Sacha Baron Cohen And Larry Charles Talk 'Bruno'
()When Sacha Baron Cohen grants an interview, it's usually in character — as Borat, the clueless faux-Kazakh journalist; or as Bruno, the outrageously shallow, ostentatiously gay Austrian fashionista at the center of Cohen's most recent film. Today, though, Cohen joins Fresh Air as himself, for a conversation with Terry Gross and Bruno director Larry Charles.
- Hardcover Fiction:
#1 'The Lacuna' - Hardcover Nonfiction:
#1 'What the Dog Saw' - Paperback Fiction:
#1 'Olive Kitteridge' - Paperback Nonfiction:
#1 'Three Cups of Tea'
Fine Art
Headless Actors On A Global Playground()
November 16, 2009 The mannequins in Yinka Shonibare's exhibition at the Smithsonian National Museum of African Art might be missing a crucial body part, but they more than make up for it in subtext. Shonibare's sculptures take on climate change, class, race and exploitation, all without losing their playful edge.
History
Terra Cotta Warriors March Through Washington()
November 15, 2009 In 1974, a group of farmers digging a well in central China stumbled upon a buried figure. It turned out to be one of an estimated 7,000 life-sized terra cotta warriors in an underground tomb complex. The warriors and a host of other figures were created for China's first emperor, Qin Shihuangdi. Host Guy Raz drops by the National Geographic Museum in Washington, D.C., to see an exhibit of the figures.
Television
With Its Limp Remake, AMC Breaks 'The Prisoner'()
November 13, 2009 AMC's newest miniseries is an ill-advised attempt at a reboot of the cult-hit '60s spy series: A man known as Six (Jim Caviezel) finds himself trapped in a strange desert village, dogged by a mysterious watcher (Ian McKellen's elusive Two). Critic David Bianculli says that despite McKellen's captivating performance, the remake has none of the curious genius of the original.
Author Interviews
'Mad Scientists,' Building The Future For 50 Years()
November 15, 2009 If you've used a GPS system — or if you happen to be using the Internet to read this — you can thank DARPA, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency. For 50 years, the smallish, somewhat secretive division of the Pentagon has been mostly off-limits to reporters. Now author Michael Belfiore has profiled the agency in a new book.
Author Interviews
Scalia Book Explores The Man Behind The Justice()
November 12, 2009 In American Original: The Life and Constitution of Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia, author Joan Biskupic examines the justice's life as the son of Italian immigrants. She also explores his conservative views from interviews with him, his critics — and his writing. "His core essence comes out not so much in the majority opinion, but in his dissents," she says.
Movie Interviews
Cinematographer Gordon Willis, Setting the Scene()
November 13, 2009 The Academy Awards aren't until February, but cinematographer Gordon Willis is receiving his honorary Oscar for lifetime achievement award this fall. Willis is the visual mastermind behind classic films like Annie Hall, The Godfather, and Pennies From Heaven. We tip the hat in his direction with a rebroadcast of a 2002 conversation about his life behind the lens.
The Picture Show
Beijing's Underground Music Scene()
November 16, 2009 By Claire O'Neill For Americans, the days of extreme cultural revolution have arguably subsided. The heyday of rock has come and gone, as have new wave and punk — even post-punk — and grunge. So it seems like we've gotten a lot of musical subversi...
Television
Michael Urie, Carving Out A Character On 'Ugly Betty'()
November 12, 2009 A campy, over-the-top comedy that revolves around life at a glossy fashion magazine, Ugly Betty has won a loyal fan base — in part due to its matter-of-fact portrayal of gay characters. One of them, Michael Urie's scheming Marc St. James, has lately been showing a more humane side: He's become a big-brother figure for a "mighty festive" teenager who's having trouble with bullies at school.
The Picture Show
Parents Were Awesome... Before They Were Parents()
November 12, 2009 According to Eliot Glazer, your parents were once awesome. He has evidence on his photoblog.
Books
'The Red Book': A Window Into Jung's Dreams()
November 11, 2009 The journal — 16 years in the making — in which psychoanalyst Carl Jung documented his inner life was long hidden. Now, after a painstaking process of translation and reproduction, Jung's journal is finally available to the public.
