The Culture Show Podcast

Jared Bowen, Callie Crossley and Culture Show contributor Lisa Simmons host our arts and culture week-in-review.

First up, the Golden Globe nominations are out, offering a snapshot of where Hollywood’s center of gravity is shifting. The awards bypassed the supposedly gravity-defying Wicked: For Good, while One Battle After Another surged ahead with nine nominations. In a nod to how audiences consume storytelling now, the Globes also introduced a podcast category for the first time.

From there we’re off to Australia, which  has passed one of the world’s most sweeping efforts to limit kids’ access to social media, banning anyone under 16 from holding an account. Platforms will be required to identify and remove underage users or face steep fines. The move reflects growing concern over cyberbullying, addictive design, and the mental-health toll of digital culture.

Then we remember Napoleon Jones-Henderson, a founding member of the AfriCOBRA collective, leaves behind a towering legacy in Afrocentric art. Working across textiles, sculpture, and mixed media, his vibrant, community-rooted work helped define the visual language of the Black Arts Movement. His death marks a profound loss for art, design, and cultural history.

Plus a Nativity scene in Dedham has sparked a loud debate over artistic and political expression. The traditional Holy Family has been replaced by a stark sign reading “ICE was here.” The Archdiocese and ICE officials want the display removed, while the parish priest is holding off — for now.

Finally, those unmistakable Vince Guaraldi piano notes are turning 60. What began as a scrappy, low-budget TV special has become the gold standard of holiday storytelling. A Charlie Brown Christmas remains a cultural touchstone, proving that sincerity can outlast spectacle.