NPR: Culturetopia
Arts, culture, media and fun from NPR's Neda Ulaby and Monkey See blogger Linda Holmes. Delve into the week's best coverage of books, movies, music and more from the NPR News shows.
Visit Show Website http://www.npr.org/blogs/monkeys...Recently Aired
-
HD
Tony Awards And Shared Songs
This week on Pop Culture Happy Hour, NPR Monkey See's ...
This week on Pop Culture Happy Hour, NPR Monkey See's Linda Holmes, Stephen Thompson, Trey Graham and Glen Weldon talk about the 2013 Tony Awards and its winners, including 'Kinky Boots' and 'Pippin.' They'll discuss their favorite performances of the night and how host Neil Patrick Harris puts the Oscars to shame. Next, they talk about the "he said/she said" song, which encompasses breakup songs, never-ever songs, songs of longing and perhaps a little bit of tormented whispering. They'll play favorite examples from artists like The Human League, Stars, Marvin Gaye and The Postal Service. All that, plus What's Making Us Happy This Week.
-
HD
Funny Moms And Funny Pages
This week on Pop Culture Happy Hour, NPR Monkey See's ...
This week on Pop Culture Happy Hour, NPR Monkey See's Linda Holmes, Stephen Thompson, Trey Graham and Glen Weldon talk about the moms and wives that make sitcoms run. From 'Mork and Mindy' to 'Modern Family,' they'll cite examples of fully fleshed out characters, as well as women relegated as props to their on-screen husbands. They'll also remember the late Jean Stapleton and her portrayal of Edith Bunker on 'All in the Family.' Next, they'll talk about comic strips. They'll breeze through some of their favorites, including 'The Far Side' and 'Calvin and Hobbes,' and discuss the challenges in following their favorite funnies into the digital age. All that, plus What's Making Us Happy This Week.
-
HD
Binge Viewing And A Summer TV Quiz
This week on Pop Culture Happy Hour, NPR Monkey See's ...
This week on Pop Culture Happy Hour, NPR Monkey See's Linda Holmes and Stephen Thompson are joined by special guests Gene Demby and Kat Chow, of NPR's Code Switch team. On the occasion of the new season of 'Arrested Development,' they'll discuss the trend of binge viewing and the shows they've binge-watched. Favorites include 'House Hunters,' 'Scandal,' 'Mad Men,' 'Friday Night Lights' and more. And because it's summer, they'll turn to a quiz about the very goofy and weird television that always comes around at this time of year. All that, plus What's Making Us Happy This Week.
-
HD
Star Trek, SNL, And Boldly Going To New Places
This week on Pop Culture Happy Hour, NPR Monkey See's ...
This week on Pop Culture Happy Hour, NPR Monkey See's Linda Holmes, Stephen Thompson, Trey Graham and Glen Weldon talk about 'Star Trek Into Darkness.' How does a franchise with a long history satisfy both die-hard fans and those that are just jumping on board? Next, they'll discuss 'Saturday Night Live,' its changing place in pop culture and whether it really needs to be live anymore. All that, plus What's Making Us Happy This Week.
-
HD
Cancellation Blues And Cultural Etiquette
This week on Pop Culture Happy Hour, NPR Monkey See's ...
This week on Pop Culture Happy Hour, NPR Monkey See's Linda Holmes, Stephen Thompson, Trey Graham and Glen Weldon talk about the cancellation of television shows, from the ones they loved to the ones they forgot existed. Why is the cancellation of our favorite shows so disappointing? They'll also discuss how shows can have a second life after cancellation, through syndication, video streaming or by jumping to another network. Next, they'll tackle the contentious issue of pop culture ettiquette. Is talking allowed while watching TV? Can you take photos during live concerts? Is outside food ok in movie theaters? All that, plus What's Making Us Happy This Week.
-
HD
Iron Man And Giving Up
This week on Pop Culture Happy Hour, NPR Monkey See's ...
This week on Pop Culture Happy Hour, NPR Monkey See's Linda Holmes, Stephen Thompson, Glen Weldon and special guest Matt Thompson talk about 'Iron Man 3,' directed by Shane Black and starring Robert Downey, Jr. They'll discuss why the latest installment of the superhero series is about much more than a man and his gadgets. Also, why it surprised the panelists by passing the Bechdel test and featuring minimal robot vs. robot action. Next, they'll discuss pop culture they gave up on, including 'Game of Thrones,' 'American Idol' and 'Breaking Bad.' All that, plus What's Making Us Happy This Week.
-
HD
The Retail And Science Edition
This week on Pop Culture Happy Hour, NPR Monkey See's ...
This week on Pop Culture Happy Hour, NPR Monkey See's Linda Holmes, Stephen Thompson, Trey Graham and Glen Weldon talk about brick and mortar retail in the age of online consumption. Whither the record store, whither the record store jerk? Leading into Free Comic Book Day, they'll discuss how the role of the brick and mortar store has changed in the face of online competition and what we may lose, culturally, without physical spaces to purchase pop culture products. Next, they'll discuss pop culture depictions of science — what shows get it right and what shows get it very wrong. All that, plus What's Making Us Happy This Week.
-
HD
Our Great Big Summer Movies Show
This week on Pop Culture Happy Hour, NPR Monkey See's ...
This week on Pop Culture Happy Hour, NPR Monkey See's Linda Holmes, Stephen Thompson, Trey Graham and Glen Weldon talk about upcoming summer films. From the much-hyped 'Great Gatsby' to the much-anticipated 'Before Midnight,' they'll discuss what movies they're looking forward to in a summer season seemingly dominated by apocalyptic sci-fi thrillers. All that, plus What's Making Us Happy This Week.
-
HD
Pop Culture Happy Hour: A Sense Of Place And A Nostalgic Quiz
This week on Pop Culture Happy Hour, NPR Monkey See's ...
This week on Pop Culture Happy Hour, NPR Monkey See's Linda Holmes, Stephen Thompson, Trey Graham and producer Jess Gitner talk about sense of place on the occasion of NPR moving to its new headquarters. How do settings affect the culture we enjoy? And what does it take to capture sense of place in a TV show or film, aside from buildings and external details? They'll talk New York, as portrayed in 'Seinfeld' and 'How I Met Your Mother,' to midwestern towns like Fargo and Pawnee, Indiana from 'Parks and Recreation.' They'll also talk about sense of place in music. Next, Linda concocts an especially difficult quiz about television ratings from this same week 20 years ago. All that, plus What's Making Us Happy This Week.
-
HD
Mad Men, Madmen, And A Fond Farewell
This week on Pop Culture Happy Hour, NPR Monkey See's ...
This week on Pop Culture Happy Hour, NPR Monkey See's Linda Holmes, Stephen Thompson, Glen Weldon and special guest Barrie Hardymon talk about the two-hour season opener of 'Mad Men.' They'll discuss how the show is changing as they move into the late Sixties and why they love Peggy. Next, they take a moment to bid the fondest of farewells to one of their pop-culture heroes, Roger Ebert. Finally, they tackle the topic of the unreliable narrator. From classic novels to modern films, they'll talk about the unique delights of people who can't really be trusted to tell their own stories. All that, plus What's Making Us Happy This Week, with a surprise visit by Pop Culture Happy Hour's number one fan.
