Listen to Slate's show about the week in culture.

Listen to Culture Gabfest No. 24 with Stephen Metcalf, Dana Stevens, and June Thomas by clicking the arrow on the audio player below:

You can also download the program here, or you can subscribe to the weekly Culture Gabfest podcast feed in iTunes by clicking here.

In this week's Culture Gabfest, our critics discuss Tom Cruise's screen adventures as a one-eyed German soldier, Bruce Springsteen's decision to sell his new best-of collection exclusively at Wal-Mart, and the 2008 year in culture.

Here are links to some of the articles and other items mentioned in the show:

The Valkyrie Web site.
Stephen's Slate piece looking at Tom Cruise's career through the lens of his 1983 comedy Risky Business.
Box Office Mojo chartsValkyrie's success in its opening weekend.
Billboard reports that the new greatest-hits collection from Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band will be available exclusively at Wal-Mart.
Jon Pareles' piece in the New York Times on coming to terms with musicians selling out.
Stephen's Slate piece on Springsteen and his guru Jon Landau.
Dana's list of the best films of 2008.
Slate's staff picks the best books of 2008.

The Culture Gabfest weekly endorsements:

Dana's pick: HBO's documentaryJacques D'Amboise in China: The Other Side of the World
June's pick: The Archers, a quintessentially British radio show from the BBC, now available as a daily podcast
Stephen's pick: an upstart podcast from a trio of culture-gabbers, and a happy 2009.

Posted on Dec. 31 by Jacob Ganz at 11:57 a.m.

Listen to Culture Gabfest No. 23 with Stephen Metcalf, Dana Stevens, and Julia Turner by clicking the arrow on the audio player below:  
 
You can also download the program here, or you can subscribe to the Culture Gabfest podcast feed in iTunes by clicking here.

In this week's Culture Gabfest, our critics Stephen Metcalf, Dana Stevens, and Julia Turner discuss Jay Leno's announced move to prime time, the troubles facing the book-publishing industry, and the rebirth of Mickey Rourke in the new movie The Wrestler.

Here are links to some of the articles and other items mentioned in the show:

The New York Times article on how Jay Leno was convinced to stay at NBC and move into a prime time slot.
Jimmy Fallon's "vlog" practice for his Late Night gig.
Daniel Engber's Slate article on the "crying while eating" viral video that won him a spot on TheTonight Show With Jay Leno.
New York magazine's article on the sinking book-publishing industry.
The New York Times' piece on a particularly disastrous week for the publishing industry.
The Wrestler Web site.
Pat Jordan's profile of Mickey Rourke in the New York Times Magazine

The Culture Gabfest weekly endorsements:
Dana's pick: Deborah Eisenberg's article on the work of Susan Sontag in the New York Review of Books.
Julia's pick: Fred Armisen's underestimated Obama impersonation on Saturday Night Live.
Stephen's pick: "Warmer Corners," the 2005 album by the Australian indie pop trio the Lucksmiths.

Posted on Dec. 17 by Jacob Ganz at 12:27 p.m.

Dec. 3, 2008

Listen to Culture Gabfest No. 22 with Stephen Metcalf, Dana Stevens, and Julia Turner by clicking the arrow on the audio player below: