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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

On this week’s dispatch, Dana is joined by comrades in arms Sam Adams and Isaac Butler to take on Paul Thomas Anderson’s thrilling and incendiary new film One Battle After Another. Starring Leonard DiCaprio, the action epic depicts an America one notch away from our own fractured republic. Does the target of its revolutionary fantasia hit too close? They discuss.

Next, they kvell about Long Story Short, the new, time-jumping family comedy from the creators of BoJack Horseman. Finally, they turn to the Great White Way to assess the dire state of the business of Broadway musicals as written about in a recent piece by Michael Paulson in the New York Times.

There was so much to say about One Battle After Another, the gang kept gabbing for an exclusive Slate Plus bonus episode.

Email us your thoughts at culturefest@slate.com. 

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

Endorsements

Sam: If possible, seeing One Battle After Another in its native format VistaVision.

Isaac: The Criterion Channel’s Robert Altman collection and for a great date night movie Splitsville.

Dana: The writing of the late Kaleb Horton, particularly his essay "walking through los angeles when the crows are screaming and going through your garbage."
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One Banger After Another Edition

On this week’s episode, Julia and Dana are joined by Slate writer (and Philadelphia native) Nadira Goffe for a conversation rooted in Delaware County about Task, HBO’s new gritty crime drama from the creators of Mare of Easttown. 

Next, the hosts give longtime listeners what they’ve been chirping for: a discussion of birding. Specifically, it’s a discussion about the dirtbag, gonzo, totally self-produced and independently released documentary Listers: A Glimpse Into Extreme Birdwatching. Finally, they get into the Jimmy Kimmel situation. Why was his show cancelled, then uncancelled, then blacked out from several media markets? What does it mean for the state of free speech and democracy itself?

In an exclusive Slate Plus bonus episode, the panel is joined by Dan Kois to delight in Slate’s package on The 25 Best Picture Books of the Past 25 Years.

Email us your thoughts at culturefest@slate.com. 

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

Endorsements

Nadira: In addition to the Explore.org's Fat Bear Week, the work of singer-songwriter KeiyaA who recently released the tracks "stupid prizes" and "take it" from her forthcoming album hooke’s law.

Dana: Seeing Stanley Kubrick’s epic Barry Lyndon in its 4K re-release on the best screen you possibly can.

Julia: Meghan O'Rourke's New York Times essay "I Teach Creative Writing. This Is What A.I. Is Doing to Students."
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Jimmy Kimmel Is Back—Sort Of— Edition

On this week’s show, Steve and Dana are joined by guest host Dan Kois to turn the volume up to… well, how hard Spinal Tap II: The End Continues rocks is the question of the day. They debate the mockumentary sequel which reunites the original Tap gang for a surprisingly tender portrait of aged rock stars.

Next, they turn their icy gaze at the POV-shifting, soapy series The Girlfriend, starring Robin Wright and Olivia Cooke as the warring mother and girlfriend of a wealthy young man. Finally, they appreciate the life and work of Hollywood’s foremost golden boy/rebel outsider Robert Redford.

In an exclusive Slate Plus bonus episode, they savor the recipes of chef Samin Nosrat, who Dan profiled in the New Yorker on the launch of her new cookbook Good Things.

Email us your thoughts at culturefest@slate.com. 

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

Endorsements:

Dana: The Louis Malle classic two-hander featuring Andre Gregory and Wallace Shawn, My Dinner with Andre.

Dan: The newsletter Looking at Picture Books by author Mac Barnett and author/illustrator Jon Klassen.

Steve: Donna Leon’s Guido Brunetti mystery novels. (And while we’re talking about Italian detectives, the Inspector Montalbano mysteries by Andrea Camilleri.)
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Can Spinal Tap Still Go to 11 Edition

On this week’s show, Steve, Dana, and Julia crack open the latest edition of The Paper, a new mockumentary set in the The Office universe. They debate whether the tried and true sitcom formula still delivers and assess its portrayal of local journalism.

Next, they share their feelings about two couples who are terrible at sharing theirs in Splitsville, the marriage farce created and starring Kyle Marvin and Michael Angelo Covino with Dakota Johnson and ​​Adria Arjona. Finally, the heterofatalist discourse continues in their conversation with Slate music critic Carl Wilson about Man’s Best Friend, the latest release from the spritely, cheeky, and controversy-stirring Sabrina Carpenter. 

In an exclusive Slate Plus bonus episode, the panel takes up the business of cultural criticism in a discussion inspired by the recent New York Magazine piece “Do Media Organizations Even Want Cultural Criticism.”

Email us your thoughts at culturefest@slate.com. 

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

Endorsements:

Julia: The very Julia Turner-coded board games Hues and Cues.

Carl: The documentary Sunday Best about Ed Sullivan by the late music journalist Sacha Jenkins and CMAT’s new album Euro-Country and the video playlist that goes with it.

Steve: The book Computer Power and Human Reason by Joseph Weizenbaum.

Dana: Astor Piazolla's "Otoño Porteño," played by the Neave Trio.
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Is the Office Spinoff Good Cringe or Bad Cringe Edition

This week, Steve, Julia and guest host Isaac Butler visit a pre-gentrified 1990s New York to discuss the gritty crime romp Caught Stealing directed by Darren Aronofsky and starring Austin Butler (no relation).

Next, it’s off to Cooper’s Chase, an English manor turned retirement community, to take up the case of The Thursday Murder Club, Netflix’s new film adaptation of the beloved cozy mystery series. Finally, they assess what the film studio A24’s rise—and potential fall—means for the movie business in their conversation about “Empire of Auteurs,” a recent New Yorker piece by Alex Barasch.

In an exclusive Slate Plus bonus episode, they look at the rise and actual, well-documented fall of the longform narrative podcast.

Endorsements:

Isaac: The Off-Broadway show Ginger Twinsies, a hilarious, R-rated parody of the Parent Trap. Also, Emily Adrian’s new novel Seduction Theory.

Julia: The New Yorker essay “Inside the World of Great ‘British Bake Off’” by former contestant Ruby Tandoh.

Steve: The new The Beths album Straight Line Was a Lie and the essay “On Resistance” by Adam Phillips in the London Review of Books.

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

Austin Butler Is Caught Cat Sitting Edition

On this week’s show, Dana, Julia, and Steve are joined by special fourth guest host: Wesley Morris of the New York Times. The foursome wield their sharpest critical tools for a discussion of the horror hit Weapons. Whether the twisty thrill ride hits its intended target— and what exactly is said target— is up for debate.

Next, they take up the latest Spike Lee joint Highest 2 Lowest which reunites the legendary director with Denzel Washington and riffs on an Akira Kurosawa classic. Finally, they examine the “Performative Male” trend popping up in TikTok, style sections, and costume contests around the globe. Is it an embodiment of real gendered anxiety or internet nonsense?

In an exclusive Slate Plus bonus episode, the panel gets into all the shocks and surprises of Weapons’s finale in a spoiler-filled conversation.

Email us your thoughts at culturefest@slate.com. 

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

Endorsements

Steve: Music by the jazz pianist Bobo Stenson, specifically his album Serenity.

Julia: Wesley Morris’s stellar new culture podcast Cannonball, specifically the episode with Taffy Brodesser-Akner about And Just Like That.

Wesley: Watching the great New York sporting event the US Open. If you can’t make it to Flushing Meadows, you can watch on ESPN or stream on Fubo, and shop the enviable merch at the US Open Store.

Dana: Akira Kurosawa’s High and Low.
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Denzel and Spike Remix a Classic Edition

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

On this week’s show, Slate’s own Sam Adams sits in for Julia as they discuss the new Michelle Williams limited series “Dying for Sex,” about a woman who leaves her husband to experience a sexual awakening after receiving a breast cancer diagnosis. 

Then, the trio discuss the documentary “Secret Mall Apartment” about a group in Rhode Island who managed to keep an apartment in a busy mall for years in the early aughts. Finally, Carl Wilson joins for a conversation about the new album from Lucy Dacus of Boygenius fame. 

In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, the panel talks about art ripoffs and wonders who owns an idea. 

Email us at culturefest@slate.com. 

Endorsements:

Dana: In tribute to Val Kilmer, this beautiful obituary by David Hudson via Criterion. 

Sam: Two endorsements: 1. Sarah Snook’s athletic performance in “The Picture of Dorian Gray” on Broadway. 2. The TikTok dance trend to the song Pop Muzik. 

Steve: The album Radio DDR by Sharp Pins. Steve recommends starting with the track, “Sycophant.” 

Bonus endorsement: Val Kilmer’s commentary on David Mamet

Podcast production by Jessamine Molli. Production assistance by Sophie Summergrad, Cameron Drews, and Daisy Rosario.
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Dying for Sex and Living in Malls

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