The Culture Gabfest “Migrating Buns” Edition
Slate’s Culture Gabfest on Boyhood, Botched, and the dating app Tinder.
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On this week’s episode, the critics discuss Boyhood, Richard Linklater’s film about the development of a young boy, which was shot over a 12-year period in Texas. Has the film’s groundbreaking technique made it impervious to criticism—or is it really Linklater’s masterpiece? Next, the gabbers turn to Botched, a reality show on E!, starring plastic surgeons who specialize in correcting failed cosmetic procedures. It panders to our worst rubbernecking impulses, but it may also perform a public service. And finally, the critics welcome Anna Shechtman, outgoing Culture Gabfest intern, to discuss the dating app Tinder: Despite its shallow “Hot or Not” format and its founders’ purported misogyny, is the app “good for women”?
Links to some of the things we discussed this week follow:
- Julia announces her new position as Slate’s editor in chief
- Dana’s review of Boyhood on Slate
- Seth Stevenson finds a coherent subject among all Linklater films on Slate
- Dazed and Confused, directed by Richard Linklater
- Before Sunrise, directed by Richard Linklater
- Before Sunset, directed by Richard Linklater
- Before Midnight, directed by Richard Linklater
- Michael Apted’s Up documentary series
- Botched on E!
- The Swan on Fox
- Keeping Up With the Kardashians on E!
- Teen Mom on MTV
- Kat Stoeffel of New York magazine asks “Can We Stop Saying Tinder Is Good For Women Now?”
Endorsements:
Dana: You Must Remember This, Karina Longworth’s history podcast about Hollywood’s first century.
Julia: HBO’s Veep, which has greatly matured since its first season.
Anna: Michael Reid Roberts’ language column “Life Sentences” on the American Reader’s blog.
Steve: Getting couples massages at Bodhi Holistic Spa in Hudson, New York.
Outro: “Anna (Go to Him)” by the Beatles
You can email us at culturefest@slate.com.
This podcast was produced by Ann Heppermann. Our interns are Anna Shechtman and Josephine Livingstone.
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