The Culture Gabfest Bondage Trousers Edition
Slate's podcast about the new USA series Graceland; the “Punk: Chaos to Couture” exhibit at the Met; and when it’s OK to just plain hate a band, book, or movie.
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On this week’s episode, our critics review the USA network’s new series Graceland, a simultaneously sunny and gritty show about undercover agents living in a Real World-esque beach mansion; Los Angeles Times entertainment writer Meredith Blake guests. Second, we’re joined by Slate columnist and Barney’s creative ambassador Simon Doonan to discuss the Met’s new retrospective exhibit “Punk: Chaos to Couture.” Finally, Slate’s new music critic Carl Wilson joins the Gabfest to take on the topic of hatred as a critical tool: When is it OK to just say, “I can’t stand this band, book, or movie?”
Here are links to some of the things we discussed this week:
- Meredith Blake on Graceland and USA’s “blue skies” shows, for the Los Angeles Times.
- June’s 2012 Slate piece on the pleasures of summer television. Graceland’s official page.
- USA network’s shows Burn Notice, Suits, Royal Pains, and White Collar. The official website for “Punk: Chaos to Couture.”
- The Met’s 2011 Alexander McQueen exhibit.
- The revolutionary “Sex” (later knows as “Seditionaries”) boutique.
- Fashion designer Zandra Rhodes.
- The bands The Slits, X-Ray Spex, and Siouxsie and the Banshees.
- Carl Wilson’s piece on hating the National, for Slate.
- Dana Stevens hating on Natalie Portman, for Slate.
- The oft-maligned fashion designer Ed Hardy.
Endorsements:
June: The entertaining, eclectic new website about all things television, Previously.tv.
Carl: Author Josh Kun’s collection of old Southern California sheet music, new recordings, a live concert series, and overall multimedia treasure chest, “Songs in the Key of L.A.”
Dana: Fill the Void, a new Israeli film about an arranged marriage in an ultra-Orthodox Jewish family.
Outro: “That’s the Way It Is,” by Celine Dion
You can email us at culturefest@slate.com.
This podcast was produced by Julia Furlan. Our intern is Sam McDougle.
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