July 6, 2026 - The Great Gatsby, Elizabeth Strout, and Historic New England

July 23, 2026 - George Saunders, Claire Foy, and Steve Sweeney's "Townie"

Bestselling author George Saunders joins The Culture Show to talk about his novel “Vigil.”  Set over a single night, the book follows Jill “Doll” Blaine, a long-deceased guardian figure who keeps watch over a dying oil executive, returning Saunders to the moral and metaphysical terrain familiar from “Lincoln in the Bardo.”   Actress Claire Foy joins The Culture Show to talk about her film, “H Is for Hawk”, adapted from Helen Macdonald’s bestselling memoir. Known for performances defined by restraint and emotional precision, Foy reflects on inhabiting grief, solitude, and endurance in a story that unfolds through the training of a goshawk. Boston comedian and actor Steve Sweeney [https://stevesweeneycomedy.com/] joins The Culture Show to talk about his film “Townie,” which is drawn directly from his Charlestown upbringing. Known for comedy rooted in working-class Catholic culture, Sweeney uses the neighborhood as a lens on loyalty, memory, and what it means to stay put as a place — and a city — changes.

July 22, 2026 - Chef Aidan McGee, Gonzalo Grau, and 100 years of Regina Pizzeria

What Boston learned from its World Cup party: The matches were in Foxborough, but the celebration filled Boston’s pubs, hotels and streets. Aidan McGee, chef and partner at The Dubliner [https://www.thedublinerboston.com/] and McGonagle’s Pub [https://www.mcgonagles.com], reflects on the Tartan Army, extended closing hours and how Boston can keep its newly activated party gene alive.  Gonzalo Grau returns to Boston: Venezuelan-born pianist, composer and multi-instrumentalist Gonzalo Grau [https://www.laphil.com/musicdb/artists/8189/gonzalo-grau?utm_source=chatgpt.com] brings together Venezuelan rhythms, Latin jazz, flamenco and classical music. Grau and Plural perform a free concert July 25 at Long Live Roxbury [https://www.longlivebeerworks.com/boston?utm_source=chatgpt.com], followed by a July 30 appearance with Alex Alvear and the Ecuadorian Council. Both shows support the Massachusetts United for Venezuela Fund [https://www.tbf.org/donors/forms/mass-united-for-venezuela-fund?utm_source=chatgpt.com].  Regina Pizzeria celebrates 100 years: From the lines outside its original North End location to slices served across the region, Regina Pizzeria [https://www.pizzeriaregina.com/?utm_source=chatgpt.com] has become part of Boston’s culinary identity. Corporate chef Mark Murphy joins us to discuss its charred, chewy crust, century-old traditions and the challenge of preserving a hometown institution as it grows.

July 21, 2026 - Anne Packard: An Artist's Resolve, Gus Constantellis, and Fiddlehead

Filmmaker Arthur Egeli and producer Judith Richland discuss their documentary portrait of Provincetown painter Anne Packard, following her path from a single mother of five to one of Cape Cod’s most celebrated artists. The film screens July 26 at the Woods Hole Film Festival [https://woodsholefilmfestival.org/events/annepackardanartistsresolve/]and August 11 at the Pilgrim Monument and Provincetown Museum [https://www.pilgrim-monument.org/event/outdoor-movie-night-anne-packard-an-artists-resolve-an-arthur-egeli-film/]. Comedian Gus Constantellis remembers his late mother, Julia, whose cooking, sharp opinions and appearances in his viral videos made her beloved by his online audience. The cookbook brings together 75 Greek recipes with stories about family, comedy and grief. Find more from Constantellis at ConstantlyGus.com [https://constantlygus.com/]. Fiddlehead [https://fiddleheadworld.com/] vocalist Patrick Flynn and guitarist Alex Dow discuss the Boston hardcore band’s new EP, Baby I’ll Change [https://runforcoverrecords.com/products/fiddlehead-baby-i-ll-change-ep], and the family, loss and community behind their music. Fiddlehead plays the Middle East Upstairs [https://www.mideastoffers.com/tm-venue/middle-east-upstairs/] on July 29, a free show at the Lynch Family Skatepark on August 1 and Roadrunner [https://roadrunnerboston.com/calendar/] on November 13.

July 20, 2026 - Los Lobos: Native Sons, I Am Teddy Roosevelt, and Dave Herlihy

Co-directors Doug Blush and Piero F. Giunti discuss Los Lobos: Native Sons [https://woodsholefilmfestival.org/events/loslobosnativesons/], a new documentary tracing the East Los Angeles band’s 50-year journey through rare archival footage, performances and intimate access. The film screens July 26 and 29 at the Woods Hole Film Festival. Bestselling author Brad Meltzer introduces young readers to the conservationist president in I Am Teddy Roosevelt [https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/783107/i-am-teddy-roosevelt-by-brad-meltzer-illustrated-by-christopher-eliopoulos/], the latest picture-book biography in his Ordinary People Change the World series. Former O Positive frontman and Northeastern professor Dave Herlihy talks about returning to songwriting and finding an online audience with “Good Trouble,” [https://herlihymusic.com/] his homage to civil rights icon John Lewis—and performs the song live in the studio.

July 17, 2026 - Week in Review: Christopher Nolan's Odyssey, frozen yogurt, and the World Cup finale

On this edition of The Culture Show, Co-host Callie Crossley and contribbutors Lisa Simmons, and James Sullivan go over the week’s top arts and culture headlines. Lisa Simmons is the Artistic and Executive Director of the Roxbury International Film Festival and program manager at Mass Cultural Council. James Sullivan is a journalist and author specializing in popular culture and Americana. He’s also on the Emerson faculty. Christopher Nolan’s $250 million epic, “The Odyssey,” opens July 17 after earning widespread praise for its scale and ambition. Shot entirely with IMAX film cameras, it will screen in 70mm IMAX at only a limited number of theaters.  The Michael Jackson biopic “Michael” has become the first biographical film to pass the billion-dollar mark at the global box office, despite criticism that it sanitizes Jackson’s legacy and objections from members of his family.  Holden Caulfield turns 75 — J.D. Salinger’s The Catcher in the Rye helped define the modern voice of adolescence. Its alienated narrator remains an enduring—and contested—American literary figure, recognized by generations of readers for his contempt for adult pretense. Frozen yogurt gets a wellness-era makeover — Froyo is back, with protein, probiotics and gut-health claims replacing the low-fat marketing of earlier crazes. The latest renaissance is being fueled by wellness influencers, stylish new shops and consumers looking for a health-conscious indulgence. The World Cup final expands into a global entertainment spectacle — A closing ceremony featuring Post Malone, Jennifer Hudson, Tom Cruise and other stars will precede Sunday’s match. Madonna, Shakira, BTS, Justin Bieber, Burna Boy and more will then perform during the tournament’s first-ever halftime show.