Culture Gabfest - Jimmy Kimmel Is Back—Sort Of— Edition
Slate Culture Feed
Slate Podcasts
4.2 • 2K Ratings
🗓️ 24 September 2025
⏱️ 61 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
On this week’s episode, Julia and Dana are joined by Slate writer (and Philadelphia native) Nadira Goffe for a conversation rooted in Delaware County about Task, HBO’s new gritty crime drama from the creators of Mare of Easttown.
Next, the hosts give longtime listeners what they’ve been chirping for: a discussion of birding. Specifically, it’s a discussion about the dirtbag, gonzo, totally self-produced and independently released documentary Listers: A Glimpse Into Extreme Birdwatching. Finally, they get into the Jimmy Kimmel situation. Why was his show cancelled, then uncancelled, then blacked out from several media markets? What does it mean for the state of free speech and democracy itself?
In an exclusive Slate Plus bonus episode, the panel is joined by Dan Kois to delight in Slate’s package on The 25 Best Picture Books of the Past 25 Years.
Email us your thoughts at culturefest@slate.com.
Podcast production by Benjamin Frisch. Production assistance by Daniel Hirsch.
Endorsements
Nadira: In addition to the Explore.org's Fat Bear Week, the work of singer-songwriter KeiyaA who recently released the tracks "stupid prizes" and "take it" from her forthcoming album hooke’s law.
Dana: Seeing Stanley Kubrick’s epic Barry Lyndon in its 4K re-release on the best screen you possibly can.
Julia: Meghan O'Rourke's New York Times essay "I Teach Creative Writing. This Is What A.I. Is Doing to Students."
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | I'm Julia Turner, and this is the Slate Culture Gab Fest. |
| 0:13.5 | Jimmy Kimmel is back, sort of edition. |
| 0:16.9 | It's Wednesday, September 24th, 2025, and on today's show, we're talking about HBO's new crime drama, Task from Mayor of East Town creator Brad Inglesby, set in the same area of Pennsylvania as that hit series. |
| 0:30.7 | The new show has Mark Ruffalo as a downtrodden FBI agent, Tom Pelfrey as a soulful robber, and a sprawling cast of great actors trying out new ways |
| 0:40.1 | to say the word, water. Then, I hijacked the show and force my non-birding co-hosts to watch |
| 0:46.4 | Lister's, a truly indie documentary released for free on YouTube that follows two complete novices, |
| 0:53.9 | chasing one of Birding's biggest achievements. |
| 0:56.4 | Luckily, they're packing sly wit, major charisma, and some killer cinematography skills, |
| 1:01.1 | and may have made a Birding classic. And then the most important story this week, Disney's decision |
| 1:06.8 | to suspend Jimmy Kimmel's show indefinitely, under pressure from the Trump administration, |
| 1:11.6 | after FCC chair Brendan Carr objected to remarks Kimmel made in the wake of Charlie Kirk's |
| 1:15.8 | assassination. We'll discuss why Disney caved, why they're bringing Kimmel back, why some |
| 1:21.3 | stations won't be having him, and what the blow-up means about the state of free speech in America |
| 1:26.9 | under Trump. |
| 1:28.0 | We've got Dana here this week. Welcome, Dana. |
| 1:30.5 | Hey, hey, nice to be here. |
| 1:32.0 | And sitting in for Steve is Nadira Goff. Welcome, Nadira. |
| 1:34.7 | Hi, thanks for having me. |
| 1:36.5 | Well, let's make a show. |
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| 2:02.9 | Shopify is made for entrepreneurs like you. |
... |
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