Pop Culture

Sophie Calle, at a private concert by Pharrell Williams in Paris on May 26, 2014. Pharrell contributed to the album Souris Calle, in tribute to Sophie Calle's dead cat.

Bono, Pharrell, Laurie Anderson And More Memorialize A... Cat

2:22pm October 16, 2018

by Andrew Flanagan

French artist Sophie Calle's cat died in 2014. To mourn him, Calle asked dozens of musicians — including Michael Stipe, The National and Jarvis Cocker — to memorialize him.

Barbershop: Celebrities Choosing To Publicly Share Their Political Views

6:14pm October 13, 2018

NPR's Shereen Marisol Meraji speaks with NPR's Rodney Carmichael, Rolling Stone's Tessa Stuart and Huffington Post's Julia Craven about the decision of major celebrities to reveal their political leanings while also risking alienating their fans.

Gmorning, Gnight! by Lin-Manuel Miranda and Jonny Sun

Books
Arts

In 'Gmorning, Gnight!' Jonny Sun And Lin-Manuel Miranda Craft A Peppy Pick-Me-Up

7:56pm October 12, 2018

by Ailsa Chang

What if, instead of reaching compulsively for your phone for comfort and distraction, you could pick up a book? That's what Lin-Manuel Miranda and illustrator Jonny Sun aimed for in their new book.

Queue Listen Now

Pop, Six, Squish, Uh Uh, West Covina, Lipschitz: Rebecca (Rachel Bloom) attempts to escape the prison of her guilt in Crazy Ex-Girlfriend.

Arts

In Its Final Season 'Crazy Ex-Girlfriend' Comes In For A Landing, Claims Its Baggage

1:45pm October 12, 2018

by Glen Weldon

It's a musical comedy! It's a romantic comedy! Mostly, however, it's a dark comedy. But in CExG's fourth and final season, Rebecca (Rachel Bloom), and the entire cast, are inching towards the light.

Based on the memoirs of an addict and his father, the film stars Timothée Chalamet (left) as Nic Sheff and Steve Carell as David Sheff in a story about the ways addiction narratives don't tend to end neatly — or at all.

Arts

Addiction Without An Ending In 'Beautiful Boy'

5:00pm October 11, 2018

by Linda Holmes

Based on the memoirs of an addict and his father, the film stars Timothée Chalamet and Steve Carell in a story about the ways addiction narratives don't tend to end neatly — or at all.

"DO go on": Ike Barinholtz and Tiffany Haddish star in The Oath.

Arts

'The Oath': A House Divided Against Itself, A Family You Cannot Stand

5:00pm October 11, 2018

by Andrew Lapin

Ike Barinholtz writes, directs and produces this timely comedy about a family whose deep political divide widens even further over Thanksgiving dinner. Sloppy at times, but its satiric aim is true.

Nobody, not even the rain, has such small hands: Jimmy (Parker Sevak) and Lisa (Maggie Gyllenhaal) in The Kindergarten Teacher.

Arts

In 'The Kindergarten Teacher,' Gyllenhaal's Nuanced Performance Earns A Gold Star

5:00pm October 11, 2018

by Mark Jenkins

Writer-director Sarah Colangelo's film features a finely calibrated performance from Maggie Gyllenhaal as a teacher obsessed with a student. The result is a "keenly excruciating" tragedy.

Ryan Gosling as Neil Armstrong in First Man.

Arts

'First Man' Considers Glory, Grief And A Famous Walk On The Moon

10:15am October 11, 2018

by Linda Holmes

Ryan Gosling plays Neil Armstrong in a story about the noise, heat and struggle it takes to overcome forces to which you're meant to surrender.

A big bird and her chicks: Alyssa Edwards teaches dance in Mesquite, Texas, in the reality series Dancing Queen.

Arts

'Dancing Queen': Alyssa Edwards Doesn't Let Dance Moms Drag Her Down

5:00am October 11, 2018

by Glen Weldon

The Netflix reality series follows drag queen Alyssa Edwards (and her alter ego, Justin Johnson) through her/his offstage life as a dance instructor in Texas.

Don't be TARDIS for the ... part ... is. Yasmin (Mandip Gill), Graham (Bradley Walsh), The Doctor (Jodie Whittaker) and Ryan (Tosin Cole) in the new season of Doctor Who.

Arts

'Doctor Who' Goes Back To Basics, With A Twist

5:35pm October 07, 2018

by Glen Weldon

In a down-to-earth yet emotional season opener, Doctor Who introduces Jodie Whittaker's Doctor and her three companions.