American Fiction, Oscar Contender?

Jan 31, 2024

Guest

Percival Everett

Guest

Cord Jefferson

Guest

Jeffrey Wright

Cord Jefferson, Percival Everett, and Jeffrey Wright discuss the subversive brilliance of their Oscar contender film, American Fiction, adapted from Everett's novel. The hosts analyze the film's exploration of race, family dynamics, and generational wealth. They also delve into the satirical elements and nuanced expectations portrayed by Tracy Ellis Ross. Additionally, the podcast touches on the depiction of homelessness in media, critiques NPR's style, and explores the Oscars' impact on opening doors for unknown talent. Finally, the hosts share their music endorsements - the albums "Chameleon" by Labelle and "Midnight Dancer" by Silk.

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Introduction

00:00 • 5min

Nuanced Expectations and Family Dynamics in a Movie

04:59 • 12min

Examining Black Acceptance of Black Art

16:32 • 7min

Analysis of NPR, Depiction of Homelessness, and Show Critique

23:19 • 10min

Exploring the Whisper Talk Voice and Criticizing NPR

33:31 • 7min

Snubs and Portrayals in Barbie

40:49 • 6min

The Oscars and Opening Doors for Unknown Talent

46:54 • 3min

Exploring 'Chameleon' by Lebel and 'Midnight Dancer' by Silk

49:55 • 9min

On this week’s show, Slate culture writer Nadira Goffe and Sam Sanders, host of Vibe Check fill in for Dana Stevens and Julia Turner. The hosts begin with a subversively brilliant Oscar contender, American Fiction, which is Cord Jefferson’s adaptation of Percival Everett’s 2001 novel Erasure. The filmmaker’s debut racked up five Oscar nominations, including Best Picture, and stars Jeffrey Wright as Thelonius “Monk” Ellis, a frustrated writer, in this heartfelt family melodrama encased in biting satire. (Catch Sam’s conversation with Cord Jefferson here.) Then, the three tread into familiar territory and dissect In the Know, Mike Judge’s (Beavis and Butthead, Silicon Valley, King of the Hill) latest show on Peacock which satirizes the world of public radio, specifically NPR, through the stop-motion animated lens of its third most-popular host, Lauren Caspian (voiced by Zach Woods). Finally, Oscar season is officially upon us, and with Oscar nominations, comes invariably, Oscar snubs. The panel explores this year’s nominees, and who may or may not have gotten the short end of the stick.

In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, the panel discusses a fun interactive from The New York Times, “The Menu Trends That Define Dining Right Now.”

Email us at culturefest@slate.com.

Outro music: “Bloody Hunter” by Paisley Pink

Endorsements:

Sam: An album he loves and owns on vinyl, Chameleon (1976) by the American singing trio Labelle. It’s pure R&B funk dazzle.

Nadira: A threefold music endorsement: Midnight Dancer (1979) by the Philly soul group Silk, Spotify’s “create radio” function, and a compilation of Barbara Ackland’s greatest hits.

Steve: A gorgeous, lofi home recording of Sandy Denny singing her classic, “Who Knows Where the Time Goes.”

Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Kat Hong.

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