Erin McCann, Staff Editor at the New York Times, explains that after trying everything from porn (yes, really) to matchmakers (it's true), scientists have finally discovered that pandas may need a little romance to get in the mood to procreate.
Molly Crabapple Draws Blood, Dancers and Detainees
Molly Crabapple is an illustrator and activist whose work has appeared in Marvel comics, on protest posters for the Occupy movement, and she also traveled to Guantanamo to sketch the military hearings there. She just released a memoir called, "Drawing Blood." She reflects on her craft and what she learned from testing herself in "the naked girl business."
Gael García Bernal Goes From Messiah to Maestro
Gael Garcia Bernal was a TV star in his native Mexico from a very young age. And then broke into the international art house circuit with roles in the acclaimed films "Amores Perros" and "Y Tu Mamá También." He went on to star in movies like "Babel," "Rosewater," and "The Motorcycle Diaries." His latest project is a series for Amazon called "Mozart in the Jungle." The actor talks about his genius "Mozart in the Jungle" character, the rise of Mexican cinema... and then gets a bit of a reality check from Brendan.
Nihar Patel Tells Us About the Netflix Show That Haunts Him Everywhere He Goes
Writer and director Nihar Patel has contributed to Vice, Bloomberg, and the TV series "The Rotten Tomatoes Show." He tells us about the many people who've asked him about "Master of None," which he'd rather never talk about again. Hear him tell the tale.
Sir Ian McKellen – ‘Gap of Rohan’
Sir Ian McKellen, who talked about "naughty" Judi Dench and dispensed etiquette advice with us recently, gives us an icebreaker "Lord of the Rings" fans would enjoy.
Hannibal Buress Gives You Permission to ‘Go Wild’ in Canada
Hannibal Buress has written for loads of TV shows and he plays the lovable dentist on the hit series "Broad City." On Christmas Day, you can see him in the new movie "Daddy's Home." The comedian explains how unemployment prepared him for his freeloader "Daddy's Home" role and he answers listeners' etiquette questions with a bit of skepticism.
Soup Joumou: A Hatian New Year’s Tradition With A Rich History
Rico got a little ahead of himself this week and celebrated New Year's Day, but he sipped something without bubbles. It's called soup joumou. It's a soup with squash and macaroni that's traditionally eaten on New Year's Day in Haiti. And there's a really great reason for that. To learn about the soup and its history, he headed to the Haitian restaurant TiGeorges' Chicken in L.A.
Laurie Anderson Brings Us Yuletide Cheer in the Form of a Rat Terrier
A few weeks back, Laurie Anderson told us about her film "Heart of A Dog." Which, among other things, is about her relationship with her late rat terrier, Lolabelle. The dog turned out to be musically gifted.
Bruce Vilanch Attempts to Defend the ‘Star Wars Holiday Special’
Bruce Vilanch has had a storied career as a joke writer for performers from Bette Midler to Robin Williams and has six Emmys to his name. He also spent four years as a regular on "The Hollywood Squares" and appeared on Broadway in the musical "Hairspray". Listen as the comedian tries his best to shed light on the insane choices made to create what one critic has dubbed, "The worst two hours of television ever."
Jamie Oliver Injects Some Health Into Our Holiday Menu
Jamie Oliver started his career as a boyish chef who became an international star with a series of hit British cooking shows. He's got restaurants all over the world and has long led the campaign to make school lunches healthier. His new book, "Everyday Super Food," is full of quick, nutritious recipes. He looks back with Rico at the special that launched his career, then shares a few healthy, delicious holiday dishes... and one super unhealthy one.