The Frame

Rankine, whose poetry has examined everyday racism in America, and Wolfe, whose music addresses issues of the American worker, were both named MacArthur Foundation fellows; as the Fall TV season launches, we visit with producer Betsy Beers at Shondaland, one of the most successful companies in the industry.

Diavolo Dance Theatre is reinventing modern dance by combing architecture and wildly physical choreography; media critics have been piling on NBC for going soft on the GOP nominee, and now late night host Samantha Bee has joined the fray; Richard Nelson keeps his election-themed plays current by writing until the last minute.

The new documentary, “The Lovers and the Despot,” tells the true story of what happened in 1978 when Kim Jong-il ordered the kidnapping of a filmmaking couple from South Korea to jumpstart North Korea's movie industry; William Bell has revived the classic Stax sound; a new report shows that the music business is actually making money in the streaming age.

Playwright and performer Lucy Alibar draws on her Southern childhood for “Throw Me on the Burnpile and Light Me Up"; Aziz Ansari and Alan Yang, who won a writing Emmy for "Master of None," talk about their approach to diversity; the Toronto International Film Festival kicked off a lot of Academy Award talk.

Kent McCord of the 1960-70s TV cop show, "Adam-12," which was produced in partnership with the LAPD. McCord says a show about cops who aren't "edgy" wouldn't sell in today's TV business; In advance of TV's big awards night, we discuss what goes into an Emmy campaign, and how valuable is a nomination or a win in this era of "too much TV"?

Cheo Hodari Coker, creator and showrunner of the Netflix series "Luke Cage," unpacks the idea of building a show around a superhero who also happens to be a "bullet-proof black man" in a hoodie; Can Pandora and Amazon be the next disruptors in the streaming music space? They hope so.

The documentary "Audrie & Daisy" examines the sexual assault and cyber-shaming of two teen girls; with its third album, the band Local Natives remains entrenched in Silver Lake's indie rock scene; a group of songwriters is challenging the Dept. of Justice's control over royalty rates.

How do unconscious biases affect hiring practices in Hollywood? To dig deeper into this issue, Cathy Schulman (Oscar-winning producer/Women In Film) and Judith Williams (Global Head of Diversity at Dropbox) put Frame host John Horn to the test as if he's a studio executive; In 2005 Jackie Lopez co-founded the hip hop troupe "Versa Style" to teach kids not only how to dance but the cultural history behind hip hop.

"Kicks" filmmakers discuss how being outsiders who didn't fit society's views of manhood fueled the making of their lyrical coming-of-age drama; A new documentary explores why Brad Bird's 1999 animated film "The Iron Giant" was a critical darling, but a box office bomb; Inside Nate Parker's "The Birth of a Nation" press conference at TIFF; Can you scream like Nicholas Cage?

Every August, cultural festivals take over the Scottish city of Edinburgh with thousands of performances taking place day and night. This year The Frame host John Horn immersed himself in shows and brings an audio postcard of his creative excursion; TV reporter Whitney Friedlander joins us to preview some new and returning television shows that are worthy of our time and DVR space this fall.

Adam Driver went from the Marines to Julliard where he tapped into his emotions, now he's one of the best actors of his generation. Indie rocker Liz Phair reconsiders how singing about sex got her pigeon-holed. And why is China mad at "South Park"? Plus, "Parasite" filmmaker Bong Joon-Ho tackles class dynamics and economic inequality inside a funny film.

The singer, who has roots in both Mexico and the U.S., takes on issues of the day in her latest album; what we know about the re-named Michael Jackson musical; R&B singer Michael Marshall transforms a '60s hippie anthem for "The Last Black Man in San Francisco."

An exhibit at the Annenberg Space for Photography depicts barriers all over the world — from prisons to refugee camps to fences at the U.S./Mexico border; studio musicians are seeking streaming revenue; singer-songwriter Nilüfer Yanya.

The South Korean director blends horror, comedy and sci-fi into an entertaining story about class struggle; "South Park" is banned in China; Nellie McKay moves her quirky music to the stage.

The actor's solo show examines the dark and often funny work of absurdist playwright, Samuel Beckett; how is "cancel culture" affecting pop culture?; Janet Jackson's “Rhythm Nation 1814” turns 30.

Antonio Banderas talks about reuniting with Pedro Almodóvar for "Pain and Glory"; how is "Cancel Culture" affecting what we see and hear?; the documentary "Diego Maradona"; the creators of Amazon's "Undone"; and the latest from singers Lupita Infante, Jay Som and Gaby Moreno.

The veteran R&B singer has had a long stop-and-start career, but she's still demonstrating her sense of adventure and musical curiosity; James Franco faces a lawsuit that alleges sexual harassment at his former acting school; "Joker" composer Hildur Guðnadóttir.

Forty years after its release, Alexandre Philippe's documentary looks back at Ridley Scott's landmark film; how is Warner Bros. marketing "Joker"?; “Variedades: Little Central America, 1984” is a theatrical performance that puts today’s migration crisis in conversation with the past.

The actor plays a film director in Pedro Almodóvar's autobiographical film; Plácido Domingo resigns as general director of L.A. Opera.

The new HBO documentary by Asif Kapadia examines the life and career of the talented and troubled soccer legend; living in the era of Big Podcast; Gaby Moreno's new album; Jessye Norman, RIP.

The documentary, shot entirely on cell phones, follows an Afghani family's efforts to flee the Taliban and seek asylum; the Endeavor talent agency's growth plan hits a snag; singer/songwriter Jay Som.

Jill Soloway closes out "Transparent" with a massive musical finale; Robbie Roberston and Rhiannon Giddens each reflect on their lives in music, we hear the remarkable story of "Unbelievable" and look back at Janet Jackson's 1989 album Rhythm Nation.