Pop Culture

Amanda Crew, Thomas Middleditch, Martin Starr, T.J. Miller, Kumail Nanjiani and Zach Woods star in the HBO series Silicon Valley.

In HBO's 'Silicon Valley,' The Comedy Is Inspired By Real-Life Tech Culture

2:59pm June 09, 2016

Creator Mike Judge, co-showrunner Alec Berg and actor Thomas Middleditch discuss their series, Silicon Valley. Berg, who has family working in tech, says he has "nerd cred" in his bones.

O.J. Simpson with his mother, Eunice, and father, Jimmy Lee, on the field at Rich Stadium for his induction into the Buffalo Bills Wall of Fame in 1980.

Sports
Arts

'O.J.: Made In America' Is About America, Not O.J.

12:14pm June 09, 2016

by Linda Holmes

The five-part, 7 1/2-hour documentary series O.J.: Made in America presents an expansive, meticulously constructed examination of the O.J. Simpson trial as an enduring, vexing cultural milestone.

Actors Theresa Saldana and Joe Pesci in the 1980 film Raging Bull. Saldana died at the age of 61.

Arts

Actress, Victims Advocate Theresa Saldana Dies At 61

5:06pm June 08, 2016

by Andrew Limbong

Saldana was in films such as Raging Bull. In 1982, she was stabbed 10 times by an obsessed fan. She survived the attack and later helped start support groups for other victims of violent crimes.

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John Hetlinger, 82, unleashed his version of the heavy metal song "Bodies" on a karaoke audience two years ago. Tuesday, he rocked America's Got Talent.

Unlikely Headbanger, 82, Goes From Singing Karaoke To 'America's Got Talent'

10:05pm June 07, 2016

by Bill Chappell

An octogenarian delivers a face-melting version of a song that's been a hallmark of pro wrestling and action movies.

Omar Epps and Sanaa Lathan in the 2000 romantic drama Love and Basketball.

Arts

Pop Culture Happy Hour, Small Batch Edition: Slate's Black Film Canon

9:31am June 07, 2016

by Linda Holmes

We talk to Slate's Aisha Harris, the co-author of the publication's Black Film Canon. She tells us some of her favorites on the list, why make a canon at all, and including genre films with high art.

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Mimi Sheraton is no fan of kale chips, shown here at Elizabeth's Gone Raw on May 20, 2011 in Washington, D.C.

National

Kill The Culture Of Cool Kale, Food Critic Says

2:19pm June 06, 2016

Mimi Sheraton first praised kale in the 1970s as restaurant critic for The New York Times. Her article might have helped make kale cool today. Now Sheraton says she hates the vegetable.

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The issues John Oliver tackles on his show aren't necessarily the headlines of the week; they're the kind of chronic issues — like credit scores, 911 funding and public defenders — that can be the hardest to get people to pay attention to.

Arts

How John Oliver's 'Last Week Tonight' Is Using Stunts To Tell Stories

1:27pm June 06, 2016

by Linda Holmes

HBO's Last Week Tonight ended with a surprising display of how, as they put it, "any idiot" can buy and sell other people's debts.

Arts

'Angie Tribeca,' Comedy Backscratcher, Returns For New Adventures

1:22pm June 06, 2016

by Linda Holmes

The TBS slapstick cop comedy is back for a second season, and it's just as ridiculous and fast-paced as it's been all along.

Shiri Appleby and Constance Zimmer in Lifetime's UnREAL.

Arts

'UnREAL' Returns With Three Little Words And No Apologies

9:57am June 06, 2016

by Linda Holmes

Lifetime's UnREAL brings its fictional reality-show producers back for another season of take-no-prisoners television.

Books

After 'Fargo' Noah Hawley Writes 'Before The Fall'

5:54am June 02, 2016

David Greene talks with Noah Hawley, the creator of TV's Fargo, about his novel Before the Fall. It's rooted in what Hawley views as a very real human desire to create narratives to explain tragedies.