On this week’s show, Julia and Steve are joined by guest host Jamelle Bouie to crack mysteries corporeal and divine in Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery. The latest entrant in Rian Johnson’s whodunnit franchise sees Daniel Craig return as detective Benoit Blanc to team up with an earnest—and earnestly handsome—priest played by Josh O’Connor.

Next, they take on the hefty new Ken Burns documentary series The American Revolution, a sprawling, complicated, fife music-scored examination of this nation’s founding.  Finally, are we experiencing a Great Stupidening? In a conversation about New York Magazine’s “<a href="https://nymag.com/intelligencer/tags/the-stupid-issue/">Stupid Issue</a>” and The Atlantic piece ‘<a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2025/11/math-decline-ucsd/684973/">A Recipe for Idiocracy</a>,’ our smarty pants contemplate American idiocy. 

In an exclusive Slate Plus bonus episode, the gang (with Dana!) recap Pluribus episode 6 “HDP.”

Don’t forget: we want your cultural queries! We’re gathering your most pressing questions for our annual call-in show. If you’ve got a burning one, email us at <a href="mailto:culturefest@slate.com">culturefest@slate.com</a> or give us a call and leave a message at: 347-201-2397.

Endorsements:
Jamelle: The sequels of the early '90s martial arts B-movie Best of the Best, specifically <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0106393/">Best of the Best II </a>and <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0112483/">Best of the Best 3: No Turning Back</a>.

Steve: The Wong Kar Wai film <a href="https://www.criterionchannel.com/in-the-mood-for-love">In The Mood for Love</a>. 

Julia:  <a href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/joyride-a-memoir-susan-orlean/1a9957687508e71c">Joyride</a> the new memoir by Susan Orlean.
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Email us your thoughts at <a href="mailto:culturefest@slate.com">culturefest@slate.com</a>. 
Podcast production by Benjamin Frisch. Production assistance by Daniel Hirsch. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit <a href="https://megaphone.fm/adchoices">megaphone.fm/adchoices</a>

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