Pop Culture : NPR

Mindy Kaling's Super Bowl Ad: Are Indian Women Invisible?

After years of being treated like she's not there, Mindy Kaling realizes she just might be invisible. YouTube hide caption

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YouTube

Mindy Kaling's Super Bowl Ad: Are Indian Women Invisible?

January 31, 2015 • In a commercial, the comedian pretends no one can see her. One Indian journalist wonders if there's more to the ad than selling insurance.

Cumberbatch Wants Britain To Pardon Men Convicted Under Anti-Gay Law

Actor Benedict Cumberbatch poses for photographers in London in December. Joel Ryan/Joel Ryan/Invision/AP hide caption

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Joel Ryan/Joel Ryan/Invision/AP

Cumberbatch Wants Britain To Pardon Men Convicted Under Anti-Gay Law

January 31, 2015 • The Oscar-nominated star of the Alan Turing biopic The Imitation Game has joined actor and comedian Stephen Fry in calling for a blanket pardon of 49,000 men punished under long-defunct law.

It May Take A British Actor To Make An American Story Sing

British actor Idris Elba played Stringer Bell, second-in-command to Baltimore drug kingpin Avon Barksdale, in HBO's The Wire. Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images hide caption

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Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images

It May Take A British Actor To Make An American Story Sing

January 31, 2015 • Awards season has offered NPR's Scott Simon the opportunity to reflect on the number of British actors playing Americans in films and television shows, and wonder where the American actors are.

It May Take A British Actor To Make An American Story Sing

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Pop Culture Happy Hour: 'Jane The Virgin' And Sexy Sex Thrillers

January 30, 2015 • Both the sublime and the ridiculous get thorough airings this week as the team takes on the fine CW show Jane The Virgin and the bonkers sex thriller The Boy Next Door.

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Songwriter, Poet Rod McKuen Dies At 81

January 30, 2015 • Rod McKuen is credited with more than 200 albums and more than 30 collections of poetry. He died on Thursday after a lengthy illness.

NBC's 'Parenthood' Ends As A Family Drama Built On Small Moments

The stars of Parenthood include, left to right, Erika Christensen Peter Krause, Bonnie Bedelia, Craig T. Nelson, Lauren Graham and Dax Shepard. NBC/Justin Lubin/NBC hide caption

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NBC/Justin Lubin/NBC

NBC's 'Parenthood' Ends As A Family Drama Built On Small Moments

January 29, 2015 • After six seasons, the final episode airs tonight. NPR TV Critic Eric Deggans says the show is a rare gem; a family drama centered on the small, emotional moments between relatives.

NBC's 'Parenthood' Ends As A Family Drama Built On Small Moments

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Miss Colombia Wins Pageant; Miss Jamaica Wins Twitter?

Miss Universe contestants congratulate fifth-place-finisher, Kaci Fennell of Jamaica. Many pageant watchers on social media argued that Fennell should have won. Wilfredo Lee/AP hide caption

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Wilfredo Lee/AP

Miss Colombia Wins Pageant; Miss Jamaica Wins Twitter?

January 27, 2015 • Days later, bad feelings linger among the Miss Universe pageant viewers who believe that the wrong contestant won. Many watchers on social media say Miss Jamaica should be wearing the crown.

Watch 'Bob's Burgers'? Now You Can Eat Them, Too

Bob Belcher, titular hero of Bob's Burgers, bites into one of his creations. Each episode features daily burger specials with chuckle-inducing names. The burgers were born in the show writers' imagination and brought to life in Cole Bowden's kitchen. Fox/via Getty Images hide caption

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Fox/via Getty Images

The Salt

Watch 'Bob's Burgers'? Now You Can Eat Them, Too

January 27, 2015 • What happens when you try to make a burger out of a pun? One blog, two years, and dozens of recipes later, millions of fans can now cook up their very own Bob's burgers.

It'd Be No 'Folly' To Remake This Musical Classic

Bob Mondello brought in his own personal copy of the original Follies cast album — intern Patrick Fort added the starburst. Emily Jan/NPR hide caption

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Movies

It'd Be No 'Folly' To Remake This Musical Classic

January 26, 2015 • Now that the Stephen Sondheim musical Into the Woods has made more than $100 million at the box office in just three weeks, NPR's movie critic Bob Mondello has a modest musical proposal.

It'd Be No 'Folly' To Remake This Musical Classic

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Intended For Millennials, Dish's Sling TV Is A Cord Cutter's Dream

Joe Clayton, president and CEO of Dish Network, introduces the Sling TV earlier this month at the International Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. Jae C. Hong/AP hide caption

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Jae C. Hong/AP

Analysis

Television

Intended For Millennials, Dish's Sling TV Is A Cord Cutter's Dream

January 26, 2015 • Dish Network soon debuts its Sling TV streaming service, with a small group of cable channels for $20 a month. NPR TV critic Eric Deggans tried it and says Sling TV is a welcome challenge to cable.

Got $15 Million? Actor Rowan Atkinson Has A Car For Sale

Rowan Atkinson gestures during an interview in 2007. The famous British comedian who plays Mr. Bean is selling his McLaren F1 race car. Alex Grimm/AP hide caption

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Alex Grimm/AP

The Two-Way

Got $15 Million? Actor Rowan Atkinson Has A Car For Sale

January 25, 2015 • The actor who most famously plays Mr. Bean wrecked the high-performance car back in 2011. Luckily, he wasn't seriously injured. But it did cost him $1.4 million to get it fixed.

Between The Laughs, South African Comedian Hopes To Educate

Comedian Trevor Noah was born in South Africa during apartheid — "born a crime," as he says. Byron Keulemans hide caption

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Byron Keulemans

Code Switch

Between The Laughs, South African Comedian Hopes To Educate

January 24, 2015 • Trevor Noah, named Jon Stewart's replacement on The Daily Show, turns a sharp eye on American policy — while answering the questions about world news that people are afraid to ask.

Between The Laughs, South African Comedian Hopes To Educate

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Pop Culture Happy Hour

Pop Culture Happy Hour: 'Broad City' And Required Reading

January 23, 2015 • On this week's show, the Comedy Central half-hour Broad City and the many hours we spent reading classics because we had to. (And sometimes wanted to.)

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Some Glittery Favorites From The Miss Universe National Costume Show

Chanel Beckenlehner, Miss Canada 2014. This is the one that's been getting all the press. Drink it in, people. The scoreboard is attached. Patrick Prather/Miss Universe Organization hide caption

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Patrick Prather/Miss Universe Organization

Pop Culture Happy Hour

Some Glittery Favorites From The Miss Universe National Costume Show

January 22, 2015 • Every year at the Miss Universe pageant, things get a little bit amazing.

Broadcaster Al Michaels Gets Ready To Provide 'Lyrics' For The Super Bowl

Al Michaels will announce the Super Bowl game between the Seattle Seahawks and the New England Patriots on Feb. 1. Doug Pensinger/Getty Images hide caption

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Sports

Broadcaster Al Michaels Gets Ready To Provide 'Lyrics' For The Super Bowl

Fresh Air

January 22, 2015 • Michaels will anchor the Feb. 1 game between the Seattle Seahawks and the New England Patriots. He tells Fresh Air about falling in love with sports and the hardest sport to announce.

Broadcaster Al Michaels Gets Ready To Provide 'Lyrics' For The Super Bowl

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Saturday January 31, 2015

It May Take A British Actor To Make An American Story Sing

Friday January 30, 2015

Listen to Pop Culture Happy Hour

Thursday January 29, 2015

NBC's 'Parenthood' Ends As A Family Drama Built On Small Moments

Tuesday January 27, 2015

Monday January 26, 2015

It'd Be No 'Folly' To Remake This Musical Classic

Sunday January 25, 2015

Saturday January 24, 2015

Between The Laughs, South African Comedian Hopes To Educate

Friday January 23, 2015

Listen to Pop Culture Happy Hour

Thursday January 22, 2015

Fresh Air

Broadcaster Al Michaels Gets Ready To Provide 'Lyrics' For The Super Bowl