Pop Culture Happy Hour : NPR

Sink your teeth into 'Interview with the Vampire'

Sam Reid and Jacob Anderson in the second season of AMC's Interview With the Vampire. Larry Horricks/AMC hide caption

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Larry Horricks/AMC

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Sink your teeth into 'Interview with the Vampire'

May 13, 2024 • If you're familiar with Interview with the Vampire — because you read the Anne Rice novel or you saw the 1994 movie — the AMC series has some surprises. It revolves around a young man named Louis, his handsome vampire lover, and the creepy vampire child they adopt — but it's funnier, sexier and queerer than you remember. But this Louis isn't a white plantation owner — he's an ambitious and closeted Black man. The show just returned for a new season, so we're revisiting our conversation about the series.

Sink your teeth into 'Interview with the Vampire'

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

If you love Vanderpump Rules you will love Brian Moylan's recaps of the show. Above, Scheana Shay, left, Ariana Madix and Lala Kent. Casey Durkin/Bravo hide caption

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Casey Durkin/Bravo

What's Making Us Happy: Recommendations From 'Pop Culture Happy Hour'

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

May 10, 2024 • Each week, Pop Culture Happy Hour guests and hosts share what's bringing them joy. This week: Vanderpump Rules recaps, the book The Worst Ronin, and a duet by Pavarotti and Celine Dion.

Yes, Apple's new iPad ad is ugly and crushing, but art can't be flattened

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NPR

Yes, Apple's new iPad ad is ugly and crushing, but art can't be flattened

May 10, 2024 • The newest iPad ad depicts instruments, books and art supplies flattened into Apple's thinnest product ever. But anyone who owns and loves art in any form knows: The practicality isn't the point.

'Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes' swings us back to a familiar franchise

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20th Century Studios

Review

'Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes' swings us back to a familiar franchise

May 10, 2024 • Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes follows Noa (Owen Teague), an extraordinary chimpanzee whose clan is enslaved by a mercenary ape king named Proximus Caesar (Kevin Durand). As he sets out to gets them back, he's joined by a sage orangutan (Peter Maykin) and a scavenging human (Freya Allan). The movie is set hundreds of years after the recent Planet of the Apes trilogy, but the spirit of Andy Serkis' revolutionary character Caeser still looms large over this new film.

'Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes' swings us back to a familiar franchise

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Eurovision 2024: Here are the songs with the best shot at glory

Switzerland's Nemo rehearses "The Code" before the second semifinal. Jessica Gow/TT News Agency/AFP via Getty hide caption

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Jessica Gow/TT News Agency/AFP via Getty

Eurovision 2024: Here are the songs with the best shot at glory

May 9, 2024 • Another year, another glitter-filled spectacle known as the Eurovision Song Contest. The Grand Final airs Saturday at 3:00 p.m. ET on Peacock in the United States.

Eurovision 2024: Here are the songs with the best shot at glory

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We process the explosive Drake-Kendrick beef

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Amy Sussman/Getty Images

We process the explosive Drake-Kendrick beef

May 9, 2024 • 2024 seems destined to go down as the Year of Pop Culture Grievances. Megan vs. Nicki. Beyoncé vs. Nashville. But above all: Kendrick Lamar vs. Drake, who are currently engaged in the nastiest lyrical warfare rap fans have seen in a minute. Today, we're talking about all the pettiness: Why so much beef, and what makes a good battle? And is there ever a clear "winner" in these battles?

We process the explosive Drake-Kendrick beef

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Dua Lipa's 'Radical Optimism' is loaded with hyper-catchy bangers

Radical Optimism is the latest album from Dua Lipa. Tyrone Lebon/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Tyrone Lebon/Courtesy of the artist

Review

Dua Lipa's 'Radical Optimism' is loaded with hyper-catchy bangers

May 8, 2024 • The British singer Dua Lipa has become one of the world's biggest pop stars. Now, she's back with Radical Optimism, a sort of concept record about moving through life with a more mature and constructive attitude. But it's also a pretty straightforward collection of grievance-free, hyper-catchy bangers.

Dua Lipa's 'Radical Optimism' is loaded with hyper-catchy bangers

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Is Jerry Seinfeld's 'Unfrosted' a tasty treat, or just a stale old standby?

Melissa McCarthy, Jerry Seinfeld, and Jim Gaffigan in Unfrosted. Netflix hide caption

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Netflix

Review

Is Jerry Seinfeld's 'Unfrosted' a tasty treat, or just a stale old standby?

May 7, 2024 • The new Netflix film Unfrosted tells a fanciful invented version of the Pop-Tart's origin. The film was directed and co-written by Jerry Seinfeld, who also stars as a Kellogg's executive who's in a race to release a new breakfast idea before their rival beats them to it. Seinfeld is joined by a big cast of funny people including Melissa McCarthy, Amy Schumer, Jim Gaffigan, and Hugh Grant. But is the movie as satisfying as the Pop-Tart itself?

Is Jerry Seinfeld's 'Unfrosted' a tasty treat, or just a stale old standby?

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'Jerrod Carmichael Reality Show' exploits pain for good

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HBO Max

Review

'Jerrod Carmichael Reality Show' exploits pain for good

May 6, 2024 • In Jerrod Carmichael Reality Show, the comedian doubles down on the uncomfortable intimacy of his stand up special Rothaniel, where he came out publicly as gay for the first time. Jerrod Carmichael gets a film crew to follow him around as he bares his soul to the camera as he cheats on his boyfriend and forces his parents into deeply uncomfortable conversations. The HBO series is funny and poignant. But it isn't a spotless, media-managed facade. It's a portrait of a man who absolutely delights in letting us know just how flawed and selfish he is.

'Jerrod Carmichael Reality Show' exploits pain for good

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'Hacks' Season 3 is proof that compelling storylines and character growth take time

Ava (Hannah Einbinder), left, and Deborah (Jean Smart) have both grown a lot since we first met them in Season 1 of Hacks on Max. Max hide caption

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Max

Review

'Hacks' Season 3 is proof that compelling storylines and character growth take time

May 4, 2024 • Ava (Hannah Einbinder) and Deborah (Jean Smart) have both grown a lot since we first met them in Season 1. It's a reminder that shows need breathing room to achieve satisfying development.

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

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Daniel McFadden/Warner Bros.

What's Making Us Happy: Recommendations From 'Pop Culture Happy Hour'

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

May 3, 2024 • Each week, Pop Culture Happy Hour guests and hosts share what's bringing them joy. This week: The Nice Guys, Vanessa Williams' song "Legs," Arooj Aftab's album Night Reign, and the game Planet Zoo.

Fall for 'The Fall Guy' and its truly amazing stunts

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Eric Laciste/Universal Pictures

Review

Fall for 'The Fall Guy' and its truly amazing stunts

May 3, 2024 • In the entertaining new film The Fall Guy, Ryan Gosling plays a down-on-his-luck stunt performer who gets a big new opportunity to get his career on track. And maybe get back the woman (Emily Blunt) whose heart he broke. Directed by David Leitch, it's a knowing comedy about action movies, and a character study of a man who likes to think he's invincible. And the movie has amazing stunts.

Fall for 'The Fall Guy' and its truly amazing stunts

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Anne Hathaway finds love with a pop star in 'The Idea of You'

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Prime Video

Review

Anne Hathaway finds love with a pop star in 'The Idea of You'

May 2, 2024 • The new movie The Idea Of You tells the story of a boy band star (Nicholas Galitzine) who falls in love with an older divorced mother (Anne Hathaway). It's based on a hit novel that's at least partially inspired by Harry Styles' life and career.

Anne Hathaway finds love with a pop star in 'The Idea of You'

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'Baby Reindeer' has got everyone talking, including us

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Ed Miller/Netflix

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'Baby Reindeer' has got everyone talking, including us

May 1, 2024 • The new Netflix series Baby Reindeer has a lot of people talking, including us. It tells the haunting semi-autobiographical story of a man (Richard Gadd) who becomes the romantic obsession of a mentally ill woman (Jessica Gunning) who proceeds to stalk him. Eventually, her threatening actions force him to address a past trauma in his own life that leaves him shaken and confused.

'Baby Reindeer' has got everyone talking, including us

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The movies, TV and music we're excited about this summer

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Brian Roedel /Netflix

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The movies, TV and music we're excited about this summer

April 30, 2024 • Today, we're offering up a guide to spotlight some of the movies, TV, and music we are most excited about this summer.

The movies, TV and music we're excited about this summer

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In 'Dead Boy Detectives,' two best mates reject their deadly fates

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Netflix

Review

In 'Dead Boy Detectives,' two best mates reject their deadly fates

April 29, 2024 • The new show Dead Boy Detectives is a spinoff of Neil Gaiman's beloved series The Sandman – both the comic and the Netflix series. It's about a pair of detective ghosts (played by George Rexstrew and Jayden Revri) who refuse to move on to the afterlife. Aided by a young psychic (Kassius Nelson), they stick around and solve mysteries that will resolve the unfinished business of other ghosts.

In 'Dead Boy Detectives,' two best mates reject their deadly fates

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You know it when you see it: Here are some movies that got sex scenes right

It is a happy coincidence that our "What makes a good sex scene?" episode came out in the same week as Challengers, a film about a romance triangle in the tennis world starring Josh O'Connor, Zendaya and (not pictured) Mike Faist. Niko Tavernise/Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures hide caption

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Niko Tavernise/Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures

You know it when you see it: Here are some movies that got sex scenes right

April 27, 2024 • Good sex scenes are like any other kind of good filmmaking: It comes down to execution with purpose and care, done relative to whatever the function of the scene might be.

Richard Gadd in Baby Reindeer on Netflix. Netflix hide caption

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Netflix

What's Making Us Happy: Recommendations From 'Pop Culture Happy Hour'

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

April 26, 2024 • Each week, Pop Culture Happy Hour guests and hosts share what's bringing them joy. This week: the show Baby Reindeer, Chappell Roan's Tiny Desk concert, a podcast about MTV, and retro gaming.

The Zendaya-led 'Challengers' is much more than a sexy tennis movie

Zendaya stars as Tashi in Challengers. Niko Tavernise/Amazon MGM Studios hide caption

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Niko Tavernise/Amazon MGM Studios

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