On this week’s show, Julia and Stephen are joined by Slate writer and senior editor, Sam Adams. Why do we tell fictional stories about real people?‌ The panel ponders this question as they discuss two biopics: The Apprentice and Saturday Night. The Apprentice is an uncanny portrait of Donald Trump, a young striver under the tutelage – and spell – of his mentor, Roy Cohn. But does the film offer any new information or ideas? Saturday Night, on the other hand, is the often obnoxious tale of the frenetic 90-minute countdown before Saturday Night Live’s first broadcast in 1975. Finally, the panel is joined by The Atlantic staff writer Charlie Warzel to discuss his recent and prescient piece, “I’m Running Out of Ways to Explain How Bad This Is.”

In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, the panel discusses f*cking profanity, a conversation inspired by a listener question from Jonathan.

Email us at culturefest@slate.com.

Endorsements:

Sam: Separated, a documentary by Errol Morris. (Read Sam’s review here.)

Julia: Ten, Nine, Eight, a wonderful children’s book by Molly Bang.

Steve: Laura Miller’s book review of Revenge of the Tipping Point by Malcom Gladwell for Slate.

Podcast production by Jared Downing. Production assistance by Kat Hong.

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Erica Cerulo & Claire Mazur, WORK WIFE