Culture Gabfest – Details, episodes & analysis

On this week’s show, the hosts begin by reviewing Bad Monkey, a breezy new crime drama on Apple TV+ starring Vince Vaughn as a former police officer turned health inspector. It’s everything a summer show should be: laid-back, easy on the eyes, and set in warm, sunny Florida. Then, speaking of returns, the panel turns back the clock and tackles Homicide:‌ Life on the Street, a groundbreaking cop show that debuted in 1993 and is now available to stream on Peacock. Finally, the trio considers A.I. in the arts, inspired by Curtis Sittenfeld’s guest essay for The New York Times:‌ “An Experiment in Lust, Regret and Kissing.”‌ In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, the panel discusses the experience of dropping your children off at college.  Email us at [email protected].  Endorsements: Dana: Close Your Eyes, a film written and directed by Victor Erice.  Julia: Romantic Comedy by Curtis Sittenfeld.  Steve: The entire state of California.  Podcast production by Jared Downing. Production assistance by Kat Hong. Hosts Dana Stephens, Julia Turner, Stephen Metcalf Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this week’s show, Rebecca Onion and Jenny Zhang fill in for Stephen. First, the panel tackles HBO’s Industry. The show is in its third season and has seen a huge increase in viewership. But is it a show worth of the coveted Sunday night timeslot? Then, they explore Alien: Romulus, a new addition to Xenomorph lore, with a controversial cameo. Finally, the panel talks about Sephora, beauty culture and tweens in a conversation inspired by Jia Tolentino’s new essay What Tweens Get from Sephora and What They Get From Us.  On this week’s exclusive Slate Plus bonus episode, the panel talks about watching horror movies as a critic.  Email us at [email protected].  Endorsements: REBECCA: Two endorsements: First, Health and Safety: A Breakdown by Emily Witt. This memoir from a New Yorker writer is a fascinating look at “changing perceptions of life.” Second, pistachio milk. It’s tasty.  JULIA: This week’s Hang Up and Listen marks the end of an era. “What a gift this show has been.”  DANA: The Review of Beauty, a substack from Jessica Delfino. Dana knows she may have endorsed it in the past, but given the third topic this week it is too fitting to not mention it again.  Podcast production by Jared Downing. Production assistance by Kat Hong.  Hosts Dana Stevens, Julia Turner, Rebecca Onion, Jenny Zhang Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this week’s episode, the hosts excavate the psyche and begin by exploring Inside Out 2, a sophisticated children’s movie that tackles the question on every kid’s mind: How does one go about crafting a highly integrated ego? A bevy of new emotions join the motley crew living inside of our teenage protagonist Riley’s mind, most notably Anxiety, voiced brilliantly by Maya Hawke. The film, a sequel to Pixar’s 2015 Academy Award-winner, is filled with wisdom about developmental psychology, but finds itself in murky waters when indirectly tackling issues of free will and the power of the unconscious mind. Then, the panel probes the mind of Andrew McCarthy, whose recent documentary Brats (not to be confused with the new Charli XCX joint) reveals the inner workings of the “Brat Pack,” a term coined by David Blum in a New York Magazine cover story published in 1985. A lifelong member of the “Brat Pack,” McCarthy attempts to reconcile his relationship to the infamous label alongside others who fell under it, including Demi Moore, Rob Lowe, and Emilio Estevez, in a surprisingly personal and peculiar documentary that’s quite revealing of McCarthy – either intentionally or not. Finally, the trio considers Google, the tech giant and the subject of Kyle Chayka’s piece for The New Yorker, “Is Google S.E.O. Gaslighting the Internet?” Chayka’s article sparks a larger conversation about the oversized role search engines have played in our lives and in our understanding of the internet, and comes at a time when Google plans to further integrate A.I. into Search Engine Optimization (S.E.O.) and eliminate the need for writers, journalists, and news organizations. In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, the panel answers an excellent listener request from Rachael: “Discuss your favorite content from the early Internet days, before it became a toxic wasteland.”  Email us at [email protected].  We’re also accepting Summer Strut submissions until July 1st! Send your strut-worthy songs to [email protected].  Endorsements: Dana: The wonderful documentary Being Mary Tyler Moore, which you can stream on Max, Hulu, and Prime Video, among others. Julia: Sam Anderson’s new podcast, Animal.  Stephen: A callback to last week’s episode – the song was “Ballad of the Runaway Horse” performed by Emmylou Harris and written by… Leonard Cohen! (Under the original name, “Ballad of the Absent Mare.”) He also endorses Stereophonic, which just won the 2024 Tony Award for Best Play.  Podcast production by Jared Downing. Production assistance by Kat Hong. Hosts Dana Stephens, Julia Turner, Stephen Metcalf Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, the panel begins by discussing Cate Blachett’s new film Tár. Then, they dig into the ways the Star Wars universe is expanded in the series Andor. Finally, Slate’s own Dan Kois joins the panel to discuss his recent feature on forgotten American poet Rod McKuen.  In Slate Plus, the panel talks about the practice of reading out loud.  Email us at [email protected]. Endorsements Dana: Sharing a musical endorsement after coming across a CD on the street by chance. Josquin Desprez’s choral religious work is wonderful thinking music, and this version is performed by La Chapelle Royale.  Julia: A character in Tár inspires a revisit to the incredible New York Times obituary of Gilbert E. Kaplan written by Margalit Fox in 2016.  Steve: Joining Dana with a music suggestion, enjoy the oddly bewitching charm of jazz pianist McKoy Tyner’s Nights of Ballads & Blues from 1963.  Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Yesica Balderrama. Outro music is "Break The Line" by Coma Svensson. 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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, the panel begins by going Blonde as they dive into Andrew Dominik’s Marilyn Monroe biopic on Netflix. Then, the panel continues by chipping in on the reboot discussion, specifically through the lens of Hulu’s new show (you guessed it) Reboot. Finally, Slate’s music critic, Carl Wilson, joins the panel to explain the legacy of the late country music titan Loretta Lynn. In Slate Plus, the panel discusses the on-going smear campaigns against cities and urban spaces—inspired by Henry Grabar’s Slate article titled “Fear City.” Email us at [email protected]. Endorsements Dana: The 2006 movie The TV Set, directed by Jake Kasdan and starring Reboot’s Judy Greer, Sigourney Weaver, and David Duchovny. Julia: A cookbook called Snacking Cakes: Simple Treats for Anytime Cravings: A Baking Book by Yossy Arefi. Steve:  Remembering the great French philosopher Bruno Latour who spent his work trying to explain how empirical statements come to be. Podcast production by Yanii Evans. Production assistance by Nadira Goffe. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, the panel begins by discussing the moral quandaries surrounding Netflix’s newest hit Dahmer—Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story. Then, the panel breaks down the successes and failures of Billy Eichner’s gay romcom Bros. And finally, the panel lends their opinions on the trope of the wife guy, spurred on by Ned Fulmer’s (formerly of the Try Guys) recent adultery scandal. In Slate Plus, the panel discusses society’s growing appetite for true crime. Email us at [email protected]. Endorsements Dana: Pulling a Steve with a local endorsement: the new bookstore (offering new and used books) in Park Slope called Troubled Sleep. Julia: The American Military Museum, aka Tankland, in El Monte, California. It has over 150 odd, decommissioned military vehicles jam-packed in a dusty parking lot which they used to provide for various film and entertainment productions. Also, if you make the trip then also stop at Burritos La Palma in El Monte. Steve: From the 2022 Newport Folk Festival: singer-songwriter Brandi Carlile bringing legendary singer-songwriter Joni Mitchell back on stage for her first full set performance in decades. Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Nadira Goffe. Outro music is "If Only I Was a Poet" by Staffan Carlen. 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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, Slate writer and editor Dan Kois fills in for Julia as the panel begins by revisiting a familiar character in the Jon Hamm-led reboot Confess, Fletch. Then, the panel is joined by Slate’s book critic, Laura Miller, to remember the legacy of the recently departed British author Hilary Mantel. Finally, the panel is joined by Slate's web editor, Nitish Pahwa, to explain the cheating scandal that has embroiled not only the world of competitive chess, but also the general public. In Slate Plus, the panel discusses what makes the best bathroom book—inspired by Dan Kois’ article on the subject for Slate. Email us at [email protected]. Endorsements Dana: The perfect airplane viewing (whilst embarking on a new chapter of book promo): the one hour BBC documentary Attenborough and the Mammoth Graveyard. Dan: The intensely close reading of the film Predator titled, Predator: A Memoir, a Movie, an Obsession by Ander Monson. In it, Monson transforms the close reading into a memoir about manhood, guns, politics, juvenile delinquency, and more. Steve: The famous solo by tenor saxophone player Paul Gonsalves during Duke Ellington’s set at the 1956 Newport Jazz festival: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5vnrNWyvI-U Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Nadira Goffe. Outro music is "Bloody Hunter" by Paisley Pink. 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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, Julia and Dana invite different guests to temporarily fill in for Steve. First, Julia and Dana are joined by Slate’s technology editor, Jonathan L. Fischer, as they hulk out and lawyer out with She-Hulk: Attorney at Law. Then, the panel is joined by Slate’s music critic, Carl Wilson, to take a look at one of music’s larger-than-life figures, David Bowie, with the documentary Moonage Daydream. Finally, the panel is joined by Sam Adams, a senior editor at Slate, to discuss the ethics of documentaries—a discussion inspired by the article “Inside the Documentary Cash Grab,” written by Mia Galuppo and Katie Kilkenny for The Hollywood Reporter. In Slate Plus, the panel discusses unfinished works of art they really wish were, well, finished. Email us at [email protected]. Endorsements Dana: One of Dana’s favorite Onion articles of all time: “David Bowie Asks Iman If They Should Just Do Lasagna Again.” Sam: Actually reading Robert Caro’s book The Power Broker. Julia: Take an art class! Take. An. Art. Class. Generally, if you’re in LA: checkout Makers Mess. Specifically, if you’re anywhere: check out the online kits and classes from Mercedez Rex. Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Nadira Goffe. Outro music is "Stone Cookies" by Dusty Decks. 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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, the panel begins by settling into the scenic Irish mystery of Bad Sisters. Then, the panel begrudgingly watches the Breitbart funded uh…indie film…My Son Hunter which may end up being the most interesting text the panel has discussed in a while. Finally, the panel is joined by co-host of Slate’s Working podcast and special friend of the pod, June Thomas, to discuss the recent death of Queen Elizabeth II. In Slate Plus, the panel discusses the 2022 Emmy Awards. Email us at [email protected]. Endorsements Dana: A really great audiobook, Shirley, A Tale by Charlotte Brontë (the follow up to Jane Eyre) narrated by Georgina Sutton. Julia: Two endorsements: first, possibly the silliest thing ever endorsed, the $17 Scalp Brush from fancy salon-style shampoo company Sachajuan. Second: Dana is coming to Village Well Books & Coffee in Culver City, CA to discuss her book, Camera Man, this coming Saturday, September 17th at 5 pm. Steve: An interview with Harvard Philosopher of Science, Steven Shapin, in The Chronicle of Higher Education by Len Gutkin, titled “There’s No Shame in Being a Hack.” Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Nadira Goffe. Outro music is "Any Other Way" by Particle House. 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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, the panel begins by assessing the most expensive television show to date: Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power. Then, the panel breaks down Breaking, the John Boyega-led hostage crisis film that also includes one of the last performances of late actor Michael K. Williams. Finally, the panel discusses the pros and cons of child acting, a topic choice that was influenced by HBO’s The Rehearsal and Jennette McCurdy’s recent memoir. In Slate Plus, the panel talks with Ultimate Major Super-Human Friend of the Program (and also author and contributing writer for the New York Times) Jody Rosen about his recent piece in NYT Mag about Willie Nelson, titled “Willie Nelson’s Long Encore.” And as a good example of Nelson’s magic: his performance of “Funny How Time Slips Away” at the ‘79 Austin City Limits music festival.  Email us at [email protected]. Endorsements Dana: Some Texas music: the most recent album from San Antonio indie band Buttercup, titled Specks, an Autobiographical Record by Buttercup. Julia: Even more Strut afterglow: “Oui ou Non” by Angèle Steve: In memory of Barbara Ehrenreich: reading her excellent work.  Podcast production by Anna Rubanova. Production assistance by Nadira Goffe. Outro music is "The Brew" by Chris Shards Slate Plus members get ad-free podcasts, a bonus segment in each episode of the Culture Gabfest, full access to Slate's journalism on Slate.com, and more. Sign up now at slate.com/cultureplus. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices