Press Play with Madeleine Brand
TV Upfronts, Michael Sam Drafted & Roz Chast on Her Memoir
Michael Sam is drafted by the St. Louis Rams, TV upfronts, Eastern Ukraine declares independence, driving high, and cartoonist Roz Chast on her memoir.
By Madeleine Brand • • 51m ListenGay football player Michael Sam was drafted by the St. Louis Rams. He celebrated by kissing his boyfriend on national TV. And it’s upfronts time: the TV networks are out this week with their fall schedules. Separatists in Eastern Ukraine have declared independence and asked Russia to annex the region. New Yorker cartoonist Roz Chast talks about her new graphic memoir. And the California Assembly failed to pass a law that would set legal limits for driving under the influence of pot and other drugs. Does that mean that Californians can drive high with impunity?
Banner Image: Missouri Tigers defensive end Michael Sam speaks to the media in a press conference during the 2014 NFL Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports
In this episode
5 storiesMichael Sam Is Out, and Drafted
The St. Louis Rams drafted Michael Sam this weekend, making the linebacker the first openly-gay player in the NFL. And Sam celebrated by kissing his boyfriend on live TV. The reaction from both fans and professional players has been mixed, but gay-rights advocates say that the kiss is a step in the right direction.
Read the story7 minTV Upfronts
The networks are out this week with their fall schedules, and they’re also putting on their big preview presentations for advertisers: It’s upfronts time. NBC is betting big on dramas and Fox is breaking up its Sunday-night cartoon block. But is any of it enough to stave off the competition from cable and online streaming sites?
Read the story8 minUkraine Election
Separatists in Donetsk declared victory in an independence vote held yesterday. Today, they declared their region of Eastern Ukraine a sovereign state: the Donetsk People's Republic. And they asked Russia to annex their territory, just as it annexed Crimea in March. The Ukrainian President called Sunday’s independence referendum a “farce.”
Read the story10 minRoz Chast
New Yorker cartoonist Roz Chast’s new book explores the ends of her parents’ lives in a funny, sad, and painfully honest account. The book is called Can’t We Talk About Something More Pleasant?
Read the story14 minPot DUIs
The California assembly recently tried, and failed, to pass a law that would set legal limits for driving under the influence of marijuana and other drugs. That doesn’t mean you can get high and drive with impunity, but what it does mean is a little unclear.
Read the story8 min
