The Dinner Party Download
American Public Media
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.
Episodes
Mentioned books
Aug 5, 2014 • 10min
Special Live Performance from Teenage Fanclub!
A couple weeks ago, The Dinner Party Download took a trip down south to North Carolina to stage a special live event in conjunction with the Merge 25 music festival. Over three days, dozens of bands from the indie record label Merge’s 25 year history gathered together – and we were delighted to help kick […]
Aug 1, 2014 • 51min
Episode 264: Margaret Atwood, Tim Gunn, and Hulk Hogan: Hero
This week: literary giant Margaret Atwood is prepared for giant bears… Tim Gunn returns, just in time for Project Runway’s 13th season debut, to save listeners from the ‘comfort trap’… Guitarist Steve Gunn (no relation to Tim, as far as we know) spins a mellow party playlist… The author behind the bestselling “Jack Reacher” series […]
Jul 24, 2014 • 59min
Episode 263: Bill Nye, David Crosby, and Our Big Party in Big Sur
This week: a very special edition of The Dinner Party Download originally crafted as part of the Big Sur Sound and Story Festival at the Henry Miller Memorial Library in Big Sur, California. The show is themed around a summer night, out under the stars. Bill Nye The Science Guy takes us on a trip […]
Jul 18, 2014 • 51min
Episode 262: Scarlett Johansson, Billy Eichner, and Slint
This week: Scarlett Johansson muses on ol’ blue eyes and earthly aliens … Comedian Billy Eichner takes etiquette to the streets … We catch up with 90′s alt stars Slint … A baseball game everyone wanted to lose … A terrifying rabbit, brought to you by UCB co-founder Matt Walsh … Uncovering Uzbek cuisine … […]
Jul 12, 2014 • 50min
Episode 261: Patricia Arquette, Weird Al, and Jenny Lewis
Pop-parodist “Weird Al” Yankovic on being weird (and Weird, and “Weird”) … “Boyhood” star Patricia Arquette’s stolen Santa Clauses … How singer Jenny Lewis kicks people out … A trademark-licensing dispute that lead to a big hit … Visiting a magical-realist Virgin Islands with author Tiphanie Yanique … New York Philharmonic conductor Alan Gilbert counts coughs to judge […]
Jul 4, 2014 • 50min
Episode 260: Audra McDonald, Thomas Jefferson, and Haggis in the U.S.A.
She may perform fearlessly, but Broadway star Audra McDonald tells us which party decoration freaks her right out … Thomas Jefferson (well, scholar and radio host Clay Jenkinson channeling Thomas Jefferson) expounds on patriotic decorum … Get ready, people, for a playlist from indie-supergroup People Get Ready … A scoop of new Spoon … Blankets that […]
Jun 28, 2014 • 51min
Episode 259: Rich Sommer, Jackie Collins, and Roger Ebert, Remembered
The life and legacy of critic Roger Ebert … Secret liaisons with Jackie Collins … Boozing and camping with “Mad Men” actor Rich Sommer … Heavy metal rockers Zig Zags crash your party … A spooky, supernatural adventure … Crafting a symbol of Pride … A joke for book-worms … And dating for super-nerds.
Jun 25, 2014 • 26min
Bonus: Steve Martin, in Conversation – From Scruggs to Jagger
A podcast-only bonus! We’re sharing the extended cut of our interview with Steve Martin, just in time for his 4th-of-July bluegrass shows at The Hollywood Bowl. Steve discusses his musical life, his early days as a performer, and the connection between banjo & de Kooning. Enjoy! And after hearing the interview, you will surely find this to […]
Jun 20, 2014 • 51min
Episode 258: Jonah Hill, House of Cards, Luxury Toast
This week: Jonah Hill’s search for the perfect coupling … Skip Lievsay explains how movies should sound … Life imitates board games imitating life (but not The Game of Life) … One mother’s love-hate relationship with a thousand plastic blocks … Getting what you pay for with luxury toast … The creator of “House of […]
Jun 14, 2014 • 51min
Episode 257: Jenny Slate, John Waters, and First Aid Kit
This week: Filmmaker, writer, and ‘Pope of Trash’ John Waters offers etiquette advice, naturally… Jenny Slate, star of the film “Obvious Child,” says ‘complicated’ and ‘comedy’ can coexist… Swedish sister duo First Aid Kit bring board games and tacos to their dinner cozy party … When we’re hungry, why do we get ‘hangry‘? … From Panama […]
