Pop Culture

Rossellini is joining biologists in questioning conventional wisdom about mothers' interactions with their young.

Arts

Isabella Rossellini, Getting Animal Again With 'Mammas'

5:06pm October 06, 2013

by Pat Dowell

The star of Blue Velvet follows up her Webby-winning Green Porno series with another cheeky look at animal behavior. In Mammas, she channels mothers of many a species, challenges the belief that mothers are universally self-sacrificing — and eats an offspring or three.

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Bryan Cranston (left) starred as chemistry teacher turned meth dealer Walter White, and Aaron Paul played former student and drug-dealing co-conspirator Jesse Pinkman in AMC's Breaking Bad, which wrapped up its fifth and final season on Sunday.

Arts

'Breaking Bad' Writers: 'This Is It; There's No More'

3:05pm October 03, 2013

The AMC show about a high school chemistry teacher turned meth dealer ended its fifth and final season on Sunday. Writers Peter Gould and Thomas Schnauz say there was "absolute sadness" in the writers' room as they put the last plot points into place.

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Thaddeus Kalinoski makes more than $200,000 a year as a Zach Galifianakis impersonator.

The New And The Next: A Haitian Star, Bilingual Speed Dating

6:52pm September 28, 2013

by NPR Staff

Ozy co-founder Carlos Watson tells us about a rising star in human rights law, a rags-to-riches tale of a whacky impersonator and trend to look out for in the dating world.

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Michael Sheen and Lizzy Caplan portray pioneering sex researchers William Masters and Virginia Johnson in a new Showtime series.

Arts

'Masters Of Sex' Get Unmasterful Treatment On Showtime

3:34pm September 26, 2013

by John Powers

The series follows the stories of science pioneers William Masters and Virginia Johnson, who helped bring sexuality into the light. Critic John Powers says it clearly aspires to be "the Mad Men of sex" -- but falls short in both its eye for detail and its retrograde portrayals of sex.

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Kate (Malin Akerman) pitches in alongside husband Pete (Bradley Whitford) on her stepson's soccer practice in ABC's Trophy Wife.

Arts

'Trophy Wife' Is More Than Just A Pretty Face On ABC

7:05pm September 24, 2013

by Neda Ulaby

The show's self-professed feminist creators wanted to take on a type generally scorned in popular culture. It's a favorite among critics, but one reviewer worries it will suffer from the Cougar Town effect — good show, terrible name.

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Capt. Ray Holt (Andre Braugher, right) leads detectives Jake Peralta (Andy Samberg) and Amy Santiago (Melissa Fumero) on a police stakeout in Brooklyn Nine-Nine.

Arts

TV Trips Into Fall, But These Days Who Knows Where To Look?

3:52pm September 24, 2013

by David Bianculli

TV critic David Bianculli points to Brooklyn Nine-Nine, starring Andy Samberg, and The Blacklist, starring James Spader, as shows to watch this season. Other debuts, like The Michael J. Fox Show and The Crazy Ones, show plenty of potential.

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A marriage made in New York, though both partners came with plenty of baggage.

Arts

No Schmear Job: A Brief History Of Bagels And Lox

5:35pm September 23, 2013

by NPR Staff

The origin of the bagel "is somewhat mysterious," says a writer who recently explored the topic. What is unquestionable is that bagel met and married lox in New York. But as in so many modern unions, both partners came to the marriage with plenty of baggage.

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A Japanese micro-bar only has room for four customers at a time.

World News

An Introduction To What's New And What's Next

5:45pm September 21, 2013

The online magazine Ozy launched Monday, offering readers a streamlined site with original reporting and a look at trends on the horizon. Co-founder Carlos Watson talks about his vision for the site.

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A close view of the packaging of Grand Theft Auto V at the midnight opening at the HMV music store in London on Tuesday. It made history with a record $800 million in sales on its first day. This version continues to generate controversy over its glorific

Female Fans Love New Grand Theft Auto Despite Demeaning Content

2:02pm September 20, 2013

by Laura Sydell

Grand Theft Auto V took in more than $800 million in sales on its first day in stores. The edgy and violent adventure game series isn't just a hit with young men: A significant number of women play, though some of them are disappointed the new release doesn't feature prominent female characters.

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Man Who Made Nintendo Into A Video Game Empire Dies

7:07pm September 19, 2013

Hiroshi Yamauchi, who led Nintendo from a trading card company to the video game giant it is today, died Thursday at the age of 85. Some of Nintendo's most iconic characters — including Mario Brothers, Donkey Kong and Zelda — were created under Yamauchi's leadership.

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