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Society & Culture

Bullseye with Jesse Thorn

NPR

Bullseye is a celebration of the best of arts and culture in public radio form. Host Jesse Thorn sifts the wheat from the chaff to bring you in-depth interviews with the most revered and revolutionary minds in our culture. Bullseye has been featured in Time, The New York Times, GQ and McSweeney's, which called it "the kind of show people listen to in a more perfect world."

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  • 26 episodes
  • a few times a week
  • Avg 38 min
  • English

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Episodes 26

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  • Tuesday · 42 min

    Remembering Dolly Parton

    We’re taking a moment to remember Dolly Parton who died on August 25, 2026. The trailblazing icon of country and western music joined us on Bullseye back in 2012. She’d just released a book called Dream More: Celebrate the Dreamer in You. Dolly talked with us about her impoverished childhood, how she had dealt with fame over the years, and some of the songs that could still make her cry. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy

  • Friday · 39 min

    'Cookie Queens' documentary filmmaker Alysa Nahmias

    Documentarian Alysa Nahmias has directed and produced films about PTSD, navigating the world with disabilities, the criminal justice system and other serious topics. Her latest film is called Cookie Queens follows the lives of four young girls as they sell Girl Scout cookies. It may seem like a departure from Alysa's previous work, but it's a story that's not just about cookies. Alysa joins us to talk about how she landed this subject to tell a story that's about the pressures of aging out of childhood, economic class and the harsh realities of capitalism. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy

  • September 1 · 42 min

    American Football

    We’re talking with Mike Kinsella and Steve Holmes of the emo band American Football. The band just released their fourth full length album, simply titled: American Football (LP4). Mike and Steve join us to chat about their early years playing music together in high school, how they eventually came to cut a record in college, and reveal what happened to the house pictured on the cover of their debut album. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy

  • August 28 · 47 min

    Geena Davis

    Geena Davis is a genuine legend in show business: Beetlejuice, Thelma and Louise, A League of Their Own and many more. For over two decades, The Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media has gathered data on representation of not just women but of all marginalized groups and how they're being represented in entertainment media. She gets into her work with the institute, her acting career and how she almost became an Olympic archer. A version of this interview originally aired in May of 2016. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy

  • August 25 · 50 min

    Rakim

    Rakim changed the rap game forever. He’s one half of the groundbreaking hip-hop duo, Eric B. and Rakim. And a legendary solo rapper in his own right. Rakim joined us on the show back in 2023. That year marked 50 years of hip-hop. He talked with us about how he met Eric B, shared stories about his late friend and fellow emcee, Biz Markie and much more. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy

  • August 21 · 40 min

    Dale Dickey on her Emmy nominated performance in 'Widow's Bay'

    The character actor Dale Dickey has a career that spans nearly four decades and more than 150 roles. When she's on screen you know you're in for a treat. Dale's now in her mid-60's, and she's just been nominated for her first Emmy for her performance in Apple TV's Widow's Bay. She joins us on Bullseye to talk about the Emmy-nominated show. Plus, we get into the time she played Shrek... at various kids parties in the greater Los Angeles area. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy

  • August 18 · 40 min

    Stavros Halkias

    Comedian, podcaster and actor Stavros Halkias joins us on the latest episode! He chats with us about starring in the new Anthony Bourdain biopic, Tony, when he discovered a passion for joke telling, his distinct look and much more! See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy

  • August 14 · 15 min

    I Wish I Made That: Kurt Andersen, author of 'The Breakup'

    I Wish I Made That is a segment where we invite some of our favorite creative folks to dive deep into a piece of culture. We are joined by writer Kurt Andersen. Andersen is a longtime writer and editor, as well as co-founder the magazine Spy and former host of the public radio show Studio 360. The thing he wished he had made? The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test by Tom Wolfe. The book chronicled the counterculture movement of the '60s. It did not make Kurt more of a hippie than he already was, but it did make him want to be a writer. Kurt's latest novel The Breakup will be out August 18th, pre-order now. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy

  • August 11 · 42 min

    Isaiah Rashad

    Isaiah Rashad, our guest, dropped his third album this past Spring. The record is called It’s Been Awful, and doesn’t take long into listening to it to tell that despite the obstacles life has dealt him – Isaiah’s thriving and maybe making his best work yet? Isaiah joins us to talk about the new album, his favorite Prince song, parenthood and much more! See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy

  • August 9 · 12 min

    Bonus: Bullseye's 'Put You On' with Derek Guy

    Did you know that folks that support Bullseye directly get access to a bonus podcast? Put You On is the show where Jesse and a guest answer recommendation questions from our audience members on just about anything: books, movies, cooking! We've had people like Linda Holmes, Alonso Duralde and more. This month we were joined by Derek Guy – the famous Menswear Guy from social media. We're presenting a bit from that episode in the feed. You can listen to this full episode and see what we've been working on by clicking here. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy

  • August 7 · 40 min

    Podcaster and writer Sean Clements on 'The Dink'

    Sean Clements is a writer for the big and small screen. His latest project is a feature film called The Dink. It's a movie about pickleball starring Mary Steenburgen and Jake Johnson. The movie was inspired by some of Sean's experiences with the sport – which he was very skeptical about at first as a pretty serious tennis player. We also get into his work as co-host of the comedy podcast Hollywood Handbook and what it's like to make celebrities uncomfortable on that show. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy

  • August 4 · 41 min

    Meshell Ndegeocello

    Grammy-winning bassist, producer and singer Meshell Ndegeocello is back on Bullseye! Earlier this year she produced a tribute album dedicated to the late blues guitarist BB King. She joined us to chat about the new record, her early days playing with go-go band Rare Essence, why she loves being a band leader as a bass player, and much more. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy

  • July 31 · 41 min

    John Early and Kate Berlant

    John Early and Kate Berlant have been performing as a comedy duo for over a decade now – their brand of comedy is a little surreal, a little unhinged and always laugh-at-loud funny. John and Kate joined us on the program a few years ago.They talked with Jesse about their comedy special Would It Kill You to Laugh?, how they balance their creative partnership with their independent work and why Kate should have eaten a tuna melt before sitting down to her NPR interview. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy

  • July 28 · 48 min

    Rapper Jeezy

    Rapper Jeezy helped bring trap music into the mainstream in the early 2000s alongside other pioneering rappers like T.I. and Gucci Mane. These days, Jeezy has his very own Las Vegas residency running throughout July and August at Planet Hollywood. When he joined us back in 2023, he’d just released a memoir called Adversity for Sale: Ya Gotta Believe. He chatted with us about the book, the first time he found his love of music, and much more. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy

  • July 24 · 39 min

    David Wain

    David Wain is a comedy legend. Alongside Michael Ian Black, Michael Showalter, Ken Marino and many other heavy hitters, Wain co-founded The State, the massively influential comedy troupe responsible for Wet Hot American Summer. Wain returns to Bullseye to talk about his latest project: Gail Daughtry and the Celebrity Sex Pass. He talks about writing the screenplay which involved locking himself up with Marino – literally! Plus, how he got Jon Hamm to agree to make a cameo in the film. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy

  • July 21 · 36 min

    Judy Chicago

    Judy Chicago is an artist who works in sculpture, performance, needlework, and even fireworks. She has been making art for over 50 years and currently has an exhibition in conjunction with the Venice Biennale called 'The Materiality of Judy Chicago' She joins us to chat about the career-spanning exhibition, the art skills she gained from classes at an auto body school, and much more! See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy

  • July 17 · 25 min

    Guy Branum - Live at The Lyric Hyperion

    Earlier this year, as a thank you to the many people who supported this show during the MaxFunDrive, the Bullseye team did something pretty silly and fun: we promised to crash an open mic. We showed up at the Lyric Hyperion Theater in Silverlake, Los Angeles. Jesse talked with Guy Branum about his incredible solo show: "Be Fruitful" and so much more. If you'd like to support our show, it's easy: click here. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy

  • July 14 · 50 min

    Taskmaster’s Alex Horne and Greg Davies

    We’re talking all things Taskmaster! The British game show in which comedians compete against each other through a series of odd, sometimes very funny, tasks. The show’s creator, Alex Horne, and his co-host, Greg Davies, join us to chat about some of their favorite past tasks, why most of the contestants are comedians, and how they come up with tasks for the show. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy

  • July 10 · 44 min

    Jinkx Monsoon

    Jinkx Monsoon is a legend in the world of drag. For fans of RuPaul’s Drag Race she is often referred to as "Queen of All Queens" – she’s the only performer to win that competition show twice. Monsoon is set to make her debut on London's West End this August in London in Cole Escola’s Tony award-winning play Oh Mary. We discuss Jinkx’s latest gigs on the stage and how she found herself through drag performances. A version of this interview originally aired in September of 2025. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy

  • July 7 · 34 min

    Remembering Barney Frank

    Barney Frank died earlier this year at the age of 86. He served in Congress for 32 years, representing Massachusetts’ 4th district. In December of 2015, Frank joined us at a live show in Boston to chat about a book he had written called Frank: A Life in Politics from the Great Society to Same-Sex Marriage. He also talked with us about his early political career, why he felt his public service was incompatible with his private life, and more. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy

Showing 1–20 of 26 episodes