This week: How Michael Cera keeps the act alive … Viv Albertine of The Slits on punk rock conformity … Nick Hornby reveals his secret plans for “Wild II” … Essayist Meghan Daum is not impressed by Cronuts … Conor Oberst serves up an eclectic dinner party playlist … Momo dumplings migrate from the Himalayas to Queens […]

To celebrate Thanksgiving (and, even better, leftovers!) it’s our annual All Food Special. Featuring: Perfection on a sushi plate … Hot, spicy, and festive horseradish … Filmmaker Jim Jarmush gets corny … Jimmy Buffet makes an indie rocker cry … Trendy Filipino flavors  … Obsessive food Instagramming … A glimpse inside a restaurant kitchen … […]

Roxy Music rocker Bryan Ferry explains capital-A Art … Lynne Rossetto Kasper takes a seat at our Splendid Table … One of the nation’s most-acclaimed poets, Billy Collins, invents some words … Aasif Mandvi of “The Daily Show” channels MJ to unite a crowd … Singer Jessie Ware gets sassy … Beer writer William Bostwick on beers from watered-down […]

Anjelica Huston talks about bad boys and leading ladies … The difficulty of making a film in a warzone … Chef and author Gabrielle Hamilton cooks what she knows … You may not have heard of Glyn Johns, but you’ve probably heard the long list of rock hits he helped create … Emily Spivack unsuccessfully […]

Broadway star Audra McDonald is about to launch a national tour; here’s how not to decorate for her welcome party … Thomas Jefferson (well, scholar and radio host Clay Jenkinson channeling Thomas Jefferson) expounds on patriotic decorum … Get ready, people, for a playlist from indie-supergroup People Get Ready … A scoop of new Spoon … […]

Elle Fanning talks about her extra-curricular activities … Author Gary Shteyngart is only a little failure … Ruben Östlund has made a film that may increase Sweden’s divorce rate … One bubbly coffee entrepreneur explains his innovation … Michelangelo really, really, did not want to paint that ceiling … Patrick Haggerty puts together a playlist for […]

Actor Jason Schwartzman – star of the new film “Listen Up Philip” – pits his ego against Brendan’s… A soundtrack from Weezer’s Rivers Cuomo inspires hand-holding… Iconoclastic artist Barbara Kruger points and doesn’t shoot… And Jack Black and Kyle Gass of Tenacious D shred etiquette to pieces. Also, humorist Simon Rich ponders barbarism and hamsters, […]

This week: Aussie actor Joel Edgerton (“The Great Gatsby,” “Warrior”) dances into the spotlight with wildly different fall projects, including this week’s “Felony”… Filmmaker Justin Simien (“Dear White People”) explores the many shades of black identity, and talks etiquette with y’all… A be-witching soundtrack from electro-pop songstress Banks…Food falls from the sky!  Brendan opens his mouth… The strange backstories of fragrances, […]

A podcast-only bonus! WARNING: These performances from our recent live show are smart, funny, and NOT for family listening.  (Cursing, frank conversation about sex, etc.  Please listen responsibly.)  Great stuff though!  Comic Moshe Kasher on his Mom’s nontraditional approach to sex ed… & comedy duo Garfunkel & Oates explain how not to break up.

This week: Filmmaker, writer, and ‘Pope of Trash’ John Waters offers etiquette advice, naturally… Jenny Slate, star of the film “Obvious Child,” says ‘complicated’ and ‘comedy’ can coexist… Swedish sister duo First Aid Kit bring board games and tacos to their dinner cozy party … When we’re hungry, why do we get ‘hangry’? … From […]