Pop Culture Happy Hour

This Week On Culturetopia: Leonardo DiCaprio on playing J. Edgar Hoover; Walmart’s new fine art museum; the lasting impact of Ayn Rand’s novels on legislators; how Spotify works; remembering Heavy D.

This week on Pop Culture Happy Hour, NPR Monkey See's Linda Holmes returns to lead a discussion on winter movie, from the art filmes and Oscar-bait movies like My Week With Marilyn, The Iron Lady and Young Adult to potential blockbusters The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo, Mission Impossible, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy and more. Then, a look at television shows that use music exceptionally well, including Six Feet Under, Freaks and Geeks, Jimmy Fallon and more. Plus What's Making Us Happy this week. 

This week on Culturetopia: The Surgery That Saves Silenced Singers, 'Art Of The Arab Lands' Displays A Global Heritage, Punk Rock Grows Up, And Grays, In 'Other F Word', J. Cole: An Upstart Rapper Speaks For Himself, The Red Solo Cup: Every Party's Most Popular Guest

This week on Pop Culture Happy Hour, the PCHH gang talk about people in pop culture we've underestimated — from Lisa Kudrow to Russell Brand. Then a disccusion about makes a great game show, Regrettable Television Pop Quiz and What's Making Us Happy this week.

This week on Culturetopia Justin Timberlake on his adventures in comedy, music, and acting. Tony Bennett talks about his new album Duets II. Rita Moreno and John Leguizamo discuss cultural hurdles. and John Landis on the Thriller dance.

This week on Pop Culture Happy Hour, NPR Monkey See's Linda Holmes, Stephen Thompson, Glen Weldon and Trey Graham consider the Halloween television that they enjoy (and don't), from The Simpsons and the Great Pumpkin to the Addams Family, Frasier, Freaks and Geeks and more. Then the gang expands on some recommendations we've made in the past, and talk about What's Making Us Happy.

This week on Culturetopia: Actress Amy Poehler speaks about the political aspirations of Leslie Knope, her character on NBC's comedy Parks and Recreation. Martin Lindstrom about his new book Brandwashed. Plus bilingual Texas trio Girl in a Coma; arts funding lacks diversity; and the 'Real Sybil' admits her multiple personalities were fake.

This week on Pop Culture Happy Hour, NPR Monkey See's Linda Holmes, Stephen Thompson, Trey Graham and Glen Weldon talk about the aging of admiration, the progress of fall television — including Revenge, Terra Nova, Pan Am and Gifted Man. Then What's Making Us Happy.

This Week on Culturetopia: Whether Hollywood's run out of ideas; electronic music festivals in the media's crosshairs; "Catch 22" turns fifty; the real birdwatchers behind "The Big Year."

On this week's Pop Culture Happy Hour, NPR Monkey See's Linda Holmes along with Glen Weldon, Stephen Thompson and Trey Graham are joined by pop culture critic and boxing expert for a lively discussion about robot boxing, regular boxing and the new film Real Steel. Plus a new twist on the Regrettable Television Pop Quiz (including musicals!), and lots and lots more.

This Week On Culturetopia: Hemingway's fishing boat; the joy of letters; folk icon Bert Jansch remembered; an Afghan-American performance artist in Kabul; the latest album from singer-songwriter Feist.

This Week on Culturetopia: Idris Elba on playing Luther (and hopefully, James Bond); a lost work of Beethovan's, restored; Showtime's new series about an unstable CIA agent; remembering the Godmother of Hip-Hop; Ben-Hur on DVD

This week on Pop Culture Happy Hour, NPR Monkey See's Linda Holmes, Trey Graham, Glen Weldon and Stephen Thompson explore the rebooted DC comics universe by sampling issues of the newly relaunched series. They then talk about watching football together, and — naturally — tell you What's Making Us Happy this week.

This week on Pop Culture Happy Hour, NPR Monkey See's Linda Holmes and the PCHH gang gather after watching the first week of FOX's new singing competition show, The X Factor.  Then movies about sneezing, countertenors, and a game that will call upon your vast knowledge of famous injuries in pop-culture history. Plus What's Making Us Happy this week.

This week in Culturetopia: The author of "Moneyball" speaks; a new documentary backed by Jamie Foxx; an idiosyncratic composer reveals his methods; new biopics reviewed; Susan Lucci says goodbye.