Bullseye with Jesse Thorn Folgen

A lawyer, a writer, a psychiatrist, and a theater professor got together to write a humor book about earning your MBA on the toilet. The group is called Kasper Hauser. Rob Baedeker and James Reichmuth talk about how they balance comedy with full-time jobs, how they pick their jokes democratically, and why they haven't left the Bay Area. And then a look back at the life of David Rakoff. His new novel was published posthumously this month. To reflect, hear a couple of David and Jesse's past conversations. Plus, the editors from the new film site The Dissolve recommend Blue Jasmine and The Act of Killing. Then Jesse talks about Elliott Gould's turn as a 50s noir hero adrift in 70s LA, in Robert Altman's The Long Goodbye.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Rick Moranis was a movie star. Strange Brew, Ghostbusters, Spaceballs, Honey I Shrunk the Kids. And then he quit. We'll talk about why he doesn't regret leaving show business to raise his children. And find out why he's returning to the public eye with an album of Jewish songs called My Mother's Brisket & Other Love Songs. Then, hear Jesse's interview with a true soul music icon — Booker T Jones. Plus, Carolyn Kellogg offers up a couple of great new books you should read this summer, we play a little bit from Doug Benson's new comedy album, and Jesse talks about Chance The Rapper's free mixtape Acid Rap.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

You'd be hard pressed to find two music groups with more divergent sounds than the jam band Phish and the horrorcore rap duo Insane Clown Posse. But they've got something in common. Each of them has a deeply passionate following, and each of them has deeply, deeply passionate haters. When Nathan Rabin tried to write a critic's look at these bands' worlds, he found himself sucked in. Then later Jesse talks to Benjamin Nugent about another group of American sub-culture. D&D players, historical reenactors, ham radio enthusiasts. You know, nerds. Ben is the author of American Nerd: The Story of My People. His 2007 book looks at what the word actually means.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy