New York Times critic Dwight Garner says “The Slate Culture Gabfest is one of the highlights of my week.” The award-winning Culturefest features critics Stephen Metcalf, Dana Stevens, and Julia Turner debating the week in culture, from highbrow to pop. For more of Slate’s culture podcasts, check out the Slate Culture feed.
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Latest episodes
Showing 20 · updated from the feed
Announcing: Julia's New Show!
L.A. World is a new weekly podcast from L.A. Material, the local news outlet that Julia Turner helped launch earlier this year. The show helps you understand what's happe
Aug 21 23 min
So Long, and Thanks for All the Granola Edition
A eulogistic weepfest? A “valediction forbidding mourning”? A conscious unthroupling? All of the above?
Believe it or not, the time has come for Steve, Dana, and Julia t
Jul 1 1 h 37 min
Toy Story 5 Crushes It at the Box Office Edition
The Gabfest’s end is nigh but we’ve still got a few bits of culture to gab upon. This week, Steve and Dana are joined by longtime Gabfest star pinch hitter Dan Kois.
Fi
Jun 24 1 h 20 min
One Last Strut Edition
Steve, Dana, and Julia gather once more—for almost the last time—to unpack the week’s culture. This week, conversation has to include the cultural, cinematic juggernaut S
Jun 17 1 h 27 min
One Last Taylor Swift Throwdown Edition
As you may have heard in last week’s episode, the Culture Gabfest is hanging up its microphones after 18 years of cultural commentary. But before our final episode, we’ve
Jun 10 1 h 22 min
Stuck in the Backrooms Edition
This week Steve, Dana, and Julia convene once again—this time with some big news. Also, they make a classic Gabfest episode.
First up, it's the alienating fluorescent b
Jun 3 1 h 14 min
I Love Boosters Heightens the Contradictions Edition
This week, the OG three Steve, Dana, and Julia dig into the visually stuffed, Marxist smorgasbord that is Boots Riley’s latest film I Love Boosters. Starring Keke Palmer
May 27 58 min
You’re My Obsession Edition
This week, we’ve got an all-guest-host panel with Gabfest faves Isaac Butler, Sam Adams, and June Thomas guiding the discourse… straight to hell. In this case, hell is th
May 20 55 min
Lord of the Sheep Edition
On this week’s show, our panel of Dana, Steve, and Sam Adams are on the case. The case: is the movie Sheep Detectives a real movie and is it any good? The answer: it’s a
May 13 59 min
Somehow, Miranda Priestly Returned Edition
This week, Julia Turner and Dana Stevens are joined by Slate’s own Rebecca Onion to discuss The Devil Wears Prada 2, BEEF season 2, and the NYT’s best living songwriters
May 6 57 min
Michael Jackson Moonwalks the Box Office Edition
This week, Dana, Steve, and Nadira Goffe assess if we as a culture can ever really escape Neverland— namely, the gigantic and fraught legacy of Michael Jackson. They unpa
Apr 29 58 min
Mother Troubles Edition
Steve, Dana, and Julia convene once more for a rousing Gabfest. First up, it’s Mother Mary. David Lowery’s strange psychodrama centers on a pop star, played by Anne Hatha
Apr 22 1 h 02 min
Richard Pryor: The Truth Teller Who Changed Comedy Forever | From Big Lives
Richard Pryor redefined comedy by telling the truth, even when it scorched him.Today, we’re sharing a preview of a new podcast, Big Lives, and a special episode about Pry
Apr 17 43 min
There Are No Small Parts Only Miniature Wives Edition
On this week’s show, Dana, Steve, and Dan Kois get into cultural topics of various scales. First, they examine The Christophers, the latest film from Steven Soderbergh. T
Apr 15 57 min
The Drama Surrounding The Drama Edition
What’s the worst thing Steve, Dana, and Julia have ever done? And would you still love them if you knew the answer to that question? That’s not a subject for today’s epis
Apr 8 1 h 02 min
James Bond’s Sexistential Retreat Edition
On this week’s show, Dana is joined by Slate’s own Nadira Goffe and Richard Lawson, of the Critical Darlings podcast. Their first agenda item is Jury Duty Presents: Compa
Apr 1 53 min
Money On Film: Spirited Away
Welcome to a very special Money On Film miniseries!
Over three episodes, Slate Money’s Felix Salmon and Slate culture writer Nadira Goffe revisit three films at the int
Mar 27 29 min
Ryan Gosling’s Pet Rock Edition
This week, Dana, Julia (fresh from the launch of her new media venture L.A. Material), and guest host Dan Kois set their gaze to the heavens with a discussion of the lost
Mar 25 1 h 00 min
Money On Film: Materialists
Welcome to a very special Money On Film miniseries!
Over three episodes, Slate Money’s Felix Salmon and Slate culture writer Nadira Goffe revisit three films at the inte
Mar 24 27 min
Money On Film: Margin Call
Welcome to a very special Money On Film miniseries!
Over three episodes, Slate Money’s Felix Salmon and Slate culture writer Nadira Goffe revisit three films at the inte
Mar 20 27 min
Chart trend
Position in the Entertainment News chart (US), last 90 days.
#1#68#134JulAugSepOct
#9
all-time peak
6
days in the top 10 since Nov 2024
Chart positions
Where Culture Gabfest ranks today in each Apple Podcasts chart (US, Oct 14, 2026).
A curated, balanced selection of Apple Podcasts reviews.
The show is the best of its kind, nobody else comes close. The vitriol against Stephen Metcalf is irrational, completely unsupported, and typical of people who get freaked out when someone truly smart expresses themselves. Stephen is one of the best public intellectuals around these days, and I am grateful I get to hear him each week. There is nothing even slightly snobbish about him. Quite the opposite. He is self-critical, perhaps to a fault. Keep on keeping on Steve!
Thursby Allendon · Dec 2025
Everyone has an opinion and mine is I really enjoy this podcast, perhaps because it’s hosted by people of my generation. They cover things that normally would not fall into my lap. I love it best when the 3 hosts are together and when they don’t agree unanimously. If they are what some claim too highbrow or pretentious, then lay some of that highbrowiness on me! That’s what I’m here for, a little cultural enlightenment by people who feel like friends if my friends had cultural awareness.🤣
1993F150 · Nov 2025
I’ve been a listener for well over ten years, and I still get so excited to listen to the latest podcast! I can’t begin to list all the great cultural “things” - movies, shows, books, trends - that Julia, Dana and Steve have added to my life. The only downside is that I frequently have to pause in a long workout run to make note of something I have to check in on later! I love the relationship between the hosts, and they always have awesome guests. I find the diversity of their subject matter to be stimulating and thought-provoking. Great show all around!
MercyInNormal · Jul 2024
I look forward to hearing this program every week. It’s a real lift arriving mid-week. All three hosts are so well spoken, so articulate. Hooray! They always provide interesting insights to the subject at hand. Keep up the excellent work!
Saskat-Seismo · Jun 2024
We strive to present a balanced view by showing a diverse range of reviews from Apple Podcasts.
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Here you find the Apple Podcasts chart positions of Culture Gabfest, its latest episodes to listen to directly, and reviews from listeners. Rankings are updated daily for the United States.
