Glen Weldon
Glen Weldon is a host of NPR's Pop Culture Happy Hour podcast. He reviews books, movies, comics and more for the NPR Arts Desk.
Over the course of his career, he has spent time as a theater critic, a science writer, an oral historian, a writing teacher, a bookstore clerk, a PR flack, a completely inept marine biologist and a slightly better-ept competitive swimmer.
Weldon is the author of two cultural histories: Superman: The Unauthorized Biography and The Caped Crusade: Batman and the Rise of Nerd Culture. He has written for The New York Times, The Washington Post, The New Republic, The Atlantic, Slate, McSweeney's and more; his fiction has appeared in several anthologies and other publications. He is the recipient of an NEA Arts Journalism Fellowship, an Amtrak Writers' Residency, a Ragdale Writing Fellowship and a Pew Fellowship in the Arts for Fiction.
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Étoile is the latest series from Amy Sherman-Palladino, the creator of Gilmore Girls and The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. It's about the wacky goings-on between two prestigious but struggling ballet companies, one in New York, and one in Paris. You'll see some of your favorite actors from the Gilmore and Maisel universes all speaking that signature rapid-fire, joke-dense patter. But can a comedy set in the rarified world of professional ballet find its audience – and be funny? Étoile is streaming on Prime Video. To access bonus episodes and sponsor-free listening for Pop Culture Happy Hour, subscribe to Pop Culture Happy Hour+ at plus.npr.org/happy. -
There was Barbenheimer Summer, then Brat Summer, what will this year bring? Maybe it's the season of actually good superhero movies, like The Fantastic Four and Superman. We've got a guide to the movies and TV we're most excited about this summer, including M3gan 2.0, Pixar's Elio, and Mission: Impossible. Amazon supports NPR and pays to distribute some of our content. -
Each week, guests and hosts on NPR's Pop Culture Happy Hour share what's bringing them joy. This week: A Dolly Parton memoir, the show Reacher, the game Dredge, and the song "Bittersweet" by Semma. -
Each week, guests and hosts on NPR's Pop Culture Happy Hour share what's bringing them joy. This week: The film Flow, a Pete Seeger album, Deal or No Deal Island, and the documentary Sly Lives! -
If you're having friends over to watch Hollywood's biggest night, we've got 10 recipes that will at least work on a conceptual level. -
There are 10 movies in the running for best picture. Our critics are split over whether Anora or Nickel Boys should take home the prize. -
If you ask us, Pam Grier, John Goodman, Oscar Isaac and Regina Hall are all long overdue for Oscar nominations. Here's why. -
In the age of streaming content and "Prestige TV" it's easy to forget that old school TV networks are still out here, pumping out television shows. ABC, CBS, Fox, and NBC have launched new series that adopt familiar formats – cop shows, lawyer shows, doctor shows – but each has something special to recommend it. So we're talking about St. Denis Medical, Doc, Doctor Odyssey, Matlock and High Potential. Subscribe to Pop Culture Happy Hour Plus at plus.npr.org/happyhour -
Each week, guests and hosts on NPR's Pop Culture Happy Hour share what's bringing them joy. This week: the TV show Silo, Rilo Kiley's reunion tour, and a send up of Emilia Pérez. -
There is something about a heist movie that's just fun. We dissect them and explain why they're such a crowd favorite.
