Bullseye with Jesse Thorn

Benny Safdie, known for his work in Oppenheimer and Uncut Gems, talks about his intense and unsettling show, The Curse. They discuss the challenges of acting in scenes where the characters don't know where anyone is and delve into the complexities of the character Whitney portrayed by Emma Stone. Benny Safdie also reflects on his father's unique filming style and discusses the influence, collaboration, and storytelling process in creating art that makes people uncomfortable.

Paul Dooley is a legend of showbiz. He's played some iconic dads in films like Sixteen Candles, Runaway Bride and Breaking Away. His book Movie Dad: Finding Myself and My Family, On-Screen and Off is about his seven decades in the business. Paul joins us to talk about his memoir and dives into his lengthy career including some more unusual gigs. He also gets into what it was like to portray dads on the big screen while his own family was falling apart.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Sonia Manzano is a legend of kids TV. She played Maria on Sesame Street for four decades and changed what children's media looked like. In 2021, she premiered a children's cartoon of her own called Alma's Way. On Bullseye, we're looking back at our conversation with Sonia: she talked with us about the show's first season and her childhood in the Bronx. Plus, what it's like when she meets fans in real life. Turns out: lots of tears!Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Norman Lear died last month. He was 101. He was a writer and showrunner for some of the biggest, most influential sitcoms of all time. He's responsible for shows like Sanford and Son, All in the Family, The Jeffersons and many more. When Lear was on Bullseye back in 2016, he was the subject of a PBS American Masters film — Norman Lear: Another Version of You. He talked with us about his childhood, working on so many sitcoms, and writing for an all Black cast.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Each year, Bullseye looks back on the year in stand-up comedy by presenting listeners with an annual end of year stand-up comedy showcase! The Bullseye team combed through dozens and dozens of albums to bring you some of the best comedy of 2023. That includes stand-up from: Maria Bamford, Marc Maron, Hari Kondabolu, John Mulaney, Sasheer Zamata and more!Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

It's the Bullseye Holiday Special! We've got Lil Rel Howery on what it was like to play Santa Claus in Dashing Through the Snow. Plus: Gregg Turkington, of Neil Hamburger fame on the "holiday" song that changed his life. By the Bee Gees, of all bands. Plus, director Henry Selick on the legacy of The Nightmare Before Christmas. Is it a Christmas movie or a Halloween movie? Listen to find out!Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Patrick Stewart, accomplished actor known for his role in Star Trek: The Next Generation and his memoir Making It So, discusses his auditions and weirdo comedy masterpiece Blunt Talk. He also talks about his time as a newspaper reporter, feeding a squirrel a walnut, and more.

Ira Kaplan has played guitar and co-fronted the band Yo La Tengo for almost forty years. He founded Yo La Tengo with his wife Georgia Hubley back in 1984. They've put out over a dozen albums since then. Their latest is This Stupid World. On Bullseye, Kaplan talks about Yo La Tengo's latest album, the band's early influences and the story behind their name. Plus, Jesse and Ira discuss the kind of "old guy" musician Ira wants to be as he settles into the back half of middle age.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

If you ask just about any alternative comic from the last twenty years to name their influences, one name you're sure to see come up is Steven Wright. Lately, though, Wright's been changing things up a little. He just wrote his first novel. It's called Harold. He joins us to talk about the new book and how much coffee he needed to drink to write it. Plus, he gets into his comedy career and how he landed his first stand-up spot on the Tonight Show.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Rebecca Sugar is behind some of the most magical shows on Cartoon Network. They started as a storyboard artist on Adventure Time. And went on to create the acclaimed cartoon Steven Universe in 2013. This year is the show's 10th anniversary! We're celebrating by revisiting our interview with Rebecca in 2019. They chatted with us about the process behind making Steven Universe and their favorite cartoons as a kid. Plus, how they deal with feedback from fans.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy