Pop Culture

Once A Hard Sell, Wal-Mart's Patti LaBelle Pies Fly Off Shelves

7:09pm November 17, 2015

by Andrew Limbong

The sweet potato pie, sold in boxes bearing LaBelle's face, was a ho-hum seller until a video singing its praises went viral last week. Why pie fever? Partly, it's about celebrating black culture.

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An excerpt from the comic "It's going to be okay" in The Oatmeal.

Arts

'The Oatmeal' Remembers 'Star Trek' Creator's Heroic Plane Crash Rescue

2:00pm November 17, 2015

by Connor Donevan

Many people were moved last week by an online comic on a site called "The Oatmeal." It was illustrated and written by Matthew Inman, and it's titled "It's going to be okay."

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Word Of The Year Is Really An Emoji

6:30am November 17, 2015

The people at the Oxford Dictionaries Word of the Year got creative. This year's new word is really an emoji entitled: "Face with Tears of Joy." The frequency of its use tripled in 2015.

Slate's "Dear Prudence" has a new advice giver.

'Dear Prudence' Finally Gets Advice In Return: A New 'Prudie' Steps In

10:39pm November 15, 2015

by NPR Staff

Mallory Ortberg of The Toast will fill almost decade-old shoes for Slate's popular advice column, but not without getting advice first. Before she pays it forward, we seek her words on a timely issue.

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Aziz Ansari's Show Gives Me Pause About Being An Indian Dad In America

8:36am November 15, 2015

by Deepak Singh

The U.S.-born creator of Master of None loved working with his Indian folks. But as the father of a 6-year-old, I worry that family ties here aren't as strong as in my homeland.

Tariq and Ummehaany Azam dance to "Fly Me to the Moon" at their wedding reception.

Dating App Helps Muslim Millennials Find Love, Parents Not Included

2:07pm November 13, 2015

by Dina Temple-Raston

More than 6,000 people have signed up for Ishqr since the app launched over a year ago. Ishq is an Arabic word for love; the "r" at the end was added to make it sound more hip.

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Nahnatchka Khan writes her scripts from the inside out, focusing first on real life experiences.

National

Video: 'Fresh Off The Boat' Writer Nahnatchka Khan Tells Stories From The Inside Out

10:25am November 13, 2015

by Jeff Yang

Nahnatchka Khan writes scripts that focus on real-life experiences. There are thousands of stories to tell, and she says Fresh Off the Boat is just the beginning.

Books
Arts

The 'Amazing Fantastic Incredible' Life Of Stan Lee, Now In Comic Form

5:15pm November 12, 2015

by NPR Staff

Stan Lee is a comic book legend. He's the writer behind Spider-Man, the Incredible Hulk and Iron Man. Host Renee Montagne sits down with the 92-year-old to talk comics and his own superheroic life.

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Sara Ramirez stars in ABC's Grey's Anatomy as Dr. Callie Torres.

National

Video: 'Grey's Anatomy' Star Sara Ramirez Brings Empathy And Activism To Acting

3:28pm November 12, 2015

by Jeff Yang

Sara Ramirez didn't see herself reflected on the silver screen growing up, but her love for the arts drove her to pursue a career in acting anyway.

Arts

A Day in the Life of Peter Sarsgaard

11:28am November 12, 2015

For our VIP game, we narrate a slightly fictitious day in the life of Peter Sarsgaard.

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