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Broadway legend Andre De Shields reflects on his enduring career, his experience as an HIV survivor, and his roles in Hadestown and CATS: The Jellicle Ball at age 80. He emphasizes the importance of self-determination and the influence of his parents' unfulfilled artistic dreams on his own path. Following this, critic ...
Catherine Coldstream recounts her twelve-year tenure as a Carmelite nun, detailing the transition from a bohemian artistic life in Paris to the rigid, silent, and cloistered environment of a rural English monastery. Daily existence centered on structured prayer, manual labor, and total obedience, which initially provid...
Lee Sung Jin, creator of the Netflix series BEEF, examines the pressures of midlife, class, and the hidden anger that drives human conflict. The series draws from his personal experiences, including a road rage incident and a lengthy hospital stay, to explore how generational values collide and how individuals struggle...
Cosmetic enhancement has shifted from overt, visible procedures to "invisible" surgeries that aim for a natural yet uncanny aesthetic. This trend, fueled by algorithmic beauty standards and AI-generated imagery, reconfigures the human face into a product optimized for digital surveillance rather than a repository of pe...
Broadway legend Andre De Shields reflects on a career spanning decades, marked by his resilience as an octogenarian performer and his long-term experience living with HIV. De Shields discusses his early inspirations, including the "Chitlin circuit" and the performance style of John Bubbles, which shaped his approach to...
Harriet Clark’s novel The Hill draws on her upbringing as the daughter of Judy Clark, a militant revolutionary imprisoned for her role in the 1981 Brinks robbery. For 37 years, Clark visited her mother in a maximum-security facility, an experience that shaped her perception of family, state control, and the "collective...
Rashida Jones and Will McCormack explore the complexities of long-term creative partnerships and the "private grief" inherent in middle age through their film The Invite. The pair highlights how humor serves as a vital tool for processing the painful realities of life and evolving relationships. Complementing this, gui...
The Bear captures the high-pressure, emotionally charged transformation of a Chicago sandwich shop into a fine-dining establishment. Actor Ebon Moss-Bachrach, who portrays the complex character Richie, details the intense filming environment and the character's evolution from a volatile family friend to a self-actualiz...
Nephi Craig, a White Mountain Apache chef, explores the intersection of indigenous food traditions, historical trauma, and personal recovery. After struggling with severe addiction and multiple stints in rehab, Craig found stability by reclaiming ancestral culinary practices, such as utilizing indigenous cultivars like...
Donald Trump’s second term represents a radical departure from his first, defined by an "imperial presidency" where internal constraints have vanished and loyalty is the primary requirement for senior staff. Trump now operates with a sense of historical destiny, viewing himself alongside figures like Napoleon and Gengh...
The current U.S. immigration detention system increasingly utilizes inhumane conditions as a strategic tool to pressure detainees into abandoning their legal cases and accepting deportation. Camp East Montana, an expansive tent complex on the Fort Bliss military base, exemplifies this trend, housing thousands in enviro...
Rashida Jones and Will McCormack explore the complexities of human relationships and the inevitability of grief through their long-standing creative partnership. Their latest film, The Invite, examines the "private grief" and emotional stagnation of two couples during a single dinner party, highlighting how unvarnished...
Peter Asher, a seminal figure in the British Invasion and a prolific record producer, details his experiences working with the Beatles, James Taylor, and Linda Ronstadt, reflecting on the evolution of music production and his role in shaping the careers of iconic artists. The program also features TV critic David Bianc...
Musical historian Robert Kimball, who died at 86, left an enduring legacy through his rediscovery of manuscripts by George Gershwin, Cole Porter, and Eubie Blake. His work transformed the understanding of American musical theater, particularly through the preservation of Ira Gershwin’s lyrics and the documentation of t...
Lenny Kaye, long-time guitarist for Patti Smith and a seminal figure in rock history, discusses his first solo album, Goin' Local. The conversation traces his evolution from a music critic and record store clerk at Village Oldies to a versatile musician who values artistic progression over past achievements. Kaye refle...
The Supreme Court is systematically reshaping American elections by weakening the Voting Rights Act and deregulating campaign finance, effectively consolidating power among wealthy donors and partisan interests. Recent rulings have struck down protections against racial gerrymandering and removed limits on coordinated ...
Peter Asher, a pivotal figure in 1960s music history, reflects on his transition from the British Invasion duo Peter and Gordon to a prolific career as a record producer. He details his early proximity to the Beatles, including Paul McCartney living with his family and the collaborative writing of "I Want to Hold Your ...
You Won't Get Free of It: Stories of Mothers and Daughters by New Yorker staff writer Rachel Aviv examines the intricate, often painful realities of the maternal bond. Aviv’s transition into motherhood fundamentally altered her interpretation of her own journalistic work, revealing previously overlooked dimensions of m...
Tennis legends Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova reflect on their storied rivalry and enduring friendship, detailing how they supported each other through simultaneous cancer diagnoses. Their shared experience highlights the evolution of their relationship from fierce competitors to mutual confidantes. The program al...
Steven Spielberg’s filmmaking is deeply rooted in his childhood anxieties and personal history, where the camera served as a defensive tool to master fear. By recreating traumatic experiences—such as train wrecks or the horrors of war—he transformed helplessness into creative control. His war films, particularly Saving...
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