New York Times critic Dwight Garner says “The Slate Culture Gabfest is one of the highlights of my week.” The award-winning Culturefest features Slate culture critics Stephen Metcalf, Dana Stevens, and Julia Turner debating the week in culture, from highbrow to pop.
Stephen Metcalf, Julia Turner, and Dana Stevens discuss the new BBC America series Killing Eve, the film from Lynne Ramsay, You Were Never Really Here, and ask themselves: "should we delete Facebook?"
60 Min
Apr 25, 2018
Stephen Metcalf, Dana Stevens, and Julia Turner discuss the hit horror film A Quiet Place, the new adaptation of Howard's End on the BBC and Starz, and Barbara Ehrenreich's essay: "Why I'm Giving Up On Preventative Care".
57 Min
Apr 18, 2018
0 Min
Apr 6, 2018
Dana Stevens, Christina Cauterucci, and Sam Adams discuss the new Steven Spielberg film Ready Player One, HBO's new assassination comedy series Barry, and the Cannes Film Festival's decision to ban Netflix films from competing in the festival.
In 1998, at a crossroads, Madonna rebooted her career by fusing electronics with matters of the heart—and turned digital music into viable pop.
Dana Stevens, Dan Kois, and Isaac Butler discuss the revival of Tony Kushner's Angels in America, the book The World Only Spins Forward, and the film Love, Simon with Slate's Alex Barasch.
Julia Turner, Dana Stevens, and Gabriel Roth discuss Armando Iannucci's new film The Death of Stalin, NBC's new musical series Rise, and the power or lack thereof of Twitter metrics.
Live at The Bell House in Brooklyn New York, the panel discusses the film A Wrinkle in Time, go deep on the cultural significance of color, and are quizzed on past segments of the show by Hit Parade's Chris Molanphy.
Dana Stevens, Julia Turner, and Stephen Metcalf discuss this year's Oscar ceremony, the surprise hit film "Game Night", and Daniel Engber's Slate cover story "Against the Octopus" with the author.
Our live show is now scheduled for Friday, March 9th, at 7pm, at the Bell House in Gowanus Brooklyn. Hope to see you there.
Julia Turner, Stephen Metcalf, and Dana Stevens discuss The Florida Project as part of the run-up to the Oscars, the hit podcast Atlanta Monster, and New York Magazine's article Worst Roommate Ever by William Brennan.
Today, rap is ubiquitous on pop radio. But the genre’s first crossover hit required a little help from some out-of-favor rock stars. This month, how Run-DMC met Aerosmith, and provided career boosts to them, LL Cool J and the Beastie Boys.
Stephen Metcalf, Dana Stevens, and Willa Paskin discuss Black Panther with Carvell Wallace, the return of Queer Eye with Bryan J. Lowder, and the state of the New York Times op-ed page.
Dana Stevens, Stephen Metcalf, and Isaac Butler discuss the film BPM, the TV show Babylon Berlin, and the recent discovery of a new source for Shakespeare's texts.
Stephen Metcalf, Julia Turner, and Dana Stevens discuss the film Phantom Thread, take a trip to the Met to learn about artist David Hockney, and follow up on Bullet Journaling with Slate's June Thomas.
Live from the Bell House, in Brooklyn New York, it’s a very special Hit Parade about B-sides that improbably became classics, or even No. 1 hits. Plus special guest Ted Leo!
The Culture Gabfest on The Assassination of Gianni Versace, Paddington 2, and Drag
Stephen Metcalf, Dana Stevens, and Julia Turner discuss Steven Spielberg's movie "The Post", Netflix's "The End of the F***ing World", and Facebook's new algorithm changes with Slate's If/Then podcast host Will Oremus.
Dana Stevens, Stephen Metcalf, and Julia Turner discuss the film Three Billboards Outside Ebbing Missouri, Errol Morris's Wormwood, and Slate's 2017 Movie Club.
On the Billboard Hot 100, two is often the loneliest number. This month, Chris Molanphy profiles No. 2 songs that went on to become historic, from Smokey Robinson and the Miracles, the Go-Go’s and Kelly Clarkson.
Stephen Metcalf, Julia Turner, and Dana Stevens answer listener questions about which piece of culture they would forever delete from the universe, how to raise adopted kids, their relationship to cooking, list-making and more.
Dana Stevens, Julia Turner, and Stephen Metcalf discuss Star Wars: The Last Jedi, the app HQ Trivia with Slate's Forrest Wickman, and the life and death of memes and memetics generally.
Julia Turner, Steven Metcalf, and Dana Stevens discuss the new film I, Tonya, Amazon's The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel with Slate's Willa Paskin, and The New Yorker's short story Cat Person.
Dana Stevens, Julia Turner, and Stephen Metcalf discuss James Franco's The Disaster Artist with Slate's Forrest Wickman, the cult film The Room with producer Benjamin Frisch, and Fiona the hippo and celebrity animals.
Dana Stevens, Julia Turner, and Stephen Metcalf discuss the new film Call Me By Your Name, Spike Lee's Netflix series She's Gotta Have It with Aisha Harris, and The Polybius Conspiracy with Jacob Brogan.
Donna Summer set chart benchmarks and managed to stay relevant on the radio and in clubs for more than three decades. Why didn’t she get more respect from the rock establishment?
Julia Turner, Dana Stevens, and Stephen Metcalf discuss NBC's The Good Place, the death of Charles Manson with podcaster Karina Longworth, and Dan Pashman's problem with Thanksgiving programming.
Alice Evans, Katherine Kendall, and Tomi-Ann Roberts sit down with Slate’s editor-in-chief, Julia Turner,
Dana Stevens, Julia Turner, and Stephen Metcalf discuss the new film adaptation of Murder on the Orient Express, Louie CK's sexual abuse with Willa Paskin, and a new translation of Homer's The Odyssey with classicist Emily Wilson.
Dana Stevens, June Thomas and Seth Stevenson discuss Greta Gerwig's new film Lady Bird, the Margaret Atwood TV adaptation Alias Grace, and the new HBO documentary about Rolling Stone.
Dana Stevens, Dan Kois, and Jonathan Fischer discuss Marvel and Taika Waititi's Thor: Ragnarok
Stephen Metcalf, Dana Stevens, and Julia Turner discuss the Joan Didion documentary The Center Will Not Hold, the return of Will & Grace with Daniel Schroeder, and what to make of the continued sexual harassment and abuse allegations.
Tom Petty and Prince only played together once. But their careers paralleled each other for four decades.
Stephen Metcalf, Dana Stevens, and Julia Turner discuss Netflix's Mindhunters, Post Malone's hit song Rockstar with Hit Parade's Chris Molanphy, and the criticism surrounding Rotten Tomatoes by film creators.
Twists and plot developments in the fourth and final season of Halt and Catch Fire.
Stephen Metcalf, Julia Turner, and Dana Stevens discuss Noah Baumbach's film The Meyerowitz Stories (New and Selected), the true-crime parody American Vandal, and the New York Times Magazine's article about teenage anxiety.
Stephen Metcalf, Dana Stevens and Isaac Butler discuss Denis Villeneuve's Blade Runner 2049, catch up on Amazon's Transparent, and discuss the sexual assault allegations against Harvey Weinstein.
Slate Represents looks at representation in the new and returning TV shows this fall.
Julia Turner, Stephen Metcalf, and Dana Stevens discuss the new film Battle of the Sexes, the life and work of Tom Petty with Hit Parade's Chris Molanphy, and the mind of John McPhee with The New York Times Magazine's Sam Anderson.
Dana Stevens and Stephen Metcalf discuss the new film mother! with Slate's Jack Hamilton, Ken Burns Vietnam documentary series with Willa Paskin, and the art of theme park caricatures with producer Benjamin Frisch.
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.
Julia Turner, Dana Stevens and June Thomas discuss Steven Soderbergh's new film Logan Lucky, the eclipse with Atlas Obscura's David Plotz, and speech on the internet after Charlottesville.
Dana Stevens, Aisha Harris, and Julia Turner discuss HBO's Insecure with Slate's Veralyn Williams, the classic film Dr. Strangelove, and the Vulture article: "The Toxic Drama on YA Twitter" with Slate's Laura Miller.
Dana Stevens, Julia Turner, and Stephen Metcalf discuss Christopher Nolan's new film Dunkirk, the musical podcast 36 Questions, and sellouts with musician and writer Franz Nicolay.
In the mid-1980s, big, loud, multicelebrity pop songs were briefly all over the charts and the radio. How’d that happen?
Why Alan J. Pakula’s conspiracy flick makes you feel like you’re being brainwashed, too.
Dana Stevens, Julia Turner, and Stephen Metcalf discuss Edgar Wright's new film Baby Driver, Jay Z's album 4:44 with Slate's Jack Hamilton, and David Brooks' infamous sandwich column.
In this jumbo-sized summer strut special, Stephen Metcalf, Julia Turner, Dana Stevens, and Chris Molanphy discuss the songs of the summer and our annual summer strut playlist.
Stephen Metcalf, Julia Turner, and Dana Stevens discuss Sophia Coppola's new film The Beguiled, the Netflix documentary Get Me Roger Stone, and the 10th anniversary of the iPhone.
George Michael and Elton John were friends, collaborators, and for one week, chart rivals
Julia Turner, Dana Stevens and Steven Metcalf discuss Netflix's wrestling comedy GLOW, Lorde's album Melodrama with critic Carl Wilson, and Mattel's Ken Doll reboot and if/why it's so funny.
Stephen Metcalf, June Thomas, and Christina Cauterucci discuss the new horror film It Comes at Night, the TNT Niecy Nash vehicle Claws, and Beth Ditto's new album Fake Sugar.
The panel discusses the documentary Mommy Dead and Dearest with journalist Michelle Dean, the Julius Caesar controversy at Shakespeare in the Park, and the podcast Hi-Phi Nation.
Stephen Metcalf, Julia Turner, and Dana Stevens are live from Sydney with performances and a discussion with Courtney Barnett, plus Wonder Woman and cultural stereotyping with Michael Williams, director of The Wheeler Centre.
Julia Turner, Stephen Metcalf, and Dana Stevens are live in Sydney, Australia! They discuss Baywatch, The Handmaid's Tale, and arts criticism with Sebastian Smee.
Slate's Sam Adams and writer Mark Harris on the tale of brainwashing, war, and politics—told two ways, based on the same novel.
Forrest Wickman, Aisha Harris, and Laura Bennett discuss Showtime's revival of Twin Peaks, the first black woman to star on The Bachelorette, and the Atlantic cover story, My Family's Slave.
The panel discusses Netflix's Anne of Green Gables reboot Anne With an E, the face-changing app FaceApp, and Caity Weaver's GQ profile of Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson
Dana Stevens, Stephen Metcalf, and John Swansburg discuss the new Starz series American Gods, the book Killers of the Flower Moon with author David Grann, and Dove's "Real Beauty" bottle campaign.
Dana Stephens, Stephen Metcalf, and Julia Turner discuss the work of the late Jonathan Demme, the new film Tramps with director Adam Leon, and Bret Stephens' recent New York Times op-ed about climate change.
Dana Stevens, Julia Turner, and Stephen Metcalf discuss the new Anne Hathaway film Colossus, Andy Daly's Comedy Central sitcom Review, and Pepsi's recent ad controversy
The panel discusses the new podcast S-Town, the film Ghost in the Shell with Represent host Aisha Harris, and the controversy surrounding Vice President Pence and his self-imposed rules around women.
The panel discusses Disney's Beauty and the Beast and To Walk Invisible, the new Brontë sisters drama, plus an interview with Alison Wright of The Americans, Feud, and her recent Broadway debut, Sweat.
The panel discuss the new film Personal Shopper, the legacy of Chuck Berry with the New York Times Magazine's Jody Rosen, and the sale of Us Weekly with the hosts of the podcast Who Weekly.
The panel discusses the new film Logan, the new album by the Magnetic Fields, and the article in The New Republic: "The Perils of Privilege"
No episode today, but we'll be back with a new episode tomorrow. Thanks for listening!
Julia Turner, Stephen Metcalf and Dana Stevens discuss George Orwell's classic novel 1984, Ryan Murphy's new show Feud about Bette Davis and Joan Crawford, and pop culture's current obsession with sleep.
Julia Turner, Dana Stevens and Stephen Metcalf discuss Jordan Peele's horror film Get Out with Aisha Harris, the Oscars, and the new season of the BBC's Planet Earth.
Julia Turner, Stephen Metcalf, and Dana Stevens discuss HBO's Big Little Lies with Willa Paskin, Martin Scorsese's latest film Silence, and the new podcast Missing Richard Simmons.
The panel discusses the cartoon phenomenon Steven Universe with intern Daniel Schroeder, SNL and political satire with Emily Bazelon, and The Trump Fiction project with Ben H Winters.
Slate's Dana Stevens, Stephen Metcalf, and Julia Turner discuss the CW's new Archie adaption Riverdale, David Mackenzie's Oscar-nominated film Hell or High Water, and this year's Super Bowl ads with Seth Stevenson.
Stephen Metcalf, Dana Stevens, Julia Turner, and Slate’s culture editor Laura Bennett discuss the film Elle, NBC's This Is Us, and The Mary Tyler Moore Show.
The Culture Gabfest team discusses the film Hidden Figures, Oscar nominations, and whether or not it's ok to punch a Nazi.
Dana Steven, Stephen Metcalf and Sam Anderson discuss HBO's new show The Young Pope, the film A Monster Calls directed by J. A. Bayona, and Neanderthals Were People, Too from The New York Times Magazine.
Slate's Stephen Metcalf, Dana Stevens, and Julia Turner discuss Netflix's new sci-fi show The OA, the film Fences with UCLA professor and playwright Dominic Taylor, and then whether hard times make for great art.
Julia Turner, Stephen Metcalf, and Dana Stevens discuss the new musical film La La Land, the Oscar-contender Manchester By the Sea with John Swansburg, and the best movies of the year in Slate's movie club.
The panel comes together around the podcast fire to answer your advice questions in our yearly call-in holiday special. Topics include poems for suitors, father-daughter dances, foreign name pronunciation and much more.
The panel comes together around the podcast fire to answer your advice questions in our yearly call-in holiday special. Topics include poems for suitors, father-daughter dances, foreign name pronunciation and much more.
Dan Kois, Dana Stevens, and Stephen Metcalf discuss the new Star Wars spin-off Rogue One, TBS's mystery millennial comedy Search Party, and Stevie Wonder and Slate's Wonder Week with Jack Hamilton.
The panel discuss the new biopic Jackie with Browbeat editor Sam Adams, the Netflix show 3%, and Laura Miller's piece for Slate, "Do Video Games Make Us More Cruel?"
The panel discuss the new film The Edge of Seventeen, The new album from A Tribe Called Quest with Jody Rosen, and Julia Turner's Slate cover story, The Stunt Presidency.
Stephen Metcalf, Julia Turner, and Dana Stevens discuss Moana, the new animated film from Disney, the return of Gilmore Girls with Seth Stevenson, and Nathan Heller's article in the New Yorker, "If Animals Have Rights, Should Robots?".
Julia Turner, Dana Stevens, and Stephen Metcalf discuss the booing of Mike Pence at a performance of Hamilton, the new sci-fi movie hit Arrival, and TruTV's man on the street comedy game show Billy on the Street.
The panel discuss their feelings in the aftermath of the election, the art we use to take solace in dark times with Slate writers Jamelle Bouie and Bryan Lowder, and how to think about Trump and Hitler with contributor and historian Ron Rosenbaum.
