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Friday

Boyd Holbrook (left) as Ty Shaw and B.J. Novak as Ben Manalowitz are pictured in a still from the movie Vengeance, which marks Novak's directorial debut.

Boyd Holbrook (left) as Ty Shaw and B.J. Novak as Ben Manalowitz are pictured in a still from the movie Vengeance, which marks Novak's directorial debut. Patti Perret/Focus Features hide caption

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Patti Perret/Focus Features

Movies

B.J. Novak learned a lot about himself — and Texas — while working on 'Vengeance'

Novak wrote, directed and starred in the new movie, which he says is all about breaking down false assumptions. He told Morning Edition about what surprised him on set and behind the scenes.

B.J. Novak learned a lot about himself — and Texas — while working on 'Vengeance'

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Saturday

Opinion: For comedians, safety is a growing concern

Dave Chappelle looks on during UFC 264: Poirier v McGregor 3 at T-Mobile Arena on July 10, 2021 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Stacy Revere/Getty Images hide caption

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Stacy Revere/Getty Images

Opinion

Simon Says

Opinion: For comedians, safety is a growing concern

NPR's Scott Simon wonders if comedians are at increased risk for assault these days, given Will Smith's slap of Chris Rock and an incident this week involving Dave Chappelle.

Opinion: For comedians, safety is a growing concern

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Wednesday

Saturday

Opinion: Zelenskyy's comedy background is ever-present in his approach to nations

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky gestures as he speaks during a press conference in Kyiv on March 3, 2022. SERGEI SUPINSKY/AFP via Getty Images hide caption

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SERGEI SUPINSKY/AFP via Getty Images

Opinion

Simon Says

Opinion: Zelenskyy's comedy background is ever-present in his approach to nations

NPR's Scott Simon reflects on the communication skills Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, a comedian and actor, is using to lead his country.

Opinion: Zelenskyy's comedy background is ever-present in his approach to nations

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Thursday

Wednesday

Comedian Neal Brennan's New Show Centers On The Ways He Feels Unacceptable

"Neal Brennan: Unacceptable" will run in New York City through November. Matt Murphy hide caption

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Matt Murphy

Culture

Comedian Neal Brennan's New Show Centers On The Ways He Feels Unacceptable

Brennan is best known for his creative partnership with comedian Dave Chappelle. Now, his new one-man show, Neal Brennan: Unacceptable, addresses feelings of self-criticism and mental health.

Comedian Neal Brennan's New Show Centers On The Ways He Feels Unacceptable

Listen · 7:07
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Friday

Maya Rudolph Once Struggled With Identity And Belonging. Now It's Her Inspiration

Maya Rudolph attends the Saturday Night Live 40th Anniversary Celebration at Rockefeller Plaza on Feb. 15, 2015, in New York City. Larry Busacca/Getty Images hide caption

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Larry Busacca/Getty Images

It's Been a Minute

Maya Rudolph Once Struggled With Identity And Belonging. Now It's Her Inspiration

Maya Rudolph has had a successful career, spanning decades as a Saturday Night Live cast member and well-loved actor and entertainer. She chats with Sam about her recent Emmy nominations, her approach to comedy, and the importance of having strong role models.

Maya Rudolph Once Struggled With Identity And Belonging. Now It's Her Inspiration

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Tuesday

Jon Stewart And Pete Davidson Are Doing A 9/11 Anniversary Comedy Show For Charity

Jon Stewart and Pete Davidson sit court-side at a New York Knicks game on April 21, 2021 at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York. They will hold a comedy special to benefit 9/11 charities there in September. Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images hide caption

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Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images

Pop Culture

Jon Stewart And Pete Davidson Are Doing A 9/11 Anniversary Comedy Show For Charity

A day after the 20th anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, a star-studded roster of comedians will perform at a benefit to raise money for victims and their families.

Monday

Chappelle Fans Flock To D.C. Live Events As New Mask Mandate Is Announced

Dave Chappelle: This Time This Place chronicles Chappelle's efforts to entertain audiences during the pandemic with a series of outdoor shows. He's pictured above in North Charleston, S.C., on Jan. 30, 2020. Sean Rayford/Getty Images hide caption

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Sean Rayford/Getty Images

Performing Arts

Chappelle Fans Flock To D.C. Live Events As New Mask Mandate Is Announced

Dave Chappelle drew sold-out crowds to his live, indoor appearances in Washington, D.C. — 3,500 attended his show at the concert venue The Anthem and more than 2,000 came to the Kennedy Center.

Sunday

Tuesday

Tiffany Haddish Stays Busy: 'I Want to See Our Stories'
NPR

It's Been a Minute

Tiffany Haddish Stays Busy: 'I Want to See Our Stories'

Tiffany Haddish has had a busy year. From starring in prank film Bad Trip, to hosting Kids Say the Darndest Things, to voicing a self-confident toucan in animated series Tuca & Bertie, it seems like she's everywhere. Sam talks to Tiffany about her many projects, her hopes and dreams for the entertainment industry, and she tells a wild story about Nicolas Cage.

Tiffany Haddish Stays Busy: 'I Want to See Our Stories'

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Thursday

Tuesday

Patti Harrison Takes The Lead In 'Together Together'

Patti Harrison stars in Together Together as Anna, a young single woman who agrees to be a gestational surrogate for a single man in his 40s. Tiffany Roohani/Bleecker Street hide caption

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Tiffany Roohani/Bleecker Street

It's Been a Minute

Patti Harrison Takes The Lead In 'Together Together'

Patti Harrison is known for bringing her absurd, caustic, yet charming comedy to supporting roles on shows like Search Party, Broad City and Shrill. But now she's in a starring role in the romantic comedy Together Together. In it, Harrison plays a young single woman who agrees to be a gestational surrogate for a single man in his 40s, played by Ed Helms. Sam talks to Patti about what it was like to play a role different from everything she's done before, why Together Together is even billed as a rom-com, and the quandary of representation as a trans woman.

Patti Harrison Takes The Lead In 'Together Together'

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Tuesday

The Warped Reality of Eric André's 'Bad Trip'

Sam Sanders chats with Eric André. NPR hide caption

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NPR

It's Been a Minute

The Warped Reality of Eric André's 'Bad Trip'

Sam talks to actor and comedian Eric André about the evolution of the prank genre with his Netflix hidden-camera comedy Bad Trip. They chat about the complications of making a prank show while Black, who André would never prank, and why everyone could use a little absurdism to warp their realities.

The Warped Reality of Eric André's 'Bad Trip'

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