American Fiction, the feature film directorial debut of Cord Jefferson, is a comedy based on the 2001 novel Erasure by Percival Everett. It is nominated for five Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Adapted Screenplay for Jefferson, Best Actor for Jeffrey Wright, and Best Supporting Actor for Sterling K. Brown.

And: Criminal Record is a British crime thriller series on Apple TV+. Here’s their synopsis: “In the heart of London, an anonymous phone call draws two brilliant detectives — a young woman in the early stages of her career and a well-connected man determined to protect his legacy — into a fight to correct an old miscarriage of justice.” Criminal Record stars Peter Capaldi and Cush Jumbo.

GUESTS:

• Rich Hollant: Principal at CO:LAB, founder of Free Center, and commissioner on cultural affairs for the city of Hartford
• Shawn Murray: A stand-up comedian, writer, and the host of the Nobody Asked Shawn podcast
• Irene Papoulis: Teaches writing at Trinity College, and she’s the author of The Essays Only You Can Write

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Colin McEnroe and Eugene Amatruda contributed to this show.