Culture Gabfest

This week Steve and Dana are joined by co-host Laura Miller, books and culture columnist for Slate. First, the three of them talk to Slate's own Mattew Dessem about what's real and what's made up in the new David Fincher movie, Mank. Then Julia Turner joins the show for a discussion about Spotify's end-of-year "wrapped" feature. For the third segment, Laura talks about the best books of 2020. In Slate Plus, Laura talks about a debate that keeps cropping up in literary circles about whether kids should be taught more contemporary literature. Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Rachael Allen. Outro music: "Ruins" by Origo Slate Plus members get a bonus segment on the Culture Gabfest each episode, and access to exclusive shows like Dana Stevens’ classic movies podcast Flashback. Sign up now to listen and support our work. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Welcome to The Authority, Slate’s deep dive into the world(s) of HBO’s His Dark Materials. Each week, Slate’s scholars of experimental theology Dan Kois and Laura Miller discuss the HBO series and Philip Pullman’s original trilogy. This week, they cover Episode 4 of Season 2, “The Tower of the Angels,” in which Will meets the subtle knife, Lee meets the Hot Priest, and Mary Malone meets Dust. Plus: a deep dive into the Guild of Philosophers and the mysteries of the subtle knife. Email: asktheauthority@slate.com Podcast production by Phil Surkis. Dan Kois on Twitter: @dankois Laura Miller on Twitter: @magiciansbook Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, host Isaac Butler talks to playwright Ayad Akhtar about dream journals, beginning the workday by reading Shakespeare, and other creative rituals and techniques. Then Ayad discusses the origins of his new novel, Homeland Elegies, and explains how he was able to blend autobiographical elements with fictional ones.  After the interview, Isaac and co-host June Thomas talk about one of Ayad’s mentors, legendary theater director Jerzy Grotowski. In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Ayad recommends two books that transformed the way he thinks about writing.  Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to working@slate.com or give us a call at (304) 933-WORK. That’s (304) 933-9675. Podcast production by Cameron Drews. If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get benefits like zero ads on any Slate podcast, bonus episodes of shows like Slow Burn and Dear Prudence—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on Working. It’s only $35 for the first

This week Steve and Dana are joined by writer, poet, and co-host of the Thirst Aid Kit podcast, Nichole Perkins. First, the they weigh in on Happiest Season, the new holiday rom-com starring Kristen Stewart and Mackenzie Davis. Then they chat with Culture Gabfest producer Cameron Drews about why he loves the HBO show How To with John Wilson. And finally, the hosts a talk about a big mistake made recently by the publisher Fireside Fiction, where a white voice-over artist put on a fake accent to read an audio essay written by a Black woman. The essay, written by Dr. Regina N. Bradley, is called Da Art of Speculatin’ . In Slate Plus, the Steve, Dana, and Nichole discuss their pop culture blindspots. Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Rachael Allen. Outro Music: "What Do You Want From Me" by OTE Slate Plus members get a bonus segment on the Culture Gabfest each episode, and access to exclusive shows like Dana Stevens’ classic movies podcast Flashback. Sign up now to listen and support o

Welcome to The Authority, Slate’s deep dive into the world(s) of HBO’s His Dark Materials. Each week, Slate’s scholars of experimental theology Dan Kois and Laura Miller discuss the HBO series and Philip Pullman’s original trilogy. This week, they cover Episode 3 of Season 2, “Theft” in which Will loses Lyra, Lyra loses the alethiometer, and Mrs. Coulter has a meeting of the minds with Lee Scoresby. Plus: a deep dive into the character of Lee and the series’ attempt to give this cowboy aeronaut a tragic backstory. Email: asktheauthority@slate.com Podcast production by Phil Surkis. Dan Kois on Twitter: @dankois Laura Miller on Twitter: @magiciansbook Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week host June Thomas talks with cookbook author Klancy Miller, whose book Cooking Solo celebrates the joy of making delicious food for yourself. In the interview, Klancy talks about the trial and error of her career journey and how she came to focus on recipe development after studying at the Le Cordon Bleu in Paris. She also discusses her process for designing recipes and why she decided to write a cookbook specifically for single people. Klancy’s latest project is For the Culture, a food magazine that celebrates Black women in food and wine.  After the interview, June and co-host Rumaan Alam talk about their own relationships to food and cooking.  In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Klancy talks about her sources of inspiration and how she deals with creative blocks.  Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to working@slate.com or give us a call at (304) 933-WORK. That’s (304) 933-9675.  Podcast production by Cameron Drews. If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Sl

On the Spoiler Special podcast, Slate critics discuss movies, the occasional TV show, and, once in a blue moon, another podcast, in full spoiler-filled detail. This week, Christina Cauterucci and June Thomas discuss Happiest Season, a charming new Christmas rom-com from writer-director Clea DuVall that premiered on Hulu on Nov. 25. Harper Caldwell (Mackenzie Davis) invites her girlfriend, Abby (Kristen Stewart) home for Christmas. Right before they arrive, Harper shares that the people in her hometown, or even in her family, don’t know that she’s gay. And since her father is running for mayor, the couple has to keep their relationship a secret. How will Abby navigate the holiday season while hiding her authentic self? What impact will the holiday weekend have on the lovebirds and their relationship? Read Christina Cauterucci’s review. You can also check out past Spoiler Specials, and you can subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts. Note: As the title indicates, spoilers galore. Email us at spoilers@slat

Hit Parade is back for non-Slate Plus listeners! Upcoming episodes will be split into two parts, released two weeks apart. For the full episode right now, sign up for Slate Plus and you'll also get The Bridge, our Trivia show and bonus deep dive into our subjects. slate.com/hitparadeplus. Hit Parade continues the story of Garth Brooks. In the ’90s, he was country-authentic, ignored pop radio, and still utterly dominated the charts as the decade’s biggest multiplatinum megastar. Brooks took on chart competitors from Guns n’ Roses to Madonna to Mariah Carey and bested them all … until he tried taking on the Beatles. (And we’re still scratching our heads over that Chris Gaines thing.)  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this week’s episode, Steve and Dana kick off the show by talking about season 4 of The Crown with June Thomas, Slate's managing producer and co-host of the Working podcast. Then they're joined by Asha Saluja, operations manager for Slate Podcasts, to discuss one of the internet's latest creations: a TikTok musical based on the Pixar movie Ratatouille. For their third segment, Slate senior editor Sam Adams argues that our new streaming world is a poor replacement for traditional movie-going. In Slate Plus, Dana, Steve, and June discuss their Thanksgiving plans. Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Rachael Allen. Outro Music: "Backwards" by Staffan Carlen Slate Plus members get a bonus segment on the Culture Gabfest each episode, and access to exclusive shows like Dana Stevens’ classic movies podcast Flashback. Sign up now to listen and support our work. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Welcome to The Authority, Slate’s deep dive into the world(s) of HBO’s His Dark Materials. Each week, Slate’s scholars of experimental theology Dan Kois and Laura Miller discuss the HBO series and Philip Pullman’s original trilogy. This week, they cover Episode 2 of Season 2, “The Cave,” in which Lyra meets Mary Malone, a theoretical physicist in our world. She, and we, make some major discoveries about Dust. Email: asktheauthority@slate.com Podcast production by Phil Surkis. Dan Kois on Twitter: @dankois Laura Miller on Twitter: @magiciansbook Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In 1983, the Cabbage Patch Kids were released, causing widespread pandemonium in toy stores and in the media. How did a children'a toy inspire such bad adult behavior? On this episode of Decoder Ring we explore the strange world of the Cabbage Patch Kids to figure out why they hit it so big. The answer involves butt tattoos, slightly grotesque faces, industrial innovations, an origin story in a cabbage patch, and serious accusations of copyright theft. Slate Plus members get ad-free podcasts and bonus episodes of shows like Dear Prudence and Slow Burn. Sign up now to listen and support our work. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, host Isaac Butler talks to cinematographer Michael Watson about what it was like to work on the HBO sci-fi series Lovecraft Country. In the interview, Michael talks about the unique challenges of shooting a period drama that features gigantic monsters. He also discusses how he was able to guide the viewer’s attention during crucial moments and bring his own unique style to the scenes he shot. After the interview, Isaac and co-host Rumaan Alam offer advice to a listener who’s curious about the role random chance can play in creativity.  In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Isaac and Rumaan talk about the camera techniques they love to see in movies and on TV.  Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to working@slate.com or give us a call at (304) 933-WORK. That’s (304) 933-9675. If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get benefits like zero ads on any Slate podcast, bonus episodes of shows like Slow Burn and Dear Prudence—and you’ll b

On this week’s episode, Steve and Dana talk to Slate’s television critic Willa Paskin about the unprecedented current season of The Bachelorette.  Then Slate's Brow Beat editor, Matthew Dessem, comes on board for the rest of the show to talk about Saturday Night Live and two recent articles about societal collapse, one titled The Next Decade Could Be Even Worse and one titled How Do You Know When Society Is About to Fall Apart? In Slate Plus, the hosts discuss which TV universes they'd like to be dropped into. Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Rachael Allen. Outro Music: "Break The Line" by Coma Svensson Slate Plus members get a bonus segment on the Culture Gabfest each episode, and access to exclusive shows like Dana Stevens’ classic movies podcast Flashback. Sign up now to listen and support our work. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Welcome to The Authority, Slate’s deep dive into the world(s) of HBO’s His Dark Materials. Each week, Slate’s scholars of experimental theology Dan Kois and Laura Miller discuss the HBO series and Philip Pullman’s original trilogy. It’s a new season, and Lyra and Will aren’t the only people who’ve traveled to entirely different worlds. We all have since the show’s first season ended in 2019. Can Season 2 recapture the magic? We explore the season premiere, “The City of Magpies,” and discuss the architecture of Citàgazze, the growing friendship between Lyra and Will, and the secret powers of witches. Email: asktheauthority@slate.com Podcast production by Phil Surkis. Dan Kois on Twitter: @dankois Laura Miller on Twitter: @magiciansbook Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Hit Parade is back for non-Slate Plus listeners! Upcoming episodes will be split into two parts, released two weeks apart. For the full episode right now, sign up for Slate Plus and you'll also get The Bridge, our Trivia show and bonus deep dive into our subjects. slate.com/hitparadeplus. Today your Hit Parade marches to the week ending October 27th, 1990, when “Friends in Low Places” by Garth Brooks was in its fourth week at No. 1 on Billboard’s Hot Country Singles and Tracks, the same week his album No Fences instantly went gold and platinum, affirming that he was country music’s biggest star. Soon enough, Brooks would become —more than any rock star, rapper or pop diva—the archetypal artist of the SoundScan era. On part 1, we explore country music's boom and bust 1970's and 80's before diving into the world that made Garth Brooks megastardom possible. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, host June Thomas talks to Jenny Thompson, story producer for the long-running U.K. medical drama Casualty. In the interview, Jenny explains what a story producer does, and why it’s different from a script-writing job. She also shares what it’s like to create character arcs for a show with such a long and rich history and explains how the U.K.’s National Health Service impacts the storylines and characters.  After the interview, June and co-host Isaac Butler talk about why shows like Casualty are so beloved in Britain.  In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Jenny shares some of her favorite examples of TV storytelling.  Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to working@slate.com or give us a call at (304) 933-WORK. That’s (304) 933-9675. Podcast production by Cameron Drews. If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get benefits like zero ads on any Slate podcast, bonus episodes of shows like Slow Burn and Dear Prudence—and you’ll be sup

On the Spoiler Special podcast, Slate critics discuss movies, the occasional TV show, and, once in a blue moon, another podcast, in full spoiler-filled detail. This week, Slate’s Sam Adams is joined by Slate’s new staff writer Karen Han to spoil Freaky, the new body-switching slasher film. Think Friday the 13th meets Freaky Friday. Will high school outcast, Millie (played by Kathryn Newton), find her way back into her own body? Or will she be stuck in the body of a 6’5 serial killer (played by Vince Vaughn) forever?  You can read Karen Han’s review here. Note: As the title indicates, this podcast contains spoilers galore. Email us at spoilers@slate.com. Podcast production by Morgan Flannery.  Slate Plus members get ad-free podcasts and access to exclusive shows like Dana Stevens’ classic movies podcast Flashback. Sign up now to listen and support our work. Hosts Sam Adams is an editor for Slate’s culture blog Brow Beat. Karen Han is a Slate staff writer. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.

On this week’s episode, Steve, Dana, and Julia talk with New York Times book critic Dwight Garner about his book Garner’s Quotations: A Modern Miscellany. Next, they are joined by Slate’s television critic Willa Paskin to discuss The Queen’s Gambit. Finally, the panel imagines how the Trump administration will be remembered in American Studies classes years from now.  In Slate Plus, the hosts talk with writer and enneagram counselor Jacob Rubin about their enneagrams. Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Rachael Allen. Slate Plus members get a bonus segment on the Culture Gabfest each episode, and access to exclusive shows like Dana Stevens’ classic movies podcast Flashback. Sign up now to listen and support our work. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week host Rumaan Alam talks to Javier Zamora about the truth-telling power of poetry. When Javier was 9 years old, he traveled to the U.S. from El Salvador without his parents. In his book of poems, Unaccompanied, Javier tries to make sense of his own experience and the experiences of his parents, who left El Salvador before him. In the interview, Javier describes the personal and political goals of his poetry and explains what it took for him to turn poetry into a career.  After the interview, Rumaan and co-host Isaac Butler discuss whether they think all art is political.  In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Javier recommends some poets to check out and explains why he thinks so many people are intimidated by poetry.  Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to working@slate.com or give us a call at (304) 933-WORK. That’s (304) 933-9675. Podcast production by Cameron Drews. If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get benefits like zero a

On this week’s episode, Steve and Dana are joined by guest host Isaac Butler, writer and co-host of Slate’s Working podcast. First, the group talks about What the Constitution Means to Me, the Broadway play now streaming on Amazon. Next, they talk about the legacy of Sean Connery, who passed away last week. Finally, they discuss the new Netflix documentary series Song Exploder, based on the podcast. In Slate Plus, the hosts talk with Isaac about the future of the theater industry in pandemic times. Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Whitney Tesi and Rachael Allen. Outro Music: A Sail by Lisa Hannigan Endorsements Dana: Isaac’s interview with Alex Lacamoire on Slate’s Working podcast To Be or Not to Be and Criterion’s accompanying commentary track Isaac: John M. Ford’s The Dragon Waiting The Danish political drama Borgen Steve: Cowboy Junkies’ cover of “Flirted With You All My Life” Lisa Hannigan’s “A Sail” Slate Plus members get a bonus segment on the Culture Gabfest each episode,