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Culture Gabfest: Pongs of the Past Dec 23, 2020

Show notes

This week Stephen and Dana are joined by Slate editor and writer Dan Kois. First, they discuss the new Steven Soderbergh movie Let Them All Talk, starring Meryl Streep, Dianne Wiest, and Candice Bergen. Then they talk to Slate TV critic Willa Paskin about the trends in TV this year and why "popular" TV isn't always "good" TV. After that, the hosts talk about a new project in the UK that aims to revive smells from the past.

In Slate Plus, the hosts debate whether the labels "movie" and "TV show" have lost some of their meaning in the age of streaming.

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

Outro Music: "If Only I Was a Poet" by Staffan Carlen

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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The Authority: Malice Dec 22, 2020

Show notes

Welcome to The Authority, Slate’s deep dive into the world(s) of HBO’s His Dark Materials. Each week, Slate’s scholars of experimental theology Dan Kois and Laura Miller discuss the HBO series and Philip Pullman’s original trilogy. This week, they cover Episode 6 of Season 2, “Malice,” in which Mrs. Coulter controls Spectres, Lee loses control over his balloon, and Mary Malone spends a nice afternoon reading Let’s Go Cittàgazze. Plus: Actual daemons respond to HBO’s My Daemon app.

Email: asktheauthority@slate.com

Podcast production by Phil Surkis. My Daemon segment written by Marissa Martinelli.

Dan Kois on Twitter: @dankois

Laura Miller on Twitter: @magiciansbook

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Decoder Ring: The Blue Steak Experiment Dec 21, 2020

Show notes

What took blue food so long to catch on? Today it’s all over the freezer aisle, in candies for kids, in tortilla chips, and novelty foods, but it wasn’t very long ago that food experts agreed: blue food was an impossible sell. Their best evidence was a study from the 1970’s in which subjects were served blue steaks to sickening effect. On this episode, we uncover the strange, misinformation-stuffed history of blue food, the rise of blue raspberry, and what to make of the blue food experiment that made those people sick. It may have something to do with Alfred Hitchcock. This episode was produced in collaboration with Proof, from America's Test Kitchen. Proof is a podcast that investigates the food we love. Subscribe to Proof on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, or Spotify.

Special programming note: Decoder Ring is going seasonal! That means you won’t hear from us for a while, but we’ll be back in 2021 with a bunch of new stories released week-by-week. Thanks for sticking with us, we’re excited to try something new, and we’ll see you soon.

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Working: George C. Wolfe on His New Film Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom Dec 20, 2020

Show notes

This week, Rumaan Alam talks with George C. Wolfe. Wolfe is a playwright, film director, and two-time Tony winner. His latest project, Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, takes place in a single day of 1927, when trailblazing blues singer Ma Rainey and her band gather at a recording studio in Chicago, and tensions begin to rise. The film is out now, playing in select theaters and streaming on Netflix.

They talk about how Wolfe wanted to approach this project from the ground up, reimagining how the story would be told to fit its new form. He also explains how his own experience as an actor in college has informed the way he collaborates with professional actors today.

Afterward, Rumaan and co-host June Thomas discuss what they found most surprising about the interview and discuss how they implement George C. Wolfe’s tactics into their own creative collaborations.

Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to working@slate.com.

Podcast production by Morgan Flannery.

Host

Rumaan Alam

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Outward: Queer Holiday Movies: Naughty or Nice? Dec 16, 2020

Show notes

This month, Christina, Bryan, and Rumaan speak with Ruth Coker Burks, author of the new book All the Young Men: A Memoir of Love, AIDS, and Chosen Family in the American South, about her work in the 1980s, helping Arkansans with AIDS. Then they discuss three of 2020’s bumper selection of LGBTQ holiday movies: The Christmas Setup, Happiest Season, and A New York Christmas Wedding. Should we be grateful for the gift of representation, or should we be searching for the receipt?

Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now.

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Culture Gabfest: Mile High, Inch Deep Dec 16, 2020

Show notes

This week Steve and Dana are joined by guest host Nichole Perkins, writer, poet, and host of the Thirst Aid Kit podcast. First they discuss the new film adaptation of Ma Rainey's Black Bottom, which stars Viola Davis and features Chadwick Boseman in his final role. Then they weigh in on the HBO Max mystery thriller The Flight Attendant. After that, Vulture writer Mark Harris joins the show to talk about Disney's rapid growth and what it means for the movie industry.

In Slate Plus, the hosts talk about which historical performances they wish they could witness.

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

Outro Music: "Go slow" by Daniel Fridell

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The Authority: The Scholar Dec 15, 2020

Show notes

Welcome to The Authority, Slate’s deep dive into the world(s) of HBO’s His Dark Materials. Each week, Slate’s scholars of experimental theology Dan Kois and Laura Miller discuss the HBO series and Philip Pullman’s original trilogy. This week, they cover Episode 5 of Season 2, “The Scholar,” in which Will and Lyra steal back the alethiometer, Mary Malone makes a big decision, and a monkey wears a seat belt.

Email: asktheauthority@slate.com

Further reading: Archive of Our Own: Temptress - Chapter 1

Podcast production by Phil Surkis.

Dan Kois on Twitter: @dankois

Laura Miller on Twitter: @magiciansbook

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Hit Parade: Smells Like Christmas Spirit, Part 1 Dec 14, 2020

Show notes

Hit Parade is back for non-Slate Plus listeners! Upcoming episodes will be split into two parts, released two weeks apart. For the full episode right now, sign up for Slate Plus and you'll also get The Bridge, our Trivia show and bonus deep dive into our subjects. slate.com/hitparadeplus.

When Nirvana’s Nevermind ousted Michael Jackson’s Dangerous from the top of the Billboard album chart, it made headlines in early 1992. Only, it didn’t really happen in ’92. What gave Nirvana the win happened right after Christmas ’91. Teenagers who were home for the holidays voted with their gift cards, and they gave Kurt Cobain’s band the win over the King of Pop. This month, Chris Molanphy examines the chart dynamics that not only ushered in the grunge era but also invented a new music sales strategy, the post-Christmas album.

Podcast production by Benjamin Frisch.

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Hang Up and Listen: The Last Last Dance Dec 14, 2020

Show notes

In this special episode of Hang Up and Listen, Joel Anderson tells the story of Michael Jordan's second comeback. How did Jordan end up in Washington, D.C.? Why couldn’t he make the Washington Wizards into winners? And what does the final chapter of Jordan’s career reveal about him as a player and a person?

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Flashback: Lawrence of Arabia (1962) Dec 13, 2020

Show notes

Flashback is usually for Slate Plus members only. To listen to other episodes of the show, sign up for Slate Plus.

In the new episode of Flashback, movie critics Dana Stevens and K. Austin Collins discuss the epic Lawrence of Arabia (1962), directed by David Lean.

Other titles mentioned in the episode:

Seven Pillars of Wisdom

2001: A Space Odyssey(1968)

Saving Private Ryan(1998)

Ben Hur(1959)

The Ten Commandments(1956)

Marvel’s The Avengers (2012)

The Bridge on the River Kwai(1957)

The Lord of the Rings trilogy

Doctor Zhivago(1965)

Brief Encounter(1946)

Ryan’s Daughter(1970)