Time correspondent Simon Shuster has been interviewing Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy since 2019, when Zelenskyy was still a famous entertainer and satirist. Shuster talks about Zelenskyy's rise to power, the infamous call with Trump that led to Trump's first impeachment, and how the war with Russia has changed him. Shuster's new book is The Showman.

Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices

NPR Privacy Policy

Dr. Uché Blackstock was one of the first doctors to raise the alarm that COVID-19 was disproportionately impacting Black people. She spoke with Tonya Mosley about how medical schools contribute to inequities in health care, and what we can do about it. Her book is Legacy: A Black Physician Reckons with Racism in Medicine.


Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices

NPR Privacy Policy

Ava DuVernay's new film Origin explores a new way to consider the historical subjugation of Black people in America: as the adverse result of a caste system. The film is inspired by Isabel Wilkerson's book Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents. In the movie, Wilkerson embarks on a journey to learn about caste, traveling to Germany and India to get to the root of the Black experience in America.

Also, we'll talk about how algorithms flatten culture with journalist Kyle Chayka. He says algorithms affect every aspect of our lives — from what we watch on Netflix, what songs are at the top of the charts, to what our local coffee shop looks like. His book is Filterworld.

Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices

NPR Privacy Policy

HBO's Succession swept at the Emmys, winning six awards for its fourth and final season. We compiled interviews with show creator/head writer Jesse Armstrong and actors Kieran Culkin and Matthew Macfadyen.

Also, David Bianculli reflects on the 25th anniversary of The Sopranos.

Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices

NPR Privacy Policy

Home schooling is now America's fastest growing form of education, but Washington Post reporter Peter Jamison tells Dave Davies, "It's remarkable how little oversight there is of home-schooled children."

Also, we remember TV critic Tom Shales.

Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices

NPR Privacy Policy

Filterworld author Kyle Chayka examines the algorithms that dictate what we watch, read and listen to. He argues that machine-guided curation makes us docile consumers.

Also, Maureen Corrigan reviews You Only Call When You're in Trouble, a new novel from Stephen McCauley.

Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices

NPR Privacy Policy

You may have heard about the pioneering research of anthropologist Margaret Mead, but do you know about her work with psychedelics? Mead and her husband, Gregory Bateson, thought psychedelics might reshape humanity by expanding consciousness. We'll speak with author Benjamin Breen about that research and how it led to the CIA's secret experiments in the '50s and '60s, using psychedelics in interrogation. He also shares with us details about a NASA-funded experiment to try to get dolphins to talk by giving them LSD. His book is Tripping on Utopia.

Also, John Powers reviews the Apple TV+ series Criminal Record.

Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices

NPR Privacy Policy

Award-winning director Ava DuVernay's new film Origin explores a new way to consider the historical subjugation of Black people in America: As the adverse result of a caste system.The film is inspired by Isabel Wilkerson's book Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents. In the movie, Wilkerson embarks on a journey to learn about caste - traveling to Germany and India to get to the root of the Black experience in America. DuVernay also directed 13th, When They See Us, and Selma.

Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices

NPR Privacy Policy

Actor Sterling K. Brown co-stars in the new film American Fiction. We'll talk about his role in that, as well as playing O.J. Simpson prosecutor Christopher Darden.

Also, we'll hear from Paul Giamatti. He just won a Golden Globe for his role in The Holdovers, as a pompous and disliked teacher at a boys boarding school. The Holdovers is the second collaboration between Giamatti and director Alexander Payne. The first was the surprise hit movie Sideways.

Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices

NPR Privacy Policy

The Grammy-Award winning baritone first auditioned to play the Demon Barber of Fleet Street back in high school. He didn't get the part then; but he starred in in the latest Broadway revival. Groban will leave the role this month. He spoke with Fresh Air's Ann Marie Baldonado about his affinity for Stephen Sondheim, poking fun at his own image on TV, and starting his singing career as a teen.

Also, Justin Chang reviews the new film Memory.

Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices

NPR Privacy Policy