut playlist: Bob Dylan’s 1997 song “Not Dark Yet,” which appeared on the album Time Out of Mind. 

Dana: Inspired by their discussion of André 3000’s new album, Dana endorses a different avant-garde flute enthusiast: Eric Dolphy, the American multi-instrumentalist and bandleader. Specifically, his fantastic 1964 jazz album, Out to Lunch. 

Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Kat Hong. 

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This week, the panel begins by reviewing The Curse, a cringe-worthy Showtime series co-produced by Nathan Fielder and Benny Safdie. Fielder and Emma Stone star as Asher and Whitney Siegel, a newlywed couple at the center of a reality HGTV show built on narcissism, gentrification, and lies. Then, the three jump into Alexander Payne’s The Holdovers, which Dana describes as a “sadsack Christmas classic,” starring Paul Giamatti as a curmudgeonly misanthrope professor alongside newcomer Dominic Sessa and Da’Vine Joy Randolph. The three play misfits being held over at a prep school during the winter break of 1970. Finally, the trio is joined by Dwight Garner, book critic for The New York Times, to discuss his delightful new memoir, The Upstairs Delicatessen: On Eating, Reading, Reading About Eating, and Eating While Reading. 

In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, the panel commemorates Jezebel, the now-shuttered women-focused news and cultural commentary site, and reflects on their relationships with media geared towards women overall.   

Email us at culturefest@slate.com. 

Endorsements:

Dana: Life on Our Planet on Netflix, a nature documentary narrated by Morgan Freeman that tells the four-billion-year story of life on Earth. It’s perfect for at-home family viewing over the holidays. 

Julia: A hilarious bit Nathan Fielder and Emma Stone did on Jimmy Kimmel Live! while promoting The Curse. In response to a less-than-glowing review of his acting skills in The New York Times, Fielder shows up in-character as a nonchalant, totally not stilted bad boy alongside Stone’s non-acted self.  

Stephen: “Camus on Tour,” an excellent tour de force essay by Vivian Gornick in The New York Review of Books, in which she covers Camus’ Travels in the Americas: Notes and Impressions of a New World. 

Podcast production by Jessamine Molli. Production assistance by Kat Hong. 

Hosts

Dana Stevens, Julia Turner, Stephen Metcalf 

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This week, Dana and Stephen are joined by Supreme Friend of the Pod, Isaac Butler, who co-hosts Slate’s Working podcast and is the author of The Method: How the Twentieth Century Learned to Act (which is now available in paperback!). The panel begins by pondering Dream Scenario, a provocative new film from Norwegian writer-director Kristoffer Borgli. The nightmarish social satire stars Nicolas Cage as Paul Matthews, a hapless middle-aged biology professor who begins appearing randomly in people’s dreams in a tale about anonymity and the cycle of virality. Then, the three speak with the brilliant author and classicist Emily Wilson about her recent translation of Homer’s the Iliad, and her unique approach to metered verse and how she came to access the interior lives of Hector, Patroclus, Achilles, and more. Finally, the trio discusses Coyote vs. Acme, a completed film based on Ian Frazier’s 1990 comic in The New Yorker, that was shelved last week by Warner Bros. (reportedly in favor of a $30 million tax write-off) then un-shelved when the studio received backlash for being “anti-art.”  

In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, the panel descends into a different kind of nightmare: The Beatles’ music video for “Now and Then.” Has director Peter Jackson created a touching CGI tribute to the legendary band? Or has he engineered something truly evil?

Email us at culturefest@slate.com. 

Endorsements:

Dana: The Public Domain Review, an online journal and not-for-profit project dedicated to “the exploration of curious and compelling works from the history of art, literature, and ideas.” She’s only just begun to scratch the site’s surface, but recommends starting with “W.E.B. Du Bois’ Hand-Drawn Infographics of African-American Life.”

Isaac: Deadloch, an Australian feminist noir comedy set in a fictional working class fishing village that’s been, as he describes, “gentrified by the most granola crunchy lesbians on earth.”  

Stephen: The song “New Romantic” by British folk singer-songwriter Laura Marling, specifically her extraordinary 2006 live performance of it when she was quite young at a now-closed music venue in West London. 

Outro music: “Any Other Way” by Particle House

Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Kat Hong. 

If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get an ad-free experience across the network and exclusive content on many shows. You’ll also be supporting the work we do here on the Culture Gabfest. Sign up now at Slate.com/cultureplus to help support our work.

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This week, the panel is joined first by Isaac Butler, co-host of Slate’s Working podcast and author of The Method: How the Twentieth Century Learned to Act, to debate the merits of David Fincher’s The Killer and whether the director’s latest “thriller” (which stars Michael Fassbender) is a masterful example of craft or simply a logic-free time-suck. Then, Dana, Julia, and Stephen explore the world of Letterboxd, the self-proclaimed “Goodreads of movies” that may be the only positive social media platform left. Finally, the trio is joined by Extreme Friend of the Pod Chris Molanphy to discuss his wonderful new book, Old Town Road, which considers Lil Nas X's debut single as pop artifact, chart phenomenon, and cultural watershed.

In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, the panel asks: what’s the deal with long movies? Are today’s films getting longer or is it just a figment of our imagination? 

Email us at culturefest@slate.com. 

Endorsements:

Dana: A hometown endorsement of Slate’s excellent coverage of the Sam Bankman-Fried trial, specifically a piece by Nitish Pahwa entitled “The Days the Chips Fell,” which chronicles what Pahwa witnessed in the courtroom the day Bankman-Fried was found guilty.

Julia: The Last Waltz, Martin Scorsese’s iconic 1978 concert documentary that captures the Band’s legendary farewell performance in San Francisco. It depicts a very specific image of the male rockstar era, highlighting both the vanity and vulnerability of its stars. Dana also wrote about The Last Waltz for Slate in 2012! 

Stephen: Taken by the retro-feel of The Holdovers’ trailer, Stephen endorses the song featured in it, “Silver Joy” by Damien Jurado. 

Outro music: “Go Slow” by Daniel Fridell

Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Kat Hong. 

If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get an ad-free experience across the network and exclusive content on many shows. You’ll also be supporting the work we do here on the Culture Gabfest. Sign up now at Slate.com/cultureplus to help support our work.

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This week, the panel begins by discussing Priscilla, Sofia Coppola’s new film starring Cailee Spaeny and Jacob Elordi that’s based on Priscilla Presley’s memoir, Elvis and Me, and features an otherworldly courtship, gilded cages, and whole lot of mumbling. Then, the three review Anatomy of a Fall, an excellent French movie directed and co-written by Justine Triet that, on the surface, looks like a courtroom drama, but dives deep into the discrepancies and lies that make up a marriage. Finally, they conclude with a spicy topic: Hot Ones, the viral celebrity interview show that forces guests to eat increasingly hot chicken wings while answering surprisingly well-researched questions. 

In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, the panel gets into spoiler territory and discusses the dramatic, twist-y ending of Anatomy of a Fall.  

Email us at culturefest@slate.com. 

Endorsements:

Dana: The French History Podcast hosted by Gary Girod, which covers unique and interesting aspects of French culture. She recommends starting with the episode “Thomas Jefferson’s Paris.” 

Julia: Owen Gleiberman’s essay for Variety, “In ‘Killers of the Flower Moon,’ Is Leonardo DiCaprio Playing a Dumb Hick, a Pitiless Sociopath… or a Muddle?” Also, in light of actor Matthew Perry’s recent passing, she’s bumping his memoir, Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing up on her must-read list.

Stephen: Naples ‘44 written by Normal Lewis, a landmark novel that highlights the author’s dry wit and ability to detail the extent of human suffering. 

Outro music: “Backwards” by Staffan Carlen

Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Kat Hong. 

If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get an ad-free experience across the network and exclusive content on many shows. You’ll also be supporting the work we do here on the Culture Gabfest. Sign up now at Slate.com/cultureplus to help support our work.

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This week, the panel begins by reviewing Killers of the Flower Moon, Martin Scorsese’s film based on David Grann’s 2017 non-fiction book about the plot of white Americans to steal the Osage Nation’s headrights in the 1920s, starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Lily Gladstone. Then, the three are joined by Dan Kois, writer and editor at Slate and author of Vintage Contemporaries, to puzzle over Slayers: A Buffyverse Story, a scripted audio series based on Buffy: The Vampire Slayer that’s written and performed by many of the original cast, with one glaring omission: creator and showrunner Joss Whedon. Finally, the trio asks: Why is the internet no longer fun? The once utopian dream of democracy has turned into a hellscape, according to Kyle Chayka’s essay in The New Yorker, “Why the Internet Isn’t Fun Anymore.” 

In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, the panel shares their relationships (or lack thereof) with audiobooks, inspired by Paul Grimstad’s essay “Confessions of an Audiobook Addict for The New Yorker.” 

Email us at culturefest@slate.com. 

Endorsements:

Dana: The Genius Behind Hollywood’s Most Indelible Sets, a profile of Jack Fisk, the master production designer behind Killers of the Flower Moon and many other films. 

Julia: While watching Sleepless in Seattle with her husband, Julia discovered her new favorite sound clip: When Meg Ryan dishes with Rosie O’Donnell about her budding romance with Tom Hanks, O’Donnell responds comically while chomping a bite of egg salad into her mouth, in a way that deserves to become a meme.

Stephen: The little-known, up-and-coming writer Shakespeare (according to Stephen, he’s “very good” if not “a little antique-y”), specifically in the context of Killers of the Flower Moon. The film’s final scenes recall The Tempest in many ways. 

Outro music: “Back to Silence” by OTE.

Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Kat Hong. 

If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get an ad-free experience across the network and exclusive content on many shows. You’ll also be supporting the work we do here on the Culture Gabfest. Sign up now at Slate.com/cultureplus to help support our work.

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This week, the panel begins by diving into Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour, a glittery and extremely fun concert movie starring the singer-songwriter-producer-mogul that’s already become the highest grossing concert documentary of all time. Then, they discuss Beckham, a surprisingly candid four-part docu-series on Netflix directed by Fisher Stevens that chronicles the footballer’s meteoric rise to stardom and paints an intimate portrait of his home life with Victoria Adams, a.k.a. Posh Spice. Finally, the three dissect “Why Culture Has Come to a Standstill,” a provocative essay authored by Jason Farago, the New York Times critic at large. 

In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, the panel embraces sweater weather with a discussion inspired by Amanda Mull’s essay for The Atlantic, “Your Sweaters Are Garbage.” 

Email us at culturefest@slate.com. 

Endorsements:

Dana: One of Dana’s favorites from the New York Film Festival this year is Anatomy of a Fall (which won the Palme d’Or at Cannes!) Directed by Justine Triet, this murder mystery thriller becomes a psychological study of a marriage when a suspicious tragedy strikes a family living in the French Alps. “It’s the kind of film you want to see then immediately debate over drinks with friends.”

Julia: A fantastic piece of writing on Insider, “The Great Zelle Pool Scam” by Devin Friedman, that uses the funny personal essay form–some reporting, a few confessions, observational humor, and the occasional insight–to levy an attack on Zelle, a massive, poorly regulated major part of our financial infrastructure. 

Stephen: “Picasso’s Transformations” an essay by the art critic Jed Perl, published in The New York Review of Books (which is celebrating its 60th anniversary). 

Outro music: “Lonely Calling” by Arc De Soleil

Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Kat Hong. 

If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get an ad-free experience across the network and exclusive content on many shows. You’ll also be supporting the work we do here on the Culture Gabfest. Sign up now at Slate.com/cultureplus to help support our work.

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This week, the panel begins by reviewing The Wonderful World of Henry Sugar, Wes Anderson’s faithful adaptation of a 1977 Roald Dahl short story, that doubles as a sumptuous meta-commentary on the director’s exacting approach to his craft. Then, the three discuss The Super Models, Apple TV+’s docu-series that glossily chronicles the lives and careers of Naomi Campbell, Cindy Crawford, Christy Turlington, and Linda Evangelista, a.k.a. The It Girls of ‘90s fashion. Finally, they puzzle through a controversy sweeping the behavioral science community: What happens when so-called “lying experts” falsify their own data? Recent allegations against well-known thought leaders in the field, Francesca Gino and her frequent collaborator, Dan Ariely, have unleashed a host of ethical issues and questions within the academic sphere.

In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, the panel honors Spooky Season by sharing their first encounters with terrifying movies. 

Email us at culturefest@slate.com. 

Endorsements:

Dana: Joni Mitchell, the celebrated singer-songwriter, recently released Archives – Volume 3: The Asylum Years (1972-1975), a five-CD box set of archival treasures: never-before-heard demos, unearthed session outtakes, and recordings of live performances. (Also, if you’re not a Mitchell fan, what are you even doing here?) 

Julia: Julia has doubled down and listened raptly to every episode of Strike Force Five, the late-night host podcast from Stephen Colbert, Jimmy Fallon, Jimmy Kimmel, Seth Meyers, and John Oliver. Apparently, the men eventually found their groove! It’s an unusual product that reveals much about their respective talents. 

Stephen: Lydia Loveless, an amazing alt-country songwriter, and her superlatively strong sixth album, Nothing’s Gonna Stand in My Way Again. Stephen endorses Loveless so enthusiastically, he’s even created a playlist of his favorite songs of hers: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3vAPq5ZGCRB3kJLOFzZ4rF?si=4a4d5619bb6e40c0&nd=1

Outro music: “Break The Line” by Coma Svensson

Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Kat Hong.

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This is a special preview of this week's Slate Plus episode. To get the full episode, another one like it every single week, and unlimited reading on Slate.com, subscribe to slate plus at Slate.com/cultureplus and help us keep the lights on.

When you have Jad Abumrad in the studio, you don’t let him leave without squeezing as much quality audio from him as possible. So, inspired by Jad’s own natural curiosity, we dedicated our bonus episode this week to responding to one of the foremost practitioners of American radio’s questions about our little ol’ show. What follows is a wide-ranging conversation between Julia, Dana, Steve, and Jad about the current cultural landscape, the role of criticism, and the vital need for art in a time of inhumane political realities.

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This week, the panel begins by dissecting The Golden Bachelor, the latest spin-off of the classic reality TV series starring a 72-year-old bachelor searching for love amongst a group of women in their 60s, 70s, and 80s. Sincerity ensues… or does it? Then, the three return to the ‘80s to discuss A24’s re-release of Stop Making Sense, Jonathan Demme’s seminal 1984 Talking Heads concert movie that’s widely regarded as the apex of the genre. Finally, they investigate the celebrity apology video aesthetic, an artform that’s been attempted—and by no means, perfected—by Mila Kunis, Ashton Kutcher, Russell Brand, and Drew Barrymore recently, as an unusual document of the times.

In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, the panel discusses the meme and viral TikTok trend, “How often do you think about the Roman Empire?” and the ways it encourages a faux-performance of gender on the internet. 

Email us at culturefest@slate.com. 

Endorsements:

Dana: In the spirit of revelatory live shows, Dana endorses The Bengsons, a folk-rock duo (by married couple Abigail and Shaun Bengson) whose recent concert she describes as “performance art.”

Julia: “Stop Talking” by Miya Folick, one Julia’s favorite songs from the 2023 Summer Strut Mega-mix, that exasperatedly laments about a friend whose brain space has been eaten up by some boy–and Folick doesn’t want to hear about it anymore! 

Stephen: Lucky in Paris by saxophonist Lucky Thompson, a relatively under-the-radar record that has become one of Stephen’s top five jazz albums of all time. 

Outro music: “On the Keys of Steel” by Dusty Decks.

Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Kat Hong. 

If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get an ad-free experience across the network and exclusive content on many shows. You’ll also be supporting the work we do here on the Culture Gabfest. Sign up now at Slate.com/cultureplus to help support our work.

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This week, Dana and Stephen are once again joined by Kat Chow, author of the memoir Seeing Ghosts. The panel begins by jumping into the ring with Cassandro, the oddly conflict-adverse biopic about the lucha libre superstar and exótico gay icon, Saúl Armendáriz, who is played terrifically by Gael García Bernal in a provocative, tour-de-force performance. Then, the trio wades into comedian–and future Daily Show host hopeful–Hasan Minhaj’s thorny web of lies with Slate staff writer, Nitish Pahwa, who detailed the devastating impact of Minhaj’s many falsehoods in his essay, “Hasan Minhaj Meant Something to Brown Americans. Was It All an Act?” Finally, the three react to “The 40 Greatest Stand-Alone TV Episodes of All Time,” written by the Slate Staff, a massive labor of love and fun thought experiment that spans The Sopranos, Atlanta, The Larry Sanders Show, Black Mirror, and High Maintenance. 

In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, the panel discusses the impact the last few years have had on their lives, inspired by Katy Schneider’s essay for The Cut, “The Pandemic Skip.”

Email us at culturefest@slate.com. 

Endorsements:

Dana: Dana sent this to everyone she knows–family, friends, etc. It’s a new interview with Martin Scorsese, written by Zach Baron for GQ entitled “Martin Scorsese: ‘I Have To Find Out Who The Hell I Am.’” In addition to films and moviemaking (his latest, Killers of the Flower Moon, is set to be released in October), the legendary director, now 80, also speaks candidly about life, its inevitable end, and his own mortality. It’s a dream of an interview and absolutely sublime. 

Kat: Small Things Like These, a beautifully written historical fiction novel by Claire Keegan about the horrific conditions women and children endured at Magdalene Laundries in Ireland. 

Stephen: “Quantum poetics,” an essay in Aeon written by William Egginton, a professor of humanities at James Hopkins University. In it, Egginton describes the ways Argentine short story author, Jorge Luis Borges, and German theoretical physicist Werner Heisenberg “converged on the notion that language both enables and interferes with our grasp of reality.” 

Outro music: “Forbidden Love” by OTE

Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Kat Hong. 

If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get an ad-free experience across the network and exclusive content on many shows. You’ll also be supporting the work we do here on the Culture Gabfest. Sign up now at Slate.com/cultureplus to help support our work.

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This week, Stephen and Dana are joined by long-time friend of the pod and co-host of Slate’s Working podcast, June Thomas. The panel begins by puzzling over the return of Kenneth Branagh’s Hercule Poirot in A Haunting in Venice, the actor-director’s third Agatha Christie whodunit adaptation. Then, they dig into Jann Wenner’s disastrous New York Times interview with David Marchese in which the Rolling Stone co-founder manages to disgrace himself in almost every conceivable way. Finally, the trio concludes by discussing Naomi Klein’s new book, Doppelganger: A Trip Into the Mirror World, which captures the strange ways selfhood is performed in the internet age. 

In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, the panel reveals their cleaning playlists and audio accompaniments, inspired by Lindsay Zoladz’ essay for The New York Times, “A 20-Minute Cleaning Playlist.”

Email us at culturefest@slate.com. 

Endorsements:

Dana: The wonderful world of Better Call Saul table reads (which can be found on YouTube), specifically, the one for “Switch,” Season 2, Episode 1. 

June: As someone who enjoys reading biographies of unpleasant people, June endorses A Thread of Violence by Mark O’Connel, which chronicles the gripping tale of one of the most scandalous murders in modern Irish history.  

Stephen: The West Cork podcast, a non-fiction series reported and hosted by Sam Bungey and Jennifer Forde about the 1996 murder of Sophie Toscan du Plantier. 

Outro music: “Mother” by The Big Let Down.

Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Kat Hong. 

If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get an ad-free experience across the network and exclusive content on many shows. You’ll also be supporting the work we do here on the Culture Gabfest. Sign up now at Slate.com/cultureplus to help support our work.

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This week, Stephen and Dana are joined by guest host Kat Chow, journalist and author of the 2021 memoir Seeing Ghosts. The panel begins by wading through HELL, Chris Fleming’s new hour-long comedy special that’s both puzzling and delightfully goofy. Then, the three consider Astrakan, a deeply dark and unsettling first feature from director David Depesseville, and attempt to parse through the film’s (intentionally?) ambiguous messages. Finally, they conclude by discussing Rotten Tomatoes, the widely used critical review aggregation site and subject of the recent Vulture exposé by Lane Brown, “The Decomposition of Rotten Tomatoes,” which details a “gaming of the system” by Hollywood PR teams. 

In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, the panel dives into the 2023 U.S. Open, specifically the effect of extreme heat on gameplay and how the sport will need to contend with climate change going forward. 

Email us at culturefest@slate.com. 

Endorsements:

Kat: C Pam Zhang’s brilliant upcoming novel The Land of Milk and Honey. 

Dana: One of the best novels she’s read in years, Idlewild by James Frankie Thomas.

Stephen: The Guest by Emma Cline, a novel that serves as a “carefully observed ethnography of the super rich.” 

Outro music: “On the Keys of Steel” by Dusty Decks.

Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Kat Hong. 

If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get an ad-free experience across the network and exclusive content on many shows. You’ll also be supporting the work we do here on the Culture Gabfest. Sign up now at Slate.com/cultureplus to help support our work.

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This week, the panel jumps into Bottoms, the chaotic second feature from director and co-writer Emma Seligman that satirizes… something (what that thing is, they have yet to discover). They then discuss Telemarketers, a Michael Moore-style documentary that exposes the telemarketing industry’s dark underbelly in a weirdly captivating tour de force. Finally, the trio takes on Strike Force Five, a new Spotify podcast hosted by late-night veterans Jimmy Kimmel, Jimmy Fallon, Stephen Colbert, John Oliver, and Seth Meyers that deals with the ins and outs of the trade and raises money for their striking writing staffs. 

In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, the panel considers the joys of trains and sleeper cars, inspired by Bryn Stole’s essay for Slate, “Wake on a Train.” 

Email us at culturefest@slate.com. 

Endorsements:

Dana: A very funny, investigative piece in The Guardian by Elif Batuman: “Proust, ChatGPT and the case of the forgotten quote.” 

Julia: In a wonderfully kismet moment, Julia stumbled upon Hilltown Hot Pies, a neapolitan-ish pizzeria in the Berkshires run by chef Rafi Bildner, who previously owned one of Stephen’s favorite pizza spots in Ghent. 

Stephen: “The Inheritance Case That Could Unravel an Art Dynasty” by Rachel Corbett for The New York Times Magazine, an essay that lays bare an empire built on shell companies, weird art depots, and paintings sequestered in vaults.

Outro music: “Break The Line” by Coma Svensson

Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Kat Hong.

If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get an ad-free experience across the network and exclusive content on many shows. You’ll also be supporting the work we do here on the Culture Gabfest. Sign up now at Slate.com/cultureplus to help support our work.

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This week, Julia is joined by Slate associate culture writer Nadira Goffe and Jamelle Bouie, opinion columnist at The New York Times. The panel begins by test driving Gran Turismo, a sports movie that is essentially a Playstation commercial based on popular intellectual property and “real life.” Then, they explore Mask Girl, a visually stylish K-drama that tackles men, capital letters, systemic violence, Korean beauty standards, and fame through smart social satire. Finally, the three discuss the virtues, or lack thereof, found in Oliver Anthony’s number one hit song “Rich Men North of Richmond” (which Jamelle also covered in his essay “The Irony in the ‘Rich Men North of Richmond’”).

In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, the panel considers prep, preppy style, and their relationships to the American art form, inspired by Natalia Mehlman Petrzela’s piece for The New Republic, “We’re All Preppy Now.” 

Email us at culturefest@slate.com. 

Endorsements:

Jamelle: The films of Satoshi Kon, the legendary Japanese film director, animator, and screenwriter. Jamelle particularly enjoys Perfect Blue and Millennium Actress, which he calls a “love letter to mid-century Japanese filmmaking.” 

Julia: A recent tomato sandwich devotee, Julia endorses Eric Kim’s furikake tomato sandwich recipe for The New York Times. It calls for Wonder Bread, a bit of mayonnaise, heirloom tomatoes, and a sprinkling of the dry Japanese condiment. 

Nadira: British neo-funk electronic collective, Jungle, and the dance-based music videos for their latest album, Volcano, specifically “Candle Flame,” “Dominoes,” and viral sensation “Back on 74,” brilliantly choreographed by Shay Latukolan. 

Outro music: "Warefare" by Sandra Bjurman

Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Kat Hong. 

Hosts

Julia Turner, Nadira Goffe, Jamelle Bouie

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This week, Dana is joined by Slate’s books and culture columnist, Laura Miller, and senior editor Rebecca Onion (who are filling in for Julia and Stephen). The panel begins by unraveling Passages, the sexy but also, at times, repelling feature from director Ira Sachs about a complicated love triangle. The film received a controversial NC-17 rating from the Motion Picture Association. Then, they head to Detroit to discuss Justified: City Primeval, FX’s revival of the Raylan Givens cult classic that ran for six seasons. Finally, the three consider Michael Oher’s recent legal allegation that the Tuohy family (immortalized in the 2009 Oscar-winning movie The Blind Side) never really adopted him but instead, placed him in a conservatorship. It’s a scandal at the fascinating convergence of exploitation, fame, race, and adoption. 

In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, the panel examines nature writing and their relationship to the form, inspired by Jonathan Franzen’s essay for The New Yorker, “The Problem with Nature Writing.” 

Email us at culturefest@slate.com. 

Endorsements:

Laura: Her quest for a new detective series (that isn’t stupid or cliché) is over: Laura endorses Deadloch, a Prime Video comedy set in Tasmania that’s equal parts genuine mystery and delicious social satire. 

Rebecca: Anya Liftig’s memoir, Holler Rat, beautifully recounts her upbringing where she often felt caught between two worlds: the comfortable, upper-middle-class life in Connecticut where she lived, and the summers spent in Appalachia, her mother’s home. 

Dana: A behind-the-scenes video for, what could potentially be the song of the summer, “I’m Just Ken” has just been released. In it, we see Ryan Gosling rehearsing and cameos from Greta Gerwig, Simu Liu and co-writer Mark Ronson, and it’s just super fun. 

Outro music: “I Want a Change” by The Big Let Down. 

Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Kat Hong. 

This episode is sponsored by the podcast About the Journey. Learn more here: https://traveler.marriott.com/about-the-journey/

If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get an ad-free experience across the network and exclusive content on many shows. You’ll also be supporting the work we do here on the Culture Gabfest. Sign up now at Slate.com/cultureplus to help support our work.

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This week, the panel begins by dissecting Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem, a zany piece of intellectual property that’s been taken off the shelf by Jeff Rowe, Seth Rogan, and a slew of animators and turned into a critical darling. Then, the trio reviews The Retrievals, a five-part narrative podcast hosted by Susan Burton for The New York Times and Serial Productions that chronicles the systematic ways American healthcare continually denies, discounts, and ignores women’s pain through a series of events that unfolded at the Yale Fertility Clinic. Finally, they are joined by Wesley Morris, critic at large at The New York Times, to discuss his tour de force essay, “How Hip-Hop Conquered the World,” and how the history of the radical art form is as porous and complex as the nation itself. 

In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, the panel commemorates hip-hop’s 50th anniversary with a lightning round of personal accounts about their first encounters with the form. 

Email us at culturefest@slate.com. 

Endorsements:

Dana: Since their conversation about Sinéad O’Connor a few weeks ago, Dana has dived even deeper into the late Irish singer/songwriter’s oeuvre. One gem she found was The Year of the Horse, a concert documentary recorded live in 1990 at Forest National, Brussels. It’s a fantastic snapshot of a live performance at a very specific time in O’Connor’s life. 

Julia: Taylor Swift fans! Julia recently attended Swift’s concert in Los Angeles and was struck by the overall kind, positive, and good vibes of the crowd. Fans of all ages and body types exchanged bracelets with one another, trading “Hi Barbie!” greetings, which made the concert-going experience feel even more special. 

Stephen: It may be difficult to convince a teenage girl in 2023 to listen to Tom Waits’ catalog, but Stephen has done exactly that: he created a playlist for his daughter called “Broken Bicycles,” which highlights Waits’ extraordinary ability to write a pop melody. 

Outro music: “Spinning Wheels” by Dusty Decks.

Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Kat Hong. 

This episode is sponsored by the podcast About the Journey. Learn more here: https://traveler.marriott.com/about-the-journey/

If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get an ad-free experience across the network and exclusive content on many shows. You’ll also be supporting the work we do here on the Culture Gabfest. Sign up now at Slate.com/cultureplus to help support our work.

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This week, the panel is joined by pop critic and chart analyst (and host of Slate’s Hit Parade podcast) Chris Molanphy for our annual Summer Strut episode. The four dive into the longest listener-suggested summer playlist to date (this year, it’s a 682 song behemoth that adds up to approximately 42 hours!) and take turns in an electric, strut-ty roundtable discussion of their top picks.

You can find their collective favorites here in the Summer Strut '23 Shortlist:

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/6Ivpm4HVLsMw3LFwkgp7lw?si=90d2d26d65264157

To view Dana, Steve, Julia, and Chris's personal shortlists, and the original massive playlist, check out the Summer Strut show page at slate.com/culturefest.

In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, the panel does an additional round of their Strut-iest picks.

Email us at culturefest@slate.com. 

Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Kat Hong. 

This episode is sponsored by the podcast About the Journey. Learn more here: https://traveler.marriott.com/about-the-journey/

If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get an ad-free experience across the network and exclusive content on many shows. You’ll also be supporting the work we do here on the Culture Gabfest. Sign up now at Slate.com/cultureplus to help support our work.

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This week, the panel begins by diving into Theater Camp, a mockumentary-style comedy about gloriously talented misfits. Then, they pay tribute to Sinéad O’Connor, the dearly missed Irish singer, songwriter, and activist whose 1992 performance on Saturday Night Live rocked the world. Then, the trio is joined by screenwriter (and co-host of the Scriptnotes podcast) John August to discuss the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes, what’s going on in Hollywood, and how this “double strike” feels different than others past.  

In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, the panel chews over our relationships to our digits, inspired by the delightfully small yet cerebral piece by Charlie Warzel for The Atlantic, “In Praise of Phone Numbers.”

Email us at culturefest@slate.com. 

Endorsements:

Dana: While not released on one of her albums, Sinéad O’Connor’s performance of “The Foggy Dew” with The Chieftains at the 1995 IRMA awards in Dublin perfectly captures the singer’s gift for singing live. 

Julia: A big fan of lighting candles at dinner, Julia recommends Mole Hollow, a Massachusetts-based company that produces stunning handmade candles in bright, vibrant colors. 

John: Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone’s novel, This is How You Lose the Time War, is a beautiful and intimate story with science fiction influences, told through the exchanging of letters, epistolary-style. Shout out to Twitter user @maskofbun for the viral recommendation. 

Stephen: He doesn’t normally join the bandwagon of clear winners, but Patrick Radden Keefe’s profile of art dealer Larry Gagosian for The New Yorker is so impressive, it left Stephen speechless. 

Outro music: “Forbidden Love” by OTE

Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Kat Hong. 

This episode is sponsored by the podcast About the Journey. Learn more here: https://traveler.marriott.com/about-the-journey/

If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get an ad-free experience across the network and exclusive content on many shows. You’ll also be supporting the work we do here on the Culture Gabfest. Sign up now at Slate.com/cultureplus to help support our work.

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On this week’s show, Dana, Steve, and Julia step into the gothic, visually rich world of Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein. It’s been years in the making, gorgeously rendered, and stars the always compelling Oscar Isaac and Jacob Elordi, but it’s up for debate if something like a soul emerges from del Toro’s mad machinations.

Next, author and journalist Stefan Fatsis joins the logophilic panel to talk about the uncertain fate of dictionaries as chronicled in his new book Unabridged: The Thrill of (and Threat To) the Modern Dictionary. Finally, the hosts talk about the sonically and narratively layered new podcast Fela Kuti: Fear No Man about the legendary Nigerian musician and activist— its acclaimed producer Jad Abumrad joins to discuss.

In an exclusive Slate Plus bonus episode, Jad sticks around to pepper the Gabfesters with questions about how we make our own podcast week after week.

Email us your thoughts at culturefest@slate.com. 

Podcast production by Benjamin Frisch. Production assistance by Daniel Hirsch.

Endorsements

Steve: Jad Abumrad's new podcast Fela Kuti: Fear No Man (yes, the one covered in this very episode— it's that good). Also, Ben Lerner’s essay “Cardiography” in the New York Review of Books.

Jad: The dark Macedonian fantasy You Won’t Be Alone. 

Julia: “Tense Present: Democracy, English, and the Wars over Usage,” David Foster Wallace's classic essay originally published in Harpers.
Dana: Adam Gopnik's recent piece "What Do We Want from Our Child Stars?" in The New Yorker.

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This week, the panel begins by examining Barbie, Greta Gerwig’s hot pink, record-breaking movie about the iconic Mattel doll. Then, the trio dives into Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer, which chronicles the life of the “Father of the Atomic Bomb,” and explores whether the film achieves its aims. Finally, they are joined by Slate’s Chris Molanphy to discuss the controversy behind country singer Jason Aldean’s latest song, “Try That In A Small Town.” 

In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, the panel is once again joined by Chris Molanphy to discuss all things Summer Strut. With the annual show just weeks away, the four pull back the curtain to detail their processes, weird observations, and more. 

Email us at culturefest@slate.com. 

Endorsements:

Dana: In line with her theme of the week, “Yay movies and go, go, go to the theater,” Dana highly recommends Theater Camp, a delightful film by Ben Platt and Molly Gordon. 

Julia: Yotam Ottolenghi’s recipe for zucchini pasta with crispy capers and pistachios isn’t the sort of thing Julia would normally endorse (for one, it’s extremely laborious and you will need to fry individual basil leaves), but it’s vegan, a showstopper, and completely worth it. 

Stephen: In honor of the late singer, Stephen recommends two Tony Bennett albums: “The Tony Bennett/Bill Evans Album” (1975) and “Tony Bennett at Carnegie Hall” (1962). 

Outro music: “Last Sunday” by OTE

Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Kat Hong. 

If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get an ad-free experience across the network and exclusive content on many shows. You’ll also be supporting the work we do here on the Culture Gabfest. Sign up now at Slate.com/cultureplus to help support our work.

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This week, Slate culture writer Nadira Goffe fills in for Julia. The panel begins by discussing Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning Part One, Tom Cruise’s latest romp against rogue A.I. Then, the trio review Wham!, a bittersweet and perhaps hollow documentary following the ‘80s English pop duo’s rise to fame. Then, they explore Spill, a new image-based platform claiming to be the next “Black Twitter” and its role in the current social media landscape. 

In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, the panel discusses the lost art of handwriting, inspired by this piece in The Atlantic: “How Handwriting Lost Its Personality” by Rachel Gutman-Wei. 

Email us at culturefest@slate.com. 

Endorsements:

Nadira: Adele’s tribute to George Michael — The singer’s performance of “Fastlove” at the 2017 Grammy’s is far from perfect, but it’s exactly those flaws and her raw emotion that makes this rendition so moving. 

Also, NewJeans! Nadira adores this shapeshifting K-pop girl group and the ways they evoke nostalgia using Y2K visuals and hip hop elements. Stream their latest songs “Super Shy” and the self-titled “New Jeans.” (She also likes “Ditto” and “Attention”)

Dana: Billie Eilish, “What Was I Made For?” — Longtime Billie Eilish fan, Dana, recommends the pop star’s most recent music video, which was directed by Eilish and beautifully captures the melancholy of a doll’s role. It’s also a bit of free promotion for the upcoming Barbie film, which uses “What Was I Made For” in its final scenes.  

Stephen: George Michael, “Waiting for That Day” — Stephen will never forget the day when he, free from the bias against Wham! and pop music he grew up with, finally realized that George Michal was a musical genius. This song about loss and an inherent sadness is especially moving.

Outro music: Adele's tribute to George Michael at the 2017 Grammys.

Podcast production by Jessamine Molli. Audio engineering by Merritt Jacob. Production assistance by Kat Hong. 

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This week, Slate writer and editor Dan Kois fills in for Julia. The panel begins by breaking down Joy Ride, Adele Lim’s raunchy first feature about four Chinese-American friends. Then, the panel dives into the second season of the reality show Claim to Fame. Finally, they examine the commodification of storytelling, inspired by Parul Sehgal’s essay “The Tyranny of the Tale” for The New Yorker. 

In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, the panel discusses pickleball, America’s fastest growing sport. 

Email us at culturefest@slate.com. 

Endorsements:

Dana: “They Don’t Want Us and We Don’t Need Them” – David Roth on the drama surrounding GQ’s David Zaslav story and the depressing state of media for Defector. 

Dan: Patrick deWitt novels – Specifically, the Canadian novelist’s latest, The Librarianist. 

Stephen: Diary of a Foreigner in Paris – Curzio Malaparte recounts his return to postwar Europe and his complex relationship with fascism. 

Outro music: “Backwards” by Staffan Carlen

Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Kat Hong. 

If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get an ad-free experience across the network and exclusive content on many shows. You’ll also be supporting the work we do here on the Culture Gabfest. Sign up now at Slate.com/cultureplus to help support our work.

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This week, the panel begins by examining the final Indiana Jones crusade (probably), Indiana Jones and The Dial of Destiny. Then, they debate Boots Riley’s daring new television show, I’m a Virgo. Finally, the trio considers Turner Classic Movies and the fate of the beloved TV network.

In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, the panel dives into the reliably controversial Agnes Callard’s latest piece, “The Case Against Travel.”

Email us at culturefest@slate.com. 

Endorsements:

Dana: “The Joy of Traveling Solo” — Inspired by this week’s Slate Plus segment, Dana endorses writer Andre Acimen’s piece in Town & Country about the joys of being in a new place alone. 

Julia: Raiders of the Lost Ark Story Conference Transcript — Over five days in January 1978, Steven Spielberg, George Lucas, and Lawrence Kasdan came together to brainstorm what would later become the Raiders of the Lost Ark screenplay. The entire story session transcript has been published in its entirety. 

Stephen: “A Sort of Buzzing Inside My Head” — A beautifully written piece by Jessica Riskin for The New York Review that explores ChatGPT’s relationship to the Turing Test and what it tells us about the meaning of “intelligence.”

Outro music: “Spinning the Wheels” by Dusty Decks

Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Kat Hong. 

If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get an ad-free experience across the network and exclusive content on many shows. You’ll also be supporting the work we do here on the Culture Gabfest. Sign up now at Slate.com/cultureplus to help support our work.

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This week, the panel begins with the question: is The Bear’s second season even better than its first? Then, the trio discusses Jennifer Lawrence’s new “sex” comedy, No Hard Feelings. Finally, they examine an essay by Jonah Weiner of Blackbird Spyplane, “Is Ssense hurting the cool-clothes eco-system?” about the online clothing emporium that’s growing like a weed. 

In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, the panel dives into former New York Times film critic—and current Book Review critic—A.O. Scott’s recent piece, “Everyone Likes Reading. Why Are We So Afraid of It?”

Email us at culturefest@slate.com. 

Endorsements:

Dana: Access and Engagement Curator at the Brontë Parsonage Museum — The Brontë Parsonage Museum in Haworth is hiring! Dana thinks someone out there must be perfect for this wonderful job: a part-time Access and Engagement curator at the former home of the Brontë family and where Jane Eyre, Wuthering Heights, and The Tenant of Wildfell Hall were written. Applications close on Sunday, July 2nd. 

Julia: Cédric Grolet on Instagram — The French pastry chef (who works as executive pastry chef at Le Meurice in Paris) posts beautifully shot baking videos to his Instagram and TikTok. In them, he demonstrates how to make fruity, complex pastries at a huge scale. The result is perfection. 

Stephen: “Cancelled” by Amia Srinivasan — Published by the London Review of Books, “Cancelled” is philosopher Amia Srinivasan’s exploration of the role of fee speech on campus. In it, she asks “Who gets to speak?” and details the ways academic freedom is currently being suppressed. 

Outro music: “Zero Gravity” by ELFL

Podcast production by Cameron Drews and Jared Downing. Production assistance by Kat Hong. 

If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get an ad-free experience across the network and exclusive content on many shows. You’ll also be supporting the work we do here on the Culture Gabfest. Sign up now at Slate.com/cultureplus to help support our work.

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This week, Dana Stevens is joined first by Slate senior editor Sam Adams and ICYMI co-host Candice Lim to examine Wes Anderson’s latest film, Asteroid City. Then, the trio discusses why the sixth season of Black Mirror feels so disjointed. Finally, Dana and Candice explore the ethics of true crime content—and its devout followers—with Slate podcast producer and host Cheyna Roth inspired by a recent piece by The Atlantic, “The Gross Spectacle of Murder Fandom.”

In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Dana, Candice, and Cheyna delve into TikTok’s latest trend: “beige flags.” Not quite red or alarming, nor something you absolutely love, beige flags are little quirks a person reveals that makes you go, “Hmm… okay.” Their conversation is inspired by Buzzfeed’s “‘My Boyfriend Always Asks The Waiter What To Order’” and The Cut’s “So What’s Your ‘Beige Flag?’”

Email us at culturefest@slate.com. 

Endorsements:

Dana: Reality — Based on the real-life FBI interrogation transcript of whistleblower Reality Winner (played wonderfully by Sydney Sweeney), Dana describes HBO Max’s Reality as a surprisingly experimental film that manages to recount the story of a historical event without any dramatic reenactments or fictionalized scenarios. 

Candice: Glossy: Ambition, Beauty, and the Inside Story of Emily Weiss’s Glossier — Written by Marisa Meltzer, Glossy exposes the history of Glossier, one of America’s hottest and most consequential startups and examines the enigmatic woman responsible for it all. A must read for any Girl Boss obsessives. 

Cheyna: Below Deck — If you’re looking for fun, “turn your brain off” television, it doesn’t get much better than Below Deck, according to Cheyna. Below Deck (and its many Bravo spin-off series) follows the crews of luxury sailing yachts and all of the mess and drama that comes along with the job.

Outro music: “You Know What I Want” by Staffan Carlen. 

Podcast production by Cameron Drews and Jared Downing. Production assistance by Kat Hong. 

Hosts

Dana Stevens, Candice Lim, Sam Adams, Cheyna Roth

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, the panel is first joined by Slate senior editor Sam Adams to review Past Lives, Celine Song’s gentle yet affecting directorial debut. Then, Dana and Stephen dive into The Ultimatum: Queer Love with Slate’s June Thomas. Finally, the trio debate the virtues of closed captioning, based on a recent piece by The Atlantic, “Why Is Everyone Watching TV With the Subtitles On?” 

In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Dana and Stephen are joined by Slate senior editor Rebecca Onion to discuss the ways therapy language has found its way into everyday conversations, inspired by The Rise of Therapy Speak (Katy Waldman, The New Yorker) and “‘Doing the Work’ and the Obsession With Superficial Self-Improvement (Jessica Grose, The New York Times).

Email us at culturefest@slate.com. 

Endorsements:

Stephen: A Hero of Our Time by Mikhail Lermontov — “An expression of Byronism as it reaches Russian shores.” Written in 1939 by one of the great Russian poets, A Hero of Our Time follows a nihilistic anti-hero on his many misadventures. 

Dana: Everything Isn’t Terrible by Dr. Kathleen Smith (Audio book) — To go with this week’s Plus segment, Dana recommends this very good self help book. The audio book is partly narrated by the author Dr. Kathleen Smith, who works as a family systems therapist.

June: Dykes to Watch Out For by Alison Bechdel (Audio series) — Based on the beautifully written comic strip, Dykes to Watch Out For is an Audible series adapted by Pulitzer Prize finalist Madeleine George that features voices from Roxane Gay, Jane Lynch, Carrie Brownstein, and more. 

Outro music: “What We Didn't Do” by Particle House

Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Kat Hong. 

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This week, the panel begins by unraveling Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse. Then, the three discuss Platonic, a new Apple TV+ show starring Rose Byrne and Seth Rogen. Finally, they are joined by Slate staff writer Luke Winkie to examine the surprisingly wholesome journalism storyline found in The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom.  

In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, the panel reflects on their professional lives with a listener question: What is your relationship to your work after you’ve completed it? 

Email us at culturefest@slate.com. 

Endorsements:

Stephen: “Trespassing on Edith Wharton” by Alissa Bennett for The Paris Review — An essential piece and “exemplary specimen” that’s critical to the discussion of what literary criticism looks like in today’s digital media age. 

Dana: “The Dress Diary of Mrs. Anne Sykes” by Kate Strasdin for The Paris Review — An excerpt from the fashion historian’s upcoming book The Dress Diary: Secrets from a Victorian Woman’s Wardrobe. A fantastic glimpse into the Victorian period, what people wore then, and what they did in those clothes. 

Julia: Holedown — A mindless, addictive iPhone game that Julia describes as “Asteroid, but down instead of up.” This endorsement comes from John August, the host of her favorite podcasts, Scriptnotes. 

Outro music is "Back to Silence" by OTE

Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Kat Hong. 

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This Pride Month, make an impact by helping Macy’s and The Trevor Project on their mission to fund life-saving suicide prevention services for LGBTQ youth. Go to macys.com/purpose to learn more. 

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This week, the panel begins by dissecting (and spoiling) the Succession finale. Then, the three discuss You Hurt My Feelings, a great new comedy by writer/director Nicole Holofcener starring Julia Louis-Dreyfus. Finally, they examine the Obama’s Netflix docuseries Working: What We Do All Day. 

In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, the panel gets deep with a question from Julia Turner: What is one small life thing you’re absolutely terrible at? 

Email us at culturefest@slate.com. 

Endorsements:

Stephen: Jury Duty’s finale — After last week’s discussion, Stephen finished Jury Duty and discovered one of the better hours of television he’d seen in a long time, calling it “the antidote to reality TV: a genuinely wonderful show that is in a class of its own.”  

Dana: Studs Terkel’s Radio Archive — WFMT-FM in Chicago published an archive of over 1,000 digitalized audio tapes that originally aired over 45 years on Studs Turkel’s radio show. No one interviews quite like him, a man of the people who can talk to pretty much anyone about anything. A stand out: this interview with Buster Keaton. 

Julia: Frozen sliced bread — Discovering this life hack changed everything: crusty bread saved for later, sliced and stowed in the freezer. Is this the best thing since… sliced bread? Or, as Dana quips, “You can’t spell sliced bread without ‘iced bread.’”

Outro music: "Blue Nights and Yellow Days" by Matt Large

Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Kat Hong. 

If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get an ad-free experience across the network and exclusive content on many shows. You’ll also be supporting the work we do here on the Culture Gabfest. Sign up now at Slate.com/cultureplus to help support our work.

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This week, Slate’s senior editor Rebecca Onion fills in for Julia. The panel begins by examining Sanctuary, a claustrophobic BDSM thriller starring Margaret Qualley and Christopher Abbott. Then, they debate Freevee’s hard-to-define “reality” series Jury Duty. Finally, Dana and Stephen are joined by Slate music critic Chris Molanphy to discuss Morgan Wallen and his number one song, “Last Night” and the nature of cancel culture.  

In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, the panel talks about Martha Stewart posing for Sports Illustrated’s swimsuit cover at 81 and what it actually achieves in terms of empowerment for women. 

Email us at culturefest@slate.com. 

Endorsements:

Stephen: “The Price of Crypto” — A comprehensive and non-esoteric summation of Bitcoin’s history (both the network and “currency”) published by The New York Review of Books.

Dana: The simple joy of spring cleaning — While clearing out her basement, Dana recently unearthed an old record player and rediscovered her love of listening to vinyls to pass time. 

Rebecca: The Lure (2015) — To prepare for Disney’s upcoming The Little Mermaid live action revival, Rebecca and her husband are binging mermaid-related movies. At the top of her list: The Lure, a Polish musical-horror film directed by Agnieszka Smoczyńska that tells the tale of two sirens who emerge from the water and perform in a nightclub. 

Outro music: “Any Other Way” by Particle House.

Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Kat Hong. 

If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get an ad-free experience across the network and exclusive content on many shows. You’ll also be supporting the work we do here on the Culture Gabfest. Sign up now at Slate.com/cultureplus to help support our work.

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On this week’s episode, Julia and Steve are joined by guest host Rebecca Onion to admire and puzzle over the magnetic appeal of Channing Tatum in Roofman. Does the beloved hunk’s captivating performance ground Derek Cianfrance’s tonally odd film? 

Next, the hosts take another step into Tim Robinson’s cringey, paranoid, comedy looking glass with his new series The Chair Company. Finally, they welcome back Atlantic staff writer Caity Weaver to regale them with war stories from writing her recent recent piece about Revolutionary War reenactors.

In an exclusive Slate Plus episode, the panel remembers the singular film talent and style icon that was Diane Keaton. Dana hops on the call to share her fond reflections.

Email us your thoughts at culturefest@slate.com. 

Podcast production by Benjamin Frisch. Production assistance by Daniel Hirsch.

Endorsements

Rebecca: The memoir Next of Kin by writer and chef Gabrielle Hamilton.

Steve:  The indie band Ex-Vöid’s album In Love Again, particularly the song “Swansea.”

Julia:  Serious Eats’s recipe for Tate’s-Style cookies. Also, The Life of a Showgirl deep cuts “Honey” and “Ruin the Friendship” (co-signed by Steve!)

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, Dana, Julia, and Stephen start by talking about the movie BlackBerry. Then they discuss the new Peacock series Bupkis. Finally, Slate’s Isaac Butler sits in to talk about the questions around Shakespeare’s identity that refuse to die.

In Slate Plus, Steve's recent move and how physical place relates to phases of life.

Email us at culturefest@slate.com.

Endorsements: 

Dana: The vibes-based playlists on Matthew Perpetua’s YouTube channel

Julia: Amityville: An Origin Story on MGM+ and Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One | The Biggest Stunt in Cinema History (Tom Cruise)

Stephen: See Feist live if you have the opportunity.

Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Kat Hong.

Outro music: "Bloody Hunter" by Paisley Pink

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Make an impact this Asian American & Pacific Islander Heritage Month by helping Macy’s on their mission to fund APIA Scholars. Go to macys.com/purpose to learn more.

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This week, Dana, Julia, and Stephen begin by talking about the new Amazon series, Dead Ringers. Then the L.A. Times’ Anousha Sakoui joins to discuss the WGA strike. Finally, Slate’s Dan Kois sits in to talk about the writing and revising of the story of digital media and Ben Smith’s book "Traffic.”

In Slate Plus, the panel gets into the health of alcohol and caffeine, inspired by this Slate article:

https://slate.com/technology/2023/04/alcohol-wine-drinking-healthy-dangerous-study.html

Email us at culturefest@slate.com.

Endorsements: 

Dana: Newsreels from the UCLA Film & Television Archive

Julia: The Ultimate L.A. Bookshelf

Stephen: Jan Lisiecki - Chopin: Complete Nocturnes

Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Yesica Balderrama.

Outro music: "The Red Light Special" by Matt Large.

If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get an ad-free experience across the network and exclusive content on many shows. You’ll also be supporting the work we do here on the Culture Gabfest. Sign up now at Slate.com/cultureplus to help support our work.

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This week, Dana, Julia, and Stephen begin by talking about the new Netflix series “The Diplomat.” Then Slate’s Heather Schwedel joins them to discuss the adaptation of Judy Blume’s Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret. Finally, they chat about weddings, as inspired by Slate’s recent wedding coverage. 

In Slate Plus, the panel gets into their relationships with Google Maps, prompted by this article in the Atlantic: https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2023/04/google-maps-world-perception/673834/

Email us at culturefest@slate.com.

Endorsements: 

Dana: The 2010 National Theatre production of Hamlet starring Rory Kinnear. 

Julia: L.A. Times’ The Wide Shot newsletter to help you stay informed about the WGA strike.

Stephen: The HBO series High Maintenance. (And, via Dana, the original web series.) 

Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Yesica Balderrama.

Outro music: "Champions Day" by Lupus Nocte.

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Make an impact this Asian American & Pacific Islander Heritage Month by helping Macy’s on their mission to fund APIA Scholars. Go to macys.com/purpose to learn more.

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