Bullseye With Jesse Thorn

Christine Baranski is an actor with an impressive resume. She went to Juilliard, performed on Broadway in shows like The Real Thing, Rumors, and House of Blue Leaves – she's won two Tony Awards. On the hit sitcom Cybil she played the title character's best friend, Maryann and won an Emmy award for the role. Baranski's an iconic character actor with a distinctive look that commands your attention on screen. In 2009, she got a part on The Good Wife as Diane Lockheart. The show's spin off The Good Fight is airing its final season now on Paramount+. Baranski reflects on her time portraying Diane on The Good Fight as the show wraps up. Plus, she talks about being one of the early graduates of Juilliard, and her long-time collaborated relationship with Broadway legend Stephen Sondheim.

Cristin Milioti is an actor who's been in a lot of stuff lately. She's in the HBO show Made for Love , the new Peacock series The Resort and she's appeared on FX's Fargo and in the Wolf of Wall Street. When we talked with her on Bullseye, she had just starred in 2020's Palm Springs where she acted alongside Andy Smaberg. Linda Holmes, the host of NPR's Pop Culture Happy Hour, conducted the interview. They talk about Palm Springs and Cristin's roles on shows like How I Met Your Mother, 30 Rock and in the Tony Award-winning Broadway show Once.

James Acaster is a standup comic from London. On stage, his comedy is observational, a little absurd and animated, but also really cutting. His most recent special is called Cold Lasagne Hate Myself 1999. This week, we're revisiting our conversation with James from 2018. We'll talk about the different ways comics in the US and UK develop their material and how James has struggled to bring his comedy stateside. Plus, he'll discuss the time he genuinely believed he was in a band that could change the world, and how a near death experience led him to a career in stand-up. His third book James Acaster's Guide to Quitting Social Media is out now.

Bonnie Hunt has done it all. And she is extremely good at, well, all of it. She's a comedian, an actor, a TV host, a writer and a director. Her first ever part was in Rain Man, and since then she's starred in films like Jumanji (1995), had parts in three sitcoms in the 90s, and hosted her own talk show in the 2000s. Bonnie has also created several hit TV shows and directed movies. Her latest endeavor is a family TV series called Amber Brown, which is now streaming on Apple TV Plus. It's based on the Paula Danziger book of the same name. Bonnie Hunt joins Bullseye to talk about the new show and why she thought it was important to make an understated kid's series. She also talks about how she discovered improv in Chicago, and how she managed to combine it with her day job as a nurse. Plus, she talks about The Bonnie Hunt Show and what made it so unique.

It's easy to forget how even the smallest roles of the government can affect our lives in profound ways. The G Word is a comedy-documentary series that explores just that. On the show, the surprising ways the US government finds its way into everyday life are examined through deep dives into topics like bank regulation, the Food and Drug Administration, the National Weather Service and more. Adam Conover hosts The G Word. Throughout the series Adam covers the government's triumphs, but also its failures. Adam talks with us about The G Word, his previous series Adam Ruins Everything, and the journey to find his voice as a comic.

Danny Elfman has made some of the most iconic, recognizable music over the last half a century. He fronted Oingo Boingo in the early 80s. He scored his first film in 1985: Pee-Wee's Big Adventure, followed soon by other iconic movies like Batman, Beetlejuice, and Mission Impossible. Last year, he released his first rock album in over 3 decades: Big Mess. And this year, he's followed it up with another album: Bigger, Messier. The album features remixes of songs from Big Mess from artists like Trent Reznor, Xiu Xiu, and Iggy Pop. He talks with our correspondent Brian Heater about all that and more. Also, crustaceans.

The Craziest Day of My Entire Career is a segment that gives us the chance to talk with some of our favorite people about the weirdest workday they have experienced so far. This time around, we're joined by the one and only Patton Oswalt. Patton's resume speaks for itself. He's an Emmy and Grammy award winning standup comic. He played the voice of Remy in the Disney Pixar film Ratatouille . He's also a hilarious comic actor with the skills for drama, too. When we asked Patton about the craziest day of his entire career, well he didn't have to spend too long thinking about it. He took us back to the time he declined a free ride in the Planters Peanut Mobile only to be party to an intense, harrowing road rage battle.

Christina Ricci talks with Bullseye about the unique, fascinating arc her career has taken. Ricci began as one of the most iconic child actors of the 90s - think Casper and The Addams Family. Then, an indie film legend in films like Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas. The Ice Storm. Buffalo 66. And now: Emmy nominated star of the breakthrough TV hit Yellowjackets. Correspondent Jordan Crucchiola geeks out with Christina about all things Yellowjackets and so much more.

Comedian Nicole Byer is busy, in every sense of the word. She plays the role of headstrong Nicky on NBC's Grand Crew, a show about a group of wine-loving friends in Los Angeles who are doing their best to climb the career ladder, maintain relationships, and love each other. She's doing standup. She's co-hosting the show Wipeout with John Cena. She has four podcasts – Why Won't You Date Me, Newcomers, 90 Day Bae, and Best Friends! With Sasheer Zamata. In 2020, she published her first book "#VERYFAT#VERYBRAVE." She even plays Susie's mom in the upcoming Rugrats reboot! She's currently nominated for her third Emmy, for hosting Nailed It on Netflix.

Matt Berry asks himself a very simple question before choosing which projects he wants to do. Is it funny? That's it. It's probably the reason why the British actor-comedian is rarely seen in any role that isn't hilarious, or at least mostly funny and kind of odd. That's Matt's signature. Matt has starred in a bunch of comedy shows over the years, his most recent being the hit series What We Do In The Shadows. It's a mockumentary about vampires based on the 2014 movie of the same name. The show is now well into its fourth season, and it keeps on getting better. When we last had Matt on Bullseye, he talked with us about the best part of playing a vampire, where he got the inspiration for his Toast of London character, how writing songs from the perspective of a serial killer really boosted his career and more.

There's something about the animation in Bob's Burgers that makes the show magical. Maybe it's the pacing of the dialogue, the musical sequences or maybe it is just that deranged, almost feral look Tina gets when she is really on one. It's what makes Bob's Burgers so beloved by its fans, adored by critics and the recipient of eleven Emmy nominations. And now, a movie! The Bob's Burgers Movie hit theaters this past May, and it is streaming now on Hulu and HBO Max. It is a great movie for kids, adults, longtime fans of the show and people who have not heard of it. We talk with Loren Bouchard, the show's creator, about the series, the new movie and how the show came to be. He also shares what makes the animated series different from others.

D'Arcy Carden joins Bullseye to talk about her newest project, A League of Their Own. Amazon's newest series is based on the 1992 movie of the same name. Like the movie, the show tells the story of The Rockford Peaches, an all-women professional baseball team in World War II. When the show begins, it's clear the Rockford Peaches face a tough season, filled with long bus rides, difficult player trades and all the other baggage of being a wartime baseball team. The show reunites Carden with her longtime improv collaborator Abbi Jacobson, who co-created and stars in the series. A League of Their Own debuts August 12 on Amazon Prime.

Hannah Waddingham's portrayal of Rebecca on Ted Lasso earned her an Emmy award last year and another nomination this year for the second season of the show. She's originally a stage performer and had award-winning parts in shows on Broadway and London's West End. On Game of Thrones she played Septa Unella. To celebrate her latest Emmy nomination we're taking a moment to revisit her conversation with Linda Holmes from last year. They get into her role in Ted Lasso, and her years of performing in theater. Plus, what it's like to find a mouse in your dress while performing live on stage.

John Turturro is an acting legend. He is an actor that many directors like to work with, including both Spike Lee and the Coen Brothers. This year he is up for an Emmy for his role as Irving in the mind-bending sci-fi office drama Severance. When he last joined Bullseye, he had just starred in the movie Gloria Bell, directed by the Chilean filmmaker Sebastian Lelio. Turturro shared how he nailed down the subtleties and complexities of playing a character that might seem like an average joe in Gloria Bell. Plus, he also shared stories from his time working on some true classics like Spike Lee's Do The Right Thing and the Coen Brothers' The Big Lebowski.

David Harbour is currently starring on the Netflix blockbuster hit Stranger Things. He plays Police Chief Jim Hopper, initially tasked with searching for a missing child in the fictional town of Hawkins, Indiana. Every season, the show gets a bit more paranormal and tense, so we asked David if he had any on-set stories that stick out in his mind. To nobody's surprise, he tells us a bonkers story from season one of Stranger Things.

Isabella Rossellini is probably best known as an actor, having acclaimed parts in movies like Blue Velvet, Death Becomes Her and Big Night. She was born into European film royalty, being the daughter of director Roberto Rossellini and actor Ingrid Bergman. Isabella is not just a terrific actor. She is also a model, a performance artist, an accomplished singer and even an academic. Most recently, Isabella has lended her talents to voice acting. She is starring alongside Jenny Slate in the movie Marcel the Shell with Shoes On. Isabella Rossellini talks with guest host Louis Virtel about her role in the new film and what went into making it come to life. Plus, she talks about some of her past roles and shares why she is attracted to working in experimental films.

Dianna E. Anderson is a writer based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Their latest book called In Transit: Being Non-Binary in a World of Dichotomies. As the title suggests, the book is an exploration of non-binary identity. The book is also a bit of a memoir, covering how Dianna came out as non-binary. Dianna talks with Bullseye about their new book and their experiences as a non-binary person. Plus, we'll discuss practical ways folks can be better allies to non-binary people.

Sports writer Howard Bryant talks to Bullseye about the legacy of baseball great Rickey Henderson, and his new book Rickey: The Life and Legend of an American Original. In telling the story of Rickey, Bryant dives into the history of baseball: how players began to realize their true monetary value, and how Black players came to assert themselves as stars in the game.

Lisa Loeb does it all. She is a Grammy-winning musician, has appeared in movies, hosted cooking and entertainment shows and even has her own line of glasses. Most recently, Lisa is contributing her talents to the podcast world and is starring in the new show Power Trip. We asked her about the song that changed her life, she gave it a lot of thought. She narrowed down her options from dozens and dozens of massively important tunes to arrive at a classic track – "Chuck E's in Love" from the legendary Rickie Lee Jones.

Sam Jay is a stand-up comedian, writer and host of the HBO talk show PAUSE with Sam Jay. Sam talks about PAUSE's unique format, what it was like to start comedy a little later in life and so much more. Content warning: There is some references to sexual assault in this conversation. This interview also contains some explicit language and frank talk about sex that some listeners might be sensitive to.