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Martha’s Vineyard reflects on ‘Jaws’ impact, 50 years after the iconic film’s release
Martha’s Vineyard is in the middle of an invasion this summer — one inspired by a 50-year-old mechanical shark and the movie that made it famous.
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June 20, 2025 - Week in Review: Jaws at 50, the Louvre, and the Karen Read ceiling fan
Today Jared Bowen, Edgar B. Herwick III and Culture Show contributor Lisa Simmons go over the latest arts and culture headlines on our week-in-review.First up, “Jaws” at 50. They look at how it changed the film industry, it’s mixed legacy on shark conservation, the iconic score and how it has managed to frighten audiences with a mechanical shark named Bruce.Then it’s off to Europe where the Louvre abruptly closed when workers spontaneously went on strike amid unmanageable crowds and in Venice locals are threatening to disrupt Jeff Bezos’ and Laura Sanchéz’s multi-million dollar wedding.Finally, public art as a stress test for an authoritarian regime and Miss Sassy, the cat at the center of a pet eating controversy gets her moment in the spotlight–an art exhibition. -
June 19, 2025 - Mass. Poet Laureate Regie Gibson, Club Passim, and Nina MacLaughlin on the Summer Solstice
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. From there Michael Busack, the new Executive Director of Club Passim, joins The Culture Show to talk about his vision for the legendary music venue.Finally the best-selling author Nina MacLaughlin joins The Culture Show to talk about her essay book “Summer Solstice,” which is a meditation on a season full of long days, hot nights and fat red tomatoes. -
June 18, 2025 - Annette Gordon-Reed, J. Courtney Sullivan, and the Boston Pizza Festival
Historian, lawyer and Pulitzer-prize winning author Annette Gordon-Reed joins The Culture Show to talk about her latest book “On Juneteenth,” which explores the holiday commemorating the day Union troops announced the end of slavery in Texas. From there 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.Finally, we top things off with a preview of this year’s Boston Pizza Festival. The festival co-directors, Raffaele Scalzi and Giancarlo Natale, join the Culture Show to talk about New England’s largest pizza festival. It’s this Saturday and Sunday at City Hall Plaza. To learn more go here. -
June 17, 2025 - Imari Paris Jeffries, Dread Scott, and the 50th anniversary of Jaws
Imari Paris Jeffries, President and CEO of Embrace Boston, joins The Culture Show to preview the Embrace Ideas Festival. Kicking off on Juneteenth, this year’s festival is a celebration of joy, power, prosperity and black creativity. Imari Paris Jeffries also gives an overview of Embrace Boston’s latest report, which explores how cultural festivals can help build and strengthen communities. To keep on top of everything Embrace Boston is doing, go here.From there, it’s the interdisciplinary artist Dread Scott. 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. He joins The Culture Show ahead of his event at the Boston Public Library. Tomorrow night you can catch him at the Central Library in Copley Square. His appearance is part of the Lowell Lecture series. To learn more go here.From there we get a jump on the real shark week. As Martha’s Vineyard prepares to celebrate the 50th anniversary of “Jaws” with Amity Week, Culture Show producer Kate Dellis finds out how the blockbuster film forever changed the island. -
June 16, 2025 - Frederick Douglass in opera, Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival, and the Battle of Bunker Hill at 250
Frederick Douglass had a life that could be described as operatic. The late composer Ulysses Kay, in his last major work, saw that it was. The Boston Modern Orchestra Project, in partnership with Odyssey Opera, is presenting the New England premiere of “Frederick Douglass ” on June 20th at Jordan Hall. The piece centers on a fictionalized account of the final year of the renowned Black abolitionist and statesman. It’s conducted by Gil Rose, who is the founder and conductor of the Boston Modern Orchestra Project and founder and General-Artistic Director of Odyssey Opera. The lead vocalist is bassist Kenneth Kellogg as Douglass. They join The Culture Show at GBH’s Fraser Performance studio to talk about the work and to perform. To learn more about the opera go here.From there we head to the Berkshires for the 93rd annual Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival, which runs from June 25 to August 24 in Becket, MA. Pamela Tatge, the Executive & Artistic Director of Jacob's Pillow, joins The Culture Show for an overview. To learn about their lineup go hereFinally we continue our countdown to 2026 with a look at the 250th anniversary of the Battle of Bunker Hill and the upcoming reenactment. Sheila Green, the MA 250 Coordinator for the Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism and Annie Harris, CEO of Essex National Heritage Commission join The Culture Show for an overview. The Battle of Bunker Hill Reenactment is June 21st at Stage Fort Park in Gloucester, MA. To learn more go here.
