Carl Wilson, Max Greenfield, and Moby

Episode 123

17th June 2014

Max Greenfield plays Schmidt on the FOX sitcom New Girl. He’ll talk about why it’s the role he was really meant to play. But first, Jesse talks to the music critic Carl Wilson. He wrote a book about a Celine Dion album, but more than that the book is about why we like what we like and hate what we hate. Then later, Moby will talk about the punk song that changed his life, the L.A. Times’ book critic Carolyn Kellogg will share a some new fiction and non-fiction you should check out, and Jesse will tell you about the perfect music for riding low and slow.

Episode notes

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How We Decide What’s Good… and What’s Bad: Carl Wilson on Celine Dion and the Nature of Taste

Carl Wilson is a music critic. His job is to tell people why certain music is good, and why other music isn’t. You could call him a tastemaker. But he started to wonder. How does taste even work? To find out, he immersed himself in the music, life and fandom of Celine Dion.

Wilson is the author of Let’s Talk About Love: Why Other People Have Such Bad Taste, a reissued and expanded version of the book he published in 2007. It’s about Celine and her bestselling album from 1997, but more importantly it’s an exploration of why we like some music and hate other music. Wilson’s journey made him question how we place value on art, and has affected the way he approaches his work in music criticism.

He talks about Dion’s Quebecois background (and why it matters), how she and her music relate to “coolness,” and why experiencing a Celine Dion concert in Las Vegas helped open him up to her true appeal.

Looking for Rich Juzwiak’s “Celine Dion is Amazing” compilation video mentioned in the interview? We’ll save you a Google search.

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Carolyn Kellogg Recommends Summer Reads

We’re joined by Carolyn Kellogg, book critic for the Los Angeles Times, to talk about two new books that recently hit the shelves.

Her first recommendation is a thriller called The Fever by Megan Abbott. The novel explores what happens when teenagers in a small Northeast town get hit with a mysterious illness, which tests teenage friendships and the strength of a family.

Kellogg also recommends a memoir about a girl and her father. It’s not your typical father-daughter-bonding tale. Maria Venegas writes about reconnecting with her estranged father in Bulletproof Vest: Ballad of an Outlaw and his Daughter.

You can find Kellogg’s writing in the Los Angeles Times or on their blog, Jacket Copy.

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Moby on “My Way” by Sid Vicious: The Song That Changed My Life

Moby is one of the most successful electronic musicians in the world. But he didn’t start fiddling with synthesizers and drum machines as a kid — he was studying classical guitar. Then, his world changed with just one song.

Moby tells us about the song that changed his life, Frank Sinatra’s “My Way” as performed by Sid Vicious.

Moby’s newest album is called Innocents.

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Max Greenfield Explains: What Makes New Girl’s Schmidt Tick

Max Greenfield stars as Schmidt on FOX’s series New Girl. His character is so sweet and enthusiastic in his bro-y-ness, you can’t help but love him. Schmidt is frequently shirtless, occasionally naked, and never less than transparent in his striving.

Schmidt was a breakout role for Greenfield, and before he got it, he would read audition lines with his wife, who happens to be a casting director. He talks about how she can be his toughest critic, how he and Schmidt are most alike, and how mispronouncing words like “chutney” came to be part of Schmidt’s essence.

New Girl just ended its third season on Fox. Both the show and Greenfield’s role have been submitted for Emmy consideration.

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The Outshot: East Side Story

You probably know what a low rider is. But what do you know about low rider oldies? Jesse talks about the perfect music for driving low and slow.

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In this episode...

Senior Producer
Producer
Maximum Fun Producer
Maximum Fun Production Fellow
Video Editor

Guests

  • Carl Wilson
  • Max Greenfield
  • Moby
  • Carolyn Kellogg

About the show

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.” Since April 2013, the show has been distributed by NPR.

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Senior Producer

Producer

Maximum Fun Producer

Maximum Fun Production Fellow

Video Editor

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