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Bullseye with Jesse Thorn
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Bullseye with Jesse Thorn

Author: NPR

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Bullseye is a celebration of the best of arts and culture in public radio form. Host Jesse Thorn sifts the wheat from the chaff to bring you in-depth interviews with the most revered and revolutionary minds in our culture. Bullseye has been featured in Time, The New York Times, GQ and McSweeney's, which called it "the kind of show people listen to in a more perfect world."
1347 Episodes
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D'Arcy Carden

D'Arcy Carden

2026-04-0345:26

The Good Place! Barry! Sunny Nights! D'Arcy Carden is our guest today. When D'Arcy joined us in 2022 she was starring in A League of Their Own and talked about reuniting with her comedy partner Abbi Jacobson on that show. She also got into being a nanny for Bill Hader and the time she co-starred in an episode of Comedy Bang! Bang! with Jesse. Yes, your host Jesse Thorn. 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.NPR Privacy Policy
Vincent D'Onofrio

Vincent D'Onofrio

2026-03-3138:41

The latest season of Daredevil: Born Again just dropped a couple of weeks ago. Vincent D’Onofrio stars as Kingpin, the show’s main antagonist. Last year, he joined us to talk about reprising that role in the show and even shared some details about how the costume he wears for the part was made. He talked with us about some of his most memorable roles, including parts in Men in Black and Homicide: Life on the Street.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.NPR Privacy Policy
Bobby Moynihan

Bobby Moynihan

2026-03-2735:58

Bobby Moynihan first appeared on Saturday Night Live in 2008, and starred on the show for nearly a decade. He did a few impressions, but his strength was portraying offbeat characters. Drunk Uncle was always a fan favorite. When he joined us on Bullseye, he had just published his first children’s book, "Not All Sheep are Boring." He chatted with us about his kids book and life after SNL. A version of this interview originally aired in 2022.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.NPR Privacy Policy
Devo

Devo

2026-03-2432:58

This week we're joined by two founding members of Devo: Mark Mothersbaugh and Gerald Casale! The band kicked off their farewell tour in 2023 – and it's still going strong with new tour dates added. When the band joined us they talked about how the band was founded and what it was like playing shows in their hometown of Akron, Ohio. Plus, they get into having one of their most popular songs used in a commercial for a cleaning product. A version of this interview originally aired in 2010.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.NPR Privacy Policy
Fab 5 Freddy

Fab 5 Freddy

2026-03-2037:34

Fab 5 Freddy stops by to talk with us about his new memoir: Everybody’s Fly: A Life of Art, Music, and Changing the Culture. Freddy, who was the original host of Yo! MTV Raps, takes us on a journey through hip-hop, from his early years attending DJ parties in the Bronx to tagging subway trains. He also chats with us about his friendship with Andy Warhol 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.NPR Privacy Policy
Chuck Klosterman

Chuck Klosterman

2026-03-1739:43

Do you like football? Chuck Klosterman is a culture writer who really, really likes football. His new book is called Football. In it, he examines the cultural impact of the sport, as it relates to American life. He joins Bullseye to talk about the ups and downs of being a life-long football fan, and why the sport can matter to everyone, regardless of fan status.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.NPR Privacy Policy
The Best of Monty Python

The Best of Monty Python

2026-03-1001:16:092

...and now for something completely different! This week, we're celebrating the work of Monty Python. One of the most influential sketch groups of all time. This special episode features interviews from the founding members of Monty Python including Terry Jones, John Cleese, Terry Gilliam and Eric Idle. 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.NPR Privacy Policy
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.NPR Privacy Policy
Joyce Manor

Joyce Manor

2026-03-0338:01

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.NPR Privacy Policy
Photographer Noé Montes

Photographer Noé Montes

2026-02-2742:161

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.NPR Privacy Policy
Raphael Saadiq

Raphael Saadiq

2026-02-2449:451

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.NPR Privacy Policy
Jazz legend Ron Carter

Jazz legend Ron Carter

2026-02-2048:401

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 Spirit. 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!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.NPR 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.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.NPR Privacy Policy
Yahya Abdul-Mateen II

Yahya Abdul-Mateen II

2026-02-1328:10

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!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.NPR 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.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.NPR Privacy Policy
Shonda Rhimes

Shonda Rhimes

2026-02-0644:41

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.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.NPR Privacy Policy
Mel Brooks

Mel Brooks

2026-02-0338:221

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!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.NPR 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.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.NPR 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. 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.NPR 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.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.NPR Privacy Policy
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Comments (19)

Leslie bailiff

I really enjoyed this show! Hayden's music is just what I need right now. His pauses are so needed right now.

Jul 24th
Reply

Kathryn Nordstrom

https://youtu.be/g5JqPxmYhlo?si=VFTU3xXl2JIe6adY.https://youtu.be/g5JqPxmYhlo?si=VFTU3xXl2JIe6adM irreconcilable differences... . . .still feels like the most right reason for our divorce. My love of "Are you going to Scarborough Affair " single plus The Beatles stuff still really gets to me SO, All is well. AuRevoir

Mar 23rd
Reply

Huckelberri Campbell

This is a clear example of why I stopped listening to NPR programs years ago. Thankfully Matt is a pleasant guy. The show was listenable but just. The whole episode had the air of an uninformed dink trying to hang with someone and convince them they are cool. Anytime a host has to tell someone multiple times "I really mean it" or "honestly it's true" you can feel the eye rolls. I'd rather hear click and clack repeats and leave interviews of people to Iunno..... professionals?

Sep 3rd
Reply

Elizabeth Ellen McCarthy

Pathetic gotcha interview.

Apr 15th
Reply (3)

Nikomaru kara Hirado-shima

OMG! I just love Rosie! Thanks Jesse! I never knew she was a Fly Girl. ILC was my second exposure to hip hop, first being MTV.

Nov 20th
Reply (6)

la bavardeuse

CV bc bc see if at all is car or see see see see see see see something m see see see see see see see n I'm

Dec 25th
Reply

iTunes User

If you like cool people and things, this show is for you. Jesse books great guests and he does a good job keeping his interviews interesting. The music and comedy bits he plays between interviews are the best bits that you probably haven't heard. Subscribe.

Aug 30th
Reply (1)

iTunes User

I wish there were more shows like this on public radio. It's like Fresh Air, if Fresh Air was into the stuff I'm into... the theme song is called Maximum Fun, and that's what I usually get out of it. Definately my favorite podcast, I'm surprised it isn't on more radio stations. I love the comedian interviews, but I find that I'm always finding out about someone really cool from this show. This is a must-subscribe, as far as I'm concerned.

Aug 30th
Reply

iTunes User

My hands-down favorite podcast. Try any of the "comics and comix" series. The interviews can be a bit long sometimes, but they are always interesting and funny.

Aug 30th
Reply