Pop Culture

Mark (Adam Scott) greets new employee Helly (Britt Lower) in the Apple TV series Severance.

Arts

In the thriller 'Severance,' Adam Scott's humanity hangs in the (work-life) balance

2:44pm February 17, 2022

by Glen Weldon

This darkly comic series about corporate drones who retain no memory of their lives outside the office gets quickly weirder, funnier and more thrilling after a slow-burn start.

Bollywood singer and music composer Bappi Lahiri speaks to the media before planting a tree during an environmental awareness campaign in Mumbai on June 19, 2021.

Bappi Lahiri, the king of Bollywood disco, dies at 69

1:34pm February 16, 2022

by Lauren Frayer

Lahiri famously brought a disco vibe to India's biggest film industry. He composed dozens of hits in the 1970s and '80s — which appeared in many top Bollywood movies.

In one of Estevan Oriol's photographs, a subject wears Nike Cortezes while kneeling in front of an old car.

Sports
Arts

An oral history of the Nike Cortez, 50 years after its release

2:11pm February 15, 2022

by Sean Saldana

Or, how the Nike Cortez — named after a conquistador — became a staple of Chicano streetwear.

Queue Listen Now

'The Trojan Horse Affair' is Serial's best podcast since 'S-Town'

1:32pm February 15, 2022

by Nick Quah

In 2014, an anonymous whistleblower leaked a copy of a letter that allegedly revealed an Islamist plan to take over schools in one English city. A new podcast tells the story behind the fake document.

Queue Listen Now

From left, Regina Hall and Wanda Sykes and Amy Schumer will be hosting the Oscars this year.

Arts

Wanda Sykes, Amy Schumer and Regina Hall will host this year's Oscars

11:12am February 15, 2022

by Elizabeth Blair

This is the first time three women will emcee the annual movie awards telecast. It will be on ABC on March 27.

West Elm Caleb went from a local Hinge player to dating supervillain, the target of a massive, righteous internet investigation. An audience of millions helped uncover and blow up his personal information.

Arts

What internet outrage reveals about race and TikTok's algorithm

12:59pm February 14, 2022

by Jess Kung

While it's good that many called out the overstep in reaction, it also made us think about the ways that these outrage cycles happen, and often get ignored, when people of color are involved.

Arnold Schwarzenegger and Salma Hayek play the Greek gods Zeus and Hera in a Super Bowl ad for BMW.

Sports
Arts

The best (and worst) Super Bowl commercials: Lizzo, cranky Zeus and more

12:53pm February 14, 2022

by Eric Deggans

The commercials during this year's game weren't serious or poignant enough to speak to the modern moment.

NPR's Culture Desk suggests movies, books and songs for Valentine's Day.

For Valentine's Day, a few of our favorite love stories to read, watch and hear

11:47am February 14, 2022

by Miranda Mazariegos

Valentine's Day reminds us we can relearn and redefine what it means to love and be loved. So, we offer some books, songs, and movies about passion, devotion, and relationships to take on the journey.

Cassandra Ciangherotti, Bernardo Velasco, Julio Torres, and Ana Fabrega star in the HBO series Los Espookys.

What's making us happy: A guide for your weekend watching and listening

6:00pm February 11, 2022

Each week, the guests and hosts on NPR's Pop Culture Happy Hour share what's bringing them joy. This week: Jackass Forever, StraightioLab podcast, and True Blood.

This Super Bowl Sunday, it's the Bengals and Rams... and owls?

4:25pm February 11, 2022

Every year around the time of the Super Bowl, birding enthusiasts celebrate a different phenomenon with the same "#superbowl" hashtag: the Superb Owl.