The following podcast contains explicit language.

I'm Stephen Metcalf, and this is the Slate Culture Gab Fest I Marimba edition.

It's Wednesday, January 17th, 2012.

On today's program, the new Rob Schneider sitcom Rob, SOPA, or the Stop Online Piracy Act. It pits Hollywood against Silicon Valley, or so I'm told. And finally, ringtone interrupt us. What happens when your cell phone goes off mid-performance? Joining me today, our Slate's deputy editor, Julia Turner. Hello, Julia. Hi, Steve. How are you doing today? Terrific. And our film

critical course, Dana, stay Dana. Hey, Steve. All right. Well, let's dive right in. Rob Schneider is the

comedian who first, I first became aware of him when he was doing that very funny Saturday.

I'll skip back in the 90s. But he did a very funny bit as the guy in the Xerox room,

riffing off of the names of the people who came in.

Tom.

Tommy!

Good time, master, making cafes.

Hey, Richard.

Signor Tamasito.

St. Tom, St. Thomas Cathedral.

Later, Rich.

Yeah, it was hilarious.

He stuck with you, and he's had kind of a checkered but interesting career since then, Dana.

We should say he's known for going low, lowbrow. His latest venture is a sitcom called Rob. He's a landscape architect suffering from OCD who marries, after not knowing her very long, marries a very beautiful Mexican-American woman. And the pilot episode, he goes and is introduced to her family and many yucks ensue, except maybe no yucks at all.

Yucks with a C.

But, Dana, what did you make of the show?

Well, I will say that it didn't make me laugh.

I don't know that I can join the chorus of people who are offended by the show.

...