Slate Culture

On this week’s show an all-star team of super agents join Julia to gab including guest host Amy Nicholson, film critic for the Los Angeles Times. Their first mission: Mission Impossible: The Final Reckoning, the supposed final installment of the Tom Cruise action juggernaut. Like Cruise on to a vintage biplane, Dana jumps on the call to discuss all the film’s death-defying stunts, clunky exposition, and lasting cultural impact. Next, they’re joined by Slate senior editor Rebecca Onion to dish on Sirens, Netflix’s pastel-hued dramedy starring Meghan Fahey, Milly Alcock, and Julianne Moore. Finally, Slate’s music critic Carl Wilson arrives to grapple with the hugely successful, but critically polarizing, new Morgan Wallen album I’m the Problem. In an exclusive Plus segment, Amy, fresh from the Riviera, shares with Julia and Dana her favorite films and moments from the 2025 Cannes Film Festival. Endorsements: Amy: The 19th season of the British game show Taskmaster [https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLRWvNQVqAeWKt7kCUfEMdJi40m7H58CJd], wherein a group of comedians are made to do impossible tasks by host Greg Davies. Carl: The Mock Trial-centric live episode of the musical improv podcast Off Book [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ivf58k53nu0], and the podcast [https://art19.com/shows/off-book] itself while you’re at it.  Julia: The quintessentially American, summertime experience of eating a hotdog on a ferry as well as the 2011 film Money Ball [https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1210166/]. You can also hear more from Amy on her podcast Unspooled [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/unspooled/id1381507437] and from Carl on his substack Crritic! [https://carlwilson.substack.com/].  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. Podcast production by Benjamin Frisch. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]

This week, Christina Cauterucci is joined by Erik Piepenburg, author of Dining Out, a new book that explores the history of gay restaurants in the United States. Piepenburg traces how restaurants have long served as essential spaces for queer people as places to gather, connect, and express themselves at a time when most public spaces were hostile or unsafe. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]

Candice Lim and Kate Lindsay are going back to college and telling the tale of two Greek life chefs on TikTok. Kevin Ashton [https://www.tiktok.com/@oldscoolkevmo] gained almost 5 million followers after posting recipes and behind-the-scenes footage of his life as a sorority house chef at the University of Nevada, Reno. Beloved by students who review his meals on their accounts, Ashton has brought a new spotlight onto the less glamorous side of Greek life. In contrast, pastry chef Grant Grocost [https://www.tiktok.com/@bakingbygrant] has found an audience taking his followers into the messy frat house he cooks for at the University of Tennessee. Both chefs have gained traction from fans who create videos comparing [https://www.tiktok.com/@ozzyfromscotland/video/7496174246776048898] the two and specifically their relationships to the students they cook for. But is the beef between Kevin and Grant, or between TikTok and Greek life? This podcast is produced by Vic Whitley-Berry, Daisy Rosario, Candice Lim, and Kate Lindsay, with production assistance from Kevin Bendis. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]

One week into a new WNBA season, hosts Alex Kirshner [https://www.splitzoneduo.com/], Ben Lindbergh [https://www.theringer.com/authors/ben-lindbergh] chat with co-host Lindsay Gibbs [https://lindsaygibbs.com/] about Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese, and what’s ahead in the league’s looming collective bargaining talks. Then tennis writer Ben Rothenberg joins to preview the French Open and break down key storylines on and off the court. Later, the hosts tackle the future of the controversial "tush push" in the NFL. Lindsay wraps up with an Afterball on the persistent pay gap between men and women in tennis. WNBA (3:04): It's still the Caitlin Clark show. French Open (23:59): Will Sinner return to domination Tush Push (45:44): The Eagles' favorite play is here to stay Afterballs (57:28): The long and continued history of sexism in tennis (Note: time codes are only accurate for Slate Plus members, who listen ad-free.) Want more Hang Up and Listen? Subscribe to Slate Plus to immediately 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 our show page, or visit slate.com/hangupplus to get access wherever you listen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]

Think of all the broken stuff you’re storing in your home. A blender that won’t blend? A bike without brakes? A buttonless blouse? Resist the urge to buy new stuff—and listen to this How To! episode instead! Courtney Martin brings together Phoebe Schenker, executive director of Reuse Alliance [http://www.reusealliance.org/] and founder of The Mending Library [https://www.objectsofconversation.com/the-mending-library], and Sue-Jean, a reuse enthusiast, to talk about breathing new life into old items.  Links Mentioned:  Reuse Alliance [http://www.reusealliance.org/] iFixIt [https://www.ifixit.com/] WikiHow [https://www.wikihow.com/Main-Page] Tool Lending Libraries [https://localtools.org/find/] If you liked this episode check out: How To Find the Gems in All Your Junk [https://slate.com/podcasts/how-to/2023/06/how-to-sell-your-stuff] and How To Let Go of Kid Clutter [https://slate.com/podcasts/how-to/2023/10/how-to-make-your-kids-clutter-more-manageable] Do you have a problem that needs solving? Send us a note at howto@slate.com [howto@slate.com] or leave us a voicemail at 646-495-4001 and we might have you on the show. Subscribe for free on Apple [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-to-with-charles-duhigg/id1469631127], Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/2sTpPBvpoGHZlDwgSKI7EZ?si=bD7WdR-vTjuCva13Wdn5qw] or wherever you listen. The show is produced by Rosemary Belson, with Kevin Bendis. Our technical director is Merritt Jacob and our supervising producer is Joel Meyer. Want more How To!? Subscribe to Slate Plus to unlock exclusive 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 How To! [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-to/id1469631127] show page. Or, visit slate.com/howtoplus [https://slate.com/podcast-plus?utm_medium=link&utm_campaign=plus_pod&utm_content=How_To&utm_source=episode_summary] to get access wherever you listen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]