Jeff Bridges, Bernie Glassman, H. Jon Benjamin, and Mike Wiebe

Episode 54

22nd January 2013

It may not be the movie that won Jeff Bridges an Oscar, but The Big Lebowski is still one of the actor’s favorites. Bridges joins Zen master Bernie Glassman to talk with Jesse about the Dude in all of us. Then, H. Jon Benjamin talks about voicing the super spy Archer and his days recording Dr. Katz in a kitchen pantry. Plus, Jesse pays tribute to a California great: Huell Howser.

Episode notes

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And if you’re in the San Francisco Bay area this weekend, come join us at a live taping of Bullseye at the Punchline Comedy Club as part of SF Sketchfest. We’ll talk to 99% Invisible host Roman Mars, The Coup’s MC Boots Riley, and more. Find tickets and more details here!

The AV Club Recommends: The Imposter and Frightened Rabbit’s Pedestrian Verse

The AV Club’s Head Writer Nathan Rabin and Music Editor Marah Eakin join us to share some favorite new releases.

Nathan recommends the new DVD release of the documentary film The Imposter: the gripping story of a man who impersonates a family’s long-lost son. Marah suggests a listen to the new collaborative album by the Scottish indie band Frightened Rabbit, called Pedestrian Verse.

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Jeff Bridges and Bernie Glassman on Channeling the Zen of “The Dude”

Maybe you’ve seen the cult film The Big Lebowski. Maybe you’ve seen it more than once. The movie lends itself to repeat viewings: it’s chock-full of amazing and delirious visuals and wickedly funny and quotable dialogue. But what kind of wisdom can one gain from The Dude, the film’s chilled-out slacker hero who’s trying simply to “abide”? Maybe the key to living a more Zen life?

The Dude himself, Oscar-winning actor Jeff Bridges, and the renowned buddhist teacher and social activist Roshi Bernie Glassman join us to talk about following The Dude’s example, loving, living life and some of the other philosophical riffing from their new book, The Dude and the Zen Master.

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Getting “Faster and Louder” with The Dictators: Mike Wiebe on The Song That Changed My Life

Mike Wiebe, vocalist for the punk band The Riverboat Gamblers, reveals the song that changed his life: The Dictators’ “Faster and Louder”, from 1978’s Bloodbrothers. The song showed Wiebe that goofiness and edge weren’t mutually exclusive, and inspired the Gamblers’ beginnings.

The Riverboat Gamblers have honed their brand of melodic punk rock over the past fifteen years. Last year saw the release of their sixth full-length album, The Wolf You Feed. The band kicks off a European tour this spring.

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H. Jon Benjamin on Archer, Bob’s Burgers and an Unlikely Career in Voice Acting

H. Jon Benjamin is a writer, comedian and a prolific voice actor, but he’s not exactly the man of a million voices. In fact, he’s really the man of one voice, which depending on the setting could be the shiftless son on Dr. Katz, Professional Therapist, the misanthropic dad of Fox’s Bob’s Burgers, or a self-involved secret agent on FX’s Archer. Benjamin has appeared in his own physical form on shows like Parks and Recreation, and in 2011 created and starred in the Comedy Central series Jon Benjamin Has a Van.

Benjamin talks to us about and how his career in comedy and voice acting came together, the humble beginnings of the beloved animated series Dr. Katz, Professional Therapist, and the perks inherent in voicing the super-spy and super-jerk Sterling Archer.

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The Outshot: Huell Howser and “California’s Gold”

This week, Jesse pays tribute to the documentarian Huell Howser — a California transplant with a Tennessee drawl and perpetual and infectious sense of wonder.

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In this episode...

Senior Producer
Producer
Maximum Fun Producer
Maximum Fun Production Fellow

Guests

  • Jeff Bridges
  • Bernie Glassman
  • H. Jon Benjamin
  • Mike Wiebe
  • Marah Eakin
  • Nathan Rabin

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

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