Culture Gabfest

This week on Spoiler Specials, Marissa Martinelli, Inkoo Kang and Heather Schwedel review Little. They talk the logistics of body switching movies, the zany fashion choices and Marsai Martin’s star power.  Podcast production by Danielle Hewitt. Engineered by Merritt Jacob.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Stephen Metcalf, Julia Turner, and Dana Stevens discuss the stunning film Diane, FX's What We Do in the Shadows, and the debut album by Billy Eilish: WHEN WE ALL FALL ASLEEP, WHERE DO WE GO?.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week on Spoiler Specials, Sam Adams and Marissa Martinelli review Shazam! Where does this movie fit into the larger DC comic universe? What ever happened to Justice League 2? Also, what was that post credits scene about? Listen to them discuss! Podcast production by Danielle Hewitt. Engineered by Merritt Jacob.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Julia Turner and Dana Stevens are joined by The Atlantic film critic and co-host of the Blank Check podcast David Sims to discuss Tim Burton's remake of Dumbo, the life and work of Agnès Varda, and the social media kerfuffle over "St. Louis style" sliced bagels. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When you think of Stevie Wonder’s legendary career, what chart-toppers come to mind? “Superstition,” right? Maybe “I Wish”? Okay, but what about the start of his career, on the Motown of the ’60s? You may not know that Wonder had only one Hot 100 No. 1 in his first decade—as “Little” Stevie Wonder—and it was truly exceptional, as in bizarre: a semi-improvised live recording of a “12 Year-Old Genius” refusing to leave a Chicago stage and say goodnight. Here’s the story of “Fingertips, Part 2,” and the years that launched a true pop icon. Wonder’s imperial run of classic, chart-topping, Grammy-dominating ’70s albums had their seeds in the joyous virtuosity, and fierce independence, on display in his very first hit. Email: hitparade@slate.com   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Julia Turner, Dana Stevens, and Willa Paskin discuss Jordan Peele's new film Us, Hulu's comedy series Shrill, and the bestselling book Dreyer's English with the author, Benjamin Dreyer.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Truck Nutz are a brand name for the dangling plastic testicles some people affix to the bumper or hitch of their vehicle. Also known as Bull’s Balls, Your Nutz, and other brand names, these plastic novelties have a powerful symbolic charge and are often associated with a crass, macho, red state audience. But Truck Nutz are a surprisingly complicated signifier, one whose symbolic power is increasingly divorced from their real-world usage. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week on Spoiler Specials, Dana Stevens and Vanity Fair film critic, K Austin Collins discuss Us. They discuss why we should embrace the films imperfections, how this movie wants to be unpacked, and Lupita Nyong’o’s masterful performance.  Podcast production by Danielle Hewitt. Engineered by Merritt Jacob.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dana Stevens, Isaac Butler, and Benjamin Frisch discuss HBO's documentary The Inventor about the Theranos scandal, the meteoric rise of Rupaul's Drag Race, and Netflix's awkward attempt at branding itself in the wake of cancelling the beloved show One Day at a Time.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Julia Turner, Dana Stevens, and Stephen Metcalf discuss the blockbusting Captain Marvel, Hulu's girl-puberty comedy Pen15, and the article Guilty with Seth Stevenson, about Seth coming to terms with being part of jury that convicted a man who didn't deserve it. In Slate Plus, Seth and the panel discuss their own personal experiences on a jury.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dana Stevens, Marissa Martinelli and Jonathan Fischer spoil the latest Marvel movie, Captain Marvel.  Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Stephen Metcalf, Julia Turner, and Dana Stevens break our usual format to do an in-depth discussion of the HBO documentary Leaving Neverland by director Dan Reed about two men allegedly abused by Michael Jackson. First the panel discuss the documentary, then are joined by Slate writer Christina Cauterucci to discuss how the film treats the victims for good and ill, and then discuss the future of Jackson's musical legacy with Slate music critic Carl Wilson.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In just a couple of years, Creedence Clearwater Revival generated one of the most amazing runs of hits in American pop history: from “Proud Mary” to “Green River,” “Bad Moon Rising” to “Travelin’ Band.” Reportedly, they even outsold the Beatles in America in 1969. But for all their success with those John Fogerty–penned classics, CCR never held the No. 1 spot on the Hot 100. All of those hits were No. 2s: a dubious Billboard chart record they hold to this day, for most No. 2s without a No. 1. True, it was the late ’60s, and CCR had the bad luck to be competing with such chart titans as Paul Simon and Sly Stone…but sometimes they were held back by No. 1 songs that are barely remembered today. In this episode of Hit Parade, we break down the sequence of events that relegated CCR—a future first-ballot Rock and Roll Hall of Fame band—to the charts’ permanent runner-up slot. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Julia Turner, Dana Stevens, and Stephen Metcalf discuss the Oscars ceremony and its various controversies, Comedy Central's new show The Other Two, and how letter boards took over Instagram and our visual culture.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Baby Shark is an megaviral YouTube video, an unstoppable earworm, a top 40 hit, a Eurodance smash, a decades old campfire song, and the center of an international copyright dispute. This month on Decoder Ring we explore the strange history and conflicted future of the song, what makes it so catchy, and how it came to be.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

 In this week’s episode, Marissa Martinelli is joined by Slate culture intern Aja Hoggatt and Slate staff write Heather Schwedel to discuss Isn’t It Romantic. Was this movie even a parody? When did we first realize that that was not Chris Hemsworth? Is this going to be the new way of the rom-com? Listen to them discuss! Podcast Production by Danielle Hewitt. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Stephen Metcalf, Dana Stevens, and K. Austin Collins discuss the film Bohemian Rhapsody, the bonkers true crime documentary Abducted in Plain Sight, and the death of the Mars rover Opportunity.  To skip our spoiler segment on Abducted in Plain Sight, skip ahead to timecode 41:15.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this week’s episode, Willa Paskin is joined by Dana Stevens and Rachel Syme to discuss the Netflix original series Russian Doll. What does this show have to say about New York City? Would the show still work without Natasha Lyonne? Will we watch the second season? Listen to them discuss! Podcast production by Danielle Hewitt. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dana Stevens, Julia Turner, and Stephen Metcalf discuss the film If Beale Street Could Talk, the TV phenomenon The Masked Singer with The Gist's Mike Pesca, and finally they deconstruct "The Stew"—the viral recipe that's seemingly everywhere.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week on Spoiler Specials, Dana Stevens, Inkoo Kang and Forrest Wickman discuss Lego Movie 2:The Second Part. Is there any logic to the Lego universe? What does the movie have to say about toxic masculinity? And what was WNBA superstar Sheryl Swoopes doing there? Listen to them discuss below.  Podcast production by Danielle Hewitt. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices