Culture Gabfest

This week Steve, Dana, and Julia discuss Netflix’s animated film The Mitchells vs. the Machines . Next, the panel dives into the cultural resonances of Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck aka “Bennifer.” Finally, the group is joined by Isaac Butler, co-host of Slate’s Working podcast , to talk about the latest Zoom version of Samuel Beckett’s Waiting for Godot . In Slate Plus, Isaac Butler joins the ho...

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...

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 Stowa...

This week Steve, Dana, and Julia discuss the Oscars in a pandemic year. Then the panel dives into the Bob Odenkirk action flick  Nobody . Finally, the group discusses the allegations of workplace harassment against the producer Scott Rudin, as first reported by  The Hollywood Reporter . In Slate Plus, the panel talks about  the fallout surrounding sexual assault allegations against Blake Bailey ,...

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. P...

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 Pl...

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, th...

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 mi...

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 th...

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 Hall   Next, 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-fun...

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 s...

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 P...

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 t...

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...

Steve, Dana, and Julia kick things off by discussing Minari , the semi-autobiographical movie by the filmmaker Lee Isaac Chung that focuses on a Korean family trying to build a life for themselves in rural Arkansas. After that, New York Magazine writer Mark Harris joins the show to to talk about his new biography of the director Mike Nichols. Then the hosts pick apart the latest Chrissy Teigan con...

Stephen, Dana, and Julia begin this week's show by talking about Locked Down , the rom-com heist movie starring Anne Hathaway and Chiwetel Ejiofor that's set during the early days of the pandemic. Then they discuss Derek DelGaudio's In & Of Itself , a Frank Oz directed stage performance that's part magic show and part meditation on personal identity. The filmed version is now available to stre...

This week Stephen, Dana, and Julia start by discussing Promising Young Woman , the revenge thriller starring Carey Mulligan and written and directed by Emerald Fennell. Then Slate culture writer Karen Han joins the show to talk about the French heist series Lupin , which has been firmly situated on Netflix's top 10 list since it premiered. After that, the hosts reflect on a recent article in the N...

This week Stephen, Dana, and Julia take a look at Sound of Metal , the debut movie from writer/director Darius Marder, about a heavy metal drummer who loses his hearing. Then they discuss WandaVision , the new Marvel TV show that's loaded with references to classic TV sitcoms. After that they dive into the world of TikTok sea shanties and theorize about why the craze caught on. In Slate Plus, the...

This week Stephen, Dana, and Julia talk about the National Geographic miniseries, City So Real , about the 2019 mayoral race in Chicago and the social and political issues that fueled it. Then New York Times writer Charlie Warzel joins the show to discuss conservative media outlets like Newsmax and OANN and the alternate reality of news that Trump supporters reside in. After that, the hosts talk a...

Steve, Dana, and Julia start by talking about Wonder Woman 1984 with LA Times film critic Justin Chang. Then they discuss Bridgerton , the new Netflix show produced by Shonda Rhimes and based on a series of novels by Julia Quinn. After that, Justin Chang rejoins the show to talk about Movie Club, Slate's annual end-of-year movie coverage. In Slate Plus, the hosts expand on their Wonder Woman conve...

This week, Stephen, Dana, and Julia present the Culture Gabfest’s annual listener call-in show, originally recorded live and streamed on Facebook and YouTube. They answer questions like, “Would you live in a muder house?” and “Are there any ways in which you are a snob about the culture you partake in?” In Slate Plus, the hosts field more questions from their live audience via Facebook and YouTube...

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 r...

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 ta...

This week Steve and Dana are joined by co-host Laura Miller, books and culture columnist for Slate. First, the three of them talk to Slate's own Matthew Dessem about what's real and what's made up in the new David Fincher movie, Mank. Then Julia Turner joins the show for a discussion about Spotify's end-of-year "wrapped" feature. For the third segment, Laura talks about the best books of 2020. In...

This week Steve and Dana are joined by writer, poet, and co-host of the Thirst Aid Kit podcast, Nichole Perkins. First, the they weigh in on Happiest Season , the new holiday rom-com starring Kristen Stewart and Mackenzie Davis. Then they chat with Culture Gabfest producer Cameron Drews about why he loves the HBO show How To with John Wilson . And finally, the hosts a talk about a big mistake made...