Slate Culture Feed

André De Shields shares his wisdom from 50 years on the stage, and 76 years on this earth.You can find our original conversation from our Opportunity Costs series with Ramal Johnson here. Find out more at deathsexmoney.org/class.Did you know we have a weekly email newsletter for the Death, Sex & Money community? Every Wednesday we send out podcast listening recommendations, fascinating letters from our inbox, and updates from the show. Sign up at deathsexmoney.org/newsletter, and follow the show on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.Got a story to share? Email us any time at deathsexmoney@wnyc.org. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

“We Don’t Talk About Bruno,” the hit song from Disney’s Encanto, is sitting at No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 this week, and that’s all thanks to TikTok. On the show today, Madison and Rachelle talk about the songs from Encanto currently dominating the platform, and why people online seem to love to hate Lin-Manuel Miranda.Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder and Derek John.Correction: This podcast incorrectly stated that TikTok is included in the Billboard Hot 100 chart calculations, misnamed the song “Surface Pressure,” and misstated that it is sung by the oldest daughter (it's sung by the middle daughter). Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, Slate’s TV critic and host of the podcast Decoder Ring, Willa Paskin, and poet, essayist, podcast host, and author, Nichole Perkins, fill in for Dana and Julia. The panel begins by taking a spin with Julian Fellowes’ (creator of Downton Abbey) new show The Gilded Age. Then, the panel debates about Kenny G and the installment of the docuseries Music Box: Listening to Kenny G. Finally, the panel ponders Ted Gioia’s question: is old music killing new music?In Slate Plus, the panel discusses culture that they’ve changed their mind about over time—whether they’ve grown to like it or dislike it.Email us at culturefest@slate.com.EndorsementsWilla: The podcast Once Upon a Time… at Bennington College.Nichole: The collection of stories Vampires in the Lemon Grove: And Other Stories by Karen Russell.Steve: Ian MacDonald’s essay “Exiled From Heaven: The Unheard Message of Nick Drake.”Pre-order Dana’s book and buy a ticket to Dana and Isaac’s book event at The Strand (hosted by our very own Stephen Metcalf)!Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Nadira Goffe.Outro music is "Pike Place Market" by Rockin' For Decades.Slate Plus members get ad-free podcasts, a bonus segment in each episode of the Culture Gabfest, full access to Slate's journalism on Slate.com, and more. Sign up now at slate.com/cultureplus. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Stefan Fatsis and Josh Levin are joined by the Athletic’s Lindsay Jones to discuss the NFL playoffs. Then, Ben Proudfoot joins for a conversation about Lusia Harris, the subject of his documentary short “The Queen of Basketball.” Finally, they speak with Oliver Roeder about his book Seven Games.NFL (2:21): How did the Chiefs-Bills magic happen? Are Tom Brady and Aaron Rodgers done? Lusia Harris (30:12): The life and legacy of a basketball pioneer.Seven Games (50:24): How machines have changed our favorite games. Afterball (1:09:30): Josh and Stefan on Hang Up listeners’ goofy ideas to fix sports. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The name on every TikTokker’s lips is “West Elm Caleb,” a New York City twenty-something whose dating practices and history have come under major scrutiny, after women started posting videos about their negative experiences with him. Things quickly got out of control as more and more people got swept up in the gossipy drama. On today’s episode, Madison and Rachelle talk to some of the women who shared their own stories about dating Caleb online. Then, they discuss how this is a moment both about the power of women coming together to protect each other and the way that this collective’s motives can quickly turn south.Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder and Derek John. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jaimie Seaton got used to a lavish upper class lifestyle while married to her banker husband and living overseas. Then she got divorced, and her financial picture totally changed.This episode was part of our 2018 series Opportunity Costs: Money and Class in America. Find out more at deathsexmoney.org/class. Read Jaimie's essay for BuzzFeed here. Did you know we have a weekly email newsletter for the Death, Sex & Money community? Every Wednesday we send out podcast listening recommendations, fascinating letters from our inbox and updates from the show. Sign up at deathsexmoney.org/newsletter.And follow the show on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Got a story to share? Email us any time at deathsexmoney@wnyc.org. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

AOL Instant Messenger launched 25 years ago, but at the time nobody understood exactly how important it would be in shaping the way we all interact online. On today’s show, Rachelle and Madison talk to AIM expert Caroline Moss about the early years of the platform, the playful shenanigans people got up to on there as teens, and how it led us to the world of always being online. Caroline hosts the podcast Gee Thanks, Just Bought It!Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder and Derek John. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, the panel begins by pondering Maggie Gyllenhaal’s directorial debut, The Lost Daughter. Then, the panel gushes about the fresh workplace comedy Abbott Elementary. Finally, the panel discusses everyone's latest obsession: the word game Wordle.In Slate Plus, the panel enters spoiler territory as they continue to puzzle out The Lost Daughter.Email us at culturefest@slate.com.EndorsementsDana: An LA related endorsement: The Academy Museum (run by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences) which is mostly okay, but has a stellar show called The Path to Cinema: Highlights from the Richard Balzer Collection.Julia: Potentially the first worthy piece of pandemic art: the Gary Shteyngart novel Our Country Friends, set in an upstate NY country home as friends gather to wait out the pandemic.Steve: Israeli-born, Paris-based singer Keren Ann’s cover of “Hallelujah.” Also: a no longer on-the-fence, solid endorsement for HBO’s Succession.Pre-order Dana’s book and buy a ticket to Dana and Isaac’s book event at The Strand (hosted by our very own Stephen Metcalf)!Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Nadira Goffe.Outro music is "Self Made Woman" by Katharine AppletonSlate Plus members get ad-free podcasts, a bonus segment in each episode of the Culture Gabfest, full access to Slate's journalism on Slate.com, and more. Sign up now at slate.com/cultureplus. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Joel Anderson, Stefan Fatsis, and Josh Levin discuss the NFL’s Super Wild Card Weekend. Then they talk about the rise of the Memphis Grizzlies’ Ja Morant. Finally, Defector’s Kalyn Kahler joins for a conversation about nepotism in NFL coaching. NFL (4:50): Do expanded playoffs mean worse games? Ja Morant (24:55): Was his block the best ever? Is he the NBA’s next superstar? Nepotism (44:54): How big of a problem is it, and can anything be done to fix it? Afterball (1:08:14): Josh, Joel, and Stefan on goofy ideas to fix sports. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Yellowjackets is a new series on Showtime about a team of high school girls who, while on a flight to a soccer game, crash in the Canadian wilderness. It follows their struggle for survival and how that experience shaped those who made it out of the woods alive. On today’s show, Madison and Rachelle sing their own personal Yellowjackets praises, explain why it’s the latest addition to the Puzzle Box TV canon, and discuss how Reddit is the best place for fandom communities—like the one that’s quickly formed around the show. Plus, people think the Queen of England is dead?Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder and Derek John. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.