Jeffrey Tambor plays the transgender parent at the heart of "Transparent" -- the critically-acclaimed new dramedy series from Amazon, which manages to be poignant, sensitive, and funny. He tells Rico about the immersive prep he did for the role, and about his, like, totally spacey Bar Mitzvah, maaan.
Mike Hadreus -- aka Seattle musician Perfume Genius -- is known for almost painfully personal songs, but his new album "Too Bright" is making waves with its more anthemic sound and attitude. Not unexpectedly, there are a lot of emotions conveyed in the music he'd spin at a party: defiant, comforting... and occulty.
This week back in 1849, the great gothic horror writer Edgar Allan Poe headed off on his last business trip. What happened after that remains a mystery... except for the fact that he died. Concoct your own theories after sipping an appropriately dark cocktail from Baltimore's Poe-themed bar.
A signing-bonus style perk for new hires encourages an employee-to-be to take time off work before they even start working.
Pointed wit from Mike Hadreas, best known as Perfume Genius.
Christopher Latham Sholes' "literary piano" led to the 1868 invention of the typewriter -- and, along with it, the QWERTY keyboard layout. Learn about some of the quirks of Sholes' device, and then try to type the alphabet while drinking this cocktail.
From early struggles to revolutionary success, to a hazy decline due to bad timing and self-destructive choices, Tennessee Williams' life reads a bit like those of his characters. Critic and author John Lahr captures that story in an authoritative new biography of one of the 20th century's most significant playwright... including his first significant flop.
Comedian, actor, writer, director and monsterslayer Nick Frost ("Shaun of the Dead," "Hot Fuzz" and the new animated spectacular "The Boxtrolls") offers etiquette tips regarding alien encounters, zombie agriculture, and party planning. Pantsless all the while.
In Los Angeles, chef Nick Coe painstakingly crafts and markets his "Molonay Tubilderborst" ketchups. He tells us about the complex precursors to the humble condiment, and why there's more to life than Heinz.
Novelist Sigrid Nunez's latest book is "Sempre Susan," a biography of the late writer, critic, and activist Susan Sontag.