Why Do Some Pop Songs Become American Bar Classics?
NPR's Ari Shapiro talks to writer Kenny Herzog about why some songs turn into American bar classics.
Arts
Feats Of Technical Magic Bring Disney's New 'Jungle Book' To Life
A new version of the classic Disney animated movie features a live-action Mowgli and digitally created animals. It's feat of animation and technical magic — the new smoke and mirrors of Hollywood.
'Farm To Fable'? Tampa Probe Finds Many Restaurants Lie About Sourcing
Food critic Laura Reiley of the Tampa Bay Times spent two months investigating where her local eateries were really getting their ingredients. Many of their "farm to table" claims proved bogus.
Why Teens Are Impulsive, Addiction-Prone And Should Protect Their Brains
Research shows that teenagers' brains are not fully insulated, which means that signals move slowly. Frances Jensen, who wrote The Teenage Brain, explains. Originally broadcast Jan. 28, 2015.
Pop Culture Happy Hour: 'The Mindy Project' And Romantic Comedies
This week's show brings in Audie Cornish and Margaret Willison to talk about Mindy Kaling's just-returning OB/GYN comedy and about the state and ways of romantic comedy in general.
'It's So, So Complicated': Kerry Washington On Clarence Thomas' 'Confirmation'
Washington stars as Anita Hill in the new HBO film Confirmation. She was 14 during the 1991 hearings, and says it's the first time she remembers her parents having different points of view.
'Green Room': A Choreographed Thriller With A Spontaneous Beat
Green Room, from the director of the well-regarded thriller Blue Ruin, is the violent and inventive story of a touring punk band that gets in way over its head.
A Point-By-Point Response To BuzzFeed's Questions For Black People
A video titled "27 Questions Black People Have For Black People" misses a whole lotta history when it comes to black people in America.
Gothic Family Drama At 'The Border Of Paradise'
Esme Weijun Wang's novel — packed with family secrets, betrayals, a decaying house and a dramatic fire — could have seemed pulpy in lesser hands. But her restrained, beautiful prose makes it work.
Political Thriller Series 'Occupied' Parallels Russia's Actions In Ukraine
The new political thriller series, Occupied, was ahead of its time. NPR's Ari Shapiro talks to one of the show's creators, Erik Skjoldbjaerg, about how the show parallels Russia's actions in Ukraine.