Speculation Begins On Who Will Be Oprah's Final GuestNovember 23, 2009Media magnate Oprah Winfrey recently announced plans to end her "The Oprah Winfrey Show" in 2011, after 25 seasons. In a tearful message to viewers on Friday, Winfrey promised the top-rated program's final leg would be one to remember. Guest host Jennifer Ludden talks reporter Marcus Leshock, of WGN-TV and blogger for "Chicago Now." Leshock recently posted a blog, speculating who might be the final guest for Winfrey's last program.NPR
PomegranatesNovember 22, 2009Pomegranate's album, Everybody, Come Outside!, is full of the same first-day-of-summer exuberance that you'd expect in any excitable child yelling for his friends to come out and play. Paste
Principal Tells Students 'Meep' Is Off-LimitsNovember 14, 2009The principal at Danvers High School, in Danvers, Mass., has asked students to stop using the word "meep" because of the frustration and confusion it caused among the faculty. Mike Spiewak, a senior at the high school, helped to popularize the word. NPR's Guy Raz talks with Spiewak about what exactly "meep" means, and what the future of the word at the school may be.NPR
Pavement's Spiral StairsNovember 16, 2009Pavement's co-founding guitarist, Scott “Spiral Stairs” Kannberg chats with Paste Magazine prior to highly anticipated 2010 Pavement reunion
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WindmillNovember 9, 2009Matthew Thomas Dillon, British musician who performs as Windmill, discuss his sophomore LP: Epcot StarfieldsThe Christian Science Monitor
Monsters of Folk: Making hits without the hypeNovember 5, 2009Even in this age of iTunes and Rock band video games, the supergroup has found an audience and an album hit.The Christian Science Monitor
A Head-Shrinker Studies The Zombie BrainOctober 30, 2009Psychiatrist Steven Schlozman recently expanded his practice from humans to the inhuman. Poring over his library of classic zombie films, he came up with neurobiological explanations for the behavior of the undead, such as lack of a frontal lobe and an overactive amygdala.NPR
In Serial Killer's Former Home, A Search For GhostsOctober 30, 2009Musician Chris Butler was looking for a house where he could make loud music without disturbing his neighbors. He found the perfect house and for a deal, but it came with certain "conditions." The house was the childhood home of Jeffrey Dahmer and the scene of Dahmer's first killing.NPR
Leonard Cohen: Live at the Isle of Wight 1970November 2, 2009Full of wit, subtle humor, sorrow and insight, bootleg showcases songwriter/poet at peak of his stripped-down powersPaste
Gemma RayOctober 31, 2009Blade-welding British chanteuse Gemma Ray talks about her music, her style, and her American debut: Lights Out Zoltar!Paste
What To Wear On Halloween?October 23, 2009When it comes to Halloween, looks are everything. For those who haven't yet found a costume, there are the old standbys: Batman and Darth Vader. There are also newcomers such as disgraced financier Bernie Madoff. Jason Sandlofer, director of operations for Ricky's NYC, a New York City-based costume retailer, previews this year's hottest — and oddest — Halloween trends. NPR
'DJ Hero' Lets You Rock The Club ... From Your CouchOctober 26, 2009If you've ever dreamed of spinning records in front of a screaming crowd, here's your virtual chance. The new music video game DJ Hero lets gamers scratch and mix on a fake turntable while a funky DJ avatar struts and cuts onscreen.NPR
Beware of BratzillasOctober 20, 2009What do you do when your friend's kids behave poorly and act like bratzillas? In this week's Moms segment, TMM parenting contributors, Jolene Ivey and Dannette Tucker, along with guest moms Christine Koh, founder of Boston Mamas, and Lucinda Rosenfeld, "Friend or Foe" advice columnist, talk about how to handle the delicate situation of other kids behaving badly.NPR
The GuildOctober 23, 2009Flicia Day's comedy web series about a group of online gamers and how they interact online and offline Paste
Best of What's Next: Amy SpeaceOctober 22, 2009Amy Space chats about traveling, collaborating with Judy Collins, playing for a foreign audience, and the art of songwritingPaste
Why Marketers Are Wooing Women All WrongOctober 15, 2009Comedienne and Current TV host Sarah Haskins wants to know why sponges in TV commercials have sexy male accents, mops end up in desperate love triangles, and all women wear pearls? She'll talk about her latest episode of Target Women, which lampoons marketing strategies aimed at the female demographic.NPR
The Flaming Lips: EmbryonicOctober 17, 2009Flaming Lips frontman Wayne Coyne proclaimed that their twelfth studio album would be their most experimental yet. Paste
Talent Agent Represents Dead CelebritiesOctober 12, 2009What do Norman Rockwell, Michael Jackson and The Three Stooges have in common? They all still rake in millions of dollars after their deaths. Michele Norris talk to Mark Roesler, a lawyer and talent agent. Most of his clients are dead people. His company, CMG Worldwide, handles the increasingly lucrative market of licensing and intellectual property for dead celebrities.NPR
CluesOctober 29, 2009Clues, the collaboration between former
Arcade Fire drummer/vocalist Brendan Reed and former Unicorns frontman Alden Penner, releases album titled: Self-TitledPaste
The Black Crowes: Before the Frost...Until the FreezeOctober 16, 2009With the band's eighth album, double LP Before the Frost…Until the Freeze, the Crowes have fully settled into their role as keepers of the '70s rock 'n' roll flame. Paste
How The Beatles Destroyed Rock 'n' RollOctober 5, 2009Pop historian Elijah Wald (Escaping The Delta: Robert Johnson and the Invention of the Blues) returns with the latest bombshell: essential despite its flawsPaste
Avett Brothers: I and Love and YouOctober 3, 2009Band of brothers mature on masterful major label debut: a review of Avett Brothers and their new album "I and Love and You"Paste
Anime Festival Not Just For OtakusSeptember 26, 2009This weekend, New York hosts a festival celebrating Japanese animation, or anime. Host Scott Simon talks to festival organizer and anime expert (or "otaku") Lance Fensterman, about the event.NPR
Why?September 27, 2009A look at prolific artist Yoni Wolf, front man for WHY?, and their new album Eskimo Snow Paste
It's The Wonderful 'Wizard Of Oz' At 70September 19, 2009On Wednesday Sept. 23, more than 400 theaters across the country will show The Wizard of Oz on the big screen, in honor of the film's 70th anniversary. Host Scott Simon speaks to Angelica Carpenter, president of the International Wizard of Oz Club, and 94-year-old Meinhardt Raabe, one of the actors who played a Munchkin in the film.NPR
A Shoe For Barefoot RunnersSeptember 19, 2009Several companies are creating shoes that look sort of like gloves for your feet. They're minimalist, with a little pocket for each toe, and they're catching on with a small but passionate community of runners who shun fancy, highly-engineered shoes and prefer to run as our shoeless ancestors did.NPR
'Buffy' Creator Snags Emmy For 'Horrible' IdeaSeptember 20, 2009Writer/director Joss Whedon hatched Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog, a Web musical about an aspiring supervillain, during the 2008 writers' strike. He wanted to prove it was possible to create quality shows without giant corporations.NPR
Ask Amy: What Happened To Civility?September 17, 2009TV has captured several recent celebrity outbursts. Rapper Kanye West ruined Taylor Swift's big moment at the MTV video music awards. Tennis star Serena Williams cursed at a line judge. The Chicago Tribune's Amy Dickinson talks about whether we are seeing the end of civility.NPR
Did Whitney Houston Tell All On 'Oprah'?September 18, 2009In this week's visit to the Barbershop guest host Mandalit del Barco discusses racism and the White House, Whitney Houston's appearance on the season opener of "The Oprah Winfrey Show" and President Obama's comments on Kanye West. Joining her are Jimi Izrael, freelance journalist for TheRoot.com; Arsalan Iftikhar, civil rights attorney and the founder of themuslimguy.com; Lester Spence, political science professor at Johns Hopkins University, and Ken Rudin, NPR's political editor.NPR
Serena RyderSeptember 19, 2009With four albums under her belt, Canadian singer-songwriter Serena reflects on her career, which began in 2001 when she was only 18Paste
Too Sexy: Snuggie Hits Catwalk At Fashion WeekSeptember 16, 2009The "blanket that has sleeves" has made its runway debut at Fashion Week. Marching down the catwalk was a dog in a Snuggie, accompanied by a model also draped in one. This fashion item most often seen in infomercials looks a lot like a giant sleeping bag, and now it comes in tie-dye, camouflage and "luxury microplush."NPR
Keillor Suffers Mild Stroke; Full Recovery ExpectedSeptember 9, 2009The humorist, whose 'A Prairie Home Companion' is broadcast on many NPR affiliates, is recovering at a Mayo Clinic facility and is expected to be released by the end of the week.NPR
Rethinking 'Retarded': Should It Leave The Lexicon?September 8, 2009People are starting to think twice about using the word "retarded" as a casual put-down. The word is no longer used in medical and social service circles, and activists are campaigning against television shows and movies that use the so-called r-word offensively.NPR
Fernwood: A Global Americana MusicSeptember 4, 2009Like an undiscovered musical tributary, a meeting of the Ganges River with the Swanee RiverEchoes
Dreams For SaleSeptember 3, 2009Perry Chen, founder of Kickstarter, a company that helps people achieve their wildest fantasies, reveals what it takes to make a dream come true. And participant Emily Richardson explains how she's going to realize her dream - to sail around the world.NPR
For Netflix CEO, Change Is Just A Channel ThingSeptember 3, 2009Reed Hastings is the guy who brought you those little red envelopes — and the ubiquitous phrase, "It's in my queue." But he knows as well as anybody that his company's future will involve making those mailers a thing of the past.NPR
David Bazan: Curse Your BranchesSeptember 6, 2009Former Pedro The Lion frontman abandons character sketches for spiritual reflectionPaste
Michael McDonald Talks Grizzly Bear CollaborationSeptember 3, 2009Michael McDonald of The Doobie Brothers recently collaborated with Brooklyn-based indie rock band Grizzly Bear. He chats with Paste Magazine about this project.Paste
Finally, A Resting Place For Michael JacksonAugust 31, 2009Michael Jackson died more than two months ago, but the King of Pop is finally being buried this week. At Forest Lawn in Glendale, Calif., he will be surrounded by fellow performers, such as Nat King Cole, Humphrey Bogart and Sammy Davis Jr.NPR
Spike Lee Celebrates Michael Jackson's BirthdayAugust 29, 2009Saturday would have been Michael Jackson's 51st birthday. After weeks spent mourning the loss of the King of Pop, it's time to celebrate his life. If you're in New York, you should head to Prospect Park where filmmaker Spike Lee is throwing his childhood idol a birthday party — Brooklyn style. Host Scott Simon talks with the filmmaker about his birthday bash for the pop star.NPR
Mexico City Moonwalks For MichaelAugust 30, 2009The previous world record for the most people simultaneously dancing to the ground-breaking 1983 video was a meager 242 at the College of William and Mary earlier this year. Mexico City planned to obliterate that record.NPR
VandaveerSeptember 1, 2009The music on Vandaveer's second album reflects a duality with lyrics referencing both World War I and children's author Beverly ClearyPaste
Loving The "Unlovable" Men Of The 1950sAugust 25, 2009"Why do we love those unlovable men of the 1950s and early '60s?" asks Jonathan Zimmerman in the Christian Science Monitor. He explains how finding love letters written by his father 50 years ago convinced him today's man is not that different from the 1950s man.NPR
The FeaturesAugust 22, 2009The Features hail from Middle Tennessee, but their style was influenced more by British rock music than by their country neighborsPaste
After 67 Years, Archie Chooses VeronicaAugust 19, 2009In the first of a six-issue series, the longest-running love triangle in comics history appears to come to an end: Archie Andrews proposes — not to Betty, the blond girl next door, but to Veronica, the dark-haired beauty and Riverdale's rich girl.NPR
Tina Brown: What You Need To Read On The WebAugust 18, 2009Obsession and perfection are two themes in Daily Beast editor-in-chief Tina Brown's recommended reading. One article also intersects with Brown's former job at Vanity Fair, where she worked with financially troubled photographer Annie Leibovitz.NPR
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