The Organist

The Organist

Take a weird, thoughtful and pleasurable journey into literature, music, art, philosophy, the internet, language, and history with McSweeney's and KCRW. This unconventional arts-and-culture magazine features contributors and guests like Miranda July, George Saunders, Lena Dunham, Tig Notaro, and Sarah Silverman.  

The life of a poet is rich with meaning and beauty. But the financial life of a poet is decidedly less rich.

Give Everybody Everything: The Financial Life of Bernadette Mayer

The life of a poet is rich with meaning and beauty. But the financial life of a poet is decidedly less rich.

We’re constantly telling ourselves stories — who we are, where we’re going, what comes next. But what happens when the story you’re telling yourself turns out not to be true?

The Narrative Line

We’re constantly telling ourselves stories — who we are, where we’re going, what comes next. But what happens when the story you’re telling yourself turns out not to be true?

Touring a punk act pushes the limits of physical endurance — driving all day, sweating on stage, eating badly, sleeping worse.

Consider the Grackles

Touring a punk act pushes the limits of physical endurance — driving all day, sweating on stage, eating badly, sleeping worse.

Twin Peaks was never just a TV show: it was an obsession and an apparition. In its 2017 incarnation, the real-life deaths of several cast members hang spectrally over the proceedings.

Death in Twin Peaks

Twin Peaks was never just a TV show: it was an obsession and an apparition. In its 2017 incarnation, the real-life deaths of several cast members hang spectrally over the proceedings.

Your phone rings at 3:30 in the morning. You answer the call, and a person who's just been woken up with a call from you is on the end of the line. The call is being recorded.

A Call in the Night

Your phone rings at 3:30 in the morning. You answer the call, and a person who's just been woken up with a call from you is on the end of the line. The call is being recorded.

For decades, Angelyne pouted down from Hollywood billboards, looking like a New-Wave Jayne Mansfield: a dense cloud of bleached blonde hair and abundant cleavage barely contained by…

Angelyne

For decades, Angelyne pouted down from Hollywood billboards, looking like a New-Wave Jayne Mansfield: a dense cloud of bleached blonde hair and abundant cleavage barely contained by…

Today’s episode is about dogs.

The Dogfather

Today’s episode is about dogs.

Where do speech balloons come from? How does time move from panel to panel?

The New World

Where do speech balloons come from? How does time move from panel to panel?

What sounds don’t we hear when we listen? What sounds are discarded in digital processing, whether it’s through hearing aids or mp3s?

Low Fidelity

What sounds don’t we hear when we listen? What sounds are discarded in digital processing, whether it’s through hearing aids or mp3s?

Will spoken language become obsolete?

Between Speaking and Singing

Will spoken language become obsolete?

In his audio diaries recorded while driving cross-country, artist David Wojnarowicz tries to describe how he feels after being diagnosed with AIDS.

The Blindfold Challenge

In his audio diaries recorded while driving cross-country, artist David Wojnarowicz tries to describe how he feels after being diagnosed with AIDS.

Stevie Wonder’s entire life, according to conspiracy theorists, is a lie. He’s been able to see all along.

The Secret Life of Plants

Stevie Wonder’s entire life, according to conspiracy theorists, is a lie. He’s been able to see all along.

The national news media is mesmerized by a president who runs the White House like a reality show.

Bingeing Texas

The national news media is mesmerized by a president who runs the White House like a reality show.

This week, two stories from the U.S. borders. The first, from Javier Zamora, who crossed into the U.S. without his parents when he was nine years old.

Borderlands

This week, two stories from the U.S. borders. The first, from Javier Zamora, who crossed into the U.S. without his parents when he was nine years old.

The poet and Pulitzer Prize–winner Franz Wright recorded 546 audio tapes in the two years of his life after a terminal cancer diagnosis.

Two Years With Franz

The poet and Pulitzer Prize–winner Franz Wright recorded 546 audio tapes in the two years of his life after a terminal cancer diagnosis.

Actor and writer Ellie Kemper (Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt), director Penelope Spheeris (Wayne’s World), and voice-over master Peter Coyote (Ken Burns’ documentaries, including The…

The Voice of God

Actor and writer Ellie Kemper (Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt), director Penelope Spheeris (Wayne’s World), and voice-over master Peter Coyote (Ken Burns’ documentaries, including The…

From KCRW and McSweeney’s, the Organist returns with its fifth season on July 12!

The Organist returns Thursday

From KCRW and McSweeney’s, the Organist returns with its fifth season on July 12!

New Edition was an unlikely boy-band from Boston that launched Bobby Brown’s career and incubated the smooth 90s R&B of Bell Biv DeVoe.

Bonus: Neighborhood Secret

New Edition was an unlikely boy-band from Boston that launched Bobby Brown’s career and incubated the smooth 90s R&B of Bell Biv DeVoe.

Four comedians trained in poetry and psy-ops, Firesign Theatre created dense, album-length art-objects that could take multiple spins to understand.

How to Be in Two Places at Once: The Firesign Theatre in the US and Vietnam

Four comedians trained in poetry and psy-ops, Firesign Theatre created dense, album-length art-objects that could take multiple spins to understand.

Antigone is one of the most widely performed plays in the world.

Antigonick

Antigone is one of the most widely performed plays in the world.