Culture Gabfest

The Culture Gabfest “Hey Aliens, Use a Coaster” Edition

Slate’s Culture Gabfest on Mike Pence at Hamilton, Denis Villeneuve’s Arrival, and Billy on the Street.

Listen to Culture Gabfest No. 427 with Stephen Metcalf, Dana Stevens, and Julia Turner with the audio player below.

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This week on Slate Plus, Stephen, Dana, and Julia debate whether Thanksgiving is the best holiday.

On this week’s Slate Culture Gabfest, the critics discuss the audience of Hamilton booing Mike Pence when he attended the show last Friday, as well as the cast’s statement addressed to the vice president-elect. Was this an expression of the very rights and privileges the show is about, or should the theater be a safe space? Then, the critics talk about the new sci-fi thriller Arrival, starring Amy Adams as a linguist attempting to communicate with an alien race visiting Earth. Should this be considered a feminist movie? Last, the critics discuss the television show Billy on the Street, a man-on-the-street parody where Billy Eichner runs around New York City shouting at people about pop culture, sometimes dragging celebrities like Jon Hamm and Julianne Moore along with him.

Links to some of the things we discussed this week:

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Endorsements

Dana: Writer Sarah Kendzior, particularly her book The View From Flyover Country and her recent appearance on the podcast WhoWhatWhy

Julia: Sibley’s Birding Basics by David Allen Sibley

Stephen: Timothy Snyder’s book Bloodlands and his recent essay in Slate, and the television show Happy Valley

Outro: “Aerial Tal” by Kate Bush

You can email us at culturefest@slate.com.

This podcast was produced by Benjamin Frisch. Our intern is Daniel Schroeder.

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