Pop Culture http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=1048&ft=1&f=1048 News and commentary on popular culture trends. Download the Pop Culture podcast. en Copyright 2013 NPR - For Personal Use Only NPR API RSS Generator 0.94 Mon, 20 May 2013 08:57:00 -0400 http://media.npr.org/images/npr_news_123x20.gif Pop Culture http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=1048&ft=1&f=1048 Reaction Saturation And Sunday Night Television On Sundays, it can seem like we're a nation of critics. But we're not. Mon, 20 May 2013 08:57:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/blogs/monkeysee/2013/05/20/185498148/reaction-saturation-and-sunday-night-television?ft=1&f=1048 http://www.npr.org/blogs/monkeysee/2013/05/20/185498148/reaction-saturation-and-sunday-night-television?ft=1&f=1048 On Sundays, it can seem like we're a nation of critics. But we're not.

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]]> Despite Digital Platforms, TV Still Relies On Word Of Mouth TV is still a huge topic of conversation on and offline, according to recent research. In fact, conversation about TV is growing in the last few years. And face-to-face word of mouth still has tremendous power when it comes to attracting new viewers to a show. TV still seems to be the most influential medium when it comes to shaping American culture. Mon, 20 May 2013 04:00:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/2013/05/20/185458147/tv-shows-still-rely-on-word-of-mouth?ft=1&f=1048 http://www.npr.org/2013/05/20/185458147/tv-shows-still-rely-on-word-of-mouth?ft=1&f=1048 TV is still a huge topic of conversation on and offline, according to recent research. In fact, conversation about TV is growing in the last few years. And face-to-face word of mouth still has tremendous power when it comes to attracting new viewers to a show. TV still seems to be the most influential medium when it comes to shaping American culture.

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]]> Show Abandonment: When Viewers Drop Popular TV Programs What happens when fans stop talking about a show that used to be their favorite? Take <em>American Idol</em>, for example. Last week's finale was way down from last year's finale. It was the first time a finale did not reach the 20-million mark. Mon, 20 May 2013 04:00:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/2013/05/20/185458149/show-abandonment-when-once-popular-shows-nose-dive-in-the-ratings?ft=1&f=1048 http://www.npr.org/2013/05/20/185458149/show-abandonment-when-once-popular-shows-nose-dive-in-the-ratings?ft=1&f=1048 What happens when fans stop talking about a show that used to be their favorite? Take American Idol, for example. Last week's finale was way down from last year's finale. It was the first time a finale did not reach the 20-million mark.

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]]> Nostalgia For Sale As Captain Kangaroo's Pals Are Auctioned Off A giant lot of <em>Captain Kangaroo</em> memorabilia goes on the auction block this week in Los Angeles. Among the items up for auction are several of the captain's signature jackets, Mr. Green Jeans' famous jeans and the life-sized costume worn by Dancing Bear. Mon, 20 May 2013 03:06:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/2013/05/20/184856244/nostalgia-for-sale-as-captain-kangaroos-pals-are-auctioned-off?ft=1&f=1048 http://www.npr.org/2013/05/20/184856244/nostalgia-for-sale-as-captain-kangaroos-pals-are-auctioned-off?ft=1&f=1048 A giant lot of Captain Kangaroo memorabilia goes on the auction block this week in Los Angeles. Among the items up for auction are several of the captain's signature jackets, Mr. Green Jeans' famous jeans and the life-sized costume worn by Dancing Bear.

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]]> 'Scandal': Preposterous, Unmissable, Important The show has become a social event for a large and varied crowd of African-Americans and others on Twitter, for reasons mysterious, complex and worth exploring. Sat, 18 May 2013 11:44:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/blogs/codeswitch/2013/05/18/184859810/scandal-preposterous-unmissable-important?ft=1&f=1048 http://www.npr.org/blogs/codeswitch/2013/05/18/184859810/scandal-preposterous-unmissable-important?ft=1&f=1048 The show has become a social event for a large and varied crowd of African-Americans and others on Twitter, for reasons mysterious, complex and worth exploring.

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]]> Astronaut Chris Hadfield's Most Excellent Adventure Hadfield just spent 146 days up at the International Space Station, during which time he performed rock concerts and shared his dazzling photographs with nearly a million Twitter followers. Sat, 18 May 2013 05:13:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/2013/05/18/184821421/astronaut-chris-hadfields-most-excellent-adventure?ft=1&f=1048 http://www.npr.org/2013/05/18/184821421/astronaut-chris-hadfields-most-excellent-adventure?ft=1&f=1048 Hadfield just spent 146 days up at the International Space Station, during which time he performed rock concerts and shared his dazzling photographs with nearly a million Twitter followers.

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]]> Working Women On Television: A Mixed Bag At Best Research shows that prime-time television isn't a bad place to find portrayals of working women. Working moms and working women over 40 are another story. Sat, 18 May 2013 05:13:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/blogs/monkeysee/2013/05/18/184832930/working-women-on-television-a-mixed-bag-at-best?ft=1&f=1048 http://www.npr.org/blogs/monkeysee/2013/05/18/184832930/working-women-on-television-a-mixed-bag-at-best?ft=1&f=1048 Research shows that prime-time television isn't a bad place to find portrayals of working women. Working moms and working women over 40 are another story.

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]]> Previously, On Arrested Development NPR's guide to the running gags from the show. Fri, 17 May 2013 17:40:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/2013/05/17/184818002/previously-on-arrested-development?ft=1&f=1048 http://www.npr.org/2013/05/17/184818002/previously-on-arrested-development?ft=1&f=1048 NPR's guide to the running gags from the show.

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]]> Giving It Away You can give away almost anything — your time, money, food, your ideas. Giving helps define who we are and helps us connect with others. Thanks to the Internet and a rise in social consciousness, there's been a seismic shift not only in what we're giving, but how. In this hour, stories from TED speakers who are "giving it away" in new and surprising ways, and the things that happen in return. Fri, 17 May 2013 09:56:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/2013/05/06/181684003/giving-it-away?ft=1&f=1048 http://www.npr.org/2013/05/06/181684003/giving-it-away?ft=1&f=1048 You can give away almost anything — your time, money, food, your ideas. Giving helps define who we are and helps us connect with others. Thanks to the Internet and a rise in social consciousness, there's been a seismic shift not only in what we're giving, but how. In this hour, stories from TED speakers who are "giving it away" in new and surprising ways, and the things that happen in return.

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]]> How Do You Get People To Pay For Music? Don't make people pay for music, says musician Amanda Palmer: Let them. In a passionate talk that begins in her days as a street performer, she examines the new relationship between artist and fan. Fri, 17 May 2013 09:55:47 -0400 http://www.npr.org/2013/05/17/181868750/how-do-you-get-people-to-pay-for-music?ft=1&f=1048 http://www.npr.org/2013/05/17/181868750/how-do-you-get-people-to-pay-for-music?ft=1&f=1048 Don't make people pay for music, says musician Amanda Palmer: Let them. In a passionate talk that begins in her days as a street performer, she examines the new relationship between artist and fan.

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]]> How Can You Give A Community Better Health? Ron Finley plants vegetable gardens in South Central LA — in abandoned lots, traffic medians, along the curbs. He hopes to offer some alternative to fast food in a community where "the drive-thrus are killing more people than the drive-bys." Fri, 17 May 2013 09:55:46 -0400 http://www.npr.org/2013/05/17/181691507/how-can-you-give-a-community-better-health?ft=1&f=1048 http://www.npr.org/2013/05/17/181691507/how-can-you-give-a-community-better-health?ft=1&f=1048 Ron Finley plants vegetable gardens in South Central LA — in abandoned lots, traffic medians, along the curbs. He hopes to offer some alternative to fast food in a community where "the drive-thrus are killing more people than the drive-bys."

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]]> Bill Hader On Sketch Comedy, Classic Hollywood This weekend will be Hader's final romp on <em>Saturday Night Live</em>. He joined the cast in 2005 and has been nominated for an Emmy for his character Stefon, an obsessive clubgoer. Hader talks about not understanding how people do standup and about watching old films, which sparked his interest in Hollywood. Fri, 17 May 2013 12:37:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/2013/05/17/184507565/bill-hader-on-sketch-comedy-classic-hollywood?ft=1&f=1048 http://www.npr.org/2013/05/17/184507565/bill-hader-on-sketch-comedy-classic-hollywood?ft=1&f=1048 This weekend will be Hader's final romp on Saturday Night Live. He joined the cast in 2005 and has been nominated for an Emmy for his character Stefon, an obsessive clubgoer. Hader talks about not understanding how people do standup and about watching old films, which sparked his interest in Hollywood.

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]]> Pop Culture Happy Hour: Cancellation Blues And Cultural Etiquette On this week's show, we talk about grieving and fighting when shows are canceled, we come up with some rules of engagement when it comes to good manners and culture, and we talk about what's making us happy this week. Fri, 17 May 2013 10:24:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/blogs/monkeysee/2013/05/17/184754561/pop-culture-happy-hour-cancellation-blues-and-cultural-etiquette?ft=1&f=1048 http://www.npr.org/blogs/monkeysee/2013/05/17/184754561/pop-culture-happy-hour-cancellation-blues-and-cultural-etiquette?ft=1&f=1048 On this week's show, we talk about grieving and fighting when shows are canceled, we come up with some rules of engagement when it comes to good manners and culture, and we talk about what's making us happy this week.

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]]> Notes On A 'Scandal': Fitz Is The Most Dumpable Man On Television Viewers of <em>Scandal</em> know that Fitz is the worst. But do they know why? We do. Fri, 17 May 2013 08:32:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/blogs/monkeysee/2013/05/17/184736847/notes-on-a-scandal-fitz-is-the-most-dumpable-man-on-television?ft=1&f=1048 http://www.npr.org/blogs/monkeysee/2013/05/17/184736847/notes-on-a-scandal-fitz-is-the-most-dumpable-man-on-television?ft=1&f=1048 Viewers of Scandal know that Fitz is the worst. But do they know why? We do.

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]]> Left Without New Star Trek Episodes, Fans Create Their Own The next Star Trek movie comes out this week. It's been four years since the last one came out, and more than 40 years since the final episode of the original <em>Star Trek</em> series aired on television. Some fans moved on. Some spent the intervening decades pining away for Captain Kirk, Mr. Spock and the rest of the crew of the Starship Enterprise. And some took up the gauntlet Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry threw down in 1966 and started making episodes of their own. Thu, 16 May 2013 15:00:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=184559295&ft=1&f=1048 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=184559295&ft=1&f=1048 The next Star Trek movie comes out this week. It's been four years since the last one came out, and more than 40 years since the final episode of the original Star Trek series aired on television. Some fans moved on. Some spent the intervening decades pining away for Captain Kirk, Mr. Spock and the rest of the crew of the Starship Enterprise. And some took up the gauntlet Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry threw down in 1966 and started making episodes of their own.

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