Culture Gabfest

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.


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Entertainment News
Arts
Film Reviews
351
Michael Jackson Edition
Stephen Metcalf, Julia Turner, and Dana Stevens break our usual format to do an in-depth discussion of the HBO documentary Leaving Neverland by director Dan Reed about two men allegedly abused by Michael Jackson.
59 min
352
Jason Momoa Scrunchie Edition
Julia Turner, Dana Stevens, and Stephen Metcalf discuss the Oscars ceremony and its various controversies, Comedy Central's new show The Other Two, and how letter boards took over Instagram and our visual culture.
54 min
353
As In Her Royal Highness Edition
Stephen Metcalf, Dana Stevens, and K. Austin Collins discuss the film Bohemian Rhapsody, the bonkers true crime documentary Abducted in Plain Sight, and the death of the Mars rover Opportunity.
57 min
354
Steampunk Deer Edition
Dana Stevens, Julia Turner, and Stephen Metcalf discuss the film If Beale Street Could Talk, the TV phenomenon The Masked Singer with The Gist's Mike Pesca, and finally they deconstruct "The Stew"—the viral recipe that's seemingly everywhere.
54 min
355
Nobody's Mad at Columbo Edition
Julia Turner, Stephen Metcalf, and Dana Stevens discuss Netflix's series Russian Doll, the best-documentary nominee Minding the Gap, and Vanity Fair's list of the 25 most influential movie scenes of the last 25 years with Richard Lawson and K. Austin Collins.
60 min
356
Prosthesis Statement Edition
Julia Turner, Dana Stevens, and Stephen Metcalf discuss the Oscar-nominated film Vice, the Netflix streamer Sexual Education, and what to make of Netflix's "ratings" numbers with Slate TV critic and the host of Decoder Ring, Willa Paskin.
57 min
357
Beautiful Blindspot Edition
Dana Stevens, Julia Turner, and Sam Adams discuss the dueling Fyre Festival documentaries on Netflix and Hulu with Slate writer Shannon Palus, Glenn Close best actress vehicle The Wife, and the 2019 Academy Award Nominations.
49 min
358
The Life-Changing Magic of Making a Black Frien...
Julia Turner, Dana Stevens, and Stephen Metcalf discuss the Golden Globs-conquering film Green Book with Vanity Fair's K. Austin Collins, Netflix's Tidying Up with Marie Kondo, and the art of the pan and the state of the bad review in criticism.
63 min
359
Naked Pomegranate Tory Edition
Julia Turner, Dana Stevens, and Stephen Metcalf discuss the court farce The Favourite, the awards frontrunner Roma, and the year in movies and the Slate Movie Club.
63 min
360
Welcome to Slaht Ploos Edition
Dana Stevens hosts a selection of a few of our favorite Slate Plus bonus segments.
64 min
361
Completely Phoned-In Holiday Show Edition
Stephen Metcalf, Julia Turner, and Dana Stevens gather around the holiday hearth to answer listener questions in our annual call-in special!
56 min
362
Treacle Box Edition
Dana Stevens, Stephen Metcalf, and Julia Turner discuss the movie Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, reappraise the Christmas film classic Love, Actually, and whether TV was just "fine" this year.
62 min
363
Angry at the Lollipop Edition
57 min
364
Girls, Girls, Burgers, Edition
Julia Turner, Stephen Metcalf, and Dana Stevens discuss the film Support the Girls, the LeCarre TV adaptation Little Drummer Girl, and the saga of a writer at Thrillist who may or may not have killed a great burger joint.
54 min
365
Wingless Thrush Edition
Julia Turner, Dana Stevens, and Stephen Metcalf discuss the Coen Bros. new film The Ballad of Buster Scruggs, HBO's Elena Ferrante adaptation My Brilliant Friend, and the art of adaptation.
62 min
366
Mum's the Word Edition
Julia Turner returns with Stephen Metcalf and Dana Stevens to discuss the film Widows, The British import The Bodyguard on Netflix, and the life and work of William Goldman and what the role of screenwriter means today.
51 min
367
Dinner is Served! Edition
Dana Stevens, Stephen Metcalf, and Laura Bennett discuss the Melissa McCarthy vehicle Can You Ever Forgive Me?, Netflix's filthy but heartfelt puberty cartoon Big Mouth, and the death of Stan Lee with Slate's Jamelle Bouie.
55 min
368
Orson Welles in a Snuggie Edition
Dana Stevens and Stephen Metcalf are joined by The Atlantic's David Sims, host of the podcast Blank Check to discuss the two new Orson Welles projects on Netflix, Robyn's new album Honey, and the concept of the "blank check" in the film industry.
60 min
369
Werewolf Bar-Mitzvah Edition
On this spooky scary edition of the show: Dana Stevens, Stephen Metcalf, and Isaac Butler discuss the new Halloween reboot, Netflix's Haunting of Hill House, and the absence of women in horror film direction.
49 min
370
Who's On First Edition
Stephen Metcalf, Julia Turner, and Dana Stevens discuss the new movie First Man, the Netflix streamer Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat, and Slate's New American Songbook with culture editor Forrest Wickman,
56 min
371
Brain and Body Still Rebooting Edition
Dana Stevens, Julia Turner, and Stephen Metcalf discuss the new film Private Life, the legacy of Doctor Who and its new Doctor played by Jodie Whitaker, and Kanye West at the White House.
56 min
372
Just Wanted to Take Another Look at You Edition
The panel discusses the film A Star is Born, the TV documentary America to Me, and brings critic Wesley Morris into the studio to discuss his New York Times Magazine piece "The Morality Wars" about the state of art criticism.
63 min
373
Still There Edition
Julia Turner, Dana Stevens, and Gabriel Roth discuss the new season of the podcast Serial, the recent spate of post-#metoo essays by disgraced men, and the Amazon show Forever.
58 min
374
Look What You Made Richard Dreyfuss Do Edition
Stephen Metcalf, Dana Stevens, and Julia Turner discuss the 40th anniversary re-release of Close Encounters of the Third Kind, whether Taylor Swift represents Trump-era art with critic Jody Rosen, and fan fiction with Laura Miller.
60 min
375
#NoFilter Edition
Dana Stevens, Stephen Metcalf, and Isaac Butler discuss the social media satire Ingrid Goes West, Adult Swim's Rick and Morty, and Dolly Parton's Dixie Stampede with Aisha Harris.
58 min