Listen to Culture Gabfest No. 405 with Stephen Metcalf, Dana Stevens, Laura Bennett and Aisha Harris with the audio player below.
Subscribe in iTunes ∙ RSS feed ∙ Download ∙ Play in another tab
And join the lively conversation on the Culturefest Facebook page here:
Go to slate.com/cultureplus to learn more about Slate Plus and join today.
This week on Slate Plus, the gabbers respond to a listener question from Liza Pringle about a moment in one’s life when a literary text or song lyrics made a real difference.
On this week’s Slate Culture Gabfest, the gabbers discuss whether Finding Dory is a worthy successor to its Nemo counterpart. How well does Pixar handle themes of disability? And how does this movie stack up in the broader Pixar pantheon? Secondly, Aisha Harris joins the critics as they discuss the way UnReal Season 2 deals with race, and how it reflects the cynical world of reality shows like The Bachelor. Lastly, CBS’ Late Late Show host James Corden has a bona fide cultural phenomenon on his hands with Carpool Karaoke. What is so appealing about this segment, and how are these “candid” forms of celebrity interview changing late-night TV?
Links to some of the things we discussed this week follow:
- Pixar’s Finding Nemo, Wall-E, Toy Story movies, Ratatouille
- The New Yorker profile of Sarah Gertrude Shapiro
- The Bachelor
- The Bachelorette
- Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee
- Carpool Karaoke episodes with Adele and Lin Manuel and Broadway stars
- Lip Sync Battle with Jimmy Fallon
The Slate Culture Gabfest is brought to you by the new podcast Dog Smarts. Each episode features leading researchers and academics who tackle questions of language, memory, intelligence, and even love as they pertain to our dogs. Subscribe to Dog Smarts on iTunes now.
And by Rocket Mortgage from Quicken Loans. Rocket Mortgage takes the frustrations out of getting a mortgage by letting you safely share your financial information with the touch of a button. Get approved online in minutes at QuickenLoans.com/culture.
And by Tictail, a social shopping marketplace. Go to tictail.com/culture to create your profile and discover independent brands around the world.
Endorsements:
Dana: The Feminization of America by Ann Douglas
Laura: Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee
Stephen: The Hissing of Summer Lawns by Joni Mitchell
Outro: “The Hissing of Summer Lawns” by Joni Mitchell
You can email us at culturefest@slate.com.
This podcast was produced by Ann Heppermann. Our intern is Lizzie Fison.
Follow us on Twitter. And please Like the Culture Gabfest on Facebook.
