Culture Gabfest

On this week’s show, Julia Turner is joined by guest hosts Nadira Goffe and Dan Kois to answer the urgent question: is The Naked Gun starring Liam Neeson and Pamela Anderson the vital satire we need for our time? (Answer: No, but does that matter? The joke-dense spoof reboot directed by Akiva Schaffer is a hoot.) Next, they turn to tropical shores and talk about Chief of War, the epic series about Hawaiian history starring and produced by Jason Momoa. Finally, the panel examines the legacy of the musical Hamilton on its ten-year anniversary. Is it a naive Obama-era cringefest or an enduring piece of theater that still has much to say about American democracy? In an exclusive Slate Plus Bonus episode, Julia and Nadira grill Dan about the creation of Slate’s newest game Pears [https://slate.com/games/pears] and discuss the state of the internet game ecosystem.     Email us your thoughts at culturefest@slate.com [culturefest@slate.com].  Podcast production by Benjamin Frisch. Production assistance by Daniel Hirsch. Endorsements: Nadira: The new album BLACKSTAR [https://open.spotify.com/album/59PktWhvg6nGZJaxW0mVVV] by Ghanaian and American singer and songwriter Amaarae. Julia: Jurassic Park at the Hollywood Bowl accompanied by the LA Philharmonic. If not that, stream on a screen near you [https://www.netflix.com/watch/60002360?source=35]. Dan: Quitting your job. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]

It’s the most feelin’ yourself time of the year; a time for uptempo jams to make the sidewalk your runway; a time for the annual Summer Strut playlist! As per tradition, Steve, Dana, and Julia are joined by music critic and chartologist Chris Molanphy to sift through the hundreds of listener submissions to pick their favorite songs to strut to this season. They’ll also kick off the show with a discussion of the song of the summer.  You can find the panel’s collective favorites here, at the Summer Strut ‘25 Shortlist [https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7ABrhixbp3qTFl2AMPwr7X?si=ac530b6c64f64c41&pt=f248ece89d858dd7b314755187aa4204]. In addition, Dana [https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7eKINfb3OxJZ32AL91Vjv3?si=f5399f3dcfac4601], Julia [https://open.spotify.com/playlist/6B4bWdykfIy5tAtaU8PzIi?si=89e06b3dd38641ab], Steven [https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1bWepgja8mDutPZfl6bPes?si=ed5dfdce8b7a46b9], and Chris [https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4p0DfNM8FuuJyfXrUzZXCh?si=707fb61d006b499d], have also published their personal best-of lists. Intrepid listeners are welcome to explore the gigantic original playlist here [https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4h7asFURB15RXQ3l3lCKf5?si=38d147a0e40b4b85]. In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, the panel does two rapid fire rounds to discuss eight more songs for all your strutting needs.  Email us your thoughts at culturefest@slate.com [culturefest@slate.com].  Podcast production by Benjamin Frisch. Production assistance by Daniel Hirsch. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]

On this week’s show, Dana, Steve and guest host Nitish Pahwa summon their critical superpowers to assess Marvel’s Fantastic Four: First Steps. Can the charms of Pedro Pascal and company mixed with a Jetsons-style retrofuturism energize this long-troubled comic book IP? They discuss. Next, they’re joined by Euny Hong, author of The Birth of Korean Cool: How One Nation Is Conquering the World Through Pop Culture, to unpack why KPop Demon Hunters is such a record-breaking hit. Finally, they revisit a little town called South Park to talk about the long-running animated series’ latest episode which brutally satirizes President Trump. In an exclusive Slate Plus bonus episode, the panel takes a look at the confusing messaging in advertisements for A.I. products. Endorsements: Nitish - The music of the late, great musical satirist and mathematician Tom Lehrer, who recently passed. His archive is available for free at tomlehrersongs.com [https://tomlehrersongs.com/]. Steve - The great spy thriller The Spy Who Came In From The Cold [https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-spy-who-came-in-from-the-cold-john-le-carre/22258062] by John le Carré.  Dana -  Tim Maia's irresistible "Do Leme Ao Pontal [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W6XHpvqHV2Q]." Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]

Disinfect your groceries and mind the 5G, on this week’s show Steve, Dana, and guest host Sam Adams dive into the dread-inducing world of Ari Aster’s Eddington. Starring Joaquin Phoenix and Pedro Pascal, the neo-Western explores the conspiracy-brained, mentally unstable summer of 2020 when COVID brews unrest in a small town. Like said town, the panel is divided. Next, they talk about why one of the biggest selling musical acts of all time has been both a national treasure and a forever punchline in their discussion of the documentary Billy Joel: And So It Goes. Finally, they take on what CBS’s decision to cancel the Late Show with Stephen Colbert means for both late night TV and democracy itself with New York Times TV critic James Poniewozik. In an exclusive Slate Plus bonus episode, the panel shares their feelings about phone location sharing. Email us at culturefest@slate.com [culturefest@slate.com].  Endorsements: Dana: The best use of a Billy Joel song in a soundtrack: "Carded and Discarded," episode 7 of Freaks and Geeks [https://www.paramountplus.com/shows/video/KCNTVFKm1_NgMcoaX0wofQDl7V_J0qE9/?searchReferral=desktop-web&source=google-organic&ftag=PPM-23-10bfh8c]: Sam:  The anti-establishment, anarchist British Post-punk band the Mekons’ 1989 album The Mekons Rock n’ Roll [https://open.spotify.com/album/6cP5F9xCkEcvHaM2P052iL]. Steve: Stephen Colbert talking with Dua Lipa about faith and comedy [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pUaWDqDOWPk] and Esbjörn Svensson Trio’s “Somewhere Else Before [https://open.spotify.com/track/12pRLbA13lvYgvFYFelX1j?si=0b310d50a2c24db7]” from the album Live in Gothenberg [https://open.spotify.com/album/6X0P7XyEdeTrt3p8H59EHW]. 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]

On this week’s show, Dana and Steve are joined by guest host Isaac Butler to talk truth, justice, and the American way via James Gunn’s Superman. They discuss the latest incarnation of the man of steel and the cultural discourse he’s generating that has become as volatile as kryptonite itself. Next, they hop to another cultural lightning rod: Lena Dunham. They get into her new series Too Much which she created with her husband Luis Felber. Finally, they report back from Viola’s Room, an immersive theater experience by the creators of Sleep No More. In a bonus Slate Plus episode, they respond to the news that Scott Rudin—famous Broadway megaproducer and infamous alleged abuser—is mounting a comeback. Endorsements: Isaac: The Criterion Channel special Brian Cox: The Craft of Acting [https://www.criterionchannel.com/brian-cox-the-craft-of-acting], hosted by yours truly Isaac Butler. Also, Ari Aster’s newest film Eddington [https://www.imdb.com/title/tt31176520/] before the discourse begins! Steve: Finishing 2666 by Roberto Bolaño [https://bookshop.org/p/books/2666-roberto-bolano/8772677?ean=9780312429218&next=t] and Agnes Varda's breakout Cléo from 5 to 7 [https://www.hbomax.com/movies/cleo-from-5-to-7/71a51a00-b94b-44bf-8e5c-b3b6d2d2e44b?utm_source=universal_search]. Dana: Critic Walter Chaw's essay on the new Superman [https://filmfreakcentral.net/2025/07/superman-2025/]. 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]