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Questlove

Questlove at Maximum Fun Daniel Speer hide caption

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Daniel Speer

Bullseye with Jesse Thorn

Questlove

Questlove, drummer and bandleader for The Roots joins us on the latest episode. The legend. Lately, he's been working on music documentaries: Sly Lives! and Summer of Soul were both fantastic. He joins us to talk at length about Ladies & Gentlemen... 50 Years of SNL Music. Questlove gets into his early memories of Saturday Night Live as a kid and gets into how he's been involved with the show over the years. We also get into the forthcoming album from The Roots.

Questlove

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The summer blockbusters we finally watched

Vin Diesel in The Fast and the Furious. Moviestore Collection Ltd / Alamy hide caption

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Moviestore Collection Ltd / Alamy

Review

Pop Culture Happy Hour

The summer blockbusters we finally watched

Fifty years ago Steven Spielberg's Jaws was released in theaters, kicking off the summer blockbuster phenomenon. And you know a summer blockbuster when you see one: It's a film that's hugely popular and as a result, financially successful, and seen by lots of people. But not everyone has seen every last one of them. Today, we fill in some personal blockbuster gaps, and finally see a movie that absolutely everyone saw, except for us — including Armageddon, Beverly Hills Cop II, Ghost, The Fast and the Furious.

The summer blockbusters we finally watched

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'The Phoenician Scheme' is full of Wes side-stories

Benicio del Toro in The Phoenician Scheme. Focus Features hide caption

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Focus Features

Review

Pop Culture Happy Hour

'The Phoenician Scheme' is full of Wes side-stories

Wes Anderson's new film The Phoenician Scheme is classic Wes Anderson, complete with a great cast delivering heightened dialogue and stylized cinematography. It stars Benicio del Toro as one of Europe's richest men, an amoral industrialist, who, along with his daughter (Mia Threapleton) and a tutor (Michael Cera), travels to convince his business partners to fund his latest venture. But where does the film rank among Anderson's past movies?

'The Phoenician Scheme' is full of Wes side-stories

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How to win (or lose) a break up on social media

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Analysis

It's Been a Minute

How to win (or lose) a break up on social media

A lot of us have seen how explosive breakup stories have been on social media. From Reesa Teesa's "Who TF did I marry..." to Spritely's breakup song, these posts have been drawing gasps and gaining traction. But is it harmless fun, or an invasion of privacy? When do your personal stories belong on social media and when do they not?

How to win (or lose) a break up on social media

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In his latest album, Lush Life, Seth MacFarlane records for the first arrangements of songs originally written for the late Frank Sinatra.

In his latest album, Lush Life, Seth MacFarlane records arrangements of songs originally written for the late Frank Sinatra. Autumn de Wilde/Verve Label Group hide caption

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Autumn de Wilde/Verve Label Group

Interview highlights

Seth MacFarlane of 'Family Guy' uncovers Sinatra songs in new album

The Family Guy creator got a trove of previously unheard arrangements written for Frank Sinatra and has released a first album of some of the songs.

Seth MacFarlane of 'Family Guy' uncovers Sinatra songs in new album

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Is 'Ballerina' an en pointe entry in the John Wick universe?

Ana de Armas in Ballerina. Murray Close/Lionsgate hide caption

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Murray Close/Lionsgate

Review

Pop Culture Happy Hour

Is 'Ballerina' an en pointe entry in the John Wick universe?

John Wick's back in a spinoff new film, Ballerina, starring Ana de Armas. She plays a ballerina-turned-assassin making her way through the international criminal underworld, and crossing paths with some new and familiar faces — including the one and only Keanu Reeves.

Is 'Ballerina' an en pointe entry in the John Wick universe?

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Gen Z awkwardly transitions into 'Adults'

Owen Thiele and Jack Innanen in Adults. Rafy/FX hide caption

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Rafy/FX

Review

Pop Culture Happy Hour

Gen Z awkwardly transitions into 'Adults'

Every generation gets its versions of a "20-somethings hang out and make mistakes" sitcom, such as Living Single, Friends, New Girl and Broad City. Now Gen Z's got the FX/Hulu series Adults. The silly new series is about a group of friends cohabitating in Queens, New York and it makes for fun and possibly all-too-relatable TV fodder.

Gen Z awkwardly transitions into 'Adults'

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'Mountainhead' is very funny nightmare fuel for an age of billionaires

Steve Carell in Mountainhead. Macall Polay/HBO hide caption

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Macall Polay/HBO

Review

Pop Culture Happy Hour

'Mountainhead' is very funny nightmare fuel for an age of billionaires

Succession creator Jesse Armstrong is back with Mountainhead, a new movie with characters who are just as wealthy, powerful, and insecure as the Roy family. Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman, Ramy Youssef and Cory Michael Smith star as four tech moguls gathering for a low-key guys' weekend of poker. But business and unchecked, overinflated egos quickly lead them all down a very dark path.

'Mountainhead' is very funny nightmare fuel for an age of billionaires

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Marc Maron announced on his show Monday that the podcast will air its final episode this fall. After more than 1,600 episodes, he says he and his producer were "burnt out." Maron is pictured above in Los Angeles on May 29, 2025.

Marc Maron announced on his show Monday that the podcast will air its final episode this fall. After more than 1,600 episodes, he says he and his producer were "burnt out." Maron is pictured above in Los Angeles on May 29, 2025. Amy Sussman/Getty Images hide caption

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Amy Sussman/Getty Images

Culture

Marc Maron ends iconic podcast after 16 years: 'We're burnt out'

Marc Maron has interviewed Robin Williams, Nicole Kidman, former President Barack Obama and many more. But after 16 years and 1,600+ episodes, he's ready to call it quits.

Marc Maron ends iconic podcast after 16 years

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'Bring Her Back' makes us squirm in ways we couldn't have imagined

Sally Hawkins in Bring Her Back. Ingvar Kenne/A24 hide caption

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Ingvar Kenne/A24

Review

Pop Culture Happy Hour

'Bring Her Back' makes us squirm in ways we couldn't have imagined

The hit Australian horror movie Talk To Me was both very good and deeply unsettling. Now its directors (Danny and Michael Philippou) have returned with Bring Her Back, which ups the ante when it comes to disturbing, nightmarish storytelling. The film stars Sally Hawkins as a woman whose grief manifests in terrifying, ugly ways.

'Bring Her Back' makes us squirm in ways we couldn't have imagined

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The ultimate social experiment? This group of friends recreates 'Survivor' every year

All Things Considered producer Mia Venkat holding up the "buff" her friends made for their Survivor games. Dave Maser hide caption

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Dave Maser

Television

The ultimate social experiment? This group of friends recreates 'Survivor' every year

As 'Survivor' celebrates 25 years, this group of friends recreate their own version of the reality TV show — complete with cutthroat competition and brutal blindsides.

Joining a group of 'Survivor' enthusiasts for a simulated competition

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Age gaps & wage gaps: unpacking our Belichick-Hudson obsession

Bill Belichick and Jordon Hudson pose for a photo backstage at the 14th Annual NFL Honors at Saenger Theatre on February 06, 2025 in New Orleans, Louisiana Todd Rosenberg/Getty Images hide caption

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Todd Rosenberg/Getty Images

It's Been a Minute

Age gaps & wage gaps: unpacking our Belichick-Hudson obsession

After 8 trips to the Super Bowl, 73 year-old former NFL coach Bill Belichick is ready to start a new phase in his career: mentor, college football coach, and now doting boyfriend to 24-year-old Jordon Hudson. But as Hudson also takes an increasingly important role in Belichick's professional life, people are speculating about the motivations behind their union. Why do we care?

Age gaps & wage gaps: unpacking our Belichick-Hudson obsession

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'Karate Kid: Legends' revisits a sturdy old formula

Ben Wang in Karate Kid: Legends Jonathan Wenk/Sony Pictures hide caption

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Jonathan Wenk/Sony Pictures

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Pop Culture Happy Hour

'Karate Kid: Legends' revisits a sturdy old formula

The Karate Kid has been sequelized, serialized, spun off and rebooted, and now it's back, as Karate Kid: Legends. The new film stars Ben Wang as a kid who's mentored by Jackie Chan and Ralph Macchio, reprising their roles from the franchise. But at its heart, the movie is about a kid who must train hard, learn life lessons, and kick a bully hard in the face.

'Karate Kid: Legends' revisits a sturdy old formula

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Clockwise left to right: Ana de Armas as Eve in Ballerina. Elio (voiced by Yonas Kibreab) and a liquid supercomputer (voiced by Shirley Henderson) in the new Pixar movie Elio. Archie Madekwe and Théodore Pellerin in Lurker. David Corenswet as Superman. Danielle Deadwyler in 40 Acres. Aubrey Plaza as MG Falcone and Margaret Qualley as Honey O’Donahue in Honey Don't!

Clockwise left to right: Ana de Armas as Eve in Ballerina. Elio (voiced by Yonas Kibreab) and a liquid supercomputer (voiced by Shirley Henderson) in the new Pixar movie Elio. Archie Madekwe and Théodore Pellerin in Lurker. David Corenswet as Superman. Danielle Deadwyler in 40 Acres. Aubrey Plaza as MG Falcone and Margaret Qualley as Honey O'Donahue in Honey Don't! Murray Close/Lionsgate, Disney/Pixar, MUBI, Alon Amir/Warner Bros. Pictures, Magnolia Pictures, Focus Features. hide caption

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Murray Close/Lionsgate, Disney/Pixar, MUBI, Alon Amir/Warner Bros. Pictures, Magnolia Pictures, Focus Features.

Movies

11 movies to watch this summer: Sequels, a new 'Superman,' and edgy originals, too

The coming months will bring a 28 Days Later sequel and a new John Wick movie starring Ana de Armas. Midsommar's Ari Aster has a new Western thriller, and Pixar goes intergalactic.

What's coming in theaters this summer

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Pop culture has a 'bean soup problem'

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Getty Images

Pop Culture Happy Hour

Pop culture has a 'bean soup problem'

Online discourse has become a fun part of enjoying and dissecting big pop culture events. But after seeing all the commentary around Ryan Coogler's Sinners, our pal Brittany Luse has one question: are we in a media literacy crisis? Difference of opinion is one thing, but it feels like some viewers are missing important clues or misreading the film entirely - and it doesn't stop with Sinners. Today we've got an episode of the podcast It's Been A Minute that explores what this could mean for the way we engage with the world at large.

Pop culture has a 'bean soup problem'

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'Lilo & Stitch' brings its fuzzy agent of chaos to the real world

Stitch in Lilo & Stitch. Disney hide caption

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Disney

Review

Pop Culture Happy Hour

'Lilo & Stitch' brings its fuzzy agent of chaos to the real world

The new Lilo & Stitch is mostly live-action and retells the original Disney animated film's story of two orphaned Hawaiian sisters and the chaotic alien who upends their lives. The movie deviates from the original in many ways, but the central story is a tale of sisterhood and found family with lots of rowdy chaos along the way. The cast includes Maia Kealoha, Sydney Elizebeth Agudong, Zach Galifianakis, and Chris Sanders returns as the voice of Stitch.

'Lilo & Stitch' brings its fuzzy agent of chaos to the real world

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No fun, just fungus: The continuing traumas of 'The Last Of Us' season two

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Liane Hentscher/HBO

Review

Pop Culture Happy Hour

No fun, just fungus: The continuing traumas of 'The Last Of Us' season two

Season two of The Last of Us just ended, and to say the story has gone in some new directions is an understatement. The HBO series starring Bella Ramsey and Pedro Pascal continues to push forward with its complex story while still and always putting the "ick" in "post-apocalyptic."

No fun, just fungus: The continuing traumas of 'The Last Of Us' season two

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In 'Mission: Impossible — The Final Reckoning,' Tom Cruise is too controlled

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Paramount Pictures and Skydance

Review

Pop Culture Happy Hour

In 'Mission: Impossible — The Final Reckoning,' Tom Cruise is too controlled

In Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning, Tom Cruise has to save the world (again). But this time, as the movie stresses repeatedly, the stakes are really, really high. Higher than the buildings Tom sprints across or the planes he fights bad guys on. There's an AI that wants to destroy humanity, and Tom and his allies try to pull off the feat of all our lifetimes. Will he? Does it even matter? It's Tom Cruise doing Tom Cruise things in London, the Bering Sea, and beyond.

In 'Mission: Impossible — The Final Reckoning,' Tom Cruise is too controlled

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From Marvel to 'Sinners', should you stay for the post-credits scenes?

Michael B. Jordan plays twin brothers Smoke and Stack in Sinners. Warner Bros. Pictures hide caption

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Warner Bros. Pictures

Review

Pop Culture Happy Hour

From Marvel to 'Sinners', should you stay for the post-credits scenes?

The movie ends, and the credits roll. That used to be your cue to start heading to the parking lot to debrief with your friends. That was before the era of the post-credits scene, which often teases the next installment, or offers one last joke or thrill that you'll miss if you don't stick around. But is it really worth it to stick around? Today we're talking about the state of the post-credits scene, including Sinners, Pixar and Marvel movies, and more.

From Marvel to 'Sinners', should you stay for the post-credits scenes?

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