Aparna Nancherla doesn't know why she's here
24 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas •
Anxiety has always played a major role in Aparna Nancherla's comedy — whether she's joking about h...
Congress has voted to eliminate government funding for public media
18 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas •
Act now to ensure public media remains free and accessible to all. Your donation will help this esse...
Marc Maron would still like some validation
17 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas •
Marc Maron can project cynical misanthrope, but those who have spent countless hours listening to hi...
Celine Song is troubled by love
Thu, 10 Jul 2025 07:00:59 +0000
Contributed by Lukas • Default Dataset
Celine Song's films, "Past Lives" and "Materialists," invite the viewer to just slow down. To take i...
Jenny Han insists on hope
Thu, 03 Jul 2025 07:00:59 +0000
Contributed by Lukas • Default Dataset
Jenny Han feels like the same person as her teenage self – which might explain why her books and t...
Michelle Obama doesn't regret saying 'no'
Thu, 26 Jun 2025 07:00:39 +0000
Contributed by Lukas • Default Dataset
Michelle Obama says she's never truly been able to realize her own ambition. But now she's changing ...
What Kyle MacLachlan learned from his friend David Lynch
Sun, 22 Jun
Contributed by Lukas • Default Dataset
Kyle MacLachlan says he wouldn't have a career without his friend and longtime collaborator David Ly...
Kyle MacLachlan daydreams about the future
Thu, 19 Jun 2025 07:00:59 +0000
Contributed by Lukas • Default Dataset
Kyle MacLachlan is known for his iconic roles in David Lynch classics like "Blue Velvet" and "Twin P...
Jason Reynolds loves being a "crybaby"
Thu, 12 Jun 2025 07:00:59 +0000
Contributed by Lukas • Default Dataset
Jason Reynolds writes stories that don't talk down to kids. In young adult books like "Long Way Down...
Orville Peck killed his impostor syndrome
Thu, 05 Jun 2025 07:00:59 +0000
Contributed by Lukas • Default Dataset
Orville Peck is full of apparent contradictions. As a kid in South Africa, he went from dancing ball...
Ramy Youssef wants to make it weird
Thu, 29 May 2025 07:00:59 +0000
Contributed by Lukas • Default Dataset
Ramy Youssef's creative pursuits range from stand-up to his semi-biographical Hulu show, "Ramy," to ...
Mike Birbiglia doesn't think every setup needs a punchline
Thu, 22 May 2025 07:00:59 +0000
Contributed by Lukas • Default Dataset
When Mike Birbiglia tells a story, he tries to make it relatable to everyone in the audience – whe...
Jonathan Groff lost his faith while spelunking
Thu, 15 May 2025 07:00:59 +0000
Contributed by Lukas • Default Dataset
Jonathan Groff has brought his killer vocals and Disney-hero charm to Broadway hits like "Spring Awa...
Wanda Sykes is looking for higher stakes
Thu, 08 May 2025 07:00:59 +0000
Contributed by Lukas • Default Dataset
Wanda Sykes life has been defined by one act of courage after another. Leaving a safe career for com...
'Weird Al' Yankovic is the most normal person in show business
Thu, 01 May 2025 07:00:59 +0000
Contributed by Lukas • Default Dataset
When Weird Al's debut single, "My Bologna," came out, there wasn't really a model for how a parody a...
Joy Harjo thinks writing can heal regret
Thu, 24 Apr 2025 07:00:59 +0000
Contributed by Lukas • Default Dataset
Joy Harjo is one of the most revered poets in the United States, but she took a winding path to get ...
Brett Goldstein avoids emotions at all costs
Thu, 17 Apr 2025 07:00:59 +0000
Contributed by Lukas • Default Dataset
Don't be fooled by Brett Goldstein's grumpy exterior – he can't resist a big, open-hearted story. ...
Julianne Nicholson just wants everyone to take a beat
Thu, 10 Apr 2025 07:00:59 +0000
Contributed by Lukas • Default Dataset
Anyone who has seen Julianne Nicholson in "Mare of Easttown" or "Janet Planet" knows she is really g...
Elizabeth Olsen idolizes idleness
Thu, 03 Apr 2025 07:00:59 +0000
Contributed by Lukas • Default Dataset
Elizabeth Olsen is most famous for her role as Wanda Maximoff in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. But ...
John Green still has hope
Thu, 27 Mar 2025 07:00:59 +0000
Contributed by Lukas • Default Dataset
John Green keeps busy – from authoring blockbuster young adult novels like "The Fault in Our Star...
Uzo Aduba can do anything... except for the butterfly stroke
Thu, 20 Mar 2025 07:00:59 +0000
Contributed by Lukas • Default Dataset
From a young age, Uzo Aduba's parents taught her that she could do anything. That confidence has led...
For Natasha Rothwell improv is like prayer
Thu, 13 Mar 2025 07:00:59 +0000
Contributed by Lukas • Default Dataset
Natasha Rothwell can't help but collaborate. She honed her improv skills at the Tokyo Comedy Store w...
Zadie Smith lives more in the world than on the page
Thu, 06 Mar 2025 08:00:59 +0000
Contributed by Lukas • Default Dataset
London today is very different from the one Zadie Smith grew up in and the one she wrote about in he...
Bowen Yang thinks being present is overrated (encore)
Thu, 27 Feb 2025 08:00:59 +0000
Contributed by Lukas • Default Dataset
This week we're revisiting our episode with comedian Bowen Yang. The "SNL" cast member and "Las Cult...
Natalie Morales is trying to shake the "should"
Thu, 20 Feb 2025 08:00:59 +0000
Contributed by Lukas • Default Dataset
When Natalie Morales was a kid growing up in Miami, she didn't just have a mango stand, she ran an e...
Ronny Chieng is still chasing the perfect joke
Thu, 13 Feb 2025 11:55:49 +0000
Contributed by Lukas • Default Dataset
Comedian Ronny Chieng's original path wasn't to become a correspondent on "The Daily Show." Plan A w...
Ke Huy Quan is still proving he's good enough
Thu, 06 Feb 2025 08:05:00 +0000
Contributed by Lukas • Default Dataset
Ke Huy Quan was born in Vietnam, but his family fled the country and eventually settled in the U.S. ...
Jesse Eisenberg sprinkles trouble throughout his day
Thu, 30 Jan 2025 08:00:59 +0000
Contributed by Lukas • Default Dataset
Jesse Eisenberg plays characters who spend a lot of time in their heads grappling with anxiety, fear...
Michael Shannon thinks you look ridiculous when you shout
Thu, 23 Jan 2025 08:00:59 +0000
Contributed by Lukas • Default Dataset
Michael Shannon grew up a kid of divorced parents, shuttling between Kentucky and Illinois and never...
Remembering David Lynch — Producer's Cut
Thu, 16 Jan 2025 23:05:53 +0000
Contributed by Lukas • Default Dataset
David Lynch, the visionary filmmaker behind "Mulholland Drive," "Eraserhead" and "Twin Peaks" has di...
The light and dark of Ted Danson (encore)
Thu, 16 Jan 2025 08:00:59 +0000
Contributed by Lukas • Default Dataset
We're listening back this week to our conversation with actor Ted Danson. Ted seems like he's everyw...
Kate Bowler wants to tame her inner efficiency monster
Thu, 09 Jan 2025 08:00:59 +0000
Contributed by Lukas • Default Dataset
Duke professor Kate Bowler was 35 years old when she was diagnosed with Stage IV cancer. Her memoir ...
Michelle Buteau thought she was too happy for stand-up
Thu, 02 Jan 2025 08:00:59 +0000
Contributed by Lukas • Default Dataset
When you see Michelle Buteau perform, she gives off a blended vibe of, "Oh my god, I can't believe I...
BONUS - Wild Card in the Wild
Thu, 26 Dec 2024 11:35:36 +0000
Contributed by Lukas • Default Dataset
Usually for this show, Rachel is in the NPR studio in Washington, D.C., and the guests are famous pe...
Wild Card: Best of the deck
Thu, 26 Dec 2024 08:00:00 +0000
Contributed by Lukas • Default Dataset
As 2024 winds down, we're sharing some of our favorite answers from the earliest Wild Card episodes....
Barry Jenkins chooses to believe in chaos
Thu, 19 Dec 2024 08:00:59 +0000
Contributed by Lukas • Default Dataset
Barry Jenkins is best known for indie films like "If Beale Street Could Talk" and "Moonlight." Now h...
Ilana Glazer is connecting with their inner animal
Thu, 12 Dec 2024 08:00:59 +0000
Contributed by Lukas • Default Dataset
2024 has been a big year for Ilana Glazer. First they co-wrote and co-starred in "Babes." Now, they ...
Ilana Glazer on responsibility and a belief John Lithgow let go of
Thu, 12 Dec 2024 08:00:00 +0000
Contributed by Lukas • Default Dataset
Comedian Ilana Glazer talks about being prepared at a young age for grown-up responsibilities and Jo...
John Lithgow just wants a good ending
Thu, 05 Dec 2024 08:00:59 +0000
Contributed by Lukas • Default Dataset
Everyone has their own role that made them fall in love with John Lithgow. It could be "Footloose" o...
Ira Glass plays a nicer version of himself on the radio
Thu, 28 Nov 2024 08:00:59 +0000
Contributed by Lukas • Default Dataset
In the world of podcasts and radio, Ira Glass is a legend. But he tells Rachel that he doesn't think...
BONUS - Sandra Cisneros is in her 'magical mystery period'
Tue, 26 Nov 2024 08:00:59 +0000
Contributed by Lukas • Default Dataset
Sandra Cisneros is best known for her debut novel, The House on Mango Street, which follows a year i...
Jimmy O. Yang can't take a compliment
Thu, 21 Nov 2024 08:00:59 +0000
Contributed by Lukas • Default Dataset
Jimmy O. Yang finds his own success unlikely. He says as an Asian-American immigrant, he "snuck in" ...
Erykah Badu's goals are intentionally unreachable
Thu, 14 Nov 2024 08:00:59 +0000
Contributed by Lukas • Default Dataset
Erykah Badu is best known for her music career, but her resume is much more diverse than that. She's...
Ann Patchett wants to be wrong
Thu, 07 Nov 2024 08:00:59 +0000
Contributed by Lukas • Default Dataset
Ann Patchett's 2001 novel Bel Canto was a huge hit. She's continued to have success with her later w...
Kathryn Hahn feels more powerful than ever
Thu, 31 Oct 2024 07:00:59 +0000
Contributed by Lukas • Default Dataset
Kathryn Hahn can turn a supporting role into the most memorable part of a movie or TV show. In every...
Seth Meyers likes being the punchline
Thu, 24 Oct 2024 07:00:59 +0000
Contributed by Lukas • Default Dataset
When Seth Meyers started at Saturday Night Live, he saw pictures of famous former cast members on th...
Mark Duplass is greedy for the little moments
Thu, 17 Oct 2024 07:00:59 +0000
Contributed by Lukas • Default Dataset
Mark Duplass is known for his roles in The Morning Show and The League, as well as for writing, dire...
Gael García Bernal rejects certainty
Thu, 10 Oct 2024 11:08:39 +0000
Contributed by Lukas • Default Dataset
Gael García Bernal was basically fated to be an actor. His mom and dad were both in show business a...
Margaret Atwood isn't surprised people find her scary
Thu, 03 Oct 2024 07:00:59 +0000
Contributed by Lukas • Default Dataset
Margaret Atwood knows that she scares people. She says that's been the case since the beginning of h...
Terry Crews likes feeling small in the universe
Thu, 26 Sep 2024 07:00:44 +0000
Contributed by Lukas • Default Dataset
Terry Crews went to college on an art scholarship, played football in the NFL, and now stars in movi...
Sterlin Harjo gets irrationally angry in Whole Foods
Thu, 19 Sep 2024 07:00:59 +0000
Contributed by Lukas • Default Dataset
When Sterlin Harjo was growing up, he didn't see many Native Americans in mainstream media. But Ster...
Hanif Abdurraqib is a 'genius.' His friends aren't impressed
Thu, 12 Sep 2024 07:00:59 +0000
Contributed by Lukas • Default Dataset
Hanif Abdurraqib's writing has earned him a MacArthur "genius" grant. His most recent book, There's ...
Kacey Musgraves is trying to get right with time
Thu, 05 Sep 2024 07:30:00 +0000
Contributed by Lukas • Default Dataset
From the beginning of her career, Grammy-winning musician Kacey Musgraves has been doing what feels ...
Jeff Goldblum invites the surprise
Thu, 29 Aug 2024 07:00:59 +0000
Contributed by Lukas • Default Dataset
Jeff Goldblum has a special brand of charisma — the kind that seeps its way into all of his roles....
Rob Delaney loves to fail
Thu, 22 Aug 2024 07:00:59 +0000
Contributed by Lukas • Default Dataset
Rob Delaney has experienced great success as a comedian and actor. He created and starred in the acc...
Jenny Slate turns fear inside out (encore)
Thu, 15 Aug 2024 07:00:59 +0000
Contributed by Lukas • Default Dataset
Jenny Slate is known for her roles in Obvious Child, Marcel the Shell with Shoes On and Parks and Re...
Taffy Brodesser-Akner is finally home
Thu, 08 Aug 2024 07:00:59 +0000
Contributed by Lukas • Default Dataset
Taffy Brodesser-Akner built her journalism career with her incisive celebrity profiles and then foun...
Abby Wambach wants to be forgotten
Thu, 01 Aug 2024 07:00:59 +0000
Contributed by Lukas • Default Dataset
As the U.S. women's national soccer team's all time top goal scorer, Abby Wambach knows what it feel...
Ani DiFranco found power in scaring people
Thu, 25 Jul 2024 07:00:59 +0000
Contributed by Lukas • Default Dataset
Musician Ani DiFranco has never stopped growing as an artist. In the last year alone, she starred in...
LeVar Burton is learning to embrace the chaos
Thu, 18 Jul 2024 11:04:02 +0000
Contributed by Lukas • Default Dataset
LeVar Burton has three roles he'll forever be known for: Kunta Kinte on the TV series Roots, Geordi ...
Nikki Giovanni doesn't think about her legacy
Thu, 11 Jul 2024 07:00:59 +0000
Contributed by Lukas • Default Dataset
At 81, Nikki Giovanni isn't afraid of getting older. And the legendary poet also isn't spending any ...
The light and dark of Ted Danson
Thu, 04 Jul 2024 07:00:59 +0000
Contributed by Lukas • Default Dataset
Ted Danson has mastered the role of the happy-go-lucky guy with a quick wit and a quicker smile – ...
Lena Waithe's religion is 'The Wizard of Oz'
Thu, 27 Jun 2024 07:00:59 +0000
Contributed by Lukas • Default Dataset
At 40, Lena Waithe already has an impressive legacy, with dozens of writing, acting and production c...
Taylor Tomlinson is fine with being 'perpetually afraid'
Thu, 20 Jun 2024 07:00:59 +0000
Contributed by Lukas • Default Dataset
Taylor Tomlinson has found the kind of success many comedians dream about, with multiple Netflix spe...
A rare dive into David Lynch's mind
Thu, 13 Jun 2024 10:32:03 +0000
Contributed by Lukas • Default Dataset
David Lynch doesn't do a lot of interviews. The Twin Peaks and Mulholland Drive creator usually just...
Bowen Yang thinks being present is overrated
Thu, 06 Jun 2024 07:00:59 +0000
Contributed by Lukas • Default Dataset
Bowen Yang has had some iconic Saturday Night Live roles — the iceberg that sank the Titanic, the ...
Jack Antonoff doesn't believe in 'no regrets'
Thu, 30 May 2024 07:00:59 +0000
Contributed by Lukas • Default Dataset
Jack Antonoff has seemingly cracked the code for producing hit albums, winning multiple Grammys for ...
Ada Limón doesn't want all the answers
Thu, 23 May 2024 07:00:59 +0000
Contributed by Lukas • Default Dataset
As U.S. Poet Laureate, Ada Limón has focused her attention on the natural world, most recently edit...
Why Chris Pine gave up on being perfect
Thu, 16 May 2024 07:00:59 +0000
Contributed by Lukas • Default Dataset
Chris Pine says his directorial debut, Poolman, got "obliterated" by critics. But the Star Trek and ...
Issa Rae thinks a little delusion goes a long way
Thu, 09 May 2024 07:00:59 +0000
Contributed by Lukas • Default Dataset
Last year, Issa Rae was in three Oscar-nominated movies (Barbie, American Fiction and Spider-Man: Ac...
Jenny Slate turns fear inside out
Wed, 01 May
Contributed by Lukas • Default Dataset
Welcome to Wild Card with Rachel Martin. In this first episode, Rachel talks to Jenny Slate, known f...
Welcome to Wild Card with Rachel Martin
Wed, 24 Apr
Contributed by Lukas • Default Dataset
Part-interview, part-existential game show – this is Wild Card with Rachel Martin from NPR. Host R...