Culture Gabfest - The SNL 50th Anniversary Industrial Complex
Slate Culture Feed
Slate Podcasts
4.2 • 2K Ratings
🗓️ 12 February 2025
⏱️ 71 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
On this week’s show, the hosts reflect on 50 years of music, culture, and comedy with the 50th anniversary of SNL and QuestLove’s new documentary Ladies & Gentlemen…50 Years of SNL Music. For that, the team is joined by Jason Zinoman, critic at large for culture at The New York Times.
Then they discuss the Oscar-nominated animated film Flow – where we follow the adventures of an unlikely group of animals led by a curious black cat.
Finally, Slate culture writer Nadira Goffe joins to talk about Kendrick Lamar’s “double whammy” of a Super Bowl halftime show. Read her article reflecting on the performance here.
Note: Pardon the brief audio issues during the Kendrick Lamar conversation.
In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, the panel invites Jason Zinoman back to discuss his article on standup comedy’s move to soften the punchline in exchange for a long, humor-infused setup.
Email us at culturefest@slate.com.
Endorsements:
Dana: Henry IV playing at the Theatre for a New Audience in New York and K.D. Lang’s SNL performance of Johnny Get Angry in 1989 (audio only, as the video performance has been removed) or this other performance of the song (with visuals) on UK’s Channel Four from 1991
Julia: Vulture critic Craig Jenkins’ halftime show review – Kendrick Lamar Is Not Your Savior and Pom Pom maker
Steve: Pope Francis’ letter to Vice President J.D. Vance
Podcast production and research by Vic Whitley-Berry.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Transcript
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| 1:05.2 | I'm Julia Turner, and this is the Slate Culture Gab Fest, the SNL 50th anniversary industrial complex edition. |
| 1:13.1 | It is Wednesday, February 12th, 2025, and on today's show, we're talking about S&L's 50th anniversary. We'll be joined by New York Times comedy critic Jason Zineman to examine the extravaganza of |
| 1:18.9 | reflection and self-celebration marking the occasion, with a special focus on one highlight, |
| 1:24.3 | the Quest Love documentary, Ladies and Gentlemen, 50 years of S&L music. Then, |
| 1:30.6 | Flo, the Oscar-nominated Latvian film about a cat trying to survive a cataclysmic flood with |
| 1:37.0 | the help of a capybara. Also, it's completely wordless. We'll dissect one of Oscar season's |
| 1:42.3 | most hypnotic and surprising contenders. And then finally, |
| 1:45.9 | we'll be joined by a slate staff writer and dear friend of the program, Nadira Goff, to discuss |
| 1:50.3 | Kendrick Lamar's halftime show. Was it a stunning political statement, gleefully personal and petty, |
| 1:56.0 | both, or something else? Joining me today is Steve McAff. Hello, Steve. |
| 2:01.6 | Hello, Julia. |
| 2:03.7 | Steve, did you have a dog in the Super Bowl fight? |
| 2:08.8 | Yes, I was rooting against the chiefs. |
... |
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