
Hosted by WNYC · EN

When Afropunk Festival founder James Spooner was still a teenager, he arrived in New York City in the 1990s and quickly became enmeshed in the punk scene. But as a Black kid in a majority-white space, he often didn't feel welcome. Thus launched his life's mission to create more inclusive spaces for punk fans, and the creation of his celebrated documentary "Afro-Punk." Spooner discusses his new memoir recounting this journey, It Starts With Anger: A Punk Beginning. An AFROPUNK Ending. Cover art courtesy of the publisher Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Sam Roberts is the longtime obituary reporter for The New York Times, a job that requires writing mini-biographies with speed and accuracy. Roberts discusses his new book about that art, Are They Dead Yet?: The Art of the Obit. Cover art courtesy of the publisher Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

[REBROADCAST FROM June 25, 2026] A new documentary from Ahmir "Questlove" Thompson explores the musical origins and lasting cultural impact of Earth, Wind & Fire. Questlove discusses "Earth, Wind & Fire (To Be Celestial vs. That's the Weight of the World)" which is streaming on HBO Max. Photo by Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images for Tribeca Festival: Ralph Johnson, B. David Whitworth, and Verdine White of Earth, Wind & Fire perform onstage at the "Earth, Wind & Fire" Opening Night Premiere during the 2026 Tribeca Festival at Beacon Theatre on June 03, 2026 in New York City. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

[REBROADCAST FROM February 12, 2026] Founded in 1967, the American Basketball League stood in contrast to the NBA with a looser, flashier, more entertaining approach to the game. It produced superstars, especially Julius Irving, aka "Dr. J" before merging with the NBA in 1976. "Soul Power: The Legend of the American Basketball Association," a new docuseries executive produced by Julius Irving about the league debuts tonight on Amazon Prime. Director, Kenan Kamwalla Holley talks about making the comprehensive series. Photo via Bettmann/Getty Images: Milwaukee Bucks center Lew Alcindor, making his debut in the National Basketball Association, used the head of Detroit Piston #20 Otto Moore for leverage as he shoots a basket in the Bucks-Pistons game. Bucks #50 Len Chappell watches. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

[REBROADCAST FROM July 17, 2025] The new two-part documentary "Billy Joel: And So It Goes" provides an in-depth look into the life and career of Long Island's beloved piano man. Co-director Susan Lacy discusses the project, which premieres episode one Friday evening on HBO and HBO Max. Listeners weigh in with their favorite Billy Joel memories and performances. Photo by Richard E. Aaron/Redferns via Getty Images: Billy Joel performs live on stage during his 1980 US tour Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

[REBROADCAST FROM April 26, 2021] Author and podcast host Julia Sweig discusses her book, Lady Bird Johnson: Hiding in Plain Sight, as well as her podcast, ‘In Plain Sight: Lady Bird Johnson,’ which draws on over 123 hours of Johnson’s audio diaries, many of them unheard until now. Photo by Education Images/Universal Images Group via Getty Images: Portrait Of Lady Bird Johnson Among Wildflowers In Texas Hill Country. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

[REBROADCAST FROM May 25, 2026] The stars of the Broadway musical 'Ragtime' join Alison Stewart live in The Greene Space at WNYC. Joshua Henry, Caissie Levy, Brandon Uranowitz, Nichelle Lewis, Ben Levi Ross, and Shaina Taub perform songs from the show and discuss stepping into one of the largest casts on Broadway. Director Lear deBessonet shares his experiences directing the production. This event is part of All Of It's Broadway on the Radio series. Photo by Zach Gottehrer-Cohen/WNYC Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The new film "Late Fame" follows a New York City poet named Ed Saxberger (played by Willem Dafoe) who was working in relative obscurity until a group of young people become obsessed with his work. Director Kent Jones and actors Dafoe and Edmund Donovan discuss the film, in theaters August 7. Still courtesy of Magnolia Pictures: A scene from LATE FAME. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Director Jane Schoenbrun's third feature film, “Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma,” follows a young filmmaker, played by Hannah Einbeinder, tasked with reviving a dated -- and problematic -- slasher series, Camp Miasma. Schoenbrun's and Einbeinder discuss the film, the history of homophobic and transphobic messaging in horror, and what it's like to make a queer slasher movie. Film still courtesy of MUBI Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

[REBROADCAST FROM April 22, 2026] Director Pete Ohs has said he makes movies the same way he did in high school, with everyone playing a part in the writing, acting, and filming. In his new film "Erupcja," those collaborators include Charli XCX and Jeremy O. Harris, in a story about a young woman who meets up with a perennial fling while on a romantic trip to Warsaw with her boyfriend, who plans to propose. Ohs and Harris discuss the film. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.