What it takes to live healthy in America

Plus, read critic Eric Deggans' predictions for the "Succession" finale. [View this email online]( [NPR Up First Newsletter]( by Suzanne Nuyen May 28, 2023 Good morning. This week, we [anxiously prepared for a potential U.S. default]( mourned [Tina Turner]( and made plans to [stop sharing our Netflix passwords](. Plus, Scott Simon reflects on the state of comedy in China. Best of NPR The U.S. ranks poorly on many health outcomes compared to other nations, and things only worsened during the pandemic. We’re obese, sick and dying younger than ever. [An illustration of a woman with her arm around her child. The two are looking at some trees with their backs facing the audience.]( Janice Chang for NPR NPR's Living Better series delves into how things got this way and what we can do about it. Read and listen to stories about communities and individuals who have [bucked the trends]( and discover new ideas that deserve to be spread and policies that deserve to be funded. Catch up on the first four stories in the series: 💊 Two mothers who share the shame and stigma of growing up overweight discuss their divergent views on [how to treat their children's obesity](. 📱 Teens are aware of how social media is affecting their mental health. Their answers to a 2020 survey reveal [how you can help]( them mitigate their stress. 🧠 Adolescence is confusing and stressful for teens and parents alike. But to brain scientists, it's a time of "breathtaking development." [Understanding teen brains]( can help you understand your kids. 🍎 What are packaged snacks doing to our bodies? Here's everything we know so far about the risks associated with [eating an ultra-processed diet](. Keep up with new Living Better stories [here](. --------------------------------------------------------------- Newsletter continues after sponsor message --------------------------------------------------------------- The Week That Was [Actors Jeremy Strong (from left), Sarah Snook and Kieran Culkin are pictured in an episode of Succession, which ends on Sunday.]( Claudette Barius/HBO Tonight marks the end of an era: HBO's Succession is airing its series finale. For four seasons, Nicholas Brittell's theme song has [lived rent-free in my mind]( with its dissonant chords, dramatic strings and 808 beats. 🎧 He spoke to NPR's Michel Martin on Morning Edition this week about [how he composed the show's iconic score](. ➡️ Before the final episode airs, read NPR critic Eric Deggans' [reflection on the show]( — and why he thinks Kendall will ultimately succeed Logan. Jay Comfort flew to the U.S. from Switzerland last June to attend his daughter's wedding. He went home with a [$42,000 medical bill]( thanks to acute appendicitis. Because the cost of care in Switzerland is substantially lower than what is charged in the U.S., his insurer offered a refund that was just a fraction of what Comfort owes the U.S. hospital. In 2004, a U.S. general told the family of an Iraqi interpreter that insurgents killed their brother. The truth was more painful: He was [mistakenly killed by Americans]( he had risked his life to help. Joanna Weiss attended a sold-out Taylor Swift concert this past weekend. She writes about seeing her children's joy and gives a shoutout to not the Swifties [but to their parents]( who have heard the soundtrack of their kids' childhoods and supported them through nearly two decades. (via [WBUR]( --------------------------------------------------------------- Podcast Picks [An illustration of a silhouette of a face in profile made out of blue lights and internet networks.]( Yuichiro Chino NPR Explains: These multi-part series on the biggest news stories will give you the context and analysis you need to understand how the world is changing. 🎧 In the first episode of NPR Explains' [AI series]( scientist Gary Marcus breaks down the [excitement and danger]( behind AI's rapid development. Code Switch: Listen to journalists of color [unapologetically tackle issues of race]( as it relates to culture, history and more with empathy and humor. 🎧 Japanese internment during World War II was a pivotal time in Japanese American history. Explore the lesser-known history of [Japanese Americans living in Japan]( in this episode. Throughline: Dive into the events that have shaped our world as we know it, and [travel to the past to understand the future](. 🎧 What is free speech? This latest episode explores how the [answer to that question has changed]( throughout America's history, from the time of the Founding Fathers to the days of the Ku Klux Klan. --------------------------------------------------------------- Scott's Thoughts [Several national flags of China are displayed in the street on October 1, 2023, in Wuhan, Hubei province, China ]( Getty Images Li Haoshi, a Chinese comedian, recently told a Beijing audience that his dogs chased a squirrel and reminded him: “Fine style of work, capable of winning battles.” But that's no joke. It's a Chinese Communist Party slogan about China’s National People’s Liberation Army. Li has been fined $2 million for mockery. Chinese cultural officials say, “We will never allow any company or individual to wantonly slander the glorious image of the People’s Liberation Army ... and never allow serious subjects to be turned into entertainment.” That's, of course, what comedy is. “I will take all the responsibility and call off all my performances to deeply reflect and reeducate myself,” Li posted on the social media platform Weibo. He was not jailed — something all artists in China must worry about. But the massive fine may be exceptionally cunning. Why would club owners now risk booking a comedian? Shows are reportedly being canceled across China as comedians pledge to “reeducate” themselves. That may not be a human rights crime, but Kelly Leonard, director of Chicago’s Second City Theater, told us, “Any comedian will tell you they need to read the room they are performing in. In this case, that room appears to be a country whose government has no sense of humor. If you can silence the comedians, you can silence anyone.” This week we interviewed [Rachel Louise Snyder]( on her own amazing life story. I interviewed an old friend, [Dan Ronan]( whose name is in a tragic news story. And we said thanks to [Tina Turner](. --------------------------------------------------------------- Stream your local NPR station. Visit NPR.org to find your local station stream. [Find a Station]( --------------------------------------------------------------- This newsletter was edited by Carol Ritchie. Enjoying this newsletter? Forward to a friend! They can [sign up here](. Looking for more great content? [Check out all of our newsletter offerings]( — including Music, Politics, Health and more! You received this message because you're subscribed to Best of NPR emails. This email was sent by National Public Radio, Inc., 1111 North Capitol Street NE, Washington, DC 20002 [Unsubscribe]( | [Privacy Policy]( [NPR logo]