WCSU - Site Search

Benedict Cumberbatch (left), sporting the white-blond mop of the real Julian Assange, and Daniel Bruhl, who plays Daniel Domscheit-Berg, take on the story of WikiLeaks in <em>The Fifth Estate.</em>

WikiLeaks Gets A Hollywood Gloss In 'Fifth Estate'

A drama from Dreamgirls director Bill Condon chronicles the rise of the transparency-advocacy group, focusing on the relationship between founder Julian Assange (Benedict Cumberbatch) and a top lieutenant (Daniel Bruhl). Laura Linney, Stanley Tucci and Anthony Mackie also star.

Chiwetel Ejiofor (left) plays Solomon Northup, a New York freeman kidnapped into slavery in 1841 and eventually resold to plantation owner Edwin Epps (Michael Fassbender).

For A Free Spirit, A Grim '12 Years' In Chains

A brutal corrective to gauzy portrayals of the antebellum South, this true story of a man kidnapped into slavery took home the top audience prize at the Toronto Film Festival. NPR's Bob Mondello says it emphatically deserved the honor. (Recommended)

Why Dividends, Capital Gains Are Big Part Of Fiscal Cliff Talks

The tax code has long favored investment income over the money you get in your paycheck. But today's rates on dividends and capital gains are especially low, dating to tax cuts installed under President George W. Bush. And they're one target in the talks to avert a so-called fiscal cliff.

Stephen Fry takes in the view from Neuschwanstein Castle in Germany, one of the stops on a pilgrimage to explore his complicated feelings about the life and work of Richard Wagner.

Examining The Legacy Of A Legend In 'Wagner & Me'

Actor Stephen Fry explores the life of his favorite composer, Richard Wagner, in Wagner & Me. While Fry doesn't shy away from Wagner's anti-Semitism or the Nazis' appropriation of his music, critic Stephanie Zacharek says a wider perspective on the man's life is the heart of the film. (Recommended)

Jessica Bermudez, 24, models a dress at Deja Vu in Alexandria, Va. Bermudez is competing for the title of Miss District of Columbia USA, and says she regularly enters beauty pageants.

Beauty Pageant Economics: The Sash Isn't Cheap

From directors to designers, almost everyone in beauty pageants turns a profit. But not most of the contestants. Many can wind up spending thousands of dollars for entrance fees, the perfect gown and top-notch coaching. For most contestants, it's an expensive hobby with little or no financial reward.

<strong>I want to hold your lunch!</strong> This 1965 lunchbox — considered "one of the Holy Grails" of lunchbox collecting — sold for $936.10 in 2013. It came with a thermos. Another mint condition sample sold for $1,625 last fall.

Beatlemania! When The Fab Four Rocked The Lunchroom

Soon after they arrived on U.S. shores, The Beatles infiltrated just about every part of American pop culture — including lunchboxes. Fans have been known to shell out more than $1,000 for an authentic 1960s lunchbox featuring the band.

First Lady Not First Priority For Graduates

Host Michel Martin reflects on the recent controversy over first lady Michelle Obama's upcoming speech to high school graduates in Kansas.

"Hollywood Glamour: Fashion and Jewelry from the Silver Screen" includes gowns designed by Chanel and Edith Head. The exhibit is open until March 8.

Gold-Plated Gowns And 8-inch Pumps: The Stuff That Made Starlets Shimmer

Actress Mae West was petite, but on screen — thanks to a pair of platform shoes — she looked larger than life. A show in Boston examines the fashion and jewelry of Hollywood's golden age.

Black And Latino Voters Flooded With Disinformation In Final Days Before Election

In 2016, Black voters were the top target of foreign disinformation campaigns. In 2020, there are both foreign and domestic efforts to dissuade Black and Latino voters from casting ballots.

NASCAR: Its History Of Racism And Relations With The Confederate Flag

NPR's Sarah McCammon speaks with Daniel Pierce, a NASCAR historian and a University of North Carolina, Asheville professor, about the history of racism and the Confederate flag in stock car racing.

Search results for