Culture Show co-hosts Jared Bowen, Callie Crossley and Edgar B. Herwick III go over the latest headlines on our arts and culture week-in-review.

First up, Emilia Pérez.  Two weeks ago the movie seemed destined for Oscars gold with 13 nominations. Now leading actress Karla Sofía Gascón’s Academy Award campaign is in tatters amid a string of controversies that has Netflix  distancing itself  from her.

Plus some of the greatest poets have called Massachusetts home– from Robert Frost to Robert Pinsky,  Emily Dickenson to Tracy K. Smith, but the state didn't have a home for them. That all changed on Monday when Governor Healey  signed an executive order, creating  a poet laureate of Massachusetts.  

And McDonald's Shamrock Shake is back and so is its long lost mascot–who looks like he’s gathered some moss–the verdant Uncle O'Grimacey. 

Finally, it’s an auction with strings attached. A Stradivarius violin could fetch a record 18 million dollars.

Chelsea Spear, the poet with the golden ukulele joins The Culture Show for an in studio performance and to talk about her latest endeavor. She is the creative force behind the ukulele power pop project “Travels with Brindle” Her latest  album, “No. 1 in Heaven Starring Travels With Brindle,” will be released on March 7th. On February 7th she drops her title track followed by a single release party that evening  at the Lilypad in Cambridge. To learn more about the single release party go here. To explore her music, go here.

From there, Culture Show contributor Joyce Kulhawik joins us for another edition of “Stage and Screen,” which is a roundup of the plays and movies in theaters now. Joyce Kulhawik is an Emmy-award winning arts and entertainment reporter, president of the Boston Theatre Critics Association and you can find her reviews at Joyce’sChoices.

Filmmaker Bruce David Klein discusses his latest documentary “Liza: A Truly Terrific Absolutely True Story.”  Its Boston premiere is February 7th at the Regent Theatre in Arlington. Bruce David Klein will be there for a Q and A. To learn more about the event go here.

From there Mahesh Daas, president of Boston Architectural College, joins The Culture Show for his recurring feature “AI: Actual intelligence,” where we tap into the most interesting thinkers in our region. His insights and observations are totally original and algorithm free.  This month we’re talking about what it will take to rebuild Southern California in the wake of the wildfires. Mahesh Daas is the co-author of the  graphic novella about artificial intelligence, titled “I, Nobot.” 

The Tony and Emmy-award winning actor, writer and singer Alan Cumming joins The Culture Show to talk about his hit reality TV series, “The Traitors,”  which kicked off season three last month. To keep abreast of everything Alan Cumming is up to, go here.

From there the thrash metal band from Waipu, New Zealand, Alien Weaponry, joins  The Culture Show ahead of tonight’s 7:00 show at the Royale. To learn more about the concert, go here.

Finally, independent filmmaker, actor  and author Joyn Sayles joins The Culture Show to talk about his latest novel “To Save the Man,”which sheds  light on an American tragedy: the Wounded Knee Massacre, and the ‘cultural genocide’ experienced by the Native American children at the Carlisle Indian Industrial School. On February 5th you can catch John Sayles at 6:00  in East Sandwich at an event at Titcomb’s Bookshop. To learn more go here, On February 6th you can catch him at the Duxbury Senior Center at 3:00, and on February 7th he’ll be in Guilford, CT at the Guilford Free Library at 6:00.

Courtney Swain, a multi-instrumentalist, composer, vocalist, songwriter and sound artist joined The Culture Show for an in-studio performance. We were also joined by Nicole Taney, Artistic Director at Celebrity Series. On February 11th Courtney Swain will be performing at the Crystal Ballroom in Somerville, as part of the contemporary music festival, Stave Sessions, which is presented by Celebrity Series. To learn more about the show go here.

From there  the innovative photographer Abelardo Morell joins The Culture Show to talk about his technique and his exhibition, now on view at the Clark Art Institute  through February 17th, “Abelardo Morell: In the Company of Monet and Constable.” To learn more about the exhibition go here.

Finally, we get an overview of  “The Life & Times of Michael K,” with puppet master Craig Leo and actress Sandra Prinsloo. It’s a theatrical adaptation of JM Coetzee's 1983 novel, using exquisite puppetry to bring the story to life. A collaboration between South Africa’s Baxter Theater and Handspring Puppet Company,  it’s  presented by ArtsEmerson, onstage at the Emerson Paramount Center through February 9th. To learn more, go here.

Today Jared Bowen, Edgar B. Herwick III and Culture Show contributor Lisa Simmons go over the latest headlines on our arts and culture week- in- review.

First up, the Smithsonian Institution. They’re closing their DEI office and freezing federal hiring, following President Trump’s mandate. Even though the Smithsonian is not a federal agency, it gets  a big chunk of funding from federal appropriations. So what  will this mean for its many museums?

And while representation might be purged from federal agencies, the opera house is a different story.  After 138  years of hiding in plain sight, the first complete opera by a Black American composer gets its debut.

Plus, Mona Lisa has something to smile about. Amid renovations at the Louvre, she’s going to get a room of her own.

Finally, a recap of FireAid,  the  benefit concert raising funds for wildfire recovery and prevention.

Fabiola Méndez,  the celebrated Puerto Rican cuatrista and singer, joins The Culture Show for an in-studio performance.  Méndez and her ensemble are performing February 8th, as part of CROMA Space’s 2025 season. CROMA Space, which is located in Boston’s historic Arlington Street Church, is dedicated to Latin American cultural diversity. To learn more about this upcoming show go here.

From there, Oren Etzioni. The computer scientist and Artificial Intelligence pioneer is a self-described AI optimist. He’s also a  realist who is alarmed by the downsides of AI, such as disinformation.  He recently founded TrueMedia.org,  which offers tools for fighting A.I.-manipulated content, such as deep fakes.

Finally, it’s time for Actual Intelligence with Culture Show contributor Lisa Simmons, Executive Director of Roxbury International film Festival. She discusses all things movies, from the Oscar nominations to Sundance to the local film series that are showing across Boston, including two upcoming events featuring Lisa Simmons 1) Amplifying Voices Film Festival at The Cabot this weekend. To learn more, go here. And next weekend  Lisa Simmons will moderate a panel following the screening of “Look Into My Eyes,” at Emerson Paramount Center. To learn more, go here.

The musical “Funny Girl,” is coming to town by way of  Broadway in Boston. We get a preview with actress Hannah Shankman who stars as Fanny Brice. “Funny Girl” is onstage at Citizens Opera House February 4th through February 16th. To learn more go here.

From there, the Boston Athenaeum has launched its newest exhibition, “Frank M. Costantino: Visionary Projects,” presenting the drawings of eminent Boston-based architectural illustrator Frank M. Costantino.  Lauren Graves, Associate Curator at the Boston Athenaeum and Frank M. Costantino join The Culture Show for a preview. To learn more about the exhibition, which is on view through May 3rd go here.

Finally, The Boston Symphony Orchestra, in collaboration with Boston Lyric Opera, presents Erich Wolfgang Korngold’s “Die tote Stadt.” Showcasing soprano Christine Goerke in her role debut, Goerke joins The Culture Show along with Tony Fogg, the BSO's Vice-President of Artistic Planning, for an overview.  “Die tote Stadt” will be performed on January 30th and February 1st at Symphony Hall. To learn more go here.

Playwright Jordan E. Cooper  joins The Culture Show to talk about his play “Ain’t No Mo,’” a satirical take on racism in America, which garnered six Tony award nominations. “Ain’t No Mo’” is a co-production by SpeakEasy Stage Company and Front Porch Arts Collective. It’s onstage through February 8th at Roberts Studio Theatre, Calderwood Pavilion. To learn more, go here.

From there, storied independent record label Run For Cover Records is celebrating its 20th anniversary – teaming up with The Bowery Presents – for “Something In The Way,”  a two-day indie rock, emo, and shoegaze festival taking place at Roadrunner this weekend, February 1st and 2nd. Tom Chiari, label manager at Run For Cover Records, joins The Culture Show for an overview. To learn more go here.

Finally, National Book Award–winning writer Imani Perry joins The Culture Show to talk about her latest book “Black in Blues: How a Color Tells the Story of My People.”  It’s a meditation on the color blue and its  role in Black history and culture. Tonight at 6:00 she’ll be at The Brattle Theatre at an event sponsored by Harvard Book Store. To learn more about the event, go here.

Alton Brown, the television personality, food show presenter, food scientist, author, voice actor, and cinematographer joins The Culture Show to talk about his new book  “Food for Thought: Essays and Ruminations.”  It’s a debut collection of personal essays defined by his flair, wit, and insight. On February 8th at 1:00 you can catch Alton Brown at a book signing event at Harvard Book Store, more details here. Brown will  return to Boston by way of his “Last Bite”  tour at the Boch Center Wang Theatre on March 14th. To learn more go here.

From there Beth Gilligan, Deputy Director at Coolidge Corner Theatre, previews their upcoming series “Cary Grant: The Man From Dream City,” which runs February 4th through February 25th. To learn more go here.

Finally Kate Hamill, actor and playwright, joins The Culture Show to talk about “The Odyssey. ” Commissioned by the American Repertory Theater, Hamill turns a contemporary lens on Homer’s “Odyssey,” reimagining the stories of both Odysseus and his wife, Penelope, and asking  how we can learn to embrace healing and forgiveness in order to end cycles of violence and revenge. “The Odyssey,” is onstage at ART’s Loeb Drama Center February 9th through March 16th. To learn more go here.