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In 'The Decameron,' the Black Death makes for black comedy

Zosia Mamet and Saoirse-Monica Jackson in The Decameron. Giulia Parmigiani/Netflix hide caption

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Giulia Parmigiani/Netflix

Review

Pop Culture Happy Hour

In 'The Decameron,' the Black Death makes for black comedy

In Netflix's weirdly compelling dark comedy The Decameron, the bubonic plague is ravaging Florence in 1348. A group of rich nobles and their servants decide to retreat to a picturesque villa in the country to wait it all out. The large ensemble includes Tony Hale and Zosia Mamet. Every character is hiding something, and those secrets get revealed — and more than a few uglies get bumped.

In 'The Decameron,' the Black Death makes for black comedy

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'Cats: The Jellicle Ball' gets 10s across the board

Chasity Moore as Grizabella in 'Cats: The Jellicle Ball' Matthew Murphy hide caption

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Matthew Murphy

It's Been a Minute

'Cats: The Jellicle Ball' gets 10s across the board

In the latest revival of Andrew Lloyd Webber's Cats, there are no singing cats. The actors have basically ditched the furry ears and velvet tails and reimagined the characters as competitors in the ballroom scene, vying for trophies and a new chance at life. This week, host Brittany Luse talks to Cats: The Jellicle Ball star Chasity Moore and co-director Zhailon Levingston about ballroom, spectacles and memories.

'Cats: The Jellicle Ball' gets 10s across the board

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Three great karaoke songs

Celine Dion's "It's All Coming Back To Me Now" is one of the perfect communal karaoke songs. Robert Laberge/AFP via Getty Images hide caption

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Robert Laberge/AFP via Getty Images

Pop Culture Happy Hour

Three great karaoke songs

What makes a good karaoke song? In this encore episode, we're suggesting three great songs to sing at karaoke night.

Three great karaoke songs

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'Sunny' is a robot buddy comedy about loss

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Apple TV+

Review

Pop Culture Happy Hour

'Sunny' is a robot buddy comedy about loss

In the new Apple TV+ series Sunny, Rashida Jones stars as a woman living in Kyoto, whose husband and young son go missing in a plane crash. To help console her, her husband's electronics company gives her a robot companion. The show is an interesting mix of styles and genres – it's a buddy comedy, a crime thriller and a drama about loss. But at the center of it all is the mystery of what happened to her husband and son – and why.

'Sunny' is a robot buddy comedy about loss

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'Twister,' 'Twisters' and the actual practice of storm chasing

Daisy Edgar-Jones stars as Kate in the new movie Twisters. Melinda Sue Gordon/Universal Pictures hide caption

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Melinda Sue Gordon/Universal Pictures

Consider This from NPR

'Twister,' 'Twisters' and the actual practice of storm chasing

A plucky meteorology heroine; a male rival with no shortage of hubris; and some very, very big storms: that's the basic formula behind the new disaster action movie Twisters, which follows storm chasers around Oklahoma amid a tornado outbreak.

'Twister,' 'Twisters' and the actual practice of storm chasing

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Allyson Felix lets it slip that Olympians are just like us, only faster
Carmen Mandato/Getty Images

Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me!

Allyson Felix lets it slip that Olympians are just like us, only faster

This week's show was recorded in Chicago, with guest host Karen Chee, Not My Job guest Allyson Felix and panelists Shantira Jackson, Hari Kondabolu, and Roy Blount, Jr.

Allyson Felix lets it slip that Olympians are just like us, only faster

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The rise of the AR-15; plus, why do comedians play so many cops?

Will Smith and Martin Lawrence reprise their roles in Bad Boys: Ride or Die - a return to their star-solidifying roles as Miami cops. Sony Pictures hide caption

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Sony Pictures

It's Been a Minute

The rise of the AR-15; plus, why do comedians play so many cops?

Last Saturday, former president Donald Trump was speaking at a rally in Pennsylvania when a gunman shot at him – killing one spectator and clipping Trump in the ear. The response? Outrage, condemnations, and prayers on all sides... but there's been less chatter about the gun that shot at him. And this gun has a lot of symbolism: The AR-15. Host Brittany Luse is joined by The Wall Street Journal's Zusha Elinson, co-author of the book American Gun, and Jennifer Mascia, senior news writer and founding staffer at The Trace, a nonpartisan nonprofit newsroom that covers guns. Together, they discuss how the AR-15 style rifle went from an outcast in the gun world to the one of the biggest pro-gun symbols and why that actually reflects bigger cultural shifts.

The rise of the AR-15; plus, why do comedians play so many cops?

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'Twisters' has us spiraling

Glen Powell in Twisters. Melinda Sue Gordon/Universal hide caption

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Melinda Sue Gordon/Universal

Review

Pop Culture Happy Hour

'Twisters' has us spiraling

Twister was one of the biggest disaster movies of the '90s. Now, it's finally got a sequel — one with an all-new cast, state-of-the-art effects, and a whole lot of tornadoes. The new film stars Glen Powell and Daisy Edgar-Jones as rival storm-chasers who have a habit of running into tornadoes while everyone else is fleeing. Twisters was directed by Lee Isaac Chung, who also directed the Oscar-nominated Minari.

'Twisters' has us spiraling

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LeVar Burton has portrayed the Black experience "from our enslavement to the stars"

LeVar Burton on Wild Card Etienne Laurent/Getty Images hide caption

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Etienne Laurent/Getty Images

Wild Card with Rachel Martin

LeVar Burton has portrayed the Black experience "from our enslavement to the stars"

LeVar Burton has three roles he'll forever be known for: Kunta Kinte on the TV series Roots, Geordi La Forge on Star Trek: The Next Generation and host of Reading Rainbow. Those roles have had profound impacts on people and he now understands, as he puts it, "my job is to be LeVar Burton." He talks to Rachel about the tension of that job, his changing definitions of success and learning to embrace the chaos.

LeVar Burton has portrayed the Black experience "from our enslavement to the stars"

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We unpack the 2024 Emmy nominations

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FX

Pop Culture Happy Hour

We unpack the 2024 Emmy nominations

The nominations the Emmy Awards were just announced, and it was a good day for The Bear, which set a new record in the comedy category. And plenty of our favorites also got Emmy nods, including Mr. and Mrs. Smith, Shōgun, Reservation Dogs and What We Do in the Shadows. We'll help you unpack this year's the notable nominees and snubs.

We unpack the 2024 Emmy nominations

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'Exploding Kittens' turns a simple card game into a wild cartoon

Tom Ellis as Godcat and Ally Maki as Greta in Netflix's Exploding Kittens. Netflix hide caption

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Netflix

Review

Pop Culture Happy Hour

'Exploding Kittens' turns a simple card game into a wild cartoon

The best-selling card game Exploding Kittens has been adapted into a new Netflix animated series. It does plenty of its own world-building: God (Tom Ellis) and the devil (Sasheer Zamata) are sent to earth, where they take the form of talking cats — and meddle in the lives of a struggling family.

'Exploding Kittens' turns a simple card game into a wild cartoon

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Simmering over summer books
Photo by Chris J Ratcliffe/Getty Images

Review

It's Been a Minute

Simmering over summer books

We're at the peak of summer, which means sunny days on the grass with a good book! Bestselling authors Tia Williams and Jean Chen Ho join host Brittany Luse to give their recommendations for great summer reads. They also offer some armchair theories on why we love a gossipy summer novel.

Simmering over summer books

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'Longlegs' is a (satanic) panic

Maika Monroe in a scene from Longlegs. Neon hide caption

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Neon

Review

Pop Culture Happy Hour

'Longlegs' is a (satanic) panic

They're calling it the scariest movie of the year. The new horror film Longlegs follows FBI special agent Lee Harker (Mika Monroe) tracking a serial killer in the 1990s. If that sounds like familiar ground, consider this – the clues she follows hint at the involvement of the occult in general and Satanism in particular. And the killer in question: Nicolas Cage, uncaged.

'Longlegs' is a (satanic) panic

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The Sunday Story: The love that shaped Whoopi Goldberg
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Up First

The Sunday Story: The love that shaped Whoopi Goldberg

Whoopi Goldberg is an icon of entertainment. She's played many roles in Hollywood, and she has perhaps been most inspirational for the way she has shown up as herself. But before the acclaim, Whoopi Goldberg was known as Caryn Johnson and in her own words, "A little bit different.. and out there."

The Sunday Story: The love that shaped Whoopi Goldberg

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We check the vibes with Sam Sanders and Zach Stafford
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Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me!

We check the vibes with Sam Sanders and Zach Stafford

This week, Wait Wait is live in Chicago with special guests Sam Sanders and Zach Stafford and panelists Tom Papa, Paula Poundstone, and Emmy Blotnick

We check the vibes with Sam Sanders and Zach Stafford

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'Fly Me to the Moon' soft launches Scarlett Johansson and Channing Tatum

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Apple TV+

Review

Pop Culture Happy Hour

'Fly Me to the Moon' soft launches Scarlett Johansson and Channing Tatum

The cheeky new romantic dramedy Fly Me to the Moon stars Scarlett Johansson as a NASA publicist at the height of the space race. She must stage a top-secret fake version of the moon landing as backup, just in case the real attempt fails. No one else at NASA can know about it — especially the upstanding launch director, played by Channing Tatum. The pair clash (and flirt) as they prepare for Apollo 11 to launch.

'Fly Me to the Moon' soft launches Scarlett Johansson and Channing Tatum

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'Hawk tuah,' the Zynternet, & the bro-vote; plus, cowboys are having a moment

Hailey Welch, also known as the "hawk tuah girl" who some argue is meme from the "zynternet" via Tim and Dee TV/YouTube hide caption

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via Tim and Dee TV/YouTube

It's Been a Minute

'Hawk tuah,' the Zynternet, & the bro-vote; plus, cowboys are having a moment

What did the raunchy joke say to the podcast host? That we might need to pay attention to the "zynternet." Host Brittany Luse is joined by Slate's Luke Winkie and sex and culture writer Magdalene Taylor to understand why the "hawk tuah" phenomenon is emblematic of a corner of the internet that's both culturally and politically powerful.

'Hawk tuah,' the Zynternet, & the bro-vote; plus, cowboys are having a moment

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Nikki Giovanni doesn't think about her legacy. But here's a moment she felt proud

Nikki Giovanni on Wild Card Michael Loccisano/Getty hide caption

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Michael Loccisano/Getty

Wild Card with Rachel Martin

Nikki Giovanni doesn't think about her legacy. But here's a moment she felt proud

At 81, Nikki Giovanni isn't afraid of getting older. And the legendary poet also isn't spending any time thinking about her legacy. She's mostly focused on having fun and being able to look back on her life and feel like she did her duty. She talks to Rachel about the myth of a happy family, what she's learned on safaris and why she's fascinated with Mars.

Nikki Giovanni doesn't think about her legacy. But here's a moment she felt proud

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We recommend three great sports documentaries

Lance Armstrong celebrates during the Tour de France in 2004. He is the subject of the documentary The Armstrong Lie. Doug Pensinger/Getty Images hide caption

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Doug Pensinger/Getty Images

Review

Pop Culture Happy Hour

We recommend three great sports documentaries

Sports aren't just games. They're intertwined with epic stories about struggle, human behavior, historic greatness and grand emotions. In other words, sports make for great documentaries. And if you're looking for some good ones, we've got recommendations: Winning Time: Reggie Miller vs. The New York Knicks, The Armstrong Lie, and Athlete A.

We recommend three great sports documentaries

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'Despicable Me 4' serves up 90 minutes of bankable mayhem

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Universal Pictures

Review

Pop Culture Happy Hour

'Despicable Me 4' serves up 90 minutes of bankable mayhem

Despicable Me 4 is the latest film in an animation franchise that made household names of reformed supervillain Gru (Steve Carrell) and his army of nattering Minions. The franchise has grossed billions of dollars, and the latest movie topped the weekend box office. But are these films growing up with their audience, or continuing to cater to young kids? And does that matter?

'Despicable Me 4' serves up 90 minutes of bankable mayhem

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Mavis Staples on Prince, MLK and a life onstage

Grammy award-winning soul singer Mavis Staples Brendan Hoffman/Getty Images hide caption

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Brendan Hoffman/Getty Images

It's Been a Minute

Mavis Staples on Prince, MLK and a life onstage

This week, the legendary singer and civil rights figure Mavis Staples is turning 85 and there's no sign of her slowing down: She released a new song, "Worthy," and a children's book, Bridges Instead of Walls: The Story of Mavis Staples.

Mavis Staples on Prince, MLK and a life onstage

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How we entertain and amuse ourselves on a road trip
Kiran Ridley/Getty Images

Pop Culture Happy Hour

How we entertain and amuse ourselves on a road trip

It's summer, so we're talking all about road trips. Should you blast music that's familiar or unfamiliar? What makes for a good road trip audiobook? What are some road trip games we hate? Pop Culture Happy Hour talked all about how to entertain and amuse ourselves in the car way back in 2012. Today, in this encore episode, we're revisiting that conversation.

How we entertain and amuse ourselves on a road trip

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