This week, Dana, Steve, and Nadira Goffe assess if we as a culture can ever really escape Neverland— namely, the gigantic and fraught legacy of Michael Jackson. They unpack the biopic Michael. Directed by Antoine Fuqua, starring Jackson’s own nephew Jaafar Jackson, and produced by much of the Jackson family, the film is chock full of musical numbers and light on the troubling aspects of the singer’s life. Does it ever rise above King of Pop hagiography? They discuss.

Next, they take up Half Man, the new limited series from Baby Reindeer creator Richard Gadd. It’s a brutal look at a toxic male relationship. Is its unflinching eye too unflinching? Perhaps.

Finally, how can one become cultured? What does that even mean!? Such are the questions raised by T Magazine’s recent special issue “How to Be Cultured.” Our panel debates the package’s various high brow listicles, takes their quiz, and Nadira even makes her own culture list as rebuttal! (See below.)

In an exclusive bonus episode for Slate Plus subscribers, our hosts share which cultural figures they think would make for good biopic subjects.

Endorsements

Nadira: The new EP NAIL from Yves, particularly the title track, and Curtis Live! the live album by Curtis Mayfield, especially the song "The Makings of You."

Steve: The poem "Like the Train's Beat" by Philip Larkin.

Dana: The book On Michael Jackson by Margo Jefferson about Michael Jackson's complicated cultural place.

Nadira's Culture List:

(Editor’s Note: Nadira added two things since our discussion — we’re all still staying curious and expanding our cultural horizons!)

“Throw Some Ds on It” — Rich Boy (Song; 2007)
“Jealous Guy” — Donny Hathaway covering John Lennon live (Song; 1972)
Any vlogger on YouTube, but particularly the work of Casey Neistat
Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child (TV Show; 1995)
Fleabag (TV Show; 2016-2019)
Monster (Anime Series, currently avail. on Netflix; 2004)
Stop Making Sense (Movie; 1984)
The Devil Wears Prada (Movie; 2006)
Step Up 2: The Streets (Movie; 2008)
Tampopo (Movie; 1985)
Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (Movie; 2018)
Original Cast Album Company (Movie; 1970)
Quo Vadis, Aida? (Movie; 2004)
Playing in the Dark — Toni Morrison (Book; 1992)
Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow — Gabrielle Zevin (Book; 2022)
Any painting by Kerry James Marshall, but particularly “School of Beauty, School of Culture” and “Portrait of the artist as a shadow of his former self”
Fallingwater, Frank Lloyd Wright (Architecture; 1964)

Email us your thoughts at culturefest@slate.com.

Podcast production by Benjamin Frisch. Production assistance by Daniel Hirsch.

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Culture Gabfest - Michael Jackson Moonwalks the Box Office Edition