Stephen Silver

Stephen Silver is a journalist, podcaster and film critic who co-founded the Philadelphia Film Critics Circle and has written extensively about sports, politics, and technology, in addition to culture. In 2009, he became the first journalist in history to interview the chairman of the FCC and the host of Jeopardy! on the same day. He lives in Delaware County with his wife and two sons. Follow him on Twitter at @StephenSilver.

March 9, 2018

Television

'Real World: Philadelphia' alum now starring on Netflix's 'Queer Eye'

by Stephen Silver

"Queer Eye For the Straight Guy," which aired on Bravo from 2003-2006 and featured a quintet of gay men providing fashion and lifestyle tips to hopeless straight guys, was a pioneering reality series, which some say helped set the cultural tone for the revolutionary LGBT rights breakthroughs that arrived later in that decade.

March 7, 2018

Public Health

Best to skip the Afrin and other nasal sprays when you get a cold

by Stephen Silver

Nasal sprays can provide an impressive amount of short-term relief. But they can also be habit-forming, and rapidly lose effectiveness after a couple of days.

March 6, 2018

Documentaries

Local filmmaker debuted Bill Murray documentary at South by Southwest

by Stephen Silver

Bill Murray’s been a huge movie star for more than 30 years, but in recent years he’s become a legend for an entirely other reason: His tendency to show up, in real life, in places where you’d least expect him.

February 21, 2018

Philadelphia Orchestra

Philadelphia Orchestra prepares for first trip to Israel in almost 30 years

by Stephen Silver

The Philadelphia Orchestra recently announced an historic international tour for this May and June, in which the orchestra will visit six cities in Europe, as well as three in Israel.

February 19, 2018

The Sopranos

Vanquish (or comprehend) your inner mobster with this class on Tony Soprano

by Stephen Silver

The current era of "Peak TV" unquestionably traces its origin back to "The Sopranos," the famed mob opera that ran on HBO from 1999 to 2007.

February 16, 2018

Comedians

Chris Tucker brings the laughs with SugarHouse show

by Stephen Silver

Chris Tucker accomplished something impressive in his show last Friday night at SugarHouse Casino's Events Center: He admitted that he was rooting for his hometown Atlanta Falcons over the Eagles in their playoff game last month, and despite a few boos, the crowd stayed with him – and remained with him, for the entire hour-plus set.

December 12, 2016

Musical theater

Kimmel Center in talks for Philly run of 'Hamilton'

by Stephen Silver

Hamilton, Lin-Manuel Miranda’s hip-hop inflected musical reimagining of the life of founding founder Alexander Hamilton, is the biggest thing to hit Broadway in many years.