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Pop Culture

Tuesday

Business

Think You Can Pitch? Creatives Break Down Their Art

When creative thinkers develop a concept, they must convince others their idea is worth backing. Pitching skills are needed in the newsroom, and in the worlds of entertainment, fundraising and invention. But what makes a pitch successful?

Think You Can Pitch? Creatives Break Down Their Art

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Saturday

'Smash' Stars An 'Interesting Tribe': Theater People

Ingenue Or Leading Lady? Ivy (played by Megan Hilty, left) and Karen (played by Katharine McPhee) compete for the coveted lead role in Smash, which premieres Feb. 6 on NBC. Will Hart/NBC hide caption

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Will Hart/NBC

Television

'Smash' Stars An 'Interesting Tribe': Theater People

NBC's new drama plumbs the drama behind the curtain. The new series is the story of a Broadway musical — from the first idea, to auditions, rehearsals and the big premiere. The show's creator and executive producer says Smash has a universally appealing theme: the desire to pursue a dream.

'Smash' Stars An 'Interesting Tribe': Theater People

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Friday

Farewell To An Unlikely Hero: Why 'Chuck' Packed Such A Potent Punch

Yvonne Strahovski as Sarah Walker, Zachary Levi as Chuck Bartowski, and Adam Baldwin as John Casey in Chuck, which wraps tonight after five seasons. Jordin Althaus/NBC hide caption

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Jordin Althaus/NBC

Pop Culture Happy Hour

Farewell To An Unlikely Hero: Why 'Chuck' Packed Such A Potent Punch

Chuck has never been much more than a blip in terms of ratings. But in a few ways, the story of this little spy comedy that could has been the story of some big changes in television.

HBO's 'Luck': A Winning TV Show, Set At The Track

Nick Nolte plays a horse owner who spent most of his career working as a horse trainer in Luck. HBO hide caption

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HBO

Television

HBO's 'Luck': A Winning TV Show, Set At The Track

Fresh Air

HBO's newest series Luck is set in and around the world of horse racing. TV critic David Bianculli says the series, which stars Dustin Hoffman and Nick Nolte, is loaded with thoroughbred talent.

HBO's 'Luck': A Winning TV Show, Set At The Track

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Pop Culture Happy Hour: Oscar Nominations And Liking What's Popular
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Oscars 2012: The 84th Academy Awards

Pop Culture Happy Hour: Oscar Nominations And Liking What's Popular

This week, we talk about the Oscar nominees, from satisfying to baffling. We also come out firmly in support of a few things that you might think don't need the support.

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For 'Black Nerds Everywhere,' Two Comedy Heroes

Jordan Peele (left) plays President Obama and Keegan-Michael Key (right) plays his "anger translator" in a sketch from Key & Peele, premiering Jan. 31 on Comedy Central. Comedy Central hide caption

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Comedy Central

Opinion

Television

For 'Black Nerds Everywhere,' Two Comedy Heroes

Keegan-Michael Key and Jordan Peele, longtime friends and comedy-show colleagues, are about to launch a new show on Comedy Central. They say their shared experiences as the biracial kids of single moms have often been a comedy gold mine.

For 'Black Nerds Everywhere,' Two Comedy Heroes

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Wednesday

David Milch: Trying His 'Luck' With Horse Racing

Luck, the new HBO drama created by David Milch, is about the inside world of horse racing. Gusmano Cesaretti/HBO hide caption

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Gusmano Cesaretti/HBO

Television

David Milch: Trying His 'Luck' With Horse Racing

Fresh Air

The new HBO drama Luck examines the inside world of horse racing through the lives of thoroughbred breeders, owners, jockeys and gamblers. Series creator David Milch spent much of his childhood at the track and has struggled in the past with a gambling addiction.

David Milch: Trying His 'Luck' With Horse Racing

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A Boy's Magical 'Touch' Predicts The Future

When Kiefer Sutherland ended his series of very long, very intense days as Jack Bauer on the Fox series 24, few people, including Sutherland himself, expected him to be starring in another TV series right away. Fox hide caption

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Fox

Television

A Boy's Magical 'Touch' Predicts The Future

Fresh Air

The new Fox series Touch stars Kiefer Sutherland as the father of an 11-year-old boy with some significant disabilities — and some significant abilities as well. TV critic David Bianculli says by the end of the first episode, you'll know you're watching something a little different.

A Boy's Magical 'Touch' Predicts The Future

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Tuesday

Oscar Nominations: 'Hugo' Leads, But Expect An 'Extremely Loud' Outcry

Thomas Horn stars as a grieving boy in Extremely Loud And Incredibly Close — dismissed by many critics but nominated for Best Picture. David Lee/Warner Bros. Pictures hide caption

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David Lee/Warner Bros. Pictures

Opinion

Oscars 2012: The 84th Academy Awards

Oscar Nominations: 'Hugo' Leads, But Expect An 'Extremely Loud' Outcry

A 9/11 tearjerker grabs a Best Picture nod, while a raucous performance from Bridesmaids elbows its way into Best Supporting Actress.

Monday

'American Idol': It's Still Big, But It's Not Quite The Ratings Monster It Was

Steven Tyler, Jennifer Lopez and Randy Jackson are keeping the American Idol ship afloat just fine, but it's no longer crushing everything in its path. Michael Becker/Fox hide caption

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Michael Becker/Fox

Opinion

Pop Culture Happy Hour

'American Idol': It's Still Big, But It's Not Quite The Ratings Monster It Was

American Idol is still very popular. But it's not necessarily the cultural smash that it was in the age of Simon and Paula, and a recent ratings blip is further evidence that it's joining the realm of ordinary hits.

Sunday

'The Bark Side' Tells Of Super Bowl Ads To Come

To produce a teaser for Volkswagen's Super Bowl ad campaign, trainers edited barking dogs into a performance of "The Imperial March" from Star Wars. Deutsch LA hide caption

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Deutsch LA

Television

'The Bark Side' Tells Of Super Bowl Ads To Come

How do you top last year's mini-Darth Vader Super Bowl ad? Use the Force. And several barking dogs. That's not all it takes for success, though, so one ad agency is breaking from the pack — again.

'The Bark Side' Tells Of Super Bowl Ads To Come

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Friday

Pop Culture Happy Hour: The Golden Globes And Twitter Criticism
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Pop Culture Happy Hour

Pop Culture Happy Hour: The Golden Globes And Twitter Criticism

On this week's show: Golden Globes, hosting duties, and whether criticism is just as good if you do it in 140 characters.

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Stephen Colbert Wants You To Know: That's Definitely Not His SuperPAC

Comedian Stephen Colbert appears before the Federal Election Commision in Washington, June 30, 2011. The FEC granted Colbert's request to form a political action committee. Cliff Owen/AP hide caption

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Cliff Owen/AP

Opinion

Pop Culture Happy Hour

Stephen Colbert Wants You To Know: That's Definitely Not His SuperPAC

Stephen Colbert had a superPAC. Jon Stewart has it now. But they're totally not coordinating with each other — or so they explain when parodying campaign finance laws.

Stephen Colbert Wants You To Know: That's Definitely Not His SuperPAC

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