Pop Culture : NPR

How Craig Ferguson Unmade The Late-Night Talk Show

Craig Ferguson set a very individual course for himself in a field with a lot of standard elements. Now, as David Letterman moves on from CBS late night, Ferguson does too. Lisette M. Azar/CBS hide caption

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Lisette M. Azar/CBS

Pop Culture Happy Hour

How Craig Ferguson Unmade The Late-Night Talk Show

April 29, 2014 • Craig Ferguson has announced that he's leaving his late-night talk show later this year. It raises the question: Did he ever really have one, by our usual definitions?

Check Out The Barefoot Wax Sculpture Of Mark Zuckerberg

The public will be able to see the life-size Mark Zuckerberg wax figure in San Francisco. Kurt Wagner/Courtesy of Mashable hide caption

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Kurt Wagner/Courtesy of Mashable

All Tech Considered

Check Out The Barefoot Wax Sculpture Of Mark Zuckerberg

April 29, 2014 • Visitors to the Madame Tussauds wax museum in San Francisco will soon be able to see the zombiefied essence of the Facebook founder and CEO. Is the life-size copy too real-looking?

If We'd Only Known About The Impending Spam

Ahhh, the good old days ... before the treacherous pitfalls of "reply all." NPR hide caption

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NPR

All Tech Considered

If We'd Only Known About The Impending Spam

April 28, 2014 • Twenty years ago, NPR alerted staff members that they would soon have access to a new form of communication: "A collection of computer networks that is connected around the world."

If We'd Only Known About The Impending Spam

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Who Runs The World? 'Time' Magazine Says Beyoncé

This image released by Time shows entertainer Beyoncé on the cover of the magazine's "100 Most Influential People" issue. Time Magazine/AP hide caption

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Time Magazine/AP

Code Switch

Who Runs The World? 'Time' Magazine Says Beyoncé

April 28, 2014 • In the same week that Lupita Nyong'o was declared the most beautiful woman in the world by People magazine, Time named Beyoncé one of the world's "100 Most Influential People."

John Oliver Does His Best 'Daily Show' Impression For HBO

John Oliver's new show, Last Week Tonight, debuted Sunday on HBO. Eric Liebowitz/HBO hide caption

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Eric Liebowitz/HBO

Opinion

Television

John Oliver Does His Best 'Daily Show' Impression For HBO

April 28, 2014 • In Last Week Tonight, Oliver mirrors both the format and style of his ex-employer at Comedy Central — but without commercial breaks or censorship.

Eddie Izzard is famous for performing in drag — and in French — though he's given up the drag in recent shows. His latest American tour kicks off this week. Andy Hollingsworth Archive hide caption

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Andy Hollingsworth Archive

Arts & Life

Cake Or Death? Gâteau, S'il Vous Plaît!

April 28, 2014 • British comedian Eddie Izzard talks with NPR's David Greene about doing stand-up in foreign languages, running far too many marathons, and why he rarely performs in drag these days.

Cake Or Death? Gâteau, S'il Vous Plaît!

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Artist Ralph Steadman: A Nice Man, For A Pictorial Assassin

Steadman's drawing of Hunter S. Thompson's car beset by huge bats illustrated Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas in 1971. Courtesy of Ralph Steadman/Sony Pictures Classics hide caption

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Courtesy of Ralph Steadman/Sony Pictures Classics

Movies

Artist Ralph Steadman: A Nice Man, For A Pictorial Assassin

April 27, 2014 • A documentary about the British artist, known for his illustrations of Hunter S. Thompson's work, asks how such a warm and generous man could make such scary drawings.

Artist Ralph Steadman: A Nice Man, For A Pictorial Assassin

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Author Interviews

Wise Words From Robin Roberts' Mom: 'Honey, Everybody's Got Something'

April 27, 2014 • In her new memoir, Good Morning America co-anchor Robin Roberts describes her "somethings" — being diagnosed with breast cancer and a rare blood disorder.

Wise Words From Robin Roberts' Mom: 'Honey, Everybody's Got Something'

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3 Pitfalls To Avoid When Talking About Race

From one white guy to another: Stephen Colbert will replace David Letterman as host of The Late Night Show. Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP hide caption

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Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP

Code Switch

3 Pitfalls To Avoid When Talking About Race

April 26, 2014 • We are so used to talking about race in combative terms that it is easy to take a message about spreading opportunity and see it as criticism of those who are overrepresented.

NPR

Pop Culture Happy Hour

Pop Culture Happy Hour: Comedy, The News And A Bat Quiz

April 25, 2014 • We take the opportunity of John Oliver's new HBO show to chat about political and topical comedy and the news cycle. Then, Glen delivers a very difficult quiz about a guy in a cape.

Listen to Pop Culture Happy Hour

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Where Jokes Go To Die, And Other Observations From Comic John Oliver

John Oliver guest hosted The Daily Show with Jon Stewart in June 2013. His new HBO show, Last Week Tonight, premieres Sunday. Neilson Barnard/Getty Images for Comedy Central hide caption

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Neilson Barnard/Getty Images for Comedy Central

Television

Where Jokes Go To Die, And Other Observations From Comic John Oliver

April 25, 2014 • According to Oliver, the White House Correspondents' Dinner is not a good room for comedy — but that wouldn't stop him from hosting. His new show, Last Week Tonight, premiers Sunday on HBO.

Where Jokes Go To Die, And Other Observations From Comic John Oliver

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Arts & Life

Debbie Allen On 'Fame,' Stage And Men In Tights

April 24, 2014 • Debbie Allen won Fame for playing an iconic dance teacher in film and television. Now, she's getting new fans for roles on shows like Grey's Anatomy. She talks about the highs and lows of her career.

Debbie Allen On 'Fame,' Stage And Men In Tights

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'The Other Woman': When Terrible Movies Happen To Funny Actresses

Leslie Mann, Nicki Minaj, Cameron Diaz and Kate Upton have nothing to do in The Other Woman. Barry Wetcher/Twentieth Century Fox hide caption

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Barry Wetcher/Twentieth Century Fox

Review

Pop Culture Happy Hour

'The Other Woman': When Terrible Movies Happen To Funny Actresses

April 24, 2014 • A film that seems designed to demonstrate the dire circumstances in which funny women can still find themselves, The Other Woman is a grotesque pantomime of female empowerment.

Snoopy, Garfield And Friends Go Bald For Kids With Cancer

Can these cartoon pals help reduce the stigma of cancer treatment for children? Courtesy of Ogilvy Brazil hide caption

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Courtesy of Ogilvy Brazil

Shots - Health News

Snoopy, Garfield And Friends Go Bald For Kids With Cancer

April 24, 2014 • Kids don't want to look different, especially if the reason they look different is because they've lost their hair to chemotherapy. If Hello Kitty's gone bald, too, maybe it won't feel so bad.

Why Lupita Nyong'o's 'People' Cover Is So Significant

People is calling actress Lupita Nyong'o the most beautiful woman in the world. She's the third black woman to get the magazine's title. People/AP hide caption

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People/AP

Code Switch

Why Lupita Nyong'o's 'People' Cover Is So Significant

April 23, 2014 • The Mexican-born Kenyan actress has been lauded for her looks, her impeccable fashion sense, and her humility. Now People says she's the most beautiful woman in the world.