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Stephen Thompson Stephen Thompson is a host, writer and reviewer for NPR Music and Pop Culture Happy Hour. He appears frequently on All Songs Considered and NPR newsmagazines.
Washington, DC - May 03, 2016: Stephen Thompson CREDIT: Matt Roth
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Stephen Thompson

Tuesday

Why we still love Green Day

Green Day's latest album, Saviors, arrived as the group is celebrating the 20th anniversary of American Idiot and 30th anniversary of Dookie. Alice Baxley / Apple Music/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Alice Baxley / Apple Music/Courtesy of the artist

All Songs Considered

Why we still love Green Day

With Green Day's stellar new album, Saviors, the 20th anniversary of American Idiot and 30th anniversary of Dookie, NPR's Daoud Tyler-Ameen, Stephen Thompson and Robin Hilton look at the band's legacy.

Why we still love Green Day

Listen · 1:09:57
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Monday

'Vanderpump Rules,' 'Scandoval' and a fight that never ends

Raquel Leviss, Tom Sandoval, and Ariana Madix in Vanderpump Rules. Bravo/Nicole Weingart/Bravo hide caption

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Bravo/Nicole Weingart/Bravo

Review

Pop Culture Happy Hour

'Vanderpump Rules,' 'Scandoval' and a fight that never ends

For more than a decade, Vanderpump Rules has been a hit reality show on the Bravo network. The show reached new heights of tabloid infamy last season due to a much-discussed affair between two members of its cast. The whole thing was nicknamed "Scandoval" and led to record-breaking ratings and countless memes. Vanderpump Rules is about to return for its 11th season, and if you want to catch up on all the drama from last year, we've got you covered.

'Vanderpump Rules,' 'Scandoval' and a fight that never ends

Listen · 27:20
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Wednesday

'Barbie' invites you into a Dream House stuffed with existential angst

Ryan Gosling and Margot Robbie star in Barbie. Warner Bros. Pictures hide caption

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Warner Bros. Pictures

Review

Pop Culture Happy Hour

'Barbie' invites you into a Dream House stuffed with existential angst

Barbie was the biggest movie of last year. We saw the memes, we heard the songs, and it was 2023's highest grossing movie. It recently racked up eight Oscar nominations, including best picture. Today in this encore episode, we revisit our conversation about Barbie.

'Barbie' invites you into a Dream House stuffed with existential angst

Listen · 40:53
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Tuesday

We break down the 2024 Oscar nominations

Cillian Murphy was nominated for an Oscar for best actor for Oppenheimer. Melinda Sue Gordon/Universal Pictures hide caption

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Melinda Sue Gordon/Universal Pictures

Pop Culture Happy Hour

We break down the 2024 Oscar nominations

This year's Oscar nominations were announced today and Christopher Nolan's Oppenheimer leads the field with 13 nominations. Other leading nominees include Poor Things, Killers Of The Flower Moon, and Barbie. We run down the nominees in the major categories and talk about some of the surprising snubs.

We break down the 2024 Oscar nominations

Listen · 19:39
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Friday

What's Making Us Happy: A guide to your weekend viewing

Niecy Nash-Betts accepts the Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie for her performance in Dahmer – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story. Valerie Macon/AFP via Getty Images hide caption

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Valerie Macon/AFP via Getty Images

What's Making Us Happy: Recommendations From 'Pop Culture Happy Hour'

What's Making Us Happy: A guide to your weekend viewing

Each week, Pop Culture Happy Hour guests and hosts share what's bringing them joy. This week: The movie The Book of Clarence, the show Lego Masters, Niecy Nash-Betts' Emmy acceptance speech, and more.

'Origin' is a story of ideas, made deeply personal

Jon Bernthal and Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor star in Origin. Neon hide caption

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Neon

Review

Pop Culture Happy Hour

'Origin' is a story of ideas, made deeply personal

Origin is the story of a writer who faces personal loss at the same time she works on a book based on her unified theory about systems of oppression. Written and directed by Ava DuVernay, the film is adapted from Isabel Wilkerson's best-selling book, Caste: The Origins Of Our Discontents, and dramatizes the book's ideas and the way it comes together. Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor stars as Wilkerson, and also features Jon Bernthal and Niecy Nash-Betts.

'Origin' is a story of ideas, made deeply personal

Listen · 22:07
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Thursday

Wednesday

'Bluey' is a kids show with lessons for everyone

Bandit, Chilli, Bluey, and Bingo in the series Bluey. Disney+ hide caption

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Disney+

Review

Pop Culture Happy Hour

'Bluey' is a kids show with lessons for everyone

The TV cartoon Bluey is a hit with young children. But it's also found a devoted following among their parents, who've embraced the show's emotional depth – as well as its messages about creativity, collaboration, and learning through play. Bluey just returned with a batch of new episodes on Disney+, so today we're revisiting our conversation about the series.

'Bluey' is a kids show with lessons for everyone

Listen · 21:15
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Sunday

Tuesday

In 'Night Swim,' the pool is well-fed... and WELL-FED

Wyatt Russell in Night Swim. Universal Pictures hide caption

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Universal Pictures

Review

Pop Culture Happy Hour

In 'Night Swim,' the pool is well-fed... and WELL-FED

In the new horror film Night Swim, Wyatt Russell plays a former baseball player who's been forced into retirement due to the early stages of MS. He and his wife, played by Kerry Condon, decide to buy an old house and refurbish its dilapidated swimming pool. But there is a catch: the pool is haunted.

In 'Night Swim,' the pool is well-fed... and WELL-FED

Listen · 14:15
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Sunday

Music

Movie soundtracks are bringing a fresh set of ears to old classics

"Murder on the Dancefloor," a 2001 hit song in the U.K., is just the latest old track to be introduced to a new generation of listeners after being used at a pivotal moment on screen.

Movie soundtracks are bringing a fresh set of ears to old classics

Listen · 4:41
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Monday

Our 2024 pop culture resolutions
Wanida Prapan/Getty Images

Pop Culture Happy Hour

Our 2024 pop culture resolutions

Do you make resolutions in January? We do. Today, we make pop culture resolutions for 2024, and we check in on what we resolved to do this last year, and whether we are inclined to bask in our victories or fret about our defeats.

Our 2024 pop culture resolutions

Listen · 22:36
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Friday

Our 2024 pop culture predictions
Anna Blazhuk/Getty Images

Pop Culture Happy Hour

Our 2024 pop culture predictions

What do we do at the end of every year? We hope, we fear, and we make wild guesses. Today, we're checking-in on how we did making predictions for 2023, and then we boldly make new ones for 2024.

Our 2024 pop culture predictions

Listen · 30:39
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Monday

The 'All Songs Considered' holiday extravaganza

All Songs Considered returns to the cabin in the woods to throw a festive holiday extravaganza. Mike Brinson/Getty Images hide caption

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Mike Brinson/Getty Images

Pop Culture Happy Hour

The 'All Songs Considered' holiday extravaganza

The Pop Culture Happy Hour team is off today. So we're bringing you a very special holiday extravaganza from NPR Music's All Songs Considered podcast. In this festive episode, All Songs' annual celebration of the season returns with a trip to a snowy cabin in the woods – as they attempt to throw a party for the ages. Eggnog will be had, plenty of delightful holiday music will be played – and some special guests might just drop by, including Carly Rae Jepsen, Robert Glasper, and Olivia Rodrigo.

The 'All Songs Considered' holiday extravaganza

Listen · 25:46
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