Episodes
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June 13, 2025 - Week in Review: Brian Wilson, Sly Stone, and the return of smoking
Culture Show cohosts Jared Bowen, Callie Crossley and Edgar B. Herwick III go over the latest headlines on our arts and culture week-in-review.First up, they remember and celebrate the legacies of Brian WIlson, the musical genius behind the Beach Boys and Sly Stone, the frontman, singer and songwriter of Sly & the Family Stone. From there they recap the latest developments in the legal feud between Justin Baldoni and superstar couple Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds; they discuss pioneering ballerina Misty Copeland who has decided to retire and they look at the return of the cigarette, no longer a taboo people are lighting up on the big and small screens.Finally, it’s Follow up Friday, an update on the stories they’ve been tracking, which includes the financial future of public media as the House of Representatives votes to claw back 1.1 billion dollars of federal funding. -
June 12, 2025 - The work of David Drake, Hello Dolly, and the Roxbury International Film Festival
The American Revolution frame by frame. Today we continue our series with the Museum of Fine Arts, looking at works in their collection that give us insight into the people and pivotal moments that shaped America's fight for freedom. Today, it’s where poetry meets pottery with the work of David Drake. Joining us to discuss Drake's work and what it symbolizes are Ethan Lasser, John Moors Cabot Chair, Art of the Americas at the Museum of Fine Arts and Charmaine WIlkerson, a New York Times bestselling author. From there, Hello Dolly. We won’t let the parade pass you by on a new production of the classic musical about the toiling matchmaker with designs on her own romance. We're joined by Maurice Emmanuel Parent, the show's director, and Elliot Norton award winner Aimee Doherty, who stars as the larger than life Dolly Gallagher Levi. For more information, click here.And, it’s screen time. We get a preview of the Roxbury International Film Fest. Rox Film is the largest New England film festival highlighting films by, for and about people of color. This year's program includes features, documentaries, shorts, and the largest number of local films ever. Artistic and executive director Lisa Simmons joins us. For more information, go here. -
June 11, 2025 - Adam Met, Ian Shaw and Mike Glier
Adam Met—member of the multi-platinum band AJR, climate advocate, and educator—joins The Culture Show to talk about his book Amplify: How to Use the Power of Connection to Engage, Take Action, and Build a Better World. On June 13th he’ll be at the First Parish Church in Cambridge for a Harvard Book Store event. To learn more go here.From there we continue our celebration of the 50th anniversary of “Jaws” with playwright and actor Ian Shaw, son of late “Jaws” star Robert Shaw. He brought the story behind the movie to the stage with the play “The Shark Is Broken,” which he co-wrote with Joseph Nixon.Finally Artist Mike Glier joins The Culture Show to preview the inaugural Arrival Art Fair in North Adams. Arrival Art Fair kicks off on June 12th and runs through June 15th and is situated at the TOURISTS hotel. To learn more about Arrival go here. -
June 10, 2025 - Dr. Robert Waldinger, Penguin Retirement Home and Lauren Stowell
Since 1938 researchers at Harvard have been studying the lives of hundreds of people and their families to discover what makes us happy. Some of the key findings were in the New York Times bestselling book, “The Good Life: Lessons from the World’s Longest Scientific Study of Happiness,” by Dr. Robert Waldinger and Marc Shulz. Now out in paperback, Dr. Robert Waldinger joins The Culture Show to talk about this research. He is the director of the Harvard Study of Adult Development.From there we get an overview of the New England Aquarium’s “retirement home” island for aging penguins. Kristen McMahon, the aquarium's curator of pinnipeds and penguins, joins The Culture Show.Finally Emmy Award-winning director Lauren Stowell joins The Culture Show to talk about the HBO documentary series “Celtics City,” which is available to stream on Max. -
June 9, 2025 - Kwame Alexander, Elizabeth Strout and Oliver de la Paz
Award winning writer and poet Kwame Alexander joins The Culture Show to talk about the PBS Kids debut of “Acoustic Rooster.” Based on Alexander’s beloved children’s book “Acoustic Rooster and His Barnyard Band,” the “Acoustic Rooster” universe is now on PBS KIDS. To learn more, go here.From there the Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist Elizabeth Strout joins The Culture Show to talk about her latest book “Tell Me Everything.” Finally Oliver de la Paz, the poet laureate of Worcester and associate professor at The College of the Holy Cross joins The Culture Show to talk about his latest collection of poetry “The Diaspora Sonne -
June 6, 2025 - Week in Review: A Tony Awards preview, Edmund White, and the Nintendo Switch 2
Jared Bowen, Edgar B. Herwick III, and Joyce Kulhawik co-host this week’s arts and Culture week-in-review. Joyce Kulhawik is a Culture Show contributor, Emmy-award winning arts and entertainment reporter and president of the Boston Theatre Critics Association. You can find her reviews at Joyce’s Choices.First up, a recap of the Elliot Norton Awards, from there a preview of the Tonys, which includes a pregame by way of CNN broadcasting a live production of George Clooney’s Tony-nominated play “Good Night and Good Luck.”Then remembering writer Edmund White, a groundbreaking novelist who wrote about the gay experience. And on the opposite side of the cultural spectrum, Hooters closes dozens of restaurants after filing for bankruptcy.Finally, the Nintendo Switch 2. The release of the new console excited gamers across the globe who lined up for a midnight launch. -
June 5, 2025 - Greg Skomal, "Our Class," and Beyond Walls
Dr. Greg Skomal joins The Culture Show to talk about preparing for white shark season and how the movie “Jaws,” which is nearing its 50th anniversary, inspired him to become a marine biologist. Greg Skomal is an underwater explorer, photographer, and author. He is a fisheries scientist with the Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries and heads the Massachusetts Shark Research Program. From there Director Igor Golyak, founder of Needham’s Arlekin Players Theater and the internationally acclaimed actress Chulpan Khamatova, join the Culture Show to talk about the play “Our Class,” which will be onstage at the Calderwood Pavillion June 13th through June 22nd. To learn more go here.Finally Al Wilson, the founder of Beyond Walls, a nonprofit that enriches gateway cities with public art, joins The Culture Show to talk about their latest projects. To learn more about Beyond Walls go here. -
June 4, 2025 - Nemr, revolutionary history in Somerville, and the legacy of Frank Lloyd Wright
Nemr is a Lebanese-American stand-up comedian who is credited with pioneering the stand-up comedy scene throughout the Middle East. On June 13th he’s bringing his “Extremely Unextremist” show to The Wilbur. He joins The Culture Show for a preview. From there we continue our countdown to 2026 with a look at the role Somerville played in the American Revolution, it’s the focus of the Somerville Museum’s programming “History on the Line.” Stephanie Marlin-Curiel, the museum’s Executive Director and Jennifer Dorsen join The Culture Show. To learn more about the Somerville Museum’s programming go here. Finally Mahesh Daas, President of Boston Architectural College, joins The Culture Show for a conversation about the enduring legacy of architect Frank Lloyd Wright. Mahesh Daas is a Culture Show contributor who joins us monthly. He is co-author of the graphic novella about artificial intelligence, titled “I, Nobot.” -
June 3, 2025 - Mayor Ray Flynn and Don Gillis, Tinder Live! With Lane Moore, and the Cape Ann Museum
Don Gillis and Ray Flynn join The Culture Show to discuss Gillis’ new book “The Battle for Boston: How Mayor Ray Flynn and Community Organizers Fought Racism and Downtown Power Brokers.” On June 5th at 6:00 Don Gillis will be at a book event at the Roslindale Public Library. To learn more go here.From there comedian and actress Lane Moore joins The Culture Show to talk about turning online dating into an enduring hit comedy show “Tinder Live! With Lane Moore.” Lane Moore will be taking her show to Arts at the Armory on on June 5th. To learn more go here.Finally Oliver Barker, Director of Cape Ann Museum, joins the culture show to talk about their summer programming, which includes a range of interesting walking tours,which are designed to highlight the natural landscape of Gloucester that has inspired so many artists. To learn more about all that the Cape Ann Museum has to offer go here. -
June 2, 2025 - Andy Husbands, Massiel Grullón, and Uli Lorimer from the Native Plant Trust
Andy Husbands, chef and owner of The Smoke Shop BBQ, has co-authored the “Quick and Easy Burger Cookbook,” which will bump your burger game with creative recipes. He joins The Culture Show to talk about how we can turn our nothing burger into a something burger. On June 16th Husbands will be at a book signing event at WBUR’s City Space. To learn more go here.From there Boston-based artist Massiel Grullón joins The Culture Show to talk about being TD Garden’s 2025 House Artist. Last month she debuted her mural at TD Garden, which celebrates women in sports.Finally Uli Lorimer, Director of Horticulture at Native Plant Trust joins The Culture Show to talk about how to plant a garden that is both beautiful and ecologically sound. Uli Lorimer is the author of “The Northeast Native Plant Primer: 235 Plants for an Earth-Friendly Garden.” To learn more about Native Plant Trust go here. And to learn more about lawn alternatives Cornell university has a great resource.
