Sopan Deb

Excited about this lede. www.nytimes.com/2025/07/31/a...

This Classical Pianist Has Reached the Mountaintop. No, Really.

Spent some time getting to know Hunter Noack, a classical pianist who, for the last decade, has hauled a thousand pound grand piano to national parks, mountains and other out of the way spots for concerts. (The photos in this piece make it worth a click alone.) www.nytimes.com/2025/07/26/a...

Wrote on Hulk Hogan's on-screen villain turn. Talked to, among others, Eric Bischoff and Diamond Dallas Page.
t.co/1BGFpXxnPz

This Math Tutor Keeps Popping Up in Wes Anderson Films

In today's NYT Great Read slot, I introduce you to Mike Maggart. He has no interest in acting. No training. But keeps getting cast in Wes Anderson films and commercials. With lines and all.

"This Math Tutor Keeps Popping Up in Wes Anderson Films."

www.nytimes.com/2025/07/15/a...

A Retelling of the Mahabharata, Set to Modern-Day Struggles

Wrote on the new production of the Indian epic Mahabharata debuting as part of Lincoln Center Presents next week:
www.nytimes.com/2025/06/21/t...

Watching Mission Impossible with a former spy and then talking to them about it is a hilarious story idea @sopandeb.bsky.social
www.nytimes.com/2025/05/30/a...

I tasked a former spy with an important mission: to watch a 3 hour film with me.

www.nytimes.com/2025/05/30/a...

Warm-Up Rituals: How Actors, Comedians and Musicians Get Ready

I was curious about how interesting creative people get ready for their jobs. So I asked a wide range of folks, including Jeff Daniels, Gene Simmons, Wayne Brady, comedians, authors, theater folks, etc. (Daniels says "Budda Gudda" a lot.)
www.nytimes.com/2025/05/19/a...

‘God Is in the Details’: Embracing Boredom in Art and Life The Netflix show “Adolescence” and asks audiences to be OK with slower moments and small talk. Is that possible in 2025?

"God Is in the Details."

Wrote on pieces of art that lean into boredom and force the audience to be versions of themselves that they aren't off screen, including Netflix's "Adolescence."
www.nytimes.com/2025/05/02/a...

Saying ‘Thank You’ to Chat GPT Uses Energy. Should You Do It Anyway? Adding words to our chatbot can apparently cost tens of millions of dollars. But some fear the cost of not saying please or thank you could be higher.

I wrote on the debate on being polite to AI bots, despite the environmental and financial costs and the fact that AI bots aren't human. And it gave me a chance to reference one of my favorite Star Trek TNG episodes.
www.nytimes.com/2025/04/24/t...

I did an important journalism today. t.co/Qqoy4AJU3Z

Wrote on the late Clive Revill, who in one minute of screen time, changed the Star Wars franchise forever. t.co/22V27i33Nf

Ashton Hall’s Unconventional Morning Routine Has Drawn Nearly a Billion Views Ashton Hall’s unconventional morning routine has drawn close to a billion views, and scores of copycat videos.

Wrote on dunking your face in water in the manliest of ways. www.nytimes.com/2025/03/25/s...

Spoke to Chelsea Handler about her new book. Asked about being ghosted by Andrew Cuomo when she propositioned him for sex, and what she thinks about him running for mayor:

"Unfortunately, that predatory behavior was not directed at me even when it was requested."
www.nytimes.com/2025/03/14/a...

When Politicians Exit Stage Right, What’s Left for Their Impersonators? Comedians who lampooned Kamala Harris and Joseph R. Biden Jr. are finding that their fortunes rise and fall based on the fates of the people they portray.

“People at my coffee shop were looking at me and approaching me as if I had died, which is kind of funny to me."

Comedians who lampooned Kamala Harris and Joe Biden are finding that their fortunes rise and fall based on the fates of the people they portray.

Hey I wrote this!

When Politicians Exit Stage Right, What’s Left for Their Impersonators? Comedians who lampooned Kamala Harris and Joseph R. Biden Jr. are finding that their fortunes rise and fall based on the fates of the people they portray.

This @nytimes.com story was mostly answering a question I was curious about. What happens to people whose livelihoods are based on impersonating politicians after they leave the spotlight? (Spoke to Dana Carvey for awhile!)
www.nytimes.com/2025/02/14/a...

For my first post paternity leave piece for @nytimes.com, wrote about a subject near and dear to me: Kidz Bop.

50 albums! Kidz Bop kids are Adultz Bop now!

t.co/nOYBQVGrGB

General assignment! Anything and everything

Paternity leave over. Back to finding things to write about! Email me if you have stuff.

This debate reminds me of a Zarna Garg joke I'm going to butcher/paraphrase - where she says she came to the U.S. with 10 dollars in her pocket, but with $50,000 in the bank.

But this is the key graf, and exactly correct. People of Indian descent are often held up as The Good Minority, but alot of the SAs who come here have access to great education in India, which means they often come from wealth. It's more class than a "superior work ethic."

But this is the key graf, and exactly correct. People of Indian descent are often held up as The Good Minority, but alot of the SAs who come here have access to great education in India, which means they often come from wealth. It's more class than a "superior work ethic."

One slight qualm I have is this line about South Asians being underrepresented in Hollywood. There's no shortage of brown actors, playwrights, novelists and other types of artists. The issue is the industry thus far has been unwilling to spotlight or elevate them. But point taken.

This is a very, very good piece by @zaidjilani.bsky.social on the South Asian experience in the U.S. I have a couple qualms, but overall, it really gets to the nuances of the whole brown success/model minority stuff. t.co/FGGl0sRjQP

Brother's Christmas tree boldly goes where no tree has gone before.

YouTube video by The Kennedy Center Brandi Carlile & Sheryl Crow - "I Can't Make You Love Me" for Bonnie Raitt | Kennedy Center Honors

late to this but i didn't know sheryl crow could play piano like this

nails the bruce hornsby impersonation really well!

www.youtube.com/watch?v=TMVx...

Shams is going to negotiate the Jimmy trade himself if he has to

YouTube video by knasty80 Jingle Bells: From Rasheed Wallace and Company

Merry Christmas from the 2004 Pistons: youtu.be/pKqFg7Tuocg?...

How can you still write for the Times?