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I'm Julia Turner, and this is the Slate Culture Gab Fest, Tangled Up in Yule edition.

This is also the daily podcast from slate.com for Wednesday, November 25th, 2009.

On today's program, we're going to talk about Bob Dylan's Christmas album, South African

sprinter Castor Semenya, and Frederick Wiseman's documentary about the Paris Opera Ballet.

Joining me today is Slate music critic Jodie Rosen.

Hi, Julia.

Hi, good to have you.

And our film critic, Dana Stevens.

Hi, Dana.

Hi.

Dana has hopped up on cold medicine today, so expect all kinds of super adrenalineized

insights and punchiness from her. I think it's more like droning free association, but be warned.

I think it could be good. And June Thomas fans, don't touch that dial. She's going to join us

for a couple of the later segments on the show. So we all have that to look forward to.

So let's start by talking about Bob Dylan's Christmas album.

It's Thanksgiving week.

We're now entering the season when Christmas trees are appearing everywhere,

and Christmas music is tinkling out through the speakers of every Starbucks on the land.

And Bob Dylan has ridden either to the rescue or to something else with a new Christmas album.

And I'm dying to hear what Jody Rosen, who is both a Dylanologist and a student of Christmas music,

...