Ryan Benk
@ryanbenk.bsky.social
Producer/reporter for NPR's Weekend Edition. Horror, punk, pop-punk or anything by Sturgill Simpson. Lift heavy things. Cats are rad. SAGAFTRA. DC is a real place.
https://www.npr.org/people/942414025/ryan-benk
https://www.npr.org/people/942414025/ryan-benk
Pinned
Pink Floyd's drummer Nick Mason reflects on 50 years of 'Wish You Were Here'
NPR's Rob Schmitz speaks with Pink Floyd drummer Nick Mason about the band's epic album "Wish You Were Here" as it's reissued 50 years after its release.
www.npr.org
50 years after the release of Pink Floyd's WISH YOU WERE HERE, drummer Nick Mason is still a bit shocked by its resonance.
"I left college to spend a year in a band. How was I to know that 50 years later I'd still be in that band?"
He spoke w/ @robschmitz.bsky.social
www.npr.org/2025/12/13/n...
"I left college to spend a year in a band. How was I to know that 50 years later I'd still be in that band?"
He spoke w/ @robschmitz.bsky.social
www.npr.org/2025/12/13/n...
If you've ever wondered how ping pong could ever give you a panic attack, have I got a movie for you
December 30, 2025 at 3:01 AM
If you've ever wondered how ping pong could ever give you a panic attack, have I got a movie for you
Reposted by Ryan Benk
Just watched the new Knives Out and I think it's really important you know that the scene in the Seminary's Gym is filmed in the same place Rick Astley filmed the music video for Never Gonna Give You Up.
I saw the window tracery and immediately made my friends pause the film so I could tell them.
I saw the window tracery and immediately made my friends pause the film so I could tell them.
December 29, 2025 at 1:11 PM
Just watched the new Knives Out and I think it's really important you know that the scene in the Seminary's Gym is filmed in the same place Rick Astley filmed the music video for Never Gonna Give You Up.
I saw the window tracery and immediately made my friends pause the film so I could tell them.
I saw the window tracery and immediately made my friends pause the film so I could tell them.
Reposted by Ryan Benk
The AI "more muscular" thing isnt some funny social media trend. It's actually a dangerously sad manifestation of physique inflation or "bigorexia." So many kids already blasting roids and ruining or losing their lives. So bleak man
December 29, 2025 at 3:57 PM
The AI "more muscular" thing isnt some funny social media trend. It's actually a dangerously sad manifestation of physique inflation or "bigorexia." So many kids already blasting roids and ruining or losing their lives. So bleak man
Reposted by Ryan Benk
as someone who absolutely hates cardio this is unfortunately true
lifting heavy things (fun, cool): good for you, which rocks
doing cardio (miserable, sucks): also good for you, which is bullshit
lifting heavy things (fun, cool): good for you, which rocks
doing cardio (miserable, sucks): also good for you, which is bullshit
not gonna evangelize about it but tbh coming to understand the value of cardio is one of the biggest positive changes I've made of any kind to my adult life, for whatever that's worth
Fitness gurus are always knocking cardio. Well, the elliptical is super effectively for weight loss. It’s low impact so you can do it for long time periods, every day. I can burn 800-1000 calories in an hour. I can do it daily. I lost 100 lbs once doing nothing but that damned boring elliptical.
December 28, 2025 at 5:46 PM
as someone who absolutely hates cardio this is unfortunately true
lifting heavy things (fun, cool): good for you, which rocks
doing cardio (miserable, sucks): also good for you, which is bullshit
lifting heavy things (fun, cool): good for you, which rocks
doing cardio (miserable, sucks): also good for you, which is bullshit
Reposted by Ryan Benk
From the same year, Westlake on Fresh Air (including a short reading of "The Ax") freshairarchive.org/segments/mys...
Mystery Writer Donald Westlake Discusses "The Ax."
Mystery writer Donald Westlake has written 70 novels and screenplays (including "The Grifters" and "The Stepfather"). He is known for his novels which combine laughs with thrills, and which show equal...
freshairarchive.org
December 28, 2025 at 3:32 AM
From the same year, Westlake on Fresh Air (including a short reading of "The Ax") freshairarchive.org/segments/mys...
Reposted by Ryan Benk
The NYT writes a mostly glowing obit for Brigitte Bardot, says she "gained notoriety for her political views, which many say as racist." She was convicted 5 times for inciting racial hatred & mocked sexual assault victims, saying she enjoyed being told she had "a nice little ass."
December 28, 2025 at 2:50 PM
The NYT writes a mostly glowing obit for Brigitte Bardot, says she "gained notoriety for her political views, which many say as racist." She was convicted 5 times for inciting racial hatred & mocked sexual assault victims, saying she enjoyed being told she had "a nice little ass."
Reposted by Ryan Benk
The replies to every mainstream news post on here about Brigitte Bardot dying:
December 28, 2025 at 2:16 PM
The replies to every mainstream news post on here about Brigitte Bardot dying:
Reposted by Ryan Benk
This is a problem.
Newsletter writers rely on subscribers, and many authors “don’t want to piss those people off by speaking truth,” Mehdi Hasan, the British American journalist, tells Yona TR Golding, “by saying something that their subscribers might not like.” www.cjr.org/feature/how-...
December 28, 2025 at 1:38 PM
This is a problem.
Reposted by Ryan Benk
never ask a man his salary, a woman her age, or brigitte bardot her opinion on “race mixing.”
And a good morning to everyone reading the “later life” section of Brigitte Bardot’s wikipedia page for the first time
December 28, 2025 at 1:36 PM
never ask a man his salary, a woman her age, or brigitte bardot her opinion on “race mixing.”
Reposted by Ryan Benk
New Year's resolution: Gonna mix it up, try something new, stunt on the skyline a little
less dipshit, more cumclown
less dipshit, more cumclown
December 28, 2025 at 6:03 AM
New Year's resolution: Gonna mix it up, try something new, stunt on the skyline a little
less dipshit, more cumclown
less dipshit, more cumclown
Reposted by Ryan Benk
I think pump covers are on a spectrum of goofy to concerning (for the mental health of the person wearing them)
December 27, 2025 at 10:33 PM
I think pump covers are on a spectrum of goofy to concerning (for the mental health of the person wearing them)
Reposted by Ryan Benk
Note: Trump admin has repeatedly used this image and invoked to the story it’s meant to depict — namely, Washington praying at Valley Forge.
But historians — including the head of Washington’s own presidential library — believe the story is likely entirely made up. religionnews.com/2025/09/29/c...
But historians — including the head of Washington’s own presidential library — believe the story is likely entirely made up. religionnews.com/2025/09/29/c...
December 27, 2025 at 10:25 PM
Note: Trump admin has repeatedly used this image and invoked to the story it’s meant to depict — namely, Washington praying at Valley Forge.
But historians — including the head of Washington’s own presidential library — believe the story is likely entirely made up. religionnews.com/2025/09/29/c...
But historians — including the head of Washington’s own presidential library — believe the story is likely entirely made up. religionnews.com/2025/09/29/c...
Reposted by Ryan Benk
“‘Death By Lightning’ Shows Why a Professional Civil Service Matters”
My latest for @washingtonmonthly.com
washingtonmonthly.com/2025/12/19/d...
My latest for @washingtonmonthly.com
washingtonmonthly.com/2025/12/19/d...
Death By Lightning Shows Why a Professional Civil Service Matters
Donald Trump wants to bring back the spoils system. Death by Lightning is an entertaining tale of why we should never do that.
washingtonmonthly.com
December 19, 2025 at 12:26 PM
“‘Death By Lightning’ Shows Why a Professional Civil Service Matters”
My latest for @washingtonmonthly.com
washingtonmonthly.com/2025/12/19/d...
My latest for @washingtonmonthly.com
washingtonmonthly.com/2025/12/19/d...
Lol watching a YT doc about Vince McMahon's attempt to break into the body building biz. The WWE formula grafted onto body building is actually an incredible combo that might actually work today even though it failed in the 90s
December 27, 2025 at 10:23 PM
Lol watching a YT doc about Vince McMahon's attempt to break into the body building biz. The WWE formula grafted onto body building is actually an incredible combo that might actually work today even though it failed in the 90s
Reposted by Ryan Benk
Some ~personal news~
Yes, I'm being sued by Matt Taibbi
Does that make me the realest free speech warrior?
open.substack.com
December 27, 2025 at 6:08 PM
Some ~personal news~
Reposted by Ryan Benk
If you need some snake horror after seeing the new ANACONDA, I dropped some recs at @bloody-disgusting.com
10 Snake Horror Movies to Watch After the New ‘Anaconda’
Of all Earth’s creatures that strike fear into the human heart, snakes rank very high. Some serpents earn their scary reputation all on their own, and others are quite harmless. That said, once the op...
bloody-disgusting.com
December 26, 2025 at 9:07 PM
If you need some snake horror after seeing the new ANACONDA, I dropped some recs at @bloody-disgusting.com
Reposted by Ryan Benk
For 50+ years, the NPR Network has offered America trusted information, free of charge. As public media faces a future without federal funding, we're relying on you to sustain this work in 2026 and beyond.
Donate now to power Tiny Desk concerts, local reporting and more: n.pr/4pCcFIx
Donate now to power Tiny Desk concerts, local reporting and more: n.pr/4pCcFIx
December 26, 2025 at 9:13 PM
For 50+ years, the NPR Network has offered America trusted information, free of charge. As public media faces a future without federal funding, we're relying on you to sustain this work in 2026 and beyond.
Donate now to power Tiny Desk concerts, local reporting and more: n.pr/4pCcFIx
Donate now to power Tiny Desk concerts, local reporting and more: n.pr/4pCcFIx
Reposted by Ryan Benk
London: don't miss this opportunity to see one of the greatest films ever made, on a theater screen!
We've added an encore screening of HIROSHIMA MON AMOUR to the programme on Tuesday 6th Jan at 3:15pm. A cornerstone of the French New Wave, the first feature from Alain Resnais is one of the most influential films of all time.
🎟️: buff.ly/Tj6HJx5
🎟️: buff.ly/Tj6HJx5
December 26, 2025 at 6:05 PM
London: don't miss this opportunity to see one of the greatest films ever made, on a theater screen!
Reposted by Ryan Benk
Essentially, I think that LLM-generated dialogue only makes sense if you believe that the product of writing is words.
But the product of writing isn't words, any more than the product of justice is prisoners, or the product of love is weddings. The product of writing is meaning.
But the product of writing isn't words, any more than the product of justice is prisoners, or the product of love is weddings. The product of writing is meaning.
I had five fascinating conversations for this RPS piece, gathering perspectives on genAI chatbots in games, as seen in Where Winds Meet. Thanks to @meghna.bsky.social, @pyrofoux.bsky.social, @maxkreminski.bsky.social, and @chrisgardiner.bsky.social www.rockpapershotgun.com/horrible-bor...
"Horrible", "boring", and "cheap": Experts pan new chatbot NPCs, but some leave room for optimism
We speak to a collection of developers and AI experts about the potential impact of LLM-powered NPCs in videogames.
www.rockpapershotgun.com
December 23, 2025 at 7:06 PM
Essentially, I think that LLM-generated dialogue only makes sense if you believe that the product of writing is words.
But the product of writing isn't words, any more than the product of justice is prisoners, or the product of love is weddings. The product of writing is meaning.
But the product of writing isn't words, any more than the product of justice is prisoners, or the product of love is weddings. The product of writing is meaning.
Also fr fr, it was always a tradition for our family to have Noche Buena, then morning Christmas breakfast with presents, an early supper and then a movie to cap it off. It's very normal lol
we have this exotic thing here that maybe hasn’t made it ‘across the pond’ yet it’s called jewish people
December 25, 2025 at 5:41 PM
Also fr fr, it was always a tradition for our family to have Noche Buena, then morning Christmas breakfast with presents, an early supper and then a movie to cap it off. It's very normal lol
How dare Bing Crosby and Frank Sinatra take this side in the war on Christmas
December 25, 2025 at 5:15 PM
How dare Bing Crosby and Frank Sinatra take this side in the war on Christmas
Reposted by Ryan Benk
No Other Choice is just so good, so ferocious and human. There's a lot to think about with it, including Lee Byung-hun's excellent performance and Park Chan-wook's sublime direction. But I can't stop thinking about Son Ye-jin's quiet, textured performance that grounds the movie.
a man in a suit is holding a bowl over his head
ALT: a man in a suit is holding a bowl over his head
media.tenor.com
December 25, 2025 at 12:58 PM
No Other Choice is just so good, so ferocious and human. There's a lot to think about with it, including Lee Byung-hun's excellent performance and Park Chan-wook's sublime direction. But I can't stop thinking about Son Ye-jin's quiet, textured performance that grounds the movie.