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Exclusive: BSO President Chad Smith defends decision to oust Andris Nelsons
In his first broadcast interview, Smith told GBH’s The Culture Show that the decision to part ways with Nelsons stems from "a need for alignment."
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October 1, 2026 - Cady Coleman, Banu Cennetoğlu, and Chris Vognar's fall TV preview
Former NASA astronaut Cady Coleman joins us to talk about Astronauts for America, a group of more than 100 former astronauts working to defend the Constitution, strengthen democracy and rebuild public trust. Coleman will represent the group at a free public event at Greenfield Community College on October 26. Learn more at Astronauts for America. Artist Banu Cennetoğlu explores the promise of universal human rights in right?, an installation made from hundreds of gold Mylar balloons that slowly deflate over time. The work is on view at the MassArt Art Museum in Boston through February 28, and admission is free. Boston Globe TV and pop culture critic Chris Vognar joins us for a preview of the fall TV slate, from the return of A Different World to the raunchy perils of dating in your 50s in HBO Max’s Young. -
September 30, 2026 - Wednesday Watch Party: Bridesmaids
For this month’s Wednesday Watch Party, Jared Bowen, Callie Crossley and Joyce Kulhawik revisit Bridesmaids, the 2011 comedy that turns a wedding into a collision of friendship, rivalry and spectacularly bad behavior. Fifteen years later, they consider whether its most outrageous moments still deliver, how the film changed the rules for women in comedy, and whether beneath the bridal warfare, airborne chaos and unforgettable bathroom humor lies an enduring story about jealousy, forgiveness and friendship. Joyce Kulhawik is a Culture Show Contributor, an Emmy Award-winning arts and entertainment reporter, president of the Boston Theatre Critics Association, and you can find her reviews at joyceschoices.com. -
September 29, 2026 - Hockney Reproduction(s), Chimes of Freedom at FARHOF, and CineFest Latino
David Hockney embraced reproduction as a way to discover art and share his own work with the world. Bing McGilvray, Hockney’s longtime friend, joins us to discuss Hockney Reproduction(s), an exhibition of more than 90 posters and other works at the Manship Artists Residency in Gloucester through Oct. 18. From the American Revolution to Bruce Springsteen, musicians have used songs to protest, organize and argue over what patriotism means. Deana McCloud, curator of Chimes of Freedom: Patriotism, Protest, and the Power of Song, takes us through 250 years of American protest music at the Folk Americana Roots Hall of Fame. CineFest Latino Boston returns Sept. 30 through Oct. 4 with films by and about Latinos, including a documentary about Zoot Suit and La Bamba creator Luis Valdez and La Bola Negra, starring Penélope Cruz, Glenn Close and Julio Torres. Founder and executive director Sabrina Avilés previews this year’s festival. -
September 28, 2026 - Suzanne Jackson, Eli "Paperboy" Reed, and Jill Medvedow on "The Slicks" and "My Pinup"
Artist Suzanne Jackson joins us as the MFA presents Suzanne Jackson: What Is Love, the first retrospective spanning her six-decade career — from her early paintings inspired by people and the natural world to recent works made from layers of acrylic paint that hang without canvas. The exhibition is on view through January 18. Suzanne Jackson: What Is Love at the MFA Brookline native Eli “Paperboy” Reed talks about Getting There, his new album of soul, blues, country and gospel produced by Swamp Dogg. Reed returns to Massachusetts for a performance at Cambridge’s Regattabar on Friday, October 2. Eli “Paperboy” Reed at Regattabar Jill Medvedow returns with a double booking: Maggie Nelson’s The Slicks, which brings Sylvia Plath and Taylor Swift together in an exploration of female ambition, fame and scrutiny; and Hilton Als’ My Pinup: A Paean to Prince, a meditation on desire, race, freedom and what happens when you meet your idol. The Slicks by Maggie Nelson My Pinup: A Paean to Prince by Hilton Als -
September 25, 2026 - Week in Review: Dolly Parton Day, Charles Spencer v. King Charles, and Choosin' Texas
On this edition of The Culture Show, Jared Bowen, Callie Crossley, and Culture Show contributor Lisa Simmons, go over the week’s top arts and culture headlines, which include: Dolly Parton’s estate is battling her nephew Bryan Seaver, her former head of security, over allegations of threats, demands for money and attempts to damage the Parton brand. Seaver denies the claims; the estate is seeking a restraining order. Charles Spencer’s new bestseller, Swan Song, is stirring fresh royal controversy. Princess Diana’s brother accuses King Charles of callousness after her death; Buckingham Palace has issued a rare rebuttal. The British Museum has banned photography at its Bayeux Tapestry exhibition after visitors stopping for pictures caused congestion in the galleries. Paramount’s proposed Warner Bros. merger is moving ahead after major legal challenges were settled. The deal includes commitments on U.S. production, movie output and worker protections. Ella Langley has ended Mariah Carey’s latest run atop the Billboard Hot 100. “Choosin’ Texas” knocked “All I Want for Christmas Is You” from No. 1
