Episodes
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August 29, 2025 - "EEPHUS," Chef Andy Husbands, and John Flansburgh
Director Carson Lund joins The Culture Show to talk about his debut feature film “Eephus,” a quintessentially New England baseball film. Find out more, here.From there 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. Finally we talk to John Flansburgh, one half of the iconic alt-rock duo They Might Be Giants. TMBG have charmed audiences with their eclectic, genre-bending style for decades. They’ve released countless albums, contributed music to TV shows such as “Malcolm in the Middle,” and wriggled their way into the public consciousness with songs like “Doctor Worm” and “Birdhouse in your Soul.” -
August 28, 2025 - Peter Wolf and Regie Gibson
Music legend Peter Wolf has had a long solo career and rose to recognition as former lead singer of the J. Geils Band–famous for its high-octane shows and top 40 hits. Wolf joins The Culture Show to talk about his new memoir “Waiting on the Moon: Artists, Poets, Drifters, Grifters and Goddesses.”. Regie Gibson, an assistant professor at Berklee College of Music and an instructor at Clark University, has been selected as Massachusetts’ first Poet Laureate. He joins The Culture Show to talk about how he’ll define this role, his path to poetry and to share some of his work. Gibson is a songwriter, author, spoken-word poet and former National Poetry Slam Individual Champion. -
August 27, 2025 - Ben Shattuck, Cakeswagg, Andre Dubus III
Ben Shattuck’s latest book, “The History of Sound: Stories” is a collection of interconnected stories that examine the lives and landscapes of New England where Shattuck spans centuries in these haunting and often humorous stories. From there it’s teacher by day, Cakeswagg by night. The Boston-based Lyricist and rapper joins us to talk about her sophomore album “Michelin Star.”Finally writer Andre Dubus III. He joins The Culture Show to talk about his latest work, a collection of personal essays, “Ghost Dogs: On Killers and Kin,” Andre Dubus III teaches writing at the University of Massachusetts Lowell. -
August 26, 2025 - J. Courtney Sullivan, Colm Tóibín, and Dart Adams on De La Soul’s “3 Feet High and Rising”
Best-selling author J. Courtney Sullivan joins The Culture Show to talk about her latest novel, “The Cliffs.” It is an intricately layered novel of family, spirits, and secrets set on the seaside cliffs of Maine.Then author Colm Tóibín joins us. He doesn’t like sequels. He thinks of them as kind of a literary copout. But 15 years after he published his critically acclaimed novel “Brooklyn,” he has written a follow up: the novel “Long Island.” He joins us to talk about the hold that his protagonist, Eilis Lacey has had on him. Finally it’s time for “Sound Files,” our recurring series where we invite local musicians and cultural critics to zero in on one of their favorite entries in the US National Recording Registry. Today Dart Adams, a journalist, historian and lecturer, has chosen to go deep on De La Soul’s “3 Feet High and Rising.” -
August 25, 2025- Dread Scott, André Aciman and Janie Barnett on "She's So Unusual."
Interdisciplinary artist Dread Scott joins The Culture Show. In 1989, the US Senate outlawed his artwork and President Bush declared it "disgraceful" because of its transgressive use of the American flag. Dread became part of a landmark Supreme Court case when he and others burned flags on the steps of the Capitol. He is a revolutionary artist who gives us a new way to see some ugly truths about America. From there the acclaimed author André Aciman joins The Culture Show to talk about his new book “Room on the Sea: Three Novellas.” Finally, it’s another episode of “Sound Files.” Our ongoing series when we invite local musicians and cultural critics to zero in on one of their favorite entries in the US National Recording Registry. On tap today, Janie Barnett has chosen to go deep on Cyndi Lauper’s “She’s So Unusual.” Janie Barnett’s latest album is “Under My Skin: Reimagining Cole Porter.” -
August 22, 2025 - Week in Review: The return of Victorian fashion, performative males, and the Laufey library card
Today Jared Bowen, Callie Crossley and Edgar B. Herwick III go over the latest headlines on The Culture Show’s week-in-review.First up, fashion backward. We look at a new trend, people wearing vintage clothing with styles inspired by period dramas such as “The Gilded Age” and “Downton Abbey.” From there we analyze the “Sex in the City,” sequel, “And Just Like That.” The series finale was this week and it left fans feeling flat. Then it’s off to the box office where comedies are having a comeback. In recent years they have been sidelined to streaming platforms. Now, with movies such as “The Naked Gun” and “Freakier Friday “ emerging as box office hits, will there be more comedic films having theatrical releases? Finally, we look at how recreational reading rates have steadily declined in the US over the last 20 years, and we’ll look through some of the latest words entered into the Cambridge Dictionary this year. -
August 21, 2025 - Melissa Rivers, public art in the Charlestown Navy Yard, and a fall planting guide
From Greenwich Village nightclubs to “The Tonight Show” to Hollywood’s red carpets, Joan Rivers made and remade her career through triumph and tragedy. Now the highs and lows of her life and career come together in the play “JOAN.” The executive producer is Melissa Rivers, an actress, writer and TV host. Melissa Rivers joins The Culture Show to talk about bringing the essence of her mother to the stage. “JOAN” is onstage at the Cape Playhouse September 3rd through September 20th. To learn more go here.From there, we look at where history meets contemporary art. Culture Show contributor Julia Swanson takes us on a tour through Charlestown Navy Yard, home of the USS Constitution and its new neighbor: The Boston Public Art Triennial. Julia Swanson is a multidisciplinary artist and award winning photographer who is the creator of The Art Walk Project – a series of self-guided micro tours of art across Greater Boston.Finally, we stay outdoors with Uli Lorimer, Director of Horticulture at Native Plant Trust. He joins The Culture Show to talk about welcoming native plants into your garden, late-season perennial blooms, the value of veteran trees and the scourge of beech leaf disease. To learn more about Native Plant Trust go here. -
August 20, 2025 - Hank Phillippi Ryan, Miss Conception, and Joyce Kulhawik
Bestselling author Hank Phillippi Ryan joins The Culture Show to talk about her latest thriller, ”All This Could Be Yours,” The book centers on debut sensation Tessa Calloway. She’s on a whirlwind book tour for her instant bestseller, But there's a chilling problem—she soon discovers she is being stalked by someone who's obsessed not only with sabotaging her career, but also with destroying her perfect family back home. “All This Could Be Yours,” hits bookstores on September 9th. To learn more go here.From there we are joined by Kevin Levesque as Miss Conception, who has been delighting audiences around the world for more than 23 years. Miss Conception gives us an overview of her current comedic drag show “Make America Gay Again,” which is onstage in Provincetown at The Art House through September 13th. To learn more go here.Finally Culture Show contributor Joyce Kulhawik joins us for our recurring feature, Stage and Screen Time–a look at the latest movies and upcoming plays. Joyce Kulhawik is an Emmy-award winning arts and entertainment reporter and president of the Boston Theatre Critics Association. You can find her reviews on Joyce’s Choices. -
August 19, 2025 - Twice-A-Day Ray, Jane Eaglen, and Mary Grant
Twice-a-Day Ray is an original cover band that’s too busy saving lives to write their own songs. That’s because the band is made up of three emergency doctors and an emergency medicine PA. Ahead of their August 22nd show at the Cantab Lounge in Central Square, guitarist Colin Devonshire and lead vocalist Kayla Ninteau join The Culture Show. To learn more about Twice-a-Day Ray check them out here. And to keep abreast of everything going on in Central Square this go here.From there Culture Show contributor Jane Eaglen, a Grammy-winning dramatic soprano, joins us to talk about opera as a contact sport and the Wagnerian legacy of Jim Steinman. Jane Eaglen is on the faculty at New England Conservatory and is the President of the Boston Wagner Society. Finally Mary Grant, president of MassArt, joins The Culture Show for her monthly appearance. Today, she joins us with a message for arts students as the 2025-2026 school year begins. -
August 18, 2025 - Cady Coleman and Josh Simpson, Imani Perry and Sci-Art in Central Square
The Sandwich Glass Museum is featuring the artistry of Josh Simpson in the exhibition “50 Years of Visionary Glass.” Josh and his wife, retired NASA astronaut Cady Coleman. Cady Coleman’s new book is “Sharing Space: An Astronaut’s Guide to Mission, Wonder and Making Change.” Josh Simpson’s new book is “Josh Simpson: 50 Years of Visionary Glass.” They join The Culture Show to talk about their complementary careers.From there National Book Award–winning writer Imani Perry joins The Culture Show to talk about her latest book “Black in Blues: How a Color Tells the Story of My People.” It’s a meditation on the color blue and its role in Black history and culture.Finally, Culture Show contributor Julia Swanson takes us on a tour through Kendall Square with a look at SciArt. Julia Swanson is a multidisciplinary artist and award winning photographer who is the creator of The Art Walk Project– a series of self-guided micro tours of art across Greater Boston.
