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What Now? with Trevor Noah

Wesley Morris: How Critics at Large See the Stories We Miss

What Now? with Trevor Noah

SiriusXM & Day Zero Productions

News, Comedy, Society & Culture

4.6 • 4.3K Ratings

🗓️ 25 December 2025

⏱️ 133 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Trevor sits down with Pulitzer Prize-winning critic Wesley Morris for a wide-ranging conversation that uncovers the hidden stories in everyday culture. From Carlos Alcaraz’s accidental buzz cut becoming the real drama of the US Open (and why men rarely have to explain their appearance), to the deeper meaning behind dead baby names, looted ancient artifacts, and Trump’s complicated relationship with museums. They dive into why blockbuster movies have abandoned regular human stories, how Superman reboots reflect America’s shifting self-image, and why horror films and death-obsessed songs are dominating right now. Wesley breaks down the superpower of a “critic at large”: spotting trends everyone else misses and connecting them to what they really say about us. Thought-provoking, funny, and full of unexpected insights—this one will make you see the world a little differently.

Transcript

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0:00.0

It's fascinating to look at when Superman movies come back and when they don't.

0:07.9

When they do well and when they don't.

0:09.9

It's a great point.

0:10.8

There's a moment when America's telling a story about itself being exceptional and fighting the Russians and fighting communism.

0:16.8

Superman's the thing.

0:18.2

And then that story like fades away.

0:19.8

Superman fades away.

0:22.7

And then the Superman that becomes popular and comes out is like a gritty, non-superman-y Superman. That's the Trump. That's the

0:28.7

first Trump Superman. That's like the and then now the American Superman sort of thing is like back and the

0:35.7

the parents are even more foxy and the you know what I mean

0:38.2

it's like it's interesting to think about like what we're experiencing in our world and then the

0:43.8

question then the question becomes is the art imitating life or is life imitating art

0:50.8

this is what now with art This is What Now

0:57.6

with Trevor Noah

0:58.7

This episode is presented

1:02.7

by Whole Foods Market

1:03.9

Eat Well for Less

1:05.3

You guys both have like old men names.

1:13.6

You know.

1:14.6

No, but it's true though.

1:17.6

Wesley is a very like not now name.

1:20.6

Wes is a young person.

...

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