The following podcast contains explicit language.

I'm Stephen Metcalf, and this is the Slate Culture Gab Fest. My eyeballs feel like boiled eggs edition.

It's Wednesday, February 23, 2011. On today's program, the New Yorker's expose on Scientology via the story of Paul Haggis, the hit FX show justified and the future of marginalia in light of the e-book. Joining me today are Slate's deputy editor, Julia Turner. Hello, Julia. Hi, Steve. And of course, our film critic, Dana Steven Taden. Hey, Steve. Julia, before we plunge right in, you have something you need to say. I do. I have something I've got to get off my chest.

We're still coming to South by Southwest as I announced for the first time last week. We're going to be

podcasting live on Thursday, March 17th at noon from the convention center. We'll have more details

about the exact location on our show page. And we are thrilled and hopeful of seeing many of you there.

The tickets for the show are a little weird.

You have to be a passholder for South by Southwest.

So I'm sure many of you guys are going, and if you are going, I hope you will come to our show and bring all of your South by Southwest compatriots.

And also since the South by Southwest badges are somewhat

expensive and we want to see everyone who's in the area but won't be going to the whole festival,

we're going to do some kind of drinks gathering after the show on that Thursday afternoon. So stay

tuned for details of that. We'll make it near the convention center so everyone can just walk over

afterwards. We're really looking forward to seeing all of you both in the forum and out. And if any of you guys have Austin tips for us, things we should check out or see or even maybe talk about. Including at the festival.

Including at the festival, stuff you're coming to the festival with or for. Please let us know. Say the word on our Facebook page or email us at culturefest at slate.com.

We're psyched to meet as many of you as are in town. All right, Steve, on to topic one.

All right. Well, Julia, you're obviously an editor at Slate, so I'm going to start with you on this piece. The New Yorker has published a piece of what I think can only be described as mega-journalism

about Paul Haggis and his very public defection from

Scientology. With this as an occasion, Lawrence Wright has written what is sort of a half-profile,

half-exposet, and it's destined to be the most emailed piece in the history of the New Yorker

online, I think. Julia, there are so many moving parts to this piece.

It details what appear to be outrageous committed, serial outrage is committed by the church.

...