Pop Culture

Poor Donna Reed: Her Mary would have ended up working in a library — shudder — if not for the matrimonial intervention of Jimmy Stewart's George Bailey. Happily, 1946's It's a Wonderful Life isn't the only lens through which pop culture assesses the w

Books
Arts

Libraries' Leading Roles: On Stage, On Screen And In Song

4:04pm August 08, 2013

by Bob Mondello

In the latest installment of our library series, NPR's Bob Mondello visits some notable libraries in popular culture: Jorge Luis Borges' Library of Babel; Lucien's Library in Neil Gaiman's The Sandman; and the stacks in Buffy, Hogwarts, Doctor Who and Fahrenheit 451.

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Jayda Neor and Kephra Shaw Meredith, seventh-graders from KIPP Bridge middle school in Oakland, Calif., perform a rap song about the discovery of DNA's structure in front of a green screen.

Science Rap B.A.T.T.L.E.S. Bring Hip-Hop Into The Classroom

12:48pm August 08, 2013

by Adam Cole

The program is part of a national push for science education among minorities. A U.S. Department of Commerce study found that blacks and Latinos are half as likely as whites to have a job in science or engineering.

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Bob Odenkirk plays sleazeball lawyer Saul Goodman on AMC's Breaking Bad. The show is in its final season, but creator Vince Gilligan has talked about doing a spinoff series for Saul that would star Odenkirk.

Arts

Bob Odenkirk Brings Some Laughs To 'Breaking Bad'

12:01pm August 06, 2013

Fast-talking, sleazeball lawyer Saul Goodman knows how to bend the law, or break it, depending on his clients' needs. Odenkirk tells Fresh Air's Terry Gross about playing the AMC drama's most comedic character, and the origins of Saul's comb-over.

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BBC Announces Peter Capaldi Is The Next Dr. Who

5:40am August 05, 2013

The BBC has chosen the 12th actor to star in Doctor Who, the show about a traveler in time and space. Veteran actor Peter Capaldi is taking over from Matt Smith, who will take his leave in the Christmas special. For more on the show, Linda Wertheimer talks to BBC arts and entertainment correspondent Tim Masters.

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Arts

Robert Klein And The Golden Age Of Comedy

6:29pm August 03, 2013

by NPR Staff

Host Jacki Lyden talks to comedian Robert Klein, the narrator of the documentary When Comedy Went to School, which opened this week in New York City.

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'Brony' Convention Takes Off Like Magical Winged Pony

6:01pm August 02, 2013

In the 1980s, My Little Pony was a toy line and TV franchise aimed at little girls. These days, an expanding group of grown men are fans of the pastel-colored ponies. They call themselves "bronies." This weekend, thousands are heading to Baltimore for BronyCon 2013 — a big jump from the 100 who attended the convention two years ago.

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Mild-mannered teacher by day, masked superhero by night, the Burka Avenger fights corruption and oppression, and aims to empower the girls of Pakistan.

Lady In Black: 'Burka Avenger' Fights For Pakistan's Girls

6:05pm July 31, 2013

by NPR Staff

Burka Avenger is a new Pakistani kids' show about a mild-mannered teacher who moonlights as a burqa-clad superhero. The show aims to empower and educate children, especially young girls — but has drawn criticism from feminists for its use of the burqa.

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In Season 2 of The Newsroom, Jim Harper (John Gallagher Jr.) goes on the 2012 campaign trail.

Arts

John Gallagher Jr. On 'Newsroom' Dialogue And Staging Green Day

2:28pm July 29, 2013

In addition to playing a cable news producer on Aaron Sorkin's HBO drama, Gallagher is a Tony Award-winning Broadway performer. He tells Fresh Air's Terry Gross about starring in a punk rock musical and rehearsing Sorkin's Newsroom scripts.

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The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis is the first in a straight line of teen comedies from the teen point of view. It starred Dwayne Hickman (right) as Dobie and Bob Denver as his best friend, Maynard.

Arts

This Summer, Vintage TV Shows Thrive On DVD

2:27pm July 29, 2013

by David Bianculli

The stack of recent DVD releases of old TV series keeps getting higher. Fresh Air critic David Bianculli picks four that he believes are the TV equivalent of a fun summer read.

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John Oliver is filling in as the summer guest host of The Daily Show. His own stand-up show on Comedy Central is returning for a fourth season.

Arts

John Oliver Steps Into 'Adult Clown Shoes' On 'The Daily Show'

12:01pm July 29, 2013

by NPR Staff

Comedian John Oliver is guest-hosting The Daily Show this summer while Jon Stewart is away directing a movie. He says filling in for Stewart is "a pretty weird experience."

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