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'IF' only! These imaginary friends are sweet, but could have been so much more

Bea (Cailey Fleming) and Blue (voiced by Steve Carell) in IF. Paramount Pictures hide caption

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Paramount Pictures

Review

Movie Reviews

'IF' only! These imaginary friends are sweet, but could have been so much more

Imagine that imaginary friends were real. Now imagine that IF director John Krasinski and star Ryan Reynolds convinced A-list pals to voice them.

'IF' only! These imaginary friends are sweet, but could have been so much more

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Writer Carvell Wallace on past pain and forgiveness: Letting go is 'always available'
Macmillian

Author Interviews

Writer Carvell Wallace on past pain and forgiveness: Letting go is 'always available'

Fresh Air

Wallace is known for his celebrity profiles, but his new memoir, Another Word For Love, is about his own life, growing up unhoused, Black and queer, and getting his start as a writer at the age of 40.

Writer Carvell Wallace on past pain and forgiveness: Letting go is 'always available'

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What took him so long? Colin finally likes Penelope back in 'Bridgerton' season 3

Luke Newton as Colin Bridgerton and Nicola Coughlan as Penelope Featherington. Liam Daniel/Netflix hide caption

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Liam Daniel/Netflix

Review

Pop Culture Happy Hour

What took him so long? Colin finally likes Penelope back in 'Bridgerton' season 3

The Netflix show's third season takes on the "friends to lovers" romance trope.

What took him so long? Colin finally likes Penelope back in 'Bridgerton' season 3

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'Babes' gives us a funny (and gross) portrait of parenthood

Michelle Buteau and Ilana Glazer in a scene from the film Babes. Gwen Capistran/Neon hide caption

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Gwen Capistran/Neon

Review

Pop Culture Happy Hour

'Babes' gives us a funny (and gross) portrait of parenthood

The new movie Babes stars Ilana Glazer and Michelle Buteau as longtime best friends who've made very different life choices. It's also about the inherent joys, stressors, and grossness of parenthood, and what it means to embrace your chosen family. It's the feature directorial debut of Pamela Adlon (Better Things).

'Babes' gives us a funny (and gross) portrait of parenthood

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Target scales back on its LGBTQ+ merchandise ahead of Pride Month 2024

Target confirmed that it won't be carrying its LGBTQ+ merchandise for Pride month this June in some stores after the discount retailer received backlash last year. Here, Pride month merchandise is displayed at a Target store in Nashville, Tenn, in May 2023. George Walker IV/AP hide caption

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George Walker IV/AP

Pride Month

Target scales back on its LGBTQ+ merchandise ahead of Pride Month 2024

In a statement to NPR, a spokesperson for the retail giant says it is committed to supporting the LGBTQ+ community year-round, not only during the month of June.

Looking to the past and future of Black Twitter

Stand-up comic W. Kamau Bell is featured in Black Twitter: A People's History. Hulu/Disney hide caption

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Hulu/Disney

Review

Pop Culture Happy Hour

Looking to the past and future of Black Twitter

For years, Black Twitter was the watering hole. It was where we could pop off jokes about Olivia and Fitz on Scandal. It's also where you could call out social injustices. It was both a state of mind and a state of being online. A new Hulu docuseries called Black Twitter: A People's History puts the massive global reach of that space into perspective. But what's changed now that it's owned by Elon Musk?

Looking to the past and future of Black Twitter

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How this Girl Scout troop offers community to migrant children

The girls excitedly raise their hands during an activity at Girl Scout Troop 6000's weekly meeting at the Row Hotel on Wednesday evening. Lexi Parra/NPR hide caption

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Lexi Parra/NPR

Consider This from NPR

How this Girl Scout troop offers community to migrant children

The Girl Scouts have been part of American childhood for generations. And now that quintessential experience is helping young girls, who are new to the United States get a sense of belonging. It comes through a Girl Scout troop based in one of New York City's largest migrant shelters.

How this Girl Scout troop offers community to migrant children

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The miracle of middle age with Miranda July

Author Miranda July poses next to her novel, "All Fours" Elizabeth Weinberg/Amazon hide caption

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Elizabeth Weinberg/Amazon

It's Been a Minute

The miracle of middle age with Miranda July

Our culture is full of stories about what it's like to be young: to find yourself, to fall in love, to leave home. But there aren't nearly as many scripts for what middle age might look like, especially for women. This week, host Brittany Luse is joined by author and filmmaker Miranda July, whose new novel 'All Fours' dives deep into the mystery and miracle of being a middle aged woman.

The miracle of middle age with Miranda July

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Alice Munro, Nobel Prize-winning short story author, dies at 92

Canadian author Alice Munro as she receives a Man Booker International award at Trinity College Dublin, in Dublin, Ireland, on June 25, 2009. Peter Muhly/AFP via Getty Images hide caption

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Peter Muhly/AFP via Getty Images

Obituaries

Alice Munro, Nobel Prize-winning short story author, dies at 92

The Canadian writer was known for her masterfully crafted short stories. Throughout her long career, she earned a number of prestigious awards including the Nobel Prize in Literature in 2013.

Alice Munro, Nobel Prize-winning short story author, dies at 92

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From child star to 'Abbott,' Tyler James Williams pays it forward to the kids on set

Tyler James Williams and Quinta Brunson co-star as teachers on Abbott Elementary. ABC hide caption

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ABC

Television

From child star to 'Abbott,' Tyler James Williams pays it forward to the kids on set

Fresh Air

Williams was young when he was thrust into the public eye as the star of Everybody Hates Chris. Now a teacher on Abbott Elementary, he works to help his child actor colleagues feel comfortable.

From child star to 'Abbott,' Tyler James Williams pays it forward to the kids on set

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'Evil Does Not Exist' — or does it? — in this mysterious Japanese eco-drama

Ryô Nishikawa plays Hana in Evil Does Not Exist. via Janus Films hide caption

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via Janus Films

Review

Movie Reviews

'Evil Does Not Exist' — or does it? — in this mysterious Japanese eco-drama

Fresh Air

The residents of a bucolic woodland community face off against a developer with big plans for the land in a film that will leave you rapt — and profoundly unnerved.

'Evil Does Not Exist' — or does it? — in this mysterious Japanese eco-drama

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Fallout continues from the Miss USA resignations as a runner-up declines the crown

Noelia Voigt (L) and UmaSofia Srivastava (R) attend a charity event in New York City on May 8, the week that they stepped down as Miss USA and Miss Teen USA. Rob Kim/Getty Images for Smile Train hide caption

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Rob Kim/Getty Images for Smile Train

National

Fallout continues from the Miss USA resignations as a runner-up declines the crown

After a pair of resignations rocked the pageant world, organizers have found a replacement for Miss USA but not Miss Teen USA. Last year's runner-up said this week that she turned down the crown.

System of a Down's Serj Tankian on his memoir, why a new album hasn't come since 2005

Serj Tankian, singer for System of a Down Travis Shinn/Hachette Books hide caption

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Travis Shinn/Hachette Books

Author Interviews

System of a Down's Serj Tankian on his memoir, why a new album hasn't come since 2005

System of a Down singer Serj Tankian covers fleeing the Lebanese Civil War as a child, advocating for recognition of the Armenian Genocide, and why his band hasn't made a new album since 2005.

System of a Down's Serj Tankian on his memoir, why a new album hasn't come since 2005

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