This week: Actor James McAvoy (of this week’s new “X Men” blockbuster, and the art-house drama “Filth”) flies the Scottish flag… Writer-director Jon Favreau cooks up a new film… Emma Straub on why vacation with the ‘rents isn’t all that bad… Indie pop duo Sylvan Esso score your next brat barbecue… The one time when you WANT food to stain your clothes (It’s art!)… Globetrotting comedy writer Kristin Newman does etiquette, for all nations… A drink for America’s first speeding ticket victim…And more.
"Dyslexic Man" - Jon Favreau
A slightly mixed-up joke from actor and filmmaker Jon Favreau.
Feeling Gung-Ho About China
The expression "Gung-Ho" entered the American vocabulary through the Marine Corps - but it was picked up by the Marines from an unexpected source.
Speeding Through a History of Speeding Tickets
From the first-ever speeding citation in 1899 to the biggest speeding fine in 2010 in under two quick minutes.
Sylvan Esso Bring Beats, Brats, Beautiful Loops
The North Carolina based indie-electro-pop duo spin us a party playlist showcasing their eclectic tastes - and their bratwurst-cooking tips.
James McAvoy Talks Filth
Scottish actor James McAvoy ("X-Men: Days of Future Past," "Atonement") tackles the role of a corrupt cop on the edge of sanity in the film adaptation of author Irvine Welsh's "Filth."
Emma Straub Takes Us on Vacation
"The Vacationers," Emma Straub's second novel, follows the summer vacation of one extended family, observing them as they share celebrations and secrets.
Turning Food Waste into Textiles
Textile designer Cara Marie Piazza isn't afraid of food stains on her clothes - to the contrary, they're the basis of her work. She creates a rainbow of designs utilizing onion skins and other food waste otherwise destined for the compost bin.
Kristin Newman's Lusty Wanderlust
Comedy writer Kristin Newman had a successful career in Hollywood sitcoms, but as her friends started settling down, she felt the urge to get away. Her new memoir of that escape is called "What I Was Doing While You Were Breeding."
Jon Favreau's Passions in Film and Food
The director of Hollywood hits like "Iron Man" returns to his indie-film roots to write, direct, and star in the passion project "Chef" - about a chef who leaves a big restaurant to start an indie passion project of his own.
Playlist: Episode 254
Music from this episode
