Accessibility links
Pop Culture News and commentary on popular culture trends. Download the Pop Culture podcast.

Pop Culture

Jon Hamm

Jon Hamm attends the premiere of FOX's Lucy In The Sky at Darryl Zanuck Theater at FOX Studios on September 25, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. Rodin Eckenroth/Getty Images hide caption

toggle caption
Rodin Eckenroth/Getty Images

Bullseye with Jesse Thorn

Jon Hamm

Jon Hamm is an actor with a lot of range. He can do serious, and he can definitely do funny. When he last joined us on the show, he had just starred in a comic noir called Maggie Moore(s). A film with a perfect mix of serious and funny. He chatted with us about that film, how he landed his memorable role on Mad Men, and much more.

Listen to this Epsiode

Listen · 37:31
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/1197961491/1257860495" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
Zoë Kravitz's 'Blink Twice' is a very weird and ambitious big swing

Channing Tatum stars as Slater King in Blink Twice. Zachary Greenwood/Amazon MGM Studios hide caption

toggle caption
Zachary Greenwood/Amazon MGM Studios

Review

Pop Culture Happy Hour

Zoë Kravitz's 'Blink Twice' is a very weird and ambitious big swing

In the new psychological thriller Blink Twice, Naomi Ackie plays a woman who is invited to the private island of a tech billionaire, played by Channing Tatum. He's recently re-entered public life after a scandal and has gathered his friends for a long party. But as the party stretches on, it's clear that something is seriously amiss. Blink Twice is the directorial debut of Zoë Kravitz, and the vibes are definitely pretty weird.

Zoë Kravitz's 'Blink Twice' is a very weird and ambitious big swing

Listen · 25:34
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/1197968187/1257688475" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript
"The Squad" loses two members; plus, Colman Domingo shines in 'SING SING'

U.S. Rep. Jamaal Bowman, D-N.Y., and U.S. Rep. Cori Bush, D-Mo. Michael B. Thomas/Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images hide caption

toggle caption
Michael B. Thomas/Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images

It's Been a Minute

"The Squad" loses two members; plus, Colman Domingo shines in 'SING SING'

As the dust settles on the DNC, host Brittany Luse takes a look at the challenges facing a group of progressive democrats commonly known as "The Squad." Incumbent Reps. Cori Bush in Missouri and Jamaal Bowman in New York lost their seats this summer to candidates whose campaigns received funding from pro-Israel PACs. Brittany is joined by POLITICO Congress reporter Sarah Ferris and Capital B News national politics reporter Brandon Tensley to understand how these PACs are impacting progressives in Congress.

"The Squad" loses two members; plus, Colman Domingo shines in 'SING SING'

Listen · 35:27
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/1198005980/1257717247" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript
ScarLip

(Photo by Raven B. Varona) Raven B. Varona/Courtesy of Epic Records hide caption

toggle caption
Raven B. Varona/Courtesy of Epic Records

Bullseye with Jesse Thorn

ScarLip

ScarLip is hip-hop's next rising star with her forceful flow and energy inspired by the late rapper DMX. She's just been named to XXL's 2024 freshman class and received the stamp of approval from hip-hop giants Busta Rhymes and Snoop Dogg. We get into her ascent in the game, breath control while performing, and staying in school against all odds. Plus: What's a Glizzy? We answer that and so much more.

ScarLip

Listen · 40:01
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/1197961447/1257706585" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
The reality TV shows we'd actually win

Ted Allen on Chopped. Food Network hide caption

toggle caption
Food Network

Review

Pop Culture Happy Hour

The reality TV shows we'd actually win

Part of the fun of reality TV is putting yourself in the shoes of the people you're watching. Maybe you'd make a great Real Housewife. Maybe you could win The Amazing Race. Maybe you could even win the fickle hand of The Bachelor. We're not here to make friends, but we are here to pick the reality shows that we think could thrive on.

The reality TV shows we'd actually win

Listen · 16:52
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/1197968176/1257533778" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript
The Bay Area SMACKDOWN: Maya Angelou vs. Harvey Milk vs. MC Hammer

San Francisco. Harvey Milk. MC Hammer. Maya Angelou. Getty Images hide caption

toggle caption
Getty Images

It's Been a Minute

The Bay Area SMACKDOWN: Maya Angelou vs. Harvey Milk vs. MC Hammer

Who will win today's cage match?

The Bay Area SMACKDOWN: Maya Angelou vs. Harvey Milk vs. MC Hammer

Listen · 28:25
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/1197958354/1257508761" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript
John Cena

Noel (John Cena) and Katie (Awkwafina) in JACKPOT! Daniel McFadden/IMAGE COURTESY OF AMAZON MGM STUDIOS hide caption

toggle caption
Daniel McFadden/IMAGE COURTESY OF AMAZON MGM STUDIOS

Bullseye with Jesse Thorn

John Cena

Entering the studio with Jesse Thorn on the latest episode is John Cena. The wrestler turned actor talks about his path to the ring and Hollywood. John recently announced his imminent retirement from wrestling – he talked with us about that decision. Plus, John's always wanted to learn how to play piano, and he's thought of a way to make that happen. His latest project is an action comedy called Jackpot! in which he stars alongside Awkwafina. You can stream it now on Amazon Prime.

John Cena

Listen · 39:03
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/1197961376/1257507978" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
The physical media we still treasure
Mikhail Dmitriev/Getty Images

Pop Culture Happy Hour

The physical media we still treasure

The vinyl record, the CD, the DVD, the VHS tape — even the paper book has been the subject of debate and concern over its future. But we haven't given up our collections just yet. Today, we're revisiting our conversation about the physical media we still treasure.

The physical media we still treasure

Listen · 14:52
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/1197968183/1257401908" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
'The Sixth Sense' and a career of plot twists

1999 Haley Joel Osment And Bruce Willis Star In "The Sixth Sense." (Photo By Getty Images) Getty Images/Getty Images hide caption

toggle caption
Getty Images/Getty Images

Consider This from NPR

'The Sixth Sense' and a career of plot twists

Twenty-five years ago this month, one film, and one filmmaker, became synonymous with the big plot twist.

'The Sixth Sense' and a career of plot twists

Listen · 11:16
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/1198913084/1257407716" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript
The Twin Cities SMACKDOWN: The Peanuts vs. Prince vs. Dungeons & Dragons

Minneapolis. Dungeons & Dragons. Snoopy. Prince. Getty Images hide caption

toggle caption
Getty Images

It's Been a Minute

The Twin Cities SMACKDOWN: The Peanuts vs. Prince vs. Dungeons & Dragons

Who will win today's cage match?

The Twin Cities SMACKDOWN: The Peanuts vs. Prince vs. Dungeons & Dragons

Listen · 30:22
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/1197958328/1257364422" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript
'Didi' captures the awkwardness of adolescence almost too well

Izaac Wang stars as Chris Wang in Didi. Focus Features hide caption

toggle caption
Focus Features

Review

Pop Culture Happy Hour

'Didi' captures the awkwardness of adolescence almost too well

The movie Didi is a vibrant coming-of-age dramedy and was a Sundance film festival favorite. It stars Izaac Wang as a 13-year-old just trying to survive the awkwardness of puberty as a Taiwanese-American kid living in the Bay Area. He's got a crush to impress, complicated friendships to navigate, and family members who are sooooo embarrassing. Didi was directed by Sean Wang, who earned an Oscar nomination earlier this year for his documentary short Nai Nai & Wai Po.

'Didi' captures the awkwardness of adolescence almost too well

Listen · 14:48
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/1197968117/1257264812" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript
Race, Romance and Reality TV
Jackie Lay

Code Switch

Race, Romance and Reality TV

Reality TV has been referred to as a funhouse mirror of our culture. But even with its distortions, it can reflect back to us what we accept as a society – especially when it comes to things like gender, sexuality and race.

Race, Romance and Reality TV

Listen · 33:54
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/1197958323/1257191616" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript
$#@*! we're talking profanity in pop culture
Getty Images

Pop Culture Happy Hour

$#@*! we're talking profanity in pop culture

We've got dirty words on the brain, and we're chatting about the use and functions of profanity in entertainment. In this encore episode from 2013, we cover everything from Anchorman to South Park to Shakespeare.

$#@*! we're talking profanity in pop culture

Listen · 16:04
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/1197968113/1257184881" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
Hunter Schafer's 'Cuckoo' serves up Alpine horror

Hunter Schafer in Cuckoo. Felix Dickinson/Neon hide caption

toggle caption
Felix Dickinson/Neon

Review

Pop Culture Happy Hour

Hunter Schafer's 'Cuckoo' serves up Alpine horror

In the new, stylishly odd horror film Cuckoo, Hunter Schafer plays an American teenager who reluctantly moves with her family to a mysterious resort in the German Alps. Her rebellious spirit clashes with the resort's creepy proprietor, played by Dan Stevens. When weird stuff starts happening, long-buried family secrets come to light and the resort's true nature stands revealed.

Hunter Schafer's 'Cuckoo' serves up Alpine horror

Listen · 16:04
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/1197968106/1257045709" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript
'It Ends With Us' is a melodrama with serious undertones

Blake Lively in It Ends With Us. Sony Pictures hide caption

toggle caption
Sony Pictures

Review

Pop Culture Happy Hour

'It Ends With Us' is a melodrama with serious undertones

The 2016 Colleen Hoover novel It Ends With Us was a massive bestseller. And now that book is a movie. Blake Lively stars as Lily Bloom, a woman who falls for a hot neurosurgeon played by Justin Baldoni — who also directs the film. But their relationship is complicated by the return of her old flame (Brandon Sklenar). She also has to reckon with her feelings about her abusive father and the mother who stayed with him.

'It Ends With Us' is a melodrama with serious undertones

Listen · 28:22
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/1197968037/1257007544" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript
Three great fiction audiobooks
Angela Hsieh/NPR

Review

Pop Culture Happy Hour

Three great fiction audiobooks

It's summer, and whether you're taking a trip – or simply staying out of the heat with the AC running – there's nothing like relaxing with a good audiobook. So in this encore episode, we are recommending three of our favorite fiction audiobooks.

Three great fiction audiobooks

Listen · 7:27
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/1197968001/1256888478" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
If you're on the fence(-ing), here's why we love the Olympics

Simone Biles celebrates during the Women's Gymnastics Team Final medal ceremony at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Naomi Baker/Getty Images hide caption

toggle caption
Naomi Baker/Getty Images

Pop Culture Happy Hour

If you're on the fence(-ing), here's why we love the Olympics

There is nothing better for the summer doldrums than a blast of Olympic glory. For a couple of weeks this summer, athletes are showing us how they flip, run, swim, climb, and paddle and even breakdance to prove they are the best in the world. We're checking in with the 2024 Olympics, including wins for gymnast Simone Biles, swimmer Katie Ledecky, and sprinter Noah Lyles.

If you're on the fence(-ing), here's why we love the Olympics

Listen · 24:29
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/1197967987/1256815571" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript
Colman Domingo's 'Sing Sing' is a rare empathetic prison drama

(l-r) Colman Domingo and Clarence Maclin in Sing Sing. A24 hide caption

toggle caption
A24

Review

Pop Culture Happy Hour

Colman Domingo's 'Sing Sing' is a rare empathetic prison drama

The moving drama Sing Sing stars Colman Domingo as the leader of a tight-knit theatre ensemble within one of the most notorious maximum-security prisons in the United States. Most of the cast are alumni of the actual program who had input on the filmmaking process. The movie showcases the ups and downs of putting on a show without being overly sentimental or cliché.

Colman Domingo's 'Sing Sing' is a rare empathetic prison drama

Listen · 17:22
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/1197967995/1256656089" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript
M. Night Shyamalan lays his own parent 'Trap,' and it's truly bonkers

Josh Hartnett in Trap. Warner Bros. Pictures hide caption

toggle caption
Warner Bros. Pictures

Review

Pop Culture Happy Hour

M. Night Shyamalan lays his own parent 'Trap,' and it's truly bonkers

M. Night Shyamalan's new thriller Trap stars Josh Hartnett as a father attending a pop concert with his teenage daughter. But all is not as it appears. It quickly turns out that the entire concert is surrounded by police who are trying to catch a dangerous serial killer in the most difficult way possible. There is a lot going on in this bonkers movie: lots of pop songs, and lots of strange decision-making.

M. Night Shyamalan lays his own parent 'Trap,' and it's truly bonkers

Listen · 25:22
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/1197967945/1256687352" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript
'House Of The Dragon' season 2 makes it Rhaen(yra)

Emma D'Arcy as Rhaenyra Targaryen in House of the Dragon. Theo Whiteman/HBO hide caption

toggle caption
Theo Whiteman/HBO

Review

Pop Culture Happy Hour

'House Of The Dragon' season 2 makes it Rhaen(yra)

The second season of HBO's House of the Dragon is almost over. The war between two rival factions of the Targaryen dynasty is fully underway, complete with stealth missions, palace intrigue, battle scenes and hot dragon-on-dragon action. But now that the Dance of the Dragons is in full swing, has the Game of Thrones prequel finally hit its stride?

'House Of The Dragon' season 2 makes it Rhaen(yra)

Listen · 22:56
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/1197967906/1256512882" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript
'Time Bandits' maps contemporary vibes over a cult classic

Lisa Kudrow as Penelope in Time Bandits. Apple TV+ hide caption

toggle caption
Apple TV+

Review

Pop Culture Happy Hour

'Time Bandits' maps contemporary vibes over a cult classic

The dryly funny new Apple TV+ series Time Bandits reimagines the 1981 Terry Gilliam film of the same name. A squad of inept thieves — including their sort-of leader, played by Lisa Kudrow — have stolen a map of the universe. They use it to jump through portals to various time periods to steal stuff. One jump takes them into the bedroom of a British kid (Kal-El Tuck), who tags along as they're chased by Taika Waititi's Supreme Being and Jemaine Clement's Pure Evil.

'Time Bandits' maps contemporary vibes over a cult classic

Listen · 21:43
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/1197967901/1256428148" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript
We're talking songs of the (Brat) summer

Charli XCX. Harley Weir/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

toggle caption
Harley Weir/Courtesy of the artist

Pop Culture Happy Hour

We're talking songs of the (Brat) summer

Trying to declare the "official" song of the summer isn't a new sport. But this year feels like the first in a while where the field's been so crowded from the domination of pop girls like Charli XCX, Sabrina Carpenter, and Chappell Roan to country twang with Post Malone, Morgan Wallen, and Shaboozey. Today, we discussing the songs and artists who seem to be everywhere this summer, and why they are so catchy and inescapable.

We're talking songs of the (Brat) summer

Listen · 26:57
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/1197967894/1256368032" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript
Browse archive or search npr.org