Culture Gabfest - podcast cover

Culture Gabfest

Slate Podcastsslate.com
New York Times critic Dwight Garner says “The Slate Culture Gabfest is one of the highlights of my week.” The award-winning Culturefest features critics Stephen Metcalf, Dana Stevens, and Julia Turner debating the week in culture, from highbrow to pop. For more of Slate’s culture podcasts, check out the Slate Culture feed.Want more Culture Gabfest? Subscribe to Slate Plus to unlock weekly bonus episodes. Plus, you’ll access ad-free listening across all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe now on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of the Culture Gabfest show page. Or, visit slate.com/cultureplus to get access wherever you listen.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Last refreshed:
Follow this podcast in the Metacast mobile app to refresh it and see new episodes.
Download Metacast podcast app
Podcasts are better in Metacast mobile app
Don't just listen to podcasts. Learn from them with transcripts, summaries, and chapters for every episode. Skim, search, and bookmark insights. Learn more

Episodes

Slate: The Culture Gabfest, Commodified Girl Power Edition

In this week's Culture Gabfest, our critics discuss the new movie version of the classic graphic novel Watchmen, a new book on the canon of female American writers called A Jury of Her Peers by Elaine Showalter, and a tween-style makeover for kiddie cartoon hero Dora the Explorer. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Mar 11, 200941 min

Slate: The Culture Gabfest, Public Disgust Edition

In this week's Culture Gabfest, our critics Stephen Metcalf, Dana Stevens, and Julia Turner discuss the Academy Awards, Rick Santelli's rant, the Octomom, and the backlash over a juice carton. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Feb 25, 200941 min

Slate: The Culture Gabfest, The Enough Already Edition

In this week's Culture Gabfest, our critics discuss New York Yankee Alex Rodriguez's admission that he used a banned substance while playing for the Texas Rangers, the proposed $500,000 salary cap for executives of publicly held banks that might benefit from the newest round of bailouts, the "25 Random Things About Me" frenzy on Facebook, and the Grammys. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Feb 11, 200941 min

Slate: The Culture Gabfest, The Brace for Impact Edition

In this week's Culture Gabfest, our critics discuss Barack Obama's inauguration, Hua Hsu’s Atlantic Montly piece on the end of white demographic dominance, Daniel Bergner’s NYT Magazine piece on the vexing question of female desire and the death of author John Updike. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jan 28, 200944 min

Slate: The Culture Gabfest, You Again? Edition

In this week's Culture Gabfest, our critics discuss the Golden Globe awards (and awards-season ennui), the long-delayed return of TV's pro-torture hit 24, and the Biggie Smalls biopic Notorious. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jan 14, 200936 min

Slate: The Culture Gabfest, "Valkyrie Gives You Pinkeye" Edition

In this week's Culture Gabfest, our critics Stephen Metcalf, Dana Stevens and June Thomas discuss Tom Cruise's role as a one-eyed Nazi in Valkyrie, Bruce Springsteen's exclusive deal with Wal-Mart, and the year in culture. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Dec 31, 200836 min

Slate: The Culture Gabfest, Undead Again Edition

In this week's Culture Gabfest, our critics Stephen Metcalf, Dana Stevens, and Julia Turner discuss Leno and late night TV, the dire state of the publishing industry, and Hollywood's ultimate back-from-the-dead star, Mickey Rourke. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Dec 17, 200832 min

Slate: The Culture Gabfest Identity Crisis Edition

In this week's Culture Gabfest, our critics discuss the Malcolm Gladwell phenomenon, Michelle Obama's role as First Lady and Mom-in-Chief, and the post-Obama buzz kill of Prop 8. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nov 19, 200832 min

Slate: The Culture Gabfest Wow Edition

In this week’s Culture Gabfest, our critics discuss Obama, Obama, and Obama. What happened with the election, how the media covered it and what lies ahead for culture under future President Barack Obama. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nov 06, 200834 min

Slate: The Culture Gabfest Bad Therapy Edition

In this week’s Culture Gabfest, our critics discuss the catharsis they felt watching Oliver Stone's W., and revisit past Gabfest topics, including the ongoing Fey/Palin tragicomedy, Rachel Maddow's success and environmentalism after the financial crisis. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Oct 22, 200831 min

Slate: The Culture Gabfest Sore Loser Edition

In this week’s Culture Gabfest, our critics discuss the Nobel Prize for Literature's snub of American writers, Tina Fey's pitch-perfect imitation of Governor Palin, and the lack of interest in the recent trial of OJ Simpson. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Oct 08, 200829 min

Slate: The Culture Gabfest End of Days Edition

In this week’s Culture Gabfest, our critics discuss the financial meltdown, a trillion and counting, the ominous death of author David Foster Wallace, and more from that lovable comedy duo, Bill Gates and Jerry Seinfeld. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sep 24, 200827 min

Slate: The Culture Gabfest Resistance is Futile

In this week’s Culture Gabfest, our critics discuss the dissection of Sarah Palin's personal life in the tabloids, the new Rachel Maddow show on MSNBC and the hyper-quirky PC ad featuring heroes from yesteryear, Bill Gates and Jerry Seinfeld. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sep 10, 200832 min

Slate: The Culture Gabfest Fine Line Edition

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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Aug 27, 200832 min

Slate: The Culture Gabfest Twilight of the Idols Edition

In this week's Culture Gabfest, our critics discuss the Beijing Olympics and "The Redeem Team," the too-famous-too-fast Seth Rogen and his new film, Pineapple Express, and the death of comedian Bernie Mac. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Aug 14, 200831 min

Slate: The Culture Gabfest Monopoly Edition

In this week's Culture Gabfest, our critics discuss Joss Whedon's new web-only musical show "Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog," Starbucks' abrupt move to shutter a sizable number of its stores in the US and abroad, and Google's newest challenger in the search field, Ceil. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jul 31, 200833 min

Slate: The Culture Gabfest Overblown Edition

In this week's Culture Gabfest, our critics discuss the new Batman movie The Dark Knight, the New Yorker Magazine's cover depicting Barack and Michelle Obama as anti-American Mujahideen, and the mysterious relationship between Madonna and Alex Rodriguez. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jul 17, 200833 min

Slate: The Culture Gabfest Community Standards Edition

In this week's Culture Gabfest, our critics discuss the re-release of Liz Phair's feminist indie rock masterpiece Exile in Guyville, the media’s semi-hysterical reaction to news of a "pregnancy pact" amongst teenage girls at a high school in Gloucester, MA, and the death of comedian George Carlin. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jul 02, 200833 min

Slate: The Culture Gabfest Grownup Edition

In this week's Culture Gabfest, our critics discuss Vanity Fair's sprawling, dishy takedown of President Clinton, Sex and the City's boffo success in movie theatres, and the ear-splitting arrival of mixed martial artist Kimbo Slice on CBS. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jun 04, 200833 min

Slate: The Culture Gabfest Promiscuity Edition

Our critics discuss the counter-evolutionary nature of monogamy, the aesthetically promiscuous -- and recently departed -- artist Robert Rauschenberg, and Barack Obama's affinity for the work of novelist Philip Roth, the great bard of infidelity. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

May 21, 200833 min

Slate: The Culture Gabfest Summer Movie Bonanza

Slate's Culture Gabfest with Stephen Metcalf, Dana Stevens, and Julia Turner. In this week's Culture Gabfest, our critics discuss the rollout of the summer movie season, including the superhero movie Iron Man, Robert Downey Jr.'s nimble performance in it, Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

May 07, 200829 min

Slate: The Culture Gabfest and Personal Virtue

In this week's Culture Gabfest, our critics discuss the viability of personal virtue to solve global warming, the possible failure of personal virtue in the travel writing business and the utter failure of personal virtue inside Abu Ghraib prison. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Apr 23, 200833 min

Slate: The Cultural Gabfest, Misplaced Outrage Edition

The Slate Cultural Gabfest, with Stephen Metcalf, Dana Stevens, and Julia Turner. This week, our critics discuss Vogue magazine’s King Kong redux, Hillary’s millions, and the latest in nerd verite, the online sitcom, The Guild. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Apr 09, 200831 min

Slate: The Cultural Gabfest, Schadenfreude Edition

The Slate Cultural Gabfest, with Stephen Metcalf, John Swansburg and Meghan O'Rourke. Our critics discuss Obama’s big speech, Bear Stearns’ big meltdown, plus the deconstruction of the university English department. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Mar 26, 200830 min

Slate: The Cultural Gabfest and Eliot Mess

The Slate Cultural Gabfest, with Stephen Metcalf, Dana Stevens, and John Swansburg. Our newest podcast feature returns just in time to take on the colossal fall from grace of New York governor Elliot Spitzer. Our critics also weigh in on famous fabulists, and a Web site so white, you'll need SPF 100 just to listen. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Mar 12, 200829 min

Slate: The Second Cultural Gabfest

The Slate Cultural Gabfest, with Stephen Metcalf, Dana Stevens, and Julia Turner. We're back for another outing with Slate's cultural critics. This week they train their sights on the Oscars aftermath, the trouble with mocking Obama, and why young starlets should choose their photo shoots more carefully. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Feb 28, 200829 min

Slate: Introducing the Cultural Gabfest

The popularity of Slate's Political Gabfest over the last two years has prompted us to try a variation on the theme: a Cultural Gabfest, featuring some of Slate's best critics batting around the week's cultural happenings. Our first edition features Stephen Metcalf, Dana Stevens, and Julia Turner. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Feb 14, 200834 min
For the best experience, listen in Metacast app for iOS or Android