This week Steve, Dana, and Julia convene once again—this time with some big news. Also, they make a classic Gabfest episode.&nbsp;First up, it's the alienating fluorescent buzz, infinite carpeted sprawl, and liminal horror of Backrooms. The new release from A24 is directed by 20-year-old Kane Parsons based on his YouTube series which itself was inspired by deep internet lore and a viral piece of creepypasta. Does the uncanny maze of Backrooms go anywhere? They step into the labyrinth to find out.&nbsp;Next, they’re joined by Gabfest fave Leon Neyfakh to get into another parallel dimension: the world of OnlyFans. They discuss Leon’s new podcast about the ubiquitous platform <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/onlyfantasy/id1692238236" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">OnlyFantasy</a>—produced with comedian and OF creator Gracie Canaan.Finally, it’s a conversation that’s as lively as… well, that’s the question. They take up a recent piece of data journalism in <a href="https://pudding.cool/2026/05/similes/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">The Pudding analyzing the most common similes</a>.In a bonus episode, Carl Wilson joins the call (as well as a special endorsement segment) to talk taste. Specifically, they get into how discussions of taste have changed since Carl wrote authoritatively on it 18 years ago in his book <a href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/let-s-talk-about-love-why-other-people-have-such-bad-taste-carl-wilson/f5cf72ef46f6d822?ean=9781441166777&next=t" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Let’s Talk About Love: Why Other People Have Bad Taste</a>.EndorsementsDana: The recent Zadie Smith essay in The New York Review of Books "<a href="https://www.nybooks.com/articles/2026/06/11/art-for-our-sakes-zadie-smith/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Art for Our Sakes</a>."&nbsp;Carl: The live album <a href="https://music.apple.com/us/album/happy-today-feat-anna-butterss-jay-bellerose-josh-johnson/1885022834" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Happy Today</a> by Jeff Parker and ETA IVtet as well as the anthology of poetry <a href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/on-occasion-poems-for-the-people-sina-queyras/16975218c7e4534f?ean=9781552455227&next=t" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">On Occasion: Poems for the People</a>, with a special Canadian shoutout to the poem "<a href="https://garybarwin.substack.com/p/oh-americans" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Oh Americans</a>" by Gary Barwin.Julia: The tranquil, koi fish-rich, and very SoCal <a href="https://lakeshrine.org/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Self-Realization Fellowship Lake Shrine</a>. Also, L.A. listeners should join the folks of L.A Material, Punch List, and New York Review of Architecture on June 7 for the event <a href="https://luma.com/5ysm82a3" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">LACMA Therapy Session</a> to process all their complicated feelings about the new David Geffen Galleries.Steve: The band <a href="https://music.apple.com/us/artist/the-durutti-column/6558311" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">The Durutti Column</a> as sampled in the Blood Orange song "<a href="https://music.apple.com/us/album/the-field-feat-the-durutti-column-tariq-al-sabir/1821897447?i=1821897448" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">The Field</a>." Plus, Steve would love to know what listeners make of the author J.M. Coetzee, particularly his novel <a href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/schande-professor-of-general-literature-j-m-coetzee/6286f7775f67e19c?ean=9780140296402&next=t" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Disgrace</a>.(Also, make sure to subscribe to Carl's fantastic newsletter <a href="https://carlwilson.substack.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Crritic!</a>)--Email us your thoughts at <a href="mailto:culturefest@slate.com" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">culturefest@slate.com</a>.&nbsp;Podcast production by Benjamin Frisch. Production assistance by Daniel Hirsch.Need to set up your Slate Plus feed? If you subscribed through Slate.com, check out our <a href="https://slate.com/podcastfaqs#plusbenefits" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">FAQ</a> at slate.com/podcastfaqs for easy instructions. Members subscribed via Apple Podcasts get automatic access—no setup required.<hr> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.

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