Episodes

Episode 230: Oscar Isaac, Mads Mikkelsen, and Vermouth Strikes Back


Oscar Isaac, star of the Coen Bros. “Inside Llewyn Davis,” talks travis pickin’ and tabbies… Int’l star Mads Mikkelsen, lately of Danish drama “The Hunt,” looks on the bright side of strife… Bestselling author Janet Evanovich tells us how to politely destroy a van… Changing views of Manhattan from the roof of the Chelsea Hotel … Enjoying the Mutual Benefit of music  … A shave fit for a King … Sultry Lady Liberty … Carrot-noses that aren’t just for snowmen … And “Red Eyes” you’ll want, from The War on Drugs.


Disorderly Eating

Icebreaker

Writer Sherill Tippins jokes about one medical mystery that's pretty easy to solve.


A Sticky Legal Situation (If You Lick the Back)

Small Talk

What's more American than the Statue of Liberty? How about a sexier version of the famous statue, outside a casino in Las Vegas, which is now the subject of a lawsuit with the US Postal Service?


A Close Shave with History

A History Lesson With Booze ®

We know we can thank King C. Gillette's 1895 invention of the disposable razor for at least two things: making shaving easier and safer for the average man - and, a century later, giving faux-vintage hipster barbershops something to rebel against.


Photo by Danny Dorsa

Mutual Benefit Admiration Society

Soundtrack

Jordan Lee makes music under the moniker Mutual Benefit. He has been playing small rooms of in-the-know crowds for years - but with his new release, he is set to break through big time. He gives us a party playlist of other indie acts that share his subtle style.


Travis Pickin' & the Comedy of Resilience: Hanging with Oscar Isaac

Guest of Honor

To play a fictionalized version of a real-live 1960's folk musician in "Inside Llewyn Davis," actor Oscar Isaac had to play complicated, difficult guitar as well as a complicated, difficult personality.


Sherill Tippins

The Utopian Experiment of the Chelsea Hotel

Eavesdropping

"Inside the Dream Palace: The Life and Times of New York's Legendary Chelsea Hotel" investigates the Manhattan landmark, its famous residents from Dylan Thomas to Dee Dee Ramone, and what may happen next for this historic property. Author Sherill Tippins tells us about a few particularly high points in its history.


Picture Post/Hulton Archive/Getty Images

The New Vermouth

Main Course

While old-school martini-swillers might see vermouth as little more than a flavoring interfering with the purity of their precious gin, a new generation of distillers is reinvigorating the fortified wine.


Solving Etiquette Mysteries with Janet Evanovich

Etiquette

Using a fake name just means twice as many hot guys, bows make Uggs elegant, and other questionable conclusions from best-selling author Janet Evanovich. "Takedown Twenty," her twentieth Stephanie Plum novel, is out now.


Mads Mikkelsen Faces the Darkness

Guest of Honor

"The Hurt" may be an intimate, dark film, but for Danish actor Mads Mikkelsen, playing it real is easier than sparring with scorpions.


Winning, The War on Drugs

One For The Road

The propulsive rhythms, emotive vocals, and crescendoing choruses that typified The War on Drugs' first album back in 2011 are back in sophisticated style.


Playlist: Episode 230

Playlist

Music used in this week's episode