Category Archive for Episodes
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Episode 205: Sofia Coppola, Jonathan Goldstein, Zombies and blooood
This week: Filmmaker Sofia Coppola talks about "The Bling Ring" and growing up in an Apocalypse... Humorist and "Wiretap" host Jonathan Goldstein takes his dad for a beer of rebellion... It's the time of the season for a party playlist from The Zombies... Lidia Bastianich dishes out food etiquette and makes a divine intervention... Reviving corpses with blood and booze... Shining the spotlight on back-up singers... And gin's pal tonic gets a make-over. Plus, screaming pigs, Jackie Chan: The Musical, and a Washed Out song that just feels right. Read more...
Episode 204: Ellen Page, Colum McCann, and Miraculous Fruits
This week: Actress Ellen Page ("The East") on saving the planet and playing with dolls... ... National Book Award winner Colum McCann takes us on a Transatlantic trip...Laura Osnes - Tony-nominated Cinderella on Broadway - shares her favorite rags-to-riches stories... Rico stuffs himself with stuffies... Etiquette advice to make air travel a tiny bit more comfortable... Hunting for the world's most exotic - and seductive - fruits... And a classy, grassy cocktail for a baseball legend. Plus, a rogue joke, new Faces in music, and the only time "The Price is Right" can cost you. Read more...
Episode 203: Dan Savage, Jessica Walter, and the Kings of Summer
This week: Sex writer Dan Savage on cheating and snowboarding... Actress Jessica Walter of Arrested Development plays nice for etiquette... Doo-wop legend Kenny Vance on closing for the Rolling Stones... The director of indie gem The Kings of Summer warms us up for the season... Learn the history of Pac-Man, then gobble up a pizza-themed cocktail... The mutant cro-nut invades NYC... and an Alpine track that's setting the internet ablaze. Plus, life lessons from Karate, apathetic jokes, and tacopedias. Browse with your mouth! Read more...
Episode 202: Andrea Riseborough, Fitz and the Tantrums, and a Salumi Tsunami
This week: Actress Andrea Riseborough ("Shadow Dancer") reveals her secret identity... Fitz, of The Tantrums, throws us an '80s dance party... Why Italian pork will be flooding American shores... Novelist Joanna Hershon's new take on an Old School... The history of traffic tickets inspires a boozy Bicyclette... Remembering monumental heroics in WWII... And the Posts throw down the etiquette gantlet. Plus, contemporary Dodos, wood cuts, and wrap artists. Read more...
Episode 201: James Franco, Paul Theroux, and a Cowardly Display
This week: We look back to one of our favorite episodes, in which actor/polymath James Franco rebels against beds... Preeminent travel writer Paul Theroux offers etiquette advice to globetrotters (and public radio hosts)... Nashville raconteur Todd Snider tells of his brush with NASCAR fame... The NY Public Library celebrates Noel Coward... and Hollywood's top auctioneer remembers memorabilia. Plus: the history of blue jeans, a Twin Shadow tune, sommeliers for your ears, and smashing (Guinness) records. Read more...
Episode 200: Noah Baumbach, David Alan Grier, and Kids Comix
This week: Filmmaker Noah Baumbach on the new New York... David Alan Grier answers (most of) your etiquette questions... Autism pioneer Temple Grandin diagnoses Mr. Spock... Travel writer Matt Gross goes to the edge... "Love & rockets" co-creator Gilbert Hernandez on '60s comics that were super, sans superheroes... Why guilt is good (for groceries)... and we toast folk-hero Colonel Blood with a tipple from London. Plus: the caveman lexicon, and a song from Savages. Read more...
Episode 199: Michael Shannon, Paul Theroux, and Hannibal's Homies
This week: Actor Michael Shannon ("The Iceman") revisits his Wobegon days... Hugh Dancy of TV's "Hannibal" lists a few good baddies... Acclaimed travel writer Paul Theroux on a place he won't be heading back to... "Daily Show" co-creator Lizz Winstead grins and bares it ... San Fran rocker Mikal Cronin serves up soundtrack... Biscuits on the rise...And the Posts deak with Brendan's kickstarter requests... Plus, a cocktail inspired by garbage, forgotten fallout shelters, and broken banjos. Read more...
Episode 198: Colin Firth, Bobby Flay, and Molly Ringwald's Vault
This week: Oscar-winning actor Colin Firth explores masks and the mind... We grill star chef Bobby Flay on etiquette... Food writer Michael Pollan says we are because we cook...Molly Ringwald sets a new standard for musical standards... Jane Fonda's headbands & home videos inspire a health-crazed cocktail... And Mike Wolfe of "American Pickers" strikes it rich - as a four year old. Plus, Rachel Kushner's hot new novel, part-time chickens, and a cowpoke joke. Read more...
Episode 197: Jamie Foxx, Macklemore, and Gollum's Grandparents
This week: Oscar-winner Jamie Foxx plays Django and table tennis... JEOPARDY! champ Ken Jennings answers our *etiquette* questions (minus the buzzer)... "Thrift Shop" rap stars Macklemore & Ryan Lewis spin a playful party playlist... "The Splendid Table's" Lynne Rosetto-Kasper is haunted by the ghost of Christmas-party past... "The Hobbit" FX mastermind Joe Letteri traces Gollum's family tree back to Sherlock Holmes... And speaking of which, Rico learns to think like Sherlock Holmes. Plus: Brazilian food rising, monkeys with no rhythm, and zen dogs. Read more...
Episode 196: Julia Stiles, Paul Anka, and Edible Pigtails
This week: Actress Julia Stiles bashes brunch... Music legend Paul Anka answers your questions, his way... Jazz pianist Ben Sidran heps us to hepcats... Why the Summer of '68 changed baseball (and America) forever... The creators of a diabolical new TV comedy locate some hells on earth... The invention of the matchsticks inspires an incendiary cocktail... And nose-to-tail cooking gets literal. Plus, "girlfriend coats," anti-jokes, and soju-juice boxes. Read more...
Episode 195: Eva Mendes, Julia Sweeney, and Blushing Stomachs
This week: Actress Eva Mendes decodes her new film - and hieroglyphics... Writer and "SNL" vet Julia Sweeney answers your etiquette questions from the fetal position... New Orleans indie rockers Generationals spin a sweet-and-sour soundtrack... Science writer Mary Roach ("Stiff," the new "Gulp") takes us on a field trip down the alimentary canal... Twitter queen Kelly Oxford tiptoes into David Copperfield's private lair... And Wrigley's Gum inspires a cocktail that WON'T lose its flavor. Plus, salt mines in the sky, self-hating jokes, and a new Rogue Wave. Read more...
Episode 194: Taiye Selasi, Andy Cohen, and Alt-J's Pagan Playlist
This week: TV personality Andy Cohen - the man who launched 1,000 "Real Housewives" - tells us how to behave... Rising literary star Taiye Selasi on making novels and dresses... British prog-rock phenoms Alt-J throw a party in the woods... Satirist Sam Lipsyte on the joys of fatherhood... We tiptoe into "Room 237," a film about "The Shining"'s fanatical following... And Rico tastes the secret of panuchos. Plus, a drink born from cold fusion, new music from Mikal Cronin, and a monstrous joke. Read more...
Episode 193: Harmony Korine, Chris O'Dowd, and Ramen Ravioli
This week: Filmmaker Harmony Korine on Cassevetes and mime contests... Chris O'Dowd, star of "Bridesmaids" and now "The Sapphires," on sudden successes... Marisa Silver develops an iconic photo into a novel... Noodling around with Ramen and Ravioli...The history of the Stanley Cup inspires a drink (with no ice!)...The Posts address door jams and outer-underwear...Your Spring fashion preview, featuring trendy Hamburglars...Plus, a new tune from "Vampire Weekend," KFC's poetry campaign, and a nuclear-powered joke. Read more...
Episode 192: Anna Kendrick, Kevin Nealon, and the Perks of Being a Pittsburgher
This Week: Oscar-nominated actress Anna Kendrick sings of adorkability... "Weeds"/SNL alum Kevin Nealon blesses us with etiquette advice..."The Perks of Being a Wallflower" creator Stephen Chbosky talks of time and place... Okkervil River runs through a party soundtrack... here comes the (terrorist) bride... And the Primanti Sandwich goes national. Plus: We witness the birth of a clean machine, shine a light on art, and learn the history of comedy. Read more...
Episode 191: Laura Dern, Billy Bragg, and Bite-Sized Giants
This week: "Enlightened" actress Laura Dern on brains and Baio... Folk-rocker Billy Bragg wins hearts and minds in our etiquette segment... They Might Be Giants list tiny gems... We toast the first man(nequin!) in space... The story behind SXSW, as told by the festival's co-founder... Indie musician Tracey Thorn finds her voice... Plus, build-your-own hotels, cocktails by the barrel-ful, Side of the Road music, and lots more. Read more...
Episode 190: Matthew Goode, Dick Cavett, and Tiki Talk
This Week: "Stoker" star Matthew Goode on being a creepy Uncle and devoted Dad... Talk show legend Dick Cavett tells us how to 'Hitchcock'... Essayist Michelle Orange undergoes a cinematic identity crisis... Ryan Quincy, creator of TV's "Out There," comes of age... Indie darlings Adam Green and Binki Shapiro turn scraps and metal into a dinner party soundtrack... How to run away with the circus... And Rico pays his last respects to a Tiki landmark... Plus, fly jokes, upside-downers, and woolly drinks. Read more...
Episode 189: David France, Jackie Collins, and Vampire Lemonade
This week: Oscar-nominated filmmaker David France on plagues and platforms... Pulitzer-finalist Karen Russell sinks her teeth into a new story collection... Bestseller queen Jackie Collins tells you how to (mis)behave... Alex Karpovsky ("Girls") goes meta... We dip into chip history... Why religion matters to atheists... Plus Graveyard humor, cheating via satellite, and "Entertainment" provided by Phoenix. Read more...
Episode 188: Tim Gunn, Rian Johnson, and Salman Rushdie
This week, we reheat one of our favorite episodes: "Project Runway's" Tim Gunn dresses down America for dressing down... Salman Rushdie talks fatwas and fake hair... "Looper" director Rian Johnson rolls the bones... famed author Sherman Alexie makes a Protest... A "Simpsons" writer's favorite odd adaptations... And NYTimes photographer Todd Selby turns his camera on cooks. Plus: How corn helped thaw the cold war, and the official "best word ever." Read more...
Episode 187: Miguel, Rachel Dratch, and Seduction Instruction
This week: R&B sensation (and multiple Grammy-nominee) Miguel spells "wah!"... SNL alum Rachel Dratch lists her favorite lovahhs... "Thomas Jefferson" makes his second inaugural etiquette address... Blues legend Charlie Musselwhite tells a high-flying tale about Muddy Waters... Author Betsy Prioleau defends ladies' men... Brendan learns not to confuse 'soulful' with 'healthful'... And Aussie psych-band Pond rocks a Giant Tortoise. Plus: a bomb of a cocktail from the Georgia coast, fun with trigonometry, and a library of misfit books. Read more...
Episode 186: Jessica Chastain, Dave Barry, and Joy(ful) Division
This week: Oscar-nominated actress Jessica Chastain, of "Zero Dark Thirty" on Pitt and pigs ... Insane advice from humorist Dave Barry...Joy Division's Peter Hook tells the bright side of a dark band...A Super Bowl Menu, minus meat?!...We excavate the story of a crown jewel, then drink a sparkling cocktail...Reggae legend Jimmy Cliff plays dinnertime DJ... Plus, flying goats, contagious laughter, and the spider of the year. Read more...
Episode 185: William H. Macy, Not Sauce, and the Original Animal
This week: This week: "Shameless" star William H. Macy has fun with despicable... Beloved singer-songwriter Ron Sexsmith spins a party playlist... NYTimes cocktail columnist Rosie Schaap teaches proper bar behavior... Rico uncovers a sriracha scam... Gonzo filmmaker Jay Bulger ("Beware of Mr. Baker") dives into the messy life of drummer Ginger Baker... And food phenom Eddie Huang ("Fresh Off the Boat") tells us about his first 'All-American' dinner... Plus, non-smoking women, Tim Burton on clubbing, and asteroids full of riches. Read more...
Episode 184: Michael Apted, Sundancing, and Coaster Cocktails
This week: Filmmaker Michael Apted ("7 Up") talks about renewing his landmark documentary series... Writer Manuel Gonzales tells us how NOT to bury a body...Etiquette all-stars Lizzie and Dan Post on the protocol of the communal newspaper bin... Sundance Fest director John Cooper shares some behind-the-screens stories... Britain's latest food fad is (wait for it) American food?!... Josh Bearman - whose article inspired the film "Argo" - tells three other film-worthy tales... Plus, Drew's brews, Cold War Kids, and the birth of the roller coaster. Read more...
Episode 183: David O. Russell, George Saunders, and Experiments with Cale
This week: Director David O. Russell ("Silver Linings Playbook," "The Fighter") steals the show...The Velvet Underground's John Cale experiments with a list... Writer George Saunders weighs man purses and messenger bags...Comedian Nick Kroll ("Kroll Show") tries to mix Oktoberfest and Yom Kippur - then has to flee Germany...We learn about the birth of Texas Oil Boom, and drink a slick cocktail...And there's a new French dessert to swoon over...Plus, brilliant hatchet jobs, a viola-nt joke, and a trippy track from Foxygen. Read more...
Episode 182: The Best of 2012
This week, a look back at our best moments of 2012: Jon Hamm dives into dark matter... Ed Asner answers your etiquette questions (and his cellphone)... We toast a historic Niagara fall... Folk rock icon Rodriguez rises from the dead... Alison Pill ("The Newsroom") lists her favorite behind-the-scenes stories... Ramblin' man Todd Snider recalls his brush with Nascar celebrity... And country singer Iris DeMent takes us home with a dinner party soundtrack...Plus "pretzel dumplings," lucky underwear, and an OCD joke from James Franco. Read more...
Episode 181: Patti Smith, Bryan Cranston, and Drinkable Shrubs
This week: Punk icon Patti Smith dreams of little black dresses... "Breaking Bad's" Bryan Cranston builds green houses, not meth labs... Zosia Mamet (Girls, Mad Men) picks other 'against-type' actors... we inhale the tale of the original "smoke-filled room"... and novelist Nathaniel Rich finds a rhino with all the answers. Plus: drinkable shrubs, a new track from Odd Future's Frank Ocean, and the fastest road in the USA. Read more...
Episode 180: Jamie Foxx, Macklemore, and Gollum's Grandparents
This Week: Oscar-winner Jamie Foxx plays Django and table tennis... JEOPARDY! champ Ken Jennings answers our *etiquette* questions (minus the buzzer)... "Thrift Shop" rap stars Macklemore & Ryan Lewis spin a playful party playlist... "The Splendid Table's" Lynne Rosetto-Kasper is haunted by the ghost of Christmas-party past... "The Hobbit" FX mastermind Joe Letteri traces Gollum's family tree back to Sherlock Holmes... And speaking of which, Rico learns to think like Sherlock Holmes. Plus: Brazilian food rising, monkeys with no rhythm, and zen dogs. Read more...
Episode 179: Beck, Modern Family Values, and Love's Songs
This week: Pop star Beck Hansen's new album looks great on paper... Actor Jesse Tyler Ferguson of "Modern Family" offers etiquette advice... Darlene Love, singer of Xmas soul classic "Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)," lists non-awful yuletide tunes... We sing the praises of Leonard's Cohen's "Hallelujah"... Top chefs debate if food should come with footnotes... and we learn how "Gone With The Wind" brought Jimmy Carter and MLK together. Plus: paper beats air, a nutty joke, and Destiny's *other* child. Read more...
Episode 178: Fred Armisen, Fishy Business, and Kinky Etiquette
This week, "Portlandia's" Fred Armisen cops to working blue... legendary satirist/musician/Governor-to-be Kinky Friedman serves up Texas-sized etiquette tips... rockstar classical organist Cameron Carpenter thinks outside the Bach box... We toast an infamous Alabama pest... Fish fraud!... And "Kumare" documentarian Vikram Gandhi teaches you how to become a guru. Plus, a 'Fun.' joke, Da Vinci Code: Rhode Island, and your letters... all the way from Kyrgyzstan. Read more...
Episode 177: Tony Hawk, Benh Zeitlin & Incorrigible Ethels
This week: Skateboarding legend Tony Hawk does some extreme couchsurfing... "Beasts of the Southern Wild" director Benh Zeitlin on axe-painting... Controversy-courting essayist Katie Roiphe offers advice... author Susanna Moore dines in wartime Berlin... Brendan learns the difference between jerks and Ethels... and SF band Thao & The Get Down Stay Down give us a tune that gets you up, keep you up. Plus the history of a New-Wave Band Aid, the science of Xmas music, and sherry wine: it's not just for Grandmas anymore. Read more...
Episode 176: The All-Food Episode
This week: It's an ALL-FOOD episode stuffed with tasty goodness. Gail Simmons of TV's "Top Chef" survives internship hell and gets her 'Angel' wings...We reheat the history of the microwave, then get zapped with a custom cocktail...Fran Lebowitz and other notables share unforgettable mealtime memories...A free-range serving of The New Yorker's Adam Gopnik... Just in time for Turkey Day, Rico heads to Istanbul to taste some delights... Chef/Memoirist Gabrielle Hamilton on sweetbreads and sweet success...And the War on Drugs supply a soundtrack for your next feast. Plus, History's forgotten utensil (NOT the spork!), Ireland's trendiest import, and a meaty joke from actress Alison Pill. Read more...
Episode 175: Wyatt Cenac, Tilly and the Wall, and Kubrick's Kitties
This week: "The Daily Show"'s Wyatt Cenac gives us some 'facts' to chew on... "Life of Pi" author Yann Martel takes us on his favorite literary journeys...'Classic dining' makes a comeback...A soundtrack from Tilly and the Wall to set the mood... How NOT to feign interest in arthouse cinema... We pay tribute to dunker-in-chief Daryl Dawkins a.k.a. Chocolate Thunder... Stanley Kubrick gets a close-up...Plus, Turkey Day etiquette, flying cellos, and silly headlines. Read more...
Episode 174: Jon Ronson, Eric Idle, and Flying Leotards
This Week: Eric Idle of "Monty Python" and "Spamalot" leads us in a singalong... Writer Jon Ronson plays sidekick to a real-life superhero...Folk icon Iris DeMent shares a homey dinner party soundtrack...Adam Pally of TV's "Happy Endings" revisits his rocky beginnings...And kale invades Thanksgiving.... Plus, the birth of the leotard, the "King" of new music, and video games NOT named "Halo." Read more...
Episode 173: The All-Book Episode
This week: It's our first ever ALL-BOOK episode - a whole hour of fun with literary luminaries. MacArthur 'Genius' Junot Diaz probes the mind of a young cheater...LeVar Burton - beloved host of "Reading Rainbow" - offers life advice for book borrowers... British heavyweight Martin Amis lets his dogs out... And indie queen Miranda July tells us about a print relic... Plus, fun footnotes from T.C. Boyle, YA phenom Leigh Bardugo, and a guy named Shakespeare. Read more...
Episode 172: Stephin Merritt, Vengeance Eating, and Alka-hol
This week: Stephin Merritt's attraction to love... Actress Amy Brenneman adjudicates listener etiquette... A vengeful lunch with Joel Stein... an Alkaholic drink... Neil deGrasse Tyson defends space... Bill Plympton's favorite animation... and a 3-song prescription from Dr. Dog. Plus: Aggie yells, a Dinner Party Timeout, and a cross-word joke from singer Cate le Bon. Read more...
Episode 171: Ben Gibbard, Jens Lekman, and Fake Presidents
This week: Ben Gibbard, of the band Death Cab For Cutie, goes solo... Political comedian W. Kamau Bell lists his favorite fake presidents... Swedish rocker Jens Lekman tells of his fake almost-marriage... Advice for debate-watchers and couch-crashers from the Emily Post Institute kids... Top chef Michale Cimarusti makes a big deal about little fishes... and John Paul Getty III's ear-ie kidnapping. Plus: a new track from Kanye West, the science of disgusting, and trampolines 'cross the Seine. Read more...
Episode 170: Martin McDonagh, Ed Asner, and Real American Cheese
This week: Playwright & "Seven Psychopaths" filmmaker Martin McDonagh laughs in the face of death... TV legend Ed Asner calls us out... Mary Elizabeth Winstead lists some sobering cinema... '5 under 35' honoree Justin Torres reads from his celebrated novella... New Yorker critic David Denby divines film's future... and Brendan seeks the *real* American cheese. Plus, a historic Niagara fall, a crushed dinosaur dream, and a wild new track from Tame Impala. Read more...
Episode 169: Anna Kendrick, Kevin Nealon, and the Perks of Being a Pittsburgher
This Week: Oscar-nominated actress Anna Kendrick sings of adorkability... "Weeds"/SNL alum Kevin Nealon blesses us with etiquette advice..."The Perks of Being a Wallflower" creator Stephen Chbosky talks of time and place... Okkervil River runs through a party soundtrack... here comes the (terrorist) bride... And the Primanti Sandwich goes national. Plus: We witness the birth of a clean machine, shine a light on art, and learn the history of comedy. Read more...
Episode 168: Tim Gunn, Rian Johnson, and Salman Rushdie
This week, "Looper" director Rian Johnson rolls the bones... "Project Runway's" Tim Gunn dresses down America for dressing down... Salman Rushdie talks fatwas and fake hair... famed author Sherman Alexie makes a Protest... A "Simpsons" writer's favorite odd adaptations... And NYTimes photographer Todd Selby turns his camera on cooks. Plus: How corn helped thaw the cold war, and the official "best word ever." Read more...
Episode 167: Martin Amis, Divine Comedies, and the Mother of Bad Ideas
This week, literary luminary Martin Amis lets the dogs out... Top Chef Susan Feniger celebrates the New Year... satirist Simon Rich lists divine comedies... San Fran band The Fresh and Onlys serve up a sweet soundtrack... The Posts return to explain the art of good goodbyes... and fashion editor Diana Vreeland gets her close-up. Plus, skimming stones, rolling cows, and the most naive narrator in the world. Read more...
Episode 166: Anjelica Huston, Doomsday Planes, and Things about Chicken Wings
This week: We revisit one of our favorite episodes....Actress Anjelica Huston reveals her secret good-luck charm ... Writer-provocateur Caitlin Flanagan blends etiquette, therapy, and cake... "The Artist's" James Cromwell talks quiet... Chickens with four wings... Greeks invade Britain... We toast the end of the world... A poem from imprisoned dissident Liu Xiaobo... Plus, nurture-over-nature, and a Major find from the Asteroids Galaxy Tour. Read more...
Episode 165: Junot Diaz, One-Shot Wonders, and Orange Wine
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This week, Pulitzer-winning author Junot Diaz bares the soul of a cheater... Actress Emily Blunt explains dolphin romance... Music video director Natasha Pincus picks some one-shot wonders... We toast the peaceful fallout from the only wartime aerial bombing of mainland USA... Financial etiquette from Marketplace's Paddy Hirsch... Orange vintages add color to wine stores... And the unsung heroes of Fall TV. Plus: a new Grizzly Bear track, laffs from artist Wayne White, and lap dances in the high courts. Read more...
Episode 164: Marjane Satrapi, Fran Lebowitz, and Pizza Brains
This Week: "Persepolis" author/filmmaker Marjane Satrapi laughs in the face of death... satirist Fran Lebowitz plays Nanny to America... author Emma Straub narrates a Hollywood fable... multi-Oscar-winner Ve Neill makes up a Makeup list... and Brendan inhales info about air. Plus, a visit to Philly's Pizza Museum, the high-cost of Tsarist-era beards, how to lose *yourself*, and indierockers Nude Beach expose their dinner party playlist. Read more...
Episode 163: Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Molly Ringwald, and Takis
This Week: Actor Joseph Gordon-Levitt gets physical and speaks French... Molly Ringwald offers etiquette advice for misfits and moms...The birth of swing music... Novelist Jonathan Evison updates Facebook's profiles... David Wax Museum shares a list that cuts to the bone... We hear from a young reporter who was on the cutting edge of the Takis craze... and Rico drinks bees. Plus: The latest in sleep science, and a dreamy new track from rocker Ariel Pink. Read more...
Episode 162: Gary Oldman, Top Chef: Etiquette, and Instant History
This week: We revisit one of our favorite episodes, from December 2011...Gary Oldman reflects on his Oscar-nominated role as iconic spy George Smiley... Top Chef's Gail Simmons spills some sweet and saucy etiquette tips... Artist/Musician Terry Allen uncovers 3 lost gems... We toast the instant replay (twice)... Brendan seeks gluten-free-free food... and author Lou Beach tells 6 stories with 420 characters. Plus, a crash course in video games, a joke from Brit-com phenom Stephen Merchant, and a tune from Chairlift. Read more...
Episode 161: Gustavo Dudamel, Rob Corddry, and Terms of Service
This week: Classical music superstar Gustavo Dudamel conducts an interview... "Children's Hospital" creator/star Rob Corddry prescribes etiquette advice... "Schott's Miscellany" author Ben Schott on food service slang... author John Brandon perks up his wolf ears... "Darth Vader and Son" cartoonist Jeffrey Brown lists some soulful sci-fi... and rocker King Tuff suggests a party playlist. Plus: Debbie Millman on design, Madeleine Brand gets dreamy, and the uplifting history of the escalator. Read more...
Episode 160: Rashida Jones, LeVar Burton, and Parody Picks
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This Week: Actress Rashida Jones plays matchmaker... "Reading Rainbow"'s LeVar Burton wields a knife - with discernment... Comic Paul Scheer's parody picks... Les Savy Fav bassist Syd Butler talks hockey, Joy division and secret identities... We speak -- and drink -- Esperanto... author Ariel S. Winter channels 3 crime-lit legends... and Rico eats the best Pop Tart ever. Plus: the death of chivalry and a pop lullaby from The Babies. Read more...
Episode 159: Zoe Kazan, Passion Pit and New Wave Fish Sandwiches
This week: Actor/writer Zoe Kazan makes a psychic connection... Passion Pit's Michael Angelakos provides the soundtrack for a party for two... Olympic gymnast Shawn Johnson shares the gold medal's shocking secret... Author Charles Yu feels your pain... Brendan catches the fish sandwich wave... and we travel back in time with bestselling essayist Sloane Crosley. Plus: Snoop Lion, the birth of Bugs Bunny, and dudes! -- the Posts are back with etiquette tips. Read more...
Episode 158: Simon Amstell, Rodriguez, and Dyn-o-mite Tips
This week: British comedy wunderkind Simon Amstell sings America's praises...Musician and archivist Michael Feinstein adds to the Great American Songbook... Folk-rock legend Rodriguez rises from the dead... Jimmie "DY-NO-MITE" Walker blows up etiquette... and Rico samples ceviche from "the new Tuscany" (it's in Mexico). Plus: mammoth cheeses, shifting to manual transmission, and a globe-hopping soundtrack from The Antlers. Read more...
Episode 157: Marcus Samuelsson, Cheryl Strayed, and (Breaking) Bad Romances
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This week, star chef Marcus Samuelsson dishes on his tough-but-tender training... WILD author Cheryl Strayed (aka "Dear Sugar") offers free therapy... Anna Gunn of "Breaking Bad" lists her favorite fictional dysfunctionals... Author Chris Cleave spins gold from Olympic competition... We toast Warhol with a pop-art cocktail... and Woody Guthrie turns 100. Plus: vacationing with Hemingway, author Karen Thompson Walker's slow fiction, and new music from the Dirty Projectors. Read more...
Episode 156: Wim Wenders, Liszt Lists, and Live Long and Proper
This week: An encore broadcast of one of our favorite shows! Director Wim Wenders speaks body language... Star Trek's George Takei takes etiquette to warp factor five...A list about Liszt, from world-renowned pianist Jean-Yves Thibaudet...Kathleen Turner's fiery new role...Third Wave Coffee... Existential humor... And finally, we learn how to play dead from a corpse - and then how to come back to life from Guided By Voices. Read more...
Episode 155: The All-Movie Episode
This week, it's our first ever ALL-MOVIE EPISODE - a blockbuster hour of our favorite film-centric interviews, starring John C. Reilly, Miranda July, Terry Gilliam and more: Val Kilmer plays Mark Twain playing an etiquette expert... Jackie Collins invites us to a Hollywood party... author Jonathan Lethem casts Drew Barrymore in his surreal fiction... One of cinema's greatest sound designers lists some of cinema's greatest sounds... and Michel Hazanavicius, Oscar-winning director of "The Artist," *doesn't* enjoy the silence. Plus: rockers Howlin' Rain suggest the most unlikely dinner party soundtrack ever, and Molly Ringwald barks like a dog. Read more...
Episode 154: Benh Zeitlin, All-American Etiquette, and the Automat
This week: Filmmaker Benh Zeitlin ("Beasts of the Southern Wild") paints with an axe... Michael Ian Black and Meghan McCain swear they can answer your etiquette questions peacefully... Actress Alison Pill, of Aaron Sorkin's new show "The Newsroom," takes us behind-the-scenes... New Yorker receptionist Janet Groth reflects on (almost) being Mrs. John Berryman... Lunching at the 'Automat'...Plus, doubled data, a summer fashion preview, and a soundtrack from playful pop band Micachu and the Shapes. Read more...
Episode 153: Patti Smith, Bryan Cranston, and Drinkable Shrubs
This week: Punk icon Patti Smith dreams of little black dresses... "Breaking Bad's" Bryan Cranston builds green houses, not meth labs... Zosia Mamet (Girls, Mad Men) picks other 'against-type' actors... we inhale the tale of the original "smoke-filled room"... and novelist Nathaniel Rich finds a rhino with all the answers. Plus: drinkable shrubs, a new track from Odd Future's Frank Ocean, and the fastest road in the USA. Read more...
Episode 152: Stephen Merchant, Demon Children, and The War on Drugs
This week: We revisit one of our favorite episodes..."The Office" co-creator Stephen Merchant spars with Brendan... fashion guru Simon Doonan advocates mullets... humorists Dave Barry & Alan Zweibel (attempt to) read their epic epilogue... The soundtrack of The War on Drugs... Artist Chris Burden's slot-cars on steroids... And Rico digs into Frito Pie. Plus: silent senators, illin' crosswords, and far-out jokes. Read more...
Episode 151: Michael Apted, Buddy Guy, and Defordometrics
This week: Director Michael Apted on "56 Up" -- the new installment of one of the greatest film series ever... Sportswriting legend Frank Deford tackles your etiquette questions... Guitar master Buddy Guy revisits his Louisiana roots... author Leigh Bardugo lists her favorite fictional worlds... A filmmaking duo plug in to the world of indie video games... and a sweet roll gets a savory twist on Manhattan's High Line. Plus: We fear the food world's revolutionary new robot, and spin a Bad Thing from Vermont rocker King Tuff. Read more...
Episode 150: James Franco, Paul Theroux, and a Cowardly Display
This week: Actor/polymath James Franco rebels against beds... Preeminent travel writer Paul Theroux offers etiquette advice to globetrotters (and public radio hosts)... Nashville raconteur Todd Snider tells of his brush with NASCAR fame... The NY Public Library remembers Noel Coward... and Hollywood's top auctioneer remembers memorabilia. Plus: We learn the history of blue jeans, hear a new Twin shadow tune, and listen to some (Guinness) rock records. Read more...
Episode 149: Richard Linklater, Christopher Buckley, and Independent Spirits
This week: Acclaimed filmmaker Richard Linklater takes us behind "the Pine Curtain"... Satirist Christopher Buckley on international (etiquette) relations... Actor Rich Sommer goes Mad about board games... Brooklyn band Violens cues up a dinner party soundtrack... Brendan sips indie spirits... We toast Spider-Dan's [sic] epic climb... Three hysterical histories... Plus, sexy literary hoaxes, humor from troubadour Todd Snider, and a listener letter - from a dolphin. Read more...
Episode 148: Santigold, Manly Manners and a Pilgrim's Process
This week: musician Santigold pines for a day job...Time's gonzo humorist Joel Stein offers some manly etiquette tips...Three ancient art treasures we HAVEN'T found...Rico visits crawfish country...Shakespearean theater worth fighting for...Writer Gideon Lewis-Kraus walks us through pilgrimages...Plus, humor from Violens, Sendak remembered, and the canine brain. Read more...
Episode 147: The All-Music Episode
This week: It's our first ever All-Music Episode! Willie Nelson gets lost in the haze of memory...Patton Oswalt on public radio's music problem...The Shins' James Mercer tells a Cold War secret...America's #1 hit writer Lamont Dozier on a miss...And we get back - to the Beatles final rooftop concert. Plus, sound and silliness from Billy Bragg, Wanda Jackson, and Cass McCombs. Read more...
Episode 146: Mike D, Taco USA, and Ballet Lessons
This week: The Beastie Boys' Mike D injects life (and caffeine) into museum-going... Lizz Winstead, comedienne and co-creator of the Daily Show, exposes herself... Gene Ween plays Rod McKuen... The descendants of Emily Post on cupcake etiquette... Ballet Lessons from a dancer-director... And a little piece of Heaven, courtesy of The Walkmen. Plus, genius delinquents, Eiffel Towers of booze, and a joke about burning ambition. Read more...
Episode 145: Emily Blunt, Proper Partying, and SubliminalsexScience
This week: Actress Emily Blunt explains dolphin break-ups... Rocker Andrew W.K. teaches us how to party properly... New Coke gets remixed... We graze at the Grilled Cheese Invitational... Bestselling science writer Leonard Mladinow decodes subliminal messages... A never-ending note from Jenny Lawson, a.k.a. "The Bloggess"... And Of Montreal's schizophrenic party soundtrack. Plus, TV for dogs, the art of vinyl, and a folk-joke from duo Mike and Ruthy. Read more...
Episode 144: Greta Gerwig, Questlove, and Liquid Matchsticks
This week: "Actor of her generation" Greta Gerwig on naturalism vs. quirk... The Roots' ?uestlove on food... Author Carl Hiaasen gives us a reality check... Kathy Griffin, queen of misbehavior, offers etiquette advice... The forgotten Astaire... We learn a striking history, with cocktail to match... and the Imagination Movers give entertaining tips on keeping kids entertained. Plus, a Spurlockian joke, a soprano drought, and your new favorite song from the Alabama Shakes. Read more...
Spring Break...with Michelle Williams and GZA
This week, a walk down memory lane! (Ahem - a rerun.) Yes, for our Spring Break, we're re-airing one of our favorite episodes from 2011. Front and center is the impossibly charming Michelle Williams, whose portrayal of Marilyn Monroe later earned her a Globes win and an Oscar nomination. Plus: a science lesson from Wu-Tang's GZA, juicy gossip about Fidel Castro, and Rico literally inhales America's best vodka. Tune in next week for an all-new, all-excellent show featuring Questlove, Greta Gerwig, and Carl Hiaasen. Read more...
Episode 142: The Duplass Brothers, Val Kilmer-Twain, and the Oysteress
This week: Filmmaking brothers Mark and Jay Duplass, who nap in trailers... Val Kilmer resurrects Mark Twain... Grandmaster of flash (fiction), Etgar Keret... Oysters take over the mainland... Poker stud Chris Moneymaker on turning friends into debtors... Guillotin's "enlightened" machine... Plus, the sounds of Howlin Rain, a pizza panic-button, and a seeing-eye joke. Read more...
Episode 141: Rick Moody, Shower Muses, and Snail Eggs
This week: Author Rick Moody dives into his gene pool... Jonah Lehrer showers us with inspiration... Escargot Eggs... Comedian Moshe Kasher's train-wreck mem'ries... And etiquette tips from world-class concierge Michael Fazio. Plus, a little night music from jazz star Esperanza Spalding, a super joke from Of Montreal, and vibrating tattoos. Read more...
Episode 140: Ewan McGregor, Pretzel Dumplings, and Happy Endings
This week: Actor Ewan McGregor, in three dimensions... "Happy Endings" star Casey Wilson's (semi) happy endings... Youth Lagoon's dinner party soundtrack... A 'psychic' reading from Heidi Julavits... The best sushi chef in the world... Pretzel dumplings... How "Uranus" got its name... And next-gen Posts teach us about table fairies. Plus: drinkable pancakes, Irish jokes, a w-h-i-z-k-i-d, and much more. Read more...
Episode 139: Jon Hamm, Irish Latkes, and Bottled Etiquette
This week: Actor Jon Hamm takes us way beyond the Mad Men universe... Comic Michael Ian Black says you're not doing it right... atheist author Alain de Botton teaches religion... writer Amelia Gray sees ghosts... Jon Glaser's high concepts... the sobering history of "Axis Sally"... and Rico tastes a bit o' the boxty. Plus, a new tune from Beach House, and a joke in the key of "corny." Read more...
Episode 138: Stephin Merritt, Vengeance Eating, and Alka-hol
This week: Stephin Merritt's attraction to love... Actress Amy Brenneman adjudicates listener etiquette... A vengeful lunch with Joel Stein... an Alkaholic drink... Neil deGrasse Tyson defends space... Bill Plympton's favorite animation... and a 3-song prescription from Dr. Dog. Plus: Aggie yells, a Dinner Party Timeout, and a cross-word joke from singer Cate le Bon. Read more...
Episode 137: Geoff Dyer, Bug Juice, and Damn Good Advice
This week: Celebrated UK writer Geoff Dyer takes us into the "Zona"... Top Chef's Gail Simmons survives internship hell and gets her Angel wings... Damn Good Advice from legendary ad man George Lois... Bees you can drink... A big empire built on small change... Winning an election... And nomophobia on the rise. Plus: picture books for grownups, Islands with Hallways, and a Fun joke. Read more...
Episode 136: Michel Hazanavicius, New Fruit, and Undead Presidents
This week: "The Artist" director Michel Hazanavicius breaks the silence... Brendan witnesses the arrival of a fruit sensation... Titanic sound achievements, selected by a 7-time Oscar-winning sound designer... Sharon Van Etten's moody party soundtrack... the real "Bonfire of the Vanities"... and Comedian Sarah Colonna breaks up with eHarmony. Plus, travel trends, a reality-check for gamers, and a joke from Miranda July. Read more...
Episode 135: The Shins, Lovable Fools, and Boardwalk Empires
This week: The Shins' James Mercer blows the lid off a government cover-up... author Krys Lee's inspired immigrant tales... An Oscar-nominated Undefeated team... Emily Post's offspring get aggressive-aggressive... a tourist's guide to a city you can't visit... and Victorian puddings on the rise (plus a recipe). Plus: The weirdest bands of the year, a kiddie joke from Youth Lagoon, and a prescription for dull dinner parties from Dr. Dog. Read more...
Episode 134: Anjelica Huston, Doomsday Planes, and Things about Chicken Wings
This week: Actress Anjelica Huston reveals her secret good-luck charm ... Writer-provocateur Caitlin Flanagan blends etiquette, therapy, and cake... "The Artist's" James Cromwell talks quiet... Chickens with four wings... Greeks invade Britain... We toast the end of the world... A poem from imprisoned dissident Liu Xiaobo... Plus, nurture-over-nature, and a Major find from the Asteroids Galaxy Tour. Read more...
Episode 133: Chairlift, Megadeth on Etiquette, and the Food Olympics
This week: Musical duo Chairlift offers us a martini (and some music)...Megadeth politely shreds our etiquette questions...Author-du-jour Ben Marcus says words CAN break your bones...Antonio Banderas plays kitty and creepy...A soldier lost and found - 28 years later...Plus, the latest in men's fashion, epic Sundance flops, and a joke from crime writer Robert Crais. Read more...
Episode 132: Tim and Eric, Bone Luging, and Lucinda Williams
This week: Sketch duo Tim & Eric tell us the secret to comedy... Lucinda Williams on etiquette and (non) barbecuing... Chuck Klosterman tackles football... Shalom Auslander's words about last words... CNN's Kat Kinsman talks about not talking about "bone luging"... And the science of "disgusting." Plus, a running joke, your letters, and new Shins. Read more...
Episode 131: Stephen Merchant, Demon Children, and The War on Drugs
This week: "The Office" co-creator Stephen Merchant spars with Brendan... fashion guru Simon Doonan advocates mullets... humorists Dave Barry & Alan Zweibel (attempt to) read their epic epilogue... The soundtrack of The War on Drugs... Artist Chris Burden's slot-cars on steroids... And Rico digs into Frito Pie. Plus: silent senators, illin' crosswords, and far-out jokes. Read more...
Episode 130: Wim Wenders, Liszt Lists, and Live Long and Proper
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This week: Director Wim Wenders speaks body language... Star Trek's George Takei takes etiquette to warp factor five... A list about Liszt, from world-renowned pianist Jean-Yves Thibaudet... Kathleen Turner's fiery new role... Third Wave Coffee... Existential humor... And finally, we learn how to play dead from a corpse - and then how to come back to life from Guided By Voices. Read more...
Episode 129: The List Show
This week: We celebrate the year's end with an all-list show. Film critic A.O. Scott explains the art (and anxiety) behind list-making... The Colbert Report's Opus Moreschi curates the year in comedy... sleeper hit films... Lists with identity crises... And the Onion lists the year's top news stories that never happened. Plus, a glimpse of the future feat. jetpacks, platefuls of bark, and your favorite artists of *next* year (like Jhene Aiko and the XX). Read more...
Episode 128: The Best of 2011
This week: We celebrate the best of 2011 Hear Guest of Honor interviews with Spike Lee, Carrie Brownstein, and Randy Newman... groove to disco godfather Nile Rodgers' tale of the birth of "Le Freak"... feast on a heart-stopping sandwich and a 100-year-old egg... toast Sweden's turn to the right... ponder a bigger Small Talk... then set your New Year's playlists with Song Of The Year picks from listeners like you. Read more...
Episode 127: Patton Oswalt, Dinner for Breakfast, & Pre-Holiday Post Etiquette
This week: Patton Oswalt rocks our public radio world... A travel list from essayist Sloane Crosley... A shot-less heist inspires a shot-full cocktail... The "Rules of Regifting," according to etiquette royalty... Author Jay Kirk tells the tale of Barnum versus Britannia... a dinner party soundtrack from Kathryn Calder of the band The New Pornographers... and Rico gets a brief history of breakfast. Read more...
Episode 126: Gary Oldman, Top Chef: Etiquette, and Instant History
This week: Actor Gary Oldman turns our world upside-down... Top Chef's Gail Simmons spills some sweet and saucy etiquette tips... Artist/Musician Terry Allen uncovers 3 lost gems... We toast the instant replay (twice)... and author Lou Beach tells 6 stories with 420 characters. Plus, a crash course in video games, a joke from Brit-com phenom Stephen Merchant, and a tune from Chairlift. Read more...
Episode 125: Michelle Williams, Inspired Vodka, and GZA the Genius
This week: Actress Michelle Williams channels Marilyn... GZA of the Wu-Tang Clan proves his Genius... New Yorker critic Alex Ross shares the best of his "Best Of"... child star Barry Livingston picks his favorite characters... Gossip and Etiquette collide... Rico inhales some world-class vodka... and 7 ways to read a sandwich. Read more...
Episode 124: David Cronenberg, Miranda July's PennySavior, and Real Estate in Paris
This week: David Cronenberg plays with our minds...We toast the phonograph with a drink that sounds like it...PennySaver 101 from Miranda July...Odd Future goes Pop...We're thankful for Elaine Stritch...Sarcasm in the Smithsonian?...And we check in on Real Estate in Paris. Read more...
Episode 123: John Jeremiah Sullivan, Dick Cavett-iquette, and Wild Flag
This week: Essayist John Jeremiah Sullivan takes a hard left turn...Talk show giant Dick Cavett spits out etiquette tips... We learn the meaning of "peplum"... Mega-producer Nile Rodgers gets revenge on Studio 54... The Edsel flops right into a cocktail glass... And Caldecott Award-winner Brian Selznick (Hugo) shares unforgettable picture books - for adults. Plus a playlist from indierock supergroup Wild Flag. Read more...
Episode 122: Sir Richard Branson, Jonathan Lethem, and Masters of Etiquette
This week, Sir Richard Branson drops the 'sir' for us... writer Jonathan Lethem squeezes Gertrude Stein, Jack Kerouac, and Drew Barrymore into a hot tub.... why we wanted our MTV... the (non-Portland) trailblazer of b-ball backboard-breaking... "Extreme Makeover: Urban Food Store Edition"... and iconic singer-songwriter Judy Collins muses on being a muse. Read more...
Episode 121: Cyndi Lauper, Thanksgiving's New Black, and Punk Rock Etiquette
This Week: Cyndi Lauper reveals that her true colors are the blues... Comedian Jenny Slate hears voices and tells us her faves... a seasonal organic, free-range serving of New Yorker Mag's Adam Gopnik... Henry Rollins punks your etiquette questions... and why Thanksgiving won't let you eat cake. Read more...
Episode 120: Chuck Klosterman, Diabolical Hawkes, and Zagats in the Zeitgeist
This Week: Author Chuck Klosterman tosses aside salad... Rap diva Big Freedia on booty etiquette... And the Zagats guide Brendan through the history of the Zagat guide. Plus, the Beatles' rooftop concert in first-person, John Hawkes on playing a monster, and a soundtrack from a Little Dragon. Read more...
Episode 119: Antonio Banderas, Old-School Candy, and Music from a Non-belieber
This Week: The Dinner Party Download fattens up to become *The Dinner Party* - a cool hour of culture. Actor Antonio Banderas talks about learning to talk... jazz phenom Esperanza Spalding cues up her party soundtrack... and Rico tastes Turkish Delight. Plus, killer beer, documentaries for the doc-averse...and etiquette from Jackie Collins. Read more...
Episode 118: Little Dragon and Big Small Talk
This week: As we ready for next week's hour-long show premiere, we serve up two more courses from the DPD test kitchen. You'll hear suggestions for your dinner party soundtrack from Swedish band Little Dragon. Plus, author Alexander Maksik flies into a moth-joke trap. Read more...
Episode 117: Etiquette with Jackie Collins & more from the DPD Test Kitchen
This week: 28-time bestselling novelist Jackie Collins drops by to give Etiquette lessons... and to dish about Michael Caine's birthday bash. Plus, more experimentation from the DPD test kitchen, a call for your calls, and a track from phenom Luke Rathborne. Read more...
Episode 116: Jeanne Darst, Gary Hustwit, and the DPD Hotline
This week, we continue to prepare for the hour-long version of the show by serving up some new courses. You'll "overhear" a story from author Jeanne Darst, take a Chattering Class on urban design with filmmaker Gary Hustwit, and learn the number of our new dinner-party hotline. (Drunk dialing allowed.) Let us know what you think! Plus, a traumatizing joke from debut novelist Justin Torres, and a new tune from the Stepkids. Read more...
Episode 115: What if the DPD was an hour-long show?
Welcome to *The Dinner Party* - a culture show that gives you everything you need to win this weekend's dinner party.. On the menu: Pulitzer Prize winner Jennifer Egan quacks us up, comedian Demetri Martin takes us on a dietary journey, and we pose our burning etiquette questions to Broadway sensation Elaine Stritch. Plus, an interview with breakout actress Greta Gerwig, poetry from Billy Collins, and lots more. Read more...
Episode 114: Steve James, Must-See Docs, and Jens Lekman
This week: Steve James, director of "Hoop Dreams" and "The Interrupters," interrupts our regularly scheduled programming to list some docs you'll love, even if you're doc-avoidant. Plus, Swedish singer-songwriter Jens Lekman gets up in his own grill. Much more to come as we prep for a longer, tastier DPD... stay tuned. Read more...
Episode 113: Gus Van Sant, Government Lunches, and Glutenny
This week: Filmmaker Gus Van Sant gives us the silent treatment... America says Uncle... And Brendan gets the lowdown on gluten from Erin "Babycakes" McKenna. Plus, Soleil Moon Frye (a.k.a. Punky Brewster) kids around, and Feist offers up a bluesy new tune. Read more...
Episode 112: Terry Allen, Swedish Rights, and Sissy Bounce
This week: Musician/Artist Terry Allen re-mystifies love... Sweden gets on the right track... And tennis superstar Novak Djokovic eggs himself on. Plus, a joke from a bitter Kiwi and a bouncin' track from Big Freedia. Read more...
Episode 111: TV on the Radio, Moonicorns, and Sophisticake
This week: TV on the Radio explains why it's raining milk...The Sun talks craziness about the moon...And we treat ourselves to the cake to end all cakes. Plus, a joke from actress Claire Sloma and a fierce new track from Stephen Malkmus & the Jicks. Read more...
Episode 110: Miranda July, a Stolen Smile, and the Waterguns of Brixton
This week: Filmmaker and artist Miranda July reveals her secret identity...The Mona Lisa takes an Italian vacation...And Bobbies crack down on super-soakers. Plus, a joke from musician Forrest Day and a mesmerizing tune from Lana Del Rey. Read more...
Episode 109: The Icebreaker Episode (2nd Ed.)
Back by popular demand, it's another all-star, all-icebreaker show: Almost every joke we've aired in the last year, collected in one convenient podcast. Patton Oswalt, Miranda July, Spike Jonze, Lemmy and many, many more regale you with miniature tales of animals in bars, drummers in hell and dumb dictators. It's a veritable feast of corn and cheese. Click here for the list of jokes and their tellers... Read more...
Episode 108: Don Cheadle, Shredding History, and Speculoos
This week: Actor Don Cheadle ("The Guard") kisses and doesn't tell... Music history gets a blast to the eardrums... And Rico discovers the best waffle topping you've never heard of. Plus, an uncool joke from Emma Straub, and new old soul sounds from The Shakes. Read more...
Episode 107: Brit Marling & Mike Cahill, Toothless Tickets, and the Confederate Cleopatra
This week: The filmmaking duo behind "Another Earth" keep it real... L.A. tells the truth about traffic tickets... and a Confederate spy in the house of love. Plus Miranda July sings for laughs, and Cut Off Your Hands. That's a band, not an order. Read more...
Episode 106: Errol Morris, Mammoth Cheese, and 4000 Years Of Food
This week: Documentary auteur Errol Morris reluctantly joins the party... A half-ton cheese rolls up to the White House... and we dig into millenia's worth of food with culture critic Lewis Lapham. Plus, a joke from author Ransom Riggs, and a new tune from The War on Drugs. Read more...
Episode 105: Shabazz Palaces, Disco Bashes, and Cola Wars 2.0
This week: Shabazz Palaces' Ishmael Butler gives us something to chew on...A disco bash breaks a ton of records...And Dr. Pepper sues Dr. Pepper. Plus, a touchy joke from The Low Anthem and a groovy song from Real Estate. Read more...
Episode 104: Shepard Fairey, Menu Mania, and Sliced Bread
This week: Street art superstar Shepard Fairey tags our table... An uncut history of sliced bread... And stacks of historic menus finally get their (web) close-up. Plus, a joke from celt-folk phenom Julie Feeney and a scorching tune from Ty Segall. Read more...
Episode 103: Bonnie Jo Campbell, 2nd Class Babies, and Getting Outta Dodge
This week: Author Bonnie Jo Campbell goes zonkeys...The rowdies get out of Dodge...And Ashton Kutcher's twitter account solves traffic crises. Plus, a joke from celebrated author Matthew Gallaway, and a new track from the Unknown Mortal Orchestra. Read more...
Episode 102: John C. Reilly, Lady Umpires, and the 'Buch
This week: Actor John C. Reilly fights the meanies... A housewife breaks through baseball's grass ceiling... And Brendan fact-checks "magical" drink kombucha. Plus, a duck-duck joke from Pulitzer-winner Jennifer Egan and a new tune from Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr. [sic] Read more...
Episode 101: Richard Ayoade, Translantic Transfusion, and Jagger Elks
This week: "Submarine" filmmaker Richard Ayoade starts his own cult... The blood of a sheep breeds some hair of the dog... and Swedes lose the faith -- but only on the inside. Plus, an "Aggie" joke from Texan director Richard Linklater, and a song from the band Cults - in keeping with the theme. Read more...
Episode 100: Randy Newman, DPD History, and the 100-Year-Old Egg
This week: It's our 100th episode! To celebrate, Brendan talks to one of his dream guests, music icon Randy Newman... Rico excavates a 100-Year-Old Egg... And we delve into our own history (with booze). Also, listeners share their own dream dinner party guests. Plus, we make a long overdue call to the Sea and Cake, and spin a historic cover song from Dr. Dog. Read more...
Episode 99: Michael Sheen, a Tax Streak, and Summer Sandwitches
This week: Actor Michael Sheen speaks in tongues... Lady Godiva streaks into Tea Partiers' hearts... And a sweet pill erases bitter memories. Plus, a dark joke from director Tim Burton and a bright tune from The Sandwitches. Read more...
Episode 98: Fleet Foxes, Pac-Man Pizza, and a Michelin Man
This week: Fleet Fox Robin Pecknold talks helplessness and hair...A ladies' Man enters the video game world...And three stars are borne - by master chef Paul Liebrandt. Plus, a joke from street artiste Shepard Fairey, and a dreamy tune by the Dirty Projectors. Read more...
Episode 97: Anton Yelchin, Spider-Dan, and Lazycakes
This week: Actor Anton Yelchin can't let go of Legos... Spider-Dan climbs the walls... And Del the Funky Homosapien has a ball. Plus we revel in a new tune from L.A. band Alexander. Read more...
Episode 96: Billy Collins, Food Raves, and Wandering Waste
This week: Former poet laureate Billy Collins talks death and baseball... The lonely journey of the Gar-Barge... And Rico survives a San Fran food rave. Plus, new music from Black Lips, and jokes from a Vivian Girl. Read more...
Episode 95: Demetri Martin, Robber in Rio, and Kissing Machines
This week: Comedian Demetri Martin fires up his brain machine... We go on the lam with the most punk-rock fugitive in history.... And Morgan Spurlock makes us cry. Plus, virtual kisses and a rockin' lullaby from Modern Mothers. Read more...
Episode 94: Dinner Party Etiquette with Elaine Stritch
This week: A special DPD, as Broadway legend Elaine Stritch answers listeners' etiquette questions in a most "ladylike" way. She's dated Brando, dissed Sinatra, and conquered the Great White Way... but can she handle the social graces of a dinner party? Read more...
Episode 93: An East-Over Feast
This week, feast upon our favorite food segments from podcasts past: Rico attacks a WWII-era sandwich... Brendan warily bites into a sushirrito... and we learn about twice-"baked" goods. Don't call them leftovers; they're *East-Overs.* Plus! Feast your ears on a waiter joke, and scarf down a food tune from Brendan himself. Read more...
Episode 92: Vera Farmiga, Going Dutch, and the Birth of Spam
This week: Actress Vera Farmiga has a productive year... We learn who to blame for online SPAM... And Rico goes Dutch... Plus, a joke from author T.C. Boyle and a new tune from ace songsmith Cass McCombs. Read more...
Episode 91: Greta Gerwig, Ping Pong Politics, and the Sleep Elite
This week: Actress Greta Gerwig finds the right dress for the big time... Two ping pong players thaw the Cold War... And the "sleep elite" put shuteye to rest. Plus a joke from Texas musician/artist Terry Allen and "The Morning" from The Weeknd [sic]. Read more...
Episode 90: Bellflower, Guillotin's Machine, and the Cheesesteak Challenger
This week: "Bellflower" filmmakers Evan Glodell and Tyler Dawson set the film-fest circuit ablaze... A Philly sandwich takes on the cheesesteak... And the tale of a most enlightened killing machine. Plus unholy laughter from bestselling author Tea Obreht and a new tune from Vetiver. Read more...
Episode 89: Neil Strauss, Cold (Con)fusion, and Rabbit Rex
This week: Author/Interviewer Neil Strauss inhales rock-n-roll... Science gives cold fusion the cold shoulder... And *Radiolab*'s Jad Abumrad unearths a giant rabbit. Plus music from Bright Eyes, and a joke from top tailor Vahram Mateosian. Read more...
Episode 88: Willie Nelson, Frontier Justice, and Tex-Next Cuisine
This week: From SXSW comes our all-Texas show. Music legend Willie Nelson talks Crazy... Judge Roy Bean serves justice on the rocks... And Rico explores tex-next cuisine. Plus laffs and music from two SXSW buzz bands: a thilly joke from Toro y Moi and and a tasty tune from Yuck. Read more...
Episode 87: Cary Fukunaga, Historic Headaches, and a Painless Brunch
This week: "Jane Eyre" director Cary Fukunaga horses around... The history of a not-so-bitter pill... and we toss back a painkiller brunch. Plus, a joke from jewelry designer Annie Costello Brown and a truth-telling tune from Dutch indie-modster M-JO. Read more...
Episode 86: Gabrielle Hamilton, The Peacemaker, and Smokeavores
This week: Celebrated author and chef Gabrielle Hamilton reveals a sweet secret... the Peacemaker breaks the peace... and a hipster crop lights up Brooklyn. Plus, rise and shine with a new tune from Manchester, UK's Star Slinger. Read more...
Episode 85: Carrie Brownstein, Murdered Moose, and God's Sporks
This week: "Portlandia" star/creator Carrie Brownstein satirizes her own... Broadway's major fail... and Rico sticks a fork in history. Plus a joke (in English) from The Love Language... and TUnEYarDs gives us the bizness. Read more...
Episode 84: Karen Russell, Paar vs. NB(W)C and Stuck-up Employees
This week: Author Karen Russell muses about amusement parks... Jack Paar vs. NB(W)C... And Wal-Mart employees get gun-fired. Plus: Nashville-based singer/songwriter Tristen delivers a joke, and a trip to San Pedro via Mogwai. Read more...
Episode 83: Chris Burden, Small Weddings, and Sushi Burritos
This week: Artist Chris Burden revokes your driver's license... We look back on the biggest little wedding of the 19th century... And the "Sushirrito" is born. Plus, PJ Harvey's new tune kills, and Weird Al Yankovic makes a rare foray into comedy. Read more...
Episode 82: John Lithgow, Undying Birds, and Lost H-Bombs
This week: Actor John Lithgow gives Brendan a killer look.. .An H-Bomb goes MIA... And we visit a city whose birds never sleep. Plus, a dulcet tune from Fleet Foxes and a wooden joke from Motorhead frontman Lemmy. Read more...