Television

Conan O'Brien in 2016. He is being sued by a writer who accuses him of stealing jokes. O'Brien says the idea of stealing someone else's comedy makes him physically ill.

National

Can You Copyright Your Dumb Joke? And How Can You Prove It's Yours?

10:34am May 17, 2017

by Laurel Wamsley

"Joke theft" sounds funny, but that claim is at the heart of a lawsuit lodged against Conan O'Brien. The case brings thorny questions of humor to the courtroom, a place not always known for jokes.

National

Powers Boothe, Who Appeared In 'Deadwood' And 'Sin City,' Dies At 68

2:05pm May 15, 2017

by Doreen McCallister

The character actor was known for his roles as a villain in TV's Deadwood and in the movies Tombstone, Sin City and The Avengers. Boothe died of natural causes at his home in Los Angeles on Sunday.

Arts

'Fargo' Is A Series About The 'Things People Do For Money'

1:42pm May 15, 2017

Noah Hawley says his FX series, now in its third season, explores the central premise of the Coen Brothers' iconic 1996 film. Hawley is also the creator of the FX series Legion.

Queue Listen Now

"Spicey" hides in the bushes from reporters during a White House briefing, led by Aidy Bryant's impersonation of Spicer's real-life stand-in last week, Sarah Huckabee Sanders.

National

'SNL' Host Melissa McCarthy Brings 'Spicey' Back To Troll An Already Bizarre Week

10:14pm May 14, 2017

by Emma Bowman

In the end, perhaps, the bar was set too high for the Saturday Night Live episode that was to follow an already baffling series of news events.

Minnie Driver plays Maya, the mom on the ABC family comedy Speechless.

Arts

A Mother's Day Update On TV Moms

5:03am May 14, 2017

by Linda Holmes

A lot has changed on television in the last 20 years or so. We take a moment to check in on how all these changes are treating TV moms.

Books
Arts

'Are You Anybody?' Jeffrey Tambor Chronicles A Lifetime In Acting

10:43am May 13, 2017

by Scott Simon

Tambor now stars as Maura, a divorced, transgender parent of three in the Amazon series Transparent. He says the opportunity — and the responsibility — of the role have been life changing.

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Hank Azaria as sportscaster Jim Brockmire — a character he says has been in his head for decades.

Sports
Arts

Hank Azaria Says 'Brockmire' Has Been With Him For Years

8:04am May 13, 2017

by Scott Simon

Azaria stars in the new IFC show of the same name, about a baseball announcer slowly rebuilding his life and career in the minor leagues after a spectacular on-air meltdown over his wife's infidelity.

Arts

This Is About Obsession: Kathryn Hahn On The New Amazon Series, 'I Love Dick'

5:01pm May 12, 2017

NPR's Kelly McEvers talks with actor Kathryn Hahn, who is starring in a new show on Amazon called I Love Dick, based on a book by the same name.

Bob Ryan Reflects On Nearly 3 Decades Of ESPN's 'The Sports Reporters'

4:30pm May 12, 2017

NPR's Robert Siegel talks to Bob Ryan what he will do Sunday mornings now that The Sports Reporters roundtable on ESPN is off the schedule.

Aziz Ansari co-created and stars in Netflix's Master Of None, which just released its second season.

Arts

'Master Of None' Is Even Better In Season 2

11:47am May 12, 2017

by Linda Holmes

Master Of None, which was nominated for four Emmy Awards in its first season, is back with a second, and it's better and more thoughtful than before.