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Slate Podcasts

New York Times critic Dwight Garner says “The Slate Culture Gabfest is one of the highlights of my week.” The award-winning Culturefest features critics Stephen Metcalf, Dana Stevens, and Julia Turner debating the week in culture, from highbrow to pop. For more of Slate’s culture podcasts, check out the Slate Culture feed.

Want more Culture Gabfest? Subscribe to Slate Plus to unlock weekly bonus episodes. Plus, you’ll access ad-free listening across all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe now on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of the Culture Gabfest show page. Or, visit slate.com/cultureplus to get access wherever you listen.

Culture Gabfest

This week’s episode journeys to dystopian corporate hellscapes present and future as Julia, Dana, and Steve dissect the horror and philosophical underpinnings of Alien: Earth, Noah Hawley’s new series adapting the Ridley Scott sci-fi masterpiece.

Next, they set their course to Arlen, Texas where they’ll assess the return of Hank, Peggy, and Bobby in Mike Judge’s rebooted King of the Hill. Finally, they venture to Hollywood and greet its “new face” and the medical specialists who reconstructed it in their discussion of the Hollywood Reporter’s special issue on cosmetic surgery. 

In an exclusive Slate Plus bonus episode, it’s time for lunch as they chat about Lauren Collins’s recent New Yorker piece “The Case for Lunch.”

Email us your thoughts at culturefest@slate.com. 

Podcast production by Benjamin Frisch. Production assistance by Daniel Hirsch.

Endorsements:

Dana: A request seeking a good book about the cultural impact of Napoleon.

Steve: The poem “Empathy and New Year” by James Schuyler.Julia: Crate diving into your own ancestry and visiting places significant to your family's history—Ancestry proves to be a useful tool to track down public records.
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Alien is Back Now With More Aliens Edition

On this week’s show, Julia Turner is joined by guest hosts Nadira Goffe and Dan Kois to answer the urgent question: is The Naked Gun starring Liam Neeson and Pamela Anderson the vital satire we need for our time? (Answer: No, but does that matter? The joke-dense spoof reboot directed by Akiva Schaffer is a hoot.)

Next, they turn to tropical shores and talk about Chief of War, the epic series about Hawaiian history starring and produced by Jason Momoa. Finally, the panel examines the legacy of the musical Hamilton on its ten-year anniversary. Is it a naive Obama-era cringefest or an enduring piece of theater that still has much to say about American democracy?

In an exclusive Slate Plus Bonus episode, Julia and Nadira grill Dan about the creation of Slate’s newest game Pears and discuss the state of the internet game ecosystem. 

Email us your thoughts at culturefest@slate.com. 

Podcast production by Benjamin Frisch. Production assistance by Daniel Hirsch.

Endorsements:

Nadira: The new album BLACKSTAR by Ghanaian and American singer and songwriter Amaarae.

Julia: Jurassic Park at the Hollywood Bowl accompanied by the LA Philharmonic. If not that, stream on a screen near you.

Dan: Quitting your job.

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The Naked Gun And The Nearly Naked Momoa Edition

It’s the most feelin’ yourself time of the year; a time for uptempo jams to make the sidewalk your runway; a time for the annual Summer Strut playlist! As per tradition, Steve, Dana, and Julia are joined by music critic and chartologist Chris Molanphy to sift through the hundreds of listener submissions to pick their favorite songs to strut to this season. They’ll also kick off the show with a discussion of the song of the summer. 

You can find the panel’s collective favorites here, at the Summer Strut ‘25 Shortlist. In addition, Dana, Julia, Steven, and Chris, have also published their personal best-of lists.

Intrepid listeners are welcome to explore the gigantic original playlist here.

In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, the panel does two rapid fire rounds to discuss eight more songs for all your strutting needs. 

Email us your thoughts at culturefest@slate.com. 

Podcast production by Benjamin Frisch. Production assistance by Daniel Hirsch.

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

Summer Strut 2025 Edition

On this week’s show, Dana, Steve and guest host Nitish Pahwa summon their critical superpowers to assess Marvel’s Fantastic Four: First Steps. Can the charms of Pedro Pascal and company mixed with a Jetsons-style retrofuturism energize this long-troubled comic book IP? They discuss.

Next, they’re joined by Euny Hong, author of The Birth of Korean Cool: How One Nation Is Conquering the World Through Pop Culture, to unpack why KPop Demon Hunters is such a record-breaking hit. Finally, they revisit a little town called South Park to talk about the long-running animated series’ latest episode which brutally satirizes President Trump.

In an exclusive Slate Plus bonus episode, the panel takes a look at the confusing messaging in advertisements for A.I. products.

Endorsements:

Nitish - The music of the late, great musical satirist and mathematician Tom Lehrer, who recently passed. His archive is available for free at tomlehrersongs.com.

Steve - The great spy thriller The Spy Who Came In From The Cold by John le Carré. 

Dana - Tim Maia's irresistible "Do Leme Ao Pontal."
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Trump Goes on Down to South Park Edition

Disinfect your groceries and mind the 5G, on this week’s show Steve, Dana, and guest host Sam Adams dive into the dread-inducing world of Ari Aster’s Eddington. Starring Joaquin Phoenix and Pedro Pascal, the neo-Western explores the conspiracy-brained, mentally unstable summer of 2020 when COVID brews unrest in a small town. Like said town, the panel is divided.

Next, they talk about why one of the biggest selling musical acts of all time has been both a national treasure and a forever punchline in their discussion of the documentary Billy Joel: And So It Goes. Finally, they take on what CBS’s decision to cancel the Late Show with Stephen Colbert means for both late night TV and democracy itself with New York Times TV critic James Poniewozik.

In an exclusive Slate Plus bonus episode, the panel shares their feelings about phone location sharing.

Email us at culturefest@slate.com. 

Endorsements:

Dana: The best use of a Billy Joel song in a soundtrack: "Carded and Discarded," episode 7 of Freaks and Geeks:

Sam: The anti-establishment, anarchist British Post-punk band the Mekons’ 1989 album The Mekons Rock n’ Roll.

Steve: Stephen Colbert talking with Dua Lipa about faith and comedy and Esbjörn Svensson Trio’s “Somewhere Else Before” from the album Live in Gothenberg.

Want more Culture Gabfest? Subscribe to Slate Plus to unlock weekly bonus episodes. Plus, you’ll access ad-free listening across all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe now on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of the Culture Gabfest show page. Or, visit slate.com/cultureplus to get access wherever you listen.

Podcast production by Benjamin Frisch 
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Colbert is Cancelled Edition

On this week’s show, Dana and Steve are joined by guest host Isaac Butler to talk truth, justice, and the American way via James Gunn’s Superman. They discuss the latest incarnation of the man of steel and the cultural discourse he’s generating that has become as volatile as kryptonite itself.

Next, they hop to another cultural lightning rod: Lena Dunham. They get into her new series Too Much which she created with her husband Luis Felber. Finally, they report back from Viola’s Room, an immersive theater experience by the creators of Sleep No More.

In a bonus Slate Plus episode, they respond to the news that Scott Rudin—famous Broadway megaproducer and infamous alleged abuser—is mounting a comeback.

Endorsements:

Isaac: The Criterion Channel special Brian Cox: The Craft of Acting, hosted by yours truly Isaac Butler. Also, Ari Aster’s newest film Eddington before the discourse begins!

Steve: Finishing 2666 by Roberto Bolaño and Agnes Varda's breakout Cléo from 5 to 7.

Dana: Critic Walter Chaw's essay on the new Superman.

Want more Culture Gabfest? Subscribe to Slate Plus to unlock weekly bonus episodes. Plus, you’ll access ad-free listening across all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe now on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of the Culture Gabfest show page. Or, visit slate.com/cultureplus to get access wherever you listen.

Podcast production by Benjamin Frisch 
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Woke Superman Saves the Box Office Edition

On this week’s show, Julia and Dana are joined by June Thomas for a decidedly feminist discussion. They start with Sorry, Baby, the debut feature from writer, director, and actor Eva Victor, about a young academic’s life after a terrible trauma. The panel debates whether the film— which was a Sundance hit for A24 — is a tart, surprising traumedy or a frustratingly evasive experiment.

Next, they get into Dear Ms.: A Revolution in Print, the HBO documentary about the pioneering feminist magazine. Finally, they take up a recent New York Times piece to determine whether the straight white male novelist is a thing of the past—and if we should care. Steve hops on the call to offer his token male perspective, naturally.

In an exclusive plus bonus episode, the feminist discourse continues with a conversation about the oft overlooked fashion designer Claire McCardell, who is the subject of a recent biography Claire McCardell: The Designer Who Set Women Free by Elizabeth Evitts Dickinson and book review by our very own Julia Turner.

Endorsements:

Dana: The essay “It’s Only An Island If You Look At It From The Water” by Elizabeth Cantwell in Bright Wall Dark Room about the film Jaws on its 50th anniversary.

June : The action film Heads of State starring John Cena and Idris Elba, or “Mamma Mia! with explosions.”

Julia - The new book Empire of the Elite by Michael Grynbaum about the magisterial publishing reign of Condé Nast. (Recently excerpted in the New York Times.)
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Sorry, Straight White Male Novelist Edition

On this week’s show, Steve, Julia, and guest host Sam Adams are off to races with F1:The Movie, the new Brad Pitt racing vehicle featuring lots of racing vehicles. Is the thrill ride more than the sum of its sports movie cliches, high-octane action sequences, and perpetually handsome movie-star? Does the answer even matter?

Next, they’re joined by Slate senior supervising producer Daisy Rosario to decode the particularly British charms of Taskmaster, the UK panel/game-show now in its 19th season. Finally, what’s more fun to pick apart than a best of list? Dana Stevens hops in to dissect the New York Times’s 100 Best Movies of the 21st Century interactive feature.

In an exclusive Plus bonus episode, the topic is: sex! Specifically, the hosts discuss the status—and seeming decline—of sex in Hollywood movies. 

Endorsements:

Sam: Drinking the anise-flavored aperitif pastis, the French brand Henri Bardouin is a good one to try.

Julia: The delicious Los Angeles restaurant Tomat in the most unlikely of locales: a strip mall by LAX International Airport.

Steve: The album Cunningham Bird by Andrew Bird and Madison Cunningham and the song Sara by Fleetwood Mac.

Dana: The production of Shakespeare’s As You Like It available to stream on National Theatre at Home.

Our Panelist’s Top Ten(ish) Movies of the 21st Century:

Dana:

4 Months, 3 Weeks, 2 Days

The Act of Killing

Atanarjuat (The Fast Runner)

Bright Star

Children of Men

Grizzly Man

Parasite

Portrait of a Lady on Fire

Moonlight

There Will Be Blood

Julia:

I’m Still Here

Mean Girls

Get Out

Do Not Expect Too Much from the End of the World

Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon

Zombieland

Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood

Erin Brockovich

The Act of Killing

Portrait of a Lady on Fire

Sam:

In the Mood for Love

The Act of Killing

The Grand Budapest Hotel

The Gleaners and I

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind

A Serious Man

It’s Such a Beautiful Day

The New World

Hedwig and the Angry Inch

The Death of Stalin

Stephen:

Anora

Spotlight

Toni Erdmann

The Lives of Others

Paddington 2

Meyerowitz Stories

Spirited Away

Get Out

There Will Be Blood

Mulholland Drive

Parasite

A Separation

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

Brad Pitt’s Victory Lap Edition

On this week’s show, Julia, Dana, and Steve return to the Rage Virus-infected world first created by Danny Boyle and Alex Garland two decades ago. They talk about 28 Years Later and what the zombie movie sequel has to say about now. A lot it turns out: COVID, Brexit, human mortality, and more.

Next, they grapple with the media phenomenon that is Alex Cooper—the spunky and sexually frank host of the blockbuster podcast Call Her Daddy— by discussing the recent documentary about her rise, Call Her Alex. Finally, they analyze the loping, charming, sister-rock appeal of Haim’s new album I quit.

In an exclusive Slate Plus segment, the hosts spoil the ending of 28 Years Laters and get into all the film’s twists that make it such a surprising, interesting ride.

Endorsements:

Dana: More Haim, specifically their 2020 Tiny Desk concert performed on Zoom.

Steve: The underappreciated band The Cry. And if you like that, more music from their Manchester-based record label Factory Records.

Julia: The charming hang of The Lonely Island and Seth Meyers Podcast.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Daddygang Rage Virus Edition

On this week’s show, Steve and Dana are joined by guest host Dan Kois to weigh the suitability of Materialists as a rom-com for our transactional age. In choosing between suitors played by Pedro Pascal and Chris Evans, matchmaker Dakota Johnson must choose between love and money— but is there a soul beneath all this romantic calculation? They debate.

Next, they return to the depths of a billionaire-backed fiasco in the new documentary Titan: The OceanGate Submersible Disaster about the jaw-dropping 2023 submarine implosion. Finally, they remember and appreciate the life and ineffable, enduring work of pop music auteur, and Beach Boys, frontman Brian Wilson. 

In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Steve, Dana, and Dan discuss Lauren Michelle Jackson’s New Yorker essay about “P.O.V.” videos and what they say about how we see the world.

Want more Culture Gabfest? Subscribe to Slate Plus to unlock weekly bonus episodes. Plus, you’ll access ad-free listening across all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe now on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of the Culture Gabfest show page. Or, visit slate.com/cultureplus to get access wherever you listen.

Endorsements:

Dana - The intimate and revealing 2021 documentary about Brian Wilson, Long Promised Road. 

Carl - Seeing the singular and surreal British musician Robyn Hitchcock live. And if he’s not coming to city near you, catching his performance in the Jonathan Demme-directed documentary Storefront Hitchcock. 

Dan - For deeper exploration of his body of work, Brian Wilson’s 1988 self-titled solo album.

For an innovative portrayal of another eccentric musical genius the film Thirty Two Short Films About Glenn Gould. 

Steve - Roberto Bolaño's posthumous masterwork 2066, Netflix’s new mystery thriller Dept Q, and sticking with works of art beyond their initial chapters.

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Can Materialists Revive the Rom-com Edition

This week, the panel begins by discussing the moral quandaries surrounding Netflix’s newest hit Dahmer—Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story. Then, the panel breaks down the successes and failures of Billy Eichner’s gay romcom Bros. And finally, the panel lends their opinions on the trope of the wife guy, spurred on by Ned Fulmer’s (formerly of the Try Guys) recent adultery scandal.
In Slate Plus, the panel discusses society’s growing appetite for true crime.
Email us at culturefest@slate.com.
Endorsements
Dana: Pulling a Steve with a local endorsement: the new bookstore (offering new and used books) in Park Slope called Troubled Sleep.
Julia: The American Military Museum, aka Tankland, in El Monte, California. It has over 150 odd, decommissioned military vehicles jam-packed in a dusty parking lot which they used to provide for various film and entertainment productions. Also, if you make the trip then also stop at Burritos La Palma in El Monte.
Steve: From the 2022 Newport Folk Festival: singer-songwriter Brandi Carlile bringing legendary singer-songwriter Joni Mitchell back on stage for her first full set performance in decades.
Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Nadira Goffe.
Outro music is "If Only I Was a Poet" by Staffan Carlen.
If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get an ad-free experience across the network and exclusive content on many shows. You’ll also be supporting the work we do here on the Culture Gabfest. Sign up now at Slate.com/cultureplus to help support our work.
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