Eric Goode and his producing partner Jeremy McBride have made a run of hit documentaries about what happens when humans get a little too into certain animals. With Netflix's Tiger King and HBO's Chimp Crazy, Goode explored the personalities behind the obsessions. In both cases, his subjects ended up in prison. Now, with Monsters of God, airing on HBO, Goode turns to exotic reptiles and the people who smuggle them. It is his most personal series yet. Goode, a turtle conservationist, comes to realize he is not only observing. He’s also part of the problem. Goode and McBride chatted with Newsweek’s H. Alan Scott about the series and why it’s their most personal yet.  Subscribe to my newsletter: https://for-the-culture.beehiiv.com Follow me: https://linktr.ee/halanscott  See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This has been quite a week in culture. First, Newsweek's H. Alan Scott reviews Spider-Man: Brand New Day, the latest chapter in Tom Holland's run as the wall crawler under director Destin Daniel Cretton. Then, Alan shifts gears to talk about Julien's Auctions putting one of television's most beloved props up for bid: Sophia Petrillo's purse from The Golden Girls. From blockbuster superheroes to sitcom history, this episode covers a lot of ground. Tune in for the review, the auction update and everything in between on this episode of Parting Shot. Subscribe to my newsletter: https://for-the-culture.beehiiv.com Follow me: https://linktr.ee/halanscott See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Crystal Methyd just became the first Drag Race winner out of Missouri, and she is not slowing down. She sits down with Newsweek’s H. Alan Scott to unpack her All Stars run, why she waited to return after a pandemic-era original season, and the tour she just announced: the Enchanted Forest Tour, a full stage production with dancers, puppets and chaos hitting the road soon. Then runner-up Joey Jay talks through one of the wildest arcs the franchise has ever produced: eliminated in the third bracket, brought back for the final round, then storming all the way to the top two. Joey gets honest about playing the game on RuPaul's orders, taking improv classes to sharpen the comedy, and why drag is camp first and glory second. Two friends, two very different paths to the finale, one very good conversation. Subscribe to my newsletter: https://for-the-culture.beehiiv.com Follow me: https://linktr.ee/halanscott  See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In the 1970s, Tony Powell was a star defender for Norwich City. Then he vanished. Decades later, filmmakers Ramiel Petros and Nicholas Freeman found him living as the manager and sole resident of a fading West Hollywood motel, a gay man who walked away from everything at the height of his career rather than live a lie. Petros and Freeman join H. Alan to discuss their documentary 'The Last Guest of the Holloway Motel,' how a chance encounter on Santa Monica Boulevard became their directorial debut, why Tony's story matters now and his hope that it inspires other athletes to come out. Subscribe to my newsletter: https://for-the-culture.beehiiv.com Follow me: https://linktr.ee/halanscott See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Golf has never been the loudest sport, but Netflix's The Hawk is making the case that it should be. Will Ferrell stars as Lonnie Hawkins, a pro golfer chasing the fame he had at his 2004 peak, complete with a signature drink, a colorful camper and outfits that could stop traffic on the back nine. In this two-part conversation, Ferrell and Molly Shannon, reuniting on screen for the first time since Talladega Nights, tell me why golf is such an infuriating game and what makes Lonnie so fun to play. Then Luke Wilson, Jimmy Tatro and Fortune Feimster join to debate whether golf is actually boring, share stories from the course and explain why Lonnie is the kind of guy you root for. The Hawk is streaming now on Netflix. Watch the full conversation on YouTube for more from the cast of the year's funniest new sports comedy. Subscribe to my newsletter: https://for-the-culture.beehiiv.com Follow me: https://linktr.ee/halanscott See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Reality TV is having a moment and Gibson Johns is here to break it all down. The podcast host and pop culture expert joins Newsweek’s H. Alan Scott to unpack the Zach and Bryce bromance that took over Love Island USA this season, a friendship so beloved it arguably outshined every actual couple in the villa. Then it's on to Summer House, which just landed its first ever Emmy nomination after a season of scandal that gripped the Bravoverse. And finally, the two celebrate 20 years of The Real Housewives, a franchise so dominant it just spawned an entirely new show, The Golden Life, reuniting the RHONY legends in Palm Beach. Grab a martini glass. She's startin'. Follow Gibson Johns at https://www.instagram.com/gibsonoma See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Newsweek’s H. Alan Scott sits down with Julie Klausner to talk New York's chaotic summer, the meaning of "cool" across generations and why Hulu’s Difficult People is finally getting a physical release on Blu-ray. They dig into chosen family on screen, from The Golden Girls to Will & Grace, and how friendship, not romance, has always been Julie's favorite story to tell. Julie reflects on the show's legacy, the shift from peak TV to algorithm-driven content and why she still believes in creating for its own sake. As she puts it, "my obligation as an artist" is "to make things and connect with people." Subscribe to the For the Culture newsletter: https://for-the-culture.beehiiv.com Follow @HAlanScott: https://linktr.ee/halanscott  See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Comedian Anna Roisman joins me for a packed episode covering the biggest stories in pop culture right now. First, the Emmy race for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series, which is already a two-woman fight: Lisa Kudrow for The Comeback and Jean Smart for Hacks. Nobody is debating whether they get nominated, only who takes it home.  Then, a win for movie-loving millennials. Mike Myers is returning as Austin Powers, and Jim Carrey is coming back as the Grinch with director Ron Howard. We get into why millennial nostalgia keeps working at the box office, and why more of both feels less like a cash grab and more like a gift. Finally, Madonna. Her shelved biopic wasn't exactly a ray of light for Universal, but she has turned it into a holiday for Apple TV on the next season of The Studio.  Subscribe to my newsletter: https://for-the-culture.beehiiv.com Follow me: https://linktr.ee/halanscott  See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

It is America's 250th birthday and what better way to celebrate than talking George Washington. Newsweek’s H. Alan Scott sits down with William Franklyn-Miller, the British actor stepping into his first leading role as a 21-year-old Washington in the new film Young Washington. They get into the irony of a Brit playing the father of our nation, the wooden teeth he thankfully dodged and what we still do not know about our first president. Plus bonus chats with director Jon Erwin, Kelsey Grammer and Sir Ben Kingsley (yes, you have to say Sir). Then head to Newsweek.com for H. Alan's list of the 10 best presidential performances in film and TV. Now go eat a hot dog. Subscribe to my newsletter: https://for-the-culture.beehiiv.com Follow me: https://linktr.ee/halanscott See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Tristan Schukraft is one of the most influential figures in queer life right now, and chances are you already know his work. He's the founder of MISTR, the free online platform that has become the largest prescriber of PrEP in the U.S., representing 20% of all prescriptions nationwide. He's the owner of the Abbey, the legendary West Hollywood gay bar in Los Angeles. And he's the man behind Tryst Hotels, a growing collection of boutique properties built specifically for queer travelers, with locations open and in development from Puerto Vallarta to Provincetown to Rio de Janeiro. This week, Newsweek's H. Alan Scott sits down with Schukraft to talk about why he started MISTR, how it works for both insured and uninsured patients, and why eliminating new HIV infections in the U.S. is closer to reality than most people realize. They also get into the Sister platform, National PrEP Day with Cardi B, bringing the Real Housewives to Capitol Hill and what it actually takes to preserve queer institutions at a moment when so many are disappearing. Plus, Schukraft opens up about his six boyfriends, his Razor scooter hustle and why he built his dream hotel after one too many mojitos on a Puerto Rican beach. Subscribe to my newsletter: https://for-the-culture.beehiiv.com Follow me: https://linktr.ee/halanscott See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.