Culture Gabfest

Latest Episodes:

Organized Crime Apr 21, 2021

Show notes

This week Steve, Dana, and Julia discuss the Oscar-nominated documentary Collective. Next, the group is joined by June Thomas, senior managing producer of Slate podcasts, to discuss Law & Order: Organized Crime. Finally, the panel dives into Substack, the newsletter platform journalists are flocking to.

In Slate Plus, the panel talks about the Oscars.

Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Rachael Allen.

Email the hosts at culturefest@slate.com

Endorsements

Dana:The Narcotic Farm

Julia: Party Down

Steve:Anne Briggs, particularly this song

Further Reading

Charlie Warzel’s recent Twitter thread on Galaxy Brain

Outro Music

"What Do You Want From Me" by OTE

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Sleeps With the Fishes Apr 14, 2021

Show notes

This week Steve is joined by Slate senior editor Allegra Frank and writer/editor Dan Kois. The group first dives into the What Lies Below, the wild No. 1 movie on Netflix. Next, they discuss the Netflix series Worn Stories. Finally, the panel is joined by Slate music critic Carl Wilson to talk about Prince’s vault of unreleased music, as covered in Sunday's episode of 60 Minutes.

In Slate Plus, the panel talks about how their parents influenced their music taste.

Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Rachael Allen.

Email the hosts at culturefest@slate.com

Endorsements

Dan: Lonesome Doveby Larry McMurtry

Allegra: serpentwithfeet’s DEACON

Steve: “Averted Intimacies” by Elaine Blair in the New York Review

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What's Love Got to Do With It? Apr 07, 2021

Show notes

This week Steve and Dana are joined by Slate senior editor Allegra Frank. First the hosts discuss the Oscar contender Judas and the Black Messiah and the performances of its two stars, Daniel Kaluuya and Lakeith Stanfield. Then pop critic and UVA professor Jack Hamilton joins the show to offer his thoughts on Tina, the new documentary about the life of rock n' roll icon Tina Turner. After that, the hosts talk to Slate writer Rebecca Onion about her re-examination of The Beauty Myth, a modern feminist classic with an increasingly controversial author.

In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Steve, Dana, and Allegra talk about being evangelists for the art they like and discuss whether pushing your cultural taste on other people is a good or bad practice.

Outro music: "Death Dance" by Luftmensch

Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Rachael Allen.

Email the hosts at culturefest@slate.com

Endorsements:

Dana: This unusual and excellent bottle of white wine called La Foradada

Allegra: Worn Stories

Steve: Call My Agent!and the band Life Without Buildings

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Unreal World Mar 31, 2021

Show notes

This week Steve, Dana, and Julia discuss the film The Father, starring Anthony Hopkins. Next, the group is joined by Slate television critic Willa Paskin to talk about The Real World Homecoming: New York. Finally, the panel dives into the new secrets revealed by a Philip Roth biography.

In Slate Plus, Steve and Julia chat with Willa about the books, movies, or shows they've changed their minds about.

Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Rachael Allen.

Email the hosts at culturefest@slate.com

Endorsements

Dana: Bertrand Tavernier’s My Journey Through French Cinema

Julia: Her recent roadrunner sighting, the Atlantic podcast Floodlines, and I Capture the Castle

Steve: The Simpletons and Call My Agent!

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Monotextural Pasta Slurry Mar 24, 2021

Show notes

This week Steve, Dana, and Julia discuss the Oscar-nominated Danish film Another Round. Next, the group is joined by Dan Pashman, host of the Sporkful podcast, to discuss his journey to invent a brand-new pasta shape. Finally, the panel is joined by Carolina Miranda of the LA Times to discuss museums “deaccessioning” art.

In Slate Plus, the hosts discuss what favorite works for children they discovered as grown-ups.

Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Rachael Allen.

Email the hosts at culturefest@slate.com

Endorsements

Dana: The Flashbackarchive

Julia: “A guide to hiking in L.A.” in the LA Times

Steve: “With You” by Teenage Fanclub

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WTF is an NFT? Mar 17, 2021

Show notes

This week Steve and Dana are joined by Slate editor Allegra Frank. First, they discuss Coming 2 America, the sequel to the 1988 film Coming to America starring Eddie Murphy and Arsenio HallNext, they chat about the Pedro Almodóvar short The Human Voice and discuss how it compares to other Almodóvar works.Finally, they’re joined by Slate staff writer Aaron Mak to talk about NFT's (non-fungible tokens), the new digital certificates of "ownership" that are changing the way people buy art.

In Slate Plus, the panel talks about their feelings on re-entering society post-pandemic.

Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Rachael Allen.

Email the hosts at culturefest@slate.com

Outro Music: "Break The Line" by Coma Svensson

Further reading:

“Coming 2 America’s Disastrous Return to Africa” by Allegra Frank in Slate

“What the Heck Are NFTs, and Why Are Grimes, Lindsay Lohan, and the Guy Who Made Nyan Cat Selling Them?” by Aaron Mak in Slate

Endorsements

Dana:

“Repeat After Me” by June Thomas in Slate

“Talk To Her, All About My Mother, Broken Embraces …” by June Thomas in Slate

This radish recipe

Allegra:

The Real World Homecoming: New York and the original.

“i drive me mad” by renforshort, as heard on Generation

Steve:

“Only Love Can Break Your Heart” by Saint Etienne

"Cherry Wine" by Hozier

"Shrike" by Hozier

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Silent or Silenced Mar 10, 2021

Show notes

This week Steve, Dana, and Julia are joined by Slate’s executive producer of podcasts Alicia Montgomery for a segment about Oprah’s widely viewed interview with Meghan and Harry. Then the hosts discuss the ever-growing popularity of Stanley Tucci, from his viral cocktail videos to his CNN show Searching for Italy to his new movie Supernova. Finally, the group talks about the discontinuation of six Dr. Seuss books.

Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Rachael Allen.

Email the hosts at culturefest@slate.com

Outro Music: "Bring My Friends" by Tigerblood Jewel

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Allen v. Farrow Mar 03, 2021

Show notes

This week Steve and Dana talk to Slate senior editor Sam Adams about the HBO documentary Allen v. Farrow, which examines the legal battle between Woody Allen and Mia Farrow in the early 90's and the sexual assault allegations at the heart of it. Then Steve, Dana, and Julia talk about the Golden Globes and a report by the LA Times that revealed dubious spending practices by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (the group behind the Globes) and a lack of diversity in its ranks. After that, University of Pennsylvania English professor Alan Filreis joins the show to talk about the poet, activist, and bookstore owner Lawrence Ferlinghetti, who recently passed away.

In Slate Plus, the hosts discuss the new gender-neutral rebranding of Mr. Potato Head and the reaction from right-wing pundits. Send us your questions and topic suggestions at culturefest@slate.com.

Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Rachael Allen.

Outro Music: "Mother" by The Big Let Down

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Secrets of the New York Times Spelling Bee Feb 24, 2021

Show notes

This week Steve, Dana, and Julia talk about Chloé Zhao’s Nomadland. Next, they dig into their obsession with the New York Times’s Spelling Bee puzzle and interview its creator, 24-year-old Sam Ezersky. Finally, they discuss group chats in light of Heidi Cruz’s recent troubles with the forum.

In Slate Plus, the hosts discuss a piece of culture that they used to love and are now done with? Thanks to listener James Callan. Send us your questions and topic suggestions at culturefest@slate.com.

Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Rachael Allen.

Outro Music: "Back to Silence" by OTE

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Oops I Did It Again Feb 17, 2021

Show notes

This week Steve and Dana are joined by Jessica Winter, editor at the New Yorker and author of the upcoming novel, The Fourth Child. They kick off the show by discussing Saint Maud, the critically acclaimed horror film by Rose Glass. Then they dig into the #FreeBritney movement and dissect a televised documentary by the New York Times that covers Britney Spears' legal battle with her father. After that, Slate's pop music expert Chris Molanphy joins the show to discuss Olivia Rodrigo's hit song Drivers License, which shot to the top of the Billboard Hot 100. Chris is the host of the Hit Parade podcast.

In Slate Plus, Julia joins Steve and Dana to talk about the Gina Carano controversy and weigh in on whether her firing from The Mandalorian was justified.

Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Rachael Allen.

Email the hosts at culturefest@slate.com

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