Caroll Spinney, Who Played Big Bird And Oscar On 'Sesame Street,' Dies At 85
The actor and puppeteer performed on the popular TV show from its very first episode in 1969 until his retirement last year.
Arts
'Mahna Mahna' (Do Do Do Do Do, Do Do Do Do) Turns 50
One of the goofiest earworms just celebrated a big anniversary. Journalist Jennifer Van Evra explores the song's surprising history — and traces it back to a sexy Italian film.
For 'Frozen II,' Kristen Bell Found Inspiration In Personal Pain
In the sequel, the story of the sister princesses veers into darker territory that Bell says is rooted in a darkness present in both her own life, as well as those of her collaborators.
In 'Parker Looks Up,' A 2-Year-Old Shares A Moment With Michelle Obama
In 2018, a photo of Parker Curry looking at a portrait of Michelle Obama went viral. Within a week, she got to meet the first lady. Parker tells the story in a new book she co-authored with her mom.
Opinion: This Art Is Bananas
A banana taped to a wall was sold for $120,000 as a piece of art. NPR's Scott Simon wonders how it makes people think about the passage of time.
Not My Job: Ali Wong, Comic And Author Of 'Dear Girls,' Gets Quizzed On Girl Deer
Wong's new memoir is called Dear Girls, so we've invited her to answer three questions about deer girls, as in: female deer.
'Reverie' Dreams Outside The Box
Ryan LaSala's new novel imagines a world where people get swept up in dangerous, all-encompassing dreams — and only a damaged, anmesiac kid and his friends have the power to fight them.
Sock It To Me: In Praise Of An Evergreen Holiday Gift
It's the Christmas gift for when you can't think of what else to give — socks! And they're having their fashion-world moment, says Steven Frumkin, a dean at the Fashion Institute of Technology.
Clarity Isn't The Point In Confusing, Absorbing 'Dead Astronauts'
Jeff Vandermeer's new novel, set on a far-future, post-apocalyptic earth, follows a trio of only vaguely human astronauts through a shifting, allegorical story that jumps back and forth across time.
Tony And Emmy Award Winning Actor Ron Liebman Dies At 82
Liebman, who played a wide range of roles in films, the stage and television, is perhaps most popularly known for his role as the father of Jennifer Anniston's Rachel Green on "Friends."