Welcome to the dinner party download.

This is your icebreaker.

So two cows are standing in a field, and one says to the other,

so how about that mad cow disease?

Pretty scary stuff, huh?

To which the other replies, terrifying.

But what do I care?

I'm a helicopter.

I'm Rico Gagliano. I'm Brendan Francis Nune. And from APM American Public Media, this is the dinner party download, a one-hour

audio atlas of everything amazing in culture this week. You just got a joke from author

Jade Chang. That'll help break the ice. Her much-anticipated novel, The Wang's versus the world, is out this week. You just got a joke from author Jade Chang. That'll help break the ice.

Her much anticipated novel, The Wangs vs. The World is out this week. Later, we'll speak with

late night host Seth Myers about his show, the election, and not about how Saturday Night Live

is made. Definitely not. No. Also coming up, pretend talk show host, Eric Andre, author Phoebe

Robinson, and New York Times columnist Maureen Doud with etiquette advice.

But first, a party starts with small talk.

All week long, you've been hearing these headlines.

Golf legend Arnold Palmer is dead at the age of 87.

The Senate overrode President Obama's veto of a bill that would let families of 9-11 victims

sue Saudi Arabia.

I want to welcome you to the first presidential debate.

Now for a story you might not have heard, we are speaking with Amy Choi.

...