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Dangerfield died Tuesday at the age of 82. He recently published a book about his life, Rodney Dangerfield: It's Not Easy Bein' Me. This interview was originally broadcast on July 6, 2004.

Library music, the instrumental sounds behind 1970s film, TV and radio productions, is a little-known treasure of soul, jazz and funk. Collector David Hollander has made it his mission to introduce library music to the masses.

Media watchers say recent book and film trends suggest a "perfect storm" of politically motivated popular culture, which has been building for years. Books from the left and right top best-seller lists, while films like Fahrenheit 9/11 draw box-office crowds. Hear NPR's Lynn Neary.

NPR's Michele Norris talks with filmmaker Alexander Payne about his new movie Sideways. Payne's previous movies include the dark comedies Election and About Schmidt, and he says he sees comedy as an "antidote" to tragedy.

NPR's Liane Hansen speaks to Scott Kiesling, a linguist at the University of Pittsburgh, about the evolution of the word "dude." Kiesling recently published a paper chronicling the word's uses over the years.

Young jazz piano prizewinner Adam Birnbaum, Japanese sensation Hiromi, pianist Lynne Arriale and her trio and the matchless veteran Kenny Barron headline the 15th annual 'Jazz Piano Christmas' concert.

Rock concert posters produced some of the most iconic art of the '60s. Then came a period of decline. But an explosion of indie bands producing their own CDs has revived the genre. Producer Scott Carrier of the Hearing Voices radio project offers a review of the book Art of Modern Rock.

Arguably the crown jewel in the Disney video library -- and certainly the chim-chim-cheree-est musical around -- this lovingly enhanced DVD version of the classic film is as enchanting in its 40th anniversary edition as it was on the screen in 1964. NPR's Bob Mondello has a review.

Slate film critic David Edelstein tells us his top movies of 2004, and recommends current holiday releases. Edelstein says that in 2004, some high-profile winners -- and losers -- hit the nation's big screens.

Hollywood is rife with film biographies this year: Ray Charles, Bobby Darin, Alexander the Great, Alfred Kinsey, and Che Guevara have all gotten the movie treatment. NPR's Bob Mondello says the one that opens Friday, the Howard Hughes biopic The Aviator, qualifies as the crowd-pleaser of the bunch.