Bullseye with Jesse Thorn

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The Hold Steady's Craig Finn on the Song that Changed his Life Aug 18, 2023

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The Song That Changed My Life is a segment that gives us the chance to talk with some of our favorite artists about the music that made them who they are today. Craig Finn is the front man of The Hold Steady. The band is unapologetically heavy and often anthemic, but the themes tend to be richer than the 70s bands that might have inspired them. When we asked Craig Finn about the song that changed his life, he took us back to his childhood in Minnesota — the first time he heard "Slip Slidin' Away" by Paul Simon.
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Johnny Knoxville Aug 15, 2023

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There's an art to the perfect prank. This week, we're joined by Johnny Knoxville, an expert prankster. He's been at the center of the Jackass universe for more than two decades and has performed stunts in all its iterations. His new show is called The Prank Panel. Knoxville reflects on his time making Jackass, and what it's been like to age into the dangerous world of stunt performing. NOTE: This interview was conducted prior to the SAG-AFTRA strike and contains references to bodily harm.
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Remembering Paul Reubens Aug 08, 2023

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Paul Reubens was the man behind one of the country's most beloved household names. "Pee-wee Herman" was born out of Reubens' time at The Groundlings in the 1970s. But, his stand-up act grew into something so much bigger. His character became a cult figure, spawning a series of films and television shows in his honor. This week on Bullseye, we're looking back at the life and work of Paul Reubens by revisiting our conversation with him back in 2014. He stopped by the show to trace the trajectory of his life and career as Pee-Wee Herman. Plus, we get into the last thing Paul would ever work on as Pee-Wee Herman — the Pee-Wee Herman Radio Hour.
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Smokey Robinson Aug 01, 2023

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There's no other way to put it, Smokey Robinson is a legend. The Motown great and former frontman of The Miracles is responsible for some of the greatest pop hits of the 20th century – "You've really got ahold of me," "Tears of a clown," "I Second That Emotion," "Crusin'" and many others. In 1960, The Miracles released "Shop Around." The song became a huge success. It became Motown's first million-selling hit record. Robinson eventually became Motown Records vice president and helped turn the label into a household name. Smokey Robinson is now 83. He's still recording. He is still writing. Earlier this year, he released Gasms. We'll talk with the Motown legend about his time with The Miracles, his solo career, his songwriting process and his brand new erotic concept album.
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Black Sabbath's Geezer Butler Jul 28, 2023

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Geezer Butler is patient zero for heavy metal bass riffs. He played bass for Black Sabbath. One of the greatest rock bands of all time and true pioneers in the heavy metal genre. Along with playing bass, Butler was also a songwriter for the group. He wrote or co-wrote so many of Sabbath's greatest tunes: Iron Man, Paranoid, The Wizard, After Forever. Butler recently released a memoir. It's called Into the Void: From Birth to Black Sabbath―And Beyond. Geezer Butler joins Bullseye to talk about his new memoir. He also looks back and shares some stories from his time in Black Sabbath. Plus, he'll get into what it was like to write songs for Ozzy Osborne to sing.
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Boots Riley Jul 25, 2023

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Boots Riley is known nowadays for his work as a writer, but he's been making waves as an artist for years. In his early 20s, he was the frontman and founder of the Coup, a fiercely political hip-hop group from the Bay Area. But in recent years, Boots has made his way over to film-making. In 2018, he wrote and directed his first ever feature film: Sorry To Bother You. If you saw it, you know it is hilarious and scary and insightful and generally very bonkers. And then Boots had another idea. His new show I'm A Virgo takes the word bonkers to new heights, literally. It's a story about a 13-ft-tall giant, a Black teenager living in the Bay Area. But the show's not about his super powers. It's about how he sees himself, and the little personal things about him — like his star sign. I'm a Virgo is a great show, but this isn't an interview about I'm a Virgo. Boots Riley is a writer. And his union, the Writers Guild of America, has been on strike since May. On Bullseye, we'll talk about what is at stake in the dispute between the WGA and the studio heads - represented by the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP). Plus, we'll get into his early career as a rapper and his roots in activism.
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'This Fool' creator and star Chris Estrada Jul 21, 2023

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Chris Estrada is a stand-up comedian and co-creator of the TV comedy, This Fool. Estrada also stars as the show's main character: Julio. Julio lives in South Central Los Angeles, where Chris grew up, but the show isn't autobiographical. Julio works at a local nonprofit that helps former gang members adjust to life on the outside. The show follows the misadventures of Julio and his cousin Luis who has finished up a lengthy prison sentence. The show is funny, human, unexpected and at times, surprisingly sweet. We talk with Chris about co-creating This Fool, his love of hardcore punk music and his late start as a stand-up comedian. The latest season of This Fool comes out July 26th on Hulu. A version of this interview originally aired in September of 2022.
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Christine Baranski Jul 18, 2023

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Christine Baranski is an actor with an impressive resume. She attended Juilliard and went on to perform on Broadway. She's also an Emmy award winning actor, who's starred on shows like The Good Fight and The Good Wife. You'll soon be able to watch Christine Baranski in the animated sitcom Praise Petey. The show premieres July 21 on Freeform. When she joined us on Bullseye last year, she reflected on her time portraying Diane on The Good Fight. Plus, she talked about being one of the early graduates of Juilliard, and her long-time collaborated relationship with Broadway legend Stephen Sondheim.
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Kool & the Gang's Robert "Kool" Bell Jul 11, 2023

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Kool & the Gang have made some of the biggest hits of all time. We're talking about some of the greatest party songs ever: "Get Down On It," "Celebration," "Ladies Night." But, we're also talking about a lot more than just dance floor fillers. Kool & the Gang hit the music scene in the mid-60s and took off running. By the time they started recording in 1968, they were one of the baddest bands in the country. Now, it's been a half-century since Kool & the Gang started making music, and they're still at it. They have a new album dropping on July 14th called People Just Wanna Have Fun. On Bullseye, Robert "Kool" Bell stops by to chat about the new album and his long career with Kool & the Gang. Plus, the stories behind the group's hit songs and what motivates them to keep recording after more than 50 years.
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Khalid Jul 07, 2023

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It's a strange thing, to be famous, right? Like, really really famous. Famous like Khalid, the singer. He deals with it in stride, though: making brilliant music that tries to touch the heart of every fan at his shows. He's sold millions of albums. Billions of plays on streaming apps. He plays to huge crowds. Madison Square Garden. MGM Grand Garden. He's currently on a stadium tour with Ed Sheeran. When we spoke a few years back he had just released Free Spirit. He talked with Jesse about growing up an army brat, and acclimating to that fame. Plus, we know Khalid can sing, but can he rap? We'll get him to freestyle some bars. A version of this interview was released in April of 2019.
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