Culture Gabfest

Shazad Latif and Manny Montana have paid their dues and it’s time to give them the recognition they deserve. From Spooks to Penny Dreadful to Star Trek: Discovery, Shazad has shown he has the range. But it’s as Ash Tyler that his vulnerability and yearning leave us utterly captivated. Manny Montana has been working his way to Good Girls since 2008, and his character Rio is worth the wait. Manny makes Rio vibrate with barely-controlled passion, keeping us on the edge of our seats. Yes, Shazad and Manny are thirst-worthy, but they’re both incredibly talented as well, and we’re ready to watch their stars rise.  Slate Plus members get a bonus segment on Thirst Aid Kit each week. Sign up now to listen and support our show. In this week’s Slate Plus, Bim leads “Explain Yourself,” as she tries to convince Nichole, notorious for her love of a long-haired man, to give sexy bald men a chance. With such compelling evidence as Boris Khodjoe, Sir Patrick Stewart, Corey Stoll, and more, can Bim win her case? Learn more abo

How did poop get cute? On this episode of Decoder Ring we trace the rise of cute poop from the original Japanese poop emoji to more modern poop toys which rely on the Youtube algorithm to get seen and sold. 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 on the Culture Gabfest, Stephen Metcalf, Dana Stevens, and Julia Turner are joined by Jen Agg to talk about the fate of the restaurant industry. Next, they bring on New York Times Magazine contributing writer Jody Rosen to discuss the passing of Adam Schlesinger. Finally, the panel dives into Julia’s favorite movie and comfort watch—Sneakers.  Slate Plus members get a bonus segment on the Culture Gabfest each week, and access to exclusive shows like Dana Stevens’ classic movies podcast Flashback. Sign up now to listen and support our work. On the Slate Plus segment this week, the panel discusses their results to the Statistical "Which Character" Personality Quiz. Podcast production by Jessamine Molli. Production assistance by Rachael Allen. Outro Music: “All Kinds of Time” by Fountains of Wayne  Endorsements Jody: The singer Bill Withers, particularly his albums Naked & Warm and ’Justments.  Jonathan Cecil’s audiobook reading of P.G. Wodehouse’s Uncle Fred in the Springtime.  Dana: Interview with

Welcome to the revamped Working. We’re pivoting to creativity! New hosts Rumaan Alam, Isaac Butler, and June Thomas will be talking to writers, musicians, designers, YouTubers, and other people with creative jobs about how they spend their days.  This week, June talks with author Veronica Roth, who wrote the first draft of her novel Divergent when she was a senior at Northwestern University. She had sold more than 32 million books by the time she was 26, and next week, at the ripe old age of 31, she’ll publish her seventh novel, Chosen Ones.  They talked about identifying your natural writing style, how to find the perfect person to offer feedback on your work, and making the switch from writing YA fiction. You’ll also hear how Kate Winslet helped her create more believable villains. Afterward, Rumaan and Isaac talk about their own experiences with the workshopping process and the readers whose feedback they trust most—for Rumaan that’s Lynn Steger Strong, author of Hold Still; for Isaac that’s Sally Franson,

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, Sam Adams is joined by Slate’s Television Critic Willa Paskin to spoil Netflix’s hit documentary series Tiger King. The hit series is an increasingly sordid tale of wild characters conning each other out of zoos. The show’s standout character is Joe Exotic, whose charisma and personality are made for reality television. He has a long time feud with Carole Baskin, who runs the nonprofit Big Cat Rescue and is actively trying to shut private zoos down. Will Carole succeed? What happens when Joe tries to hire someone to murder Carole? And when will anyone focus on the questionable conditions forced on the big cats? You can read Sam Adams’ review here and his story about the artists behind Joe Exotic’s music here.  You can read Willa Paskin’s piece about Carole Baskin here.  Note: As the title indicates, this podcast contains spoilers galore.

We’ve all been sheltering in place for some time now, which has given us ample time to think about who our ideal quarantine buddies would be. Who would our Thirst Buckets like to be holed up with in a cabin made for two? The Thirst Object field was diverse: constant TB-favourite Tessa Thompson came up, as did Crazy Rich Asians star Henry Golding, Westworld’s Rodrigo Santoro, and even Jidenna’s sweet musical stylings (among other things)... No drabbles this week but Nichole and Bim also revealed their own choices for optimal quarantine activities. A fun time is had by all! In this week’s Slate Plus, we draw your attention to men’s forearms aka the modern equivalent of a delicate Victorian ankle — is there a body part more laden with meaning? A revealed forearm, tanned, hairy, lightly-veined and solid… it does things to a person, you know? Slate Plus members get a bonus segment on Thirst Aid Kit each week. Sign up now to listen and support our show. Follow us on Twitter @ThirstAidKit. Our music is by Tanya Morg

This week on the Culture Gabfest, Stephen Metcalf is joined by Slate senior editor Sam Adams and Slate podcast producer Daniel Schroeder discuss the wildness of Tiger King. Then, Steve teams back up with Dana Stevens and Julia Turner to talk about one of his favorite comfort watches: Paddington 2. Finally, the panel analyzes celebrity in the age of coronavirus by exploring the two recent telethons respectively hosted by Elton John and James Corden. On the Slate Plus segment this week, the panel discusses Bob Dylan’s newest song. Slate Plus members get a bonus segment on the Culture Gabfest each week, and access to exclusive shows like Dana Stevens’ classic movies podcast Flashback. Sign up now to listen and support our work. Podcast production by Jessamine Molli. Production assistance by Rachael Allen.  Outro Music: "The One I Love (Belongs to Somebody Else)" by Julie London Endorsements Dana: The singer Julie London Julia: Hoosker Doosker Tug of War game Steve: “They Survived the Spanish Flu, the Depre

Hit Parade takes you back to the turn of the millennium when, for a couple of years, it seemed like a Latin pop star was topping Billboard’ Hot 100 every few weeks: Ricky Martin. Jennifer Lopez. Enrique Iglesias. Marc Anthony. Carlos Santana. Shakira. This wave of Latin crossover was hard-fought and a long time coming—from “La Bamba” to “Macarena,” Spanish-language hits in the 20th century had been treated like novelties by record buyers and radio programmers. The Latin boom of 1999 changed all that—but did it go far enough? How did we get from the slick Spanglish of “Livin’ la Vida Loca” to the Spanish-first success of “Despacito” and “Mi Gente”? And how did Ritchie Valens and João Gilberto prepare America for J.Lo and Shakira triumphing at the Super Bowl? Podcast production by Justin D. Wright. 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

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 staffers Marissa Martinelli, Daniel Schroeder, and Megan Kallstrom spoil Star Trek: Picard, which picks up years after Admiral Jean-Luc Picard has separated from Starfleet over ideological differences. The Star Trek legend has retreated into retirement on Earth when the daughter of an old friend—the android Data—shows up, leading Picard to amass a new crew to track down her sister before sinister forces beat him to it. You can read Marissa Martinelli’s review here. You can read Megan Kallstrom’s piece here.  Note: As the title indicates, this podcast contains spoilers galore. Email us at spoilers@slate.com. 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. Podcast production by Rosemary Belson.  Learn more about you

Maddie and David. Will and Alicia. Ichabod and Abbie. Brennan and Booth. Moonlighting, The Good Wife, Sleepy Hollow, and Bones all showed us the magic of UST-- unresolved sexual tension. In most of these examples, we got the kissing (and more) we’d been craving, and these television shows knew how to string us along until we thought we’d die from longing. That’s the hallmark of a job well done-- transferring the desire of a show’s leading couple to its audiences. In this episode dedicated to ultimate UST, we talk about what works and what doesn’t; what happens when the resolution is everything we could want… and when we’re denied.  Slate Plus members get a bonus segment on Thirst Aid Kit each week. Sign up now to listen and support our show. In this week’s Slate Plus, it’s Nichole’s turn in the court of ‘Explain Yourself’. She breaks down her attraction to Irish crooner Hozier, but Bim is a hard juror to convince.  Follow us on Twitter @ThirstAidKit. Our music is by Tanya Morgan. You can find show notes, gifs

This week on the Culture Gabfest, Dana Stevens rejoins Stephen Metcalf and Julia Turner from her book leave for a few segments. First, Steve and Dana chat with Slate’s books and culture columnist Laura Miller about The Plot Against America. Next, Steve, Dana, and Julia talk about the power of walking, particularly in this time of quarantine, and the literary history that precedes the activity. Finally, Steve and Julia chat with Slate staff writer Dan Kois about the 1996 film Big Night, a delicious comfort watch. On the Slate Plus segment this week, the panel checks in with each other about how they’re doing during this time of quarantine.  Podcast production by Jessamine Molli. Production assistance by Rachael Allen.  Outro Music: “Higher Love” cover from Kygo & Whitney Houston  Endorsements Dana: “Kasha is the new nutmeg.” Patti LuPone’s basement tours. Julia: “Higher Love,” the Whitney Houston and Kygo remix. Steve: “Buh Black Snake in New England,” by Benjamin Anastas in Oxford American.  Learn mor

Flashback is usually available only to Slate Plus members. Sign up now to listen to the archive and future episodes. In the new episode of Flashback, movie critics Dana Stevens and K. Austin Collins discuss the psychological drama What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? (1962), directed by Robert Aldrich. Other titles mentioned in the episode: Sunset Boulevard (1950), directed by Billy Wilder Limelight (1952), directed by Charlie Chaplin All About Eve (1950), directed by Joseph L. Mankiewicz Singing in the Rain (1952), directed by Gene Kelly Gypsy (1962), directed by Mervin LeRoy Mommie Dearest (1981), directed by Frank Perry Feud (2017), created by Ryan Murphy Parachute Jumper (1933), directed by Alfred E. Green Sadie McKee (1934), directed by Clarence Brown Psycho (1960), directed by Alfred Hitchcock Witness for the Prosecution (1957), directed by Billy Wilder The Magnificent Ambersons (1942), directed by Orson Welles Hush…Hush, Sweet Charlotte (1964), directed by Robert Aldrich What Ever Happened to Aunt Alice?

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. How did the humble rubber duck become an icon of bath time? On this episode of Decoder Ring we talk to rubber duck experts, enthusiasts, and manufacturers to find out how the rubber duck evolved, why it's so appealing, and why there are thousands of them lost at sea. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

‘Thirst In The Covid-19 Era’ could well be the title of this episode or an academic paper in the year 2050 — but we’re not doing that! No, we decided to dip into our inbox to take on some of the burning thirst queries from our wonderful listeners. It was a mailbag of… many tastes. Drabbles about musicians Raphael Saadiq and Hozier, Large Boy Adam Driver, and Lee Pace on a farm? Plus we did our best to provide alternative thirsts in a bumper Thirst Sommelier segment that covered tastes as diverse as Magnum PI and 90s era Ralph Fiennes. YOU’RE WELCOME. Slate Plus members get a bonus segment on Thirst Aid Kit each week. Sign up now to listen and support our show. In this week’s Slate Plus segment, we break down A Clean Plate, that is the significance of a man’s appetite in popular culture. From Cool Hand Luke to Phantom Thread, what does a man’s hunger tell us, if anything, about the type of person he is? Follow us on Twitter @ThirstAidKit. Our music is by Tanya Morgan. You can find show notes, gifs and so much

In this episode, host Julie Gurner talks to a fascinating mentor-mentee pair who have become successful collaborators in the culinary world: Chef and Restaurateur Gavin Kaysen and Executive Chef Chris Nye.  Gavin Kaysen is a two-time James Beard Award-winning chef and owner of Soigné Hospitality Group. When he was starting his career in New York City, Gavin worked under world-renowned chef Daniel Boulud who became his mentor. He went on to spend seven years as Boulud’s Executive Chef and Director of Culinary Operations. Gavin continued that tradition of mentorship with Chris Nye, who he met when Chris was working the line at Café Boulud. Today, Kaysen helps the next generation of young chefs as one of the founders of Ment’or, a leading nonprofit organization devoted to inspiring culinary excellence in young professionals.  Whether you’re paired up through a program or your partnership forms organically, a mentor-mentee relationship can be an invaluable professional asset. A mentor can be the guide who jumpst

This week on the Culture Gabfest, Stephen Metcalf, Julia Turner, and guest host and Slate staff writer Dan Kois talk about the film Spenser Confidential, starring Mark Wahlberg on Netflix. Next, they discuss Reply All’s recent episode “The Case of the Missing Hit.” Finally, the panel is joined by Dana Stevens to lay out how they approach culture during this time of quarantine. How much do we lean into escapism?  On the Slate Plus segment this week, the panel takes on Steve’s own “missing hit” mystery. Podcast production by Jessamine Molli. Production assistance by Rachael Allen.  Outro Music: Lost Something in the Hills" by Sibylle Baier. Endorsements Dana: Colour Green by Sibylle Baier. Dan: The “Sondheim at 90” package by the New York Times.  The album Side by Side by Sondheim.  Julia: The poem “My Heart Leaps Up” by William Wordsworth. Steve: Always Narrating: The Making and Unmaking of Umberto Eco by Costica Bradatan in the Los Angeles Review of Books. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megap

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 Senior Editor Sam Adams is joined by Slate Staff Writer Rebecca Onion to spoil Contagion, Steven Soderbergh’s 2011 pandemic movie. Not dissimilar to the coronavirus, the fictional virus, MEV-1, started off transferring from infected animals to humans. MEV-1 infected Gwyneth Paltrow’s character on a work trip. Then she traveled back to the Midwest, spreading the virus. Can the institutions in charge find a vaccine before the virus decimates society?  You can read Rebecca Onion’s piece about the lessons to take from Contagion here. You can read Sam Adams’ interview with the screenwriter here.  Note: As the title indicates, this podcast contains spoilers galore. Email us at spoilers@slate.com. Slate Plus members get ad-free podcasts and access to exclusive shows like Dana Stevens’ classic movies podcast Flashback. Sign up now to list

This week on the Culture Gabfest, Stephen Metcalf, Julia Turner, and guest host and Slate staff writer Dan Kois talk about Kelly Reichardt’s film First Cow. Next, they bring on Slate television critic Willa Paskin to discuss the latest episode of her podcast Decoder Ring, which dives into the real-life bookstore battle behind You’ve Got Mail. Finally, the panel dives into Molly Fischer’s feature in the Cut on the millennial aesthetic.  On the Slate Plus segment this week, the panel discusses the cancellation of Woody Allen’s memoir.  Podcast production by Jessamine Molli. Production assistance by Rachael Allen. Additional production help by Rosemary Belson. Outro Music: "Party All The Time" by Eddie Murphy Other items discussed on the show:  “I Made the Oily Cakes From First Cow,” by Dan Kois in Slate.  “Bookstores That Live Only in the Mind,” by Dan Kois in the New York Times. Endorsements Dan: The March Badness bracket of songs. Julia: Print out your cooking recipes. Steve: “Reading Richard Rorty

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, Forrest Wickman is joined by Sam Adams and Marissa Martinelli to discuss Onward. Ian and Barley Lightfoot are elf brothers in a modernized magical realm. On Ian’s birthday he receives a gift that will allow him and his older brother to bring back their father for a day. But the spell goes wrong and they are left with half a dad. Can Ian and Barley work together to find the Phoenix Gem and make their father whole before the day is over? You can read Sam Adams’ article about the movie’s “exclusively gay moment” here. Note: As the title indicates, spoilers galore. Email us at spoilers@slate.com. 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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week’s guest was once in her underwear on a billboard in Brooklyn, but that’s the least of her accomplishments. Writer and podcast host Ashley C. Ford joined us in the studio to talk about her most pressing Thirst Objects: Chris Pine, Sam Elliott, and Marshawn Lynch. Our conversation was full of laughs, “yeeks” (that’s buttcheeks to the rest of us), American beef, and how a healthy disregard for authority is super hot. It got so good that we decided to forgo Fanfic Wars for bonus thirsting you won’t want to miss. Slate Plus members get a bonus segment on Thirst Aid Kit each week. Sign up now to listen and support our show. In this week’s Slate Plus segment, we’re talking about the importance of physical touch. From parental hugs to romantic clutches, we discuss the significance of hands: their size and placement, how a grasp can signal tenderness or dominance, care and support. We also cover the delicate issue of cleanliness. Our music is by Tanya Morgan. You can find show notes, gifs, and so much more o