I feel like there is so much this show doesn’t cover like more offbeat yet critically acclaimed films, I don’t understand how they choose what topics to focus on. Like a whole segment on the awful Lena Dunham show?

So, so smug and uninformed. Self-congratulatory and self-referential. No thanks. Have listened on and off for years, because I like the topics and I enjoy other Slate podcasts. But this panel is insufferable, even when I agree with their opinions. there are enough things in the world to get frustrated about that I don’t need to hate listen to a podcast because it’s been in my feed forever. So happy for them that they seem to enjoy thinking they are the smartest people in the room. NPR culture podcast is a much more enjoyable and informed podcast.

Old people dissecting Lady Gaga - yuk. Cringe. Life is too short.

I enjoy the show, but please get rid of Stephen Metcalf. He is a caricature of pretentiousness who seems to sap the joy of every episode he’s in/piece of culture he deigns to criticize.

Like the shows or movies they review, but the vowel fry…ugh.

Thanks for squeezing in a revolutionary act after ‘Nightbitch’ and a middling Netflix series. You seem to have a hard time saying we support Luigi and the killing of an insurance CEO. Support is the correct word. We assume y’all (media) are biased because billionaires own you. You do express surprise that this sentiment is shared so ~publicly~ Another wording change - is it ‘folk’ hero if it has majority consensus? Think about where you’d want to be in a Revolution, and if your ideal place it isn’t licking a boot, you’d do well to hurry up and get there. Ps I like Slate generally.

Dana and Julia are a joy to listen to. I enjoy guest hosts like Jamelle Bouie and Dan Kois. More and more listening to Stephen Metcalf talk about pop culture is like having a blind date with a vegan. You order a steak, and they spend the entire date looking down their nose at you, they disparage your food choices while going on and on about the glories of veganism and what it’s doing for their body and the planet. You know what veganism also does to people? Fill them with gas.

It seems like the sub REDDIT AITAH would engender a fun free wheeling discussion but no… the critics have to maintain a distance offering no examples and the most muted cryptic opinions. This is a group who are worried they don’t sound smart enough

You gave away the endings to 2 movies. You should have titled the Rebal Moon/3 daughters episode spoiler alert. They constantly say “without spoiling anything” b4 immediately doing just that. Your code is very breakable.

Did you know that your ads are opposed to any regulation or oversight of tobacco products?

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!

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!

This podcast is the only reason I subscribe to Slate Plus. If the hosts are replaced due to concerns of diversity, I will simply unsubscribe. Slate, please do not consider reviews like the one I just read that said it’s “shameful” to have 3 white hosts. I’ve been a listener since the beginning. These 3 hosts are wonderful. The far left loves to eat its own. It’s disgusting.

The gabfest was out of its depth in having Lydia Polgreen on the podcast to talk about campus protests. As per usual they reinforce rather than challenge guests which might be ok for a fictional tv show but not on a highly divisive issue with a journalist who ignores the violent messaging of student leaders in her columns.

Love the diversity of topics, not so much the lack of diversity among hosts. All the marquee Slate podcasts have hosts so entrenched and so so white. A culture show with 3 white hosts is a bit shameful.

This thoughtful show has kept me company on many a walk or run over the years, keeping me current on all things culture. I love this show and hope it continues for many more years.

Dan Coist should never be asked to opine on sarcasm or humor again.

BIG Dana Stevens fan here. The other two are pretty cool too😎. Thoughtful, funny analysis from fellow culture junkies. This podcast is a treat.

Consistently one of my favorite podcasts. I look forward to listening to it weekly.

It’s still essential listening, every week. I rely on this show for cultural nourishment and challenging thought and for the frequent giggles.

I have been listening to this podcast for about 10 years, after one of my nephews who is about 30 years younger than I am recommended it. The hosts are articulate and funny.

Dana has the best movie recommendations, and Steve’s diatribes about culture are brilliant. Julia always has an interesting editor’s perspective. I’m in.

One of my many slate podcast I look forward to every week

I’ve been a fan since 2014, and come back weekly for the friendly, intelligent, warm discussions around all things great and small, culturally speaking, that is. From esoteric articles I probably missed, to shows I’m on the fence about until I hear this group’s take, to shaking my fist when they get a film wrong (Dana! Promising Young Woman was good!!!) I hope this show continues forever. Much love from this millennial listener.

I love this podcast! All three hosts are great and their opinions reliably steer me to worthwhile books, articles, movies, music and TV. And they’re funny! I’ll never forget the time Julia Turner’s weekly endorsement was her discovery that you can freeze bread and remove it a slice at a time to toast and enjoy. Co-host Stephen Metcalf razzed her mercilessly for literally choosing sliced bread as her weekly rec. What a hoot.

I'm an avid podcast listener and have been a dedicated devotee of this show for many years — nearly its entire 15+ year run. If you like culture, listen! Even if you're a zillennial like me, there's a lot to learn from these Gen Xers

An absolute delight of a podcast. Thoughtful culture criticism and my most reliable source of nuanced thinking on the topic of the day. Oh? And do you need top notch recipe ideas? Pie shops? Bookstores? They’ve got ‘em! This podcast is such a weekly treat.

One of the few podcasts I listen to every week.

I never miss an episode. Its hilarious when Dana and Julia agree on something and Steve gets to feeling left out. Then he has to defend himself. They have such good chemistry.

The Culture Gabfest is essential listening 🎧

This is the only podcast I listen to consistently, week after week, and my life is richer for it. It feels like sitting on the couch with three of your smartest, most articulate, most culturally conversant friends and having a conversation that veers from the latest Beyoncé album to an obscure documentary about falconry to a moving piece in the New York Review of Books to the life hack of slicing and storing artisanal bread in the freezer. Love it, get a thrill when a new one drops every Wednesday.

I’ve been listening to the Slate Culture Gabfest for about 10 years with no intention of stopping. Every Wednesday, it’s my go to entertainment while at the gym. Metcalf, Stevens, and Turner have such a great chemistry that’s always fresh. They allow me a glimpse into current culture I may not be exposed to otherwise commentary that’s deft, witty, and a lot of fun. This podcast has been around for a while and there’s a reason. It’s great!

I’ve been listening to the culture gabfest for it’s got to be a decade. One of my go to podcasts!

Just start listening! You won’t regret it. Julia, Stephen, and Dana have become an essential part of my understanding and filtering pop culture. Their personalities and tastes compliment each other perfectly and the blend makes great conversation to listen to. I’ve gotten countless recommendations for pieces of culture like movies, music, recipes, books, ways to toast bread, the list goes on and on. I haven’t missed an ep of this show in 15 years and sincerely hope we get at least 15 more years.

I have listened to every single episode of this show, and I couldn’t love it more! For the past 15 years, I’ve referred to the hosts as “my friends on the internet” and while my dedication to other shows has come and gone, this is and always has been my #1 show. (Sadly the show is not as good when it’s not the three regular hosts!)

A unique place where Jennifer Lopez and Shakespeare and George Elliott and Beyonce all stand as cultural objects worthy of consideration and care. All are welcome and all are challenged to broader their cultural diet from high to low and low to high.

I just realized I have been listening to this show for about 15 years. It is maybe the only podcast that I have lasted that long with. I listen to almost every single episode, and it is a great way to stay plugged into what is going on in the culture and just to hear three smart, fun people chat in your ear. Long live SCG!

I never ever miss an episode!’

My husband and I have been listening to this podcast for almost 10 years. We absolutely love it and love it! My husband won’t even watch a show or movie before the gang has reviewed it. It is always a bright spot in my week.

I love this podcast and look forward to new episodes every week. The hosts are deeply thoughtful and intelligent, and they are also fun! I feel like I’m hanging out with my smartest, most interesting friends, who happen to be more articulate than anyone I know in real life (including myself). I am always intrigued by their discussions, and based on their recommendations I’ve watched many films, read many articles, listened to many songs, checked out many books, and tried many new things. Their weekly endorsements are always a highlight. Highly recommend!

I’m from Kentucky. I wasn’t destined to be a “coastal elite.” But listening to the hosts of the Culture Gabfest each week has taught me to watch and listen like a college professor. They break down the shows, movies, music, and random viral moments each week in a way that isn’t boring or pretentious. Now when I see a movie, I can identify when the direction is good but the editing is bad. When a show isn’t paced properly. Or when an article makes some good points but is leading the reader onto a conclusion that isn’t supported. I’ve secretly always longed to be in the room with the turtlenecked cultural elites, wondering what they talk about. Maybe you have too. I’ll never make it to journalism break rooms , or the studio backlot. But being a loyal Slate Culture Gabfest listener has given me a doctorate in culture studies. If I ever was in the break room, I could gab with the best of them.

Much of my podcast feed is politics related, and these days especially I welcome the Gabfest’s appearance each week for fun but really smart escapism.

I used to really enjoy this podcast and liked how it stretched my brain. In particular Julia Turner's takes were meaningful. And even though Steve Metcalf can occasionally be insufferable, his perspective is often genius & worth waiting for. However lately they seem to be increasingly in in their own East Coast bubble? Not sure exactly what it is and hopefully it's just a temporary slump but the subject choices recently are a bit uninspired imho. Particularly when they bring on those other aggressively opinionated white male critics from Slate, the podcast becomes unlistenable. I always enjoy June Thomas and Willa Paskin though

This is one of my favorite podcasts! Dana always puts words to how I feel about movies. ❤️

An update for 2024, as requested. I still love this show, and listen every week religiously. I dread the day when one of these hosts signs off- may it be far in the future! This show is truly like hanging out with a group of friends- only these friends are witty, smart, and have WAY more cultural knowledge than I do. Also- I miss the spoiler specials and am still hoping they come back! Original: I’ve been listening to this show since I was a teenager, and Dana, Julia, and Steve have been weekly companions for years and years now. Even when I don’t have any knowledge of the subject they’re discussing, I love hearing their analysis. Love this show.

All three regulars are smart and charming, but the selection of topics and attendant analysis often feels hemmed in by the biases of the three college educated YT critics…and ooooh the tokenism!

The hosts of this show overestimate their own charm so severely that I truly feel bad for them. They offer their sleepy takes with a tragic enthusiasm that suggests they have no notion just how underwhelming they actually are. One of the good things the internet has done is drown ailing shows like this in a sea of superior content. And yet, despite their tiny listenership (judging from reviews) they persist. I admire their willful perseverance without the comforts of an audience or personal talent. JK. Please stop.

This show is thoroughly charming. My tastes are close to those of Metcalf who’s a decade older and love how he brings in some high theory like Derrida to latest culture. (He’s wrong on Pulp Fiction though) Have learned so much about film from Dana Stevens. One quibble: I don’t like when they endorse some body wash or alarm clock, seems irrelevant. Have Laura Miller on more to discuss books. Thanks

And then one day the voice of one of the hosts gave me such a migraine it felt like a tapeworm had bored a hole in my brain. The topic of the show was interesting so stupidly I listened while my headache grew. It lasted hours, would not go away. I couldn’t focus. All I could do was write a story about it. In the story, a critic falls asleep over his computer and wakes up to find something growing in his ear. It turns out to be a little head, an inner critic, talking all the time and growing bigger and bigger. (That’s how my headache felt, this critic’s voice that would not switch off.) The little critic growing out of the man’s head goes on to grow stronger and larger while the man languishes as the little critic does other surreal things… After that unforgettable migraine I could never return to Culture Gabfast. I tried but at the back of my mind was the memory like some high pitched sound - is that what tinnitus is like? It’s sad because I had enjoyed listening to Stephen, Dana and Julia applying way too much intelligence to great and small topics. It was nice to hear people listening to each other. It seems we have less of that these days. Listening as though what others said mattered because we knew they would listen just as attentively to what we have to say.

They’re smart and I love hearing smart people talk but too many live in too much of a bubble to discuss greater political things.. sorry