Culture Gabfest
Slate’s critics debate the week in culture, from highbrow to pop.
About the Show
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.
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Woke Superman Saves the Box Office
This week, the panel joins the cultural discourse surrounding the new Superman, determines if Too Much is enough, and shares their experience at Viola’s Room, the new immersive theater piece from the creators of Sleep No More.
Bonus: Scott Rudin Returns
The hosts unpack the news that infamous producer Scott Rudin has plans to return to Broadway.
Sorry, Straight White Male Novelist Edition
This week, the panel wrangle with the tricky to pin down yet compelling traumedy Sorry, Baby, the documentary Dear Ms.: A Revolution in Print, and the life and death of the straight white male novelist (as eulogized in a recent New York Times piece).
Bonus: Do Female Designers Make Better Clothes for Women?
The panel unspools the history of the under-appreciated fashion designer Claire McCardell.
Brad Pitt’s Victory Lap Edition
This week, the panel powers up their engines for the racing blockbuster F1: The Movie, the British game show Taskmaster, and the New York Times’s 100 Best Movies of the 21st Century interactive feature.
Bonus: Sex on Film
Are steamy scenes a thing of the past? The panel assesses the state of sex in the movies.
Daddygang Rage Virus Edition
This week, the panel unspool all the allegorical viscera of 28 Years Later, the Alex Cooper documentary Call Her Alex, and Haim’s new album I quit.
Bonus: Spoiling 28 Years Later
The hosts untangle the complicated themes and surprise tonal twists of 28 Years Later’s final act.
Can Materialists Revive the Rom-com Edition
This week, the panel assesses the new rom-com Materialists, dives into the documentary Titan: The OceanGate Submersible Disaster, and reflects on the life and legacy of the pop music genius Brian Wilson.
Bonus: Warped Ways of Seeing P.O.V.
The hosts discuss a recent New Yorker essay about the ubiquity—and meaning-inverting impact— of “P.O.V.” videos.
Pee Wee’s Big Documentary Edition
This week, the panel considers the two-part documentary Pee-wee As Himself, the Owen Wilson golf comedy Stick, and is joined by journalist Caity Weaver to discuss her recent Mark Twain-inspired travelogue to Paris.
Bonus: Imagining Life in Another City
The hosts take on a listener question about what city they’ve never lived in but could imagine happily resettling.
The Creator of Succession Takes On The Bro-ligarchy
On this week’s episode, the panel checks out the newest offering from Succession creator Jesse Armstrong called Mountainhead, Amazon Prime’s new series Overcompensating, and the strange state of PR, inspired by an article on new media.
Bonus: Dining In The 21st Century
The hosts remember and review dining and restaurant trends.
Tom Cruise Nearly Died So You Would Like this Movie Edition
On this week’s episode, the panel reckons with Mission Impossible: The Final Reckoning, Netflix’s summery series Sirens, and Morgan Wallen’s new hit album I’m The Problem.
Bonus: Festival de Cannes Édition
Amy Nicholson shares the hottest buzz from La Croisette with her key takeaways from the 2025 Cannes Film Festival.
Can Tim Robinson Save Friendship Edition
This week, the panel dissects the surreal humor of the Tim Robinson, Paul Rudd, A24 film Friendship, the podcast series Final Thoughts: Jerry Springer, and the precipitous end of Western culture—or at least, a recent Atlantic article about its potential decline.
Bonus: Learning to Love Tom Hardy
The hosts discuss the surprising appeal of actor Tom Hardy in all his grunting glory.
The 3 Blake Lively Problem Edition
This week, the panel digs into the Blake Lively, Anna Kendrick noir-comedy Another Simple Favor, the new ballet series Étoile, and the surprise selection of the first American pope.
Bonus: Spoiling Another Simple Favor
The hosts get into the shocking, perverted, and deeply weird ending of Another Simple Favor.
Andor is a Star Wars Series That Actually Feels Real Edition
This week, the panel digs into the second season of Andor, the remake of The Wedding Banquet, and the discovery of a new color, olo.
Bonus: Appreciating Art with Age Edition
The hosts get into what pieces of pop culture they appreciated differently as they got older.
Dying for Sex and Living in Malls
This week, the hosts discuss Dying for Sex, Secret Mall Apartment, and the new Lucy Dacus album Forever Is a Feeling.
Bonus: Stealing or Borrowing in Art
The hosts take on a listener prompt about shifting feelings towards works of art that are revealed to be more borrowed or stolen than inspired.
