Listen to Culture Gabfest No. 335 with Stephen Metcalf, Dana Stevens, and Julia Turner with the audio player below.

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This week on the Slate Culture Gabfest, the critics discuss the monster hit Fifty Shades of Grey. Is it tediously conventional or self-consciously campy? Next up, Jon Stewart recently announced that he’ll retire from The Daily Show later this year. Guest Jamelle Bouie joins the critics to talk about why he thinks this is a good thing for the left. Finally, the critics talk about the revolt that some female celebrities have launched against red carpet pageantry. What’s inspiring this award season’s rage against the mani cam?

Links to some of the things we discussed this week follow:

• Amanda Hess’s Fifty Shades of Grey review on Slate
• Pamela, or Virtue Rewarded by Samuel Richardson
• Jamelle Bouie’s Slate piece on why he’s glad Jon Stewart is retiring
• The Laugh Lines blog, where jokes from late night hosts appeared in the New York Times
• Cara Buckley’s piece about revolt on the red carpet in the New York Times
• The 2015 SAG Awards E mani cam
• Fashion blogs Go Fug Yourself and Tom and Lorenzo
• Dana’s review of In the Realm of the Senses on Slate

Endorsements:

Dana: In the Realm of the Senses

Julia: “He Was Present at the Birth of Punk, and He Took Notes” by Charles Curkin in the New York Times

Steve: Princess Mononoke and Definitely, Maybe

Outro: “Love Me Like You Do” by Ellie Goulding

You can email us at culturefest@slate.com.

This podcast was produced by Ann Heppermann. Our intern is Lindsey Albracht.

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