Bullseye With Jesse Thorn

Wayne White is the subject of a new documentary directed by Neil Berkeley. If you ever wished you could live in Pee-Wee Herman's bizarre and amazing playhouse - Wayne's the man responsible for that dream. Jesse talks to both Wayne and Neil about how the film came together. Martín Perna and Jordan McLean of Antibalas talk with us about their big influence — the Afrobeat pioneer Fela Kuti. Plus, comedian Brent Weinbach offers acting tips.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Mets pitcher RA Dickey talks about fighting his way through 10 years as a marginal pro baseball player before giving himself over to the uncontrollable but devastating knuckleball.Then we travel back to the early 60s, on the streets of San Francisco, where James P Coyle & Mal Sharpe convince a man to rob a bank for them — all in the interest of humor. Plus, Erik Adams and Claire Zulkey from the AV Club share some of their all-time favorite television picks, two very different police procedurals :Law & Order and Police Squad! And for his Outshot, Jesse suggests you check out The Best Show on WFMU.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

W. Kamau Bell, host of Totally Biased, calculates the gentrification sweet spot. Singer-songwriter Eleni Mandell's life is changed by a Tom Waits song, even though it wasn't the one she meant to hear. And comedian Mike Birbigilia makes a movie. He says it's the hardest thing he's EVER DONE — but he's down to do it all again.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Guest host Jordan Morris sits down with Kurt Andersen to talk about creative procrastination, why a new generation is happily digging into its parents record collection, and Andersen's new book True Believers. The comedian Chris Fairbanks shares a story about a nice neighborly mugging. Plus, actress Ari Graynor talks good old fashioned phone sex in her new movie For A Good Time Call.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Black Dynamite's Michael Jai White and Carl Jones talk about their favorite blaxploitation films of the 70s. Actress Rachel Dratch walks into a bar, and six months later she's pregnant. Plus, Jason Brewer, guitar player for the The Explorers Club, on the song that changed his life. Here's a hint: he saw it in the movie Back to the Future.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Jesse talks to Ben and Christopher Wagner about America's most beloved broadcaster — Mister Fred Rogers — and they all hold back tears. Plus, Jesse sits down with another beloved, cardigan-wearing American – Mr. Bob Newhart! And did you know God calls into sports talk radio programs? Bullseye features another chapter of God's memoir, as written by comedy scribe David Javerbaum. Plus, Jason Kottke shares the best of the web.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Jordan Morris sits in for Jesse and talks to the influential punk band Redd Kross about their own influences — from Deep Purple to Ziggy Stardust — and then asks where they disappeared to for almost a decade. Plus, the comedian and actor Matt Braunger turns a minor argument with a friend into a serious comedy career. And the comedian Todd Barry delivers good news about skipping household chores.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Michael Ian Black talks about his memoir: "You're Not Doing It Right: Tales of Marriage, Sex, Death, and Other Humiliations". Plus, Black explains why he started compulsively Googling the phrase "Fat Kevin Federline". The writer Tom Bissell recalls his path to creative success ... and why that road probably doesn't exist anymore. And comedian Pete Holmes reveals the thing that really ticks him off: a bad sandwich.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

James Brown wasn't just the Minister of the New New Heavy Super Funk and the Godfather of Soul. He was the hardest working man in show business, and a complex character to boot. RJ Smith profiles the legend of popular music in an extensive biography, The One: The Life and Music of James Brown. Plus, comedian Cameron Esposito muses on her childhood appearance and summer music recommendations from The Low Times podcast.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Lisa Kudrow — the "dumb" one from Friends — talks about her career in brain science, and her current Showtime show Web Therapy. Plus, Eric Andre deconstructs the talk show — quite literally.And Jesse goes on a hunt for the ultimate flea market find, with American Picker Danielle Colby.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Robert Glasper transforms the 90s grunge hit Smells Like Teen Spirit into something surprisingly beautiful. Jesse talks to Pendleton Ward about his animated show Adventure Time. It combines two great elements of teenage boyhood: innocence and Dungeons & Dragons! And Found Magazine's Davy Rothbart shares a mysterious note uncovered in Texas.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Mark Adams – a magazine editor who had never even slept in a tent as an adult– treks through the Andes tracing the journey of Hiram Bingham. And the comedian Dave Hill ALSO throws himself into a difficult situation – performing at Sing Sing Correctional Facility. As a goof! Plus, Jordan Morris helps get America in order – by ranking its things.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Elvis Mitchell on how he made a career writing about movies, and why he was arrested on the Canadian border with Cuban cigars and 15 thousand in cash. Kevin Barnes, from of Montreal, goes small in the studio but BIG and BOLD on stage. Plus, the Brothers McElroy solve listeners' pressing pop culture problems and use a lot of Jurassic Park refereces in the process.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Mark Duplass is involved in half a dozen projects. But he isn't worried about spreading himself too thin. Plus, Jesse talks to the writer and comic Scott Aukerman about sketch comedy on the cult classic Mr. Show, scripts for doomed film projects, and what it's like hosting a new, surreal TV talk show: Comedy Bang Bang. And David Rees gets serious about the ART of pencil sharpening.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

In his new movie, Ice-T interviews Snoop, Rakim, and a bunch of other famous rappers. Plus, Ice reveals whether he wrote raps for Mr. T in the 80s. Jesse also talks to Greta Gerwig — star of the new movie Lola Versus, — and Aaron Freeman — formerly of the rock band Ween — about the song that changed his life.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Daniel Handler delves into his memories of young love to pen the novel "Why We Broke Up" — the twist? He writes the girl's side of the story. The Sklar Brothers talk about their new comedy album – from performing as identical twins to broadening their sports-nerd base. Plus Jesse suggests the Canadian TV show The Newsoom and American composer Nico Muhly shares the song that changed his life. [originally aired February 2012]Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Comedian Kurt Braunohler explains his improvised anti-game show, where among other things, comedians are challenged to verbally shame puppies. The comedy group Kasper Hauser will interrupt our entertainment program to bring you a fake news broadcast. And the novelist Walter Mosley on his distinctive brand of detective fiction. Plus the AV Club's Scott Tobias and Nathan Rabin discuss Wes Anderson's new film Moonrise Kingdom and the new stand-up comedy special from Hannibal BuressLearn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Mets pitcher R.A. Dickey talks about fighting his way through 10 years as a marginal pro baseball player before giving himself over to the uncontrollable but devastating knuckleball.Then we travel back to the early 60s, on the streets of San Francisco, where James P Coyle & Mal Sharpe convince a man to rob a bank for them — all in the interest of humor. And for his Outshot, Jesse suggests you check out The Best Show on WFMU.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Craig Finn of The Hold Steady talks about the unpredictable and emotional music of the punk band The Replacements, and how one their songs changed his life. Video game journalist and TV host Morgan Webb talks semiotics, video games, and who REALLY makes up the gaming community. The actor Benedict Cumberbatch talks about putting his spin on one of pop culture's most ubiquitous heroes, Sherlock Holmes. And Jason Kottke suggests you check out the documentary Senna — about the Brazilian Formula One driver, and two mini-documentaries about HAM.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Jesse interviews comedian Chris Gethard about booking P. Diddy at a tiny theater in New York. Lawrence Weschler talks about why CGI faces will never look quite right, and why humans are addicted to narrative. Plus some all-time TV picks from Erik Adams and Claire Zulkey, and pop culture advice from My Brother, My Brother and Me. [Episode originally aired January 2012]Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy