Bullseye With Jesse Thorn

Bonnie Raitt is a legend. Now in her 70's she's still touring, still shredding and still writing songs. She's been recording music for over 50 years and she's won ten Grammys. Bonnie's also been in the rock and roll hall of fame for over two decades. Earlier this year she released Just Like That. Her eighteenth full length studio album. Our correspondent Ray Suarez talked with Bonnie about the new album. She gets into coming into her own as an artist, playing through the pandemic and getting back on the road. Plus, she'll talk about her longtime friend and collaborator John Prine, and what it was like performing his music after his death in 2020.

Michael R. Jackson is the creator of A Strange Loop. The groundbreaking show won the honor for Best Musical and Best Book of a Musical at the most recent Tony Awards. Recently our correspondent Julie Klausner caught the show on Broadway, and she fell in love right away. Klausner and Jackson talked about writing the musical, showing it to his family, and so much more.

Billy Eichner was already a working comedian when he rose to fame as the host of Billy on the Street - a bonkers game show where he runs up and down the streets of Manhattan shouting questions at strangers. Now, he's written and starred in his first movie. Bros is a romantic comedy, produced by Judd Apatow, about a same-sex relationship. Bros features an entirely LGBTQ+ cast - the first of its kind from a major studio.

Chris Estrada is a stand-up comedian and co-creator of the new 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 punk music and his late start as a stand-up comedian.

Bobby Moynihan first appeared on SNL in 2008, and starred on the show for nearly a decade. He did a few impressions, but his strength was portraying offbeat characters. When Bobby left SNL in 2017, he began to appear in a variety of projects; shows like Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt and movies like The Secret Life of Pets. In his free time in-between projects, Bobby began writing. He created Loafy, the series of shorts about a cartoon, drug-dealing manatee of the same name. Lightning Wolves, an adult send-up of late 20th century animated shows like Captain Planet, came next. Bobby recently transferred that same passion for writing into the book world. He just published his first children's book, Not All Sheep are Boring. It follows the adventures of sheep who actually lead rich, interesting lives and have hobbies like drinking coffee, metal detecting, and eating pasta. Bobby sat down with Bullseye to discuss his latest venture.

Loudon Wainwright III is a singer and songwriter. He began his folk career in the late 60s, and released his self-titled debut in 1970. He's occasionally referred to as a novelty singer, but his broad musical catalog has proven that to be untrue. Loudon has recorded 26 studio albums, six compilations, and four live albums. His album High Wide and Handsome: The Charlie Poole Project brought him his first Grammy in 2010 for Best Traditional Folk Album. He recently turned 75 and commemorated this milestone with his newest album called Lifetime Achievement. He stops by to chat about the album and plays some music.

Christine Baranski is an actor with an impressive resume. She went to Juilliard, performed on Broadway in shows like The Real Thing, Rumors, and House of Blue Leaves – she's won two Tony Awards. On the hit sitcom Cybil she played the title character's best friend, Maryann and won an Emmy award for the role. Baranski's an iconic character actor with a distinctive look that commands your attention on screen. In 2009, she got a part on The Good Wife as Diane Lockheart. The show's spin off The Good Fight is airing its final season now on Paramount+. Baranski reflects on her time portraying Diane on The Good Fight as the show wraps up. Plus, she talks about being one of the early graduates of Juilliard, and her long-time collaborated relationship with Broadway legend Stephen Sondheim.

Cristin Milioti is an actor who's been in a lot of stuff lately. She's in the HBO show Made for Love , the new Peacock series The Resort and she's appeared on FX's Fargo and in the Wolf of Wall Street. When we talked with her on Bullseye, she had just starred in 2020's Palm Springs where she acted alongside Andy Smaberg. Linda Holmes, the host of NPR's Pop Culture Happy Hour, conducted the interview. They talk about Palm Springs and Cristin's roles on shows like How I Met Your Mother, 30 Rock and in the Tony Award-winning Broadway show Once.

James Acaster is a standup comic from London. On stage, his comedy is observational, a little absurd and animated, but also really cutting. His most recent special is called Cold Lasagne Hate Myself 1999. This week, we're revisiting our conversation with James from 2018. We'll talk about the different ways comics in the US and UK develop their material and how James has struggled to bring his comedy stateside. Plus, he'll discuss the time he genuinely believed he was in a band that could change the world, and how a near death experience led him to a career in stand-up. His third book James Acaster's Guide to Quitting Social Media is out now.

Bonnie Hunt has done it all. And she is extremely good at, well, all of it. She's a comedian, an actor, a TV host, a writer and a director. Her first ever part was in Rain Man, and since then she's starred in films like Jumanji (1995), had parts in three sitcoms in the 90s, and hosted her own talk show in the 2000s. Bonnie has also created several hit TV shows and directed movies. Her latest endeavor is a family TV series called Amber Brown, which is now streaming on Apple TV Plus. It's based on the Paula Danziger book of the same name. Bonnie Hunt joins Bullseye to talk about the new show and why she thought it was important to make an understated kid's series. She also talks about how she discovered improv in Chicago, and how she managed to combine it with her day job as a nurse. Plus, she talks about The Bonnie Hunt Show and what made it so unique.

It's easy to forget how even the smallest roles of the government can affect our lives in profound ways. The G Word is a comedy-documentary series that explores just that. On the show, the surprising ways the US government finds its way into everyday life are examined through deep dives into topics like bank regulation, the Food and Drug Administration, the National Weather Service and more. Adam Conover hosts The G Word. Throughout the series Adam covers the government's triumphs, but also its failures. Adam talks with us about The G Word, his previous series Adam Ruins Everything, and the journey to find his voice as a comic.

Danny Elfman has made some of the most iconic, recognizable music over the last half a century. He fronted Oingo Boingo in the early 80s. He scored his first film in 1985: Pee-Wee's Big Adventure, followed soon by other iconic movies like Batman, Beetlejuice, and Mission Impossible. Last year, he released his first rock album in over 3 decades: Big Mess. And this year, he's followed it up with another album: Bigger, Messier. The album features remixes of songs from Big Mess from artists like Trent Reznor, Xiu Xiu, and Iggy Pop. He talks with our correspondent Brian Heater about all that and more. Also, crustaceans.

The Craziest Day of My Entire Career is a segment that gives us the chance to talk with some of our favorite people about the weirdest workday they have experienced so far. This time around, we're joined by the one and only Patton Oswalt. Patton's resume speaks for itself. He's an Emmy and Grammy award winning standup comic. He played the voice of Remy in the Disney Pixar film Ratatouille . He's also a hilarious comic actor with the skills for drama, too. When we asked Patton about the craziest day of his entire career, well he didn't have to spend too long thinking about it. He took us back to the time he declined a free ride in the Planters Peanut Mobile only to be party to an intense, harrowing road rage battle.

Christina Ricci talks with Bullseye about the unique, fascinating arc her career has taken. Ricci began as one of the most iconic child actors of the 90s - think Casper and The Addams Family. Then, an indie film legend in films like Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas. The Ice Storm. Buffalo 66. And now: Emmy nominated star of the breakthrough TV hit Yellowjackets. Correspondent Jordan Crucchiola geeks out with Christina about all things Yellowjackets and so much more.

Comedian Nicole Byer is busy, in every sense of the word. She plays the role of headstrong Nicky on NBC's Grand Crew, a show about a group of wine-loving friends in Los Angeles who are doing their best to climb the career ladder, maintain relationships, and love each other. She's doing standup. She's co-hosting the show Wipeout with John Cena. She has four podcasts – Why Won't You Date Me, Newcomers, 90 Day Bae, and Best Friends! With Sasheer Zamata. In 2020, she published her first book "#VERYFAT#VERYBRAVE." She even plays Susie's mom in the upcoming Rugrats reboot! She's currently nominated for her third Emmy, for hosting Nailed It on Netflix.

Matt Berry asks himself a very simple question before choosing which projects he wants to do. Is it funny? That's it. It's probably the reason why the British actor-comedian is rarely seen in any role that isn't hilarious, or at least mostly funny and kind of odd. That's Matt's signature. Matt has starred in a bunch of comedy shows over the years, his most recent being the hit series What We Do In The Shadows. It's a mockumentary about vampires based on the 2014 movie of the same name. The show is now well into its fourth season, and it keeps on getting better. When we last had Matt on Bullseye, he talked with us about the best part of playing a vampire, where he got the inspiration for his Toast of London character, how writing songs from the perspective of a serial killer really boosted his career and more.

There's something about the animation in Bob's Burgers that makes the show magical. Maybe it's the pacing of the dialogue, the musical sequences or maybe it is just that deranged, almost feral look Tina gets when she is really on one. It's what makes Bob's Burgers so beloved by its fans, adored by critics and the recipient of eleven Emmy nominations. And now, a movie! The Bob's Burgers Movie hit theaters this past May, and it is streaming now on Hulu and HBO Max. It is a great movie for kids, adults, longtime fans of the show and people who have not heard of it. We talk with Loren Bouchard, the show's creator, about the series, the new movie and how the show came to be. He also shares what makes the animated series different from others.

D'Arcy Carden joins Bullseye to talk about her newest project, A League of Their Own. Amazon's newest series is based on the 1992 movie of the same name. Like the movie, the show tells the story of The Rockford Peaches, an all-women professional baseball team in World War II. When the show begins, it's clear the Rockford Peaches face a tough season, filled with long bus rides, difficult player trades and all the other baggage of being a wartime baseball team. The show reunites Carden with her longtime improv collaborator Abbi Jacobson, who co-created and stars in the series. A League of Their Own debuts August 12 on Amazon Prime.

Hannah Waddingham's portrayal of Rebecca on Ted Lasso earned her an Emmy award last year and another nomination this year for the second season of the show. She's originally a stage performer and had award-winning parts in shows on Broadway and London's West End. On Game of Thrones she played Septa Unella. To celebrate her latest Emmy nomination we're taking a moment to revisit her conversation with Linda Holmes from last year. They get into her role in Ted Lasso, and her years of performing in theater. Plus, what it's like to find a mouse in your dress while performing live on stage.

John Turturro is an acting legend. He is an actor that many directors like to work with, including both Spike Lee and the Coen Brothers. This year he is up for an Emmy for his role as Irving in the mind-bending sci-fi office drama Severance. When he last joined Bullseye, he had just starred in the movie Gloria Bell, directed by the Chilean filmmaker Sebastian Lelio. Turturro shared how he nailed down the subtleties and complexities of playing a character that might seem like an average joe in Gloria Bell. Plus, he also shared stories from his time working on some true classics like Spike Lee's Do The Right Thing and the Coen Brothers' The Big Lebowski.