Accessibility links
Barton Girdwood
Barton Girdwood at NPR headquarters in Washington, D.C., May 21, 2019. (photo by Allison Shelley)
Stories By

Barton Girdwood

Story Archive

Friday

Nicki Minaj's bars, Barbz and beefs; plus, why 2023 was the year of the cowboy

the Great Australian Cattle Drive, and Nicki Minaj Quinn Rooney/Getty Images, Frazer Harrison/Getty Images hide caption

toggle caption
Quinn Rooney/Getty Images, Frazer Harrison/Getty Images

It's Been a Minute

Nicki Minaj's bars, Barbz and beefs; plus, why 2023 was the year of the cowboy

Nicki Minaj just released her first album in half a decade, Pink Friday 2. The self-proclaimed 'Queen of Rap' has an unparalleled career, but the rap game - and women's position within it - has changed dramatically during her hiatus. While Nicki helped shape rap today, the artist has also faced a slew of controversies and an erratic album rollout that all have us asking: is Nicki still the verified 'Queen of Rap'? Host Brittany Luse sits down with NPR Music Editor and Louder Than A Riot host Sidney Madden to discuss.

Nicki Minaj's bars, Barbz and beefs; plus, why 2023 was the year of the cowboy

Listen · 48:24
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/1197954380/1218290264" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">

Tuesday

The 'Renaissance' film and what we hear in Beyoncé's silence

Beyonce at the Renaissance World Tour Kevin Mazur/WireImage for Parkwood via Getty Images hide caption

toggle caption
Kevin Mazur/WireImage for Parkwood via Getty Images

It's Been a Minute

The 'Renaissance' film and what we hear in Beyoncé's silence

In the credits for 'Renaissance: A Film By Beyoncé' the Queen Bee makes it clear who is in charge. Written by? Beyoncé. Directed by? Beyoncé. Produced by? Beyoncé. And of course, starring...Beyoncé. For someone who is so in control of their own image, what is spoken and what is unspoken are equally loud.

The 'Renaissance' film and what we hear in Beyoncé's silence

Listen · 17:57
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/1197954389/1217424441" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Friday

McCarthyism and queerness in 'Fellow Travelers'; plus, IBAM unplugged with Olivia Dean
Kurt Iswarienko/SHOWTIME; Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images

Review

It's Been a Minute

McCarthyism and queerness in 'Fellow Travelers'; plus, IBAM unplugged with Olivia Dean

This week, Brittany chats with New Yorker television critic Inkoo Kang about Showtime's historical romance, Fellow Travelers. The show follows the lives and love of two closeted men - Hawk and Tim. It starts in 1950s Washington DC, at the height of McCarthyism and the lavender scare and continues through the AIDS crisis in the 1980s. Brittany and Inkoo discuss how the politics of the time shape the characters and how survival isn't always pretty.

McCarthyism and queerness in 'Fellow Travelers'; plus, IBAM unplugged with Olivia Dean

Listen · 49:48
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/1197954356/1216671481" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Friday

Defending the Disney Adult; plus, what it takes to stand up for Black trans people
Robyn Beck/AFP via Getty Images, Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images, Amazon

It's Been a Minute

Defending the Disney Adult; plus, what it takes to stand up for Black trans people

Disney recently celebrated its 100th birthday, so we're exploring a fandom that's kept the magic alive while also generating lots of online hate: Disney Adults. To break the phenomenon down, Brittany Luse chats with Rolling Stone senior writer and self-proclaimed Disney Adult, E.J. Dickson. Their conversation looks at the rise of Disney Adults, why they're so maligned and what the public may misunderstand about these superfans.

Defending the Disney Adult; plus, what it takes to stand up for Black trans people

Listen · 38:40
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/1197954325/1214888335" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Friday

The return of Andre 3000; plus, 'Rap Sh!t' puts the music industry on blast

Andre 3000, Aida Osman as Shawna Clark, and KaMillion as Mia Knight. Kai Regan / Courtesy of the artist; Erin Simkin/Max hide caption

toggle caption
Kai Regan / Courtesy of the artist; Erin Simkin/Max

It's Been a Minute

The return of Andre 3000; plus, 'Rap Sh!t' puts the music industry on blast

As many male rappers seem to become more depressed or vindictive in their lyrics, the women of rap appear to be having all the fun. One show that captures this moment is Rap Sh!t on Max. Brittany sits down with the showrunner and writer, Syreeta Singleton. They discuss the complexities of navigating the rap game as a Black woman, the new social media landscape, and how rap and Rap Sh!t approach sexuality.

The return of Andre 3000; plus, 'Rap Sh!t' puts the music industry on blast

Listen · 36:54
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/1197954280/1213644329" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Friday

Barbra Streisand says she's not a diva - she's a director

Barbra Streisand on her life and legacy in My Name is Barbra. Terry Fincher/Express/Jeff Fusco/Getty Images hide caption

toggle caption
Terry Fincher/Express/Jeff Fusco/Getty Images

It's Been a Minute

Barbra Streisand says she's not a diva - she's a director

The season of the celebrity memoir is upon us. In just the past few months Britney Spears, Jada Pinkett Smith, Kerry Washington, and more have showered us with bombshells and revelations about their origin stories and private lives. Despite those heavy hitters and the crowded field they occupy, the celebrity memoir our host Brittany Luse coveted most is that of the singular Ms. Barbra Streisand.

Barbra Streisand says she's not a diva - she's a director

Listen · 24:17
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/1197954263/1212378606" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Friday

"The Gilded Age" and the trouble with American period pieces

The Gilded Age's Dorothy and Peggy Scott, portrayed by Audra McDonald and Denée Benton. Alison Cohen Rosa/HBO hide caption

toggle caption
Alison Cohen Rosa/HBO

It's Been a Minute

"The Gilded Age" and the trouble with American period pieces

The Gilded Age delighted audiences with its lavish sets, decadent costumes and social sniping when it debuted. Lucky for us, the period drama just returned to HBO Max with a second season. But if we look a little closer at the show, it reveals what we truly want out of period pieces: to remake the past with our modern sensibilities and values. As Brandon Taylor wrote in his essay called "morgan spector pls break me in half," The Gilded Age engenders "self-delusion" about our history – because to reflect our past more accurately, would be "too horrifying" for a somewhat soapy show. Brittany Luse sits down with Brandon to discuss sentimentality, why we're particularly drawn to this era now and how it's portrayal could be done better.

"The Gilded Age" and the trouble with American period pieces

Listen · 21:50
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/1197954199/1210540076" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Tuesday

It's Been a Minute: Britney Spears tells her story

Britney Spears holds her awards for the 1999 MTV Europe Awards; The Woman in Me (2023) by Britney Spears JOEL SAGET/AFP/Getty Images, Simon & Schuster, Inc. hide caption

toggle caption
JOEL SAGET/AFP/Getty Images, Simon & Schuster, Inc.

Review

Pop Culture Happy Hour

It's Been a Minute: Britney Spears tells her story

Britney Spears just released one of the most hotly anticipated celebrity memoirs of the year. The Woman In Me details her meteoric rise to fame, her family history, and her 13-year-long conservatorship. Today we're bringing you a special episode of It's Been a Minute, where host Brittany Luse and her guests discuss all the juicy, strange, and sad highlights from the new book.

It's Been a Minute: Britney Spears tells her story

Listen · 21:58
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/1197956381/1209451788" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">

Friday

Britney Spears can finally tell her own story in 'The Woman in Me'

Britney Spears holds her awards for the 1999 MTV Europe Awards; The Woman in Me (2023) by Britney Spears JOEL SAGET/AFP via Getty Images, Simon & Schuster, Inc. hide caption

toggle caption
JOEL SAGET/AFP via Getty Images, Simon & Schuster, Inc.

Review

It's Been a Minute

Britney Spears can finally tell her own story in 'The Woman in Me'

Britney Spears just released one of the most hotly anticipated celebrity memoirs of the year, The Woman In Me. The book details her meteoric rise to fame, her family history, and her 13 year-long conservatorship. This week, host Britney Luse talks to the two best people to break it all down: Claire Parker and Ashley Hamilton, comedians and co-hosts of the Celebrity Memoir Book Club podcast. Together they look at what the princess of pop is trying to tell us, how she contextualizes her own story and how she doesn't seem to implicate the audience in her abuse.

Britney Spears can finally tell her own story in 'The Woman in Me'

Listen · 24:03
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/1197954176/1209164603" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Friday

Misinformation & uninformed comments are clogging war coverage; plus, Tupac's legacy

Israeli army armoured vehicles, 2023. Elon Musk, 2023. Tupac Shakur, 1993. YURI CORTEZ/AFP via Getty Images, Al Pereira/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images,Justin Sullivan/Getty Images hide caption

toggle caption
YURI CORTEZ/AFP via Getty Images, Al Pereira/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images,Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

It's Been a Minute

Misinformation & uninformed comments are clogging war coverage; plus, Tupac's legacy

A warning: This episode contains explicit language and mentions of rape.

Misinformation & uninformed comments are clogging war coverage; plus, Tupac's legacy

Listen · 50:28
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/1197954154/1207678401" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Friday

Real relationship aside, Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce are 100% in a PR relationship

Taylor Swift. Michael Tran/AFP; Elsa/Getty Images hide caption

toggle caption
Michael Tran/AFP; Elsa/Getty Images

It's Been a Minute

Real relationship aside, Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce are 100% in a PR relationship

Taylor Swift and her maybe boyfriend, Kansas Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, have been inescapable the past few weeks. The pop superstar has been showing up at Chiefs games, and the NFL has been playing it up - all to the mutual benefit of each party involved. Regardless of if the three of them - Taylor, Travis, and the NFL - are in a romantic polycule, public relations expert Molly McPherson says they are for sure in a PR relationship. Brittany and Molly get into how PR relationships work for celebrities — from pop superstars to politicians.

Real relationship aside, Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce are 100% in a PR relationship

Listen · 36:38
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/1197954126/1205871042" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Tuesday

In defense of bad movie accents

Lady Gaga in "House of Gucci" and Uma Thurman in "Red, White and Royal Blue" Collection Christophel/Alamy ; Jonathan Prime/Amazon Studios hide caption

toggle caption
Collection Christophel/Alamy ; Jonathan Prime/Amazon Studios

Perspective

It's Been a Minute

In defense of bad movie accents

We can all think of a bad movie accent. There's Lady Gaga in House of Gucci, Brad Pitt in Meet Joe Black, or Emma Watson in The Bling Ring. A bad accent takes you out of a movie, right? Well, Brittany sits down with New York Times columnist Kyle Buchanan who thinks a bad accent actually pulls you into a movie. Brittany and Kyle breakdown his theory and play a special game of "Where IS she from?"

In defense of bad movie accents

Listen · 15:17
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/1197954125/1204392597" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Friday

It's Fat Bear Week - but our fascination with bears is timeless

What about bears captures the human imagination? LMPC via Getty Images/Jörg Carstensen/picture alliance via Getty Images/Courtesy of NPS Photo/Felicia Jimenez hide caption

toggle caption
LMPC via Getty Images/Jörg Carstensen/picture alliance via Getty Images/Courtesy of NPS Photo/Felicia Jimenez

Analysis

It's Been a Minute

It's Fat Bear Week - but our fascination with bears is timeless

Every year, the Katmai National Park in Alaska puts on a March Madness-style bracket of all the fattest bears in their park. It's a celebration of fatness, because a fat bear ahead of hibernation means a healthy bear come spring. This competition is popular — there were over a million votes tallied last year — and it speaks to a larger cultural obsession with bears. In honor of Fat Bear Week, Host Brittany Luse journeys through time to unpack what bears mean to us — and why they're family, friend and foe all at once. And later, an exploration of how the queer community emulates bearness — and what the symbol of the animal can mean to them.

It's Fat Bear Week - but our fascination with bears is timeless

Listen · 29:19
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/1197954100/1204350741" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Friday

Hasan Minhaj and the limits of representation

Stephanie Mills in The Wiz, and Hasan Minhaj on stage. Hulton Archive/Kevin Winter hide caption

toggle caption
Hulton Archive/Kevin Winter

It's Been a Minute

Hasan Minhaj and the limits of representation

A recent New Yorker piece on Hasan Minhaj found that some crucial bits of his stand-up act didn't stand up to fact-checking. Stretching the truth in comedy is par for the course, but how does that work for a figure like Minhaj, who'd previously doubled down on these stories in interviews and is known for his political satire shows? Brittany is joined by writer Imran Siddiquee and journalist Allana Akhtar to make sense of an entertainment industry that created the conditions for his fame.

Hasan Minhaj and the limits of representation

Listen · 37:28
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/1197954046/1202761863" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Friday

The WNBA's coming out story; plus, the dangers of sports betting

Brittney Griner, Sheryl Swoopes, Kierstan Bell and Layshia Clarendon. Ronald Martinez/Getty Images, Otto Greule Jr/Getty Images, Ethan Miller/Getty Images hide caption

toggle caption
Ronald Martinez/Getty Images, Otto Greule Jr/Getty Images, Ethan Miller/Getty Images

It's Been a Minute

The WNBA's coming out story; plus, the dangers of sports betting

This year, the WNBA had its most-watched regular season in 21 years, but what went into creating this new moment of visibility for the league? Host Brittany Luse is joined by Katie Barnes, author of Fair Play: How Sports Shape the Gender Debates to unpack the league's initial 'Barbie girl' image, the trailblazers who pushed the WNBA to become the first professional sports league to celebrate Pride, and what it means for an athlete to 'authentically' express themselves.

The WNBA's coming out story; plus, the dangers of sports betting

Listen · 37:25
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/1197953092/1201179685" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Tuesday

The year concert etiquette went to trash and why

Ashes were thrown at Pink, Bebe Rexha was hit by a cellphone and many fans watch concerts through screens. YouTuber Tiffany Ferguson theorizes what's behind all the bad concert behavior. Jacques Demarthon/ AFP; Screenshot by NPR hide caption

toggle caption
Jacques Demarthon/ AFP; Screenshot by NPR

It's Been a Minute

The year concert etiquette went to trash and why

Every couple of weeks there's a new story of a fan at a concert misbehaving. One fan threw ashes at Pink, another hit Drake with a cellphone, Miranda Lambert stopped her show when fans took selfies with flash photography. Extreme instances have landed performers in the hospital, but more often attendees have noticed the audience has gotten louder and more distracting than ever. Where is all of this coming from?

The year concert etiquette went to trash and why

Listen · 19:15
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/1197953096/1200438800" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Friday

Is capitalism in its flop era?

Americans have capitalism on the brain — here's why. Frederic J Brown/AFP via Getty Images; Ozan Kose/AFP via Getty Images; Stephen Voss/Vox hide caption

toggle caption
Frederic J Brown/AFP via Getty Images; Ozan Kose/AFP via Getty Images; Stephen Voss/Vox

Analysis

It's Been a Minute

Is capitalism in its flop era?

In 2017, Today, Explained co-host Noel King says she started getting a vibe: young people were discussing and dissecting capitalism. She began noticing the word in pop culture and cultural reporting — but found her own tribe of economics reporters were missing from the conversation. Flash forward to 2023, and the word capitalism is all over politics and culture: it's on the stage at the Republican debates, it's on the picket lines and the language of union strikes from Hollywood to New York City, it's even in the new Indiana Jones movie. How did we get here — and has talking about capitalism made us more divided? Noel King joins host Brittany Luse to discuss her new multi-part series exploring how a new generation of Americans are coming to terms with capitalism.

Is capitalism in its flop era?

Listen · 31:08
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/1197953030/1199822877" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Friday

The Photo of the Year; plus, whose RICO is it anyway?
Getty Images

Perspective

It's Been a Minute

The Photo of the Year; plus, whose RICO is it anyway?

When former President Donald Trump's mugshot was released, pundits immediately searched for meaning. Was it defiant? Was it embarrassing? Turns out what we see in that image could change over time. Brittany Luse is joined by Vanessa Friedman, senior fashion critic for the New York Times, to talk about the cultural meaning of infamous mugshots and their resounding impact on us.

The Photo of the Year; plus, whose RICO is it anyway?

Listen · 35:11
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/1198464234/1199269949" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Friday

Luther Vandross and Samara Joy sing across generations
Frazer Harrison/Getty Images; Hector Mata/AFP

It's Been a Minute

Luther Vandross and Samara Joy sing across generations

Music is all about pushing the envelope, and no one knew that more than Luther Vandross. His rendition of "A House is Not a Home" is so beloved, many fans don't even know it's a cover. His sound also laid the groundwork for many popular artists today, from Jazmine Sullivan to Beyoncé. Host Brittany Luse is joined by Craig Seymour, author of "Luther: The Life and Longing of Luther Vandross" to discuss Luther's impact and why his name isn't often in conversation with other greats - even though it should be.

Luther Vandross and Samara Joy sing across generations

Listen · 40:04
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/1197212689/1199269917" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">

Tuesday

'All The Things She Said': queer anthem or problematic queerbait?
Robert Mora/Getty Images

It's Been a Minute

'All The Things She Said': queer anthem or problematic queerbait?

In September 2002, the Russian pop duo t.A.T.u. released their smash single "All The Things She Said." The song is a grungy euro-dance track, and the video features the lead singers Lena Katina and Julia Volkova dressed in schoolgirl uniforms and making out in the rain. The video was banned from UK television for being "not really suitable for children."

'All The Things She Said': queer anthem or problematic queerbait?

Listen · 18:43
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/1195490245/1199269874" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">

Friday

Skincare is dewy diet culture; plus, how to have the "Fat Talk"
Jacobsen/Three Lions/Getty Images; Fox Photos/Getty Images

It's Been a Minute

Skincare is dewy diet culture; plus, how to have the "Fat Talk"

In this conversation from November 2022, host Brittany Luse chats with beauty reporter Jessica Defino about the increase in celebrity skincare lines and why the the way we talk about skin is regressive. Plus, Brittany revisits her chat with "Fat Talk" author Virgina Sole-Smith: they dive into anti-fat bias in parenting and why it's important to embrace fatness.

Skincare is dewy diet culture; plus, how to have the "Fat Talk"

Listen · 46:38
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/1194396263/1199269878" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">

Tuesday

Why we don't trust the 'vanilla girl'
Daniel Hurst Photography, Tetra Images, Frazer Harrison, and Kenneth Bachor

It's Been a Minute

Why we don't trust the 'vanilla girl'

This week is all about beauty and diet trends. In this first interview from March, host Brittany Luse chats with Forbes staff writer Steffi Cao to discuss her essay, "white women want their power back: on bbls and balletcore, and the entropy of aesthetic." Steffi points to the online rise of the 'clean girl' and 'vanilla girl' aesthetics, just as the myth of innocent white womanhood erodes in the public sphere following outrage at "Karens" and critical looks at stars like Miley Cyrus who borrowed from Black aesthetics for years.

Why we don't trust the 'vanilla girl'

Listen · 16:07
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/1194392657/1199266497" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">

Friday

'Abbott Elementary' and 'Succession' take on love and grief
ABC/Matt Sayles; Macall Polay/HBO

It's Been a Minute

'Abbott Elementary' and 'Succession' take on love and grief

This week, we're looking at some of the best TV of the year. Brittany Luse revisits her November 2022 conversation with Abbott Elementary writers Brittani Nichols and Joya McCrory. They talk about creating a world that feels both authentic and funny to American teachers. Then, Linda Holmes of NPR's Pop Culture Happy Hour stops by to chat about the television episode that had our group chats in a chokehold, and how it eloquently captured the way we experience death and grief in real life.

'Abbott Elementary' and 'Succession' take on love and grief

Listen · 36:18
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/1194002493/1199266501" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Friday

Getting lit for hip-hop's 50th birthday

Hip-Hop turns 50. NPR hide caption

toggle caption
NPR

It's Been a Minute

Getting lit for hip-hop's 50th birthday

On August 11, 1973, hip-hop was born at a house party in the Bronx. 50 years later the genre has been reshaped in the image of cities and regions around the world. Brittany Luse and NPR Music's Sheldon Pearce take a tour of those regions and look at where hip-hop might go in the next 50 years.

Getting lit for hip-hop's 50th birthday

Listen · 40:21
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/1193461794/1199266509" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript
Browse archive or search npr.org