From Buffy to Mariah, pop culture got Ira Madison III through his teens
NPR's Juana Summers speaks with cultural critic, TV writer and podcast host Ira Madison III about his new memoir, Pure Innocent Fun.
Arts
Miami Beach is continuing to crack down on spring break partiers
It started last year, when the city launched an expensive ad campaign telling spring breakers that the party was over and announcing new curfews and fines, as well as heavier law enforcement.
Overtaken by grief on a flight, a young woman was comforted by a stranger
On this week's "My Unsung Hero" from Hidden Brain: In 2008, when Cara Beth Rogers was a junior in college, her brother died in a tragic accident.
Ariana Grande says 'Wicked' was a gift — and she's proud to be in a 'beautiful coven'
As a kid, Grande loved singing karaoke with her family. "I looked up to Whitney and Mariah and Celine endlessly," she says. "I think that's a large part of the reason why I learned to sing."
Sometimes, you just need to take a break and watch a guy unclog a drain
The world is full of unsolvable problems and it's nice to see something get fixed. Millions of us are turning to YouTube to watch people unclog drains, deep clean rugs, and do other satisfying tasks.
Neil Gaiman's former nanny files rape, human trafficking lawsuit
The lawsuit alleges that Gaiman coerced sexual services from his former live-in nanny, and that Palmer "knowingly benefited" from Gaiman's actions.
Pastor pushed out after parishioners complain about focus on racial justice
Leaders of a Baptist church in North Carolina ousted the pastor after congregants started leaving. A secret tape provides a rare look at the debate when a message threatens a business model.
Robell Awake discusses his new book 'A Short History of Black Craft in Ten Objects'
Robell Awake is a chairmaker and scholar based in Atlanta, Georgia. He speaks with NPR's Michel Martin about his new book, "A Short History of Black Craft in Ten Objects."
Beyoncé finally won album of the year. Don't mistake this moment for her peak
Her Grammy win for Cowboy Carter will rightly be seen as historic. But for the artist, it's part of a grander thesis long in the making.
'I wanted to buy her time': A mother looks back on her daughter's terminal cancer
Sarah Wildman's daughter Orli died at age 14. "She would sometimes ask me, 'What do you think I did to deserve this?' And of course, that's not an answerable question," Wildman says.