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Culture Gabfest: Always3Gether May 12, 2021

Show notes

This week Steve, Dana, and Julia discuss Tina Fey’s new Peacock sitcom Girls5Eva. Then the panel dives into vaccine personalities—how did Pfizer really become the “status vax”? Finally, the group discusses Netflix film The Disciple with LA Times film critic Justin Chang.

In Slate Plus, the panel talks about their relationship with cars, courtesy of a listener question. Email us your questions at culturefest@slate.com

Podcast production by Jasmine Ellis and Asha Saluja. Production assistance by Rachael Allen.

Endorsements

Dana: Morning Ragas, Bombay 1965by Nikhil Banerjee

Julia: Empire of Painby Patrick Radden Keefe and “The Composer at the Frontier of Movie Music” by Jamie Fisher (and Nicholas Britell’s Culture Gabfest episode!)

Steve: “Quintin Jones Is Not Innocent. But He Doesn’t Deserve to Die.” by Jonah M. Kessel, Suleika Jaouad, and Lindsay Crouse

Further Reading

“Pfizer Snobs Are Wong. Johnson & Johnson Is the Coolest Vaccine.” by Dan Kois in Slate

“How Pfizer Became the Status Vax” by Heather Schwedel in Slate

“Review: ‘The Disciple’ is already one of the year’s best movies. Does Netflix know—or care?” by Justin Chang in the LA Times

Hosts

Stephen Metcalf

Dana Stevens

Julia Turner

Social Media

@slatecultfest on Twitter

https://twitter.com/slatecultfest

@slateculturepodcasts on Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/slateculturepodcasts/

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Working: How Actor Blair Underwood Gets Inside His Characters’ Heads May 09, 2021

Show notes

This week host Isaac Butler talks to actor Blair Underwood about performing for the stage and screen. In the interview, Blair talks about landing a role on the legal drama L.A. Law when he was still an undergraduate student at Carnegie Mellon. He also explains how he prepares for roles and how he gets in the right mindset to play tormented characters.

After the interview, Isaac and co-host Rumaan Alam discuss the mysterious craft of acting.

In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Blair tells the story of the time he found himself sitting next to Sidney Poitier on a flight from New York to L.A.

Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to working@slate.com or give us a call at (304) 933-9675.

Podcast production by Cameron Drews.

If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get benefits like zero ads on any Slate podcast, bonus episodes of shows like Slow Burn and Dear Prudence—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on Working. Sign up now to help support our work.

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ICYMI: So You’ve Been Banned on Twitter May 08, 2021

Show notes

On today’s episode, Rachelle and Madison discuss Facebook upholding their ban of Donald Trump from their platform—sort of. Then they interview someone about their own experience getting banned: legal journalist Rachel Stone, who was banned from Twitter after she jokingly threatened the man who cautions you to take a break from scrolling through TikTok. Finally, they debut their new segment Galaxy Brain, where they share some of the wildest theories on the internet, starting with a listener letter about the word cheugy.

Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder and Derek John.

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A Word: A Black Nerd Star Rises in Hollywood May 07, 2021

Show notes

On today’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson is joined by Emmy-nominated actor William Jackson Harper. Fans might know him as indecisive professor Chidi from The Good Place. But he’s back on screens this spring in Barry Jenkins’ The Underground Railroad. The series is based on the Pulitzer prize-winning novel from Colson Whitehead. Harper talks about the upcoming Amazon Prime series, playing Chidi on The Good Place, and his role as a rom-com star in We Broke Up.

Guest: William Jackson Harper, Emmy-nominated actor.

Podcast production by Ahyiana Angel and Jasmine Ellis

You can skip all the ads in A Word by joining Slate Plus. Sign up now at slate.com/awordplus for just $1 for your first month.

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Culture Gabfest: Hard Sci-Fi May 05, 2021

Show notes

This week Steve, Dana, and Julia discuss the Netflix film Stowaway with Slate book and culture columnist Laura Miller. Then the panel dives into the French dramedy Call My Agent! with New Yorker staff writer Lauren Collins. Finally, the group discusses the social realities and challenges of the CDC’s new guidelines on masking outdoors.

In Slate Plus, the hosts discuss the ending to Stowaway and other spoilers from the film.

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

Email the hosts at culturefest@slate.com

Endorsements

Dana: You Must Remember Thispodcast and Jacques d’Amboise, specifically Jacques d’Amboise in China

Julia: The Mirage Factory

Steve: “The Abiding Scandal of College Admissions” by Matt Feeney in the Chronicle of Higher Education

Further Reading

“'Dix pour cent’: les agents et leurs doubles” by Benjamin Locoge in Paris Match

“Fanny Herrero, créatrice de ‘Dix pour cent’: ‘Mon rêve est de faire une série d’auteur populaire’” in Les Inrockuptibles

Outro Music

"Go slow" by Daniel Fridell

Slate Plus members get a bonus segment in each episode of the Culture Gabfest and access to exclusive shows like Dana Stevens’ classic movies podcast Flashback. Sign up now to listen and support our work.

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ICYMI: The Price of Fan Fiction May 05, 2021

Show notes

On today’s episode, Madison and Rachelle answer a couple of listener questions in a new segment we’re calling Read Receipts. First, they explore the origins of the “this shit bussin’—sheesh” meme that’s all over TikTok and why teens are getting their parents to do it. Then Rachelle digs into the drama currently embroiling the fan-fiction website Archive of Our Own, explaining whether the nonprofit’s latest fundraising drive is a scam (it’s not), and why the site both is and isn’t a safe haven for marginalized fans. If you'd like to read more about Sexy Times With Wangxian you can do that here.

Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder and Derek John.

Support ICYMI and listen to the show with zero ads. Sign up to become a Slate Plus member for just $1 for your first month.

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Working: Alison Bechdel’s Secrets to Superhuman Productivity May 02, 2021

Show notes

This week, host June Thomas talks to cartoonist Alison Bechdel, whose work includes the hugely influential comic strip Dykes to Watch Out For and the bestselling graphic memoir Fun Home. In the interview, Alison talks about her new book, The Secret to Superhuman Strength, which is about her interest in exercise and fitness but also her work ethic as an artist and writer.

After the interview June and co-host Rumaan Alam discuss Alison’s skills as a memoirist and her work-life balance. Then they get some creative advice from Pulitzer-winning playwright Michael R. Jackson.

In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, June asks Alison about the Bechdel Test.

Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to working@slate.com or give us a call at (304) 933-9675.

Podcast production by Cameron Drews.

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ICYMI: There’s a Chadwick Boseman NFT? May 01, 2021

Show notes

On today’s episode, Rachelle and Madison explain the controversy surrounding an NFT of Chadwick Boseman’s head that was connected to, but not sanctioned by, the Oscars. Then they run through a series of High-Speed Downloads on why Ryan Gosling trended last weekend, Mark Zuckerberg’s sunscreen photo, a flash of TikTok drama involving Doja Cat, and the celebration of Ed Balls Day.

Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder and Derek John.

Support ICYMI and listen to the show with zero ads. Sign up to become a Slate Plus member for just $1 for your first month.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Hit Parade: Taylor’s Version of Country, Part 2 Apr 30, 2021

Show notes

In Part 2 of this episode of Hit Parade, Chris Molanphy continues his analysis of Taylor: the country years, dissecting how she gradually, step by step, became the new queen of pop one irresistible song at a time. She went from interviewing bigger stars on MTV’s red carpet one year, to being the talk of the Video Music Awards the next—even before Kanye took that microphone away from her. He told Taylor he would let her finish, but the game was already over. Swift had the most played song in the USA.

Podcast production by Asha Saluja, with help from Rosemary Belson.

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A Word: Get Ready, Playa One Apr 30, 2021

Show notes

It’s game time, and Black women creatives are leveling up in the online video gaming business. On today’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson is joined by online gamer Briana Williams, better known as Storymodebae. She’s a content creator, gamer, and Twitch ambassador. They discuss her path to winning in the white and male-dominated business of online gaming, and how she and Black women gamers are building their own community.

Guest: Briana Williams, content creator, gamer, and Twitch ambassador

Podcast production by Ahyiana Angel and Jasmine Ellis

You can skip all the ads in A Word by joining Slate Plus. Sign up now for just $1 for your first month. Click here for more info.

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