Culture Gabfest

This week, the panel is joined by Slate writer and senior editor Sam Adams to dissect Poor Things, director Yorgos Lanthimos' horny, steampunk Frankenstein tale about Bella Baxter (played by Emma Stone), a pregnant woman who commits suicide then is brought back to life by a brilliant scientist (Willem Dafoe), with an eccentric caveat: She now has the brain of her unborn fetus. Then, the three remember Norman Lear, the late television pioneer and American icon who died at the age of 101 and who was responsible for ushering in a new era of character-driven, comedic, topical, and morally serious TV with hit sitcoms like All in the Family, The Jeffersons, Maude, and One Day at a Time. Finally, they are joined by Slate’s books and culture columnist, Laura Miller, who shares her top ten books of the year, and along with Dana, discusses the joys and challenges of year-end listmaking. In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, the panel reunites with Sam Adams to spoil Poor Things, detailing what is arguably the film’s weakest portion: the final ten minutes. We’re also accepting submissions to our yearly call-in show, where Dana, Julia, and Stephen answer questions from Culture Gabfest listeners. Get in touch! Submit a question by calling (260) 337-8260 or emailing us at culturefest@slate.com. The deadline to submit is Wednesday, December 13. Outro music: “The Red Light Special” by Matt LargeEndorsements:Dana: It’s clear that Norman Lear was working in the heyday of television title sequences. And although Dana may have been born a bit late to catch All in the Family in real time, what she remembers are the theme songs. So, go on YouTube and call yourself up some of the most indelible introductory sequences (All in the Family, Good Times, One Day at a Time, The Jeffersons, etc.) and you’ll have a good time. Julia: An endorsement that doubles as a one-item gift guide. If you would like to give someone a fancy, overpriced, but delicious-smelling body wash, Julia has found the best one: NO Green by Corpus, a luxurious plant-based cleanser with notes of bergamot, pink lemon, orange blossom, and cardamom. Snap it up if you have some last-minute gifts to buy. Steve: A quote by Søren Kierkegaard, gifted to Stephen by his eldest daughter: “Should philosophy, among its other conceits, imagine that someone might actually want to follow its precepts in practice, a curious comedy would emerge.” (Fear and Trembling, 1843.) Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Kat Hong. If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get an ad-free experience across the network and exclusive content on many shows. You’ll also be supporting the work we do here on the Culture Gabfest. Sign up now at Slate.com/cultureplus to help support our work. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, the panel begins by exploring Renaissance: A Film by Beyoncé with Slate culture writer (and Beyhive stan) Nadira Goffe. The renowned pop diva’s theatrical debut works both as a well-oiled concert documentary as well as a surprisingly heartfelt deconstruction of Knowles’ previously impenetrable image of perfection. Then, the three consider Todd Haynes’ May December, an emotionally curious, tonally dissonant study of life’s gray areas starring Natalie Portman, longtime collaborator Julianne Moore, and Charles Melton. Loosely based on the real-life relationship between Mary Kay Letourneau and Vili Fualaau, Haynes (and screenwriter Samy Burch) questions Hollywood’s penchant for sensationalizing tragedy and the ways humans interact with each other. Finally, they are joined by EEFOP (Exceedingly Exceptional Friend of the Pod), Slate writer Dan Kois to discuss Dr. Seuss’s How the Grinch Lost Christmas!, a posthumous sequel to Theodor Geisel’s iconic 1957 children’s book, How the Grinch Stole Christmas! The original IP has been marketed and re-imagined within an inch of its life – but does new author Alastair Heim invoke any of the source materials’ sincerity or deeper meaning? In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, the panel answers a listener question from Timothy: “When reading for pleasure, how do you choose what to read next?” We’re also accepting submissions to our yearly call-in show, where Dana, Julia, and Stephen answer questions from Culture Gabfest listeners. Get in touch! Submit a question by calling (260) 337-8260 or emailing us at culturefest@slate.com.Outro music: “Spinning the Wheels” by Dusty DecksEndorsements:Dana: A two-part endorsement that goes together like wine and cheese: If I Should Fall from Grace with God, the third studio album by Irish folk-rock band The Pogues, and “Shane MacGowan Leaves the Astral Plane,” a wonderful essay by Amanda Petrusich at The New Yorker, which memorializes the late frontman. Don’t know where to start with The Pogues’ catalog? Dana recommends “A Rainy Night in Soho.” Julia: Drawing inspiration from this episode’s children’s book segment, Julia endorses the Little Blue Truck series (written by Alice Schertle and illustrated by the late Jill McElmurry) alongside her favorite Theodor Geisel work, Hunches and Bunches. “It’s the Beyoncé of Dr. Seuss books.” Steve: Paris is Burning, which pairs beautifully with Beyoncé’s Renaissance. Jennie Livingston’s landmark 1990 documentary is one of the most moving films Stephen has ever seen, and provides a vibrant snapshot of New York City’s drag-ball scene in the ‘80s. Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Kat Hong. If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get an ad-free experience across the network and exclusive content on many shows. You’ll also be supporting the work we do here on the Culture Gabfest. Sign up now at Slate.com/cultureplus to help support our work. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, Dana and Julia are joined by Jamelle Bouie, Opinion columnist at The New York Times and co-host of Unclear and Present Danger. The panel begins by diving into Ridley Scott’s Napoleon, a visually sumptuous biopic starring Joaquin Phoenix that attempts to chronicle the legendary historical figure’s life and reduce him to human size, yet fails to do so within its 2 ½ hour runtime. Then, the three jump into Scott Pilgrim Takes Off, a new eight-part animated Netflix series that offers an alternate version of its protagonist, Scott Pilgrim (who was first depicted in Bryan Lee O'Malley’s series of graphic novels then later in Edgar Wright’s cult classic film, Scott Pilgrim vs. The World), and reunites much of the movie’s brilliant original cast. Finally, they discuss André 3000’s New Blue Sun, a transcendent ambient album laced with flute-base soundscapes that on its face seems like a complete departure from the rapper’s previous work in Outkast, but actually depicts a piece of him that’s been present in his music all along.  In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, the panel takes advantage of Jamelle’s baking prowess and discusses best practices and tips in the kitchen, before turning to the eternal, all-important question: When you bake, do you use a measuring scale? And if so, why?   We’re also accepting submissions to our yearly call-in show, where Dana, Julia, and Stephen answer questions from Culture Gabfest listeners. Get in touch! Submit a question by calling (260) 337-8260 or emailing us at culturefest@slate.com.Outro music: “By the Riverside” by Lindsey AbrahamEndorsements:Jamelle: The 4K restoration of one of his favorite movies, The Fugitive (1993), starring Tommy Lee Jones and Harrison Ford. It’s an underrated and beautiful Chicago movie. Julia: A deep cut from her personal Summer Strut playlist: Bob Dylan’s 1997 song “Not Dark Yet,” which appeared on the album Time Out of Mind. Dana: Inspired by their discussion of André 3000’s new album, Dana endorses a different avant-garde flute enthusiast: Eric Dolphy, the American multi-instrumentalist and bandleader. Specifically, his fantastic 1964 jazz album, Out to Lunch. Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Kat Hong. If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get an ad-free experience across the network and exclusive content on many shows. You’ll also be supporting the work we do here on the Culture Gabfest. Sign up now at Slate.com/cultureplus to help support our work. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Guest Nathan Fielder, co-producer of The Curse, discusses the cringe-worthy series. The panel also reviews The Holdovers and a memoir by Dwight Garner. They reflect on Jezebel's closure and media for women. Plus, endorsements of a nature documentary and a funny sketch with Emma Stone on Jimmy Kimmel Live.

This week, Dana and Stephen are joined by Supreme Friend of the Pod, Isaac Butler, who co-hosts Slate’s Working podcast and is the author of The Method: How the Twentieth Century Learned to Act (which is now available in paperback!). The panel begins by pondering Dream Scenario, a provocative new film from Norwegian writer-director Kristoffer Borgli. The nightmarish social satire stars Nicolas Cage as Paul Matthews, a hapless middle-aged biology professor who begins appearing randomly in people’s dreams in a tale about anonymity and the cycle of virality. Then, the three speak with the brilliant author and classicist Emily Wilson about her recent translation of Homer’s the Iliad, and her unique approach to metered verse and how she came to access the interior lives of Hector, Patroclus, Achilles, and more. Finally, the trio discusses Coyote vs. Acme, a completed film based on Ian Frazier’s 1990 comic in The New Yorker, that was shelved last week by Warner Bros. (reportedly in favor of a $30 million tax write-off) then un-shelved when the studio received backlash for being “anti-art.”  In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, the panel descends into a different kind of nightmare: The Beatles’ music video for “Now and Then.” Has director Peter Jackson created a touching CGI tribute to the legendary band? Or has he engineered something truly evil?Email us at culturefest@slate.com. Endorsements:Dana: The Public Domain Review, an online journal and not-for-profit project dedicated to “the exploration of curious and compelling works from the history of art, literature, and ideas.” She’s only just begun to scratch the site’s surface, but recommends starting with “W.E.B. Du Bois’ Hand-Drawn Infographics of African-American Life.”Isaac: Deadloch, an Australian feminist noir comedy set in a fictional working class fishing village that’s been, as he describes, “gentrified by the most granola crunchy lesbians on earth.”  Stephen: The song “New Romantic” by British folk singer-songwriter Laura Marling, specifically her extraordinary 2006 live performance of it when she was quite young at a now-closed music venue in West London. Outro music: “Any Other Way” by Particle HousePodcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Kat Hong. If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get an ad-free experience across the network and exclusive content on many shows. You’ll also be supporting the work we do here on the Culture Gabfest. Sign up now at Slate.com/cultureplus to help support our work. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, the panel is joined first by Isaac Butler, co-host of Slate’s Working podcast and author of The Method: How the Twentieth Century Learned to Act, to debate the merits of David Fincher’s The Killer and whether the director’s latest “thriller” (which stars Michael Fassbender) is a masterful example of craft or simply a logic-free time-suck. Then, Dana, Julia, and Stephen explore the world of Letterboxd, the self-proclaimed “Goodreads of movies” that may be the only positive social media platform left. Finally, the trio is joined by Extreme Friend of the Pod Chris Molanphy to discuss his wonderful new book, Old Town Road, which considers Lil Nas X's debut single as pop artifact, chart phenomenon, and cultural watershed.In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, the panel asks: what’s the deal with long movies? Are today’s films getting longer or is it just a figment of our imagination? Email us at culturefest@slate.com. Endorsements:Dana: A hometown endorsement of Slate’s excellent coverage of the Sam Bankman-Fried trial, specifically a piece by Nitish Pahwa entitled “The Days the Chips Fell,” which chronicles what Pahwa witnessed in the courtroom the day Bankman-Fried was found guilty.Julia: The Last Waltz, Martin Scorsese’s iconic 1978 concert documentary that captures the Band’s legendary farewell performance in San Francisco. It depicts a very specific image of the male rockstar era, highlighting both the vanity and vulnerability of its stars. Dana also wrote about The Last Waltz for Slate in 2012! Stephen: Taken by the retro-feel of The Holdovers’ trailer, Stephen endorses the song featured in it, “Silver Joy” by Damien Jurado. Outro music: “Go Slow” by Daniel FridellPodcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Kat Hong. If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get an ad-free experience across the network and exclusive content on many shows. You’ll also be supporting the work we do here on the Culture Gabfest. Sign up now at Slate.com/cultureplus to help support our work. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, the panel begins by discussing Priscilla, Sofia Coppola’s new film starring Cailee Spaeny and Jacob Elordi that’s based on Priscilla Presley’s memoir, Elvis and Me, and features an otherworldly courtship, gilded cages, and whole lot of mumbling. Then, the three review Anatomy of a Fall, an excellent French movie directed and co-written by Justine Triet that, on the surface, looks like a courtroom drama, but dives deep into the discrepancies and lies that make up a marriage. Finally, they conclude with a spicy topic: Hot Ones, the viral celebrity interview show that forces guests to eat increasingly hot chicken wings while answering surprisingly well-researched questions. In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, the panel gets into spoiler territory and discusses the dramatic, twist-y ending of Anatomy of a Fall.  Email us at culturefest@slate.com. Endorsements:Dana: The French History Podcast hosted by Gary Girod, which covers unique and interesting aspects of French culture. She recommends starting with the episode “Thomas Jefferson’s Paris.” Julia: Owen Gleiberman’s essay for Variety, “In ‘Killers of the Flower Moon,’ Is Leonardo DiCaprio Playing a Dumb Hick, a Pitiless Sociopath… or a Muddle?” Also, in light of actor Matthew Perry’s recent passing, she’s bumping his memoir, Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing up on her must-read list.Stephen: Naples ‘44 written by Normal Lewis, a landmark novel that highlights the author’s dry wit and ability to detail the extent of human suffering. Outro music: “Backwards” by Staffan CarlenPodcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Kat Hong. If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get an ad-free experience across the network and exclusive content on many shows. You’ll also be supporting the work we do here on the Culture Gabfest. Sign up now at Slate.com/cultureplus to help support our work. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, the panel begins by reviewing Killers of the Flower Moon, Martin Scorsese’s film based on David Grann’s 2017 non-fiction book about the plot of white Americans to steal the Osage Nation’s headrights in the 1920s, starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Lily Gladstone. Then, the three are joined by Dan Kois, writer and editor at Slate and author of Vintage Contemporaries, to puzzle over Slayers: A Buffyverse Story, a scripted audio series based on Buffy: The Vampire Slayer that’s written and performed by many of the original cast, with one glaring omission: creator and showrunner Joss Whedon. Finally, the trio asks: Why is the internet no longer fun? The once utopian dream of democracy has turned into a hellscape, according to Kyle Chayka’s essay in The New Yorker, “Why the Internet Isn’t Fun Anymore.” In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, the panel shares their relationships (or lack thereof) with audiobooks, inspired by Paul Grimstad’s essay “Confessions of an Audiobook Addict for The New Yorker.” Email us at culturefest@slate.com. Endorsements:Dana: The Genius Behind Hollywood’s Most Indelible Sets, a profile of Jack Fisk, the master production designer behind Killers of the Flower Moon and many other films. Julia: While watching Sleepless in Seattle with her husband, Julia discovered her new favorite sound clip: When Meg Ryan dishes with Rosie O’Donnell about her budding romance with Tom Hanks, O’Donnell responds comically while chomping a bite of egg salad into her mouth, in a way that deserves to become a meme.Stephen: The little-known, up-and-coming writer Shakespeare (according to Stephen, he’s “very good” if not “a little antique-y”), specifically in the context of Killers of the Flower Moon. The film’s final scenes recall The Tempest in many ways. Outro music: “Back to Silence” by OTE.Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Kat Hong. If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get an ad-free experience across the network and exclusive content on many shows. You’ll also be supporting the work we do here on the Culture Gabfest. Sign up now at Slate.com/cultureplus to help support our work. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, the panel begins by diving into Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour, a glittery and extremely fun concert movie starring the singer-songwriter-producer-mogul that’s already become the highest grossing concert documentary of all time. Then, they discuss Beckham, a surprisingly candid four-part docu-series on Netflix directed by Fisher Stevens that chronicles the footballer’s meteoric rise to stardom and paints an intimate portrait of his home life with Victoria Adams, a.k.a. Posh Spice. Finally, the three dissect “Why Culture Has Come to a Standstill,” a provocative essay authored by Jason Farago, the New York Times critic at large. In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, the panel embraces sweater weather with a discussion inspired by Amanda Mull’s essay for The Atlantic, “Your Sweaters Are Garbage.” Email us at culturefest@slate.com. Endorsements:Dana: One of Dana’s favorites from the New York Film Festival this year is Anatomy of a Fall (which won the Palme d’Or at Cannes!) Directed by Justine Triet, this murder mystery thriller becomes a psychological study of a marriage when a suspicious tragedy strikes a family living in the French Alps. “It’s the kind of film you want to see then immediately debate over drinks with friends.”Julia: A fantastic piece of writing on Insider, “The Great Zelle Pool Scam” by Devin Friedman, that uses the funny personal essay form–some reporting, a few confessions, observational humor, and the occasional insight–to levy an attack on Zelle, a massive, poorly regulated major part of our financial infrastructure. Stephen: “Picasso’s Transformations” an essay by the art critic Jed Perl, published in The New York Review of Books (which is celebrating its 60th anniversary). Outro music: “Lonely Calling” by Arc De SoleilPodcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Kat Hong. If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get an ad-free experience across the network and exclusive content on many shows. You’ll also be supporting the work we do here on the Culture Gabfest. Sign up now at Slate.com/cultureplus to help support our work. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, the panel begins by reviewing The Wonderful World of Henry Sugar, Wes Anderson’s faithful adaptation of a 1977 Roald Dahl short story, that doubles as a sumptuous meta-commentary on the director’s exacting approach to his craft. Then, the three discuss The Super Models, Apple TV+’s docu-series that glossily chronicles the lives and careers of Naomi Campbell, Cindy Crawford, Christy Turlington, and Linda Evangelista, a.k.a. The It Girls of ‘90s fashion. Finally, they puzzle through a controversy sweeping the behavioral science community: What happens when so-called “lying experts” falsify their own data? Recent allegations against well-known thought leaders in the field, Francesca Gino and her frequent collaborator, Dan Ariely, have unleashed a host of ethical issues and questions within the academic sphere.In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, the panel honors Spooky Season by sharing their first encounters with terrifying movies. Email us at culturefest@slate.com. Endorsements:Dana: Joni Mitchell, the celebrated singer-songwriter, recently released Archives – Volume 3: The Asylum Years (1972-1975), a five-CD box set of archival treasures: never-before-heard demos, unearthed session outtakes, and recordings of live performances. (Also, if you’re not a Mitchell fan, what are you even doing here?) Julia: Julia has doubled down and listened raptly to every episode of Strike Force Five, the late-night host podcast from Stephen Colbert, Jimmy Fallon, Jimmy Kimmel, Seth Meyers, and John Oliver. Apparently, the men eventually found their groove! It’s an unusual product that reveals much about their respective talents. Stephen: Lydia Loveless, an amazing alt-country songwriter, and her superlatively strong sixth album, Nothing’s Gonna Stand in My Way Again. Stephen endorses Loveless so enthusiastically, he’s even created a playlist of his favorite songs of hers: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3vAPq5ZGCRB3kJLOFzZ4rF?si=4a4d5619bb6e40c0&nd=1Outro music: “Break The Line” by Coma SvenssonPodcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Kat Hong.If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get an ad-free experience across the network and exclusive content on many shows. You’ll also be supporting the work we do here on the Culture Gabfest. Sign up now at Slate.com/cultureplus to help support our work. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices