Bullseye with Jesse Thorn

John Hodgman guest hosts this interview with astrophysicist Dr. Neil deGrasse Tyson. Dr. Tyson is the director of the Hayden Planetarium, but the layperson likely knows him as the host of Star Talk Radio and the PBS program Nova ScienceNOW. His upcoming projects include a new version of the TV series Cosmos — originally hosted by Carl Sagan — and a new book titled Space Chronicles. He talks to us about how money for space exploration stacks up to other spending, his personal space travel dreams, and more.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

John Hodgman guest hosts an interview with the fantasy, science fiction and horror author George R. R. Martin. Martin is the author of the very popular series known as "A Song of Ice and Fire", which has recently been adapted for the HBO show "Game of Thrones". He joins us to talk about creating a fantasy universe, (very) involved fans, and more.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Is cultural innovation at risk when we indulge in retromania? Music critic Simon Reynolds joins us to talk about why songs today are more unimaginative when we have unprecedented access to decades' worth of past music, the loop of re-creating old sounds, and more. His new book is Retromania: Pop Culture's Addiction to its Own Past.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Nicolas Winding Refn is the Danish director of the new film "Drive", starring Ryan Gosling and Carey Mulligan. Refn had a very specific vision for the film, which included trance-like music and throwbacks to the aesthetics of films of his childhood. "Drive" won Refn the Best Director award at this year's Cannes Film Festival.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Robert Popper is a British comedy writer behind projects like the BBC mock educational series "Look Around You" with Peter Serafinowicz and the new BBC America series "Friday Night Dinner". He's also an accomplished prankster. We'll talk to him about regressing to childhood in the company of your siblings and parents, the construction of some of his favorite comedy bits, and more.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Paul Scheer, an actor and comedian behind shows like Adult Swim's NTSF:SD:SUV:: and MTV's Human Giant, talks to us about low budgets, when parody comes from a place of love, and more.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Damian Kulash talks to us about the moment he heard Herbie Hancock's Rockit, and how it it informed his life today as the lead singer of OK GO. The band's live album, 180/365, is out now.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Bruce Campbell is a writer, producer, and cult movie actor who starred in Sam Raimi's Evil Dead series and can currently be seen on the USA show Burn Notice. We talked to him about the DIY aesthetic and feeling of his projects, obsessive fans, and how he came to make cult horror movies, of all things.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Danny Pudi is an actor and comedian, best known for his role as the pop culture-obsessed Abed Nadir on the NBC show Community. He talks to us about working on a show that's as much fun to shoot as it is to watch and working improv comedy into a scripted show.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Bruce McCulloch, best known as one of the members of the comedy troupe The Kids in the Hall, is a writer, actor and director of movies like Superstar and Stealing Harvard. He talks to us about tracing his musical comedy roots, the dynamics of The Kids in the Hall, and more.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy