Bullseye With Jesse Thorn

We’re taking some time to remember salsa legend Willie Colón, who died last month at the age of 75. When Colón joined us back in 2014, he talked with us about finding success in music at a young age, what he envisioned for the future of salsa, and much more.To manage podcast ad preferences, review the links below:See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Joyce Manor is a three-piece punk band out of Torrance, California. They just released their 7th album, I Used To Go To This Bar. Barry Johnson, Chase Knobbe, and Matt Ebert from Joyce Manor talk with Bullseye about growing up together in the SoCal punk music scene, touring as a small act before the internet, and constantly being labeled as “all grown up,” despite being in their late 30s.To manage podcast ad preferences, review the links below:See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Noé Montes is a photographer based in Los Angeles. His work is currently on display at the Riverside Art Museum in a breathtaking exhibit called Noe Montes: Regional History. Montes' work often documents migrant farmworker communities like the one in which he grew up. Montes joins Bullseye to talk about the importance of telling a story through his subjects and photographs. To manage podcast ad preferences, review the links below:See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Raphael Saadiq returns to Bullseye to talk about writing one of the biggest movie songs of the year for Sinners. He also chats with us about playing bass guitar as a teen in church bands, the origins of Tony! Toni! Toné!, and the final tour he got to go on with his late brother D’Wayne.To manage podcast ad preferences, review the links below:See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

We’re revisiting our 2022 interview with jazz legend Ron Carter. These days, the man is 88 and is unstoppable. He recently joined forces with gospel icon Ricky Dillard on a new record titled Sweet, Sweet Spirt. When he was last on the show, he told us about the first instrument he ever learned to play, collaborating with A Tribe Called Quest, and much more!Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

We’re taking a moment to remember actress and comedian, Catherine O’Hara, who died on January 30, 2026. She was 71 years old. Catherine O’Hara is a comedy legend. She helped launch SCTV. She starred in blockbuster comedies. For all of its six seasons, Catherine played Moira Rose on Schitt’s Creek, a comedy that follows a wealthy family who are forced to relocate to a rural town after losing their entire fortune. When Catherine joined Bullseye in 2013, she talked about the difficulties of being a woman in the SCTV writers’ room. Plus, creating memorable characters with Eugene Levy, and her own secret comedic formula.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Yahya Abdul-Mateen II has been acting for just under a decade now, and in that short span of time, he’s portrayed a lot of superheroes and supervillains. He’s starred in Aquaman, the Watchman series, and now, he’s starring in the new Marvel show Wonder Man. Abdul-Mateen II sat down with our friend and correspondent jarrett hill to talk about the new series, his dreams of one day owning a farm, and much more!Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Joe Cappa is the creator and primary voice actor of the show Haha, You Clowns. Like many Adult Swim shows, it features a very distinct style of animation. However, underneath the somewhat disconcerting visuals is a wholesome and sweet show. Cappa joins Bullseye to talk about his fascination with comedically buff characters, learning animation while working at an ad agency in Oklahoma, and borrowing from real life to create his first show.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Shonda Rhimes is one of the most accomplished TV writers and producers of our time. She’s written shows like Scandal, How To Get Away With Murder, and Grey’s Anatomy. In 2023, Shonda spoke with correspondent jarrett hill about creating shows without the restraints of network television and the insecurity that accompanies success, no matter how big you make it.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

A new HBO Max documentary just dropped called Mel Brooks: The 99 Year Old Man! It’s about, well, Mel Brooks! And yes, he turned 99 this past June. We’re revisiting our 2013 conversation with the film and comedy legend, where he chatted with us about fighting in World War II, the genius of Gene Wilder, and much more!Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Elliot Kalan has been the head writer on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart and the Mystery Science Theater 3000 reboot. Now he’s written a book about joke writing. It’s called Joke Farming: How to Write Comedy and Other Nonsense. He talks to Bullseye about developing a process for writing jokes reliably, writing topical jokes, and writing jokes for voices other than his own.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Susan Orlean has spent a lifetime noticing the little details about others when she writes. The Orchid Thief followed an obsessive outlaw who collected rare flowers. The Library Book was a history of LA’s central library and particularly the suspicious fire that nearly burned it down. For once, she’s pointed her attention at herself in her memoir Joyride. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

We’re taking a look back at the life and work of the great actor Isiah Whitlock Jr. Whitlock died in December, he was 71. Whitlock performed in hit movies and TV shows like The Wire, Da 5 Bloods and Goodfellas. We’ll revisit our conversation with the late actor from 2021.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Walton Goggins does it all. Master of comedy, action and drama – take his latest project Fallout. Goggins also gets into his love of horseback riding and growing up with a father who’s larger than life. Plus, how The Ghoul, one of the characters he portrays on Fallout became an accidental sex symbol. A version of this conversation originally ran in 2024.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Science writer Mary Roach returns to Bullseye. She joins us to talk about her latest book: Replaceable You: Adventures in Human Anatomy. It's a history and snapshot of how humankind has gotten better at recreating body parts. A heads up, we will get into medical procedures, surgeries and those which include the removing and reattaching of body parts. It's a bit grisly. But stick around, we also talk about "superclean" pigs!Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Regina Hall joins us to chat about starring in one of the year's biggest movies – One Battle After Another. She also tells us about her background in journalism and when she realized that her true calling was to be an artist.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

On the latest episode of Bullseye, we're joined by rapper LaRussell. The MC keeps busy. Since 2018, he's released nearly 40 studio albums! LaRussell talks about going viral on social media and throwing shows in his mom's backyard with big guests like Juvenile. Plus, he gets into his collaborative partnership and friendship with the king of crunk – Lil Jon.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Rian Johnson has dedicated the last 20 years of his career to making genre movies that transcend their genre. His latest smash hit film series, Knives Out, blends big, over-the-top whodunnit stories with humor and social satire. Johnson just wrote and directed the third movie in the series: Wake Up, Dead Man. Johnson joins Bullseye to talk about growing up as a youth-group kid in Orange County, California, why mystery is so inherent to his writing style, and the harsh realities of micro budget cinema.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Violinist and singer Sudan Archives, our guest this week, recently released her third full length album. BPM is a punchy, layered dance album filled with homages to Chicago house and Detroit Techno. We had a chance to talk with Sudan back in 2022 when she released her record Natural Brown Prom Queen. She spoke with us about the album, her concerts, and her favorite fellow fiddle players.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

This week, we’re joined by Johnny Knoxville. He’s been at the center of the Jackass universe for more than two decades and has performed stunts in all its iterations. Now in his 50’s, Knoxville has found ways to keep working without risking death. In the coming weeks, he'll host Fear Factor: House of Fear, a new reboot of the early 2000s reality competition show. Knoxville reflects on his time making Jackass, and what it’s been like to age into (and out of) the dangerous world of stunt performing. A version of this interview originally aired in August of 2023.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy