Producers Neil Meron and Craig Zadan take us inside the world of Smash, the new NBC musical drama about the people putting together a Broadway musical.

RuPaul is known for his dazzling dresses, sky-high wigs and even higher stiletto heels. His latest accomplishment is hosting "RuPaul's Drag Race," a modeling competition for drag queens, now in its fourth season. Host Michel Martin speaks with 51-year-old entertainer, singer and model RuPaul.

Don Cornelius dismissed the description that Soul Train was the "black" American Bandstand. He said the show was for everybody, and he showcased white acts as well as black — as long as they were funky. The show was an important cultural barometer and a touch-point for young African Americans who saw few reflections of their lives on TV or in the movies in the 1970s and eighties.

A high-profile corruption trial in Cleveland is being re-enacted on a local news station using puppets. Cameras are barred from the courtroom so the station has come up with a unique way to show what's been going on in the courtroom. A former county commissioner and seven others face prison terms for a pay-to-play scheme.

Don Cornelius' velvety voice brought African-American dance and music to a wider audience, and he showcased musical acts that would later become stars. Host Michel Martin talks with NPR correspondent Karen Grigsby Bates about Cornelius' life and work.

Films such as Nanny McPhee and Mary Poppins have romanticized the nanny role, but there's no magic umbrella for the star of the reality TV show America's Supernanny. Deborah Tillman visits a home-in-crisis during each episode, helping kids and parents behave. She talks to host Michel Martin.

What does it take to turn a story told in one medium into a hit film? In the weeks ahead, we're going to explore that question with some of the nominees in this year's Best Adapted Screenplay category of the Academy Awards. Host Rachel Martin speaks to Sasha Stone, founder and editor of AwardsDaily.com.

NBC's new drama plumbs the drama behind the curtain. The new series is the story of a Broadway musical — from the first idea, to auditions, rehearsals and the big premiere. The show's creator and executive producer says Smash has a universally appealing theme: the desire to pursue a dream.

HBO's newest series Luck is set in and around the world of horse racing. TV critic David Bianculli says the series, which stars Dustin Hoffman and Nick Nolte, is loaded with thoroughbred talent.