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Martha’s Vineyard reflects on ‘Jaws’ impact, 50 years after the iconic film’s release
Martha’s Vineyard is in the middle of an invasion this summer — one inspired by a 50-year-old mechanical shark and the movie that made it famous.
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May 21, 2025 - Sebastian Smee, Dr. Greg Skomal on Jaws at 50, and the 250th anniversary of the Battle of Chelsea Creek
Sebastian Smee is a Pulitzer Prize-winning art critic at The Washington Post. He joins The Culture Show to talk about his recent piece, which breaks down Bob Dylan’s “Ballad of a Thin Man.” Sebastian Smee’s latest book is “Paris in Ruins: Love, War and the Birth of Impressionism.”From there Dr. Greg Skomal joins The Culture Show to talk about preparing for white shark season and how the movie “Jaws,” which is nearing its 50th anniversary, inspired him to become a marine biologist. Greg Skomal is an underwater explorer, photographer, and author. He is a fisheries scientist with the Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries and heads the Massachusetts Shark Research Program. On June 22nd, he’ll be at a special event at The Old Whaling Church in Edgartown, titled “Jaws Revisited," as a part of Amity Week. To learn more, go here.Finally we continue our “Countdown to 2026” series with a look at the Battle of Chelsea Creek, which marks its 250th anniversary on May 27th-May 28th. Kate Fox, Executive Director of the Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism, which is leading the Massachusetts 250 campaign and Lourdes Alvarez, the Arts, Culture, and Creative Economy Manager at City of Chelsea, join The Culture Show to preview events celebrating the battle’s anniversary. To learn more go here. -
May 20, 2025 - The Michelin Guide in Boston, JaJa's African Hair Braiding, and Mahesh Daas
Marc Sheehan, Executive Chef and Owner of Northern Spy in Canton and Will Gilson, Chef and Partner of Cambridge Street Hospitality Group, join The Culture Show to talk about the Michelin Guide coming to Boston and what it will take for local restaurants that are contenders to prepare.From there playwright Jocelyn Bioh joins The Culture Show to talk about her Tony Award nominated play “JaJa’s African Hair Braiding,” which is presented by SpeakEasy Stage Company, onstage at Calderwood Pavilion at Boston Center for the Arts through May 31st. To learn more go here.Finally Mahesh Daas, President of Boston Architectural College, joins The Culture Show for his analysis of what makes for an effective public space. Mahesh Daas is a Culture Show contributor who joins us monthly. He is co-author of the graphic novella about artificial intelligence, titled “I, Nobot.” -
May 19, 2025 - Josh Simpson and Cady Coleman, the Boston Public Art Triennial, and Shakespeare in ASL
The Sandwich Glass Museum is featuring the artistry of Josh Simpson in the exhibition “50 Years of Visionary Glass.” Josh and his wife, retired NASA astronaut Cady Coleman, will be signing books and giving a joint presentation on May 31st. Cady Coleman’s new book is “Sharing Space: An Astronaut’s Guide to Mission, Wonder and Making Change.” Josh Simpson’s new book is “Josh Simpson: 50 Years of Visionary Glass.” They join The Culture Show to talk about their complementary careers and upcoming event. To learn more go here.From there we get a preview of the Boston Public Art Triennial. Ahead of opening day on May 22, culture show contributor and Triennial Artistic Director Pedro Alonzo, and one of the featured artists, Laura Lima, join The Culture Show to talk about Lima’s work. To learn more about the Boston Public Art Triennial go here.Finally Chris Robinson joins The Culture Show. He’s an American Sign Language/English interpreter who is a leader in the field of Disability Access and Equity.He is the Founder and Vice President of Think Outside the Vox and he is organizing Commonwealth Shakespeare Company’s entire access program for their Shakespreare on the Common production of “As You Like It,” which will be onstage July 23rd through August 10th. To learn more about Think Outside the Vox go here and to keep abreast of Commonwealth Shakespeare Company’s programming go here. -
May 16, 2025 - Week in Review: The Michelin Guide in Boston, Pete Rose, and the Giacometti bust
Today Jared Bowen, Edgar B. Herwick III and Culture Show contributor Lisa Simmons – artistic and executive director of the Roxbury International Film Festival and program manager at Mass Cultural Council– go over the latest headlines on our arts and culture week in review.First up, the Michelin guide will officially debut in Boston. From there Waymo, the driverless car company, has plans to come to Boston. And from left field, Major League Baseball has reinstated Pete Rose and “Shoeless” Joe Jackson, making them eligible for the Baseball Hall of Fame. Finally, Tom Cruise at 62 is still doing his own stunts. Culture Show cohosts reflect on his career now that he’s completed the Mission Impossible franchise with the ultimate film “The Final Reckoning.” -
May 15, 2025 - Alison Bechdel, A Radical Welcome: Source Code, and Kayla Tabb, the BPL's new Chef-in-Residence
“New York Times” bestselling author Alison Bechdel joins The Culture Show to talk about her new comic novel “Spent.” Bechdel will be at The Brattle Theatre on May 22nd at an event sponsored by Harvard Book Store. Tickets to this event are sold out but there will be a stand-by line at the Brattle Theatre. To learn more go here.From there it’s a celebration of landmark women composers. Betsy Hinkle, a violinist and Founder of The Boston Public Quartet and Jason Amos, a violist in the Boston Public Quartet join The Culture Show to preview their concert “A Radical Welcome: Source Code.” The Boston Public quartet will perform works by five women composers from the late romantic period to the present. The concert is May 22nd at The Strand Theatre. Tickets are “pay what you want.” To learn more go here.Finally Kayla Tabb joins The Culture Show to talk about her new role as the Chef-in-Residence at the Boston Public Library. She runs the Nutrition Lab at their Roxbury branch, cultivating cooking programs and teaching nutritional literacy. To learn more go here.Kayla Tabb's book recommendations:On Food And Cooking: The Science And Lore Of The Kitchen - Harold McGeeThe Food Lab: Better Home Cooking Through Science - J. Kenji Lopez-AltStart Here: Instructions for Becoming a Better Cook - Sohla El-Waylly
