Bullseye with Jesse Thorn
Bullseye from NPR is your curated guide to culture. Jesse Thorn hosts in-depth interviews with brilliant creators, culture picks from our favorite critics and irreverent original comedy. Bullseye has been featured in Time, The New York Times, GQ and McSweeney's, which called it "the kind of show people listen to in a more perfect world." (Formerly known as The Sound of Young America.)

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Taking a moment to look back at a past Bullseye guest we lost this year, Caroll Spinney. He was Big Bird’s puppeteer for 50 years, but he was so much more than the literal man inside the costume. Caroll was the voice and spirit of the iconic character many of us grew up watching. In this conversation director Dave LaMattina also joined us to discuss his documentary, I am Big Bird.


The Bullseye team has taken on the terrible task of finding the best of the best comedy albums and bringing them to you in a nice little end of year package. Our team pored through hours of comedy specials, hundreds of set-ups and dozens upon dozens of punchlines to come up with this list. Enjoy, and Seasons Greetings from all of us at Bullseye!


Get ready for a bonanza of holiday cheer! This week, we’ll revisit the Bullseye holiday special. Micky Dolenz of The Monkees talks about the band’s album “Christmas Party.” The group recorded it with a cavalcade of hit-makers like Rivers Cuomo, Peter Buck of REM and more. And that’s not all! We also get some advice from the McElroy Brothers (hosts of My Brother, My Brother and Me and The Adventure Zone) about holiday conundrum. Plus, soul singer Sy Smith — she tells us about the holiday song that changed her life.


Imelda Marcos former Philippine first lady known for her troubling legacy is the subject of Lauren Greenfield’s new documentary The Kingmaker. Lauren’s film is both an intimate profile as well as a critique of plutocracy. On Bullseye Lauren talks to us about dealing with Imelda’s unreliable narration and changing her approach with her most journalistic work to date. Lauren also tells us how a lifetime spent covering wealth has affected her relationship with money.


Hey! It’s the brilliant animator, writer and songwriter Rebecca Sugar! Creator of the wildly popular Steven Universe. She’s earned six Primetime Emmy Award nominations for the series and is the first non-binary woman to independently create a series for Cartoon Network. Rebecca discusses the inspiration behind the show, creating femme characters and dealing with fan feedback. Plus, Jesse and Rebecca talk about some of their favorite cartoons growing up!


Join us as we dig in the archives and revisit our conversation with Kathryn Hahn. You’ve seen her in comedy films like Step Brothers, the Anchorman movies, and many more. These days you can catch her on HBO’s Mrs. Fletcher. But when Hahn joined us a couple years ago she starred in Amazon’s I Love Dick, based on the Chris Klaus book by the same name. Hahn and Jesse talk about the inherently feminist space that I Love Dick inhabits, and the deeply complex character that Kathryn plays on the show. She talks about working with Jill Soloway, and the special and deeply creative environment that Soloway creates on set.


Dig into the archives with us as we revisit our conversation with the great actor Tim Blake Nelson! Currently, he’s starring in the brand new, criticially acclaimed HBO show Watchmen. On Bullseye, he talks to us about growing up in Tulsa (where Watchmen is set), working with the Coen brothers and the time he got into acting because his mom yelled at him.


Alice Waters is a chef, an activist and a best-selling author. She is the founder of Chez Panisse in Berkeley, a restaurant that sources ingredients from local farmers and producers and is widely credited with being the genesis of today’s sustainable food movement. She cares deeply about the way that we eat and has dedicated much of her life to ensuring children receive nutritious and flavorful school lunches. She also works to educate kids on how food is made. Alice stops by Bullseye to talk to us about when it first occurred to her that she would like to cook for a living, receiving her first French cookbook and the most challenging meal she’s ever tried to cook. Plus, she’ll tell us about the one food she’s not too crazy about.


On the latest episode, the one and only Lin-Manuel Miranda! He’s probably best known as the star and creator of the biggest musical in the last 20 years – “Hamilton.” The award-winning, massively influential musical about the founding father Alexander Hamilton. These days, he’s got another show on Broadway: “Freestyle Love Supreme.” It’s an improvised hip-hop performance where the performers get their prompts from the audience. He’s also starring in the new HBO show “His Dark Materials.” It’s a fantasy series based on the book by the same name. Lin-Manuel Miranda talks about how his career has changed since “Hamilton.” We’ll also talk about the time he turned down a part in a Marvel movie.


The Craziest F**king Day of my Entire Career is a segment where we let some of our favorite people tell us the wildest stories from their long and storied time in showbiz. This time it’s Tim Heidecker, a comedian, actor and creator of intricate worlds in which he often plays a fictionalized version of himself. One of these alter-Tim’s is Special Agent Jack Decker, a spy that could easily be the illegitimate spawn of Trump and Chuck Norris. He’ll tell us about a time when this character for his show Decker was just a little too on the nose, just a little too close for comfort.


Rosie Perez is one of the most fascinating people we've had on Bullseye! A native of Bushwick, Brooklyn, she's performed on stage and screen. She was nominated for an Academy Award for her role in 1993's Fearless, had iconic parts in "White Men Can't Jump" and "Do The Right Thing." She's been a host on ABC's "The View," served as Grand Marshal for the International Boxing Hall of Fame and as if all of that weren't enough, she was a powerhouse choreographer for "In Living Color" and is responsible for helping to bring hip hop to the living rooms of middle america. We talked to Rosie about her difficult childhood, surviving past trauma and why she'll always have a soft spot for the suburbs. Plus, she'll tell us why she prefers the New York hustle and bustle over sunny Los Angeles. Rosie speaks with us from the heart and we're so happy to have her on the show. Don't miss!


Megan Mullally is a comedy legend known for playing eccentric characters. She got her big break playing perhaps her most over-the-top persona, the martini-toting socialite Karen Walker on the groundbreaking show Will and Grace. Mullally won an Emmy for this role in 2006. On Bullseye she talks to us about how she developed her character Karen, her not-so usual upbringing, and oddly enough, how it was to win an Emmy Idol with Donald Trump.


Forest Whitaker has got this knack for taking huge figures from history and portraying them as complex, fascinating, sometimes really fragile people. You've seen him as the star of countless great movies for over thirty years now. He has won plenty of awards including an Academy Award for best actor for his role as Idi Amin in The Last King of Scotland. When we spoke last year, he portrayed Archbishop Desmond Tutu in the film The Forgiven. Forest chats with Jesse about getting to know Archbishop Tutu as a character and a friend over the years. Plus, hot takes on box-office flop Battlefield Earth!

This interview originally aired in March of 2018


Antonio Banderas joins us to talk about his latest project with Pedro Almodóvar — Pain and Glory, a touching and beautiful confessional about living with chronic pain. Banderas plays a director who much like Almodóvar is crippled by his maladies. The film debuted at Cannes Film Festival where Banderas won the award for Best Actor. Banderas talks to Bullseye about his childhood in Spain, connecting with people through pain and reuniting with Almodóvar. Plus, we find out how he learned the lines to Mambo Kings, before he became fluent in English.


Robert Eggers is a filmmaker who's made a name for himself making beautiful horror films that linger with you. Long after you've left the theater. His 2015 film "The Witch" premiered at the 2015 Sundance Film Festival to near universal acclaim. His latest film, "The Lighthouse" stars Willem Dafoe and Robert Pattinson as 19th century sailors. The film premiered at the Cannes Film Festival and has since received rave reviews. Robert talks to Bullseye about the joys of research down to the finest historical detail, about the uniqueness of the New England landscape and provoking questions in his films. Plus, we find out what scares him the most.


Known as "America's Diva," Renée Fleming has performed in venues all over the world, singing in acclaimed productions of operas composed by Mozart, Puccini, Verdi, Dvorak and more. She's tackled the world of opera, jazz, country and just about every other music genre. Lately, she's been working on stage in musicals. Her latest, "The Light in the Piazza" just wrapped up in Los Angeles, with productions in Chicago and Sydney on the horizon. Renée talks to Bullseye about managing acoustics, growing up in a musical home and not only cultivating her talent but her image, too. We talk to her about the mental preparation that goes into singing the National Anthem while 50 million people watch from home as Black Hawk helicopters fly overhead. Plus, Renee gives Jesse some pretty solid music advice. Even if you're never been to the opera, you're going to love this episode!


We're joined by comedian and admitted "Nice Guy" Josh Gondelman. Josh is a Peabody and Emmy award winning writer for his work on Last Week Tonight with John Oliver. He's currently senior staff writer and producer for Showtime's popular new show Desus & Mero. His new book, Nice Try: Stories of Best Intentions and Mixed Results includes a collection of personal essays about the value and drawbacks of being a nice person. Its self-deprecating. It's honest. It's very very funny.
Josh Gondelman joins us to talk about his stand-up career. He'll chat about realizing the difference between being a nice person and being a good person, tweeting out millennial Seinfeld references and crafting the perfect roast joke. Plus, we'll talk about intent versus impact in the world of comedy.


He's one of the greatest tight ends in history, but it wasn't always easy. Growing up, Tony Gonzalez was bullied constantly. His first year in the NFL was so tough he almost called it quits. And throughout his career, he never really felt like he could stand up and address his whole team. He's very open about his struggles and sacrifices. Tony's got a new podcast where he invites people in business and entertainment to talk about the oftentimes difficult journey to success. It's called Wide Open. It's a show about becoming the best version of yourself – what he calls "leveling up." We'll talk about his new podcast, wretched middle school days, and he'll open up about his time in the NFL.


Lately, Chris Morris has been basing a lot of his absurdist comedy on real life world events. His new film, The Day Shall Come, is kind of a farce about terrorism and the FBI's efforts to fight it. The film tells a complex and often bizarre story that is almost entirely based on real things that happened in the counter terrorism world. Chris Morris joins us to talk about his new movie. He'll chat about reading court transcripts, talking with journalists, even attending trials to really understand what goes on at the Bureau. Plus, we'll talk about his other brilliant works of satire The Day Today and Brass Eye.


Edi Patterson is an actress and comedian. She's a veteran of the Groundlings sketch group and we can not stress this to you enough: she is super funny. She currently co stars alongside Danny McBride, John Goodman, Walton Goggins and Adam Devine on HBO's "The Righteous Gemstones" where she plays the hilarious Judy Gemstone. We talked to Edi about losing herself in improv, playing John Goodman's daughter and her experience with megachurches. Plus, she talks to us about being introduced to horror films at an early age. Maybe too early? Don't miss this episode!


John Leguizamo is a super-famous actor who's been in well over 100 movies and TV shows. That's impressive enough but John's also a writer whose created and starred in a handful of powerful, hilarious one-man shows over his career. His latest, "A Latin History for Morons," is now on tour across the country. John talks to Bullseye about creating works of art from a sometimes painful past, about fighting for Latinx representation in Hollywood and about the comedians who've inspired his craft. He also gets very personal about a recent incident that changed his life. We're honored that he chose to share it with us. Don't miss this very poignant episode.


Let's start taking bets for the next person to EGOT: that is, the next person to win an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and a Tony award. Our money is on Daveed Diggs. He's already got a Grammy and a Tony for his fantastic work on the Broadway smash hit Hamilton. So he's halfway there! Diggs has one of the most varied resumes in entertainment. He's an actor on the small screen. You've seen him on Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, The Get Down, Black -ish, and Sesame Street. He's a writer, too – he co-wrote the screenplay for Blindspotting, a movie about violence and gentrification in Oakland, his hometown. He also co-stars in the film. And, if that wasn't enough he's a very talented musician as a member of the rap group Clipping. He joins us to talk about Clipping's new record, his various acting roles, and of course, Hamilton. Let's go!


Taylor McFerrin is a gifted musician who got his start as a beatboxer, making beats and producing tracks for others. He's also made music as a keyboardist, a DJ and a composer. The son of American jazz vocalist Bobby McFerrin (yes, the "Don't Worry, Be Happy" singer), Taylor grew up with a comprehensive understanding of song construction and an ear for melody. Taylor joins us to talk about his love of the process of making music, what we still have to learn from jazz music and to talk about his new album "Love’s Last Chance." Plus, we'll talk to him about his work with Robert Glasper. Don't miss our chat with the talented artist.


Bullseye with Jesse Thorn talks to "Sound of Silence" star Peter Sarsgaard about his new film and working with Tom Cruise.


Tobacco is the nom de guerre of electronic musician and composer Tom Fec. Tom also founded the music collective Black Moth Super Rainbow. In both projects, the music he makes is rich and layered, but kind of dirty and unsettling, sometimes, too. He works with a lot of vintage synthesizers and records on older equipment. On this episode, he talks with Jesse about his history in music - from noodling around with synths and guitars and a four track to working with Aesop Rock on his latest project - called Malibu Ken. He’ll also explain why he avoided interviews and stayed anonymous for so long, and why that changed. 

Direct download: 20190927_bullseye_bullseye190927-tobacco.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 3:00pm EDT

Critically acclaimed rapper Freddie Gibbs joins Bullseye to talk about his music career. He was born and raised in Gary Indiana - the birthplace of the Jackson 5. Gibbs grew up seeing his neighborhood change for the worse in a lot of ways. People were in poverty and times could be described as desperate. As a young adult, Gibbs used that pain to spark an impressive rap career. He creates stories of a past and present he feels very fortunate to have escaped. Gibbs talks to us about his career, his collaboration with Madlib and he even talks to us about a very trying time in his life. Plus, he'll tell us why he starts every live show with a prayer!


Joel Kim Booster is a writer and comedian. He's written for "Billy on the Street," "Problematic with Moshe Kasher" and Netflix's "Big Mouth." And as a standup, he's appeared on Conan, Comedy Central's "@Midnight" and more. These days he's starring alongside Kal Penn in the brand new upcoming NBC sitcom "Sunnyside." Joel joined Bullseye to talk about his unique upbringing, his approach to comedy and why Asian-American representation matters. Plus, Joel explains the science behind playing the "hot idiot."

Direct download: 20190920_bullseye_bullseye190920-joel_kim_booster.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 3:00pm EDT

Dev Hynes, the recording artist behind Blood Orange, joins Bullseye to talk about his music career. Being born in a place called Essex, approximately 30 miles outside London, was kind of the ideal place for a future critically acclaimed songwriter. Close enough to the big city to make it out to the cool shows and record stores. Far enough away that you can have like… a band. Hynes talks to us about his early love of soccer, how his creative process differs when collaborating with other artists and creating his own work and why he sees the similarities between his hometown and a certain Jersey Shore cast. Plus, he'll tell us what it's like to wake up to 4 missed calls from Diddy!

Direct download: 20190917_bullseye_bullseye190917-dev_hynes.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 3:00pm EDT

The Craziest Day of my Entire Career is a segment that gives us the chance to talk with some of our favorite people about some truly unbelievable stories. This time around, we're joined by the comedian Matt Braunger. Matt's been working the road as a stand-up for more than a decade. One of his biggest breaks came in 2008. He got the call to be on David Letterman's Late Show. He'll tell us about the surreal experience of meeting Letterman, and performing on the same stage as legends. This story has it all: a cameo from Tracy Morgan, a joke about a man named Eggly Bagelface, a special tune by The Pixies, an elevator conversation with Paul Shaffer and it gets even crazier!

Direct download: 20190913_bullseye_bullseye190913-matt_braunger.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 3:00pm EDT

Stop what you're doing, turn off the kitchen sink, pull over the car... our guest is Jay Leno! He'll look back on a comedy career that's stretched almost 45 years. Jay's one of the biggest TV hosts in the history of TV hosts. A guy who, by his own admission, never got much love from critics. Who got cast, more or less, as the villain in the late night battles with Letterman and Conan. He'll open up about those late night wars in this in-depth interview. He'll also reflect on his childhood and how that's influenced his comedy. From sleeping in alleys on the streets of New York, to hosting The Tonight Show for decades. It's a remarkable story, and we hope you'll join us.

Direct download: 20190910_bullseye_bullseye190910-jay_leno.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 3:00pm EDT

Since their debut, Belle and Sebastian records have made it on literally hundreds of top ten lists.Their second album, 1996's "If You're Feeling Sinister," is routinely called one of the best albums of the 90s. Founder, Stuart Murdoch joins Bullseye to talk about retro pop music, how meditation changed his music and songwriting. Plus, Jesse and Stuart talk about the great game of baseball. If you didn't know, Stuart's a Mets fan.

Direct download: 20190905_bullseye_bullseye190906-belle_sebastian.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 3:00pm EDT

David Oyelowo is an incredibly versatile actor. Classically-trained, he got his start at the Royal Shakespeare company in London. From there, he took smaller parts on British TV and in movies like "The Help" and "Jack Reacher." You may be familiar with his work as the late Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in Ava DuVernay's 2014 film "Selma." David's latest movie is 'Don’t Let Go' which was just released. It's a supernatural thriller that melds elements of murder-mystery with that of a police procedural. The film premiered at this year's Sundance Film Festival. In it, David plays a man in a rush against time to save his family. He's quite good in it. But, then again, David's good in everything. Catch our chat with the acclaimed actor!


Julio Torres has created some of our favorite sketches for SNL in recent memory. His sketches on the show are a little different than standard SNL fare. It's not the in your face humor about politics or the need for cowbell, but it's a little dreamy and magical.  He co-wrote one of our favorite sketches – Wells for Boys. Julio recently released his first comedy special on HBO. It's a little sideways from what you’d expect from a comedy special. Julio talks about ... his favorite shapes. The shapes have lived lives you'd never quite expect. But really, the shapes help us learn more about Julio. He's also one of the creators of the new HBO show, Los Espookys. In the show, a group of friends who turn their love of horror films into a business. Think the gig economy for spooky events. We're big fans of Julio, and we're thrilled to share this conversation about Julio's recent success!


Justin Simien is a writer and director to watch out for in the next decade! His breakthrough film, "Dear White People," came onto the scene and made space for black voices, unapologetically. His Netflix series of the same name is in its third season and is streaming now. Justin Simien joins us to talk about his experience navigating college life as a black queer kid, and how that experience helped shape some of the characters on "Dear White People." Plus, we'll talk to Justin about his new horror movie that just wrapped as well as his self-described obsession with the genre of musicals.


Amy Sherman-Palladino has worked on some of the most unique programs to be ever greenlit for the TV screen. You've seen her work on Gilmore Girls. For three seasons, she was a writer on Roseanne, and wrote some really iconic episodes. Her latest work can be seen on Amazon's The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. Amy Sherman-Palladino joins us to talk about what she learned working on Roseanne in her early 20's, and how that experience helped her create Gilmore Girls. Plus, did you know the Gilmore Girls pitch kind of happened by chance? Of course, we'll take some time to talk about Mrs. Maisel, too!


We'll chat with the one and only Egyptian Lover. Born Greg Broussard – he's a DJ, a producer, a rapper sometimes, too. He came up with Uncle Jamm's Army, a hip-hop crew that featured promoter and DJ Rodger Clayton, Ice - T, and has shared the bill with acts as big as Run-DMC back in the day. As a solo artist he's released 9 albums, mixing Kraftwerk, Prince, a little bit of G-Funk every now and then, too. He talks with Jesse about the early days of LA hip hop and electro, what a 10,000 person dance party looks like and how he bonded with his future wife over a Kraftwerk record. The ultimate meet cute! 


Eugene Levy is hands down one of the funniest people in history. The Canadian-born actor and funnyman got his start in the world of improv when he joined Chicago's Second City. His first big break was on the Canadian television show SCTV where he played a variety of roles. He later began collaborating with fellow improv mockumentarian Christopher Guest. Eugene joins us to talk about starting out in improv. We'll hear about the very funny SCTV sketch that inspired Saturday Night Live's Norm McDonald and he'll talk about working on all eight of the American Pie movies. You read that right. Eight! Plus, he'll talk to us about what it's like working with his son Daniel on their hit show Schitt's Creek, now in its fifth season.


The Song That Changed My Life is a segment that gives us the chance to talk with some of our favorite artists about the music that made them who they are today. This time around, we're joined by the musician Cuco. He got his start making music in his bedroom. He combines dreamy synths, catchy hooks and a bit of jazz trumpet to create a sleepy psychedelia vibe. So where did he get his psychedelic bedroom pop sound? Cuco explains how Tame Impala's Feels Like We Only Go Backwards helped him visualize his career in music, and how the song helped him navigate life in high school.


There's no one else on the planet quite like Jeff Goldblum. He came onto the scene over four decades ago with the role of "Freak #1" in the 1974 revenge fantasy Death Wish. Since then, he's appeared in countless films, television and theater productions including; Invasion of the Body Snatchers, Portlandia and Jurassic Park. Chances are, he's a part of one of your favorite movies. Jeff joins us to talk about his new film, The Mountain, his iconic past roles and his latest role as a new father.


British actor Lesley Manville is truly a master of her craft. You might know her work with the brilliant director Mike Leigh. She starred in some of his best movies like Secrets & Lies, All or Nothing and Another Year. She's had a long and successful career overseas – and she's finally breaking through in the states. In 2017, she portrayed Cyril in Phantom Thread. The stunning performance earned her an Oscar nomination. Lesley joins us to talk about her BBC sitcom Mum, and how she almost had a career as an opera singer. Plus, what it's like working with director Mike Leigh, and how she gets in character employing his unique improvisational style.


When it comes to hip-hop from the Bay Area, E-40 is quite possibly the greatest of all time. His distinctiveness has kept him relevant for three decades now, from mob music in the 1990's to hyphy slaps in the aughts to new music today. E-40 joins us to talk about his new record, Practice Makes Paper. We'll pull up some deep cuts from R&B singer Saint Charles, who 40 more intimately knows as his Uncle Chuckie. Chuckie was a huge inspiration for E-40 growing up. E will also take us to the root of his passion for music. Plus, he'll talk about his college days at Grambling State University. Did he win the school's talent show? Only one way to find out. Listen up


Baseball week at Bullseye continues with filmmaker Aviva Kempner. She's the director behind such lauded documentaries as "The Life and Times of Hank Greenberg" and She'll talk to us about her film "The Spy Behind Home Plate." And we'll meet the smartest man you've never heard of: Moe Berg

Category:general -- posted at: 3:00pm EDT

It's baseball week here at Bullseye and bestselling authors Ben Lindbergh and Travis Sawchik are stepping up to the plate. They're the writers behind the book: "The MVP Machine: How Baseball's New Nonconformists Are Using Data to Build Better Players." They'll talk to us about how players aren't the only ones changing the game. And even if you're not into baseball, we promise there are some lessons to take away!


Chuck Klosterman has written tomes of the written word for GQ, ESPN, The Washington Post, Esquire, The Guardian, and plenty more. In 2014, he joined us to talk about I Wear the Black Hat, which examined villany through pop culture figures like Batman, Kanye West and LeBron James. In 2016, he talked about his book: But What if We’re Wrong, which examined how the present will be perceived in the future. But this time around, Chuck joins us to tell us about the craziest day of his career. Trust us, this is one story you don't want to miss! Klosterman's latest book Raised in Captivity: Fictional Nonfiction is out now.


Jeff Chang is a journalist and music critic with an emphasis on hip hop music and culture. His writings have appeared in San Francisco Chronicle, the Village Voice, the San Francisco Bay Guardian, Spin, and many more. Jeff Chang returns to Bullseye for his latest project, We Gon' Be Alright. It was a book back in 2016. Recently, it was turned into a web series by Indie Lens Spotlight. The series deals with some really tough questions with no easy answer. The current state of racism since Trump became President. Where Asian Americans fall when it comes to discrimination. It's a look at the state of race relations in America today. And, what he'd like to see people do about it.


*A heads up to listeners, this episode contains many censored expletives throughout the interview.* J.B. Smoove is without a doubt one of the funniest people we've ever had on Bullseye. He got his start in television as one of the stars of Def Comedy Jam in the mid-90's. In the early aughts, he became a writer on Saturday Night Live. But, he's probably best known for his role as Leon on Curb Your Enthusiasm. J.B. joins us to talk about his time on SNL. We'll hear about a few of his favorite sketches that never made it to air. He'll also talk about his work on Curb Your Enthusiasm, and why he always goes to an audition in character. Plus, he'll tell us about the time he told Howard Stern, and we quote: "You can’t eat spaghetti on an open patio." Join us to learn exactly what he means!


Bullseye guest host Shereen Marisol Meraji, host of NPR's Code Switch, talks with the musician Ahmed Gallab. You might know Ahmed as the man behind the band Sinkane. Ahmed and Shereen discuss his latest album, growing up in the U.S. as the son of immigrants and how he connects his Sudanese roots to his music. Sinkane's latest album is titled Dépaysé and is available now.


Guest Host Shereen Marisol Meraji, host of NPR's Code Switch, chats with actor Garcia. Garcia plays Jake Rodriguez on "Tales of the City" on Netflix, a part-remake part-sequel to the TV miniseries you might remember from the 90's. Garcia and Shereen discuss their first breakout role, being pigeonholed as a trans character in Hollywood and how their chosen family led them to acting.


Pitcher Sean Doolittle is the closer for the Washington Nationals, and no, it's not The Closer you're thinking about. Sean's been called one of the most interesting players in baseball. He'll talk about his unorthodox path to the major leagues, starting out as a first baseman, recovering from serious injuries and then pivoting to closing out games on the mound. Sean's also known as one of the nicest guys in MLB. He's used his platform as a baseball player to raise awareness about a number of issues: He's worked with veteran groups, spoken out publicly for LGBT rights, and hosted a Thanksgiving dinner with Syrian refugees. This interview was recorded in 2017, back when Sean was at spring training with the Oakland A's.


This week, we're revisiting our conversation with Emmy-award winning actress Edie Falco. She's best known for her roles in The Sopranos, Oz and Nurse Jackie. When she spoke to us in 2018, she had just starred in the movie Outside In. Edie talks to Jesse about landing her first acting gig — which she started the day after she graduated from acting school at SUNY Purchase. Plus, Edie tells us why she thinks comedy isn't for her, and what it was like to work with James Gandolfini for nearly a decade on The Sopranos.


Linda Holmes is a pop culture critic and host of NPR's Pop Culture Happy Hour. She just released her debut novel, Evvie Drake Starts Over. It's about love and loss and the choices we make that sometimes require us to start from scratch. Linda joins the show to talk about her start in writing and how the game of baseball contains a great lesson on the importance of perseverance.


Joe Talbot is the director of 'The Last Black Man in San Francisco.' It's a beautiful film about a guy named Jimmie and his desire to reclaim a San Francisco house built by his grandfather, many moons before tech booms rolled in and massive amounts of money changed the city. Joe talks about gentrification, his thoughts on authenticity in the Bay Area and the best reaction to a movie Jesse has ever heard.


Sara Driver is a director who refined her craft during NYC's independent filmmaker boom of the late 1970s through the 1990s. She made her directorial debut in 1981 with You are Not I, a film about a young woman who escapes a mental institution during the chaos of a pileup. We revisit our conversation with Driver from 2018 where she discussed her latest movie, Boom For Real. It tells the story of a young Jean Michel Basquiat and the New York arts community he came up in. Sara currently appears in Jim Jarmusch's latest zombie flick, The Dead Don't Die.


H. Jon Benjamin is the voice behind some of television's most beloved animated characters. He's the voice of the titular character "Bob" in Fox's heartwarming sitcom "Bob's Burgers." He also plays Sterling Archer in "Archer," which just premiered its 10th season this past spring on FXX. Jon talks about his book, his work on so many great TV shows and the beauty of fatherhood.


Who comes to mind when you think of a character actor? There's a lot of good ones, sure ... but there's no one quite like the great Wallace Shawn. On screen he's had over 180 credits! You've seen him in films like Clueless, The Princess Bride and My Dinner with Andre. He's also had regular roles on Gossip Girl and Crossing Jordan. Wallace is also an Obie award-winning playwright and the author of several books. When he joined us back in 2017, he had just written Night Thoughts, an extended collection of essays touching on topics like politics, morality, and privilege. Plus, he'll talk frankly about how the movie business has changed since he started acting some 40 years ago. You can hear him as the voice of T-Rex in Toy Story 4 later this month.


We're revisiting our conversation with John Waters! You might know him as the director and writer of classics like: Pink Flamingos, Hairspray and Crybaby. But even though he hasn't made a movie lately, he keeps busy. He's done a ton of live performances, released a few compilation albums, and he's just released his seventh book. When he joined us in the studio he talked about Make Trouble, his book based off a commencement speech he gave at the Rhode Island School of Design in 2015. Jesse talks with John about Little Richard, trigger warnings, and how the film industry tried (and failed) to make the King of Trash compromise his work. Plus, he'll tell us about the fabulous Commes de Garcon shirt he wore to the recording. His latest work is his memoir, Mr. Know-It-All: The Tarnished Wisdom of a Filth Elder, which is out now.  


Kulap Vilaysack is an actor, comedian, showrunner, and director. She just directed her first feature length film: <i>Origin Story.</i> It's about her family's journey to the US and trying to establish a relationship with her biological father in Laos. It's a film about family secrets, learning to adapt to them, to empathize with difficult parents, and to connect with brand new ones. We talked to Kulap about facing her family's darkest secrets and finding healing through the pain.


We're back with John Bradley who played Samwell Tarly on a tiny little show called Game of Thrones for eight seasons. The HBO program recently had its series finale which was the network's most-watched program of all time! John talks about performing on one of the biggest TV shows in history and how his perceived weaknesses made him the perfect actor for his character's arc.


If you go to an art museum: contemporary, encyclopedic, local... odds are most of the art displayed was made by white men. Even if you leave out the renaissance painters and the Dutch Masters. It's still not that common to see a solo show by a woman or a person of color these days. This was even more true in the mid-80s. Some of New York's most prominent galleries showed less than 10% of women artists. Others were showing no women at all. In 1984, an art collective known at The Guerilla Girls drew attention to issues of discrimination and representation in galleries and museums all over the world. The group demonstrated in front of museums with placards and picket lines. And they wore gorilla masks while doing it. Jesse talks to a founding member of The Guerrilla Girls, who goes by Kathe Kollwitz. She'll reflect on the origins of the group, anonymity in the art world, and what the group means now more than 30 years later.


Veep is a show full of despised, incompetent and unlikable characters. And is there anyone less likable, more incompetent than Jonah Ryan? Played by Timothy Simons, the tall, petty and mercurial Jonah went from a lowly white house staffer to New Hampshire's least popular members of Congress to long-shot presidential contender. Simons explains why thick skin doesn't always protect you from all of Veep's famously devastating insults. Plus, how being a dad has impacted his acting career and knowledge of elementary school handball.


The Last Poets are a groundbreaking collective with a sound that merges spoken word with jazz and hip hop. They came on the scene in the late sixties with a message of unity, social justice, and empowerment. Their message included frank lyrics about all that was wrong with their world and all that could be done to make it better. They're the godfather's of hip hop

Two of the groups original members Abiodun Oyewole and Umar Bin Hassan have a new album out called "Transcending Toxic Times." It fuses spoken word with jazz rhythms and hip hop. It's wonderful.


Lisa Hanawalt is a cartoonist, writer, and author of four brilliant books, including "Hot Dog Taste Test," "My Dirty Dumb Eyes" and her latest book, "Coyote Dog Girl." You may be familiar with her work on the popular animated Netflix series "BoJack Horseman" where she's a producer. Hanawalt is the creator of the new show "Tuca & Bertie." It's an animated series on Netflix.

Tuca and Bertie is a show about two women. Anthropomorphic bird women, to be exact. They live in Bird Town. Tuca is a toucan. She's outgoing and fun, but kind of a mess, too. She doesn't really have a solid job. Bertie, her best friend, is a songbird, kind of a homebody, a little shy and deferential. When the show starts, she's just moved in with her boyfriend.

A lot of the problems Tuca and Bertie encounter are fairly human and grounded: relationship stuff, work problems, sexual harassment. But the world they live in is anything but. The show is breathtakingly drawn and totally surreal.


The Tick is one of the strangest, most compelling superheroes ever. Creator Ben Edlund has lived with the character for over 30 years now. <i>The Tick</i> has been a comic book series, an animated TV show, a video game, and a live action TV show. Now, <i>The Tick</i> is back with another live-action TV show on Amazon. The Tick is kind of this giant man in a blue suit with antennas on his head. He's got all the classic trappings of a superhero: strength, speed, invincibility. But he's also kind of a dope. Edlund joins us to discuss how his relationship with the character has changed over three decades. Plus, why he feels the latest revival nails the strange, odd tone in ways the other projects haven't. Writing compelling and grounded superhero stories is hard to pull off in a post-<i>Dark Night</i> world … if you haven't met The Tick by now you're in for a treat!


So many of the sketches Paula Pell has written for <i>Saturday Night Live</i> are stone-cold classics. There's the Culps, Ana Gasteyer and Will Ferrell's bizarre pop music duo. The Spartan Cheerleaders. The Tony Bennett Show. Remember when Justin Timberlake brought us on down to Omeletteville? We have Paula Pell to thank for a lot of wonderful and hilarious work on <i>SNL</i>. Paula pulls back the curtain and discusses some of her more controversial work on the classic program. Pell also joins us to talk about her latest project: <i>Wine Country.</i> She co-stars alongside SNL alums Amy Poehler, Maya Rudolph, Tina Fey, and Rachel Dratch. Sincerely, one of the funniest people we've ever had on the show. Don't sleep on this one!


Bullseye takes a look back at our conversation with folk rock legend David Crosby. His work paved the way for the folk rock movement. He was a founding member of The Byrds and performed at Woodstock as a member of Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young. With a career that has spawned over 50 years and two inductions into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, David is a living legend.

David is the subject of a new documentary called <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AaORdq1H550&t=37s">David Crosby: Remember My Name.</a> which premiered at Sundance.

Then, Jesse talks about the eclectic stylings of Ray Barretto's Acid album.


Have you seen "A.P. Bio?" It's one of the funniest network sitcoms out these days and its latest second season is going strong on NBC. The show tells the story of a disgraced Harvard Philosophy professor (played by Glenn Howerton of "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia") who finds himself teaching Advanced Placement Biology at a high school in his hometown of Toledo, Ohio. Mike O'Brien created the show, and he joins Jesse to talk about the show's new season. Plus: his own childhood in Toledo, and explains some of the baffling questions the writers room had about his hometown. Like, truly baffling.

Direct download: Bullseye190430_-_Mike_OBrien_-_PODCAST.mp3
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This week, a favorite from the archives: Jesse's conversation with world-class comedian Wanda Sykes. She's a legend in the comedy world and her ability to tackle pop culture and the political spectrum with equal agility has earned her many accolades. She's also had many scene-stealing roles as an actor in shows like Black-ish, Broad City and Curb Your Enthusiasm. She's been nominated for nine Emmy awards and she won one for her writing on The Chris Rock Show. We just got word that Wanda will be starring in a special 90 minute live performance of "All in The Family," the groundbreaking Norman Lear sitcom. It airs later this month on ABC - she'll be playing Louise Jefferson.

 

We're thrilled to share our conversation with cartoonist Mark Alan Stamaty. We're huge fans of his children's book – "Who Needs Donuts?" Mark's wonderfully illustrated book tells the story of a kid in a cowboy suit who's bored with his family. He hitches up his wagon and heads out for the big city in search of donuts. After a wild adventure he realizes there are things far greater than donuts. It's a charming and hilarious book for kids. And, trust us, adults will love it, too! Mark Alan Stamaty gives us the scoop on his new anthology collection and how his childhood influenced his work. Plus, where he gets the silly ideas for his stories and illustrations like rhinos on the subway wearing fancy hats or shark-shaped cars!

Direct download: Bullseye190502_-_Mark_Alan_Stamaty_-_PODCAST.mp3
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This week: the great Open Mike Eagle! 

He's a rapper and TV host:  Alongside Baron Vaughn, Mike co-stars in a new Comedy Central show called "The New Negroes". It's sort of a variety show - combining live stand up with original music videos Mike made with other artists.

When Bullseye talked to Mike in 2017, he'd just released a record called "Brick Body Kids Still Daydream." His latest album - "What Happens When I Try to Relax" - is out now.

Direct download: Bullseye190426_-_Open_Mike_Eagle.mp3
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Jesse talks with one of the greats: Laurie Metcalf. You definitely know Laurie from from Roseanne. For 9 years she played Jackie, on the hit TV show. She's now starring in The Conners, the new Spinoff. She's also an Academy Award nominee for her work alongside Saoirse Ronan in Lady Bird, the fascinating, beautiful coming of age film directed by Greta Gerwig.

These days, Laurie's been working a lot on Broadway. She's been nominated for a bunch of Tony's and won 2017's Best Actress award for her role in A Doll's House part II.

Direct download: Bullseye190423_-_Laurie_Metcalf.mp3
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Brian Raftery writes for GQ, Wired and Rolling Stone, among others. He just wrote a really interesting book. He called it "Best Movie Year Ever" and in the book's 300 pages, Brian makes the case that one of the most interesting and memorable years in cinema history… was 1999.

The year that saw the release of Office Space. Rushmore. Three Kings. Being John Malkovich... you get the point. It's a great read, tons of interviews and insight into a year that not just saw a bunch of classic movies but changed the way studios marketed them. Listen to this one for a fascinating conversation about film!

Direct download: Bullseye190419_-_Brian_Raftery.mp3
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What follows is one of our favorite interviews we've recorded this year. Seriously.

It's with an artist you probably haven't heard of. His name's Tom Scott. He's from New Zealand. He's been a rapper there for about 10 years now, he's one of the biggest role players in the small, burgeoning scene there.

Last year he created the group Avantdale Bowling Club and released a self-titled record for the group. It combines jazz with hip-hop in the same way Kendrick Lamar's To Pimp a Butterfly did. It's lush and beautiful like Pharoah Sanders or Alice Coltrane. Tom's rhymes are deeply personal and affecting and honest. It's one of our favorite albums of the year. Don't miss this one!

Direct download: Bullseye190416_-_Avantdale_Bowling_Club_podcast.mp3
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Todd Douglas Miller directed Apollo 11, the new documentary. It compiles thousands of hours of footage from the moon landing into one brilliant, compelling narrative feature. There's no narration. No interviews. All images and voices from the mission and the run up to it.

Some of the footage you've seen, but a lot of it you haven't. A lot of breathtaking 70 millimeter shots in Apollo 11 have never been released to the public until now.

Direct download: Bullseye190405_-_Apollo_11.mp3
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It's a strange thing, to be famous, right? Like, really really famous. Famous like Khalid, the singer. He's sold millions of albums. Hundreds of millions of plays on streaming apps. Odds are, there are people right now listening to his music within ten miles of you. People who, right now, constantly check his Instagram for updates. He deals with it in stride, though: making brilliant music and trying to touch the heart of every fan at his shows.

He's today's guest on Bullseye, and we're thrilled to have him on. He talks with Jesse about growing up an army brat, acclimating to newfound fame and how they both have an undying mutual love of Sade.

Direct download: Bullseye190402_-_Khalid.mp3
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Every now and then, we bring you a special segment called The Song that Changed My Life - it's a chance for musicians we love to dish on the song that made them who they are today. This time: Stephen Malkmus, the former frontman of Pavement.

The band's been called one of the best acts from the 90s. They recorded so many songs that capture the decade perfectly: Cut Your Hair. Range Life. Stereo. Malkmus has kept on since the band broke up in '99 - dropping 8 records between then and now. His latest is called Groove Denied and it's kind of a departure for him: a little less like The Fall, a little more like New Order or Kraftwerk.

When we asked him about the song that changed his life, though. He didn't talk about any of those bands. Instead, he threw us kind of a curveball: Captain & Tennille.

Direct download: Bullseye190328_-_Stephen_Malkmus.mp3
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Maya Erskine and Anna Konkle created an star in the brilliant new show PEN15, on Hulu. It's show about middle school. Or, I guess this is more accurate: it's about middle school you might have actually experienced.

It's set in the year 2000 and it captures the era perfectly: N*SYNC songs, lip gloss, bebe tanks and all. But PEN15 digs deeper into what it means to be 12 or 13. It's a scary, weird, uncertain time. And nobody really knows what they're doing. It's a show about kids that definitely isn't for kids - sex and menstruation come up a bit, and we'll talk about that in this interview, too. Don't miss this one - just like their show, Maya and Anna are fascinating, hilarious and profoundly insightful.

Direct download: Bullseye190326_-_Pen15.mp3
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A heads up, first: There's some talk about sexual assault in this conversation. Nothing graphic, just some discussion of the use of it in comedy, in the abstract.  If you're sensitive to these kinds of topics, we figured we'd give you a heads up.

It's with Jon Iver Helgaker and Jonas Torgersen, creators of the hit show <i>Norsemen</i>. It's a sitcom about vikings, set around the year 790 AD.

Throughout the series we see the villagers and vikings deal with daily life. The vikings pillage. The vikings fight among themselves. They sacrifice slaves. The jokes are great, absurd but delivered bone dry. And the violence is real, and their actions have real consequences. And at the heart of the show, modernity is closing in on them. New inventions. New norms. Pillaging towns doesn't pay like it used to.

Jon and Jonas will give us a behind the scenes look at the show. Plus, they'll explain Taco Friday: the latest food craze in Norway. 

Direct download: Bullseye190322_-_The_Norsemen.mp3
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John Turturro's an acting legend. Lots of directors have actors they like to work with. Turturro's a favorite of both Spike Lee and the Coen Brothers. Starting from "Do The Right Thing," he's appeared in nine of Spike's films, four from the Coens.

He can play tough. Devious. Vulnerable. Brooding. Weird. He's never not himself, but no two roles are ever the same.

He talks with Jesse about his latest film, "Gloria Bell." It's directed by the Chilean filmmaker Sebastian Lelio, kind of an English language remake of his breakthrough 2013 film "Gloria." It's a story about relationship from two people in late middle age. Its messy, nuanced, and the performances from both Turturro and Moore… just keep you transfixed.

Direct download: Bullseye190319_-_John_Turturro.mp3
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Another favorite from the Bullseye archives this week. This time: Roy Wood Jr.! He's a comedian. You've probably seen him as a correspondent on "The Daily Show." He's done comedy pretty much his entire life, but he majored in broadcast journalism and for a while, it was looking like that was gonna be his career. He was born and raised in Birmingham, Alabama and first got his start in radio, working at a handful of stations. Sometimes he wrote, sometimes he produced or reported, but at heart, Roy's always been a standup, doing his act whenever he found the time.

Roy talks with Jesse about the difficulty of writing original jokes, gang colors, and how being on the Daily Show has given him an opportunity to share some of his bolder takes on politics and race.

Direct download: Bullseye190315_-_Roy_Wood_Jr.mp3
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We're replying some favorites from the Bullseye archives this week! Today, we're excited to bring you Bill Hader. You know him from his time on Saturday Night Live. He was kind of an impressions guy - he did a mean Vincent Price. His most famous character was Stefon, from the Weekend Update sketches. He left the show in 2013 and went on to perform in movies like Trainwreck, Inside Out and the smash hit Sausage Party. Along with Fred Armisen, he also starred in the IFC show, Documentary Now.

His latest project is an HBO TV show called Barry, which enters its second season later this month. Hader stars as the show's title character, Barry Berkman. Barry's an ex-marine, turned low rent hitman in Ohio, turned aspiring actor in Los Angeles. Bill tells Jesse about working as a production assistant when he first came out to Los Angeles, the influence his parents had on his taste in film, and the struggle he had to project his voice.

Direct download: Bullseye190312_-_Bill_Hader.mp3
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WARNING: This episode contains some discussion of difficult topics. We cover sexual assault, miscarriage, violence against women and more. If you're sensitive to these kinds of topics, we figured we'd give you a heads up.

Our guest is Jena Friedman. She's a comic, a filmmaker, and a writer. She created and hosts a show on Adult Swim. It's called Soft Focus. It's really funny, just like her all of her comedy, but it also talks about some very difficult, sometimes painful topics. It's satire that cuts deep.

Jesse talks with her about the show, about her earlier work on the Daily Show, and her practice of incorporating hard to talk about stuff into her comedy.

Direct download: Bullseye190308_-_Jena_Friedman_PODCAST.mp3
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Has Stphen Root, the actor, had a million parts? It's not a million, right?

Ok. It's 236. Still: wow! Root is is the kind of character actor that can take even the most basic, dreary TV show or movie and light it up. One or two scenes with Stephen in it, say a by the book police procedural or a saccharine sitcom, and that's all you'll talk about. He'll joins us to discuss some of his most memorable roles:

He'll tell us why his voiceover role in "King of the Hill" was one of his favorite gigs. Plus, he'll tell us how he got the part in his most recent project HBO's "Barry," and how he helped flesh out his character's role.

Direct download: Bullseye190305_-_Stephen_Root.mp3
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Two very special bonus tidbits for you this week - live comedy and music from Bullseye's recent show at the Listen Up Festival in Portland Oregon. You'll hear comedy from the great Katie Nguyen - who's performed at festivals all over the place and has written for the New Yorker.

Then, music from the band Roseblood. The band's fronted by Kathy Foster, who also played in The Thermals and All Girl Summer Fun Band. 

Direct download: Bullseye190303_-_Roseblood_live.mp3
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Aurora Borealis! In your kitchen! May I see it? It's a very special Bullseye with Bill Oakley, the veteran TV writer. He worked on Futurama, Portlandia, and some of the greatest Simpsons episode of all time. Including... you guessed it! Steamed hams! The classic Simpsons bit turned ubiquitous, weird and postmodern meme. Bill's also taking up a new career: reviewing fast food on Instagram!

We talk about all that and more from the stage at the Listen Up Festival in Portland, Oregon.

Direct download: Bullseye190301_-Bill_Oakley_live.mp3
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Bullseye is a show about the creative process. And how artists' lives affect the work they make: their loved ones, friends and family, too. But what about when two artists - two genuine creative geniuses - are married to each other?

Corin Tucker, the singer and guitarist of Sleater-Kinney has been with her husband Lance Bangs for over two decades. Earlier this month, they joined Jesse to talk about how they mix music, movies and love... and how they spent this past Valentine's Day. They couldn't even get a table at the Cheesecake Factory!

This interview was recorded on stage at Revolution Hall in Portland Oregon as part of the first annual Listen Up Festival.

Direct download: Sleater_Kinneys_Corin_Tucker__Filmmaker_Lance_Bangs.mp3
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Filmmaker Nicole Holofcener, one of our favorites, is up for an Academy-Award nomination. It's for the adapted screenplay. and won the Writers Guild of America Award for Best Adapted Screenplay for the film "Can You Ever Forgive Me?." We'll revisit our conversation with Nicole – when she stopped by we talked about another one of her recent projects, "The Land of Steady Habits." She'll also discuss her childhood growing up among Hollywood royalty.

Direct download: Bullseye_190222.mp3
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Happy Tuesday! This time, we're listening back to our 2018 conversation with filmmaker Debra Granik. In 2010, she wrote and directed "Winter's Bone," the acclaimed drama that launched Jennifer Lawrence's career and was nominated for a Best Picture Oscar. Now, the long awaited follow-up is available to stream on Amazon. It's called "Leave No Trace" and it's been met with similar acclaim. She and Jesse talk about the new film, about the pitfalls of calling an artist a "genius" and her first ever paid movie gig: shooting weddings!

Direct download: Bullseye190219.mp3
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Dream interview alert! Today: Jesse talks with Barbara Kruger. 

Kruger is a fascinating and profoundly influential artist. She works in big, bold text usually in white font over ribbons of red. The text is usually superimposed over black and white photos, usually of people. The messages say stuff like "YOUR BODY IS A BATTLEGROUND," "WE DON'T NEED ANOTHER HERO," or "DON'T BE A JERK."

If all that doesn't ring a bell yet, you can find thousands of samples of her work on the internet. Maybe the fonts and colors remind of you something: the Supreme logo? That Instagram Stories filter? It all started with Barbara Kruger.

Jesse talks with Kruger about why she dropped out of art school, how she found footing in the contemporary art world, and what she's trying to communicate these days in her work.

 

 

Direct download: Bullseye190215.mp3
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Every now and then we like bring you a segment we call to the Song That Changed My Life. It's a chance to find out what makes some of our favorite musicians the person they are today. Stepping up this time: Ludwig Göransson.

Maybe you don't know him by name. But you've heard almost certainly heard his work. He was in Sweden and moved to the States in 2007. And before long, he started working in TV shows and movies as a composer. One of his first was Community. It was actually on the set of Community where he met Donald Glover. The two became friends, then, when he found out Glover could sing and rap, collaborators. Göransson's been the principal producer on all of Glover's Childish Gambino records. He actually just scored several Grammy awards for the song "This is America" by Glover.

He's scored some pretty big films, too: Fruitvale Station, Creed, Venom… and Black Panther. The music he wrote for Black Panther is up for the Academy Award for Best Original Score at this year's Oscars.  

So we asked Ludwig, this brilliant composer and hip-hop producer, to tell us about the song that changed his life. His pick? Enter Sandman by Metallica.

Direct download: Bullseye190214.mp3
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Adam McKay has had a pretty eclectic career. He started in sketch comedy first as a founder of the Upright Citizens Brigade, then as a writer on Saturday Night Live. He studied at Second City, too, so throw that in there.

Then, movies: He collaborated with Will Ferrell to make some stone cold comedy classics: AnchormanStep BrothersTalladega Nights. Lately, though, his work has been more serious. Topical. Political.

A few years back, he wrote and directed The Big Short, which deconstructed and explained the 2008 financial crisis. He helped create the HBO show Succession - a drama about a family that owns a colossal American media empire.

Now there's Vice, his latest movie, which is the story of former Vice President Dick Cheney. It's playing in theaters now and is up for eight Academy Awards.

The common thread with McKay's work is that it's never boring, never forced. He'll take an extremely dumb joke and frame it in a way that's so clever and compelling that you just lose it. He'll find a way to explain credit default swaps that are so entertaining and engrossing that you forget you're learning about... credit default swaps.

In this conversation, Adam tells Jesse how he manages to keep his films fresh, funny and weird, and also shares some of the more reckless tales in improv comedy from his time in Chicago.

Direct download: Bullseye190212.mp3
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Ladies and germs... Killer Mike! It's been more than a decade since Killer Mike joined us on Bullseye. These days, he's busier than ever. Along with El-P, he's one-half of Grammy nominated duo Run the Jewels. Together they've put out three great albums – with a fourth on the way later this year.

Now, he's got his very own Netflix series, "Trigger Warning with Killer Mike." Killer Mike joins us to talk about the new show. Plus, how he ended up becoming friends with legendary comedian and activist Dick Gregory, and what it was like hitting the road campaigning with Bernie Sanders.

Direct download: Bullseye190208podcast.mp3
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Jesse talks with John David Washington, star of the critically acclaimed film BlacKkKlansman, directed by Spike Lee.

Before John David Washington was an actor, he was lacing up the pads every week for a career in professional football. He traveled the globe from Sacramento to Dusseldorf, Germany trying to make it work. It seems fitting, then, that when he took up acting, his breakthrough role was the portrayal of an NFL player on HBO's "Ballers." He joins us to chat about his role in BlacKkKlansman: a compelling and complex look at the life of the first black police officer and detective in the Colorado Springs Police Department, and his undercover journey to expose David Duke and the KKK.

Direct download: Bullseye190205podcast.mp3
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Jesse talks with Tituss Burgess, actor from "Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt," "30 Rock" and more. On UKS, Tituss plays a struggling, needy and desperate Broadway actor. He’s transparently conniving and manipulative, but he’s also sweet, charming and super lovable. He shows his tough past, his lonely circumstances and he’s a real friend to Kimmy.

That warmth comes from Tituss Burgess. Burgess was himself a struggling Broadway actor many moons ago, living in a basement apartment in Harlem, just like his character on TV.

The last episodes of "Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt" are now available on Netflix. 

Direct download: Bullseye190201podcast.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:50pm EDT

Jesse talks with legendary character actress Carol Kane about the last season of "Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt" and her 45-year career in the biz.

Carol started acting in 1971 and pretty quickly landed big roles. One of her first films was in the Mike Nichols drama "Carnal Knowledge." She'd later work on other classics like "Annie Hall," "Dog Day Afternoon," and was even nominated for a best actress Oscar for her part in the 1975 film "Hester Street."

But ultimately, Carol found her home in comedy — something she never expected she'd do coming up. She appeared on "Taxi" as the wife of Latka, Andy Kaufman's character. She was in "The Muppet Movie," "The Princess Bride," "Scrooged," and lots more.

On "Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt," Carol plays Lillian, long-time New Yorker and Kimmy's landlord. The last six episodes of UKS just dropped on Netflix by the way, and what a lovely run it has been.

Direct download: Bullseye190129podcast.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:00am EDT

Jez Butterworth is a veteran of both stage and screen, he's written about a dozen films along with his seven plays. You can see the wisdom that only experience can bring in action during "The Ferryman," his latest play that's now on Broadway. A younger playwright might have the same grand vision as Butterworth did for the production, but would they have the finesse and thoughtfulness to make it work?

"The Ferryman" will be running in New York until July 7th and if you're in a position to do it, go see it!

Direct download: Bullseye190125podcast.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:00am EDT

If you're in Hollywood, the stereotype goes that you're either a character actor or a *star*. A character actor shows up in a couple scenes for about five minutes, and, even in that small moment, they make the film. Tony Shalhoub has done that plenty of times.

While a star, of course, is someone you can build an whole movie or TV show around. They're relatable, usually charming, sometimes vulnerable. Tony Shalhoub does that all the time, too.

Tony Shalhoub of "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel," "Monk" and more sits down with Jesse Thorn to discuss his long career on the big and small screens.

Direct download: Bullseye190122podcast2.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:04pm EDT

A warning about this episode, which originally aired in 2017: the second half of this interview contains some honest and frank talk about sexual assault.

Stephanie Beatriz stars in Brooklyn Nine Nine as Detective Rosa Diaz - easily the toughest cop in the precinct - she's brave, serious, and rides a motorcycle. The sixth and newest season just premiered at its new home: NBC!

Stephanie also starred in the 2017 movie The Light of The Moon. She plays Bonnie, a young woman living in Brooklyn with her boyfriend. Towards the beginning of the film, she goes through a vicious sexual assault, and the movie tells the story of the aftermath of that event - its effect on her work life, relationship, and even mundane daily decisions - like whether or not she wears headphones when she's walking off the subway. It's brutal to watch, but it's also nuanced, realistic, and really touching.

We'll talk about all of that and also how she and her Dad cemented their father-daughter bond by watching Seinfeld:

Direct download: Bullseye190118podcast.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:00am EDT

We've got a favorite from the Bullseye archives to kick off the week: Elvis Costello.

Costello grew up surrounded by music. His mother ran the record section of Selfridges, and his father was an accomplished working musician. As Costello describes in his memoir, Unfaithful Music and Disappearing Ink, he didn't intend to make music himself, but felt eventually drawn to it.

The Grammy-winning singer/songwriter and record producer has enjoyed a long career, working on his own and collaborating with other musicians like Burt Bacharach, Paul McCartney, and Annie Lennox.

Elvis Costello joins Jesse to talk about his father’s career and love of music, why Alzheimer’s in his family inspired him to write the book, and who knows him by his birth name, Declan McManus.

Direct download: Bullseye190115podcast.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:00am EDT

Jesse talks to Karyn Kusama, one of the most unique voices in film right now. She just directed the new film "Destroyer," it's a dark crime drama, told in mostly flashbacks. Karyn discusses why it's important to portray complex female characters in film and media. She also talks at length about "Jennifer's Body," which she directed in 2009. It was very funny and very scary. She'll tell us about the look book she drew inspiration from, and why she thinks the film struggled to find an audience when it was first released. Plus, how she finds pleasure in horror movies. And, sure, a lot of people find pleasure in horror films, but Karyn's answer will still surprise you.

Direct download: Bullseye190111.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:00am EDT

Chris and Bridey Elliott are father and daughter. Chris is, of course, Chris Elliott. The guy who starred in Cabin Boy and Something About Mary. Who's currently a regular on the TV show Schitt's Creek. Tons more.

Bridey, his daughter, wrote and directed a new movie called Clara's Ghost, which you can buy or rent now. It's a family collaboration: Bridey also stars in the movie, along with Chris, her sister Abby, and her mother Paula.

And it's also kind of a horror movie? Listen to see what we mean. Jesse and the Elliotts talk about the film, family dynamics, and why Chris Elliott did an impression of Marlon Brando dancing around a bunch of bananas on Letterman.

Direct download: Bullseye190108.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:00am EDT