Pop Culture : NPR

Opinion

Behind The Spangles, Weir Is A Man In Full

February 26, 2010 • Figure skater Johnny Weir gets called "flamboyant" an awful lot. But Trey Graham argues that Weir's transgressive aesthetic is a lot more than just showy — and that when he talked back to Canadian commentators who'd questioned his gender, the skater proved what serious manhood is all about.

Still Smiling? Jay Leno, seen here in 2004 behind the desk on his old Tonight Show set, returns to the show March 1 — but may be bringing some baggage along. Kevin Winter/Getty Images hide caption

toggle caption

Kevin Winter/Getty Images

Television

As Leno Goes Late Again, Is His Brand Still Strong?

February 25, 2010 • The host's affable-uncle persona may have taken on some tarnish during the high-profile battle over NBC's Tonight Show and its time slot. But will it damage his performance once he's back where many fans think he belongs?

As Leno Goes Late Again, Is His Brand Still Strong?

Listen · 3:39 3:39

Download
Embed <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/124052887/124067966" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
Transcript

Opinion

Movies

Forget Best Picture: You Pick The Flicks

February 24, 2010 • Why settle for one broad academic category when you can exercise a broader set of options? Presenting NPR's Do-It-Yourself Movie Awards 2010 — in which you get to pick the Most Exciting Popcorn Movie, the Biggest Laugh Riot and more. Go ahead: Pick your flicks.

Opinion

'Equation,' 'Gingerly' And Other Linguistic Pet Peeves

Fresh Air

February 23, 2010 • Linguist Geoff Nunberg doesn't enjoy everything about the English language. There are phrases that get on his nerves and words that he prefers not to use. And Nunberg says he's not the first person to have linguistic pet peeves — nor will he be the last.

'Equation,' 'Gingerly' And Other Linguistic Pet Peeves

Listen · 5:43 5:43

Download
Embed <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/124001415/124003224" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
Transcript

Opinion

Can I Just Tell You?

Why The Media Won't Swallow Tiger's Apology

February 22, 2010 • This week, Tell Me More senior producer Alicia Montgomery asks how much of the Tiger Woods takedown is a revenge fantasy for journalists. Montgomery says Woods is no longer being punished for disgracing his family, but defying media expectations.

Why The Media Won't Swallow Tiger's Apology

Listen · 3:57 3:57

Download
Embed <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/123967582/123973515" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
Transcript

Tiger Woods And Culture Of Celebrity Cheating

Tiger Woods apologized for more than 13 minutes Friday for cheating on his wife. Joe Skipper/AP hide caption

toggle caption

Joe Skipper/AP

Tiger Woods And Culture Of Celebrity Cheating

February 19, 2010 • Every other month seems to bring new revelations about a celebrity or politician who's been caught in a tawdry affair. Is there something about high-profile success that promotes infidelity? The answer is both yes and no.

For Love Of Do-Good Vampires: A Bloody Book List

Tod Browning's 1931 film Dracula, released in the chaos and uncertainty of the Great Depression, turns in part on the character of Mina (Helen Chandler), who manages to maintain her i--ocence — and--ontrol — despite having suffered at the hands of Bela Lugosi's vampire. Hulton Archive/Getty Images hide caption

toggle caption

Hulton Archive/Getty Images

For Love Of Do-Good Vampires: A Bloody Book List

February 18, 2010 • NPR correspondent Margot Adler has read 75 vampire books in the past nine months. It was a fascination with the classic vampire's immortality that got her started — but it was her discovery of the modern vampire's sense of morality that kept her going.

For Love Of Do-Good Vampires: A Bloody Book List

Listen · 8:16 8:16

Download
Embed <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/123115545/123862299" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
Transcript

Oscars 2010

Shankman's Winning Job: Producing The Oscars

Fresh Air

February 18, 2010 • Adam Shankman has one of the coolest, most stressful jobs around: He's producing the Oscars. The Hairspray director, who is also a judge onSo You Think You Can Dance, joins Fresh Air to dish about seating arrangements and speeches.

Shankman's Winning Job: Producing The Oscars

Listen · 12:42 12:42

Download
Embed <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/123844321/123849150" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
Transcript

February 18, 2010 • Bob Mondello has a modest proposal: Make the Oscars gender-neutral so Sandra Bullock can compete with Jeff Bridges. After all, nobody separates best director from best directress, so why separate actors by gender? And it might even shorten the ceremony.

Unsex The Oscars — Let The Best Performer Win

Listen · 3:14 3:14

Download
Embed <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/123616955/123860018" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
Transcript

Culture

Fashion Week's Latest Trend? Plus-Size Models

February 15, 2010 • New York Fashion Week gives us a glimpse of what will be fashionable next fall. And with the event comes the discussion of the models' sizes. Size zeros are still common, but lately some fashion spreads have prominently featured plus-size models.

Fashion Week's Latest Trend? Plus-Size Models

Listen · 3:59 3:59

Download
Embed <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/123604722/123733139" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
Transcript

Technology

Video Game Lets You Drop Beats As You Drop Blocks

February 14, 2010 • Chime, a puzzle game created to raise money for charity, lets the player remix songs by Philip Glass and Moby.

Video Game Lets You Drop Beats As You Drop Blocks

Listen · 4:59 4:59

Download
Embed <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/123718364/123719938" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
Transcript

Lines Between Fair Use And Copyright Theft Blurry

'The Daily Show With Jon Stewart' AP hide caption

toggle caption

AP

Law

Lines Between Fair Use And Copyright Theft Blurry

February 13, 2010 • Hollywood studios and the recording industry have railed against infringement, but fair use advocates say as long as people are creating something new out of copyrighted work, it's fair game.

Lines Between Fair Use And Copyright Theft Blurry

Listen · 5:14 5:14

Download
Embed <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/123684026/123684008" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
Transcript

Move Over, Cupcake: Make Way For The Macaroon

Cupcakes Are So 2005: The latest "it" dessert is the macaroon ... or macaron, if you want to be French about it. Kyle Samperton hide caption

toggle caption

Kyle Samperton

Food

Move Over, Cupcake: Make Way For The Macaroon

February 12, 2010 • Hate to break it to you, but cupcakes are so 2005. The latest "it" dessert is the macaroon ... or macaron, if you want to be all French about it. The colorful little almond-and-air cookies have taken off in the U.S. — they've made cameos in Gossip Girl and at Starbucks, and make-your-own macaroon classes are selling out.

Move Over, Cupcake: Make Way For The Macaroon

Listen · 4:01 4:01

Download
Embed <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/123566536/123659332" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
Transcript

Valentine's Day

Black Writers: Where Is The Love, Communication?

February 12, 2010 • Valentine's Day is one of the most anticipated and dreaded days of the year, depending on whom you ask. It might be especially poignant for African Americans, who have some of the lowest marriage rates in the U.S. A panel of African-American writers, all of whom have written books about black love and loss, share their theories on what many believe is a disconnect between black men and women.

Black Writers: Where Is The Love, Communication?

Listen · 18:26 18:26

Download
Embed <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/123645447/123645443" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
Transcript

February 12, 2010 • Not too long ago, it wasn't clear if the gray-flannel U.S. had a sense of humor. Madonna even exhorted America to "lighten up!" Now, with practically every serious matter reduced to a punch line, the question is: Does this country have a sense of what's important?

Friday February 26, 2010

Thursday February 25, 2010

As Leno Goes Late Again, Is His Brand Still Strong?

Wednesday February 24, 2010

Tuesday February 23, 2010

Fresh Air

'Equation,' 'Gingerly' And Other Linguistic Pet Peeves

Monday February 22, 2010

Why The Media Won't Swallow Tiger's Apology

Friday February 19, 2010

Thursday February 18, 2010

For Love Of Do-Good Vampires: A Bloody Book List

Fresh Air

Shankman's Winning Job: Producing The Oscars

Unsex The Oscars — Let The Best Performer Win

Monday February 15, 2010

Fashion Week's Latest Trend? Plus-Size Models

Sunday February 14, 2010

Video Game Lets You Drop Beats As You Drop Blocks

Saturday February 13, 2010

Lines Between Fair Use And Copyright Theft Blurry

Friday February 12, 2010

Move Over, Cupcake: Make Way For The Macaroon

Black Writers: Where Is The Love, Communication?