NPR's Book of the Day - In ‘Growing Up Urkel,’ actor Jaleel White reflects on a career-defining role

Steve Urkel, the nerdy, bespectacled neighbor in Family Matters, is one of '90s television's most iconic characters. Urkel's nasally voice, oversized glasses and signature catchphrases made the character nearly inescapable in pop culture – and also made a star out of Jaleel White, the actor who played him. In a new memoir, Growing Up Urkel, White reflects on how the role catapulted his career while permanently shaping the way others see him. In today's episode, he joins NPR's Ailsa Chang for a conversation that touches on the character's mass appeal, TV stereotypes about Black boys, and how playing Urkel has affected White's view of his own masculinity.

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Everything Everywhere Daily - The Islamic Caliphates

After the Prophet Mohammed's death in 632, his followers faced a dilemma. Mohammed was not only their spiritual leader but also their political leader. 

While no one could replace Mohammed, they needed a leader for their community. 

The result was the creation of the position of the caliph, or "successor." A series of caliphs ruled the Islamic world for centuries, and they left an indelible mark on the world today. 

Learn more about the Islamic Caliphates and how they ruled the Islamic world on this episode of Everything Everywhere Daily.


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The Indicator from Planet Money - What’s in your wallet? Ask the new Treasury Secretary

Many were waiting longer than expected to hear Donald Trump name his nominee for Treasury Secretary, the person in charge of pursuing his economic agenda. Now, we have an answer: hedge fund manager Scott Bessent. Today on the show, what are the actual implications of what a Treasury Secretary does on you and me? And how does the Treasury Department affect regular Americans?

Related episodes:
The IRS wants to do your taxes for free. Will it last? (Apple / Spotify)
The U.S. economy's biggest superpower, explained (Apple / Spotify)

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Everything Everywhere Daily - Fermat’s Last Theorem

For more than 350 years, a single problem stumped the world of mathematics. 

The problem was extremely simple to state, yet it proved fiendishly difficult to prove. 

For several centuries, bounties were placed on finding a solution, and many failed to prove it. 

Finally, in 1994, seemingly out of nowhere, a proof was offered, but it was far cry from the initial promise of being simple.

Learn more about Fermat’s Last Theorem and its legacy in the world of mathematics on this episode of Everything Everywhere Daily.


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NPR's Book of the Day - NPR staffers pick their favorite reads of the year

The 2024 edition of Books We Love is here. Each year, NPR staffers and critics submit their favorite reads of the year across genres. Those selections are compiled into a reading guide, where you can sort by filters, including Book Club Ideas, The States We're In, Rather Short or Rather Long. In today's episode, NPR's Andrew Limbong and Steve Inskeep discuss some of the 350+ books chosen by staff this year, including their own picks.

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The Indicator from Planet Money - Trump’s plans for the housing market

Across the U.S., millions of people are feeling the burden of high housing costs. During his campaign, president-elect Donald Trump promised to do something about that. But what exactly is that something? Today on the show, NPR's business correspondent, Laurel Wamsley, explains Trump's ideas for the housing market. For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org. Music by Drop Electric. Find us: TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Newsletter.

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