The Culture Show Uncut - 2008/2009 - Episode 24

On the tenth anniversary of Heat magazine, Mark Kermode and Miranda Sawyer go head to head on the merits of Heat and celebrity culture in general. Mark thinks Heat is a force of evil and symbolises everything that is wrong with culture today. Miranda thinks he needs to wise up and that the magazine has had a huge impact on modern life, even changing society for the better. Continuing his look at American TV Greg Dyke meets Alan Ball, writer of American Beauty and the man behind HBO's Six Feet Under and new vampire show True Blood. Martin McDonagh has just received an Oscar nomination for Best Original Screenplay for his first feature film, In Bruges. Mark Kermode speaks to the director about writing and directing the film and moving into movies from his theatre background. Plus a profile of Glasgow-based artist David Shrigley, and there's music from Canadian band Ladyhawk and Franz Ferdinand.