
The Dinner Party Download
Welcome to The Dinner Party Download, a fast and funny hour of culture, food and conversation: “public radio’s arts & leisure section.” In every episode you’ll learn a joke; bone up on an odd bit of history and then wash it down with a themed cocktail recipe; meet artists of note; have your burning etiquette questions answered; savor an emerging food trend; and hear your new favorite song. Plus, unconventional wisdom from hosts Rico Gagliano and Brendan Francis Newnam.
Latest episodes

Sep 1, 2017 • 49min
392: Lake Bell, Ted Leo, and Not Dumplings
Actor-director Lake Bell turns her lens on marriage — the good, the bad, and the ugly… Author Jenny Zhang suggests a few super “sour” bites of culture… Punk Rocker Ted Leo brings us tunes that’ll make you dance and think… The Posts demonstrate how NOT to tick off your college roommate… And Brendan tries Kubeh […]

Aug 25, 2017 • 49min
The Dinner Party Sandbox Series: Below-the-Line TV Special
Just in time for the Emmys, it’s a special episode all about TV’s unsung, behind-the-scenes heroes! The costume whiz behind “The Handmaid’s Tale” reflects on fashioning the series’ iconic headpieces — and fueling real-world protests… the music supervisor of “Insecure” explains how he secures the show’s pitch-perfect hip-hop and R&B soundtrack… A casting director for REALITY television […]

Aug 18, 2017 • 29min
The Dinner Party Sandbox Series: Listener Letters
We know you’ve been thinking, “What’s with all the reruns, DPD?” Well, a few of us have been taking a little time off this summer to recharge our batteries. Rest assured we’re hard at work on all-new classic DPD episodes we’ll be dropping on you in September. But, over the next few weeks, we’re bringing […]

Aug 11, 2017 • 49min
384: Kathryn Hahn, Tituss Burgess, Mac DeMarco
Encore Broadcast: The irrepressible Tituss Burgess from “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt” doles out etiquette advice and plays matchmaker… “I Love Dick” actor Kathryn Hahn pokes fun at the high-art world… Indie musician Mac DeMarco DJ’s his Italian family dinner… A visit to a vegan butcher… Wisdom from New York Times bestselling author Anne Lamott. Plus, a […]

Aug 4, 2017 • 14min
391: The 2017 All-Icebreaker Episode
It’s time for a cavalcade of icebreaker jokes! We’ve gathered a year’s worth of our show-starting jokes into one convenient listening experience. Brace yourselves for awesomely lame one-liners, knock-knock jokes, and more, courtesy of guests like Jordan Peele, Gillian Jacobs, Ava DuVernay, Danny Boyle, Rachel Bloom, Jane Lynch, Barry Jenkins, Norm Macdonald, and Tituss Burgess. […]

Jul 28, 2017 • 50min
374: Lin-Manuel Miranda, Ottessa Moshfegh, Beer Porridge
Lin-Manuel Miranda talks about his latest work in “Moana,” and reveals how a cross country trip helped him perfect his freestyle rapping… “Nerdette” co-host Greta Johnsen proves why Virginia is NOT for lovers… Rapper Kevin Abstract gives us a dinner party soundtrack for time travelers… Writer Ottessa Moshfegh shares her favorite characters nostalgic for other […]

Jul 21, 2017 • 50min
390: Flying Lotus, Kyle Mooney, Teju Cole, And a Chill Playlist to Beat the Heat
“Saturday Night Live” cast member Kyle Mooney takes on some first world problems… Writer and photographer Teju Cole explains how he tried to be gangsta in his new book… Flying Lotus chats with us about his nightmarish film ‘Kuso’ and why you shouldn’t believe everything you read about it… New York Times Editor Erin McCann […]

Jul 14, 2017 • 50min
389: Alan Alda, Mitski, and a $12 Million Card Trick
Alan Alda offers up etiquette advice (including when it’s OK to punch someone)… comedy duo the Lucas Brothers show us how to cheat at driver’s tests… rocker Mitski provides a party playlist for people who don’t party… Jody Avirgan and Rose Eveleth of ESPN’s “30 For 30” tell a tale of a $12 million card […]

Jul 7, 2017 • 27min
Speakeasy Special: Vinyls, Tyson(s) and Bears!
Surprise! Instead of serving up delicious leftovers (i.e. a rerun), we’ve got a fresh-out-of-the-oven Speakeasy special! This time around, Neil deGrasse Tyson explains why Albert Einstein could not have used hairspray, “I Love Dick” and “Transparent” star Kathryn Hahn shares a story you should NEVER tell at a dinner party, and Rico pays tribute to […]

Jun 30, 2017 • 50min
388: Alison Brie GLOWs, Samin Nosrat on acid, & more
How Alison Brie body-slammed her way to a role in “GLOW”… Cook and author Samin Nosrat explains why Iranians are the best hosts ever… Beth Ditto serves up a party soundtrack — and great gravy… Giancarlo Esposito (“Better Call Saul”) gives us the silent treatment… a detailed discussion on Piet Mondrian (the guy who painted […]
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