Rick Astley, Kaitlyn Tiffany on Fangirls, Death Doula Alua Arthur, Ottessa Moshfegh's 'Lapvona,' Kyle Buchanan on Baz Luhrmann
In 1987, Rick Astley released the debut album Whenever You Need Somebody. Its first single, "Never Gonna Give You Up," spawned a number one hit the following year and decades later became one of the internet's most enduring memes: Rickrolling. Last month, Astley reissued his debut album, and he's currently on tour. He joins us to talk about his unique career.
Astley will be in the NY/NJ/CT area for the following dates, alongside New Kids on the Block, Salt-N-Pepa, and En Vogue:
June 30 - UBS Arena - Elmont, NY
July 1 - Mohegan Sun Arena - Uncasville, CT
July 2 - Mohegan Sun Arena - Uncasville, CT
July 3 - Hard Rock Live At Etess Arena - Atlantic City, NJ
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Beyond their songs or record sales, the greatest legacy of One Direction, a new book argues, might be their massive, passionate, predominantly female fanbase. Kaitlyn Tiffany, a staff writer for The Atlantic, joins us to discuss her new book, Everything I Need I Get From You: How Fangirls Created the Internet as We Know It, which examines how our lives online are shaped by the behavior of fan communities, and the good and ill that can come from these groups.
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In the United States, death is often seen as morbid or taboo, however, many people faced the realities of end-of-life planning during the pandemic. We discuss navigating the emotional, practical, legal and spiritual issues while contemplating or nearing the end of life with death doula and Going With Grace founder Alua Arthur.
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Ottessa Moshfegh has made a name for herself as a daring novelist not afraid to be grotesque, off-beat, and disturbing. Her latest novel, Lapvona, takes readers back in time to a small feudal village, and tells the story of young boy who becomes entangled in conflict with the lord's family, and with the spiritual world. Moshfegh joins us to discuss.
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This Friday, the hotly anticipated new Baz Luhrmann film "Elvis" premieres. Some critics have called the film a hot mess... but some might argue that you could describe nearly every Baz Luhrmann film as a beautiful, over-the-top jumble. New York Times awards columnist Kyle Buchanan joins us to discuss the career of the celebrated director, explain how he developed his unique style, and preview "Elvis."
