Listen to Culture Gabfest No. 17 with Stephen Metcalf, Dana Stevens, and Julia Turner by clicking the arrow on the audio player below: You can also download the program here, or you can subscribe to the weekly Culture Gabfest podcast feed in iTunes by clicking here.

In this week's Culture Gabfest, our critics discuss the cultural impact of the financial meltdown, the death of author David Foster Wallace, and the latest Microsoft ads from that lovable comedy duo Bill Gates and Jerry Seinfeld.

Here are links to some of the articles and other items mentioned in the show:

Michael Douglas as Gordon Gekko in the Oliver Stone film Wall Street.
Jim Cramer's take on the financial crisis in New York magazine.
Michael Lewis' book Liar's Poker: Rising Through the Wreckage on Wall Street.
Bob Rafelson's 1970 film, Five Easy Pieces.
Slate's "Obit" for David Foster Wallace.
A David Foster Wallace essay from Harper's, "Democracy, English, and the Wars over Usage."
The second Microsoft ad featuring Jerry Seinfeld and Bill Gates.
The newer Microsoft "I'm a PC" ad campaign.
Slate's ad critic's assessment of Crispin Porter & Bogusky, the advertising firm behind the Seinfeld/Gates ads.

The Culture Gabfest weekly endorsements:

Dana's pick: David Foster Wallace's essay "A Supposedly Fun Thing I'll Never Do Again."
Julia's pick: the Emmy-Award winning show 30 Rock.
Stephen's pick: Edmund Wilson's book, To the Finland Station.

You can reach the Culture Gabfest at culturefest@slate.com.

Posted by Amanda Aronczyk on Sept. 24, 2008 at 12:00 p.m.

Sept. 10, 2008

Listen to Culture Gabfest No. 16 with Stephen Metcalf, Dana Stevens, and Julia Turner by clicking the arrow on the audio player below:

You can also download the program here, or you can subscribe to the weekly Culture Gabfest podcast feed in iTunes by clicking here.

In this week's Culture Gabfest, our critics discuss the tabloid coverage of Sarah Palin's personal life, the new Rachel Maddow show on MSNBC, and the hyperquirky Microsoft ad featuring heroes from yesteryear Bill Gates and Jerry Seinfeld.

Here are links to some of the articles and other items mentioned in the show:

People magazine's Sarah Palin cover story.
Us magazine's article on Palin's pregnant daughter.
National Enquirer's Palin controversy article.
Hanna Rosin's Slate article on why Christian conservatives love Palin.
The Rachel Maddow Show on MSNBC.
Thomas Frank's book What's the Matter With Kansas?: How Conservatives Won the Heart of America.
The Microsoft ad featuring Bill Gates and Jerry Seinfeld.

The Culture Gabfest weekly endorsements:

Julia's pick: Cycle 11 of America's Next Top Model and the show's first transgendered model, Isis.
Dana's pick: Gregory Curtis' book The Cave Painters.
Stephen's pick: the blog Naked Capitalism.

Correction, Sept. 11, 2008: In this podcast, Stephen incorrectly referred to the proprietor of Naked Capitalism, Ives Smith, as a "he." In fact, Ives Smith is a woman.

You can reach the Culture Gabfest at culturefest@slate.com.

Posted by Amanda Aronczyk on Sept. 10, 2008 at 10:40 a.m.

Aug. 27, 2008

Listen to Culture Gabfest No. 15 with Stephen Metcalf, John Swansburg, and Julia Turner by clicking the arrow on the audio player below: You can also download the program here, or you can subscribe to the weekly Culture Gabfest podcast feed in iTunes by clicking here.

In this week's Culture Gabfest, our critics discuss the merits and frivolities of Mad Men, the odds that Tropic Thunder will revive Tom Cruise's career, and the new documentary film Man on Wire.

Here are links to some of the articles and other items mentioned in the show:

The official Web site for AMC's Mad Men.
Troy Patterson's Slate assessment of Mad Men's appeal.
The official Web site for Tropic Thunder.
Dana Stevens' Slate review of Tropic Thunder.
Stevens fields questions and comments from Slate's readers about the touchy issues in Tropic Thunder.
The Man on WireWeb site.
Dana Stevens' Slate review of Man on Wire.
David Edelstein's New York magazine review of Man on Wire.

The Culture Gabfest weekly endorsements:

Julia's pick: Hunter S. Thompson's classic  Fear and Loathing: On the Campaign Trail '72.
John's pick: Neil Diamond's latest release, Home Before Dark.
Stephen's pick: Philip Roth's novel The Human Stain.

You can reach the Culture Gabfest at culturefest@slate.com.

Posted by Amanda Aronczyk on Aug. 27, 2008 at 11:00 a.m.