Television : NPR

'Rent It Out': Portlandia Spoofs The Sharing Economy

In one episode of Portlandia, Carrie Brownstein and Fred Armisen started a grass-roots campaign to prevent the Olympics from ever coming to Portland. IFC hide caption

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IFC

All Tech Considered

'Rent It Out': Portlandia Spoofs The Sharing Economy

February 27, 2014 • On their IFC comedy show, Carrie Brownstein and Fred Armisen take on the rent-everything culture with a new clip: "Rent it out!"

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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Patrick Eccelsine/Fox

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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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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Oh, Edith: Can A 'Downton' Daughter Change Her Luck?

Laura Carmichael as Lady Edith, whose rather appalling luck seems destined to follow her. Nick Briggs/PBS hide caption

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Nick Briggs/PBS

Pop Culture Happy Hour

Oh, Edith: Can A 'Downton' Daughter Change Her Luck?

February 23, 2014 • The fourth season of Downton Abbey continued to bring Lady Edith nothing but trouble. But underneath her various miseries is a hard lesson about denying people a reasonable set of options.

Fred Armisen's Fake Bands (And Their Real Songs)

Bryan Cranston and Fred Armisen in character as The Bjelland Brothers, a sibling soft rock duo dreamed up by Armisen for a 2010 sketch on Saturday Night Live. NBC via Getty Images hide caption

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NBC via Getty Images

Music Interviews

Fred Armisen's Fake Bands (And Their Real Songs)

February 22, 2014 • The Saturday Night Live alum's sketches about fictional musicians strike a believable chord. Fitting, then, that the original songs he wrote for them are now getting a proper release.

Fred Armisen's Fake Bands (And Their Real Songs)

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If You Like The Old 'About A Boy,' You May Not Like The New 'About A Boy'

Benjamin Stockham as Marcus and David Walton as Will in NBC's adaptation of About A Boy. Jordin Althaus/NBC hide caption

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Jordin Althaus/NBC

Pop Culture Happy Hour

If You Like The Old 'About A Boy,' You May Not Like The New 'About A Boy'

February 20, 2014 • NBC's reboot of a well-loved Nick Hornby book and Hugh Grant film falls victim to the tendency of sitcoms to flatten the sadness out of characters to the point where they don't matter.

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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Dave Cross/Bloomberg

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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Justice Scalia And Jon Stewart Concur Chicago Pizza Isn't Pizza

Comedy Central's Jon Stewart has called Chicago-style pizza "tomato soup in a bread bowl." iStockphoto hide caption

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The Salt

Justice Scalia And Jon Stewart Concur Chicago Pizza Isn't Pizza

February 18, 2014 • This weekend, the conservative justice weighed in from Chicago on a national pizza controversy. For months, Stewart and Chicago mayor Rahm Emmanuel have been dueling over whether Chicago's deep-dish style constitutes pizza.

On 'Tonight Show,' Jimmy Fallon Looks To Bridge Two Eras

Stephen Colbert visits The Tonight Show for Jimmy Fallon's debut -- and pays up the $100 he bet that Fallon would never host it. Theo Wargo/Getty Images hide caption

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Pop Culture Happy Hour

On 'Tonight Show,' Jimmy Fallon Looks To Bridge Two Eras

February 18, 2014 • The SNL veteran and former Late Night host stepped up to the plate last night on The Tonight Show, where he's replacing longtime host Jay Leno. His challenge: to bring his younger fan base along without alienating Leno's crowd.

With Humor And A Nod To History, Fallon Takes Over 'The Tonight Show'

Jimmy Fallon took over as host of The Tonight Show on Monday. "I hope I do well," he told the audience. "I hope that you enjoy this." Theo Wargo/Getty Images for The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon hide caption

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Theo Wargo/Getty Images for The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon

With Humor And A Nod To History, Fallon Takes Over 'The Tonight Show'

Fresh Air

February 18, 2014 • On Monday night, Jimmy Fallon paid homage to 60 years of Tonight Show history while claiming his own place in line. "I just want to do the best I can and take care of the show for a while," he said. "If you guys let me stick around long enough maybe I'll get the hang of it."

With Humor And A Nod To History, Fallon Takes Over 'The Tonight Show'

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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

Sunday February 23, 2014

Saturday February 22, 2014

Fred Armisen's Fake Bands (And Their Real Songs)

Thursday February 20, 2014

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

Tuesday February 18, 2014

Fresh Air

With Humor And A Nod To History, Fallon Takes Over 'The Tonight Show'