Culture Gabfest - Trump Goes on Down to South Park Edition

On this week’s show, Dana, Steve and guest host Nitish Pahwa summon their critical superpowers to assess Marvel’s Fantastic Four: First Steps. Can the charms of Pedro Pascal and company mixed with a Jetsons-style retrofuturism energize this long-troubled comic book IP? They discuss.Next, they’re joined by Euny Hong, author of The Birth of Korean Cool: How One Nation Is Conquering the World Through Pop Culture, to unpack why KPop Demon Hunters is such a record-breaking hit. Finally, they revisit a little town called South Park to talk about the long-running animated series’ latest episode which brutally satirizes President Trump.In an exclusive Slate Plus bonus episode, the panel takes a look at the confusing messaging in advertisements for A.I. products.Endorsements:Nitish - The music of the late, great musical satirist and mathematician Tom Lehrer, who recently passed. His archive is available for free at tomlehrersongs.com.Steve - The great spy thriller The Spy Who Came In From The Cold by John le Carré. Dana -  Tim Maia's irresistible "Do Leme Ao Pontal." Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.