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TV Networks Hope Familiar Faces Bring Viewers To New Fall ShowsOn Sunday's Weekend Edition , a discussion about the familiar faces coming to fall television, including Matthew Perry, Connie Britton, and Vanessa Williams.
npr.org | 20-May-2012 12:00
Pop Culture Happy Hour: TV Season Postmortem, Old People, Young People
On this week's show, we talk about how the recently concluded TV season went, we touch on pop culture portrayals of older and younger people, and as always, we discuss what's making us happy this week.
npr.org | 18-May-2012 18:56
What To Expect When You're Expecting In A Movie
It's tempting to hope the new film based on the self-help book of the same name will be better than the poster that's promoting it: It has some genuinely funny people in it, and a writer who scored a hit with Whip It .
npr.org | 18-May-2012 14:43
Why Do Crowds Do Absurd Things In Public?
Charlie Todd causes bizarre, hilarious and unexpected public scenes with his group, Improv Everywhere — like 70 synchronized dancers in storefront windows, and the annual no-pants subway ride.
npr.org | 17-May-2012 07:14
How Many People Can You Fit In A Star Wars Remake?
Everyone loves Star Wars . At least that's what Casey Pugh was banking on when he "asked the Internet" to remake the entire film in 15-second increments.
npr.org | 17-May-2012 06:37
Thank The Patron Saint Of Bakers For This Cake Today
Pictures of Saint Honore or (Saint Honoratus) from church iconography reinforce his baker background . He's holding his wooden peel, often with a few delicious-looking loaves of crusty French bread nearby.
npr.org | 16-May-2012 21:27
'Kickstart Shakespeare': Of Sonnets, Beer, And Online Fundraising
"It was written for the masses," says the director of a New York organization raising money to bring Shakespeare's work to new audiences.
npr.org | 16-May-2012 21:15
Networks Hope Comedy Will Be King Of TV This Fall
This week, the big broadcast TV networks are in New York City to sell their new shows to the ad buyers. Melissa Block talks to TV critic Eric Deggans about the shows we'll see in the fall.
npr.org | 16-May-2012 21:00
'Hecklevision:' Leave Your Phone On At This Movie
Portland, Ore., is one of the cities trying something new in movie theaters — encouraging audience members to heckle via text messages. The jokes and comments appear on the big screen. Robert Siegel talks with Erik Henriksen of the Portland Mercury alternative weekly about this week's offering — Point Break .
npr.org | 16-May-2012 21:00
ABC's Fall Schedule: Reba McEntire, Country Music, And Satan The Landlord
ABC's new schedule features some old favorites, a return to an old comedy structure, and two different country-themed shows.
npr.org | 16-May-2012 17:55
Yul Kwon, From Bullying Target To Reality TV Star
Korean-American Yul Kwon went from being bullied in school, to being named one of People magazine's 'Sexiest Men Alive.' The Yale-educated lawyer catapulted to stardom when he won the reality TV show Survivor. He talks with host Michel Martin about his efforts to change the game for Asians and how they're reflected in media.
npr.org | 15-May-2012 22:41
Long-Term Investments On Shaky Stocks: 'New Girl' And 'Smash' End Their Seasons
Commentator Marc Hirsh considers the viewer investment required to let an uneven pilot develop as a series, and how that process went very differently for two of this season's most hyped shows.
npr.org | 14-May-2012 22:06
Johnny Carson Gets The 'Masters' Treatment
Monday night on PBS, American Masters presents a two-hour biography of Johnny Carson. Carson retired 20 years ago this month, and vacated a throne that TV critic David Bianculli says no one has managed to claim since.
npr.org | 14-May-2012 18:20
Pounding Away At America's Obesity Epidemic
One-third of Americans today are obese, and another third are overweight. A new HBO documentary series, The Weight of the Nation , explores how our country got this way and what can be done to tackle the growing national health crisis.
npr.org | 14-May-2012 17:42
NBC Upfronts: Six New Shows, And 'Community' On Fridays
We look at what's ahead on NBC this fall, including another attempt to reboot Matthew Perry and a show taking the position that men raising kids is inherently hilarious.
npr.org | 14-May-2012 16:10
How TV Brought Gay People Into Our Homes
From Will and Grace to Modern Family , studies show getting to know gay characters on television has changed Americans' attitudes toward homosexuality. One researcher says it's an effect that could snowball.
npr.org | 12-May-2012 22:30
Pop Culture Happy Hour: Of 'Avengers' And The Other A-List
With Linda on vacation, an all-boys lineup discusses a big movie, bigger stars and happy things.
npr.org | 11-May-2012 18:48
Obama Heads To Hollywood; Conservative Group Mocks 'Celebrity President'
On Thursday, some of Hollywood's top stars and deepest pockets will congregate at the Studio City, Calif., home of actor George Clooney to mingle with President Obama and raise money for his re-election campaign. At least one conservative group is deriding Obama as a "celebrity president."
npr.org | 10-May-2012 18:37
What Inspires Singer Simone
Actress and singer Lisa Celeste is better known by her stage name, Simone. She's the daughter of the late legendary singer Nina Simone, and she's appeared on Broadway in musicals such as Rent and Aida . As part of the series, In Your Ear, she shares the songs on her personal playlist.
npr.org | 10-May-2012 18:00
'Dark Shadows': The Birth Of The Modern TV Vampire
When it comes to monsters on television, vampires have the market cornered. And so popular are TV vampires that opening this weekend is a movie based on the grand-sire of all vampire TV shows: Dark Shadows . Elizabeth Blair takes a look at the evolution of a TV character that will never die.
npr.org | 10-May-2012 08:57
Celebrity Hairstylist Vidal Sassoon Dies At 84
Sassoon developed a popular line of shampoos and styling products bearing his name. His slogan was "If you don't look good, we don't look good."
npr.org | 09-May-2012 21:44
10 Things I Hate About 'American Idol' (Besides The Singing And The Judging)
As we near the finale of the current season of American Idol , a look at some of the show's annoyances, great and small.
npr.org | 09-May-2012 21:29
Hairstylist Vidal Sassoon Was Fashion Revolutionary
The British hairstylist who rode the Mod scene in London to international fame and fortune has died. Vidal Sassoon created the short, angular haircuts that became a rage in the 1960's. His personality and fashion sense helped him create a hair care empire.
npr.org | 09-May-2012 21:00
Maurice Sendak, 'Really Rosie' and The Intelligence Of Children
On the passing of Maurice Sendak, a look at Really Rosie , his collaboration with Carole King and one of the greatest children's albums ever.
npr.org | 08-May-2012 21:12
What HBO And iCarly Can Do To Get Kids Psyched About Veggies
As part of efforts to spotlight obesity, health officials are betting that HBO and Nickelodeon entertainment companies can teach kids it's cool to form healthy eating habits that last a lifetime.
npr.org | 07-May-2012 21:09
Ready To Step Into Your Favorite Superhero's Shoes?
The movie The Avengers broke box office records this weekend. That's just one sign of the growing interest in comic book heroes, science fiction, and other fantasy genres. Host Michel Martin speaks with writer George Gonzalez about covering a recent convention for die-hard fantasy fans.
npr.org | 07-May-2012 18:00
Lena Dunham Addresses Criticism Aimed At 'Girls'
The creator and star of HBO's new series Girls addresses the growing backlash against the show, which follows four 20-somethings as they navigate the ups and downs of life in New York City.
npr.org | 07-May-2012 17:13
The Serious Comic Art Of Daniel Clowes
Comic artist Daniel Clowes never expected to see his cranky, rebellious characters in a museum — in fact, he often uses them to poke fun at the world of fine art. But that didn't deter the Oakland Museum of California, which is now hosting an exhibition of Clowes' work.
npr.org | 07-May-2012 08:49
George Lindsey, 'Goober Pyle' Dies At 83
Lindsey was the beanie-wearing Goober on "The Andy Griffith Show" from 1964 to 1968 and its successor, "Mayberry RFD," from 1968 to 1971. He played the same jovial character — a service station attendant — on "Hee Haw" from 1971 until it went out of production in 1993.
npr.org | 06-May-2012 21:17
This Headline Is So Meta
Why has 'meta' become a catch-all adjective for a culture that's increasingly self-referential, self-conscious, and self-parodying? Linguist Ben Zimmer says we're living in truly meta times.
npr.org | 05-May-2012 15:44
Alcoholidays In America: ¡Viva El Tequila Julep!
The way holidays stack up in this country, an outsider might be forgiven for thinking the United States seems like a party monster lurching from beer blast to beer blast. And this Saturday presents an unholy marriage on the same day: Cinco de Mayo and the Kentucky Derby. Call it Drinko de Mayo.
npr.org | 05-May-2012 00:29
Composing 'The News,' With A Musical Twist
In his "reality opera" The News, Dutch composer JacobTV weaves video of politicos and celebrities into fugues that try to get inside the heads of his subjects — and casts a questioning eye on the process of delivering the news.
npr.org | 05-May-2012 00:14
A Bit Of Sherlock Holmes In Every TV Detective
American television is crammed with super-observational, socially-maladjusted detectives who solve crimes with the help of a more normal partner. They are all clones of Sherlock Holmes — who is coming back to American TV on Sunday.
npr.org | 04-May-2012 21:00
'Slumdog' Star Dev Patel Takes On Retirement Comedy
The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel features an all-star cast of veteran British actors, as well as young star Dev Patel. Patel plays an entrepreneur with big dreams of transforming a dilapidated hotel into a luxury resort for "the elderly and beautiful." The film opens in select U.S. cities Friday. Patel talks with host Michel Martin.
npr.org | 04-May-2012 17:56
Pop Culture Happy Hour: It's Our Summer Movie Preview! Bring On The Sunscreen!
It's a summer movie preview, featuring the movies we're excited about, the movies we're dreading, and a special guest we brought from a desk very near our own.
npr.org | 04-May-2012 17:48
Implausibles, Assemble!: Other Hollywood Character Pile-Ups We'd Like To See
With The Avengers arriving in theaters, we think about what other motley collections of movie characters we could put together for superfilms.
npr.org | 03-May-2012 22:02
How To Tiptoe Into The Hot Sauce Craze
Hot sauce is one of the fastest growing industries in the U.S., and there are thousands of connoisseurs out there who call themselves chili-heads. If you're not one of them, but you'd like to learn, our experts offer some tips on how to start.
npr.org | 03-May-2012 21:37
Benedict Cumberbatch: 'Sherlock,' Smaug And Spying
Sherlock and its star return to PBS's Masterpiece Mystery for a second season Sunday. The actor talks about his 21st-century Sherlock Holmes — and about his ascendant star in Hollywood.
npr.org | 03-May-2012 20:58
Man Cannot Live On Rice And Beans Alone (But Many Do)
Rice and beans is a cultural icon in many parts of the world. It's pretty healthy and relatively cheap. It may keep people from starving, as TV personality Sean Hannity suggests, but it doesn't have all the nutrients a body needs for life.
npr.org | 03-May-2012 19:44
The Man Who Revitalized 'Doctor Who' And 'Sherlock'
TV writer and producer Steven Moffat specializes in injecting new life into old, familiar characters and stories. He first worked his magic on the revived edition of Doctor Who . Now, he's responsible for bringing to life the critically acclaimed series Sherlock .
npr.org | 03-May-2012 17:47
Julia Louis-Dreyfus: From 'Seinfeld' To 'Veep'
The actress will forever be known to millions as Elaine Benes, the character she played for nine seasons on Seinfeld . But she was also an early cast member of SNL , won an Emmy for The New Adventures of Old Christine and now stars in a new HBO comedy series called Veep .
npr.org | 03-May-2012 17:40
It's Kentucky Derby Weekend: Name Your Hypothetical Horse
We encourage you to get into the spirit of the Kentucky Derby by imagining you own a horse and giving it a name.
npr.org | 03-May-2012 16:50
Sherlock: A Character Who's More Than Elementary
What can explain the enduring popularity of Sherlock Holmes? Critic John Powers says it's that Sherlock "embodies an archetypal aspect of the human psyche" — and appeals to the part of us that loves a good mystery.
npr.org | 02-May-2012 18:27
Let's Rush To Judgment: 'The Dark Knight Rises'
We look at the new trailer for this summer's hotly anticipated The Dark Knight Rises .
npr.org | 01-May-2012 16:16
Can The Networks Ever Create Another Night Of 'Must-See TV'?
Former NBC president Warren Littlefield talks about his new book, changing viewing habits, and why there will never be another "Must-See TV" quite like the one at NBC.
npr.org | 30-Apr-2012 22:45
Identity Crisis: Your Name Is Famous But You Aren't
Average people who have the same names as celebrities will tell you they put up with a lifetime of lame jokes. Sharing names with people known for less glamorous pursuits, such as porn stars and killers, can cause real problems.
npr.org | 30-Apr-2012 17:53