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Pop Culture Happy Hour: The Oscars Omnibus Of 2014

February 28, 2014 • On this week's show, we invite Bob Mondello to join the table for a discussion of all nine Best Picture nominees and some other stuff, too. And we talk about what's making us happy this week.

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Seth Rogen Tees Off On Senators Who Walked Out On His Testimony

Actor and Alzheimer's advocate Seth Rogen prepares to testify before a Senate hearing on the rising cost of Alzheimer's disease in America. Mandel Ngan/AFP/Getty Images hide caption

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Mandel Ngan/AFP/Getty Images

Seth Rogen Tees Off On Senators Who Walked Out On His Testimony

February 27, 2014 • When the comic addressed a U.S. Senate subcommittee about Alzheimer's disease Wednesday, the experience was anything but typical.

Neil DeGrasse Tyson Explains Why The Cosmos Shouldn't Make You Feel Small

Astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson hosts a new TV series called Cosmos: A Space-Time Odyssey. It's an update of the influential 1980 PBS series Cosmos: A Personal Journey, hosted by Carl Sagan. Patrick Eccelsine/Fox hide caption

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Space

Neil DeGrasse Tyson Explains Why The Cosmos Shouldn't Make You Feel Small

Fresh Air

February 27, 2014 • The astrophysicist says that participating in a "great unfolding of a cosmic story" should make us feel large, not small. This spring, Tyson hosts a TV series called Cosmos: A Space-Time Odyssey.

Neil DeGrasse Tyson Explains Why The Cosmos Shouldn't Make You Feel Small

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Dangerous Dad Of 'Scandal' Turns The Tables

Actor Joe Morton has appeared in films like Speed and Terminator 2 and TV shows like Law & Order and The Good Wife. Matt Sayles/AP hide caption

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Matt Sayles/AP

Wisdom Watch

Dangerous Dad Of 'Scandal' Turns The Tables

February 27, 2014 • Actor Joe Morton is probably best-known these days as one of TV's toughest dads, playing Rowan Pope on Scandal. Morton talks about the show's return, plus his 40-year career in film, TV and theater.

Dangerous Dad Of 'Scandal' Turns The Tables

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'Calvin & Hobbes' Creator Pens His First Public Comic In 18 Years

Stripped Film

The Two-Way

'Calvin & Hobbes' Creator Pens His First Public Comic In 18 Years

February 27, 2014 • Bill Watterson drew the poster for the upcoming documentary Stripped, a self-described "love letter" to comics. The project marks a break in Watterson's relatively anonymous post-Calvin life.

To Play The Part, Actors Must Talk The Talk — In Chinese

Chinese billionaire Xander Feng, played by Terry Chen, shakes hands with Francis Underwood, played by Kevin Spacey, in Netflix's House of Cards. Nathaniel E. Bell/Courtesy of Netflix hide caption

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Nathaniel E. Bell/Courtesy of Netflix

Code Switch

To Play The Part, Actors Must Talk The Talk — In Chinese

February 26, 2014 • As Hollywood and China grow closer, more roles are opening up for Asian-American actors to play Chinese-speaking characters. But before they can sound fluent on screen, some turn to dialect coaches.

To Play The Part, Actors Must Talk The Talk — In Chinese

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In 2013, Yaya Alafia played Black Panther Carol Hammie in The Butler. Beth Rosner Management hide caption

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Beth Rosner Management

Race

Black History Month: #AfroGlobal

February 26, 2014 • Tell Me More is observing Black History Month by speaking to voices with roots in Africa who are making an impact around the world as part of a global diaspora.

Desk, Set: Seth Meyers Lands In Late Night Very Safely

Actress Amy Poehler during an interview with host Seth Meyers on the premiere of Meyers' Late Night. Peter Kramer/NBC hide caption

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Pop Culture Happy Hour

Desk, Set: Seth Meyers Lands In Late Night Very Safely

February 25, 2014 • Seth Meyers began his run as the new host of NBC's Late Night with such a polished, neat, safe premiere that it's hard to know where he goes from here, says critic Eric Deggans.

Are Americans Tired Of 'Arrogant British' TV Personalities?

Piers Morgan poses for a portrait backstage during a 2011 press tour. Chris Pizzello/AP hide caption

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Chris Pizzello/AP

Opinion

Code Switch

Are Americans Tired Of 'Arrogant British' TV Personalities?

February 25, 2014 • Piers Morgan announced that CNN will be canceling his show, just weeks after Fox TV said it would be parting ways with British star and American Idol alum Simon Cowell.

Black, British And 'Brain Drained': Playwright Takes Charge In Baltimore

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Black History Month: #AfroGlobal

Black, British And 'Brain Drained': Playwright Takes Charge In Baltimore

February 24, 2014 • As part of Black History Month, host Michel Martin asks actor, playwright and theater director Kwame Kwei-Armah why he, and so many other British actors, have chosen careers in the U.S.

Black, British And 'Brain Drained': Playwright Takes Charge In Baltimore

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Making The Coffee Shop Your Office, Without The Guilt

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The New And The Next

Making The Coffee Shop Your Office, Without The Guilt

February 22, 2014 • Anyone who has ever worked out of a coffee shop has faced this question: How many drinks must I buy to justify staying here? Some overseas coffee shops offer the option to pay for the space up front.

Making The Coffee Shop Your Office, Without The Guilt

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Alex Murphy (Joel Kinnaman) is a Detroit cop brought back from the brink of death — as a cyborg supercop built for reducing crime and increasing profit. Kerry Hayes/Sony Pictures hide caption

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New Show Challenges Idea That 'Nobody Cares About The Caribbean'

Zahra Burton is the Host and Executive Producer of 18 Degrees North. Dave Cross/Bloomberg hide caption

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Black History Month: #AfroGlobal

New Show Challenges Idea That 'Nobody Cares About The Caribbean'

February 20, 2014 • Former Jamaican Beauty Queen and Bloomberg journalist, Zahra Burton set up her own news show. Burton tells host Michel Martin about 18 Degrees North which brings news of the Caribbean to the world.

New Show Challenges Idea That 'Nobody Cares About The Caribbean'

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Here's What Happens When Thousands Play Pokemon Together

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Twitch.tv

All Tech Considered

Here's What Happens When Thousands Play Pokemon Together

February 19, 2014 • For the past week, a social experiment has been going on in the gaming community: a democratically played video game on community site Twitch. A site exec says the result is chaotic but inspiring.

Here's What Happens When Thousands Play Pokemon Together

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Friday February 28, 2014

Listen to Pop Culture Happy Hour

Thursday February 27, 2014

Fresh Air

Neil DeGrasse Tyson Explains Why The Cosmos Shouldn't Make You Feel Small

Dangerous Dad Of 'Scandal' Turns The Tables

Wednesday February 26, 2014

To Play The Part, Actors Must Talk The Talk — In Chinese

Tuesday February 25, 2014

Monday February 24, 2014

Black, British And 'Brain Drained': Playwright Takes Charge In Baltimore

Saturday February 22, 2014

Making The Coffee Shop Your Office, Without The Guilt

Friday February 21, 2014

Listen To Pop Culture Happy Hour

Thursday February 20, 2014

New Show Challenges Idea That 'Nobody Cares About The Caribbean'

Wednesday February 19, 2014

Here's What Happens When Thousands Play Pokemon Together