Culture Gabfest

This week, Isaac Butler, author and co-host of Slate’s podcast Working , fills in for Steve as the panel begins by seeking Valhalla with The Northman . Then, the panel takes a time-traveling ride with Season 2 of Russian Doll . Finally, the panel is joined by Slate senior editor Rebecca Onion to discuss the new social media app BeReal.  In Slate Plus, the panel—plus guest producer Jessamine Molli—...

This week, the panel begins by assessing Nicolas Cage’s satirical cinematic metaverse in The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent . Then, the panel is joined by co-host of Slate’s Working podcast, Isaac Butler, to discuss the final season of Better Call Saul . Finally, the panel is joined by Washington Post columnist Will Oremus to break down Elon Musk’s recent acquisition of Twitter. In Slate Plus...

This week, the panel begins by entering the multiverse of Everything Everywhere All At Once . Then, the panel dives into Apple TV+’s newest spy drama Slow Horses (based on books that were reviewed by Slate’s own Laura Miller ). Finally, the panel talks about music’s next big thing: British indie-rock duo Wet Leg’s newest self-titled album.   In Slate Plus, the panel discusses a Gawker article from...

This week, the panel is joined by June Thomas, co-host of Working (Slate’s podcast on the creative process). They begin by digesting HBO’s Julia Child series, Julia , starring one of June’s favorites: Sarah Lancashire . Then, the panel dives into the world of AI with After Yang . Finally, the panel answers Dana’s very important question: is Chris Pine the Robert Redford of our time ?  In Slate Plu...

This week, the panel begins by revisiting the iconic film The Godfather in celebration of its 50th anniversary. Then, the panel answers the question Is It Cake? as they cut into Netflix’s newest hit. Finally, the panel is joined by Associate Professor of Music Theory at the University of Memphis, Jeremy Orosz, to discuss forensic musicology and what counts as musical plagiarism—which he wrote abou...

This week, the panel begins by breaking down everything that went down during the weirdest Oscars ever. Then, the panel is joined by author, professor, and Slate’s pop critic, Jack Hamilton, to discuss Adam McKay’s over-stylized docudrama about the 1980s Lakers, Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty . Finally, the panel is joined by Slate senior writer Mark Joseph Stern to discuss Disney CE...

This week, New York Times columnist and Slate graduate, Jamelle Bouie, fills in for Steve as the panel begins by entering the Gotham of Matt Reeves’ The Batman . Then, for our final pre-Oscars round-up, the panel digs into Best Picture nominee Drive My Car. Finally, the panel discusses the trend of ever-elongating movie runtimes. In Slate Plus, the panel questions Jamelle about his recent deep div...

This week, senior editor at Slate, Allegra Frank, fills in for Steve as the panel begins by debating the enjoyability of Apple TV+’s new star-studded thriller Severance . Then, the panel digs into Paul Thomas Anderson’s latest Oscar contender Licorice Pizza. Finally, the panel discusses longform YouTube videos and the rise and fall of attention spans, inspired by Terry Nguyen’s article “The video...

This week, the panel begins by hashing out Hulu’s new Silicon Valley miniseries The Dropout . Then, the panel breaks down Pedro Almodóvar’s recent film Parallel Mothers . Finally, the panel is joined by author and Slate writer Dan Kois to rant about the growing dangers of pickup trucks . In Slate Plus, the panel answers the classic celebrity hall pass question. Email us at culturefest@slate.com ....

This week, the panel begins by discussing the Norwegian Oscar contender The Worst Person in the World . Then, they're joined by Slate’s TV critic and host of the Decoder Ring podcast, Willa Paskin, to digest the New York Time’s latest hit podcast The Trojan Horse Affair. Finally, the panel is joined by screenwriter, director, and journalist Michael Idov to discuss Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s pivot from...

This week, the panel begins by pondering the longevity of the Jackass franchise , focusing on the latest addition, Jackass Forever , with Slate staff writer Sam Adams . Then, the panel watches the surprise Oscar Best Picture contender Nightmare Alley . Finally, the panel discusses the conversation-starter article from The Cut ’s Allison P. Davis, “A Vibe Shift Is Coming. Will Any of Us Survive It?...

This week, the panel begins by discussing Hulu’s new biopic Pam & Tommy . Then, they dive into the Academy Award-record breaking animated Danish film Flee . Finally, the panel discusses Jennifer Senior’s popular article for The Atlantic , “It’s Your Friends Who Break Your Heart” about friendships as you age. In Slate Plus, the panel takes inspiration from the Scriptnotes podcast and ponders wh...

This week, Culture Gabfest is coming to you live from The Strand Bookstore in NYC for a special event! In this live taping, Steve interviews Dana about her new book ( Camera Man: Buster Keaton, the Dawn of Cinema, and the Invention of the Twentieth Century ) and Isaac Butler about his new book ( The Method: How the Twentieth Century Learned to Act ). In Slate Plus, Dana and Isaac answer some quest...

This week, the panel is first joined by author and co-host of Slate’s Working podcast, Isaac Butler, to discuss the new Joel Coen rendition of The Tragedy of Macbeth . ( Buy Isaac’s new book! ) Then, the panel is joined by author and Slate correspondent, Justin Peters, to explain the phenomena of Joe Rogan and the recent Spotify controversy. Finally, the panel discusses the decision to rebrand the...

This week, Slate’s TV critic and host of the podcast Decoder Ring , Willa Paskin, and poet, essayist, podcast host, and author, Nichole Perkins, fill in for Dana and Julia. The panel begins by taking a spin with Julian Fellowes’ (creator of Downton Abbey ) new show The Gilded Age . Then, the panel debates about Kenny G and the installment of the docuseries Music Box: Listening to Kenny G . Finally...

This week, the panel begins by pondering Maggie Gyllenhaal’s directorial debut, The Lost Daughter . Then, the panel gushes about the fresh workplace comedy Abbott Elementary . Finally, the panel discusses everyone's latest obsession : the word game Wordle. In Slate Plus, the panel enters spoiler territory as they continue to puzzle out The Lost Daughter . Email us at culturefest@slate.com . Endors...

This week, author and co-host of Slate’s Working podcast, Isaac Butler fills in for Steve ( pre-order Isaac's book! ). First, the panel debates the merits of Adam McKay’s star-studded cautionary tale Don’t Look Up . Then, the panel is joined by film historian and journalist Mark Harris to outline the debt we owe to the late Sidney Poitier—a legend whom he speaks about in his book Pictures at a Rev...

This week, the panel begins by breaking down just what makes HBO’s pandemic series Station Eleven so successful with Slate’s senior managing producer of podcasts and co-host of Slate’s Working podcast, June Thomas. Next, the panel appreciates the legacy that writer Joan Didion left behind. Finally, the panel rehashes the 2021 edition of Slate’s Movie Club (including Dana’s list of the year’s best...

This week, Steve, Dana, and Julia tackle some listener questions in our annual call-in show. Topics include: favorite pieces of art, culture their children introduced them to, and previous years’ endorsements that have become staples in the panel’s lives. In Slate Plus, the panel continues to field some stellar listener questions.  Email us at culturefest@slate.com . There are no endorsements this...

This week, the panel discusses Aaron Sorkin’s Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz biopic, Being the Ricardos . Next, the panel is joined by contributing writer for the New York Times, Jody Rosen, to make sense of Bruce Springsteen’s latest deal and the confusing world of music rights today. Finally, the panel is joined by Slate’s book critic Laura Miller to discuss her list of the best books ( and audiobo...

Dana Stevens and Stephen Metcalf are joined by Isaac Butler to discuss Steven Spielberg’s new adaptation of West Side Story . Then Slate staff writer Heather Schwedel stops by to talk about And Just Like That , the “next chapter” in the lives of the characters from Sex and the City . And finally, they debate Vulture’s list of the “ 101 Best New York Movies Set in the Greatest City in the World ” a...

This week, Julia is back! First, the panel discusses Jane Campion’s big comeback, The Power of the Dog . Next, the panel wades through Peter Jackson’s eight hour-long Beatles docuseries Get Back . Finally, the panel discusses the rise of the gift guide and gift giving. In Slate Plus, Steve and Dana catch up with Julia and chat about how relationships with culture consumption can change.  Email us...

This week, Steve and Dana are joined by senior managing producer of Slate podcasts and co-host of Slate’s Working podcast, June Thomas. First, the panel discusses the Princess Diana biopic Spencer . Dana tracked Kristen Stewart’s career up to this Oscar vehicle film. Next, the panel gets a taste of the new "meet stew" of a show, Yellowjackets . Finally, the panel is joined by author and co-host of...

This week, Steve and Dana are joined by New York Times columnist and Slate graduate Jamelle Bouie. First, the panel discusses the Richard Williams—father of tennis phenoms Venus and Serena Williams—biopic, starring Will Smith, King Richard . Next, the panel is joined by Slate music critic Carl Wilson as they break down Adele’s latest emotional rollercoaster, 30 . Finally, the panel dives into a ne...

This week, Steve and Dana are joined by writer extraordinaire Karen Han. First, the panel discusses Rebecca Hall’s adaptation of Nella Larsen’s novel , Passing . Next, the panel dives into The Shrink Next Door. Finally, the panel talks about People’s 2021 Sexiest Man Alive, Paul Rudd. In Slate Plus, the panel answers a classic time travel question. Email us at culturefest@slate.com . Endorsements...