Accessibility links
Bullseye with Jesse Thorn Bullseye is a celebration of the best of arts and culture in public radio form. Host Jesse Thorn sifts the wheat from the chaff to bring you in-depth interviews with the most revered and revolutionary minds in our culture. Bullseye has been featured in Time, The New York Times, GQ and McSweeney's, which called it "the kind of show people listen to in a more perfect world."
Bullseye with Jesse Thorn

Podcast Directory
Enlarge this image

new bullseye NPR hide caption

toggle caption
NPR

new bullseye

NPR

Bullseye with Jesse Thorn

From NPR

Bullseye is a celebration of the best of arts and culture in public radio form. Host Jesse Thorn sifts the wheat from the chaff to bring you in-depth interviews with the most revered and revolutionary minds in our culture. Bullseye has been featured in Time, The New York Times, GQ and McSweeney's, which called it "the kind of show people listen to in a more perfect world."

Most Recent Episodes

Paul Scheer – Live at LAist

Jesse Thorn (left) and Paul Scheer (right) at LAist. James Van Evers/LAist hide caption

toggle caption
James Van Evers/LAist

Paul Scheer – Live at LAist

Actor and comedian Paul Scheer recently joined us before a live audience at LAist – our hometown public radio station in Los Angeles – to talk about his new book Joyful Recollections of Trauma. Paul also shares a story about an intense encounter he had with actor Christopher Walken when he was younger. Plus, he tells us how he's become such a big Los Angeles Clippers fan.

Listen to this Episode

Listen · 51:12
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/1197961098/1256067386" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">

Les Savy Fav's Tim Harrington and Syd Butler

Les Savy Fav recently released OUI, LSF, their first album in 14 years. On the latest episode, Jesse chats with Tim Harrington and bassist Syd Butler of Les Savy Fav. Harrington is in his 50's now and was diagnosed with bipolar disorder not too long ago. He opens up about taking better care of himself. Butler and Harrington also get into the new record, which was recorded in Harrington's attic – please don't tell his landlord.

Les Savy Fav's Tim Harrington and Syd Butler

Listen · 36:47
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/1197961088/1255909985" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
System of a Down's Serj Tankian

(Photo by Richard Robey/Maximum Fun) Richard Robey/Maximum Fun hide caption

toggle caption
Richard Robey/Maximum Fun

System of a Down's Serj Tankian

Serj Tankian is the lead singer and co-founder of the hard rock band System of a Down. He's also a solo artist, activist, symphony composer, and an author. He just released his book Down With The System: A Memoir (Of Sorts). Serj talks all about the book, his time as the frontman of System of a Down, and his love for Barbara Streisand.

System of a Down's Serj Tankian

Listen · 43:04
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/1197961041/1255732331" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
Molly Gordon

Molly Gordon poses in the IMDb Portrait Studio at the 2024 Independent Spirit Awards. Emma McIntyre/Getty Images for IMDb hide caption

toggle caption
Emma McIntyre/Getty Images for IMDb

Molly Gordon

Molly Gordon joins us to talk about starring on FX's hit series The Bear. She get into what it's been like working with the incredible cast and how it's been to play a resident ER doctor on the show. She also shares what it was like growing up with parents who worked in show business and tell us what they taught her about filmmaking.

Listen to this Episode

Listen · 39:55
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/1197960932/1255563769" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
Comedian Ms. Pat

Ms. Pat at the Maximum Fun studios Daniel Huecias/Maximum Fun hide caption

toggle caption
Daniel Huecias/Maximum Fun

Comedian Ms. Pat

Ms. Pat's standup comedy is direct, clever and raw. She headlines shows all over the country and she's got her own TV show - The Ms. Pat Show on BET Plus. We'll get into her Emmy nominated sitcom, her extraordinarily difficult road to success and why she decided to take a chance on standup in the first place. Plus, a bonkers story about the time she took an order from a U.S. President at a fast food restaurant.

Comedian Ms. Pat

Listen · 38:58
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/1197960900/1255334652" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
Tanya Tucker

(Photo by Jason Kempin/Getty Images for CMT) Jason Kempin/Getty Images for CMT hide caption

toggle caption
Jason Kempin/Getty Images for CMT

Tanya Tucker

Tanya Tucker is a country music legend! She's been singing since she was nine years old and has released about two dozen records in her time. When Tanya was last on Bullseye, she had just released her Grammy award-winning album While I'm Living. She talks about the album, turning down Elvis Presley, and so much more.

Tanya Tucker

Listen · 34:03
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/1197960889/1255199973" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
Kaitlin Olson

Kaitlin Olson as DJ Vance in season 3 of Hacks. John Johnson/Max hide caption

toggle caption
John Johnson/Max

Kaitlin Olson

Chances are you've probably seen Kaitlin Olson on It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia. The show's been on the air for almost two decades now! Olson also performs on the TV comedy Hacks. She earned an Emmy nomination for her part on the show. When Olson came on Bullseye back in 2015, It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia had just wrapped its 10th season! She talked with us about morally broken comedy characters and whether it's a good idea to fall in love with the creator of your TV show.

Listen to this Epsisode

Listen · 34:17
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/1197959371/1255072971" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">

Choreographer Twyla Tharp

Twyla Tharp is a legend in the world of dance. She's danced and choreographed professionally for nearly 60 years. Tharp is 82 and she's still working just as hard as ever. She has a new show that she choreographed – How Long Blues. When we spoke to Twyla she had just written a book called Keep it Moving: Lessons for the Rest of Your Life. We're thrilled to revisit this conversation. She's one of the most insightful, hilarious, and sassy guests we've ever had on the show.

Choreographer Twyla Tharp

Listen · 35:05
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/1197959358/1254898235" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
Michael Stipe

(Photo by Bennett Raglin/Getty Images for Songwriters Hall Of Fame) Bennett Raglin/Getty Images hide caption

toggle caption
Bennett Raglin/Getty Images

Michael Stipe

Michael Stipe is forever cemented in the minds of music fans as the lead singer of R.E.M., one of the biggest rock bands in history. He's also made some fun appearances on shows like At Home with Amy Sedaris and The Adventures of Pete and Pete. R.E.M. was also recently inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame where they performed their classic song "Losing My Religion." When Stipe was last on Bullseye, we talked with him about discovering his voice, his passion for photography, and the new music he'd been writing.

Michael Stipe

Listen · 36:06
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/1197959338/1254690518" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
Ray Suarez on his new book 'We Are Home: Becoming American in the 21st Century'

Ray Suarez' new book Little, Brown and Company hide caption

toggle caption
Little, Brown and Company

Ray Suarez on his new book 'We Are Home: Becoming American in the 21st Century'

You may have heard Ray Suarez on Bullseye before. He was last a guest on the show in 2016 and has since interviewed all kinds of folks for us. Lately, Ray has been spending a lot of time abroad. He lectures at the New York University campus in Shanghai. During his time abroad, he's been thinking a lot about what it means to be an immigrant. He's interviewed people from all across the globe on the topic, and has compiled their stories into a new book called We Are Home: Becoming American in the 21st Century.

Listen to this Epsiode

Listen · 40:47
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/1197959324/1254482072" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
Bullseye with Jesse Thorn

Podcast Directory
or search npr.org