Games & Humor

Man Who Bet Big On Rock-Paper-Scissors Won't Have To Pay Up

6:08am April 24, 2020

In Canada, the Quebec Court of Appeal ruled this month that the excessive debt violates local gambling law. The case dates back to a 2011 game, and has been slowly making its way through the courts.

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You'll die a lot in the mountain-climbing platformer Celeste — but the journey is worth it.

Arts

6 Great Indie Games To Play While You Wait ... And Wait ... For 'The Last Of Us 2'

10:00am April 23, 2020

by Kaity Kline

This was a big spring for mainstream game studios — but summer was looking dry even before the pandemic upended everything. So it's a great time to check out some independent games.

Arts

We Call To Check In On Tom Hanks (And Ask Him To Play Not My Job)

8:42am April 18, 2020

Hanks recently recovered from the coronavirus, so we called to check in on him. While he was on the line, we asked the man who played Mr. Rogers to answer three questions about very bad neighbors.

Helen Walters: Ideas That Bring Us Joy

9:49am April 17, 2020

by NPR/TED Staff

More than ever, we need to make time for joy. This hour, Manoush and TED's Head Curator Helen Walters explore talks that surprise, inspire, and delight.

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Hannah Epstein says she believes the computer in this childhood photo is actually running MOOSE Crossing.

Arts

Remembering 'MOOSE Crossing' — A Different Kind Of Animal

7:00am April 17, 2020

by Hannah Epstein

It seems like everyone's obsessed with Nintendo's hit Animal Crossing right now. But writer Hannah Epstein is thinking about a game she loved as a kid — the text-only virtual world of MOOSE Crossing.

Commentary: First, Do Nothing

4:20pm April 16, 2020

by Maeve Higgins

It's hard to do nothing — and it's harder to be funny doing nothing. Comic and Wait Wait ... Don't Tell Me panelist Maeve Higgins weighs in.

World News

British Pubs Are Closed. British Pub Trivia Continues

5:16am April 13, 2020

by Frank Langfitt

Forced to close because of the coronavirus, a pub in the North of England, has taken its popular quiz night online — and is now attracting a global audience.

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Alan Zweibel chronicles four decades of comedic collaborations in his new memoir Laugh Lines.

Books
Arts

It's 'Alchemy': Alan Zweibel Explains How He Helps 'Funny People Be Funnier'

11:41am April 11, 2020

by Elizabeth Blair

Zweibel began writing for Borscht Belt comics in 1972, earning $7 per joke. His memoir Laugh Lines chronicles four decades of comedic collaborations with some of the biggest names in the business.

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Chef and writer Samin Nosrat poses for a photo at the Television Critics Association Summer Press Tour on July 29, 2018, in Beverly Hills, Calif.

Arts

Not My Job: Samin Nosrat Plays Our Game, 'Crosby, Stills, Nash, Acid, Heat'

10:31am April 11, 2020

We've invited the author of Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat to play a game called "Crosby, Stills, Nash, Acid, Heat!" Three questions about Woodstock, the famous music festival.

Arts

Speeches And Songs: Stratford Edition Pt. II

5:07pm April 10, 2020

New Yorker cartoonist Emily Flake and her husband John Pastore learn that action is eloquence in this audio game that combines famous Shakespeare scenes with pop songs.

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