Slate Magazine is one of my regular reads and so when they started podcasting I was keen to listen. Slate now produces a large number of podcasts covering a wide-range of subjects. I don't intend to review them all but want to highlight some of my favourites and so will start with the Culture Gabfest.
Hosts: Stephen Metcalf Dana Stevens Julia Turner
The Culture Gabfest is a weekly podcast that that covers high culture, low culture and everything in between. The three hosts (Stephen Metcalf, Dana Stevens, and Julia Turner) normally cover three topics and then finish with endorsements (where each host endorses something they've recently liked).
The most recent episode (16th July 2014) covered Boyhood (the new Richard Linklater film), Botched (a reality show about plastic surgery) and Tinder (the dating app) while the endorsements included a podcast, a TV show, a blog post and getting a couples massage at a spa, illustrating the range of media covered by the show!
Stephen is Slate's Critic-at-large and is writing a book on the 1980s. His academic background does come through in his use of long words and love of esoteric subjects but manages not to be condescending or patronising about it. Given that the 1980s were not known for much high culture, I'm looking forward to his take on the decade.
Dana is Slate's film critic. She also hosts Slate's Spoiler Special (discussing plot twists, for people who have seen a film and want to hear people talk about them). Dana has a doctorate (unlike Stephen) in comparative literature yet again is not your typical academic. Her broadcasting (and writing) is informed yet engaging.
Julia Turner is the newly announced Editor-in-Chief at Slate, having been Deputy Editor for six years. Taking a less academic approach than her co-hosts, Julia articulates the cultural consumption of a typical american. She recently took time off from the show to have twins and there was a different vibe without her. I think I am used to the regular team.
When discussing some items, they do invite guests onto the show (normally either the author or another critic) to diversify the opinions presented. This adds fresh voices and opinions and stops the hosts repeating conversations from previous shows.
A podcast on culture is never going to please everyone but they do seem to try. As a non-american listener, I would appreciate some more global diversity in their coverage but appreciate they can only review the culture they consume in their daily lives (in New York). The nearest thing to British input into the show has been two of the occasional guests: Simon Doonan and June Thomas. Both are British born but have lived in the USA for a long time so are disconnected to my cultural experiences (although both are great whenever they are on).
They have done the occasional live show from around the USA. I would love them to come to the Edinburgh Festivals to do a show (or even series of shows) covering the huge variety of culture that is on display every summer in the UK. A boy can dream!
In summary, if you like informed yet engaging conversations about culture, listen to the Slate Culture Gabfest.
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