Welcome to the dinner party download. This is your icebreaker.

Here's my joke. It's somebody else's a joke, but I'm speaking it. Where does Gandalf buy his clothes?

I don't know where.

At the gap of Rohan.

I am Rico Galeano.

I'm Brendan Francis Nuneum, and from APM American Public Media, this is the Dinner Party Download,

one hour of culture, food, and humor to fuel your weekend conversations.

You just got a joke from Gandalf himself, sir Ian McKellen.

That'll break the ice.

Ask Lord of the Rings fan to explain that to you.

His film, Mr. Holmes, is just out on DVD later this hour. McKellen, that'll break the ice. Ask a Lord of the Rings fan to explain that to you.

His film Mr. Holmes is just out on DVD. Later this hour, we will speak with comedian Hannibal Burris and with actor Gail Garcia Bernal. He just got a Golden Globe nomination for his role in the

Amazon series Mozart in the Jungle. Also coming up, artist Molly Crabaville talks about

drawing dancers and detainees,

and Pub Rock Savant Nick Lowe shares a holiday playlist. But first, small talk.

All week long, you've been hearing these headlines. A jury has failed to reach a verdict in the

trial of William Porter in Baltimore. The Federal Reserve raised interest rates.

Swiss authorities say they've frozen bank accounts linked to football's world governing body, FIFA.

Now for something you might not have heard, we are joined by Aaron McCann. She is a staff editor at the New York Times.

Aaron, what story are you going to be talking about this weekend?

I'm talking about panda sex.

Of course you are.

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