Pop Culture

Mara Wilson, 25, was a child actor who starred in Matilda and Mrs. Doubtfire.

Arts

'Matilda' Star Mara Wilson On Why Some Child Actors Lose It

8:50am June 12, 2013

by NPR Staff

After years in movies and TV shows, some child actors end up making headlines for stints in rehab and legal drama later in life. Others leave Hollywood behind and pursue different careers. Mara Wilson, star of Matilda and Mrs. Doubtfire, explains the challenges of transitioning to adulthood.

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The 1939 film The Wizard Of Oz was rated G. The 2013 film Oz the Great and Powerful was rated PG. The difference? Maybe a little violence and a womanizing leading man.

Arts

When 'G' Movies Are For Kids, Do Kids Avoid 'G' Movies?

5:38pm June 10, 2013

by Bob Mondello

Bob Mondello says a G rating used to mean "general audiences." Now it means a movie for kids, and that means kids are less likely to be interested in them than they once were.

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David Cross (left) reprises his role as Dr. Tobias Funke, the sexually ambiguous brother-in-law of Jason Bateman's character, Michael Bluth, in Netflix's new season of Arrested Development.

Arts

'Arrested' No More: Hurwitz On Why The Bluths Are Back

5:05pm June 10, 2013

Seven years after Fox canceled the cult-favorite sitcom, a fourth season of Arrested Development is streaming on Netflix. The show's creator, Mitch Hurwitz, tells Fresh Air's Terry Gross that if the show doesn't get the right ratings this time, he can't blame the time slot.

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Jeffrey Tambor and Jessica Walter reprise their roles as George and Lucille Bluth in Netflix's new fourth season of Mitch Hurwitz's Arrested Development.

Arts

New 'Arrested Development' Gags Are Best Served In One Sitting

4:45pm June 04, 2013

by David Bianculli

Show creator Mitch Hurwitz advises against binge-watching the new season, but TV critic David Bianculli begs to differ. He says hidden identities and perplexing mysteries unfold slowly, and watching everything in one sitting helps make those connections even clearer.

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How To Speak Teen

9:11am June 01, 2013

Weekend Edition Saturday host Scott Simon speaks with Canadian linguist James Harbeck about his collection and phonetic translation of annoying teenage sounds.

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Last year's Comikaze, seen here in September 2012, attracted tens of thousands of attendees.

Arts

Comikaze: Not Just The Other Comic Convention

8:43am May 29, 2013

by Linda Holmes

Dissatisfied with the scope and costs of the biggest fan convention in the country, one fan started a new gathering of her own, and she quickly brought some big names in to help out.

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Arts

From 'Groovy' To 'Slacks,' The Words That Date You

2:11pm May 27, 2013

When Chicago Tribune columnist Mary Schmich used the word "slacks" in a column, a reader commented: "Slacks? How old are you?" The reader's comment got Schmich thinking about the words we choose and how much those choices can reveal about our age. (Originally broadcast on October 22, 2012.)

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Keith Carradine (right) performs with the cast of Hands on a Hardbody during its spring 2013 run in New York.

Two Songs That Led Keith Carradine From Screen To Broadway

6:22pm May 25, 2013

by NPR Staff

One of Keith Carradine's most famous roles in recent years was as Wild Bill Hickok on the HBO TV show Deadwood. But Carradine is also a musician, and it was a song that jump-started his career — and another that drew him to his latest Broadway role.

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Michael Douglas stars as the flamboyant pianist and entertainer Liberace in Steven Soderbergh's new HBO biopic, Behind the Candelabra.

Arts

Douglas, Damon Illuminate HBO's 'Candelabra'

6:43pm May 23, 2013

by David Bianculli

Steven Soderbergh's latest film is a showbiz story about Vegas icon Liberace and his secret lover — played, respectively, by Michael Douglas and Matt Damon, both terrific in their roles. It premieres Sunday on HBO.

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The video for Chinese artist Ai Weiwei's newly released song starts by re-creating the conditions of his captivity during the 81 days he was held in police detention in 2011, and later dissolves into a dystopian nightmare.

China's Artist Provocateur Explores New Medium: Heavy Metal

8:18pm May 22, 2013

by Louisa Lim

In 2011, police detained Ai Weiwei for 81 days. Now, he's released a song that's turned the experience into a heavy metal protest song, along with a dystopian nightmare video. The lyrics are explicit and angry. Ai says his music is for the many political prisoners who remain jailed.

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