Accessibility links
Culture Art and entertainment commentary plus interviews, book reviews, movie reviews, music reviews, comedy, and visual art. Subscribe to podcasts and follow trends in music, painting, art, architecture, photography, and design.

Culture

Wednesday

Alec Baldwin pleads not guilty to involuntary manslaughter in fatal film set shooting

Actor Alec Baldwin has pleaded not guilty to an involuntary manslaughter charge in the fatal shooting of a cinematographer during a rehearsal on a movie set in New Mexico. Seth Wenig/AP hide caption

toggle caption
Seth Wenig/AP

Movies

Alec Baldwin pleads not guilty to involuntary manslaughter in fatal film set shooting

A grand jury in Santa Fe indicted Baldwin in January after prosecutors received a new analysis of a gun the actor pointed at cinematographer Halyna Hutchins during rehearsal for the film Rust.

Elmo takes a turn as a therapist after asking, 'How is everybody doing?'

Have a seat on my couch: When the beloved children's character Elmo asked people how they were doing, the responses came from far beyond Sesame Street. Craig Barritt/Getty Images for Headspace hide caption

toggle caption
Craig Barritt/Getty Images for Headspace

Pop Culture

Elmo takes a turn as a therapist after asking, 'How is everybody doing?'

When the beloved red Muppet asked people how they were doing, they responded with honesty — and, in some cases, despair. Elmo replied to many messages with encouragement and empathy.

Taylor Swift, Drake, BTS and more may have their music taken off TikTok — here's why

Taylor Swift performs during her Eras Tour at Sofi stadium in Inglewood, Calif., on Aug. 7, 2023. Michael Tran/AFP via Getty Images hide caption

toggle caption
Michael Tran/AFP via Getty Images

Music News

Taylor Swift, Drake, BTS and more may have their music taken off TikTok — here's why

Universal Music Group, the world's largest music company, has threatened to remove all of the music it owns from TikTok, unless the streaming platform agrees to more favorable terms.

Taylor Swift, Drake, BTS and more may have their music taken off TikTok — here's why

Listen · 2:19
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/1228091512/1228215088" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript
How 'Poor Things' actor Emma Stone turns her anxiety into a 'superpower'

Emma Stone has been nominated for an Oscar for her performance as Bella in Poor Things. Atsushi Nishijima/Searchlight Pictures hide caption

toggle caption
Atsushi Nishijima/Searchlight Pictures

Movie Interviews

How 'Poor Things' actor Emma Stone turns her anxiety into a 'superpower'

Fresh Air

The Oscar-winning actor experienced her first panic attack at age 7. But Stone says acting helps with her anxiety, because it draws on her "big feelings" and forces her to live in the moment.

How 'Poor Things' actor Emma Stone turns her anxiety into a 'superpower'

Listen · 43:07
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/1227962804/1228158550" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript
Do you have 'TikTok voice'? It's OK if you don't want to get rid of it

Experts and creators weigh in on TikTok voice. compiled by NPR/Natalya Toryanski, Adam Aleksic, Rishika Vinnakota, Daniel Grinspan, Ashley Warren hide caption

toggle caption
compiled by NPR/Natalya Toryanski, Adam Aleksic, Rishika Vinnakota, Daniel Grinspan, Ashley Warren

National

Do you have 'TikTok voice'? It's OK if you don't want to get rid of it

If you end statements as if they're questions and speak with vocal fry, you may have "TikTok voice."

Do you have 'TikTok voice'? It's OK if you don't want to get rid of it

Listen · 2:47
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/1228067629/1228067630" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript
How to choose the streaming services that are right for you
NPR

Life Kit

How to choose the streaming services that are right for you

Costs have gone way up and there are so many options — but we are here to help. NPR TV critic Eric Deggans suggests some streaming strategy best practices and looks carefully at the major providers.

How to choose the streaming services that are right for you

Listen · 19:03
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/1226117501/1230968541" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
Marvel's 'Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur' is still a stone cold groove

Diamond White voices Lunella in Marvel's Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur. Disney hide caption

toggle caption
Disney

Review

Pop Culture Happy Hour

Marvel's 'Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur' is still a stone cold groove

Marvel's Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur is an all-ages animated series that's got style and energy – and original songs – for days. It's the story of a 13-year-old Black girl genius who accidentally transports a T-Rex from the prehistoric past to present day. She then launches into a side-hustle fighting crime. The Disney+ show is about to return for a second season, so today we are revisiting our conversation about the series.

Marvel's 'Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur' is still a stone cold groove

Listen · 15:32
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/1197961493/1227869674" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">

Tuesday

The arts span every facet of life – the White House just hosted a summit about it

Policy makers, arts advocates, community leaders and artists attended "Healing, Bridging, Thriving," the first-ever White House summit on arts and culture in Washington, D.C. Shutterstock on behalf of the NEA hide caption

toggle caption
Shutterstock on behalf of the NEA

The arts span every facet of life – the White House just hosted a summit about it

To support President Biden's "whole-of-government approach to the arts," officials from different agencies, arts advocates and artists came together for a summit called "Healing, Bridging, Thriving."

Chita Rivera, Broadway's 'first great triple threat,' dies at 91

Chita Rivera in May 1977. Evening Standard/Getty Images hide caption

toggle caption
Evening Standard/Getty Images

Obituaries

Chita Rivera, Broadway's 'first great triple threat,' dies at 91

The three-time Tony Award-winning Broadway legend created indelible roles: Anita in West Side Story, Rose in Bye Bye Birdie and Velma Kelly in Chicago.

Chita Rivera, Broadway's 'first great triple threat,' dies at 91

Listen · 5:10
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/975467882/1227981498" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript
Ayesha Rascoe on 'HBCU Made' — and some good old college memories

Both Ayesha Rascoe and host Brittany Luse are alums of Howard University. Drew Angerer/Getty Images/Mike Morgan hide caption

toggle caption
Drew Angerer/Getty Images/Mike Morgan

It's Been a Minute

Ayesha Rascoe on 'HBCU Made' — and some good old college memories

We're taking it way back — all the way to college. This episode is a mini-reunion: host Brittany Luse and Ayesha Rascoe, host of NPR's Weekend Edition, are both alumnae of Howard University — they even attended during some of the same years. Howard is an HBCU: a historically Black college or university. There are around a hundred in the US, and they've had a big impact on both graduates and American culture writ large. Ayesha has edited a book of essays all about that impact, called HBCU Made: A Celebration of the Black College Experience. Brittany chats with her about the book and what makes HBCUs special — they also trade tales from their own time as students.

Ayesha Rascoe on 'HBCU Made' — and some good old college memories

Listen · 26:44
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/1197954671/1227921197" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript
Another Super Bowl bet emerges: Can Taylor Swift make it from her Tokyo show in time?

Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift celebrate after the Kansas City Chiefs defeated the Baltimore Ravens in the AFC Championship Game at M&T Bank Stadium in Maryland on Sunday. Patrick Smith/Getty Images hide caption

toggle caption
Patrick Smith/Getty Images

Super Bowl 2024

Another Super Bowl bet emerges: Can Taylor Swift make it from her Tokyo show in time?

The Kansas City Chiefs — including Travis Kelce — will play in the Super Bowl in Las Vegas on Feb. 11. Swift has a show in Tokyo the night before. Can she get there in time? The math says yes.

Don't miss the latest 'Feud' – between Truman Capote and NYC's society ladies

Naomi Watts plays Babe Paley and Tom Hollander is Truman Capote in Feud: Capote vs. the Swans. FX hide caption

toggle caption
FX

Review

TV Reviews

Don't miss the latest 'Feud' – between Truman Capote and NYC's society ladies

Fresh Air

The new eight-part FX series tells a compelling story with a powerhouse cast. Tom Hollander and Naomi Watts star in the show, which is way more than just "the original Real Housewives."

Don't miss the latest 'Feud' – between Truman Capote and NYC's society ladies

Listen · 7:07
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/1227854692/1228680502" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript
In the battle over identity, a centuries-old issue looms in Taiwan: hunting

Teyra Yudaw (left) and his daughter, Ciwang Teyra, are members of Taiwan's Indigenous Truku tribe. An Rong Xu for NPR hide caption

toggle caption
An Rong Xu for NPR

Asia

In the battle over identity, a centuries-old issue looms in Taiwan: hunting

Taiwan has endured colonial forces over centuries. The island's Indigenous people have borne the brunt of this violent history and are still fighting for inclusion and acceptance.

In the battle over identity, a centuries-old issue looms in Taiwan: hunting

Listen · 8:15
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/1226188108/1226190298" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">