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Pianist Inna Faliks traces musical odyssey from Soviet Ukraine via Faustian fantasy

A new album by pianist Inna Faliks features world premiere recordings of works by five composers. Rosalind Wong/Inna Faliks hide caption

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Rosalind Wong/Inna Faliks

Music Interviews

Pianist Inna Faliks traces musical odyssey from Soviet Ukraine via Faustian fantasy

Faliks draws from her Ukrainian-Jewish heritage and Mikhail Bulgakov's anti-censorship novel The Master and Margarita for a new album.

Pianist Inna Faliks traces musical odyssey from Soviet Ukraine via Faustian fantasy

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The sexy sex is back in 'Bridgerton' season 3

Nicola Coughlan as Penelope Featherington in Bridgerton. Netflix hide caption

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Netflix

Review

Pop Culture Happy Hour

The sexy sex is back in 'Bridgerton' season 3

The Netflix series Bridgerton is back, as gossipy and over-the-top as ever. Penelope Featherington (Nicola Coughlan) and her crush on childhood best friend Colin Bridgerton (Luke Newton) take center-stage. When Penelope is determined to find a husband, Colin wants to help her and they start spending extra time together. But where will this lead? Well, you know the answer to that. It's all about the journey, and the clothes, and the nudity, and obviously, the Queen's hair.

The sexy sex is back in 'Bridgerton' season 3

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Sean Combs apologizes for 'my actions in that video' that appeared to show an assault

Sean "Diddy" Combs is pictured at the CBS Radford Studio Center in 2018 in Los Angeles. On Sunday, Combs apologized for his actions in a video that appears to show him beating his former singing protege and girlfriend Cassie Ventura in a Los Angeles hotel in 2016. Willy Sanjuan/Invision/AP hide caption

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Willy Sanjuan/Invision/AP

Music News

Sean Combs apologizes for 'my actions in that video' that appeared to show an assault

Without addressing his then-girlfriend Cassie Ventura, who is seen in the video being kicked and dragged in 2016, the hip-hop mogul says, "I was disgusted then when I did it. I'm disgusted now."

Hold on to your wishes — there's a 'Spider in the Well'
Illustrations © 2024 Jess Hannigan

Author Interviews

Hold on to your wishes — there's a 'Spider in the Well'

There's trouble in the town of Bad Göodsburg! A wishing well has stopped working! NPR's Tamara Keith talks with Jess Hannigan about her new children's book, "Spider in the Well."

Hold on to your wishes — there's a 'Spider in the Well'

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'Wait Wait' for May 18, 2024: With Not My Job guest Maya Hawke
Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images

Wait Wait...Don't Tell Me!

'Wait Wait' for May 18, 2024: With Not My Job guest Maya Hawke

Maya Hawke broke out in 2019, with a role in Stranger Things and her first single. Now, she's got a new album and a new movie in the same month, but can she answer our questions about birdwatchers?

'Wait Wait' for May 18, 2024: With Not My Job guest Maya Hawke

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Maya Hawke talks remixing Hannah Montana and fighting Mumford and Sons
Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images

Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me!

Maya Hawke talks remixing Hannah Montana and fighting Mumford and Sons

Actor and singer Maya Hawke joins us to talk Stranger Things, childhood songs, and folk music beefs with panelists Adam Burke, Faith Salie, and Negin Farsad.

Maya Hawke talks remixing Hannah Montana and fighting Mumford and Sons

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What did the internet call 'satanic'? Find out in the news quiz

From left: Harrison Butker, a slug, JoJo Siwa Jason Hanna/Getty Images; Vicky Barlow/@thehidephotography; Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images hide caption

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Jason Hanna/Getty Images; Vicky Barlow/@thehidephotography; Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images

The NPR news quiz

What did the internet call 'satanic'? Find out in the news quiz

What looks like "a ghost emerging from a pool of vomit"? Are meme stocks back? And what's up with the Trump-Biden debates? Plus: orcas with a thirst for violence and more Miss USA drama.

Bumble & the trap of modern dating; plus, living ethically in COVID's aftermath

Bumble pickleball ad. COVID masks. Charley Gallay/Getty Images; Miguel Medina/AFP/Getty Images hide caption

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Charley Gallay/Getty Images; Miguel Medina/AFP/Getty Images

It's Been a Minute

Bumble & the trap of modern dating; plus, living ethically in COVID's aftermath

This week, the dating app Bumble could not stay out of the news. First, the company launched an anti-celibacy advertising campaign mocking abstinence and suggesting women shouldn't give up on dating apps. Then, at a tech summit, Bumble's founder suggested artificial intelligence might be the future of dating. Both efforts were met with backlash, and during a time when everyone seems irritated with dating - where can people turn? Shani Silver, author of the Cheaper Than Therapy substack, and KCRW's Myisha Battle, dating coach and host of How's Your Sex Life? join the show to make sense of the mess.

Bumble & the trap of modern dating; plus, living ethically in COVID's aftermath

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'Back to Black' misses Amy Winehouse's point of view

Marisa Abela as Amy Winehouse in Back to Black. Olli Upton/Focus Features hide caption

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Olli Upton/Focus Features

Review

Pop Culture Happy Hour

'Back to Black' misses Amy Winehouse's point of view

The new music biopic Back to Black chronicles the life of singer-songwriter Amy Winehouse. The film stars Marisa Abela, and follows Winehouse as she records her breakthrough album, gets married, and struggles with addiction. But does the movie do justice to the singer and her music?

'Back to Black' misses Amy Winehouse's point of view

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'IF' only! These imaginary friends are sweet, but could have been so much more

Bea (Cailey Fleming) and Blue (voiced by Steve Carell) in IF. Paramount Pictures hide caption

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Paramount Pictures

Review

Movie Reviews

'IF' only! These imaginary friends are sweet, but could have been so much more

Imagine that imaginary friends were real. Now imagine that IF director John Krasinski and star Ryan Reynolds convinced A-list pals to voice them.

'IF' only! These imaginary friends are sweet, but could have been so much more

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Writer Carvell Wallace on past pain and forgiveness: Letting go is 'always available'
Macmillian

Author Interviews

Writer Carvell Wallace on past pain and forgiveness: Letting go is 'always available'

Fresh Air

Wallace is known for his celebrity profiles, but his new memoir, Another Word For Love, is about his own life, growing up unhoused, Black and queer, and getting his start as a writer at the age of 40.

Writer Carvell Wallace on past pain and forgiveness: Letting go is 'always available'

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What took him so long? Colin finally likes Penelope back in 'Bridgerton' season 3

Luke Newton as Colin Bridgerton and Nicola Coughlan as Penelope Featherington. Liam Daniel/Netflix hide caption

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Liam Daniel/Netflix

Review

Pop Culture Happy Hour

What took him so long? Colin finally likes Penelope back in 'Bridgerton' season 3

The Netflix show's third season takes on the "friends to lovers" romance trope.

What took him so long? Colin finally likes Penelope back in 'Bridgerton' season 3

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