The best depictions of the American dream
Summary
NPR’s Pop Culture Happy Hour hosts Stephen Thompson, Linda Holmes, Aisha Harris, and Glenn Weldon discuss pop culture depictions of the American dream. Linda selects *Apollo 13* for its optimism and competence, while Aisha chooses *The Wire* to illustrate systemic failure and resilience. Glenn picks *Grey Gardens* to explore the decay of privilege, and Stephen highlights Jasmine Sullivan’s song “The Other Side” as an anthem of anxious aspiration.
Topics discussed
Intro and setting the stage for American Dream picks
Linda Holmes picks Apollo 13 as a hopeful American Dream
Aisha Harris chooses The Wire to depict the broken Dream
Glenn Weldon selects Gray Gardens for its complex portrait
Stephen Thompson picks The Other Side for modern anxiety
Outro and credits
Listen ad-free on Castria