Popular Culture Programs

Singer-songwriter Ben Folds has crafted a wide-ranging career path that’s sometimes been as unexpected as it has been successful. He’s chronicled that experience in a new memoir, and in a conversation with Stephen Thompson of NPR Music, he discusses what it took to move from a working-class childhood in North Carolina to stardom.

To celebrate start of season three of “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel,” join the married team behind the show as they talk about its creation, their wide-ranging TV careers, and what it’s like to work together on one of today’s most honored and beloved series.

Chefs Bryan and Michael Voltaggio recently launch their third restaurant together, named Estuary in the spirit of the Chesapeake Bay. Join them as the brothers discuss their journey from their hometown of Frederick, Maryland, to “Top Chef” fame, how they created the menu at Estuary, and what it’s like to cook with family.

From Renaissance faires to “Game of Thrones,” people love the Middle Ages. But does our pop-culture version of the past accurately portray the period? Medievalist Paul B. Sturtevant draws recent scholarship to reveal a medieval world that holds surprises for amateurs and history buffs alike.