The 2023 James Beard Awards were handed out Monday night. Grace Onasanya and Ivy Knight discuss how the awards have been mired in controversy over recent years. You'll hear about some big winners — and why some chefs aren't feeling too celebratory. Plus, a new immersive theatre project merges the stage with videogames. Creator Sebastien Heins joins the podcast to talk about No Save Points, the experience of allowing the audience to control his performance, and why he wanted to relinquish control.

Culture critics Rad Simonpillai and Sarah-Tai Black unpack the controversy surrounding the new HBO series The Idol and what it all says about the allure of toxic masculinity in TV storylines. Plus, Resurrection is a new podcast that tells the story of Daryl Allen, an amateur playwright who died of AIDS more than 30 years ago. Dane Stewart is the young playwright who brought his story back to life in this new podcast.

Culture critics Jackson Weaver, Cassie Cao and Niko Stratis join Elamin to review the new animated movie Spiderman: Across The Spider-Verse, the Disney+ series American Born Chinese and what the slew of Barbie trailers released over the last two years can tell us about the tone of the upcoming live-action film.

In a recent review of Brandon Taylor’s new novel The Late Americans, the reviewer comments on how much funnier Taylor’s Twitter feed is than his book. Authors Jen Sookfong Lee and Heather Marshall talk about what’s fair game in a book review, and this latest blurring of the lines between art and artist. Plus, Fetty Wap's recent drug trafficking sentence has been extended due to prosecutors' belief that his music glamorizes the drug trade. It raises the age-old question: Should rap lyrics be allowed in the courtroom? Jack Lerner is a professor of law and co-author of Rap on Trial: A Legal Guide for Attorneys, which explains the system's impact on Black art.

Journalist Scaachi Koul takes us behind the scenes of her epic Huffington Post profile on the unapologetic porntrapaneur Joe Francis. Plus, Ainslie Hogarth and Makda Mulatu recommend their favourite reads for the summer.

In the late 90s and early 2000s, Joe Francis made a fortune selling Girls Gone Wild on VHS tapes and DVD. The franchise has had a monumental impact on the visual culture and sexual culture and the ways we talk about consent and sex and privacy. Throughout his decade of wild success Francis wracked up a long list of convictions and spent several stints in jail. Freelance writer Scaachi Koul tells us about her interview with Francis at his villa in Mexico, which she writes about in the Huffington Post.

The late Michel Côté wasn’t a household name in the rest of Canada, but in Quebec, he was as loved as Celine Dion. Culture critics Nantali Indongo and Thomas Leblanc talk about the two stars, and how their paths help us understand Quebec’s unique celebrity culture. Plus, if the Hollywood Writers’ Strike has you missing your weekly hit of sketch comedy — here's a novel recommendation: Romantic Comedy by Curtis Sittenfeld.

[This episode contains SPOILERS!] The morning after the Succession season finale, culture critics Hunter Harris, Chris Murphy and Kathryn VanArendonk take stock of one of the greatest shows ever. Did anyone truly succeed? And how did the show help us understand the cost of success?

In this week’s wrap panel, culture critics A. Harmony, Sarah-Tai Black and Kathleen Newman-Bremang discuss 1) the new Little Mermaid live-action remake 2) the latest season of The Ultimatum, which features an all-queer cast, and 3) the legacy of the late Queen of rock ‘n’ roll Tina Turner.

The Queen of rock ‘n’ roll, Tina Turner has died at the age of 83. To celebrate her life and music, Jully Black, Michael Williams, Garvia Bailey and Amanda Hess join in conversation about the legacy of the late legend.

This week, HBO's Barry, winds down after four nail-biting seasons. Vulture’s Ben Rosenstock and The Hollywood Reporter’s Angie Han tell us what made the show so unique. Plus, Sparks will release their 26th album this Friday, The Girl Is Crying in Her Latte.

Film critics Radheyan Simonpillai and Kyle Buchanan are live from this year’s Cannes Film Festival to discuss some of the most buzzworthy films and stories. This year’s feature films include Killers of The Flower Moon, the latest from director Martin Scorsese, and Strange Way of Life, starring Pedro Pascal and Ethan Hawke.

Caseen Gaines, author of When Broadway Was Black, documents the history of the musical Shuffle Along, the first Broadway hit by an all-Black creative team.

For this week's wrap panel, culture critics Teri Hart, Amil Niazi and Matt Hart discuss: 1) Martha Stewart's Sports Illustrated swimsuit cover, 2) the release of Fast X and what it means for Vin Diesel and Dwayne Johnson’s long-simmering beef, and 3) the Canadian premiere of the buzziest reality-TV show of the moment, Jury Duty.

Rob Harvilla’s podcast, 60 Songs That Explain the '90s, was originally supposed to be just that. This week, its third season dropped — bringing the fan-favourite series to a whopping 120 episodes (three times its intended length). The show's creator joins host Elamin Abdelmahmoud to go deep in to the 90s, and what makes his podcast so addictive.

Prince Harry and Meghan released a statement saying they were "relentlessly" chased by paparazzi after an awards event in New York City. Culture writer Ellie Hall breaks down what we know about the story so far, while economist and author Allison Schrager demystifies the workings of American paparazzi. Plus, music critic Craig Seymour talks about the new documentary, Little Richard: I Am Everything, and the role Black queerness played in the rise of one of the architects of rock 'n' roll.

The Hollywood writers' strike is in its third week — and it’s not just productions south of the border that are being affected. Screenwriter Anthony Q. Farrell and makeup artist Joan Chell explain why some Canadians feel their U.S. counterparts are fighting the fight on their behalf. Plus, illustrator Gary Taxali helps us remember influential graphic artist Frank Kozik.

Sarah-Tai Black talks about Master Gardener, the new movie from acclaimed filmmaker Paul Schrader, and how his controversial statements over the course of his career have affected their ability to appreciate Schrader’s artistic body of work. Plus, culture writers Tanya Chen and Jacqueline Kantor talk about the evolution of Peloton and what you get from connecting with your favourite instructor.

Succession and Ted Lasso both started out strong winning awards, building loyal audiences, and earning critical acclaim. But where one keeps soaring, the other is a shadow of its former self. TV critic Kathryn VanArendonk talks about how the two shows offer an important lesson about when it's time to end a good thing. Plus, in honour of the release of Tears of the Kingdom, Sarah Hagi and Niko Stratis talk about how The Legend of Zelda keeps pushing the envelop of open world games.

For this week's wrap panel, culture writers Jael Richardson, Jen Sookfong Lee and Jackson Weaver discuss: 1) Queen Charlotte, the new Bridgerton prequel show dominating the #1 spot on Netflix, 2) the Blackberry movie that hits theaters today, and 3) the mystery book that made the top ten list on Amazon before anyone knew anything about it.