Television

As Presidential Primaries Begin, Late Night TV Boosts Political Satire

4:54pm February 05, 2016

by Eric Deggans

Larry David will host Saturday Night Live this weekend, and viewers can expect his impression of presidential hopeful Bernie Sanders. NPR looks at late night's take on the campaign.

Spike Lee's new documentary charts the King of Pop's journey from child stardom to early fame as a solo act.

Music & Culture

Spike Lee On Michael Jackson's Evolution From Child Star To 'Off The Wall'

2:51pm February 05, 2016

by Mandalit del Barco

The director's new documentary, called Michael Jackson's Journey from Motown to Off the Wall, explores the King of Pop's seminal LP. "Michael is alive, because his music is still here," he says.

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Tovah Feldshuh and Rachel Bloom in the CW's Crazy Ex-Girlfriend.

Arts

Pop Culture Happy Hour: 'Crazy Ex-Girlfriend,' 'Grease,' TV Musicals

10:00am February 05, 2016

by Linda Holmes

It's a show full of good tunes as we visit with the CW's Crazy Ex-Girlfriend and take a tour of the recent spate of televised live musicals (with more to come).

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Matt LeBlanc, seen here at an Emmys party in West Hollywood last fall, will help revamp the BBC's long-running show Top Gear.

Matt LeBlanc Is Joining The BBC's 'Top Gear' Car Show

5:38pm February 04, 2016

by Bill Chappell

"Hey everyone, I'm really honored and looking forward to working on Top Gear," the former Friends star said Thursday. He has been a guest on the show several times.

Arts

Louis C.K. Drops Surprise New Drama 'Horace And Pete' Online

7:15pm February 03, 2016

by Eric Deggans

Comedian Louis C.K. is experimenting again with how he distributes programs. He has begun selling a comedy/drama series with a stellar cast online for $5 per episode. NPR explores the show and its business model.

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World News

'Egyptian Jon Stewart' Bassem Youssef Will Now Satirize U.S. Democracy

1:56pm February 03, 2016

Bassem Youssef created what became the most popular TV show in Egypt's history, but the government had the show cancelled, and Youssef fled Egypt.

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Richard Dreyfuss stars as Bernie Madoff.

Arts

'Madoff' Tells Its Tale To The Camera

8:34pm February 02, 2016

by Linda Holmes

Richard Dreyfuss plays Bernie Madoff in a new ABC miniseries as a con men who — like many of his kind — looks right at the viewer.

Courtney B. Vance — pictured above in his role as Johnnie Cochran in The People v. O.J. Simpson — says the miniseries is a "perfect opportunity for us to begin the process" of talking about the nation's deep racial divide. "It's not going to happen ov

Arts

Cochran Would Be 'Leading The Charge' In Ferguson, Says Actor Courtney Vance

6:38pm February 02, 2016

by NPR Staff

Actor Courtney B. Vance plays lawyer Johnnie Cochran in the FX miniseries The People v. O.J. Simpson. "Finally, on the biggest stage, a black man worked the system," Vance says.

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22 Years Since O.J.'s Trial, FX Debuts 'The People V. O.J. Simpson

5:58am February 02, 2016

by Mandalit del Barco

American Crime Story: The People v. O.J. Simpson begins Tuesday on FX. Based on Jeffrey Toobin's book, it's a behind-the-scenes series that stars Cuba Gooding., Jr., John Travolta and Sarah Paulson.

Cuba Gooding Jr. plays O.J. Simpson and Joseph Buttler is a polygraph examiner in the FX series The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story, which premieres Feb. 2.

Arts

'The People V. O.J. Simpson' Bursts With Sharp Scenes, Powerful Performances

3:55pm February 01, 2016

by John Powers

FX resurrects the "trial of the century" in its new season of American Crime Story. Critic John Powers says every single episode "is an embarrassment of tawdry riches."

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