Pop Culture

Simone Manuel is one of the best swimmers in the world. But even in 2016, there are very few professional swimmers who look like her.

Simone Manuel Wins Olympic Gold. That's A Really Big Deal

3:21pm August 12, 2016

by Leah Donnella

When the 20-year-old won gold Thursday night, she wasn't just an athlete excelling at her sport. She was a symbol for what should have been self-evident all along: Swimming is for everyone.

Left to right: Garnet, Amethyst, Steven and Pearl.

Arts

Pop Culture Happy Hour: 'Steven Universe' And The Games We Play

6:00am August 12, 2016

by Stephen Thompson

Kat Chow and Gene Demby join the show for thoughts on a groundbreaking Cartoon Network series and various card and board games. And, as always, we close with What's Making Us Happy this week.

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USA's Katie Meili poses with her bronze medal on the podium of the women's 100-meter breaststroke at 2016 Olympic Games in Rio.

Sports
Arts

In Defense Of Bronze: The True Mettle Of The Metal Of The 3rd-Place Medal

6:00pm August 11, 2016

by Glen Weldon

In the Olympics, and in many other areas of life, from comic-book eras to health care plans, "bronze" has come to signify the least of three things. It shouldn't.

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Rami Malek plays Elliot Alderson — a cybersecurity engineer who takes justice into his own hands — in the TV show Mr. Robot.

Arts

Hacking Is 'A Bit Of A Superpower,' Says Creator Of 'Mr. Robot'

2:40pm August 11, 2016

by NPR Staff

Sam Esmail believes hackers have immense power — the trouble is, superhero psychology isn't always sound. He says his vigilante hacker is driven by narcissism, paranoia, loneliness and pain.

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L: Hillary Clinton checks her phone at the Libyan Conference in 2011 in London; R: Donald Trump speaks at a campaign event Aug. 9 in North Carolina.

Why Are The Media Obsessed With Trump's Controversies And Not Clinton's?

1:33pm August 11, 2016

by Ron Elving

While less than shocking by Washington standards, the latest emails between Clinton Foundation and State Department staff underscore existing concerns about Hillary Clinton's ethics and transparency.

New Lucille Ball Statue Replaces 'Scary Lucy'

5:11pm August 09, 2016

Lucille Ball's hometown of Celoron, N.Y., honored her with a statue in 2009, 20 years after death. But the statue was terrifying. The story of "Scary Lucy" went viral last year. Last weekend, Celeron unveiled a new, less scary Lucy statue.

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National

'Doc McStuffins': The Olivia Pope For Kids?

9:14am August 07, 2016

If you have young children at home, chances are you know Doc McStuffins. If you don't, comedian W. Kamau Bell will tell you why you should love the 6-year-old cartoon girl with a stethoscope.

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How The VCR Began America's Love Of On-Demand Content

5:09pm August 06, 2016

by Alexi Horowitz-Ghazi

As the last VCR factory in Japan closes down production, we take a look at the rise and fall of the videocassette recorder and the culture it created.

"I hope that the Opening Ceremony will be a drug for depression in Brazil," film director Fernando Meirelles said of the show in Rio de Janeiro.

Rio Throws A Party For The World, Kicking Off The 2016 Olympics

11:14pm August 05, 2016

by Bill Chappell

After months of negative news, Rio ushers in the Summer Olympics on Friday night. And the city finally gets to do what it's famous for: putting on a grand spectacle.

A New Lucille Ball Statue Replaces 'Scary' One In Her Hometown

7:47pm August 05, 2016

by Richard Gonzales

In 2009, legions of Lucy fans were horrified by a sculpture they dubbed "Scary Lucy." The new one reflects the glamorous TV comedy star of the 1950s. It's being unveiled Saturday, her 105th birthday.