Bullseye With Jesse Thorn

Delroy Lindo is a veteran actor and writer. Born in London to Jamaican parents, Delroy spent his childhood moving from place to place. As a teenager, he moved with his family to Toronto and then San Francisco, where he began studying acting at the American Conservatory Theater. He spent the next decade alternating between movie roles and Broadway stages. His versatility in Crooklyn, Get Shorty, The Cider House Rules, and more only increased his demand. Currently, Delroy is starring in the new Hulu series Unprisoned. It's about a father who reconnects with his adult daughter after serving a 17-year prison sentence. He plays Edwin, whose life changes when he moves in with his therapist daughter Paige, played by Kerry Washington. Delroy has been a public figure for a long time, and for most of that time, he didn't really talk about himself. Now? He's writing a memoir. On this episode of Bullseye, we asked him what changed.

Robin Thede works hard. She always has. One of her first gigs in showbiz was on Queen Latifah's daytime talk show as head writer. Fast forward to 2015, Robin was making history. She became the first ever Black woman to become head writer on a late night talk show: The Nightly Show with Larry Wilmore. But Robin isn't only an incredible writer. She's an amazing comedian and actor. As a Second City alum, her name is up there with some of the biggest names in comedy like Jordan Peele, Amy Poehler and Steve Carell. And Robin's done a lot with this extraordinary legacy. For the past few years, she's been making waves as showrunner of the HBO show A Black Lady Sketch Show. This week on Bullseye, we're revisiting our chat with Robin about A Black Lady Sketch Show. Plus, we'll get into her childhood. Robin grew up in a mostly white, suburban part of Iowa. She'll talk about the challenges that being biracial presented and why she identifies as Black today.

Odds are, you know actor Sarah Snook from her role on HBO's Succession – one of the most acclaimed TV dramas in the last decade. Sarah plays Siobhan Roy. But to her friends and family, it's just "Shiv." Succession follows the Roy family. They own a giant conservative media conglomerate called Waystar Royco; the family's patriarch, Shiv's father Logan Roy, is aging and can't run the company forever. Who will he name to take over? And what will the players do to get what they want? Shiv's part in the drama earned Snook a bunch of critical praise and awards nominations. Linda Holmes, one of the terrific hosts of NPR's Pop Culture Happy Hour, talked with Sarah in 2020 about what it's like to play one of the most fascinating, complex and confounding characters on television today.

Being able to make light of extremely heavy topics is what makes Atsuko Okatsuka a brilliant comedian. Her debut comedy special The Intruder aired on HBO last December. As the name of the title suggests, it's about the time someone tried breaking into her house. But, the show goes into a lot more than that. There are lots of stories about Atsuko's life and family. She talks about navigating her mother's mental illness and trying to impress teenagers. She also jokes about being undocumented for seven years and attending a Magic Mike Live show with her grandmother. Atsuko sat down with Bullseye to talk about how recording videos on social media with her family brought them closer together, what it was like bringing her grandma on her honeymoon and much more!

Anna Deavere Smith is one of the most accomplished people in American theater. She's an incredible actor, playwright and scholar. But, Anna's also a trailblazer. Plays like Fires in the Mirror and Let Me Down Easy have pushed the boundaries of traditional theater. But Twilight: Los Angeles, 1992 is perhaps the most exemplary of her work. Anna interviewed over 300 people about the Rodney King beating and its aftermath. And she turned their words into a play where she acted every part. 30 years ago, that show premiered at the Mark Taper Forum in Los Angeles. Now, the show is back at the Mark Taper Forum for a second run. It's been revised for a group of five people of different ages, genders and races. This week on Bullseye, Anna Deavere Smith joins us to talk about the revised production of Twilight: Los Angeles, 1992. Plus, what it's like to revisit such an iconic piece after so many years.

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 Marc Summers. He has built a remarkable career as a television host. Rarely will you find a person who has hosted as many TV shows as Marc Summers. When we asked Marc to tell us about the craziest day of his entire career he told us about the day he finally got the call to go on The Tonight Show. The other guest was Burt Reynolds. Things didn't go as planned. You can find his new show Marc Summers Unwraps wherever you get your podcasts.

Marc Maron has been performing stand-up comedy for decades. He always figured that would be his legacy. Until he started the mother of all podcasts: WTF with Marc Maron. The podcast came out of a very uncertain time in Marc's life as a comedian: he'd work the road, get a TV gig now and then. But as he got closer to middle age, he realized that lifestyle wasn't sustainable. So, he started making WTF. The success came shortly after, but Maron didn't leave stand-up behind. Earlier this year, he released a new comedy special on HBO called From Bleak to Dark where he talks about the loss of his partner, Lynn Shelton. It's some of his best work yet. This week on Bullseye, Marc Maron reminisces on his life as a struggling comic and talks about his tremendous success as a podcast host. Plus, what it was like to get behind a mic after losing one of the most important people in his life.

The Craziest Day of My Entire Career is a segment where we invite guests from the entertainment industry to tell us about a single day where things went wildly off the rails. Sharing their story with us this week is Margaret Cho. She's an actress, an activist, and a musician. She's had multiple Grammy and Emmy nominations for her comedy and acting, and has been touring to sold-out crowds since 1999. Her one-woman show "I'm the One That I Want" was turned into a best-selling book and feature film. But back in the early stages of her career? She had to take whatever gigs she could get. When we asked Margaret about the craziest day of her career, she took us back to the start of her standup career. The time she did three shows, in three states, in one day.

This week, comedy legend Cheech Marin! He's one-half of the comedy duo Cheech and Chong. But Cheech is more than just a stoner icon. He was in the Lion King. He's starred in more than 100 episodes of Nash Bridges. And if you're a Spy Kids fan, you know him as "Uncle" Felix. Cheech is also well known in the art world. He has a huge collection of Chicano art that he's been steadily building since the '80s. This week on Bullseye, we get into Cheech's long and eventful career as an actor. He throws us back to when he moved to Canada when he first met Tommy Chong. Plus, he talks about his new museum The Cheech in Riverside, California.

Christina Ricci got her first paid acting gig when she was ten. Within a couple of years, Christina was everywhere: Casper, Now and Then, and of course, The Addams Family. She was one of the biggest child stars of the '90s. Then, an indie film legend in films like Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, The Ice Storm, and Buffalo 66. These days, Christina Ricci is the Emmy-nominated star of the Showtime drama Yellowjackets. Correspondent Jordan Crucciola—host of the Maximum Fun podcast Feeling Seen—geeks out with Christina about all things Yellowjackets. Plus, they talk about why taking on comedic roles makes her deeply uncomfortable – even though she's played plenty of great comedic roles. A version of this interview originally aired in in August of 2022.

Eugene Levy is a legend in the comedy world. Hailing from Toronto, he first got his start in improv comedy and was a founding member of SCTV - the pioneering sketch comedy show that helped launch the careers of Rick Moranis, Catherine O'Hara, John Candy and more. He became a household name after appearing as Noah Levenstein in the popular American Pie franchise. In 2015, he reunited with frequent co-star Catherine O'Hara in the sitcom Schitt's Creek. Eugene is back on the small screen, most recently hosting the documentary-style travel series The Reluctant Traveler. This week, we're revisiting our conversation with Eugene Levy. When Eugene joined us he talked about what it was like working with his son on their hit show Schitt's Creek, his involvement of the American Pie movies and so much more.

Little Brother is a rap group from North Carolina. The three original members – Phonte, Big Pooh and 9th Wonder – were living in their college dorms when they decided to make music together. They hit open mics and played local shows, but they never expected a rags-to-riches story. After uploading a few songs to a hip-hop message board called Okayplayer, they released their debut LP, The Listening. By indie-label standards, it was a hit. They signed to a major label, but their second album didn't perform as well as they would've liked. After being dropped by their label, 9th Wonder left the group and Little Brother disbanded shortly after. In 2019, Phonte and Big Pooh reunited as Little Brother and dropped their album May the Lord Watch. Now, they're on tour to celebrate the 20th anniversary of their debut album. They also have a documentary in the works. This week on Bullseye, Phonte and Big Pooh join us to reflect on their long and eventful career as Little Brother.

Party Down is a show with a simple premise. It's about a group of actors, writers and creative types who work at a catering company called Party Down. Most of the catering employees have big dreams, but to pay the bills they're sort of stuck at the company. To make matters worse, the employees often get involved into some truly absurd and wacky situations. The first two seasons of the show ran more than 10 years ago, but the show is back for a third season. On the latest episode of Bullseye, we're joined by of the co-creators of Party Down, Rob Thomas and John Enbom. They join us to talk about the latest season of the show, and what it was like to revisit the characters after all these years. Plus, they get into why they believed so deeply in the show even when several network executives told them it would never work.

Bonnie Raitt is a legend. Early in her career, she decided she'd only create songs she loved, on her own terms, and her career longevity is proof of that gifted precision. Last year, Bonnie released her 18th full-length studio album, Just Like That. Now in her 70's, Bonnie has won over a dozen Grammys – most recently she earned a Grammy for the title track off her latest album. To celebrate her recent Grammy win we're revisiting our conversation with Bonnie. Correspondent Ray Suarez talked with Bonnie about the album, coming into her own as an artist and so much more.

Jonathan Majors has been acting professionally for about seven years now. He's done theater, TV, and starred in movies. In that short amount of time, he's become one of the most captivating performers in Hollywood. On screen, Jonathan is charismatic and charming when the role calls for it, and he can turn to vulnerable and broken almost instantly. He's the kind of actor that just takes the story to the next level. When I talked with Jonathan Majors in 2021, he was up for an Emmy for his work on HBO's Lovecraft Country. He's gone on to some massive films like Ant-man and the Wasp: Quantumania, and most recently, Creed III. Jonathan joined us on Bullseye to talk about Lovecraft Country, and reflected on being the child in a family of veterans. Plus, he dived into acting theory and craft – and he gets into it, really into it.

Roger Deakins got his start as a director of photography in 1977 on the pulpy British drama Cruel Passion. He's since gone on to collaborate with several well-known directors including Sam Mendes, Ron Howard and the Coen Brothers. He's won two Academy Awards for best cinematography and is nominated for a third for his work on the war drama 1917. Aside from film, he's also a photographer. A couple years back, Roger published his first ever book of photography called Byways. The acclaimed cinematographer joins the show to talk about his extensive career and when he first got behind the camera. He also talks about what it's like collaborating with the Coen Brothers and why he likes shooting films for them. Plus, he breaks down his process for capturing still photos and talks about how photography led to his career in film.

Jason Woliner has directed episodes of Parks and Recreation, Nathan for You and The Last Man on Earth. In 2020, he directed his first ever major motion picture: Borat Subsequent Moviefilm. His latest project is really interesting: it's a documentary series, a project he's been working on for the last ten years. Paul T Goldman is a documentary series about a man who calls himself Paul T. Goldman. Goldman claims, among many other things, that his former wife stole money from him and ran a human trafficking ring. It's a wild, funny and at times touching show that is just as much a comment on true crime documentaries as it is a true crime documentary. We'll talk with Jason Woliner about Paul T. Goldman, and the meta nature of the show. Plus, we'll dive into Jason's time directing Borat Subsequent Moviefilm, and the way things became very dangerous for him on set.

Todd Rundgren: the bedroom pop icon, soft rock sensation, producer extraordinaire! The legend himself joins Bullseye to tell us about the song that changed his life: "Louie, Louie" by the Kingsmen. He talks about learning to perform the tune in his high school band and why, after all these years, the song still haunts him.

Michael Showalter is a founding member of the sketch comedy group The State. He's in part responsible for other cult comedy favorites like Wet Hot American Summer, The Baxter, Stella and more. These days, Showalter has been spending more and more time behind the camera.. He directed the new film Spoiler Alert. It's a romantic drama based on the book Spoiler Alert: The Hero Dies, a memoir by TV writer Michael Ausiello.Michael joins us on the latest episode of Bullseye to talk about Spoiler Alert. Plus, what it was like to direct Sally Field, and his process when casting his movies.

Music legend David Crosby passed away last month after a long illness. He was 81. Crosby's work paved the way for the folk rock movement. He was a founding member of The Byrds, and performed at Woodstock as a member of Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young. Crosby was also an award winning solo musician in his own right, and he's been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame twice. We're remembering David Crosby by revisiting our 2016 interview with the late music icon.