Slate Culture Feed

You've heard Lisa Fischer singing backup vocals for everyone from the Rolling Stones to Beyoncé. But after decades of touring with rock stars, Fischer lives in a far more humble reality.Support Death, Sex & Money by becoming a monthly sustaining member. Sign up now. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Stefan Fatsis, Josh Levin, and Mike Pesca talk about college hoops’ slow pace with Ken Pomeroy. They also discuss the decline of the NFL running back and interview Errol Morris about his new series of short sports documentaries for ESPN.Show notes at www.slate.com/hangup. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Stephen Metcalf, Julia Turner, and Dana Stevens discuss FOX's new TV show The Last Man on Earth, Knausgaard's travel writing, and the fuss about the dress. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Stefan Fatsis, Josh Levin, and Mike Pesca are joined by ESPN.com’s Kevin Pelton to talk about the Sloan Sports Analytics Conference. They also discuss Larry Sanders’ decision to leave the NBA and Ben Rothenberg joins to examine match-fixing in tennis.Show notes at www.slate.com/hangup. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Stephen Metcalf, Julia Turner, and Dana Stevens along with Carl Wilson review the Oscars, Bjork's latest album, and weigh in on the audiophile debate. Our sponsors today: Netflix, presenting season three of House of Cards. Starring Kevin Spacey and Robin Wright. All episodes available on Friday, Feb. 27. And by the new ABC drama American Crime, from the Oscar-winning screenwriter of 12 Years a Slave. Catch the series premiere on Thursday, March 5 on ABC. Love Slate podcasts? Listen longer with Slate Plus! Members get bonus segments, ad-free versions, exclusive podcasts and more. Start your 2-week free trial at slate.com/cultureplus Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

There's the cliche: someone cheats, crockery is thrown, lawyers are called. But your stories about cheating were much more varied, with some unpredictable conclusions. Support Death, Sex & Money by becoming a monthly sustaining member. Sign up now. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Stefan Fatsis, Josh Levin, and Mike Pesca are joined by Grantland’s Eric Raskin to discuss Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao. They also compare Alex Rodriguez and Kobe Bryant, and they look at new rules designed to make baseball speedier.Show notes at www.slate.com/hangup. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Stephen Metcalf, Julia Turner, and Dana Stevens discuss 50 Shades of Grey, the legacy of Jon Stewart with Slate's Jamelle Bouie, and misogny on the red carpet. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Stefan Fatsis, Josh Levin, and Mike Pesca talk about Kevin Durant’s anti-media rant. They also discuss Jackie Robinson West Little League losing its U.S. title and Slate’s Daniel Engber joins to explore the art and science of free-throw distraction.Show notes at www.slate.com/hangup. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sometimes love fits neatly on a card. Sometimes, it spills over into rehab, divorce, or a call from a former Wyoming senator. Support Death, Sex & Money by becoming a monthly sustaining member. Sign up now. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Stephen Metcalf, Julia Turner, and Dana Stevens discuss Breaking Bad's much anticipated spinoff Better Call Saul, Damien Chazelle’s film Whiplash, and the ethics surrounding the release of Harper Lee’s new book, Go Set a Watchman. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Teddy and Kami Thompson followed in the footsteps of their musical parents, Richard and Linda Thompson. But they remember their childhood and its lessons about family very differently.Support Death, Sex & Money by becoming a monthly sustaining member. Sign up now. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Stefan Fatsis, Josh Levin, and Mike Pesca are joined by Sports Illustrated‘s Alexander Wolff to talk about Dean Smith, by Nathaniel Vinton to discuss U.S. ski racers, and by Jonathan Hock for a chat about his Soviet hockey documentary Of Miracles and Men.Show notes at www.slate.com/hangup. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Stephen Metcalf, Julia Turner, and Dana Stevens discuss the film Foxcatcher and its Best Picture Oscar snub, Sleater-Kinney's latest album with music writer Jack Hamilton, and the best of the worst Super Bowl ads with Seth Stevenson. Help us make our podcasts even better! Take Slate's listener survey at to slate.com/survey Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Stefan Fatsis, Josh Levin, and Mike Pesca talk about New England’s 28-24 Super Bowl win. Grantland’s Bryan Curtis joins to discuss the game’s surprising stars and NBC’s lead producer Fred Gaudelli gives a behind-the-scenes look at the TV broadcast.Show notes at www.slate.com/hangup. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Stephen Metcalf, Julia Turner, and Dana Stevens discuss the film American Sniper, Jonathan Chait's article "Not a Very P.C. Thing to Say," and get a report from Sundance from Slate's Forrest Wickman and Aisha Harris. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In which Julia explains that we were delayed by this week's storm, and we'll post the show a little later on Wednesday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Comedian Margaret Cho frequently jokes about her wild sexual adventures. But now she says she wants something less X-rated and more like a middle school romance. Support Death, Sex & Money by becoming a monthly sustaining member. Sign up now. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Stefan Fatsis, Josh Levin, and Mike Pesca talk about Deflategate. They also interview John Biever, who’s photographed every Super Bowl, and tennis player Tim Smyczek, who’s been lauded for his sportsmanship after losing a tight match to Rafael Nadal.Show notes at www.slate.com/hangup. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Stephen Metcalf, Julia Turner, and Dana Stevens discuss the film The Imitation Game, HBO's Togetherness, and Celine's new It Girl, Joan Didion. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Stefan Fatsis, Josh Levin, and Mike Pesca talk about the Seahawks’ comeback win and the Patriots’ allegedly deflated balls; interview NBC producer Fred Gaudelli about televising the Super Bowl; and talk to Puck Daddy’s Greg Wyshynski about the NHL.Show notes at www.slate.com/hangup. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Akhavan’s debut feature film, Appropriate Behavior, mines the details of her own life—particularly the most uncomfortable moments. It also earned her a spot on this season of Girls.Support Death, Sex & Money by becoming a monthly sustaining member. Sign up now. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Stephen Metcalf, Julia Turner, and Dana Stevens discuss the Martin Luther King, Jr. biopic Selma, the culture of protest in today's internet world, and Merriam Webster's updated online edition with Slate writer Stefan Fatsis. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Stefan Fatsis, Josh Levin, and Mike Pesca talk about the NFL playoffs and Dez Bryant’s disputed catch. ESPN’s Tom Haberstroh joins to assess the NBA’s Hawks and Pistons and Andrew Bisharat talks about the first free ascent of El Capitan’s Dawn Wall.Show notes at www.slate.com/hangup. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Stephen Metcalf, Julia Turner, and Dana Stevens discuss the biopic of the great Victorian painter J.M.W. Turner, the TV show Empire, and D'Angelo's Black Messiah. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Stefan Fatsis, Josh Levin, and Mike Pesca talk about the opening weekend of the NFL playoffs and the inaugural college football playoffs, wherein the SEC went down to a crushing defeat. ESPN’s Jay Harris also joins to discuss the death of Stuart Scott.Show notes at www.slate.com/hangup. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Stephen Metcalf, Julia Turner, and Dana Stevens visit the studio of composer Nicholas Britell to hear his musical interpretations of their theme song desires and then choose a new theme song for the show. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Living alone has its perks: no one to tell you what to eat, how to decorate, or when to go to bed. But there's also no one to split the bills with. Support Death, Sex & Money by becoming a monthly sustaining member. Sign up now. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Stefan Fatsis, Josh Levin, and Mike Pesca take listeners’ questions in a special year-end call-in show. Topics range from their greatest sports moments to what to watch on TV when you can’t sleep to gender bias in the sports media.Show notes at www.slate.com/hangup. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Stephen Metcalf, Julia Turner, and Dana Stevens discuss the Sony Pictures hack, Hollywood film franchises, and favorite Christmas movies. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Stefan Fatsis, Josh Levin, and Mike Pesca discuss Kentucky's surplus of basketball talent. They also talk with Sports Illustrated executive editor Jon Wertheim about the future of sports TV and assess Yahoo NBA writer Adrian Wojnarowski.Show notes at slate.com/hangup Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Lawrence Bartley has been in prison for 23 years on a murder charge. Now, he's wondering what he'll say to the parole board—and to his sons, who are still too young to know of his past.Support Death, Sex & Money by becoming a monthly sustaining member. Sign up now. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Dana Stevens, Julia Turner, and David Haglund discuss Chris Rock's latest movie Top Five, the Seven Wonders of the Modern World with Slate's Daniel Gross, and what the lumbersexual says about masculinity. Visit our sponsors: Blue Bottle Coffee at Home (bluebottlecoffee.com/redeem), promo code Culture. Harrys.com (harrys.com), promo code Culture. CreativeBug.com (creativebug.com), promo code Culture. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Stefan Fatsis, Josh Levin, and Mike Pesca discuss Kobe Bryant’s legacy and the NBA’s conference imbalance. They also talk to Baseball Prospectus’ Sam Miller about MLB’s winter meetings and interview attorney Sharon Vinick about NFL cheerleader lawsuits.Show notes at www.slate.com/hangup. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Stephen Metcalf, Julia Turner, and Dana Stevens take a field trip to MoMA to see the Henri Matisse exhibit, discuss the film Wild, and reveal the best second novels you'll read this year. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Stefan Fatsis, Josh Levin, and Mike Pesca discuss the pairings for the inaugural College Football Playoff and look at UAB’s decision to drop its football program. They also interview legendary journalist Robert Lipsyte about his tenure as ESPN ombudsman.Show notes at www.slate.com/hangup. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Mike Pesca drives Josh Levin to Brooklyn's 176-year-old Green-Wood Cemetery. On a tour led by the cemetery's historian, they visit the graves of two great (but definitely dead) baseball pioneers. This extra was recorded on the 2014 National Gabfest Tour made possible by Acura. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Liam and Marisa fell in love as college students. Then, Liam began his gender transition. Here, they speak candidly about staying committed through serious change.Support Death, Sex & Money by becoming a monthly sustaining member. Sign up now. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Stephen Metcalf, Julia Turner, and Dana Stevens take a spin around Los Angeles with native Angeleno (and Slate's executive producer of podcasts) Andy Bowers at the wheel. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Stefan Fatsis, Josh Levin, and Mike Pesca discuss the decision to overturn Ray Rice’s suspension and the injury-riddled careers of Robert Griffin III and Derrick Rose. Gideon Haigh also joins to talk about the on-field death of cricketer Phillip Hughes.Show notes at www.slate.com/hangup. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Stephen Metcalf, Julia Turner, and Dana Stevens discuss the Cosby scandal with Grantland writer Wesley Morris, the legacy of director Mike Nichols, and the cultural things the Gabbers are thankful for this year. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Slate’s sports podcast on Odell Beckham Jr.’s amazing catch, painkiller usage in the NFL, and Adrian Peterson’s extended suspension. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Culturefest joins the Political Gabfest and Hang Up and Listen, onstage at the Music Hall of Williamsburg with emcee Dan Kois, for a blockbuster show in front of a live audience. Show notes at www.slate.com/culturefest. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The best-selling author of The Color of Water lived large, and he lost his creative focus. Now, he drives a pickup and teaches music in Brooklyn, and he's happier than he's ever been.Support Death, Sex & Money by becoming a monthly sustaining member. Sign up now. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hang Up and Listen joins the Political and Culture Gabfests, onstage at the Music Hall of Williamsburg with emcee Dan Kois, for a blockbuster show in front of a live audience.Show notes at www.slate.com/hangup. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Stephen Metcalf, Julia Turner, and Dana Stevens discuss the film Interstellar, Lisa Kudrow's comeback TV series "The Comeback," and London taxi drivers' test The Knowledge with writer Jody Rosen. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Stefan Fatsis, Josh Levin, and Mike Pesca talk to Whore of Akron author Scott Raab about LeBron James’s return to Ohio. They also examine the NFL’s obsession with London and review ESPN’s documentary about Livan and Orlando Hernandez, Brothers in Exile.Show notes at www.slate.com/hangup. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Slate critics Stephen Metcalf, Julia Turner, and Dana Stevens discuss the shapeshifting Taylor Swift's latest incarnation with Slate music critic Carl Wilson, the documentary film about The New York Review of Books, 50 Year Argument, and Hollaback's viral video on catcalling. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Caleb Wilde, a sixth-generation funeral director, will bury many of his friends and family in his small town. In a culture so unable to talk about death, he tweets to feel less alone.Support Death, Sex & Money by becoming a monthly sustaining member. Sign up now. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Stefan Fatsis and Josh Levin ask Paul Finebaum about ESPN’s alleged pro-SEC bias. They also talk to Amanda Hess about Lauren Hill and inspirational sports moments and quiz Seth Stevenson about the video game League of Legends and the rise of e-sports.Show notes at www.slate.com/hangup. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.