Slate Culture Feed

Joel Anderson, Stefan Fatsis, and Josh Levin talk about the push for a 17-game NFL season and John Beilein’s short, tumultuous tenure with the Cleveland Cavaliers. Joseph Bien-Kahn also joins to discuss ultrarunner Jim Walmsley’s quest to qualify for the Olympic marathon.NFL (01:42): The pros and cons of a longer professional football season.Beilein (17:31): He was a great college basketball coach. How did it go so wrong in the NBA?Ultramarathon (33:30): Can the world’s best super-long-distance runner hang with the best for 26.2 miles?Afterballs (51:26): Stefan on Little Leagues and major-league nicknames and Josh on segregation at the Sugar Bowl. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

After years of working as a physician, Ken Jeong quit to pursue acting. Then his wife was diagnosed with breast cancer, and he found himself needing to think like a doctor again.This episode was originally broadcast in 2015.Sign up for our newsletter by going to deathsexmoney.org/newsletter, and every Wednesday we'll send you behind-the-scenes updates, podcast listening recommendations, and some pretty incredible listener letters from our inbox.Follow our show on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram @deathsexmoney. Got a story to share? Email us any time at deathsexmoney@wnyc.org. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week on the Culture Gabfest, Stephen Metcalf is joined by two guests hosts: Sam Anderson, New York Times Magazine staff writer and author of Boom Time, and Dan Kois, Slate staff writer and author of How to Be a Family. First, the panel discusses The Assistant, the indie film with heavy Harvey Weinstein overtones. Next, they dive into Hulu’s reboot of High Fidelity, starring Zoë Kravitz. Finally, the panel breaks down the work of Jenny Odell, including her book How to Do Nothing and her recent Paris Review essay “The Myth of Self-Reliance.”On the Slate Plus segment this week, the panel discusses Dan Kois’s recent Slate story on a New Zealand fantasy masterpiece—an article that catalyzed the book’s publication in the U.S. Podcast production by Jessamine Molli. Production assistance by Rachael Allen. Additional production help by Rosemary Belson.Outro Music: ‘Lonely World’ by Moses SumneyEndorsementsDan: The writing of Charles Portis, including True Grit and Norwood.Sam: John Cage’s performance of “Water Walk” on “I’ve Got a Secret” in 1960 (as Jenny Odell recommends).Steve: Seeing Parasite a second time. “The Professor of Denial” by Amanda J. Crawford in The Chronicle of Higher Education.Moses Sumney’s Aromanticism Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Joel Anderson, Josh Levin, and special guest Lindsay Gibbs talk about the fallout from the Houston Astros’ sign-stealing scandal. They also discuss WNBA free agency and the rise of Oregon’s Sabrina Ionescu. Finally, they review the Netflix docuseries Cheer.Astros (03:13): What should we make of baseball players’ anger toward their Houston brethren?Women’s basketball (19:53): What’s the deal with all the player movement in the WNBA? And is Sabrina Ionescu the sport’s next huge star?Cheer (38:16): What makes the Netflix docuseries great and why it’s often disturbing to watch.Afterballs (01:01:00): Joel on the Knuckleheads podcast and Lindsay on the pioneering Immaculata women’s basketball program. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this mini-episode of Hit Parade, host Chris Molanphy is joined by Nathan Rabin, podcaster and writer of two books about “Weird Al” Yankovic. They discuss the most recent full-length episode of Hit Parade, a history of novelty songs on the Billboard charts culminating with the oeuvre of the most successful parody musician ever. Nathan shares the history of his Al fandom and eventual book-length collaboration, and Chris and Nathan theorize about the secrets of Al’s success.(Want to see Nathan Rabin talk about Weird Al in person? Join him in Los Angeles on Saturday, February 22, 2020, at 3:30 p.m. PST at Dynasty Typewriter—tickets here.)Next, Chris quizzes a Slate Plus listener with some music trivia, and the contestant turns the tables with a chance to try to stump Chris with a question of his own. Then, Chris teases the upcoming full-length episode of Hit Parade, which will look at the record-breaking career of the late Whitney Houston—now a Rock Hall inductee.While this episode is available to all listeners, our trivia round is open only to Slate Plus members. If you are a member—or once you become a member—enter as a contestant here.Want your question featured in an upcoming show? Email a voice memo to hitparade@slate.com.Podcast production by Asha Saluja.   Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I talk with the dancer and choreographer about the low-budget beginning of her prolific career, and about dealing with new physical limitations while creating new works in her late 70s.Send a Death, Sex & Money Valentine! Find episodes to send to your loved ones, as well as a special Valentine's e-card, at deathsexmoney.org/valentine.Sign up for our newsletter by going to deathsexmoney.org/newsletter, and every Wednesday we'll send you behind-the-scenes updates, podcast listening recommendations, and some pretty incredible listener letters from our inbox.Follow our show on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram @deathsexmoney. Got a story to share? Email us any time at deathsexmoney@wnyc.org. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week on the Culture Gabfest, Stephen Metcalf, Dana Stevens, and Julia Turner break down the Oscars and Bong Joon-ho’s historic win. Next, the discuss Star Trek: Picard with Slate associate editor and Trekkie Marissa Martinelli. Finally, they dive into a recent New York Times Magazine article on the way television imagines New York City. On the Slate Plus segment this week, the fashion of the Oscars.  Podcast production by Jessamine Molli. Production assistance by Rachael Allen.Outro Music: Eminem Performs 'Lose Yourself' at Oscars 2020EndorsementsDana: Bong Joon Ho’s Oscar acceptance speeches, as Dana wrote about in her recent Slate piece “Bong Joon-ho’s Oscar Night Had All the Genre-Bending Twists of His Movies.”Julia: “Chasing Colombia’s ‘cocaine hippos’” by Peter Rowe in the Los Angeles Times.Steve: “The Seriousness of George Steiner” by Adam Gopnik in the New Yorker.“An Evening With George Steiner (1929-2020)” by Kinton Ford in n+1. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Joel Anderson, Stefan Fatsis, and Josh Levin talk about the opening weekend of the new XFL. They also discuss the Houston Rockets’ small-ball experiment and review ESPN’s new Michael Vick documentary.XFL (01:57): Is the latest iteration of Vince McMahon’s NFL competitor built to last?Rockets (22:48): Is playing super-duper small a smart idea, a desperate ploy, or a smart idea that’s also a desperate ploy?Vick (37:11): Assessing the quarterback’s contrition 13 years after he pleaded guilty to a dogfighting charge.Afterball (58:02): Stefan on one of Bobby Knight’s most memorable meltdowns. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Slate Plus members get ad-free podcasts and bonus episodes of shows like Dear Prudence and Slow Burn. Sign up now to listen and support our work.When Peter Mac was young, he found solace from his troubles in the voice of Judy Garland. He's now been a Judy Garland impersonator for 17 years. On this episode of Decoder Ring we explore the special valence that Judy Garland has for queer people, the history of female impersonation on stage, and what the future might hold for Judy as an icon. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The writer reflects on her first relationship with a woman, finding the words to talk about experiencing abuse, and the process of writing it all down in her memoir.Sign up for our newsletter by going to deathsexmoney.org/newsletter, and every Wednesday we'll send you behind-the-scenes updates, podcast listening recommendations, and some pretty incredible listener letters from our inbox.Follow our show on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram @deathsexmoney. Got a story to share? Email us any time at deathsexmoney@wnyc.org. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.