Episodes
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November 7, 2025 - The 2026 Grammy nominations, Jonathan Bailey, and Tom Brady's cloned dog
Today Jared Bowen, Edgar B. Herwick III, and Culture Show contributor Lisa Simmons, artistic and executive director of the Roxbury International Film Festival and program manager at Mass Cultural Council, go over the latest arts and culture headlines. First up, the Grammy nominations are out, and music’s biggest night is making history. For the first time in fifty years, the Recording Academy will honor album art alongside album of the year. And in the country categories, the field’s been split to recognize both traditional and contemporary country sounds.From there “People” has named “Bridgerton” star Jonathan Bailey the Sexiest Man Alive. The British actor, soon to appear in Wicked, becomes the first openly gay man to receive the title Then it’s onto Hollywood’s most glamorous sow; Miss Piggy is finally getting her own feature film, produced by Oscar winners Jennifer Lawrence and Emma Stone, with a script by Tony Award winner Cole Escola. Now the pressure’s on the diva to bring home the bacon at the box office.And after decades of planning, Egypt’s new mega-museum has opened near the Pyramids of Giza. The Grand Egyptian Museum will display the full collection of Tutankhamun’s tomb for the first time, with more than 50,000 artifacts showcased in cutting-edge galleries — a triumph of culture and ambition.Finally, Tom Brady’s latest play has him in the dog house — this time with ethicists and animal welfare advocates. The former quarterback revealed his new dog is a clone of his late pit bull mix, created through Colossal Biosciences — a biotech firm he invests in that’s also known for its efforts to resurrect extinct species. -
November 6, 2025 - Anthony Amore on "The Rembrandt Heist," Benjamin Fortier, and Lizard Boy
Few people know more about art theft than Anthony Amore. As Director of Security and Chief Investigator at Boston’s Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, he’s spent decades pursuing the truth behind its legendary 1990 heist. His new book, “The Rembrandt Heist: The Story of a Criminal Genius, a Stolen Masterpiece, and an Enigmatic Friendship,” revisits another one of Boston’s great art crimes — the 1975 theft of a Rembrandt from the MFA — and the larger-than-life thief who pulled it off, Myles Connor. Tonight he’ll be at Wellesley Books at 7:00. To learn more go here.Marine Corps veteran turned poet and playwright Benjamin Fortier transforms the experience of war into art that probes topics such as memory, duty, and loss. His award-winning poetry collection “Phantoms” and his powerful monologue “Michael and the Saints” explore what lingers long after combat. The work will be featured November 10 at Hyannis Arts Hall as part of In Honor: A Grief Dialogues Experience, marking Veterans Day and the 250th anniversary of the U.S. Marine Corps. To learn more go here.Writer, composer, and performer Justin Huertas reimagines the superhero origin story in “Lizard Boy,” a queer coming-of-age musical where dragon’s blood, heartbreak, and indie rock collide. Since premiering at Seattle Rep, it’s become a cult favorite for its humor, heart, and soaring sound. Presented by SpeakEasy Stage Company, “Lizard Boy” runs through November 22 at the Calderwood Pavilion at the Boston Center for the Arts. To learn more go here. -
November 5, 2025 - Wednesday Watch Party: Back to the Future
Today we’re revving up the DeLorean for a trip “Back to the Future.” Jared Bowen, Callie Crossley, and Edgar B. Herwick III co-host this month’s Wednesday Watch Party and revisit the 1985 sci-fi comedy that made time travel cool — and Michael J. Fox a star. Directed by Robert Zemeckis and produced by Steven Spielberg, the film became the top-grossing movie of the year and a pop-culture touchstone. Four decades later, the hosts ask: does this time-travel classic still stand the test of time — or has the future finally caught up to it? -
November 4, 2025 - Imari Paris Jeffries, Balanchine's Jewels at the Boston Ballet, and Uli Lorimer
Imari Paris Jeffries — President and CEO of Embrace Boston and co-chair of Everyone 250 — returns for another edition of “AI: Actual Intelligence,” which spotlights original, algorithm-free thinkers from the region’s sharpest minds. George Balanchine’s “Jewels” — the first full-length abstract ballet — returns to Boston Ballet for the first time in more than a decade. Artistic Director Mikko Nissinen reflects on the legacy of Balanchine, the music that animates each act, and why this glittering triptych still captivates dancers and audiences alike. “Jewels” is on November 6th through November 6- November 16, to learn more go here.As autumn settles in, Uli Lorimer, Director of Horticulture at Native Plant Trust, joins us to dig into the Leave the Leaves campaign — a call to rethink fall cleanup. He explains how fallen foliage nourishes the soil, shelters pollinators, and transforms our backyards into thriving habitats through the cold months ahead. -
November 3, 2025 - Chris Grace, Crispin Glover, and Matthew Shifrin
Comedian and actor Chris Grace returns to The Culture Show to talk about Sardines (A Comedy About Death), his autobiographical one-man show now at the Huntington Theatre through November 16. To learn more go here.Then actor, author, and filmmaker Crispin Glover joins The Culture Show to discuss his latest film, “No! You’re Wrong. or Spooky Action at a Distance.” For nearly two decades, Glover has been making and performing in films that defy convention—films that he writes, directs, and presents himself. He screens the new film tonight at the Coolidge Corner Theatre. To learn more about this and future screenings go here.And Matthew Shifrin, founder and CEO of Bricks for the Blind, returns for our “AI: Actual Intelligence” series. His Boston nonprofit translates LEGO instructions for builders with vision loss. Today he discusses how technology might help the visually impaired read facial expressions—and the emotions behind them. -
October 31, 2025: Week in Review - David Drake's pottery, Halloween, and the Louvre
Culture Show co-hosts Jared Bowen, Callie Crossley and Edgar B. Herwick III go over the latest headlines on our arts and culture week-in-review.First up, the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston has returned ownership of two monumental stoneware vessels to the descendants of David Drake — an enslaved potter.. It’s the first U.S. museum to resolve ownership for art made under slavery, linking creativity to accountability and justice.From repatriation to restitution — another story of art and accountability is unfolding overseas. French police have arrested additional suspects in the daylight robbery that stunned Paris last month, when thieves made off with royal jewels worth millions from the Louvre.From the galleries of Paris to the corridors of power in Washington: President Trump has fired all six members of the U.S. Commission of Fine Arts, the body that advises on the design of national monuments, memorials, and federal buildings. And, grab your candy stash — The Culture Show is getting into the Halloween spirit. Jared Bowen, Callie Crossley, and Edgar B. Herwick III dig into the season’s spookiest trends, from the hottest costumes of 2025 to the great candy controversies — plus a few ghost stories haunting New England’s history. -
October 30, 2025 - The Wang Theatre at 100, Elaine Sciolino on the Louvre heist, and Manual Cinema's The 4th Witch
A century ago, the Wang Theatre—now part of Boston’s Boch Center—opened as a lavish movie palace, a cathedral to the golden age of entertainment. Since then, it’s hosted everything from vaudeville to Broadway, rock legends to symphony orchestras. As the Boch Center celebrates its 100th anniversary, President and CEO Casey Soward joins The Culture Show to reflect on the theater’s storied past and the next century of live performance in Boston. To learn more about their upcoming shows and events go here.For more than eight centuries, the Louvre has stood as both fortress and museum—home to masterpieces and mysteries alike. Journalist, former “New York Times Paris” bureau chief, and bestselling author Elaine Sciolino explores its history and allure in her new book, “Adventures in the Louvre: How to Fall in Love with the World’s Greatest Museum” She joins us to unpack the recent high-stakes jewelry heist and what it reveals about art, identity, and intrigue in modern France.What happens when Shakespeare’s witches get a modern reawakening? In “The 4th Witch,” Chicago-based collective Manual Cinema conjures Macbeth’s world through light, shadow, and live music—telling the story of a young refugee who transforms grief into power. Co-founder and Co-artistic Director Ben Kauffman joins The Culture Show to discuss the company’s handmade cinematic style and how this haunting new work reinvents one of literature’s darkest spells. “The 4th Witch,” is in Boston by way of ArtsEmerson, onstage at Emerson Paramount Center through November 9th. To learn more go here. -
October 29, 2025 - Alysia Abbott, Anthony Barboza's "I Return With a Feeling of Us," and Allison Miller
After her mother’s death, writer Alysia Abbott was raised by her father—poet Steve Abbott—in San Francisco’s Haight-Ashbury during the height of counterculture. Her memoir “Fairyland: A Memoir of My Father” captures that vivid, unconventional childhood and the complexities of growing up amid both liberation and loss. Now adapted into a feature film produced by Sofia Coppola, Abbott joins us to reflect on seeing her story come to life on screen. On November 1st there will be a special screening of “Fairyland” at the Coolidge Corner Theatre.” To learn more go here.Photographer Anthony Barboza returns to his hometown of New Bedford for a career-spanning retrospective at the New Bedford Art Museum. From James Baldwin to Betty Carter, his portraits have helped shape how Black creativity and culture are seen. The exhibition, “I Return With a Feeling of Us,” is on view through November 23 and celebrates his decades-long impact on American photography. Anthony Barboza and the New Bedford Art Museum’s Executive Director Suzanne de Vegh join The Culture Show for an overview. To learn more go here. Finally, acclaimed drummer and composer Allison Miller joins The Culture Show. She defies category, blending jazz, rock, and folk with fearless originality. A longtime bandleader and collaborator with artists like Brandi Carlile and Ani DiFranco she recently joined Berklee’s Harmony and Jazz Composition Department as the Ken Pullig Visiting Scholar in Jazz Studies. Her latest album is “Big & Lovely” by Allison Miller with the One O’Clock Lab Band. -
October 28, 2025 - The Massachusetts Veterans Legacy Trail, Lesley Ann Warren on Clue at 40, and Kiernan Schmitt
As part of our ongoing “Countdown to 2026” series, we explore how Massachusetts is commemorating 250 years of American history. Veterans Services Secretary Jon Santiago joins us to discuss the new Massachusetts Veterans Legacy Trail, a statewide digital map linking more than 1,200 monuments and memorials that honor generations of service. Created by the Healey–Driscoll administration for the MA250 commemoration, the trail invites residents to engage with the Commonwealth’s military past — from the Revolution to today. To learn more about the trail go here.From there actress Lesley Ann Warren joins “The Culture Show” to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the cult classic film “Clue.” The Oscar- and Golden Globe–nominated performer, who played the unforgettable Miss Scarlet, will be in Boston to host a special anniversary screening at the Emerson Colonial Theatre. To learn more go here.Finally travel writer Kiernan Schmitt takes us on a Halloween-inspired journey through the hidden and haunting corners of the city. His book “Secret Boston: An Unusual Guide”uncovers the eerie and unexpected — from ghostly convents to abandoned zoos and the bizarre sculpture garden known as Ponyhenge. Schmitt, who co-hosts the travel podcast “Out of Office,” returns to the show to reveal the stories and curiosities hiding in plain sight. -
October 27, 2025 - Bruins 365, Terri Lyne Carrington on Lift Every Voice and Sing, and Erica Vanstone
Hockey historian Mike Commito joins The Culture Show to celebrate the Boston Bruins—one story at a time. His new book, Bruins 365, serves up a memorable moment for every day of the year, combining sharp research with the spirit of the game.From there it’s another edition 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, Grammy Award–winning drummer, composer, and founder of the Berklee Institute of Jazz and Gender Justice, Terri Lyne Carrington. She goes deep on “Lift Every Voice and Sing.”Finally, roller derby veteran and author Erica Vanstone takes us inside her fast-paced, full-contact memoir “Don’t Let Them Eat the Baby: Why Roller Derby is the Greatest Sport Never Sold.” From the Camden rinks to the Women’s Flat Track Derby Association, Vanstone tells a story of resilience, rebellion, and the community that helped her—and a sport—find their soul.
