Pee Wee’s Big Documentary Edition

Pee Wee’s Big Documentary Edition

Author: Slate Podcasts June 11, 2025 Duration: 56:10

On this week’s show, the secret word is: Pee-wee. Dana, Steve, and Julia discuss the new documentary Pee-wee as Himself. The fascinating two-part film, directed by Matt Wolf, attempts to reveal the complex man Paul Reubens behind the beloved, surprisingly subversive, goofball that was Pee-wee Herman. 

Next, they tee off to talk about Stick, the new comedy series starring Owen Wilson set in the world of professional golf. In the third segment, they’re joined by Atlantic staff writer Caity Weaver to chat about her recently published, rollicking travel piece An Innocent Abroad in Mark Twain’s Paris.

In an exclusive Slate Plus segment, inspired by a listener question, the hosts each share their  dream city they’d love to live in but have only ever visited.


Endorsements:

Steve: Sly Lives! the Questlove-directed documentary about the hugely influential pop star Sly Stone who recently passed away.


Julia: Season 2 of Poker Face and its smorgasbord of incredible guest appearances by beloved character actors.


Dana: The delightfully designed single-purpose website Oracle of Bacon.


Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.


Each week, the lively and insightful critics of Culture Gabfest gather to dissect what’s happening across the cultural landscape. Hosted by Stephen Metcalf, Dana Stevens, and Julia Turner, the conversation flows effortlessly from the latest film releases and television phenomena to books, music, and broader artistic debates, blending highbrow analysis with genuine pop enthusiasm. Their dynamic is less a formal review and more like eavesdropping on a brilliant, sometimes heated, coffee chat between friends who happen to be experts. You’ll hear them grapple with the nuances of a challenging new series, champion an overlooked artist, or passionately disagree about a blockbuster’s merits, all with a sharp wit and deep knowledge that clarifies your own thinking. This Slate Podcasts production has become an essential weekly ritual for many, praised by voices like New York Times critic Dwight Garner for its consistent intelligence and engaging rapport. For those who can’t get enough, a Slate Plus subscription offers ad-free listening and additional bonus segments, extending the discussion even further. Tuning into this podcast feels like getting a curated, conversational briefing on everything that matters in arts and entertainment, delivered with a personal touch that reminds you why culture is worth talking about in the first place.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 862

Culture Gabfest
Podcast Episodes
Kristen Stewart Pumps Iron [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 52:51
On this week’s show, Slate culture writers Nadira Goffe and Dan Kois fill in for Julia and Stephen. First up, the panel dissects Love Lies Bleeding with What’s Next producer Madeline Ducharme. Writer-director Rose Glass’…
The Oscars Are Back, Baby! [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 56:02
On this week’s show, the panel is first joined by Mark Harris, cultural historian and the author of Pictures at a Revolution: Five Movies and the Birth of the New Hollywood, to discuss the 96th Academy Awards: a fun, gli…
Timothée Chalamet Rides the Worm [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 53:47
On this week’s show, the panel returns to Arrakis! First up, the trio reviews Dune: Part Two, the (as the title suggests) second part of Denis Villeneuve’s adaptation of Frank Herbert’s 1965 science fiction epic. In it,…
J.Lo’s This Is… What Now? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 59:20
On this week’s show, the panel is first joined by Wesley Morris, New York Times’ critic at large, to dissect This Is Me… Now: A Love Story, Jennifer Lopez’s bizarre, nutty, yet utterly delicious self-funded vanity projec…
Mr. & Mrs. Smith: Remarried [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 51:27
On this week’s show, the panel begins by dissecting Mr. & Mrs. Smith, the episodic remake of Brangelina’s 2005 espionage film. The Prime Video series stars Donald Glover and Maya Erskine as the titular Smiths, spies who…
We’re Saving Our Own Lives [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 45:38
On this week’s show, the panel returns to 1985 and reviews The Greatest Night in Pop, Netflix’s star-studded documentary about how “We Are the World” (a charity single performed by USA for Africa, a supergroup comprised…
Why Zone of Interest Is Dividing Critics [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 52:37
On this week’s show, Extreme Friends of the Pod and co-authors of The World Only Spins Forward, Isaac Butler and Dan Kois, fill in for Dana Stevens and Julia Turner. The hosts begin by dissecting The Zone of Interest, fi…
American Fiction, Oscar Contender? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 52:58
On this week’s show, Slate culture writer Nadira Goffe and Sam Sanders, host of Vibe Check fill in for Dana Stevens and Julia Turner. The hosts begin with a subversively brilliant Oscar contender, American Fiction, which…
True Detective’s Coldest Case Yet [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 52:36
On this week’s show, Jamelle Bouie (Opinion columnist at The New York Times) sits in for Julia Turner. The hosts first begin with a trip to Ennis, a fictional Alaskan town at the heart of True Detective: Night Country, a…