Pop Culture

The original blond Barbie sells well in India but an Indian version with dark hair and Indian-style garments did not catch on. In this store display, Indian Barbies are flanked by a fair-haired doll and an African American Barbie.

The dreams and disappointments of India's Barbie

4:36pm July 28, 2023

by Kamala Thiagarajan

The doll is very popular. But an Indian version of a dark-haired, sari-clad Barbie was not a big seller. And one woman has written a poem about what it felt like to grow up unable to afford a Barbie.

Actor Kevin Spacey is cleared of nine sex offenses in a London court

8:36pm July 26, 2023

by Willem Marx

Actor Kevin Spacey has been cleared of nine sex offenses in a court in London. The jury delivered the verdict of not guilty on all charges relating to four men, dating back to over a decade ago.

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The Indigo Girls find themselves in a Barbie world

6:22pm July 25, 2023

NPR's Mary Louise Kelly talks with the Indigo Girls, Amy Ray and Emily Saliers, about their 1989 hit "Closer to Fine" being featured prominently in the new Barbie movie.

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Music & Culture

Kurtis Blow breaks hip-hop nationally with his 1980 debut

8:14am July 25, 2023

Hip-hop is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year. Commentator Kiana Fitzgerald is looking back at the albums that changed the game — starting with: 1980's "Kurtis Blow."

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Barbie's original swimsuit featured a black-and-white chevron stripes.

Arts

The secret to Barbie's enduring appeal? She can fend for herself

5:00am July 25, 2023

by Maureen Corrigan

Maureen Corrigan recalls playing with the iconic doll on the sidewalk in Queens in the 1960s. She says Barbie didn't teach girls to be of service; she taught the giddy pleasures of a seeming autonomy.

The Grove theater marquee announcing the opening of Barbie is pictured in Los Angeles last week.

'Barbie' beats 'Oppenheimer' at the box office with a record $155 million debut

12:51pm July 24, 2023

by Emily Olson

Combined, the two films brought in the biggest revenue since the start of the pandemic, besting out the usual superhero franchises Hollywood has come to depend on.

SAN DIEGO, CA - JULY 20: Cosplay characters dressed as Spiderman, pose for pictures along 5th Avenue in the Gaslamp Quarter during Comic Con International in San Diego, California.

U.S. Rep. Robert Garcia to launch a popular arts caucus at Comic-Con

1:06pm July 23, 2023

by A Martínez

"When nerds get together, we can do a lot of good things," says U.S. Rep. Robert Garcia who's assembling a Congressional caucus on popular arts like gaming, video and movies.

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Tia Nomore stars in Earth Mama as Gia, a single, pregnant mother of two, working to reclaim her children from foster care.

Arts

What's Making Us Happy: A guide to your weekend viewing and listening

5:00am July 22, 2023

Each week, guests and hosts on NPR's Pop Culture Happy Hour share what's bringing them joy. This week: the movie Earth Mama, a recent episode of Vibe Check and albums from Aqua and The Japanese House.

Posters advertise Oppenheimer and Barbie in New York and California, respectively. They both hit theaters nationwide on Friday.

Arts

What to know about the 'Barbenheimer' double feature frenzy

5:03am July 21, 2023

by Rachel Treisman

After months of inescapable marketing, viral memes and crossover merch, two of the year's most anticipated movies hit theaters on Friday. Here's why so many people want to see both — and how to prep.

Christian thriller 'Sound of Freedom' faces criticism for stoking conspiracy theories

4:25pm July 20, 2023

by Shannon Bond

Sound of Freedom is a surprise box office hit. But the Christian thriller is also fueling controversy over conspiracy theories and its depiction of human trafficking.