Bullseye with Jesse Thorn

Greg Daniels is a screenwriter, television producer and director. Over the span of more than three decades he's worked on some of the most beloved comedy television shows. Seriously, he's worked on some of your favorite tv series: Seinfeld, The Simpsons, Saturday Night Live, The Office, King of The Hill, and so many more. These days, he still keeps busy. Greg has two sitcoms in production. On Amazon, you can watch the second season of his show Upload – a dramedy set in a cloud-backup afterlife. Netflix's Space Force, reunites Greg with Steve Carrell for the first time since The Office. The premise for the show is pretty simple: Carrell plays General Mark Naird, and he heads up the newest branch of the American armed forces. He's got a bunch of money and a sort of vague sense of purpose – what could possibly go wrong? Space Force and Upload are streaming now.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

The Song That Changed My Life gives us a chance to talk with different artists about the music that has inspired them. On the latest installment, we are joined by Eric Nam. Eric is an Atlanta-born singer, songwriter, and entertainer. He has worked with Timbaland, Gallant, Craig David, and a bunch of others and has headlined festivals like KCON and the Seoul Jazz Festival. He recently released an album called There and Back Again and just wrapped up a solo tour of the US where he sold out literally every venue, including in his hometown of Atlanta. When we asked him about the song that changed his life, he took the name pretty literally. He picked John Legend's "Ordinary People." The song that propelled him to stardom.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

You probably know Brian Cox from Succession. He plays patriarch Logan Roy on the show. But Brian has hundreds of credits acting with a career spanning decades: movies, TV shows, even a stint with the Royal Shakespeare Company! Cox recounts his career in a new memoir. Putting the Rabbit in the Hat covers his childhood, growing up in postwar Dundee, Scotland, his time studying and performing Shakespeare in the U.K., and his big break into TV and film.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Syl Johnson, the Chicago soul and blues singer, died last month at 85. He was probably best known for his work on Hi Records, the home of Ann Peebles and, of course, Al Green. In fact, he turned down a record deal that ended up going to Green. The songs Johnson cut for Hi in Memphis were some of the best soul records of their time. Hip-hop producers have feasted on Johnson's records, making him one of the most frequently sampled recording artists in the history of the genre. But more than that, Johnson was a career artist. He lived in Chicago, where he raised his daughter Syleena, a great soul singer in her own right. He made soul and blues records throughout his life. We spoke to Syl back in 2012. He was in his 70s then and gigging relentlessly, and his albums had just been re-released by Numero Group. Johnson was whip-smart, funny... and maybe a little cantankerous. He'll be sorely missed.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Alana Haim has been leading two very distinct careers. First, there's her music - Alana is one third of the Grammy nominated, critically acclaimed rock group Haim. And then there's her acting. Alana made her big screen Debut in the new Paul Thomas Anderson film Licorice Pizza. The role has earned her a Golden Globe nomination along with a bunch of other awards. It's also up for Best Picture, Best Original Screenplay and Best Director at this year's Academy Awards. Alana joins the show to talk about Licorice Pizza and how she found out she got the lead part in the film. She also chats with us about what it was like growing up in the San Fernando Valley, playing in a band with her family and more.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Betty Davis died earlier this month. She was 77. She was the very definition of a cult hero – she never cut a hit record, but her influence is still strong today. Her music was absolutely unforgettable, and her style was outrageous, like a funky Barbarella with a two-foot-wide Afro. Her band was the best of the best. Even her husband was influential. (That's Betty Davis as in Miles Davis – they say she convinced him to listen to Sly Stone and make Bitches Brew.) Davis put out three classic records in three years, and then in 1980... she stopped. She retired from music altogether and moved back to Pittsburgh, where she grew up. Stopped doing interviews, stopped playing concerts. She disappeared from public life completely. When we talked to her in 2007, she was quiet and reserved, a sharp contrast with her persona as a performer. It was her first radio interview since her retirement.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

You read that right: Chrsitopher Walken! One of the greatest character actors ever. So many iconic parts: King of New York, Pulp Fiction, The Deer Hunter, Catch Me If You Can, and Hairspray. These days, you can see him on the dystopian workplace dramedy Severance. Christopher Walken talks about Severance and working alongside John Turturro. He'll also get into his days as a child actor and gives us a history lesson about the early days of television. After all, he's been working in showbiz for over 60 years! Plus, we get into one of his most memorable moments on Saturday Night Live.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

The Craziest Day of My Entire Career is a segment that gives us the chance to talk with some of our favorite people about the weirdest workday they have experienced so far. This week, our guest is Alan Tudyk. Alan is a brilliant character actor and a performer who can do a thousand and one impressions. He has worked in movies like Rogue One, I, Robot, and several Pixar films. His latest project is the SyFy series Resident Alien. In it, Alan plays an extraterrestrial tasked to live on earth as a human, a man named Dr. Harry Vanderspeigle. When we asked Alan Tudyk about the craziest day of his career, he took us way back. Back when he was mainly a Broadway performer but got a part in the 90s dramedy Patch Adams, which would change his life forever.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Big Boi and Sleepy Brown. Two legendary recording artists! Big Boi is one half of the legendary rap duo OutKast and a prolific solo-artist. Sleepy Brown is a veteran singer-songwriter and producer. Along with his team production team Organized Noize, he helped produce well over half of OutKast's discography. He's also worked with Beyoncé, Pharrell Williams, and Ludacris. Their latest joint effort is an album: "Big Sleepover." Despite collaborating and representing the ATL for decades it's their first record together. We talk about the Big Sleepover with Sleepy Brown and Big Boi, and about the pleasure they get from working together after all these years. They also get into the history of Atlanta hip-hop, parenting, and so much more.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Charlie Day is the star and co-creator of It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia. You probably knew that already, because Always Sunny is the longest running live-action comedy in the history of television. And it's still good! But Charlie Day, the actor, is more than Charlie from Always Sunny. He helped co-create the very funny TV show Mythic Quest. He's acted in movies like Pacific Rim, Horrible Bosses, The Lego Movie – and now, the romantic comedy I Want You Back, where he co-stars with the phenomenal Jenny Slate. We'll talk with Charlie about the movie and playing zany characters – plus, he's started rewatching Always Sunny episodes he hasn't seen in over a decade! He tells us what that's like.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy