Press Play with Madeleine Brand
Christmas Eve special: Sopan Deb, ‘Mr. SOUL!’ and David Byrne
On this Christmas Eve, Press Play re-airs some favorite interviews of the year. Sopan Deb shares how his Indian heritage informs his standup comedy. The documentary “Mr. SOUL!”
By Madeleine Brand • • 50m ListenOn this Christmas Eve, Press Play re-airs some favorite interviews of the year. Sopan Deb shares how his Indian heritage informs his standup comedy. The documentary “Mr. SOUL!” looks at a 1970s-era TV show with a then-radical idea to portray the complexity of Black culture. “Talking Heads” frontman David Byrne talks about “American Utopia,” his Broadway show that turned into a film.
In this episode
3 storiesIn ‘Missed Translations,’ Sopan Deb reconnects with his estranged immigrant parents
When you’re a stand-up comedian and the children of immigrants, you harvest your Hindu heritage for material for the stage. For Sopan Deb, he had an unhappy childhood, and didn’t talk to or see his parents for years once he started college.
Read the story18 minHow Ellis Haizlip showed the complexity of Black culture on the 70s-era TV show ‘SOUL!’
Once upon a time in America, there was a TV talk show that was unapologetically Black. Guests were writer James Baldwin, poet Amiri Baraka, religious leader and activist Louis Farrakhan.
Read the story16 minDavid Byrne on ‘American Utopia,’ human connections, and political social movements
David Byrne’s show “American Utopia” debuted on Broadway to rave reviews a year ago. The live concert was a compilation of new songs from Byrne’s album “ American Utopia ” and old songs from his days with the band Talking Heads.
Read the story17 min
